Inclusivity among top concerns for Boulder County commissioner candidates

Jun. 3—Democratic candidate Ashley Stolzmann said she's been called to leadership because of the Marshall Fire and believes there is a real urgency to address disaster preparedness and response in the county.

Attempting to showcase the differences in her priorities for Boulder County Commissioner during an online forum Thursday, Stolzmann said although she grew up in Colorado, she never thought suburban communities would witness that kind of devastation.

"We need to be ready next time a big event happens and we just aren't right now," she said. "We need to be more prepared. That's what the county is there for."

For Democrat Elaina Shively, who currently serves in the Boulder County district attorney's office, being involved with the community and working to advance inclusivity and diversity across the county are among her biggest priorities. She plans to be "in the streets" and believes being a good commissioner is about being accessible.

"I love to talk to people. I love to learn and I love to advance policy, both legislatively and at the county level," she said. "We are leaders, we are innovators and I am a fighter for justice and a fighter against injustice."

Shively said there are pockets in the community that are underserved and she hopes to lift the voices of everyone in the county.

The community forum was hosted by the Latino Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Boulder County Latino Coalition to allow residents to hear the candidates' positions on issues relevant to the Latino community, such as racism, diversity, and the need for more human services support.

"We need to lead by example," Shively said.

A public servant at heart, Shively has spent the past eight years working on hate crimes and bias initiatives and sees a lot of inequities within the government. She said she wants to build more trust with residents and work to build a more diverse and representative government, believing that hate and racism perpetuates when people aren't included.

Racism is "very hard on the community," Stolzmann said. She thinks Boulder County is overall an inclusive community. But having friends who have experienced direct threats, she agrees that residents need to address problems now so the next generation has a chance to do better.

"We have to put programs in place so that people know they are included and feel welcome," she said.

Berenice Garcia Tellez, chair of the Latino Chamber of Commerce and forum moderator, asked the candidates about their plans to spur economic growth and help small businesses.

Stolzmann, the current Louisville mayor, said co-beneficial industries such as hemp farming could be the key to enabling a good amount of economic growth without tapping the county's resources too much.

"It's important in economic development to have multiple benefits," she said. "It is really important we focus on small businesses," and she added that owners hurt by the pandemic need special attention.

Shively said, "My parents owned a small business, and I know that it's really important to people to both be able to support their family and do it in a way that is accessible."

A huge part of her plan for economic development is workforce development, transportation and housing.

"If we don't have people that can work and live within the county ... we are not creating economic development," she explained.

When asked whether the candidate thought there were equity issues for Latino businesses, Stolzmann said the county should make purchasing policies that reflect all of our values.

"We have a long way to go," Shively said.

With almost a half a billion dollar budget this year, the county needs to treat it like a moral document and if extra resources become available, they need to be directed to fill the gaps for the most in need, Shively said.

Stolzmann agreed, saying that housing and transportation affects everyone in the county and needs more attention from the budget.

June 28 is the final chance to vote in this year's primary election. More information about Stolzmann can be found at stolzmannforbouldercounty.com, and Shively's campaign information is available at elainaforbouldercounty.com/.