VAIL, Colo.-
The Town Council has approved buying two more condos for a total of about $750,000 so more employees can live in town.
The units, whose purchase was approved last week, are being rented to town employees, many of whom are considered “critical,” such as firefighters, police officers, emergency dispatchers and mechanics.
Some would not be able to live in town without affordable housing, said Assistant Town Manager Pam Brandmeyer.
That could be critical during emergencies. With Interstate 70 as the only road to Vail, the town could be cut off by a mudslide or an avalanche, Brandmeyer said.
“We could find ourselves in a position where we’re our own island here,” she said.
The town is trying to keep 30 percent of town employees living in Vail, said Nina Timm, Vail’s housing coordinator.
“If the town has a number of vacant positions, we find that we are as challenged as anyone to hire as well as retain quality employees,” she said.
Housing prices have proven to be difficult for resort towns hiring officers.
“One of our biggest challenges is finding good applicants who are able to afford to live here,” Steamboat Springs police Capt. Joel Rae said. “It’s tough.”
His department has tried to keep salaries competitive. An entry-level officer could start with a salary as high as $48,000, based on education and professional experience, Rae said. Officers can gradually work up to a pay of about $60,000, he said.
Glenwood Springs Police Chief Terry Wilson, whose department serves a population of about 8,000, acknowledged challenges in recruiting officers. The size of his department can make some officers concerned about their advancement opportunities, he said.
“The second thing, and probably the most important, is the disparity between the financial end of the job and what it costs to buy a house and live here, which is probably what you see as well,” Wilson said.
