What makes you most qualified to be commissioner?
My legal training and experience of 30 years is an excellent preparation for the position of county commissioner, because county commissioners have both legislative and judicial powers. My experience with conflict resolution in my law practice will also be valuable in dealing with various conflicting interests. I am also a good listener.
Given the scarcity of water, should the county increase restrictions on unincorporated growth without water district guarantees of non-well service?
Yes. One of my goals as a county commissioner is to create sustainable communities with a view toward long-term planning. The presence and future supply of water are essential for development.
A great deal, if not most, of criminal court cases are generated in Aurora. Should the county seek to support the county and district courts in expanding Aurora services?
Providing adequate court facilities is one of the duties of the county commissioners. Our current court facilities are being modified to accommodate the new judges. Another consideration in providing court facilities is making them easy to access by the public. If the county and district judges were to propose additional facilities in Aurora, I would evaluate the proposal for fiscal and practical feasibility.
Is the county’s open space program on target?
There is some question about that. Although the county commissioners have made some great purchases recently, and have been acknowledged as outstanding conservationists, in the first few years of the program, they were slow to get started in making purchases. There is a lot of money coming in which needs to be thoughtfully used for long-term benefits.
What one thing above all would like to see the Legislature change next year to facilitate the job of the county?
First of all, fix CBMS, the computer system which manages TANF and other government benefit programs. It places an undue burden on the needy and the department of social services trying to use it. With all the software that is available today, surely this can be improved.
Given the size of the county and the fact that commissioners are full time, is there a need for five commissioners, or are three commissioners adequate?
Three commissioners would not be adequate. Every commissioner has a list of organizations, committees, agencies, etc. to which he or she belongs. The role of county commissioner is to learn from those groups and incorporate all useful information in the county’s business. The county commissioners must work in cooperation with the cities, special districts, school districts, etc., as well as various coalitions, projects and committees. The county has more people than the state of Wyoming. If we were limited to three commissioners, we would lose the benefit of many of these coalitions.
Should the county completely ban the use and sale of fireworks?
Yes, except for commercial displays of fireworks. The danger to the public of wildfires is too great, and the confusion of where fireworks are allowed and where they are not leads to a lot of violations of the laws.
With so many aging residents, transportation is becoming a growing concern for all area government agencies. What should the county do, if anything, to provide more transportation options for elderly residents?
First, we need to inventory the available transportation resources of all types — governmental, non-profit, etc. Next, we need to analyze where and what the needs are which are not being addressed by current resources. If current resources can be adjusted or expanded to meet those needs, that would be the most efficient and cost-effective way to handle the problem. Another way to address the issue is to find ways to bring services to the people, perhaps via a mobile van, similar to a bookmobile.
How has the price of fuel affected your philosophy on zoning and development characteristics for communities far from the urban core?
One of my goals as county commissioner is to promote sustainable communities. This includes seeing that communities have sufficient goods and services available within them, such as grocery stores, etc., to minimize the need for too much driving. I would want to see local businesses promoted so that employment is available within a reasonable driving distance. The Littleton model for economic gardening is a good example.
Should the county promote increased activity at the airport in the county at the risk of prompting noise and other complaints from nearby residents?
Centennial Airport is already the third busiest general aviation airport in the country. As the population continues to grow, especially south of the airport in Douglas County, more limits will be placed on flight patterns, etc. to reduce noise. It is quite feasible that the airport will need to be shut down within 10 years. If Arapahoe County does not have a plan for replacing it, it might be replaced with an airport in Douglas County. Eastern Arapahoe County could provide a good location which would be convenient to highways, etc. I think good long-range planning requires us to seriously examine these probabilities to avoid losing opportunities in the future. |
