HomeMy WebLinkAbout05. Town_Manager_Report_12.28.17_Suz
TOWN MANAGER REPORT -
Jan. 2nd TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
Newsletter Date
TOPICS
• BOCC Meeting
• Council Retreat
• Scenes from the Holiday
Season
• Tree Lighting
• Teamwork
• DEVO
• Coffee with Cops
• Annual Homeowners
Association Meeting
Meeting with Eagle County BOCC
On December 20th, Mayor Chapin and I met with Commissioner Jill Ryan to start
formulating a list of topics to be discussed at a soon-to-be-planned joint meeting
with the Board of County Commissioners. Topping the list was … wait for it …
transit and housing. Stay tuned as we put the final touches on this very important
meeting.
Council Retreat
Preparations continue for the Council retreat with the management team on
January 9th. The meeting will occur from 8 am until 1 pm at the Grand View with
food and lots of coffee being provided. Our facilitator, Dr. Karah Maloley with the
Vail Centre, met with Patty McKenny and myself to discuss the proposed agenda,
meeting format, and desired outcomes. She will contacting individual
councilmembers to solicit their input into the agenda. We are excited to have her
assist with this important meeting, and we are confident that you will appreciate
her services.
Tis the Season …
While it is now behind us, a few images and accountings from the Holiday
Season will continue to warm the heart. It was a joyful time with many festivities
and Holiday cheer throughout the community.
Town Hall was visited by the local school kids who filled our halls with merriment
and music. The carols were enjoyed by all, including of course our Municipal
Judge Buck Allen, who was buried with Holiday cards from the carolers.
On December 22nd the Public Works crew hosted the annual prime rib holiday
lunch that was very well attended by throngs of famished town employees. Susie
Hervert and others were responsible for the fine layout of food.
Town Manager’s Report Page 2
Tree Lighting
As part of the Holidaze festivities, Mayor Dave Chapin greeted a very large crowd
in Slifer Square, where the annual Tree Lighting event occurred on December
17th. The tree is absolutely beautiful, and the lighting went off per plan with Santa
Claus performing the duties. Ralph, the world’s tallest elf, is seen behind the
Mayor in the accompanying image.
Teamwork, Innovation & Excellence
The first annual Town of Vail gingerbread decorating competition was a success!
This was not your average holiday fare. Employees built large ski-in and ski-out
properties, log cabins (recently turned into short-term rental by owners), artistic
creations, iconic Vail structures and more. Community Development, Public
Works, Administration, Library, Human Resources/Safety, and Finance all
participated in a 45-minute challenge.
The final work was judged by Buck Allen (Municipal Judge) and Molly Eppard (Art
in Public Places). Prizes were awarded to Admin and Community Development.
DEVO
And so it begins …
The Vail Development Team - DEVO is a program that seeks to create lifelong
skiers and riders while introducing young athletes to mountain safety and
etiquette in a social, team oriented environment. Participating members are
encouraged to develop their skiing and riding skills to the highest level possible
while having fun and being exposed to a variety of experiences.
An institution in Vail, the DEVO program started in full force on December 16th,
transforming the top deck of the Vail Village Parking structure into, in the words of
our Public Works crew, “organized chaos”. It was indeed a spectacle to witness,
and organized it was! Masses of young skiers were organized into lines and
groups, ultimately uniting with their coaches and then placed on transit buses for
their journey to Lionshead and the awaiting lifts up the mountain.
Town Manager’s Report Page 3
Coffee with the Cops
During the aforementioned DEVO affair, one could quickly escape the bedlam
and slip into nearby Starbucks to share a cup of brew with Vail’s finest.
Representatives of the Vail Police Department were on hand to share coffee and
chat about …whatever. It was a nice gesture and a very effective way to connect
to the community.
Annual Homeowners Association Meeting
The meeting was conducted on May 27th, and the Mayor and I presented an in-
depth account of 2017 in review, as well as a peek into what lies ahead for 2018.
It was very informative and questions were entertained touching on various topics.
The Association appreciated the presentation and it was a successful event by all
measures. Thanks to the Communications Department for providing the year-end
review material that was very helpful in putting together the presentation.