A trio from the Colorado Springs Deaf and Blind School harmonized on “America the Beautiful,” and a choir from the First Presbyterian Church sang “The Star Spangled Banner” on the brisk morning of April 15 when four newcomers and two re-elected members took the oath of office to serve on the Colorado Springs City Council.
Serving on City Council may not be glamorous, “but it is where some of the most meaningful and impactful decisions are made,” and shows that “democracy is alive in Colorado Springs,” Mayor Yemi Mobolade said in a speech on the south side of the Pioneers Museum. “To our returning Council members, welcome back. To our newly elected members, welcome to the frontlines of democracy.”
After taking the oath of office, the councilors gave speeches about democracy, community, collaboration and building a better Colorado Springs.
Dave Donelson, who was re-elected in District 1, thanked voters for supporting him, despite the smear campaign waged against him by a “Virginia-based dark money PAC [political action committee], funded … by local interests who think they should choose the representative for District 1, not the citizens.” Donelson won nearly 60% of the vote in his district.
Tom Bailey, who ran unopposed in District 2, urged City Council to “put aside petty differences … to try to avoid the little zingers, the little barbs that, “don’t really have a place in governing a city that’s this important to all of us.”
District 3 winner Brandy Williams thanked God and a list of people for her election success, starting with her mother, reflecting, “She doesn’t live in Colorado Springs, so there’s not a whole lot of influence there, but she is my number one donor and will be forever.”
For Kimberly Gold, having the community behind her candidacy has been a boost. Gold thanked her “village” for helping get her elected, saying she is honored “to serve Colorado Springs, and especially honored to serve District 4,” located in southeast Colorado Springs.
The median income in District 4 is significantly lower than Colorado Springs as a whole – around $51,000 compared to $83,000. Gold said she is eager to take the baton of leadership from two-term Councilor Yolanda Avila.
Re-elected District 5 Councilor Nancy Henjum urged her colleagues to work “collaboratively, with respect and in partnership,” to lead the city through “complex challenges,” such as balancing physical and economic growth with the needs of citizens and limited natural resources.
Roland Rainey, Jr., the new representative for District 6, pledged “to work hard to build coalitions and address the tough issues collectively. I want us to get back to getting people involved, getting people interested in their communities and their elections.” Turnout in the April elections was a paltry 23.6%.
Council president and president pro tempore elected
Hours after the swearing-in, councilmembers unanimously elected Lynette Crow-Iverson and Brian Risley as president and president pro tempore, respectively. Both are at-large councilmembers, whose seats were not up for election on April 1.
