Reeves: Snowmass, a village of hope

I swear, it was just yesterday in 2002 my family arrived to a quaint, sleepy town only catering to the skier/boarder enthusiasts during the winter months. I blinked, and 20 years went by, and progress is taking over. How did this happen?

Well, I raise my hand and admit, “It was me and the remaining 55% of the 1,155 voters of Snowmass Village who said yes to Base Village.” In Febuary of 2005, we gave our town permission to move ahead, to allow corporate developers to show us their creations, to make room for progress, to be part of the everlasting, growing community of a ski-resort town.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we got exactly what we asked for and then some more, and more. Jeff Tippett said, “I think the community lost, but it will take some people some time to figure that out.”

The future is here, and it’s the reflection of those who knew the past. Who better then Britta Gustafson knows this. After all, she wrote the book. I am honored and ecstatic to support Britta as a dedicated, forward thinking candidate for Town Council 2022! She has vested her entire life supporting, working, and raising her own family in Snowmass Village. How many candidates can actually say they started their education at Little Red School House and graduated from Aspen High?

As I (and a few others) put Snowmass Village into this precarious situation, I know Britta has the dedication, vitality, and knowledge to right a few of our mistakes and genuinely give her heart and soul to this magical place we call our own.

How do I know this? I am the quiet achiever who has spent the past 40 years living in ski-resort villages around the world. I have watched over and over again the same excitement, progress, and human mistakes that occur when we try to re-invent the wheel. Just do me a favor, everyone: In the next week, read everything you can about Britta Gustafson. She will not re-invent the wheel, I assure you. She will build the bike around it. Remember to vote.

Katie Reeves

Snowmass Village