Ken Scissors for Grand Junction City Council | Grand Junction, CO United States

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MY PLAN

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PROTECTING OUR SPECIAL HOME

Grand Junction is a special place - one worth protecting.

But that secret is out and our small city doesn't feel so small anymore. With growth comes opportunity to get ahead, a vibrant downtown and diverse economy, great places to eat and shop, and more family opportunities.

But growth also stresses our housing market, crowds our streets, endangers our neighborhood character, and creates safety issues.

The next few years are pivotal to growing smart and protecting what we love about our community. The City Council can lead that smart growth by working better together with more thoughtful public engagement, avoiding rushed choices. Leadership that listens to the public and models teamwork can better achieve our goals. Restoring and retaining public trust is my highest priority.

I'm Ken Scissors, 27 year Grand Junction resident and physician at our three major medical centers. Grand Junction has given so much to my family that now, after decades of service on various community boards and five years on our planning commission, I feel ready to take my service to the next level by running for city council.

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27 years of
local SERVICE

I moved to Grand Junction in 1998 to raise my family and practice medicine.

My first six years of practice was in the Emergency Room at Community Hospital, followed by ten years of treating those who served us at the Grand Junction Veterans Administration Hospital ICU, ER, and wards. I completed my career in 2020 as a hospitalist at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. During my medical career, I held leadership roles including Intensive Care Unit Director, Emergency Room Director, and new doctor teaching program Assistant Director.

Besides practicing medicine, I also became an investor in local small businesses and developed new homesites. My civic activities include the Western Colorado Community Foundation, Planning Commission, Cleantech Business Coalition, and Impact Fees Stakeholder Committee. On the Planning Commission, I've worked collaboratively with our city staff and city council on housing and zoning strategies.

I enjoy many outdoor sports and activities with my wife, son, and dogs. Grand Junction has been wonderful to our family and this feels like the time to give back by using my skills and experiences to represent the community in the At-Large City Council seat.

PRIORITIES

What are some practical, action-ready steps we can take to keep moving Grand Junction forward?

my plan for gj

Restoring Public Trust

A city council moving too far, too fast has led to rushed choices that have blindsided the public at times. With a lifetime of experience leading fast-moving, complex situations in hospital emergency rooms and intensive care units, I know the value of a steady hand and clear communication. As the Vice-Chair of the GJ Planning Commission, I've worked to make sure all voices are heard and that we align short-term decisions with long-term goals.

Require public input from start to finish on city plans and projects that impact our lives.
Cities can rely too heavily on expensive outside technical consulting that, while sometimes helpful, only increases consultant dependency and inflates costs. Consultants should be used sparingly to supplement, not replace, local expertise.
Improve council meetings by following the gold standard Roberts Rules of Order and honor the city's rules of decorum to keep council focused on productive discussion, not infighting.
We should expect our councilmembers to model the kinds of listening, work ethic, and teamwork we teach our kids.

Affordable Places to Live

Wages are not keeping up with the cost of housing. Today, new homes take too long to build in Grand Junction. City planning has been slow and unclear for contractors.

Housing affordability should be declared a crisis and prioritized.
Council must refocus our budget on solving housing supply until we close the gap of 3,000-4,700 new housing units that studies say we need.
The city has approved over 1,000 new homes recently and we should celebrate this progress. We should also be encouraged by our successes in winning competitive grants to build lower cost units. We need to diligently see these projects through to successful completion and position ourselves to compete for future funds.
The new Salt Flats project is a great public-private partnership, with nearly 22 acres for new affordable housing and mixed-use development. The next council needs to make this project successful and learn some best practices for future projects.
The One Grand Junction Comprehensive Plan is surprisingly light on housing and needs upgrading to reflect the housing crisis and budgetary uncertainties.
Grand Junction has made progress on practical options to reduce homelessness but coordination between community non-profits and long-term city planning can be improved. It's immediately vital that the city secure the future of a homeless resource center in ways that honor the needs of unhoused people and neighboring businesses and homes.

Economic Mobility for

our Families

Right now, Grand Junction lacks a comprehensive and integrated plan for jobs - especially jobs for working class people. Over my 27 years here, I've believed in our economy and invested in local businesses that are now thriving employers and community institutions.

We have top notch economic development talent thanks to GJEP, our Chamber of Commerce, Business Incubator, CMU, and others that deserve proactive partnership with City Council. It's time for a unifying vision on specific actionable steps we can take to grow economic mobility and careers here.
Keeping our young people and families here must be a bigger priority, alongside attracting talented young people and families with entrepreneurial energy and new small businesses that bring vitality to our economy and create jobs.
The recent announcement of 800+ good-paying jobs from Morgan Mining is an example of the jobs market diversification that's possible now. We can do more to pursue good-paying technical, manufacturing, resource management, and STEM career opportunities here.
As the leader of the GJ Cleantech Business Coalition, I've worked with many of Grand Junction's largest employers to position us to compete in fast-growing technology and energy industries.

A Great Place to Live

In the last few years, Grand Junction has brought some fantastic family, senior, sports, and outdoor recreation assets to life. From our wonderful parks to sports facilities, Las Colonias and Dos Rios riverfront upgrades to the coming GJ Community Rec Center, we have a lot to be proud of.

The Orchard Mesa Pool has been rescued by a passionate and dedicated community and I'm proud of the leadership that everyday people have brought to saving their neighborhood pool. The OM Pool needs to be kept open and a durable solution for repairs achieved.
Public safety is fundamental to our quality of life and I'll work with our police, firefighters, and emergency services to make sure they have the staffing and equipment they need to do the job and to bring their daily frontline insights to the council.
Sustainability is vital to our security and economy as we confront hotter summers, wildfires, and water resources stress. I'll continue to bring residents and businesses together to make sure we have a great sustainability plan that protects our special home.
Multi-modal transportation can help meet our mobility needs if it is done collaboratively, patiently, and affordably.
Our city succeeds when Mesa County succeeds, and partnerships with the county should be expanded on key issues like transportation, housing, and safety.