ISSUE #115: ANT Alert - The Empire Doesn't Strike Back

"Winning the election is a good-news, bad-news kind of thing.  Okay, now you're the mayor.  The bad news is now you're the mayor." -- Clint Eastwood

THE (UNOFFICIAL) RESULTS ARE IN Mayor:  Skadron (incumbent) beats Torre 58% - 42% Council:  Adam Frisch wins outright with 1207 votes and avoids a run-off. Bert Myrin (990) and Mick Ireland (881) will likely* face off on June 2 for the second seat. Referendum 1:  The controversial charter amendment prevailed 53% - 47% RUN-OFF ELECTION DETAILS *A run-off is likely, but not certain.  There are 23 outstanding ballots that must be verified today before being counted.  If Myrin gets 12 more votes, I am told that he too will clear the threshold of 45% + 1 to win the second council seat outright.   If necessary, the run-off election will be Tuesday, June 2.  Ballots will be mailed out on May 11 with early voting beginning on May 18 at City Hall.  If you know you are going to be out of town on June 2, please complete the absentee form HERE.  Check the box indicating that you need a RUN-OFF ballot.  Questions?  Please call the city clerk at 970-429-2685.   SUMMARY Yay, us!  The bullet voting strategy worked!  By electing Adam Frisch in the first round, we successfully preserved one sane vote on council.  Furthermore, I am personally thrilled that I'm clearly not alone in being Sick of Mick -- the municipal election of 2015 could very well go down in history for handing the old dragon his first electoral defeat! As for Referendum 1, I think the community will live to regret this change to our charter.  It's bad legislation designed to cripple future councils.  And ironically, the incumbents, Skadron and Frisch, who vehemently opposed the measure, were handily re-elected.  Meanwhile, the measure's authors, anti-development stalwarts Myrin and Ireland, now fight for their (own) political survival.    Much more to follow.  Just wanted you to know the (unofficial) outcome from last night. SPECIAL THANKS This election was city clerk Linda Manning's first in her new role.  To complicate matters, it was the city's first all mail-in ballot election.  I served as an election judge throughout the process and want to assure the community that we are in EXCELLENT hands with Linda.  She ran a meticulous election. Thank you, Linda.