The Durango Herald was right in saying recently that, “Renewables are the future. ... Energy independence, the development of renewables, benefits us all.”
CalCom Solar was started by three locals working out of our spare bedrooms. We were the classic telecommuters – people trying to live here even though our core business was elsewhere. Luckily, in our case, the company grew (and grew). We worked diligently to ensure that we created good, well-paying jobs here in La Plata County.
We currently have 11 full time-staff in Durango – specialists in engineering, computer modeling, GIS, pre-construction planning and contracting – in addition to several dozen in California, where we build most of our solar projects. Getting and keeping great people is possible because their quality of life is so high here in Southwest Colorado, where people commute to work by bicycle and use our national forests as their playgrounds.
Having a local county government that understands long-range planning and zoning, that supports keeping public lands in public hands, and that prioritizes La Plata County’s connections with the outside world through high-speed broadband and a quality, functioning airport is absolutely critical for the company to be able to interact efficiently with our clients and partners.
As a founder of CalCom Solar, I ask that you join with me in supporting Democratic candidates who fight on our behalf for all those things – vote for commissioners Gwen Lachelt and Julie Westendorff, as well as Barbara McLachlan for state representative, Gail Schwartz for Congress and to re-elect U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.
Douglas Walker
Durango
