Infrastructure a common priority

Updating Manitou Springs’ aging infrastructure is a common theme among the candidates seeking the mayor’s job and three council seats.

Recent interviews revealed most of the candidates — three for the mayor’s post and four for three at-large council seats — are concerned about repairing or replacing century-old water and sewer lines. Most also think the city needs to stay focused on completing a revitalization of downtown.

The mayoral candidates, all of whom are now council members:

- Nancy Sage Barnes. She would push to finish the downtown revitalization. She also thinks the town needs to look for various sources of funding to pay for “badly needed” upgrades of water and sewer lines.

- Eric Drummond. He would seek grants and perhaps funding from historical sources to rehabilitate the town’s underground pipe system and to repair some of its roads. He’s also interested in broadening the town’s tourism economy, perhaps seeking conferences and seminars during the spring and fall.

- Donna Ford. She is concerned about the cultural needs of the community. The 34-year resident thinks the town needs strong, experienced leadership.

The winner would take over for Mayor Mark Morland, who has decided not to seek the post again.

The four City Council candidates, three of whom will win posts:

- Aimee Cox, a member of the city’s parks and recreation advisory board. She would encourage residents’ input on the urban renewal of the east end of Manitou Springs.

Cox also said the city needs to complete improvements to Soda Springs Park and to Fountain Creek where it runs through the park. The projects are to be funded with grants, and she said it’s important the city demonstrate it can use such money effectively if it wants to receive more.

- Jeffery Gambs. He said it doesn’t matter what his priority is, but rather the council’s. He said council members collectively decide what the city’s top priorities should be, and he would work to accomplish those.

- Ed West Klingman, board president of the Manitou Springs Business Improvement District. He would push to redevelop the eastern entrance into the city, from the Safeway on Colorado Avenue westward into Manitou itself.

“It’s in dire need of rework,” he said. “There are too many hotels that can’t make it as hotels anymore.”

Klingman said the city should forge partnerships with private entities to revitalize the east end of town.

- Marc Snyder, an incumbent. He would push for fixing the town’s infrastructure.

“Beautification is visible to all, but just as important is what’s below,” he said. “It really is everything.”

Snyder also would work to diversify the economy, seeking mixed-use commercial, including office and retail businesses.

The three people elected would take seats now held by Snyder, Drummond, who is running for mayor, and Barnes, who is term-limited and running for mayor.

ALL-MAIL ELECTION

The Manitou Springs races are part of El Paso County’s mail-ballot election. Ballots will be mailed to most registered voters Friday (those who registered after Sept. 26 will receive their ballots later).

Ballots must be received at the Clerk & Recorder’s Office, at Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903, by Nov. 6. Call the El Paso County Elections Department at 575-8683 with questions.