Working together takes effort, time, understanding and sharing the same goal. Our city has a lot going for us, but it also needs us to come together to find solutions for our continued growth and growing pains we will go through over the next several years. I believe we have multiple items that need to be addressed by Steamboat Springs City Council. However, the below items are the ones that I believe are most pressing and important to our city.

• Maintain the sense of community and looking out for each other

• Make it affordable for middle and working classes to live in Steamboat Springs

• Affordable housing

• Worker shortage

• Lack of day care

• Parks and trails

• Climate action plan

• Transportation

• Smart growth

Many of our city’s needs are inter-related, such as affordable housing and child care availability, which is contributing to our worker shortage. To meet our city’s comprehensive needs, we should look for a team of leaders that can work together and effectively implement the goals defined by the community.

To define these goals, we will need to work to identify all those who have a stake in the issue and their concerns. Once stakeholders have been identified, then we can move to confirm and rank the order various projects need to be completed. I feel this election process, with all local races being contested, has helped define and articulate what the community wants and needs. If elected, this will provide me the guidance I can rely upon when working on our city’s business.

Since we will continually be doing new things and bringing new people together, we will also want leaders that build teams and get them performing quickly. I have over 20 years experience developing teams and businesses, which is why I feel I would make a good leader/councilor for our city.

We can always expect new teams to have little agreement and unclear understanding of what they are trying to achieve. To educate the team, I would continue to provide guidance and direction as to the purpose of the group. Once this is done, myself and other leaders will be able to move the team through the next challenge when conflict inevitably presents itself, because people are trying to understand what their role is and what they are responsible for on the effort.

My experience facilitating discussions and clarifying the effort and who does what has consistently given teams clear vision and purpose. When this occurs, the group can focus and achieve their shared goals. This is all accomplished through constant communication and working together in a collaborative and respectful environment. If elected, I will bring this type of thinking, problem solving and mentality to City Council.

I’m Daniel Gerke, and I’m asking you for your vote on Nov. 2 to represent District 3 on City Council.

Daniel Gerke is a candidate for Steamboat Springs City Council District 3.