Communication and feedback is vital for progress for local government and its citizens. In the last several years the Glenwood Springs City Council has made concerted efforts to inform citizens about projects, events, and policies by increasing public outreach.

As proud as we are about these efforts, it is not enough. We know there are many voices we are not hearing from regularly and we want to ensure we hear from as many of you as possible.

At last week’s city council meeting, we voted to survey the community on their concerns about infrastructure and what they consider appropriate means for funding upgrades. We need to hear from liberals, conservatives, and unaffiliated voters in equal measure. We need to hear from young families and retired folks, from long-time locals and those newly arrived – but most importantly we need to hear from those of you that don’t regularly contact the city or provide input on projects.

We will be working with a professional third-party organization over the next several weeks to conduct an unbiased scientific survey about our infrastructure and streets. We need to hear from the citizens what resources or revenue options might make sense to pursue. We are looking for brutally honest feedback from the respondents, and anything less does our community no favors. As elected leaders, we try our hardest to understand the citizen’s collective interests. A direct survey of our residents removes the city council’s sentiments and opinions by asking you directly.

Our call to the community is this – if you are selected, please answer your phone and spend a few minutes with the surveyor. If you don’t receive a call, take a few minutes to send us an email, call us on our phones, or give public comment at a city council meeting. The only way we can be sure we are representing your interests is if you tell us.