City Council candidate rundown, 2025

The candidates for Grand Junction City Council in the Tuesday, April 8, 2025 election are:

District A:

— Alexis Hitzeroth
— Cody Kennedy (incumbent)

District D:

— Laurel Cole (running unopposed)

District E:

— Randall Reitz (incumbent, running for a different seat)
— Robert Ballard

At Large:

— Ben Van Dyke
— Ken Scissors
— (Laura Houston was running for the At-Large seat and pulled out of the race, but didn’t withdraw in enough time to keep her name off the ballot, so her name will still appear on the ballot, but don’t vote for her.)

None of the candidates had any red flags on the background check site Truthfinder,com, like criminal records, bankruptcies, or court judgments against them.

Alexis Hitzeroth – District A

Alexis Hitzeroth, running for the District A seat

Alexis Hitzeroth is 36 years old, has lived in Grand Junction for 10 years and is a newcomer to local politics.

According to her Facebook page, she is a Hydrologic Technician at the U.S. Geological Survey, where she did watershed conservation work, and she was formerly a Chemical, Biological and Radiological Nuclear Specialist in the U.S. Army. While in the Army, she was deployed to Afghanistan for a year, and won an Outstanding Service medal in her time there. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Northern Illinois University, where she specialized in water studies. She’s also watercolor artist and specializes in landscapes.

She currently says she works in the service industry, at a business located at 5th and Colorado downtown, but does not name the business.

One of Alexis’ main subjects of concern is affordability and the cost of housing. She writes that integrity is important to her, and that “Our city needs strong female leadership, ensuring that working moms and young girls have a voice and a role model in local government.”

She has no red flags on a Truthfinder background check regarding licenses or financial information. She told the Daily Sentinel she is currently a “Service Industry Manager & Small Business Owner,” and clarified by adding she “is not a wealthy business owner,” but she did not say what business she owns. She was born in Colorado Springs, is a cat fan and has multiple cats, some of which she says came with the house she bought.

She’s been endorsed by Conservation Colorado,  a nonprofit that works for a healthy environment, environmental justice and climate action.

From the Rocky Mountain Voice 2/6/25, on the question of who should take charge of the homelessness problem, nonprofits or government:

“Alexis Hitzeroth (District A), a veteran, called for more advocacy and outreach: ‘I know that the city can do better when it comes to our unhoused population. I think we need to get more advocates out there within the city and speak to the homeless population and see what they think is best for them,’ she said.“

Regarding her stance on the proposed 29 Road interchange, in a response in a 3/14/25 video interview with “Mesa County Compass” posted on YouTube, Alexis says she doesn’t know enough details to talk about it. She says she believes the City Development Department needs more funding to make it easier for developers to start their projects. She says she’s a political “moderate,” and not on “one side or the other.”

She has raised $4,937 for her campaign so far. Donors include current City Councilman Scott Bielfuss, G.J. attorney Robert Traylor, former Mesa County Court Magistrate Cindy Cyphers, current City Councilman Abram Herman, Amy Agapito, Bill Findlay and Tanya Travis.

She’s running for the District A seat against Cody Kennedy:

Cody Kennedy – District A

Cody Kennedy

Kennedy is the District A incumbent council member. He’s a retired Grand Junction Police Department detective and is now a real estate investor. He says his primary issue is public safety.

Kennedy is a mixed bag.

He strongly supports the 29 Road interchange project, which voters rejected last November by about 13 percentage points, yet despite this the project appears to still be alive. Kennedy told Colorado Public Radio on 10/21/24 that “investing [in the 29 Road interchange] now … will give us more capacity in the future as economic development comes, especially that area.”

Kennedy has been critical of the changes the City has made to 4th and 5th Streets. He wrote in a blog on November 11, 2024, “New parallel parking setup poses safety risks, with drivers having to open doors directly into the lane of oncoming traffic” in front of the Post Office downtown, and “We can’t afford to pursue the ideal of a ‘bike-first’ downtown at the cost of our essential vehicle infrastructure. Cars play a vital role in the daily rhythm of Grand Junction, and any redesign should respect that.”

Kennedy supports the City taking ownership of the Orchard Mesa Pool. (GJ Sentinel, 3/20/24)

Kennedy has generated controversy locally for the conflict of interest resulting from his dual roles as a council member and real estate investor, since City Council is the entity that gives final approval to land use and development projects and decides on issues important to developers, like impact fees that developers are required to pay to help fund public infrastructure, like sidewalks and drainage, for their developments. Developers usually oppose impact fees, and increases in such fees.

This conflict has manifested itself during Kennedy’s time on Council. For example, on February 25, 2025, Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis — who himself is a developer who owns Chronos Builders — held a fundraiser for Kennedy and two other candidates running for Council, Robert Ballard and Ben Van Dyke:

“Bring your check book” — the emailed invitation from Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis to attend a fundraiser for Cody Kennedy, Robert Ballard and Ben Van Dyke.

In a March 1, 2025 letter to the editor in the Daily Sentinel, a local citizen highlighted the conflict that is inherent when a City Council member accepts financial support from an industry that City Council regulates, and how conflicts like this erode citizens’ trust in council’s ability to function in the interest of all citizens:

“A troubling conflict of interest has emerged in our local politics. Council Member Cody Kennedy participated in a Feb. 25 fundraiser for his reelection campaign hosted by a local building company — just eight days before council votes on impact fees that would directly affect that company and other developers. Impact fees, which require developers to help pay for infrastructure costs created by new construction, will be decided on March 5 by City Council. The timing of this fundraiser, where attendees were encouraged to ‘bring your checkbooks,’ raises serious ethical questions.” … For any candidate, accepting financial support from industries they’ll regulate is concerning. For a sitting council member like Kennedy, who has consistently opposed these fees throughout discussions, it represents a clear conflict of interest that undermines public trust.” 

Kennedy owns several residential properties that he leases to a nonprofit organization called A Special Place that provides housing, treatment and psychiatric

The controversial Rene’s House near St. Mary’s, owned by Cody Kennedy.

services for people with mental health problems. One large house in particular that Kennedy owns, a nine-bedroom residence called Rene’s House on the 400 block of Bookcliff Ave. that adjoins St. Mary’s medical Center, is being used by A Special Place to house up to 20 men who have both serious mental illnesses and criminal justice involvement. Neighbors say they weren’t consulted or notified about the change in the use of this property, and that they’ve witnessed theft, drug use, screaming of obscenities, people getting dropped off by police cars and other disturbances. They say they feel less safe in their neighborhood now because of it. This new use of the property is allowed under a new state law that removed restrictions on the number of unrelated people who can live together on a single property.

After eight people were arrested for drug use near the city-funded Resource Center at 261 Ute Ave. downtown, which serves the homeless population, Kennedy called the Resource Center “a crack house” and suggested it should be shut down as a nuisance. Yet when the neighbors surrounding Rene’s House on

The grouping of political signs and who posts photos of them can be telling in the political leanings of the candidates mentioned.

Bookcliff made similar complaints about that facility, at a house Kennedy owns, Kennedy blamed the trouble on the neighbors, saying they have a “not-in-my-backyard” attitude, and if they had only greeted the new residents of Rene’s House with plates of cookies instead of criticism, the whole problem could have been avoided.

Laurel Cole – District D seat

Laurel Cole is running unopposed, so AnneLandmanblog is not giving a complete rundown on her, but her first campaign finance report shows so far her campaign has raised $3,506 and that she’s accepted donations from Robert Bray of Bray Real Estate, former Chamber President Diane Schwenke, extremist past chair of the Mesa County Republican Party Lois Dunn, Ruth Kinnett, front range lobbyist Christena Faraci and the Realtor Candidate PAC in Englewood, Colorado, who gave the maximum donation of $675.

District E – Randall Reitz

Randall Reitz, Ph.D., current Mayor Pro Tem and candidate for District E seat

Randall Reitz is an incumbent city council member running for a second term who is also currently Grand Junction’s Mayor Pro Tem. He’s been on  Council since 2021. He has a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in collaborative health care, a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Indiana State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development from Brigham Young University. He is Director of Behavioral Medicine at St. Mary’s Medical Center Residency.

I spoke with Dr. Reitz on 2/15/25 and asked him about several issues important to City residents.

In regard to the City’s changes to 4th and 5th Street, he said the parallel parking in front of the Post Office was “not a good model” and the City is going to return to angle-in parking there as soon as the weather warms up enough in April to re-paint the street. He opposes any changes on 7th Street and said the City might put in bike paths on 7th, but not on the street, possibly by widening the sidewalks, but also said they wouldn’t harm the trees. He would like to see bike traffic moved to 9th Street, since it goes all the way down to the river. He also said the City would return to the previous parking enforcement hours downtown, enforcing parking only until 4:00 p.m. instead of 6:00 p.m., as the City recently had implemented.

Regarding the Orchard Mesa Pool, Dr. Reitz said, “I’m an advocate for the pool.” He said he had spoken with Chris Thomas, CEO and Executive Director of Community Hospital, about a potential collaboration on the pool. Community Hospital tore down the old high school building in Palisade, Dr. Reitz said, and paid a lease on the property for 10 years and paid to build a clinic there. Reitz says there is a possibility that the City could partner with Community Hospital to build a child care facility and clinic at the pool location. He’s also spoken with Andrea Haitz, District 51 School Board Chair, about the possibility of this plan. The pool will require about $5 million worth of renovation since it needs new infrastructure, like boilers, hot tub, etc. Dr. Reitz said Community Hospital might share this expense 50/50 with the City.

Regarding the 29 Road Interchange, Dr. Reitz said he heard the County wants “another proposal,” but no one on City Council except Cody Kennedy supports it.

Regarding Costco coming to Grand Junction, Dr. Reitz said “They’ve been here looking for a new location.” The problem was that the expansive clay soil underlying the site they chose on 24 Road next to I-70 greatly increased their construction costs. Dr. Reitz said that they may find a new location within the next year.

Dr. Reitz is endorsed by former District 51 School Board member and Mesa County Assistant District Attorney Trish Mahre, David Combs, President of Black Citizens and Friends, and former CMU President Tim Foster. Dr. Reitz received the highest score ever awarded by Restore the Balance, (RTB) the local nonprofit that opposes extremism in local politics. RTB rates local candidates on principles of good governance, like putting the public interest before party interest, negotiating in good faith, and making policy decisions based on facts supported by objectively-examined evidence.

Dr. Reitz has raised $12,810 so far in his campaign. Some of the donors to his race are Aaron Young, owner of Kaart downtown, former D-51 School Board Member and Assitant district Attorney Trish Mahre, City Council Member Abram Herman, Bryan Johnson, CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital, Kevin Bray of Bray Real Estate, Dr. Michael Pramenko of Primary Care Partners, former City Councilman Chuck McDaniel, Judy Herr and Tanya Travis.

Dr. Reitz also and has a candidate Facebook page and Instagram page.

District E- Robert Ballard

Robert Ballard, 33, is opposing Dr. Reitz for the District E seat, is a newcomer to local politics. He is a Security Awareness Trainer at Alpine Bank and a small arms repairman. He has served on the Mesa County Planning Commission from January, 2024 to the present. He has not posted any information about his educational background.

His candidate website contains little information about him personally other than that he volunteers at his church and his childrens’ school. His website also lacks any specifics about local issues, but says he wants to “[return] city government to its core of providing essential services to its citizens,” which sounds like he would seek cuts to current services the City provides citizens that Ballard doesn’t like, but he doesn’t say which services he thinks are inappropriate. His website also says he wants to improve the City’s affordable housing situation and transportation, and he says he would listen to small business owners.

His background check is clean, but a big red flag is that Mr. Ballard’s social media accounts reveal that he holds far more extreme positions on many issues than he lets on in his campaign website or campaign Facebook page.

For example, while not specifically a City issue, Mr. Ballard strongly opposes abortion rights:

Ballard posted this fundraiser for Live Action,a group that  works to outlaw abortion entirely nationwide and defund Planned Parenthood, the country’s leading provider of high-quality, affordable reproductive health care and the largest provider of sex education.

Mr. Ballard is also a fan of Ayn Rand, the Russian-born philosopher and developer of the theory of Objectivism, which holds that acting out of pure selfishness is good, and altruism is destructive.  Rand’s philosophy disregards the fact that humans like to cooperate and watch out for each other. Rand, who died in 1982, promoted the belief that humans’ pro-social tendencies, like cooperation, helping, sharing, donating and volunteering, are “diseases” imposed on people by society. She believed in unfettered capitalism, unregulated business, and government that provides no social services at all. Rand was also openly atheist and called religion “the greatest disease of mankind.”

On March 7, 2024, Mr. Ballard started a Change.org petition to change the name of Grand Junction to “Rand Junction,” in honor of Ayn Rand. By 3/21/2025, it had only gained 5 signatures.

Ballard started this Change.org petition on March 7, 2024, to change the name of Grand Junction to “Rand Junction,” in honor of Ayn Rand. By 3/21/2025, it had only gained 5 signatures.

Anti-vaxx and fraudster chiropractor Greg Haitz supports Robert Ballard for City Council

Mr. Ballard did not respond to either of two emails seeking information about his positions on the changes to 4th and 5th Streets, the Orchard Mesa Pool and the proposed 29 Road interchange.

Mr. Ballard’s first campaign finance report shows he has raised over $21,000 for his city council race so far. Mr. Ballard is supported by local chiropractor and fraudster Greg Haitz, who donated the maximum allowable amount of $675 to his campaign (pdf). Other donors to Mr. Ballard’s campaign include Quintin Shear, whose investor group owns most of the land surrounding the proposed 29 Road/I-70 interchange, fossil fuel promoter Phyllis Hunsinger, former chair of the Mesa County Republican Party Lois Dunn, former City Councilman Marty Chazen (who voted against funding the Homeward Bound homeless shelter in 2016), former Chamber of Commerce President Diane Schwenke (who supported Steve King and Tina Peters for local elected offices, both of whom became convicted felons for illegal activities they performed while in office), Robert Bray of Bray Real Estate, Mesa County Commissioner and developer Cody Davis and his brother Garrett Davis (also a developer), former Mesa County Commissioner-turned oil-and-gas-lobbyist Kathy Hall, and the front range Realtor Candidate Political Action Committee in Englewood, CO, which gave Mr. Ballard the maximum allowable amount. Mr. Ballard has also been endorsed by the Grand Junction Firefighters Local 2808 and the G.J. Chamber of Commerce.

Ben Van Dyke – At Large Seat

Ban Van Dyke is running for the At-Large seat on Council

Ban Van Dyke is the owner of Van’s self-serve car washes, which have been fixtures in town for decades downtown and on the Redlands. One of his car washes, the one at 305 Ute Ave. downtown, has been heavily impacted by both the Resource Center and CDOT’s recontruction of the streets adjacent to his business.

I emailed Mr. Van Dyke to ask him for his positions on three issues important to City residents: the 29 Road interchange, the Orchard Mesa Pool and the changes to 4th and 5th Streets downtown. Here are his responses:

Mr. Van Dyke has raised just over $24,000 (pdf) so far for his campaign. Among his donors are Robert Bray of Bray Real Estate, the front range Realtor Candidate PAC in Englewood, Colorado, former Mesa County Republican Party Chair Lois Dunn, Former CMU President Tim Foster, Phyllis Hunsinger, Jamee Simmons of Enstrom Candies, former City Councilman Bruce Hill, former G.J. Mayor and owner of Brown’s Shoe Fit Gregg Palmer, anti-vax and fraudster chiropractor Greg Haitz, former G.J. City Council member Mark McCallister, who was known for posting false, xenophobic and racist memes on social media and Chronos Builders (owned by Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis),

Kenneth Scissors – At Large seat

Dr. Kenneth Scissors at a meet and greet session at Lincoln Park

Dr. Scissors is a 27-year Grand Junction resident and retired physician. He worked at all three local major medical centers. First he worked in the Emergency Room at Community Hospital, and then spent ten years at the Grand Junction Veterans Administration Hospital in the ICU, ER, and wards, and then he worked as 2020 as a hospitalist at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, which means he oversaw patients who were admitted to the hospital. Throughout his career, Dr. Scissors held leadership roles, including as Intensive Care Unit Director, Emergency Room Director, and as Assistant Director at the new doctor teaching program. 

Besides practicing medicine,  Dr. Scissors also became an investor in local small businesses and developed new homesites. His civic activities included the Western Colorado Community Foundation, Planning Commission, Cleantech Business Coalition, and the Impact Fees Stakeholder Committee. On the Planning Commission, he worked with our city staff and city council on housing and zoning issues.

I asked Dr. Scissors for his positions on the OM Pool, the 29 Road Interchange and the changes to 4th and 5th Streets downtown. Here are his answers:

1. What are your thoughts on the future of the Orchard Mesa Pool?

A: I support maintaining and operating the Orchard Mesa Pool until a plan to permanently repair or replace it is in place.  The city should work vigorously with interested Orchard Mesa residents to look for solutions.  If possible, a public-private venture would be a way to bring needed capital and expand the scope of the facility.

2. What is your position on the proposed 29 Road/I-70 Interchange project?

I support the voters’ decision to forego construction of the interchange, as our State and Federal partners were not on board and the proposed funding risked diminishing funding for higher priority needs.  Eventually there will be sufficient need for that interchange, so some initial planning makes sense as long as that can be done without stressing our budget.

3. What are your thoughts on the changes the City has made to 4th and 5th Streets downtown?

A: The City went too far and failed to adequately engage the public on the 4^th and 5^th street changes.  Our recently adopted Pedestrian and Bike plan  already laid out an appropriate plan for those corridors which could have been implemented without much controversy.  Fortunately, the City has announced that they are scaling the changes back to something similar to 7^th Street downtown and is in alignment with the Ped and Bike plan which will be sufficient to make those roads safer and more accessible for all.

Dr. Scissors has raised just over $16,000 for his campaign so far. Donors to Dr. Scissors’ campaign include Grand Junction attorney Robert Traylor, occupational therapist and artist Tanya Travis, City Councilman Abram Herman, former lang-range planner for the County Keith Fife, former Mesa County Court Magistrate Cindy Cyphers, Retired G.J. High School and CMU teacher Charles Kerr, owner and co-founder of Bonsai Design Sarah Shrader, o, former two-term G.J. City Councilman and planner Bennett Boeschenstein, current City Councilman Dennis Simpson (who is not running for a second term), Dan Whalen, Barbara Chamberlin and Karen Hayashi.

There are two issues to vote on on the back of the ballot:

City of Grand Junction Ballot Issue 2A asks to move City elections from April to November to save money, by combining it with general elections.

I recommend a “YES” vote on 2A.

City of Grand Junction Ballot Issue 2B increases the salaries of City Council members starting in 2027. Council members now get $500/month and the mayor gets $750/month. Under Issue 2B, council members would be paid 15% of the Area Median Income and the mayor would be paid 22%. In 2024, the Mesa County four-person household Area Median Income was $94,200, and if the percentages of 22% for Mayor and 15% for all other Council members were applied to Council salary for 2024 the Mayor would have been paid $1,727 per month and all other Council members would have received $1,177.50 per month.

I recommend a “YES” vote on 2B.