Who should you vote for? (part 2)
- vicky2745
- Oct 21
- 12 min read
Welcome to the second half of the Preserve Lafayette Voters’ guide!
We love that so many people are running for city council, but 10 candidates is A LOT. Figuring out the four council contenders that best reflect your values can seem overwhelming. We haven’t even fully made up our minds yet!
That’s why we’re not endorsing candidates, but instead are providing as much objective information as we can to help you make your own decision. You can read about how we got that info here, along with our profiles of the first five candidates. (Note: We’ve made a correction on Adam Gianola’s profile. We said he has a PhD in chemical engineering; actually his BS is in chemical engineering and his PhD is in chemistry. We also misidentified his current employer: It’s Ten-Nine Technologies. Sorry for the mistakes!)
The final five candidate profiles (in alphabetical order) are below.
And we’re not done yet! We also asked all of the candidates questions about open space, and will share their answers tomorrow. And later this week, we’ll summarize their responses to a candidate forum question about their views on annexation.
ROB GLENN
How long lived in Lafayette
4 years
City elected or volunteer experience
None listed
Day job
Residential Realtor
Position on Lafayette ballot issue 2C
Support
Priorities
From his website:
Community character. “Preserving Lafayette’s small-town warmth while welcoming new neighbors and businesses. As a local realtor, I see every day how deeply housing, community development, and local business health are connected.” He refers to affordable housing as “personal to me,” but doesn’t give specifics on how he would accomplish this in Lafayette.
Sustainability. “Encouraging environmentally responsible development that protects open space and promotes long-term resilience.”
Collaboration. “Working hand-in-hand with residents, local businesses and regional partners to build a stronger, more connected community.”
Opportunity. Revitalizing vacant spaces and supporting small business growth to strengthen the local economy. He believes Lafayette has incredible untapped potential in “renewing our existing commercial spaces. Focusing on redevelopment rather than new development not only strengthens our local economy, it also promotes sustainability and helps preserve the beautiful open spaces that make Lafayette such a special place to live.”
Inclusivity. “Ensuring every resident, new and long-standing, has a voice in shaping Lafayette’s future.”
Other notes
At the chamber of commerce forum, Glenn said: “The chamber has been the voice to the city, to the council.” He mentioned that the current city council liaison to the chamber, Brian Wong, is terming out, “and if I was to get on council I would love to be that liaison and somebody that listens and just supports where we can as a council.”
ANNMARIE JENSEN
How long lived in Lafayette
11 years
City elected or volunteer experience
Appointed to the Lafayette Planning Commission in September 2015 to fill a vacancy. Applied for a new term in March 2016 but wasn’t selected by city council.
Member of the Livable Lafayette task force
Member of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee for Willoughby Corner
Current member of the Lafayette land use code working group
Former member of Lafayette’s WOW Children’s Museum board of directors
Day job
Retired. Government lobbyist for 27 years. Former president and CEO of Jensen Public Affairs, which specialized in public interest advocacy. Former founder and executive director of the East County Housing Opportunity Coalition.
(Note: These reports were amended due to missing occupations and employers of her contributors, which is mandatory. One contributor is Jasper Vue, director of community outreach at The Pachner Company, which represented the developer of the land at 119th and Baseline during the neighborhood meeting. Another contributor is Bill Rigler, owner of Greenlight Strategy, which advises developers on how to combat neighborhood opposition.)
Position on Lafayette ballot issue 2C
Support
Priorities
From her website: “Annmarie is running for City Council to help Lafayette achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals, create a livable community with housing for all, and support an economy that provides jobs, opportunity, and equity, especially for those who are often marginalized.”
“She’s committed to preserving what makes Lafayette special while helping shape a future that protects the rights of our diverse community. This includes expanding transit options and promoting bike- and pedestrian-friendly design to reduce vehicle miles traveled. Our candidate supports outdoor spaces and public lands that are protected and well-stewarded.”
Other notes
Her website homepage and “About Annmarie” page are in both English and Spanish.
She is collecting donations through the Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue.
In response to a question at the chamber of commerce forum about the council’s role in creating a successful environment for small business, she said: “I think it’s important to understand that the job of the local government is not to create winners and losers in the economy—not to decide which businesses should be successful as opposed to other businesses,” but instead to create incentives that help businesses equally.
In response to a chamber question about affordable housing, she said Lafayette needs an inclusionary housing ordinance (which requires a certain percentage of every new housing development to either be affordable or contribute to an affordable housing fund ). “Every community around us—Boulder, Louisville, Longmont, Superior—all have an inclusionary housing ordinance that allows them to get between $9 and $13 per square foot for affordable housing, and we get $1 per square foot,” she said. (Note: We checked this with Lafayette Planning and Building Director Steven Williams, who said: “I am not aware of whether each of those communities has an inclusionary housing ordinance adopted or the impact fee they each assess, but Lafayette’s impact fee is the $1/sq. ft. that was quoted (for both new residential and commercial development.)”)
In response to a question at the LYAB forum about affordability in Lafayette, she said she chaired the successful effort to pass an affordable housing tax for the county in 2023. She said the tax is raising about $15 million a year, but she’s not happy with how decisions are being made to spend that money.
At every forum when discussing city affordability, she has stated that the city of Lafayette is 17% more expensive than the rest of the state. She didn’t cite her source.
ERIC RYANT
How long lived in Lafayette
10 years
City elected and volunteer experience
Ran for city council in 2023. Finished fifth out of seven candidates (top four were elected)
Applied for a vacant council seat in 2023; was not selected
Volunteer with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
Day job
Lafayette dispensaries Herbal Wellness and Complete Releaf. Coauthor of a variety of business books and guides. Licensed general contractor in Florida.
Position on Lafayette ballot issue 2C
Oppose
Priorities
From his website:
Preserving Old Town Lafayette. “Old Town has so much character and rich history. The remodel of the Starkey building is one example on how the Council upgraded the property but kept the integrity of the area.”
Slow growth with management. “As the city grows, its important that we have small measurements of growth without creating congestion to our present town. This pertains to residential housing and commercial business development. Over saturation and over growth is a concern of Eric’s as he has seen many other communities lose it’s small town charm. This will not happen to Lafayette if he’s elected.”
Traffic management. Including avoiding congestion at the Lafayette/Erie border.
Small business support. Including expanding the city’s existing small business programs and creating more opportunities in this area.
Affordable housing. “Willoughby Corner has recently been constructed and has helped many families in need. I would like to expand this, but want to study the program and make sure it makes sense for our community.”
Open space. “Protecting open space is another area that makes Lafayette a special community. Eric will continue on this path and promote more bike and pedestrian routes for our town and preserve all the wildlife sanctuaries that beautify our city.”
Fiscal responsibility. “From Eric’s 40 years of business experience, he understands a balanced budget and will look at projects to see if there is excessive waste. Once that is identified, it will be reallocated and applied to other projects where funding is needed.”
Other notes
In his Daily Camera profile, Ryant said: “Being a town of only 30,000 people and in the Denver/Boulder metro area, Lafayette must find ways to promote the image and get the name out to prospective new residents. Lafayette has done this through hosting community events, like the farmers market.”
At the chamber of commerce forum, he said: “I think it’s really important that the city council gives a lot of support, offers grant programs and offers incentives,” in this unsettled economic environment. He wants the city to hire a full-time grant writer who would search and apply for federal and state grants to help ease cost burdens for local businesses and residents.
In response to a question at the LYAB forum about how candidates plan to address concerns about the presentation and representation of Lafayette’s history, Ryant said he didn’t know until Saul Tapia Vega mentioned it that the Ku Klux Klan had a major presence in Lafayette in the 1940s and ‘50s. (Note: Local historian Doug Conarroe’s reporting shows it was in the ‘20s and ‘30s.)
Ryant also referred to the town’s founder, Mary Miller, as Molly Miller. He said he thinks there needs to be “more education and awareness in the community about our history,” including programs at the public library.
(Note: The Lafayette Public Library has an archive section that offers oral histories, historic newspapers and photos, books written by local authors about Lafayette history, and more. The library has also hosted numerous programs about our city’s history. In addition, Lafayette has a history museum that is funded in part by the city and a sales tax approved by voters. And the city website has a Historic Lafayette section with a variety of historical information about our community. This includes the Rose Lueras Story, which details how the city recently acknowledged and addressed discrimination against Latinos in the 1930s.)
SAUL TAPIA VEGA
How long lived in Lafayette
30 years
Day job
Deputy director of community engagement for Gov. Jared Polis’ office
Became a small business owner at age 19 (doesn’t say what this business is)
City elected and volunteer experience
Appointed to city council on Nov. 13, 2023 to fill a vacant seat. (Note: In his opening statement at the chamber of commerce and LYAB forums, he said he was running for reelection. He is running for election for the first time this year).
Told the Daily Camera: “Before joining City Council, I served on the Lafayette Human Rights Board.” (Note: He was appointed to the HRB on Oct. 17, 2023. The city website shows he attended one HRB meeting after he was appointed to the board and before he was appointed to council.)
Position on Lafayette ballot issue 2C
Support
Priorities
A more affordable Lafayette. “Just as many factors play into affordability, we’re not going to see success with a single, one-size-fits-all approach. We need comprehensive solutions,” his website states. He advocates for a decrease in housing costs and “results-driven solutions in addressing the cost of childcare.”
At the chamber of commerce forum, he said increasing minimum wage in the city is one step the council could take toward boosting affordability in the city, “which is an issue for absolutely everybody.”
His website states that he participated in the ribbon-cutting at the city’s Willoughby Corner affordable housing project. (Note: Willoughby Corner plans were already approved by city council and groundbreaking occurred four months before Tapia Vega was appointed to council.)
Supporting local economy and local business. “Local businesses are the heart and soul of our city. They are what gives our city character and that feel of home. Not only do they make up a strong Downtown Development Authority, they are the reason our local economy is thriving,” his website states. “My focus goes beyond helping them keep their doors open; I want to support the creation of a network of strong local business and well-supported employees.” He pledges to cut red tape, incentivize new local business and find potential issues in the permitting process.
In response to a chamber of commerce forum question about raising the minimum wage, he said council must make its decision based on small businesses’ thoughts about the issue.
Representation and inclusion. His website notes that Lafayette is 17% Latino, and he’s the only Latino council member. His website homepage is in both English and Spanish.
Responsible growth. His website states: “I will continue to make evidence-based decisions on this issue, as to maintain a responsible and community-driven approach to growth, in order to be proactive and anticipate community needs.”
Sustainability and resilience. He notes that during his tenure, the city council approved the city’s first Climate Action Plan.
Other notes
His website says he’s a first-generation American and the first in his family to earn a college degree (he attended Front Range Community College and the University of Colorado).
In response to a question at the LYAB forum about how candidates would address public health risks like mental health, substance abuse and gun violence to help ensure Lafayette youths’ well-being, he was the only candidate who pointed out that Lafayette voters passed a mental health and human services sales tax in 2021.
At the LYAB forum, he was the only candidate who said he didn’t have a Lafayette Public Library card.
MIKE WATSON
How long lived in Lafayette
10 years
City elected and volunteer experience
None listed
Day job
Senior devops/software engineer with Spectra Logic for the past six years
Hospital corpsman with the U.S. Navy for 10 years
Position on Lafayette ballot issue 2C
Oppose
Priorities
From his website:
Environment. Prioritizing renewable energy in Lafayette through adding solar panels and heat pumps to all city buildings; preserving and expanding Lafayette’s natural habitat not only in parks and open space but also in individual yards and gardens; examining Boulder County’s plastic recycling program; and managing water responsibly, particularly on the city’s golf course.
Local business. “I want to live in a city where a local entrepreneur or an aspiring farmer or baker or chef can take that idea to our community and we can help build them up. The burden of entry should be very low for starting a local business—one created by and for local, everyday people—and we need to make sure our code is supportive of this.”
Disaster preparedness. “I've worked in disaster response in the past, I know that communication is key. We need to make sure our emergency communication is on point and that all our residents know proper evacuation routes and disaster procedures. Most importantly, we need to take care of the people we depend on for our protection. Our firefighters deserve fair pay and good equipment to keep them safe.”
Health. “We can dramatically impact the health of our residents right here in Lafayette” through being a leader in ensuring access to healthy foods, strengthening partnerships with local farms, and maintaining the city rec center and exercise facilities. He proposes that the city partner with private-sector gyms and athletic teams and work with private citizens who want to offer fitness classes and lessons. He also wants to partner with neighboring cities to implement accessible, low-cost preventative healthcare screening programs for all residents.
Other notes
In response to a question at the chamber of commerce forum about the council’s role in creating a successful environment for small business, he said he envisions council being “like a kind of version of Shark Tank. They would come in, tell us the idea and city council could be supportive.”
In response to a chamber forum question about how he would collect information regarding potentially increasing the minimum wage in Lafayette, he said: “I think behind every successful small business there’s usually an army of workers. I’ve been one of those workers and I know they’re struggling. The economy is bad for everybody right now, and I think you start with the people who are most vulnerable and you work up from there. If we can build a consensus between business owners and labor in our community, that’s wonderful. I think there are commonsense middle grounds between business owners and workers. But I’m on the side of the workers first and foremost.”
In response to a chamber forum question about what the candidates would do about entrepreneurs and builders saying they won’t come to Lafayette because of the current licensing and permitting process, he said: “I think obviously we need to streamline our code or approval process for permits, but we also need to understand that the code and the permitting process is there for a reason. It’s there to protect our community. If a company doesn’t want to come into Lafayette because of a code that reflects our values as a community, I say don’t come. And I’m not afraid to say that.”
In response to chamber and LYAB forum questions about affordable housing, he said he rented for the first five years he lived in Lafayette, and it was a “nightmare.” He said he called the city for help with issues with substandard housing “and there was nothing. The only housing assistance you had for inspections or code violations was to assist landlords in certifying their properties. There was nothing for tenants to make sure they had actual livable spaces.” He supports creating a city “lifeline” where renters can call in and get help for things like a hostile landlord or rent assistance.