Dedicated to serving the community of Lake County, my mission is to provide equitable services and effective collaboration.
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Elsa's Background
Growing up in Colorado meant that I visited Leadville many times; from exploring the Mount Massive Wilderness to visiting the Tabor Opera House, I kept coming back. In 2009 I began working for the Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS), focused on providing challenge and self discovery through experiences in the wilderness. I taught mountaineering, leadership, and logistics to people of all ages and backgrounds and have made Leadville home ever since. After leaving my 10 year tenure with COBS, I was a founding member of the renovation and development of FREIGHT. Some of you may know me more from my role as Party Priestess more than anything else.
While I've been involved in many aspects of life in Lake County, the through line of my time here has been service. It is crucial to me that however I'm showing up in my professional life I am making sure to think of others. This value of service is a culture I and my partner Cisco seek to create in our family of 4.
Lake County based service:
-Board Member, Advocates of Lake County
-Leadville Treasurer
-Founding collaborator, Leadville PRIDE
-Chair, Lake County Tourism Panel (Visit Leadville Twin Lakes)
-Precinct Committee Person, Lake County Democratic Central Committee
-Member and Board Member, Leadville Lake County Economic Development Council
Elsa's Platform
My overarching mission as Commissioner will be to ensure that Lake County finances are allocated in equitable and empowering ways.
I would like to see Lake County Government do less, but do it well. Whatever we do needs to be in collaboration with our community partners. Here are some of the issues I intend to focus on during my time in office:
1. Housing accessibility
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Find sustainable cashflow for our Regional Housing Authority and collaborators enabling housing accessibility
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Invest in our administrative infrastructure and collaborate closely with Leadville Sanitation, Parkville Water, and septic regulators
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Advocate to state and federal legislators and regulators to find rent and property tax relief for our community
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Value the work of our community partners and trust them to find creative solutions to the inequities within our housing market
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Bolster LURA and hold our County Assessor accountable for enabling them to leverage their distinction
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Engage in dismantling barriers that keep people from accessing loans for home purchase or co-ops from purchasing their trailer home neighborhoods
2. Livability
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Enact equitable systems-level change through government investment
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Hold accountable our local business advocacy groups to drive economic vitality in equitable ways
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Develop solutions to child-care through collaboration with LCBAG's Childcare Coalition, LCSD, Bright Start Learning Center and any entities seeking affordable childcare access
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Continue the work of previous commissioners to realize a free local transportation route, connecting Lake County to surrounding communities and places of work
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Consider a county-wide minimum wage
3. General Health of Lake County
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Expect collaboration between the Rec Department and the LCSD to make our shared assets available to all.
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Encourage initiatives that foster healthy social engagement for youth especially indoor/winter activities and spaces
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Leverage the mission of GOL! in our PROS department to make our government-based recreation more racially equitable
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Implement data-based expectations for Lake County Sheriff's department to receive funding based on their interactions with our people of color residents.
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Nourish relationships within the City and all local governmental agencies
