Over the past four years, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on what makes a small town function well—not just operationally, but humanly. Again and again, I return to the same conclusion: kindness matters. And not just kindness between neighbors, but kindness within governance itself. For me, the truest expression of kindness
As we reach the end of 2025 and head into the holiday season, I find myself reflecting on just how much our little town accomplished together this year. For a community of only 12 square blocks, Mountain View is mighty in its energy, resilience, and commitment to each other. We began the year with Council
Mountain View is beginning one of the most important projects a town can undertake—a full update to our zoning and land use code. This is more than a technical rewrite; it’s a chance to shape the look and feel of our community for decades to come. Our current zoning code is many decades old. It
October is the season when we decorate our houses with spider webs, carve jack-o’-lanterns, and help our children visit their neighbors dressed as ghosts, superheroes, and witches. Halloween is a celebration of make-believe fears, the kind we can laugh at after the trick-or-treating is over. But this month also offers a chance to reflect on
Mountain View is at its best when we celebrate the milestones—both personal and civic—that connect us. Milestones remind us how far we’ve come and what we can accomplish when we work together. Five years ago, only a handful of neighbors received the agenda packets for council meetings. Today, ninety-eight of you do! That’s a milestone
Just a few years ago, Mountain View faced real challenges. We had decades of deferred maintenance and no long-term financial plan. Alleys were overrun with weeds and trash. Town Hall staff didn’t function as the integrated team residents deserved. Our police department was dedicated but under-resourced. Residents had little support with home projects, and basic
One of the greatest gifts of living in a small town like Mountain View is how closely our lives are woven together. In a big city, it’s easy to feel lost in the crowd. But here, we celebrate each other’s milestones as neighbors and friends. This week, I was reminded once again of this beautiful
In the aftermath of our town’s recent recall election, it’s clear something deeper is at play than simple policy disagreements. Yes, a majority of voters chose to recall Councilmember Brent Metz, and I respect that outcome. That’s democracy. But if we treat this only as a procedural event, we miss a more important story. What
Serving on the Mountain View Town Council is about more than making legislative decisions—it’s also about rolling up our sleeves and working together to make our town a wonderful place to live. In addition to participating in regional leadership through the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG)—a collaborative group of 59 cities, towns, and counties—our
I recently had the honor of participating in the Metro Mayor’s Leadership Academy with a dozen other mayors from around the state. Mayors from Arvada, Castle Pines, Frisco, Idaho Springs, Lakewood, Leadville, Lone Tree, Louisville, Mead, Minturn, Rocky Ford, and Springfield all took part, creating a fascinating mix of perspectives from municipalities of all sizes.
If you’ve taken a stroll around town lately, you might have noticed some newly remodeled or even entirely new homes that feel… well, a bit large for our cozy lots. Maybe they tower over their older neighbors, or their design stands out in a way that sparks conversation. If so, you’re not alone in noticing.
I often hear questions about how local government works and why decisions are made the way they are. These questions reflect care for our community, and I’m grateful for that. Today, I’d like to offer some insight into how municipal governance functions and why it operates as a representative democracy, not a direct democracy. Local
We live in something of an oasis, since we are a small town with our own police force and low crime statistics, surrounded by a larger metropolitan area with higher crime statistics. The residents of our town know and appreciate this. But safety goes beyond law enforcement. And over the last three years, the Mountain
As the winter holidays approach, and I watch people decorate their homes and plan their celebrations together, I have been thinking a lot about the meaning of community. Community includes neighbors you might know and love already, but also people who just moved in and people down the block whose loud parties or parking habits
As a middle child and a professional mediator, I have always been interested in the work of building agreements between differing viewpoints. I have had the privilege of witnessing disagreements turn into solutions where both parties feel heard, understood, and respected. The heroes in these scenarios are always the people who assume best intentions, make
I have been so saddened over the last several weeks, as our sweet town has been thrust into the spotlight because of a news story which did not even happen in town. Staff, council, and myself have received emails and calls from all over the world. Most have been calls for me to take action
As you may recall, last month the Mountain View Town Council officially adopted an updated comprehensive plan that will guide our development and growth for the coming years. This plan is a result of extensive community outreach over the course of a full year, and it articulates a shared vision for the future of Mountain
Mountain View held our first town-wide yard sale this past month and it was a rip-roaring success. Over twenty households participated in our twelve-block town, and many community members told me they earned more money than anticipated. In addition to the usual furniture, books, and kitchen items, Venezuelan snacks were sold on Chase Street, cookies
The other night, a big dog was roaming the neighborhood unattended. He shuffled down the sidewalk, and then slowly wandered into the street without looking both ways. Concerned for his safety, I called Jeffcom’s non-emergency line. The operator informed me that Animal Control wouldn’t be available until the morning, due to after-hours. Could I hold
I was recently asked what I would change if I could wave a magic wand. I didn’t have to think very long to know my own heart. I said I would erase the partisan divides that sometimes cloud our town conversations. I have been working to achieve this goal without magic since I took my
Recently, I read a story about “the hottest” Denver neighborhoods, and it got me thinking. What does it mean to be “hot” as a neighborhood? Probably different people would have varying opinions, but I am not too shy to share mine. For this mom of four, Mayor of 550, Mountain View fits the bill. We
Spring is in the air bringing good moods, cheery waves and neighborly gatherings. Walking down Ames Street this week, a woman I wasn’t sure I recognized was walking in the opposite direction on the other side of the street, talking sweetly to a child in her arms. She waved at me across the street and
Mountain View is different! And not just due to our size. We are uniquely independent, creative, and determined – always forging our own path. This spirit has defined us from the beginning. Mountain View adopted a strong mayor-council government when it organized as a home rule municipality in 1972. (Although founded in 1904, our town’s
This past year, I was faced with an appalling fact. Statistically, only about 20% of what the community was putting out to recycle was being recycled. Instead, residents were seeing their recycling bins that had contamination — items that are not, in fact, recyclable — picked up by the trash trucks and taken to the
