Tell us a little bit about your personal and/or professional background and why it makes you a good fit for the commission (I.e., how long have you lived in Superior? Do you work there?, etc.).
Ryan Welch. I have lived in Superior for ten years and the local area for twenty years. I was born and raised in Colorado. I recently finished two terms on the town’s Open Space Advisory Committee and spent most of that time in a leadership position. I understand town issues well and how our town staff and town board operate.
Why do you want to serve on the commission?
I love this town and feel fortunate to live here. I want to volunteer my time to put forth the best charter we can. I am used to working on such committees for the town.
Why do you think a home rule charter is right for Superior?
I am not 100% sure a home rule charter is suitable for Superior. I hope to answer this question by going through the charter formation process. I greatly respect our Town Mayor, who has initiated this process.
What do you think is the biggest pro of a home rule charter? What is the biggest con?
The biggest pro is a town charter tailored to the town’s needs. For example, Superior is a unique town of only 4 square miles, with significant residential housing, some commercial, and very little industry or farmland; hence, land use governance should follow. The biggest con would be a charter that impedes town goals or caters to single interests.
What should be included in the charter? What should be left out?
I won’t be able to answer this question until we get into the work of creating the charter.
What are some of the values and priorities you think the charter should reflect? Candidate did not provide a response.
The Town website says that a possible disadvantage of a home rule charter is the “possibility of a restrictive Charter that could make completing Town business more difficult.” How will you aim to mitigate that disadvantage?
I will mitigate this possibility by listening to residents and their concerns, listening to any legal or other professional guidance provided to the group, and studying recent home rule conversions for similar demographics towns.
What do you hope to learn from community members that will inform how you draft the charter?
I have a good idea of the critical issues in the town from my work on the open space committee and regularly attending our town board meetings. I hope to hear concerns from residents on where they see home rule could have unintended consequences.
What is another home rule charter in Colorado you like and why?
I have not studied any other charters yet. I will review other charters if elected to this committee.
