Meet the Candidates

Over the next month, the Crested Butte News is featuring a Q&A series with the Mt. Crested Butte town council and Gunnison County commissioner candidates running in this November election. 

For this first week, we’ll focus on the six candidates running for four open council seats in Mt. CB. Next week, we’ll hear from the county commissioner candidates. Each group will have two opportunities to answer our questions and share their positions.

A Meet and Greet with the Mt. CB candidates takes place this Thursday, October 3 from 5-7 p.m. at the billy barr in the Elevation Hotel. The CB News is hosting a Candidates Forum with the county commissioner candidates on Thursday, October 10 at 6 p.m. at the Center for the Arts. Ballots will be mailed out October 11.

Here’s what the Mt. CB candidates had to say:

Nicholas Kempin

Why are you running for town council, and what experience do you add to the position?  

I love MTCB and this valley. This place and the people here inspire me, I want to give back. I want to preserve it, protect it, and make it better.

Since I became a full-time MTCB resident in 2001, I have been continuously involved in the community. Counted individually, I have over 30 years of experience on local Boards of Directors in the valley including KBUT community radio, Crested Butte Search and Rescue, Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, MTCB Water & Sanitation District, and MTCB Town Council.

I have also volunteered my time (non-board positions) as a firefighter/EMT (7 years), Search and Rescue team member (13 years) and for many other organizations, events, and community needs.

As a Town Councilor I have worked with the Colorado Municipal League and the Colorado Association of Ski Towns on statewide issues and legislation that affects our town as well as serving on many committees and working groups here in the valley.

 If elected, what issue/initiative in Mt. CB is your highest priority?

It is boring, but the basics are my highest priority. Government transparency and best practices, fiscal management, responsiveness to our constituents, maintaining good working relationships with other entities, defending and preserving our home-rule form of government, fostering opportunities for community members to participate in decisions about our town, and attracting and keeping talented staff (without whom we could not do any of these things). It is with this foundation that MTCB can work on other top priorities like attainable housing and thoughtful management of growth.

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

No surprise here, but more attainable housing opportunities. MTCB is pursuing its own initiatives, building a fund for housing, working with others in the valley, and continually looking for other ways to mitigate the housing problem such as having the best public transit system possible.

I also support efforts to educate visitors on how to enjoy what we have without disrespecting or diminishing it. The beauty of this place is why we are all here. Preserving this place for residents is important to me.

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

Wherever I am in MTCB on my bike or skis.

Peter Esselstyn

Why are you running for town council and what experience do you add to the position?

Challenges are often overcome when the right questions are asked to the people whom it affects, and I have the reputation of asking the tough questions that need to be asked. In order to be part of the solution, I have decided to volunteer my time and get involved. In my years in Mt. CB, I have forged many relationships within the town, county, and CBMR from being the President of the Summit HOA and volunteering on the Crested Butte Fire Protection District.

In my professional career as an engineer and large capital project manager, I have led countless large-scale technically complex projects which relied on the combined cooperation of both public and private entities, and I am certain that experience will be invaluable to several of the upcoming projects the town faces. I will dedicate myself to representing the people of Mt. Crested Butte through open collaboration and a pooling together of ideas.

 If elected, what issue/initiative is your highest priority?

I believe that responsible community development is my highest priority. There are many competing priorities facing Mt. Crested Butte including affordable housing, sustainable tourism, long term traffic issues, environmental protections, water and sewer, noxious weed control… the list gets long. Growth in the town is inevitable, however managing that growth in a responsible manner is paramount to protecting our idyllic mountain paradise. If I am fortunate enough to be elected to the council, I will work my hardest to steer the town toward effective planning and thoughtful execution with an eye on long term impact on the valley. Identifying dedicated stakeholders early and gaining alignment is key. Agreeing on a master plan, setting a road map with clear deliverables at each stage in terms of costs and schedule, and not reversing decisions is crucial. All the existing development in the north valley was completed by such visionaries in the face of scrutiny, but eventually persevered and we have a fantastic town and wonderful ski resort because of their dedication.

 Many residents I have spoken to have voiced that our base area needs a face lift. This is difficult as the property owners at the base area are not limited to a single property owner. I am of the belief that the town needs to facilitate a path forward with these stakeholders and should lay groundwork necessary for investment in the base area in terms of removing approval roadblocks and providing incentives. Vibrancy at the base area would be good for all involved. For right or wrong, when people think of Mt. Crested Butte, the first thought is the resort and base area. 

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

Tourism and opportunities for locals are a symbiotic relationship. Without tourism, our economy shrinks and opportunities such as jobs go by the wayside. Providing for our locals supports the tourism that the Mt. Crested Butte economy relies on. There are already several programs in place to help locals develop their own businesses such as the ICELab in Gunnison, grants from the town, mentoring, tutoring and grants from non-profits. Perhaps more education in the community about the opportunities available like having an open house event sponsored by the town would get the word out. 

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

The summer concert series on the mountain is one of my favorite hang outs—the vibrancy and uniqueness of our locals and visitors really shines! I enjoy hanging at A Bar Above with their live music and tasty food offerings—it’s a great addition to the base area! Paradise Beach is where you’ll find me between ski laps.

Valeda Scribner

Why are you running for town council, and what experience do you add to the position? 

In 2017, I left Denver, both because I’d always dreamed of living in the mountains and due to a lack of community. I wanted to feel connected to my home and contribute to something bigger than myself. I now get to do just that—I’m currently on the Crested Butte Climate Action Plan steering committee; we collaborate regularly with the historic, transportation, and community planners to ensure alignment. I’m impressed with this intentional planning model and believe in its ability to uphold community values during community growth.

Before moving to the Gunnison Valley, I spent 15 years as an aerospace manufacturing engineer and program manager. I started my days in high-pressure meetings with smart yet egotistical colleagues, debating critical decisions on anomaly resolution for satellite manufacturing lines. I needed to be both cooperative and assertive. I’m skilled at finding innovative solutions that align with our shared objectives, which I will gladly employ as a town council member.

In 2017, I shifted my focus to addressing climate change. After two years volunteering internationally to gain exposure to environmental management, I joined Western’s MEM program, where I connected with the importance of greenhouse gas emissions assessment. I assisted Eagle County and Park City with emissions inventories and climate action planning. Now, as a Senior Carbon Advisor with Engie Impact, I guide Fortune 500 companies through carbon accounting and reporting. I also DJ for KBUT, serve on the boards of Habitat for Humanity and GV Climate Crisis Coalition, and bootpack for Irwin Snowcats.

With a proven track record of collaborating with municipalities, technical project teams, corporate clients, and a passion for community empowerment, I am uniquely positioned to address the needs of Mt. Crested Butte as a dedicated town council member.

If elected, what issue/initiative in Mt. CB is your highest priority?

Housing! I’ve seen other mountain towns find creative ways to increase local housing availability. The town of Big Sky has created the “rent local” program that incentivizes and eases the rental process for owners, increases the available rental inventory, and reduces the emissions impact of empty homes. I would love to collaborate with local and neighboring municipal governments to find impactful solutions to our shared issues. 

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

Mt. Crested Butte tourism and local support are intertwined. While visitors may come for the skiing and scenery, it’s the local community’s soul that makes our town unique and keeps them returning. If we lose that, we become another cookie-cutter ski town that may have the lifts and the mountains but doesn’t have personality. Therefore, I believe that by supporting community first, we are also upholding our tourist base.

I believe that balance is key, yet tourism is tipping the scale at the cost of our local community. I want to evaluate our housing stock in Mt. CB, set a realistic cap on nightly rentals, and shift excess short-term rentals to long-term to better serve locals in need of housing.

We have such a strong community in this valley, but it won’t organically remain that way unless we make intentional steps to support our locals, and I’d love to continue to be part of that process.

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

On mother rock herself! Depending on the season, I love skinning up the slopes at sunrise with the “early risers club,” getting surprise rope drops and untracked lines out Spellbound bowl, biking up the mountain and down through the bike park or taking in the views off Meander… After sunset, I’ll swing by A Bar Above to watch my talented friends share their music over a decadent cocktail. See you there.

Bruce W. Nation

Why are you running for town council, and what experience do you add to the position? 

I’m running for town council because I saw we had a need for residents of Mt. CB who truly care about our town and valley to step up and try to help guide the town in a good direction.

Before moving to CB I was a database administrator for a very fast growing startup.  I learned a lot of skills there that can apply to town council. Such as how to manage change and growth. My strongest skill is problem solving. I’m very good at coming up with creative solutions to tough problems and also researching and mitigating unintended side effects of those solutions.

If elected, what issue/initiative in Mt. CB is your highest priority?

Affordability will be my biggest priority. Housing is obviously a big part of that, but I’ve also been considering what else we can do to make the mountain a more affordable place to live. One idea I’ve been considering is a sales tax cut. Mt. CB sales tax is currently .5% higher than the town of CB. With the recent post office changes allowing us to more fully collect our sales taxes from internet purchases I assume we should have a bit of a surplus there. If I’m right, I’d like to take this opportunity to give us a little relief.

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

I don’t view tourism and opportunities for locals as being in opposition. Whether we like it or not tourism creates opportunity for locals, but locals are what create the tourism. I believe if we focus on creating a vibrant community, tourism will not only follow that, but we’ll attract tourists that share our love for this valley and our community.

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

Outdoors, I love hiking my dogs on Snodgrass. If you see a little pointer bouncing through the fields having the best day ever, it’s probably mine. Indoors, I love A Bar Above. Good food, good beer, live music, local vibes.

Dwayne Lehnertz

Why are you running for town council, and what experience do you add to the position? 

Good Question! I had actually decided not to run for reelection as the deadline for filing was approaching but at the council meeting before the deadline, I learned there were at that time, 4 solid and 1 undecided candidates for 4 open council seats. If the undecided person didn’t run, then we would, again, not have an election in Mt Crested Butte. We have not had an election since 2008. I view elections as a competition of ideas and that competition helps strengthen our community. Anybody that has been paying attention has a pretty good idea of what I add to the position. I self identify as a libertarian leaning Independent and I encourage everyone to engage. It takes the village to….

If elected, what issue/initiative in Mt. CB is your highest priority?

Everything is a priority all at once.

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

Balance is only possible for those who understand that their Human Capital is not limited and continue to develop it.

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

Jeff and Lora’s GPR.

Bobbie Sferra

Why are you running for town council, and what experience do you add to the position? 

I am retired and enjoy being a volunteer and giving back to the community.

I feel so fortunate to live in Mount Crested Butte and believe I can be an asset in responsible planning and decision making.

I spent over 30 years as an educator in Arizona and 20 of those years as a school administrator for a large district of over 20,000 students. I retired as an Assistant  Superintendent. I served as professor and directed a post baccalaureate teacher certification program and taught school finance and business management to graduate students. The experiences that add to this position include: strategic planning, engaging the community, decision making on multimillion dollar budgets, working with the city and architects on building projects, and evaluating personnel.

If elected, what issue/initiative in Mt. CB is your highest priority?

Managing the changes that come with growth is my highest priority. This issue includes: responsibly managing new developments; ensuring a quality workforce by assisting with affordable housing for essential workers; reducing the carbon footprint; continuing to address the emphasis on pedestrian, bicycling and use of mass transportation; and planning that assures that all parties involved pay their fair share when additional costs are required for use of public utilities. 

What are your ideas for balancing the town’s tourism economy with managing opportunities for locals?

This is a tough question. Is our priority to maintain the beauty and charm of a mountain community for locals and tourists or become a booming tourist economy? A carefully thought out plan for what Mount Crested will be in ten, twenty, and thirty years and beyond needs to be created with active local input. This plan will guide development while maintaining the culture of Mount Crested Butte.

Where is your favorite place to hang out in Mt. CB?

I love that Mount CB has so many opportunities to be outdoors. My favorite places are the trails and rec path. Indoors, I appreciate the atmosphere and live music at A Bar Above.