The newly seated Boulder City Council designated Councilmember Nicole Speer as the city’s next mayor pro tem, a post that includes filling in as city mayor if necessary. Speer was the only councilmember seeking the position.
Speer, 46, is the director of research services at CU’s Intermountain Neuroimaging Consortium, a research facility and lab space for neuroscientists. She ran for city mayor in the 2023 election, generating much of her support from younger voters.
“I am confident I can support our work to become more inclusive, more welcoming of perspectives too-long excluded, and more effective and efficient,” Speer wrote in an email to councilmembers earlier this week. “Our differences are our greatest strength, and I would welcome the opportunity to support Mayor [Aaron] Brockett in his work to bring us together in service of our incredible community.”
Councilmember Tara Winer, who won reelection with the most votes of any city council candidate, announced last month she was also interested in serving as mayor pro tem. She withdrew her candidacy during the council meeting, acknowledging that she did not have the votes of her council colleagues to be appointed. “I believe it’s best to start of this new council on a collegial course,” Winer said during the meeting.