I started the Edgewater Echo in the fall of 2013 to provide a platform for sharing good stories and relevant news to the Edgewater area. At that time, our community did not have its own newspaper or an online platform to share what was happening around Edgewater. Since that time, the Edgewater Echo has been something that I have done on the side and I have loved sharing what is happening around our changing community as well as telling stories from Edgewater’s past.
As I looked to the fall elections, I wanted to use the Edgewater Echo platform to provide an opportunity for Edgewater candidates for Mayor and City Council to share their views on the best path for our city moving forward. I reached out to Brandon Rittiman from 9News to see if he would moderate a forum and he agreed. So I moved forward with my plans for an Edgewater Echo Candidate Forum.
I have received feedback from members of our community that there is the perception that my hosting of the forum is influencing the election. I also serve as the Executive Director of Edgewater Collective and our Board President Grant Babb is running for Edgewater Mayor. Because of this growing perception that I am trying to influence the election, I have decided to cancel our Edgewater Echo Candidate Forum.
In a small community like Edgewater, perception is everything. I don’t want my efforts with the Edgewater Echo to have a negative impact on the mission of Edgewater Collective to see thriving schools in Edgewater. I also want to be very clear that I personally am not trying to influence the Edgewater elections this fall. You’ll never see political signs for Edgewater candidates in our front lawn. Even though community members have asked me who I am voting for in the Edgewater elections, I won’t tell them. In the Edgewater Echo, my hope is to share as much information as possible and let people decide for themselves.
Politics can be so divisive especially on the national stage. My hope for our Edgewater community is that we can create an environment where people from differing political beliefs can share those beliefs without fear of condemnation. If a small community like ours can’t find common ground or learn to have healthy political conversations, then good luck having them at a state or national level.
I am thankful for those who gave me feedback over the last few days regarding the forum. I am continually trying to grow as a person and a leader. Feedback from community members helps me and the various projects we have going in Edgewater become more effective and purposeful.
Here are two other opportunities to meet and interact with Edgewater candidates for Mayor and City Council:
Meet the Candidates on October 7
League of Women Voters Forum on October 16
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.
wow–sorry you had to make the choice to cancel. I will say that you putting it together would not have influenced me, but I do understand that others might think differently.
I am sorry to see it go. This has been my only means of communication from the city on current events. I’m confused about Edgewater having a newspaper? I purchased my house here 9 years ago and have never seen an Edgewater newspaper. When this is gone will someone else with the city who has no political obligations send out city info. We don’t want anyone pursuading the voters. We all appreciate the weekly communication emails and it gives city residents important information they would other wise get. It has been a convenient option since 2013.
We aren’t going anywhere. The Echo Candidate Forum is just canceled. The Edgewater Echo is just online and published by residents. The Edgewater Echo is not associated with the City of Edgewater. We do help write articles for the Neighborhood Gazette which gets delivered to homes in town.