This commentary is by Bob Yates and Rachel Friend, both former members of the Boulder City Council. They are part of a large, politically diverse group called Big Tent Boulder County, which is seeking to place the question on this year’s ballot.
A lot of things have changed over the last 165 years. Since 1861, we’ve developed automobiles and airplanes, television and the internet. People are better educated and healthier. Boulder County, formed by the Colorado Territorial Legislature in 1861, has grown from a handful of people to today’s population of 330,000, thriving in places as diverse as Longmont and Louisville, Niwot and Nederland.
But over those 165 years, one thing hasn’t changed: the number of Boulder County commissioners. Notwithstanding the fact that the county’s population is now a thousand times larger than when the county was formed in the early months of the Civil War, we still have the same number of county commissioners designated in 1861 by the men in the territorial legislature: three.
Under current Colorado law, people living in a county with a population of more than 70,000 can decide whether they want to be governed by three commissioners or five. Many of our sister counties, including Weld, Adams, Arapahoe and El Paso, have made this move. Boulder is a laggard. This year, we can change that.
You might ask: What’s wrong with how the county operates? What will get better if we expand the Board of County Commissioners? Three things: Representation. Access. Diversity.
Currently, the ratio of Boulder County residents to commissioners is 110,000 to one. By contrast, the cities of Boulder and Longmont, each with a population of about 100,000, have nine and seven city councilmembers, respectively. It’s simply no longer optimal for each of our three commissioners to effectively represent more than 100,000 people, particularly in communities as diverse as Boulder, Jamestown, Erie and Superior.
With five commissioners (the maximum permitted under state law), each commissioner will represent a smaller constituent base and can be more attentive to its unique needs. And the five of them will be more accessible than the three can be now. Just ask Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann. She wants help. Let’s give it to her.
Mathematically, with more representatives, it’s more likely that the five of them will be different from each other. From the ski slopes of Eldora to the sugar beet farms in East County to the bustling Pearl Street Mall, our county is varied and complex. We deserve diverse representatives who can represent the interests of everyone in our county. With five commissioners, not only will they be diverse in geography, but they’ll also be diverse in background, skills, and political philosophy.
Currently, when the three commissioners are not unanimous (a frequent occurrence), one commissioner holds all the cards, making crucial policy decisions affecting a $750 million county budget and the lives of 330,000 county residents. Recently, we’ve seen important decisions flip back and forth when a single commissioner changes their mind or one of them misses a meeting. With five commissioners, at least three must agree on any action on behalf of the county. That decreases the chances of an unpopular swing vote or waffling.
You can learn more about the pros and cons of increasing from three county commissioners to five at our group’s website, BigTentBoCo.org. The website also describes the two alternative methods for electing five commissioners, either by five distinct districts or by a hybrid of three districts and two at-large representatives. As required by state law, the decision about which five-commissioner structure should be implemented will be your choice on the ballot this fall. So, you’ll not only get to decide whether we should go to five, you’ll also get to decide how districts and commissioners should be organized.
At the website, you will see the names of hundreds of diverse Boulder County residents who favor this change, including current and past mayors of Boulder County’s cities and towns. If you’re so inclined, please add your name to the growing list. Our size and diversity are why we call ourselves Big Tent BoCo.
Finally, you may have read recent opinion pieces in Boulder Reporting Lab on this topic by some current and former county commissioners, and by Boulder City Councilmember Nicole Speer and Colorado Secretary of State candidate Celeste Landry. We’ll leave it to others to address points made by county commissioners. But it’s worthwhile responding to Nicole and Celeste, who argue in favor of a proportional voting system as part of any increase in the number of county commissioners from three to five. We admire Nicole and Celeste’s efforts to promote proportional voting, which they have been working on for years. However, as they acknowledge in their opinion piece, a shift to proportional voting will require a new state law, over which the residents of Boulder County have little control. The change they seek may take a long time, if it happens at all.
What we can control right now is the number of our county commissioners. If you see someone collecting signatures to place this question on the ballot, please sign the petition so that we can vote this fall. After 13,000 Boulder County voters sign the petition, you will decide whether we should upgrade our form of county government, providing better representation, access, and diversity. After 165 years, we think it’s time.
Question. With 5 commissioners, will all the commissioners be voted on my all the residents in the county, thus diminishing the voting power and voice of those in each district OR will only the residents in that district be able to vote for their commissioner?
Curtis:
Good question. As required by state law, the ballot will actually have two questions: (1) Do you want 5 commissioners? (2) If there are five commissioners, do you want them elected from five districts, or do you want them elected from three districts, plus two elected countywide at large. Regardless of which of the two election methods voters choose, only those people living in the districts will be able to vote for their respective district commissioners. You can read the ballot language at the Big Tent BoCo website: https://www.bigtentboco.org/faq
– Bob Yates
I am all in favor of this! I come from a county in California with 100,000 people. There are five county supervisors (i.e., commissioners) elected by district. So roughly 20,000 people have their own voice in county government…much better for all!!
I agree. And much as I may disagree with Bob Yates on some things, he’s not wrong here that these we need more County Commissioners to better represent Boulder County. As indeed too much power has been consolidated into the hands of a small few whom too often flip-flop on an issue along with allowing their personal failures in responsibility (attendance) determine/obstruct meaningful action.
The proposal to expand the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners from three members to five would alter the county’s governing structure in a lasting way. Before it advances further, voters should see concrete details.
Commissioners are paid elected officials. Expanding the board would add two additional salaries, benefits, and associated administrative support. Even within a large county budget, voters should be provided with a clear estimate of the full fiscal impact over time.
If a five-member structure is pursued, which specific model is being proposed — five districts or a hybrid structure? Has any draft district configuration been developed? How would the proposed structure affect geographic and electoral balance within the county? Structural changes can shift political dynamics in ways that are not obvious at first glance. Voters should understand those implications before casting a ballot.
The argument for expansion emphasizes representation, access, and diversity. Those are important goals. But what specific governance limitations today stem from having three commissioners rather than five? What measurable improvements are anticipated, beyond the fact of adding seats?
Before altering a governing structure that has been in place for generations, Boulder County residents deserve detailed fiscal projections and a clear explanation of the practical effects of the change.
Transparency should precede expansion.
Steve:
All fair questions. We tackle most of these in the FAQ section of the Big Tent BoCo website: https://www.bigtentboco.org/faq. For example, you ask how much more would two added commissioners cost. Their salaries are $151,000 per year, plus a little in benefits. So roughly an extra $300,000 to $400,000 on a $750 million county budget (about one-twentieth of one percent). There should be no additional staffing expense; indeed, the nine members of Boulder’s city council have no dedicated staff. And, of course, the salaries of the two new commissioners would not kick in until the five-commissioner structure is fully in place in 2030.
And in answer to your question about which model for election of five commissioners is proposed, five districts or hybrid, the answer is both. State law requires voters be given both choices on the ballot. Big Tent BoCo is not taking a position on which is better. We just want to give the voters an opportunity to decide.
– Bob Yates
Thanks, Bob.
I appreciate the clarification on projected costs and the ballot structure requirements. That context is helpful.
For the sake of transparency, can you clarify whether you, Rachel, or any members of Big Tent BoCo intend to run for one of the newly created commissioner seats if this measure passes? Since the proposal would create two additional elected positions, voters may reasonably wish to understand whether the proponents of this structural change anticipate seeking those offices.
– Stephen
Stephen:
Thanks for asking. I have no intention of running for county commissioner (or for any other elected office). I put in eight years on the Boulder City Council, and that’s enough for one lifetime.
I cannot speak to the other folks who are supporting the Big Tent BoCo effort to place the commissioner question on the ballot. There are currently 10 people on the steering committee (listed on the website) and more than 300 endorsers (ditto). I guess you could ask any of them if they intend to run from county commissioner after the 5-commissioner structure is fully in place in 2030.
– Bob Yates
Thanks, Bob.
I appreciate the clarification and your direct answer.
Given that Rachel co-authored the original commentary and is publicly advocating for this structural change, I would be interested in hearing directly from her as well regarding whether she intends to seek one of the commissioner seats if the measure passes.
While I understand there are hundreds of endorsers, voters evaluating a proposal that would create two new elected offices are likely most interested in the intentions of its principal authors and steering committee members, rather than polling 300 supporters individually.
For a reform framed around representation and transparency, that level of clarity seems reasonable. Thanks again.
– Stephen