City Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko says it “seems ridiculous” that Colorado Springs doesn’t have many transportation options for visitors even though it’s the second largest city in the state.
“No public transportation even from our own airport into town,” Czelatdko said Monday in an email to Mayor Steve Bach.
“We may be open for business, but good luck getting yourself here,” she wrote.
“If there really is an interest in economic development, local transportation will at least need to be improved upon. I hope (the Bach administration) is considering with upcoming budget,” she added.
Czelatdko’s email — which also went to Chief of Staff Laura Neuman, Doug Price, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, and her council colleagues — was triggered by an email that a man sent to City Council.
“My wife and me are going to go to Colorado Springs, the flight arrives to Denver’s airport and we’d like to know how we can go to Colorado Springs, by bus, trains, and so on,” Tomás Ruiz wrote.
“We’d be very grateful if you can help us with this information.”
City Councilman Bernie Herpin responded to Ruiz’s email.
Here’s Herpin’s email response:
Thank you for visiting our community. While we do have an airport, some folks do choose to fly into Denver. There are no trains or direct buses that connect to Colorado Springs from the Denver airport; however, there are private shuttles that do serve our community:
http://flydenver.com/gtdetail?TYPE=COMMUTERSHUTTLES&URI=tcm:8-1398
http://www.coloradoshuttle.com/
You can also rent a car.
With over 55 attractions in and around Colorado Springs, you are sure to have a great time. Because this is the “wide open West”, you may want to consider renting a car to get around. Here is a website that will provide information and a free guide to our attractions: www.visitcos.com
I hope you enjoy your visit and please let us know if you need additional info.
Sincerely,
Bernie Herpin
Czelatdko replied to Herpin and cc’d the mayor, Neumann, Price and her colleagues.
Here’s the full text of her email:
Doesn’t this seem ridiculous us being the second largest city in the state and really no transportation options for visitors to come visit our City. No public transportation even from our own airport into town. We may be open for business, but good luck getting yourself here. If there really is an interest in economic development, local transportation will at least need to be improved upon. I hope admin is considering with upcoming budget.
I agree with Ms. Czelatdko. The mass transit system seems to be branded by the Mayor and others as a failure and the lack of planning, proper bus routes, hours of operation, etc. seem destined to make it so. It would be nice if we had a few politicians who understood the importance of planning for the future of our city. And by future, I mean farther down the road than the end of their term.
Mrs. Czelatdko’s frustrations are understandable.
This entire region would be analogous to being a single parent with 9 children: all wanting to do different things.
Yet, only one decision maker – one planner. The Parent.
We do not, as yet – have the ‘central planning organization’ that takes our ” 9 children” (City – County – Chamber – EDC – ‘Leadership Groups’ – UCCS – Business Groups) and plans for the family.
We do not in fact have that: “One Parent” We have spoiled children who do not work well together – never have. Read Debbie Kelley articles on this very subject.
Result: We Are Where We Are. At some point, all groups will recognize the need for central strategic planning – as did Europe when Eisenhower flew over to win the war – - and stuph will begin to happen.
To achieve a level of regional planning. Joe Raso.
But, don’t invest in a house quite yet – micromanagement will drive you away !
The council lady is correct. The public transportation system had been out of touch with the general public for the twenty eight years we have lived in Colorado Springs. In all that time I do not believe we have had a true transportation manager running the system. The city needs to hire a manager who has the heavy background in route planning and scheduling.
Colorado Springs is no different than most western cities – you have to rent a car if you want to fly in for a vacation – no local government can change that economic reality.
Lisa: thanks for your criticisms – again – without any positive recommendations. You have highlighted – again – all that is wrong with our Fair City. Not very useful – again.
Pogo
I would submit the people with the planning capability exist.
The structure for command does not.
Austin learned it. Springs has not. (yet).
It may take bankruptcy to forge a new beginning, in that nothing is happening to draw firms who can offer employment that generates the tax revenue needed and those currently in residence have far too little trust in local government to pay additional amounts.
First off, if that email from Tomás Ruiz isn’t a setup, I’ll eat my hat!
Secondly, Ms. Czelatdko, I don’t want spending decisions based on what SEEMs to be. I want them based on facts.
Thirdly, as Mr. Herpin so appropriately wrote, there are lots of options for vacationers to get themselves here. Your position is that if there are no SUBSIDIZED options, then NO options exist.
Finally, there are commercial options for getting themselves here, and those commercial options are part of our economy! Those are jobs, company operating revenue, tax revenue, and all the associated benefits that derive from that commercial activity. None of that is any less valid or appropriate, any less just, than are commercial attractions, lodging, restaurant, or any other COMMERCIAL tourist activity.
Ms. Czelatdko and Mr. Chacon, you folks really do need to develop a little critical reasoning ability. Mr. Chacon, knee jerking at ghosts again? Did either of you make any effort at all to check the authenticity of that email from Tomás Ruiz? Look what he wrote:
“My wife and me are going to go to Colorado Springs, the flight arrives to Denver’s airport and we’d like to know how we can go to Colorado Springs, by bus, trains, and so on,” Tomás Ruiz wrote.
No mention of when they plan to visit. No mention of how long they plan to stay. No mention of where they will be coming from. No mention of why commercial transportation options would not be suitable. Coming so close to the FREX termination decision, don’t you just think this reeks of setup? At least you could have checked! You might even have contacted Mr. Ruiz in person to verify this.
No, the fact that this matter was not important enough to either of you to prompt you to check out the credibility of Mr. Ruiz’s email strongly suggests that this is, indeed, a setup. That would make FOUR now:
1) Nationwide negative propaganda campaign by previous City administration conducted under the noses of the previous City Council
2) Bogus setup of teacher by feys over yearbook incident this Spring
3) KKK leaflets densely distributed in a small neighborhood under direction of national organization
4) This “can’t get here from anywhere” kerfuffle.
What next to spring from your imaginations?
Mr. Chacon,
Stop with the fairy tales. They are not funny and they are hack journalism.
Nice dodge, Dan. Don’t like the issue raised, just pretend it it’s all a conspiracy, right? Nobody’s saying private enterprise has to go away here. Put a “city shuttle” out for bid, and subsidize it with money from the lodging tax. Easy enough.
the council woman is correct but the reason is pretty simple: if you ain’t got the money to get here you don’t belong here.
Makes you wonder about city council members would instantly react to a single e-mail. Our city council should make decisions and recommendations based on research, facts, and careful listening.
Janis – could it be this is a ‘personality’ driven area as opposed to a ‘performance’ driven area?
I have to agree with Janis. One email and the Councilwoman gets interested. The people of the City and County have been pointing this out for years. I remember a small fortune spent on an East-West Transportation survey that basically ended with, “you guys don’t have any main roads going East to West.” Well Duh….As a matter of fact, after years of flying into the Springs for visits with my family, this year I have to fly into Denver because it will save me $165. For that kind of money, I can fill the tank with gas and buy lunch both incoming and outgoing. I made my reservations over 4 months in advance too.
As a small business owner, how can a city say it wants to be the friendliest and best place for business if you provide public funded services that reduce business to small businesses. There are plenty of taxis at the airport and Colorado Springs isn’t that big that their rates are out of line. Taxis pay taxes, government funded enterprises suck up taxes. By small business generates almost 3 times as much in tax revenue for various government taxes than I make. I don’t pay those taxes, my customers do in higher prices. I start my employees at $10 hr and they get full time. Why do you think major corporations like Walmart and Mc Donalds pay most of their employees minimum wage and parttime? Because their employees can then qualify for subsidized housing, daycare, healthcare transportation, and food stamps. But don’t blame the corporations, they did not make the rules. They just figured out how to make the rules work for them and their employees and their customers. If they paid a living wage they would have to raise their prices and soon they wouldn’t have the need for as many employees.
herpin was pathetic in the 80s and is still the same today
some people DO NOT DRIVE!
modern cities have infrastructure and public transportation.
James Krug, spoken like a reasonable businessman. Progressives understand that, they are not all stupid. Your reasoning simply runs counter to their narrative.
See, you benefit from pragmatic reasoning, from problem solving and taking matters into your own hands. Progressives, on the other hand, benefit from two modes of thought, both fundamentally opposed to yours and mine:
1) Dependency, as in being the mother duck who tends to all her little dependent duckies, claiming special status as their leader and protector, or
2) Dependency, as in being one of the duckies who look to a leader to protect and empower them.
Many times when I travel, I must take a hotel shuttle, cab or rented car to get from the airport to my destination in town. This is very common when traveling, IMO. And Colorado Springs offers these modes of transportation to visitors now. I would say the real issue is that there are not enough direct flights into/out of the Springs to begin with. Many times, Colorado visitors and vacationers have only one destination available to them – DIA.
This is what the mayor and council should be working on with the airlines and airport.
let’s milk the tourist for everything we can get…this is a tourist town. nevermind that the tourist are mostly the 99%ers that are hurting just like most in this god forsaken village. why would we want a efficient bus system…that would help the 99%…not gonna happen in teabaggerville.
I think we’re all right.
Our city sucks cause we can’t figure things out.
Our council sucks cause they are swayed by a single email.
Our paper sucks cause they write news that’s not really news.
And, I suck cause I’m responding to this post.
Something’s gotta change people!!! Let it start with you or else you’ll just be another person swayed by a stupid email, article or post.
xoxo, jb
Airline availability sucks, local transportation sucks, no way to get to Denver or Pueblo, sucks. Ive heard this Council lady talk about transit last budget cycle, and at a bunch of Council meetings since then. It aint just 1 email.
Justin,
we are all just a bunch of dumbasses writing on these stupid blogs. Some way more then others and the same 10 of us. Im 100 percent certain there is more to this story then just one email written to Council. Transportation does suck in this City and needs to be talked about.