Eagle council candidate Nick Sunday in his own words
Longtime local wants to increase support for full-time Eagle residents with child care facilities, affordable housing and employment opportunities
The Vail Daily is running Q&A’s with the nine candidates running for four seats on the Eagle Town Council. The questionnaires will run in the order that the candidates appear on the ballot. The town is participating in Eagle County’s coordinated election. Ballots will be mailed out Oct. 8.
Name: Nick Sunday
Occupation: Operations manager, Alpine Vending & Video, Inc.
Neighborhood: The Bluffs
Length of residence in Eagle: 11 years
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Have you served on any other boards or commissions, in Eagle or otherwise?
- Board of directors, treasurer of The Bluffs homeowners association
- Vice president of the Colorado Amusement and Music Operators
- Contributor with Stern Operators Council
- Board of directors of the Amusement and Music Operators Association
Why do you want this job?
Growing up in Eagle County, I have always loved the community that we have. I went to Red Sandstone Elementary, Minturn Middle and the old Battle Mountain in EagleVail before getting my bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Eagle is one of the last places that the county can grow, and I would like to help determine how we shape our future. There are many challenges that we face and that need to be addressed — child care, affordable housing, more commerce and restaurants and an infrastructure that supports our growth. I believe I have my finger on the pulse of our town, as well as an open ear, to help discuss and implement what is best for us. I am open-minded and committed to our future and look forward to serving on the Town Council if elected.
What has the current Eagle Town Council done well? What could it have done better?
The current council did a great job at trying to help our local businesses. Eagle Bucks, the expansion on Second street for Bonfire, and the current discussion on the U.S. Highway 6 corridor and how to make it better. The corridor is what tourists perceive Eagle is – and quite frankly, it looks rundown. I like how we are starting to approach it with bonds that will pay themselves back with new tax revenue. We need to focus on having more full-time residents. How we do that is giving developers incentives to build more places that would support our residents. Child care facilities, affordable housing and places that will employ the new residents that are in Eagle rather than up-valley.
If elected, what’s the main thing you’d like to see the council accomplish in the next two or four years?
I’d like to see a plan on how we are going to accommodate the growth of the new developments. Where are our residents going to shop? Can we support the families? Do we have enough room in the schools? Are our roads and infrastructure ready to handle the growth? These all need to be addressed before the developments are approved.
What are your thoughts on the town’s plan for the East Eagle Sub Area? How should the town prioritize land use to attract the kind of developments that will best support the broader Eagle community in the years to come?
The East Eagle Sub Area is inevitable. The Interstate 70 interchange is a must; getting off I-70 at 5:30 p.m. can be quite dangerous with the line spilling into the right lane of I-70. The idea of mixed residential, commercial and light industrial will attract many employers to our town and much-needed tax revenue, so we can continue to better our infrastructure. The animal migration and habitats need to be thoroughly reviewed to minimize the effect on our current herds. We need to make sure we can accommodate all aspects of our community, such as housing, child care, and employment. If we truly want our residents to live and work in Eagle, we need to make sure their needs are met.
How should the town of Eagle work towards achieving its recently adopted goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030?
Solar is a start. It’s relatively inexpensive over time with the rebates and cost-saving of electricity. It’s a very ambitious goal, but it can be achieved if we do it correctly. I would also like to see us doing this with little to no tax increases in our community.