I’m Susan Berumen and I’m running for County Commissioner District 2.

My husband and I moved to Gilpin County in 1994 and have raised our family here.

I believe volunteering is an important way to support the community. To that end I was active at my children’s schools. I was on the Mountain Medical Task Force, working to bring a medical clinic to Gilpin County. And I am currently on the Board of Trustees for the Gilpin County Library. I was President of the Board for three years and oversaw the library’s transition from being financially reliant on the County to being financially independent.

As County Commissioner the most important responsibility is to oversee and maintain the County’s budget. Even when making policy decisions questions of cost and funding are considered.

I have 20 years of accounting and management experience in the private sector. I’ve been a Dist. Sales Manager for a large retail chain and Controller for a regional cleaning company. My husband and I have had our own business.

I also have eight years of government accounting experience. I’ve worked in the County Treasurer’s office and I’m currently working in the finance department of Central City.

In these positions I’ve learned that the key to budgeting is knowing what your main sources of revenue are and how exactly the money is being spent. All departments need to be fiscally responsible, and it’s the Commissioners’ responsibility to oversee the process.

Gilpin County is a small county with limited resources, but that does not mean that our ability to move forward is limited. There are outside sources of funding and support that we can use. It is essential that as Commissioners we work with other counties, and with State and Federal representatives so Gilpin can have the needed resources to move forward. It is also important that both cities and the County work together to develop other sources of revenue.

As County Commissioner I will ensure that Gilpin County will wisely use its resources and work with others to find additional support and funding.

It’s important that every resident feel represented and heard. Fire mitigation, funding of the Community Center, managing short-term rentals, and affordable housing are some of the issues that are important to the residents in Gilpin County and they are issues that are important to me. We need to be proactive in our approach to these issues and work to preserve our rural lifestyle.

I look forward to meeting more residents of the County and answering their questions and listening to their concerns.