Letter: A fresh council

The energy in the Basalt Town Council Chambers has left the building. The dialogue among council members has become stale. The council meetings have the look and feel of a good ol’ boys club. Folks, it’s time for a change — the 20th century ended 16 years ago!

Fortunately, we can make that change happen on election day, April 5. There are three qualified candidates on the ballot who if elected will not only resolve our current council imbalances, but who also have lives that are fully immersed in the challenges facing Basalt in the 21st century — challenges such as mobility, flexibility, connectivity, day care and affordable housing. By electing these three candidates we will have a new council that represents men and women in a manner that more accurately reflects the Basalt of 2016 than the Basalt of 1994. Candidates Katie Schwoerer and Jenn Riffle are smart, vibrant young women who have been actively engaged in our community over the past 10 years. Candidate Auden Schendler has been at the vanguard of energy resource management/sustainability issues in our valley for well over a decade. All three of these candidates will bring more than a breath of fresh air to the Town Council — they will bring fresh ideas and fresh energy, as well. They all have both the vision and the imagination to guide Basalt’s future into the next decade of the 21st century.

So, Basaltines, are you ready for a fresh start? If the answer is “yes,” I strongly urge you to join me in voting for Katie Schwoerer, Jenn Riffle and Auden Schendler for Basalt Town Council on election day, April 5.

Greg Shugars

Basalt