Questions from Erie Residents
Why are you running for Town Council?
I'm running because my family chose Erie to be our home, and I want to give back to the community that's given us so much. As a mom, Planning Commissioner, and Certified General Appraiser specializing in land and water, I believe I can bring practical experience to the decisions that will shape Erie's future. I want to help Erie grow thoughtfully, spend taxpayer dollars wisely, and preserve the character that makes this community so special.
I'm running because I think Erie is worth protecting. Erie has given my family so much, and I want to use my experience to help make sure the decisions we make today preserve what makes this community special for years to come.
What are your top three priorities?
My priorities can be summed up in three words: Protect. Preserve. Prioritize.
Protect Erie's water future by making long-term investments in the infrastructure and planning needed to support our community.
Preserve the small-town character that makes Erie special by protecting our open spaces, supporting local businesses, and ensuring growth enhances (not replaces) the community we love.
Prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars by investing in what matters most to our community, rebuilding our reserves, and ensuring new growth pays its fair share rather than shifting those costs onto existing residents.
What makes you different from other candidates?
I don't claim to have all the answers, but I do believe in asking the right questions.
Before making a decision, I want to understand the long-term impacts, listen to different perspectives, and make sure we're leaving Erie better for the next generation. That's the approach I've taken on the Planning Commission, it's the mindset I've developed through my career as a Certified General Appraiser, and it's the perspective I have every day as a mom raising two young children here in Erie.
I'm not interested in politics for the sake of politics. I'm interested in thoughtful planning, responsible stewardship, and protecting what makes Erie feel like home.
What experience do you have with water?
Water has been a major part of my entire career. As a Certified General Appraiser specializing in farms/ranches/water rights, I've spent years analyzing and valuing water assets across Colorado. My work has involved NCWCD (aka CBT) units, surface water & groundwater, augmentation plans, and conservation easements. I've also worked with municipalities, developers, brokers, attorneys, and landowners to understand how water availability affects property values, development, and long-term planning.
That experience has given me a practical understanding of something every growing community faces: without a secure water supply, growth eventually reaches a limit.
Water is one of the Town's most important long-term assets.
I'll bring that perspective to every major decision. My goal is to help Erie make thoughtful, long-term investments that protect our water portfolio, support responsible growth, and ensure today's decisions don't create problems for future generations.
Where does Erie's water actually come from?
Water is one of the most important issues facing Erie, and one of the least understood. Many people assume our water comes from a single reservoir or pipeline in the mountains. The reality is much more complicated. Erie's water portfolio is built from multiple sources, including:
Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) Water
Windy Gap Water (currently unavailable due to elevated uranium levels)
Water Reuse
Groundwater
Future participation in the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP)
Each source plays a different role, and each comes with its own opportunities and challenges. There is no single solution. Responsible water planning means building a diverse and reliable portfolio, investing in treatment and reuse infrastructure, and making decisions with the next several decades in mind (not just the next few years). As a Certified General Appraiser specializing in farms, ranches, and water rights, I've spent years studying how water shapes communities across Colorado.
One lesson has become incredibly clear: Water isn't just another utility. It's the foundation for every home, business, school, park, and neighborhood we hope to build. That's why I believe every major planning decision should start with one question: Does our long-term water supply support it? If the answer isn't yes, we should slow down, plan carefully, and protect Erie's future.
What do you mean by "protecting our water portfolio"?
Strengthening our water portfolio isn’t a single action project. My goal is to ensure we have a reliable water supply before we approve growth by continuing to acquire high-quality permanent water rights when opportunities make financial sense, support projects that diversify our supply, and protect the water assets Erie already owns. We also need to make sure development brings its fair share of water instead of placing burden on existing residents.
What is your opinion on the current oil and gas issues facing Erie?
I understand why residents have concerns about the Draco Pad project. Protecting the health and safety of our community should always come first, and I support holding oil and gas operators to the highest standards.
If I had been serving on Town Council when this agreement came before them, I would have voted yes. I think it is important to distinguish between the Draco Pad itself and the Town's decision regarding its mineral interests. The Draco Pad received state approval despite the Town of Erie's objections. Separately, Colorado law now prevents an operator from force-pooling unleased mineral interests owned by a local government when that government has rejected an offer to lease. That gave Erie meaningful leverage over the Town-owned mineral interests within the drilling area. Another important distinction is that declining to lease or sell the Town's mineral interests did not mean drilling would no longer occur beneath Erie. Much of Erie already has horizontal oil and gas development thousands of feet below the surface, and the Draco laterals were planned to extend approximately five miles west from the pad. Because state law prevents Erie's unleased municipal minerals from being force-pooled, the operator would instead have to adjust its drilling plan to avoid producing from those specific Town-owned minerals. In practical terms, that could mean a wellbore still traveling through or beneath portions of Erie while being designed not to produce oil and gas from the Town's relatively small mineral interest.
I supported using that leverage to negotiate additional protections and value for Erie if the Draco project was moving forward. The agreement approved by Council included $4.5 million in cash, approximately 158 acres of land, a 3% share of production revenue, regular Town inspections of the site, and the plugging and abandonment of 17 existing wells. Without the agreement, Erie did not have the authority to require SM Energy to plug those wells within that negotiated timeframe.
Following Council's approval of the agreement, a referendum petition was circulated and received enough verified signatures to continue through the referendum process. On August 19, SM Energy notified the Town that it was terminating the agreement. That changes the situation significantly. The negotiated agreement (and the additional benefits and protections Erie would have received through it) is no longer in place. However, termination of the agreement does not itself eliminate the previously approved Draco project. The Town continues to own its mineral interests and intends to participate in upcoming state regulatory proceedings regarding Draco to protect Erie's interests as a mineral owner.
This outcome reinforces why I supported negotiating from the position of leverage Erie had. My concern was never simply whether the Town should "support" or "oppose" oil and gas development. The state had already approved Draco despite Erie's objections. The question was how Erie could use the authority and assets it still controlled to secure meaningful protections, oversight, and value for residents.
I respect that residents have strongly held and differing views on this issue. But elected officials have a responsibility to make decisions based on the facts, the Town's legal authority, and the realistic options available. Council is also responsible for being a careful steward of Town-owned land, mineral interests, and other public assets. In this case, I felt too much of the discussion became focused on broader emotions and opinions about oil and gas development rather than the specific decision actually before Council: how to responsibly manage assets Erie owned and use the leverage the Town had. That is why I would have voted yes on the agreement. I believe it was the stronger and more responsible decision for Erie based on the circumstances Council faced at the time.
Going forward, my focus remains the same: protect the health and safety of Erie residents, require strong environmental oversight, protect the Town's interests and assets, and make decisions based on the realities in front of us. Even when an issue is controversial, I believe residents are best served by transparent, practical decision-making and a clear understanding of what Erie can — and cannot — control.
How should Erie grow?
I believe growth should be intentional, not automatic. Just because Erie has the ability to grow doesn't mean we should rush to reach a certain population. Every new neighborhood should be supported by the infrastructure our community needs to thrive.
Before approving additional growth, we need to make sure we have the capacity to support it. That means planning for long-term water infrastructure, investing in our roads, parks, schools, and public safety, and ensuring our budget keeps pace with the services residents expect. Growth should strengthen our community, not strain it.
We also need to be thoughtful about the type of housing we're approving. Growth should reflect the needs of Erie residents and the long-term vision for our community, not simply add more rooftops. My goal is to make decisions that protect the quality of life families enjoy today while planning responsibly for the generations who will call Erie home tomorrow.
What does "small-town feel" actually mean?
When I talk about preserving Erie's small-town feel, I'm not talking about limiting our population to a certain number. Erie is a growing community, and today we're home to more than 40,000 residents. To me, "small-town feel" is about something much more meaningful than a population count. It's being able to walk the trails in my neighborhood and run into several neighbors without planning it. It's heading downtown for dinner and seeing familiar faces. It's cheering on our kids at youth sports, attending parades and community events, watching hot air balloons fill the sky, and feeling genuinely connected to the people around us.
It's also the little things — our beautiful mountain views, our parks and open spaces, our locally owned restaurants, and the welcoming atmosphere that makes people feel at home. Those are the things that make Erie, Erie. As we grow, I want to make sure we never lose the sense of community that brought so many of us here in the first place.
How will you balance the budget?
I believe the Town should live within its means just like families do. That starts with prioritizing core services: public safety, roads, water infrastructure, and maintaining our parks and open spaces. I'd carefully evaluate discretionary spending, look for efficiencies, and make sure every major expenditure has a clear benefit to Erie residents. My goal is to rebuild the Town's financial reserves while continuing to invest in the infrastructure that supports our long-term future.
How do you define “fiscal responsibility”?
Every dollar the Town spends belongs to someone who worked hard to earn it. To me, fiscal responsibility isn't about saying "no" to every project—it's about making thoughtful decisions with taxpayer dollars. That means prioritizing our core responsibilities first, like infrastructure, water, roads, public safety, and long-term planning, before committing to new spending. It means understanding the long-term costs of today's decisions, maintaining healthy financial reserves, and making investments that provide lasting value for residents. When we manage our finances responsibly, we put Erie in a position to continue investing in the things that make our community special, from parks and trails to parades, community events, and our Third of July fireworks. Good stewardship isn't about spending less; it's about spending wisely.
What do you think about supporting local businesses?
Supporting local businesses means more than encouraging people to shop local, it means listening to the people who have invested their livelihoods in Erie.
I've met with many of our local business owners and continue to have conversations with them regularly. Several are close friends, and I've heard firsthand about the challenges they face, including rising commercial rents, limited commercial space, and the time and complexity of navigating the Town's permitting process. These are the businesses that sponsor our youth sports teams, donate to local fundraisers, create local jobs, and help make Erie the community we love. The owners who have remained committed to Erie despite those challenges, deserve to have their voices heard.
As a Councilmember, I want to strengthen communication with our business community, look for opportunities to improve Town processes where we can, and make sure we're creating an environment where local businesses don't just open their doors, but they can succeed and stay here for years to come. When our local businesses succeed, our community becomes stronger.
How will you help keep Erie affordable for current residents?
As Erie grows, we have to be mindful of what that growth costs the people who already live here. Rising utility rates, taxes, and fees can be especially difficult for seniors on fixed incomes and young families trying to keep up with increasing costs. I believe growth should pay its fair share. That means regularly evaluating development and water-related fees to make sure new development is covering the infrastructure demands it creates rather than shifting those costs onto existing residents.
It also means being thoughtful about Town spending. Fiscal responsibility isn't simply spending less, it's making sure we're investing in the things residents actually value while planning ahead so today's decisions don't create tomorrow's financial problems.
What do you think Erie is doing well?
Erie has a lot to be proud of. One of the things I appreciate most is how safe our community feels. We have an outstanding Police Department and first responders who work hard every day to protect our families, and that's something we should never take for granted.
Even as our community has grown to more than 40,000 residents, Erie has held onto the small-town feeling that makes it so special. I still run into people I know almost every time I'm at the grocery store, grabbing coffee downtown, or attending one of our parades, concerts, or community events. That's not something every growing town can say.
And then there are the views! The mountain views are one of the first things people notice when they visit Erie, but for those of us who live here, it's something we get to enjoy every day. It's a reminder of why so many families choose to call this community home.
My goal isn't to change what makes Erie special, it's to protect it. As Erie continues to grow, I want to make sure we continue investing in public safety, planning infrastructure before development, and preserving the community character that makes Erie feel like home.
What does the Planning Commission do?
Whenever I share that I’m a Planning Commissioner, the next question is always “What Does the Planning Commission actually do?”. It’s a great question. And definitely one I didn’t fully understand myself before I was appointed.
The Planning Commission serves as an advisory board to the Town Council. We review development proposals, consider updates to the Town's land use regulations, and make recommendations on how Erie should grow in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. While the Town Council makes the final decisions on many major applications, the Planning Commission plays an important role in asking questions, evaluating projects, and ensuring each proposal is carefully considered before it reaches the Council.
Our job isn't to decide whether growth should happen, but to help ensure growth happens thoughtfully. We consider current infrastructure capacities, Erie’s long-term vision and Comprehensive Plan, impacts on nearby residents, traffic, drainage, and benefits to the community. Serving on the Planning Commission has reinforced something I already believed through my career as a Certified General Appraiser specializing in Colorado farms, ranches, water rights, and conservation easements: Every land-use decision has long-term consequences. That's why I believe growth should be guided by careful planning. Our infrastructure, water resources, parks, roads, and public services all need to keep pace as Erie continues to evolve.
One thing I've especially appreciated about serving on the Planning Commission is hearing from residents. Public input matters. Some of the best discussions happen because neighbors take the time to attend meetings, ask thoughtful questions, and share perspectives we might not otherwise hear. Whether you support a project or have concerns about it, I encourage you to stay engaged. Local government works best when residents participate, ask questions, and help shape the future of their community. Thoughtful planning is about asking the right questions, considering the long-term impacts, and making decisions that protect what makes Erie such a special place to call home.
Tell me about your family.
My husband, Dean, and I are raising our two young children (Deano and Liberty) here in Erie, and it's the only hometown they've ever known. We chose Erie because of its strong sense of community, beautiful open spaces, and the feeling that it's a wonderful place to raise a family. Between work, youth sports, community events, and weekends at our local parks, this town has become home. I'm running because I want to help protect what makes Erie such a special place for our family, and yours.
What's something people might not know about you?
I'm probably more competitive than people expect. Whether it's my adult soccer league, a family game of baseball in our backyard, or challenging my husband to an impromptu race, I love a little friendly competition. If you ask my husband, he will tell you I don’t like to lose.
