Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin Counties are reliant on each other. Community members are continuously moving between these three counties for work, recreation, childcare, shopping, and where they live. Garfield County’s current Board of Commissioners have made it a point to stay off of region-wide coalitions to address housing, transportation, and mental health needs, which limits the ability to build solutions. Moving forward, Garfield County Commissioners need to be active participants in developing solutions that work for all community members.

The County Commission of Garfield County is tasked with representing the interests of the county and being transparent about priorities and spending of hard earned, taxpayer dollars. Commissioners represent everyone, not just those who share the same opinions. I will hold the space necessary for hard conversations, and learn from them.

I will clear the weeds of government excess and waste so that you, the community, can be better informed about the work being conducted by your local government. This critical information will be easily found on the county website.

County governments were created to give residents greater access to government services and need to be working for the people of its communities. Garfield County has an abundance of resources and people should be able to easily find what they need. Additionally, we need to create a culture where elected officials are accessible to those they serve. Board of County Commissioner meetings need to be structured in a way that residents can attend and participate fully - whether that’s at a convenient time or in a language that community members can understand.

As Kris Mattera, Executive Director of the Basalt Chamber of Commerce, noted at the Habitat for Humanity Housing Summit, "Housing is where a job sleeps at night." Our economic needs go hand in hand with our housing needs. We need a varied approach to address a problem that has many parts namely, balancing our growing needs with preserving our rural character. I will work with our local municipalities and neighboring counties to support our residents, no matter where they work.

I will work to diversify our economic portfolio, working to eliminate reliance on revenue from the oil and gas industry. This means we need to bring in not only clean energy sources, but focus on building other sources of revenue. By doing so we will address our changing climate, our need to protect our environment, and protect our people from the impacts of exploiting natural resources.

We share where we live — from the water we drink, to the trails we explore. We must protect what makes this way of life so valuable to us. Being prepared for the ever-changing circumstances means working collaboratively with all of our communities to protect our water, care for our wildlife, and be prepared for wildfires, strengthening Garfield County.