ISSUE #80: ANT Alert - BOCC Primary Election
June 11 "I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."
-- Charles de Gaulle
ANOTHER ELECTION!
Yes, it's election time again! In election-happy Aspen and Pitkin County, it seems we continually go to the polls. This is actually a very good thing -- we're continually making changes! Please mark down the date June 26 and plan to vote. As you've come to expect from The Red Ant, here's the scoop:
Three seats on the 5-seat Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) are up for grabs. Well, sort of. Technically, one is up for grabs and two are just up. In District 3, Michael Owsley is running unopposed for his third stint on the board. Same with George Newman, who hails from District 5. He'll slide right in to his second term. (You know how I feel about uncontested elections, but I digress....)
District 4 is another story. Current BOCC member Jack Hatfield is out due to term limits and the race is on. Not unlike the District 1 race 18 months ago (that Rob Ittner won), this race has 4 candidates running in a June 26 primary, with the top two vote-getters moving forward to a run-off on election day, November 6, 2012.
Regardless of where you live in the County, everyone can vote for the District 4 Commissioner seat. There hasn't been much local press to-date about this election, and because those who receive mail-in ballots will be receiving these within a couple of days, The Red Ant felt it vitally important to provide a snap-shot of the race, including, of course, my endorsement. (If you are not voting via mail-in ballot, please print this issue and take it with you to the polls!)
THE CANDIDATES
Many thanks to all four candidates who took the time to submit their platforms and candidate information to The Red Ant. Please feel free to contact them directly with your specific questions.
STEVE CHILD
This long-time local and lifelong rancher calls himself a pragmatic environmentalist and land steward who is patient and a good listener while also being both stubborn and gentle. Childs cites 3 "core values" as filters through which his decisions will flow:
1) Protection of the Environment: Wilderness designation and protection, Protection of farm and ranch land, Protection of water resources, Clean air, Cooperation with federal and state agencies
2) Sustainability of Community and Business: Managed growth, Quality development, Stable business environment, Fair and objective land use decisions, Cooperation with other local governments, Employee and senior housing, Support for health and human services
3) Energy Policy to Counteract Global Climate Change: Strive for carbon neutral development, Collaboration with other governments, businesses and non-profits to work toward a renewable energy economy, Strive to end burning of fossil fuels, Promote conservation measures and renewable energy sources, Adapt to changing climate
Regarding the Airport Master Plan, Steve feels the current terminal is inadequate and a new terminal will be less expensive than a remodel of the existing facility, preferably in the area east of the existing terminal. We don't need an 80,000 sf facility, rather, build a smaller, single-story facility with no underground parking, and put any additional FBO operations on the east side of the airport to maintain the natural/scenic backdrop on the west side. A Library Expansion would make our current facility more functional, but let's utilize carbon neutral heating and cooling systems there. Veloci-RFTA and its CNG buses are a good stepping stone to a renewable energy-fueled fleet. He favors the Wexner Land Exchange because it's good for the wildlife and those who enjoy recreation, but opposes the Saltonstall Ranch acquisition, preferring to see the land in the hands of someone who will continue to ranch it. Contact: evets.child@juno.com
DARRYL GROB
An Army combat veteran who served in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam (1969), Darryl Grob is a long-time local who held numerous positions with the Aspen Volunteer Fire Department for 32 years, including as captain, training officer, ass't fire chief and was elected as the department's first full-time fire chief in 1995. In his career, he built 4 new fire stations in the 87 sq miles of the Aspen Fire Protection District, served on the Pitkin County Public Safety Council for 15 years, was appointed by the governor two times to the Colorado Division of Fire Safety advisory board, and served on the boards of Pitkin 911 and the Combined Communication Center, as well as the Aspen Historical Society. He currently works for the City of Aspen as a wildfire mitigation project manager and volunteers with the PitkinCounty sheriff's office of emergency management. Contact: darrylgaa@comcast.net
www. Grob4BOCC.com
JOHN WILKINSON
As a current Snowmass Village Town Councilman, Wilkinson has a track record of fiscally conservative decisions, cutting the town's budgets by approximately 15% in 2008 in anticipation of a dramatic downturn in both property and sales taxes. This, plus several layoffs, kept the budgets balanced and prevented the use of reserve funds or the need for tax increases. His priorities for the County include:
1) Live within our means by keeping the County budgets in line with the current tax base
2) Complete RFTA's Bus Rapid Transit program (providing a mass transit system between Aspen and Glenwood Springs) by 2013
3) Expand the library in order to repurpose the facility to accommodate the changing needs of our community, including public meeting rooms and early childhood reading programs
4) Open Space and Trails: As a past member of the Colorado Trails Committee and Snowmass Village trails committee, it is important to keeping working to preserve both open space and wildlife habitat.
5) Subsidized housing: Rather than continuing to acquire and build new housing, create an incentive program to encourage "right-sizing" for empty-nesters
6) Airport expansion: We need a change to maximize efficiencies, but not a massive new building.
Contact: johnwilk@bikerider.com www.Wilkinson4Pitkin.org
JOHN B. YOUNG
The former trails director, assistant airport manager and County road and bridge director was also the first town manager of Snowmass Village. He successfully parlayed these experiences into a successful private land use consulting business, participating in public and private projects in ParkCity, Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail, Crested Butte, Telluride, Carbondale, and currently, Tusayan (Grand Canyon), AZ.
Young's priorities for PitkinCounty include:
1) Land Use and Water: Protect our resources from outside pressures.
2) Airport and Tourism: Tourism drives our economy and the airport is our gateway. Our terminal needs an upgrade fitted for our size, not the region's.
3) Energy Independence: Energy efficiency is essential to our way of life, but this does not mean "green energy at any cost."
4) Public Safety: In this dry year, protecting our citizens is of paramount importance. Doubling our precautionary measures is necessary.
5) Small Project Stimulus: Energy efficient and small scale remodeling projects should be granted immediate priority in the planning and building offices in order to spur employment of our local construction workforce.
6) Affordable Housing: The system needs to be revisited so that our inventory matches our needs
Contact at jyoung@sopris.net
THE RED ANT ENDORSEMENT
My interest in this election is not on the "good guy" traits of the candidates. (For the record, they're all "good guys.")
I have looked at this race through one prism and one prism only: Who is the candidate who can best compliment Rob Ittner on the BOCC? We need another rational, pragmatic and thoughtful business professional who can quickly grasp the complex and diverse issues that come before the board, evaluate them for necessity, appropriateness, and cost vs benefit, and act with a critical eye toward fiscal responsibility. This individual will be a good steward of the public's trust, patiently listen to and respectfully communicate with fellow commissioners and constituents alike, and be able to build consensus amidst the complicated challenges facing our unique community.
In short, that candidate is John Young.
John's land use experience in both the public and private sectors ideally positions him to understand and immediately contribute to addressing the complex and pressing growth/development questions that face our community, such as the airport master plan (and potential expansion), the "West of Castle Creek Corridor" (gateway at Buttermilk), complex open space "land swaps," the future of our subsidized housing program, and decisions impacting the Roaring Fork watershed, to name just a few. He has already faced numerous and varied land use issues in Pitkin County as well as in other communities, and would come to the table with a wealth of ideas and experiences, (like knowing how to navigate the bureaucracy) not to mention a track record of successful projects executed with fiscal restraint and responsibility.
Incidentally, John is no political neophyte. He is currently serving his third elected term on the board of the Basalt and Rural Fire District, and was narrowly defeated by Jack Hatfield in 2008 when Hatfield was re-elected to the BOCC for his third and final term.
2012 is John's year. The Red Ant says, "Vote for John Young for BOCC!"
IMPORTANT VOTING INFORMATION: THINGS HAVE CHANGED!
Voter Registration Deadline: May 29 (Sorry, I can only do so much!)
Mail-in Ballots Sent Out: June 4
Last Day to Request a Mail-in Ballot: June 19
Last Day to Request a Mail-in Ballot and Pick it Up @ Clerk's Office: June 22
Postage on Mail-in Ballots: 65 cents!!
Mail-in Ballot Receipt Deadline: June 26 @ 7p (postmarks don't count)
Early Voting: June 18-22 from 8:30a-4:30p @ Plaza 1 (BOCC meeting room) 530 E. Main Street
Election Day: polls* are open from 7a-7p
* Polling Places: The County's precinct boundaries and polling places have changed as a result of redistricting following the 2010 census! The changes are not drastic but several precincts have new regular polling places for 2012 and future election cycles.
If your precinct or polling place has changed, the County will be mailing you a letter about this, but I'll fill you in as well:
Precinct 1: Rio Grande Meeting Room, 455 Rio Grande Place
Precinct 2: (NEW) Red Brick, 110 E. Hallam Street -- No longer St Mary's Church
Precinct 3: (NEW) Rio Grande Meeting Room, 455 Rio Grande Place
Precinct 4: (NEW) Red Brick, 110 E. Hallam Street -- No longer Crossroads Church
Precinct 5: Health & Human Services Building, 0405 Castle Creek Rd
Precinct 6: Snowmass Village Town Hall, 130 Kearns Road
Precinct 7: Colorado Mountain College, ABC Campus, 255 Sage Way
Precinct 8: Old Snowmass Fire Station, 1909 Snowmass Creek Road
Precinct 9: St Peter's Episcopal Church, 200 Elk Run Dr, Basalt
Precinct 10: Church at Redstone, 213 Redstone Blvd
If you are unsure of your precinct, please go to www.GoVoteColorado.com and look it up.
VOTE!! Remember how hard we worked to get Rob Ittner elected to the BOCC in 2010? This is an equally important election! Get thee to the polls!
THE "YOU CAN'T MAKE IT UP" FILE
How much did current BOCC member George Newman NOT want to wage a re-election campaign? The Red Ant has learned that literally one minute after the candidate registration deadline, Newman phoned the clerk's office to see if he would actually have to campaign! One minute. Puh-lease. This is exactly why The Red Ant loathes uncontested elections. For elected roles such as a seat on the BOCC, even (especially!!!) incumbents should have to get out there and campaign every 4 years!!