Meet the Aspen City Council candidates | News

Aspen voters will be getting their ballots in the mail this week for the March 2 Aspen City Council and mayoral race. Ahead of that, the Aspen Daily News has compiled candidate bios and policy stances on the issues most affecting the area’s residents, workforce and visitors. Today, as we conclude our series, we get to know the candidates away from the debate table. We asked them each for a biography, as well as a listing of their favorite restaurants, pastimes, and places outdoors.

The order in which the responses are presented was selected at random. Candidate Jimbo Stockton did not respond to repeated requests for participation. For a complete compilation of the candidates’ viewpoints, see our election page on aspendailynews.com.

Ballots can be returned by mail or placed in the secure drop box outside of City Hall. In-person, paper-ballot voting begins Feb. 12 at City Hall. To request an absentee ballot, residents can call the city clerk at 429-2686 or email elections@cityofaspen.com. Citizens that need to register to vote may do so at govotecolorado.com.

Ward Hauenstein

Years in the valley: 42

Occupation: Semi-retired information technology and a lot of time for city council

Contact information: ward@wardforaspen.com; 948-3858; Facebook http://wardforaspen.com

Candidate bio: Ward was born and grew up in Minneapolis, where he attended the University of Minnesota studying political science and history. He moved to Aspen in 1976. During his first nine years in Aspen, Ward worked in retail. While working for Sabbatini Sport, he started a bike shop. He started an IT business in 1985. He has been married for 40 years and has two adult daughters and one granddaughter. He loves outdoor activities, including road and mountain biking and all forms of skiing. He has been on numerous unsupported bicycle tours — the longest over 2,700 miles.

Ward has been politically engaged his entire adult life. He is completing his first term on the Aspen City Council. He is a deep thinker and an active listener.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? It takes priority over other aspects of my life. I make time for it.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? I do not eat out much but my favorite restaurant is normally the one I am in. It has been since last March that I have eaten out.

I am an outdoor person. I do not workout inside. If I have free time in the summer I road bike. My favorite ride is to Maroon Lake. I have done that hundreds of times. I mountain bike — my favorite ride is on Sky Mountain Park, Cozyline to Deadline or Airline, or Hummingbird. I hike — where people aren’t. In the winter, I cross-country ski, more classic than skate. I alpine tour, mostly at Tiehack. I get into the backcountry. I have gone on over 50 hut trips, mostly 10th Mountain Division huts. I ski Aspen Mountain by lift service.

Sam Rose

Years in the valley: Since 2019

Occupation: Pitkin County lead case investigator for COVID and volunteer firefighter

Contact information: Reach out to Sam and say hi by email: SamuelRose30@gmail.com; phone: 802-752-7026 or at Facebook.com/SamRoseForAspenCityCouncil or on Instagram: @SammyRose30

Candidate bio: My name is Sam Rose, and I was born and raised in Saint Albans, Vermont. I earned my bachelor’s degree in geography/sustainability and business at the University of Denver in 2016. Following graduation, I worked in cartography and satellite imagery for the U.S. Geological Survey and Maxar Technologies and then put my skills to work by traveling to 72 countries while also volunteering in Norway, Israel, New Zealand and Argentina. In 2019, I moved to Aspen and have been deeply immersed in the community as volunteer Aspen firefighter and an advocate for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence through Response. I am currently employed as the lead case investigator for COVID-19 in Pitkin County and am doing one class at a time as I finish up my master’s in finance through CU Denver.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? In my experience, the busiest people often accomplish the most. I am at my very best when productively engaged and, if elected, city council will be my highest priority. Fortunately, given the nature of my paid and pro bono work, I am already adept at balancing my career with ­extracurricular pursuits.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? Aspen has everything but a beach, but if we’re being honest, it has that, too. Mountain biking, skiing and uphilling are among my favorite ways to spend a bluebird day, but I also don’t say no to hiking 14ers (I’m on 33 of 57) or a camping trip either. Aspen Rec hockey and nooner pick-up games at the Ice Garden on weekdays are also favorites of mine (pre-COVID). Some of my favorite outdoor places around town are Red Butte, John Denver Sanctuary, Tiehack, Cliffhouse, Ashcroft, Maroon Bells, top of Highland Bowl, and the North Star Preserve. My favorite local restaurants include Jimmy’s, Meat and Cheese, Aspen Pie Shop, and Big Wrap.

John Doyle

Years in the valley: 40

Occupation: Artist/sculptor

Contact information: johndoyleaspencouncil.com; johndoylesculpture.com; johndoylesculpture@gmail.com

Candidate bio: I was born in Denver. My family moved to Aspen in 1980 while I was studying art and architecture at the University of Idaho. I moved here full-time in 1982. My first job here was clearing ski trails at Aspen Highlands. I spent my first decade working in restaurants both on and off our ski areas. I’ve built skis for Phoenix Skis, driven snowcats for the Aspen Mountain Powder Tours, worked for SkiCo’s on-mountain recycling program, and worked in construction and property management.

Many people know me from my time living year-round in a series of off-the-grid cabins on the back of Aspen Mountain from 1988-2004.

I married Claude Salter in 2004; our daughter Sylvan was born in 2007.

My art career began in Little Annie Basin in 1989 when I carved my first totem. I’ve had the same studio in Aspen since 1990.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? As a self-employed artist my schedule is flexible.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? I’m quite fond of Cache Cache, L’Hostaria, and Brunelleschi’s Pizza; I really miss the Red Onion.

My free time is spent being a Dad, skiing, hiking, biking, enjoying time at our cabin, reading.

The front and back of Aspen Mountain are very important to me; the Castle Creek and Conundrum Creek valleys and the quieter parts of the Elk Mountains. (It’s all quieter in the winter and spring!)

Erin Smiddy

Years in the valley: 40

Occupation: Lost my career job in March managing a transportation company due to COVID, have been working at Clark’s in Snowmass since this summer (which I unexpectedly love; my bosses in Snowmass are great). This April will be 15 years as a volunteer firefighter with Aspen Fire.

Contact information: esmiddy1@hotmail.com; 970-319-9865

Candidate bio: I have a strong love for this community as I grew up in Aspen with my three brothers and a single working mom. We moved to Aspen in 1981 when my mom worked for CMC. I’ve been working since 1986, at age 11 when I had my first job at the Grand Champions Club. I was fortunate enough to be able to buy affordable housing through APCHA and I plan on retiring here.

I was previously on the APCHA board from around 2009 to 2013, when I left to become a Pitkin County sheriff’s deputy, which I absolutely loved. I have always had a desire to give back to this community, which has given so much to me, and being a council member feels like a great way to continue to do that.

This is my hometown and I want what’s best for our future and our local, working-class people.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? I have a flexible schedule for the first time in my adult life, that will actually allow me to focus much of my attention on the duties of council.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? I’m nostalgic in the sense that I deeply miss La Cocina and Lucci’s, but my friends tell me I have to get over it and find new loves. When I do go out, I love the bar menu at L’Hostaria and I think the food and atmosphere at Mi Chola is always good. I’m still quite sad about the Red Onion, as that was the scene of many good times throughout my life, but I hold out hope it will reopen again someday soon. I frequently find myself out at the Red Mountain Grill at the golf course, too, because it’s very peaceful and has a great patio.

Most of my free time is spent hiking with my dogs. I love the cross-country tracks that allow dogs at both golf courses, Labradoodle Lane and Bernese Blvd. I don’t ski as much as I would like to and haven’t had a full pass in years. I hope to change that soon. I’m also an avid camper and I love areas like Ouray, Ridgway State Park and Blue Mesa Reservoir for weekend getaways. But I also love living here as you can go outside your front door to enjoy some of the best hiking, floating and weather one could imagine on any given day.

Mark Reece

Years in the valley: 12

Occupation: Restaurant owner

Contact information: “Mark Reece for Aspen City Council” on Facebook; markreeceforaspen.com

Candidate bio: Lucky father of a beautiful 4-year-old, engaged to a wonderful woman, extremely lucky to have landed and planted roots in Aspen.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? Seeing that I am down to owning only one business, time is no longer an issue. I am finally able to make the commitment.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? Anywhere that serves beer and wings. I spend most of my spare time with my family up at Aspen Yacht Club or up on the mountain, winter or summer.

Casey Endsley

Years in the valley: 15

Occupation: Small-business owner

Contact information: http://www.caseyforaspen.com/

Candidate bio: I am 41 years old. I am from central Illinois, I grew up in a very blue-collar family, My mom was an elementary school teacher, and my dad was a truck driver. I joined the Army when I was 19, and after several deployments over my seven-year enlistment, I got out and moved to Colorado. I worked in a body shop during the day and bartended at night. After a few years I opened my own shop. And for the last eight years I have been a business owner. Around that time I also started volunteering as a youth hockey coach and have been doing so for the past eight years as well. Giving back to this wonderful community is important to me. I was also fortunate to meet and more recently get engaged to Jenna Conti, a restaurant owner, and we are planning a wedding in the spring. I love Aspen and with a little luck hope to someday soon raise my children here.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? I own my business so I make my own schedule.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? When I’m not at work or the ice rink you can probably catch me on the river fly fishing or wandering around the high country hunting whatever is in season. The outdoors are a big part of what brought me to Colorado and something I want to pass on to younger generations. That is also why my fiancé and I volunteer with a group called the “Mayfly Project,” where we and other volunteers from the community take foster kids fly fishing and teach them about the environment throughout the summer. I like places like Zane’s or Hickory House, places that have a local vibe where you can sit and visit, have a beer and wings and watch the game.

Kimbo Brown-Schirato

Years in the valley: 16

Occupation: Financial services and small-business owner

Contact info: www.kimboforaspen.com

Candidate bio: I first came to Aspen for a post-university ski season in 2004 and effectively never left. A 16-year resident of the valley, I have lived in Snowmass Village, owned a home at the height of the housing crisis in Carbondale, and a week before my daughter was born, moved to Aspen after winning the APCHA lottery.

I met my husband quickly after arriving for my first season. After a few years of J-1 and H2B visas in the hospitality industry, I got my green card and began working at Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel. In addition to my full-time job, I help my husband run our small business, Aspen Custom Vans, building and renting camper vans.

Making a difference in the community has always been a priority for me. I have engaged with various nonprofits and young professional boards and, in 2014, was recruited to join the Aspen Community Foundation board. I’m also a founding member of the Aspen Next Generation Commission and recently joined the city’s planning and zoning commission.

My perspective living the commuter life for a decade gives me the real experience of the challenges our working population must endure on a daily basis to service our economy.

I’m a working mom of a preschooler and live the day-to-day experience of finding and affording high-quality child care. We were lucky enough to find an infant spot in 2017, but I know that’s not everyone’s story.

I’m passionate about working hard for the best outcome for our community.

How will you fit the work of council into your schedule? As they say, “if you want something done, ask a busy person.” Seriously though, I’m passionate and driven about working hard for our community and will make it work. I work efficiently and well with others. I’m lucky to have an amazing workplace, and a supportive husband, who pushed me to run in the first place.

Tell us more about yourself. What is your favorite restaurant? How do you spend your free time? What are some of your favorite outdoor places? My family and I are proud weekend warriors. In the winter you’ll find us skiing, hut tripping (a little more before kids) and being outside as much as possible. The rest of the time we are hopping in a van on a Friday afternoon and getting out somewhere within a few hours’ drive of home to climb, bike, explore and cook good food with friends. Our desire to not set up tents in the pitch black actually was the start our #vanlife ­adventures and led to starting our own van conversion and rental business.

My favorite local, close-to-town, outdoors spots include: Smuggler viewing deck, Sunnyside, the Rim Trail and anything up near Ashcroft. Further afield, I love: Opas Hut, Lime Creek, Indian Creek in Utah (when we climbed more) and Redfish Lake in Idaho.

We prioritize an international trip once a year. The most recent was Japan in 2019 for the Rugby World Cup with our just-turned 3-year-old in tow.

My favorite restaurant in town has to be the L’Hostaria bar. It feels like “Cheers” every time I walk in there and see so many familiar, happy faces. My daytime spot is Local Coffee, every morning for a cortado, extra hot. And finally, the Sundeck has some of the best food around, and it is a great value. Over the past few years, before COVID, the Sundeck crew welcomed me and the rest of the young parents like old friends every weekend when we hauled our babies up there to take turns doing parent laps. For that, I will be always grateful.

Free time? What free time?