Suzanne Bothell. (Courtesy photo).

Touting a record of financial responsibility, community involvement and Second Amendment advocacy, Republican Suzanne Bothell is seeking to spend another four years representing District 1 on the Rio Grande County Commission.

Delegates at the Republican Assembly in March awarded Bothell 90% of their votes – three times the number needed to secure a spot on the primary ballot. Bothell was first elected in 2016 to represent District 1, which covers the northeastern part of Rio Grande County.

“As commissioner, I have enjoyed working through the issues that have come before the county and working with other commissioners in the Valley and throughout the state,” Bothell said.

Bothell was raised on a large cattle ranch and went on to study agricultural business and economics in college. She worked for Farm Credit before marrying and joining a potato and barley farm which and her husband have operated for more than three decades in Rio Grande County where she has been an active member of the community. That experience has guided her work on the commission.

“Being a part of  a farm, and previously a ranch, I understand the importance of not overspending, the importance of water in the SLV and the importance of allowing business to function by reducing regulations that can cause undue hardships,” Bothell said.

Bothell says it is her responsibility as a commissioner to monitor county spending, which can be a difficult task. Keeping the county financially healthy means making hard choices about which organizations and entities get the funds that they’ve requested. But she is proud that during her tenure, the county has not had to use any reserves from the general fund to keep the county functioning

Bothell was instrumental in the Jail Nurse Project, which added a nurse at the jail to reduce the need to transport inmates to medical facilities. She teamed up with Dr. Pat Thompson and the sheriff to arrange funding, protocols and staffing. The initiative has reduced costs at the hospital while keeping inmates in jail in order to protect the community. She also helped to secure a 150% budget increase for the sheriff’s office, which required months of communication and cooperation. And last spring, she gained the support needed to make Rio Grande County a Red Flag Sanctuary. “I value public safety and have worked hard to make sure those who protect and serve our community have the resources they need to keep us safe.”

Over the last four years, the county has added a new administrator who keeps up with ever-changing state and federal regulations along with day to day activities. We have hired a new accountant, who Bothell says is doing a tremendous job. The county also has a new human resources manager who has been able to help keep the county in compliance, and a new county attorney who was hired as a result of the well-deserved retirement of Bill Dunn.

“It is an exciting time for the County and I am glad to be a part of it,” Bothell said.

Bothell is active on a variety of boards. Locally, she is involved in the Threat Hazard Identification and Response Team, E-911 Regional Board, All-Hazards Advisory Board, All Hazards Executive Board, Rio Grande County Museum, Rio Grande County Board of Health, and the Courthouse Security Board. At the state level, she serves on Colorado Counties Inc., an organization of many of Colorado’s counties. She was recently reelected by other commissioners throughout the state to serve as chairman of Agriculture, Wildlife and Rural Affairs. And she is the only commissioner in the state on the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

She also represents counties of the Valley on the Regional Emergency Trauma Advisory Council, where she helped in a reorganization to align with state guidelines. This was required to receive state funding. She represents the Valley Counties on the SLV Hazardous Materials Substance Board, and serves as secretary for the SLV Friends of the NRA.

“I know how important it is to give my constituents a voice on the county, regional and state boards to make sure the issues we care about are addressed.”