One issue capturing a lot of attention in our fair valley at the moment is the proposal by Nestle Waters to drill wells to tap into some underground springs on the Arkansas River, and truck the water to a bottling plant in Denver. Nestle has been working towards this end for several years, purchasing land conducting hydrological studies and canvassing local opinion to find the best way to undertake the project while ruffling the minimum of feathers.

On the surface, it would seem the proposal is relatively benign, with a minimum net impact on Chaffee County’s water resources. Nestle are at pains to point out that the amount of water they will be removing from the river flow equates to 0.3 cfs. [ cubic feet per second ]. To put this in perspective, even at low flows, the Arkansas River flows at around 250 cfs. Furthermore, Colorado water law is built around the premise of ‘non injury.’ That means that any removal or diversion of water from a stream can have no negative impact on downstream users. Consequently, Nestle must replace the 0.3 cfs with water augmented from elsewhere, to ensure there will be no net loss to the river flow. The project will be low impact visually, with the water being piped underground five miles from  the well sites to Johnson Village, where it will be trucked to Denver. Furthermore, one of the extraction sites is at an old trout hatchery along the banks of the Arkansas. Nestle intends to remove the old concrete trout ponds, and return the land to its natural wetland state. Currently, Nestle trucks spring water to its Denver bottling plant from California, so the proposed operation will save them some five million road miles per year, thereby significantly reducing their carbon footprint.

Opponents point out that there are several very good reasons, both local and global, to oppose the project. On the global front is the whole issue of the privatization of global water supplies. Less than eight percent of the world’s fresh water is potable, and each year sees more and more coming into the ownership of multinational corporations, and many fear seeing water as becoming the oil of the 21st century. Added to this are the environmental impacts of the production , consumption and disposal of the 1,733,333 12 ounce plastic bottles per day that the springs will produce for Nestle. Then there is the question of whether it is wise , given the long term projections for the West’s water supplies, for communities such as ours to be selling any water at all for corporate betterment.

Nestle is currently involved in several other contentious projects, noticeably in McCloud, California, Fryeburg, Maine and Ice Mountain, Michigan. Currently Nestle owns the rights to approximately 50 freshwater springs throughout North America, and as our insatiable, and often unjustifiable thirst for bottled water continues, so too will the demand for the rights to more and more of our fresh water sources. Once an agreement is in place, it will be very hard to overturn. Once a tree is cut down, it cannot be raised. It would seem that the citizens and officials of Chaffee County should proceed with caution.

Salida under snow

I will admit to having been a cynic for many years over the whole Christmas thing. As I touched on briefly in my last post, part of this is due to growing up in New Zealand where Christmas comes at the height of summer. This makes the nesting element, so necessary to fostering the Christmas spirit harder to manifest. I forget exactly when Santa ceased to be a reality for me. I do recall as I progressed through my teens becoming increasingly cynical at the overt commercialization of Christmas. I objected to the notion that in order to show your love for family and friends, you needed to buy them something. Some of the side effects of this pressure are consumer debt, domestic stress, and in some cases resorting to crime in order to put presents under the tree. 

Having kids, and marrying in to a family with a strong Christmas tradition has mellowed my outrage somewhat. Both of my girls have strong, active imaginations, fostered in no small measure I am sure by their love of reading, and lack of watching TV. Thanks to their parents encouragement, Santa is as real and tangible as the mountains that surround our home. Witnessing their excitement build throughout the month of December has served to reawaken my child within. The ritual of going out as a family, selecting, cutting and decorating the tree, and lighting up the house while the days grow shorter helps bring us together. My heart melted on Christmas Eve as they wrote their annual Thank You note to Santa, which included the line ‘You bring such joy and excitement every year.’

But there is more to it than the expectation of gifts. We are fortunate to live in a close knit town, and neighborhood, and Christmas is the time of the year when the door bell rings, and standing there is a neighbor with a plate of home backed brownies or some similar treat. The fact that someone has gone to the time and effort to make and bake means more than the gift itself. Kym’s specialty is a to-die-for Peppermint Bark, and one of the highlights of the season for the kids is loading up the cart with jars full of it and ringing the doorbells of the neighbors and wishing them a Merry Christmas. Hopefully this is instilling in them the notion that ultimately it is giving that produces the warmer glow inside.

The big unknown now is for how much longer will the fairy tale last. Sophie is due to start Middle School next year, and I will be surprised if the notion of Santa Claus survives the reality of the playground. This is where my guilt starts to kick in again, the kind of guilt where I am deliberately setting my kids up for a fall. I cannot entirely dismiss this, but I rationalize it by telling myself that childhood, and the sense of wonder and magic it involves, passes by so quickly. They will have plenty of time to get used to the realities of the world, so hopefully planting this particular seed will help keep them alive to the possibilities of imagination.

There are many reasons to love life in a small town. A sense of community, fewer traffic hassles, the ability to walk and ride bikes more often, I could go on. Also throughout the year, there are many local events that are unique and really reinforce the community spirit. My personal favorite of these always comes on the evening of the day after Thanksgiving, when Salida says a big Hello to the holiday season with the lighting of Christmas Mountain.

The lighting of Christmas Mountain has been a Salida tradition for many years, and the event has grown over time to be one of the highlights of the annual calendar, along the way attracting national attention in the press, and statewide TV coverage. Anyone who has visited our fair town is familiar with S Mountain. Looming large over town at the bottom of F St, it serves as focal point, sentinel, view point and its flanks challenge the athletic prowess of runners and bikers throughout the year. On top of all this, for approximately 6 weeks a year it becomes what is proclaimed as the largest Christmas tree in the US.

A team of locals volunteer their time and resources in the lead up to Thanksgiving to drape the southern slopes of S Mountain in thousands of Christmas lights to form the shape of a tree hundreds of feet high. The lighting up of the tree has become a major event, with a parade, carolers, and the arrival in town of the big guy himself, Mr S Claus.

One thing America does better than most anywhere else is a good parade, and to me, nothing embodies the spirit of Small Town USA better than a small town parade. Sure, they might not be as slick, or as loud and sophisticated as those of our big city cousins, but there is something to be said for the intimacy of these events. The narrower streets, where it is possible to recognize and converse with your neighbors be they participants, or onlookers on the other side of the road, all add to the authenticity and community feel of the event.

Our kids look forward to it, probably more so than the Thanksgiving turkey. Getting bundled up against the late fall chill, the excitement permeable as we visit local merchants, enjoying give away hot chocolate, cookies and popcorn, as well as the anticipation of the Big Guy himself riding into town on the back of a fire engine to throw the switch and light up the season. People come from near and far, and one time a few years back the parade attracted an estimated crowd of 4000 people. Not bad for a snowy night in a town where the local population is around 5000.

In New Zealand, Christmas comes at the height of summer. Consequently I think it is harder to get into the spirit of the season. It seems a little more contrived perhaps. Here, with the onset of winter, snow on the peaks and a chill in the air, the Christmas spirit comes more readily, as we huddle in our homes and feel the urge to nest. There is no better way to announce the arrival of this season than with a parade, the opportunity to walk the streets and greet neighbors, and light up the sky with seasonal cheer.

One of the wonderful things about living in Chaffee County is the level of economic and social diversity. While many mountain towns have a certain sameness about them, Chaffee is still a place where the person next to you on the barstool or the park bench could be a rancher, retiree, rafter, builder or professional. This diversity makes for vibrant social interaction and a healthy local economy.

However, beneath this surface, the demographic is changing. The Chaffee County Housing Needs Assessment study was released in 2007, and revealed that the demographic of Chaffee County is shifting to

Sunrise over Salida, 11/08

reflect the broader trends throughout the Mountain West - an influx of higher income households, telecommuters and a growing second home market, which is placing upward pressure on housing prices.

While the average home price has risen 80% from 1998 to 2006, or ten percent per annum compounded, wages have risen an average of 3.6%. This means that while in 1998, it required 1.6 average jobs per household to afford a typical home, that figure is now at 2.5, and climbing.

The good news is that officials, policy makers and residents identify the issue of affordable housing as one of the more serious issues facing the community. Respondents to the survey identified providing affordable housing for ‘essential’ community workers as a key priority. Broadly, these workers included retail and service employees, teachers, emergency personnel and entry level office workers and professionals.

Providing affordable housing for these kinds of employees is essential to providing a stable work force. These workers provide the basis of a sustainable local economy. Other mountain communities have found that displacing these workers leads to high turnover and unfilled job opportunities.

While most people seem to agree that affordable housing is a priority, there are several issues that need to be worked through. What qualifies as affordable housing? How best to integrate it? Who qualifies? These are all questions currently being looked at by the Chaffee Housing Trust. The Trust was formed as a result of the Needs Assessment, and is charged with taking the wishes of the community, and converting those into concrete action.

Their first project is the Crestone Heights project. A local developer donated land near the golf course, and the city has given the green light to the construction of 9 dwelling units. In a way, the construction is the easy part. Issues to be worked through include, for example, getting the balance right. Should all units be affordable, or should some be made available at market rate also, and if so, how many? One of the situations that CHT is keen to avoid is creating a neighborhood with possible stigma attached that can come with affordable housing projects. The best models available have a high degree of integration, with affordable housing scattered throughout all neighborhoods. Other questions include owner responsibilities in terms of upkeep, and resale. How to keep the housing units affordable for the next buyer, while not penalizing the current owner who wishes to take advantage of appreciation, sell and move up to a bigger / newer home?

These issues will not be solved overnight, but it is encouraging to see the community working  together to meet the challenges head on and attempt to retain those things which make this place a special place to live.

National issues naturally dominated the latest election but in Salida several local initiatives were presented to voters that will have a significant impact on the future growth and direction of our community. Four of these initiatives revolved around school district funding, and while only one passed the ballot in these difficult economic times, there is a new and exciting idea being considered by the school board that could have a far reaching and beneficial effect on the community.

The Innovation Schools Act is new in 2008 and Salida may become the first school district in the state to create an Innovation School. Similar to a charter school, an Innovation School falls under the umbrella of the public school system but also allows the school a good deal of freedom to pursue its own vision.

In Salida we have a new private middle school called the Crest Academy (Kym is on the Board of Directors). It is currently in its second year and is the brainchild of Karen Lundberg, an esteemed former public school teacher. The Crest Academy subscribes to a project and place-based philosophy of learning. The students are highly self-directed and, in addition to rigorous academics, create research projects of their own design. These projects challenge the students to consult experts, delve into resources and come to their own supported conclusions which they then present to the school. Outdoor challenges are also important to the curriculum. There are field trips which involve hiking, skiing, mountain biking, archeological digs in New Mexico, ropes courses, visits to museums etc.

Unfortunately for smaller school districts like Salida where every funding dollar counts, private schools have a detrimental effect on state support. The Crest Academy has been approached by the superintendent of the Salida School District about becoming the first Innovation School. The benefits to the public schools would include increased funding for the District from the state and, maybe even more importantly, the District will be able to offer to the community an important alternative to the regular schools at no cost to the students’ families. There is also, incidentally, a new Waldorf preschool that is interested in the Innovation School program as well. These other progressive options will be very attractive to residents and potential residents of the community.

The benefits for Crest? Increased funding, better teacher salaries, and free tuition. The talks are only in the infancy stage as we gather information. Since this is a new concept for everybody the learning curve may be steep but we are all eager to explore this potential win-win option. Crest has been assured that the curriculum, enrollment and many other facets of the Crest program will remain untouched (this is the part that we need to have solidified).

All in all, progress in being made on many fronts both in Salida and elsewhere. We are hopeful and we are excited for the future.

This time of the year has always been my favorite here in Salida. Fall in New Zealand is not quite as spectacular. Most of the native vegetation is evergreen, so the colors are not as spectacular, and consequently one season tends to bleed slowly into the next. Here, you can wake up on a late August morning, see the change in the light, feel the change in the air, and know that summer ended yesterday. The world is turning and tilting as it has done since time immemorial.

Fall is the time of the year when we come face to face with our own mortality, and realize that time is inexorably advancing. Much like the days of youth, spring and summer have slipped by at an unbelievable pace. It seems only yesterday buds were blooming, birds were chirping and the grass was greening. Fall completes the cycle, and reminds us that despite our over inflated sense of self importance, we are really still a part of the great cycle of life, death and rebirth.

Far from being depressing, this I find comforting. Fall is a yearly reminder of life’s ephemeral nature, a reminder to not take any time for granted. With the onset of the cooler weather, and the knowledge that cold and snow are on their way, comes gratitude for a warm safe house and a well stocked larder to see it through- not to mention the prospect of those vintage powder days at Monarch where you collect a covering of snow riding the lift to the top of the run and the trees materialize from the mist as you drop in and ride the clouds back to the bottom.

A couple of days ago, I was fishing a narrow canyon high up towards the headwaters of the Conejos River near Antonito. Already, with the sun arching lower in the sky, ice had formed along the northern banks of the river in places. The aspens and cottonwoods had already lost their foliage and the fish were feeding hard, sensing the limited time available to them to fatten up before winter’s enforced slumber. Two emotions were foremost - a certain melancholy, and also a sense of privilege at being witness to it all.

And so, as another year hastens to its close, there are many reasons to be thankful for the change of season. Just as without pain in life we have no measure for joy, so to does a cold winter give reason to value the balmy days of spring and summer.

Protected land in northern Chaffee County

Recently, the Ranchlands Group released the findings of a survey conducted by Colorado State University which focused on uncovering the attitudes of residents and visitors towards open space, water quality and working landscapes in Chaffee County. Briefly, Ranchlands is an organization founded around the ‘next generation’ of ranchers in the county, and other concerned citizens. Part of their mission is to look at ways to keep active ranching economically viable in today’s challenging marketplace.

Approximately eighty percent of land in Chaffee County is public. The remaining twenty percent is privately owned, and of this, roughly three quarters is owned by a handful of families. These families have been ranching in the valley for generations, and by-products of their hard work and stewardship of the land are the open space and water quality that many people, both residents and visitors, take for granted. As farming and ranching become more and more industrialized, it becomes harder and harder for small timers to compete in today’s marketplace. The only option for many is to sell their land, and every time that happens, open space disappears and wildlife habitat diminishes, as does the quality and availability of water.

The survey asked both residents and visitors alike how much importance they placed on open space and water quality, and whether they would be prepared to contribute to helping preserve it. The results were overwhelmingly positive in support. Almost eighty percent of residents said they would be prepared to contribute out of their own pocket to help protect these natural resources, and a similar percentage of visitors said the same. The results of the survey open the path for the County to look at ways of raising funds through lodging tax, mill levy or sales tax to fund the preservation of open space through conservation easements, leasing of development rights, and zoning changes.

Few people realize the hard work for little reward that goes in to keeping our valley uncluttered, green and lush. It seems reasonable that if there is a simple way that the community and visitors can contribute to maintaining this, we should explore it. Once open space is gone, it is never going to come back. No one is ploughing under subdivisions to grow crops or raise cattle. In addition, the economic and social benefits to communities that place a high degree of value on open space and working ranch land are well documented.

For anyone who would like to get a more detailed overview of the survey, go to : http://dare.colostate.edu/pubs/edr08-07.pdf

Right now it is very easy to allow yourself to get into a downward spiral of fear and loathing based on the constant bombardment of bad news emanating from the press, particularly the financial sector. It is important to take a step back every now and then, take a couple of deep breaths, and seek the silver lining to the clouds. For the Chinese, the words ‘crisis’ and ‘opportunity’ are one in the same, and this is a concept worth remembering.

I am the first to admit I am not the world’s most sophisticated investor, but I have always treated the stock market with a certain skepticism. Placing hard money in the hands of people who deal in a system that runs on speculation, theory and guesswork has never sat that comfortably with me. To my untrained eye, this seems to open itself up to issues of greed, temptation and various other sins that we humans have a history of not dealing with too well.

So, where’s the silver lining right now? Well, for those prepared to stick their head up out of the foxhole and take a look around, now might not actually be a bad time to be a buyer in the real estate market. If you are a consumer looking for an investment that provides a natural hedge against inflation, consider this: Over the long term, housing prices tend to rise with commodity prices. The price of oil, steel, cement and copper, along with construction costs have been steadily rising, and logically it seems, will most likely continue to do so, taking into account the law of supply and demand. Higher commodity prices equals higher inflation, as the costs of goods and services also rises. Considering that a home is a collection of commodities combined with the value of the land and labor to produce them, then home values tend to naturally rise also, thus providing protection against inflation. It is this tangible quality that ties the price of a home to the cost of production that makes it a fundamentally different type of investment than stocks or bonds.

A common refrain around here is people saying “Man, I wish I had bought here 10 years ago!” While hindsight is always 20/20, the reality is that come 2018 many will look back to now and say the same thing. Interest rates are low, local banks have money to lend, and some sellers are starting to feel the pinch and lower their expectations, which were largely based on last year’s record highs.

One of the biggest kicks I get out of being a parent in this little town of ours is watching and listening to the joy that my kids get from riding their bikes to and from school, town, and around the neighborhood. We are fortunate enough to live on the edge of town next to part of the Salida Trail system. Not only does this give us direct access to downtown and the elementary school with minimal traffic interaction, it also brings a touch of country living to us townies. Foxes, raccoons, cows and horses are our frequent companions on brisk morning rides. The exercise adds to the kids energy levels and appetites, as they arrive at school and back home invigorated.

Also, biking is fun, and so much more social than driving. I find I am much more likely to greet passersby when freed from the confines of my metal cocoon. It is virtually impossible not to strike up a conversation with a fellow cyclist that you encounter at an intersection, or riding down the same street. In addition, although the trail may not seem as straight as when you headed to the bar, the ride home begins the sobering process and lessens the likelihood of an encounter with the law. There is also something beautifully efficient and simple about a bike, as opposed to the technologically complex machines that we call automobiles.

But there is more to biking than just exercise and interaction. There is little doubt that currently in the US we are experiencing what has been termed a middle class housing crisis - and this was well before the current round of economic woes. In the acclaimed 2000 book Suburban Nation, the authors point out that in 1970, 50% of all families could afford a median priced home. By the 1990s, this had dropped to below 25%. The most significant factor in this decline is the effect of automobile ownership on housing affordability. Most adults require a car in order to function, and it has been estimated that the annual cost of running even a small sized car equals half the cost of a down payment on a starter home in many states.

We now see ‘ location efficient’ mortgages, which reward borrowers purchasing homes in pedestrian friendly neighborhoods. In LEED certified building [ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, basically Green Building on steroids ], a significant factor in gaining LEED accreditation is the proximity of the home or office building to public transport, and the provision of secure, weather proof facilities for the accommodation and storage of bicycles.

So riding a bike has benefits that reach well beyond the obvious. They are economically efficient, environmentally friendly, and help foster a sense of community and neighborhood. See you on the Trail.

A recent email to me from a local motel owner and businessman served to highlight that all our actions have consequences, some unintended, despite the best intentions of those concerned. The email detailed

Sunset over the Saguache Range

City Council plans to add a $4.98 surcharge on to each motel and hotel room rate to help the city raise funds for capital improvements. Anyone who lives here knows that we could sure do with a bit of extra cash - street repairs, paving and curbing being high on most peoples list.

Originally, the City had announced a $2 surcharge, which most accommodation providers accepted as reasonable and unlikely to cause too much consumer discomfort. Somewhere along the line, without proper consultation it seems, $2 became $4.98, and with it Salida would rocket ahead of Denver and have one of the highest accommodation taxes in the State. The logic of this move was to raise extra money for repairs to the Hot Springs Pool. The City felt that the Hot Springs were a major drawcard for visitors, and as such visitors should shoulder the burden for repairs to the changing rooms, that have seen them unusable for over 12 months - a clearly unacceptable situation.

While the Hot Springs are definitely a wonderful asset to the community, it is a bit of a stretch to say they are a drawcard for tourists. Ouray and Glenwood Springs maybe, but hardly Salida. Those in the accommodation industry say that this tax will have the opposite effect of making people less likely to stay, affecting all sectors of our economy. Ultimately the voters will decide on the measure in the November election, but here is where the unintended consequences come in. Firstly, this ballot promises to be on of the longest in history, with many different measures up for consideration. There is always a danger of voter fatigue, which usually results in measures being voted down, especially ones where an increase in taxes is involved.

This election is a pivotal one for the Salida School District, with three measures before the voters requesting mill levy overrides to fund much needed improvements to the District’s infrastructure and salary structure. It may be that another controversial measure, particularly set against the current trying economic times, may be enough to tip the scales against these important initiatives. Another unintended consequence is one that strikes even closer to home, for me at least. The motelier who sent me the email is one of the largest supporters of our local Land Trust here in Chaffee County, of which I am the vice president. His support comes in the form of contributing to the Land Trust’s Common Cents For Conservation program. Member businesses collect a voluntary one percent donation at the point of sale from their customers, which is passed on to the Trust to help fund our activities in support of maintaining working ranches, open space and wildlife habitat. He feels the $4.98 tax will see people unwilling to contribute any extra to this cause.

So here is my wish: The City backs off, and returns to the more reasonable $2 option. The voters support this measure, which will bring Salida into line with similar towns, and we will rally as a community to pass the mill levy overrides to provide our kids with the quality of education and opportunities they deserve.