| What in your background makes you qualified for office? |
| I grew up in Arvada, went to Sierra Elementary school, Oberon Jr. High, and graduated from Pomona High School, and have been a resident ever since. When I was in college, I purchased a small retail ski shop, Larson’s Ski and Sport, which I have owned and operated now for 40 years, providing jobs, and serving customers all over Arvada and surrounding areas. Additionally, I have owned and managed my own residential and commercial real-estate portfolio, as well as several other successful Entrepreneural ventures. These activities have given me a great number of skills and experience to bring to the job of Mayor. I have served on the Arvada City Council since 2013, served as Mayor Pro-Tem, and represented the city on numerous other boards and commissions. All of this is a good foundation to serve as Mayor, however the demands of the position require that the mayor have the time and schedule flexibility to perform what is a nearly full-time job. My team at Larson’s Ski and Sport is performing at a very high level giving me the ability to fully serve the Arvada community, I will be able to dedicate all of the time and energy necessary to do the job as Mayor. |
| What elements would you like to see included in the Olde Town Arvada Reimagined 20-Year Plan? Would you like to see the street closures changed/altered? | I would not alter the current street closures in Olde Town. Every community survey has been clear that the street closures are well liked and valued by residents, visitors, and businesses alike. I like the parts of the plan that include curb less streets, more benches and plantings, and Cafe Zones for outdoor dining. I will continue to find a way to make festoon lighting part of the plan. |
| What areas of Arvada’s infrastructure do you believe need the most immediate attention? |
| The part of Arvada’s infrastructure that needs the most immediate attention are our roads. Not only do we need to finish our two bond funded road projects, Ralston Rd. and 72nd Av., but we must prioritize road maintenance as we currently underfund streets maintenance to the tune of 5 or more million dollars each year. This streets maintenance shortfall should be our number one priority and we should solve it by directing any sales tax growth to it for a short number of years until we are adequately maintaining our most valuable and frequently used asset. Additionally, we must continue to refine our approach to traffic calming on our neighborhood streets. Everyone will have a better quality of life if their neighborhood streets are safe and well-functioning, and our thorough fares and arterials are well maintained and efficiently flowing. |
| What role do you believe the City of Arvada should fill in providing resources for individuals experiencing homelessness? | The Arvada City government should continue to act as a convener to help homeless individuals access the myriad of services available through community nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and county and state governments. The Arvada City government should also protect residents, businesses, and visitors to Arvada from the detrimental effects of homelessness. |
| How would you like to see the last stages of Candelas’ development proceed? What needs do you believe still need to be filled in the West side of town? | The last large residential parcel in Candelas is already under development, so any residential development from here forward will be either small infill, or part of larger mixed-use developments. We must be careful to preserve commercial development opportunities in Candelas and throughout the west side of Arvada. Additionally, transportation improvements in NW Arvada must be part of all of our development plans going forward. |
