Aurora’s newly seated progressive council majority seeks ‘a reset’ after years of conservative domination

The message taken from final month’s election by Rob Andrews, considered one of 4 new faces sworn in Monday evening on the Aurora City Council, was voters’ need for “a reset” in how Colorado’s third-largest metropolis is led.

“Voters made it unmistakably clear that they want a more stable, more collaborative and more solutions-focused city government,” stated Andrews, the top of a nonprofit and the highest vote-getter within the metropolis’s five-person at-large race within the Nov. 4 election. “They chose leaders who campaigned on affordability, safety and opportunity, instead of division and partisan theatrics.”

Andrews, 41, is considered one of 4 progressive members becoming a member of the council for the primary time. Aurora Municipal Court Presiding Judge Shawn Day swore him in Monday alongside fellow newcomers Gianina Horton, Amy Wiles and Alli Jackson.

When the brand new council members took their seats on the dais and affirmed they have been current for the assembly, the town clerk declared: “There’s a quorum.”

The room erupted with applause and cheers.

With two extra progressives already on the 11-member council — Alison Coombs, whose time period isn’t up till 2027, and Ruben Medina, who was reelected to his Ward III seat final month — the physique now firmly leans left.

That’s after a half-decade or extra of being in conservative fingers. Aurora’s elected management is formally nonpartisan, however politics has by no means been removed from council proceedings lately.

“This is a fresh start and a chance to show that we can disagree and still be respectful, that we can collaborate and meet in the middle for the betterment of the community as a whole,” Wiles, an Aurora resident for greater than a quarter-century and the proprietor of a images enterprise, informed The Denver Post forward of the swearing-in ceremony.

Wiles, 50, bested one-term incumbent Steve Sundberg in Ward II by greater than 10 share factors.

“Voters were tired of being ignored,” she stated. “They want leaders who listen and engage, not leaders who run from their constituents.”

Respect and collaboration have been sorely examined on the highest ranges of Aurora authorities lately, with council conferences usually disrupted by protesters upset over the police killing of an unarmed Black man final 12 months — prompting council members to fulfill remotely for months on finish and to put restrictions on public remark.

One frequent protester in June sued the town over adjustments the council had made to public enter, alleging it was attempting to “restrict one viewpoint: the viewpoint criticizing the (Aurora Police Department’s) killing of (Kilyn) Lewis and Aurora’s inadequate response to it.”

Jackson, 30, has joined the protesters within the viewers at council conferences because the May 2024 dying of Lewis. Now she’s on the opposite facet of the dais after touchdown second within the at-large race, which was gained by the highest two vote-getters. She stated she hoped to comply with “best practices for smoother city council meetings.”

“I am confident the new City Council can make adjustments and offer better solutions so the community will not feel the need to disrupt the meetings,” stated Jackson, who works for Arapahoe Libraries and has lived in Aurora her complete life. “I am confident I can find common ground with all my new colleagues.”

Andrews, who based and leads One Voice Coalition, a nonprofit that helps individuals discover employment, stated “public participation is not a disturbance” however slightly “a cornerstone of democracy.”

“Our job is to honor that right, while ensuring the council remains a place where all voices can be heard and where the city’s work can get done,” he stated. “I believe we can strike that balance with thoughtful leadership and real engagement.”

A hope for widespread floor was additionally expressed on election evening by Mayor Mike Coffman as he took within the outcomes, which he attributed partially to an off-year Trump impact that harm conservatives. The former Republican congressman sits on the council and wasn’t up for election this 12 months.

Later in Monday evening’s assembly, the brand new council chosen Coombs, one of many returning left-leaning members, because the mayor professional tem.

During council remark, Councilwoman Stephanie Hancock welcomed her new colleagues however warned them that any honeymoon interval will probably be temporary.

“Expect to get emails from people who hate everything you do,” she stated to laughter.

Ahead of the assembly, Andrews cited financial alternative, inexpensive housing and public security as his high objectives as he takes his seat on the council.

“A safer Aurora requires investing in proven strategies like youth programming, mental health response, violence prevention, and stronger relationships between residents and the city,” he stated.

Wiles stated she needed to convey enhancements to roads and different infrastructure, like recreation facilities and libraries, to her ward. Ward II covers a large swath of northeast Aurora. She additionally stated retail growth is “badly needed” in her a part of the town, calling her ward a “food desert” dominated by gasoline stations, liquor shops and automobile washes.

“I had begun a strategic plan during my election to be able to attract retail, and now I will work with city staff to combine our work to get my ward the services they deserve,” Wiles stated.