I am very excited to introduce myself to you as a candidate for Glenwood Springs City Council from Ward 3.

After spending my childhood traveling and living quite literally from sea to shining sea: Virginia to California, Texas to Michigan, and many states between, I moved here permanently in 1998.

Experiencing as much of this country as I have, I can say with certainty that Glenwood Springs is a truly remarkable town and there’s no place I’d rather be. It’s because of this that I want to give back to Glenwood by becoming a city council person.

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What I bring to the office are unique qualifications that the city needs to continue to grow: financial expertise and real life experience across an array of industries.

My first job in Glenwood was as a housekeeper and front desk clerk for a local resort. This early experience gave me an appreciation for the local tourism industry and experience working well with diverse personalities.

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Later, I became a CPA, initially working in public accounting where I learned about the unique challenges facing local small businesses: such as the difficulty finding and retaining good employees. The businesses I assisted were in industries from real estate and construction to food service and law.

After eight years in the field, I went to work for Aspen Valley Hospital, learning not only the healthcare issues we face here, but also becoming very familiar with the joy that is the commute up Highway 82. For nearly four years now, I’ve been the chief financial officer for a nonprofit in town.

Along with my professional experience, I have always tried to give back to the communities I’m part of by serving on boards for professional associations, as well as on the city’s Financial Advisory Board.

Because of the latter, I am aware of the pressing issues facing the town today, as well as the often heroic efforts made by members of the city staff to try to solve them.

If elected, I would focus on balancing the reality that this is a tourist town with the fact that it is also a real town where real people live year round. I would also advocate for far-sighted solutions rather than short-term fixes.

As a downtown resident, I am particularly concerned with the issues of parking and short-term rentals. In both cases, I want to see us reach a solution that encourages tourists and non-downtown residents to patronize the downtown businesses without driving out local residents, many of whom have been here for decades.

I don’t want to see Glenwood turn into a ghost town of short-term rentals and second homes that stay empty most of the year.

In the end, City Council is meant to serve the town and its citizens. To help prepare me to do that, I have been asking my neighbors to share their issues and vision for Glenwood. I look forward to continuing those conversations and hope to meet with every Ward 3 resident before Election Day.