Interview with City Council Candidate Joel Newton

You can learn more about Joel’s platform, priorities, and background on his website; Facebook; LinkedIn; and Instagram His email is also publicly available (joelforedgewater@gmail.com).

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Q: Why are you excited to be running to serve Edgewater this year?

There is so much happening in our country and beyond right now that can be so overwhelming. Decisions made at the federal level are impacting how much we pay for food to healthcare and housing. I also acknowledge that some in Edgewater are in favor of these decisions made by the federal government. In our less than a square mile community, we have an opportunity to come together, listen to each other, and find solutions to help those in our community face these external challenges.

I am running for City Council because I want to be part of bringing community members together to tackle the issues that are important to all of us. If we can’t come together, listen to each other, and work together on solutions in our small community, how can we expect those who represent us in Congress to do the same? Let’s be a model for moving forward together here in Edgewater.

Q: What past personal or professional experience qualifies you for the job? Tell readers about your background.

Since 2013, I have led the local nonprofit Edgewater Collective which focused on thriving schools, businesses, and neighborhoods in Edgewater. Most recently, our work has focused on working with Latino communities across Jefferson County. This work has allowed me to develop solid relationships with community members, business leaders, and educators in Edgewater. I’ve also been able to develop a network of connections with leaders across the county. These relationships are important as Edgewater learns from other communities and works together to do what is best for our community and beyond.

Q: What do you hope to achieve in your time in office?

As a City Council Member, I serve alongside other members and the Mayor. I don’t necessarily have goals for my time on Council because it’s important to listen to our community and work together on solutions. That said I do have three priorities for my time of City Council

Amplifying all voices

In our less than a square mile community, it is essential that each community member feels like they can speak up for their hopes and dreams for Edgewater. It shouldn’t matter whether you are a renter or homeowner, a citizen or new immigrant, whether you speak English or another language, all voices are needed in Edgewater. I hope to seek out voices that are not at the decision making tables and amplify those voices, so that each person feels like they are a valued member of our community and play a role in making Edgewater better.

Supporting Small Businesses

Everything from groceries to housing and health insurance is rising. This impacts our small business owners and their employees. Small businesses are so important to a thriving Edgewater economy. I will listen to those who work in Edgewater, and our small business owners, to ensure that we remove hurdles so that those who work in Edgewater and those who own small businesses can thrive. Edgewater should be the best place to open a small business and the best place to work.

Creating safe homes for all

Since our family moved to Edgewater in 2012, the cost to rent an apartment and to own a home have more than doubled. We need to strategically think about how we can create more attainable housing opportunities for those that want to call Edgewater home. Those who teach in our local schools, work in our small businesses, and who are retired should be able to find affordable housing in our community. This is a tough problem to solve, but we need to work together on solutions now.

We also need to ensure that all community members feel safe where they live in Edgewater, whether their home is an apartment or a home. Those who have lived in Edgewater for years or are new immigrants should feel safe in our community. As a Councilmember, I will work with Edgewater Police and individual blocks around our community to create opportunities to build relationships between City staff and neighbors.

Q: There are only four candidates for four open seats this year, and only one mayoral candidate on the ballot. What do you think the city can do to encourage more candidates to run in the future? And/or: what ideas do you have to engage citizens more in the policymaking process in the city?

I do think that we can do more as a City Council and community to develop a pipeline of leaders to serve on boards and commissions as well as City Council. As we face important decisions around housing, budgets, and public safety, I think we can be strategic about how we have community conversations about these topics so that community members feel heard and valued through the process.

Through these community conversations, we can provide pathways for people to take their next step in leadership in our community. I also think we can learn from other communities who have Youth Councils so that we can provide opportunities for youth in our schools and community to play an important role in determining what is important to them and how Council can take actions on those concerns and opportunities.

Q: Ahead of budgeting season, what are a few budget line items you think the city is spending too much money on? What are a few budget line items you think the city is not spending enough money on?

Budget conversations are another opportunity to have community conversations about what is important to those who live or work in Edgewater. As we move forward, it’s important for Council to have conversations with city staff about how we can involve the community in conversations about what is important to them and how those desires should be reflected in the city budget. We can’t rely solely on the city survey as the main source for what our community thinks and believes.

Q: According to a recent city survey, residents said public safety, affordable housing, public infrastructure, and promoting and supporting local businesses were the four most important issues for city decision makers to address. Pick any or all of them, and provide 1-3 ideas you support to address each.

I’m going to sound like a broken record, but each of these issues deserves community conversations to ensure we understand what is desired in each of these areas. When we hold these community conversations, we need to ensure that every segment of our community is represented from renters to those aging in their homes to business owners and those whose first language isn’t English.

Q: What do you hope for the future of Jefferson Jr./Sr. High is? What do you think city leaders can do to promote positive educational experiences for Edgewater youth?

Through my role at Edgewater Collective, I’ve been very involved in conversations about the future of Jefferson Junior/Senior High School. To echo the Jefferson Community Plan that was developed this summer, my hope is that we can fully develop a dual language program and career pathways at Jefferson, which will increase enrollment and funding, so that Jefferson can be a thriving school for years to come. One of the things that city leaders can do is to take the time to visit our local schools, talk to educators, and learn about the great things happening in our local schools. City staff have already made important steps to invest in after school programs at our local schools which is making a big difference as district funding is being cut.

Q: What personal perspectives on the current debate regarding Flock’s automatic license plate reading technology do you want to share with voters?

I do not trust our federal government or tech companies like Flock to use the data they are capturing to keep all our community members safe. Flock data can track where a community member travels each day from their home to work. Police departments in Colorado have already broken the law by sharing this data with ICE. We need to have a conversation with our community about Flock as many of us on Council are deeply concerned about this technology.

Q: If you would like to list endorsements for other city candidates, school board candidates, or the two statewide initiatives, please list them.

I am in favor of Propositions LL and MM because healthy school meals are essential for children and youth in our local schools.

Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education elections are so important for our students, educators, and communities. Jeffco faces some tough budget conversations and we need experience and wisdom during these conversations. This election I am supporting Denine Echevarria, Peter Gibbons, and Mary Parker.

Denine, a Latina leader, brings valuable experience as a teacher and bilingual education coordinator. Peter brings experience as labor lawyer which will strengthen relationships with JeffCo associations. Mary brings important board experience and wisdom.

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FROM THE ECHO EDITOR:
There are four candidates for the city council, and each voter may vote up to four times. Whichever candidate receives the fewest votes will serve a two-year term, while the other three will serve a four-year term. Read more in our explainer.

Edgewater Echo readers are encouraged to submit Letters to the Editor on any topic, including who you are supporting during this year’s elections. You can do so by emailing: hello@edgewaterecho.com