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• About
  • ABOUT

 

Introduction Letter

Welcome to the Routt County Livability Index, an annual study of key factors that determine Routt County’s degree of livability compared to other similar communities.

The mission of the Index is to measure significant drivers of the health and wealth of the community that reach beyond the dollars that drive the economy to the overall health and welfare of the residents. In doing so, the Index provides insight into the quality of life available to people who live here. The Index measures these values over time in order to provide evidence of whether the community is becoming more or less “livable.” The Index divides the measured drivers into four main categories — civic, social, economic and environment.

Time and again in public opinion polls — from the City of Steamboat Springs community survey to Vision 2030 to the West of Steamboat Springs Area Plan — Routt County residents have placed top priority on livability and the factors that contribute to it. The Index is a tool to first gauge this livability, and then to guide informed decisions to shape the community’s future.

We would like to extend special thanks to a number of people and organizations for their generous donations of time, energy and resources. Routt County Board of Commissioners and Colorado Mountain College are our major sponsors. A special thanks to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for its generous grant toward this project. Thanks to the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County for sponsoring the Routt County Economic Developing Cooperative (RCEDC). Thanks to Executive Director Noreen Moore for providing assistance. A genuine note of thanks to graphic artist Justin Hirsch, publisher Suzanne Schlicht and Steamboat Pilot & Today for going beyond the call of duty in producing the publication. Special recognition goes to Roger Good and Scott Ford for their dedication and the countless hours they contributed.

This is the second year of the Index. As you read through the 2009 edition, keep in mind the Index is not a leading indicator of the economy. It looks backward and is a comparison across counties and across time. Thus the 2009 Index is made up of the most recent data sets collected during the past few years and is not necessarily reflective of the current state of the economy. The true value of the Index is in providing clear, statistical evidence of trends.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the RCEDC,

Grant Fenton

2009 Project Manager