Nakai for Council

News & Testimonials

Set the Record Straight

February 28, 2022

There are some City Council members trying to spin the facts surrounding my appointment into something shady and underhanded.  I would like to set the record straight.

On the early morning of July 1st, 2021, Council member Alfieri resigned for personal reasons related to her refusing to recuse herself from an appointment to the DDA which she herself admitted on the dais to having a personal and intimate relation with.  Later that same day after consulting the Charter, staff and council realized this resignation would trigger a special election due to having 3 vacancies on council.  When this information was relayed to Ms. Alfieri, she chose to rescind her resignation and save the taxpayers the expense of a special election at the cost of approximately $20,000.

After discussions with all parties involved, I was called by Mayor Pro tem LaBarre and asked if I would be willing to serve. She explained the reason for the appointment and the reason for not going the usual path of taking applications. Which was, by taking applications it would have taken at minimum 30 days before an appointment could occur.  The solution to this was to appoint another council member which would allow Ms. Alfieri to resign forthwith.

The appointment process is laid out in the Charter and doesn’t require applications to appoint. Technically council can appoint anyone with or without an application process, so long as they meet the requirements to serve.  The fact is my appointment process was done correctly, legally, and above board. Choosing me to fill the vacancy was considering the voice of 1,978 citizens who voted for me back in Nov 2020.

On the evening of July 15th ,2021 I was appointed. The basic comments above were given as the reason, in public and with transparency.  Ms. Alfieri had told staff and council she would support my appointment and would resign that evening. Clearly, she changed her mind on both, which is her right.

At the end of the day, my appointment was done correctly, and within the rules of the charter.  While my appointment may have differed in process, it doesn’t differ in policy. Appointments have happened in the past and will continue to happen. I am running to continue to keep Woodland Park a great place to live work and play, and by being open and honest and not play politics with facts.

Respectfully

Catherine Nakai

Letter to the Editor

October 20, 2020

If you are among the vast majority who supported and voted for one of us in the last city election in April of this year, please consider Catherine Nakai for your vote in the current municipal election for City Council. 

Catherine is the right person at the right time for Woodland Park City Council. Her approach is sensible and reasonable in discussing the real issues, which will positively promote a healthy deliberative process. She is a volunteer of impeccable integrity, strength and the courage to stand strong for her principles and for the best interests of the residents of our community. She brings no preconceived agenda or personal bias—only her desire to serve the people of Woodland Park. Her calm demeaner and civility will be a breath of fresh air in council chambers. 

Therefore, once again, whether you are among the 65% who voted for one of us in April 2020 or not, please join us in voting for Catherine Nakai for city council. Our wonderful city will be in good and caring hands.

Respectfully

Kellie Case
Dar Naccarato
Noel Sawyer

Elect Catherine NAKAI, the right choice for Woodland Park city council.

October 12, 2020

Catherine Nakai purchased her Woodland Park home in 2001, and for nineteen years has been active in our community, currently as a volunteer on our Board of Adjustment. She has the professional experience and the relevant knowledge to excel as a member of our City Council. More importantly, she has the temperament, the discipline, and the ethics to maintain the high standards of conduct we expect of our elected officials.

Her role thus far in our small town politics has shielded her from the discord that has kept this council seat vacant since April. And her calm demeanor will offset, rather than add to, the frequent strife that can arise when disparate interests clash in the pursuit of incompatible goals. She owes no allegiance to hidden agendas and existing factions. She will make informed, not influenced, decisions on our behalf.

Catherine was appointed to the Board of Adjustment by our city council. But our city council could not achieve a consensus to appoint someone for this important vacancy, so now we voters get to choose for ourselves. I am confident we will make the right choice.

Please join me and so many of your neighbors in electing Catherine Nakai to serve our whole community, with no strings attached.

Steve Randolph,
Mayor Emeritus
Woodland Park

Please support Catherine Nakai for City Council

October 13, 2020

As chairman of the Board of Adjustment, I’ve worked with Catherine Nakai since she joined the Board last September. She has been invaluable, not only as a Board member, but also in taking the lead to develop proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure and City Code that resulted from an Appeal that came before the Board last year. Her proposed changes will help clarify some ambiguities we encountered and will improve the transparency of the Board’s practices in the future. As an engineer, I am impressed by Catherine’s attention to detail and her ability to look at things objectively and logically. I, along with the rest of the Board, value her insight and opinions on the issues presented to us. Aside from her clear thinking, her initiative and her ability to work with others, what impressed me about Catherine is that she truly wants to help Woodland Park. She has often told me she wants to do what is best for our City. She wants to preserve those things that make Woodland Park, Woodland Park and to make sure the City only gets better as it faces future challenges. I will miss her contributions to the Board when she becomes a member of the City Council, but I think her becoming a Council Member will help make Woodland Park an even better city for all of us. The Board’s loss will be the City’s and the community’s gain. Please support Catherine Nakai for City Council.

Lou Ramon
Woodland Park

CATHERINE NAKAI for Woodland Park City Council
The ONLY choice on the ballot in November

September 29, 2020

I have known Catherine since we were in Mrs. Lane’s 4th grade class, at James Madison Elementary in Colorado Springs. We were friends and classmates all through our junior high and high school years – enjoying all kinds of activities:  birthday parties, football games, science classes, and so much more. After graduating from General William Mitchell High School, we went our separate ways, only to have life bring us back together seventeen years later in Woodland Park – a small world story at its finest.

As a 19-year resident, she loves the city of Woodland Park and has been an active citizen for 10+ years, attending planning commission and city council meetings on a regular basis. Her passion, dedication and love for Woodland Park are obvious to anyone who knows her. She wears her heart on her sleeve and will be a great asset to all citizens, the City of Woodland Park and our City Council. She has no hidden and/or apparent agendas– pretty refreshing if I do say so myself.

Her common sense, respect for others and integrity will not only benefit our City, but our citizens and businesses alike. Please support and elect her to represent our little paradise we call home and keep Woodland Park, Woodland Park.  WP = WP
VOTE Catherine Nakai for City Council

Paula Levy
Woodland Park

I enthusiastically and unequivocally support and endorse Catherine Nakai for Woodland Park City Council

October 6, 2020

This special election for the Woodland Park city council seat vacated by Noel Sawyer has a critical significance as it very likely will determine the path forward for our community. The current council is largely dysfunctional—sadly lacking all semblance of consensus-building leadership, which has precipitated the otherwise unnecessary election and the attendant expense, disruption and hassle.

There are three good people running for the seat to fill a short term that expires at the next city election in April 2022. Of the three, only Catherine Nakai has all of the requisite skill, experience, integrity, demeaner and open-mindedness to fill what will likely be a decisive vote role. Of these characteristics, the one that immediately stands out is integrity.

Catherine has conducted herself with impeccable and unquestionable integrity in her volunteer service on the city’s Board of Adjustment and in all facets of her life. I’ve personally observed other council members who operate from prearranged agendas; no amount of citizen input will sway them from their predetermined positions and decisions. I assure you that Ms. Nakai has no such hidden agenda and, on the contrary, will listen carefully to all viewpoints before making fair and impartial decisions based solely on what is best for the people of Woodland Park.

For this reason and many others, I enthusiastically and unequivocally support and endorse Catherine Nakai for Woodland Park City Council.

Dar (Darwin) Naccarato
Woodland Park

Please support Catherine Nakai for City Council

September 29, 2020

Friends,

Sadly, the divisiveness that permeates our national and state politics has invaded our beloved Woodland Park. Your City Council currently has six members and divisiveness reigns on almost every single issue. Three Councilmembers are trying to preserve the Woodland Park we love and three are trying to destroy it. In this upcoming November election we need to make sure we elect the candidate that will do the best to preserve the Woodland Park that we love. That candidate is Catherine Nakai.

Ms. Nakai has lived in Colorado since she was 13 months old and she has been a citizen of the city of Woodland Park for 19 years. She knows Woodland Park!  She serves on the City’s Board of Adjustment helping guide our City decision makers.  She also volunteered to work with the Planning Commission on a unique project and just finished that year-long effort.  She knew she wanted to learn more about our City’s governance so she enrolled in and graduated from the City of Woodland Park Citizens Academy earlier this year.

Ms. Nakai and I worked on some tough issues that would challenge most relationships. The key to our discussions was that we always treated each other with great respect.  Respectful discussion isn’t something that some of our Council members understand. Catherine can help them achieve that.

Ms. Nakai’s campaign slogan is “WP=WP, Keep Woodland Park Woodland Park”.  Now please don’t misinterpret this to mean that Catherine is anti-growth or for stagnation. Catherine is in favor of well-planned, well-executed growth, what we’ve always done well.  “WP=WP”!

Ms. Nakai wants to make sure that your City government continues to provide the high level of service to which you are accustomed.  “Keep Woodland Park Woodland Park”!  Great quality in a timely manner sets us apart from other cities.  From snow plowing, police response, repairing water breaks, to permit processing, Catherine wants to keep those services excellent. There are three members of Council who are more concerned with ill-conceived budget cuts than they are with providing services. Do not be fooled by their smooth talk and veiled promises to keep service levels high.

Vote for Catherine Nakai for Woodland Park City Council. “WP=WP, Keep Woodland Park Woodland Park”.

Please share this note with your Woodland Park friends. Please contact me if you have questions or if you would like a campaign sign in your yard or business. I’ll deliver, install, and pick up after the election.

Respectfully,
David Buttery