Two priorities for Glenwood Springs City Council

It is time for someone on the Glenwood Springs City Council to get behind two projects. 1) The saving of the greenhouse that came from the Redstone Castle that resides at the old Neiman’s Gardens, soon to be torn down and become new housing. 2) Start to clean up the old sewer plant location on Seventh Street. The city has had a fence around it from when the plant was torn down, letting construction companies use it for storage, etc. thus preventing it from public use. It should be cleared off and made into a nice open area between the public parking lot and the river trail. A tunnel exists between the parking lot and the old sewer plant lot, thus making it an easy access point to the river. 

There is no reason not to make this available to locals and tourists. It took over eight years to get the railroad rails and ties removed so that a trail from Glenwood to Carbondale could be built, let’s not do the same with the sewer property.

Don “Hooner” Gillespie, Glenwood Springs

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Airport growth puts Rifle quality of life at risk

Attention Rifle and Silt residents: Our future quality of life is at serious risk. Rifle’s Comprehensive Plan 2019 states “Rifle will continue to pursue primary jobs particularly around the Airport and seek ways to mitigate the challenges to industry attraction.” So perhaps Rifle can expose more citizens to air and noise pollution? Aren’t fracking and flaring, the gravel pits, the train tracks, the hundreds of cars heading up-valley enough?   

Mike Samson has shown us over his 16 year tenure where Rifle’s environment sits on his priority list. At the “Issues and Elections Forum” on Sept. 26, Samson made clear that he’s pro-oil and gas, stating that when he first became a commissioner, the Board built $135 million in reserves because of oil and gas revenues. “I would love to see oil and gas come back to this county because that is what paid the bills,” he said, adding that the county needs to invest in diverse income streams, such as the expansion of the Garfield County Airport in Rifle.

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Our vision of a rural lifestyle is not one of a constant droning of airplanes in our beautiful skies. Our small town atmosphere is constantly under attack by loud trucks and car mufflers. Now we have an increase in private jet owners using Rifle county airport for private jet commuting, parking, and storage. For the next 40-50 years. None of them live here! I don’t think this should be our dream for the future. Do you? Ex-Councilman, and former airport manager Brian Conde told the Post Independent “If we said we wanted to be the next DIA people would laugh at us. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to be perfect. We want to be the alternative to Aspen, and these plans will help get us there.” Who’s the”we ” and “us”, you and the BOCC? Numerous studies have shown decreased home values directly correlated to proximity to airport runways and flight paths. Check out the lawsuits on the front-range over Metro and Centennial Airports increased flight activity. Mike Samson is putting our quality of life at serious risk.

Craig Chisesi, Rifle

Carey would bring thoughtful leadership to Garfield County

I’m voting for Caitlin Carey for County Commissioner. As a long-term resident of New Castle, I’ve seen firsthand the careful and wise decisions she’s made as a member of the town council. In the meetings I’ve observed, Carey has been open, well-prepared, and ready to engage with fellow council members and people presenting requests for council action, including on tough issues such as residential and business development, transportation, affordable housing and smart growth. Her council votes show that she is focused on improving our community’s quality of life. Beyond her considerable leadership and critical thinking skills as a council member, Carey is also approachable and very responsive to her constituents. I have always found her willing to listen to the concerns of citizens. That’s a big plus for me.

Also compelling to me is the contrast between Carey and her opponent in this election, Perry Will. As a state legislator, Will voted against HB22-1279, the Reproductive Health Equity Act protecting women’s reproductive freedoms (the bill later became state law). He also voted to formally thank state Rep. Ron Hanks and those who joined him at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, an action which demonstrates little support for the rule of law and indicates to me that he will take a more polarizing, partisan approach if he is elected to the county commission.

Carey has demonstrated the kind of thoughtful leadership needed in New Castle and I am sure her leadership skills will be put to good use as a commissioner for Garfield County. I have no doubt that when she is elected Garfield County Commissioner, she will serve us well and we will be lucky to have her at the helm.

Denise Scheberle, New Castle

Vote yes on 2A to maintain Glenwood Springs’ infrastructure

As a fourth-generation Glenwood Springs resident, I care deeply about our community’s future which is why I am voting yes on 2A. Like the foundation of a house, fixing and maintaining our street infrastructure may not be an exciting endeavor, but it’s essential. Well-maintained streets improve safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, speed up emergency response times, and eliminate unnecessary obstacles in our daily lives.

2A is a smart financial decision. Glenwood is a hub for commuters from the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys and a major tourist destination. The proposed 1-cent infrastructure tax will generate funding from non-residents, easing the burden on locals by preventing the need for much higher utility fees and potentially a property tax. Without this dedicated fund, critical services like snow plowing, pothole repairs, and street rebuilds will have to compete for limited resources with other essential departments like fire, police, and parks and recreation.

As a Parks and Recreation board commissioner, I’ve seen firsthand how stretched our general fund already is. A dedicated infrastructure fund ensures that our Public Works Department can maintain, repair, and rebuild existing streets and underlying infrastructure, without impacting other vital services. 

Public Works has already evaluated the condition of every street and knows the costs required to bring our poorly rated streets up to modern standards over the next 20 years. This plan, which also includes underground utility upgrades, is efficient and cost-effective, but it only works if we renew and expand the current street tax to 1-cent.

This is about maintaining the backbone of our city. Vote yes on 2A—it’s a necessity.

Ashley Moffatt, Glenwood Springs