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VALUES • ACCOMPLISHMENTS • PLANS
What are my values?
As a faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership and an Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant in my own business, I have always emphasized meaningful engagement and communication as core principles of effective leadership. Cities work best when their leaders are genuine and active listeners who make it easy for residents to give input and become full-fledged partners in determining what gets done. I am an eager listener to different perspectives: all voices matter. I also believe that Councilmembers owe it to residents to explain their thinking in Council meetings, especially when they are casting important votes about controversial matters. When Councilmembers choose to say nothing, it’s hard to understand or evaluate their reasoning – and that just fosters doubt and distrust.
What have I accomplished?
• I am very proud of the fact that I reply as soon as possible to virtually every communication – email, text, or phone – that comes to me personally.
• I have built constructive relationships with dozens of key Administrative and Utilities staff so that I can more effectively connect constituents with the people in the City who can work on their concerns.
• I love engaging with neighborhood groups to address problems. I facilitated conversations between animal rights advocates and owners of a pet store to ultimately improve the humane acquisition of puppies while at the same time supporting small businesses that are essential to the Colorado Springs economy.
• I have sponsored and facilitated town halls, forums, and informal meetings to deal with quality-of-life issues in our neighborhoods, such as the extension of Constitution Avenue (which I ultimately helped to ensure is now a closed issue), the needs and concerns related to the Citadel Mall, the Platte Avenue corridor, traffic safety, sidewalks, storm water, and much more.
• I publish a monthly newsletter informing anyone who has signed up about what I am up to and what is happening in the City.
Sign up to receive my newsletter. Too my knowledge, I am the only Councilmember who has done this.
What I will continue to do?
All of the above! Effective engagement, transparent process, and clear communication are the foundation of good leadership. Especially in times of change and uncertainty, these principles are more important than ever. I will continue to ask lots of questions, listen and do my best to ensure all voices are heard – and responded to! The people who are supporting me for my re-election tell me that my commitment and focus to engagement and communication is why they are donating to my campaign and why they want to see me serve for four more years.
Talk to Nancy about community engagement.
VALUES • ACCOMPLISHMENTS • PLANS
What are my values?
Our City is growing, which brings both opportunities and challenges. Many of the problems we face (attainable housing, public safety, transportation, utilities/resources management, to name just a few) are related to growth. Yes, it’s certainly better to be a growing City rather than a dying one, but it’s not easy to grow in truly responsible ways that don’t worsen existing problems. Regulations and policies that are too restrictive interfere with property rights and can make housing even more expensive (think of Boulder). However, approaches that simply rubber stamp the grand plans of developers jeopardize the quality of life of current residents, putting key resources at risk and compromising public safety.
What have I accomplished?
I have opposed unwise annexations that…·
• are not logical extensions of the City (sometimes called “flagpole” extensions)
• stretch our infrastructure and utilities resources (especially water) too thin
• increase emergency response times for all of us
• leads to suburban sprawl that threatens to turn us into Southern California
At the same time, I have strongly and vocally supported other projects (such as the re-development of the Union Printers Home, The Launch Pad, and the 2525 Concord Street Infill Development Project) that take advantage of neglected or under-utilized lots that integrate appropriately into existing neighborhoods. Thoughtfully designed infill and densification can play a role in making housing attainable, but not every neighborhood can support such projects to the same extent as others. The details and context matter!
What will I continue to do?
I am not ideological about growth one way or another. Some projects are smart and responsible; others are not. In my first term, a developer told me, “We’re never sure how you’re going to vote.” I am proud of that. Every proposed development project, zoning change request, and annexation is unique. I do my homework. I ask tough questions. And when it comes to how I’ll vote, I always keep this question front and center: “What impact will this project have on the quality of life of all residents?” And I am always willing and able to explain my thinking—especially when it’s been a tough call around a controversial project.
Talk to Nancy about balanced, and responsible growth.
VALUES • ACCOMPLISHMENTS • PLANS
What are my values?
Colorado Springs is fortunate to have a wide variety of neighborhoods catering to all tastes and lifestyles. This is one of our City’s finest traits. And that is undoubtedly true in City Council District 5. As our City grows, residents understandably want to protect the character of their neighborhoods even as we work to strengthen them in various ways. A good rule of thumb is “8 and 80”: Our neighborhoods should be well-maintained and safe for the 8-year-old child who wants to play down the block and the 80-year-old woman who needs to get out for a doctor’s appointment. Strong neighborhoods don’t all look the same, of course, but taken as a whole, a flourishing City has a reasonable supply of attainable housing. That stock has diminished in recent years for various reasons – not all of which are within governmental control. Whether they are essential workers, entry-level service providers, or young professionals, people just entering the market and families with young children contribute to the vibrancy of a community. We should help ensure that decent housing and shelter are within reach of all residents.
What have I accomplished?
• After multiple well-attended town halls,I successfully opposed a possible extension of Constitution Avenue because it threatened long-established neighborhoods in my district to serve sprawling development on the east side of Colorado Springs. Not a good trade-off.
• One of my first votes opposed a new development project at 2424 Garden of the Gods Road that would have threatened the safety of neighborhoods in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). This project would have also degraded a main access route to Garden of the Gods Park and compromised sensitive wildlife habitat. Again, not a good trade-off.
• I worked with local neighbors and City Public Works officials to get roads built and install stormwater infrastructure in the Rustic Hills neighborhood.
• While the City Council cannot reverse decision by the Pikes Peak Library Board (PPLD) of Trustees, I have been very vocal in opposition to the unnecessary and ill-advised closing of the Rockrimmon Library. As a liaison to the PPLD Board, I will continue to advocate for greater transparency and the use of clear and reasonable criteria for decision-making in selecting board members.
What will I continue to do?
Early in my first term, I saw an opportunity to move from simply “admiring the problem” of affordable and attainable housing to helping organize a collaboration among elected officials, developers, builders, city planners, and other key stakeholders to brainstorm solutions to the housing attainability challenges in Colorado Springs. While local government is not a direct housing provider, we can and should be building and sustaining the public-private partnerships that can do so. With the mindset and belief that living in a strong neighborhood is essential to our well-being, I will continue to look for opportunities to bring people together to achieve that goal.
Talk to Nancy about keeping our neighborhoods strong
VALUES • ACCOMPLISHMENTS • PLANS
What are my values?
Maintaining public safety is an essential function of local government. We must ensure that fire and police departments have the resources to keep us safe and secure in our neighborhoods and businesses. At the same time, as ordinary citizens, we must embrace personal responsibility. Everyone has a part to play. We’ve all been alarmed by recent increases in street-racing and speeding. The City Council does not have supervisory authority over the Police or Fire Departments. Still, we must be responsible stewards of resources and collaborate with the administration to set high-level priorities. I spend time forging good working relationships with department leadership to better understand public safety needs and more effectively connect citizens with those departments to address their concerns.
What have I accomplished?
• I have voted for every City budget that includes increases in line items for fire and police.
• I have been a champion of and advocate for the the Community and Public Health Division (CPH) of the Colorado Springs Fire Department which was formed to integrate EMS into the broader healthcare system to improve the health outcomes of individuals in need of non-emergency services.
• I was instrumental in ensuring that the future of the Fire Department’s nationally recognized Homeless Outreach Program is secure and funded by our general fund budget.
• I have advocated for and supported the elevation of our 911 call center to be officially treated as First Responders.
• I have championed ongoing efforts to revitalize the Citadel Mall and its surrounding District 5 neighborhoods, working with residents, business owners, and the police on collaborative solutions. I also helped with the City’s outreach to local military officials who had designated the Citadel Mall as off-limits to active-duty personnel, a decision which I am very happy to say was soon reversed.
• I voted in favor of an ordinance that would have allowed our nationally recognized Fire Department to provide direct emergency response services (ambulance service). This initiative unfortunately failed on a very close vote.
What will I continue to do?
I will continue to advocate for the funding and further development of programs such as the Community Response Team (CRT) . Let me quote from the Community and Public Division of CSFD: “The CRT program was developed to assist patients suffering from acute behavioral health crisis by employing cross-agency collaboration to integrate behavioral health services into the broader healthcare spectrum. Using the flexibility of emergency services but with a mindset of healthcare integration, teams identify behavioral health needs and work to connect patients to a larger collaborative healthcare team. CRT engages patients who have extensive and often complicated diagnoses, who encounter significant medical, social, and behavioral health barriers posing potential risks to themselves or others and provides a progressive alternative to a strict law enforcement response.” This innovative program will get my full support. It’s exactly the kind of “tiered response” that both supporters and critics of traditional emergency response can agree will get the right resources to the right people at the right time.
Many residents are concerned about the response times of the police. So am I. While the City Council has no direct authority over police operations, I will continue to encourage ongoing departmental approaches to improve response times– even as our Police Department grapples with being understaffed and with potential strains placed on them by flagpole annexations that may be approved.
I will continue to support the work of our Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission (LETAC), as well as the results of the external audit of Use of Force policies and practices completed several years ago by Transparency Matters LLC. Many of the recommendations and actions steps contained in that 200+ page report have been acted upon, and there are many more yet to be implemented.
Talk to Nancy about our city's public safety.
VALUES • ACCOMPLISHMENTS • PLANS
What are my values?
We are a community that cares about the outdoors. I am a hiker, biker, and gardener. Our proximity to nature is a key reason Colorado Springs is a great place to live and raise our families. A welcoming park is a sign of a healthy neighborhood. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to live within a 15-minute walk of a well-maintained park, but our city has a 20-year backlog of promised parks that haven’t been built.
What have I accomplished?
• I voted for the acquisition of 1,369 acres of open space property and 1,378 acres of parkland. During my time on the City Council, we acquired Fishers Canyon, Wild Horse Ranch Open Space, Corral Bluffs addition, Red Rock Canyon Open Space Extension and historic Stratton Park.
• I supported the successful referral and passage of the extension of the TOPS Program.
• I worked with the Boulder Park Neighborhood and City Parks to expedite a promised resurfacing of the tennis courts.
• I collaborated with City Park’s leadership and the Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center leaders to help ensure long-term stability at the Mark Reyner Stables in Palmer Park.
• My vote helped secure the upgrade to our Pioneer Museum HVAC system, ensuring the stable future of our precious Colorado Springs History and Culture Center.
What will I continue to do?
I will work to honor that promise to our neighborhoods and ensure that our investment in our parks, trails, and open spaces is efficiently managed and aligned with a community of our size. I will tirelessly advocate for increasing the funding available for our woefully underfunded Parks System. In particular, I will work with Parks to prioritize the revitalization of Portal Park in the heart of our City Center.
Talk to Nancy about parks and open space.
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