Committee Vote for Vi Committee, LLC
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Education / Experience
I grew up in Greeley, and have spent most of my life on the front range in Northern Colorado. I have a bachelor’s of science degree in computer engineering from the University of Evansville, in Evansville, IN. I have spent most of my adult life as a small business owner, so I understand how to manage a budget and how to take care of customers. And, I understand that if your employees aren’t happy, they won’t do a good job taking care of your customers. I have run a private music studio since I was 14, and strongly believe in the power of music education. I have also performed around the US and internationally as a musician, and am a member of the Recording Academy (the Grammys). I have also served for 3 years as the Secretary Treasurer of the Traveling Musicians Union, and have spent the last three years as a member of the Loveland Communications Advisory Board, serving as the vice-chair of the board.
Describe your experiences that have prepared you to serve as a Loveland City Council member.
Growing up in Northern Colorado gave me perspective on the importance of Water in our community, and an appreciation for the beautiful outdoors that make Loveland such an attractive place to live. My career in technology has shown me how to use technology to improve efficiency and improve communication, things that Loveland needs desperately right now. My life as a father has shown me the importance of caring for all of the people of Loveland, especially those who can’t care for themselves. My experience as a small business owner has taught me the importance of planning and budgeting, and how to manage money well. And, being an artist and teacher has shown me why we need creative solutions for the problems that we are facing. My time on the Loveland Communications Advisory Board has shown me how people can come together to protect the infrastructure of our city. And, I will use all of this experience to represent the interests of all residents of Ward 3.
What role can the city play in providing equal opportunity in housing for low-income individuals?
I support the city of Loveland giving developers incentives for adding affordable housing intermingled with market rate housing. The city should respect the rights of property owners to develop their land how they choose. And, if the developer wants the city to contribute to the project, then the city has a right to ask for some concessions in return.The more important issue that we are facing around housing is the issue of supply and demand. Loveland is an amazing place to live, so people are moving here like cats & dogs! We have twice as many people moving to the front range as we have new housing being created. This imbalance in supply and demand is driving up the cost of housing.Making and keeping housing attainable in Loveland, isn’t going to be solved by any one development or decision, but I am confident that with creative thinking we can create a future where Loveland families can settle down and grow old together.
How do you think climate change will affect our city and what steps, if any, can the City Council take to mitigate such change?
Colorado is dependent on the water that falls from the sky in the mountains. It’s the most critical factor to the growth and stability of the population in Loveland. The drought in the west over the last 10 years has already created a situation where stats are suing each other, and the reservoirs that we all depend on for water storage and hydroelectricity are at the lowest levels in decades. Making sure that we plan for and secure adequate water supply and storage is the most important thing that Loveland City Council can do to mitigate these effects.
What can be done to ensure that diverse views and perspectives are included in policy making decisions?
Right now, many of Loveland’s boards aren’t fully staffed. The first thing that we can do is encourage people who have diverse views and perspectives to apply for membership on Loveland’s boards and commissions. Secondly, Loveland needs to do a better job of listening to our people. One idea that I have for addressing these communication challenges is creating an app that allows people to easily submit their issues to the proper city department, and receive a response in a reasonable time frame. This app could also be used to gather input from Lovelanders on city council’s weekly issues. They could receive a 3-question survey about these issues, and links to information about them. This information would bring a wealth of new views and perspectives to city council.
Would you be willing to participate in training on how to encourage civil discourse at City Council meetings in both internal and public meetings?
Support
Should the Loveland Police Department adjust its co-responder program to include more input from mental health professionals?
Agree
Please explain your answer to the previous question, also addressing other factors such as money, additional training, communication, etc.
I want to live in a city where our residents feel completely comfortable calling on our police department for help when they need it. I support increasing funding to our co-responder program, adding mental health services for our first responders, and adding additional training in strategic de-escalation.Police officers are people too. Their kids go to school with our kids, and they shop at the same grocery stores as us. They are not immune to the stress of being exposed to people in crisis day after day. We need to create a culture where police officers receive mental health support and treatment without stigma. Our first responders are critical to Loveland being a safe place to live and they need our support, and they need accountability when our trust is betrayed.