The next Town of Estes Park municipal election is Tuesday, April 7, with four open seats on the Estes Park Town Board. The candidates are Randy Welch, Bill Brown, Kirby Nelson-Hazelton, Aidan Rosenau, Chris Eshelman, and Jamie Mieras.

Leading up to the election, the Estes Valley Voice asked the six town board candidates to answer questions on their priorities, civic engagement, and background. Below are each candidate’s responses in the order their names will appear on the ballot.

Question 1: As a trustee, what are your top two priorities for the Estes Park Town Board, and what action or actions would you recommend taking?

Randy Welch: We must foster a culture of trust and engagement between the town board and our citizens, because a healthy, sustainable town depends on all of us working together.

Strengthening Estes Park’s core infrastructure is essential to building a safer and more resilient future. The immediate action is to modernize our aging water system, including tanks and treatment plants, and invest in a durable electric grid that can better withstand severe weather, protecting our community from costly and disruptive power outages.

Bill Brown: It’s hard to sustain a cohesive Estes Valley community when a significant share of our workforce has to live outside the valley. One of my top priorities is advancing practical public policies — paired with smart public-private partnerships — that make it feasible for more working families to live here and raise their children here. With an aging housing stock and limited supply, we need to keep expanding workforce housing options, including attainable ownership opportunities for middle-income teachers, first responders, and public employees, while also increasing the supply of decent housing to help maintain affordability.

My second priority is protecting the backbone of our community by reinvesting in core infrastructure. Our water and sewer systems are nearing the end of their useful life and must be upgraded to reliably serve residents and guests for the next generation.

Community safety also demands continued support for wildfire mitigation and electric system improvements, including tree-cable installation where appropriate. These are not “nice to have” projects — they are essential, and we must maintain consistent funding so these systems do not degrade or fail.

Kirby Nelson-Hazelton: The town board’s role is to think strategically and provide long-term vision for the community. As such, my top two priorities are: 1) Acquiring and/or maintaining (depending on your perspective) balance between our developed valley and the wild spaces around and among us; and 2) securing responsible economic and social vitality for generations to come.

Associated action steps include seeing the development code updates come to fruition alongside strong consideration of public input acquired throughout the process; continuing to pursue, encourage, and incentivize opportunities for redevelopment; reviewing and evaluating potential implementation of the forthcoming Wildlife Habitat Assessment from Estes Valley Watershed Coalition; thinking critically and creatively about significant infrastructure projects like a new police facility and the Water Master Plan; and remaining fiscally disciplined in balancing our budget and protecting our assets and reserves; among others.

Aidan Rosenau: If elected as town trustee, my top two priorities would be increasing the amount of affordable housing in town and stimulating our local economy in a way that is uplifting to all members of our community.

I decided to run because I have met dozens of people who work in our town who cannot afford to live here. Some of them work 40 to 60 hours a week, sometimes juggling multiple jobs, and yet cannot afford a simple apartment here in town. I have also met young professionals with families who had to move out of town or out of state due to not being able to afford living in Estes Park. There are small business owners in town who are living paycheck to paycheck. The people who work here make Estes Park a wonderful place to live and to visit, and they shouldn’t be left behind. If we can create housing in town that is truly affordable, we can give workers the opportunity to save money so they can eventually buy a home. I’m not alone in this sentiment, according to a 2025 survey, Affordable Housing is the number-one issue that respondents would like to see additional investment in. So let’s make a change.

I would also focus on general economic stimulation if elected. Supporting our local businesses keeps money circulating within our town. I would propose increased investments by the town in local businesses and towards increasing the quantity and quality of events in town during fall and spring, to increase visitation and town revenue. If we can increase our town revenue, it will give us the ability to invest more into future projects such as walking paths and public spaces, which will improve the quality of life for all those who live in and visit Estes Park.

Chris Eshelman: With multiple upcoming major decisions concerning the town’s water system, I want to be able to help inform the board so it can make the best-educated decision for our community’s water treatment moving into the future. One of these projects could very well be the largest dollar commitment this town has seen.

Also, with some large development proposals and zoning issues on the horizon, I would like to contribute my experience and perspective to these decisions. I also feel the town should look at some of its processes when it comes to planning and permitting.

Jamie Mieras: My overall goal is to Keep Estes Livable. Estes Park will inevitably evolve. I want to build a vibrant future while protecting its character, natural beauty, and community.

1. Housing Across the Spectrum: We must explore housing options so people can live in Estes in every stage of life. This includes senior housing options so longtime residents can remain in the community they helped build. We also need attainable workforce housing that is close to downtown, has accessible childcare, and is designed to be long-term homes rather than temporary accommodations. Housing stability helps retain the talented workforce our town depends on, and permanent residents invest in their communities. In addition, I support programs that help members of our workforce move towards home ownership, such as programs that allow a portion of rent paid to be set aside for a down payment. Estes Park should be a place where people can live, work, raise families, and retire.

2. Development: Estes Park’s evolution can be thoughtfully and intentionally guided so we grow while protecting the community we already treasure. Our goal should be to strengthen downtown as an energized, creative, outdoor community while safeguarding the extraordinary wild places that surround us. In addition to the joy of living here, the recreation economy enriches life in Estes Park and provides opportunities to thoughtfully enhance spaces throughout our community. I strongly support the Whimsadoodle project to help our artistic community flourish, as well as the continued expansion of our connected trail systems to enable ease of outdoor movement. Let’s create more places for residents and visitors to gather, explore, and enjoy when they are not inside the national park. Let’s keep Estes livable — and enjoyable.

Question 2: How do you see your civic engagement in Estes Park benefiting your ability to serve as a trustee?

Randy Welch: My civic engagement, particularly my active role in the Estes Park music and arts scene, has allowed me to connect with and listen to a wide range of community members across the entire spectrum. These relationships provide a broad perspective and ensure that, as trustee, I will represent all community members and make decisions guided by input from the community.

Bill Brown: Strong civic engagement is how a trustee stays grounded in what residents actually want and need — and how better decisions get made. My engagement has been broad and consistent: I helped lead the Visit Estes Park task force that developed the 6E proposal to increase the lodging tax to fund workforce housing and childcare; I’ve served as an Estes Park Housing Authority Commissioner; I’ve been active with Newcomers; and I participate in the Estes Chamber and the Economic Development and Workforce Council. As a town trustee, I also carry multiple liaison roles that keep me connected to key community priorities and the people doing the work.

Just as important, I don’t rely only on formal meetings. I routinely reach out to constituents, participate in Trustee Talks, and I’ve held six community coffees at local businesses where constituents and area residents could have one-on-one conversations in a relaxed, non-structured setting. Those direct conversations — outside the limits of a podium or agenda — help me understand concerns early, spot practical solutions, and evaluate how policy choices will affect neighborhoods, employers, and working families across the Estes Valley.

Kirby Nelson-Hazelton: I am proud of my diverse background of civic engagement in the Estes Valley. In my nearly 15 years here as a full-time resident, I have volunteered with business organizations and local nonprofits, as a “worker bee” and as a board member, which has given me perspectives about both important sectors of our community. I have been employed within government districts (including Visit Estes Park, Estes Valley Library, and Park R-3 School District), which has helped me learn and understand issues facing different generations of our local residents (and guests!). And I have a varied history of engagement with the Town of Estes Park: as a resident on the Parks Advisory Board, a participant in the Community Information Academy, and, most recently, a member of the Estes Park Board of Trustees. I am grateful to have a wide background — and a wide “sounding board” — that helps me to see through the lens of many, including employers and employees, volunteers, local and regional partners, students, retirees, and many in between. Well-rounded engagement would continue to shape my approach to being a trustee.

Aidan Rosenau: Civic engagement is the keystone to a healthy democracy. It involves us all being informed on the current issues within our community, engaging in governmental matters, and giving back to our community.

If elected, public engagement will be a key focus for me. Every voice in town is important. That is why I am looking for ways in which we can improve our communication between town trustees and the residents of Estes Park. I would like to increase the number of resident surveys so local officials can get a better pulse for what residents really want.

I spend most of my free weekday evenings learning about key issues in Estes Park. I am caught up on all Estes Park Board of Trustees meetings within the last year. I am constantly learning more about economics, local and statewide government, and the issues that matter to people living in Estes Park. I have already started meeting with residents and groups in Estes Park to hear their thoughts about our town, and what could use improvement.

My volunteer work is related to animal welfare. I am a cat and kitten foster through Animal Friends Alliance in Fort Collins. A few people living in the Estes Valley are the owners of cats and kittens that I raised. I’m proud of the impact I’ve made. Like so many people living in Estes Park, I care deeply for animals, both tame and wild.

I don’t think a role in local government should be seen as a “small role.” As a small town, we have the unique ability to work together to make Estes Park a great place to live. Let’s collaborate, communicate, and dedicate ourselves to making Estes Park a great place to live.

Chris Eshelman: I feel my years of growing up here, raising a family, and living in this community give me insight into what it takes to live here for the long term. Also, being a private business owner for over 20 years, working for the Town of Estes Park’s Water Division for almost 14 years, and serving on the Upper Thompson Sanitation District board for over 14 years has made me uniquely qualified to serve as a trustee at this particular time.

Jamie Mieras: I serve the town daily as a physician, keeping the feet and ankles of the area healthy. In that capacity, I listen, understand, solve, and provide workable solutions and treatment plans with excellent and compassionate care. Through this work, I have heard the stories, concerns, and hopes of many members of our community. I engage with all generations of Estes residents, new transplants, people with financial security and insecurity, and people across cultural and political spectrums. These conversations have given me a meaningful connection to the people who live here, and an understanding of what matters most to our residents. I have learned through this exposure the commonalities and differences that most residents don’t get to see. As a trustee, I would be able to serve this diverse group with the same commitment to listening, problem-solving, compassion, trust, and service.

Question 3: What are your skill sets, and what is your background that qualifies you to serve as a trustee?

Randy Welch: The primary skill I bring to the town board is a proven ability to solve strategic and tactical problems, such as designing a complex development road map or addressing conditions that require an immediate fix, such as a production down scenario. My 20+ year career in software and IT was dedicated to analyzing complex daily challenges and successfully devising robust, long-term solutions.

During my career at Tibco Software, I progressed from a software development engineer to a director-level position. I managed multi-million-dollar budgets, directed teams, and oversaw product development and release — all while collaborating across departments to deliver effective customer solutions. This background provides a strong foundation in fiscal responsibility and complex project management.

Bill Brown: As a business attorney for more than 40 years, I bring disciplined analysis and the ability to take complex information — budgets, infrastructure planning, housing tools, and legal constraints — and translate it into clear, actionable choices for the town board and the public. Good governance depends on understanding the details without getting lost in them, and that has been central to my professional life. I’ve also helped shape public policy outside Estes Park, including leadership as chair of a major statewide business trade association in Iowa and service as a legislative ambassador to the Estes Chamber.

I have professional mediation training and know how to move groups toward workable consensus, even on controversial issues. I listen carefully, ask hard questions, and speak plainly, because residents deserve to know where their trustee stands. And as a current trustee, I bring two years of real, “on-the-job” training. Being an effective trustee takes time — time to understand the processes, the constraints, the finances, and how to build policy that actually works. I have that training, and I believe I’ve been effective in policy decisions that impact the town and the Estes Valley. I’m prepared to keep delivering steady, informed leadership that turns community priorities into results.

Kirby Hazelton: Skill sets: Critical thinking — I’m able to juggle many inputs and perspectives to help make decisions, and I strive to make those thoughtfully. Two-way communication — I value listening, not just hearing; I’m not afraid to ask questions and admit when I don’t know something; and full disclosure, I am continuing to improve my verbal skills, to be more succinct and speak more clearly!

Background: Business ownership, current member of the workforce, representative of our young families demographic with direct lines to our community of elders, leadership experience (both professionally and personally), and broad community engagement.

Other characteristics: I am passionate; I care deeply about serving the community, and I take this role very seriously. I love the Estes Valley; it is wildly special to me, and it’s a true privilege to have served in and again be considered for this role.

Aidan Rosenau: My current role is in Graphic Design and Marketing for Peak Flooring, a local flooring store here in town. You might be more familiar with our former name, Park Flooring. I have been in the construction industry for a total of six years. The skills I would bring to the role of town trustee include creativity, problem-solving, and a growth mindset.

I was promoted to the role of Marketing Manager with Peak Flooring in early 2022, a time of terrible economic uncertainty. You may remember that it was at this time that everyone was talking about a potential recession. We never really got a full-blown recession, but people were spending like they were in one, and inflation was out of control. To make matters worse, our store in Longmont had lost three incredibly successful salespeople in a short period of time. You could say we were stressed about our company’s revenue.

Not to mention that I really didn’t have any experience in marketing. I was simply the youngest person in the company and the only one who really had any grasp on how social media worked. The first few years were filled with so much learning. Pretty much everything I did in the role was something I had never done before. Learning about SEO, CTAs, CPAs, and CTRs was enough to make a person’s head spin. In the age of information, everything is figure-outable.

Faking it until I made it paid off, and we were able to open a third store in early 2024. Now, we are continuing on our upward trajectory. I believe that my experiences, the ability to adapt to new challenges, and my proven ability to create positive growth can be of benefit to the town of Estes Park. Thank you and happy voting!

Chris Eshelman: With the upcoming decisions that will come before the board for our town’s water system, I feel my tenure as the former Water Superintendent for the Town of Estes Park has given me qualifications to contribute heavily in these large decisions, these decisions will be setting the direction for the community water system for the next 50 to 60 years and cannot be taken lightly.

Being an excavating contractor, building homes for my family, and building a small self-storage facility have given me exposure to our town’s development, planning, and building processes.

Serving on the Upper Thompson Sanitation District board has given me experience in how boards function. Attending many town board meetings over the years and past presentations to the board as a staff member have given me the knowledge to know what is required to serve as a trustee.

Jamie Mieras: My professional background as both a surgeon and a flight instructor has trained me to think critically about planning, risk management, long-term outcomes, contingency plans, and to be detail-oriented. I regularly identify goals, synthesize ideas, lead clinical and surgical teams, and solve complex problems with transparency and under pressure. Collaboration is essential in healthcare, and I work closely with other providers to coordinate care and make the best possible decisions, often with limited information and under time constraints. My professional experiences are diverse and have shaped my adaptability and work ethic. I have worked as a junior ranger, a bagel baker, led research studies, developed a disaster recovery plan for a 500-person technology company, and taught scientists around the world how to use specialized software. I have served on the quality committee of another rural hospital that operated with very limited community support and helped the hospital survive with very few resources.

Through these experiences, I have learned to approach every challenge with hard work, collaboration, and a positive outlook. Ultimately, I chose medicine because I care deeply about helping people. I have a deep respect and compassion for individuals from every background, circumstance, and culture. The greatest reward in my career is helping improve someone’s life and well-being. It would be a true privilege and joy to bring that same commitment and energy to serving as a trustee and helping the Estes community thrive. Let’s bring a balanced approach to Estes Park — preserving what we have already built while thoughtfully shaping its future. Let’s protect what brought and keeps us all in Estes, and continue investing in keeping Estes livable.