Is this what Ketchum City Hall thinking is being reduced to—fussing over whether to toughen or relax regulations on street vendors of snack foods? This is the equivalent of fiddling with trivia while the town atrophies.
We're second to none in our admiration for entrepreneurial street vendors and larger restaurants. But what of the greater challenges City Hall seems to ignore?
There was a crucial message for the Ketchum City Council from restaurant owners when they complained about street vendors in a hearing last week.
Business, they said, is shrinking as Ketchum caters to second-home development and absent owners, watches as full-time residents move south to affordable housing, and does nothing while the downtown's retail business declines.
These concerned business owners are indispensable to the city's mixture of retail establishments as well as being collectors of the city's option taxes. Their vision of trends now afoot should be a call to action for City Hall.
The city's downtown needs a thorough makeover to make it more pedestrian friendly year-round, day and night.
It's almost unthinkable that many streets in the near downtown area still are without sidewalks and lighting. Pedestrians must compete, at their peril, with cars and trucks while walking on risky shoulders. A dark street is not an inviting sight for visitors searching for activities.
With the relocation of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber and Visitors Bureau Visitors Center, downtown Ketchum was left with no public restrooms. Talk about being pedestrian un-friendly.
A major opportunity for changing the tone and character of downtown Ketchum lies with the city's large tract of property opposite Giacobbi Square. Development and utilization should be completed rapidly to help reverse losing any more of the downtown's vibrancy.
Development of a countywide transportation system through its KART bus operation would encourage access to downtown Ketchum retail activity.
Requiring affordable housing in more second floors of downtown buildings through zoning laws would bring families into the city and provide a better mix of customers for businesses.
Ketchum is on the eve of a municipal election. Undone work and unmet challenges have fitting places in the dialogue and debate of mayoral candidates.
Residents and business owners deserve answers from candidates on their vision for the future of the community and whether they plan to preside over the status quo or take on challenges that will build a better place to live and work.
