Name and age? Rick Stevens, 64
What brought you to Basalt and what keeps you here? We came to Basalt after 11 years in Aspen in 1987 because the community offered a chance to stay in the valley and raise a family. Basalt was affordable, friendly and unified. It was also promising to young families, it had good schools that were getting better and it’s close to the mountains.
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Have you ever been arrested? If so, why? No
Who is your personal hero and why? My two grandmothers are my personal heroes, along with a couple hundred others that helped me grow into adulthood — and who still influence me on a daily basis. Some are gone but some remain. I meet new heroes every day and strive to continuously grow as a benefit of their mentoring. I strive to continuously learn new ideas from them and ways to deal with daily challenges and necessary decisions.
Why should you be elected to Basalt Town Council? I am a proactive leader that understands that the best government is one that is in partnership with its citizens. I will do a great job.
If you could accomplish only one thing as a Basalt Town Council member, what would it be? To leave something good behind and to create future opportunities to look forward to that are well founded in community values.
What about the current Basalt Town Council that needs to change? The relationship between the staff and the leadership needs to improve.
Basalt is grappling with several issues. A big one is how to go about the Pan and Fork property. As a Basalt Town Council member, what would you advocate for? Citizen engagement is essential to healthy government and ensures that everyone benefits. I would advocate that the community trust the process and we will arrive at the right answer for everyone.
Some people say Basalt is split over how to manage the Pan and Fork. Others say most people want the same thing, it’s just some of the details are different. What do you think? We are on our way to a compromise on the Pan and Fork and if we can all be allowed to participate equally we will get there. That includes giving up a little of whatever it is folks are hanging on to.
Old Town Basalt is still struggling to fill storefronts. How much does town government play a role in changing that? If government/leadership is constantly afraid of change/growth then there is no role to play. Fear based politics always trumps hope. The fear of "empty store fronts" is an example. Change the conversation.