Ben Hemphill
Website: benforerieco.com
Ben Hemphill is running for Erie Town Council. (Beth Photography LLC / Courtesy photo)
Autobiographical statement: My wife and I have lived in Erie since 2018. I’m a licensed mechanical engineer with a master’s degree in engineering from CU Boulder; I’m currently working in the nuclear sector. In 2022, I chaired the Sustainability Advisory Board and was later elected to the Home Rule Charter Commission, where I helped draft our town’s charter. Since September 2023, I’ve served on the Planning Commission, chairing it for a year and gaining a thorough understanding of development across Erie. I’m running for Town Council in District 2 to keep Erie focused on the residents’ health and quality of life.
What is the No. 1 issue in front of Erie right now, and how should it be addressed?: The number one issue facing Erie right now is trust in our local government. Residents have watched our current Town Council rush through a sale of our mineral rights using an adviser with a significant financial interest in closing a deal, fire the town manager, settle a lawsuit regarding a housing development near a contaminated site, and approve a council-directed comprehensive plan update that reduces diverse housing options. Meanwhile, the mayor and mayor pro tem privately discussed a land swap of town land for a church near Old Town.
I would address this by working with town staff to publish explanations of major decisions with enough time for residents to review and weigh in before they’re finalized. I’ll use the 2025 and future community surveys as a guiding star, and make sure the input we receive actually shapes what the town does next, not just collect the comments and set them aside.
With Erie’s sales tax revenue growth slowing, what is one town expense or planned project you would reduce, delay or eliminate? Where should the town be spending more?: The 2026 budget increased the amount of general fund dollars moved into capital projects by over 50%, to $10 million. I’d slow that increase back toward last year’s pace until revenue trends are clearer. I’d start with lower-priority items, like a roughly $1.3 million administrative office and shop project for Parks & Open Space staff. That’s a staff facility upgrade, not a resident-facing service, and it can wait a year. I’d rather see that money go toward quality of life instead: more trail and multimodal transport access, and targeted incentives to bring in retail residents actually want, like a grocery store, local shops, and restaurants. This will keep more spending, and the sales tax that comes with it, in Erie instead of leaking to neighboring towns.