My name is David Knight and I’m running for Basalt Town Council. I live in Elk Run with my wife, Melissa, and son, Luca, who is in kindergarten at Basalt Elementary. I work remotely as a senior manager of a project management team for a technology firm and am fortunate to be able to live anywhere. After living in Denver and several Colorado mountain towns since 2002, we decided to settle in Basalt in 2017 and now live in the greatest place and community imaginable. We fell in love with and chose Basalt for the small mountain-town feel and proximity to outdoor activities. Since we are new in the community, I have found ways to get involved including Habitat for Humanity, Cub Scouts, and previously serving on the ASE Vision Airport Experience Working Group. Basalt is an amazing place to live and work and I am running to ensure the town continues to be a vibrant mountain community.
When our national politics are so dysfunctional, local government has the power to affect us in simple yet profound ways. It’s important for Town Council to be made up of collaborative, humble and honest members who work together to serve the people. If elected, I am confident that with my professional experiences and personal perspective I will be able to work together with the other council members. I am not affiliated with any of the other candidates, in large part because I am committed to working with everyone. I would be honored to serve the people of Basalt.
As a town councilor I would advocate for the arts, connectedness and smart, sustainable growth in our community. As a drummer and composer/arranger I appreciate how performance can bring people together, whether they are playing or listening. I also would advocate for our town to be more connected through trails, transportation, and additional high-speed internet. I believe in the importance of managing growth by preserving our community character while recognizing that some development meets crucial needs while actually reducing impact — workforce housing is an example. Our community character is what makes Basalt a special place for our residents, businesses and visitors. Therefore, our approach to growth should be pragmatic and balance the need to sustain a vibrant economy with preserving our character. Finally, we must look at all of our initiatives and issues in Basalt through the lens of respecting the environment and mitigating the effects of climate change. Climate change is the great existential problem that we must deal with as a town and as a planet.
We must continue to work together to ensure Basalt remains the incredible place that it is. I believe that effectively managing growth, promoting the arts, and fostering connectedness plays a big role. I hope that you will consider me for council when you receive your ballot in the mail. But most importantly, I want to thank all of you for participating in our local election by using your voice and voting.
Editor’s note: Leading up to the Basalt election April 7, The Aspen Times is publishing one guest commentary from each candidate. Knight can be reached at basaltknight@gmail.com.