Edgewater Mayor Candidate Spotlight: Kristian Teegardin

Kristian Teegardin is running unopposed for Edgewater Mayor. Here is a letter from Kris to the Edgewater community:

Dear Friends and Citizens,

First and foremost, it has been an absolute honor and pleasure representing you on Edgewater’s City Council the past four years.  I have learned many things and will continue to represent Edgewater to the best of my abilities.  After due deliberation with my wife Stacey, I have decided to run for your next Mayor.

Stacey and I are proud to live in Edgewater.  We are a hard-working and inviting community known for its neighborliness and unique charm.  The positive hope and energy of its citizens create that character and sense of community.  Whether visiting with neighbors or spending time in one of Edgewater’s fine establishments, friendly conversations are not far away.  We are thankful that we call the “City of Choice” home, as we are grateful to be surrounded by wonderful people who care for the place they call home.

Choosing Edgewater was easy, for it reflected our common values.  Stacey and I both grew up in a small town, and our parents instilled in us a strong work ethic coupled with the commitment to civic duty.  We were raised to serve our community with honor, integrity, and humility.  I work at Jefferson Center for Mental Health supporting individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses obtain employment and reintegrate into the community.  I value the strengths in every individual and help create an environment that assists in their goals, hopes, and dreams.  Stacey also works in the behavioral health field and served in the United States Army National Guard as a combat medic.  Furthermore, Stacey is the lead on many statewide employment initiatives in the mental health field and also serves on Congressman Ed Perlmutter’s Military and Veterans Advisory Board.  Throughout our careers and life experiences, we are humbled to have met many dedicated and upstanding people whose service to one’s community continually inspires us all.  Representing you is an extension of that service, and I will work tirelessly toward that end.  Below are other ways I serve:

• Edgewater Parks & Recreation, Council Liaison
• Edgewater’s Senior Connections, Volunteer
• Business on the Edge, Council Liaison
• 1st Judicial Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee,  At-Large Member, City Council Representative
• 1st Judicial Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, Community Corrections Subcommittee
• Jefferson County Child and Youth Leadership Commission, Prevention Subcommittee
• Colorado Mental Health Network; Board of Directors

Please feel free to contact me any time through my website at www.kristeegardin.com.  As your mayor, my first and most important duty is to be available and responsive to you.  And above all else, my commitment to keeping community in Edgewater starts with you!

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.