Meet Bill Almquist
Bill recently stepped into a new role as the City’s community development director. Get to know him better and learn about his top priorities for the department in 2021.
What’s your vision for the Community Development Department?
The department will continue to do our best to maintain those characteristics that make Salida great now, even while the City inevitably grows and adds other great attributes in the future. We will help steward that growth and development logically and efficiently in order to protect the beautiful natural environment where we all live, breathe, work and recreate. We will work to be responsive and creative problem solvers intent on balancing this community’s diverse values and needs. Salida is a popular destination, and, like other desirable locations, there may be some growing pains. I see our job in some ways as providing responsible pain-management.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Over the next year, my primary goal is to help find more and better ways to increase the percentage of workforce housing within our City while also encouraging more opportunities for the “missing middle” types of homes. I also hope to facilitate the improvement of our pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and connectivity, especially around the schools and in some underrepresented neighborhoods. We plan to complete an overhaul of the Land Use Code this year – which will likely be our best tool to accomplish these goals and others. Lastly, I would love to kick-off our master planning process for the City-owned Vandaveer property, which could become a fantastic example of balancing the many values of this diverse community.
What’s your professional background?
My background is pretty diverse and eclectic (not unlike the architectural styles of this town). I started in natural resources working for a mix of federal land management agencies and non-profits, spent some time as an outdoor adventure guide, and even ran a youth conservation corps. I eventually transitioned to community planning in Oregon for several years before moving to Colorado with my wife about ten years ago. Upon arriving in the state, I decided to scratch an entrepreneurial itch and ran a popular food business in Fort Collins for a few years. I then returned to the recreation field with both the City of Denver and then as the Community Relations Manager for Ride The Rockies Bicycle Tour. I made the full circle back to community planning when I was hired as a planner in Salida about two and a half years ago.
What’s your favorite part of working for the City?
I love working here! I’m not sure if most folks know how passionate and dedicated our City staff is to keeping Salida an incredible place to live and visit. The support of our planning commissioners, elected city council, and others has been fantastic. I count myself very lucky to be part of an organization that supports its residents and businesses, keeps clean water flowing, the streets paved, and the community safe and secure in general. I geek out on the creative problem-solving that comes with being a planner and now Community Development Director. (Oh, and Finance almost always seems to have chocolate on-hand).
Where’s your favorite place to go or thing to do in Salida?
There are so many, but one thing I really love is being able to go for a leisurely bike ride with my wife and young daughter along the Monarch Spur Trail as it transitions from bucolic pastures and incredible mountain vistas to our beautiful historic downtown and the awesome Arkansas River – all in a matter of minutes. No matter how challenging the times, I think we can all agree that we are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such extreme natural beauty (and a lot of really great people)!
