5 candidates vie for 3 open seats on Holyoke City Council
Ballots for the Tuesday, Nov. 8, election are expected to be delivered to mailboxes this week. The Holyoke City Council elections coincide with the November general election in coordination with the Phillips County clerk’s office. Ballots are mailed only to active registered voters. Candidates for the city council will appear on the ballots for only those voters residing within Holyoke city limits.
Ballots must be received by the Phillips County clerk and recorder no later than 7 p.m. on Nov. 8. Postmarks of mailed ballots will not be considered for meeting this deadline. Anyone who thinks they should have received a ballot but has not should contact the county clerk’s office at 970-854-3131.
City council candidates Gary Herr and Trae McCallum join incumbents Brian Akey, Gene Bittner and Cathy Edge in running for the three open seats. The term of service is four years.
Candidates were each given an opportunity to respond to four questions posed by The Holyoke Enterprise staff. Below are their responses, in alphabetical order by last name.
Brian Akey
Why do you want to serve on the city council? I want to continue to serve the city of Holyoke because I would like to see current projects through to completion and help the city of Holyoke look towards the future by looking for new types of businesses, affordable housing and prioritizing streets that need to be fixed.
What do you believe is the role of the city council in our community? The role of the city council is to prioritize projects that need to be done (i.e., streets, basic infrastructure, parks and rec, etc.) while being fiscally responsible to our taxpayers. Its role also includes looking towards the future on what we can do now to help bring new businesses to town and help solve the affordable housing issue that we currently have.
What experience/characteristics do you have that can benefit the work of the council? I have served on the Holyoke City Council for 12 years. I have attended Colorado Municipal League meetings. I’ve had many conversations with economic development groups and have seen what Holyoke can do and should be doing to move forward to be a viable community in the future. I’m currently working with Code Enforcement on updating some of our weed, junk and animal ordinances to keep our city clean.
What do you believe are the two most challenging issues facing the city and how, as a city councilor, would you work to resolve those issues? The two most challenging issues are finding new businesses for main street and affordable housing. We have signed resolutions to help with grants for housing and to help set up new noncompeting businesses. Now we need to work with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, developers and prospective business owners to get any assistance that would be available.
Gene Bittner
Why do you want to serve on the city council? To help the city to move forward in spending money in the most efficient way possible. There are items that are fixed cost, but there are other items that should be discussed and come to consensus. It will be the best for the city.
What do you believe is the role of the city council in our community? Seeing that the enforcement codes are being enforced will help keep the city clean and presentable to tourists, potential home buyers and entrepreneurs looking for a new place to resettle. Also, keeping equipment up to date and in workable condition to get the different jobs done that need to be done on a daily basis.
What experience/characteristics do you have that can benefit the work of the council? I have served on the council for the past four years. My career before retirement was working for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for 38 years. That consisted of management of the office for 15 years and supervising three employees. During that time, I worked on designing dams, terraces, livestock water pipelines, waterways and concrete irrigation ditches.
What do you believe are the two most challenging issues facing the city and how, as a city councilor, would you work to resolve those issues? The city of Holyoke water supply and nitrates, and also bringing the city’s fourth well online. The water table is continuing to drop, which means there could be some water restrictions if the drought continues. Also, nitrates are a serious problem. There might be a need to do some exploring to see if it can be determined where the nitrates are coming from.
Cathy Edge
Why do you want to serve on the city council? I would like to continue working with the city council because there is so much to do yet. I want to talk to the citizens in our community about their concerns and understand the things that our small town needs now, and work for the future. My goal is to stay on task with what I have started.
What do you believe is the role of the city council in our community? Making sure that things in our town are run as smoothly as possible. Knowing when to jump in to help. Understanding our employees’ needs and how to help when needed. Knowing what is needed in the future, like for our water, sewer, streets, upkeep in our town, etc.
What experience/characteristics do you have that can benefit the work of the council? I have owned my own business and know how difficult it is sometimes. I’m interested in how to get more business in our town, along with the support of our community for them. Working with council starts with communication and understanding what is expected of us as a council.
What do you believe are the two most challenging issues facing the city and how, as a city councilor, would you work to resolve those issues? “Pride and Progress” is our motto in our community. As I have driven around, I see not much pride. Our community has gone downhill with trash in the yards, alleys that are not clear of debris, abandoned cars on our streets and a lot more. Having a town code enforcer will help a lot. We need to be there for this person to help when needed. Our streets, sewer and water are going to be a problem in the future. Working with the city council, we can solve these problems before they will become an issue and plan for them in our budget.
Gary Herr
Why do you want to serve on the city council? I have lived in Holyoke for two years, but my heart has lived here for 45 years, ever since I got married in Les and Genevieve Lutze’s backyard. Jill and I had been visiting Holyoke multiple times each year since then. I have had many conversations about the city with Les (former city superintendent) in conjunction with observing him. Since moving here, I have developed a desire to have the city live up to its motto of “Pride and Progress.”
What do you believe is the role of the city council in our community? The role of the city council is to direct the superintendent as to which projects are a priority. Also, the council must set policy for city employees. It is equally import for the council to remember they answer to the people.
What experience/characteristics do you have that can benefit the work of the council? After graduating from UNC-Greeley, I worked for Amoco Corp. (now British Petroleum) for 19 years. Ten of those years were in an administrative role coordinating budgets and reports in the Exploration Dept. at the regional and corporate level. For nine years, I was in the IT department developing and maintaining databases, and installing and maintaining computer servers and desktops at the international level. I was also a Realtor for 18 years in Douglas County. Currently, I am semi-retired and work part time at Printers Paper and More as a computer repair technician.
What do you believe are the two most challenging issues facing the city and how, as a city councilor, would you work to resolve those issues? Issue 1: City Ordinance enforcement. The city made a great step forward by hiring an ordinance inspector. He has a monumental task, and I will do everything within my power to ensure he has all the necessary tools and support to function well. Ordinances should be enforced. Issue 2: Streets. For years, we have had several streets unpaved and ignored. Every homeowner is paying property taxes and deserves the same level of services. We need to make those streets a priority; remove the obstacles and get them paved. As a subset, I think we need to evaluate the aging infrastructure beneath the streets. There may be some federal funds to help us with this endeavor … something to pursue.
Trae McCallum
Why do you want to serve on the city council? I plan on living in this city with my family for a long time, and I continue to want to play an active role in making sure Holyoke is a great place for the children of our community as they grow. Being on the city council would be a way for me to give back to the community that has supported and encouraged me and my family for the past 20 years.
What do you believe is the role of the city council in our community? I feel having a solid budget that aligns with the goals of our community is an essential responsibility of our city council. It’s important for the city council to engage with our community, and encourage community participation in decision-making while considering the needs of people currently living in communities and those who will live here in the future.
What experience/characteristics do you have that can benefit the work of the council? I am a strong leader who has a passion for helping people. I believe in following through and resolving issues as quickly as possible. I am a great listener and value the importance of the voice of our community members. Having served in the Marines for several years, I conduct myself with integrity and commitment. I intend to be true to those values in all that I do for the city.
What do you believe are the two most challenging issues facing the city and how, as a city councilor, would you work to resolve those issues? While I see several issues, the top issues I see are being proactive with community issues regarding road repair, maintaining what we currently have, etc. As a council member, I would advocate for repairs and proper maintenance. Secondly, we need to continue to look for ways for Holyoke to continue progressing, while strengthening our community and relationships with our citizens. I want to be an advocate for progress in our community.