Commissioner Rennels resigns to take CSU job

By Dan MacArthur
North Forty News

A crowd of candidates is competing to fill the vacancy created with the resignation of Larimer County Commissioner Kathay Rennels, who will become director of economic development at Colorado State University.

Rennels' Dec. 14 resignation set into motion a frenzy of activity by those hoping to fill the one year remaining on her term.

Larimer County Republican Party Chairman Larry Carillo named nine announced candidates for the seat and said there likely could be more since Sheriff Jim Alderden dropped out of the race.

Contenders include two from Wellington: Clydesdale horse breeder Curtis Bridges, who serves on the agricultural advisory board; and Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association Director Gail Meisner.

Others are professional photographer and former county commissioner John Clarke; real estate agents David Bee, Sean Dougherty and Eric Kronwall; political consultant and Republican Party executive committee member Andrew Boucher; Aims Community College assistant director of facilities and operations Michael Millsapps; and former state representative Mike Salaz.

Alderden removed his name from consideration after deciding to remain sheriff until his 12-year tenure ends in 2010. He is term-limited from seeking re-election.

The county Republican central committee will select Rennels' replacement when it meets on Jan. 7 at Ridgeview Classical School in Fort Collins. Check-in starts at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Carillo said any registered Republican who has lived in the district at least a year can make a pitch for the $87,300 post that evening. The district encompasses the northern third of the county, including part of Fort Collins.

He said Rennels' replacement will be selected by popular vote of the nearly 320-member party central committee composed of two captains from each election precinct. At least half of those delegates plus one must be present to validate the vote.

The process of filling the vacancy is complicated by the challenge of assembling enough Republican delegates quickly enough during the holiday season. In the unlikely event that Republicans fail to attract a quorum, the position instead could be filled by Democratic governor Bill Ritter.

The party has 10 days-- or until Jan. 10-- to fill the position that officially became vacant with Rennels' resignation effective Dec. 31. With no time to call another meeting before the deadline, Carillo said he is confident that enough committee members will be present.

Rennels first was elected commissioner in 1998 and chaired the board in 2009. Commissioner Steve Johnson now will assume those duties. She also would have been term limited in 2010.

A Livermore rancher, Rennels has been active in Colorado Counties Inc., a lobbying and educational organization. She served on its board of directors and numerous committees. Rennels also served on the county planning commission and open lands board, in addition to chairing the Larimer County United Way.

Rennels in an interview said she was recruited to the $110,000 CSU position in a new effort to build partnerships among the university, the business community and local and state governments.

Rural regions once based almost entirely on agriculture, she noted, increasingly are moving into new realms such as clean energy. Consequently, she said, there is a need for new kinds of connections to encourage economic development.

"I really see this as an extension of what I do bringing people together," Rennels said. "It's really very exciting."

"I will continue to help bring together local government, the university and the state in order to maximize the knowledge and passion they all have for the citizens of Larimer County, northern Colorado and the state of Colorado," she stated in a news release. "Local government is the key to delivering services, growing economies and serving citizens. The university is one of the best assets we have and I look forward to improving and maximizing our partnerships."