At first glance: Thornton city council and mayoral candidates finalized
September 1st, 2011
Candidates for City of Thornton mayor - Mack Goodman and Val Vigil. Not safe to recycle.
Politics are about to become very local as the list of those seeking an office at the Thornton civic center is finalized. The list has some notable incumbents, fascinating new comers and some old retreads trying for a new office.
Here’s a quick look at the candidates in each race:
Mayor
This is the big prize and the one race in which all Thornton residents need to pay attention and choose carefully. Erik Hansen vacated this seat when he was elected to Adams County Commissioner so it is completely up for grabs. Vying for the seat are two longtime Adams County Democrats with lots of baggage and a relative newcomer with a lot of potential.
Mack Goodman is a city council retread having served six years on council in the 80s before starting his latest round two years ago. He has been acting mayor for the past nine months and this has given us a chance to see how he would run the city. After witnessing his performance, Thornton voters need to run away from this choice.
Current councilman Val Vigil has only held his current seat on council for two years and is looking to move up. This virtual lifelong politician has not shown much beyond his casting votes that repay his union campaign contributors and his ability to split council rather than work to a consensus. Vigil represents the old guard in Adams County and his ties to the Adams Family make him a very questionable choice that should be avoided.
Heidi Williams is a newcomer to city elections but not to the city or to the issues that matter to residents. This Adams 12 Five Star School District school board member appears to have what it takes to lead the city forward. As a small business owner raising a family, she knows firsthand the challenges Thornton residents and businesses face. She is fresh alternative that can provide the new blood that is desperately needed in Thornton.
Ward I City Council
Steve Lebsock is term limited so this race is wide open. While we didn’t always agree with Lebsock, he was a straight shooter and we appreciated that. Trying to occupy his seat are Jenice (JJ) Dove and Lee Cantu.
This is Dove’s second try at getting a seat having lost to Mack Goodman two years ago. Her list of endorsements include a lot of the old guard liberal Adams Family and of course the required labor unions. It is hard on first blush to see her as accomplishing much beyond continuing Thornton’s leftist slide.
As for Cantu, quite frankly there isn’t much out there on him. We’ll learn more though between now and election day and see if he is a viable alternative.
Ward II City Council
This race pits current councilmember Eva Henry against Richard Gianzero.
If you are looking to find a liberal on city council, you don’t need to look any further than Henry. While a very nice person, her agenda is clearly one that supports the left. During her first term she backed every liberal measure to come before council, whether it was in the best interest of the citizens of Thornton or not. She of course is endorsed by the establishment Adams County Democrats, a warning sign in and of itself.
Richard Gianzero presents an interesting alternative. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has lived in Thornton for 20 years and was a longtime employee of the Department of Energy and Adams 12 Five Star Schools. As a small business owner he would seem to know what it is going to take to get businesses to come to Thornton and he promises a non-partisan approach – something that can’t be said about Henry.
Ward III City Council
This may be one of the most interesting races in the city to watch as incumbent Beth Humenik faces a challenge from Sam Nizam.
As an incumbent having served four years on council already, we should be able to draw on a great deal of information on which to base an opinion about Humenik. The problem is that she really has not done much to distinguish herself beyond her highly scripted commentary during city council meetings (Zzzzzz). The best thing for her reelection chances Humenik has going for her is her opponent.
While Nizam is a small business owner and someone we would consider based on that, a look around shows that he definitely lacks the temperament to work with others on council. He has already proclaimed that he would happily play the role of ‘Mr. No’ on council. A look through his Facebook postings show someone who is hardcore left of center and full of disdain for anyone who does not agree with his liberal views. He definitely lacks the mentality to serve on council.
Ward IV City Council
Sadly the citizens of Ward IV have no choice in this contest as no one has filed to run against incumbent Eric Tade. He will get to cruise to another term without any effort. While Tade is relatively moderate despite his left leanings, it would have been nice to see someone challenge him.
TONY YES THIS IS YOUR WEBSITE AND YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN OPINION BUT…… BUT AS MARGRET MEAD ONCE SAID:”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”— Margaret Mead YOU ARE CORRECT ABOUT BEING TO FORWARD BUT AFTER READING THIS I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, INSTEAD OF ATTACKING PPL LIKE HENRY, OR DOVE, OR TADE FOR WHAT THEY TRY TO MAKE BETTER, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING OFF YOUR OWN YOU KNOW WHAT AND PULLING YOUR HAND AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD TO CHALLENGE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE YOURSELF? FOR THE RECORD I WOULD SAY NOT WOULD YOU AGREE? DOVES ENDORSEMENTS LAST TIME I CHECKED SHOWED THAT CURRENT MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WANT HER TO COME ABOARD TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, CITY COUNCIL IS NONPARTISAN AND BEFORE WRITING THIS KEEPING IN MIND I WANT MY DUCKS IN A ROW LAST TIME I TALKED TO JENICE SHE SEPARATED HERSELF FROM THE GOOD OLD BOYS CLUB, THE REASON SHE IS RUNNING IS TO SHOW PPL THAT SHE IS NOT SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS OR STANDS FOR WHAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTY STAND FOR, AND LAST TIME I CHECKED ERIK HANSEN WAS THE ONLY PERSON FROM COUNCIL THAT HAS SEEK AN OFFICE FOR THE COUNTY. FOR YOU TO COMPARE ANY OF THESE PPL TO COUNTY OFFICIALS AS ERIK WOULD SAY IS A TONGUE AND CHEEK COMMENT! YES MACK AND JENICE MAYBE SUPPORTED BY UNIONS (FYI LAST TIME I CHECKED THIS YEAR JENICE IS ONLY ENDORSED BY DALF) BUT THATS BECAUSE PPL LIKE THEM ARE FORMER UNION MEMBERS. YOU ARE CORRECT ABOUT ONE THING THO JENICE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEFTIST SIDE IN OUR CITY BUT THAT IS OF THE LEFTIST SIDE OF WARD 1 THAT IS!WHEN LOOKING AT YOUR COMMENT ON HOW SOMEONE MAY LACK ANY MENTALITY… FOR THIS I SAY ITS VERY RUDE TO CRITICIZE SOMEONE YOU HAVEN’T INTERVIEWED YET TO MAKE THIS ASSUMPTION ON THAT NOTE HERE IS MY FINAL WORD IF YOU FEEL YOU CAN DO SOOOOO MUCH BETTER OF A JOB THAN THESE PEOPLE WHO INSTEAD OF BEING A COMPLAINER WHY DON’T YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND IN 2 YEARS STEP UP STEP OUTSIDE OF THE COMFORT ZONE THAT YOU FEEL PPL WILL JUDGE YOU ON AND RUN FOR OFFICE, SHOW THE PPL OF THORNTON YOU CAN LIVE UP TO YOUR WORDS! LASTLY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SOMETHING I AM CERTAIN I KNOW YOU WILL NOT DO AND THAT IS DO WHAT OTHER OPINIONATED ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING THIS YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTION THIS NOV. SIT DOWN WITH EACH OF THESE CANDIDATE INTERVIEW THEM AND MAKE YOUR PICK ENDORSE WHO YOU FEEL IS RIGHT FOR THE POSITION AND STATE WHY ITS THE LEAST I FEEL YOU CAN DO, BUT KNOWING YOU YOUR STUCK IN YOUR OWN WAYS I BET 5$ YOU WILL NOT DO THIS!
Wow. This one is a bit tough to read and decipher. Punctuation and proper case would make it a lot easier to respond to. I’m not even going to try to figure out everything that is said but will hit a few key points…
First, I find it pretty amusing that at the same time a commenter calls me out for not running for public office, they don’t even have the strength of conviction to use their real name or a real email address. A public forum such as this invites trolls so it isn’t entirely surprising but in the service we would have called this type of action chicken$hit.
Let’s remember this isn’t Dove’s first time at the rodeo so we have all had a pretty good look at her via previous candidate forums, public events, etc.
Whether right or wrong you are judged by the company you keep and in the case of Dove, this is problematic. She is endorsed by two of the most divisive people currently sitting on city council – Eva Henry and Val Vigil. She is also endorsed by State Representative Judy Solano whose subservience to labor unions is well known. In the last election cycle, Dove bragged of being endorsed by the AFL CIO, UFCW and IBEW. She would be better off running from these endorsements rather than bragging about them.
The last thing the City of Thornton needs is another council member beholden to labor unions. The actions of council in the past two years show where that has gotten us and it has hurt the city and cost the citizens. Labor unions don’t create jobs, businesses do. If Dove wants to be seen as someone who will work for the betterment of the city, let’s see some real businesses endorse her too – then we might have to take a harder look at her.
Sounds like someone is really proud of his Grandma
Tony,
Thanks for the heads up on the candidates running for our up and coming elections. Though that sounds exciting “up and coming”, its not. As you point out, we have more of the same leftist politics to choose from. and btw, “tonyshouldbemorepositive!”, omg, that was a really long text.