Depends on the day.

Yes.

I have a dog.

Good morning.

Welcome to a special meeting for city council this morning to appoint District 2 City Council representation.

This is Monday, April 6th, 2026.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Iverson.

Crow Iverson.

Here.

Councilmember Donaldson.

Councilmember Gold.

Here I am.

Councilmember Henjam.

Present.

Councilmember Lionwever.

Here.

Councilmember Rainey.

Here.

Councilmember Risley.

Here.

Councilmember Williams.

Here.

All nine presents.

As we open this process today, as communicated to all parties, aspects of the process are subject to change.

This process today will proceed as previously communicated, with the exception of one change.

The order in which candidates will be interviewed will no longer be in alphabetical order.

The order of interviews will proceed in the order from the least to the most council member recommendations.

The order will follow as Paulie Cambron, Anita Miller, Dan Spone, Cindy Carter, and Ken Casey.

Each candidate will be given five minutes to address City Council as to why they are the most qualified candidate to fill the vacancy.

At the conclusion of the address, I will call the council members individually and ask a question to ask a question.

Candidate response will be limited to three minutes per candidate.

So this morning, we're gonna start with Polly Cambron.

Good morning, Polly.

You have five minutes to address the council.

It's on.

Chet.

Okay, I'm Polly Cameron.

I live in District 2.

I wanted to talk a little bit about Colorado Springs.

Um the Midwind Midland Railway serving Ute Pass was pivotal in transporting Pike's Peak lettuce.

During the late 19th century, iceberg lettuce was nicknamed because the guys would wait for the trains down at the Colorado Springs depot from Divide amongst the massive ice sheets with a little iceberg lettuce.

It was a commodity that was sent east that actually helped Colorado Springs, whereas ore, such as silver and gold was all sent east, especially after the Sherman Silver app, not helping our state as much.

This, I believe, Colorado Springs is a people city.

Currently, the Ford Amphitheater does not qualify for the Fiddler's Green Loophole.

If they seek to expand the 1987 expansion to include for-profit, they will consider Hobbes versus City of Saliva as the precedent.

Precedents are not binding, but they do often follow them.

This this could go against their 50 years of noise abatement act.

People moved to Colorado to listen.

I know people who've moved up to La Palmer Lake to hear the hummingbirds as they migrate to Canada and back down to Mexico.

That's gonna be an issue, I think, for the Colorado Supreme Court.

Um I think that needs to be considered.

Um I'm not sure just making a nonprofit is gonna it's gonna upset the rest of the state, I fear, or the everybody who's then eight people who are going against it could could do counter lawsuits.

Um I think that's a huge concern.

I think it's a beautiful place.

I went up there, I introduced myself to the people in the restaurant.

I think Colorado Springs needs it.

I think it's just exquisite looking.

Um it needs to be something needs to be done, it needs to be negotiated correctly.

Thank you.

I'm so nervous.

That's okay.

We will now call on council members to ask their question.

And please limit your response to three minutes per councilmember's question.

We're gonna start with council member Line Weber.

Please ask your question.

Could you explain to me how outdoor recreation is an economic um component for Colorado Springs?

Um, so many people come here to mountain bike and now to e-bike.

Working in hospitality on in Manitou and in Green Mountain Falls.

I lived at the lodge and I lived in hospitality.

And everyone comes here to mountain bike.

Unfortunately, they find the rivers and they end up leaving.

They go to Royal Gorge, um, Salida.

When they find Salida, they often called and said, could we have a refund?

We're gonna stay here.

So we are losing people to uh Celida and Canyon City for that.

And I think we have to keep those trails safe, and I gotta get rid of the graffiti.

There's a lot of tagging up on high drive, Cheyenne Canyon.

Thank you.

Councilman Rainey, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

If selected, what specific concrete steps will you take to ensure you are listening to all residents' concerns, not just those of the developers or activists?

I like meeting people, so I would actually schedule commuting, maybe a little meeting event where I could listen to their needs.

I would like to talk to the eight people who are are on the lawsuit suing the Ford Amphitheater.

And just maybe if we if we listen, what what could we come up with that make make would make them happy so that we don't reverse this noise abatement law?

Thank you.

Councilman Williams, please ask your question.

Thank you, President Carr Everson.

Um if you're selected for this role, you would be obviously representing district two.

But as you can see, when you're up here, you represent not only your district, but the city as a whole.

How would you balance the needs of your district versus the needs of the whole city?

I think listening and learning from you all first, and um that would be a lot to learn.

And finding out the I know a lot of the the different districts and how different they all are, and they each have really great and they each have I guess problems that have to be addressed.

So just listening.

Councilman Rainey, pro Tim, please ask your question.

It's Risley.

Grisley.

I keep doing that.

It's not easy when they all start with R.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, Madam President.

Pauly, thanks for being here.

Yeah, thank you.

My question of the candidates today will be whether or not you're interested in seeking re-election in April of 2027, and regardless of yes or no, what the rationale is.

Um, well, of course.

Yeah, I think it would be great.

Um, I would weigh this year and see how I did, and if I didn't think I was doing well, I would want someone else to come in.

Okay, please.

Good morning again.

Um, are you able to commit the time that it takes to serve your district districts with um at least um two council meetings a month?

Um sometimes one, uh utilities board meeting plus a utilities work session, boards and commissions, and and required activities that um will take a lot of your time.

Yes.

Councilman Um Gold, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Polly, for being here.

You mentioned long-term prosperity in your opening remarks.

Can you tell me what that looks like uh for you for Colorado Springs in regards specifically to public safety, parks, and infrastructure?

Yeah, I saw that a lot of the budget was going to safety, public safety.

I saw a lot, quite a lot was of a four million dollar budget that was set um for public safety in the new police depart uh academy, and I agree with that.

Um unfortunately the bike path is quite rough and people are afraid, and I think that's really important.

Um, prosperity.

I think we do need to understand that growing a growing city grows, and places like the amphitheater, we can't just it's not gonna be torn down, and we know that, and and we have to find a way to to negotiate that so we can keep growing in arts and culture.

I think we need more arts and culture.

Thank you.

And uh my second question, since we have a little time, is um can you tell me what community engagement looks like to you if you are a council member?

I think um I like when you I see the community meetings you all have.

Um, I know Brandy has one coming up for her district, and she's meeting on West Colorado Avenue, and people can come, I think, to the meeting, and I think those are important.

What other ways might you engage with the community?

Um going to events and um supporting those events, like supporting the events that are going on at the amphitheater, supporting the the new um all the new activities that are going on up there.

It's a great it's a great recreational part of town.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Donison, please ask your question.

Okay, thanks, Madam President, and good morning, Paulie.

Good morning.

Um, and I have a couple short ones.

Okay.

First, how long have you lived in in your current home?

Four years.

Four years, and how long have you been in District Two?

Four years.

Four years, okay.

And then when I was uh when I first ran the person uh who I was following in his footsteps told me this is really a full-time job.

Um do you have paid employment now?

And if so, how many hours a week does that take?

I have part-time paid employment right now.

And how many hours a week?

I'd say about 20.

20 hours a week for your your job.

Um, do you have other commitments outside of what you would do here that would would take substantial amounts of time?

No.

No.

And then my final question is uh your the prior district two council member uh was recalled, as you know, and he resigned uh rather than uh stand for re-election.

What what lessons do you draw from that that uh your predecessor was recalled?

I see the vitriol online and it it it it it it it made me be hesitant to come here today.

I was concerned about that.

Um I came, I wanted to run against Mr.

Bailey um last year.

I just didn't think I had what it took.

And when I saw him running alone, I thought what's happening here?

Nobody wants to run.

And I I know opportunities don't come out round again.

And when I when they put the um application on, I thought, well, this opportunity is not gonna come back.

I already missed the first one.

So that was the reason.

I'm I've been in the in in the city since 1998.

I moved here to train at the Velodrome.

I just lived on the West Side.

Okay, thank you.

In District Three.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Councilman Hand Jim, please ask your question.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Good morning, Polly.

Uh, I'm gonna ask you a yes or no question, and I really want a yes or no answer.

Okay.

You can expound, but I'm really looking to understand um very clearly if you believe that we have the revenue necessary to run our city um to the level of service that we is required or demands.

So, yes or no.

Do you believe Colorado Springs has the revenue required to run our city?

No.

Okay, and what would you do to begin to to correct that?

How would you go about changing that?

I would I think um sorry.

Um I don't I'm I'm not sure if just keeping building and expanding homes is the uh answer.

I think to keep what we have and to build upon that until the debt is taken down before we agree on big buildings and okay, thank you.

So that concludes our interview for Polly.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Anita Miller.

Good morning, Anita.

Good morning.

You have five minutes to address the council.

Okay, again, I'm Anita Miller.

I'm an agented author of fiction and have studied the craft for years.

I have an MFA in writing.

As we all know, readers typically follow a story bit by bit, the narrative moving on with new tidbits being discovered along the way until readers finally reach the conclusion.

Today, though, if this interview were a story, I'd like to tell you here at the beginning where I hope the conclusion will be, that you choose me to be the next city council member for District 2.

And I'm going to give you four reasons why I think this should be the case.

Reason number one, my commitment to serving the people of Colorado Springs.

I'm a native Coloradan and have lived in District 2 for more than 20 years, first arriving, like so many of us as a part of a military family.

While I have worked and do work as a writer and a teacher, I made the choice early in my now 34-year-old marriage for motherhood to be my primary vocation and for any leftover time and talent to be used for volunteering in my community.

My children are grown now: a doctor, a lawyer, an advertising whiz, and an Army ROTC cadet at Harvard.

And while raising them, I've worked in schools in and around the city, from Liberty Tree Academy, a charter school that I helped open, to Mitchell, Palmer, Coronado, and Doherty.

In addition to paid positions, I volunteered many thousands of hours in my community.

I've served several terms on state-mandated school accountability committees.

And for more than a decade, I volunteered helping high school students and their families apply to college and for scholar uh college scholarships.

My students have been admitted to schools that include, to name a few, three Ivy Leagues, three military academies, the University of Notre Dame, UC Berkeley, and the University of Chicago, as well as many other great public schools.

And my students have earned millions in scholarships.

I also serve as a regular event speaker for educating children of color, a 501c3 working to dismantle the cradle to prison pipeline for children of color and in poverty through education.

It's a wonderful organization that's building our leaders of the future.

So in a nutshell, I'm committed to service.

Reason number two, you should end the story by choosing me.

I don't know everything.

Yes, I said it and I mean it.

And the fact that I know that I don't know everything should reassure you that I won't pretend that I do, or worse, actually think that I do.

Well, making important decisions and voting about complex issues, I will see guidance and information from city and CSU staff.

And when an issue is occurring in one of your districts particularly, or if I know you have specialized knowledge about it, I was I will always consult you and give particular weight to your stance.

So I will study and learn and do my own research, and I will make decisions and votes based on all of that and ultimately what is I believe will be best to serve the citizens of our city.

I will ask what's in it for us, and the us will be the citizens.

I will strive to protect their rights and their wallets.

Reason number three.

Why is this important?

I know where support can be received for issues facing the citizens of District 2 and as a city as a whole.

My own husband served as a city council member several years ago.

Why is that important?

I know what I'm in for.

And knowing all of this, I would still be very honored to serve District 2 and the city and to partner with all of you to get the hard work done.

Reason number four, the people of District 2 can trust me.

The people of District 2 are my special interest group.

I will find out the facts about issues they're faced with, and I will do everything in my power as a city council member to support their rights and their quality of life.

While representing District 2, I will be kind, but I will not be cowardly.

I will play well with others, but I will not let anyone play me.

Finally, I appreciate all the other candidates.

They seem like great people.

But I hope this story ends with me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I will now call council members to ask their questions and please limit your response to three minutes.

Councilman Lineweber.

Yes, can you can you explain to me the economic benefits of outdoor recreation?

Yes, of course, there are many economic benefits of recreation in Colorado Springs.

We bring in so many people and organizations that benefit our cities, our city not only with just if it's a particular kind of outdoor activity that they're doing for the location involved, but also our hotels, our restaurants, et cetera.

And I think there's a lot of missed opportunity to partner with places like hotels and restaurants to help bring those people into our cities.

And then once they're here, encourage them to come back.

I also think there's a lot of missed opportunity in bringing in sports events to our city with schools and other particular sports organizations, so that once they come in, can we then not just have them play the game of flight football, but can we invite them at that point to go see one of our outdoor experiences?

Um whether that be taking the train up Pike's Peak or you know, visiting the Manitou Incline, if depending on the age and level of the the um people involved Councilman Rainey, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

If selected, what specific concrete steps will you ensure uh that you will take to ensure that you are listening to all residents' concerns, not just those of the developers or any activist groups.

As I said, um the people of district two are my special interest, and that means individually and as a whole.

The reason why we're here today is because there's been a lack of trust among um our constituents with their representatives, and I think the way to rebuild that trust is to have regular scheduled meetings so that people can come in and visit with their council member um on a regular basis and have their questions answered in a respectable way, um, a respectful way.

And also it will give the council member opportunities to give those citizens facts because sometimes I think the citizens don't know why a particular thing is happening, and there's more research and work that's going on behind the final decision.

Um, also I think when we're answering emails, that they always need to be respectful.

I mean, there if if you need to sit back and count to 10 before you put your fingers on the keyboard, that's what you have to do.

And um, I live in a district where there are a lot of retired military and current military officers, and those people they want the the facts about an issue, and they're not gonna just uh lie down and take it.

So I think they're and that's a good thing.

That's a good thing.

That's what we should all have.

So I think regular scheduled meetings, and I I think that as the trust is being rebuilt at the beginning, you'd see meetings with many, many people, and then it would probably dwindle down.

And I think that would be awesome.

And I would still be sitting there for coffee or whatever it is, yeah, whether it's uh you know, a hundred per people or one person.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Councilwoman Williams, please ask your question.

Thank you.

President Carl Iverson.

Obviously, this is gonna be rinse and repeat as we go through these questions, but I'm gonna say it anyway.

Um, if you are appointed to this position, it will be for the citizens of district two.

How will you balance the needs of your district versus the needs of the entire city?

I was thinking about this on the drive over because I was thinking about the question of transportation.

In District 2, we don't have a lot of people using buses, but I know that some of you have a lot of people using buses in your district.

Of course, I would learn, you know, every particular need that my district needs for buses, especially as bus service grows and changes, especially with the use of AI.

But I know that there are districts who use it more, and I would consult with you.

If there were there was a vote happening on buses or any other issue that is particular to your district or your area of expertise, I would consult you heavily and put a lot of weight on your on your stance.

Um I appreciate all of you and the hard work you do, and I think that as a team, we can really make a difference in this city.

We've got to work as a team.

President Pro Tim Risley, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Good morning.

Morning.

Um, my question is you probably already heard is what whether or not you would seek re-election in April of 2027, and regardless of the answer yes or no, what the rationale would be.

Yes, I would seek uh re-election, and the reason would be continuity for our constituents.

They deserve someone who will be in there for the length of time to make a difference and to help establish ourselves not only as one entity, but also as part of a larger city.

Uh, our area is growing so quickly, and um I think that it behooves us to have someone who is present through at least part of a big process, like the expansion of powers, for example.

So, yes, I would seek re-election and I would do it primarily for continuity to serve the people of our district.

Good morning again.

Um, do you have the time and the bandwidth to serve on council, knowing that we have two to four meetings a month plus a CSU work session and a CSU um meeting plus boards and commissions and extra activities that you will be required to attend?

Yes, I absolutely do.

I would make this um position my full-time job.

I think that, especially since I've had the opportunity to see not only my own husband in this position, but council members I've had as friends and neighbors.

Um, I know that it's a full-time job, if not more than that.

And I think that there are a lot of people who think that, oh, you know, you can do this.

Um you can kind of wedge city council around your life, but actually it's the other way around where you have to wedge your life around city council at times.

Of course, I understand that everybody deserves their break on their schedule time off.

But yes, I would 100% make this a full-time job, and um uh our our citizens deserve that, and and that's why I would do it.

Councilman Gold, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Anita, for being here.

You mentioned in your application and in your opening remarks that you were a part of a major county political party.

Which party is that I was uh a part of the Republican Party of Colorado Springs.

I still stand by, I mean, not of Colorado Springs, but of our country.

And I still stand by a lot of what the platform offers.

But a few years ago, I became an independent and affiliated voter.

I wanted to do that because I felt like there was a great opportunity, especially in our county and our our city to be willing to look at each independent, each candidate and each issue independently.

The county of the El Paso County has, I believe it's over 55% of us are independent unaffiliated voters at this point, and that number is going up every day.

And it's not just because people are registering, you know, for their driver's license and marking and not having to mark anything and becoming independent.

People are physically going in and changing um their party affiliation.

And I think it's it can be a really good thing, not only for our city and our county, but also our state, where we're we um are going to make our our representatives work harder for us.

Um that number is actually 52 percent.

And um I'd like to speak specifically about your response to parks open space along with police fire and roads are a top priority for you.

Can you speak a little bit more about that?

And would you support a ballot measure to put the public safety sales tax uh to the voters?

I haven't delved into the budget, so I can't answer whether I put it um and I have looked at it, but I haven't gotten as deep into it as I would like before making a statement about that.

I uh police fire roads, parks, those are my priorities.

I had um one daughter who was born accidentally at home, and uh firefighters arrived in time to make that a safe birth.

So response time is very important to me.

I had another incident where I was choking on food and I was without oxygen for more than five minutes.

I dialed 911.

I could make there no breath was coming out, and um the person who answered the phone said, if you were choking, press the buttons on your phone.

I pressed the buttons on my phone, and she said, help is on the way.

Someone, uh a first responder arrived, they met me at my door, hit me on my back.

I was nine months pregnant at the time, so I couldn't do the Heimlich, and saved my life.

Um I think I think uh our police and fire would be hard pressed to find anybody else on on city council who would be more supportive of them.

Um, not based just on those issues, but because I've raised a family here, and um I want those people and also my constituents to be safe.

Thank you.

Councilman Williams.

Thank you, President Cur Everson.

I just want to state for the people on the dias and the people in the room, that our instructions as council members were to ask one question and to ask the same question of each candidate.

And if that requires a motion to do that, then we will make a motion that says you get one question and you ask the same question to all the candidates, because that's not fair that you get this far down the line, and then you're experiencing something that's different.

So if that's what this takes, and I will ref defer to you, President, if that's the way you want to go about this.

But obviously you can see the inconsistency, and I don't think that's fair to our candidates.

Are you making a motion?

I make a motion that it's one question and the same question for every candidate.

Councilman Risley.

Thanks, madam president.

I would second that motion.

It's just it again feels that there is a lack of equity here if we've got some people following the rules and other people not following the rules.

I just don't think that that's fair to the candidates and fair to the process.

So I would absolutely second that.

Councilman Donaldson.

First, I want to uh apologize to Anita for getting caught at the podium in uh the midst of a little debate here.

Um I guess we're in discussion now uh with with the second on the motion.

I I do not support that.

If a council member wants to ask a follow-on question or even a second question, I think this is an important enough decision where we need to allow that to happen.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

And for any candidate, just for clarity, and I think most people know this.

The position of city council member to include the mayor, is a non-partisan position.

Just want to make that clear for everyone on his dies, everyone who's listening in, and everyone that's currently an audience.

Thank you.

So I have a motion from councilman Williams and a second from actually councilman Rainey to vote for one question and the same question every time you're asked a question for the candidate.

And we'll vote.

Let's vote.

Madam President, I think there might have been more discussion.

Um I'm not sure.

Well, we'll vote and go back to discussion.

Well, it'll be too late once we vote.

Discussion on the on the motion.

We're gonna vote and move through this process.

Well, I don't think you can close that without a uh just on your own.

Council would have to agree to uh I would I disagree with closing it right now.

And uh if there are if there are others who have something to say, I don't think you should you can't unilaterally shut the discussion down.

Sarah Bruin City Attorney's Office, typically discussion would need to happen prior to the vote on the motion.

So if anyone has discussion, I recommend that you discuss it first and then vote on the motion.

Well, I didn't see any other names up, so who had their name up?

Because I can't see my computer.

I did.

Okay, go for council members.

And I did.

And line you which one was first?

I'm not sure it's on the it's on the Councilman Lineweber.

Um so my question was legal.

Um, first of all, this is it.

My understanding is this is not an HR appointment.

And so typically an HR, we it's very important that we are consistent and follow the the same and equal opportunities.

But because this is an appointment, it does allow some variation, and I would like you to try to under explain to me if there is what what's involved in that.

Secondly, is this typically how um council?

I'm not really sure.

I'm just asking the question.

Can council restrict um the voice of another council member?

I I'm trying to understand like if that's even like possible.

So those are my two questions.

Sarah Bruin City Attorney's Office.

This is not a an employee appointment.

This is an elected official appointment.

Therefore, the rules that apply in this particular case are the rules that are set forth in the council rules, the charter and the city code, not employment law rules that would typically apply to an employee um interview and selection process.

With respect to the process that is typically been used for council members, I don't know that I can answer that question.

Um typically, if there's a motion on the floor and there's additional discussion or debate that that you'd like to have happen, you would discuss it first and then vote.

There is flexibility if the entire body wishes to ask additional questions or ask follow-up questions, that would be a decision that would that the body would make.

Well, I understand those points, but what I'm trying to get at is I as a council member, I've never been restricted to say whatever I want to whenever I want to.

Um because that's that's my prerogative, right?

So if we do agree on this, it's actually not something that can be there's no recourse, correct.

Sarah Bruin City Attorney's Office.

Um I'm not sure I entirely understand the question of the case.

Okay, we're asking, we're asking if you would just stick to one question and ask the same question.

Okay.

And if someone were to not ask just one question and not ask the same question, what's the ramifications?

I don't I've never really been down this road before.

And I'm just I just want to understand what I'm voting on here because it just doesn't seem like I've never been here before.

Do you know what I'm saying?

Yes, so uh council rules dictate um how the council regulates um procedure and decorum for the council.

Therefore, um it would be up to the body to determine how you want to proceed if there is a situation in which you know someone was not following a process or procedure that is strictly within the purview of the council and ultimately um a decision of the president.

Okay, so it would be up to the council to enforce a question asking and whether it varied or not.

Sarah Brun City Attorney's Office, yes, that's correct.

Council has given itself the authority in council rules to govern the the conduct and decorum of council members.

Therefore, it would be the body's decision on how to enforce the rules, and ultimately the president is the one that is the final makes the final decision.

Okay.

Emily, yeah, and I'm I would just add to that that that process was established.

The process of asking a single question was um informally voted on or decided on by the full council at a lunch prior to these proceedings.

Um and we've moved forward with um an agenda that reflects that.

We've had email communications from legislative services that reflect that.

So you know, I would defer to the city attorney's office if we're in need of an additional vote to put that restriction in place.

But that decision has already been made by the majority of council.

Well, and I agreed to that, and I did agree to one question.

And I plan to vote for this in a positive nature, but I didn't really flush out like what I you know what what can you actually do?

And and so I've never really thought through the consequences.

And so I it was just a legitimate question before I go voting.

And you know, I didn't want to put a council member in jail.

Okay, so well, obviously that's not gonna happen, but still we didn't talk about it that way, right?

And so that's what I felt like I needed some clarity to understand what how do we respond if we actually vote for this, and then someone doesn't actually like hold to it.

It's just I just need to understand what that is.

Thank you.

Councilman Hanjam.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Um, so yes, we originally agreed to one question only.

Originally, we were going to um send those in so that all council members could see each other's questions.

Um that then changed to keeping them to ourselves.

This was all via email communication, as I recall.

Um so that's what happened.

I think to the point I just heard council member Lineweber say, you know, we are elected officials, this is an elected appointment, sticking to one question.

Um, you know, we've been given three minutes as council members for our question and answer period.

I think um from my perspective and and the way our president has uh very deftly managed our meetings so far, it's been very respectful um to call on council members uh to ask their questions and has really not limited our voice.

Um so I I certainly support follow-up questions or a change in a question based on what you hear from uh from a uh uh candidate coming forward.

Um this is as was said, an extremely important appointment that we're making.

And I think for us to have all the information that we need to feel comfortable with our vote is very appropriate.

So I will be voting no on the on the uh the proposed motion and and suggest we move forward, stay within our three minutes, ask the questions we need to ask.

Thank you.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, madam president.

And um thank you, Anita, for your grace and your patience as we figure this out.

Um this is a really important process.

Um we've all been allotted three minutes, and um I was not supportive of having one question.

I think that in this process, we're unable to talk to the candidates.

We're only able to review applications.

So we have three minutes a piece per council member to ask hard questions on behalf of not just District 2, but the entire city and surrounding areas, because the decisions we make here on this dais impact all of El Paso County and beyond.

So if this decision is moved forward, I will gladly accept another letter of reprimand for breaking rules and decorum for the residents of District 2 and the residents of the city of Colorado Springs.

Thank you.

Councilman Williams.

I definitely apologize to Anita, and if you want, you might as well take a seat till we get all these things ironed out.

But um, I was going to restate what Emily so graciously said, and I know this is one of those things none of us want to have to do live on television, but we agreed as a body of eight as we are now to one question per candidate and the same question.

That was agreed upon.

Those are the rules when we walked in here today.

How and why that changed.

All that changed was that we weren't going to share what those questions were.

So that when we got here today, staff insured us they weren't repeated, and therefore we wouldn't have to bore you guys with answering the same question twice.

But nothing else changed.

It was still one question, the same question for candidate.

Try to make this as fair as we possibly can.

I think another thing that was um unfortunately misinterpreted is that there was a suggestion last week that it's five minutes per council member, and then we go back and forth with each candidate, and that did not make it through.

So that was not voted on and or approved by this body.

But what has, and president can correct me if I'm wrong, been misinterpreted, is that we ask our question, they have three minutes to answer.

It's not a three-minute dialogue.

You ask your question, the candidate has three minutes to answer.

If they don't take three minutes, there's not more time for more questions, but that's the amount of time that the president has allotted them to answer the question.

So I think that didn't, you know, that got lost in translation somewhere.

So it shouldn't be like this, but here we are.

One question, same question for every candidate.

You ask the question, they have three minutes to answer.

This is important, and it's important to do it as fair as possible.

So I have been through this process, Sarah, and it was like that, and it was the same question for all of the candidates.

And that way the community saw how each candidate answered the same question in the same context and in the same vein.

So thank you.

And I would just add again from legislative services perspective who who coordinated these proceedings today, um, that everything council member Williams is saying is factual.

Um there were additional methods of of coordinating the questions that were discussed.

None of those were approved by the body.

Um there was originally during that lunch a possibility of releasing all of the questions preemptively to all council members to review, but it was determined there was too great a risk in those questions being leaked outside of the office.

So there was a determination made legislative services would review those again to ensure there were no duplicative questions.

Um that task was completed, and we were prepared today to go through proceedings with a single question per council member with a three-minute response per candidate.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, just a couple of points.

Uh one, I think our goal here today is to select the best candidate, they're all good, but which one fits best in District 2 for this this one year period.

Um I think an additional question or two by a council member only helps that.

Um, and it helps that council member be comfortable with uh who they select.

Um another point is that although the council president uh runs the meeting and and makes decisions, those any of those decisions can be uh appealed by another member of council.

And if the majority of the body uh disagree with the council president, then uh that's the way it goes.

Um that's important to remember, and we don't have to lock ourselves in to something we said two weeks ago at lunch.

Uh as far as we'll only have one question.

I think it's we're adults.

This is an important decision.

When we did this four years ago for replacement for Richards Corman, we were allowed to follow up with another question or even ask a series of questions.

I thought the objection to that is oh, it'll take too long if we do that.

Um it's been very speedy so far.

And uh I would ask my fellow council members here to vote no on this to restrict it.

It's been very um polite, uh very quick so far, even with an additional question or two.

As council president, I was following the will of the body from our last lunch along with um staff, and that's why the agenda is set the way it is.

But I do have a motion from Councilman Williams and a second from Councilman Rainey um to the original intent from the lunch meeting where the majority voted that there will be one question, um, and that's what we'll vote on.

I don't see any other comments from the dais, so we'll vote and the motion passes five to three Anita moving on to Councilman Donaldson.

Will you please ask your question?

Um welcome back, Anita.

Thank you.

Do you do you still want to go forward with this process?

I do.

I had someone ask me.

I had someone ask me.

Yes, I do.

Okay.

Um let me see here.

Uh how long have you lived in your uh current home and how long have you been in the district?

I have lived in my current home and have been in the district for almost 21 years.

That's where I've raised my four children and um have been very happy in my home and have volunteered in the school that is directly behind my home and with uh many other committees and things that come up in our neighborhood.

It's a wonderful place to live.

Okay, and do you have full-time work or uh do you have full-time work?

I work part-time and do a lot of side gigs, but I am planning to make this my full-time job.

I might have a side gig or two that I think would benefit the city as I I'd be learning more about the city and how things work as I'm doing it.

Um, one of them is a uh helping a law firm that's trying to get funds back for people who uh military who lost who had to leave the military um due to not taking the COVID shot and and other reasons.

And I think it's it's a great opportunity to serve our military.

And um, and so I will do that one, but it it would be very limited, and I'd be able to work it around city council requirements very easily.

How many hours a week do you think that is?

It can be any number of hours I want.

It can be one hour, it can be 50 hours.

And then the prior district two council member was recalled as you know.

What lessons should we learn from that?

I think that we need to rebuild trust in district two.

There are a lot of perceptions, and you know, maybe some of them are very true about the relationships that some of our city council members have had with um special interest groups in the in district two, and so I think not being a part of any special interest group and being able to look at each uh issue that comes up objectively and for our constituents to know that and to be able to look back at my my past and in any way that they would like, or to question me directly.

Um, I think that it would go a long way to rebuilding trust.

And some of that has been a long time coming, not just with our past council member, but also with just issues, uh land use issues, for example, like okay, there was a big empty plot of land behind a house, and it the master plan showed there was gonna be a park behind it.

We paid uh special uh extra money in order to have that house located there, and now there's you know, a four-story apartment complex or or what have you.

Lots of situations like that that have occurred in our district over the last several years that have um contributed to the lack of trust.

So rebuilding the trust is very important to me.

Thank you.

Councilman Hencham.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

So um, Anita, I'm going to ask you a yes or no question, and I want a yes or no answer.

Um, but I want to really I really do want to understand very clearly if you believe that we have the revenue we need to operate and serve the levels of service for our city of Colorado Springs.

So do you believe that Colorado Springs has the revenue required to run our city?

Yes.

Okay.

And any anything you'd like to expound on that?

Um, I'm a fan of TABER.

I know that TABAR allows for growth, and a lot of that is misunderstood.

Someday I'd love to give a presentation on Tabor and exactly how it works, but it allows for growth.

And so even if we're having growth, um, if we're spending responsibly, it will be a rare instance, a very rare instance where I would consider raising a tax.

I'm not going to say, or funding a new source of funding.

Uh, I'm not going to say no, but um it would be very rare indeed.

So, Anita, you spoke about how critical the fire department has been in your own life and how supportive you are.

Are you aware of the challenges the fire department is facing now with their revenue?

I am, and I think that that's one of the things that I'm excited about is to get in here and really get in into the weeds of the budget and learn things that I think that that we're not capable of learning just by looking at a computer screen and seeing uh line items, right?

I I really want to delve into it.

So that's why I'm saying I'm not a no, but it would be a very rare instance.

And are there other areas that we can cut from?

I look at the budget and I'm saying, um, you know, if if I were I've never known anybody who's climbed Pike's Peak accidentally.

Um, if you want to climb Pike's Peak, you at least have to get to the bottom of it and look at the summit and go, okay, that's my goal for the day.

And um, and that's how I look at the budget.

We we've got to have a goal, and then once you make that decision to start hiking, you've got to stay on that hike.

Um, you're not gonna be halfway up Pike's Peak and go, you know what, I think I'll take a detour and go do the incline and then come back, right?

So it's very easy to get distracted by new opportunities that come in when you already have a budget in place, and I think it would be difficult for anyone to come in and distract me with an opportunity that is not serving our citizens well, especially when we already have a budget in place.

But I do need to get in and really get into the weeds of the budget.

So I think I hear you saying once you learn more specifically about the budget, about what the needs are, and I'm specifically talking about fire right now, CSFD.

Um, you might be open to addressing a concern that exists and a deficit that exists in that budget.

Yes, especially with um keeping our current firefighters.

Again, I told you the story about how I I gave birth to my daughter at home.

The firefighter who came and delivered my baby, he was very young.

He ended up becoming a captain for the city council.

I mean, for the city of Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Um, and that's the kind of um that's the kind of budget for the fire department.

That that's a reflection of how it can be spent wisely and how if we're going to spend money, we need to retain firefighter, please.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

So this concludes the interview for you, Anita.

Thank you.

All right, thank you very much.

Moving on to um Dan Spown.

Will you please come to the podium?

Good morning, Dan.

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak on my own behalf here.

My name is Dan Spawn, and I moved to the Springs in 1994.

I'm a Navy veteran and a retired business leader with over 40 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, and business development.

Since retiring in 2023 in December, I've been working as a business consultant, started my own little consulting business, helping small businesses survive startup into stability phase, and then also move from stability phase into growth phase.

And through this experience, I've gained a deep understanding of the benefit of alignment to common goals and a collaborative attitude when compromise is the only path forward.

And then I you know, why me for the council?

I I believe what I bring to the council, or what I will bring to the council is an ability to analyze complex challenges from multiple perspectives to align stakeholders and support the long-term mission while dealing with both short and long-term issues.

And through my involvement with organizations like SCORE, uh chamber committees and regional advisory committees, I've experienced working at the intersection of business, government, and community.

And this the role on City Council is unique here because you also serve as the board for the Colorado Springs utilities.

That responsibility requires technical understanding and long-range thinking.

My background in engineering, manufacturing, and operational leadership directly applies here.

Utilities aren't just about what rates are charging, they're about decisions that will shape the future of Colorado Springs.

Uh working in environments where getting it wrong wasn't an option.

And that's exactly the mindset I think the governance needs here.

And if selected, there are three things that will influence my thoughts and actions.

First is responsible growth.

You know, Colorado Springs is growing.

It's not going to stop.

You know, our job is to ensure that infrastructure, housing, and services keep pace in a way that serves the community and preserves the character of the region now and in the future.

Second, small business and economic strength.

Small businesses are the basis of the economic food chain, and we need to do everything we can to make it easier for small businesses to succeed.

Third is workforce and technical pathways.

We need all levels of workers to believe that their future is here in Colorado Springs, that educational opportunities are aligned with business needs, and that quality of life is there for hourly as well as salaried employees.

And to bring this to a close, I've I've come to believe in my 40 plus years, there are 10 solutions to any problem.

And conversely, there is no one size fits all solution to anything.

There are reasons that any city council is made up of a number of different people.

You know, you're bringing in different backgrounds, different experiences, multiple perspectives when discussing issues and considering a short list of those 10 solutions.

The key to success is keeping decisions aligned to our long-term goals and objectives.

I will now call on council members to ask their questions, and you have three minutes to respond.

Councilman Lineweber, please ask your question.

Yes, can you explain the economic benefits of outdoor recreation?

Yes.

In my personal opinion, outdoor recreation, especially in the Colorado Springs region, is one big draw for Colorado Springs.

And to be able to preserve the outdoor recreation availability there is here in the springs is going to enhance our ability as a city to attract more business, which provides more employment for the citizenry.

Thank you.

Councilman Rainey, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

If selected, what specific concrete steps will you take to ensure you are listening to all residents' concerns, not just those of developers or any activist groups.

Well, I've I've personally volunteered with some civic groups, and I believe that the civic groups in the region in the area are very good at having the pulse of the community at large.

So concrete, I would reach out to those Surtoma Kawanis type groups and try to become part of what they're doing, to make myself available at meetings so that you know I can hear their hear from them what they're hearing from everyone in their communities.

In addition, I would reach out to uh businesses that might have the available space to start regular meetings where the community can come in and kind of a where I could provide input to them on what the council is considering and also hear back from them to get firsthand knowledge of exactly how the constituents feel.

Thank you.

Councilman Williams, please ask your question.

Thank you.

President Carl Iverson and again, Anita, I want to apologize.

Sorry about that, but before we made it all the way through, I figured we'd figure out what the ground rules were.

Thank you, Daniel, for um applying for this position.

And if you are selected, you would represent District 2.

And how would you balance out the needs of your constituency in District 2 versus the needs of the whole city?

On how they feel about that.

You know, council members have to balance that representing the constituency with decisions that are best for the city as a whole.

And sometimes that can be very difficult.

But if it was an issue that was directly impacting my district that I represented, I would probably lean to representing my district's viewpoint.

President Pro Tim Risley, please ask your question.

Thanks, Madam President.

And actually, before I do ask my question, uh could I request a five-minute recess?

Um can I have a thumbs up for a f I've um I have a majority of thumbs we are now um back in session and we'll conclude our um candidate questions moving on to oh councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

I have this paper in front of me.

I just want to understand what I'm reading.

Um it says Council members Gold Donaldson and Henjam are in violation of Rule 3-4 of the rules and procedures of city council.

As president, I'm calling them to order and ask them to remain silent for the remainder of this process.

Could you elaborate?

Does that mean that I should sit here silently for the process, or I'm am I to still ask a question?

You may ask a question.

Um this was just given to us by the city attorney's office.

If you ask more than one question, um, then you will be skipped in the rest of the interviews questions.

But if you continue to one question, you will be able to continue asking one question.

Thank you.

And how did the city attorney plan to provide this to us?

Was there conversation happening at the desiest that we were unaware of?

I'm I'm happy to answer that question.

Again, in um response to the dialogue that's occurred in chambers here today, legislative services connected with the city attorney's office to determine what options were available to continue the proceedings as planned today, and in consultation with the city attorney's office was given that language to provide to council.

Thank you so much.

And I hope for those who are in attendance, um, welcome to city council.

And um, I do hope that you keep in mind the questions that the three of us had.

They are vitally important to your fellow residents and our city as a whole.

Thank you.

Madam President, Sarah Brune, City Attorney's Office.

I just wanted to cite to the rule that for which we are referencing here, which is uh 3-3 of the council rules, appeal of I'm pardon me, three-four, violation of the rules and procedures of city council.

If a city council member violates the rules and procedures of city council, the president shall call such council member to order, in which case the council member shall be silent unless permitted to explain by the president.

I just wanted to place that on the record so that it was clear which and if I if I could ask, Madam President, which rule and procedure are we violating if we ask a follow-up question, Sarah Bruin, City Attorney's Office.

Um, the process that was outlined for the conduct of this meeting is what is what I understand is at issue.

And um therefore the council rules similarly dictate if there is a deviation from the process that was agreed to, then other council rules specify how those issues should be handled.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions from the dais, we will continue with our candidate questions.

President Pro Tim Risley, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Dan, thanks for your patience through all of this.

Um my question is it's enjoyable to watch.

I don't believe you.

I really don't know.

It's enjoyable to watch the process.

Fair enough.

Um my question is would whether or not you would seek uh election in April of 2027, and whether you answer yes or no, uh if you could just share your rationale.

The initial response is certainly I I would do that.

And I agree, like others that have commented the continuity of representation is a good thing for a district, right?

Uh that said, I have not been on city council before.

Uh I don't know exactly how I am going to work in it.

I have a belief that I know I'm gonna have how I'm gonna work in it.

But yeah, it's like yeah, asking if you like that flavor of ice cream before you try it.

You know, so short answer is yes, I would consider you know uh seeking re-election.

Thank you.

Good morning, John.

Thank you for being here this morning.

Dan question um is are you able to dedicate the time and the commitment to the two to four council meetings a month to uh work session and a council or a utilities board meeting once a month, plus boards and commissions and other activities that you will re be required to attend?

Uh yes, and like I said in my monologue, I'm retired, so my time is my own.

I do volunteer with a nonprofit on their board, and I have already reached out to them and discussed how that you know will trail off should I be selected.

Uh I also volunteer with score, and I have met with my uh the regional manager for the score group.

And uh the nice thing about score is you can you can just turn yourself off online so I can control whatever you know mentor or mentees I choose or choose not to take.

Uh and in my own personal business that I'm conducting in consulting with small businesses, uh my only marketing is networking, and my business load goes up and down with how much I network.

So it's very easy to slow that down.

So short answer though, yes.

Thank you.

Councilman Gold, will you please ask your question?

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you for being here.

Do you prefer Daniel or Dan?

Dan.

Dan, okay, great.

Um, I appreciate that you are one of the few applicants, candidates who mentioned uh raising taxes.

So uh can you specifically speak to what that means uh for our public safety parks and infrastructure?

Uh I don't remember mentioning raising taxes, but maybe I did.

Uh taxes are a tough answer.

And without having in-depth knowledge of the budgets that the city is currently operating under, what is being spent on what?

Uh you know, I mean, if it's absolutely a necessity, and taxes are the only way to get out of it, then I would support raising taxes, but not without getting down deep in the weeds on why that particular issue is being addressed, you know, why there is that need for funding.

Thank you.

Councilman Donaldson, please ask your question.

So, Dan, my understanding is that you uh you don't have a full-time job.

You have some volunteer work that you do, uh, which is flexible.

Um prior the prior district to council member was recalled, as you know.

What what's uh what should we what should we learn from that well from what I know about that?

Uh I believe that it comes down to what I mentioned before about balancing and weighing the needs of the city as a whole against the needs of the constituency.

And in some of the things that I read about in the paper about decisions and the way things occurred, uh there was a little more emphasis on the needs of the community as a whole with that individual than there was representing the voice of the constituencies.

Thanks.

Councilman Henjam, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so you've had the benefit of hearing this, but I will read it again.

Um I am going to ask you a yes or no question, and I want a yes or no answer, but I want to understand very clearly if you believe we have the revenue necessary to run our city and meet the level of service demands.

So yes or no.

Do you believe Colorado Springs has the revenue required to run our city?

And please expound on your answer.

First indication is yes that we do have.

Now are we applying that monetary resource appropriately to the priorities that you know should take top level interest?

I don't know.

And I do know that if I was on council and I got involved in the budget and got in-depth knowledge of that, would I change my mind?

Maybe.

Thank you.

And this concludes your interview.

Thank you, Dan.

We appreciate it.

Sure.

Next up we have Cindy Carter.

Good morning, Cindy.

Good morning.

Have five minutes to address the council.

Sounds like a good plan.

Thank you, Councilmembers, for inviting me to complete this process and walk through it with you.

I obviously am a resident of District 2.

I value the strong sense of community that we experience in that area and some as well as in some of the other communities that I've lived in during my time as a resident.

I think that this is a pivotal point for our district, considering the growth and responsibility that comes with that.

Professionally, I've spent my career at the intersection of public policy, of government activity, and some of the opportunities that we have to grow as a city from both the economic economic impacts, but also in the aspects that make a city great.

Why me?

It's a real question about what I've seen through my career.

My career has been spent for 17 years selling technology to state and local government.

The reason that I am looking for a transition into this was born as I sat in a anti-human trafficking conference down in New Mexico with one of my customers.

It was astounding.

But the story that he told was about a young girl who was trafficked out of a bar in Colorado Springs and was taken to five different states.

I immediately knew that I wanted to go down a route of making a difference in the community that I lived in and not just continue to walk into rooms and sell the idea that communities can effectively and economically be more resilient economically while still being healthier and safer.

And I could feel it when she was speaking about that.

I've lived in different areas of this city.

I lived up in Waldo Canyon until 2012.

I'm very familiar with fire mitigation and grateful to the fire department who did not allow us to go back up one more time to get more things out of our home.

I've experienced that.

I've experienced home invasion.

I have gone through the process of having to press charges and understand that process alone.

What makes me specifically viable for district two, though, comes back to the issues around traffic, around the maintenance of that, managing and balancing the economic growth with responsible environmental impacts with responsibility to the quality of life that we seek in Colorado Springs.

I know from first hand that other cities are implementing funding techniques and different tools to help optimize fire department workforce to upskill workforces in the technology sector to implement braided funding in order to get some of these projects that we could really use to our benefit to help all constituents.

District 2 is special.

We obviously have a lot of projects going on in the area that require a lot of attention.

And my focus will to always be transparent, accountable, use the data and the people closest operationally, as well as the facts alone to determine best outcomes and to determine durable solutions that aren't temporary, like my position may be, uh, but durable for the city that help us grow in ways that manage all of those aspects that are so important to us.

So thank you very much for your time.

Thank you, City.

We will now start um with the council member questions, and you will have three minutes to answer each question.

Councilman Lineweber, please ask your question.

Yes, can you explain to me the economic benefits of outdoor recreation?

The economic benefits of outdoor recreation feed this city.

This state as a whole is obviously tourism state.

Um I think many many of the previous uh candidates have discussed as well, the growth, the bringing in of businesses, attracting new businesses, uh specifically that feed tourism, making sure that our community is safe and that people come into it, you know, they they can enjoy uh the different options for recreation.

I know that fees that are collected can be maximized through parks and recreation through uh wildlife itself through the Department of Wildlife.

So there is absolutely a direct correlation between the draw, the fees, the uh participation entries at a small individual level, but then also obviously for businesses that we draw, whether it be a data center or a Coca-Cola plant, uh, measuring those responsibly so that we can continue to enjoy the outdoor recreation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Rainey, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

If selected, what specific concrete steps will you take to ensure that you are listening to all residents' concerns, not just those of developers or activist groups?

Uh concrete time management is the first step in making sure I have active SWAT goals till meeting these objectives, objectives.

I think that it would be critical to well exceed the bare minimum of the meetings required by the council.

I love town halls.

I think they're effective.

I don't think they're effective when they're limited to certain participants, so I would employ those.

I think that regular education forums with different groups that impact, whether it is tourism boards, whether it is mitigation, disaster mitigation, whether it is different opportunities to listen out for uh voices that need to be heard.

I think you have to think locally and globally in these circumstances and local is my next door neighbor and globally is my city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Williams, please ask your question.

Thank you, President Carl Iverson.

Yes.

Um as you know, you're applying at this moment for District 2.

And if that comes to fruition, how would you balance the needs of the constituents of District 2 versus Colorado Springs as a whole?

Again, time management, district two is the primary goal, but I also know that aspects of city life don't stop at the district lines.

So I know I go into other districts all the time.

So I think being active in the community at large is a part of not just this responsibility as the appointment, but it happens to be a habit.

So the way that I live my life is very social, very open, very nonpartisan, having had to sell to both political parties and to advise and consult with different people, um, making sure that you're touching every economic uh every economic echelon within the community, uh, touching on the different needs of different types of individuals, whether it is my friend who is a brand new paralegal to another friend who might own a business and understanding the importance of all the voices.

Um every economic echelon within the community, uh touching on the different needs of different types of individuals, whether it is my friend who is a brand new paralegal to another friend who might own a business.

And understanding the importance of all the voices.

We're not better because there's one voice.

So I think under understanding that helps the priority.

Thank you.

President Pro Tim Risley, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Cindy, thanks for being here today.

We appreciate your time.

Um, as you know, my question is if we were to select you, uh, would you seek election in April of 2027?

And if yes or no, what would the rationale be either way?

Yes, I would.

Um, as I mentioned in my opening, this has been a goal.

Making a career transition can be tough, and I view this as an excellent ramp up period.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here this morning.

Do you have the time and the bandwidth available to attend, as I've said before, for council meetings a month, two utilities, um very long meetings a month, plus boards and commissions and other activities you will be required to attend.

Yes, and I plan to exceed the minimum on that.

Councilman Gold, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Cindy, for being here.

Um, could you speak to how you will be supportive of public safety parks and infrastructure within our city?

Um public safety has been such a critical portion of not just my career but my interest.

I originally wanted to be a Kansas Bureau of Investigations officer when I uh was growing up in Kansas and going to school there.

Uh my degree is in sociology, heavily based in criminal justice.

While those don't pertain today, they illustrate a passion and a need.

I know that um boots on the ground are always the critical piece, but I think that we have some opportunities to give police additional tools that help them with workforce effectiveness.

Um, I think it's such a wide uh such a big priority in mitigating crime that we are paying attention to children, zero to birth, the way that they're fed, the way that they're educated, the way that they're cared for.

And I believe it all starts in there and providing police with the necessary tools, the necessary support, not just from an equipment perspective, but also from a technology perspective.

I have a special interest and view into what those attributes can be that make the city safe and make them satisfied with their jobs as well.

It's equally important.

Thank you.

Councilman Donaldson, please ask your question.

Cindy, uh, good morning.

And please tell me how many hours a week you currently work uh in a paid position, and also the prior council member was recalled.

What have you learned from that?

Uh, first of all, I am an independent consultant.

I am required 40 hours a week for that.

Those 40 hours are up to my determination and my scheduling.

I definitely learned from the recall uh that my suspicions after all these years of working with various different various uh levels of government is that the truth holds.

The truth holds and accountability and transparency are vital.

And living that way and governing that way at any stage of government's critical.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Hanjam, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Cindy, yes or no?

Do you believe Colorado Springs has the revenue required to run our city levels of service that it needs?

No, I do not.

And to expand on that, um, I think that there are different ways of potentially looking at the budget, looking at encouraging increases, whether that is a tax.

I'm not in a position to say this morning.

Um, however, I do know that there are opportunities.

I would love the opportunity to work with the staff and with the uh city administrators, the grant administrators to try to allocate and find grants from the federal level and be creative with additional revenue streams beyond just the standard tax and play.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So this concludes your interview.

Cindy, thank you so much.

Thank you all very much.

Next, we will have and our last interview will be with Ken Casey.

Good morning, Ken.

You will now have five minutes to address the council as to why you are the most qualified candidate to fill this vacancy.

Good morning, President Car Iverson, President Pro Tem Risley and Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today regarding why I'm the uh most qualified candidate to be appointed to District 2 city council seat.

I'm excited about the opportunity to represent District 2 in the city council.

Doing so would allow me to continue my lifetime of public service first as a career army officer and now as a federal government employee, and when it allowed me to get back to my adopted community of Colorado Springs.

I have the experience, character, and education to be successful as a city council member.

I have broad management experience honed over 25 years in the Army and another decade in federal government.

In these capacities, I led cross-functional teams, manage substantial resources, large programs and projects.

I first came to Colorado Springs in 2007 when I was assigned to Fort Carson to command a combined arms battalion of 900 soldiers through an 18-point training phase and a year-long deployment to Iraq.

In this role, I orchestrated recovery and reconstruction operations with the Kukuk Provincial Redevelopment Council, local government officials in four different districts, tribal leaders, Iraqi security forces, and U.S.

interagency partner.

I planned the uh I led the planning and development of 100 construction and uh renovation projects on time and on budget with the Iraqi leaders for schools, health clinics, and utilities valued at over 19 million dollars.

I have exper explicit specific experience related to city council's work in reviewing land use applications, proposed changes to Unified Development Code and other matters for my current service as the chair of the Colorado Springs Planning Commission, a position I was appointed to or unanimously selected for by my peers on the commission.

For me, when I review a particular matter on the commission, I consider what the applicant's proposing, what the Unified Development Code requires or allows, how the project aligns with Plan COS, how the project can contribute to responsible growth and economic development, and conversely, how the project can be disrupting to the local area, and lastly, what the community expectations are as expressed in the public comment.

This process, as you know, can be difficult, particularly if there's passionate community opposition to a project that's in the best interest of the city at large.

How I approach public comment the planning commission is by thoroughly reviewing all aspects of an application, reviews conducted by city departments, and all the written public comments prior to the commission session uh planning commission's work sessions, so I can coordinate the attempts of appropriate city staff at the formal meeting to answer these concerns.

These often include the traffic engineer, law enforcement, fire department, public works and utilities.

While some members of the public may leave the hearing convinced or not convinced uh by these subject matter experts, they will at least know they were able to be heard and were had their concerns addressed in a fair manner.

My character traits of integrity, trustworthiness, collaboration, civility, respect, and commitment to doing its right, and a willingness to lead and listen are reflected in the examples above, and they're indicative of how I strive to conduct myself at all times.

In my current role as the president of the Flying Horse Home Organization Board, I exemplify these traits along with the problem solving orientation.

I focus on practical solutions for the neighborhood, where I've led efforts over the past three years to improve the financial position of the association, reduce the backlog of deferred maintenance, and make the association more response responsive to homeowners.

And I take that same approach when collaborating with the Flying Horse Metro Districts to improve the maintenance of the labor at large in a cost-effective way.

I consider myself a lifelong learner.

I'm a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.

I have a master's in administration from Central Michigan University, and I'm a graduate of executive MBA program at the University of Denver.

Additionally, I have a graduate certificate in legislative studies from Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute that I earned while serving as an Army Congressional Fellow in the U.S.

Senate.

I've been a district two resident for 17 years, first in 2007, 2009, where I lived in Wolf Ranch when I was stationed at Fort Carson.

And from 2012 onward, after I retired from the Army at the Pentagon and moved back to Colorado Springs.

I have a broad understanding of the issues facing District 2 and the city at large, in part by watching city council meetings online, following the city council and social media and working to stay informed through reading various articles and reports.

In summary, I have the experience, character, and education to successfully serve as a council member, and I look forward to doing so with your support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I will now call on council members to ask their questions, and you have three minutes to respond.

Councilman Lineweber, please ask your question.

First, I'd like to thank you for your service.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

My question is can you explain the economic benefits of outdoor recreation?

Um, yes, there was a recent parks report that talked about that.

I think it showed a total of about 200 million dollars in spend on uh items, for example, things outdoor equipment I buy at Shields or Bassbro in District 2 or entrance fees to our parks or other uh attractions in the area.

I think there was another 270 million in tourism spend, which of course then generates um revenue through uh the lodging and real uh rental uh tax that you go that again gets turned back into outdoor recreation as one of the uh one of the components of that.

And I think the one that shocked me the most was I think one billion dollars in increased valuation uh for homes in the area, and they uh estimated that something like four million dollars in uh increased uh property or property tax revenue that comes to the city because of that.

Thank you.

You've you're paying attention more than most.

Um there are a lot of benefits, and um I I just like to say um that they also reduce our health care and medical costs.

Um you you mentioned property values, expand our tax base.

Tourism almost contributes 25% to our sales tax.

And one of the key factors of job recruitment is our quality of life.

And so all of that evolves around the quality of outdoor recreation that we have.

And that's what sets I believe our city apart to be resilient and grow and competitive.

So I appreciate your response very much.

Um when I retired from the Army and chose to move back to Colorado Springs, one of the main reasons was because of the outdoor recreation opportunities here in Colorado.

Thank you.

Councilman Rainey, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

If selected, what specific concrete steps will you take to ensure you are listening to all resident concerns, not just those of developers or activist groups?

I think the first part of that and some of the others to mention as well is hosting town halls.

I know yourself and uh council member uh Williams both have town halls this week.

I think choosing your own events uh helps with that.

I I would look forward to doing the town hall, probably related to the uh powers extension project, which is a you know major uh major initiative in our area and a major area of concern as well.

Uh I think uh making sure you have uh you know meet with different broad groups of different people to both talk and as well as listen.

And I think as uh councilmember Lineweber has his name tag on, I'm sure that generates conversations when he's uh when he's out and about in his district that you can get input to you may not get again from you know, again, from a formal person, but I think some of that too is probably just answering emails and things like that, not just again from interest groups or from individual constituents.

Thank you.

Councilman Williams, please ask your question.

Thank you, President Girl Iverson.

Um, as we all know, you're here to apply for the vacant position in District 2.

And when if you're appointed to this, if and when you're appointed to this, how would you balance District 2 needs versus the city of Connor Springs?

So I definitely think a balance is required.

Um, you know, even though as someone mentioned previously, you know, I work or I live in District 2, but I work in downtown district three, I go to church in District One, and I'm sure out you know it's probably um similar to other people that live in District 2 as well.

So I don't think I can you can just take a, you know, it's only a district two matter because uh so many of us move around the city as we can.

I I do think there is a perception, whether it's valid or not, that uh previous representatives spent more time on city issues versus necessary district two issues.

And again, I think a lot of that has to do with communication, communicating uh your intent, uh what you're doing for district two, getting the word out, and that's something I definitely want to would want to speak with all of you about if I'm appointed to figure out what's the best way to communicate those different things.

Um I think in initially, I think my just because I want to learn more about the district, I'd probably focus more on my time in terms of you know thinking and attending activities and that sort of thing in District 2, but that doesn't mean I won't be uh you know, won't be engaged on citywide projects or citywide uh issues or even you know issues that don't affect my city, kind of like I do in the planning commission.

Obviously, citywide projects as well as projects in all in all sorts of parts of the city.

President Pro Tim Risley, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Ken, thanks for being here today.

As you know, my question is uh should you be selected for this position?

Uh would you seek election in April of 2027?

And depending on yes or no, uh, just give us your rationale, please.

Um the answer is yes.

I think uh with the appointment of a new uh council member now we'll have had three council members in about 14-15 months.

So I do think it's important uh to have continuity in that position.

I had previously looked at uh during the last election cycle about uh running for election at that time.

Uh I did not because it uh I was looked like part of the uh return to office initiative, and the federal government was going to require me to commute to Denver.

And obviously, there would be no way I could do that, and so I didn't didn't do it at the time.

Uh but I'm definitely interested in uh running for re-election in April.

Good morning.

Um again, my question is um do you have the time and the bandwidth to serve on council four meetings a month, two utilities, long meetings, boards, commissions, extracurricular um meetings that will be required of you.

Do you have the bandwidth?

Yeah, yes.

Well, I work full time.

I do have a flexible schedule.

I have uh ample um uh personal time saved off.

I have a um supported bosses that are supportive of my work in the community.

Um I uh I am aware of uh I think there's a three-page list of all the liaison positions that the committee uh council members serve on, so I'm aware of those.

I'm aware of the ones my predecessor served on.

Uh so I know there's um uh I know there's a lot, certainly a lot to do, plus you know, events that I generate, like I mentioned, town halls and other events like that as well.

So yes, I do I do have the bandwidth to do that.

Um don't have a lot of necessarily outside activities right now, and so this would certainly be my focus and um yeah, that one other thing to say, but I forgot what it was, but thank you.

Councilmember Gold, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

And do you prefer Ken or Kenneth?

Uh Ken's fine.

Yeah, no, okay.

Well, thank you for being here.

Um, can you speak to what it means to you to be supportive of public safety parks and our infrastructure?

Yeah, it was supportive in two ways.

One by you know, attending events, you know, uh that they they they host graduations and things like that, I think at the police academy, fire department, and those sorts of things are important and certainly support in terms of budget and making sure they have sufficient budget for those things.

Uh I as a I'm a neighborhood watch block captain, and last year I went to the uh police chief's town hall that he held at the two C library and he talked through what is but what his um uh challenges were in the budget cycle in terms of what meant because you know, obviously the community members had a lot of questions about you know, why do we never see police?

Why is you know why is crime increasing and those sorts of things that he went through uh the difficulty is going through.

And I know previously there was some discussion about a police academy needing to be built, but had to be figured out the details for that.

So I'd be supportive of those things.

One, you know, in terms from a budget perspective, and then two from you know attending events um to make sure that they understood the the councils behind them.

Councilman Donaldson, please ask your question.

Good morning, Ken.

So you again I'd like you to address um how many hours a week your uh full-time job takes.

And then also uh your your predecessor was recalled.

What lessons should we learn from that?

So from a work perspective, I generally work 40 hours a week, but I have what's called the maxiflex schedule, so I choose my hours.

For example, like like when I do planning commission meetings, I can bank I can make those hours up at other times on other days.

So I don't work a straight eight-hour schedule type thing.

I have the flexibility to make up the time as I need to.

Uh so that's why I've been able to manage that.

Um as far as lessons learned from my predecessor, one is you know, communicating um you know, communicating what why you you know necessarily vote or what your position is on certain things.

I think that's very important so people understand that because once the narrative gets out there, it's harder to um it's harder to combat if it's a false narrative.

You know, I know for the military we call it information operations, that you want to get your your perspective out there first, because the first person who gets their perspective out there is the one that generally carries the weight, otherwise you're adapting to what everybody else is.

And I think the second part of that is is civility.

Uh there's a video floating around on the internet that uh with less than flattering, you know, council member excerpts about uh about that in terms of how you know that didn't weren't very flattering to the council member.

So I think treating people with uh dignity respect, uh, you know, I do that when I run uh when I run public comments at both planning commission and even more challenging environment on the HOA with homeowner comment.

Um, you know, sometimes that can be very uh yeah, be very difficult to you know to internal, not not internalize that.

I've seen some of the public comment here at council meetings as well, you know, just essentially personal attacks for us as anything else.

I think but not responding to that being you know civil in response to that.

Thank you.

Councilman Henjam, please ask your question.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um yes or no.

Does the city of Colorado Springs have the revenue required to meet the level of service that the city needs to run properly?

I'd say no.

Right now we have a 31 million dollar budget shortfall, so that tells you you have a 31 million dollar, not enough revenue.

I mean, with budget cuts, for example, the three million dollar budget cut to the parks when you don't have enough money to you know operate uh restrooms, have porta potties or have water in the iconic fountain for the city.

I'd say you probably don't have enough, uh probably don't have enough revenue.

Uh the question is is how do you make that revenue up, whether it's sales tax or some other tax or fees or entrance fees uh to different uh different event things within the city.

I mean, I think there's a variety of different ways we'd have to do a review if it's not being done already of all the different revenue sources to see which ones could be increased, and particularly looking at revenue sources for people that are uh using Colorado Springs resources but don't live here.

Um, you know, some of that in terms of tourism, but the people that just maybe may spend the day at Garden of the Gods and not spend any money.

They're not necessarily using city resources, but they're not provide any revenue.

Thank you, Ken.

So this concludes your interview.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

We will now move on to public comment.

Members to the public will be allowed to speak about the potential candidates to city council.

I have a list of those signed up.

Please come forward as I call your name and limit your comments to um three minutes.

And I will also ask if you live in the district.

Um, first up we have MJ Beninati.

Good morning, MJ.

Thank you, Madam President, members of council.

I do not live in the district.

Uh my name is MJ Benanati.

I'm here on behalf of the Colorado Springs Chamber in EDC representing our over 1,000 member businesses and the thousands of employees and families they support across our community.

We appreciate the opportunity to speak today, but we want to be clear we are not here to endorse any individual candidate.

That decision rightly belongs to you as the council.

What we have what we are here to do is to share what our business community believes the seat demands and what our what Colorado Springs needs and whoever fills it.

First, this community deserves an appointed member who understands how jobs are created, not from a textbook, but from lived experience with the private sector, with employers, and with the economic ecosystem that funds the very services our residents depend on.

When businesses grow and thrive, they generate the tax base that supports our roads, our public safety, our parks, and our schools.

That connection matters and should be understood intuitively, not just acknowledged politically.

Second, we need someone who believes in prudent, well-managed growth.

Colorado Springs is a city on the rise.

Responsible growth means more housing options, more employers, more opportunity, and a stronger general fund.

It does not mean growth at any cost, but it absolutely cannot mean ref reflexive opposition to development.

The appointed members should approach growth as a framework for long-term community health, not a problem to be managed away.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, this community needs a critical thinker, someone who evaluates facts and data, someone willing to ask hard questions, hear from stakeholders across the spectrum, and make decisions grounded in evidence rather than ideology or political pressure.

The business community does not ask for a rubber stamp.

We ask for intellectual honesty and a general, genuine willingness to engage.

Colorado Springs is competing for talent for investment for families and for businesses that have choices about where they locate.

The decisions made at this dais shape that composition directly.

We trust this council to select someone equal to that responsibility.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Next up, we had David Robbins.

Good morning.

Can you please state if you live in the district?

Dave Robbins, yes, I've lived up in the flying horse district too the past 10 years.

So I won't take all you guys' time, such a happy cohesive group up here.

Really enjoy talking to you guys.

I am here to support Ken Casey.

You've already received a letter that I sent out earlier.

Uh and you know, for gentlemen, now I'll miss him on the dais at the uh planning commission.

You know, should you go ahead and choose him?

But uh he is uh he grasps the issues quickly.

He studies um everything, as you guys have can probably tell from the answers that he's given you.

He does his background work.

He's uh very sharp and he's very good.

And I think uh, well, to be short, we won't use all my three minutes, but you can read the letter that I sent in there, but I think he'd be the best thing out here.

Our families lived here in Colorado Springs since 58.

And uh we just I just want to see some good leadership uh added to the council and fill the voice.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Robert Blaha.

Good morning, Robert.

And can you state if you live in the district?

Good morning.

How's everybody?

Most importantly, I want to thank each and every one of you for what you do.

Um I'm here only as a local businessman.

We started a lot of businesses in uh in Colorado Springs.

You guys may be uh familiar with integrity bank and trust.

We founded that about 25 years ago.

We're really pleased to be part of the community.

We love Colorado Springs, and we think people need to come to Colorado Springs and build the business base.

So why am I here?

I'm here for Anita Miller.

Um how do I know Anita?

I know Anita at the gym, where all of us should really get to know real people.

And I've got to know Anita very well over the last several years.

We've done talked about everything from cabbages to kings, from how to raise kids to what's going on in our city to what's working to what's not working in our city.

She has three key aspects I'd like you to consider.

Number one, she's smart.

How do I know that?

I've talked to her for hours and hours about everything you can think of.

She'll go deep, she'll talk, she'll think, and she'll collaborate.

Number two, she loves this city.

How do I know that?

Because I've talked to her about the city, about what's going on, the good, the bad, and folks, the ugly.

And we've talked about it all.

And most importantly, is number three.

If I can tell you anything from an outsider looking in, let's get along to go along.

Let's collaborate.

Let's work together.

Anita will come as a team player as part of a compliment to all of you, as a compliment to what each of you do.

She's not coming in here to make a name for herself, to look for the next big deal, to run some deal that she's gonna try to leverage for her or her family.

She's here for one reason to serve, just like many of you are.

So, in conclusion, thank each of you for what you do.

It's appreciated.

And I can only ask you to give Anita consideration, give her a fair trial, and if you do, I think you'll find her to be a very, very good team member for each of you.

Thank you.

Robert, do you live in the district?

I'm sorry.

Do you live in the district?

I I live in northern Colorado Springs.

I'm just outside the district.

On Roller Coaster Road, you know where that is?

Just on Roller Coaster Road, yeah.

But all of our businesses, well, several of our businesses are in the springs.

Thank you.

Next up we have Taylor Gray.

Is that it?

That's it.

Thank you.

You guys have a great day.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you.

See you, Nina.

Good morning, Taylor.

Hi, everybody.

You know the drill.

Do you live in the district?

I'm Nancy's problem.

Okay.

And you're three minutes.

Absolutely.

I'm Taylor Gray, District 5.

Um, so really the subject today is like not listening, right?

That is one of the huge things that led us here.

Uh we have this really unique opportunity because of this happening, where you guys have the opportunity to put someone into this place that is beholden only to their constituents and not a business and not a group.

They didn't have to campaign, they didn't have to get a bunch of money, they didn't promise anyone anything.

Literally, you guys, which is kind of weird because you know, they worked really hard to recall Tom, and then now we're not having a vote, and the city doesn't get to pick that person.

It falls on your guys' shoulders yet again.

And that's why this important is so in why this is such an important decision.

But when we talk about listening, you know, it's not just about the amphitheater.

It's not just about the hotel.

It's not just about some comments that were made or those things.

There is a larger political thing going on where our constitution is under attack domestically.

And you guys all, you know, agreed to like pretty sure you all said some speeches about protecting the constitution, domestic and foreign.

And for everyone, all these amazing people who are, you know, applying for this.

By the way, I kind of team Anita.

It's just officially.

Lots of reasons.

There's some really good uh people here for choices, but Anita is kind of hitting all those spots with the time with the thoughts, with the smiles, and just a lot of different things.

But I also did some research prior.

Um, but listening is important.

I mean, not a single one of you have called me back or answered my email.

Or did you have time to read my story I wrote you?

Like drafted a literal story for you.

I wrote you guys laws that so that you can not be yelled at and recalled and actually take action on protecting the Constitution.

I hope that you guys have the time to do that.

I hope one of you comes in and picks up the metadata law so we can start taking some action to protect ourselves.

You are applying right now, not just to fill potholes and district things out.

I've seen a lot of hard decisions and a lot of things they have to deal with here, but you are joining to protect the Constitution of the United States of America, domestic and foreign, and they didn't spend all that time recalling him just to put someone else in who's gonna just keep on with the keeping on.

Okay, you are joining in wartime as a combatant to protect our constitution of the United States.

And that means taking action on these things.

And I understand that y'all.

Time's time.

Three minutes, gone.

Thank you.

Ask questions, guys.

Next up, we have Adrian now.

Did I say that right?

It's not.

Thank you.

Um, and do you live in the district?

I do live in the district.

Hey, and you have three minutes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh, my name is Adrian Na, and I'm a teacher and a Colorado Springs native, and I'm here in support of Anita Miller.

I've known Anita for many years, and what she stands, and what stands out most is that she shows up for our community thoughtfully and consistently.

She and her husband have long been involved in city issues, demonstrating what it looks like to step up, get involved, and take responsibility for the community community around them.

When I faced a city issue in my own neighborhood not too long ago, I found myself setting up meetings with my neighbors, going door to door, talking to hundreds of people to inform them of the issue and get them involved.

Looking back, I realized that kind of action doesn't just happen by accident.

It's inspired.

Anita provided the inspiration to me to try to do something to help my community.

I've also seen the personal impact she has.

During my daughter's recent college application process, Anita was an incredible resource for our family.

She offered valuable guidance, insight, and encouragement that help us avoid pitfalls and made a stressful time not only manageable, but actually enjoyable.

I know she's done the same for many, many other families in our district and within the city as a whole, most of whom find her through word of mouth, and she never asks for anything in return.

That's who Anita is.

She listens, she helps, she leads.

Our community needs someone who will help rebuild trust and genuinely care about the people she represents.

Anita has already been doing that for years.

I can't think of anyone better to step in and serve District 2.

I hope you'll choose Anita Miller.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Mark Bronlick Bronlich.

Did I say that correctly?

Almost.

All right.

Ronlik.

Um, do you live in the district?

Yes, I do.

Um good afternoon.

Or is it good morning still?

Good morning.

My name is Mark Bronlik.

I'm a retired attorney that lives in the Colorado Springs.

I've known Anita Miller and her family for about 12 years.

We share a common interest in politics and work together on several campaigns.

In that capacity, I found Anita to be personable, positive, and energetic.

She sees what needs to be done and figures out how to do it.

You could count on her word.

In 2018, we entered into a more formal working relationship.

I was asked to be the founding principal of a K-through 8 Hellsdale charter school.

Initially, the school would operate on a temporary in a temporary facility.

I accepted and started piecing together a 35-member team of teachers, teaching assistants, and staff.

Anita was the first person I asked to consider being an elementary school teacher.

Up to this point, she had never taught.

There was not much to offer her, very little salary, the challenging temporary facility, and a demanding curriculum.

As is her way, she considered this as an unexpected opportunity.

She asked a lot of thoughtful questions, took a couple days, then asked if she could teach one of the kindergarten classes.

Once Anita commits to something, she is all in.

After most of the teachers and staff were hired, she and her husband hosted a welcome event for everyone at their home.

She understands the power of personal relationships to accomplish complicated projects.

She wanted all the teachers to meet one another in a welcoming social situation.

The first year of operation, she taught kindergarten.

By the end of the year, each of her students could read.

Every one of her charges could also recite the preamble to the US Constitution by memory, as well as the names of every president in order with a brief biography.

Her work redefined to me what is possible to achieve with such young children.

Anita eventually went on to work in communications and public relations for the school.

She was excellent in both positions.

Anita's professionalism was also always evident in working with me as a principal and working with other teachers and working with students, and the most difficult of all, working with other parents.

Talking with an administrator who had years of experience about creating new schools, she said she had never experienced a new school that had such cohesion and sense of teamwork.

And Eda was a big part of that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Bill Murray.

Standing up in front of you is uh difficult.

You're going the wrong way.

All right.

So I showed up.

Mr.

Murray, do you live in the district?

Ma'am, I retired from the Pentagon to Colorado Springs, District 2, and have been there for 16 years.

Thank you.

I'm also honored to have been on this council for eight of those 16 years.

Been there and done that.

You already started my time.

You don't have my thing.

Can I get you to start it over, please?

Which start with the answer to your questions.

I've been a resident for 16 years of District 2 and have served for eight years on this council.

I'm here in support of Anita Miller for this council appointment.

I agree with uh David Leinweber's uh statement in the Gazette.

We have strong opinions in this community.

This is not going to change.

But leadership requires more than strong opinions.

It requires judgment, humility, and a willingness to serve something bigger than yourself.

This appointment is not business as usual because no recall should ever be considered normal.

But neither is District 2.

Downtown planning is called plan development, while District 2 planning is closer to sprawl.

These issues will only increase with the build out of Powers Boulevard.

So let us all agree on how to define success in this appointment.

District 2 needs and wants one, a person who has the focus, commitment, and energy to handle the tasks as hand.

Two, a person who will coordinate and partner with the council.

Three, a person who can and will both listen and communicate decisions about to District 2 community.

And finally, a person has the conscience and integrity to protect our values.

Be a good neighbor, do no harm, plan for our children.

Miss Miller has these traits.

In addition, Ms.

Miller's contributions and flexibilities are not limited by having to request permission from a full-time employer to attend a meeting, event, fulfill commission assignments, nor unscheduled or emergency sessions of council or CSU board, as you had this morning.

In conclusion, Ms.

Miller is an effective communicator, an accomplished educator, and a protector of the character and quality of District 2, both for our children and this community.

And we all want our families to be proud of our districts and city.

I can think of no greater motivation nor better person to recommend for this position.

It's important to remember that this position is not a volunteer position, but an elected position.

You represent us.

Did we ever, in fact, select someone from a district to represent the council or the that particular district?

Lessons learned.

Opportunities exist.

Ah, opportunity lost.

Thank you.

Councilman Donaldson.

Well, I'm sorry.

I wouldn't want to violate any rules that we agreed to.

Are we allowed to ask questions?

Sarah Brune City Attorney's Office, that would be a determination of the body.

I don't know if you've discussed it, but the council president would be able to speak to that.

Councilman Donison, please ask Mr.

Murray your question.

Okay.

Ms.

Murray, I believe you uh during your time you appointed one.

Is that right?

One of the questions.

That is correct.

Andy Pigos uh situation lessons learned from that.

Okay, lessons choosing among good candidates like we have here too.

Yeah, we're incredibly good.

Everyone who's applied.

Okay, is an incredible person for stepping up into the arena, and we all know what the arena means.

Okay, but what happened to us was we don't have a metric to use when people make promises to us.

And uh that can go just about every field you want to.

So we had a number of promises made to us, specifically about uh uh work balance.

Because one of the candidates who eventually was uh successful promised us that there would be no competition between their full-time work and council work.

And the record is pretty clear, and you can go back through all the records uh of the number of work meetings missed.

The amount uh number of executive sessions missed.

I mean, it really didn't work.

You know, as much as we'd like to sit back and say, oh, yeah.

The point is you can be overextended.

What are the three flags?

One new position.

If you just assumed a new position, will you can your focus be on this job?

Two, how many additional uh activities have you volunteered for?

And three, as soon as somebody talks about a balance, you realize that that means that you are not going to get a hundred percent of the available time and effort for that individual to work with you.

Just think about these things.

This is something we missed.

And of course that meant uh no hundred percent participation, ma'am.

I was just gonna thank you.

Oh, okay, thank you.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you, and thank you for your service.

I wouldn't do it again.

Thank you.

That um concludes our public comment, and public comment is now closed.

We will now move to the candidate nominations.

I will now open the floor for a nomination to fill the vacancy.

No second to a nomination is required.

Councilman Donaldson.

Uh yes, ma'am.

I I would like to nominate Anita Miller.

Councilman Henjam.

Uh, thank you, Madam President.

Um I uh we had we heard from a lot of uh really outstanding candidates here this morning.

And uh I appreciate you all taking the time to uh come and to uh consider serving on this on this council and on the board of utilities as well.

Um I would like to nominate actually uh based on uh her experience as a consultant and a contractor for government, um, a uh set of skills I believe uh she's she would bring to this council and that we could use to our advantage.

But um Cindy Carter um made quite an impression on me, both in her application, but um who knows until you see people in person.

Um what really um inspired me was her desire to move from um consulting to actually serving the community in which she lives.

And uh I I think for that and many other reasons um balancing economic uh development, the importance of that, she's clearly sees that um and strong businesses, but also looking at uh responsible growth, um, which we of course all need to do in managing infrastructure.

Um so for that reason I would like to nominate Cindy Carter.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to nominate uh Daniel Spawn.

Councilman Williams Councilman Williams, I'm sorry, we might.

Oh, it's okay.

My microphone took a long time to get over here.

Um again, a great group of candidates.

Thank you all for coming.

Very impressed.

Uh, I would like to nominate Ken Casey.

Nominations are now closed.

Will this um will the clerk state for the record all candidates that have received a nomination and are available eligible for votes?

Uh the candidates are Anita Miller, Cindy Carter, Danny Spine, and Ken Casey.

The vote will be in the form of a roll called election in which each member of council, when called upon, declares their vote for a candidate that received a nomination.

A candidate must be selected by the majority vote of the entire council, five members.

In the event there are more than two candidates, and no candidate receives a majority vote.

The candidate receiving the least number of votes will be removed from consideration until one candidate receives a majority of vote.

At the conclusion of each round of voting, the clerk will read the vote totals.

The clerk city clerk will also state the remaining candidates' eligibility receive votes the next voting round.

If no candidate receives a majority of vote in a previous voting round, um then we move on and we keep going until we get to the majority.

Voting concludes when a candidate receives five votes.

Anita Miller, Cindy Carter, Dan Spawn, and Ken Casey.

Council members, when your name is called by the clerk, please state the name of a nominated candidate you wish to vote for.

Will the clerk please call the roll for the votes?

Councilmember Crow Iverson.

Ken Casey.

Councilmember Donaldson.

Anita Miller.

Councilmember Gold.

Dan Spawn.

Councilmember Henjam.

Cindy Carter.

Councilmember Lineweber.

Ken Casey.

Councilmember Rainey.

Ken Casey.

Councilmember Risley.

Ken Casey.

Councilmember Williams.

Ken Casey.

Council, I'm sorry.

Ken Casey received five votes.

We will now appoint the candidate that received the majority of votes.

Can I please get a motion and a second?

I have a motion from Councilman Risley.

A second from Councilman Williams.

Let's vote.

Councilman Henjam.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

I would like to say before I vote, um, it's it's clear who who received the most votes, and um uh and I want to explain why I won't be voting in support of you.

Um sorry.

Mr.

Casey, I apologize for forgetting your name.

Um my concern is um primarily uh related to your work and working full-time as a chief of staff for the federal government.

And we had um, as we just heard from council member, former councilmember Murray, an experience with a council member um who really got excused.

The um leadership has the the authority to excuse people for their absences, but it was a tremendous number of absences.

And so I um I look forward to seeing you actually demonstrate what you said you would.

You clearly um are very well qualified, and um you have the support of five of our my fellow council members in the nomination.

Um, but I am concerned about that.

I'm really quite frankly very concerned about that and the responsibility that you have as chief of staff for a department of the federal government.

So um I just want to go on record as saying that now.

Um, and that you know my no vote does not mean uh should you be on this dais sitting with us that I wouldn't support and work with you.

Thank you.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, thanks, Madam President, and likewise, um I remember remember interviewing Mr.

Casey for the Planning Commission and uh and even discussing uh district two and his possibility of running for it at some time, and I will I would support that, but as far as the appointment goes, um I really think we need someone who has full time to devote to the position.

And uh the person who's most qualified on paper if they don't have time to devote to it.

Uh it's for me, it's just uh it's it's a disqualifier.

Um so I hope you can stretch yourself, you know, as thin as as you're uh um promising to do, but maybe I don't hope that on you because this is a full-time job.

I remember my predecessor Don Knight telling me that, and it's true.

And if you try to do it right, if you spend the time on it, it takes a lot of hours, even weekends after work, before work.

We did have uh uh uh a uh unscheduled meeting this morning.

It was scheduled, but it was scheduled, you know, just a few days ago, where you can't plan your uh uh schedule necessarily.

So um I look forward to working with you, but but I won't support the uh the vote here.

So thank you.

Councilman Lineweber.

Yeah, I just wanted to say I really appreciate all the candidates that came forward today.

It was actually a little bit harder for me to kind of uh narrow down the picks, but I just have to say Ken came with so much detailed information, he was prepared.

He was the most prepared by not a little bit, but by a lot.

He had done his research, he had looked and invested time to make sure that he came with his A game.

And because of that, I have the utmost confidence that he will bring his A game every time he shows up for council.

That is what allowed me to look at the 40-hour job.

I do have concerns about that also, but he is the one that demonstrated everyone saw it.

He he brought his A-gang.

And um, and I think District 2 needs someone that does that every single day.

Councilman Risley.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to thank uh all of you for being here today for taking the time to go through the application process for being willing to come and watch the antics while we sorted out the process uh in real time, and um thank you for your patience and for being willing to answer the questions that we did ask.

Um I just wanted to articulate my rationale for uh being in support of Mr.

Casey.

Um I I think you all certainly bring um a lot of passion and energy, but for me, as Councilmember Lyon Weber sort of stated, I think Ken clearly demonstrated uh a level of knowledge that is really important to hit the ground running uh in such a short period of time, and and that means a lot.

I think in terms of uh his ability to balance, sort of call it a day job with council.

There are actually a number of us sitting up here on the dais right now that have full-time jobs and full-time commitments outside of this room.

And I, for one, think that we balance it quite well.

Um I I haven't seen evidence of things slipping through the cracks or of those of us up here not being responsive to our constituents or not being focused on the efforts, and you may call that into question, but I would tend to disagree.

Uh and and so I I really do think that it's possible to own a company, be a leader outside of council, um, manage things outside of council and still be uh responsive and um attentive to the matters and the business of the city at the same time.

And um, so although I understand the concerns of my colleagues, um, I think it's possible to balance all that.

And um, as Councilmember Lying Weber said, in my opinion, it was pretty obvious that Mr.

Casey was just very well um qualified and prepared for this.

So that's just wanted to share my rationale for my support.

Thanks.

Councilman Donaldson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I think uh the composition of council is important, and the and the each additional council member who comes in working 40 hours uh a week is another council member who can't doesn't have those 40 hours to develop to devote towards council utilities board, constituents, other boards and and commissions that were on.

And so each additional one, I would say strange things uh to uh uh additionally.

And then secondly, I'd like to say that that I'm very disappointed that today we were uh not allowed to ask uh follow-on questions, even when out of three minutes there were still more than two minutes left uh in that council members um question to the to the applicant, especially for things like this, because I would have drilled down a little more into the the candidates who had uh full-time jobs, how they plan to make it work.

And we weren't able to do that.

And so some voted thinking it'll it'll work out, trusting it'll work out.

Um I wasn't able to uh to ask the questions to clarify whether or not uh that will um I hope in the future that this body can uh uh give each other the um respect and um collegiality to allow that to happen to answer questions to satisfy uh uh their curiosity about the decision we're about to make.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

And as uh my colleagues have stated, I I personally want to thank all of you uh for being here uh for applying because you didn't apply on the normal circumstances.

Um it was quite uh challenging from the media reports to the resignation to the daggers, the back and forth, and then at some point you decided let me throw my name in the hat.

Uh and there was a a lot of you we want to do that list down from 25 to 5.

And the fact that you're here wanting to support and listen to your constituents uh in district two says a lot about who you are as a person and what you do.

So I want to thank you very much for that.

Um just for clarity, and I'm not I don't want to make myself and put myself out of the box here.

But I keep hearing his comment about the time and the dedication and so forth.

And Cindy, I do want to thank you for bringing up time management because time management skills are critical.

I don't care what job you're in, it's critical.

Yes, I have a full-time job.

Yes, I own a business.

Matter of fact, after this session, I'm hopping a plane, I'm going to the White House.

And guess what?

I'll be back for my town hall on Thursday.

So it's about who you are as a person and how you manage the time and how do you want to dedicate yourself to your constituents.

Yes, there are gonna be days where you're gonna have to sit back and go, whoop, I won't be able to do that.

That's me this week, Thursday, town hall, Friday event.

Mayor wants me to attend the event on his behalf, and then on Sunday, another event.

But I choose that because I love representing my district, and I love this city.

So anyone who steps in this role is because of the love of the district.

It's about the love of the city, it's about the love of what we're trying to do to move Colorado Springs into the future.

So I just want to make sure I add a little bit of civil lining under time management and making it all work because there are folks up here who do make it work because that's how much they love this city.

Thank you.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Polly, Anita, Cindy, Dan, thank you so much for your time today.

Thank you for your heart to serve your district and to serve our city.

Um, and I'd also like to acknowledge everyone who put in an application um to serve D2.

Um, Ken, um, I would like to first congratulate you.

And I would also like to say I really appreciate that you mentioned civility and your in your comments today.

And I would like to say that you know, from my viewpoint, civility is courageous conversation um with everyone, regardless of how you um sit politically or how you feel about the city should grow or not grow.

And I do hope that you're the kind of leader that can bring courageous conversation to the city council to this body because our city deserves it.

Your district deserves it, and in lieu of all of the events that have happened within your district over the last few years, I do hope that you're the kind of city counselor that can bring trust back into your district and to build and repair those relationships.

So I do wish you the very best of luck, and I do um I will be very supportive of you, but I also do need you to know that I will not be voting yes on this vote.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, thanks, uh Madam President.

And because you know what we're saying at the dais is will be reported after this.

Um, you know, we've heard that hey, it doesn't really matter if you have a 40-hour uh week job or even more, you can make it to everything.

But this morning we had uh a meeting, uh a closed executive session of Colorado Springs Utilities, and and there was one board member who wasn't able to make it.

I don't know why yet.

Um but you know, I think that board member, I don't I don't know if he'll address it or not, but it it's it's one who has spoken about how it does you'll you'll find the time things will work out.

I don't know that that's true.

Councilman Lineweber.

Yeah, I could address that issue.

Um I was late this morning because it wasn't you were here, Councilman Lime, where I wasn't referring to you.

Oh, it wasn't oh you're off the hook.

Oh, I'm off the hook.

But still, I mean, sometimes you have personal issues, and I woke up this morning with extreme back spasms to the point that I had a hard time even getting out of bed.

So it it it doesn't, you know, it's sometimes there's personal issues that kind of take place, so you don't always know the the whole story seeing no other comments from the dais.

We have a motion from Councilman Risley and a second from Councilman Williams.

Let's vote and then motion passes five to three.

Thank you for all attending and for all of your applications in your heart for the city.

And this meeting is now adjourned.