Two candidates are vying to be Parachute’s next mayor. It’s the town’s first contested election in a decade.
Incumbent Tom Rugaard has served as mayor since 2022. He previously served as a town trustee for three terms, and has worked at Mountain Air Mechanical in Rifle for over 18 years.
His opponent, Levi Williamson, is a Grand Valley High School graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and academic coach.
At a candidate forum last week ahead of the April 7 municipal election, Rugaard said Parachute’s most pressing issue is figuring out how to bring more money into town — specifically, how to generate more revenue from the 20,000 cars driving past Parachute every day along the I-70 corridor.
Rugaard suggested the town could promote its history as a form of tourism. “I think Parachute needs to tell a story,” he said, noting how Harvey Alexander Logan, the famous outlaw and member of Butch Cassidy’s gang known as “Kid Curry” allegedly died by suicide near Parachute after robbing a train in 1904.
Williamson agreed that increasing funding to Parachute is important, but said affordability is his big concern.
“It’s becoming more and more unaffordable for people to get a house,” he said, adding that the issue has affected him personally.
“I'm working as an academic coach at a high school in Rifle, and simply don't make the money to be able to afford a house for myself or let alone when my fiancee is here and living with me,” he said, adding that he’s currently living with his parents.
Williamson said that improving public transportation is another priority — and a way to boost affordability. He worries that the potential loss of RFTA’s Hogback bus service later this year could erode transportation access for Parachute residents who need to commute east of Rifle.
Rugaard noted that Parachute’s local low-fare bus system, which began in 2021, provides service to Rifle and has plans to expand operations in downtown Parachute.
He said he would like to get a bus line out to the new West Parachute Interchange as well as building a new bridge connecting Parachute and Battlement Mesa to make the two neighboring communities more cohesive. But, he said, “that's going to take major, major dollars.”
Three seats on the Parachute Town Council are also up for election. With two candidates running, the council will have to appoint another councilor after the election.
Election Day is Tuesday, April 7th.
