Erie council appoints Andrew Sawas to planning commission after four interviews

After interviewing four candidates for a vacancy on the Erie Planning Commission, the Erie Town Council voted 5–2 on April 1 to appoint Andrew Sawas.

Mayor Pro Tem Bell moved to appoint Sawas and Mayor Moore seconded. The roll-call vote was recorded as: Council member O'Connor yes; Council member Peser Ameli yes; Council member Hoback no; Council member Mortelaro yes; Council member Baer no; Mayor Pro Tem Bell yes; Mayor Moore yes. The council confirmed the motion passed 5–2. The council referenced a related resolution on the record; the resolution number in the transcript is unclear.

The appointment followed roughly two hours of timed interviews with the four finalists. Each applicant had about 30 minutes to describe their background and answer council questions about the role, working with town staff, growth management, infrastructure and public engagement. "I've lived in Erie for about 14 years," said applicant Matt Sundin, who described experience at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and prior volunteer service on the Lafayette Planning Commission.

Candidates emphasized a mix of technical familiarity and community engagement. Eric Bridal urged stronger commercial engagement and affordable housing to support local businesses; Anders Awish focused on long-range planning and infrastructure conformance as Erie grows; Christine Hackett Eisenberg, who has a three-decade career in architectural engineering and construction, pressed councilors to "perform a fiscal impact analysis on any new development" so the town can better weigh costs against benefits.

Deliberations acknowledged the difficulty of the choice. Multiple councilors said all four were qualified and praised different candidates for experience and readiness to contribute. Council member Hoback said he had "real concerns about bringing, mister Sawish back on the planning commission, in terms of his relationship and the way he has spoken to and treated a lot of our staff," a concern recorded without an on-the-record rebuttal during the meeting.

The council said it would record the appointment by resolution that evening and adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Candidates were told staff would follow up with next steps.