Know your candidates

Carlie Jean Speedlin Bangs, 29 (B.A. University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2010), is one of four female candidates running for Estes Park town trustee.

Parents:  Andrew "Andy" Speedlin, line technician for Lincoln Electric System, and Julie Gross Speedlin, loan officer Union Bank & Trust
Siblings:  Chelsie, 26, and Jordan, 18
Husband:  David Bangs, married September 2011
Children:  Ava and Eleanor
Employer:  YMCA of the Rockies
Address:  2191 Larkspur Avenue, formerly 460 Aspen Avenue
Registered:  Democrat
Registration date:  7 November 2011
Estes Park full-time resident since:  2010
Major Connections:  Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS), Roots Community School, Parks Advisory Board
Positives:  Loves the outdoors, already has a Weebly campaign site up, great to see young people running, husband participated in St. Baldricks last year
Concerns:  Never a good sign when "donate link" on website is up before blog entries, strange how her passion for community hasn't yet extended to attending or making public comments at more than one or two town board meetings (is her candidacy simply a counter-reaction to the Messal/Hiland filing?), does she have time to serve not just on the board, but on the multiple committees that go along with being a board member?
Albatross:  At some point, she will have to answer to or disavow any connection to Tracey McGinnis (one of the three signatories behind the aborted recall effort).
Chances of being elected:  At least one female will be elected this time around.  Patrick Martchink demonstrated last election cycle that members of young working families are capable of being elected, forum questions raised during this campaign, and the election itself, will serve as referenda on whether that experiment is actually working

Update as of January 30:  The "donate" portion of the campaign blog has been removed, and a blog entry posted.  So I can get on board with someone who listens and responds to constituents' concerns.

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