At the Jan. 18 Steamboat Springs City Council meeting, council was told by a representative of the vacation rental industry they should be ashamed for voting to disallow council member Michael Buccino from voting on extending the moratorium on new permits.

Actually, they should be commended. His statement, “I’m trying to be a voice for my clients that are property owners and second-home owners in this town,” is completely inappropriate for a councilperson elected by the voters of this community to represent them.

He was not elected by second-home owners from other cities or states. He blatantly states that he is “trying to be a voice for his clients.” That may or may not technically be a conflict of interest, but to an educated person, it certainly appears so since he encounters financial gain from people who rent on a vacation or short-term basis.

According to our city attorney, “small communities make conflict of interest somewhat inevitable.” That is most certainly true, but it does not justify nor certainly shouldn’t forgive them. I hope that when council member Buccino’s term expires next year, and if he chooses to run again, the voters remember who he is really representing.

Michael Turner

Steamboat Springs