Woodland Park council interviews seven candidates to fill vacant seat

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. — The Woodland Park City Council interviewed seven candidates April 17 during a work session to fill a council vacancy, hearing from residents and local public employees about their backgrounds and priorities.

The council heard two- to eight-minute statements from applicants including retired public employees, a local teacher, business owners and longtime community volunteers. Candidates emphasized service experience, approaches to community division and ideas to strengthen Woodland Park’s economy and volunteer programs.

“The students, their families, fellow staff members, they are the constant reminders, the dignity of my calling,” said Blaine, who identified himself as an English teacher at Woodland Park High School. Blaine described education and youth recreation as priorities and said he would look for partnerships with schools to expand parks-and-rec offerings.

Sean Nielsen, who said he recently retired after about 27 years with El Paso County, described emergency-management and compliance experience and said he wants to expand outreach programs locally. “I recently just retired from El Paso County… I’ve worked with El Paso County Sheriff’s, Fort Carson, Red Cross, and El Paso County Commissioners,” Nielsen said, adding he has served on the planning commission and volunteers with shelters and youth programs.

Mary Ward, a Woodland Park resident since 2021 and a health coach, told councilmembers she would focus on meeting basic community needs and using both quantitative and qualitative input to shape policy. “I think supporting those things — making sure that everyone in our community has their needs met — is a great place to start,” Ward said.

Seth Bryant, who works in information security for Safeway and has volunteered as a youth coach, told the council he favors inclusion and face-to-face conversations to reduce community division and increase civic participation. “When I come and talk to people face to face, there is so much less distrust or animosity,” Bryant said.

Two applicants with planning or government experience described management and code work. Don Hoyings said his federal program-management career included oversight of large budgets and partnerships: “I’ve managed multiple $200,000,000-per-year programs,” he told the council, adding that his planning-commission service gives him familiarity with local development code. Don Desellen, a longtime resident and past parks-and-rec and planning volunteer, listed prior local boards and said the comprehensive-plan work had been especially time-consuming and rewarding.

Business owner Joy Pickett said she runs an insurance and risk-management firm licensed in multiple states and volunteered previously with a local music series. “My name is Joy Pickett. I am in the risk assessment and management business,” Pickett said, and added she felt prepared to absorb public criticism and remain focused on city priorities.

Councilmembers asked candidates similar questions about local priorities: bridging community division, supporting local businesses, volunteer involvement and how candidates would respond to public criticism. Several candidates said they would keep volunteering, work with parks-and-rec, and seek ways to make Woodland Park a place people move to and spend locally.

No formal appointment or vote took place during the work session; council members told applicants they would deliberate and take action at a later public meeting. The interviews were timed and held individually; staff sequestered candidates between interviews and asked them not to disclose the questions asked to other applicants.

The council will consider the applicants and is expected to announce further process details or a vote during a subsequent meeting.