Dear Editor, 

I’m asking my fellow Gilpinites to reelect Sandy Hollingsworth as our County Commissioner. In her first term, Sandy was instrumental in bringing Clinica here, which filled a 12 year health-care desert, worked to budget $100,000 to support a new childcare provider (slated to open soon), in a county-owned center, voted to keep the Community Center pool open, has kept the County debt-free since 2022 – only the second county in Colorado to do so, and secured $927,000 DOLA reimbursement for the Human Service building. 

Sandy initiated a process to dedicate reserve funds for wildfire or disaster, which already sits at $4 million, and envisioned the County’s first Acquisition Fund for water rights or land, which has $2 million dedicated to date! Sandy also worked on increasing mitigation funding for County properties and road right of ways, encouraged a Rural Economic Development Initiative grant which led to a County Economic Development Plan -  emphasizing on Rollinsville & mid-county, and requested that the County do a formal Capital Improvements 20-year plan, which now guides increased CIP priorities funding. 

She was involved in updating short-term rental and parking regulations. As an involved commissioner, Sandy is the Gilpin County representative on the following boards and commissions: Jefferson Center Mental Health, Opioid Settlement Funds Council, NOCO 5-County Public Lands Recreation Management Board with the Forest Service, mapping trails & biodiversity and creating common messaging materials, CTSI County Workers Liability insurance Board and is the recently appointed lead on the Mountain Rail Coalition.

If all the above wasn’t enough, Sandy volunteers and is actively involved with many service organizations including Rotary International, Timberline Fire Auxiliary, Ax and Snacks, and the Extension Service, where Sandy volunteers as a Master Gardener. She uses her gardening skills to support the community garden and volunteers at the Annual Plant Sale. Sandy also volunteers with the food pantry and participates in highway clean-up several times a year. 

In addition to everything above, Sandy is available to meet with Gilpin County citizens to answer questions on a multitude of issues and is dedicated to working alongside County employees. If you ever attend a Board of County Commissioners meeting, you will observe, as I have, that Sandy comes prepared to each meeting and asks probing questions of all proposals and issues. She understands Gilpin County and what it takes to keep our county running effectively like no other candidate does.

The purpose of the government is to make life better for its citizens. Sandy is out there, representing us, the residents. Please vote for Sandy Hollingsworth so that she can continue representing us and making our county the best it can be.

Cecilia Wilson

Gilpin County