Letter to the Editor: Edgewater Ballot Questions

I hope all is well with you and your loved ones. I am writing you today to discuss the four proposed ballot initiatives 2F, 2G, 3H, and 2I. First and foremost, I really think the City and its elected officials have done a pretty good job over the last ten years. I do, however, take issue with the review process of the Charter.

The Edgewater City Charter is our own local constitutional document. It lays out the enumerated powers of our local government. Within its contents includes the scope and powers of elected officials, appointed officials, boards and commissions, and administrative staff and departments. It also provides fiscal parameters by which the City must operate. Basically, this document provides the essence of the functions of our local government.

Many municipalities in Colorado convene a charter commission to review their respective charters from time to time. Edgewater City Council is the official body that solely reviews their own Charter, and I take issue with this process. Ideally, I believe a more comprehensive and formal process is needed to review the document as a whole. Reviewing our Charter piecemeal and at will lends itself to situational and subjective decision-making. Over time, our current process could also foster much mischief. I absolutely do not think our current elected officials have bad intentions. However, I may not know any elected officials ten years from now. Therefore, I am of the opinion that the process to review our local constitution should provide checks and balances. Convening a charter commission would provide suchprocedural checks and balances by establishing a specific time and place for review, allowing more citizens to be involved, and reviewing the Charter at length and in a wholistic manner. Lastly, all Charter ballot questions should always be decided by a vote of the people.

As for the particulars of this round of Charter ballot questions, here is my take:

• 2F- I AM NOT TAKING A STANCE ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION. This ballot measure will give city council sole discretion over the salaries of the mayor and city council, without citizens voting on a proposed pay raise. One thing I will mention is that I quit my full-time job while mayor and drove for Lyft on the side. I made $500 a month as mayor. However, I was extremely involved on the local, county, and regional level, sat on many boards and commissions, and spent a lot of time meeting with fellow citizens. I chose many of these duties voluntarily, and every elected official has their own style. It does beg the question of the philosophical distinction between direct democracy vs. a more traditional representative approach. Are you OK with council setting their own pay without asking citizens?
• 2G- I AM OPPOSED TO THIS BALLOT QUESTION. I believe this measure is situational, and the language of reminding an elected official to attend meetings does not belong in our constitutional document. I am empathetic as to the specifics of this situation, but I cannot justify its codification in the Charter.
• 3H- I AM NOT TAKING A STANCE ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION. This measure would eliminate a provision, in times of a vacancy, that the next person who did not win a seat is automatically appointed to fill said vacancy within a certain time from the initial election. For example, let’s say a council member resigns in February, three months after a municipal election. The first vote getter who did not win a seat gets to be on council. This measure also begs the question of philosophical distinction between direct democracy vs. a more traditional representative approach. Are you OK with city council appointing a citizen when a vacancy exists without regard to the outcome of a prior election?
• 2I- I AM SUPPORTING THIS BALLOT QUESTION. Jefferson County’s Clerk & Recorder coordinates all local elections. There is no practical need for Edgewater to have its own election commission.

As a general rule, I am very reticent to comment on daily policy-making and legislation. Conversely, I do feel strongly about the general issue in question:  The procedural process of the review of our Charter. Thank you for your time, and I appreciate you. It was such a blessing to serve you for six years, and my favorite part was keeping in contact and communicating with as many citizens as possible. See you around town.

Kris Teegardin
Former Edgewater Mayor

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.