PAST

Being one of seven brothers, I quickly learned the importance of teamwork towards a common goal. I attended college hoping to become a history teacher and hoped to teach history and coach football, but changed course upon realizing there was a limited market for teachers at the time.  Shortly after graduating from the University of Vermont, my high school sweetheart and I moved to Fort Collins where she completed her work for her master’s degree from Colorado State University. By that time, he had been working as the Teller County Cartographer in the courthouse in Cripple Creek. We were married by Reverend Kirlin of the Little Chapel of the Hills in Divide. I started my own company, Pikes Peak Mapping, Inc. and in time we were able to buy a plot of land in Divide and build Shiloh, my true home. We raised Herefords and quarter horses before having two wonderful children. During my time in Divide, I served as a volunteer fireman, member of the Florissant Grange, and officer in the Ute Pass Lions Club. My work for Chen and Associates Geotechnical Engineers can be seen today in some of the larger subdivisions and commercial buildings in Colorado Springs. This helped make me very aware of the growth that was occurring in the region. While in Vermont, I had witnessed the havoc that ensued from lack of planning and proper growth management, and became concerned that Teller County was following a similar path. Not wanting to stand idly by, I became involved in county government and politics, which cumulated in becoming the youngest county commissioner in Colorado. During my tenure, I helped move the county forward with and engineer’s eye towards roads and bridges, public safety, and efficiency in county operations. I also spearheaded the computerization of county operations, while implementing the use of other then-cutting edge technologies, like fax machines and cell phones. I developed comprehensive road standards, upgraded health standards, and worked tirelessly protect our fragile environment and quality of small town life. By the end of my second term, the Teller County Growth Management Plan I worked to develop was officially adopted. This plan was so successful, it ended up dictating county policies until my return to Divide after a lengthy career in public service and city management throughout New England.  I was then appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to the Teller County Planning Commission to work on its update. The commissioners approved of our efforts and ratified the Planning Commission’s recommendations.