Three seek a pair of Hermosa seats

Three candidates are vying for a pair of three-year terms on the Hermosa Town Board in the June 2 election.
Kel Koontz currently serves as the chair of the Hermosa Board of Trustees, and has served on the Board for two and a half years. He has lived in Hermosa for five years, and got involved in Hermosa’s politics out of interest in the town’s infrastructure.
“I wanted to find out what was the actual state of the town infrastructure,” he said.
That interest has continued, and in his time on the Hermosa Board of Trustees, he has participated extensively in some highly-needed upgrades to the town.
“I helped to shepherd the lagoon expansion and waste water treatment projects to completion,” he said, “and I brought a greater amount of order, decorum, and stability to the town board meetings.”
Koontz sees the water system as Hermosa’s most pressing issue right now, and expressed an intent to see it brought up to a modern standard, “both in reliability and cleanliness,” he said.
“We are getting the projects lined out so we know the full costs for each phase of the improvements,” he said. “Public servants are responsible for doing the work to run the governmental apparatus which includes utilities, etc. “We are required to represent the interests of the entire town.” 
“If reelected, I will work to finish the necessary water upgrades we have already started,” he said, particularly mentioning clean water redundancy, radium removal and well reliability.
“I will bring professionalism, stability and vision to the town board; and by extension to the town,” he said. “Along with the water upgrades, I would like to participate to bring in sensible economic development—residential, commercial and industrial.”
When asked to address the undecided voter or the uninvolved constituent, he gave this encouragement: “Politics at the local level is much more important than politics at any other level.  Our votes have more relative impact in the outcomes at the local level,” he said. “Local decisions have more direct impact on our own lives than decisions at the other levels…in regards to [the concern that] ‘my vote doesn’t matter,’ I used to think that as well.  I did not vote until 2014 and only because I was a part of a divinely-inspired situation in which my vote exactly mattered at that time.  However, each person needs to decide for themselves why their vote does or doesn’t matter. But remember this, your vote matters whether you vote or not.”
Donna Ferguson has lived in Hermosa for nearly 30 years and has served on the Hermosa Board of Trustees for three years. She had been interested in the town’s politics for years, and finally ran for the board position after being encouraged to do so by a number of people. 
“My biggest concern is the way money has been spent in the past,” she said. “What I want to see is that the citizens can see what [their money] is being spent on. We have a lot of [longtime] citizens [who] don’t understand why the water rates are so high.” 
Ferguson expressed particular concern for the Hermosa residents with a fixed income, and those living on Social Security. 
“They can’t afford all the raises. My concern is that they need to know how the town is being run,” she said. “We as board members work for the citizens and they need to be educated as to where the money is spent…we need leaders who want to work for the citizens, as most of them are older and live on Social Security. Our town needs to see that they are able to pay their water bill and pay their taxes.”
She encouraged Hermosa residents to vote. 
“Every vote matters,” she said. “We need the younger citizens to get involved in the town politics as they are going to be the ones running the town in the future.
“If you have something to say, I’m open to listening. I’m never too busy. You don’t need send an email to the office; send it to my email I will get in touch with you.”
Elizabeth Miller is running for the Hermosa Board of Trustees and said she brings to the table years of volunteer experience, small business experience and a love of this town and region. She was born and raised in the Black Hills. 
Shortly after she and her family moved to Hermosa a little over a year ago, she started attending the town meetings.
“It didn’t take long to notice some things were amiss. I tried to just sit back and observe, but now here I am running,” she said.
Miller has 10 years of experience serving as vice president on a road district board, which she also helped to form.
“It isn’t much experience in the grand scheme of things,” she said. “However, I brought dedication, availability, transparency and my doer mindset; if it were needed, I’d roll up my sleeves and fill in potholes by hand or grab a shovel and clean out a culvert.
“Duties included but were not limited to: preparing agendas, attending meetings, meeting with and filing paperwork with county officials, budgeting, hiring contractors and decision making on gravel, culverts, and ditch work. When our subdivision contracted to receive city water I had to work closely with engineers and city planners as a team effort. The time I served was all volunteered and I was pleased to do it.”
Miller said in her opinion, the top responsibilities of those serving in public office are wise decision making, sound financial management, following state laws with meetings and public records and listening to the public.
“I believe the most important issues facing Hermosa right now are the TIF and the loan ballot measures. Both measures can have a huge impact on residents’ daily lives,” she said. “These two resolutions were approved very quickly by the board without proper citizen involvement. The petitions have been filed and now they will be on the ballot June 2. First, it will be up to the citizens to decide, and after their decision we can move forward from there.”
Miller said a positive change she would hope to bring to the board if elected is first and foremost to listen and value the input of the citizens.
“When strong opposition and a packed room don’t sway the voting, that tells me something is very broken,” she said. “The board should slow down and re-evaluate.
“There are people across the nation who feel like their vote doesn’t matter. But Hermosa is living proof that it absolutely does. In 2023, our community passed term limits, which is a difficult thing to get passed at any level of government. It shows what is possible when concerned citizens take ownership of their community.”