GMF Preparing for First-ever Candidate Election in November
Voters to Decide on Tax Hike for Revamping the old Marshal’s Office
Rick Langenberg
Although the future of Colorado’s mail-in ballot system remains uncertain, deadlines are approaching for key state and national elections—and, more importantly, for significant local contests.
The Green Mountain Falls Board of Trustees held a meeting last Tuesday to educate future contenders for office.
During the Nov. election, four out of five elected seats are up for grabs. In fact, the only trustee position uncontested is a position held by John Bell.
The Nov. contest will mark the first time local voters will choose their leaders at the general election time frame. In the past, GMF, like the system used in Woodland Park and many municipalities in the region, held their town election in April.
But the change was made in GMF to reduce expenses and to generate more voter participation. GMF now coordinates its elections with the clerk offices in Teller and El Paso counties.
Voters will pick a mayor and three trustees. To date, incumbent Mayor Todd Dixon is the only official candidate in the upcoming races. Dixon, who is strongly involved in local affairs and briefly assumed the spot as GMF’s interim town manager, will be serving his final term if re-elected.
Other seats to be decided are those held by Brandy Moralez, who was appointed to her seat in 2025, Sunde King, and Sean Ives.
To be eligible for running for a position on the GMF board, a person must have been a resident and registered voter in GMF for at least the last year.
Voters to Decide on Revitalization of the Old Marshal’s Office
Besides picking trustees, the fall election will determine the fate of a .05 percent sales tax proposal, aimed at providing funds for upgrading the old marshal’s office, located downtown. The goal is to make this structure usable again and possibly have it serve as a future business, such as a small convenience store outlet, and to offer the town an additional restroom. As noted in the mayor’s monthly newsletter, “The Old Marshal’s Office has the potential to be another revenue generator for the Town and the part of that building that has the outside door can be used as a public restroom (something that is really needed). While it would put the Town of Green Mountain Falls towards the top of the sales and use taxes in our area, getting the Old Marshal’s Office usable again would be of great benefit and this additional tax would go away automatically after four years.”
The rehab of the old marshal’s building will also be supported by grants.
If more revenue is generated from the tax than expected, the funds will be used for capital projects, such as road and culvert improvements.
For months, the town’s elected trustees toiled over the idea of a future tax to support current operations. At one point, town leaders even considered putting the question of whether GMF should continue its current town managerial form of government or revert to its former trustee liaison system.
Currently, the town manager oversees GMF operations and personnel, while the trustees serve as policymakers. In the past, a few leaders have raised concerns about this town manager system and have sought more input from the citizens. Under the trustee/liaison set up, the elected leaders would be in charge of certain departments.
But in the last six months, enthusiasm toward putting this issue on the ballot has dwindled. Previously, concerns mounted over whether GMF could afford funding a full-time manager position.
GMF has not gone to the voters with a tax levy proposition for more than 20 years.
Dixon said he has heard few comments, pro or con, regarding GMF’s sales tax proposal.
When it comes to tax hikes, sales-related levies have appeared to gain the most support since this extra tax would be paid mostly by tourists and visitors to the area.
