Meet candidates, study issues before voting

Boulder City residents are being asked to help shape the future of the city in the upcoming election.

There are two seats open on the City Council, and three people seeking them: incumbent Peggy Leavitt, Linda Graham and Rich Shuman.

Each brings a unique set of skills and qualifications to the table. And all are concerned about the effect the Boulder City bypass will have on the city.

While originally there were intentions to endorse two candidates, we, at the Boulder City Review, feel the candidates’ responses to some questions we asked them about issues facing the city and why they wanted to serve on the City Council should be sufficient for residents to make the decision about who to vote for on their own.

In case you missed last week’s article, it can be found online at http://bit.ly/1EXYV10.

Here are some highlights about why they feel they should sit on the City Council.

With four years of experience on the council, Leavitt feels she still has work to do and wants to continue serving the town that she loves. She said her past service will eliminate the learning curve that comes with any new position.

“Important decisions are going to be made, and I believe that I have a proven record of making a positive impact on the council,” she said.

Leavitt has about 20 years of professional management and leadership experience. She worked for agencies that aimed to provide better lives for children. She said she likes helping people and serving on the council continues that mission.

As a former social worker, she also has expertise in problem solving and mediating divisive situations, something that has shown itself to be essential when dealing with tough city issues.

Graham also has a track record as a leader, with experience as president of several community organizations including the Community Club, American Legion Auxiliary and women’s group at Grace Community Church. She sits on the city’s allotment and historical preservation committees.

She ran for a seat on the council four years ago and jumped into this race because she felt it was important to give people a choice and to have their voices heard.

Graham believes her caring and nurturing nature, along with her good listening skills, team player attitude and record as a hard worker make her an ideal candidate for the council.

Shuman said he is invested in the city’s future and wants to work to ensure the quality of life remains the same. His children are the fifth generation from his family to live in Boulder City.

As a member of the Planning Commission, “We’ve been involved with all sorts of different planning issues and city issues, which is a direct correlation to what the City Council does. It really helped pave the way for me to want to run for City Council.”

He also said he has been a “student of the City Council” for a number of years, giving him some insight into how it operates.

Shuman said he feels it is important to listen to community residents and become a champion of their ideas.

Boulder City residents are invited to get to know the candidates better at a forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Elaine K. Smith Center, 700 Wyoming St., presented by the Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to selecting two members of the City Council, residents are being asked to vote on a ballot question that will give the council members the ability to spend up to $1 million per year to make capital improvements. The money would come from the capital improvement fund, which is fueled by the lease payments from the solar facilities in Eldorado Valley.

Early voting begins Wednesday and continues through Friday at City Hall. The general election is June 2.

We urge you to take time to study the candidates and issues. But most important, vote. It’s your city. You should, and need to have some say, in how it runs.