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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — With a majority of Glenwood Springs City Council seats up for election this fall, the incumbents are decidedly undecided about whether they will run again.
Four of council's seven seats are up for grabs this fall, and none of those seats' current occupants has decided whether to seek re-election.
It's still early - candidates can't even petition to get onto the ballot until this summer. But if several incumbents chose against running, "there could be a pretty major change in council," said Mayor Bruce Christensen, one of those whose council terms end this year.
It would be a familiar circumstance for council. Christensen, Larry Beckwith, Joe O'Donnell and Chris McGovern all are serving their first terms. Beckwith and O'Donnell had run four years ago against incumbents; Christensen and McGovern were unopposed.
Now all are weighing the pros and cons of seeking a second term.
"I am absolutely wanting to see some things finished" in the city, Christensen said. "But on the other hand, I put a lot of energy into it, and I don't know if I have four more years of that energy."
Christensen said his decision may depend in part on who else is running and what their vision is for Glenwood Springs. He said he also needs to consider the demands of his job as director of Mountain Valley Developmental Services, but he's leaning toward running for re-election.
McGovern is leaning the other way.
"I doubt very much if I'm going to be running, but I'm definitely undecided," she said.
She cited family and business obligations as considerations.
O'Donnell has stated more than once in the past that he didn't plan to run again, but now he's not ruling it out.
"I've got to take care of some personal things before I make that decision, and I just don't know," he said. "... The council has been a real rewarding experience for me personally, but it takes an awful lot of time."
Beckwith said he's inclined at this point not to run again and expects to decide by the start of June. He said the only reason he ran in the first place was because he thought he could do some good.
"I'm not thinking I'm doing much good," he said. "I'm not very good at this bureaucratic stuff as you can probably tell. It's just kind of frustrating but at the same time you feel like you're making little inroads every once in a while for the citizens of Glenwood Springs."
None of the four knows of anyone else planning on running for council. City clerk Robin Unsworth said some people have asked about the process of getting on the ballot but haven't specifically indicated an interest in running.
Lack of competition for council seats has been a problem recently. In 2005, incumbent Dave Merritt and newcomers Dave Johnson and Kris Chadwick all faced no challengers for three council seats.
In 2003, McGovern ran as a write-in after no one in her ward turned in petitions to get on the ballot.
She represents Ward 3, which is downtown. Christensen represents Ward 4, just south of downtown, and Beckwith Ward 1, which is west of the Roaring Fork River and south of the Colorado River. O'Donnell is an at-large council representative.
Said McGovern, "I'd love to see a couple of people get in there and run so that maybe some of the issues could be talked about."
Christensen said a lack of competition isn't healthy for the community.
"I think there should be an exchange of ideas and people should have choices," he said.
The council positions pay $6,000 per year; the mayor makes $8,400.
Contact Dennis Webb: 384-9119
dwebb@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
Four of council's seven seats are up for grabs this fall, and none of those seats' current occupants has decided whether to seek re-election.
It's still early - candidates can't even petition to get onto the ballot until this summer. But if several incumbents chose against running, "there could be a pretty major change in council," said Mayor Bruce Christensen, one of those whose council terms end this year.
It would be a familiar circumstance for council. Christensen, Larry Beckwith, Joe O'Donnell and Chris McGovern all are serving their first terms. Beckwith and O'Donnell had run four years ago against incumbents; Christensen and McGovern were unopposed.
Now all are weighing the pros and cons of seeking a second term.
"I am absolutely wanting to see some things finished" in the city, Christensen said. "But on the other hand, I put a lot of energy into it, and I don't know if I have four more years of that energy."
Christensen said his decision may depend in part on who else is running and what their vision is for Glenwood Springs. He said he also needs to consider the demands of his job as director of Mountain Valley Developmental Services, but he's leaning toward running for re-election.
McGovern is leaning the other way.
"I doubt very much if I'm going to be running, but I'm definitely undecided," she said.
She cited family and business obligations as considerations.
O'Donnell has stated more than once in the past that he didn't plan to run again, but now he's not ruling it out.
"I've got to take care of some personal things before I make that decision, and I just don't know," he said. "... The council has been a real rewarding experience for me personally, but it takes an awful lot of time."
Beckwith said he's inclined at this point not to run again and expects to decide by the start of June. He said the only reason he ran in the first place was because he thought he could do some good.
"I'm not thinking I'm doing much good," he said. "I'm not very good at this bureaucratic stuff as you can probably tell. It's just kind of frustrating but at the same time you feel like you're making little inroads every once in a while for the citizens of Glenwood Springs."
None of the four knows of anyone else planning on running for council. City clerk Robin Unsworth said some people have asked about the process of getting on the ballot but haven't specifically indicated an interest in running.
Lack of competition for council seats has been a problem recently. In 2005, incumbent Dave Merritt and newcomers Dave Johnson and Kris Chadwick all faced no challengers for three council seats.
In 2003, McGovern ran as a write-in after no one in her ward turned in petitions to get on the ballot.
She represents Ward 3, which is downtown. Christensen represents Ward 4, just south of downtown, and Beckwith Ward 1, which is west of the Roaring Fork River and south of the Colorado River. O'Donnell is an at-large council representative.
Said McGovern, "I'd love to see a couple of people get in there and run so that maybe some of the issues could be talked about."
Christensen said a lack of competition isn't healthy for the community.
"I think there should be an exchange of ideas and people should have choices," he said.
The council positions pay $6,000 per year; the mayor makes $8,400.
Contact Dennis Webb: 384-9119
dwebb@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
