I would like to comment on quotes from Ken Henry in the Oct. 11 Daily Sentinel article regarding the Fruita mayoral race. I speak only for myself as a current member of the Fruita City Council and a candidate for another term during the upcoming election.

Mr. Henry is quoted as saying, “They (which includes me), are very business unfriendly. They (which includes me) do not understand the consequences or impacts to the business community.”

This statement is nonsense. I have a degree in business and economics from Colorado State University and had a very successful 30-year career in sales and marketing with an international pharmaceutical company. After moving to the Grand Valley, I spent 2 years as a sales associate with Bray and Company Realtors. In the late ’90s, while a member of the City Council, I represented Fruita to the Mesa County Economic Development Council, supported development of the Kokopelli Business Park and currently support the development of the Greenway Business Park.

The one way Mr. Henry and I differ is I believe future development must pay its own way. If new development does not pay into escrow funds to finance future infrastructure needs in the existing parts of Fruita, current residents will have to be willing to pay increased property taxes to fund improvements in the older parts of the city, which deteriorate in no small measure due to increased population and traffic growth. I will not support that option.

Again, the statement that I am business unfriendly is simply not true.

GORDON VETTER
Fruita

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