Why I’ll vote for Skadron

Dear Editor:

I’m writing in support of Steve Skadron for mayor.

I’ve known Steve for probably all of the 17 years that he has lived in Aspen. Early on, Steve worked for Aspen Marketing and Design and helped us at the Ute Mountaineer communicate with our customers.

I noticed two things in particular at that time that are trademark Steve traits. He very deliberately listened to what we were saying. Some marketing folks can be on constant transmit, but Steve took care to understand what it was that was important to us – what we valued. I liked that. Second, I saw tremendous attention to detail. Steve made sure our materials represented our philosophy of selling precisely. I liked that also. Two very important skills that can serve us well here in Aspen.

An illustration of this came up this winter. I work on the board of the Independence Pass Foundation, and we were working on the advertising materials for an event that we were putting on in February – Ski for the Pass. We do most of our graphic design in-house to keep costs down. After our first ad for the event hit the papers, I got a phone call from Steve, gently suggesting that we could use a little help on the ads. His generous offer to help a local charitable organization made a big difference for us.

Steve’s vision for Aspen includes a balance of keeping our business community vibrant – remember, he’s got a Master of Business Administration degree – while giving the term “small-town character” real meaning, including a commitment to Aspen’s environmental ethos. He has supported development that keeps us on the forefront of resort towns while recognizing that we cannot compromise on

the vision that has kept Aspen unique among ski towns. Hence his support to limit building heights in the core.

Steve’s bag of tricks extends far beyond the City Council. He spent four years on the Planning and Zoning Commission before becoming a city councilman. He’s an adjunct professor at Colorado Mountain College, teaching business-related classes. And he has been on the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority board for a number of years. These are revealing about Steve – low-profile and low- or no-compensation positions. They speak to his passion for being a contributing member of our community. All provide him tremendous input into what makes a town great. He brings more of this experience than any of the candidates for mayor. And, again, he is actively running his own marketing business.

Beyond having the experience and technical skills that he brings to the office of mayor, Steve is fundamentally a good and fair person. He’ll level with anyone on what he is thinking, but he’s got no hard edges. Yes, he’s got tons of experience in business and government, but what sells me on him being Aspen’s mayor is his persona.

Bob Wade

Aspen