New face moves into commissioners' office

By JoAn Bjarko
Fossil Creek Current

Randy Eubanks was thinking about running for public office someday--maybe in two to six years. Then, quite unexpectedly, he had to make a decision in six days.

On July 9, Larimer County Commissioner Karen Wagner announced her resignation two and a half years into her first term. That meant the Democrats had to find a replacement quickly. Party leaders chose Eubanks on July 14. He took his oath of office July 18. He wrapped up his job as an electrical engineer at Hewlett-Packard on July 31.

Now a full-time county commissioner for District 2, and the lone Democrat in elective county office, the 42-year-old Windsor resident is learning the job, meeting other county officials and getting to know the county's 1,600 employees. His salary is $63,203, which is set by the state legislature.

While Eubanks brings a fresh face to county politics, he's walking into a situation gone sour. In her resignation letter, Wagner, 63, attributed her departure to "a pattern of escalating harassment and verbal abuse from Commissioner Glenn Gibson, who is responsible for the hostile workplace that impairs my physical health and my need to function in a rational environment."

Wagner also criticized Commissioner Kathay Rennels for not intervening. Gibson of Loveland and Rennels of Livermore are Republicans. Gibson is in his second term and Rennels started a third term in January. Wagner's letter said she "was prepared to work with the two majority members to seek areas of consensus," but "Gibson's menacing antagonism" made it impossible.

In an interview on July 10, just before leaving for a vacation in Europe, Gibson was unapologetic. "I have no idea what she's talking about," he said of the accusations of a hostile workplace.

Gibson said he has been "exasperated" with Wagner and told her it was time to step up and give an opinion. "I have no apologies on that," he said. "I don't believe that's harassment... My goal was to find out what motivates her after two and a half years."

The job of county commissioner is not easy, Gibson added. "A lot of people don't know what they're getting into when they get into politics," he said. "I wish her well and hope her health gets better."

Three weeks after her resignation, Wagner said she made the right decision. "There's no way I could be an effective commissioner," she said.

During her time in office, Wagner said, she worked to make county government more open and accessible to the public. She also urged the county to adopt more "green strategies" for the way it operates, she said, and she hopes Eubanks will continue to push those concerns.

Eubanks said he received an e-mail from Gibson, welcoming him to the job. The two of them will sit down and have a long conversation, Eubanks said.

A Navy veteran, Eubanks moved back to Colorado in 2001 for the job at Hewlett-Packard. He has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.

As a father, he said, he's developed a desire to make a difference in his children's world. Looking toward a future in public service, Eubanks recently graduated from the Colorado Institute for Leadership Training, a bipartisan organization. The institute brings together emerging leaders from the private, nonprofit and public sectors to travel Colorado, build their leadership skills, and learn about the issues, policies and people of the state.

"It really fueled my desire to do something at the county level," Eubanks said.

In January, Eubanks had taken up the post of second vice chair with the local Democratic Party, but he vacated the leadership position to become one of eight candidates to replace Wagner.

"I brought in a circle of friends and family and said, 'Is this what we want to do?'" he recalled. His wife, Joan, he said, advised him to "jump in and make a difference right now."

Given his sudden move into county government, Eubanks expressed no specific agenda other than to balance growth with quality-of-life concerns. "It's important to do proper planning to protect resources that are unique," he said.

Eubanks pledged to keep an open mind and get input from knowledgeable people. "I absorb a lot of information and make a decision," he said. "I'm a person who prides himself on hard work and integrity. I believe I'm firm and fair."

Coming to a conclusion on whether Larimer County should join the proposed Regional Transportation Authority is at the top of his to-do list. Supporters face a September deadline to place a transportation tax measure on the November ballot.

County commissioners serve four-year terms. Eubank's term will end early in 2009, which doesn't give him much time to decide if he wants to run in next year's election.