CANDIDATE PROFILES: The race for Ward II

Two candidates are seeking the Ward II City Council seat — which is currently held by one of them. As in our candidate profile for mayor, let’s look at the Ward 2 hopefuls in the order in which they appear on the fall ballot.

ROCKY TETER

Teter is a former member of the City Council who served in the early 2000s. A lifelong resident of Commerce City and a graduate of Adams City High School, he has worked over 50 years as a truck driver for a major grocery chain. Denver7 News profiled him last year for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in light of his lengthy trucking career. He also served 42 years as a volunteer firefighter with the South Adams County Fire Department in Commerce City and spent three of those years as fire chief. Teter’s campaign priorities include bringing more retail, restaurants, and grocery stores to town; improving public safety, and repairing roads. He pledges that, as an elected council member, he’ll make road maintenance a top priority. Find out more about his platform at his campaign website.

JENNIFER ALLEN-THOMAS

Allen-Thomas is a lifelong Commerce City resident who holds a master’s degree from Regis University and works as a registered nurse of the Colorado state Department of Regulatory Agencies. She is seeking re-election as the Ward II incumbent and was selected by the rest of the City Council to serve as mayor pro tem. She serves as co-chair of the Capitol Improvement Program Advisory Committee as well as on the Board of Adjustment and the board of the Commerce City Housing Authority. She also serves on the board of the Stephen T. Marchello Foundation. Her campaign platform stresses quality education, a healthy environment, affordable housing and a “full support system” for the city’s police and fire service. Learn more at her campaign website.