Just in case you haven’t had enough of the Castle Creek hydroelectric power project controversy, the Aspen Business Luncheon Wednesday will serve up a forum squarely devoted to the mind-numbing topic.
All kidding aside, the forum will feature a square-off between two city officials, City Manager Steve Barwick and Director of Utilities Dave Hornbacher, and two project critics, Paul Menter and Ken Neubecker. Menter is CFO of Rocky Mountain Connections, a destination services firm, and formerly served as city of Aspen finance director. Neubecker is executive director of the Carbondale-based the Western Rivers Institute.
The event begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Hotel Jerome. The cost of a seat and access to the lunch buffet is $30, which covers sales tax charges and a tip. More than 100 people have preregistered so far, but more seats are available, according to Aspen Business Luncheon coordinator Todd Shaver.
One of the likely discussion points will be the ultimate cost of the project, which is designed to divert water from Castle and Maroon creeks to help the city electricity utility lessen its reliance on coal-fired power from Nebraska. City officials put the number at $10.5 million, while project opponents place the long-term expense at $16 million or more.
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