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Beth Melton: Confusion and delay in West Steamboat

Maybe I’ve been watching too much Thomas the Tank Engine with my 3-year-old (I definitely am) — but, “You are causing confusion and delay!” is the phrase that sticks in my head when I think about the petition currently being circulated to put the West Steamboat annexation to a vote.

If the petitioners are successful, we will see significant delays in this project, which only add to the cost and housing challenges in our community. The petitioners state that they merely want a community-wide discussion of the issue. I doubt it. This is a thinly veiled attempt to kill the development of much-needed housing using many of the same arguments that were used over a decade ago to kill annexation of the same area.

During my campaign in 2018, I saw Jason Lacy at a community event, and he said, “What are you hearing as you’re out there talking to people, Beth?” “Housing,” I said, “everyone is concerned about housing.” He agreed. As I have talked with community members over the past few years, housing is stated as a number one concern for the vast majority.

I am tired of people who bought their homes in Steamboat 20-plus years ago telling us what we need.

I am tired of people who won’t be here when this development is finished telling us it’s not the right plan.

Our workforce needs housing.

We have enough water. We do not have enough housing under $600,000.

This development is the right next step for our community, and efforts to delay, divert or kill this development only hurt working families.

A community without families and without a workforce is no community at all.

We agreed many years ago that the west area of Steamboat was the appropriate place for development. We agreed that we wanted to concentrate development through annexation. I don’t believe this vision has changed.

This petition is an effort to confuse and delay our community’s progress.

For the future of Steamboat — Please do not sign this petition. And in the event that these petitioners are successful, please do not vote against the annexation.

Beth Melton

Steamboat Springs

These opinions are my own as a working parent committed to the future of our community. They are not intended to represent an official position of any elected or appointed seat I hold.


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