Tell us a little about yourself.
I am originally from Kansas and moved to Colorado 20 years ago, settling in downtown Denver. When my daughter was born three years later it became obvious to me that Edgewater was the perfect place to raise a family. It reminded me of my home town, which is very near and dear to me. We live in one of the oldest homes in Edgewater (A.K.A. the money pit), built in 1870, and have enjoyed researching its history in our city. Like most families, life can get crazy at times. My better half is the glue that holds everything together and my daughter is a senior in high school finding her way through the International Baccalaureate program.
Professionally I am a Creative Director and have worked in the Architectural & Engineering industry for over 30 years. I have been at my current job for 12 years and consider myself very fortunate to love what I do for a living. Working downtown, I enjoy taking the bus every day or walking for the exercise.
Previously I served on Planning & Zoning Commission and enjoyed learning the many facets of land use code. For the last 4 years I have served as a Councilmen and Mayor Pro-Tem.
Offline I enjoy glassblowing, wood working, and the great American road trip. It is such a great way to stay connected to your family in this digital age. We have a lot of places we adore in Colorado, but hands down our favorite getaway is the small town of Ouray in the San Juan Mountains.
Why are you running for City Council?
I am running for re-election because making a difference in this community truly matters to me. I have more contributions to make, ideas to share, and a deep commitment to this community. Together we are uniquely Edgewater, not like any other community, and I cherish that.
What are the biggest opportunities facing Edgewater?
The opportunities in Edgewater take on many shapes and sizes. Some big, some smaller, but all equally important for the success of the city.
For example, you may have heard about the development at 20th & Depew. It has been a long time in the works to say the least. Yes, we have been picky, very picky you might say, in not only what we expect financially out of this development, but more importantly how it will improve the way we live, work and play. I will continue to press for the best development for this community. Giving up, giving in, or throwing my hands in the air are not options for me, no matter how long the process takes.
What you may not have heard about is that for some time we have experienced more than anticipated sales tax revenue growth. That kind of growth, while not as front and center as the 20th & Depew development, is an important opportunity that will allow us to do other things that make an impact on us all. Perhaps more infrastructure upgrades, possibly enhance our services, and continuing to save for a rainy day.
What are the biggest challenges for our city?
I am guessing that I am not the only one who has noticed home sales are BOOMING here in Edgewater. Add a sharp increase in building permits, double digit Site Development Plans submitted, near double digit new business and home occupation licenses granted, and you have yourself a stellar year for growth in this community.
I mention all of this because when I read this question, the first thing that I thought of was one of the top concerns expressed by a majority of citizens, not to mention my family, in our community survey. Development. So to answer the question, I think that responsible growth is and will continue to be a challenge. So what does responsible growth look like, exactly? In my mind, responsible growth is doing what is right for us, not feeling the need to emulate our surrounding communities to be considered successful. It is a tough question to say the least and one that will be the responsibility of all of us to decide.
I look forward to making our biggest challenges our biggest opportunities.
Why should we vote for you?
I believe in working hard, being a conduit—not a roadblock, living life with high personal integrity, and having similar high expectations for the work that I do.
I believe that a collaborative spirit is needed to make meaningful decisions, and understand that sometimes things get intense, and it takes discipline to study and comprehend the issues facing us.
I also understand that building strong relationships and partnerships between all parties creates a shared ownership of our successes and failures.
If you are looking for a candidate that knows the importance of surrounding yourself with people smarter than you, has no agenda, and has experience on what it takes to be an effective, engaged member of this City Council, I would be honored to have your vote.
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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