Steamboat Pilot & Today

The names of eight people selected to be on a growth commission by an interview committee of City Council members and Routt County commissioners were announced at Tuesday night's council meeting.

After Monday's final interviews of 18 candidates, the committee selected Lynn Abbott, Will Bashan, Diane Brower, James Moylan, Ann Oliver, Christi Ruppe, Norbert Turek and Robert Wilmoth to serve on the advisory group.

Councilwoman Susan Dellinger said the group represents a wide cross-section of the community that has a great breadth of experience.

"They are all very receptive, energetic and even-keeled," Dellinger said.

The growth management advisory group is an offshoot of the Steamboat Springs Community Area Plan and was born out of the controversy growth management issues stirred during the plan's adoption. Under the adopted plan, the group is directed to come back to the council and county commissioners with recommendations on additional growth management measures that address the rate of growth in Routt County and its effects on the community.

The interview committee of county commissioners Doug Monger and Dan Ellison, and city councilwomen Kathy Connell and Dellinger interviewed and selected the board.

At a meeting earlier this month, committee members said they wanted representatives from the city and county planning commissions, a member from the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, a city business owner, a county business owner, one city and one county resident employed in the service industry, two representatives from other municipalities, a second-home owner and an at-large member.

The Yampa Valley Housing Authority and the planning commissions still have to appoint their representatives.

Dellinger listed the reason the committee selected each of the individuals to serve. She said Abbott has a long family history in Steamboat Springs and could bring a historical perspective to the group.

Bashan, who owns the Steamboat Art Company, represents the retailers in the community and brings a background in economics.

Brower has been involved in the community plan since the beginning, Dellinger said. Brower is also the president of the Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley.

Moylan is a former second-home owner from Chicago who just became a permanent resident in the city, Dellinger said. He is an attorney who specializes in facilitation and negotiation.

Oliver was chosen, Dellinger said, because she could bring a more regional perspective to the issue and has experience dealing with the city and county.

Ruppe was picked because of her extensive experience dealing with growth issues.

Turek was chosen for his background in real estate.

Wilmoth owns a construction company and lives in the county.

The group will hold a kick-off meeting to decide how it wants to run its meeting, Dellinger said.