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County candidates focus on land use, business climate

Winner to replace outgoing Lieb

The race for an open seat on the Board of County Commissioners will determine if the three-member panel is unanimously Democratic.

Cynthia Roebuck, a Democrat, and Brad Blake, a Republican, are vying for the seat. The position opened when Bobby Lieb, a Republican, decided to run for La Plata County treasurer instead of a second term on the board.

Roebuck, a land-use consultant, and Blake, owner of an industrial plumbing business, each have experience taking projects through the county’s approval process.

Roebuck, 55, promises a nonpartisan approach as commissioner.

“I really don’t understand and don’t agree that party politics should play any role at this level,” she said.

Blake, 53, said it’s important for the board to have a conservative such as himself.

“The county could use a good business person, a business-minded person and an industry-minded person, and a conservative voice,” he said.

Blake has emphasized the county’s need to be friendlier to businesses. He spoke about the county taking two or three years to approve projects.

“It’s just taking forever to get these projects through,” he said.

Roebuck wants the county to put in place a land-use code. The county has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants in recent years, but has not been able to enact one.

“That’s not good management,” she said. “It doesn’t serve any of us well. We need a strong land-use code.”

Blake was born and raised in Durango. His mother, Darla, was a longtime local Republican Party supporter who served a stint as chairwoman of the local party. Blake remembers Spiro Agnew, former vice president under Richard Nixon, once visiting their family home.

Blake studied business and finance at Fort Lewis College and Brigham Young University, but he did not earn a degree. He purchased a local plumbing business from his father. He later sold it and started another business, Blake Mechanical. He has since founded a second business that builds industrial-scale solar systems.

“I don’t think the county has been terrible,” he said. “I just think we could be better and be more business-friendly.”

Roebuck grew up in several different places. She moved to Durango in 1981. She works for Ted Wright, a local real estate attorney. She has taken part in numerous local development projects, including Dalton Ranch and Edgemont Highlands.

Whoever is elected will face several key issues, including managing declining natural-gas revenues that have dented the budget, managing a push to renovate or rebuild Durango-La Plata County Airport and responding to demands for a new fairgrounds facility.

Commissioners are paid an annual salary of $72,500.

Roebuck said her land-use and development experience would be valuable on the county board.

“If I were applying for the job, my résumé would be maybe the best they’ve ever seen,” she said.

She supports having a land-use code with specified fees, including road-impact fees, rather than forging a development agreement with each separate project that the county approves.

“You don’t do it by not having regulation,” she said. “You do it by having good regulation.”

Blake said he would try to keep the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Transportation from interfering in the county. Roebuck seemed dismissive of that approach.

“I’m not going to take on the EPA, and I won’t pretend to,” she said.

The winner of the Nov. 4 contest will join county commissioners Gwen Lachelt and Julie Westendorff in January.

cslothower@durangoherald.com

Key 2014 election dates

Visit www.laplatacountyclerk.org for more information.

Oct. 14: Last day to submit an application to register through the mail, a voter registration agency, a voter registration drive or a local driver’s license exam facility.

Oct. 14: Ballots mailed.

Oct. 15 through Nov. 4: Ballots may be returned in a number of ways, including by mail, 24-hour drop-off boxes and drop-off locations at various days and times in Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio. The La Plata County Clerk & Recorder must receive them before 7 p.m. Election Day.

Vote in person at:

La Plata Clerk & Recorder’s Office, 98 Everett St., Suite C in Bodo Industrial Park.

Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway.

La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Drop off ballots at:

La Plata Clerk & Recorder’s Office

Bayfield Town Hall

La Plata County Courthouse, 1060 East Second Ave.

Ignacio Town Hall, 540 Goddard Ave.

Brad Blake

Political affiliation: Republican

Key issues: Reduce delays for development, have “business-friendly” attitude, avoid federal and state interference

Occupation: Owner, Blake Mechanical and Konisto

Residence: Durango

Cynthia Roebuck

Political affiliation: Democrat

Key issues: Enact land-use code, support public-improvement districts, improve predictability of county decisions

Occupation: Land-use consultant

Residence: Durango



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