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Fix Streets committee only now reporting contributions, as final pre-election campaign finance reports come due

The election issue committee in support of Glenwood Springs’ proposed new sales tax to fix the city’s streets that’s being decided by voters in final balloting Tuesday has not yet disclosed who has given what in the way of monetary contributions to the campaign.

But it is now required to do so by the end of the day Tuesday, the final day for voting in the city election that will determine the fate of the proposed 3/4-cent sales tax and a related bonding question, as well two contested City Council seats.

That’s because the Committee to Fix Our Streets Now initially registered as a Small-Scale Issue Committee under Colorado campaign finance laws, rather than a full Issue Committee.



However, the committee notified City Clerk Catherine Fletcher on March 28 that it would need to convert to the larger campaign committee classification, because it had received contributions in excess of $5,000.

According to the notice of change in committee type, the committee exceeded $5,000 on March 13.



Fletcher said that the committee — co-chaired by Jonathan Godes, a member of Glenwood Springs City Council, and former city councilor and current city Financial Advisory Board member Kathryn Trauger — had filed a notice of change in committee type within the allotted 15 calendar days of surpassing the contribution limit for a small committee.

According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s website, “within 5 days of filing this notice a SSIC [Small-Scale Issue Committee] must file an initial disclosure report detailing contribution and expenditure activity from $0 to $5,000, and convert its registration to a regular Issue Committee.”

That filing would be due Tuesday, Election Day, under the rule.

Meanwhile, the Committee For Responsible Taxation, which opposes the street sales tax question, reported by the March 29 filing deadline that it began the second reporting period with $622.94 on hand.

Between March 13 and March 29, the opposition committee, which did file initially as an Issue Committee, received $2,676.47, with its lone contribution coming from the committee chairman himself, former city councilman Ted Edmonds, in that same amount.

Candidates running for four seats on Glenwood Springs City Council also had until 5 p.m. last Friday to disclose a second summary of their campaign contributions and expenditures to the City Clerk’s office.

at large CANDIDATES

Current at-large Councilman Jim Ingraham, seeking formal election after being appointed to the seat in 2018, began the second reporting period with $2,477 on hand.

Between March 12 and March 29, Ingraham received an additional $500 in monetary contributions. Ingraham’s two largest contributors included Steven Carver and Christian Henny, who contributed $250 and $150, respectively.

Ingraham did not receive any in-kind contributions of non-monetary gifts or loans with a fair market value of $20 or more.

Ingraham ended the second reporting period with $281.73 left on hand after spending $2,344.48 at Gran Farnum Printing on “printing of campaign materials” and $350.81 with Suzanne Stewart for “meet-and-greet food and supplies.”

Council candidate Erika Gibson began the second reporting period with the second largest amount of money on hand in the at-large field, amounting to $73.94.

Between Feb. 21 and March 29, Gibson received an additional $750 in monetary contributions. Gibson’s largest contributors included Robert and Stacey Gavrell, who contributed a total of $250, as well as Valorie and Michael Erion, who put forth $200 altogether.

Gibson did not receive any in-kind donations, nor did she report any campaign expenditures, leaving the at large candidate with $823.94 left on hand.

At-large candidate Tony Hershey began the second reporting period with $46.32 on hand. Between March 7 and March 29, Hershey took in $425 with his largest monetary contributors being Steven Nilsson and Lisa Lowsky, who each contributed $100.

Additionally, Hershey received an in kind donation from Masala & Curry for an election party, which had a fair market value of $244.35.

Hershey ended the second reporting period with $233.34 left on hand after spending $220 with the United States Postal Service on “postage stamps” as well as $17.98 at City Market on “Hershey Chocolate Bars.”

Ward 3 candidates

Ward 3 candidate Charlie Willman began the second reporting period with $539.22 on hand. Between March 10 and March 29 Willman received an additional $1,795.85. Two of Willman’s largest monetary contributors included Jodie Collins and Steve Beckley, who contributed $500 and $250, respectively.

Willman did not receive any in-kind contributions.

Willman ended the second reporting period with $4.52 after spending $2,330.55.

Willman’s expenditures included $1,585.50 to Colorado Mountain News Media for “newspaper ads,” $733.06 to Gran Farnum Printing for “mailing to registered voters,” and $11.99 to Lewis Marketing for “website hosting.”

Ward 3 candidate Jennifer Vanian began the second reporting period with no money on hand, but received $450 between March 12 and March 29.

Vanian’s largest monetary contributors included $125 from Ruth Sears and $100 from Susan Wilmont.

Vanian ended the second reporting period with zero funds on hand after spending $340 with Richard Votero for “coaching and editing,” $160 at Office Depot for “brochures,” and $89 at Copy Copy for a “large sign.”

Ward 3 candidate Ksana Ogelsby did not receive any contributions or make any expenditures between March 13 and March 28.

Uncontested races

Paula Stepp, running unopposed for the Ward 4 seat being vacated by Glenwood Springs Mayor Michael Gamba, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits, did not receive any monetary contributions or make any expenditures during the second filing period.

The same was true for the unopposed Ward 1 incumbent, Councilman Steve Davis.

mabennett@postindependent.com


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