Ketchum's Community and Economic Development Department is hosting a "Ketchum to Aspen Innovation Tour" to the city of Aspen, Colo., next month for City Council members, Planning and Zoning Commissioners, city staff and others.
The idea is "to get inspired, to get ideas ... and to learn from their challenges," said Ketchum Planning Manager Joyce Allgaier.
Ketchum city officials expect to meet with Aspen city officials, city staff, nonprofits, Aspen Skiing Co. and chamber representatives, among others.
Ketchum officials are working on several large projects, including a rewrite of the city's comprehensive plan, the New Energy Cities Initiative and the Sustainable Building Code project.
"We thought it would be a good time to visit another outstanding resort community for inspiration, new ideas and lessons learned," Lisa Horowitz, community and economic development director, stated in a letter to invitees.
Some of the topics that officials intend to explore while in Aspen include comprehensive planning for the resort community; building partnerships between the city, skiing company and chamber for marketing and branding purposes; affordable housing; way-finding; transit and mobility programs; energy-efficient building programs and codes; special-events planning; public/private partnerships; and "green" initiatives in economic development.
"It will be a great way to learn from the lessons of others," Horowitz said in the letter.
The trip is scheduled for Sunday, June 5, to Wednesday, June 8. Trip participants will drive down on Sunday and return on Wednesday, with two days of meetings, tours and presentations in Aspen on Monday and Tuesday.
The cost of the trip will depend on how many people go. Estimates are $3,500 for lodging, $1,000 for transportation in rented SUVs and $40 per day, per person, for food. The money will partially come out of the commission's and council's training, travel and meeting budgets.
Participants may also include representatives from the Ketchum Community Development Corp. and Mountain Rides.
"Anybody not under the city umbrella will be paying for their own travel," Allgaier said.
Rebecca Meany: rmeany@mtexpress.com
