One Hundred Guests... Or very close. That's how many people attended last Thursday's Business After Hours at Basalt Fitness.

Co-hosted with Rock Canyon Coffee, Daly Property Services and Albright & Associates, the event was as lively as you could imagine in the long-established Basalt fitness center. From the start there was a buzz of conversation, generous exchange of business cards and happy consumption of delicious Smoke food and El Jebeverage refreshments.



It's such a pleasure watching as our business and local community comes together in work and in fun. Mark your calendars for the November 19 joint Basalt-Carbondale Chambers Business After Hours at Eagle Crest Nursery. If you've never been to a Business After Hours, it's always free for Basalt Chamber members and first time guests.

Speaking of coming together and things that inspire, last Friday a group of Basalt-focused Gen-Xers and Millennials met for the first time at Woody Creek Distillers to talk about their community and how they'd like to see it move forward. The discussion was lively, thoughtful and impressively focused. This is good news to many of us who've long missed this important voice in Basalt. The group is new, but they're already moving at a nice clip with what appears to be abundant pent-up energy and ideas. For more information contact Chris.

Insurance Co-Op Shut Down 

~ Valley Insurance Forum in the Works

Last week the Colorado HealthOp sent out an announcement that they had essentially been shut down by the Colorado Division of Insurance. Insureds would have to find new coverage by the end of the year. I received the notice as did about 83,000 other Coloradans. HealthOp CEO Julia Hutchins wrote that she was "astonished and disappointed," calling the DOI's decision both "irresponsible and premature." Just weeks before, we'd all received a letter of good tidings and the day before talking to a HealthOp rep about 2016 premiums there was no hint of what was to come. (On Monday, CO HealthOp filed a lawsuit to keep its doors open but a Denver judge promptly ruled against the request.) 

I took to the Basalt CO Community Page on Facebook to ask about others' experiences and started a mini-firestorm. At the Basalt Chamber, there's hardly a community issue that we won't jump into or need we won't try to address in some way (time and Chamber Board-permitting) and this is one that revealed itself as ever more consequential with each post and conversation. One insurance agent reported that more than 500 of his clients alone are covered under the HealthOp policy. People are confused, frustrated and not a little bit concerned about their options. This includes both those who were part of the HealthOp plan and others who've never had insurance or lost it do to employment changes. Insurance providers are girding themselves for a very busy few months ahead. There's a tendency to go to blame. I hope we'll stay focused on solutions.

I started talking to people about organizing a mid-valley Community Insurance & Health Forum to help disseminate information. I called the offices of Gov. Hickenlooper and Sen. Bennett. Then I reached out to Sen. Gail Schwartz in Crested Butte. Gail has long championed rural health initiatives and though she and her family moved recently to Crested Butte she remains vitally active in the Roaring Fork Valley. She immediately offered help and suggestions. The timing is tight and outcome uncertain, but we hope to put together a forum during which information can be communicated clearly and efficiently. Moreover, we'd like to be able to initiate pro-active conversation between our community, Denver and Washington.

In this short time, the easiest way for me to reach those interested with updates is through the Community Page. If you're not a member and would like to join, just click here and connect.

If you ski in our valley, you'll want to take advantage of the Basalt Chamber Discount Ski Pass benefits. Those who work at least 20 hours and make the Roaring Fork Valley their primary home are eligible for substantial discounts off season passes. You must be a member of the Chamber to enjoy this and other valuable benefits.
 

The Roaring Fork Valley Regional Planning Commission meets this afternoon in what was expected to be the final review of the Tree Farm Preliminary Plan for Planned Unit Development (PUD).

However, substantial discussion areas remain and it is likely that the review will be continued to November 5 to allow additional time for the public to comment and the Planning Commission to conduct deliberations and formulate recommendations.

This afternoon's meeting at the Eagle County Community Center begins and 4pm and will cover the following general topic areas and presentations:

For further information related to this Land Use Application, visit the Eagle County website.

The Basalt Chamber of Commerce seeks proposals from  qualified design firms with a top-notch team able to produce the 2016 Basalt Community Guide & Business Directory.

The ideal candidate(s) will take the magazine from sales and design through printing maintaining the high standard for which it has become known. The purpose of the RFP will be to provide candidates with the scope of expectation and evaluation criteria against which their applications will be judged. 

To receive a copy of the RFP when available, please write Basalt Chamber CEO.

The Basalt Chamber of Commerce is accepting proposals from qualified website designers to consolidate, enhance and upgrade the functionality of our Basalt, CO website and create a separate Economic Development website.

On October 1 an RFP will be available to view. The purpose of the RFP will be to provide candidates with the evaluation criteria against which their applications will be judged. 

If you would like to receive a copy of the RFP when available, please write me here.