Candidate Profile: Randy Moorman For Arvada City Council

ARVADA, CO — Six City Council candidates are running for Arvada's Nov. 2 municipal election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Randy Moorman is running for Arvada City Council.

Age: 50

Family: Married to Scott Gossett and foster dad to Joey.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Biology, Purdue University
Master of Environmental Management, Duke University

Occupation

Environmental Policy (18 years)
Science Education (3 years)

Campaign website: www.randyforarvada.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for a very personal reason. My family has faced some tough challenges and our neighbors have been there and supported us. Now I want to give back to my community by representing District 1 on City Council.

Over the past ten years, I've gotten to know our city very well from serving on the Arvada Sustainability Community, being a foster dad, running a pie baking business out of my home to volunteering with my church. As a committee member, I researched best practices from around the country and gathered feedback from Arvada residents for a variety of issues relating to our city’s infrastructure and environment. Through this work, I've met with many community groups in Arvada, including neighborhood and homeowner associations, clubs, churches, and school and scouting groups. I have also worked with the organizations in Arvada, like Family Promise, that provide critical services for our residents in need.

I call Arvada home and it is a great place to live. It is important to me that we protect our quality of life and don't lose sight of the community we want for our future.

I want to make sure that all Arvadans have opportunities to live, work and play in our great city.

The single most pressing issue facing our city is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Recovery from the pandemic and building a stronger, more resilient economy. Residents and businesses are still hurting because of the pandemic. Small businesses owners are struggling to find employees and worry about the impact new COVID-19 strains will have on their businesses. Many residents are anxious about the economy and some feel isolated or are experiencing mental illness from the pandemic. Crime is also on the rise from the economic downturn and people are feeling unsafe in their own neighborhoods.

Everyone should feel safe and be able to thrive in Arvada. I will prioritize stimulus funds and city resources to improve the local economy and help our residents and small businesses. This includes improving our roads and public transportation. We will make our streets safer by investing in services, housing, infrastructure and jobs. We know crime goes down when everyone has opportunities to thrive.

We also need to plan for the future, attracting businesses that provider greater opportunities for our residents including higher wages and important services. We can connect economic development with Arvada’s unique character and community assets like our open spaces, shops and local art and cultural centers. This will keep jobs here and strengthen our resilience. I have the experience and leadership to work on long-term sustainable solutions.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have experience working in our community developing solutions. For the past ten years I have volunteered with the city and my church. As part of my job at a non-profit recycler and a volunteer, I have worked with city council, other municipalities, Jefferson County, state legislators and the governor to develop solutions for our community, including setting up a COVID-19 vaccine clinic and developing a grant program that resulted in Arvada receiving $500,000 for recycling carts. At the state level, I have led the effort to attract new recycling end markets to our state, creating more local jobs. I have also collaborated with businesses to help them reduce their waste and save money by recycling and composting.

I know how to bring people together with different experiences, perspectives and expertise to work together collaboratively and solve problems. I have worked with Democrats, Republicans and Independents on economic development and environment bills at the state legislature.

I listen to all perspectives and commit to the residents of District 1 that I will listen to them. I will be transparent, communicate, inform them of the city's work and ask for their valued input.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think there is more we can do to help our small businesses and residents, especially now with a rise in the Delta variant. I would like to see the city assist small businesses with loans, finding employees, employee vaccinations, and new air filters to improve ventilation that helps protect workers and customers indoors. We can help our residents by providing greater access to mental health care, child care, food assistance, eviction protection and worker trainings.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Creating greater options for housing. Rising housing costs affect us all from new families looking for their first home to retirees wanting to downsize. Many of our teachers, healthcare workers, and frontline workers are not able to make ends meet, not finding a home they can afford in Arvada. I am advocating for a task force to work on housing. We can use the task force's recommendations to develop a housing plan in a transparent manner that is shaped by our community’s values. We can attract development projects that fit our plan using incentives, changes in zoning and building codes. We want Arvada to be home for our kids when they grow up and home for our parents when they retire.

Addressing climate change. The smoke from forest fires have greatly impacted our quality of life in Arvada. Cities can lead by adopting new technologies, buildings and infrastructure that lowers our emissions and helps us build resiliency. I would like to see the city assist our businesses and residents with energy efficiency improvements and greater use of renewable energy and electric vehicles. We have a responsibility to not just ourselves, but our children and their children to lead on fighting climate change and planning for the future.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a scientist, I come to city council as a critical thinker. I will analyze data and ask questions to explore all options before making any decision. As a teacher and a life-long learner, I will listen carefully to others, learning from their experiences and look to include all voices at the table. As someone who works on environmental policy for a non-profit at the local and state level, I know how to make government work for the people of Arvada. I have experience bringing people together to have the tough conversations and collaborate to find solutions. As an owner of a home pie baking business, I know how hard it can be for businesses to get started and be sustainable. I will work hard to build and maintain an economic environment where everyone can thrive. Finally, as a husband, foster dad and a neighbor, I know how important community is to us. I will work hard to make sure everyone feels welcome and safe in our community. I will also protect our neighborhoods and green spaces as we grow and develop.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My dad said to me, "Son, if you're going to start a job, make sure you finish it. If you're going to do a job, make sure you do it right." That work ethic has stuck with me ever since. I commit to Arvada I will get the job done and do it right for Arvada.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Arvada is like family to me. That is why I will work tirelessly for its residents. I commit to listen to my constituents and be their voice. I promise to: (1) Prioritize city services and programs to help residents and businesses recover from the pandemic, improve our roads and transportation and prevent crime; (2) Seek innovative ways to balance growth with our responsibility to protect our air, water, open spaces, and the city's character and values; (3) Expand opportunities for high-paying jobs, local businesses, and attainable housing.