I also want to extend my best wishes and heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Mike Copp our Interim City Administrator. Mr. Copp understands the importance of getting the small things done while retaining focus and movement on the big projects. He showed me what an experienced and knowledgeable city administrator of a Colorado municipality can accomplish. His guidance regarding the duties and responsibilities of a city mayor beyond those stated in statutes and codes, has been tremendously helpful. Again, I wish Mr. Copp the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope he will have fond memories of his time in Salida.

The City of Salida is being faced with many challenges caused by the economic meltdown. I do believe that by working together we will weather the storm far better than if we create divisions amongst us. Salida remains an incredibly attractive area for tourism. I hope that our close proximity to the large population bases of the Front Range will enhance that draw. For that reason alone any improvements and additions to our recreational options will be a great benefit for the tourism industry and locals alike.

There is a large list of ongoing projects and issues with which the City of Salida is now dealing with. The range is large and includes huge construction projects such as the complete refurbishment of the Waste Water Treatment Plant to supporting trail building in the area of Tenderfoot Mountain to increase tourism and local use of that area. As our city grows and changes please offer your input and solutions to the City Council. It is the expression of your desires that shape the future of our fair city.

The untimely death of former mayor Danny Knight brings to mind the shortness of life. For me it is a reminder of how petty some of the disagreements that occur are and how needless the intensity of anger exhibited by all sides is. To disagree while respecting the opposing view is essential for a positive direction to be maintained. While Mr. Knight and I disagreed on several issues, he always treated me with respect and courtesy. I hope we can remember Danny Knight by following his example.

Copp’s first day on the job will be Monday, July 14. Copp will relieve city Finance and Administrative Services Director Jan Schmidt who has been doing double duty, serving as Acting City Administrator since Golnar’s departure. Schmidt will be able to refocus on her job of managing city finances.

Last month, the city’s search committee had narrowed down the field of candidates for the city’s top executive to three. The trio were then introduced to the public June 10 at a question and answer session at the SteamPlant Theater. Unfortunately, the search committee’s top finalist, Bob Campbell of Pagosa Springs, declined Salida’s offer, having accepted a similar post in Farmington, NM.

When informally asked about the status of the Administrator search a week ago, Salida City Councilman Tom Yerkey said he thought Council is interested in making sure the next City Administrator is someone who will “really knock the socks off” citizens in terms of professional credentials and fit for Salida.

In his announcement, Rose noted Copp’s extensive career in city administration began in 1977. Copp is likely best known for defying the tenure odds of his profession by serving as City Manager in Glenwood Springs for 20 years. Depending on the source, the average nationwide tenure of city managers ranges from just 2.7 to 6.4 years.

According to a Glenwood Springs Post Independent report from Copp’s last city council meeting in September 2004, Copp was given a round of applause for his long service to the city before addressing the crowd about his extraordinary career as city manager.

Back in Copp’s early days as city manager, he said the oil shale bust was still affecting the economy of the city. That’s when a group of citizens calling themselves Community on the Move began lobbying for sales tax increases to be used for civic improvements.

That money funded two pedestrian bridges, bicycle trails, Community Center, a new City Hall, a Municipal Operations Center, as well as other projects throughout the city.

Just five weeks after leaving Glenwood Springs, Copp was hired as City Manager for South Pasadena CA. In 2006 he moved back to Colorado, accepting the job of City Manager of Sheridan. In March of this year, Copp was among the top 15 candidates for City Manager of the resort town of Marco Island, FL.

A Pueblo native, Copp earned a Masters in Public Administration with a Major Interest in City Management from the University of Colorado.

Salida’s City Administrator serves as the chief administrative officer of the city and is responsible for directing and coordinating all municipal activities. According to an overview of the position posted on the city’s web site, the successful Administrator must have considerable knowledge of statutes, municipal codes, and other regulations applicable to city government. Financial acumen, excellent planning, organizing, management, verbal and written communication skills are also essential.

Some forty Salidans got a preview of the next City Administrator when the Salida Town Council hosted a public meet-the-candidates forum at the Salida SteamPlant Theater last night.

On stage in the proverbial hot seat were candidate finalists Robert Campbell, former Archuleta County Administrator; Leslie Klusmire, a project consultant from California who lived on Colorado’s Western Slope for 16 years; and Nederland Town Administrator Jim Stevens.

The audience was largely comprised of current and former city council members and staff, a smattering of county employees and contractors, and a handful of the general public. Those present gleaned insights into the strengths each candidate would bring to the City’s top post during a question and answer forum moderated by Mayor Chuck Rose.

The candidates adroitly answered questions such as how they felt about collaborative partnerships, what they felt were the most important criteria for filling the Administrator post and what they find to be the most difficult aspects being the city’s chief executive.

Differences in credentials were somewhat less obvious even than the stylistic differences between the candidates. Affable, clinical and analytical were the terms one citizen used after the meeting to describe Stevens, Campbell and Klusmire respectively.

The final three audience questions offered the candidates an opportunity to discuss their approach to some of the city’s thorniest issues, namely economic development, affordable housing and historic preservation.

The following are bulletpoint highlights of the candidates responses to those questions.

Economic Development

Klusmire cautioned that cities must be careful about what they ask for when it comes to attracting new business. She said it’s important to be sure new businesses align and support the inherent community character.

Stevens, who served as a municipal economic development director in Kansas, joked that if he could get companies to relocate to Kansas, it would be far easier to convince them to move to Salida. He noted the ways folks used to think about jobs and economic development has changed and the city has to be open to the fact there are many high-wage professionals who work from their homes.

Campbell told the crowd he has served as chair of an economic development board and noted three approaches that board used to address economic development: help expand and grow local businesses, create a business incubator at the local college and development of a “quick response team” that would take action as soon as a prospective new business showed interest in moving to town.

Affordable Housing

Campbell said there are two basic approaches to achieving affordable housing: legislative and incentive-based affordable housing and that cities frequently use a combo of the two approaches.

Stevens said he favors the creation of mixed-use developments and encouraging folks to live downtown. To mitigate neighbors’ concerns about affordable housing, Stevens said it’s important for folks to distinguish between affordable housing which is not the same as low-income housing.

Klusmire said she’s seen towns get in trouble on this issue when they focus on answers before they know the problem they are trying to solve. Only if the town really understands its problems, can they pick the best tools to solve them.

Historic Preservation

Stevens said historic district designation where he used to work in Fort Scott, KS was good for tourism. He said it was also instrumental in getting more people into the core downtown business district, thus increasing business opportunities and sales tax revenues for the city.

Klusmire cautioned that some folks in Glenwood Springs, where she once worked, found “historic preservation” distasteful and little more than another layer of bureaucracy. However, she noted that no city she is aware of ever regretted creating its historic district and that with proper planning, such districts have proven to be economic development boons.

Campbell said another benefit of historic districts is that they open up the possibility of the city seeking additional funding sources such as grants. Such districts, which often include requirements that foster a cohesive blend of old and new construction, create economic diversity.

All three candidates agreed historic district designation can help create a more vibrate downtown community.

The finalists were selected by a search committee comprised of City Council members Keith Baker and Scott Damman plus community development director Dara McDonald, finance director Jan Schmidt, and public works director Rob Vance. Before selecting the finalists, the search committee interviewed eight candidates, including three living in Chaffee County, from among a field of more than 20 applicants. The position was advertised locally as well as in an ad in the Colorado Municipal League newsletter. The search is on schedule, hitting milestones as outlined in the timeline for filling the post vacated by Steve Golnar on April 26.

If all continues to go according to plan, the top candidate will be offered the post later this week with an expected start date within the next month.