Wellington ballot draws 14 trustee and mayoral candidates

By Gary Raham
Wellington Correspondent

On April 4, Wellington voters will elect four town board trustees and a mayor. The candidates with the highest vote totals will secure seats.

Unlike past elections in the town, this one has motivated a dozen people to seek the trustee positions, and the incumbent mayor, Larry Noel, will face a challenge by Reginald Kemp, a current board trustee.

Following is basic information on the candidates along with a brief summary of views expressed during telephone interviews. Wellington has 2,571 registered voters as of February. Sixty-seven voters determined the 2004 election and 179 voters completed ballots in 2002.

Voters can meet the candidates in an open house at the Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Ave., from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 1.

Mayoral candidates

Larry Noel
Age: 50
Address: 3742 Mae Court
Years in Wellington: 25
Occupation: Realtor

Noel has served as board trustee since 1993, and as mayor since 2002. He says the town is doing a "decent job" communicating with town residents, although it needs to "upgrade communication lines" with the public. Such upgrades will include the creation of a more effective town web site.

Noel says the services Wellington provides have been adequate for a town of 5,000; a population Wellington is expected to reach this summer. He points to businesses that have been drawn to the area, like the Comfort Inn just off Interstate 25 and a full-service grocery store and a medical center scheduled to open later this year.

Noel says the balance of residential and commercial interests has been good, but could always be improved. He adds, "You need the residential development to bring in commercial businesses."

Noel believes the town is doing a good job working with the library, senior center and other service groups within the town. He says the library has been expanded to nearly twice its former size and the senior center has been remodeled and expanded. Wellington also provides the building currently used by the Boys and Girls Club.

The town of Wellington will vote on an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Poudre School District, most likely at one of the April board meetings. Regarding an IGA with Larimer County, Noel says, "The board is looking at that, but we have shied away in the past because we didn't want the town to get caught in a bad spot. We haven't seen anything so far that we would sign today."

Noel sees getting a reliable and adequate water supply as one of the important issues for Wellington's future. He would like to see the town continue to grow, "but not a booming growth."

"We need to do things in moderation, so we don't break the town doing it," he explains.

Noel also says he doesn't want to see a lot of special interest groups on the board that would derail progress.

Reginald Kemp Sr.
Age: 70
Address: 3460 Revere Court W.
Years in Wellington: 6
Occupation: Retired aerospace administrator

Kemp says his four and half years on the town board, with much of that time on the planning commission, gives him insight into town affairs. He says the town is not doing a good job communicating with constituents, and he would like to see a weekly or at least bi-monthly paper that could cover Wellington news. He notes that the recent community assessment group that evaluated the town pointed to a lack of adequate communication.

Kemp believes property tax revenues account for too much of the town's income and that Wellington needs to increase sales tax revenue by encouraging business growth. He proposes establishing an advisory committee that would determine the kind of growth residents want and then "go out and promote it."

Kemp notes the town has set aside $12,000 for economic development and that the town should "use that to work closely with WEDA (Wellington Economic Development Association) and the new Chamber of Commerce to develop potential opportunities."

Having served two years as treasurer of the senior center, Kemp thinks the town needs to "recognize the value of the center and provide more financial support." He would also like to support more after-school programs for youth, but says the "town has to look at where to draw funds for such a program."

Kemp favors an IGA with Larimer County and says he is working,, on behalf of the board, with county commissioners on a draft version of an IGA. He says such an agreement is important to the community because it makes county and town rules compatible in Wellington's Growth Management Area --the area the town could annex within the next 20 years.

Kemp says he has been pushing for strategic, long-term planning for three and half years, "but the board seems to want to react to growth as it comes."

"We need to be proactive," he contends, adding there may be 30,000 people in this area within 25 years. "It may not come to pass, but we need to be prepared."

Board of Trustees

Michael Steely
Age: 59
Address: 3702 Kennedy Ave.
Years in Wellington: 14
Occupation: Owner/operator of Steely Trucking

Having served the town as a trustee since 1995, Steely says he brings experience and dedication to a board trustee position.

"The town makes an effort to communicate with citizens," Steely says, "but when people don't come to meetings, it's hard to do. We do need to do a better job, perhaps through more newspaper coverage."

Steely believes the town is on the right track trying to balance residential and commercial growth. "You've got to have the rooftops to bring in the jobs," he says, adding that the town is trying to work with WEDA and the Chamber of Commerce to help promote business growth.

Steely points to the recently expanded library and senior center as evidence that the town is on the right track with these services as well. "The town board has taken over the old library board," he says, "and I think that is working pretty well."

Steely would like Wellington to "maintain a controlled growth, providing good services in a realistic manner."

He also would like to see more citizen participation in activities like the community assessment project. He says the town will work on the good points brought up during those meetings. "Everybody needs to take on a bigger role in the community," Steely says.

Mishie Daknis
Age: 41
Address: 3103 Sonata Lane
Years in Wellington: 4
Occupation: Homemaker/PTO president at Eyestone Elementary

If elected, Daknis plans to bring her business education and common sense to board deliberations. The board is "not communicating well at all with the community," she says. "Even a monthly newsletter with the water bill would help."

"Wellington provides little for families to do here," she says. She would like to see a pool or other recreational activities for teens, but she admits to needing to learn more about how additional services will be funded.

After attending part of the community assessment meetings in December, she's convinced a "community master plan is a critical piece for Wellington."

Daknis favors business incentives so that people can take care of most of their needs here. "A grocery store is critical," she says. "The medical center will help, too." Wellington needs to find unique, alternate services other areas don't or can't offer, she adds.

Citing the example of a Mississippi town that became a dessert Mecca, she believes Wellington has the opportunity to find its own niche.

Daknis says town government should not have taken over the library board. "I think that's backward," she says. "Citizens who know the needs of the library should come to the board with their recommendations."

Daknis is concerned with problems getting the new school to Wellington and supports an IGA with the school district. "We need to think about water, a community police force, perhaps even a high school," she adds, saying "future growth hasn't been adequately planned for."

Roger Shea II
Age: 36
Address: 3817 Lincoln Ave.
Years in Wellington: 4.5 years
Occupation: Salesman

Having seen the growth in Wellington and being active on a church board for several years, Shea says, "I would like to take a more active role in the decision-making processes of the town."

He thinks the town board can always do a better job of communicating with people, either through printed notices or word of mouth. Now that the population will soon exceed 5,000, he believes the town should look seriously at getting its own police department. He cited the home break-in during the centennial festivities in September as an example of the problems that come with increased population. Funding for increased security should come first from business growth, secondarily from tax increases, he says.

The small-town atmosphere of Wellington served as a big draw for him, along with the proximity of other services in Fort Collins. Shea says Wellington should look at creating parks and open space while maintaining the feel of a small town. He thinks it's a good idea to have a Chamber of Commerce to support business growth.

Shea believes citizens and various volunteer groups should take a more active role in town government. He wants to see the community take a "proactive approach to future growth." Shea plans on being in Wellington a long time. "Growth is coming," he says, "and we must plan for it."

James Stoddard
Age: 63
Address: 8195 Wapiti Drive
Years in Wellington: 5
Occupation: Civil engineer/project manager at CSU

Stoddard says he has a strong interest in serving the community "that some people on the board do not seem to have." He has served as an officer in the Veterans of Foreign Wars for a long time. He has also been involved with various projects "from development of concepts to build-out for 35 years."

"I get the impression communication has not been good between the board and the community," says Stoddard. "I don't have any special agenda myself. I'm not affiliated with any special group. I'm a registered independent. I will be there to serve the people."

He believes the town has the basis for a good economic development board. He's talked to members of the new Chamber of Commerce and supports their goal of bringing in more businesses. He would like to see "good, solid growth of new companies."

"The town is going to grow," he says. "We have to control that growth and have it move in the right direction."

Improved communication between the town and its people and controlled economic development lead Stoddard's list of concerns. "I need to be part of it --I need to be fully informed - before I know what all the problems are," he says. "I think the voters will make the right decision for themselves."

Wayne Sterler
Age: 36
Address: 8100 Pheasant Run Lane
Years in Wellington: 5
Occupation: Safety supervisor, city of Fort Collins

Sterler says working for the city of Fort Collins gives him a good background for serving on Wellington's town board because he knows how to "strive forward in a strong community." He believes the town communicates adequately with its constituents, but it could do better. He suggests using monthly town newsletters.

With all the new growth in Wellington toward the south, many with young families, he would like to see more for children to do. Sterler was glad to see the expansion of the Leeper Center, which will help the community.

Sterler sees the need to draw more businesses into town as a major concern. "People need to be able to both live and work in the same town," he says.

He's talked with various Chamber of Commerce members, but does not yet have definite plans for how to stimulate business growth.

"We need to press forward getting other businesses into town like the medical center," Sterler says, noting that other individuals in the town with similar concerns urged him to run for trustee.

Travis Stevens
Age: 31
Address: 3812 Hamilton Ave.
Years in Wellington: 5
Occupation: Insurance sales

Stevens says he represents what is fast becoming a majority in the town: young families. "There's a gap between the town board and this demographic," he notes.

Stevens sits on the Chamber of Commerce board and has served on various community boards, including economic development and recreational sports. He brings business experience to his bid for a trustee position.

One of Stevens' biggest concerns is that the town needs to open better lines of communication with people, perhaps by scheduling regular sit-down times for public forums. Now, he says, people have to seek out too much information themselves.

Another concern is the lack of choice in real estate. "We need a place for people outgrowing starter homes to keep them in town," he says.

"We need to develop a real sense of community," adds Stevens. "We need programs for children and more places to go and things to do for families."

He also says Wellington needs to build a self-reliant business community that will provide more opportunities for in-town employment. "How we attract those businesses is the big question," he says. "We have to decide where we want to be in the next five and ten years."

The town needs to take a proactive versus a reactive approach to issues that arise, he says.

Kristen Thomson
Age: 24
Address: 3316 Grizzly Way
Years in Wellington: 1
Occupation: Administrative assistant

Thomson says she has "worked in and with politics since grade school." She attended Colorado State University and has been attending some town meetings, and she likes the feeling here "of a close-knit community."

She thinks the town board is not adequately communicating with people and would like to see some sort of newsletter and minutes that are kept current online. She would encourage people to come to meetings. "We need to keep an open dialogue going," she says, "and it should be possible in a town this small."

Thomson would like to expand town services for both young and old. "We need a newspaper," she says, and she would like to see a community garden that could involve efforts across generations. "We need to bridge the gap between old and new residents," she adds.

"We need to foster a welcoming environment for new businesses," Thomson says, even if it sometimes means competition between them. She would like to stay away from large chain stores.

Thomson would like to see town government work closely with various organizations in town "but not micromanage them." In talking about the library, she said the town shouldn't cut off opportunities for connections to other library systems in the county.

Thomson says her goal "is to facilitate communication between business owners, citizens and government."

Travis Vieira
Age: 33
Address: 8501 Secretariat Drive
Years in Wellington: 5
Occupation: Personal trainer/health club manager

Vieira grew up in Wheat Ridge and was active in a youth advisory board. He worked in construction for 13 years and managed a tech support center in San Francisco for a DSL service. "I would bring a lot of management experience to the trustee position," he says.

While Vieira sees Wellington taking strides with the Chamber of Commerce, he does think communication between town and residents "is not what it could be." He believes people need to take a more active part in town government.

Vieira wants to see more primary employers in town and activities so that youths don't have to go to other communities for these opportunities. He expects to see Wellington at least double in population and is especially concerned about future water needs. To satisfy his own curiosity about such issues, he will take a water certification class with a water attorney in Greeley this spring.

He wants to make sure resources are available for Wellington's growth and would like to see more long-term planning. He wants to see the community "more sustainable for everyday living."

Vieira also wants more independent advisory boards for community services like the library so that the town board doesn't get overwhelmed with too many responsibilities.

William Schneider
Age: 61
Address: 3740 Cleveland Ave.
Years in Wellington: 2
Occupation: Publisher/owner of Vestige Press and the Wellington History Museum

Schneider says he's "heavily invested in the fabric of Wellington and plans to stake his future here. The cost of living and doing business here is attractive."

He chaired the centennial celebration committee and has been active in the new Chamber of Commerce efforts. He worked with Congressman Bob Schaffer for two years on the State of Colorado Advisory Board for clean air and has been active with the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.

Schneider believes the new Chamber of Commerce will be a good tool for communication among the 200 small businesses in the area. The town needs to develop its Internet capabilities, work with local newspapers and promote town meetings, he says. It needs to work on the recommendations of the community assessment committee, which emphasized better communication.

Schneider stresses the need for quality growth. "Good quality growth entails services," he says. "We need to push forward to bring in good quality water and look down the road for needs in the next five to 10 years."

Some of these services may require new taxes, he says, but money should also come from business fees and sales taxes. "We can't burden any one sector," he contends. "We have residential growth in place, but we need more businesses to achieve a proper balance. I'm willing to help out in any way."

Barry Friedrichs
Age: 52
Address: 8505 Citation Drive
Years in Wellington: 5
Occupation: Realtor

"I care about Wellington," said Friedrichs, who has filled Sabre Middlekauff's seat on the town board since last November. He has also served on the planning and zoning commission for three years.

"The town has not done a good job communicating with people," Friedrichs says, adding that the town needs to upgrade its web site. He says anyone who wants feedback about town meetings can e-mail him at bearinwellington@msn.com and he will send notices about agendas and summarize results.

Regarding growth, Friedrichs says Wellington has to add substantially more business before it can determine a good balance with residential. He favors growth but would like to see some sort of designer/planner to assist the board so the board is not always at the mercy of developers.

Friedrichs is not in favor of the town board taking over advisory boards (like that of the library) with which it doesn't agree. He also believes board members need to independently research some issues and not rely solely on the town administrator and attorney to provide information. "Trust comes with experience in working with people," he says.

Friedrichs is concerned that too many people will get a "throw-out-the-board" attitude and elect too many inexperienced trustees who are not aware of all the issues they face. Since "politician" has become a dirty word, Friedrichs says he aspires to be a statesman and "do the right thing for Wellington."

George Lutz
Age: 85
Address: 3720 Roosevelt Ave.
Years in Wellington: 23
Occupation: Retired machinist

Lutz notes that he has lived in Wellington and been on the board for a long time. "I know what has to be done, and I would like to see some of the things completed that we've begun," he says.

Regarding communication with the community, Lutz says, "We try. We advertise in the North Forty, post notices at the town hall, the post office and the library. It's hard to get many people to meetings." He would like to see a town newspaper succeed.

Lutz points to new services the board has helped encourage, including the medical center coming from Cheyenne and the grocery and hardware stores due this summer. He wants to see more business in Wellington to support the residential growth. "I'm tired of paying Fort Collins sales taxes," he says. "We need to pay those taxes here."

Lutz believes the town board has done well in expanding the library and senior center facilities. He said the old library board spent too much time arguing among themselves. "It's running much smoother since the [town] board took over," he says.

Lutz would like to see road improvement and sidewalks installed in some of the older parts of town before doing more work in the newer areas. "The revenue is there," he says. "Right now the town is spending it in other ways."

Steven Page
Age: 32
Address: 3495 Revere Court W.
Years in Wellington: 7
Occupation: Mortgage broker/real estate agent

Page chose Wellington as the place to raise his family and has been a businessman here for five years. He's also volunteered with the Wellington Recreation and Sports Association and the Jaycees.

Page says the town has done a reasonable job with communication, but needs to use technology better: a good web site and perhaps an e-mail blast list. The town needs to find ways to get the word out in the most cost-effective way, he adds.

Page would like to see more recreational opportunities for youngsters, especially junior high. He'd like to entice businesses like a bowling alley and a theatre and work toward a community pool or ice rink. He indicates that such services would have to be provided through taxes and fund-raising activities.

The town needs to look for local models for sustainable growth in Wellington, says Page. "Windsor seems to be doing a good job with their growth," he says.

Page also believes Wellington needs to keep its small-town feel and values, but "be open and receptive to change."

"We need to manage growth while insuring the proper infrastructure is in place," he says.

Page would like to see the town put more value on its volunteers and look for ways to help them achieve their goals. "Volunteers won't stay if they hit roadblocks at every corner," he says.

Registered voters may cast their ballots at the Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Ave., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 4.