This year the ArtWorks Registry Show, Valley Visions and Voices, forms the basis for a month-long “Celebration of the Arts” brought to you by a collaboration between Salida ArtWorks, Salida SteamPlant and Salida Humanists. The objective is to show a cross section of the depth and variety of artistic talent in the community. The exhibit along with concurrent arts-related events will be promoted locally and statewide. Art will be displayed throughout the SteamPlant with a gala opening Saturday from 4-6 p.m. The show is open to ALL on the ArtWorks Registry. The show runs from Oct. 22 through Nov. 24.

On Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.  the SteamPlant presents “Ricko Meets Garbo.” The silent film presentation of the legendary actress Greta Garbo in “The Temptress” (1926) will be combined with live musical accompaniment by multi-instrumentalist Ricko Donovan on hammered dulcimer, percussion and guitar. Donovan created this special presentation based on his years of performance experience and fascination with silent film.

KHEN and the SteamPlant will again host the Halloween Bash on Oct. 30 from 7-10 p.m. in the ballroom. The Halloween Party features the band 2 Weeks in Fiji and a costume contest with great prizes. Admission $12 and tickets are available at the SteamPlant, Free the Monkey, Salida Café and KHEN.

On Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. the SteamPlant presents a concert by Darol Anger and Friends. Anger is a protégé of Stephane Grappelli, in the lineage of Bill Monroe, and an original member of David Grisman’s Quintet. Anger is now one of the world’s pre-eminent fiddlers. His style and rhythmic innovations have changed fiddling all over the globe. His creative focus, Republic of Strings, has played festivals across the U.S., including RockyGrass, Grand Targhee, Grey Fox and others. The group has released two albums, performed live on two national radio broadcasts and appeared twice on the nationally-syndicated Mountain Stage. Woodsong, a local duo from Buena Vista, will open the show. Tickets are $15 and available at the SteamPlant box office.

Habitat for Humanity will host the 13 X 13 Fall Swing Dance on Nov. 11 from 7-9:30 p.m. Come kick up your heels with great swing-dance music by the CMC jazz band in celebration of Habitat’s successful completion of its 7th and 8th homes built in Salida. Tickets for this special Veterans Day dance are $10 through Friday, Nov. 5, at High Country Bank, Buena Vista, Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce and the CC Habitat Office in Buena Vista. In Salida, tickets are available at High County Bank, Salida Chamber of Commerce, Salida Café and the Salida SteamPlant office. From Nov. 6-11, tickets will be $15 and available at the SteamPlant Office and Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity Office in Buena Vista. Only 250 tickets will be sold, so get yours early! For more information, contact CC Habitat for Humanity at (719) 395-0482.

Salida Circus presents “Pirates of Chaffee County: The Search for the Lost Mermaid” on Nov. 13 with two shows at 1 and 4 p.m.

The evening of Nov.13, the Friends of the SteamPlant and Stage Left Theater Company will present Broadway Over the River. The fundraiser benefits the Friends of the SteamPlant. The Friends supports the SteamPlant by purchasing items necessary to maintain the facility and by providing rental subsidies for local not-for-profits that use the SteamPlant. This fun show features local artists performing Broadway-themed music. Tickets are available at the SteamPlant. VIP tickets are also available and include a $50/person Pre-Show Party with Champagne and Highbrow Appetizers, Broadway Show, one door prize ticket (prizes valued at $100 each), and After Party.

Don’t miss the SteamPlant Holiday Open House Nov. 26 immediately following the Parade of Lights. Join us for hot chocolate, cookies and entertainment. Sponsored by the Friends of the SteamPlant.

Why not plan your holiday party at the SteamPlant Event Center!  Enjoy the festive ambiance of our Ballroom and Riverside Annex.  The SteamPlant allows outside catering to personalize your party along with cash bars or prearranged hosted bars.  We have a vast selection of beverages to choose from….wine, beer or mixed drinks and hot and cold drinks. We will set up the room of your choice and can provide sound for your iPod or musicians.  Set-up and take down time are included in the price of the room.  Whether you are planning a small party or a party for a group with up to 200 people, the SteamPlant can fulfill your needs.

Please check out our website at www.SalidaSteamPlant.com. This is an exciting time of the year at the SteamPlant, we hope to see you here.

Destination weddings have also found their way to Salida and the SteamPlant, and many are scheduled for the remainder of 2010 and 2011. It benefits all of us when these events come to town. Most guests stay in local motels, bed and breakfasts and vacation homes. Restaurants and retail businesses also see increased sales. It is this additional revenue that allows these establishments to prosper.

To celebrate two years of expanded operations, the SteamPlant will host a birthday party featuring the CMC Jazz Band later in the summer. Watch for our newspaper ads and check our website for more information.

The SteamPlant recently debuted the new annual exhibit in the Strawn/Grether Sculpture Garden. Many unique and exciting pieces by local artists are featured this year. The SteamPlant also hosted a special opening reception in conjunction with ArtWalk.

The Friends of the SteamPlant are currently conducting their annual membership drive. The Friends contribute to the community by raising funds to subsidize the use of the SteamPlant by local not-for-profits. Many local organizations are able to hold fund raisers and special events due to this effort. Thanks to the Friends, our community enjoys many cultural events, and funds are raised for many community causes. In addition volunteers from the Friends assist in operation of the SteamPlant in many ways. This group of devoted supporters  is  very important to the SteamPlant.

The Paquette Gallery has seen many great art exhibits this year,  and a very special exhibit is currently on display in the SteamPlant annex. It features photography and written works by Shirley Ann Tipping and Alex Van Ark. They were participants in last year’s Colorado Art Ranch and also have an exhibit in the Denver International Airport.

Join us this Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. for the first of three Jazz on the Plaza events scheduled  this summer. Joseph Liberti (Flute Daddy) and his band will perform a mix of music smooth jazz with a dash of funk and Latin influence. Spend your evening with us listening to great music while enjoying the beautiful scenery and adventurers on the Arkansas River. The SteamPlant will have brats and beverages for sale during the event. The event is free and open to the public.

Please visit our website at SalidaSteamPlant.com for information on all of the exciting events occurring at the SteamPlant.

By Michael Varnum

SteamPlant Director

Incumbent Dem Jerry Mallett has had some wins, mixed results and all-out duds on this front while Republican challenger Frank Holman has never had any direct experience in the realm and hasn’t outlined any specifics on how to shore up or improve on Mallett’s efforts.
Since his election four years ago, Mallett’s efforts on this front have been earnest and consistent but the results have been spotty.

To his credit, Mallett was instrumental in creating the county’s first economic development coordinator position. This office took some baseline snapshots of such issues as housing needs, business/service leakage, and commissioned Colorado State University to produce the recently released Ranchlands Tourism study. More recently, Mallett helped lobby for development of a Small Business Development Council comprised of representatives from the county, chambers of commerce from Salida, Leadville and Buena Vista, the Upper Arkansas Enterprise Zone and Western State College. Most visibly, counselors from the SBDC provide business advice to area small businesses.

Despite these efforts, results of which can be found on the Chaffee County governmental website, vocal critics in the community are asking what the results of these efforts have been. “Zip!” is Holman’s one-word reply, continuing that the above-mentioned studies didn’t reveal anything anyone didn’t already know and were a “ridiculous expense.”

Mallett’s best result in the economic development arena was in fulfillment of his campaign pledge to develop conference facilities. Mallett helped find and apply for serious grant money that helped Salida complete the SteamPlant Theater and Event Center. He also helped steer resources to upgrade the Chaffee County Fairgrounds buildings and grounds, including the installation of solar panels to make the facility more energy efficient and to make that facility more appealing to event organizers.

A less-happy ending met the star-studded economic development committee that Mallett assembled soon after he was elected. The committee, Vision 2020, fizzled into oblivion before it could achieve any of the lofty results to which is aspired. Infused with great optimism and oozing with business acumen, the group – comprised of some of the area’s most dynamic business leaders – operated well under the radar and had many in the community wondering who was on it and what they were up to. What they were up to was trying to turbo-charge economic development for the valley by developing proactive and progressive efforts to recruit new business and industry. The group gradually disbanded, for reasons unknown or undisclosed, although certainly the lack of a dependable revenue stream to fund their outreach efforts probably played a role.

Of all his campaign promises, Mallet’s vision of rolling out the red carpet for a parade of new businesses was surely the most overly optimistic. In campaign ads, candidate forums and and an interview with the Mountain Mail, Mallett spoke confidently of his ability to attract new manufacturing business to the valley, especially from the outdoor industry. “With some encouragement” he predicted he could lure 10 to 15 new outdoor companies, bringing jobs paying $9 to $12 per hour to the area within two years. Yet while communities elsewhere around the West were offering businesses lucrative tax breaks, financial incentives and in some cases, even free real estate, Chaffee County never developed a business recruitment or incentive plan.

Mallett’s answer to his promise to try to “plug the drain” on dollars leaving the valley was a leakage study. The study was developed and conducted in-house and yielded little new information about consumer buying habits. If any businesses did become healthier as a result of information gleaned from the study, such results have not been documented or quantified. Holman found irony in the leakage study since he charges that the county could plug some leaks of its own by purchasing all its road base and equipment parts from within the county instead of from companies in Fremont County.

Having retired from a career with the state highway department, Holman has had little direct experience on the economic development front. Not surprisingly, he does believe a key to economic development is providing good infrastructure like roads as well as the installation of fiber optic cable for high-speed voice and data communications to help local businesses be competitive.

Holman said it also has to be easier for new businesses to take root in the county, saying he knows of more than a few prospects in the past four years that have taken their businesses elsewhere because it proved too time-consuming and difficult to get through the necessary approvals and permitting processes here.

As he has said on other issues, Holman believes the best way for government to play a role is through creating incentives for businesses but was vague on exactly what those incentives might be. While both candidates seem to agree that renewable energy and new, small-scale local agricultural production are promising components of the future of economy here, neither man has unveiled specific economic development plans with tangible action items, timelines, funding and key performance indicators.