Loveland - August 3, 2011
Former Loveland Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Clark will be running in Ward IV against Democrat activist
Ralph Trenary. Both are seeking to replace Loveland Mayor Pro Tem Larry Heckel who has served on Loveland's
Council for some thirty years but announced recently he will not be seeking reelection this November. Ward IV is the
city's largest ward geographically as it begins west of Madison and goes east to encompass all of Centerra and a large
swath of Loveland's older downtown.
Ralph Trenary is the former campaign manager and close friend of Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez who is believed to be
backing Trenary's run for Loveland City Council. Gutierrez and Trenary share a common interest in music and have
served together in the U.S. Army National Guard. Trenary describes himself as both a "musician and a soldier."
While he hasn't officially announced his run to local media, Trenary has posted a special Facebook page "Trenary For
Council" that highlights his life experiences and announces his run for Loveland's Council seat representing Ward IV. He
is expected to make an official announcement sometime next week. Trenary is leaning heavily on his time chairing the
city's finance committee as relevant experience for his city council run. Unfortunately, that committee largely ignored
public input on tackling the ctiy's projected $3.5 million shortfall and instead rubber stamped city staff recommendations.
Rene Wheeler, the senior city staff person involved in that debacle has also posted a personal endorsement for Trenary on
his LinkedIn page.
Trenary writes a citizen's column for The Coloradoan's Loveland Connection newspaper. Earlier this year, Trenary
wrote, "best estimates are that the $600-a-month 'salary' of a city council member only slightly exceeds
minimum wage for the hours of required duties." Despite his disagreement with the low pay of a city councilman he
is apparently now willing to throw his hat in the ring for what he called a minimum wage position. Trenary also worked as
a regional field coordinator for Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff's failed Democratic primary run for U.S.
Senate.
Following his 26 year government career, Trenary moved to Loveland where he had been seeking a job in the private
sector for a number of years. He described his move to Loveland in his LinkedIn profile as, "after 26 years of military
service and Federal Government employment I have moved my family to my wife's ancestral hometown,
Loveland, Colorado. From this homebase I apply the value-added skills and knowledge of my professional
experience to both local and extended business and public interests."
Trenary is a strong backer of a school bond measure for the Thompson School District to increase local property taxes
and supports the city's efforts to seek voter approval to permanently exempt Loveland from TABOR (Taxpayer's Bill of
Rights) imposed spending limits.
Dave Clark ran unsuccessfully for Mayor two years ago after giving-up his Ward IV seat on Loveland's City Council.
Loveland Councilor Cathleen McEwen was elected two years ago to fill the seat Clark vacated when he decided to run
for Mayor in 2009. Owner of a local construction firm and investor in the playhouse theater in Johnstown, Clark has
struggled financially during the housing and construction downturn that began in 2008. Attempts to contact his family's
construction firm, Clark Construction, were unsuccessful as the number has been disconnected.
Perhaps Clark's most memorable action on Loveland's City Council was his decision to stop supporting McWhinney's
attempts in 2009 to transfer money escrowed for the I-25 and U.S. 34 interchange to poach an employer from nearby
Greeley into Centerra. As a result of Clark's decision not to support McWhinney's attempts to redirect those funds,
McWhinney withdrew their request after receiving a call from Clark that he could no longer support their request to
eliminate funding thus loosing a swing vote they needed to get council approval.
Both Dave Clark and Ralph Trenary are likely to muster considerable resources through the community for their
campaigns. At the moment, Clark likely has the lead as most high propensity voters in Ward IV have already elected him
to represent them on the City Council in 2004. If Mayor Gutierrez gets involved personally to help his old friend and ally
than the race could be much closer to call. In addition, if the other two candidates who pulled papers for Ward IV indeed
run than the dynamics of the contest will change.
Please feel free to comment on the blog.
Former Loveland Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Clark will be running in Ward IV against Democrat activist
Ralph Trenary. Both are seeking to replace Loveland Mayor Pro Tem Larry Heckel who has served on Loveland's
Council for some thirty years but announced recently he will not be seeking reelection this November. Ward IV is the
city's largest ward geographically as it begins west of Madison and goes east to encompass all of Centerra and a large
swath of Loveland's older downtown.
Ralph Trenary is the former campaign manager and close friend of Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez who is believed to be
backing Trenary's run for Loveland City Council. Gutierrez and Trenary share a common interest in music and have
served together in the U.S. Army National Guard. Trenary describes himself as both a "musician and a soldier."
While he hasn't officially announced his run to local media, Trenary has posted a special Facebook page "Trenary For
Council" that highlights his life experiences and announces his run for Loveland's Council seat representing Ward IV. He
is expected to make an official announcement sometime next week. Trenary is leaning heavily on his time chairing the
city's finance committee as relevant experience for his city council run. Unfortunately, that committee largely ignored
public input on tackling the ctiy's projected $3.5 million shortfall and instead rubber stamped city staff recommendations.
Rene Wheeler, the senior city staff person involved in that debacle has also posted a personal endorsement for Trenary on
his LinkedIn page.
Trenary writes a citizen's column for The Coloradoan's Loveland Connection newspaper. Earlier this year, Trenary
wrote, "best estimates are that the $600-a-month 'salary' of a city council member only slightly exceeds
minimum wage for the hours of required duties." Despite his disagreement with the low pay of a city councilman he
is apparently now willing to throw his hat in the ring for what he called a minimum wage position. Trenary also worked as
a regional field coordinator for Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff's failed Democratic primary run for U.S.
Senate.
Following his 26 year government career, Trenary moved to Loveland where he had been seeking a job in the private
sector for a number of years. He described his move to Loveland in his LinkedIn profile as, "after 26 years of military
service and Federal Government employment I have moved my family to my wife's ancestral hometown,
Loveland, Colorado. From this homebase I apply the value-added skills and knowledge of my professional
experience to both local and extended business and public interests."
Trenary is a strong backer of a school bond measure for the Thompson School District to increase local property taxes
and supports the city's efforts to seek voter approval to permanently exempt Loveland from TABOR (Taxpayer's Bill of
Rights) imposed spending limits.
Dave Clark ran unsuccessfully for Mayor two years ago after giving-up his Ward IV seat on Loveland's City Council.
Loveland Councilor Cathleen McEwen was elected two years ago to fill the seat Clark vacated when he decided to run
for Mayor in 2009. Owner of a local construction firm and investor in the playhouse theater in Johnstown, Clark has
struggled financially during the housing and construction downturn that began in 2008. Attempts to contact his family's
construction firm, Clark Construction, were unsuccessful as the number has been disconnected.
Perhaps Clark's most memorable action on Loveland's City Council was his decision to stop supporting McWhinney's
attempts in 2009 to transfer money escrowed for the I-25 and U.S. 34 interchange to poach an employer from nearby
Greeley into Centerra. As a result of Clark's decision not to support McWhinney's attempts to redirect those funds,
McWhinney withdrew their request after receiving a call from Clark that he could no longer support their request to
eliminate funding thus loosing a swing vote they needed to get council approval.
Both Dave Clark and Ralph Trenary are likely to muster considerable resources through the community for their
campaigns. At the moment, Clark likely has the lead as most high propensity voters in Ward IV have already elected him
to represent them on the City Council in 2004. If Mayor Gutierrez gets involved personally to help his old friend and ally
than the race could be much closer to call. In addition, if the other two candidates who pulled papers for Ward IV indeed
run than the dynamics of the contest will change.
Please feel free to comment on the blog.
| Council Ward IV: Dave Clark Vs. Ralph Trenary Promises to be one of the more lively races for council |
LovelandPolitics.com
| Dave Clark |
| Ralph Trenary |
| The following people have either pulled papers or announced they are running for Loveland City Council: Mayor Cecil Gutierrez incumbent Council Ward I None Council Ward II Carol Johnson incumbent Michael Schoonover Council Ward III Kent Solt incumbent John Fogle Steven Weber Council Ward IV Dave Clark Ralph Trenary John Buck Tom Cooper |
