Glenwood Hot Springs Responds to Bacteria Complaint
The Glenwood Hot Springs says it is keeping up with making sure one of its pools is safe to use. The business told Aspen Public Radio last night that routine maintenance already does a good job preventing too much of a certain kind of bacteria.
Last summer, the therapy pool at the Hot Springs tested positive for a bacteria that can cause what’s called hot tub rash. It is dangerous only for people with weaker immune systems like cancer patients. John Bosco is Chief Operations Officer with the business.
“The levels shown in the test results are, it’s arguable, whether it’s a level that’s deemed very dangerous or whether it’s not. The state does not currently have any requirements for testing and monitoring.”
Garfield County officials agree that the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and Lodge has measures in place to keep the water clean. Josh Williams is Environmental Health Manager.
“I mean their monitoring and tracking of that is above and beyond the required testing is for bacterial contamination. Which is a good indicator that they take it very seriously.”
Garfield County says the bacteria are naturally occurring, though also the leading cause of hospital infections. The possibility of high levels at the Glenwood Hot Springs recently came to light after a local resident publicly complained this week saying government officials aren’t doing enough to prevent the bacteria from being dangerous. She had originally complained last year of ongoing severe intestinal sickness.
Pitkin County Reviewing Rules on Big Parties in the Backcountry
Pitkin County is considering regulating big parties in the backcountry. The commissioners yesterday looked over possible changes to the land use code. Their conversation will continue at a meeting today.
The commissioners first took up the issue last summer after a mega-wedding was held on the backside of Aspen Mountain. The wedding included 300 guests and 27,000 square feet of tents and a temporary chapel. Because it did not go through a rigorous county review, it resulted in neighbor complaints and environmental damage.
Since then, the county hired a consultant and met with caucuses and neighborhoods. The planning and zoning commission came up with recommendations.
Yesterday the commissioners decided to put their immediate focus on two proposed changes. The first would place a cap on the number of people allowed at events in areas zoned “rural and remote,” and limit the amount of temporary development. The second would create new rules for properties that no longer operate as a home, but instead as a commercial venture, or corporate retreat. Commissioner Rachel Richards, then Patti Clapper explain.
“I think we’re writing the code not just for today’s circumstances, but for what boards will be dealing with ten years from now. I can just see an explosion of private house parties helping pay the rent and all sorts of different things going down,” Richards says.
“There are so many great homes out there with great backyards for weddings. We don’t want to stop that personal touch. We want to stop it when it becomes a commercial impact to those neighborhoods,” Clapper says.
The commissioners take up the issue again at noon today. Meanwhile, a moratorium that puts limits on events held in the “rural and remote” zone is set to expire on March 18.
Statewide Panel Meets on Suicide Prevention
Colorado’s statewide Suicide Prevention Commission met recently and one member was a long time resident of the Roaring Fork Valley.
Judge Jonathan Shamis is now a Lake County magistrate, but previously led Alpine Legal Services. He hopes to repeat Valley suicide prevention efforts in other parts of the state. Judge Shamis says he saw significant changes while doing suicide awareness training with the Aspen Hope Center.
“The process that they’ve used in terms of bringing the community together and trying to create a priority and a focus is something that to me is a model certainly for the rural regions, that in some ways also even for the Front Range.”
The statewide commission kicked off last fall and meets again this spring. It comes as nonprofits, mental health providers, and businesses have stepped up efforts even more to prevent suicide in the Roaring Fork Valley.
