The following letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.
My fellow Erie residents and I have been through a lot lately, what with the vocal majority of our town council voting to sell the town’s mineral rights for a patch of land and a bag of magic beans — and then more than 1,500 citizens signing a petition asking for a repeal or to put the matter to a town-wide vote. The deal got scrapped, but after this episode and some others, many residents are left questioning the integrity of some on our town council.
Fortunately, there’s reason to rejoice! We have three terrific candidates running for town council in Erie. I want to encourage those in Erie to get to know them, support them, and vote for them. Each is committed to more transparency, which is sorely needed right now, and each wants to make Erie more inclusive and welcoming.
When Erie Together (ErieTogether.com) held a panel discussion on oil and gas operations in Colorado and Erie, all three candidates were there to learn. These folks are actively interested in Erie, and we would be lucky to have them representing us.
For District 1, we have Bob Braudes, 2024 winner of Erie’s Outstanding Resident Award. This guy is totally committed to making the world a better place and works hard toward this goal, volunteering everywhere and sponsoring events through his family foundation. It would be hard to find someone with a bigger heart. Bob has racked up more than a dozen big endorsements, and you can learn more about him at BobforErie.com.
For District 2, Ben Hemphill is a CU-Boulder-trained aerospace engineer who solves complex problems at work and can do so for Erie, too. He has already demonstrated his commitment to Erie by having served on Erie’s Sustainability Advisory Board and its Home Rule Charter Commission — and he’s currently on Erie’s Planning Commission. All this experience has given him valuable insight into Erie’s challenges and opportunities. I’ve observed how well-informed and thoughtful Ben is — and he has my vote. Learn more about Ben and his endorsements at benforerieco.com.
For District 3, Amy Becker is a Colorado native steeped in compassion and smarts. An oncology physician assistant, she has spent more than 25 years caring for people at their most vulnerable times and would bring that caring to the people of Erie. She shows up, listens, solves problems, and treats people with respect — traits that will serve her well on the town council. She’s more interested in advocating for the health of Erie residents than the health of fracking companies. Learn more about Amy, her endorsements, and her stance on multiple issues at AmyforErie.com.
I encourage Erie residents to read up on these great candidates, to plant yard signs for them, to tell friends and neighbors about them, to attend or host meet-and-greets for them, and, most importantly, to vote for them.
Selena Maranjian
Erie resident