2 | Thursday, June 19, 2014
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STEAMBOAT TODAY
Jack Trautman steps down Chairman of Steamboat’s Parks and Recreation Commission resigns Scott Franz
steamboat today
steamboat springs
Jack Trautman, the leader of Steamboat Springs’ Parks and Recreation Commission and a longtime advocate for bikers, disc golfers, dog walkers and all other people who love to play outdoors, resigned Tuesday after more than five years on the commission. He said the many differences between the fast-paced corporate world that he worked in for 35 years at a major technology company and the slower public process on the commission here led him to step down. “I gave it five years, and I feel good about the contributions we made and the progress we made,” Trautman said Wednesday. “We’re on the right path, but it’s time for me to do something else.” He said he had a lot of confidence in the remaining commissioners, and he’s hopeful the group will continue to play a bigger role. In recent years, Trautman has been a strong advocate for giving the volunteer commission a bigger voice than it had in years past. The commission’s recent involvement in capital project prioritization was an example of progress in that arena. But Trautman said he came to the realization he can have a bigger impact on the community in the future from the other side of the dais.
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“I did a lot of soul searching before making this decision,” he said. “It’s been something I’ve been thinking about for a while.” At his last meeting as the head of this city’s volunteer parks and recreation commission, Trautman certainly showed a lot of passion. He spent several minutes talking about how frustrated he was that park plans the commission helped to create for Rita Valentine Park haven’t become a reality. He talked about wanting to fulfill the needs of Steamboat’s many recreation user groups from bike riders to disc golfers. He even took some heat from a city council member because of some criticism he shared about how he felt previous councils had ignored the hard work of the volunteer group. But more than anything, he said, he wanted to make an impact. At the end of last week’s meeting about the future of Rita Valentine Park, Trautman was applauded by his fellow commissioners and remaining audience members for his leadership and his efforts to give the volunteer commission a bigger voice. Trautman said he start-
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ed thinking more seriously about stepping down during the recent discussions about the future of Rita Valentine. He said he initially was excited for the commission to start working on a new plan for the park on its own and with public input. He then thought about bouncing around emails with fellow commissioners about ideas for the park’s future. But he said the need to post public meetings and go through a long public process tempered that excitement. Before retirement, Trautman was the president of a global business unit for Agilent Technologies. When he arrived in Steamboat full-time seven years ago, he asked himself how he could make a difference. He got his chance on the parks and recreation commission. “I thank the City Council and the parks and recreation commission for giving me this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a privilege to serve the community that I love and give it my best at making a difference. I leave with very positive feelings about the City Council, the commission and the parks and recreation department. If there’s anything I can do to help them, I’m available.” Parks, Open Space and Recreational Services Director John Overstreet said Trautman will be missed. “It was great to work with Jack,” Overstreet said. “He is passionate about parks, open space and recreation in the city, and he just wanted to do what was right for the city and what was best for enhancing” those things.