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This is the first contested race for the board of directors at the hospital in six years. Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) canceled two previous ones because no one applied, except the incumbents. For this election, there are seven candidates running for two open seats.The candidates all answered a series of questions posed by Aspen Public Radio. Here are their responses.Ballots must be returned to AVH's administration office by 7 p.m. on May 3. They can be mailed or dropped off in person.

Aspen City Council race: Keith Goode

Facebook/Keith Goode

 

Next week ballots go in the mail for Aspen’s municipal election. Voters will choose from a large pool of candidates to fill two open seats on city council. Keith Goode is one of seven people running. He spoke with Aspen Public Radio’s Marci Krivonen.

"Reporter: Why are you running for city council?"

 

Goode: "I’ve been on the Planning and Zoning Board for the last four years and I really have enjoyed my time there. But, the main reason is when I hear people say ‘Aspen’s losing its character,’ I don’t buy that."

 

Goode followed a girl to Aspen fourteen years ago and stayed. He says the people make the community not the bricks and mortar. He’d like to find a way for young people to be successful in Aspen.

"I think people in that 30 to 40 range gets lost in the shuffle here. You come here with a full passion and a gypsy spirit. Some people stick around and ask themselves, ‘What are we going to do?’"

Reporter: "What are the barriers that need to be tackled in order for folks to be able to stay here?"

Goode: "Housing is always a key issue. We have some serious issues at Centennial in trying to deal with the mold and other problems. Also, another issue is about enforcing rules about existing employee housing - maybe 10 percent is being abused."

Goode ran a coffee shop in Aspen a few years ago. Now he works as a bartender.

"Being in the service industry, there’s been no one who has represented bartenders, wait staff or retail workers in some time," he says.

Reporter: "How can a perspective like yours be an asset on city council?"

Goode: "The way they try and run city hall are with several different departments that operate like a small business.  And I think I have a voice of the people. I deal with a range of people from age 18 to 75. People tell me what they think all the time. I’m a bartender. I listen."

He supports the ballot question that would allow voters to weigh in on development projects with requests that go outside City Code. Our council candidate profiles continue tomorrow.