ISSUES FACING EL PASO COUNTY
Evacuation Modeling: All of District 3 lies in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), which means that it is WHEN not IF, the next wildfire occurs. My first priority will be to work with my fellow Commissioners to pass an ordinance that require evacuation modeling, reporting of maps and times to citizens and implement evacuation safety standards for development. As President and Co-founder of Westside Watch and President of the Mountain Shadows Community Association, I have been worked with neighborhoods throughout El Paso County trying to help them protect their neighborhood All citizens and visitors should have their times, maps with safe areas identified.
Law Enforcement: To have and retain the best law enforcement in the nation, our compensation, benefits and training packages need to be the best. The Sheriff of El Paso County has identified the following 2024 critical needs:
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Increased funding for inmate medical care and extraditions.
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Recruitment and retention programs for high-quality employees.
Rising care of medical and extradition costs is a challenge for many counties. One solution is to introduce telemedicine programs for inmates to reduce in-person hospital visit costs and explore collaboration with other counties for shared extradition services to reduce transportation costs.
Mental Health: El Paso County has long had a high suicide rate. This is a serious issue that requires medical professional involvement in healthcare settings which is why I am eager to explore bringing a proven program that has efficacy rates of up to 62% improvement. The Zero Suicide program has shown very promising results across the nation in many cities like Detroit. We also need to incorporate research that shows a clear link between altitude and suicide so we are better armed to identify compounding risk factors and get El Paso County citizens to the right medical professionals to help battle this serious health challenge.
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Homeless Crisis: We need to look at a tiered approach where those who need and want medical supervision and intervention are in facilities that can help them.
Public Works:
Critical Needs:
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Akers Facility Run-off Control Improvements
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Dix Circle Trash Capture Project
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High Priority Stormwater Projects
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Illicit Discharge Abatement Program
Lack of timely responses to stormwater issues can lead to significant damage and increased costs. Implementing a rapid response team for stormwater issues and partnering with local businesses for quicker solutions. We should look at other counties using comprehensive stormwater management program that uses green infrastructure, such as bioswales and permeable pavements, to naturally manage stormwater runoff. This approach reduces the burden on traditional infrastructure and lowers costs over time.
Parks & Community Services
Critical Needs:
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Contracted services for park maintenance.
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Expansion of recreational programs.
We have insufficient staff to meet growing community demands. I suggest we partner with local non-profits and community groups to provide volunteer support for park maintenance and program delivery. Travis County, Texas successfully partners with local organizations for park maintenance and community programs, leveraging volunteer support to reduce costs.
Facilities & Strategic Infrastructure Management
Critical Needs:
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Elevator maintenance and replacement.
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Park facilities maintenance.
Aging infrastructure leads to higher maintenance costs and potential safety issues. Use of predictive maintenance technologies and increased investment in energy-efficient upgrades can reduce long-term costs.
