Loveland - March 14, 2015
LovelandPolitics reported last November that Councilman Ralph Trenary and Mayor Cecil Gutierrez were
actively seeking a replacement for their colleague Phil Farley, a political ally, following the councilman's
decision not to seek another term in office in 2015 due to his failing health. The election to determine
who can sit in Farley's council seat to represent Loveland Ward II this November promises to be
interesting.
Leah Johnson, daughter of former Thompson School Board President Lola Johnson, grew-up only four
doors away from then IBM Manager Buddy Meyers whose children attended school with Leah Johnson.
Both have served on City of Loveland volunteer boards and are active members of the community. Both
own and operate their own small business in Northern Colorado and both are passionate about, and
outspoken on, national political issues. Both have decided to seek a seat on Loveland's City Council by
seeking Councilman Farley's seat representing Ward II where they both live.
However, that is where their similarities end. In national politics as in local politics, they couldn't be
further apart in their views. Johnson no longer lives in her parent's home near Meyers' house either.
She resides in an older property in Loveland's downtown with her child and husband on Grant street
which she purchased with her father in 2010.
Buddy Meyers, 60, is a longtime appointee of Loveland's Planning Commission which he currently chairs
while Johnson, 32, served as a member of the Loveland Creative Sector Committee. Meyers, who served
in the armed forces, runs a self-protection firm Tall Guns LLC while Johnson runs a small consulting firm
named JD Consulting in Loveland.
Leah Johnson
Johnson is a local blogger who published a series of articles in 2011 on her blog 'Fresh Patina' which she
used as a platform to address city issues. A lifelong Democrat, Johnson lists among her clients on the JD
Consulting website under the title "Leah and JD Consulting have worked with:" Obama America (2012
campaign), City of Loveland, Kerry for President, Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and
even Matsunaka for Congress who was last a candidate in 2004 when Johnson was 21 years old and
attending Boston University. Other work experience she claims is field organizer for the Senate campaign
of Kay Hagan and from 2009 to 2012 she worked for Pat Stryker's Bohemian Foundation.
Johnson told LovelandPolitics about her reasons for running,
"Loveland is a tremendous community to raise my family and I want to continue to help shape the
future of our community as the Ward 2 City Councilwoman. As a native Lovelander I know the values
of this community and I will be a pro-active leader on City Council to bring people together and get
results that ensure our community continues to thrive for future generations. I hope you will support
my campaign in our efforts to continue to make Loveland great!”
Johnson is a vocal proponent of the city's backing of the controversial pornographic depictions of Jesus
Christ in a taxpayer funded exhibit visited by children which brought national news to Loveland in 2010.
(see story about the exhibit). She has posted that upon returning to Loveland from Boston University she
realized how much the community needs to change.
A regular critic of then Loveland Mayor Pro Tem Daryle Klassen, Johnson wrote on October 4, 2010,
"Whatever you think of Chagoya’s art isn’t the point. Art is about getting you to think, getting you
out of your comfort zone, and generating a conversation. But it’s a respectful conversation.
Councilman Klassen’s diatribe against the piece of art completely misses the point. And it’s certainly
not tolerant. Maybe Councilman Klassen’s not really interested in the social, cultural, or political
commentary Chagoya and other artists are trying to convey through their work. Maybe he doesn’t
see how art brings people together, and connects people across races, religions, and classes."
Young, involved, and articulate, Johnson will prove to be a competitive candidate likely receiving
significant support from other candidates like longtime Loveland politico Richard Ball, who is running for
City Council in Ward I, and other locally active Democrats.
Buddy Meyers
As Chairman of Loveland's Planning Commission Meyers has presided over many controversial decisions
including the approval of a multi-family development near Loveland's prestigious Rossum Drive where
Councilman Farley resides in Ward II. Planning Commissions must conduct "quasi-judicial" hearings for
development applicants and disputing property owners often weighing into controversial issues that later
go before the city council if appealed.
In late January this year Meyers spoke before Loveland's City Council against the controversial $2.2
million cash advanced provided to the developer of Sprouts in Loveland on the northeast corner of
highways 287 & 34. In November of last year Meyers submitted a commentary on the Sprouts subsidy to
local media which was published by LovelandPolitics.
Meyers has also taken a position in opposition to the city's unusual 3% sales tax on groceries which he
has called for a repeal. If elected, Meyers could tip the balance of the council in favor of a repeal since the
minority that supported a failed vote recently to repeal the tax are not up for re-election this election
cycle. Though he has yet to officially announce his candidacy, Meyers was endorsed yesterday by
Loveland Councilman John Fogle.
Meyers was also instrumental in persuading Loveland's City Council to send a letter to Colorado's
Governor asking for a repeal of Colorado's gun control legislation enacted in 2013. As a local business
owner, Meyers testified that his business of training people in self-defense had been detrimentally
impacted by the legislation.
Meyers will likely emphasize his more than 30 years business experience five of which he spent in
corporate finance as a comptroller and chief financial officer. For the balance of his corporate
experience Meyers worked in Information Technology including time as a consultant with a "Big Six"
consulting firm.
LovelandPolitics reported last November that Councilman Ralph Trenary and Mayor Cecil Gutierrez were
actively seeking a replacement for their colleague Phil Farley, a political ally, following the councilman's
decision not to seek another term in office in 2015 due to his failing health. The election to determine
who can sit in Farley's council seat to represent Loveland Ward II this November promises to be
interesting.
Leah Johnson, daughter of former Thompson School Board President Lola Johnson, grew-up only four
doors away from then IBM Manager Buddy Meyers whose children attended school with Leah Johnson.
Both have served on City of Loveland volunteer boards and are active members of the community. Both
own and operate their own small business in Northern Colorado and both are passionate about, and
outspoken on, national political issues. Both have decided to seek a seat on Loveland's City Council by
seeking Councilman Farley's seat representing Ward II where they both live.
However, that is where their similarities end. In national politics as in local politics, they couldn't be
further apart in their views. Johnson no longer lives in her parent's home near Meyers' house either.
She resides in an older property in Loveland's downtown with her child and husband on Grant street
which she purchased with her father in 2010.
Buddy Meyers, 60, is a longtime appointee of Loveland's Planning Commission which he currently chairs
while Johnson, 32, served as a member of the Loveland Creative Sector Committee. Meyers, who served
in the armed forces, runs a self-protection firm Tall Guns LLC while Johnson runs a small consulting firm
named JD Consulting in Loveland.
Leah Johnson
Johnson is a local blogger who published a series of articles in 2011 on her blog 'Fresh Patina' which she
used as a platform to address city issues. A lifelong Democrat, Johnson lists among her clients on the JD
Consulting website under the title "Leah and JD Consulting have worked with:" Obama America (2012
campaign), City of Loveland, Kerry for President, Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and
even Matsunaka for Congress who was last a candidate in 2004 when Johnson was 21 years old and
attending Boston University. Other work experience she claims is field organizer for the Senate campaign
of Kay Hagan and from 2009 to 2012 she worked for Pat Stryker's Bohemian Foundation.
Johnson told LovelandPolitics about her reasons for running,
"Loveland is a tremendous community to raise my family and I want to continue to help shape the
future of our community as the Ward 2 City Councilwoman. As a native Lovelander I know the values
of this community and I will be a pro-active leader on City Council to bring people together and get
results that ensure our community continues to thrive for future generations. I hope you will support
my campaign in our efforts to continue to make Loveland great!”
Johnson is a vocal proponent of the city's backing of the controversial pornographic depictions of Jesus
Christ in a taxpayer funded exhibit visited by children which brought national news to Loveland in 2010.
(see story about the exhibit). She has posted that upon returning to Loveland from Boston University she
realized how much the community needs to change.
A regular critic of then Loveland Mayor Pro Tem Daryle Klassen, Johnson wrote on October 4, 2010,
"Whatever you think of Chagoya’s art isn’t the point. Art is about getting you to think, getting you
out of your comfort zone, and generating a conversation. But it’s a respectful conversation.
Councilman Klassen’s diatribe against the piece of art completely misses the point. And it’s certainly
not tolerant. Maybe Councilman Klassen’s not really interested in the social, cultural, or political
commentary Chagoya and other artists are trying to convey through their work. Maybe he doesn’t
see how art brings people together, and connects people across races, religions, and classes."
Young, involved, and articulate, Johnson will prove to be a competitive candidate likely receiving
significant support from other candidates like longtime Loveland politico Richard Ball, who is running for
City Council in Ward I, and other locally active Democrats.
Buddy Meyers
As Chairman of Loveland's Planning Commission Meyers has presided over many controversial decisions
including the approval of a multi-family development near Loveland's prestigious Rossum Drive where
Councilman Farley resides in Ward II. Planning Commissions must conduct "quasi-judicial" hearings for
development applicants and disputing property owners often weighing into controversial issues that later
go before the city council if appealed.
In late January this year Meyers spoke before Loveland's City Council against the controversial $2.2
million cash advanced provided to the developer of Sprouts in Loveland on the northeast corner of
highways 287 & 34. In November of last year Meyers submitted a commentary on the Sprouts subsidy to
local media which was published by LovelandPolitics.
Meyers has also taken a position in opposition to the city's unusual 3% sales tax on groceries which he
has called for a repeal. If elected, Meyers could tip the balance of the council in favor of a repeal since the
minority that supported a failed vote recently to repeal the tax are not up for re-election this election
cycle. Though he has yet to officially announce his candidacy, Meyers was endorsed yesterday by
Loveland Councilman John Fogle.
Meyers was also instrumental in persuading Loveland's City Council to send a letter to Colorado's
Governor asking for a repeal of Colorado's gun control legislation enacted in 2013. As a local business
owner, Meyers testified that his business of training people in self-defense had been detrimentally
impacted by the legislation.
Meyers will likely emphasize his more than 30 years business experience five of which he spent in
corporate finance as a comptroller and chief financial officer. For the balance of his corporate
experience Meyers worked in Information Technology including time as a consultant with a "Big Six"
consulting firm.
| LovelandPolitics.com |
| Competitive Race Expected For City Council Ward II |
| Central west Loveland is the largest area of Ward II which like Ward I is populated by prosperous retirees from local high tech companies like HP and Kodak. A large number of its residents populate the newer neighborhoods around Mariana Butte Golf Course while a growing segment of Ward II's constituency includes the swath that reaches into Loveland's older downtown areas. Incumbent Councilman Phil Farley lives on perhaps the most prestigious street in the Mariana Butte development area on Rossum Drive in a half a million dollar home. Councilman Farley is retired from a career at HP, IBM and later Regis University. Given his advanced age and declining health he is not expected to seek re-election. Farley often requires assistance from colleagues to stand-up from his city council seat at the conclusion of meetings and struggles with the physical and mental requirements of the position. Well respected by his peers and in the community, Farley votes consistently with his fellow Democrats on Loveland's City Council and never voted contrary to any staff recommendation that we have recorded. |
| Council Ward II |
| November 2015 Election Every two years one of two representatives for each of Loveland's four Wards is up for re-election making the term in office four years on Loveland's City Council. The Mayor's term in office, according to the city charter, is only two years making the mayor a candidate in all council elections every two years and each council member every other election or every four years. Council Seats Up In 11-2015 Ward I Chauncey Taylor (not seeking re-election) Ward II Phil Farley (not seeking re-election) Ward III John Fogle (incumbent) Ward IV Ralph Trenary (incumbent) |
| Leah Elizabeth Johnson, 32 |
| Buddy Jerry Meyers Jr., 60 |