EPRD Board of Directors
2025 Candidate
Geoffrey Erdahl
My Pitch
My wife and I have lived in Evergreen since 2006 and have 2 rescue Huskies. My domain is in digital content creation mainly involved with graphics, photography, video, and music. I was previously an Accounting/Payroll Analyst for several years and have worked in building maintenance and construction throughout my life. I obtained my degree in B.S. Technical Communications in 2014.
One reason I am running is to examine EPRD’s priorities and satisfy my need to validate the integrity of EPRD’s fiscal status for Evergreen’s constituents. My objective is “trust but verify”.
I also want EPRD to consider expanding EPRD’s role as a partner and intermediary between Jeffco, Denver Mountain Parks, and the State of Colorado, as Evergreen is not an incorporated town like Morrison. Thus, we would have greater means of feedback, leverage, and resolution on issues like wildfire preparation, street maintenance, and public land use.
Questions? Contact me at gerdahl12@gmail.com
EPRD's Priorities
It only took EPRD less than 3 years to approve pickle-ball courts, find the money, and complete the renovation on existing parkland in Marshdale, near the southern district boundary. Yet at the same time the money to acquire land and build initial infrastructure for a dog park has been available via Jeffco. The main hurdle is finding suitable land, but after three years EPRD has not established in writing nor published their specifications, creating ambiguity that does not create trust.
The issue has not been a priority, even with the most difficult aspect of any project in hand - the funds. To add; more taxpayers own dogs than there are pickle-ball players. Why can’t we have facilities for both? Why, after 8 years without an off-leash dog park, is it not a priority?
Wildfire Preparedness
Evergreen Fire/Rescue (EFR) Chief Weege has explained that, as with the Elephant Butte fire, JCSO and EFR actively consult throughout evacuations to determine the best directions to route vehicles; JCSO then executes the plan. To add a fine point to the challenge, he recommended that if residents see a large column of smoke from their homes, instead of waiting for an alert they should take it as a sign to leave.
I realize that wildfire preparation is not in EPRD’s field of purview or responsibility, but as a longtime resident I am concerned. Due to Climate Change, wildfires in the West especially have become a concern no one should ignore. I believe the fact there is not yet a published evacuation plan available to the public, for whatever reasons, compels me to seek out why and how, as an elected member of the EPRD Board, we could prioritize the matter by allocating resources to accelerate the completion of the plans.
I have written on this subject further in two articles:
Chinook winds are common in the mountains, and often flow down valley depending on the local geography. This data refers to the Evergreen valley/SH-74 corridor from Bergen Park down to the lake (south/southeast)
Off-Leash Dog Park
In April 2022 I played a small role in negotiating a conditional offer of $1,000,000 for buying land (as well as $200k to go towards initial infrastructure) for an off-leash dog park from Jeffco Open Space - via a directive initiated by Leslie Dahlkemper, Jeffco District 3 County Board Commissioner. As of very recently this offer is still on the table per Dahlkemper and Matt Robbins of Jeffco Open Space, with the main condition that EPRD accepts the responsibility to manage the park.
Evergreen has been without an off-leash dog park since the old one was abruptly closed by Jeffco in 2017. Over 30% of our residents are over 60/retired and many of them have dogs for security and companionship. They need a safe place to walk their dogs off-leash as the owners are more susceptible to injury. Our town is without sidewalks and street lights typical of other suburbs, and just like everybody else, dog owners pay taxes. Many wish to see action on this issue as evidenced by the sheer volume of visitors to the old park, informal polls, and the P.R. work done by a citizens group, Friends of Evergreen Dog Park (FEDP).
Past and Future Fiscal Integrity
EPRD is a Colorado special district that is not required to generate certain financial reports that other government bodies or businesses do. Normally a company’s bottom line is reconciled one year to the next and that’s what I want to do, going back 10 to 15 years. Any resident can request reports, and generally what I saw was final budgets, which don’t show fiscal status like typical businesses. Reconciling will also help me determine what was prioritized and what debt was accrued, like a deep dive into EPRD’s recent history. As a board member I would presumably have unrestrained access and be in a better position to ask questions of the other members and the staff.
Home Rule/Incorporation
Here in Colorado the term Home Rule has been interchangeable with the conventional term Incorporation. Denver is incorporated, of course, as is Morrison. Keystone just incorporated in the last few years -
“The Town of Keystone became Colorado's newest Town on February 8, 2024. The residents voted to incorporate the Town of Keystone on 28 March 2023 and the home rule charter was approved on 26 September 2023.”
It’s clearly not an easy process. But it’s already part of the discussion among EMD, EFR, Leadership Evergreen, and Jeffco Open Space. Evergreen is one of the largest unincorporated mountain towns in Colorado. Bigger than Vail or Aspen. I would like to involve EPRD more directly in the discussions and affect the conclusions.
One thing I know already is that we have restricted influence on what happens with our roads, wildfire preparation/mitigation, and limited influence on the open spaces around us.