WHEAT RIDGE — The term-limited mayor of Wheat Ridge will face off against an incumbent councilman and two other candidates this November in hopes of remaining part of the city government.
Mayor Jerry DiTullio, who has served as Wheat Ridge mayor since 2005, is running for the District I seat on Wheat Ridge City Council, a position currently held by Davis Reinhart.
Reinhart, finishing up his first term on council, is also seeking re-election, setting the stage for what could become a very competitive race. The other two candidates are Monica Duran, a member of the Wheat Ridge Planning Commission, and Karen Thaler.
Aug. 26 was the filing deadline for municipal candidates to get on the Nov. 5 ballot in Wheat Ridge and elsewhere in Jefferson County. The cities of Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Westminster will elect council members this fall, while Westminster and Wheat Ridge also choose new mayors.
In the mayor’s race in Wheat Ridge, voters will have the choice between two council members, Joyce Jay and Mike Stites. A third mayoral candidate, Jeffrey “Park” Worthington, had until Aug. 29 to correct a problem with his petition to get on the ballot, according to City Clerk Janelle Shaver.
The largest field this year comes in the District I council race, where four candidates are vying to represent the city’s southeast corner, bounded by Sheridan Boulevard, Wadsworth Boulevard and 38th Avenue.
DiTullio said he’s eager to get “back in the saddle” of policy making after eight years of being mayor and only being able to vote on city decisions to break a tie. He said he disagrees with the direction the council has taken on a number of issues, including the proposed sales tax increase and the narrowing of 38th Avenue to two lanes.
A steady presence in Wheat Ridge politics since 1995, DiTullio, 53, served on city council for 10 years before being elected mayor in 2005. He is a teacher at Wheat Ridge High School.
“Over the last four years, there’s been a lot of win-lose situations created by council. There’s a lot of egos on city council right now. They’re really not paying attention to what people are saying,” DiTullio said. “We’ve made some good progress on some good projects, but I think the will of the people is being usurped by the will of the council.”
Reinhart, on the other hand, said after years of sitting out change, Wheat Ridge is finally starting to turn a corner, investing in itself and growing business. He said he hopes to keep Wheat Ridge moving forward, not backwards, and that includes maintaining a positive business environment and creating a sustainable city budget.
Reinhart, 54, was first elected to city council in 2009. A Peace Corps veteran and owner of a construction management firm, Reinhart has experience in public and private land development, including as the former director of development for the Lowry Redevelopment Authority.
“I bring a logic and fact-based process to decision making,” Reinhart said. “I think I do a good job at separating the emotions of the moment and boiling it back to good policy decisions based on facts and open dialogue — an engineering approach to decision making.”
Duran, who also ran for city council in 2011, said it’s time for a “fresh voice” and “different energy” on city council.
A member of the Wheat Ridge Planning Commission, Duran, 53, also serves on the boards of the Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival and the Jefferson Center for Mental Health. She works as the office manager for a dental practice and has called Wheat Ridge home for 20 years after growing up in a military family.
Her top issues include public safety, economic development and supporting local schools.
“Wheat Ridge is very diverse. I don’t feel their voices are being heard,” Duran said. “I’m a diverse candidate. I support small business and I want to make sure we pay attention to the small businesses we have. I want a strong tax base. I want public safety. Our seniors are very important.”
Thaler, a relative newcomer to city government, said she would also offer a new perspective on council — that of a lifelong resident of District I.
Thaler, 44, is a graduate of the city’s civic and police citizen academies and has volunteered with the Carnation Festival. She currently works in landscape management and also ran for city council in 2011.
A major issue for Thaler is the narrowing of 38th Avenue, something she said she opposes.
“I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve seen the gamut of things,” Thaler said. “I know there are lot of topics that need dealing with and where the city is heading in the future.”
Emilie Rusch: 303-954-2457, erusch@denverpost.com or
