Tell us a little about yourself
I moved to Edgewater 13 years ago with my husband Rob. We live in a historic church on 26th Avenue where we are slowwwwwly working on renovating it.
My early career and educational highlights include a master’s degree in education from Teachers College Columbia University and numerous years teaching middle school and high school students and training educators of all grade levels.
Today, I work at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus where I direct a program that secures and manages research grant funding for basic and clinical scientists at the School of Medicine.
In addition to City Council, my recent activities include serving on the HEALTHY Edgewater steering committee, and co-developing the Edgewater Walks program. I have also been involved with the Edgewater Collective and until recently, I volunteered as a backstage tour guide at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Why are you running for City Council?
Four years ago I was honored to be elected by you to serve as your Councilwoman. Today, I continue to be grateful to represent you, and my sense of service is deeper than ever.
With a commitment to smart economic development, education, historic preservation, and public health, I have seen first-hand that individuals and groups can make positive change in our community. I am excited about our city’s prospects and am committed to forging relationships with Edgewater residents — Relationships based upon ongoing communication, careful listening to citizens’ concerns and the development of strategic solutions for solving problems and planning for our city’s future.
I’m running for reelection to continue the conversation and to continue to work for you. As a Council, we have accomplished a lot over the last four years and we will continue to do more into the future.
What are the biggest opportunities in our city?
Longtime residents know it as the old King Soopers, but newcomers just know the corner of 20th and Depew as an eyesore in much need of some TLC. Although numerous development opportunities for this site have come and gone, the future is looking up for this blighted locale. Because this is one of our city’s last valuable parcels, Edgewater needs to be prudent about what should be built in this location; thus we are hopeful that our current development partner, Trinity Development Group, will be successful at finding the right mix of retail and residential for this parcel. With input from the community, the city will need to make decisions that go beyond this site being merely a sales tax generator. Rather, it will also be imperative that the site be built in alignment with the principles of our Comprehensive Master Plan.
What are the biggest challenges facing Edgewater?
We’re facing some growing pains right now. Being the new hot place to live, work and play means having to face new stressors such as traffic safety, parking, noise, and construction projects that put us at risk of losing our community’s unique character. As Edgewater evolves, it will be imperative that we consider the type of city we want to be. During my term on Council we passed a Comprehensive Master Plan that embraces our “small town feel” and walkability yet also encourages business and smart growth. As your reelected City Councilwoman, I will work to carry out the principles of the Comprehensive Master Plan. I will also advocate for numerous community engagement opportunities to weigh in on planning decisions that will affect the look and feel of our city.
Why should we vote for you?
Experience, commitment and trust are three words that come to mind. I truly am committed to making Edgewater a vibrant, healthy and happy place to live. In the past four years I worked with my fellow Councilmembers and city staff to make smart decisions for the long-term fiscal health of our city. Since being on Council, we have made major improvements to our streets, parks and infrastructure including the installation of street signs, bike racks, and a new playground. We have fixed sidewalks, repaved blocks and alleyways, replaced water mains, and re-lined our sewers. These major capital investments will help ensure that Edgewater will have a sound backbone infrastructure well into the future. I am committed to continue to work closely with Council to make smart decisions with a lasting impact.
* Stay tuned over the next week as we spotlight other Edgewater City Council and Mayor candidates
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
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