It is of continuing mystery why Mark Kwiecienski makes nonsense assertions without either facts or logical reasoning (“Holding Basalt hostage,” letters, Oct. 17, The Aspen Times).

Now a simple call for zoning of the Commercial Development Corp. property to a use acceptable to the town is oddly portrayed as some form of hostage taking? “Zoning without owning” is somehow a setup for failure? Does not the town zone all property in accord with master plans and publicly acceptable uses, and yet own none of it?

It would appear that Mark has some unrevealed but brilliant solution to the long-standing inability to implement a use of this property acceptable to the town, the landowner and a developer.

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I long ago offered to assign our contract to him so he could show us all what his magic solution is, but he declined. To solve his new “hostage problem,” I offer that again.

We will assign it to him for the simple reimbursement of our documented costs in striving for three years to work with the town and CDC to find a viable use resolution.

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Here is your chance, Mark, to free the hostage and show your magic wand at work! Call me any time.

James DeFrancia

Aspen