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Aspen Times Editorial: Poschman for commissioner

Pitkin County voters will elect three county commissioners next month. Greg Poschman and Scott Writer are running for the only contested seat on the board — the District 3 seat currently held by term-limited Michael Owsley.

Poschman, a Democrat, has proven throughout the campaign that he has the chops to tackle county business. As an outspoken preservationist, Poschman would bring a smart approach to county land-use decisions, which often dominate the board’s workload. He has the demeanor to work with diverse personalities and appears to be a good listener.

His opponent, Scott Writer, an independent, has centered much of his campaign around issues that are more Aspen-centric. The Aspen Times thinks Writer might be better suited to run for a City Council seat. Writer also appeared defensive and at times combative in last week’s Squirm Night debate. It wasn’t a good preview of how he might behave while working with other board members.



Both candidates are graduates of Aspen High School and have spent the majority of their lives here. They share a passion for the community and the drive to make it a better place for all who live here.

Poschman seems more cut out for the type of work the commissioners tackle such as open space and public works. His consideration for the environment and the general direction of the county would be a welcomed addition to the board. We think he’d be a good collaborator and would do his homework to make the right decisions for the betterment of the county.




Writer’s development background and expertise could provide an added level of insight to land-use decisions, but the flipside is that his background might not be suited for a county that has been heading down a path toward slower growth. When so much of a commissioner’s role involves zoning and land use, we think there’s an inherent conflict in seating a developer on the board.

While it seems both candidates could benefit from doing a bit more studying of county-specific issues, The Aspen Times is endorsing Poschman as the man for the job.

The Aspen Times editorial board consists of Publisher Samantha Johnston, Editor Lauren Glendenning, Managing Editor Rick Carroll and community members Bob Braudis and Kathryn Koch.