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I am Ron Gallegos candidate for Longmont City Council Ward III. I support a comprehensive approach to long-term and future-looking planning.
We can integrate mixed development in terms of affordable owner-occupied condos-multi stored units with condos on the upper floors and retail and commercial on the ground floor/main landing. People can live and work in the same environment lessening the need for commuting traffic. By utilizing existing commercial spaces in the Northern/Southern parts of town, affordable housing and improved business activity can take place. Suddenly, we have ground upon which development can be accomplished.
Transportation infrastructure needs to be incorporated into the development and planning process. It cannot be done or accomplished as an add-on or afterthought. North/South traffic moving through the core downtown area needs to be rerouted via Airport Road; where the designation of 287 would follow. Airport Road is oversized and under-utilized; making it the obvious choice for a bypass. A link to Highway 66 would need to be completed; the end result would be moving all the commuting from downtown to a bypass. In line with the Vision Zero philosophy traffic impacts in our neighborhoods need to be mitigated through the use of devices for slowing traffic and ensuring that commercial and commuting trips are routed to the appropriate arterial streets. Speed bumps and roundabouts need to be installed in neighborhoods experiencing traffic and/or speed issues. With traffic out of the Main Street Corridor, a pedestrian mall could be built furthering a positive economic impact from the Northern to the Southern ends of the city; with a mall in the middle.
We have an opportunity to grow the economic pie- business & spending, by instituting a Master Plan for Growing Tourism in our community, thus expanding the economic pie in terms of business activity, jobs, and finally sales-tax revenue. Generally, tourism is a clean industry. Impacts from it can be mitigated with forethought that can be logically planned to minimize the effect on the community.
I favor a rec center being built at Garden Acres Park. The park has more than adequate space for a building site, has existing parking, and landscaping is in place. A multi-stored building could accommodate the rec center, a branch library, and a police substation, in addition to allowing for much-needed meeting rooms, and possibly an auditorium. Northwest and Ward III in particular suffer from a lack of amenities. The southern end of the city has an existing facility. I hate to see Centennial Pool close and am cool to the idea of a property exchange with the YMCA.
I support the arts and am a non-objective abstract painter. I believe a stand-alone Performing Arts Center will never be a money-maker and will need the financial support of the general fund. Rather, I support the concept of a Convention Center Complex, with an adjoining hotel and Public/Private partnership. One additional benefit of convention centers is the added benefit of tourists they attract. A performing arts center could then benefit from the synergy of the hotel, convention center, and tourism generated. I mentioned earlier I support a branch library at the Garden Acres Park location.
I am an experienced product and project and line manager with US West Communications. I have owned my mortgage brokerage and business consulting firm since 2003. I have resided in Longmont since 1985 and was on the city council from 1995-1995. Served on Long range planning commission, was liaison from the city council library board, museum, planning and zoning, and Board member of the Economic Development Authority of Longmont-EDAL. I served on the Board of Directors of The National League of Cities-Washington DC, Hispanic Locally Elected Official-HELO, and the Colorado Municipal League.
I am married and have one son. I attended the University of Colorado, the University of Phoenix, and Dartmouth College areas of emphasis Political Science, Business Administration, and general studies.
I interned for U S Senator Gary Hart, and State Senator Martin Hatcher, and was elected Colorado Democratic Party State Secretary. Co-Chairman of the John Glenn for President Committee-Colorado.
Thank you for your time.
