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Unless an unaffiliated candidate petitions onto the November general election ballot, the Montezuma County commissioner race for Districts 2 and 3 likely will be decided during the June 30 primary election.

Republican candidates Kent Lindsay and Danny Wilkin are running in District 2, which represents the Cortez area. Republican candidates Monty Guiles and Joel “Joe” Stevenson are running in District 3, which represents the Mancos area. The winners will be on the November ballot, and as of Friday, would face no challengers.

The Journal submitted questions to the candidates. Here are the answers for District 3 candidates Monty Guiles and Joel “Joe” Stevenson.

Monty Guiles

1.Promoting agriculture and economic development are often touted as candidate priorities. What examples or ideas do you have on how to accomplish these goals? The continued support of our agriculture community is vital. We can through efficiencies expand our current output to a certain degree, we can look at different markets that may be more profitable using our current resources. Our resources are finite. Essentially every drop of water in our county is accounted for, and without more water there is not a great deal of opportunity for expansion; hence the need for efficiencies. The same logic can be applied to ranching: All grazing permits are for the most part accounted for, every hay field is being irrigated. We must always fight for every drop of water, and never allow our rights to be in any way diminished. Real economic development will require a collaborative and focused effort from all parties. I will make it my mission to gather all the different economic development factions and work closely to create a common goal that helps all in the county. We have some brilliant and motivated people that would be willing to invest their time and energy for the betterment of the county if all the egos could be put aside for the common good.

2. What government or life experience qualifies you to be a county commissioner? How often have you attended county commissioner meetings in the past year?I have been leading people, business, ideas and projects, my entire life. Taking differing factions and developing the atmosphere needed to achieve a common goal is one of the joys of my life. In the past year, I have only attended a few meetings; however, while managing the construction of the new 22nd District Combined Courts, I presented to the BOCC each week for nearly two years. I also sat on the Mancos School Board for over eight years and was president more than half that time.

3. What do you see as the role of a county commissioner, and what are some of your priorities? How would you describe your governance style?The role of a county commissioner is varied, there are certainly state statutory requirements of the office that must be attended to. After the statutory requirements are fulfilled, it is really up to the individual commissioner as to the level of service that he or she wishes to advance. It is very difficult to unseat an elected official until the next election cycle, so make sure the person you are voting for shares your ideals, is not lazy, is intellectually capable, and not just looking for a second government paycheck. After the COVID-19 debacle, my first and foremost responsibility is the rebuilding of our local economy. I will be protecting of our resources and buttressing the civil liberties that we quietly handed over to a state bureaucracy without contest. My governance style will be the same as my leadership: I will choose the best person for the job, give them the authority needed to achieve their mission and hold them accountable for their results.

4. What are the pros and cons of the current commissioners’ leadership style and actions?Jim Candelaria, I do not know well. In my interactions with him it occurs to me that he is contemplative and deliberate, he has a quiet confidence that comforts. Keenan Ertel is my friend. Although we do not agree on many issues, he listens to my views and provides me with constructive criticisms accordingly. He has the confidence of a person with nothing to prove to anyone, and he is a joy to be around. Larry Don Suckla: No comment.

5. Governance can be a rocky road when there is disagreement. How would you deal with a controversial topic or tough decision where there is strong debate and emotion on all sides about the best approach? As with all negotiations, you should listen to understand the concerns of all sides, know going in where you can give and take, try to moderate the emotion, keep an open mind working toward a solution, not an impasse.

6. The county commissioners make final decisions on land-use applications based on the county land use code. Have you read the land use code?Through the years and until this question I have only skimmed the land use code; now I have read it cover to cover.

7. If there were a Heavy Industrial application request in an agricultural area with substantial agricultural and residential opposition, how would you handle the situation?Decline to answer a hypothetical. There are just too many variables and unanswered questions to establish an opinion.

8. If there were an application for a new oil or gas well near a residential subdivision whose residents have concerns regarding the construction process and hazards, how would you handle the situation?Declined to answer hypothetical. There are just too many variables and unanswered questions to establish an opinion.

9. The current county commission supports completion of the 17-mile Paths to Mesa Verde trail connecting Mancos and Cortez, and has obtained grant funding for final planning. Would you support moving forward on this project?There are too many unknowns for me to make an opinion. I do not know what I do not know.

10. The county commission has banned retail and commercial marijuana operations in the unincorporated county. Do you support this ban, why or why not?My position on this issue has evolved in the past couple of months. While personally I do not support the premise of legalized recreational marijuana, it is constitutionally legal in Colorado. When I am elected to the Board of County Commissioners, I will take an oath to uphold the United States and Colorado Constitutions. Article 10 of the Bill of Rights seems to make this a states rights issue.

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

11. What should the county commission do to help to protect the community from the COVID-19 virus? We need to get away from the nanny state frame of mind. When the government wants to protect us, it comes with a price, usually treasure and freedoms. Allow the people and businesses to adapt to current climate. There will always be another crisis, and we are a resilient, free, enterprising, and entrepreneurial people.

12. Kinder Morgan’s CO2 production provides more than 50% of the county tax base. What suggestions do you have to replace that tax revenue and job base when the CO2 resources begin to decline?Now is the time for real and concerted economic development strategies and efforts to be put in place. 40 years ago, Shell Oil said that the CO2 play was 20 years long, and it has already started to play out. The status quo thinking and actions of leadership, both past and present, of “We are OK, we have Kinder Morgan” is short-sighted. We need to be thinking 10, 20 and 50 years into the future. Where is the logic in putting all our eggs in one basket?

13. Montezuma County does not collect a sales tax. There has been discussion in recent years to ask the voters for a 1% sales tax. Do you support this idea, why or why not? Would you support putting this tax question on the ballot?

Before I would entertain the idea of a county sales tax I would require the knowledge that we as the BOCC were as efficient and streamlined as possible and still falling short on revenue.

However, in my view you can never go wrong when you pose a question to the people. After all, a very famous Republican once said: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”

14. Colorado open meeting laws require adequate public notice be given any time two or more commissioners meet to discuss county government business, including through email and phone communication. Will you comply with this law? Yes

15. Will you be transparent about potential conflicts of interest and abstain from voting on decisions where you have a conflict of interest? Without a doubt in my military mind!

Joel “Joe” Stevenson

1. Promoting agriculture and economic development are often touted as candidate priorities. What ideas do you have on how to accomplish these goals?I want to establish Country of Origin Labeling for agricultural products. Our consumers need to be informed of where their food is coming from. This in turn will promote economic growth. As far as economic development and creating jobs, we need to give incentives such as waiving some of the startup fees to allow growth and solvency of our business owners. We need to expand our airport to permit larger companies access to our community. We need to work together as a county and when elected, I intend to promote a working relationship with each town.

2. What government or life experience qualifies you to be a county commissioner? How often have you attended county commissioner meetings in the past year?I am a fourth-generation resident of this county and know our community. I have served on many boards such as the Montezuma County Fair Board, where I sat as president for six of the eight years that I served; and Southwest Colorado Livestock Association, of which I served two terms and now serve as a senior advisory member. I was also a sponsor for the Ute Mountain High School Rodeo Team for four years, and for the past year-and-a-half, I have served on the Montezuma County Planning and Zoning Board. I have been the state livestock inspector for Montezuma, Dolores and sections of San Miguel counties for the past 23 years.

3. What do you see as the role of a county commissioner, and what are some of your priorities? How would you describe your governance style?I see my role as a county commissioner as being a servant to the people of Montezuma County. Some of my priorities would be to continue to protect our private-property rights and to ensure that we are governed in accordance with the Constitution of the United States. As far as my governing style, I will keep an open mind, I will ensure that I am informed and have all the facts prior to making any decision that would affect our county as a whole. And most importantly I will use common sense in all decisions.

4. What are the pros and cons of the current commissioners’ leadership style and actions?I do believe our current commissioners are doing a great job in leading our community; for example, they have improved our infrastructure, and Montezuma County is the only entity that is not in debt and has remained so by lowering fees to the people. Cons would be that the current commissioners have yet to complete improvements to our fairgrounds and have not made a decision regarding Regulation 43, which infringes upon our personal property rights.

5. Governance can be a rocky road when there is disagreement. How would you deal with a controversial topic or tough decision where there is strong debate and emotion on all sides about the best approach?Governance can be a tough thing. The way I would deal with a controversial and emotion-provoking issue would be to deal with the facts, barring the emotional aspect. Good decisions are made by fact-based evidence, period.

6. The county commissioners make final decisions on land-use applications based on the county land use code. Have you read the land use code?Yes, I have read the land use code.

7. If there were a Heavy Industrial application request in an agricultural area with substantial agricultural and residential opposition, how would you handle the situation?If there were to be a heavy industrial application in a agricultural or residential area, the decision would need to be on a case-by-case basis as the county has spot zoning which is a mix of agricultural, residential as well as industrial mixed throughout.

8. If there were an application for a new oil or gas well near a residential subdivision whose residents have concerns regarding the construction process and hazards, how would you handle the situation?If there were an application for a new oil or gas well near a residential subdivision I would handle the concerns of the residents first by reviewing the information put together by the Planning and Zoning Board as they report to the commissioners. I would take into account concerns of the residents in accordance with the laws and regulations.

9. The current county commission supports completion of the 17-mile Paths to Mesa Verde trail connecting Mancos and Cortez, and have obtained grant funding for final planning. Would you support moving forward on the Paths to Mesa Verde project?I would support the completion of this project if it does not infringe upon any private property rights and does not cost our residents any additional tax dollars.

10. The county commission has banned retail and commercial marijuana operations in the unincorporated county. Do you support this ban, why or why not?I do support the ban of retail and commercial marijuana operations as I believe these facilities can be more efficiently and effectively monitored by not allowing them in unincorporated parts of the county.

11. What should the county commission do to help to protect the community from the COVID-19 virus? The community should take personal measures to protect themselves not only from COVID-19 but any health issue. Our role as commissioners are to protect the rights of our community.

12. Kinder Morgan’s CO2 production provides more than 50% of the county tax base. What suggestions do you have to replace that tax revenue and job base when the CO2 resources begin to decline. If Kinder Morgan were to leave our county, which I don’t believe will be any time soon, I would discuss exploring other avenues of tax-based income such as loosening regulations of new businesses, solar energy farms and the expansion of our airport.

13. Montezuma County does not collect a sales tax. There has been discussion in recent years to ask the voters for a 1% sales tax. Do you support this idea, why or why not? Would you support putting this tax question on the ballot? The only way I would support a county tax would be if we could relieve some tax burden for our business owners as well as our private property owners. I would support placing this issue on the ballot as the final decision would be that of the community we represent.

14. Colorado Open Meeting laws require adequate public notice be given any time two or more commissioners meet to discuss county government business, including through email and phone communication. Will you comply with this law?I would absolutely comply.

15. Will you be transparent about potential conflicts of interest, and abstain from voting on decisions where you have a conflict of interest? The main reason I am running for county commissioner is to represent my community and the residents there of. I don’t own a business or have any dealings that would present a conflict, but if something were to arise, I would unequivocally abstain.