Staff report
The Chronicle-News
‘I wanted to be a voice for all,’ says Lopez
Incumbent member of the Las Animas County Board of County Commissioners, Felix Lopez, may be running unopposed, but he looks forward to continuing his efforts, making strides toward further accomplishments and advocating for the county he represents .
“I wanted to be a voice for all,” Lopez said in an interview with The Chronicle-News when asked what initially led to his decision to run for a county commissioner seat. “It was one of those things where I could have the ability to represent and serve and make a difference for our county.”
Lopez noted how he was able to bring years of financial experience to the position. He said, “At that time, what went into my decision was (wondering) how could I use my personal experience to serve other entities, and there was an opportunity to run for county commissioner, and my constituents responded favorably, and so here we are.”
With a passion for providing education opportunities for all, Lopez had spent over two decades working in higher education, working at Pikes Peak Community College, and was once the vice-president of finance at Trinidad State College before becoming the institution’s president.
He said, “I had spent time with students [from] all backgrounds. It certainly gave me an opportunity to understand the importance of providing education to all. For me, the doors of opportunity began to open when I went to school and when I went to college.”
After retiring from higher education, Lopez worked for the Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center. He said, “I was able to look at the medical needs of our community, of this particular region. Working there afforded me the opportunity to work with doctors and provider services.”
When asked about some of his accomplishments during his term as county commissioner, Lopez said, “The renovation of the courthouse, being part of the team that continues to advocate grand funds. The previous group of county commissioners began the project, and we are so [proud] to bring it to fruition.”
Alongside the renovation of the 1912 building, which included adding central air and more, Lopez expressed his gratitude for being able to continue efforts to push for and receive energy impact grant funds and acquire funds to renovate the county fairgrounds, which may include adding a photovoltaic plant that can produce electricity.
“More than anything else,” Lopez said. “I’m (proud) to continue being an advocate for our county.”
In 2022, Lopez was appointed President of the Board of Colorado Counties. He said, “I had the great honor of serving on the Board of Colorado Counties… It gives great satisfaction, but with that opportunity comes a great amount of responsibility as well.”
For his next term, Lopez plans on continuing efforts toward a disability study at the airport complex. He noted, “I would like to see an industrial park at the airport. I would like to not only expand services at the airport but bring more air traffic in. But can the county support, sustain, and entertain us and provide an opportunity for a small industrial park? We have an opportunity in front of us to invite a handful of manufacturers… We will continue to work diligently toward that.”
When asked about some of the challenges that come along with being a Colorado county commissioner, Lopez said, “Anytime there’s legislative activity in the general assembly, whether the house or the senet, some of those mandates are a challenge.” Lopez used examples of mandates that are difficult for the county to address, such as property tax revenue and county valuation, and how they impact the rural areas in the state differently than in urban environments. He noted how state-wide rules shouldn’t always apply to every Colorado county. He said, “At the end of the day, one size doesn’t fit all.”
Lopez also mentioned working with the general assembly, stating, “We want to have a seat at the table… We don’t want (them) taking local authority away.”
