October 26, 2009 11:12 PM UTC

Golden City Council Line '09

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• by: Colorado Pols

(Note: we’re trying to get to Arvada and Wheat Ridge before November, but any of you out there with a good pulse on either city and the various races, please create your own diary and we’ll promote it).

Just a few months have passed since Golden was spared a costly and pointless recall election, the city is set to hold its regularly-scheduled election next month. Below is a rundown, “The Golden Line,” if you will, of how those races look from here.

Ward 1

Mary Weaver (5-1)

Marcia Claxton (5-1)

Incumbent Mary Weaver has a well-deserved reputation for being surly, from unresponsiveness to constituents, suing her fellow City Councilors, ethics problems, and generally opposing, well, everything. She’s got the advantage of name recognition and wealthy Goldenite Marian Olson’s financial backing (also the source of her ethics code problems). But that may not be enough to hang on to her seat against the more likable Marcia Claxton, who was the PTA President at Golden High School, has served as a volunteer with various community boards, and is a Leadership Golden graduate.  She’s got a decent shot at topping Weaver, but it’s always tough to topple an incumbent.

Ward 2

Joe Behm (3-1)

Bob Szulczewski (15-1)

Joe Behm is a moderate, pragmatic Republican whose politics closely match his moderate, pragmatic Ward. He’s been a capable voice for fiscal caution and has done a solid job of focusing on ward issues like noise mitigation and bringing more open space and parkland to south Golden. His challenger, Bob Szulczewski, is an unknown and doesn’t have much of a shot, but at least voters won’t have to try to spell his name on the ballot.

Ward 3

Bob Vermeulen (4-1)

Diane Chesbro (5-1)

John Spice (7-1)

Ward 3 typically has the most unpredictable races in the city, and this year is no exception. Incumbent Diane Chesbro won four years ago in a three-way race despite Marian Olson’s unrequested (and usually toxic) support. Chesbro has worked hard to distance herself from Olson and has turned out to be fairly independent-minded on the City Council.

John Spice is an old guard establishment fixture in the community with strong libertarian leanings (and a cool name). His politics probably don’t match the Ward, but in a three-way race anything can happen. Bob Vermeulen is a political newcomer, but he’s got a lot of energy and support. Vermeulen is a likable guy who is campaigning hard enough that he probably has the slight edge in this race.

Ward 4

Bill Fisher (3-1)

Art Erwin (15-1)

Bill Fisher won this seat in a special election after the previous Ward 4 City Councilor, Jacob Smith, was elected Mayor in 2007. Fisher’s been highly active and visible in the Ward. He’s established himself as a FasTracks champion, a proponent of a new local bus system, and for improving pedestrian and bike paths. Fisher shouldn’t have a problem holding on to his seat against the unknown Art Erwin.