Thirty area residents attended a forum March 17 at the Leeper Center to hear the views of two mayoral candidates and four individuals looking to fill three spots on the Wellington Town Board.

The forum allowed opening and closing statements and equal time to answer a series of questions.

Mayoral incumbent Larry Noel faced contender and town board member Travis Vieira as both outlined their plans to lead Wellington’s municipal government, if elected mayor on April 6.

Incumbent board members Mike Steely and Travis Stevens traded comments with Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca and Bill Sullivan, who are seeking seats on the board for the first time.

Candidate profiles were published in the March 17 issue of The Wellington and are available online at www.thewellingtonweekly.com.

Noel, a Fort Collins-based Realtor, emphasized his eight years of experience as mayor and 17 years serving on the board. He is a proponent of well-managed growth and said he believes that is reflected in mill levy reductions and business growth during his tenure. He also pointed to his leadership ability, knowledge of financial issues, and long-time residence in Wellington as positive qualifications.

Vieira, who has lived and worked in Wellington for nine years with experience in construction and retail management, said he will add a “customer service” ethic to his administration if elected as mayor. He wants community members to feel that town hall listens to them and addresses their concerns. A board member for four years, he said he agrees with how budgetary matters have been handled in recent years.

Mike Steely brings 15 years of board experience to the table. A native of Colorado, he has lived in Wellington since 1991. He described himself as pro-growth and pro-business. He owns Steely Trucking and is proud of his connections to local agriculture.

Travis Stevens, a local insurance agent, is completing his first four-year term. He said he supports smart growth and claimed a conservative approach to money matters.

Cienfuegos-Baca, a resident of Wellington since 2002 and raised in Lamar, is an insurance agent with degrees in business administration and management. He emphasized his commitment to family and community and said he hopes to bring a new perspective to the board. He claimed to have no agenda and will listen to everyone’s input.

Sullivan, the other hopeful newcomer, works at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital as an anesthetist. A pilot-in-training, he wants to work at bringing new businesses and new activities to town.

Questions for the candidates included broad matters of building Wellington’s pubic image, how to best serve both local businesses and residents, and how to bring people together to solve problems. Other questions targeted specific local issues — whether to support a Wellington airport, attitudes toward medical marijuana businesses, use of eminent domain, floodplain fee issues and the rationale for charging a flat minimum use water fee.

When asked their views on medical marijuana dispensaries and grow facilities within town limits, candidates gave quick, nearly unanimous answers. “Leave them in Boulder and Fort Collins.” (Sullivan) “Don’t like it. Don’t want it here.” (Noel) “Absolutely doesn’t belong here.” (Vieira) “Not in my town.” (Stevens) “I’m not a fan. I think other drugs would be better.” (Steely) “No.” (Cienfuegos-Baca)

Likewise, every candidate disapproved of the use of eminent domain — where governments can appropriate property for projects like road rights of way — for municipal purposes. New board aspirants Sullivan and Cienfuegos-Baca gave flat “no” answers whereas those more experienced qualified their answers with phrases like “only as a last resort” or “only in matters of public safety.”

“It (eminent domain) happens, but only under very specific circumstances…in small patches…not unless used for certain infrastructure purposes,” Noel said.

Candidates all demonstrated support for Boxelder stormwater fees imposed by Wellington as part of the intergovernmental project for improving reservoirs and waterways to handle 100-year floods. They all said that removing Wellington properties, including schools, subdivisions and businesses, from federally designated flood areas was crucial for public safety as well as increasing property values.

“We couldn’t afford to do it alone,” said Noel.

Vieira noted that removing property near the interstate from the floodplain was crucial to making a highway underpass possible. He also pointed out there were misconceptions about the nature and extent of businesses benefiting from new floodplain designations. He said that new businesses would end up paying their share through impact fees.

A question about whether candidates supported an airport near Wellington brought mixed responses. Stevens was not enthusiastic, but would “look into it.” Cienfuegos-Baca thought it was “too soon to know.” Sullivan supported the idea, saying the jobs and businesses it could generate would broaden the tax base. Steely thought he “needed to know more.”

Noel would be for the airport if it brought enough value to the community. He contended 95 percent of the cost of building it would come “from the Feds.” Vieira jokingly said, “No, I’d rather sleep,” but seriously said he would “follow the process to the end.”

Communication (or lack of it) between the community and the town administration cropped up as a common theme. Noel admitted that has been an issue in the past, but he pointed to the town’s web site, chamber of commerce events and other information-sharing improvements generated during his tenure.

Another theme was the need for Wellington to build on its historic past, with small-town atmosphere and popular community events like Fourth of July activities and the December Parade of Lights.

Likewise, all candidates supported more family activities like a recreation center, but acknowledged that residents would have to pay more taxes if that became a priority. Incumbents looked forward to the development of Buffalo Creek Park and the services it would provide within a few years.

All candidates closed with an appeal for residents not only to get out and vote, but also to take a more active part in town government.

“I want to see people at town meetings,” Steely said.