In local government, the most important principle is trust between elected officials and the community they serve. Kelly Phillips, candidate for Steamboat Springs City Council District One, is running on a clear and consistent message: transparency and community engagement must be the foundation of city leadership. Phillips believes too many important decisions are being made behind closed doors or without meaningful input from the people who will be most affected by them.

A key example is the Brown Ranch annexation proposal. For Phillips, this process illustrated what happens when leadership grows out of touch with the people. Instead of creating space for open, honest dialogue, city leaders too often leaned on executive sessions, closed-door meetings that exclude the community and limit transparency. These practices send a message that decisions are being shaped without the full voice of the public. The referendum vote on Brown Ranch underscored this disconnect, proving that the community felt unheard and unrepresented in the process. Phillips argues that leadership must listen to such feedback rather than doubling down on a top-down style of governance.

Phillips envisions a different path, one where community engagement is woven into every stage of decision-making. He believes that city council must not only hear public comment but actively invite diverse perspectives into the process. That means keeping residents informed, making sure meeting details and documents are easily accessible, and avoiding unnecessary executive sessions that shield important discussions from the public eye. It also means treating community members as partners in shaping the future of Steamboat Springs, not as an afterthought once decisions are nearly finalized.

Strengthening transparency and inclusion is not simply a matter of process, it is a reflection of the values that hold Steamboat Springs together. Phillips emphasizes that authentic engagement builds stronger policies, because decisions made with the full input of residents are more likely to reflect the community’s core values and priorities. From growth and housing to infrastructure and quality of life, Phillips insists that all voices deserve a place at the table.

Kelly Phillips’ campaign is built on the idea that trust can only be restored through openness and accountability. By pushing back against unnecessary executive sessions, demanding clear communication from city leadership, and ensuring every resident has the chance to be heard, Phillips offers a vision of local government that works with the people, not apart from them. For District One and for Steamboat Springs as a whole, his candidacy represents a call to return decision-making to where it belongs: in the hands of the community.