A vote for Mick

Dear Editor:

You chose me to serve on the Aspen City Council at the election in May 2005. Now please allow me a few moments to state why I regard Mick Ireland as clearly the superior choice to be the next mayor of the City of Aspen.

Mick has dedicated himself to public service and has been following that bent for a number of years now. During this time, Mick has clearly demonstrated his integrity, intelligence and resilience in the face of some, at times, significant adversity. Also during this time, I have seen Mick grow both as a public servant and as a person. I have not witnessed Mick shrinking from difficult decisions nor have I detected any unwillingness to learn from his experiences. I know that Mick has worked very hard as a Pitkin County commissioner both locally and at the regional and state level. He has formed relationships with officials such as Russ George, the new director of the Colorado Department of Transportation, which can only serve the City of Aspen well with Mick as mayor.

Mick's years of experience in public office have given him a perspective and depth of understanding of the dynamics of local affairs, both Aspen's and Pitkin County's (because of the many areas in which the governmental bodies work together, such as, for example, the Elected Officials Transportation Committee which includes the City of Aspen, the Town of Snowmass Village and Pitkin County) that the other candidates do not have.

Mick is free of potential entanglements that might cause his objective judgment to be questioned. Mick did not begin his public service seeking to be Aspen's mayor, rather he has more than done his time learning how to serve his constituency. It should be borne in mind that the same electors who vote in City of Aspen elections vote in Pitkin County elections. Mick has earned this support.

The affordable housing program has become something of an issue in the mayor's contest. Initially I should say that I live in affordable housing and I consider my extremely fortunate to do so. I have absolutely no desire to realize more than the presently set 3 percent cap on appreciation on my unit. I want this unit to be affordable to the next purchaser. Next, Mick Ireland has been an unequivocal, long-term supporter of the affordable housing program. He has worked tirelessly to build more affordable units at every opportunity and has never wavered in those efforts.

By any reasonable measure that I can conceive, Mick Ireland is more than competent, qualified and deserving of the opportunity to serve as the next mayor of Aspen. I urge you to join me in voting for Mick Ireland for mayor.

J.E. DeVilbiss

Aspen City Council member