Three of Monument’s town council seats are up for election this November, but it won’t look too much different with four of the five candidates running as incumbents.

The election will be the first for the town since voters approved its current home rule charter in 2022. The council consists of the mayor and six council members. Two council members and the mayor are elected at-large while two council members are elected from each of its two residential districts.{/span}

Monument electors residing west of Jackson Creek Parkway, north of the east-west line of Higby Road extended and south of Baptist Road extended will elect District 1’s council member to a four-year term. Current councilwoman Laura Kronick is running unopposed in District 1.

Monument electors residing east of Jackson Creek Parkway between Higby Road and Baptist Road will elect one council member to serve a four-year term and one to a two-year term in District 2.

The candidates for District 2 are current councilmen Kenneth Kimple and Marco Fiorito.

The candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected to serve the four-year term and the candidate with the next highest number of votes will be elected to serve the two-year term.

Voters will also elect one at-large council member to serve a four-year term. The candidates for the at-large seat are Jim Romanello and Chad Smith.

Romanello, the longest-serving council member currently at six years, told The Gazette that he joined the council during a time of “disarray” when they lacked a full-time town manager and multiple staff members.

Once those matters got resolved, the investment advisor pointed to his work with the council and the Fountain Creek Watershed District Board to secure{span} a $300,000 grant for Jackson Creek as one of the major accomplishments during his tenure.

”I also helped getting passed a resolution allowing the town to use money market sweeps which have made it hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said.

If re-elected, Romanello plans to focus efforts on a renewable surface water system to minimize Monument’s reliance of wells along with hiring a full-time town manager.

Smith is a retired Navy chief petty officer who has launched multiple small businesses. He currently serves as an appointed planning commissioner for the town of Monument and president of the Village at Monument Homeowners Association.

If elected, he said his main goal would be to guide the town’s recent growth in a “responsible and sustainable direction.” Specific areas to do so include fiscal responsibility, public transparency, enhanced public safety, water sustainability and environmental protection.

It is vitally important to elect council members who prioritize thoughtful, responsible growth that aligns with the interests and values of Monument’s residents,” Smith said.