Editor:

Regarding the Snowmass Village Town Council’s refusal of a temporary use application submitted by the Roaring Fork Mountain Club (RFMC), my husband and I watched with dismay and disappointment what was aptly described by Mel Blumenthal of the Part-time Residents Advisory Board, as a “train wreck.”

The Snowmass Village Town Council was curt and unprofessional toward a well respected longtime resident of the community as he requested help from the council to bring increased business to the mountain. The gentleman representing the RFMC was calm, courteous and respectful in his attempts to reach an agreement that would be acceptable to the council and allow for the advancement of the business he was representing.

Certain council members were negative and combative, being more concerned about the possibility of being inconvenienced themselves, because the requested temporary use permit included an area where they prefer to park.

The antagonism toward RFMC was so palpable, one could not help but think that there must be some underlying issue, as the request itself was patently reasonable and supported by the village’s own advisory boards. These were ignored by the council.

It was the lack of consideration toward RFMC, combined with a Ludite-like hostility towards any increase in traffic, which would translate into much needed customers for our retailers, that both shocked and appalled us.

In contrast, after refusing the application of the RFMC at the Dec. 17 council meeting, a presentation was made by the representatives of Related. Those same council members who were so hard-nosed towards RFMC acted like sycophants with their obsequious behavior toward the Related representatives, who had nothing more to offer other than vague comments, which seemed to amount to nothing more than a divesting of existing real estate stock at “fire sale” pricing.

Pamela Crombie
Winthrop Harbor, Ill.