Respecting the Voice of Voters

Recent discussion about filling the vacant City Council seat raises an important question about how we move forward as a community.

Woodland Park voters participated in a competitive election with multiple candidates for four open seats. The results were clear, with four candidates receiving strong support across the community. The published results show that the four elected candidates each received approximately 1,600 to 1,750 votes, while another candidate received 870 votes – roughly half the level of support.

There are now calls to appoint a candidate who did not receive comparable support in that same election. While all perspectives deserve to be heard, it is also important to consider how such a decision would be perceived by the broader community.

Public trust is built not only through participation, but through confidence that outcomes are respected. When voters take the time to engage in an election, they expect that their choices will help guide what comes next.

At the same time, voters recognized the City’s measurable progress, including balanced budgets and meaningful advancements in parks, open space, and water security. As the Council considers next steps, maintaining that progress and the public confidence behind it will be important.

Unity comes from respecting both the process and the outcomes the community has worked to achieve.

Arnie Sparnins, Woodland Park

---

Pride Above the Clouds

It’s getting close to another fabulous event thrown by some friends who wanted to make a birthday wish come true. These individuals come from all walks of life to support each and every person in our community. Most of them have numerous passions locally. From ensuring excelling schools in our district, to supporting mental health and special education, all the way to our libraries. They know no bounds of giving back. I can’t wait to join them on June 7th at Memorial Park for another amazing event supporting Pride Above the Clouds. Be sure to grab a friend or three, and help celebrate our community and what we can do when we work together for the betterment of everyone. Love moves mountains.

Bridget Curran, Woodland Park

---

Appreciation to teachers

There are tiny moments in a parent’s life that arrive quietly but land with unmistakable weight.

For me, it was watching my son taking off his shin guards for the final time of his senior soccer season. Just a simple act that marked the end of something special. I wasn’t prepared for it.

Nor was I ready for the end of his basketball season in the state playoffs. Emotions were raw, the season was over, and yet I watched my son lead both teams in prayer center court. In that moment, I didn’t just see a student athlete, I saw a young man grounded in character, humility, and perspective.

That moment didn’t happen by accident. It was shaped over years by people who invested in him consistently, patiently, and often without recognition. His teachers!

The lessons that stick aren’t always the ones measured on assessments or report cards. They are the ones modeled in how adults respond to adversity, how they treat others, and how they carry themselves when no one is watching.

National Teacher Appreciation Week gives us a chance to pause and recognize that reality. Thank you to all the teachers who’ve taught my children. Those moments that mattered most were not isolated. They were the result of your daily investment. As a father and educator, I am deeply grateful. Because when I watched my children in defining moments this year, I didn’t just see them… I was reminded of each of you.

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week

Chad O. Cosner, Woodland Park