What’s next for City Hall’s new lineup?

Some new faces, including a new mayor, have joined the City Council following last week’s election — but they’ll confront some of the same old basic challenges. And foremost among those challenges at City Hall, moving forward, is whether new and returning council members will be able to work together to enhance the quality of life in Commerce City. 

That will require moving past the sideshows that frequently have distracted the council and bogged it down; heeding more of the solid advice offered by the policy experts on the City Hall staff, and avoiding needless conflict.

Mayor-elect Steve Douglas, who has served on the City Council before, will be joined by fellow newcomers Rocky Teter, representing Ward II, and Charles Dukes, who won one of two at-large seats that were up for grabs on the Nov. 7 ballot. Teter, who also has served on council before, scored an upset victory over Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Allen-Thomas.

The new members are slated to be sworn into office next month.

Three returning incumbents fended off challengers. Renée M. Chacon held onto her Ward III seat, to which she was appointed last January. Yong Gen “Craig” Kim retained the other at-large seat that was on the ballot. And Ward IV incumbent Susan Noble kept her seat by the slimmest of margins. She came in just 178 votes ahead of challenger David Diop, narrowly averting an upset.

Now that the dust has settled, it’s important for both the incumbents and the newcomers — as well as the other council members’ whose seats weren’t in contention this fall — to read the election results carefully. 

Teter’s upset win and Noble’s near-loss should remind all council members voters are open to change and probably weren’t all that keen on any particular council member. As we’ve pointed out here on a number of occasions, there were plenty of pratfalls by this council over the past year, and voters no doubt noticed.

At the same time, the council newcomers shouldn’t read to much into their victories. If they fall into the same bad habits as the old quarrelsome council — airing personal peeves and rants; bullying their presumed adversaries; disregarding public input; vilifying those who are trying to move our community forward —the public is likely to have little patience with them.

Let’s congratulate all those who won their races and wish them the best. Here’s hoping they help the council make a fresh start and finally move Commerce City forward.