Silverthorne Council Candidates

Name: Bruce Butler

Age: 40

Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J.

Occupation: Marketing and Business Development

Community Service (please limit this to the last 3 years): Member, Summit County Elks; Special Events Volunteer at Arapahoe Basin; active participant in Town events such as Town Clean-Up Day

Length of time living in Summit County: 8 years

Family: Married, one daughter (age 4)



1. What is your vision for Silverthorne's town core? What kind of development would you like to see for the area? What role should the town government play in development of the core, particularly with regards to zoning? Please be as specific as possible.

An intelligent mix of residential and commercial development, and lodging, that is an attractive gathering point for permanent residents and a specific destination for visitors. The area must provide activity from breakfast to close, especially nightlife. A mix of compelling shops, restaurants/cafes, new and historical elements, and a diversity of architecture. The development must contain elements that are compelling now and will remain attractive in the future. It needs to be coherent, not homogenized. The Town needs to be flexible regarding parking, snow storage, allowable architectural features, signage, building heights in certain places — particularly closer to the interstate, and help facilitate pedestrian movement. The development must create a sense of excitement and be compact enough to facilitate pedestrian traffic even on cold and windy nights.

2. Do you feel that town government is responsive to the needs of Silverthorne's citizens? How would you encourage more participation from residents?

Council members want to see and hear from residents at Council meetings. However, long work hours, family, and the need to pay rent or mortgage usually take precedence over attending Town Council meetings. It is our job as council members to ensure residents are informed about issues and decisions facing the Town. The Town has done a good job communicating through the monthly newsletter, Channel 10 public access TV, the Town website, and by hosting “open houses” on a variety of issues. I think family-friendly events like the community picnics during the summer months have been very popular and successful. My family benefits from attending numerous community activities, which certainly will not change if I am elected to Town Council. Residents will not have a hard time finding me and I welcome constructive ideas and feedback. If you can’t attend official meetings, please utilize the Town website at www.silverthorne.org, or call your elected officials or Town staff. Constructive dialog and exchange is healthy for the future of our community.

3. Do you think affordable housing should be a priority for the town? How do you think the town should spend its 5A revenue monies? Again, please be as specific as possible.

I think keeping the Town affordable for all residents and businesses should be a priority. Finding and retaining employees has long been a challenge for local businesses, and finding, acquiring, and retaining housing is a substantial challenge for more and more working residents. Keeping taxes and fees low is essential to the economic vitality of those individuals and families on limited incomes. I want to encourage maximum flexibility for eligible recipients. Whether it is creating new housing, providing down payment assistance, or helping to pay rent, my goal is to get permanent residents established and growing self-sufficiency so they do not need perpetual assistance and they are not locked into situations that limited their future options and choices. Every family faces different circumstances and challenges. If a family can buy an older house that needs work for less money, then it is appropriate to help them fix up the house. If they are seasonal employees, some rent assistance may be reasonable. If a family is about to lose their home due to an escalating adjustable rate mortgage, then help refinancing is a good solution.

4. In the current economic climate, do you think Silverthorne will be able to maintain its municipal services with a budget dependent on sales tax dollars? Would you ever support the institution of a town property tax?

Yes (to the first question). No (to the second).

Name: Vincent L. Lanuza

Age: 68

Occupation: Town Council and Retired

Community Service: Town Council—Town of Silverthorne for 4 years, and I serve as the Town’s representative to: the Summit County Wildfire Council; the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments; the Rural Resort Region; the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. Vice President and board member of the Eagles Nest Property Homeowners Association (800 property owners); Treasurer and board member of the Eagles Nest Metropolitan District; Treasurer and board member of Timberline Adult Day Services; sponsor of various fund raising events for the Breckenridge Music Festival.

Length of time in Summit County: 6 years

Family: Wife—Suzanne. My family: two sons—Kenneth and David; one daughter—Alanna; three granddaughters and one grandson. Suzanne’s family: daughter—Aimee; son—Timothy; two grandsons.



Question 1:

The development of the town core is a primary focus for Silverthorne. With input from the Planning Commission, SPORT, EDAC and the public, we developed a vision of quality mixed-use development along the Blue River creating a vibrant atmosphere that is pedestrian friendly with access to the river.

Council is steadily working on changes to Silverthorne’s Comprehensive Plan which will more clearly define height restrictions on buildings. Silverthorne’s town core is zoned for mixed-used development and I see no need for zoning changes at this time.

Question 2:

Yes. In the 2007 Community Survey we asked for feedback on a myriad of issues such as town services, water quality and quantity, fire mitigation, growth management, how to best utilize the Town’s money, etc. We reviewed the results and are planning accordingly.

Recently, Silverthorne hosted a series of open houses specifically to get public feedback on subjects like updating the Comprehensive Plan, work on the bike/pedestrian trail and under-grounding of utilities.

Citizens are invited to express their views at Town Council meetings which, like the Work Sessions, are always open to the public. The Town continues to keep citizens informed of current issues though its newsletter and website. Staff and Council frequently discuss pertinent issues on local TV.

Question 3:

Affordable housing is a priority. Recently Council and EDAC conducted interviews with 31 businesses. The cost of housing and the shortage of available affordable housing make it difficult for businesses to attract and keep qualified dependable employees.

We continue to explore all avenues for providing affordable housing and how best to spend 5A Revenue. We will hire a consultant to draft a strategic implementation plan on what types of affordable housing we need and what financing and other programs we should consider. Affordable housing is not just a concern of each particular town but a county concern and reconciling affordable housing needs with supply will require the towns and unincorporated areas to work together.

Question 4:

Silverthorne is very conservative in its spending. The Town has tight budgets with adequate reserves to protect itself in the event a severe downturn in the economy negatively affects sales tax revenues. Aside from our reserves we have other means available that will allow us to continue and maintain our municipal services.

In a past election voters rejected a property tax and in this year’s Community Survey the response was again unfavorable. I would not hesitate raising the issue of a property tax if it were the only means of maintaining the quality of the Town’s services which are critical to our citizens.

(Note: Since I am and will continue to be on the Town Council, at least until April 8, many of the visions and goals of the Town are goals and visions I worked on and agree with.)

Name: Ann-Marie Sandquist

Age: 42

Hometown: Denver

Occupation: Vice President/Financial Consultant, Charles Schwab and Co., Inc.

Community Service (please limit this to the last 3 years): Since returning to Summit County, I have served on the Silverthorne Planning Commission for the last year.

Length of time living in Summit County: almost 9 years total (Silverthorne for 2 1/2, then a hiatus in Denver, Breck in the 1990s)

Family: Single, with two very happy to be living in Summit County dogs



Question 1:

For our town, I envision a vibrant, pedestrian friendly downtown core with mixed-use development, on-street parking, and access to the Blue River for all residents. My hope is that our community will want to congregate and enjoy our downtown core rather than leaving for other Summit communities. I see the Town government’s role as having the long-term vision to create the structure needed to encourage and manage this type of growth (i.e. zoning laws and design standards). As a member of the Silverthorne Planning Commission, we are currently revising the comprehensive plan, as well streamlining our design standards and application process.

Question 2:

I do feel that the town government is responsive to the needs of the town’s citizens, whether it be EDAC and Town Council reaching out in one on one interviews to business owners or the public forums that we have held in regards to the Comprehensive Plan revisions (and then incorporating the citizens responses into the revisions). The 2007 Community Survey has provided a lot of insight as how the community feels in regards to a wide variety of issues and Council, EDAC, SPORT, and Planning Commission refer to it on a regular basis. The key is to keep reaching out and asking questions.



Question 3:

Affordable Housing is definitely a priority for the Town. With growth comes the need for a retainable workforce, and the key here is to have employees who live in and become a part of our community. I am a proponent of a system of flexible options. I am not an advocate of a system that caps the amount of capital appreciation that a homeowner can realize as this does not encourage pride of ownership, nor upkeep and upgrades to the property. I believe that allowing our residents to gain from both their investment in their home and their town is what fosters a sense of community.



Question 4:

Silverthorne is a town of 4000 residents, but provides services to 30,000 users. Those 30,000 users (and their sales tax revenue) provide a large tax base, thus allowing for amenities (like the Rec Center) that would normally not be available to such a small community. Silverthorne residents have been very clear that they do not support a property tax, so we need to encourage and manage business growth in our community. I also think it very important to extend the TABOR amendment otherwise the Town would be limited in the amount of revenue that it is allowed to keep to fund Town services.

Name: David Soucie

Age: 49

Hometown: Born in Boulder, raised in Arvada

Occupation: CEO Recovery Resolution Inc.

Community Service: Washington DC — Legislative reform facilitator for disaster recovery initiatives and committees, Retired FAA National Business and IT Lead / FAA Safety Inspector — 17 years

Length of time living in Summit County: resident four years and third generation native of Colorado

Family: Wife, Jill, of 28 years; son, Tyler Soucie—23, and loyal Dog, “Jack”



Question 1:

A unified “Downtown” is essential for the town core of Silverthorne. One of many approaches are downtown river walk trolleys connecting designated off site parking to the town visitor center, Pavilion, Outlets, Summit Place, and all future developments providing a safe, fun and unique atmosphere in the heart of Silverthorne. Downtown will encourage active community participation, catch the attention of visitors and provide a more stable tax base. The Blue River overlay zoning details the government role in architectural design and preserving scenic views. This vision brings a new sparkle to what is already the crown jewel of Colorado.

Question 2:

Our town government works hard to address our needs as citizens. “Responsive” implies a higher focus on future opportunities and the ability to elicit the brilliant and innovative ideas that rest in the diverse backgrounds of our citizens. The free thinking and pioneer spirit of Silverthorne citizens is why I love living here. Ideas and innovation are the fruit of this community and require a stable environment of accountability and trust to flourish. Community gatherings that openly share successful practices as well as lessons we have learned to avoid on future projects will enhance trust and encourage more participation from residents.

Question 3:

Yes, Homeownership gives families a foundation in the neighborhood, allows them to build wealth and is critical to our economic development. Given limited land availability and financial resources, 5A revenue must be spent supporting existing SCHA programs, preserving the units owners now occupy for other year-round residents, encouraging sales of units to others in need when they earn over 120% AMI, give priority based on length of residency and employment in Summit County. As councilman I will lobby for the Silverthorne SCHA board position applying experience working with town government such as the Holy Cross Neighborhood in New Orleans.

Question 4:

After reviewing the current biennial financial plan Silverthorne is fiscally prepared to weather the economic climate. Avoiding property tax costs in Silverthorne attracts developers and results in multiple development proposals. With multiple proposals we have more choices to select the “best fit” with Silverthorne’s future vision. Timely approval of the best proposals for “downtown” will charge the local economic cycle with jobs and spending during the current downturn while building businesses that fully prepare us to capitalize on future economic rebound. Instituting new Ad Valorem Property taxes requires a citizen vote and as a citizen I would vote no.