Steamboat Pilot & Today

Towny Anderson, a consultant in the field of redeveloping historic properties, has announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on the Steamboat Springs City Council.

His candidacy raises the possibility of a four-person race this fall for the at-large seat.

Former city councilman Bud Romberg already returned a completed nominating petition to the city clerk, as has Stuart Lynn. Incumbent Coun-cilwoman Kathy Connell is weighing a bid for the at-large seat because she is term limited in her District 3 seat. She could not be reached Tuesday afternoon to comment about her plans.

Anderson said he thinks Steamboat is at a turning point in its history and that he wants to help it go down a different path than that taken by other Colorado resort towns.

"I want to be part of a council that will take action to make us economically strong by investing our public monies in developing a diversified economy and maintaining services that local residents want and need," Anderson said.

Steamboat attracts visitors because of its qualities as a friendly, Western town, Anderson said.

"We want to keep this attraction, but we are losing it incrementally, and we will lose it altogether if we do not change course and start putting money into the resources -- both natural and human -- that makes the community we are," Anderson said.

Anderson's opposition to Routt County's plans to build a new justice center outside Steamboat's historic downtown made him a visible personality this spring and summer.

Since coming to Steamboat Springs from Vermont in 1998, Anderson has served as an advisor to the Community Agriculture Alliance and has been a board member of the Economic Development Council. He currently serves on the board of Main Street Steamboat Springs.

When he moved his family to Steamboat, it was to open the Rocky Mountain Regional Office of the Orton Family Foundation.

He previously served for three years as the Vermont State Historic Preservation Officer.

Anderson and other potential candidates have until Monday to return a completed petition with the signatures of 25 voters to the city clerk's office to make their candidacies official.