By Shannon Lukens.
A teacher at Young Tracks Preschool and Day Care Center in Steamboat Springs is out on bond today. Alma Amparan Montes was arrested by Steamboat Springs Police last Friday on three counts of child abuse. Steamboat Springs Police opened up the investigation after receiving information from the Routt County Department of Human Services about a teacher at Young Tracks suspected of physically abusing children. Investigators do not believe it is sexual abuse. Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett says they are investigating the scope of the allegations now. He asks if you think your child may have been a victim, reach out to Steamboat Springs Police. Montes has a Status Conference today in Routt County Court. (Detectives Jessica Pierce or Sam Silva at 970-879-1144)
More on the Story — Preschool teacher arrested by SSPD
Steamboat Springs Police also report of some incidents during the Night Extravaganza at Winter Carnival Saturday night. Chief Beckett says an intoxicated adult was arrested for tampering with the barricades. Also, two ambulances were called. One was for a medical emergency. Chief Beckett says another was called for two intoxicated youths who were cited and turned over to their guardians.
Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett is speaking out about challenges in the country, and their effects on our community. He has written a letter to the community about it. He has included his family’s personal experience of losing a transgender teenager to suicide and how talking about these things as a community can help.
“What I’ve learned since our child passed was that there are so many people that are struggling with these things and their children are struggling with these same things and when you start putting out to people that you have experienced the same stuff, they come forward, and they want to talk about it. And I think that as we start to talk as a community, we will realize that many more of us are struggling with the same things and we will start to stand up together.”
Chief Beckett’s teenage son, Jack, died in October of 2021. He and his family then moved to Steamboat Springs in July of 2022. He was officially appointed as Police Chief in September of 2023.
He says leaders need to step up because of the current political dynamics, which is one of the reasons he is speaking out.
“We’ve heard about some of the concerns in the Hispanic and the Queer community. It’s great to have meetings about these things. It’s great to try to get resources to them. But until the leaders step up and start being vocal about it, I don’t think anything is going to change. It was hard for me to do but it had to be done and I’m happy to have been able to do it.”
More on the Story — Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett speaks out and challenges local leaders to do the same
Letter from Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett; Feb. 10, 2025.
Uncertainty. It’s a root cause of so many issues in our community. Uncertainty about housing. Uncertainty about income. Uncertainty about where somebody’s next meal is coming from. Uncertainty around basic human rights. The recent changes in the federal government’s positions on things like immigration, gender identity, queer rights, education, and income have compounded these uncertainties across the country.
When my family came to this community a little over two years ago, we did so to be part of a community where we could raise our children to be inclusive and open minded. We’ve found this community to be exactly that. So, when I hear the concerns of our Hispanic and Queer communities, it breaks my heart. You see, our oldest child, Jack, was transgender. Jack struggled in life and, although our family did everything we could to support Jack, he took his life in 2021. Although this devastated our family, it also galvanized our resolve to support all vulnerable communities. I bring this resolve to the community in my role as the chief of police for the City of Steamboat Springs.
I’m proud to say that I’ve seen overwhelming support for the vulnerable communities in Steamboat Springs. But we have more work to do. Routt County is in the midst of a mental health crisis. We’ve seen unprecedented numbers of suicide. Immigration status has families afraid to send their children to school and parents afraid to show up for work. People are afraid to call the police for help. Reality can be scary. But we need to support one another.
Our schools are incredibly supportive of our youth. Our local government and public safety support all members of our community. We have some of the best leaders I’ve ever worked with and hands down the best non-profits around. As we move through these uncertain times, we must remember how scary a time it is for some members of our community, and we need to stand together to support them. I encourage everybody in our community to talk, ask questions, challenge ideas, respect one another and to continue making Steamboat Springs the special place it is. To all our vulnerable communities, we are here for you.
Steamboat Springs City Council has a work session at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11. Brown Ranch will be discussed with a presentation from Community Builders. It is a Phase 1 Kickoff.
Craig City Council also meets Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m. The award of bids will be discussed to be approved. Craig Police Chief Michael Cochran will report on the month of January.
The City of Steamboat Springs has openings on local boards and commissions. These include:
- Board of Adjustment – The BOA reviews requests for adjustments to standards related to single-family homes, duplexes, signage, and floodplains. The board has two regular, three-year positions and one alternate seat open.
- Historic Preservation Commission — HPC considers design review requests, city Register of Historic Places nominations, preservation recommendations to council, endorses National Register submissions, and reviews and approves qualified restorations for state tax credits. HPC is looking to fill an alternate position.
- Local Market District — The LMD provides funding for air service/marketing with agreed upon participation from Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, surrounding municipalities, counties and businesses. LMD has two regular, three-year positions open. Individuals must reside within the LMD boundary.
- Parks & Recreation Commission — Parks & Recreation Commission serves as an advisory board to City Council and promotes an enhanced quality of life by offering a broad range of safe and accessible resources including parks, open space, trails, and recreational services and facilities. The Parks & Rec Commission is seeking individuals to fill three, regular two-year terms.
- Planning Commission — Planning Commission is a permanent committee appointed by City Council to review and act on issues and policies related to long-range planning, land use regulations, and community development. The Commission has two regular, three-year positions and one alternate position open.
- Urban Redevelopment Authority Advisory Committee (URAAC) — The URAAC role is to make recommendations to the Steamboat Springs Redevelopment Authority (SSRA) on how to appropriate URA funds on matters related to the implementation of the Base Area Reinvestment Plan. URAAC has four vacancies it is looking to fill.
The deadline to apply is March 7 through the city’s website.
Application for Boards, Committees, or Commissions
Yampa Valley Community Foundation is announcing two new staff members. Camille Sachs is the Grantmaking Manager. Carrie Douglass is the office manager.
Yampa Valley Community Foundation Staff
From YVCF:
Camille Sachs joins us as Grantmaking Manager, supporting Greg Hamilton with the work of sustaining nonprofits with training and granting. Camille has a background in international development, with an M.A. in International Development and Economics from John’s Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound. Her experience living and working in several states in the U.S. and internationally complements her deep understanding of local issues stemming from growing up in Steamboat Springs.
Carrie Douglass started at the Foundation in late December as Office Manager and Administrative Specialist. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Northwestern University and brings experience in special education to her work with us. She has already contributed greatly in her first month, updating procedures, processing donations and many other tasks organizing our systems and office. She is excited to apply her relational, organizational, and numerical skills to further the Foundation’s mission.
Women United and United Way of the Yampa Valley are hosting one more free credit classes. It is from 6-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 and Feb. 11, at SB215 at Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs. The instructor is Kathryn Pederson. Classes include a free meal. Childcare is available upon request. Register through the Community Calendar on our website or UnitedWayoftheYampaValley.org
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar on our website.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.