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Kieber says he1ll seek fiscal responsibility if elected mayor

Jane Reuter

SILVERTHORNE<Bob Kieber ran for mayor of Silverthorne four years ago, saying then the town needed to be more fiscally responsible. He1s running for mayor again this year, and his theme is the same.3We have bigger debt now than we did four years ago, he said. 3I1m extremely fiscally conservative, and I see the town getting deeper and deeper in debt.3The outlet stores were going to save Silverthorne. Then the Super Wal-Mart (a mid-190s proposal that did not materialize). Now we1ve got Target, which is going to bring in a fair amount of money. I think we need to be more financially sound and not have to continue to go out and look for more retail to generate more tax dollars.Kieber, 48, is vice president of United National Mortgage, a Westminster-based mortgage lending firm he operates from his home. He1s spent most of his life in finance, working in municipal finance and city management in Kansas City before moving to Silverthorne.A 10-year resident of the town, Kieber lives in the Ponds at Blue River with his wife, Dorothy. A member of the planning commission, Kieber said he chose to run for mayor instead of town council because he feels he can be more effective as mayor.3I was taught at an early age, if you1re not happy with something, get involved in it, don1t just complain about it, he said. 3I guarantee I1ll leave the town in better shape than it is now.3I1ve seen both sides of the coin, being a past governmental employee and being in private industry, Kieber said. 3I1ve had to make payroll. I1m an entrepreneur.Kieber said while the town1s amenities are nice, many of them<specifically the rec center<are costing the town significant amounts of money in bonds issued to pay for them.3Every amenity costs, and we can1t have everything, he said. 3We pay a lot of principal and interest every year.The town of Silverthorne doesn1t have a property tax. And while council members have repeatedly talked about reinstating one, Kieber doesn1t think that1s necessary.3I don1t think we need a property tax, he said. 3I think we need to figure out how to make the rec center self-sufficient, because the deficit is continuing to grow. I think we1ve got other areas in the budget we can look at.Kieber is competing for the role of Silverthorne1s mayor against incumbent Mayor Lou DelPiccolo and Councilmember Sheila Groneman. The election is April 2.Jane Reuter can be reached at 668-3998, ext. 229, or by e-mail at jreuter@summitdaily.com


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