A KOTO Radio press conference on the salary/reduction in benefit package of Town Manager, Mick Snapp. The date of the recording is June 1988. Mr. Snapp's 1989 employment package contract was reduced by $12,000, as a result of renegotiating his contract. Mayor Mark Worth called this press conference. Present news reporting staff include Bob Brickell and Tony Daranyi.
The press conference begins with Mick reading his letter that he wrote to Telluride Town Council about his reduction in benefits/salary. Mick chose to stay in his position and take this reduction so that Mick was better able to serve in his position as town manager. At his current salary, the expense was a stress on the town's expenses and not all of the town council supported Mick as the town manager. Now that the salary has helped to limit the town's expenses, the town council all supports Mick as the town manager. This is more important to Mick than the reduction in pay.
Mick's job description did not change.
Mick then mentions that his initial salary was set at a rate that would allow him and his family to be able to afford a home in Telluride. But because of the current economy, this is no longer possible.
Mick states:
When a person makes $80,000 a year, but cannot afford a home in the area, this is a serious problem. This fact has resulted in the loss of many good people in Telluride over the years. This problem continues to be exacerbated by increasing costs of housing in Telluride. It is a community wide problem--the town manager, housing authority, or city council cannot resolve this issue alone. It is a serious issue and we need to work as a community to address it.
Mick believes that if the housing issue is not resolved in Telluride, partially-occupied homes will be owned by 2nd home owners or out-of-town investors with no real stakes in the community.
Finally, Mr. Snapp states that he believes this will be the last time that his contract is negotiated and states that it has been hard on him and his family.
Supported in part by an award from the Colorado Historical Records Advisory Board, through funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), National Archives Records Administration
