Jon Banks will bring needed change to Glenwood Springs City Council

I have long advocated for change on City Council because recent Councils have not represented their constituents.  Remember 480 Donegan and the hundreds of apartments it would have added in West Glenwood?  Council supported that.  Remember Council opposing a City Charter change that protected the airport?  Remember Council opposing the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” campaign that gave you a vote on the disposition of City lands (like the confluence) before they are given away, sold, or developed?  Remember citizens petitioning to force elections on these issues?  Remember voting against Council on these issues and winning by landslides, time after time after time?

In remembering these victories we must steel ourselves to never again elect a Council that chooses to fight its citizens rather than represent them.

The election on April 1 is your chance to change three Council seats for the better.  Two excellent candidates are running unopposed.  In southwest Glenwood’s Ward 5 another excellent candidate, Jon Banks, is running. 

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I have visited with Jon and his opponent at length. Both are qualified for Council.  But in this race it is Jon Banks and Jon Banks alone who will protect the changes you dictated to Council in the elections enumerated above.  I strongly encourage you to vote for him. 

Jon has worked tirelessly to allow you, not Council, to control the future of your public lands.  Jon wants Glenwood to be better for current citizens, not just bigger. Jon founded “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” whose core principal is to preserve our small town, mountain town way of life.  Voters like you ratified this principal by approving Question “A” with almost 80% of your votes.  Jon is your guy.

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I respect Jon’s opponent, but he disagrees with Council’s historic positions only around the margins.  He would have voted as Council voted.  He is more of the same. 

The choice is stark.  Jon Banks will give you the change you have repeatedly told Council you want.  You will see little if any change from his opponent.   Let’s help Jon put his vision for Glenwood into action.  Vote for Jon Banks when your ballot arrives.

Gary Vick, Glenwood Springs

Who to trust for news redux

I read with great alarm where Russia, China, and other autocratic regimes are trying to tilt the results that AI produces by flooding their input channels with disinformation. With AI now being used to overwhelm traditional media sources AND social networks by producing massive amounts of content, how do you know if what you are reading / hearing is the truth? As I stated in an earlier Letter To The Editor, get your news from a reliable news source such as those ranked by Newsguard.com who ranks news sources from both the left. They are rated on a scale of 0 to 100, with100 being the best. 

Here are some credible news sources with scores of 85 to 100: 

• Wall Street Journal
• Washington Post
• Los Angeles Times
• Denver Post
• NBC News
• ABC News
• The National Review
• Christian Science Monitor
• CBS News
• New York Times
• The American Conservative

Some not so reliable news sources of with scores between 65 and 80

• New York Post
• Fox News

And some unreliable news sources with scores under 50:

• MSNBC
• Breitbart

I urge you to unplug from your social media accounts and go to these news sources with scores of at least 80 or better instead. And sample both sides (I regularly read Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal).

Jerome Dayton, Carbondale

GSHS swim coach thanks Hot Springs Lodge and Pool

Dear Editor,

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Hot Springs Lodge and Pool for their incredible generosity and community spirit. During the week of March 3rd, the Community Center pool was closed due to planned maintenance on their filtration system. This closure could have posed a significant disruption to the training schedules of both Team Sopris and the Glenwood Springs High School Boys, who were at crucial points in their respective seasons.

The Glenwood Springs High School Boys had just begun their season in late February, and consistent practice is essential for their development and performance. Similarly, Team Sopris Swimmers were amid preparing for three state championship meets, where every practice session counts.

Thanks to the Hot Springs Pool for graciously allowing both teams to use their facilities, training continued with minimal disruption. This access was invaluable, ensuring that the boys could maintain their rigorous training schedules without missing a beat.

A special thank you goes out to Kevin, Taylor, and Debra for their exceptional care and support during this time. Their dedication and assistance were instrumental in making this seamless transition possible.

The support from the Hot Springs Lodge and Pool exemplifies the strong sense of community that makes our town so special. We are deeply appreciative of their willingness to lend a helping hand when it was most needed.

Sincerely,

Steven Vanderhoof, head coach for Team Sopris and for Glenwood Springs High School girls and boys swim teams; Glenwood Springs

Steve Smith has dedicated his life to making Glenwood Springs better

I’m proud to support Steve Smith for City Council. I’ve known Steve for 40 years, and I’ve seen firsthand his dedication to making Glenwood Springs a better place to live, work, and travel. 

Steve has been a tireless advocate for smart, sustainable transportation. He led the Bicycle Ambassadors program during the Grand Avenue bridge replacement and has served for five years on the city’s Transportation Commission, always pushing for safer, more efficient ways to get around. He’s also committed to bringing back bus service to southwest Glenwood Springs and ensuring that our neighborhoods are protected from traffic and construction impacts. 

Beyond transportation, Steve has a long record of working to improve our city. From shaping neighborhood developments with safe sidewalks and smart lighting to managing key election campaigns that built the River Trail and Rio Grande Trail, he’s consistently delivered results. His experience in environmental policy and local government means he understands both the big picture and the details that matter. 

Steve listens. He leads with civility and a commitment to thoughtful decision-making. Glenwood Springs will be in good hands with him on City Council.

Chris Tonozzi, Glenwood Springs

Steve Smith’s experience will serve Glenwood Springs well

Please support and vote for Glenwood City Council Ward 5 candidate Steve Smith. As a 35 year resident and homeowner in south Glenwood he has been actively involved in community and regional affairs. Having made the decision to step up and seek election to city council, he is offering to continue to help the citizenry in a different way as a decision maker. He brings with him active on-the-ground involvement and will continue to help maintain and improve our community as a leader. He desires to improve outreach, information sharing and greater community involvement with many city-related projects and offerings.

He has been deeply involved in city boards and commissions as well as a participant in many community activities city-sponsored and otherwise. He has understanding and experience with both local and regional concerns, efforts and groups and has work experience on both state and federal levels. With long-term familiarity of the myriad of issues Glenwood has faced and an awareness of ongoing and future changes and challenges, he will be up to the task to step into the role of city council member. With projects and proposals he has been involved and seeks what is best and safe from the very beginning. He considers benefits and impacts knowing change happens and decisions have been and need to be made.

Having known him for many, many years he is a great and reflective listener and is a very thoughtful, caring, patient and actively involved community member and friend. Along with his wife Heather McGregor they have made a difference not only in our lives but also with their/our community. Being caring, active, informed along with board and commission experience as your city council member he will be a real benefit to both his neighbors and to the community as well. 

Please consider voting for Steve and delve into his webpage “SteveforGlenwood.org” for an overview of him, his experience and involvement along with ways to contact him directly for more information, questions and discussion. He has been and will be good for Glenwood.

Greg Jeung, Glenwood Springs

Steve Smith will bring a long-term positive vision to Glenwood Springs City Council

Steve Smith is the right choice for Glenwood. How do you select who represents you on City Council? It’s simple. Look at who has dedicated time and energy not only to the City but to the community. Look at who has supported a long term positive vision for the City. If you do, you will see there is only one candidate in Ward 5 who has devoted and volunteered time and energy to the City – Steve Smith.

Steve has served the city in many capacities. As a member of Kiwanis, a local non profit, dedicated to serving the youth of our community, Steve has worked at the annual bike safety rodeo which teaches young persons how to navigate our streets and sidewalks safely and provide bike helmets. If there is a job to be done by the Kiwanis, Steve is always one of the first persons to volunteer.

Steve’s safety concerns do not stop there. As a long time member of the City’s Transportation Commission, Steve has been a leader is developing and improving the City’s bike and trail system so that each of us can transit throughout the City in a safe manner. And Steve not only talks to the talk but he rides the ride. Steve’s primary means of travel is his bike and he rides that to and from his activities no matter the time of year. Steve has also been instrumental is seeking better transportation solutions in Ward 5. He provide significant and important input into the development of trail connections, safe sidewalks, smart lighting and creative design in and around Sopris Elementary School, Park West, Park East and Cardiff Glen. Steve led the campaign to construct the River Trail along the Roaring Fork River. Steve will help return regular bus service to the residents of Ward 5. 

Steve is a founding member of the River Commission and constantly strives to protect our river corridors. He helped establish our hillside preservation zones. 

Steve has and will continue to listen to citizens to provide positive and long range solutions. 

Steve has the vision, energy and dedication to keep Glenwood a safe, vibrant community. Please vote – Steve Smith Ward 5.

Charlie Willman, Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs needs resilience

There are two candidates running for the Ward 5 seat on election day April 1,2025. Jon Banks who led the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” campaign, successfully advocated for passing the Ballot A Question, and Steve Smith who serves on the city’s Transportation Commission and was a founding member of the River Commission. Both would make thoughtful and strategic decisions towards future growth, but only one will be able to serve. 

The City Council is balancing environmental preservation with sustainable development. We need stronger leadership. Climate Change and Environmental Protection must be the top priority to mitigate the impact of increased carbon emissions, the depletion of green open spaces, and reducing environmental impacts. Glenwood Springs is not really part of the Aspen community. It is nonsense that Glenwood needs to provide housing for Aspen. In fact, it is harmful to the future of our community and a short sighted vision fraught with problems. 

Glenwood has a “carrying capacity” the maximum population it can sustainably support, and currently we are at risk of exceeding that limitation. We absolutely need the proposed South Bridge. Midland is an arterial street and will become an alternate route connection to Highway 82. The City Council needs to focus on improvements to its streets, and build safer beautiful streets with trees, sidewalks, bike lanes and access to mass transit to reduce traffic congestion. 

The city needs to protect the confluence from development. The abandoned sewer plant needs to become a central park. The confluence is the heart of Glenwood and must be preserved as open space. Mixed-Use Development should occur elsewhere. My thoughts are to focus primarily on resilience. Glenwood needs to update its strategic planning about where and what not to build. Say No, to mixed-use development of the Confluence Area and Yes, to building the South Bridge. Plan for the infrastructure to integrate traffic, environmental and social policies to support and limit the unrestrained pressures for future growth.

David Hauter, Glenwood Springs

Jon Banks is committed to smart growth in Glenwood Springs

We ask you to vote for Jon Banks and his vision of a thriving, sustainable Glenwood Springs. Jon respects our community and balances intelligent growth while preserving our unique charm. His commitment to smart growth, responsible tourism and fiscal responsibility ensures a bright future. Jon’s transparency, accountability, and open communication foster a collaborative environment where everyone has a voice. Please vote for Jon Banks to ensure that City Council always asks: ‘Does what we do make life better for the people in Glenwood Springs?’. Thank you for your consideration.
Dieter and Debbie Martin, Glenwood Springs

Steve Smith will bring thoughtful deliberation to Glenwood Springs City Council

I’m writing to support Steve Smith for Glenwood Springs City Council. I have known and worked with Steve for many years. He is a very thoughtful, deliberative and experienced candidate. He also has that rare knack of actually listening to people and weighing all opinions and ideas. I can’t think of a better person to help guide Glenwood Springs going forward.

Ken Neubecker, Glenwood Springs