R2 doesn’t tackle the necessity

I respect the thought put into the PI’s latest editorial piece concerning annexation. I, too, imagine that the reply shouldn’t be no to all progress. It’s sure to smart progress.

By saying sure to this annexation as the event has been proposed is a vote for less than 28 lecturers, firefighters and cops, as R2’s “reasonably priced housing” at 120% can be out of most of their vary. How does this make a group higher? All models within the title of affordability must be 80% or much less if we actually hope to assist a better quantity of individuals. If group is what we hope to construct, is greater than $1,800 a month rental charges for studios the way in which to get there?

A bit they missed is the growing older and retiring inhabitants that helped to construct this group. With a 60% enhance on this demographic coming, what about them? Can they afford these charges? And what concerning the low wage employees that assist tourism thrive? The CNAs, the grocery clerks, the postal employees, and many others?

Constructing for group requires pondering past the professionals who can afford such astronomical charges for housing — 80% Space Median Revenue (AMI) in Garfield County is round $49,000; 120% AMI is over $70,000.

Based on a January 2020 Glenwood Springs Wage Grade Plan, firefighter/paramedic and police officer I & Il midpoint salaries had been between $48,000 and $56,000. A mean yearly

wage for Re-1 lecturers is $56,540. Glenwood Springs residents ranked workforce housing for native employees in low-moderate paying jobs amongst their 5 most urgent points. One other key takeaway from the Higher Regional Housing Research discovered the best want for housing was for these making between 60% and 80% AMI.

So, sure, we’ve got certainly been giving this situation the consideration it deserves by pondering extra deeply than these merely selecting sure with out digging deeper.

I additionally discover it unlucky that the Submit Unbiased didn’t give any consideration to the kid care situation. It might’ve been a good time to plug a removing of the out-of-place clubhouse to make room for a kid care heart instead. We’ve thought very deeply concerning the points our city faces, and we hope you’ll too.

Lacy King

Glenwood Springs

Thrift Retailer report

Defiance Thrift Retailer wish to share with the Roaring Fork Valley their 2021 year-end information. We had been proud to donate $94,000 to Elevate-UP and the Household Customer Applications.

Defiance has as soon as once more met probably the most beneficiant and sort residents from Aspen to Eagle to Parachute and past. Our motto is and at all times has been, “We’re solely pretty much as good because the donations we obtain.”

Many many due to all of you who’ve chosen our retailer to deliver your furnishings, kitchen objects, jewellery, collectibles and naturally your next-to-new garments. We’re additionally grateful to the consumers who we see day by day, weekly and yearly who return with nice tales of their latest journeys.

We stay up for a profitable 2022 with all of you!

Rhonda Bell, supervisor

Glenwood Springs

Ideas on historical past

Mark Hillman’s column, “Historical past backs Lincoln’s position as pioneer for racial equality” within the Feb. 16 situation of the Submit Unbiased acquired me to occupied with historical past and the way it’s seen via the lens of whomever is writing it on the time they’re writing it.

What if Hitler had gained World Conflict II? How would Germany’s historical past be taught in the present day, and the way wouldn’t it have an effect on not solely the Germans, however the remainder of Europe and the world? As it’s, there are nonetheless individuals who imagine that the Holocaust by no means occurred.

Historical past is analogous for our nation. I used to be not taught that america was based on the theft of the land and tradition of Native People, who had been right here lengthy earlier than the Europeans arrived. Not solely was their land stolen from them, however they had been massacred and eliminated to reservations (the place many nonetheless dwell) and skilled (and proceed to expertise) the consequences of being regarded down upon by the dominant (i.e., white) tradition.

Nor did my historical past courses point out that the American financial system was constructed on the backs of Black slaves, and that their subsequent generations proceed to bear the brunt of systemic racism. I didn’t be taught that many legal guidelines legalized the remedy of Native People and Blacks. These embody, however aren’t restricted to The Naturalization Act of 1790, The Indian Elimination Act of 1830 and the Fugitive Slave Regulation of 1850.

Till all of us be taught your complete historical past of our nation, the great, the dangerous, and the ugly, there will likely be no “liberty and justice for all.”

Judie Blanchard

Carbondale

Cole Buerger for state consultant

I’m becoming a member of former Lt. Governor Mike Calliha, to endorse Cole Buerger to be our HD57 State Consultant.

Cole will present distinctive management and repair for Home District 57, which now contains Garfield, Pitkin, and components of Eagle County within the Roaring Fork Valley. A fifth technology Coloradan, raised on a ranch exterior of Silt, he will likely be a champion for Western Slope values.

From tourism, recreation, training, well being care, transportation, public security, agriculture, and extra — Cole has a exceptional understanding of our native industries.

Cole will hearken to and symbolize the pursuits of our various group. From our seniors in search of assist to younger adults in search of their first job and residential; from new immigrants and their households in search of alternative to enterprise homeowners and professionals in search of truthful remedy and an infrastructure to assist funding and progress; from recreation lovers to those that require motion to enhance the environment and land use heritage — Cole will likely be in your nook.

An efficient legislator should not solely have good intentions however should possess the abilities to judge the problems, craft laws, hearken to constituents, work with colleagues and all method of organizations, and lead via public discourse. Cole’s training in worldwide affairs, Grasp’s in Public Coverage, and years of expertise working with world-renowned leaders and organizations executing communications, analysis, and advocacy efforts has ready him to be an important chief on the Colorado Capitol on behalf of HD57 and the residents of Colorado.

Be taught extra about his imaginative and prescient to protect our pure heritage, to defend our democracy, to strengthen our financial system, and to rebuild our communities at cole4colorado.com.

Please take part in your county’s Democratic Get together caucus. I urge you to assist Cole.

Roger Wilson

former State Consultant

for counties now included in HD57

Glenwood Springs

GSCA clarifies stance

We’re writing to make clear the place of the Glenwood Springs Residents’ Alliance in regard to the Rocky Mountaineer vacationer prepare.

The Residents’ Alliance helps the Rocky Mountaineer. We see the vacationer prepare as a invaluable new enterprise that brings guests to Glenwood Springs to get pleasure from our surroundings, out of doors actions, hospitality and mountain life-style.

In January, we voiced considerations about two points of the Rocky Mountaineer’s nighttime operations within the Glenwood Springs railyard which might be impacting native residents. These points are glare from safety lighting and noise from idling locomotive engines.

We’re conscious that the Rocky Mountaineer’s administration is taking steps to deal with each of those points upfront of the 2022 working season. The Residents’ Alliance has provided to help, significantly in endorsing the corporate’s efforts to deliver electrical energy shops into the railyard.

For the Residents’ Alliance, our main focus is the Rocky Mountain Industrials limestone quarry and the threats our group faces from its proposed mine growth. RMI’s proposal contains truck-hauling to freight trains that may stand idling within the Glenwood Springs railyard one year a yr.

We raised considerations concerning the Rocky Mountaineer vacationer prepare as a result of we worry the glare and idling locomotives may set a precedent for acceptable impacts in our group, which may then be exploited by Rocky Mountain Industrials.

Our hope is that the Rocky Mountaineer vacationer prepare can alter its nighttime operations to keep away from the glare and noise, and be a profitable tourism associate welcomed by all in our group.

Jeff Peterson

Heather McGregor

Glenwood Springs Residents’ Alliance

Airport issues

Again and again, Glenwood Springs Metropolis Council is attempting to color the image of our airport as a leisure membership, serving an unique few. I learn that the South Bridge is required as an evacuation route, although its true objective is a bypass. After a long time of use as an airport, why now could be there such concern about enhancements and obstructions?

There have been two essential factors dropped at mild by medical aviators through the March 2019 standing-room-only assembly concerning the airport: 1. helicopters want runways; and a pair of. pediatric medical transports want fixed-wing plane.

I’m dismayed these assertions have been ignored and even revised.

Metropolis Council retains asking questions concerning the airport in hopes of a unique reply. If we’re going to proceed revisiting completely different makes use of for land donated for the aim of an airport, why don’t we return and revisit different choices — specifically, if we’d like an official evacuation route, why not rethink the Prehm Ranch Highway? Why is that off the desk, however the airport is at all times on the desk?

I really feel safer as a result of our airport is right here, offering us with wanted fireplace and emergency medical assist providers. It must be preserved in its present place with a runway.

Hearth is on everybody’s thoughts — however have we actually evaluated the eventualities of what occurs when each automobile lands onto Freeway 82 on the proposed junction with South Bridge? If we’ve got a lethal, threatening fireplace, and we funnel each automobile onto Freeway 82, within the log jam that it already is, then we’ve got a a lot greater downside than any bridge goes to unravel. We dwell in a decent valley, with the obstacles of rivers and mountains – in some ways, it’s a dangerous place to dwell, and we will’t get rid of each single danger.

If we’d like solely an evacuation route, I urge Council to have a look at different choices for opening Prehm Ranch Highway within the occasion of an emergency and for that objective. As a substitute, take into account devoting valuable funds to creating the Glenwood Springs Airport a useful resource for fireplace assist, in order that we stand a greater likelihood of preventing fires.

Beth Zukowski

Glenwood Springs

Good name

I usually favor permitting markets to find out contract relationships. Nevertheless, the swap to a single weekly trash pickup in Carbondale residential areas has diminished visitors noise, mud and congestion. Good name!

Jay Coursey

Carbondale