Submitted Biography
I moved to Garfield County in 2002 and knew his unique corner of Colorado was home. As is too often the case in our community, I couldn’t afford to stay. I returned to Alabama for a time, where I graduated law school and started a family. I returned permanently in 2013. Serving my community on Town Council, I began to see how great the need was for someone to steward Garfield County with the same thoughtfulness I was giving New Castle. It is imperative we have thoughtful, proactive leadership if we want to preserve our Rural Mountain West way of living while we step into the next years of Garfield County. My commitment is collaboration to address our critical shared regional issues like housing, wildfire risk and preparedness, our environment, protecting our water, and diversifying our economy to better stabilize our County. My commitment is full-time work because Garfield County deserves full-time attention.
Campaign Phone
970-379-8855
Within the first 100 days of my time as County Commissioner I am committed to building collaborative relationships with our neighboring counties and our municipalities so we can address the hard issues our region is facing like housing, transportation, water, food insecurity, and wildfire risk. I am committed to working collaboratively with our Library District to repair the damage that has been inflicted in the last 12 months. I am committed to reviewing rural infrastructure funding options so that our residents have safe and reliable access to their homes. And as small as it seems, I am committed to moving the times of Commission meetings to Monday mornings at 9am, so that our staff doesn’t have to be at the office and working before 8am. We are a team in all functions. We need to look out for each other.
Garfield County has tremendous resources, and stewarding our revenue well is a vital part of this position. County governments were created to bring government services to the people. In line with the intent, considering how we better fund human services, public health, infrastructure, and wildfire management are top priorities. It is also imperative that Garfield County begin to work with our neighboring counties to address our housing crisis. This will involved funding. Additionally, having served a municipality with a relatively small budget, we must be meticulous and attentive to determine where wasted spending may be happening, and to resolve that issue. Every dime matters here to our people, our water, our environment. Our financial well being is of utmost importance.
Locally, curbing gun violence can be done through two primary avenues: enforcing red flag laws and education. Utilizing a community development program to curb hate and instead create avenues for character development serve to neutralize the “in-group/ out-group” mentality which often creates tension leading to violence. Encouraging our Sheriff to enforce red flag laws is a simple and straightforward way to remove guns from the hands of violent offenders. However, working to deter hate from a young age, in imperative. I would like to work with our Colorado legislature to create the CHILD program: Colorado Hate Intervention and Leadership Development program which can be run through our communities and our schools. Gun violence impacts everyone. It is time we take an everyone approach, and quality character development available for everyone is one way county governments can begin to address this epidemic.
Serving on New Castle Town Council, we implemented two things which improve our wildfire resiliency. We integrated the Wildland Urban Interface Code into our building code, and we developed an emergency management plan. These need to be done at the County level and this will be a top item for me that will require ongoing attention. Nearly 60% of Garfield County residents fall in to the moderate to extremely high wildfire risk categories. Recurrent drought years increases our risk. We must have a robust emergency management plan that accounts for our municipal and unincorporated areas, and one that includes our domestic animals and livestock. Creating a county wide emergency plan, encouraging fire hardened materials in home building and renovation (through incentives, etc.) and the use of fire breaks are three places to begin. We must take care of the people of Garfield County.
Housing in Garfield County is at crisis level. The median purchase price is currently over $500,000, yet wages do not support affording such costs. To address our housing crisis we must 1) work together with neighboring counties and municipalities, 2) bring employers and creative solutions to the table to find ways for people to be able to afford to live where they work, and 3) work with organizations that are already doing the work. For too long, the Garfield County Commission’s decisions have been “not one more unit” in the county. That is not leadership. We are losing police officers, firefighters, teachers, doctors, physical therapists, and nurses, because they cannot afford to live near where they work. It is our job as public servants to fight hard to ensure those who make this incredible place work are able to live here, and if they so choose, raise a family. This is a massive issue and it is going to take all of us coming to the table, in good faith, to address it.
Local governments, including counties and municipalities are to follow the laws of the state and the federal government. The United States was built on the backs of people who came here from other countries, immigrants. To that end, creating safe, efficient, and humane ways for entering the United States is imperative, and supporting and following those laws is an important function of our county governments. Creating resolutions which exclude services for immigrants is inhumane and does not serve to protect anyone, only harm those seeking solace and relief from difficult circumstances they have left behind.
I am running now because I believe Garfield County is ready to move forward thoughtfully with new ideas, new eyes, and a woman on the board for the first time in 14 years. For too long, decisions in Garfield County have been made with only a portion of residents represented. It is time that change. It is time we look forward with better representation, with energy, and with someone who is willing to put Garfield County as their full-time work. That is my commitment, because Garfield County deserves it. Where the law and people meet is where governance happens. The people and the law are my passion. My commitment is to the people of Garfield County, to serve them whole-hardheartedly, with passion, conviction, and collaboration. I believe now is the time for Garfield County to have someone willing to lead by serving.
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