SPEAKER_00: 0:00

My guest today is Commissioner Ed Ragner. In this episode, we dive into his journey on how he came to call Grand County home, what he values most about living here, and the reasons that led him to run for the county commissioner. Settle in and enjoy my conversation with Commissioner Ragnar.

SPEAKER_02: 0:37

I'm doing very well. How about yourself?

SPEAKER_00: 0:39

I'm doing great. It's a beautiful fall day.

SPEAKER_02: 0:42

There's no complaints.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

It is.

SPEAKER_00: 0:45

It came fast, though.

SPEAKER_02: 0:48

Fall did come fast this year. Um, but we got some really nice rains later in the season. So that was very nice to have so far. Yes.

SPEAKER_00: 0:56

You could use more woods. Absolutely. I just told a friend that this morning. I said we could just have like a week of just that nice soft rain. Get everything ready. Yes. Well, let's talk about, let's talk about you. So yeah, when did you move to Grand County?

SPEAKER_02: 1:15

I moved to Grand County originally in 1994.

SPEAKER_00: 1:18

In 1994. And where did you move from?

SPEAKER_02: 1:22

I moved actually from Denver. Uh I was living down in Denver and I was working for a commercial real estate company, and we got bought by a much larger company. And I was the youngest guy in the purchase company, so I didn't really think I had too much of a future. And uh my very good friend Jeff Eden was living up here at the time, working at what is now Grantby Ranch, which at the time was Silver Creek, and I'd come up to visit a couple times and just really could fall in love with Green County and you know, all of it. So I thought I'd come up here and try it out for a fall and a winter and see, you know, that that was kind of the original plan was uh just a fall and a winter.

SPEAKER_00: 2:00

And it's been how many? Almost 30 years now, right?

SPEAKER_02: 2:03

30, a little over 30 years now, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 2:06

Wow. So what was your first job when you moved up to the county?

SPEAKER_02: 2:10

My first job was why two. So my first I worked as a ski instructor at Silver Creek, and I was also working uh in a real estate office for a guy named Don Carlson, who is long gone from the the valley. You're you're very old school people would probably remember that name, but he's been gone for quite a while.

SPEAKER_00: 2:29

You know, I always say too, I moved up here for the winter, and then we all say we you know we stay for the summers, but our winters are still so spectacular.

SPEAKER_02: 2:38

Yeah. You know what's right? I I totally I've said that for years and years, but now I think I think fall, as short as it is, could be coming, becoming uh be becoming my favorite season right now. It's just the weather's a little bit cooler and the leaves are so pretty, and you know, there's a little snow on top of the mountains, and uh it it used to slow down. It feels like our weekend traffic is still pretty pretty busy, but the midweek has definitely slows down a little bit. So um to enjoy your neighbors and and all the things Green County has to offer. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:10

So you then have been really involved in the community community. You were like the school board president for a couple years, and then what made you decide to run for county commissioner?

SPEAKER_02: 3:23

You know, I so as you said, I was I was on the East Band School Board for just about eight years. I was the president for five of those years, and I originally I, you know, I was always interested in what was happening politically, but I was never really interested in being involved in politics personally. And I had a friend of mine uh call me up. I got appointed to the school board when uh the previous uh seat holder had moved out of the district, and I got on the school board and quite honestly, I just I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the work, I enjoyed the policy, I really liked the people, I liked that, you know, doing good work for the community. And then I was approached uh by some folks if I would be interested in running for commissioner when Rich had decided he was sort of at the end of his career. So uh I did. I took the leap and uh and I've really been enjoying it so far. It's been it's been really fun.

SPEAKER_00: 4:18

What's been one of your biggest surprises about being a commissioner?

SPEAKER_02: 4:23

Um You know, I would say with water, it's just I feel like every time I learn more about water, what I end up learning is that I need to learn a lot more about water. It's so just the history and the policy and the politics and how it's all intertwined is just so tremendously involved. So I think that water is um, which it makes it fascinating, but it's one of those things that you could just learn endlessly about. So I think that would probably be the biggest one.

SPEAKER_00: 4:51

Yeah, yeah, and it's a necessity to life. So and it's oh yeah, and especially that where the headwaters for the Colorado River is really fascinating learning what's going on with all the states that depend on the source of water.

SPEAKER_02: 5:06

Mm-hmm. All the downriver flows, it's uh it's fascinating.

SPEAKER_00: 5:09

Yeah, it really is. Ed, you were saying though that fall is becoming one of your favorite seasons. What are some of the favorite, what are your some of the favorite things to do here in the county?

SPEAKER_02: 5:21

So I was my still favorite is skiing. I do love to ski, but I have, you know, over the years gotten into other sports. So I love you know, I love alpine skiing. Uh, I've gotten into backcountry and touring uh and Nordic skiing as well, but uh I've also kind of delved into some other in the summer, mountain biking. And the last couple of years, uh especially during COVID, I kind of found myself uh falling into snowmobiling and motorcycles. So I've really enjoyed uh getting out. There's there's so many great places to snowmobile and ride motorcycles, and you can just go so much farther out than you can if you're ski touring, cross-country skiing, or riding your mountain bike. You can really get really far out into some places in Grand County. So um those are those are a few of my favorite things.

SPEAKER_00: 6:05

Okay. What about your favorite? What would you say is a hidden gem here in Grand County? And I know we don't always like to share our hidden gems, so it could be your second or third hidden gem, your top four.

SPEAKER_02: 6:17

What is a hidden gem? You know, honestly, I would say kind of a hidden gem is Granby Ranch. And I'll tell you why is when, and she's obviously a lot older, but you know, when your kids are really young, it's really a great place to learn how to ski because all the trails kind of just go into one place. So um it is a great, it's sort of I think it's one of the great hidden gems of Grand County, is that it's a great place to take people to learn how to ski.

SPEAKER_00: 6:45

I agree. And you know, I we I think worked there at the same time at one point, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02: 6:51

We did, we did. Actually, Jeff even actually worked for you. He did, yeah. Uh yeah, and then I was working as a ski instructor for uh another blast from the past, David Douglas, who decades.

SPEAKER_00: 7:04

You're making us feel old.

SPEAKER_02: 7:06

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00: 7:07

You know, I always said it, I agree with you. I think it is such a little hit and gym ski area, and even their summer activities, some of the music that they had this summer was just outstanding. Yeah, I always said that was one of my that was probably one of my easiest marketing jobs. You knew who it was, you knew your clientele, and it was fun. And I think it still is. Yeah. So what are you looking forward to the future here in the county as as a resident and as a county commissioner?

SPEAKER_02: 7:38

Oh boy. Um, you know, it's it's a really interesting time right now in Grand County where you know, where the growth is where the growth is going and trying to manage that. And I think that it can be a little bit bittersweet. Uh, you know, I find myself kind of being one of those, you know, I remember when sort of guys, you know. And uh so, you know, it but it is a really exciting time in Grand County to see some of the investment opportunities and seeing the some of the businesses that are coming into Grand County. And, you know, one of the things I would love to see if we could build is sort of do a little bit like Steamboat has done in the past and and get some of these, you know, companies in here like Smartwall or what have you that would that would come into Grand County and do that. I feel like that's something that is possible, and there's a lot of neat little businesses in Grand County. You know, there's the Sanny Teal guys who are building their packs, um, so many great restaurants and you know a lot of great retail stores up here. So I think it's a really interesting time in the growth of Grant County and see a lot of small businesses succeed.

SPEAKER_00: 8:42

Yeah, I I think that's true. So I'm gonna do a quick little pop quiz as we end here. Tell me what you like about each town in the community. So we'll start with Winter Park.

SPEAKER_02: 8:55

Oh boy, Winter Park. You know, I love do I have to can I give multiples? Because you know, yes, you can do multiples. I I love the ski area, I love the town. You know, I my first business that I owned was the hideaway, which is now currently the carver's business. Uh, that was my first business in Grand County. So I always have a special place in my heart for all the restaurants and bars in Wiener Park.

SPEAKER_00: 9:19

Yeah. Okay. What about Frasier?

SPEAKER_02: 9:24

You know, you know, Fraser actually, it's funny because Frazier now is, you know, becoming a funky little town. And all of a sudden they have multiple breweries and a winery and a distillery. And you know, Fisher's is, you know, which you know used to be the creek, it's always the classic. But Fraser has all of a sudden come a fun little spot to bounce around from business to business, you know, and and uh so I think that's really neat to see where Fraser was and where Frazier is right now. I got throughout the Birdie Lounge as well, is you know, in there, so it's fun to be able to play golf year-round. So yeah, Fraser again has got a lot of fun little businesses, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 9:58

Okay, Gramby.

SPEAKER_02: 10:00

Granby. Oh boy. Um, boy, can I say R and J Lickers? Is that too yes?

SPEAKER_00: 10:06

We should say you're owner of R and J Lickers.

SPEAKER_02: 10:08

I am I am the owner of RJ Lickers. Uh demural the RNJ liquors and the size. No, I would say, yeah, you know, it's what's neat about Granby is that it is a fun little walking town. I think it's neat the way that you can just walk from you know a lot of the residents right into town. So I think Granby is a neat town.

SPEAKER_00: 10:23

I have to agree. I live, you know, just like a block up from the park, and it's it's great. I can just walk down to the park when they have music in the park, or then if I'm meeting somebody for coffee. Yeah, it is it's a great walking town. And I I agree. Okay, let's see. Uh Grand Lake.

SPEAKER_02: 10:41

Grand Lake. Um, yeah, Grand Lake. Uh Grand Lake is, you know, it's a town of about 400 people, and it is just a really fun mix of people, and they are really passionate about the town and the community. Obviously, you know, love Grand Lake, love the lake itself. You know, I'd love to go out in the boat. I didn't mention that in my new activities. We just recently got into uh we got a four winds motorboat and just kind of love getting out in the lake. So I love Grand Lake, but I love the town, and you know, they just did the ribbon cutting on that maker space, so it's gonna be really fun to see what what they do with that. I I think the Grand Lake though is is uh it's got a fun bunch of people out there.

SPEAKER_00: 11:18

It does. Okay, then I know a town in that you're in quite often now is hot sulfur springs.

SPEAKER_02: 11:24

Hot sulfur springs, you know. Um, well, I love the hot springs, you know. I don't I do not get out there as much as I would like, but the hot springs there are really fantastic, and uh hot sulfur days is probably one of my favorite events on the summer calendar, so yes, so fun.

SPEAKER_00: 11:38

It just makes you feel that down home, yeah. Right. Yeah, I love it. Okay, Kremlin.

SPEAKER_02: 11:44

Kremlin. Well, you know, you gotta love the uh the fair and rodeo out out in Kremlin. It's fantastic, it's such a great event, and it's so many days, and it's great to see so many folks that you don't really see very often coming down into town and participating. Um, and it's great to see that 4-H auction, you know, see all those kids who work so hard bringing up those animals. It's a really cool event. So yeah, I'd say that's yeah, the fair rodeo is a really fun, fun time. If you have never been, I would highly, highly recommend it.

SPEAKER_00: 12:13

And you know what I love too? Um, it's the diversity of landscape in this county. So you've got the peaks of the continental divide, and as you go west, it's like more of the bluffs, and you're following the Colorado River. And yeah, it's it's really we have, I think that's such an amazing asset that we have here in the county. It's just a different landscape, yeah. Well, Commissioner Ragnar, I know that you are one busy man, and I really appreciate your time today.

SPEAKER_02: 12:43

Thanks so much, Gaitly. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00: 12:45

You bet. Take care.