Letter to the Editor: Edgewater Ballot Issues

*This was originally posted in the October issue of the Neighborhood Gazette.

Edgewater has four very important ballot initiatives we’re bringing to voters this year. Before we dive in, a statement from council members Caleb Rountree, Steve Conklin, Kara Swanson, Cory Reid-Vanas, Janet Spangenberg, John Beltrone, Kate Mulcahy and Laura Keegan:

“City Council has identified four issues within Edgewater’s Charter that it believes should be updated. As representatives of our citizens, it is Council’s responsibility to bring these issues to the voters for consideration. Effectively, it is up to the voters to decide if Council’s suggestions are necessary updates to Edgewater’s Charter. Whether you’re for or against these changes, we stand with our process as thoughtful and democratic; placing the final decision in the hands of the community.”

Our town has seen unprecedented growth and development over the past few years. To keep this moving, we need to make Edgewater more efficient and more representative of our community. That’s why we’re asking you to vote yes on ballot questions 2F, 2G, 2H, and 2I.

2F. Don’t worry, we’re not doing this to raise our own pay. In fact, we aren’t legally allowed to change our own pay. What council is asking is to align Edgewater’s procedure for adjusting council pay with the rest of the cities in Jefferson County. We’re currently the only city in the county that adjusts pay through an election. If approved, council will be able to adjust pay for future councils, but not our own.

2G. We’re asking for the ability to tell someone when they’ve missed too many meetings. It’s really that simple. For most of council, we have careers and commitments outside of the city: jobs, families, weddings, funerals, hospitalizations, and other demands that may force us to miss meetings. 2G allows us to advise a councilmember when they reach the 20% mark.

2H. The current rule says that if there is a vacancy in the 180 days following an election the runner up is automatically appointed. This means that even if someone who may have received only one vote or is deemed a weak candidate with little public support, we are forced to appoint them to fill a vacancy. What we’re asking is to get rid of the 180-day rule and then vacancies would be filled by either Council appointment, special election, or at the next regular election. This way, we’re making sure the most qualified and dedicated people are representing you, not the people who received little voter support or confidence. This is in keeping with how many municipalities fill vacancies, including all other cities in Jefferson County.

2I. Edgewater’s Election Commission used to help run our elections. For the past several years the functions of the commission have been handled entirely by Jefferson County. By voting yes on 2I, you’re formally ending what informally died years ago.

Please Vote!

Caleb Rountree
crountree@edgewaterco.com
501-650-2747

Joel Newton

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.