Minkler Shares His Priorities for County

HI I’M CHARLY MINKLER AND I’M RUNNING FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN DISTRICT 3. I AM A 4TH GENERATION COLORADAN AND HAVE LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE IN LA PLATA COUNTY. I AM RUNNING FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER BECAUSE I LOVE LA PLATA COUNTY AND WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ENJOY OUR COUNTY AND HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES  TOMORROW THAT WE HAVE TODAY. MY MANY YEARS AS A BUSINES OWNER, PLANNING COMMISSIONER, AND  RANCHER HAVE ENABLED ME TO AN EFFECTIVE LEADER WHO WILL MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR FUTURE. WHILE MANY OF THE ISSUES FACING OUR COUNTY ARE A COMMON THEME AMONG COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES, I WILL BRING COMMON SENSE AND BALANCE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY APPROACH TO SOLVING PROBLEMS IS MORE GRASS ROOTS AND BOTTOM UP. NOT TOP DOWN, SUCH AS THE FAILED DRAFT LAND USE CODE OF 3 YEARS AGO. OVER $300,000 OF TAXPAYER FUNDS WERE WASTED WHEN AN OUT OF STATE CONSULTANT WAS HIRED TO DRAFT OUR LAND USE CODE, AND THAT CONTROVERSIAL DRAFT WAS SCRAPPED.  I AND OTHERS ADVOCATED STRONGLY THAT THE COUNTY’S DISTRICT PLANS BE UPDATED, AND THEN USE THAT INFORMATION TO ADVISE A NEW LAND USE CODE TO BE WRITTEN IN-HOUSE. THANKFULLY THAT PATHWAY WAS FOLLOWED, AND WE NOW HAVE NEW LAND USE CODE IS VASTLY BETTER THAN THE OLD ONE AND MORE FRIENDLY TO AGRICULTURE AND BUSINESS. AS A LONG-TIME BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO MEET PAYROLL EVERY WEEK.  I KNOW HOW TO TIGHTEN THE BELT IN LEAN TIMES AND SPEND WISELY IN THE GOOD TIMES. AS YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE MY #1 PRIORITY, AND I WILL USE TAXPAYER RESOURCES WISELY AND RESPONSIBLY. AS A LA PLATA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSIONER, I KNOW FIRST-HAND THE ISSUES THAT BUSINESSES CONTEND WITH AS THEY STRUGGLE TO GROW IN OUR COUNTY.  I AM READY TO USE TOOLS FOUND IN THE NEW LAND USE CODE SUCH AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS,  TO HELP BUSINESSES GROW AND STAY HERE IN LA PLATA COUNTY, NOT SEND THEM PACKING AND TAKING GOOD PAYING JOBS WITH THEM. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS WHEN ESTABLISHED WILL PROVIDE PREDICTABILITY AND A STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. AS A HOME BUILDER FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL HOME BUILDER’S ASSOCIATION, I UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN MOST WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE ATTAINABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY HAPPEN. I SUPPORT WHOLE HEARTEDLY PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, AND THE REVITALIZATION OF THE REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY WHICH CAN SUPPORT AFFORDABILITY. I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE BEST LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO AFFORDABILITY IS TO CLOSE THE WAGE GAP. INSTEAD OF SENDING JOBS OUT OF OUR COUNTY, I WILL WORK TO PROVIDE MORE CAREER JOBS THAT WILL KEEP OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN HERE WITH SALARIES ON WHICH THEY CAN ATTAIN HOUSING. AGRICULTURE IN LA PLATA COUNTY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A BIG PART OF OUR ECONOMY. IT IS STILL PART OF THE REASON MANY OF US CHOSE TO MOVE OR LIVE HERE. THE OPEN SPACE, AND BEAUTIFUL VISTAS THAT PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL LAND PROVIDE ARE A LARGE PART OF WHAT MAKES  LA PLATA COUNTY THE SPECIAL PLACE THAT IT IS. AG LANDS PROVIDE FOOD SECURITY, HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE, RECHARGE OUR AQUIFERS. AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER I WORKED HARD TO HELP ADVISE THE NEW AG-PLUS COMPONENT OF THE NEWLY ADOPTED LAND USE CODE AND HELPED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN FARMERS ON SMALL ACREAGE THAT PROVIDE LOCAL FOOD FOR OUR COUNTY’S RESTAURANTS, STORES, FARMER’S MARKETS , AND C S A PROGRAMS GET THE SAME BENEFITS UNDER AG-PLUS AS LARGER FARMERS AND RANCHERS. SIXTY PERCENT OF COUNTY RESIDENTS LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES IN OUR COUNTY. I UNDERSTAND RURAL AND AG, AS WELL AS URBAN ISSUES AND WILL FAIRLY REPRESENT ALL CITIZENS OF LA PLATA COUNTY. I AM NOT A CAREER POLITICIAN.  I AM RUNNING FOR OFFICE BECAUSE OF MY GREAT PASSION FOR OUR COUNTY. LA PLATA COUNTY IS A FANTASTIC  PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY, AND MY DESIRE IS TO SEE IT REMAIN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE AND PROSPER. AS YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I WILL OFFER CITIZEN MINDED LEADERSHIP. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE FOR DISTRICT 3 LA PLATA COUNTY COMMISSIONER. VOTE THE PERSON, NOT THE PARTY  VOTE FOR CHARLY