On Tuesday, the Craig Chamber of Commerce hosted a small business roundtable with Sen. John Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper was scheduled to be in town for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Chamber’s community kitchen small business incubator and ADA upgrades. Prior to the visit, his office reached out to the Chamber to see about the possibility of adding a roundtable discussion to the event schedule.

Upon his arrival at the Yampa Building on Tuesday, Hickenlooper received a tour of the building from Chamber Executive Director Jennifer Holloway. The Senator then joined local business representatives in the south-wing showroom for the roundtable.

Local attendees introduced themselves and their position in the community. Following introductions, Hickenlooper shared his enthusiasm at being part of the day’s conversation. He noted that although he is usually the one doing the talking at events, his role at the roundtable was as a listener.

Holloway then opened the floor for discussion focused around three central points: business and entrepreneurship, transportation, tourism and outdoor recreation.

Local realtor Brandi Meek, owner of 2019 Storage, started the conversation by recalling the astonishing amount of red tape that prospective small business owners are required to traverse in order to start a business in the first place. Hickenlooper agreed that the current load of requirements can be daunting and needs to be re-evaluated. He reminisced to the group that he himself was once part of the small business sector, and his hope would be to make the start-up process “as friction-less as possible” for future entrepreneurs.

Discussion also built around assistance programs for young adults who intend to join the workforce rather than attend college. Vic Updike of Masterworks Mechanical praised the focus, composure and work ethic of one of his teenage employees and shared that he hoped to be able to assist that employee with furthering his career aspirations. Hickenlooper enthusiastically championed the sentiment and touched on the merits of a possible national apprenticeship program to assist in such situations.

Transportation was another key point in the group discussion. The condition and safety of local highways was a concern for many present, especially given the large number of Moffat County residents making daily commutes to the eastern portions of the Yampa Valley. A number of possible solutions were debated, including a commuter rail line that could prove beneficial to the entire valley.

A central player in the transportation discussion was the Yampa Valley Regional Airport, represented at the roundtable by Airport Director Kevin Booth. Hickenlooper was visibly impressed by Booth’s updates on the airport’s necessary expansion, coupled with the projection for half-a-million travelers to utilize the airport in 2024.

More travelers, plus improved transportation, means better tourism opportunities for Moffat County — a prospect that had widespread support amongst those in attendance. Hickenlooper noted that in addition to boosting the local economy, tourism can have the added benefit of buoying restaurants, shops and other attractions that can be enjoyed by residents full-time.

As the discussion concluded, Hickenlooper thanked the attendees for their thoughtfulness, openness and honesty, and expressed his optimism for the future of Moffat County.