As we see it, the coming Grand Junction City Council election on April 8, 2025, provides some simple choices. Although in our fair city two problems tend to arise when it comes to our spring, City Council elections.

The first is always most glaring and in the past few elections has probably caused the citizens the most problems. And that’s most folks registered to vote simply don’t vote in City Council elections, which lately has ended with a bunch of “do-gooder” progressives getting elected to our City Council.

And while you can’t readily identify them by the (D) that should follow their names on the ballot – as City Council elections are “nonpartisan,” the second problem – you can tell them by the company they keep.

After the past several years of our City Council attempting to solve every problem it was never asked to solve or, worse, trying to solve every problem it was elected to address, usually poorly and wastefully and in the exact opposite way the majority of citizens were hoping, perhaps we should put the (R) or (D) after their names. This is especially true when council votes are tallied after another boondoggle has passed along “nonpartisan,” party lines.

After all, the same five folks currently on City Council always vote together, just like their photo sessions appear on social media.

The City Council of Grand Junction is about as partisan as it gets with a 5-2 majority of progressives.

Which leads us back to the first problem. Again, most folks registered to vote in our City Council elections simply don’t. And when they don’t, that’s how Grand Junction ends up with a merry band of “community leaders” jumping from problem to problem while solving none; lately leaving a mess of bollards, empty tents, scooters and never developed lots in their wake.

So, our first hope is that all those (or the vast majority) who are registered to vote do so in the coming elections. In our experience, the smaller the election, the more partisans turn out on the left, which is rarely a good thing.

Registered Republicans need to get out and vote for those folks who would run as Republicans on any other ballot. Please note, this is not an endorsement of the local, Republican party, which has its own insider, “partisan” problems. However, in this coming City Council election, those good folks willing to actually serve would be Cody Kennedy – the only incumbent who embraces the true role of public servant – Laurel Cole, Robert Ballard and Ben VanDyke.

Simply put, a vote for anyone else strengthens the progressive, partisan majority on City Council. Which means two more years of bad luck for Grand Junction citizens, taxpayers and downtown businesses.

This brings us to the second part of the ballot. Please vote “YES” to approve moving municipal elections to November, with Mesa County in charge of running them. The fact is, doing elections in November brings out more voters, and that is something the progressives on City Council didn’t want when it was up for debate this past year. Well, one kind of thought it a good thing, but they weren’t up for election this year.

As for the final ballot measure, just vote “NO.” City Council members should not be compensated. They shouldn’t even get what they are currently getting. Perhaps it will help them with the definition of a public servant. For those five currently on council who only listen to themselves, it means listening to the public. It’s time we vote for some folks who will do it and serve, like Cody already is.

Make your vote count with Cody, Laurel, Robert and Ben.