Pitkin County voters will consider three candidates for one seat on the Board of County Commissioners in a primary election this month. Ballots went out in the mail on June 3; the election is June 25.
District 5 is the only contested race, and incumbent Francie Jacober has two challengers: Neil Reilley and Toni Kronberg.
It’s an at-large election, meaning voters in all regions of the county will get to decide who fills the seat representing some of its most rural areas, including the Crystal River Valley, Frying Pan Valley and parts of Snowmass Canyon.
The two highest vote-getters in the primary will advance to the general election on November 5.
Jacober, who is vying for a second term on the Board of County Commissioners, lives in the Crystal River Valley and has made environmental issues a key part of her platform.
She said in an interview that she wants to preserve open space and agricultural lands — “because once we lose a piece of land to development, it's over, there's no going back and land is finite.” She also wants the county to continue its momentum on climate action and reduce carbon emissions through policies like the county’s “aggressive” Climate Action Plan.
Jacober said her platform also includes a two-pronged approach to the needs of the community through human services and affordable housing.
“It's incumbent on us to take care of everybody in our county, and to protect those who don't have access to that immense wealth that we have up here in Aspen,” Jacober said.
In fact, all three candidates acknowledged the need for more housing that the workforce can afford — so long as it fits with the scale and character of the community.
Neil Reilley also lives up the Crystal; he said he wants to preserve the “agrarian and rural nature of Pitkin County.”
“I would like to see less building, less multi-story mixed-use, less looks-like-Vail-starting-to-look-like-Summit County (development), and just slow down a little bit,” Reilley said.
He’s also focused on environmental protections and the preservation of natural resources, and wants to see the county tamp down further on energy consumption.
Meanwhile, Toni Kronberg is building her campaign around safety and efficiency on Highway 82. She lives close to the major thoroughfare in Snowmass Canyon.
“It's our lifeline, … and it's very dangerous,” Kronberg said. “So my motto is that we need to arrive home alive, sane, and on time to pick up the kids.”
In addition to Highway 82 and affordable housing, Kronberg said she’s thinking about mental health services and the layout of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.
Aspen Public Radio will cover several key issues in the lead-up to the June 25 primary, including the candidates’ perspectives on the Airport Layout Plan, satisfaction with elected officials and affordability in Pitkin County.
Two other races for Pitkin County Commissioner are uncontested this year. Greg Poschman is the sole candidate in District 3, and Jeffrey Woodruff is the sole candidate in District 4.
