Bellvue Republican is candidate for second term

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Republican Tom Bender announced in February that he will seek a second four-year term as Larimer County Commissioner.

A Bellvue resident and tree farmer, Bender was elected commissioner from District 2 in 2000. The district covers the middle third of the county, but Bender contends that a county commissioner must be accessible and responsive to all county residents.

The commissioner said he believes that one-on-one meetings with citizens having problems with county bureaucracy are critical. Noting that while he "can't change the rules," Bender said he can often get the right people together to work out problems. Being a commissioner takes a lot of personal time, he added.

Bender, 65, and his wife, Mary, of 46 years have lived in the county for 27 years. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and former Woodward Governor employee, he owns and operates a 120-acre tree farm.

Bender said he is particularly pleased with the way the county's parks and open lands program is maintaining public property. "We probably have the best open lands program in the state," he said.

Bender is one of three Republicans serving as county commissioners. "Dealing with our county budget and the impact of state budget reductions has been the most challenging aspect of being a commissioner," he said.

Bender said that if re-elected he wants to fight for more federal transportation funding and payment-in-lieu of taxes to finance county transportation infrastructure projects.

"I will continue to take advantage of all opportunities to invest in future transportation infrastructure, economic development and job creation," he said.

Bender is a former member of the Larimer County Farm Bureau Board of Directors as the national, state, and local affairs legislative chairman. He's also an active member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Rifle Association and the Knights of Columbus.