Superior Board of Trustees: Stephanie Miller

Oct. 16—Name: Stephanie Miller

Website: StephanieMillerForSuperior.com

Age: 41 years

Family: Own a home in Rock Creek with my boyfriend of 12 years.

How long have you lived in Superior? 18 years

Professional background: Private banker specializing in residential construction lending

Political/Community experience: President of the Superior Chamber of Commerce (serving on the board for nine years until July 2022)

Education: Bachelor's degree in Advertising/Marketing from CU Boulder

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the planned development for downtown. What kind of downtown do you feel serves the residents and represents the character of Superior best?: I think a downtown that would serve the community best would be one that balances the Live Work Play ideal originally presented when the project was approved. With parks and residences nearly complete, and the Main Street shops and restaurants slated for development soon, I believe having office space to help support the retailers is essential to their success (and to drawing the types of businesses our residents want to see). Without it, I think the long-term viability of our downtown would be in question and lead to empty storefronts, much like the Superior Marketplace. I know Life Sciences is a hot topic right now, but it's one of the rare sectors that still require workers to come to the office rather than working from home. And it's a population that's well-educated and well-paid. That being said, I do think adhering to the design guidelines to ensure office space dovetails well with the rest of the development (while still maintaining a space large enough to attract tenants) is key to the downtown vision we all want.

What do you think Superior has done well in managing the recovery process of the Marshall Fire? What is one improvement?: I applaud our town officials for the way they handled the fire and the countless hours they've put in since. Allowing rebuilds to adhere to former building codes to save money, looking at communication channels for future emergencies, coordinating a debris removal program for anyone wanting to participate, and reaching out for financial aid to help offset the cost of recovery. Something I think we should consider though are evacuation routes since escape was slow-moving and certain parts of town seem to only have one way out (which, thankfully, wasn't blocked). Ensuring everyone can get out quickly and safely is crucial.

With the possibility of many new faces on the board after elections, what could a revamped board bring to the table as it addresses the issues that face Superior?: We've been fortunate to have smart, capable board members serving our community as we navigated both COVID and the Marshall Fire. But the last couple of years have taken their toll on all of us (and I imagine that's especially true for our mayor and trustees). So, I think new board members will bring renewed energy and a fresh perspective as our town moves forward.