The following letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication.

Dear Mayor and Members of the Erie Town Council,

I want to begin by thanking each of you for your service to the people of Erie. As a fellow elected official and former city council member, I understand that public service is often demanding work with little recognition. Yet you continue to show up and make difficult decisions on behalf of your community, and for that I am grateful.

Last night, at the invitation of several community members, I attended your meeting regarding the proposed sale of Erie’s mineral rights. I remained in the audience from approximately 7:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. because I felt it was more important to listen than to speak. I wanted to hear directly from the residents whose lives will be affected by this decision.

While I do not represent Erie in the Colorado House, environmental and public health impacts do not stop at municipal boundaries, which is why I felt compelled to attend and listen.

What I witnessed was a community deeply engaged in its future. Residents came prepared, spoke thoughtfully, and shared their concerns with sincerity and conviction. Their testimony moved me.

I also want to acknowledge Council Members Anil Pesaramelli, Emily Baer, and Dan Hoback for their willingness to voice concerns and advocate for the constituents they represent. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, public service requires courage, and I am grateful for their commitment to the community.

It is clear that members of the council believe they acted in what they view as the best interests of Erie. The central question, however, is whether the long-term costs of this decision may ultimately outweigh its benefits. That question cannot be fully answered today.

During the meeting, you heard from an extraordinary range of community leaders and residents, including former Mayor Justin Brooks and School Board Director Meosha Babbs. While perspectives differed, a common theme emerged: many residents believe that a decision of this magnitude should have been submitted directly to Erie voters.

Several speakers argued that a ballot measure would have provided an opportunity for public education, robust debate, and community ownership of the outcome. Whether one supports or opposes the mineral rights sale, there is value in allowing residents to make an informed decision on an issue that could shape the future of their town for generations.

Among the testimonies that resonated most deeply with me was that of a cancer survivor who urged the council to proceed with extreme caution. Equally powerful was a resident who urged all of us to approach these conversations with softer voices and greater empathy. She reminded us that policy debates are not merely about numbers or contracts; they are about people. Her words have stayed with me: if a decision causes harm to even one child or one family, we must carefully weigh whether the benefits justify the risk. She also spoke of the need to give both the land and the people a chance to rest. I do not recall her name, but her remarks were among the most compelling of the evening.

Director Babbs offered another sobering perspective, sharing her experience from a Texas community that she said incurred more than $2 billion in costs associated with addressing the impacts of extensive oil and gas development. Her testimony served as a reminder that communities elsewhere have confronted challenges that deserve careful consideration as Erie charts its own course.

I also want to acknowledge that supporters of the agreement have identified tangible benefits. According to a CBS report, these include approximately 158 acres of land, revenue estimated at roughly $20 million over the coming years, the plugging of certain existing wells, and inspection and oversight provisions associated with the project.

The question remains: do those benefits outweigh the potential long-term costs?

According to the same CBS reporting on the proposal, this project could become one of the largest oil and gas operations in Colorado. We do not know today what the ultimate environmental, health, or infrastructure impacts may be. We do know, however, that residents have raised serious concerns and have asked their elected leaders to proceed with caution.

This issue is larger than any individual elected official, organization, or political perspective. It is fundamentally about stewardship, about what kind of community and environment we hope to leave for the next generation.

One comment from Council Member Emily Baer particularly resonated with me. She observed that a municipality’s ability to provide basic services should not be dependent upon continued oil and gas extraction. That observation raises an important challenge for all of us in Colorado. If we are serious about transitioning to a cleaner energy future, we must provide communities with realistic pathways to maintain essential services without forcing them to choose between immediate fiscal needs and long-term environmental considerations.

The reality is that local governments face difficult choices. Immediate needs often carry greater urgency than future risks. It is therefore incumbent upon state leaders, local governments, and stakeholders to work together to ensure communities are not placed in that position.

Although the vote has been taken, I hope the Town continues to engage residents transparently, rigorously monitor potential impacts, and ensure that community concerns remain central as this project moves forward.

Thank you again for your service and for the thoughtful deliberation you bring to these difficult issues. While I respectfully disagree with the outcome, I remain grateful for your commitment to Erie and to the democratic process.

Respectfully,

Junie Joseph

Colorado State Representative

The post Letter to the Editor: Reflections on Erie Mineral Rights Ordinance and Community Testimony appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Saturday, June 20, the Town of Erie made an announcement that Councilmember Brian O’Connor had reconsidered the mineral rights deal and was bringing the motion back to a vote on June 23. On June 16, the vote failed in a 3-3 tie, with Councilmember Dan Hoback absent and O’Connor opposing the deal. 

Tonight, 47 residents spoke in public comment regarding the deal, with 35 in opposition. Residents also submitted over 428 pages of comments online, with analyses showing over 90% of the letters submitted in opposition. Those efforts also included a letter to the council with 227 signatures requesting that council vote no. O’Connor appeared to hesitate in his closing speech, but his position was clear in his verbiage throughout the meeting.

Consistent with previous votes, which had been controversial among residents (such as Redtail Ranch, pride flag policy and Executive Session transparency), the council chose to vote 4-3 in favor of Erie selling its mineral rights. Councilmembers Anil Pesamarelli, Emily Baer, and Dan Hoback voted against, while Mayor Andrew Moore,  Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell, and Councilmembers O’Connor and John Mortellaro were in favor.

While supporters emphasized the purported safety measures and fiduciary benefits, the opposition scrutinized the processes of the deal itself, raising legal and ethical concerns that have escalated over the past months.

These include violation of town procurement policies when hiring the consultant firm Alameda Mineral Advisors, improper use of confidential Executive Session meetings, possible violations of Alameda’s contract with the town, and lobbying from Alameda CEO Matthew Owens for residents to contact O’Connor and ask him to reconsider his no vote.

Mayor Moore stated that town staff in charge of the procurement process did not follow town guidelines, and that none of the councilmembers were aware of this breach of policy. Hoback stated it differently. “As for not following the town procurement process, to my knowledge, that process was never passed to town staff. Town council was in complete control of the vendor selection process.”

He continued to say, “This deal, since the beginning, has had valuations all over the place.”

Bell spoke for over 24 minutes, as he did at the June 16 meeting. His comments focused on the inevitability of the Draco Pad, the estimated 30 to 44 million dollars of the deal and advice to his critics, whose comments he characterized as “not even worthy of discussion.”

The evening ran long, but after three hours, the council voted 4-3 in favor of selling the mineral rights. Selling mineral or water rights is a permanent, high-stakes financial decision, and one that should not be taken lightly.

The post Rocky mineral rights deal passes in 4-3 vote in spite of opposition appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

NEWS FLASH

A routine Erie Town Council meeting took an unexpected turn tonight, June 9, when three council members voted against entering executive session, halting a planned closed-door discussion related to airport negotiations and triggering a heated exchange on the dais.

Much of the evening focused on routine business, including Juneteenth and Loving Day proclamations, updates from the Erie Chamber of Commerce and We Love Erie Business Collective, and approval of landscaping code changes intended to promote water conservation. But the meeting’s final minutes quickly overshadowed those discussions. Councilmembers Emily Baer, Dan Hoback and Anil Pesaramelli voted against entering executive session. When asked by Andrew Moore to explain his vote, Hoback said the item had been added to the agenda without sufficient explanation and argued that residents were increasingly uneasy about closed-door discussions. “I think we need to bring more transparency into it, as to what these are for,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell pushed back, saying council members had received information about the topic in advance and that executive sessions are routinely used when negotiating real estate transactions. Bell said concerns that the session was intended to discuss the town’s controversial mineral rights negotiations were unfounded and called it “a little disingenuous” to suggest council was attempting to hide information from the public. 

After Bell urged one of the three council members to reconsider the motion, Hoback responded that he did not appreciate “once again, time and time again, being called disingenuous.” As Mayor Moore attempted to regain control of the discussion, Hoback interrupted, telling the mayor, “You let him get away with his crap, Mayor. I’m tired of it.” Moore adjourned the meeting moments later. The clash comes one week before council is scheduled to vote on a proposed agreement with SM Energy regarding the sale of the town’s mineral rights, a decision that has generated months of public debate and scrutiny. 

This is a developing story. A more detailed account of the executive session dispute and the pending mineral rights vote will follow.

2:00:00 Moore’s closing comments followed by the vote to decline Executive Session

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The post Erie Council Clash Erupts After Three Members Vote Against Executive Session appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

With the June 16 vote on a proposed agreement selling the town’s mineral rights approaching, debate in Erie is shifting from fracking itself to the process behind the deal. In particular, residents and some council members are asking whether the negotiations followed the expectations laid out in the town’s contract and purchasing policies.

The proposed agreement is tied to the Draco oil and gas project, a state-approved development operated by SM Energy, formerly Civitas. The project would drill 26 horizontal wells extending roughly five miles underground beneath portions of Erie. In exchange for selling town-owned mineral rights that lie in the path of the project, officials say Erie would receive a package of cash, royalties, land and environmental concessions from SM Energy, while critics continue to press for details on both the value of the deal and the process used to negotiate it. 

Residents crowded into a June 2 public study session seeking answers about well locations, groundwater impacts, wastewater disposal and what a mineral-rights sale could mean for the town’s future development. 

Beyond the drilling itself, the agreement could shape how Erie grows in the coming years. In exchange for its mineral interests, the town would receive a package of cash, royalties, land and other concessions that officials say could support future development. Some residents, however, remain concerned about potential environmental and public health impacts, as well as whether selling town-owned mineral rights outright is preferable to retaining or leasing those assets for future revenue. 

Mayor Andrew Moore has consistently framed the mineral-rights agreement as an economic-development opportunity rather than solely an oil and gas debate. In his April State of the Town meeting, Moore argued that Erie’s infrastructure and growth needs were going to outpace available capital funding and portrayed the deal as an important source of future revenue. However, previous Yellow Scene reporting found that Erie’s capital reserves and projected revenues appeared stronger than suggested during those discussions, raising questions about how essential the agreement is to the town’s long-term financial plans. 

Moore reiterated that argument during the June 2 study session.

“Yeah, I guess the way I look at this is the first offer was $2.85 million, which is that land. And now we’re up to roughly $35 million plus the value of the land going forward, which goes to over $200 million,” Moore said. “And so, yeah, maybe this isn’t the best deal we can get, but maybe it is by far the best deal we can get.”

Town officials repeatedly emphasized that rejecting the agreement would not necessarily stop the Draco project. During the June 2 study session, Environmental Services Director David Frank said the town’s unsold mineral rights would have to be “avoided,” but what that means in practice remains uncertain. “It could be that the overall direction of those laterals changes to avoid physically contacting those areas,” Frank said. “It’s also possible that they may drill right through our mineral rights and simply not perforate and frack those sections of the casing.” Later in the discussion, Frank acknowledged that the state has not provided a definitive answer on how such a scenario would be handled. “It’s highly unlikely that Draco, which is a $1.5 billion operation, is going to go away,” he said. “Their attorneys told me that they will go forward without the town’s minerals.” 

Toward the end of nearly two hours of discussion, however, council members began asking whether the consultant hired by the town to assist with the negotiations had fulfilled a contractual requirement to solicit bids and whether the town’s purchasing guidelines had been followed when he was hired. Discussion focused heavily on uncertainties about the process itself alongside the specifics of the proposed agreement. 

Currently, council is considering an agreement with SM Energy that town officials have described as one of the largest mineral-rights transactions in Erie’s history. According to information presented during the negotiations, the wellbores would be the longest ever proposed in Colorado and would be drilled beneath an established suburban community rather than a remote oil and gas field, which has been a cause for concern for many residents.

The proposed deal would involve the town selling mineral interests associated with the approved Draco Pad development in exchange for a package of cash payments, production revenue, land transfers, additional monitoring provisions and commitments to plug aging wells. While officials have argued that the agreement would provide significant benefits to the community, residents and council members alike have continued to ask how the town determined that this proposal represented the best available option.

The town’s selection of Alameda Mineral Advisors has itself become a subject of scrutiny, as public explanations of how the firm was identified and brought into the process have shifted over time.

During a March 10 council meeting, Mayor Andrew Moore said Alameda had been recommended by town staff and that council had not played a role in identifying the firm.

“With Alameda Minerals … they were recommended to us by staff and that’s how that contract came about,” Moore said. “There is nobody that personally advocated for them … nobody on council … that was brought to us by staff.”

A different account emerged during an April 21 discussion. Responding to a question from Councilmember Emily Baer about how Owens became involved, Director of Environmental Services David Frank said Moore had provided Owens’ contact information to town staff.

“Mayor Moore sent me an email and said, ‘here’s some contact information from a gentleman. I think it would be a good idea to reach out to him and hear him out,'” Frank said. “I gave him a call. He gave me his pitch…”

Moore offered another explanation during the June 2 study session, describing Owens as someone uniquely positioned to help the town negotiate with Civitas because of his previous experience inside the company.

“Matt was brought in for his unique knowledge of knowing the inside workings of a Civitas,” Moore said. “If you’re negotiating, you always want to have information from those you’re negotiating against.”

Those explanations are not necessarily contradictory, but they describe different accounts of how Alameda entered the process, ranging from a staff recommendation to a referral that originated with the mayor. 

When asked about the hiring process for Alameda Mineral Advisors, Town Attorney Breena N. Meng focused on the town’s procurement policy.

“There is a requirement that was adopted in a purchasing policy that was approved by council to conduct RFPs or solicitations for services like this,” Meng said. “That did not happen.”

In other words, Erie’s purchasing policy requires a public Request for Proposal, where the town publicizes the need for services and companies can submit proposals explaining how they would perform the work in hopes of being selected for the contract. The town is then supposed to choose the best proposal for the services needed.

The admission means Alameda was hired outside the process the town’s purchasing policy requires.

Scrutiny of how Alameda entered the process was compounded by a second issue raised during the June 2 study session: whether the firm completed a key responsibility outlined in its contract with the town. 

Matthew Owens of Alameda Mineral Advisors

At the center of the discussion is the scope of work agreed upon when Erie hired Matthew Owens of Alameda Mineral Advisors in December 2025. The contract’s scope of work states that the consultant shall solicit bids for the sale of town-owned mineral rights and property with comparative analyses of upfront proceeds versus projected cash flows.

The contract language requires more than finding a buyer. It requires that Alameda Mineral Advisors reaches out to a variety of companies that might be interested in buying the mineral rights. Then, all of the offers have to be presented to the town with comparisons of up-front profits, future royalties, and other non-monetary terms. 

That requirement became the focus of a tense exchange between Councilmember Hoback and Owens.

“How did you actually solicit bids?” Hoback asked. (1:19:23)

Owens responded by describing work he had performed before being hired by the town. 

“Before you guys hired me, I worked for a client in this unit, who had a whole bunch of minerals at the end of last year,” Owens said. “So I solicited a whole bunch of bids for him to lease or to monetize them. I followed up in early January and got back to the same folks to ask them about their bids and if they were still in the same range… it was substantially lower than what this deal would be. And so at that point, I was determined to just focus on this deal, since the value discrepancy was so great.”

Hoback immediately questioned whether that satisfied the contract’s requirements.

“That does not sound like a competitive bid to me,” he said.

He continued pressing the issue.

“It’s one thing to have, you know, prior discussions, going back to them. That still is not a competitive bidding process. And your scope of work says you’ll complete a competitive bidding process.”

Owens began to respond. (1:19:30)

“It does, that is why in that Executive Session, we had been specifically asked…”

Before he could finish, Town Attorney Breena N. Meng interrupted him, saying the answer would pertain to matters discussed in executive session.

The topic resurfaced later in the meeting when Councilmember Emily Baer attempted to revisit it. Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell objected.

“I want to make a point of order… we cannot talk about what was talked about in an executive session. I feel this line of questioning is completely disingenuous because you all know what you heard.”

Baer disputed that characterization.

“I have never heard another offer from any other entity… That’s good that we can’t talk about executive session things because that is not something we’ve ever talked about.”

After the study session adjourned, Owens was again asked whether he had completed the solicitation of competitive bids described in his contract.

“I was instructed not to… by the people who hired me,” Owens said. Owens did not identify who gave the instruction.

The statement prompted council members to discuss whether the town’s procurement practices had been followed and whether the contract’s scope of work had been fulfilled.

Councilmember Baer said she wasn’t sure whether the consultant had met the contract’s expectations.

“I do have concerns that the contract, scope of work for the contract hasn’t been met with a competitive bid,” she said. “I would like to understand more about that. Was that a violation of our expected scope of work of the contract that we signed? That’s what people in the community are asking me.”

The issue raised during the study session was not whether the town ultimately received a favorable offer, but whether the process outlined in the contract was completed in the manner council expected when it approved the agreement. 

The discussion continued when Mayor Andrew Moore suggested that auditors review the issue. Interim Town Manager Meredyth Muth responded that auditors had already identified it.

“[Auditors] have noted it as a finding or possible finding,” Muth said. Neither Muth nor other officials elaborated during the study session on the nature of the finding or whether it related specifically to procurement procedures, contract administration or another aspect of the process. 

None of the officials suggested rejecting the proposed agreement because of these discrepancies. 

Town officials continued to argue that the agreement would provide substantial value to the community. According to information presented by the town, Erie owns approximately 183 acres of mineral rights associated with the Draco area. Of that total, roughly 103 acres remain unleased while about 80 acres are already subject to existing leases. Officials repeatedly emphasized that the town’s unleased mineral interests represent only a small percentage of the overall drilling unit and argued that recent changes in Colorado law increased the town’s negotiating leverage by limiting the circumstances under which municipal mineral interests can be pooled into development without the town’s consent.

Officials also argued that the proposed agreement would convert that leverage into tangible benefits for residents. According to town presentations, the package includes a multimillion-dollar upfront payment, future royalty revenue, approximately 158 acres of land along County Line Road, commitments to plug additional wells and inspection access at the Draco facility. 

Representatives of the negotiating team argued that the town would forgo significant benefits if it rejected the agreement. They also noted that the Draco project has already been approved by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, meaning the debate before council is no longer whether the project will be drilled, but whether Erie should seek compensation and concessions tied to that development.

Not everyone on council accepted the negotiating team’s assessment of the town’s leverage. Throughout the study session, questions surfaced about whether Erie had adequately tested the market, whether other operators may have been interested and whether the town’s mineral position provided more bargaining power than officials suggested. 

For many residents, however, the conversation extended beyond the financial terms of the deal. Residents repeatedly focused on where water used for hydraulic fracturing would come from, how wastewater would be handled, whether groundwater resources could be affected and what authority Erie would have if environmental problems occurred in the future.

Officials acknowledged that while the town negotiated monitoring and inspection provisions, much of the regulatory authority over drilling operations remains with state agencies. Residents also asked whether the proposed land parcels are worth as much as stated and how much of the transferred acreage could realistically be developed.

Several residents noted that council is expected to vote on the agreement only weeks after the first major public discussion of its details, which they noted as a major issue they wanted addressed.

Those continuing worries come after months of criticism regarding how much of the process occurred in executive session and how little information was publicly available before the proposed agreement reached council. During the June 2 discussion, questions surrounding executive session matters were redirected, renewing the public’s concern about the confidentiality of the negotiations.

Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed agreement June 16. 

By the conclusion of the meeting, many of the concerns raised by residents remained unresolved. Alongside issues of water, drilling and future development, council members found themselves conflicted over procurement, transparency and accountability.

The post Town Council to Vote on Mineral Rights Sale June 16; Bidding Process Draws Scrutiny appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Town of Erie Colorado is weighing whether to sell or lease a portion of its mineral rights tied to the state-approved Draco oil and gas project, a decision that has exposed divisions on council, raised questions about the town’s negotiating process, and highlighted uncertainty about how much authority Erie actually has.

At a special meeting on April 21, town staff emphasized that no final agreement has been reached and no vote has been scheduled. Council questioning made clear that key aspects of the proposal, including how it originated, how consultants were selected, and what the town actually owns,remain unresolved.

Erie Environmental Services Director David Frank

The Draco project, approved in March 2025 by the Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), allows for up to 26 wells to be drilled from a site in unincorporated Weld County, extending horizontally beneath portions of Erie. Town officials reiterated that the project is expected to move forward regardless of local action. “I would fully expect, no matter what action the town takes, that 26 wells will be drilled,” Erie Environmental Services Director David Frank said.

Town of Erie Councilmember, Dan Hoback

Early in the meeting, Early in the meeting, Councilmember Dan Hoback began pressing staff on the fundamentals of the deal: when the town was first approached, how negotiations began, and why Alameda Minerals was selected without a competitive process. When asked about this piece of the process, Frank said, “I’m not aware of any other companies that do this exact work.”

 By the end of the meeting, those questions had evolved into a broader challenge to both the process and the assumptions underlying it.

“I have serious concerns about conflict of interest,” Hoback said. The consultant, Alameda Minerals, is led by a former oil and gas executive with ties to the industry involved in the project, a connection that drew scrutiny during the meeting. He also warned that the absence of a formal request-for-proposals process could expose the town to legal and audit risks.

More significantly, Hoback disagreed with the idea that Erie lacks leverage. While town staff and some council members emphasized the town’s relatively small percentage of mineral ownership, Hoback emphasized that without permission to drill through town-owned minerals, operators may not be able to reach large portions of the approved drilling area. “The inability to drill through Erie land without owning its mineral rights can be a major, major impediment to the ability of Draco to drill much of its planned area, currently approved or not,” Hoback said.

Town officials declined to provide additional documentation or answer detailed questions about the procurement process, citing the ongoing nature of negotiations.

Those competing interpretations of the town’s authority sit at the center of the debate. Erie’s leverage stems from Colorado SB24-185, which prevents operators from forcing municipalities into pooling agreements. But how that law will function in practice, and particularly whether operators can drill through or around municipal minerals, remains untested.

Public comment reflected both that uncertainty and a sharp divide over how the town should respond. Sixteen residents and stakeholders spoke at the meeting, with the majority opposing a sale or urging alternatives such as delaying action or retaining the town’s mineral rights. Five supported moving forward with a sale or lease, including three who identified themselves as representing business or industry interests, such as mineral rights owners and energy companies.

Former state senator and attorney, Mike Foote

Former state senator Mike Foote, who worked on oil and gas legislation for years, described the current moment as the result of a long effort to give local governments control over their mineral rights. He recalled earlier policies that allowed a single mineral owner to force others into leasing, calling it something he “couldn’t believe” when he first encountered it. 

The 2024 law, he said, was designed to change that dynamic. “This was a hard-fought provision,” Foote told council, urging them to “take advantage of it” and follow the will of the community. “There’s nothing in the law anymore that says that you have to say yes.” He warned that approving a deal would entangle the town with the oil and gas industry for decades. “This puts Erie in business with oil and gas for a long, long time,” he said. “I would urge you [… ] to say no.”

Other residents raised concerns about long-term environmental and infrastructure risks. Steve Hochgesang pointed to the lifespan of plugged wells and containment systems, warning that decisions made now could create long-term liabilities, particularly for groundwater and waste disposal.

In contrast, speakers aligned with mineral interests emphasized financial realities and potential legal consequences. Kole Kelley, an oil and gas attorney at Fennemore Law, argued that development is already approved and that refusing to participate would not stop drilling but would result in forgoing compensation. He warned that the town could face litigation if it interferes with mineral owners’ ability to realize value from their assets.

Those competing perspectives were reflected in the council’s closing statements.

Hoback remained the most openly critical, raising concerns about procurement, transparency, and conflicts of interest, while also emphasizing the town’s decision-making power in this moment. “Other companies cannot drill through our land to reach other people’s mineral rights. So I’ll be a bit of the voice of the wilderness and say, yeah, we can impact Draco, despite the narrative that’s been making its way through social media and tonight’s presentation. um The initial approval of the Draco pad was not a rollover and play dead moment.  In fact, we should be fighting harder than ever,” Hoback said.

Councilmember Anil Pesaramelli aligned more directly with residents opposing the deal. “I am for health and safety,” he said. “I urge everyone to stop this sale.”

Councilmember Brian O’Connor took a more cautious position, expressing frustration with the process and emphasizing the need for more information before any decision is made.

Town of Erie Councilmember, Emily Baer

Councilmember Emily Baer delivered one of the most detailed and forceful closing statements, drawing on years of work in oil and gas regulation. 

She pushed back on the idea that selling mineral rights would improve safety, noting that many of the cited protections are already required by the state regardless of any deal. “To imply there are safety regulations that will go unenforced unless Erie sells its minerals is misleading,” she said.

Baer also argued that the town retains meaningful authority under current law, including the ability to deny subsurface access. She framed the decision as a question of values and long-term governance. “My principles are not up for purchase,” she said, reiterating her opposition to selling the town’s mineral rights.

Councilmember John Mortellaro took a more logistical tone, emphasizing that the project has already been approved and suggesting the town should consider whether it can secure benefits from an outcome it cannot prevent.

Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell and Mayor Andrew J. Moore both framed the decision in similar terms, emphasizing inevitability and the potential to capture value. Moore rejected claims that the town could significantly alter the project, calling that idea “100% false,” and stressed the importance of protecting negotiations.

Bell drew a direct comparison to a past landfill decision, where the town chose to accept development in exchange for compensation rather than oppose it without leverage. “If you’re going to dump trash in my backyard, you’re going to pay me for it,” he said, describing the philosophy guiding his position. His remarks made clear that he views the mineral rights as a negotiating tool rather than a mechanism to stop drilling.

To some council members, the project is unavoidable and selling the mineral rights are a means of extracting value and oversight. Others view those same rights as one of the town’s only remaining tools to challenge or constrain development.

No vote has been scheduled, and officials said any agreement would be subject to a future public hearing. Until then, core questions remain unresolved, including the exact location and value of Erie’s mineral rights, whether the town followed standard procurement practices, and how much influence Erie ultimately has over a project already approved by the state.

For now, the debate in Erie is not just about oil and gas. It is about whether a town that fought for the authority to say no will use it.

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The post Erie mineral rights hearing divides council over control, transparency and who decides appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Learning of the Mayor’s intentions to fire Town Manager, Malcolm Fleming, citizens of the City of Erie rallied together, sending their district representatives’ emails and offering public comment. It is clear that Mayor Moore’s intention of doing this quietly, and in secret, would not materialize. 

However – despite the resistance from community and council members alike – in a four to three majority, the council voted to terminate Malcolm Fleming at the end of the evening. 

The council session began with presentations on public art projects and a proposal to increase the town’s airport fees. For hours, careful consideration and thoughtful questions were circulated between town leaders on an issue of obvious importance to locals. As many had come to discuss this issue during public comment as did the town manager.

As the aeronautic talk concluded, Mayor Moore introduced the motion to bring the body to executive session, Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell reading the agenda item to be discussed: personnel.

Councilman Dan Hoback called a point of order, “this executive session matter was started in public session, I believe it should continue in public session.”

Mayor Moore listens to public comment while the Town of Erie Council discusses his future with the city. The body would vote 4-3 at the end of the meeting on February 17, 2026, to terminate their contract with Mr. Fleming. (Photo by Vince Chandler / Yellow Scene Magazine)

The mayor curved toward Mayor Pro Tem Bell, and urged they take the vote, and if there were not enough votes, they would proceed in public session. Though the majority votes were for executive session – four to three – Mayor Moore needed five. This meeting would remain open to the public.

Council members Baer, Hoback, and Pesamarelli all asserted their case that Malcolm not lose his position. 

Council member Baer endeavoring to persuade her colleagues, affirmed, “[The mayor] did not have consensus or a majority, originally, to bring this forward, and I’m very hopeful to my fellow council members that that remains the case; that you hold your ground, that you’re brave right now, and not strong armed to do the mayor’s bidding.”

Council member Pesamarelli appeared to resign himself to the fact that he would not be able to change the council’s mind; their decision was stated to be already made. From the three council members who fought in Malcolm’s corner, attention shifted to the four who didn’t.

Malcolm Fleming listens while the Town of Erie Council discusses his future with the city. The body would vote 4-3 at the end of the meeting on February 17, 2026, to terminate their contract with Mr. Fleming. “I wish everyone well and encourage them to honor the pledge enshrined in the Erie Town Charter to, “uphold the principles of democracy, equity, and justice, and to foster a community that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all,” he told Yellow Scene Magazine. (Photo by Vince Chandler / Yellow Scene Magazine)

Council member Mortellaro was quiet, but Council member O’Connor and Mayor Pro Tem Bell scolded Pesamarelli, Baer, and Hoback for wanting this conversation privy to the public. 

Councilman O’Connor called it “inappropriate” to have this discussion in the open.

“I wish we could have had that discussion in exec, because what I wanted to see was that we could have a mutual agreement to part ways…  I think Malcolm wanted to have that conversation. I sincerely regret that we can’t have that conversation right now, because I feel that would have been better,” Councilman Bell said, addressing his colleagues,“And that’s due to three people up here wanting to make this a public show.” 

Mayor Moore set the vote in motion by expressing, “[Malcolm] told me, ‘If there’s four votes, then I would rather just be able to negotiate the separation agreement.’ And I said, ‘I don’t know if I have the four votes, but I do know I want to find out if I have the four votes.”

Yellow Scene received this statement from Mr. Fleming the following day: 

“Erie has a fantastic team, including great Town staff throughout the organization. I loved working with them, as well as with current and past members of the Town Council and advisory boards and Planning Commission. I will miss them all and I am proud of the long list of accomplishments we achieved together.

Erie is a great place. Our teamwork over the past 7 years made it even better and positioned the Town to prosper in the future. I wish everyone well and encourage them to honor the pledge enshrined in the Erie Town Charter to, “uphold the principles of democracy, equity, and justice, and to foster a community that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all.”

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The post Town of Erie Fires Town Manager Malcolm Fleming appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

In a mostly empty town hall chamber, after a lone person offered public comment calling on the town to pledge protection for constituents from ICE and CBP followed by a hearing on sign regulations, Erie Mayor Andrew Moore looked calm and cool as he began the proceedings to move the meeting to executive session.

“Point of order,” a calm voice interrupted. Addressing the Mayor, Councilwoman Emily Baer continued. “I would like to discuss the town manager’s review in the public meeting rather than in executive session.”

Flustered, Mayor Moore shifted in his seat, turned toward Malcolm asking if this was alright. Malcolm, without batting an eye, responded, “Yes, I’m comfortable with that happening in a public meeting.”

Forty-five minutes later, the gavel restarted the public meeting for a conversation intended to happen in executive privacy. For the second time in the first year of his term, Mayor Andrew Moore would make the case for firing town manager Malcom Fleming. 

Previously catching the rest of the town council off guard during an earlier meeting, the decision was made to table the conversation until another time, when the members could be more prepared to make an informed decision.

Erie Town Manager Malcolm Fleming is described in his HR evaluation as one who “often pushes staff to challenge their status quo, which drives innovation, and he’s always open to and excited by new ideas.” (Town of Erie Headshot)

This time, with less than a day’s notice, the council received communication via email from Mayor Moore that they would again be bringing the matter to executive session the following evening. A performance evaluation – referred to as Fleming’s 360 – had been conducted. 

Mayor Moore and Mr. Fleming had access to the 360, some members of the council did not until only a few hours before the conversation began, others wouldn’t see the document until the following day. 

“He provided us an email about 24 hours before the meeting, and that is not adequate time,” Erie Town Councilman Dan Hoback told Yellow Scene. “The manager’s evaluation did not come from him; it came from the town manager himself. And [the Mayor] kept that in his hip pocket, and he didn’t send it until the next day. The day after the council meeting… I thought that was very underhanded on the part of the mayor.”

Opening the now public conversation, Mayor Moore cited his reasons for why Fleming should be terminated, reading from a statement he’d prepared for his colleagues. 

“Leadership by omission – whether intentional or not – creates a situation in which I cannot effectively preside over our meetings. Getting caught off guard on the County Line to Airport Drive visibility scope, the $19M parks and open space facility, the Redtail Ranch information for the public not being disseminated, misinformation about the use of ARPID funds, and council volunteers being excluded from the holiday party are just some of the more recent challenges.” 

Erie’s Mayor read for several minutes, first from his email requesting the conversation and then from what would have been his opening address to Council in executive session, concluding that he believed there had been an ongoing  lack of communication on Fleming’s part and little else. 

“The thing is, see, everything looks so childish now,” Councilman Pesaramelli told Yellow Scene. “He doesn’t have any points because we brought it on the record and not between the four walls [executive session]. In the four walls, when this topic came up,[the Mayor] didn’t have a consensus that Malcolm should be fired… And what would have happened in that four walls is unimaginable.”

“The mayor has wanted to get rid of him now since day one,” Councilman Hoback told Yellow Scene Magazine. “He came into office wanting to get rid of him, and I think it is probably because he is ideologically out of alignment.”

Before joining the city staff, Fleming spent over ten years as city manager for Louisville and as interim city manager for Manitou before that. He was appointed to the role in Erie in January 2019

Yellow Scene Magazine obtained a copy of Mr. Fleming’s 360 evaluation, which he said from the dais he was comfortable seeing published. In it we see a portrait of an absolutely adequate employee, referred to as a consummate professional, constantly calm presence, and consistently informed manager.

A screenshot of the first page of the human resources 360 report for colleague feedback for Mr. Fleming.

The anonymous reflections assert that he is knowledgeable, experienced, and committed to exploring every avenue even if it means trying something new. Always room for improvement, it is noted that he sometimes lapses in communication, though regularly producing a cumulative and comprehensive – if delayed – response. 

A five out of five star rated employee in “contributing to a positive and inclusive work culture,” he manages a complex system of public and private bureaucracies facilitating connections and the sharing of resources. 

“The amount of information that flows from the community, businesses, regional partners and Council is significant and overwhelming at times,” one 360 reflection of Fleming reads. It continues the he should seek improvement in maintaining the flow of information because “this Council is more impatient than others.”

Despite the metaphorical firehose from which he drinks, the HR report speaks of a competent employee with an above average performance and below average need for improvement. One with whom so many in the city find ease in maintaining a professional relationship, Mayor Moore not counted amongst them.

“If things are done for the betterment of the town, I’m all for it,” Councilman Pesaramelli told Yellow Scene. “But when you come with things like erasing DEI or the scare tactics, we can be a model and let other towns know Erie did this. We stood up against national bullying.”

Councilman Pesaramelli, Councilman Hoback, and Councilwoman Baer were upset that Moore came to this conclusion by himself, when council is meant to decide something this important together. When informed there would be a decision made despite protest, the three council members all voiced opposition to terminating Fleming’s position.

“Why is this going into a rush?” Councilman Pesaramelli mused during a followup conversation. “We already talked about it, and there was no consensus from the council for him to move to the next step or do another executive session.”

Some would discuss Mayor Moore’s insistence on adherence only on background, others commented openly on the parallels as they perceived them.

“He keeps saying he’s not MAGA, but he runs Council like he is,” Councilman Dan Hoback said to Yellow Scene Magazine. 

A screenshot of Erie Town Manager Malcolm Fleming’s Council Feedback Form, indicating the average of all five members of Erie’s Town Council’s ratings for various professional metrics.

Authoritarian overreach continues to grow as a standard in civics conversations. Federally, the Trump Administration demonstrates the ability for unscrupulous leaders to demand their directors change reports – and disavows those which won’t – to match policy positions. The same tactics some allege are used by Mayor Moore. 

“Staff can hear the mayor yelling at Malcolm through the walls even when the door is closed,” reads the 360. “Malcolm stays focused and professional and speaks clearly and directly.” 

In line with the strong man caricature some politicians project, complaints continue that Mayor Moore will bully employees, becoming increasingly frustrated when facts don’t fit his narrative, and asserting aggression to accomplish his ends. 

“People are hurting. People are afraid of losing their jobs,” Councilman Hoback told Yellow Scene. “People are afraid and they don’t want to engage with him.”

When negotiating his most recent contract, Fleming was faced with the difficult decision of forgoing protected severance in exchange for a standard raise. With the possibility that a newly-elected leader with a well-known intention of focusing on raising homeowners’ property value may replace him, Fleming was forced to concede his safety net. 

“One of his first courses of action was to basically force Malcolm to renegotiate his contract and lower his severance package, essentially,” Councilman Hoback told Yellow Scene. “The mayor said, ‘You will either reduce your severance package from twelve months to six months, or you won’t get a salary increase this year at all.’ Malcolm’s already severely underpaid for our region.”

Under the new contract, Fleming would receive 6-months of his salary, about $91,344, a direct cost to the taxpayers for the town manager’s replacement. Compensated well below the mean for this position, his replacement could start at a salary closer to Longmont’s $242,902 or Lafayette’s $190,800.

Some members of Town Council and Mayor Moore did not respond to requests for comment before publication.

The agenda for Erie’s February 17, 2026 Town Meeting includes an item in the evening’s executive session concerning personnel “pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(e), concerning the Town Manager’s evaluation and contract.”

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The post Erie Mayor’s Attempts to Fire Town Manager Made Public appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Erie has been conducting annual surveys for years to collect data on residents’ perspectives. However, this year’s survey, headlined by the Mayor, Andrew Moore, includes a number of changes that have made it both more expensive and more controversial. One major change: Moore wants to survey a much larger portion of the population. Previous surveys aimed to reach around 3,000 people. Moore wants to send the survey to every household in the city. According to him, it’s simply about hearing from more people and better understanding what the town wants.

He told YS, “It’s [the cost] about $70,000. So the way I look at that, we’re a town of almost 300 employees, this is the cost of less than one employee. And to get the input from our residents, to know where they’re at —to me, that’s priceless.”

Not everyone is as cavalier about the increased cost. The usual survey cost about $30,000. Moore’s expanded version is currently estimated to be more than double that. Critics argue that the change dramatically inflates the cost and burden of the survey with very little added benefit. Although the old survey only sampled a smaller portion of the population, it was handled by a professional survey company that used statistical sampling techniques to gather a representative set of responses. Think about how the federal government collects data. It would be impossibly expensive and impractical to ask all 300 million Americans for their opinions. Instead, it relies on trained statisticians who use sampling methods to make sure the data is still valid without needing to hear from everyone. Erie’s past surveys worked the same way. So while it might sound good to increase the sample size, the reality is that doing so will increase costs without necessarily improving the data.

In fact, some argue that surveying this many people could make the data less useful, not more. Town of Erie Communications Director, Gabi Rae told YS, “The consulting team does say that after a certain amount of responses, there’s really no scientific need to continue asking. You won’t see a difference in the data from basically 3,000 people versus 10,000 people who respond to it. So it becomes more difficult to look at the data after a certain amount, and you don’t have any more useful data that you gather.”

Others are concerned not just about the volume of data, but the survey questions themselves.

Previous surveys were conducted by a company that administers surveys across the country and uses carefully crafted questions designed by consultants. The benefit of this was twofold: the questions were designed to minimize bias, and Erie could compare its answers to those from other towns and cities nationwide. Moore, however, saw the previous surveys as too generic and lacking in side-by-side comparisons between options, and has called for a revamp of the questions.

He explained, “I think the other challenge with the national survey is it doesn’t give you any type of comparative information. Would you prefer an outdoor pool over a performing arts center? And so one of the key goals of this survey is to get comparative-type information that we simply do not have in the other survey.”

This new approach, and the new questions generated, have sparked controversy. Multiple meetings have been held to comb through the new language, with concerns raised about potential bias and manipulation.

At first glance, the questions seem innocuous enough, so what about them is worth debating for multiple days? One concern is the type of questions being asked. Many of Mayor Moore’s proposed questions go beyond asking for general town preferences and instead ask residents to weigh in on complex matters that may be better off posed to experts. For instance, one draft version of the survey includes Question 11 (shown below), which asks citizens whether they would prefer the town use taxes and bonds or Certificates of Participation (COPs) to finance new facilities.

I consider myself a well-educated and informed individual, and even I would feel unprepared to answer such a question. In fairness, the survey does provide a short explanation of the difference between financing options, but it’s limited to just a few sentences, when the subject could warrant pages of context. From the brief description, I, and I suspect many others, got the impression that the main difference between COPs and bonds is the level of public input. The question explains that bonds require a vote of the people, whereas COPs do not. That might make it seem like a question of democratic process versus speed: do you want a say, or do you want the project done faster? 

But with even minimal research, I realized that framing is a major oversimplification. Bonds are less flexible and have more red tape, but they’re generally considered a stable, lower-risk investment and are often a better choice for long-term projects. COPs, by contrast, are seen as riskier, meaning they carry higher interest rates. Over time, that can make projects financed through COPs significantly more expensive, which risks a serious strain on town resources. The point isn’t whether COPs are good or bad, it’s that there is a lot of nuance here, nuance that’s nearly impossible for the average citizen to grasp from a two-sentence blurb on a survey.

Mayor Moore spoke to YS at length about the importance of ensuring residents are informed before they’re asked to weigh in. He said:

“If you’re asking somebody to raise their taxes, and they have no awareness, they’re absolutely going to say no. If you haven’t shared enough information to explain what the challenge is, they’re going to have no desire to move forward with the change.”

At Yellow Scene, we agree with Mayor Moore on the value of public awareness. People should be informed before being asked to make decisions that could affect not just their lives, but the lives of their children and grandchildren. But we question whether this survey is putting citizens in a position to make truly informed decisions.

And the concern goes far beyond one question. 

Questions of similar complexity appear across topics, from affordable housing to traffic. For example, Question T32 asks residents whether they would support taxes to fund road and infrastructure projects, but doesn’t explain what that funding would actually cover.

Are we talking about filling potholes? Expanding public transportation? Building new roads? That question has since been removed following the most recent council meeting.

Question T35 is perhaps the most emblematic of the deeper problems with the survey. 

It doesn’t just ask citizens what projects they want funded, but how to fund them.

One version of the question asks respondents to weigh the pros and cons of financing options like Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, and the Town of Erie’s General Fund with little explanation of how each method works or what tradeoffs they involve. These questions aren’t just complex, they touch on high-stakes decisions that Erie can’t afford to get wrong. Choosing COPs over bonds in the wrong situation could cost the town millions. Mishandling the affordable housing crisis could worsen it as Erie continues to grow. Which raises the question: Is a survey really the best tool to make these calls?

Councilman Pesaramelli says no.

“This comprehensive survey has become an obstacle,” he told YS. “Town staff, who I’d call subject matter experts, prepare to move forward on projects, but now they’re being told to pause and wait for survey data. It’s created a directionless environment. Surveys can help with general sentiment, but the staff and council are the ones who should make funding and policy decisions. You don’t ask the public whether we should have water in 20 years. That’s a basic necessity. Not everything needs to go to a vote.”

Pesaramelli also believes that ironically, the survey’s length and complexity may discourage public engagement. With dozens of questions, many of them dense and time-consuming, he worries that busy citizens will opt out altogether. It’s not hard to imagine a busy parent skimming through Question 35 and deciding they don’t have time to take a 50-question quiz on tax strategy. Critics of Moore’s approach say they’re not opposed to public input on big issues, but believe there are better ways to involve residents, such as targeted town halls or community outreach that both inform and engage.

In response to those concerns, Moore has stood firm.

“My response is simple,” he said. “I want to hear from our constituents. I don’t know what I don’t know… I’ve told anyone who’ll listen: I’ll follow what the survey guides us to do, even if it’s not the direction I personally support. I wasn’t elected to do whatever I want, I was elected to represent the will of the people.”

But some question whether Moore’s approach is as selfless as it sounds. Councilman Hoback worries the survey may be used to justify policies Moore already supports. “He’s on the record as being skeptical of affordable housing programs,” Hoback said. “We got federal ARPA funding to buy land for affordable housing—now he wants to hit pause.”

This is where critics say question wording matters. If the survey isn’t clear about what affordable housing really is, people may oppose it simply because they don’t think it applies to them.

“If the survey just asks, ‘Do you want affordable housing here?’ without explaining what that means […] like entry-level homes for young people or smaller homes for seniors, people won’t connect with the need. That can tilt answers against affordable housing, not because it’s unwanted, but because the question doesn’t explain the real issues or who it helps.”

In the end the case against Moore’s survey is straightforward. The survey is more than twice as expensive as the regular one, and if this becomes the new standard, the long-term cost will add up fast. Because the questions are unique, Erie loses the ability to compare responses over time or against other towns. Some of the questions are poorly framed or too technical for the average resident to answer meaningfully. And at 50 questions, it’s long enough to discourage participation, not boost it. Regardless, Moore’s survey has likely become too big to fail. There’s already been too much time, money, and political capital put into it. It’s the path we’re on. Where that path leads will depend on what happens next. Residents should stay engaged. Watch how the results get used. Push for transparency in how they’re interpreted. And make sure major town decisions aren’t being quietly driven by flawed data or unchecked assumptions. Whether the survey gets improved or scrapped, repeated or replaced, what matters now is that the public stays in the loop.

The post Erie’s Survey Gamble: Community Input at a High Cost appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

10/27 updated to reflect the Comp Plan restricts density to 5-10%.

Welcome to Erie, CO, for all the newcomers. It’s a good little-big town, it really is. I have lived here a long, long time. Election season can be stressful, but that’s true in most places. I hope you find Erie to be a good town to live in, raise your children in if you have them, shop and dine in, and, of course, choose to volunteer in our town.

I welcome all the newcomers. Like all towns, elections get messy. But in rapidly growing municipalities with lots of outside interests, there can be added motives. In our last election, we had Dark Money in Erie.

I would advise watching our town council meetings to learn more. They are all available at the Town of Erie website. https://www.erieco.gov/322/Watch-Meetings-on-Demand. It will give you a flavor of how current elected officials, up for reelection, govern.

Having experienced over twenty election seasons since moving here in 1992, I’m personally voting for these candidates because I believe they best represent the vision we need for our future.

• Reelecting Justin Brooks for Mayor
• D1: Pesaramelli, Garcia
• D2: Reelecting Hoback, Hemphill
• D3: Reelecting Baer

The slate I am not aligning with chose not to interview with the YS Election Guide, and although that isn’t the only reason I’m not supporting them. The way they chose to turn us down gives a peek at their mindsets and temperament. All candidates were contacted by our journalist and provided the same questions. Brandon Bell posted on social media that he would rather be caught on fire and rolled in salt than interview with YS. Andrew Moore claimed they were not Erie questions; John Mortellaro initially ignored our request but did eventually respond on NextDoor. You can view our exchange there. Sadly, they chose partisan politics over reaching their community. However, the same slate has demonstrated a lack of willingness to respond to questions from voters.

• Andrew Moore (former mayor from 2004-2010, 55 well pads during that time)
• D1: Mortellaro, Sawusch (Incumbent)
• D2: Bell (Incumbent), Maloit
• D3: O’Connor, and Pinz

The policies the Moore slate has advocated that I take issue with include:

• A water park at the airport (which has one way in and one way out, and years ago, the airpark residents voted down connecting Bonanza, so are they cool with a water park?)
• Vouchers for housing but no density housing (where are the vouchers coming from? Is the Town going to buy a bunch of houses? That makes no sense?)
• Home Rule, which was just approved by Erie voters in 2023, already needs to be repealed or changed (?)
• Taxing citizens more for what we need instead of using the Capital Investment Fund for Capital investment improvements
• Claiming Erie is overbuilding “high-density.” This term has been bantered around as the main talking point. Erie needs to have more than just a sea of high-income housing to sustain itself. The recent Comp Plan, approved in a 4-2 vote, raised the total to 37 units per acre. By comparison, Boulder and Longmont are at 40 per acre, and Aurora is as high as 200 per acre on some properties. Additionally, the Comp Plan designates 5-10% for density. Don’t worry Erie can continue to build a sea of houses.
• Claiming the Comp Plan was rushed. See local resident Ms Terranova’s Letter to the Editor. In short, it was a two-and-a-half-year process, with community volunteers who participated.
• More fireworks and snowplows
• The Moore slate typically does not respond to citizen’s inquiries
• Councilperson Bell chose to share a private Facebook post of a local citizen in response to a letter to the editor she wrote that endorsed the Brooks slate.
• Oil and Gas is just fine with 181; there is no need for further regulations by the town, according to several of the Moore slate.

Erie has been heavily fracked for 20 years for those who don’t know. Draco Pad is a huge problem, and you may want to attend the meeting Oct 29th, 2024, at Erie Middle School: https://yellowscene.com/events/

There are many new homeowners in our town now. I have been to neighborhoods I have never been to, ever. There are so many houses—I can not believe how many houses. Erie has become a sea of houses where there was once wide open plains and little light pollution in just under 25 years.

I would like:

• Less sprawl, please. Yes, build more density so things are closer together.
• Driving across town is a hassle because there are so many houses and cars. There are also more potholes because there are more cars! Yes, public transit, please.
• Yes, to things staying closer together and being walkable. Why would anyone think that sprawl is a good thing?

Now that we are done publishing the Election Guide, it is time to turn in my ballot. Only 14% of you have as of the time of this writing. If you are not sure about all those messy ballot issues and candidates, check out our endorsements in this year’s Election Guide. Last year, it won first place at the Better News Awards.

Yellow Scene Election Guide 2024

Erie Colorado Moderated, Facebook group

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The post YS Publisher’s 2024 Election Endorsement in Her Hometown of Erie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

screenshot, CyclErie’s mural, a cycling shop in Downtown Erie

Letter to the Editor, 

Election time can be a really stressful and frustrating time of year for people. There is so much information and discourse that it is sometimes difficult to make a decision on who to believe and what to vote for. Thursday, October 17, 2024, I sat in the gymnasium at Vista Ridge Academy at the Town of Erie Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, listening to the potential future leaders of the Town of Erie discussing pertinent issues in the upcoming election. 

The desire to make sure our Town thrives is what inspired me to join the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of Erie citizens who were brought together to advise and give input and suggestions throughout the process of creating the new Comprehensive Plan.

While working on the PAC, we heard often and frequently that what the people of Erie (myself included) love most is the small-town feel. That is what makes it such a desirable place to live, and it has driven our growth. Half the people in Erie now in love with that small-town feel wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the growth set in motion approximately 20-25 years ago. It was a Comprehensive Plan that promoted growth intended for a much smaller town with aspirations to be a desirable place to live. That plan was beyond successful. But with the new population came new problems: Inadequate infrastructure, insufficient services, skyrocketing housing costs, and this continued desire to still feel like a small town despite our population outpacing the towns around us. 

What I learned from being on the PAC, was that this Erie bedroom community could not sustain the growth model that was decided on before most of us even lived here. 

Bedroom communities offer a quiet life, lots of green space, and great parks and schools… but how is this typically sustained? Bedroom communities rely primarily on residential taxes to maintain services, infrastructure, and low-density housing. What does Erie do when the money generated from residential taxes can no longer sustain the growth created by an old, outdated plan that no longer fits? 

Just this month, the current Town Council in Erie, in a 4-2 vote to pass, finally approved the brand new Comprehensive Plan for our town. This plan was set in motion approximately two and a half years ago, driven by the desire to maintain a small-town feel in Erie, control the sprawling growth encouraged by the old Comprehensive Plan, and not overburden the residents. For two and a half years, groups of contractors, town employees, elected officials, volunteers, & survey respondents all contributed to this new plan to make our way of life in Erie sustainable. In this process, we learned from experts that a model where a town maintains low taxes, high services, and low density does not exist. It is impossible. To maintain our small-town feel, we needed to get creative. The Comprehensive Plan was the culmination of two and a half years of work and thousands of person-hours, all centered around maintaining our small-town feel despite the growth that was set in motion two-plus decades ago. 

As someone who worked on the comprehensive plan by volunteering my time on the PAC and meeting with Town Planners to understand the process, my frustrations arose as I witnessed a former Mayor running for reelection, Andrew Moore, making false claims that the new Comprehensive Plan was rushed. I was not surprised, but again, disappointed that Andrew Sawusch and Brandon Bell voted against approving the Comprehensive Plan, claiming there wasn’t enough involvement from the public. As part of the public, I was able to participate intimately in the development of this plan along with the rest of the PAC, and I know copious community engagement opportunities were offered. Their objections felt like a ploy to sow divisiveness and spread disinformation in our town, a town these candidates claim to want to bring together. None of these men chose to be at these meetings, be involved in this extensive process, and in the eleventh hour were calling it shady. Are these the men that we want to lead our town? The ones who ignore the process and then complain about the results? The ones who divide us with scare tactics and misinformation?

At the candidate forum, my frustration grew.

• In general, I heard candidates Andrew Moore, John Mortellaro, Andrew Sawusch, Brandon Bell, Dan Maloit, and Brian O’Connor discuss repealing/changing the newly approved Comprehensive Plan, a plan that was developed to maintain our small-town feel and increase revenue without burdening current residents while turning around and saying how important it was to maintain a small-town feel. 
• Moore, Mortellaro, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, and O’Connor talked about decreasing taxes but did not offer a plan for how the town will collect revenue to maintain our essential services and amenities (like parks). 
• Moore, Mortellaro, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, and O’Connor expressed how oil and gas isn’t an issue in Erie, leaning on Colorado Senate Bill 181, saying Oil and Gas operations aren’t happening in our backyards. 

It felt as if these six candidates were all reading from the same script. 

I then heard candidate Dan Maloit talking about having more snow plows (increasing services), only to turn around and talk about firing Town employees and mocking their jobs. 

With all of that, I thought to myself, these are the types of men who make people dislike politics. This rhetoric is what drives communities apart. 

(Please note that Travis Pinz was not at the forum and did not submit an opening statement. In trying to find information on his plans for Erie, my biggest takeaway is that his beliefs and goals for the town seem to align with candidates Moore, Mortellaro, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, and O’Connor). 

At the end of the forum, I approached Candidate Andrew Moore to discuss his plans. I had addressed him several times on social media with no response regarding the misconception that a town can maintain low taxes, high services, and low density. 

When I asked about services such as maintenance and infrastructure, he mocked fellow candidate Dan Maloit about his plow plan. When I discussed taxes and how he will pay for the services to maintain the small-town feel in Erie, and if he plans on lowering taxes, he diverted the conversation, talking about how he isn’t going to lower taxes (after stating during the forum that we need to lower mills, aka taxes).  

I asked about different housing options to support our community, and he simply stated, “So I’m guessing you’re looking for affordable housing.” 

To try and get a clear answer, I asked about stances that his “slate,” Andrew Sawusch, Brandon Bell, John Mortellaro, Dan Maloit, Travis Pinz, and Brian O’Connor, were taking, and I was told that he doesn’t have a slate. This confused me because his election signs are always paired with the same six other candidates, and those candidates, including Mr. Moore, held a Meet and Greet together on Wednesday, October 16. It felt very disingenuous and dismissive. 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

He then went on to discuss how Erie is not and will never be a community that will use bicycles and buses and that we just need to expand roads (which I know is another piece of misinformation and a fallacy as it is proven that widening roads does not reduce traffic, but instead makes it worse due to “induced demand”.) 

I then also asked why it didn’t seem like he answered the question on oil and gas. Mr. Moore told me that I needed to check his website. 

I felt like I left the conversation without a single question answered due to Mr. Moore’s question-dodging. I asked myself why he wouldn’t just answer the questions and tell the truth. As frustrated as I felt during the forum, my conversation with Mr. Moore is what pushed me to write this letter. I was finally exhausted from all the manipulation.

But even with all the manipulation, misinformation, and frustration, I did feel hope during the candidate forum. There was a group of candidates that spoke intelligently and passionately about the important issues in the Town of Erie. 

• I heard Justin Brooks talk about making sure Erie maintains its sense of community and that there is affordable housing for our seniors and workforce. 
• Emily Baer discussed how we were going to support our most vulnerable citizens and protect the interests of Erie citizens by showing up at the table where oil and gas decisions are being made. 
• Dan Hoback was passionate in developing mixed-use areas of Erie that would increase our tax base and provide much-needed different types of housing that would contribute to and enhance Erie’s small-town feel. 
• Anil Pesaramelli supported Smart and sustainable growth. 
• Ben Hemphill focused on multimodal transportation and financial sustainability. 

All these ideas were echoed within this group of candidates with a sincere focus on how we will maintain the small-town feel Erie is known for. 

(Please note that Richard Garcia was not at the forum due to a family obligation, but he did submit an opening statement stating how he is going to contribute to making Erie more inclusive by supporting affordable housing, citing that the majority of people working in Erie cannot afford to live here and stating how he will support programs and services to meet the needs of our residents. Based on his literature, his beliefs and goals for the town seem to align with candidates Brooks, Baer, Hoback, Pesaramelli, and Hemphill.) 

I also talked with Candidate Justin Brooks, the current mayor, after the forum. This conversation stood in stark contrast to the one I had with the other mayoral candidate. When I asked Mr. Brooks about his plans for taxes, he described himself as fiscally responsible and conservative, citing that as a resident of Erie, he also feels the pinch on his wallet. 

He explained that in his two years as mayor, the town has been able to increase its commercial tax base, which has allowed our town to become less reliant on residential taxes. He expressed that if he is elected again, he will continue to grow Erie’s commercial tax base to continue supporting all the services and infrastructure residents need, enjoy, and want more of. 

Additionally, he expressed the need for different types of housing, as these new business employees will need a place they can afford to live within the Town of Erie, as well as more affordable housing options for the current employees and older persons within the town who can’t afford to live here. 

Mr. Brooks’ passion and pride for the town of Erie was evident in this brief conversation. He was very attuned to the needs and desires of the residents in maintaining the small-town feel and being responsible in how we grow and how we use our money. 

He took the time to really hear me answer my questions, and to me, that showcased his dedication to the residents of Erie.  

Mayor Brooks was right when he said during the forum that it is essential that as we continue to grow responsibly, we need to maintain that small-town quality by being kind to each other, hosting and joining in on community-building events, and not planting disinformation and fear to win elections. 

I love Erie. I love the small-town feel and the sense of community here. I want a Mayor and Council members with the strength and dedication to stand up for what’s right for our town: locally, regionally, and on a state and national scale. 

This November, I will be voting for the candidates that embody those qualities and bring us together with innovative and thoughtful decision-making, not the ones trying to scare me to vote for them. 

-Lindsey Terranova

Erie, Colorado 

The post Letter to the Editor; Erie Elections 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

On April 4, The Town of Erie was announced as a winner of an award by Downtown Colorado Inc. (DCI). Awards were presented in six areas including awards for Partnership, Place, Plans, Projects, Pop Up Innovation and Person – Downtowner of the Year at their 2024 Annual “IN THE GAME” Downtown Event in Durango. The Colorado Downtown Excellence Awards are committed to recognizing excellence in the most current and impactful areas of achievement. Award winners are chosen for demonstrating creativity in the face of challenges, unlikely and enduring partnerships, and dedication to the community to further downtown initiatives.

This year, DCI presented the Town of Erie with the 2024 Downtown Excellence Award for Best Partnerships in a Small Community, recognizing the Erie Town Center Master Plan, Crafting Place and Experience in a Small Town, in partnership with the Erie Four Corners development at Erie Town Center.

From left to right, Town Manager Malcolm Fleming, Councilor Brandon Bell, former Councilor Ari Harrison, David Waldner (Erie Four Corners, LLC), Mayor Justin Brooks, Councilor Emily Baer, Councilor Dan Hoback, Councilor Andrew Sawusch.

David Waldner of Erie Four Corners, LLC attended the May 14 Town Council Regular Meeting to present this award to the Town of Erie. Erie Four Corners and the Town of Erie are partners in creating the Four Corners new section of Town Center for the last eight years, at the southwest corner of Erie Parkway and E. County Line Rd. The Town Center Planned Development is a historic planning partnership which will shape the heart of Erie for decades to come. This project was submitted to Downtown Colorado Inc. by Erie Four Corners, LLC and the project rose to the top as a winner for Best Partnership in a Small Community.

For more information about the Town Center project visit the Town’s webpage. More information about Four Corners is also available from Erie Four Corners, LLC.

The post Erie Accepts Award for Town Center Plan appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

updated 1/5/2023 To include Brandon Bell’s term was set to end in April 2024

The lawsuit was filed at a time when Erie is trying to navigate several competing challenges related to its growth such as increasing affordable housing requirements and reducing local oil and gas developments. 

The Town of Erie’s new home rule charter may violate Colorado’s constitution because it extended the current Board of Trustees term by seven months until the next election in November 2024, a new lawsuit alleges. 

featured from left to right: Jeff Haverkate (a former candidate for the BOT) and wife, Miguel and Kelly Zuniga (center), Trustee Andrew Sawusch and wife

The lawsuit was filed by Miguel Zuniga, the husband of ousted Erie Planning Commission Chair Kelly Zuniga. In June 2023, the Erie Board of Trustees voted 4-2 to remove Kelly Zuniga from the Planning Commission. Miguel Zuniga filed in Boulder County District Court on Dec. 26. Zuniga was also the campaign manager for his wife’s unsuccessful bid to become Mayor of Erie in 2022. Jonathan Slie, a lawyer from the law firm Thomas N. Scheffel & Associates in Denver, is representing him. 

Erie Mayor Justin Brooks, Mayor Pro Tem Sara Loflin, and town councilors Ari Harrison, Brandon Bell, and Dan Hoback are all named as defendants in the lawsuit. All of their terms are set to expire in November when Erie holds its first election under its new charter. Before the Home Rule Charter was passed, they would have been up for reelection in April 2024.

Specifically, the lawsuit takes aim at the transition provisions contained in Article 16 of Erie’s town charter. Article 16 essentially states that Erie’s previous governing body assumed the powers given to them under the new charter and clarified that all elected officials will need to be re-elected in November. Board of Trustee terms that would have expired in April 2026 were also shortened to coincide with the November election, while terms that would have expired in April 2024 were extended. 

The terms for Brooks, Loflin, Harrison, Bell, and Hoback were all slated to expire in April 2024, according to the lawsuit. Zuniga contended that extending the terms of these officials both violated his “constitutionally protected interest” as a Town of Erie voter and Article 7, Section 11 of the Colorado constitution, which states in part that “No law shall extend the term of any elected public officer after his election or appointment nor shall the salary of any elected public officer be increased or decreased during the term of office for which he was elected.”

“The foregoing Section 11 expressly creates a constitutionally protected interest in ensuring that elected officials serve fixed terms of office that are not extended in a manner that circumvents the electoral process,” the lawsuit reads. 

The lawsuit asks the court to grant two claims for relief. The first claim asks the court to require Erie to terminate the terms of Brooks, Loflin, Harrison, Bell, and Hoback on their original date in April 2024. The second claim asks the court to require Erie to uphold its charter’s vacancy process, which could result in Emily Baer and Andrew Sawusch being the only town council members until the November election. 

Yellow Scene Magazine reached out to the Town of Erie for comment about the lawsuit but did not receive a reply by press time. It is unclear how these claims would impact succession for the Mayor’s office. 

The lawsuit was filed at a time when Erie is undertaking a massive redevelopment effort. Not only is the town government moving forward with plans to become a home rule municipality, but the town itself is getting a facelift from several new development projects like Erie Town Center, a 390-acre mixed-use development that includes luxury home builders like Toll Brothers, and real estate developers such as Forum Real Estate Partners. 

Erie has also faced challenges related to its new affordable housing requirements and oil and gas regulations. In 2021, Erie adopted an ordinance requiring the town to set aside at least 12% of its housing stock as permanently affordable housing. Other Boulder County jurisdictions like Longmont have also passed similar laws. 

The town has also increased its setback requirements for oil and gas developments to require wells to be at least 2,000 feet away from homes and businesses and also increased its air quality requirements. 

These issues were a main part of the 2022 election cycle in Erie. A dark money group headed by a Republican lobbying firm set up shop in Erie to support candidates like Kelly Zuniga, Jeff Haverkate, and Ryan Kenward. All of the candidates who were interviewed told YS in their 2022 Election Guide interviews that Erie does not need more oil and gas regulations.

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The post Lawsuit Accuses Erie of Passing “Unconstitutional” Town Charter appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Erie has long been defined by its rural past and as the town grows, will need to draw from its history to maintain its authenticity.

Two Trappers

Charlie Liley had a dangerous job in 1897. He was a trapper in an Erie, Colorado coal mine. For hours on end, day after day, he sat alone in the blackness of an earthen underworld. His job was simple — to open and close big wooden trap doors to let fresh air through the mine when the mules came through with their loads. It was dangerous work. Runaway coal carts were death machines, and cave-ins were a constant threat. But the trapper’s boredom and loneliness were the worst part. Solitary confinement in the pitch black could play cruel games on a man’s mind. Except Charlie was no man. He was just a 10-year-old boy.

This was America’s Gilded Age when barons of heavy industry steamrolled the dignity of the less fortunate. By the time Charlie became a coal mine trapper, Erie was already one of Colorado’s most important coal mining towns. It was a rough place then. If one were to venture up the hill east of town for a birds-eye view in 1897, they would have seen a small dusty town surrounded by coal mine tipples in every direction.

The first coal miner in Erie is said to be fur trapper and mountain man Jim Baker. He was a friend of Kit Carson, John C. “Pathfinder” Frémont, and Jim Bridger, legendary names of the pre-gold rush fur trapping era. Baker once had part of his face chewed off by a grizzly bear he killed.

Coal Miner Memorial: Photo: Doug Geiling

Relations between the mountain men and Native Americans were complicated, and Baker’s life was certainly an example of that. Baker was a part of the vanguard of white explorers from the East who represented unwanted encroachment upon native lands in the West. But he also adopted native ways, learning several Native American languages. Like the tribes he interacted with, he fought both against and with Native Americans depending on his alliances and interests. He once rescued a Shoshone chief’s daughter, named Marina, from Blackfoot captivity and then married her. In marriage he adopted the Shoshone lifestyle and was given the name “Red-Haired Shoshone” by his allied tribe.

As the fur trade withered Baker briefly tried his hand at coal mining. In 1858 Baker’s Bank was a small slope mine on the west bank of Coal Creek near present-day Old Town Erie. The effort proved unprofitable within a year, and Baker moved on to other ventures.

Baker’s Bank notwithstanding, the discovery of coal in Erie was officially documented in 1866. By this time the growing settlement was unofficially known as Coal Park. More settlers arrived near the end of the decade just to the northwest in an area called Canfield. The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes were known to have camped along Coal Creek in what is now Erie at times. But by 1870 the crushing wave of white settlers and the repressive government policies that supported them had largely forced the Native Americans onto less desirable lands farther south.

In 1874 the town of Erie was founded by a group of men including Richard van Valkenburg. Van Valkenburg named the town after Erie, Pennsylvania, his former home. By 1874 the new town was already well entrenched as an up-and-coming coal mining epicenter in the massive Northern Colorado Coal Field.

Photo courtesy of Erie Historical Society

By this time Erie had already scored a railroad connection. A rail spur from Brighton to Erie called the Boulder Valley Railway greatly accelerated the capacity of coal transportation. With this rail link in place, new coal mines began to sprout like weeds. More rail connections followed quickly including a narrow-gauge line carrying coal and passengers along today’s 119th Street from Canfield to Longmont. This train was nicknamed Longmont’s “Baby Railroad.”

By 1890 the Baby Railroad was replaced with the standard-gauge Burlington and re-routed along Erie’s High Street as part of a line from Denver to Lyons. The Burlington intersected with the Union Pacific near the south end of High Street. A train depot was built near the intersection still known today by some locals as either “the thirteen trees” or “the witching trees.” The depot is no longer in its original location, but it still stands today, having been saved and moved a couple hundred yards to the southwest by a local homeowner. You can see the small white structure directly east and across the road from County Line Lumber.

If you’ve ever wondered why Old Town Erie has that wonderful linear open space along High Street, it’s because that was the old Burlington rail line. The train ran well into the 1980s, and the tracks were finally pulled in 1990, a run of almost a full century.

Trains ran through Erie for nearly a century beginning in the early coal mining days. Photo courtesy of Erie Community Library

Machine Gun on the Tower

Northern Colorado coal mining was dangerous, back-breaking work. In Erie’s early coal mining days mine managers and their wealthy owners and financiers, like the Rockefellers, treated miners and their families like cordwood. Their practices were sometimes called industrial slavery. The coal miner was routinely cheated, brutalized, and dehumanized. Pay was barely a living wage at best, and often they were paid in company-issued currency called scrip that could only be used to buy overpriced goods at the company store. The average coal miner worked 12-14 hours a day and yet could never get ahead. As in the lyrics of the song “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford, the coal miner was stuck in a life where each day he loaded sixteen tons only to get “another day older and deeper in debt.”

Company towns sprang up at the larger mines to offer miners and their families affordable housing but in effect turned them into de facto labor camp prisoners. At Erie’s Columbine Mine near today’s landfill, the company town was named Serene. James B. Stull wrote in “A Brief History of Erie Colorado,” “It was a collection of dirty company houses surrounded by a barricade of barbed wire. It was illuminated at night by a large searchlight that was installed on the mine tipple.”

The result of these conditions was predictable. Frequent labor strikes broke out as miners organized to demand a modicum of dignity and fair treatment. Often this resulted in violence. Strikes were put down with brutal force and indifference by an alliance between mining interests and government authorities. State militias and troopers full of men eager to draw blood were often called up to intimidate striking miners and their families.

Company towns sprang up at the larger mines to offer miners and their families affordable housing but in effect turned them into de facto labor camp prisoners.

In November of 1927 the searchlight on the Columbine Mine’s tipple was accompanied by a machine gun. Miners were on strike again throughout the Northern Colorado Coal Field, and tensions were rising daily as a coal shortage loomed at the start of winter. Striking miners had children who attended the company school at Serene inside the gates. They would protest and agitate while taking their kids to and from school. These daily marches were often led by Elizabeth Baranek, the 5-foot-two-inch, 44-year-old wife of miner Joe Baranek, and mother of 16 kids with a 17th on the way.

The powder keg finally exploded at dawn on November 21, 1927. On that morning plain-clothed militia men, armed to the teeth, refused to let striking miners inside the gates of Serene. Strike leader Adam Bell, a “wobbly” from the International Workers of the World (IWW), was pulled over the top of the fence and beaten. Mrs. Baranek, carrying her unborn 17th child, broke through the gate and tried to shield Bell with an American flag only to be beaten herself.

When the protesters then surged, gunfire erupted into the crowd of several hundred. The massacre left six dead and 60 wounded. Erie’s doctor, James Bixler, is credited with saving the lives of many of the injured.

From left to right, the Erie “old timers” are Linette Ballew, Shavonne Blades, Dan Wendzel, Lois Joyce, Barry “Wildman” Snyder, Sherri Bond, Dan Hoback

Time Vortex

After the Columbine Mine massacre, progress was made in the labor movement under the leadership of Josephine Roche, a mining company insider who was sympathetic to the plight of the miner. By this time, however, Erie was reaching its coal mining peak. 

As the Great Depression settled over the land, Erie coal mining began its long decline, gradually replaced by oil and gas drilling. During the Depression some down-and-out families took to residing in caves and dugouts on the banks of Coal Creek. But coal mining work continued through the industry’s long decline, and for those fortunate enough to maintain employment, labor conditions improved.

Ralph Castro, a coal miner’s son, was born in Erie in 1938 and still lives in his childhood Old Town home on Holbrook Street. “My dad worked at several different mines and wound up at the Eagle.” Castro’s father, Mike, was active in the United Mine Workers Union. In those later years “wages got better and better.” According to Castro, his father was able to make a respectable living as a miner during and after the Second World War.

Castro graduated high school in 1957 in a class of eight kids. He remembers childhood in Erie as an easy going time. “We never thought about getting into trouble,” he said. “We all kept our noses clean.”

“We never thought about getting into trouble. We all kept our noses clean.”

Castro and long-time Erie resident Dan Wendzel are neighbors. Wendzel’s father, Joe, was also a coal miner. For thirty years Joe worked the mines in and around town, developing black lung disease later in life. Wendzel graduated from high school in Erie in a class of just 14 kids in 1964. As surrounding towns like Longmont began to attract new industries that spawned growth and new housing developments, Erie became a lost town in the middle of nothing on the way to nowhere. Groceries and supplies required trips north to Longmont. Water was trucked in from Lyons because Erie’s water was so terrible, nobody would drink it.

Many people still heated their homes with coal in those years. As a teenager Wendzel would drive a pickup truck to the still-operating Eagle Mine and purchase coal by weight. Pollution from coal burning was terrible at times. Wendzel told me that, on some winter days, the coal smoke would settle over town so thickly that he couldn’t see the houses through the smoke while driving into town from the hills to the east.

While Erie offered bad water, bad air, and not much for kids to do, life back then, as Wendzel described it, was authentic and simple. There was little league baseball and bike rides on dirt roads with fishing poles in hand to Erie Lake for bluegills and the occasional bass. There was also the pastime of watching the trains come and go right through town.

As a kid Wendzel lived right on the Burlington line on High Street. “You could feel the house shake when the train passed,” he said. In those days the train was still powered by steam engine. Because the Burlington and the Union Pacific crossed tracks just south of town, the train conductor was required to stop the entire train right in town on each passing to avoid collisions. “The train would head north early in the morning and come back about dusk, hauling coal one way and sugar beets the other,” said Wendzel.

“You could feel the house shake when the train passed. The train would head north early in the morning and come back about dusk, hauling coal one way and sugar beets the other.”

Lois Joyce moved to Erie in 1978, the same year the last coal load came out of the Eagle Mine ending Erie’s remarkable 120-year coal mining run starting with Baker’s Bank. She, too, remembers her house on High Street shaking when that train rolled by. “If I stood in my kitchen when that train came, it looked like it would slice the house down,” she said.

Joyce had many great stories about Erie’s small town cops. She recalled being neighbors with one of the officers whose cruiser frequently broke down. She would often hear him banging around under the hood to get it running again before his shift started. Joyce also remembers the neighborhood kids roaming free at age 6 or 7. If they didn’t come home on time, all the neighbors knew they would be down by the creek getting muddy and catching crawdads.

Both Joyce and long-time Erie resident Eva Kalemenis told me that Erie still had an operator-assisted telephone system until almost 1990, and they both reminisced about how bad the mud and dust could get in Old Town before the streets were finally paved in 1999. Kalemenis first moved to Old Town Erie in 1986, purchasing one of Erie’s oldest historic homes built in 1884. “The place was really a wreck,” she said, “but we loved it.”

Shavonne Blades, owner of Yellow Scene Magazine, moved to town in 1992 and worked as a bartender at the divey Erie Inn, now award-winning 24 Carrot Bistro, for several years. Over coffees at Fox Dog on Briggs, Blades described a 1990s Erie as a town caught in a time vortex. Except for Briggs and Cheeseman, all the streets were still dirt, and Briggs Street bars served professional drunks and locals with nicknames like “Crazy Glenn,” “Kentucky Bob,” and still current Erie resident Barry “Wildman” Snyder. Then there was “Old Grumpy Floyd” who used to ride his horse, not just to the bar, but into it. Floyd’s horse would hang out on the dance floor until Floyd was ready to leave and ride back home.

Barry “Wildman” Snyder is known as “Big Wheel Barry”. He used to lead the homecoming parade on an old-time penny farthing bicycle.

Barry “Wildman” Snyder still lives in Erie. He is also known as “Big Wheel Barry” because he used to lead the homecoming parade on an old-time penny farthing bicycle. “Barry was always the hit of the parade on that penny farthing,” said Blades.

From Fox Dog I walked with Blades the block-and-a-half to go visit with Snyder at his home. We walked through a yard decorated with old Studebakers that he likes to work on. Stepping inside the door, a man with a ZZ Top beard greeted us, and I was transported into a fascinating home full of model cars and fruit sticker art. Besides the big wheel bicycle, Snyder is also known for his works of art made from the little stickers they put on fruit. After the tour of his house and artwork, as we were leaving, Snyder remarked that he “tends to like stuff that isn’t normal.” But the twinkle in his eye said so much more as he showed me the rare British motorcycle he’s working on.

Linette Ballew was five years old in 1976 when her family moved to a piece of land over an old coal mine just northeast of Erie. She graduated high school in a class of 54 kids in 1989, moved away, and then came back home in 1997.

Through her words, Ballew painted a beautiful picture of the Erie of her youth — one where all the main roads to and from Erie were still dirt and the tall blinking weather tower always pointed the way back home. Times were certainly different then. “I had friends who would jump the train to Longmont and hitchhike back to Erie,” said Ballew. Erie residents today often identify where they live by the name of their neighborhood. When Ballew was growing up in Erie there were no neighborhood names. Instead, there was Beer Can Hill, Chicken City, and Dead Man’s Curve. Everyone in town knew where these places were.

Sherry Bond shared similar sentiments from her short time in Erie’s Airpark subdivision in the mid-1980s. Like Ballew, she too moved away only to come back many years later. She remembers the drive into Erie on a gravel Highway 7 from I-25. With the mountains as backdrop, she said you could see only three things down that westbound gravel road: Old Town Lafayette, Old Town Erie, and the Erie Airport in between. In recalling life in the Erie Airpark neighborhood, Bond remembered the airplane that was converted into the beloved Strawberries restaurant, now gone.

Perhaps the most fitting story from 1980s and 1990s Erie is the one about Jake: Jake was a grumpy Yellow Lab who ran for mayor in 1994. He enjoyed a shot or two of butterscotch schnapps from the bar.

That town that was caught in a time vortex in the 1990s with its dirt streets, horses in bars, and dogs running for mayor suddenly exploded on the scene.

From Podunk to Little Big Town

If you live in Erie today, you likely know the basics of the rest of the story. That town that was caught in a time vortex in the 1990s with its dirt streets, horses in bars, and dogs running for mayor suddenly exploded on the scene. A location that was once a Front Range void, a forgotten backwater from the heyday of coal mining, became prime real estate as the Denver metropolitan area grew north.

In the 2000s growth hit Erie like a bomb and hasn’t slowed since. After taking more than 100 years for Erie’s population to go from 600 to 1,200 around 1990, it rocketed to 6,600 by 2000; 18,000 in 2010; and over 30,000 in 2020.

This growth is not slowing down anytime soon. Erie Trustee Dan Hoback told me that Erie’s population will double again to more than 60,000 residents in the next 10 to 15 years. Open land in Erie from I-25 to Highway 287 and from Highway 52 down to Highway 7 is filling up with row upon row of suburban houses and supporting retail and business development. Erie High School’s student population of about 1,800 seems almost absurd considering Linette Ballew’s 1989 graduating class of just 54 kids was not that long ago.

Mount Pleasant cemetery with vistas of the mountains is the oldest existing historic place in Erie. Photo by Doug Geiling

According to Hoback the availability of large amounts of land with easy access to Boulder and Denver has made Erie the bullseye for North Metro housing development. Prior to about 2000 Erie was perhaps a bit too far away and off the beaten path to attract much development. But, as the Denver metropolitan area expanded northward and expensive housing in and near Boulder priced the average home buyer out of that market, Erie transitioned from small town to boomtown.

And yet, Erie remains a great place to live by most accounts. As does Longmont, which experienced similar expansion forty years ago and has grown into an admirable small Front Range city. We do lose the innocence of our small old towns when they grow into small cities, but we can also gain much through the process.

I asked each of the Erie “old timers” I interviewed how Erie can maintain its core appeal through its explosive growth. The answers were basically all the same: Old Town. Keep the historic character of Erie’s Old Town, and the town will maintain its tether to its historic roots.

Kalemenis hopes that Erie doesn’t try to change too much of the quirkiness and character of Old Town. “I don’t want everything to look like eye candy,” she said. When I asked Ballew how Erie can maintain its character she quickly said, “I hope they never take the Erie Town Fair from Old Town.” Blades is advocating for the new Town Center to be developed with the look and feel of Old Town in mind. “I really hope it looks like this,” she said gesturing out the window of Fox Dog Coffee out to Briggs Street.

For a town that, until the 2000s was a tiny, dirt-street, coal mining relic that even many Denver area natives like me never even knew existed, Erie has a remarkably rich and interesting history. There is so much more that could not fit into this brief journey through time: the Erie Raceway, the junkyard with all the VW Beetles, the hot air balloons, Biscuit Days, the history of the Airpark, the Wise Homestead, the fracking controversy, the multiple Coal Creek floods, and so much more.

Can it be done? Can Erie continue to grow like this and simultaneously maintain its historical character? Can it be the little big town we all want it to be? We think so. But it hinges on one thing: Old Town.

History of Erie

The post Erie – Little Big Town appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

ECHO Colorado – East County Housing Coalition recently conducted a survey with the Erie candidates running for Mayor and Trustee. Surveys were sent out on a Monday via email, and were asked to be received by that Friday of the same week. Follow up requests were made for those not received. Blank answers mean the candidates did not respond. 

Yellow Scene Magazine has agreed to reprint that questionnaire as part of our Community Corner. Community Corner is open to non-profits and other organizations, as well as residents to discuss important legislative and social policies. 

The following candidates did not provide a response:

• Jeff Haverkate
• Ryan Kenward
• Andrew Sawusch
• Kelly Zuniga

Dan Hoback

Explain to us your own values about community and the need for affordable housing.

Diversity goes beyond race, gender, gender identity, age, etc. It embodies all aspects of socio-economic levels and demographics. I want people of all walks to be able to live in Erie, whether they work outside the town, from home, or within the town. I love the phrase “workplace housing.” We need affordable living options for young people starting out, local workers, teachers, police, seniors, and those facing life changes like divorce, that can stretch budgets.

Do you know what the affordable housing goal is for Erie, and do you believe the Town’s efforts will meet those affordable housing needs?

I believe we have a goal of 12%, but I don’t know how codified that is, and I may just be recalling a general benchmark other towns consider. I have a lot to learn, but am willing to grow in this area, as it is currently at crisis stage, in my opinion. We need to aim high, as we have plenty of land to work with. I don’t mean, “hey, all this land, let’s make developers do ABC…. but it affords us more leeway and creativity than infill projects.

What are the impacts on families when housing for young people is unaffordable in our area? Do you think this can be prevented through policy changes and funding? If so, what programs, and what level of funding would this require?

Families that cannot afford to live here must obviously choose other areas. That impacts their lifestyle with commute times, distances to see family, driving costs and pollution. It also hurts local businesses that need reliable staff. People are more reliable when it’s easy to get to work. We need to codify in our ordinances and planning regulations getting diversified AFFORDABLE housing. We just do. This is not my strong suit, but I am quickly learning from Justin Brooks, who has a passion for it.

Would you support a program to create accessory dwelling units that could remain affordable? [YES]  

In all honesty, I’m not sure what that program would look like, but I know other communities have them, so I don’t see why Erie can’t.

Would you support changing single-family zoning to allow for more mid-density housing such as townhomes and duplexes on lots that have room for them? [YES] | As an elected official would you take a leadership role on this?  [YES]

I am on record for saying we rezone too much in the direction developers want. We need to push for what’s best for our residents before they’re priced out on property taxes alone.

What do you think are the impacts to our community and our environment when the vast majority of workers commute from elsewhere? What role can affordable housing play in eliminating those impacts?

Traffic congestion increases; pollution increases; auto insurance rates increase; families are more stressed; businesses suffer from lack of staff as well as lack of local customers. Affordable housing makes it possible for people to live and work locally, without having to live 20+ miles away and commute to Erie, giving them more time to enjoy the community.

The business community struggles to find workers because of the high cost of housing. Would you be willing to meet with business leaders to ask them to support an affordable housing program for the town tied to job growth?

Yes, businesses would be a MAJOR beneficiary of affordable housing. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners want to run and grow their business strategically, not working the cash register or other tasks that don’t fit their dream.

Smart community development such as mixed-use, middle-housing, and transit-oriented development can have a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Would you support a scoring system so that proposed developments can be scored for their contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses?

Conceptually, it sounds good. I’m not really aware of any, so would need to educate myself. Anything we can do to lessen carbon emissions and increase mass transit starts off ahead of the game. Our climate is in a world of hurt, and suburban sprawl is a big part of it. We need mass transit and bicycle/pedestrian-friendly towns.

What do you understand about the history of racism that has led to people of color owning less property, and thus having less wealth than white people?

I know it’s embedded deep. People of color in the US started off at a disadvantage, from Native Americans to Blacks and Latinos. By the time Blacks were freed from slavery, White people already owned much of the property, or at least prime property. Native Americans were literally removed from their land, receiving paltry sums at best in return… or shoved into desert oases.

Would you support procurement policies in housing that create a preference system for minority and disadvantaged businesses? [YES] / Would you take a leadership role on this? [_]

I only have so much bandwidth, so I won’t promise leadership in all areas. Working with businesses is probably what I’m best suited for, but I’m on board with doing whatever is possible to increase equity, diversity, and affordable housing.

What do you think the town can do now to enhance equity as it relates to housing?

We need to have affordable housing goals and have rules that have meat on them, so that we can hold developers accountable toward meeting the goals. I look forward to learning more about what Boulder and other nearby communities have done or learned.

What role do you think neighbors should be able to have when considering affordable housing in their neighborhood?

Not be NIMBYs, and to understand what it is, rather than be fearful that slums will be springing up citywide. Getting people involved so that they feel they have a say in how these ideas develop is important, but also a challenge.

Should Erie create an eviction legal defense program like the one in place in Boulder to help people retain their housing? It’s far less expensive than building new housing. [YES]

Again, I don’t know much about it, but it sounds appropriate. I have been a renter many times, and so much in lease contracts and the entire relationship are one-sided in favor of property owners.

Emily Baer

Explain to us your own values about community and the need for affordable housing.

Housing is a core infrastructure. A safe, warm home is foundational for the well-being of families and individuals, and is therefore foundational for a healthy, welcoming, diverse community. I think communities should include people at every stage of life from young people just starting out, to young families, empty nesters, seniors, kids moving back to be near their hometown, people of every gender, culture, distinction. As well as the workforce who do the important work of building a thriving Erie: teachers, town staff, police and firefighters, restaurant employees, grocery store workers, etc… It is estimated that 3100 people commute to Erie to work every day, coupled with our lack of transit, that has an impact on our environment and Erie’s ability to remain competitive in the job market to recruit and retain these important personnel. It will be hard to convince people to work in Erie if they are commuting past nine other viable jobs on their way here. Ensuring that we have affordable housing will address several issues in front of Erie including building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community; staffing concerns; and sustainability.

Do you know what the affordable housing goal is for Erie, and do you believe the Town’s efforts will meet those affordable housing needs?

In 2000, Erie’s Comprehensive Plan recognized a lack of Affordable Housing options and recommended an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, but none was adopted in the ensuing two decades. In 2021, The Board of Trustees, in collaboration with the Boulder County Regional Partnership, adopted Resolution 21-140 which expands access to Affordable Housing and set a goal of 12% of housing stock be affordable to low, moderate, and middle income households by 2035. In addition, the Erie Development Department applied for and received a planning grant from the Department of Local Affairs to assess the extent of Erie’s affordable housing needs and to develop strategies to meet those needs. Staff plans to have an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance proposal ready for review by June. It is my intention that the Board of Trustees will be able to take this data and create an effective ordinance that will help us address the housing crisis in Erie.

What are the impacts on families when housing for young people is unaffordable in our area? Do you think this can be prevented through policy changes and funding? If so, what programs, and what level of funding would this require?

A family’s access to an affordable home is critical in all aspects: physically, mentally, economically, and developmentally. When families are cost-burdened, they have to make choices about how to prioritize basic needs like food, healthcare, child care, transportation, and education. These tradeoffs are hard on families and children and have been shown to negatively affect health and behavioral and emotional development. According to Habitat for Humanity, “When home is affordable and there is more money left over for things like transportation and child care, it can open up an array of education and employment opportunities.” I think Erie has the opportunity to address these issues for families through policy changes and funding. By adopting an inclusionary Housing Ordinance with analysis funded by the DOLA grant, and the development of other housing strategies, Erie will be able to apply for a 2^nd DOLA grant in 2022, part of the Affordable Housing Incentives Program, which offers seed capital to an Affordable Housing fund that assists with Affordable Housing Developments. Erie is at the beginning of this process, and we are learning so much, including what options we have in front of us to be able to fund Affordable Housing programs and what that will look like.

Would you support a program to create accessory dwelling units that could remain affordable? [YES]

It will be important for Erie to follow the data and understand what best fits our community’s Affordable Housing needs. There are several tools available for preserving affordability that surrounding municipalities utilize, like deed restrictions, adopting a one to one replacement ordinance, right of first refusals ordinances, among others.

Would you support changing single-family zoning to allow for more mid-density housing such as townhomes and duplexes on lots that have room for them? [YES] | As an elected official would you take a leadership role on this?  [YES]

I come to the Trustee table and to the conversation around Affordable Housing as an eager student, curious about the tools available to us to effectively meet the housing needs of our community.

What do you think are the impacts to our community and our environment when the vast majority of workers commute from elsewhere? What role can affordable housing play in eliminating those impacts?

DOLA estimates that 3100 people commute to Erie for work every day. This has impacts on traffic as well as our road conditions and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Providing affordable housing as well as mixed use, live/work situations within a community cuts down on the number of car trips while also building a sense of community by ensuring people who work here can also afford to live here.

The business community struggles to find workers because of the high cost of housing. Would you be willing to meet with business leaders to ask them to support an affordable housing program for the town tied to job growth?

Yes.

Smart community development such as mixed-use, middle-housing, and transit-oriented development can have a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Would you support a scoring system so that proposed developments can be scored for their contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses?

Mixed use and middle housing options are important tools for addressing affordability and sustainability. In talking with voters, I know it’s a priority for Erie residents to have access to renewable energy and transit. I would like to learn more about how a scoring system would work for proposed developments for reducing greenhouse gasses.

What do you understand about the history of racism that has led to people of color owning less property, and thus having less wealth than white people?

Redlining was a standardized, racist practice by private lenders and the FHA. They refused to insure loans for people of color, in primarily black neighborhoods, deeming those homes and redlined neighborhoods, “unsafe for lending.” This prevented black families from accessing low down payment loans and prevented them from home ownership and building generational wealth. In the 1960’s, after the Fair Housing Act was passed, prohibiting racially restrictive covenants, communities used zoning laws to segregate by income, requiring larger lots which drove home prices up. Those communities also prohibited attached and higher density homes. This practice targeted marginalized communities, people of color, and denied them access to entry level homes in communities with better school districts and job opportunities.

Would you support procurement policies in housing that create a preference system for minority and disadvantaged businesses? [_] / Would you take a leadership role on this? [_]

Erie has recently hired a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director whose job it is to examine town policies and structures of governance and to steer the town toward DEI goals that include, “Developing new policies around housing and development that will provide the opportunity for families and individuals in different income levels and requiring such to be a part of the Town’s composition.”

It is a priority for me to engage, listen, learn, support, and understand the many intersections of DEI work, business opportunities, leadership roles, community building, housing access, and more. I support this important work and will follow the leadership of our DEI Advisory Board. It’s essential that we’re creating a culture in Erie where people feel safe, seen, heard, and valued; and that diverse businesses are welcomed and supported.

What do you think the town can do now to enhance equity as it relates to housing?

Erie Town staff are reviewing data and revising Erie’s draft Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and are slated to present this to the Board of Trustees in June of this year. Passing an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance is a good first step for addressing housing disparities and moving toward a solid plan. We can also take a look at our UDC and make sure Erie has zoning that includes Mixed Use and diverse housing densities (apartments, condos, townhouses, duplexes, etc) as options.

What role do you think neighbors should be able to have when considering affordable housing in their neighborhood?

I think there should be community outreach and engagement around affordable housing to dispel rumors and myths about increased crime and decreased property value. When the community is engaged and invested, we will all benefit.

Should Erie create an eviction legal defense program like the one in place in Boulder to help people retain their housing? It’s far less expensive than building new housing. [_]

Erie is a statutory town and as such is unable to collect excise tax, which is what Boulder uses to fund their Eviction Legal Defense Program. It will be educational to follow the data and understand how this program benefits the community as it enters its 2^nd year. The 2021 ERPAS report shows 63% of evictions were avoided in eviction court, and the program provides resources for landlords and tenants. Legal representation in court proceedings is important and levels the playing field between renters and landlords. This could be a beneficial program for Erie residents moving forward. It will be interesting to watch and keep on Erie’s radar as we move toward becoming a Home Rule municipality.

Christiaan van Woudenberg

Explain to us your own values about community and the need for affordable housing.

I believe that everyone deserves to live in the community where they work; not segregated to an undesirable corner of a municipality but rather integrated into its fabric and identity.

Do you know what the affordable housing goal is for Erie, and do you believe the Town’s efforts will meet those affordable housing needs?

Erie has set a 12% goal for inclusionary housing. Given we have an existing inventory of over 8,000 rooftops of which only a handful of affordable/attainable units, I do not believe the Town’s efforts will be sufficient to meet those needs. With the cooperation of the home building industry, we must do something dramatically different to address this crisis.

What are the impacts on families when housing for young people is unaffordable in our area? Do you think this can be prevented through policy changes and funding? If so, what programs, and what level of funding would this require?

A 2020 Pew study reported that a majority of young adults were living with their parents, at the highest rates ever measured. The dramatic increases in home prices, compounded by limited inventory and predatory investors make it increasingly difficult for young families to own a home and build a positive net worth. Aggressive policies and programs to increase inventory, limit investor market manipulation, and stabilize rents will be required. I’m troubled by the prospect of rental assistance programs that only benefits landlords and not their tenants; I’d much rather fund affordable home ownership programs that generally incentivize individual home ownership.

Would you support a program to create accessory dwelling units that could remain affordable?

Yes! We have zoning in parts of Erie that allow for ADUs, and I would like to work with home builders to increase their presence in Erie.

Would you support changing single-family zoning to allow for more mid-density housing such as townhomes and duplexes on lots that have room for them? [YES] | As an elected official would you take a leadership role on this?  [YES]

no further answer

What do you think are the impacts to our community and our environment when the vast majority of workers commute from elsewhere? What role can affordable housing play in eliminating those impacts?

This excessive commuting puts a strain on our infrastructure, our wallets, our quality of life, and the climate. My goal with affordable housing is to afford everyone that works in Erie the privilege of living in our Town. When our police officers, teachers, and grocery store cashiers can enjoy a short commute (or none at all!) to work in Erie, they’ll be able to save money on transportation and spend more time and money with their families, enjoying all that Erie has to offer.

The business community struggles to find workers because of the high cost of housing. Would you be willing to meet with business leaders to ask them to support an affordable housing program for the town tied to job growth?

Absolutely.

Smart community development such as mixed-use, middle-housing, and transit-oriented development can have a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Would you support a scoring system so that proposed developments can be scored for their contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses?

Yes, I would.

What do you understand about the history of racism that has led to people of color owning less property, and thus having less wealth than white people?

Structural racism and redlining have disadvantaged generations of BIPOC Americans from home ownership and a positive net worth. It is tragic that the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased this disparity, where white households now hold 84% of the country’s wealth while only representing 60% of the population (Source).

Would you support procurement policies in housing that create a preference system for minority and disadvantaged businesses? [YES] / Would you take a leadership role on this? [YES]

no further answer

What do you think the town can do now to enhance equity as it relates to housing?

We recently hired Alberto De Los Rios as our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, and we have established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board. I look forward to working with Alberto and the DE&I board, in conjunction with the home building industry, other elected officials, and the community to establish equitable programs. I don’t have a simple answer and expect this will be one of the most challenging aspects to my second term as Trustee.

What role do you think neighbors should be able to have when considering affordable housing in their neighborhood?

They should welcome affordable housing along with the police officers, school teachers, grocery store clerks, and other workers and families that rely upon them. We must learn from the mistakes made in Denver; I have no tolerance for exclusionary zoning policies.

Should Erie create an eviction legal defense program like the one in place in Boulder to help people retain their housing? It’s far less expensive than building new housing. [YES]

no further answer

Recently after the fires, there has been evidence of price gouging by landlords taking advantage of a disaster. Do you think local governments should have a regulatory role in keeping those practices from the community?

Yes. I would support a robust set of policies to limit rental rate increases that would also curtail rising costs to landlords by limiting property tax increases and other costs tied to unrealized property values.

What role do you see for our town government in limiting vacation rentals and investor-owned property as a way of keeping housing costs down?

I know of several families that have supplemented their income by offering vacation rental rooms in their home. While this anecdote is not evidence, I would like the Town to spend some time and effort to understand how vacation rentals affect the housing market and act accordingly. The problems with investor-owned properties are clear; the challenge will be in crafting legislation and policies that adequately protect the vulnerable whilst being legally defensible.

Would you support lifting the state statute banning local governments from addressing high rents through rent stabilization measures of some kind? Are there incentives the town could provide to landlords who keep rents from skyrocketing?

Yes, this 40-year-old statute is very much contrary to the home-rule authority that most municipalities in Colorado enjoy (we hope to join them in the next few years). The housing crisis will not be solved by a uniform approach for all municipalities in Colorado; what works in Pueblo will most likely not be the right solution for Erie. As I mentioned above, policies to limit property tax increases and other costs tied to unrealized property values may be used to incent landlords to keep rental rates in check.

Justin Brooks

Explain to us your own values about community and the need for affordable housing.

When my family and I first relocated to Erie from the Houston Area 13yrs ago, we experienced severe sticker shock in attempting to find a place to live despite our both being fairly well-compensated engineers. Now that we have watched the cost of living continue to increase and the cost of housing outpace wages, I am increasingly concerned at how sustainable this latest trend can be. A large portion of our residents are either small business owners or employees who now fall within what HUD identifies as housing-distressed owners or renters. Given the challenge of running small businesses, it would not be a stretch that an Erie resident could easily be both. This spells a crisis that could lead not only to continued pricing out of our local market, but it could lead to a wave of foreclosures similar to what was seen just over a decade ago. Small businesses require a workforce to operate at their full capacity and due to many factors, that workforce has an abundance of employment options while also having an increasingly limited supply of attainable housing. Limited workers means limited operating hours, which means lower revenue and when combined with rising costs of commercial real estate leads to failed businesses and potentially bankrupt business owners. Even further, as a manager who seeks to attract and retain a number of engineers to the front range, I notice that the cost of housing has served as a deterrent to some when combined with the current market compensation. This spells the need for housing affordability at nearly all levels.

Do you know what the affordable housing goal is for Erie, and do you believe the Town’s efforts will meet those affordable housing needs?

The affordability goal for Erie is currently 12% per a resolution issued by the Board of Trustees. However, there is not mechanism currently in place that would cause the suppliers of this inventory to be motivated to provide it. Without some intentional action, along with collaboration with suppliers, we will not be able to reach 12% of our total inventory as attainable or affordable housing. I would like to see progress in this area made now, as we are starting to add inventory that is reaching 2-300% increase of price per square foot from 10 years ago.

What are the impacts on families when housing for young people is unaffordable in our area? Do you think this can be prevented through policy changes and funding? If so, what programs, and what level of funding would this require?

Housing affordability has the potential of impacting a variety of public health issues, such as food security, homelessness, physical and mental health, as well as child welfare. For parents working multiple jobs who have difficulty affording childcare, there is potentially less supervision of children who require it. Should housing continue to be out of reach, it could leave to families moving away or being unable to attain stable housing. In terms of policy changes, I do believe that a local ordinance that requires a percentage of new supply to be affordable or attainable housing is necessary. A local/expert housing affordability study is currently in process and should provide the required assessment of local needs for the Town of Erie and guide the level of minimum required affordable housing to be implemented. One program that once leveraged in Erie was the Victor Smith Senior Apartments on High St. This project was originally planned for many more units than have been built, so I look forward to working with our new Planning Director, Town Administrator and Board of Trustees to see what can be done to increase the supply of available and affordable Senior Housing in Erie, as well as generally affordable housing for non-Seniors.

Would you support a program to create accessory dwelling units that could remain affordable? [YES]

This exists today in some parts of Erie, with Erie Village and Old Town. There has been a trend of Multi-generational homes being added, though I am not sure if they are somehow restricted to either not allow rental use or if they are unaffordable. With construction costs being cited as a major obstacle to providing housing that is affordable, I would be willing to explore a variety of options that provide safe/affordable housing that serves our residents.

Would you support changing single-family zoning to allow for more mid-density housing such as townhomes and duplexes on lots that have room for them? [YES, within reason and with cooperation from land owners] | As an elected official would you take a leadership role on this?  [YES]

no further answer

What do you think are the impacts to our community and our environment when the vast majority of workers commute from elsewhere? What role can affordable housing play in eliminating those impacts?

There is a shortage of workers in local small businesses and most business owners that I have spoken to indicate that their workforce commutes from outside of town, sometime from great distances. This is unsustainable for multiple reasons, not the least of which is the cost of transportation and fuel, as well as the plentiful supply of employers across the state who are short-staffed. Affordable housing increases the level of access that workers have to their workplace, which lowers not only their living expenses, but it enables them to be more invested in the community in which they work.

The business community struggles to find workers because of the high cost of housing. Would you be willing to meet with business leaders to ask them to support an affordable housing program for the town tied to job growth?

Yes, I have already started these conversations with a few local business owners who also see this as an economic issue for our Town.

Smart community development such as mixed-use, middle-housing, and transit-oriented development can have a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Would you support a scoring system so that proposed developments can be scored for their contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses?

The concept of scoring for greenhouse gas emissions is not one that I am familiar with, but I would like to learn more and how it can serve our local assessment of not only housing needs but the array of solutions that may be offered.

What do you understand about the history of racism that has led to people of color owning less property, and thus having less wealth than white people?

I understand this concept quite well. The disparity in wealth accumulation in our country has been traced to a large degree to unfair housing policies in deed restrictions/covenants as well as disparities in mortgage lending (e.g. redlining). While these practices are no longer legal, the likelihood of generational wealth having been created among white landowners is greater than for people of color. Just recently, the USDA was found to have discriminated against African American farmers, leading to many to have lost their farmland due to limited access to capital, as is typically required to run a farm (Source).

Would you support procurement policies in housing that create a preference system for minority and disadvantaged businesses? [YES, as is common practice is federally regulated industries] / Would you take a leadership role on this? [YES]

no further answer

What do you think the town can do now to enhance equity as it relates to housing?

Due to proven disparities in wages an inventory of attainable housing may lead to opportunity for more representation in homebuyers. The Town cannot control wages in the private sector, though by ensuring that there is a variety of inventory that include affordable and attainable housing, it will be more likely that progress in equity can be made. This is the concept that by providing opportunities to all and fostering inclusive culture, equity will come along with it.

What role do you think neighbors should be able to have when considering affordable housing in their neighborhood?

Neighbors do have the potential to be impacted by developments that overly impact the shared infrastructure, such as roads and schools, so development should certainly be mindful of their concerns. A challenge seen in Erie is that there are far more people who are willing to acknowledge that affordable housing is an issue than those who are willing to suggest that the solution be brought to their neighborhood. This is something that could benefit from some guided dialogue to explore the potential options, as a concentration of affordable units in a sector away from existing neighborhoods is less effective and may create new equity issues that were less prevalent. Cooperative and collaborative solution making can prove much more effective.

Should Erie create an eviction legal defense program like the one in place in Boulder to help people retain their housing? It’s far less expensive than building new housing. [It depends]

no further answer

Recently after the fires, there has been evidence of price gouging by landlords taking advantage of a disaster. Do you think local governments should have a regulatory role in keeping those practices from the community?

Yes, to some degree, market prices for rent are easy to benchmark and track. Price gouging attempts should be easily ascertained and should be noted for the State Attorney General to address. There will need to still be a free market system for landlords who are subject to the free market for ownership of their property, though preying on people who are already experiencing a crisis driven by natural disaster is something that should not be allowed to occur.

What role do you see for our town government in limiting vacation rentals and investor-owned property as a way of keeping housing costs down?

I believe that vacation rentals and investor-owned property in Town should be registered. I also believe that vacation rentals have proven to be more impactful on their neighborhoods than traditional rental properties, with reports of VRBO party houses being of greater impact on surrounding properties. We learned from Denver that multiple VRBOs owned by the same person contributed to their housing shortage and caused prices to rise unnaturally. In Home Rule municipalities, it is not uncommon for vacation rentals to be subject to lodging taxes, though as a Statutory Town Erie is not able to make such an assessment.

Would you support lifting the state statute banning local governments from addressing high rents through rent stabilization measures of some kind? Are there incentives the town could provide to landlords who keep rents from skyrocketing?

I would need to learn more about this concept before making any sort of commitment. Incentives to maintain a healthy inventory mix on its face sounds like a good idea.

However, having local governments put into a position to have to stabilize a delicate housing market could prove problematic if not implemented well.

The post ECHO Affordable Housing Questionnaire: Candidates’ Responses appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Local elections matter, and this year is no different for the Town of Erie. The stakes may not seem as high as they are for presidential elections, but local elections are consequential. Voters have the opportunity to elect candidates that can vastly improve the conditions of the town’s infrastructure. And the campaign stances of each candidate are the earliest sign of who is willing to do the work.

Erie’s municipal election is on April 5, 2022. It will be conducted as a Mail Ballot Election. The ballot drop-off location will be Town Hall located at 645 Holbrook Street, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters will have the opportunity to choose three trustees, a new mayor, and decide on a slate of issues that could impact the town’s future. Some of the issues include expanding the town’s economy, making sure the town’s budget stays balanced, and making sure Erie’s continued growth doesn’t overwhelm the town. 

Yellow Scene Magazine put together our annual elections guide to help introduce voters to this year’s candidates, some of whom have probably knocked on your door already. We asked them the same set of six questions sourced from you, the voters. The questions covered topics such as oil and gas operations; masks in schools; and diversity, equity, and inclusion training. We also asked the candidates about how they will continue Erie’s economic development and whether the town should become a home rule municipality.

YS is not endorsing any candidate or any of the views presented here. We have earned a reputation for asking the hard questions and know that community journalism is committed to keeping our democracy intact.  

Candidates who chose to participate in this process sat for an interview with YS staff. Their responses to these questions have been condensed from their original transcripts for efficiency of space and should not be taken as a total representation of a candidate’s views. They are instead meant to provide a broad overview of how the candidates answered each question.

Justin Brooks – Mayor

Background: Brooks is running for mayor. He was appointed to the board of trustees in December 2021 to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Bill Gippe in October. He has a professional background in defense and aerospace engineering and holds a master’s degree from Penn State. 

Economic development: I’ll continue existing partnerships that serve to reinvest in the businesses that are already in Erie. I’ll also work with the town’s economic advisory board, as well as the local downtown Erie Business Association and the Erie Chamber of Commerce to support business mentorship and resource sharing so that new businesses can grow and thrive. One issue I have consistently heard from startups is that navigating the permitting and licensing processes is challenging. So I will work to make them more efficient, including making some of them electronic. I also support increasing mixed-use developments around downtown to help curb the recent growth in the prices of commercial real estate for businesses. We need to find creative ways to make space more available. Part of that solution is providing more affordable workforce housing so folks can live near the places they work.

School masks: I think the governing bodies of schools should be able to set their health and safety standards. For public schools, that is the school board and the county health department. For private and charter schools, that is the board of directors. I also think that parents that send their kids to those schools can make their own decisions about what it is they like for their children. However, I don’t believe they should be allowed to exempt themselves from any local laws that are on the books.

DEI: I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training because I believe that having a more diverse workforce, government, or team at any level, leads to a more positive outcome. Diversity creates solutions that are representative of more people, all of whom come from different backgrounds and cultures, and so on. I also believe that providing equity training pulls back the veil of understanding on some of the divisions we see in our community today. The bottom line is it comes down to how we’re willing to treat one another if we’re willing to respect one another. And we’re really willing to truly invest in one another as humans.

Oil and gas: Erie have always been a resource town in the sense that we were a coal mining town, then later we added natural gas and farming, and now we’re shifting more into a residential and commercial area that happens to sit on top of these oil and gas operations. I think the town has also taken meaningful steps to address this issue as well, including updating our Uniform Development Code and adding air quality monitoring systems. But oil and gas companies do have rights to extract resources from our soil, just as the residents who purchase their homes have the right to live safely in their homes. And so we have to work hard as a government to create a balance where both can coexist.

Home rule: I support Erie becoming a home rule municipality. It will give Erie voters the ultimate say about whether our town provides any variance from the state’s laws and standards. As a town that has grown significantly in the past few years, I think it is important for Erie to take control of our own fate. Becoming a home rule municipality could also help us benefit from special excise taxes like a lodging tax or recreational marijuana excise tax. But, the process requires a lot of participation from the voters, and if they don’t engage then they could end up with a result that they feel is out of line with their expectations. 

Bipartisanship: We are far more similar than we are dissimilar. Sadly, we have seen recently, things that are not really political arguments turned into political arguments. Things like the mask mandates and what to do in the face of a pandemic became political when it really should not have been. And I think that the left versus right politics really comes down to decency and kindness. If you’re willing to be decent, you’re willing to listen, and you’re willing to voice your opinion, then people usually arrive at some level of common ground.

Kelly Zuniga – Mayor

Background: Zuniga is running for mayor. She currently chairs Erie’s Planning Commission and is a parks and recreation planner for the city of Loveland. She also holds a PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder in urban planning and helped Erie organize the Kenosha Farm Community Garden in 2014. 

Economic development: Diversifying Erie’s economy is incredibly important to the long-term wellbeing of our community, and when you talk about supporting existing businesses, I think of  attracting primary employers. If you think about the kinds of experiences for the towns around us that have strong commercial centers, you have a primary employer that draws all the people to it. Just look at how Google benefitted Boulder. While Google is a lot bigger than the kind of companies I think we should be attracting, we have a lot to offer like our educated workforce and amazing location. We also have to preserve our commercially zoned lots for businesses rather than eating away at them with multifamily and mixed-use developments. These lots are invaluable for Erie businesses. 

School masks: The decision whether to set school safety standards or force students to wear masks is generally not something that is in the purview of a town government. While I love the idea of schools setting their own standards, that is above local politics. I will add that mandating the things that people have to do feels like an overstep to me. It’s not because I don’t think that people should wear a mask. It’s just that it’s none of my business whether they wear a mask, and I think that people will make good decisions for themselves and for their families. 

DEI: I think that DEI begins with people knowing each other and the struggles that we’re having. But it can be difficult to get to know your neighbors in a quickly growing town like Erie, especially when so many people spend a lot of time outside of it. I also think this has to do with some people saying we are divided when we really have disagreements of opinion. I also don’t think it is one of the roles of government to be teaching people how to think or speak. 

Oil and gas: I think we’ve already resolved this. Based on Senate Bill 181 and other recent updates to our Unified Development Code, we won’t be seeing much oil and gas in Erie. But I want people to realize that having energy diversity is a really valuable thing. Many people have natural gas furnaces, stove tops, and water heaters. These can help you cook your food and keep your pipes from freezing when the power goes out. As far as future residential development goes, there are regulations like the drilling setbacks in place to protect households from future oil and gas developments. But we do have to think through the implications of our policies and our programs and our legislation. We have to allow options to exist. There are already regulations in place, and adding another layer is unnecessary. 

Home rule: The decision to go home rule should not be based on the size or the number of residents. It has to be based on our town’s maturity. I think the biggest disadvantage to adopting a charter is that it would give elected officials and administrators too much power and that bypasses citizen consent. We would be giving additional power to people who are already making decisions based on what they want, not what the residents think is best. Before we move toward home rule, we need to adopt regulations for town staff, especially those in the finance department and create a stronger economic base.

Bipartisanship: I think we need to understand that the mayoral position as the trustees positions are nonpartisan. I think we don’t need to take extreme positions on issues, we need to look at what the real problem is, we need to consider the implications of any policy program or legislation that we’re introducing, both for current residents and for future residents. We need to talk openly without defensive or dogmatic discussion. An educated public can make much better decisions than when it doesn’t know what’s happening in town government.

Christiaan van Woudenberg – Town Trustee (incumbent)

Background: Woudenberg is an incumbent candidate up for re-election to Erie’s board of trustees. He is the editor-in-chief of Erie Protectors, which keeps the community up-to-date on local oil and gas activities. He also holds an advanced degree from the University of Colorado Denver in computational biology. 

Economic development: The key to attracting and bolstering downtown business presence is the downtown Urban Renewal Authority. Now that we’re getting additional revenues into that URA from the Erie Commons building and other developments, they’re able to do things like help Birdhouse, 24 Carrot, and 105 Wells get into their buildings and make the improvements. By the time we start building up from the ground in Town Center, we will have a healthy and thriving economy down Briggs Street, and frankly, Kattell Street as well. That’s really going to cement that downtown area as an entertainment district where you can go grab a coffee and have dinner and attend the concert. We also need to invest in business incubator programs and work to improve our airport. It’s a very multi-pronged approach. 

School masks: I don’t think schools should have the authority to set their own health and safety standards. I think that belongs squarely with the public health department. And that brings up the unique but slightly different composition of Erie where we are splitting between Boulder County and Weld County. I think that some of the divisiveness that we’ve seen over the past two years has really been about Boulder County taking some very protective measures up until recently and Weld County doing the opposite. So I really do feel that boards of health in the county are responsible for the health and safety of all of us whether we’re working at home or at school.

DEI: I vigorously support the DEI efforts that the town has undertaken. It is such an important thing that really came to a boiling point with the Black Lives Matter movement and is a very present topic. Representation matters. And it’s so important for us as a society to recognize where we have our privilege to dismantle those power structures so that we can have an equitable and just participation by people from all races, religions, colors, and creeds. By having candid conversations, we can learn to treat each other with kindness.

Oil and gas: There really is no balance between oil and gas or residential development. I tell every developer when they come to the town of Erie that they have a choice. Either they can operate in the oilfield, or they can help build a thriving community. They cannot have both. Without exception, every single developer now offers to plug and abandon all of the producing wells on their site before a single home is sold. And that, to me, speaks very much to the change in the conversation and an understanding of the cumulative health impacts of oil and gas development. We have to aggressively move toward a just and equitable transition to renewable’s future.

Home rule: I’ve recently become more hopeful about the process of becoming a home rule municipality. Where I am today is that 93% of Coloradans live in a home rule municipality, so if you moved from somewhere else in Colorado to Erie, then you probably came from a home rule municipality. We also need to dispel some of the myths around home rule such as it being a power grab by the current board of trustees. Home rule is not a mechanism designed to raise taxes but is a mechanism whereby we can recognize what makes us different and celebrate that and charter destiny as a community that will ultimately be 70,000 people. 

Bipartisanship: For me, it’s about leading by example. It’s about being true to my oath of office, to represent the residents of the area, and to do what’s right. And the struggle sometimes, most often, to separate the loud voices from one side or another and really incorporate that into what you know to be true for the bulk of Erie residents. And that really is a nuanced conversation. Being a scientist at heart, I really embrace that notion that you’re allowed to change your opinion when presented with new evidence. And that’s such an important thing for me to hold true. That is, in no small part, why I ran for office to begin with and why I’m running for re-election. 

Dan Hoback – Town Trustee 

Background: Hoback is running for a seat on the board of trustees. He has a long and storied professional background in international finance management and holds a master’s degree in the subject from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. 

Economic development: I think developing the town and its businesses should go hand in hand. Many businesses are compatible and work well together. So, it’s not about attracting new businesses to the detriment of existing ones. I don’t think bringing in additional businesses is preempting us from working with existing businesses. Instead, I’ll work to improve the application and permitting processes and reduce fees. There is also limited commercial space downtown, so we also need to expand on that and refurbish what we can.

School masks: School districts have always had the right to set their health and safety standards. These districts also span multiple jurisdictions, multiple towns, and multiple counties. I think they have to have some of their own rules, and I don’t see a problem with that.

DEI: I support DEI being trained in schools, businesses, governments, and other institutions. The company I work for requires us to go through the same training every year. I think it’s very important to an increasingly divisive society, and we’ve got to bring everyone together, and DEI training is a part of that. 

Oil and gas: I think a big step was taken last year when Erie updated its Unified Development Code. There’s currently very little planned as far as drilling or fracturing operations. So I don’t see it as being a particularly large issue in the near future. I think the reverse setbacks will also accommodate whatever it is that comes our way. I honestly think it’s an issue that’s largely going away. But we’ve got to make sure our neighborhoods are safe to the greatest extent possible. This includes stripping the land, removing old equipment, and that sort of thing. Oil and gas companies need to be held accountable to restore land to original condition as much as possible. 

Home rule: For a while, I was on the fence, but I am in favor of transitioning to home rule. I think it’s time, and there are benefits to coming out from under the wing of the state. Erie voters could define our town and set new land use and tax rules. We’re getting to the point where we might have a hotel and could possibly have a lodging tax associated with that. I just think it’s time. We’re big enough. I’m not aware of any compelling pitfalls to becoming a home rule municipality either.

Bipartisanship: I don’t find political ideology to be part of true government, at least on the level of a town like Erie. I try to treat everyone with respect to speak, to speak respectfully, and return kindness with kindness. I also expect people to revert back to figures and actual data as opposed to beliefs and ideologies when pursuing something that’s going to impact the rest of us. Being on a town board is not about me. It’s about what is best for the constituents and what they say they want. 

Emily Baer – Town Trustee

Background: Baer is running for a seat on Erie’s board of trustees. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Front Range Center for Assault Prevention for 16 years and is also on the board of trustees for the League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans. 

Economic development: I love the charm of our downtown and want to make sure that we maintain that character. I also think that the business owners who are already down there are the experts on what’s next and how we can enhance the downtown experience. Hopefully with some practical thinking, we can do a lot of things in downtown. I’m also excited to work with the Downtown Erie Business Association and the Erie Economic Development Council to see what things have been planned and what ideas they have. I think there’s a lot of pressure on our small business owners right now, and Erie needs to do better to attract larger employers to town. 

School masks: School districts already have set health and safety standards, like requiring students to be vaccinated by kindergarten. And even when my daughters went off to college, they had to get a hepatitis shot to be up to date on everything. So yes, I do think that these safety standards should be required in order to maintain our health and safety.

DEI: I support DEI training because I think it’s important for the general community. We don’t know what we don’t know, and I think DEI can help us better understand our neighbors, our community, and our implicit biases. I think DEI can make us better neighbors and better employers. It’s really important.

Oil and gas: Oil and gas in Erie is here, I hope that the steps that we have taken have ended neighborhood drilling because we have seen that there are serious health impacts from neighborhood drilling. My family was impacted by oil and gas development here, and I think the updates to our Article 12 and the air quality monitoring agreement the town entered into are important steps to protect our residents. We have to continue to be planful and thoughtful about future housing developments as well. That’s why I support increasing air quality monitoring around new homes. 

Home rule: I support Erie becoming a home rule municipality. I think it’s an important step for us to be able to have a sustainable budget and to be really on our own and make choices that make sense for our town. I’m excited about the prospect of having a resident-elected commission that writes a resident-written charter that addresses things that are important to residents here in Erie. I would also like to see additional support put in place for our town staff as we mature into a home rule municipality. This would really help them tackle the different challenges that come with the new responsibilities. 

Bipartisanship: It’s really important to me that we are creating a culture in Erie where people feel safe, seen, heard, valued, and respected. That is a bedrock for me in my life. I have a lot of compassion and patience for people and understanding that we’re all coming from a different angle. And really leaning in and hearing people is important to me. I want the people of Erie to feel valued enough to want to invest in the town, and I think we do that by creating spaces where people feel like they can engage with the town in a civil manner.  

Jeff Haverkate – Town Trustee

(refused interview)

Ryan Kenward – Town Trustee 

Background: Kenward is an Air Force veteran and program management professional with deep experience in executing national defense programs. He also spent time abroad earning his MBA in South Korea while studying international business.

Economic development: As someone once told me, Old Town is the heart and soul of Erie, and I couldn’t agree more. But a few stable businesses have closed recently, which leads me to believe that Erie can do better for its businesses. We have the potential to create a tech center like the ones in Louisville and Lafayette. We also have a lot of budding entrepreneurs in Erie. So we need to focus on building the right kind of environment for them rather than hitting them over the head with costs and fees. The goal is to diversify our economy by bringing in more businesses to help the town grow sustainably.

School masks: I don’t really have an opinion about whether schools should set their health and safety standards because they operate under the jurisdiction of the state and local health departments. I would like to see us come back to make parents equal stakeholders in their children’s education and the environment that they’re in all day. As for the mask mandate in Erie, I honestly think that the best thing would have been to just stay neutral on that and let each county decide. Instead, the county imposed Boulder’s restrictions, and it created a divisive environment.

DEI: I think the intention behind DEI is good, but I’ve noticed there seems to be a lack of focus on diversity of thought. When I think of diversity, I think of incorporating a wide range of views and making sure that everyone is heard, and no one is marginalized. You can have all sorts of people, but if they all think the same exact way, you haven’t really achieved the diversity that is meaningful in a company or in a community to challenge each other. I think we need to get back to that point where we can compromise again and remember that we’re all neighbors. We don’t need to be hostile towards each other.

Oil and gas: First, we need to give credit to the work that’s already been done to regulate oil and gas in Erie via Senate Bill 181 and the updates to our Unified Development Code. I don’t feel like it’s a partisan issue that people don’t want that stuff in their backyard. But these companies are simply moving to unincorporated Weld County to extract the same resources, and we’re not capturing that revenue. Green energy is certainly a noble goal for our community, but the reality is that we’re not ready to fully switch over yet. We’ll get there, but in the meantime, let’s make sure we’re not cutting off our nose to spite our face. 

Home rule: I think it could make sense to move to home rule but not right now. Erie hasn’t had very balanced growth recently. Residential growth has boomed, but our businesses have lagged. I think there are a lot of benefits that can come from home rule like setting our own taxes, but we can’t reap those benefits without a diverse business base. The other part that concerns me is the cost. We’re already maxing out space in town hall, so we would need to build a new building to house the larger government. And there are other associated costs, too. So, I don’t think it’s the right time to move to home rule.

Bipartisanship: I think that it’s important to remember that elected officials serve at the will of their constituents. That being said, it is a very divisive time. I think we really need to pull back some of that national division and get back to just focusing on Erie and doing what’s best for our town today. I’m from the school of thought that I don’t have to agree with someone all the time, that we can agree to disagree, or we can find compromise. I think there are a lot of people out there that think that way too. 

Andrew Sawusch – Town Trustee 

Background: Sawusch is running for a seat on Erie’s board of trustees. He currently serves as a planning commissioner for Erie and helped create Community Before Politics, an informational medium that helps business owners navigate the challenges created by COVID-19. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Economic development: There’s the saying, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” So, if we are able to bring more businesses to the Old Town and downtown areas, everyone would benefit from the increased foot traffic. As a trustee, I would continue working with many of the business associations that focus on downtown to increase space for new businesses to move in. I would also work to simplify the application and permitting process, so new businesses can open much quicker and easier. We also need to bring down the price of commercial real estate in town. No matter where I’ve gone, I hear the same reprieve: It’s expensive to do business in Erie. Solving this problem will take a lot of community engagement, but it’s necessary to put our town on a path for future success.

School masks: The local health authorities are the only entities that have legal jurisdiction surrounding the health and safety policies of school districts. And that is exactly the only entity who should have the right to do so. However, just like the town, the school districts should be listening to their constituents, listening to the taxpayers, the residents in those areas to identify whether or not they agree with the measures being brought forward.

DEI: While I am very fortunate to call Erie my home, like Colorado as a whole, Erie is not the same diverse melting pot like where I grew up. DEI is important to Erie because it acts as a catalyst that provides others with the opportunity to share their insights and life experiences. As a town, we must ensure that every individual, no matter the reasons that uniquely make them who they are, is provided with the same opportunities to participate in town activities, to join in on conversations, and to share their own opinions or beliefs. So, in my eyes, the best way to improve our community for years to come is to create a forum for active dialogue to be open and receptive.

Oil and gas: The town has already addressed this issue over the last two years. Because of the updates to our Unified Development Code and Senate Bill 181, we have a clear-cut, defined boundary between oil and gas operations and occupied properties, whether that is commercial or residential. The expectations for developers are clear, such as the setbacks for plugged and abandoned wells and the reverse setbacks from existing operations.

Home rule: I do not believe we should move to home rule at this moment. The biggest reason that individuals will try to say we need to move to home rule is because we are the largest statutory municipality in the state. That alone, in my eyes, does not warrant whether or not we should or should not move to home rule. There are too many items that the town has not addressed under our current statutory powers that would warrant or necessitate us to move to home rule, and there is too much distrust currently in those at town hall as well as with the previous board of trustees. There are some benefits such as being able to levy our own excise taxes, but there are many items we wouldn’t be able to change because they are set by the state.

Bipartisanship: The individuals at town hall are the leaders of our town, and it’s important for the board of trustees to be the voice and the stewards of the residents. However, just like in everyday life, it is very common and very healthy to have different views or opinions on various topics. This is where teamwork does come into play. It’s about collectively discussing the pros and cons of various issues, coming up with solutions that are the best for the community. It takes speaking with all the individuals, the town staff, and all the various departments, so that everybody can be on the same page. And just as it takes discussion, it takes collaboration, and it truly takes a teamwork mentality.

First financial reports:

Dark Money In Erie: What special interests seek to gain by influencing Erie’s election

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