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City Council candidate Dave McClure announced he was withdrawing from the race for the at-large seat during Monday night’s 2007 Election Forum sponsored by the Steamboat Pilot & Today and Steamboat tv18. That means incumbent Towny Anderson and challenger Cari Hermacinski will battle this November for the position. Photo by John F. Russell
Steamboat Springs City Council candidate Cari Hermacinski speaks during the 2007 Election Forum sponsored by the Steamboat Pilot & Today and Steamboat tv18 as opponent Towny Anderson listens in the background. Photo by John F. Russell
Candidates
District 1 (four years): Susan Dellinger (incumbent, council president), Scott Myller
District 2 (four years): Meg Page Bentley, Paul Hughes
District 3 (two years): Vince Arroyo, Walter Magill
District 3 (four years): Karen Post (incumbent), Jon Quinn
At-large (two years): Towny Anderson (incumbent), Cari Hermacinski
Not up for election: Loui Antonucci (District 2), Steve Ivancie (District 1)
Leaving council: Ken Brenner (District 2, term-limited), Paul Strong (District 3, term-limited)
For more
The Steamboat Pilot & Today and Steamboat tv18 candidates forum will be rebroadcast at 10 p.m. Mondays and 7 p.m. Thursdays until Election Day on Comcast channel 18.
And then there were 10.
Steamboat Springs City Council candidate Dave McClure withdrew from the race for the at-large seat Monday during a forum hosted by the Steamboat Pilot & Today and Steamboat tv18 at Centennial Hall.
McClure, a retired University of Tennessee librarian and self-described “political outsider,” said he decided to leave the race to devote more time to his two children and, potentially, the two additional children he and his wife are trying to adopt.
“I’m here tonight to withdraw from the race,” McClure told the audience. “This job’s going to take more time than I can give.”
McClure said he would continue to be an activist for issues he advocated throughout his candidacy, such as vocational education, support for returning veterans and a city-sponsored health care program.
McClure’s withdrawal means there are now two candidates running for each of the five City Council seats up for election.
Council incumbent Towny Anderson and challenger Cari Hermacinski used Monday’s forum to continue their clash over the issue of executive, or secret, sessions. Hermacinski said the current City Council has met in executive session 51 times in its two years.
“The Sunshine Laws of this state allow you to go into secret session; they don’t mandate it,” Hermacinski said.
Anderson defended City Council’s right to go into executive session to discuss sensitive issues such as real estate transactions. He said such sessions protect taxpayers’ interests.
“The price is not going to get jacked up as a result of it being publicized,” Anderson said about the importance of discussing such issues behind closed doors.
In other races, candidates worked to establish their stances and differentiate themselves, possibly revealing alliances in the process.
Building on a theme that emerged at a candidates forum hosted last week by the League of Women Voters, City Council President Susan Dellinger said she would hold developers more accountable than her District 1 opponent, planning commissioner Scott Myller, who last week questioned how much City Council “entangles” developers.
“There is nothing more important than to have a community voice at the table,” Dellinger said.
Myller responded by sharpening his stance on the issue, noting that developers have a responsibility to the community.
“I know full well the development community needs to pay its way,” Myller said.
Councilwoman Karen Post, who is running against Jon Quinn for a District 3 seat, echoed Dellinger’s remarks, asking the audience whether they would want a City Council “backed by developers.” Dellinger and Post have advertised jointly for their campaigns.
“Is Steamboat a commodity or a community?” Post asked. “I will work to promote our community.”
Quinn denied claims that he is a lackey for the development community.
“Anyone that knows me, knows that I’m not in anyone’s pocket,” Quinn said. “I’m certainly not going to be a pawn of the developers.”
In the race for the open District 2 seat, Meg Bentley addressed what her opponent, Paul Hughes, has claimed to be his No. 1 advantage: experience. Hughes is a municipal government veteran and former Steamboat Springs city manager. Bentley, a professional organizer, is a political newcomer.
“Experience managing a municipality does not translate into being a really responsive member of City Council,” Bentley said.
Hughes continued his frank criticism of the current council, called this year’s election the most important in years and noted his involvement in various community organizations such as Mainstreet Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley Airport Commission.
In the race for the other District 3 seat, substantive differences between candidates Vince Arroyo and Walter Magill have been tough to define.
Arroyo cited his family’s five generations in the Yampa Valley and said he is “passionate” about the city’s future direction.
“We can orchestrate the future with the tools we have in place,” Arroyo said. “Creativity is the key to economic success in this valley.”
Magill said his role as a business owner and surveyor would make him a good councilman. He said he looks forward to serving and devoting his time to council but continued to criticize its efficiency, or lack thereof.
“I’m not going to work on weekends for it,” Magill said.
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Community comments
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knowitall (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dont be a fool!!! Hermacinski Myller,Quinn,Magill are in developers back pocket go look at where the signs are.Dont vote these people in .
stmbtisoutofcontrol (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope that the new City Council begins to respect the citizens of the City as well as Routt County. Why has the City become the bully of the valley?
elphaba (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The most charming parts of Steamboat are those which grew - or were developed - before the intervention of Planning - What everyone refers to as "eclectic charm" doesn't grow out of government intervention. Planning and City supervision have given us the ugly cookie cutter - monotonous - homogeous - "anytown USA" developments and strip commercial that has rendered the town characterless. If we want to be like every town in America with a Home Depot and Applebees on planned, manicured, sterile spaces let Susan Dellinger be at the table. She hasn't been very effective in implementing any positive changes in the plans approved under her tenure - look at the mess we're living with.
id04sp (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the local architects designs everything to look pretty much alike . . . reminds me of "The Brady Bunch Movie."
Meadows, mountains and trees with no more pavement than absolutely necessary should be the rule. Beyoind that, no planning is required.
jonquinn (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I take offense at the notion that I have been bought, or that I can be unduly influenced by developers in this town. Anybody who has concerns about this may call me directly, 846-3403. I am in this race for precisely the oppossite reason. I believe our CURRENT council does little or nothing to support our middle class and our working families. Jon Quinn
RoxyDad (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good response Jon Quinn.
I suggest that anyone wanting to write a comment about Jon first speak to him before writing the comment.
steamvent (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't be alarmed by "knownothing's" remarks ... they are never supported by facts, just emotional outbursts. This person has repeatedly outted him or herself as a idiot who has no credibility in this forum.
BigOil (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 5:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What I find so hypocritical is the same people who claim to be in support of working families are the same ones who are against retail stores like Target and Home Depot. Any one of those businesses in Steamboat would do more actual good for working families than the dozens of surveys, studies, consultants and half-hearted measures the City council would do.
A business that has lower prices helps working families. A business that pays well and has excellent benefits helps working families. A business that gives back to the community helps working families. A business that keeps tax dollars here helps working families.
So the joke is when these clowns speak out of both sides of their neck by proclaiming to be in support of working families but shoot down big boxes.
Move on. Steamboat's best day's are ahead, not behind. All those trying to stop all development in order to preserve the past are simply stuck in the past.
SteamboatJoe (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BigOil, let's go have a drink. I like your style.
BigOil (anonymous)
October 16, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can't Joe - The old lady's callin'
slow_rider (anonymous)
October 20, 2007 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As Towny Anderson cited in his last Election campaign "The definition of insanity would be to vote for the same candidates as you did before and expect a different outcome". The current City Council has shown that they are not up to the task and they have done some pretty scary things based on their vision of "what is best for Steamboat".
Have they changed anything? - not in ways that we need. We need City Council members who have a real vision of where this town is going in the next 20 years and to plan intelligently for the needs of the community.
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