Hello from the mayor of Dillon, running again for a second term. Having served on this board for the past six years, I believe I can offer a balanced and honest approach to local government.

Most recently, I called for a series of open work sessions to engage the community with staff and council to discuss short-term rentals, their impact in Dillon and potential regulations. The outcome of this collaborative process is a set of incentives, guidelines and regulations that most if not all in the room each week were able to contribute to.

Prior to that, I suggested a “by request” public work session option for community members to use if they feel an issue closely impacts their neighborhood and don’t otherwise have an opportunity to engage with council to discuss. We tried it out with the Gold Run Circle conversation and were able meet many of the requests from neighbors, while receiving invaluable feedback about a critical junction of publicly and privately used space.

Priority No. 1: Town park and marina

As Dillon Town Park is set to be mostly complete this year, we will be able to tackle the next large scale project. Building on the town’s investment in the north shore of the lake, I see marina/lakefront improvements and implementation of the Lakefront Master Plan as a logical next step in the coming years.

Priority No. 2: Housing

With Strong Futures housing dollars, we have been working with the U.S. Forest Service and Summit County on housing near the Dillon water treatment facility. The lease with the Forest Service will be one of the first of its kind. I look forward to being a part of this process.

Priority No. 3: Walkability

Concurrently, I expect the council will continue to take bites toward becoming a more pedestrian friendly place. Traffic calming, improved pedestrian pathways, more public art and opportunities to engage with our environment are all things we can and will tackle in the next four years.

Finally, I serve on this board because Dillon is my home. I believe one day on the side of Tenderfoot Mountain is worth a hundred anywhere else. I will continue to learn from every process, and grow as a leader and community member.

Carolyn Skowyra is an incumbent candidate running unopposed for Dillon mayor.