Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I have recently retired and am focused on giving back to the Community. I have lived in Erie for 11 years and would like to see us be able to have more control over how we run the Town, and there are constraints placed upon us by being a Statutory Town.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Home Rule transfers some levels of control from the State of Colorado to the municipality; the default status of being a Statutory town was meant to help municipalities "grow up" to where they can have more control over their rules. Home Rule does NOT override laws such as the Colorado Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), which is a common misconception. It does allow for more flexibility in areas of zoning, campaign finance regulations, and internal districting.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
Home Rule allows Erie to determine things mentioned in the previous response. The Town needs the flexibility provided by Home Rule to give the Town Government better tools than are available under Statutory Rule.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
There appears to be a lot of misconceptions about what Home Rule can and cannot do, and this is causing divisions within the Town. We need to clearly articulate the benefits, as well as any potential downsides, that Home Rule will allow, and do our best to write a Home Rule Charter that enables Erie to be governed in a more planned fashion.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
Listening to the residents of Erie and writing a Home Rule Charter that meets the desires of the majority of the Town, ideally providing the flexibility to allow future Erie Government Leaders to provide the services and support required as the Town grows, and to have this growth be manageable and as planned as reasonably possible.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
Two reasons:
1. I’m an unaffiliated voter with concerns that the creation of our home rule charter could become a “head butting contest” between the “reds” and the “blues”
2. I have 9 years of experience in Town processes as a member (chair until recently) of a citizen’s advisory board (Opens Space and Trails)
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Our Town would be governed by a charter written by, and approved by, our Town’s residents, not by “one size fits all” rules defined by the state.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
The best government is the one that is closest to its citizens.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
See reason #1 why I decided to run
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
Manage town growth
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I'm excited to see Erie grow in a sustainable and managed way, and for the citizens of Erie have a bigger say in how our town is run. I believe a properly constructed Home Rule Charter will set us up for success as we grow past 35,000 people, and I would like to help make that happen.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Home Rule is when a town decides the laws at the state level that lay out statutory town governance no longer provide enough local control to deal with their own specific issues and concerns. The town then votes on whether to become Home Rule, elects residents to write a new town charter, and then votes on whether to accept or reject the new charter.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
The main benefit to Home Rule, in my opinion, is local control. Right now we are beholden to state-level statutes as to how we can run our town. I would love to see the residents of Erie get a more direct say in where we want our town to go from here, as the inevitable growth and change hits us. A properly-constructed Home Rule Charter can give us, the residents of Erie, a more direct hand in how our town will face the coming years.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
The biggest obstacle would be the actual changeover, I think. Depending on how the charter is written, moving from our current trustee/mayor/town-manager system to whatever is written into the town charter has the potential to cause issues. I think a great way to mitigate this would be to write the transition process to minimize the churn that happens anytime a major change occurs.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
My hope is to help write a charter that gives everyone a voice, that doesn't leave anyone feeling excluded or without say in how the town is run. I want to make sure that the interests of people who are usually overlooked are given equal consideration alongside the interests of everyone else. And mostly, I want to help write a charter that will guide the town of Erie in a prosperous and forward direction. We have a lot of potential in Erie, and I want to make sure that potential is realized.
Candidate Kenward posted answers to these questions on his facebook page.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I decided to run because I want to help shape Erie’s future and make sure that it continues to be an enjoyable place to live. My experience as the chair of the Sustainability Advisory Board has given me insight into the workings of our current government. My background as a mechanical engineer in the nuclear sector has given me the skills to understand standards and create usable documents. I believe I have the required tools to help create a charter that will be accepted by all residents of Erie.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Home Rule is a way for Colorado municipalities to control how they are run. It is a way for the people of Erie to dictate the priorities of the local government instead of being run by state statutes. The Home Rule charter gives the people the power better manage its priorities through the elected government. The charter is written by the people and for the people.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
The biggest benefit of Home Rule is allowing Erie to manage itself, such as controlling growth or providing incentives to businesses. Priorities change and creating a charter that provides a robust framework will allow the people of Erie to manage these priorities now and in the future.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
I believe the biggest obstacle of changing to Home Rule is educating the residents that Home Rule is a good direction for the people of Erie to maintain local control. Creating a charter that will be accepted by all of Erie is my ultimate goal.
A current difficulty is not knowing what the charter says since it hasn’t been written yet. Electing an effective charter commission to draft a charter that will work for the people of Erie is critical. I know the Town of Erie staff are capable of implementing a Home Rule charter and do not foresee any major issues if the charter is approved by the people.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
My major goals as a home rule commissioner are:
1. To take public input on what’s important to individuals.
2. To limit the influence of outside interests and spending in our elections by implementing campaign finance restrictions.
3. Implementing Ranked Choice Voting to allow voters to chose who they want instead of voting against a candidate.
4. Creating an elected board that represents everyone in town by utilizing neighborhood districts.
5. Encouraging Erie to grow in a financially sustainable way by creating zoning policies for housing and business growth.
6. Allowing people to move around Erie how they want with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle routes.
7. Maintaining an enjoyable town with open spaces and parks.
8. Making a charter that is non-partisan and will be accepted by the people of Erie.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
During my time as Trustee and Mayor Pro Tem, I regularly encountered situations where we were restricted in how we could make a decision or address a local issue. The answer to why we were required to vote a certain way was regularly "because we are a statutory town". Instead of running for a subsequent term on the board, I decided to put all my effort into helping Erie become a Home Rule municipality.
I want more local control and nuanced consideration for issues that affect Erie. I want to encourage commerce and make the most of new housing developments to offset the cost. I want Erie to chart a course that fits its needs, not one that is dictated for all small towns in Colorado.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Home Rule is a maturation process for young towns. Every adolescent goes through growing pains and eventually figures out how to run their lives themselves and not as their parents dictate. The time for Erie to mature is long past. It is time to catch up to our peers and set our own course for the future like the mature adults we already are.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
Greater autonomy – the charter is analogous to being the Town’s constitution on local and municipal matters. This means “self-determination”! We can design how we want the Town to operate.
Greater clarity - The statutes governing statutory municipalities are light in detail and in some instances very outdated. A Home Rule charter can help clarify the guardrails the town will operate under.
Greater options for taxing - while TABOR certainly applies when any new taxes are proposed, the ability to propose them at all becomes possible with Home Rule. This is where lodging, special retail, and transfer taxes might come into play to help develop additional community benefits.
Greater vision - Citizens have the opportunity to peer far into the future and envision what they want their government to look like and direct how it functions.
Greater community engagement - home rule is an exciting time for the community!
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
There are 18 candidates for the Home Rule Commission. The task of getting to know each of them and understanding how and what they will contribute to the process is daunting. The good news is the voters will be able to review their work and decide whether or not to support it next November. If the commission writes an unacceptable charter and it is voted down, it would be a huge loss of money, time, and credibility for the Home Rule process. If a poorly written charter is accepted, then the council/board may have a difficult task operating within the guardrails it sets.
The actual change from Statutory to Home Rule will be fairly frictionless. Towns have gone through this many times in the past and our staff is highly capable of altering their duties as needed to satisfy the charter terms.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
- Residential growth should pave the way for commercial incentives.
- Trustees need some subjectivity in approving development applications.
- I am open to dividing the town into districts to balance our representation.
- Erie should collect its own taxes to ensure accurate and timely revenue.
- Our election process needs reform: longer term for the mayor, more signatures to qualify for ballot, candidate committees should not be allowed, we should consider requiring previous service, and higher pay for trustees would open up the candidate pool.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I have a desire for Erie to thrive, if Home Rule is adopted I want to ensure an honest voice for my community.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Essentially Home Rule is a local constitution made up by residents, for residents, that gives our community increased opportunity to do what is right for our community.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
Giving the residents of Erie more power over land use. The ability to hold developers more accountable. Allowing us to set and adjust term limits for our local government.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
With change, there will often be bumps. This is a given with any aspect of our lives. I trust the voters of Erie to appoint individuals to the charter commission that are capable of problem solving and foresight. Capable of working together.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
I have an educational background in planning that revolves a lot around land use. The most common complaint I've heard from residents revolves around this topic and I feel I can assist in keeping the charter honest to the interests of the residents and not just blind development.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
To provide Old Town Erie with representation in town politics
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
It's an opportunity for the residents of Erie to have direct input in how the town is governed.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
Some of the biggest concerns residents face, they feel they can't control. While not all these issues are going to be fixed by Home Rule, residents will have greater input in possible solutions. I believe the biggest benefit of Home Rule will be a charter that is written by the people for the people.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
Change can be difficult for a lot of people. It will be critical for all the elected commissioners to be able to work cohesively for the greater good of the town.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
I want to ensure that Old Town, specifically, has representation at the proverbial table. Erie is growing and interest in Old Town is growing with it. I want to preserve the character of Old Town by keeping it in line with its historical charm.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I have witnessed extensive growth in Erie over the 22 years I have lived here. I believe it is time for the town citizens to vote on home rule. Our vision must be for the next 22 years or 100 years. Over the past eight years, I served on the school board for St Vrain and participated in a highly healthy approach toward comprehensive plans. Listening to stakeholders and representing goals toward the task is primary. I do not always feel that our town has built commissions and boards that work together efficiently. That concerns me. I know that I have an idea of the approach and vision for our town, but I believe what is most important is not be unwavering. I can be inclusive, listen to others at the table, and, most importantly, around town. This process will only succeed if the right members are in place.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Simply it will give our town a level of control over our municipality. We can not disavow code or state laws, but we will have the option to provide the best product to serve our community issues. Our town and the voters will set forth a plan they approve and vote on. In a sense, we can initiate RFPs mindful of processes and best practices to maximize Erie's vision and growth effectiveness. The State looks after the larger statutory view; home rule can serve Erie's
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
All the above answers and active engagement with the voters. It feels right to take an analytical approach to represent our town's future. We gain more control to serve a new comprehensive plan the town will have the right to adopt.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
The main issue is putting together a comprehensive plan representing the border community. If the conversations can not be under the guise of in-depth and inclusive, I don't believe the voters will approve home rule. It must be seen for the advantages to town residents. There must be a by in that we offer solutions to data pertinent to our town. The plan must be relevant. The plan must be comprehensive and understood by our town citizens to have increased access and control over the town's future.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
Working towards a plan that will serve the future of our town—listening to residents - offering an ear. I have a proven track record of serving not only our town but districts and towns around us. My vision has never been myopic; I demand of myself a broader view. That means having the ability to learn, grow and hear others. Tools must be put in place to utilize effective growth. We need the processes in place today that offer a design that provides future development. That is a critical mission, and you must have commissioners that can work together but, more importantly, represent the community.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
My wife and I have owned in Erie since 2001, buying our first home in Country Meadows after selling our condo in Gunbarrel. We knew nothing about Erie, but our realtor had me at “three car garage”. We have grown to love Erie and in 2014, after starting a family, we bought our second home in Vista Pointe. In 2017, after being the stay-at-home dad for awhile, I started a home services business with “Erie” in the name. With owning multiple properties in Erie and having an Erie based business, we have a vested interest in Erie and seeing it continue to be a great town to raise a family. If we, as a town, choose to evolve to the Home Rule model of governing I wanted to be involved in the process of drafting our charter.
Along with having a vested interest in Erie, I have served on the Town of Erie Tree Board since 2015. When this opportunity to be considered for the Home Rule Commission arose, I felt the desire to become involved for another reason - it is historic. Erie is older than the State of Colorado; and after 148 years, we are seeking to change from being a statuary town to a home rule town. This is an opportunity to be involved with writing a charter that will hopefully last 148 years and more.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
During my signature gathering, I explained to my neighbors that it was a governing model that gave more control at the local level with regards to taxes, election procedures, zoning, development, etc., rather than following the statutes of the State of Colorado. It gives us more local control with regards to how we decide we want to govern in the Town of Erie.
As an interesting note, prior to gathering my signatures needed to be included on the ballot in November, I knew very little about home rule. What I found out during my signature gathering is that I was not alone. Out of the thirty residents who signed my petition, I only knew seven. The other twenty-three residents were people whom I never met before. I walked around talking with neighbors about home rule during the process of gathering the required signatures. An overwhelming majority had similar thoughts - there is an underlying sense of either not knowing enough about home rule or an uneasy feeling as to why this is even being considered.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
There are many potential benefits to Home Rule, which would allow us to tailor the charter for our needs at the local level. If chosen as a commissioner, a few which I would propose would be:
- Erie should be divided up into wards or districts for Board of Trustees (BoT) election purposes to better represent the residents of Erie.
- There should be a continuation of term limits for the BoT and mayor, though I would be ok with expanding the term of the mayor to four years (if the strong mayor model is adopted). If Erie adopts home rule, the current term limits should remain in effect for current and former BoT members and former mayors.
- Those seeking to be added to the ballot for the role of BoT and/or mayor should be required to to submit a petition with signatures from 0.25% of the current population of Erie. That percentage could be higher or lower, if it is taken up for consideration by the commission.
- There should be a clear path laid out for replacing a BoT member or mayor who have left office or have been removed before the end of their term. The process is currently unclear and often changes each time a vacancy occurs. Back in 2013, I was involved in the process of filling a BoT vacancy and later informed of how the ultimate decision was made - behind closed doors. Each time there is a vacancy, the process seems to change, so it is in the best interest of residents to layout a clear path of how that process works for future vacancies.
- Our elections should be moved to November of each year, unless a special election is required. There are two benefits with this change. There would be a significant cost savings each election cycle and in theory, voter turnout should be better when it coincides with a state or national election.
A couple of other benefits that come to mind:
- More control over how certain areas of Erie are zoned, hopefully fostering more commercial and light industrial growth rather than residential growth.
- Deciding if we want the strong mayor system or the weak mayor system (this one I’d like to hear more feedback with regards to either system).
The one aspect of changing to the home rule model that concerns me are claims of eminent domain, seizures, and/or condemnation of both public and private property in the process of creating public projects. There is the potential to unfairly impact the residents of Old Town and all of Erie if this part of the charter is not thoughtfully drafted.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
One of the biggest obstacles that I see for moving to home rule is the trust from our fellow residents. If enough residents are in favor of having a home rule commission created in November of 2022, that trust can easily be lost if a charter is drafted that is packed with political and/or personal agendas. My feeling is that a charter should be a roadmap for the future of Erie and with no political or personal agendas added. I think if that goal can be achieved, the residents of Erie will approve the final charter in November of 2023.
I was reflecting upon the conversations that I had with a number of residents who signed my petition and other residents who I chatted with about home rule. More than a few residents had expressed concerns regarding home rule candidates and potential conflict of interest issues. To address that concern, this could be adopted during the drafting of the charter:
- Elected Home Rule Charter Commissioners should be barred from occupying a BoT seat or the role as mayor for a period of six years after the charter is approved by residents.
If it is demonstrated that the commissioners are not wanting to be appointed for later political gain, it might aid in seeing that the charter approved in November of 2023.
If we can overcome the hurdle of removing political and/or personal agendas from the charter, I do also foresee growing pains during the process of moving from the statutory model to the home rule model. Additional town staff will need to be hired, new roles will need to be created, and those new staff members will need to be trained.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
I look forward to drafting a charter that is in the best interest of my fellow Erie residents and one that will last well over 100-years. My hope that the commission can draft such a charter, which fellow residents will approve in November of 2023.
I will add one minor detail. If we move to the home rule model, I believe that we should be a home rule town as opposed to a home rule city. The choice is up to us and if we remain a “town” it will mean that we do not have to incur the cost and waste involved in changing of signs, printed materials, vehicle graphics, etc... plus I think that “Town of Erie” just sounds better than “City of Erie”.
Why did you decide to run for Home Rule Commissioner?
I am passionate about the well being of our community and the opportunities provided to all residents. I view the Charter Commission as a chance to represent values shared by local families and small businesses with future growth in mind.
How would you explain Home Rule to someone who has never heard of it before?
Home Rule means that our town’s government will be equipped with the authority and structure to make decisions and set legislation for issues that impact us on a local level.
What do you see as the benefits of Home Rule?
The most significant benefit of Home Rule is that it allows local officials, elected by our neighbors and peers, to make decisions to best suit our unique needs. Instead of being held to state statutes that don’t accommodate for our economy, growth, demographics, or goals, we can set a place for our own success by keeping more control here in Erie.
What obstacles, if any, do you foresee with Erie changing from a Statutory form of government to Home Rule?
We can all agree that many political issues can become polarizing. I feel a potential challenge could be coming to an agreement on a Charter that is best for the town as a whole, being as inclusive as possible of all residents. I am confident that, should the vote determine we proceed, the members of the Charter Commission will collaborate with integrity and humility.
What do you most hope to accomplish with your contribution to writing the Home Rule charter?
If I am voted to the Charter Commission, I hope to contribute a fair, educated, and ethical view to our discussions. I seek to support local growth and equal opportunity while remaining focused on efficacy for accomplishing agreed upon reform.
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