Why Did You Want To Be Mayor?
I was raised in a family where community service held great importance, surrounded by admirable role models, such as my great uncle who served as the mayor of a small town in northern Minnesota. Other family members have done everything from working behind the scenes at the state capitol, to becoming successful national lobbyists, to running senate campaigns, to running for lieutenant governor. Witnessing their dedication firsthand, I've come to understand the truth in Margaret Mead's famous words: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has."
My tenure as a Trustee representing the town of Fraser has been immensely fulfilling. Now, I am excited to say that as mayor I look forward to guiding our community towards a promising future. Underpinning my completed campaign is the slogan Sensible Progress, Transparent Process. This is what I mean:
Sensible Progress: Fraser's growth is evident, as reflected in rising housing prices. I understand and value Fraser's history and tradition and keeping Fraser funky is a huge piece of what will drive economic growth for Fraser. I am committed to embracing innovation and improvement while also respecting tradition and existing frameworks. As we evolve, it's crucial for our town's board to steer us in the right direction. I aspire to lead Fraser in a manner that enhances our quality of life, serving as a steward for responsible progress.
Transparent Process: I am committed to fostering open dialogue and understanding various perspectives. I believe in transparency, ensuring that decisions are made with clarity and fairness. There should be no closed-door discussions; every voice deserves to be heard, and every individual's rights must be respected.
I am dedicated to upholding these principles and earning the trust of Fraser's constituents. Together, let's embark on a journey towards a brighter future for Fraser.
Key Initiatives for Fraser:
1. Affordable Housing
The Victoria Village project is underway, but we need to ensure that it is actually affordable for the people who live and work here.
2. Downtown Fraser
I have a beautiful vision of a walkable business district from Railroad Ave. to the Fraser River, with a stunning Art Center anchoring it on the northeast corner of Clayton Court and Fraser Ave, fully funded by donations and grants, and not by taxpayers. Clayton Court will have 9 ft. heated sidewalks (thanks to another grant), and both sides of Clayton Ct. and US 40 will have first floor retail and restaurants, making Fraser a destination all year round.
3. Aging Infrastructure
Many of the sewer lines in Old Town Fraser are made of clay. Clay! The water lines are not much better. A town government's most basic purpose is to supply clean water and an effective sewer system. We need this system upgraded to today's standards. Improving the lines will also make the system more efficient, saving our most precious resource: water.
4. Transportation/Transit
I helped to get Berthoud Pass repaved when it was in terrible disrepair. I am currently in my second term as the Vice Chair for the Northwest Transportation Planning Region (NWTPR) and the State Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC) where I advocate for Fraser's roads. Among other things, I will advocate for safety improvements on Berthoud so that a 4-day closure never happens again!
5. The Berthoud Blast
I want to create a mountain bike trail from the top of Berthoud Pass that goes all the way to Fraser. This trail will be a destination for mountain bikers all over the world. This won't be easy, but I hope to make this a reality by the end of my 4-year term. I have already had conversations with the district ranger in charge of the national forest and I have also talked with the Headwaters Trail Alliance and the town of Winter Park, and all are on board to make this happen.
Who is Brian Cerkvenik?
I’m originally from Minnesota. I still love going back, but ski racing in my youth set me on a course that made me destined for Colorado. I raced for Minnetonka High School, winning two state slalom team championships during my tenure on varsity. I also raced USSA with Team Gilboa. When the time came for college, I was burned out on racing, but not on skiing, so I only applied to CU and DU. I was coming to Colorado no matter what! I got into both schools, and chose University of Denver because I preferred the smaller school, the location, and because I was accepted into the Pioneer Leadership Program, which gave me a minor in Leadership.
I’ve been visiting the Fraser Valley since 1998, my freshman year at the University of Denver. I was in the service industry waiting tables through college and for the year after I graduated from DU in 2002. While in school I held the position of president for three different organizations, and on top of waiting tables I had five different internships. I started my career in software sales in 2003, and in early 2005 I moved to London, England, to help grow the company’s small London office. I lived in London for four years, leaving at the end of 2008. I continued my career in software sales back in Denver, and in 2014 achieved the role of Director of Sales.
Also during that time I started my political-adjacent career by being elected to the board of the Highland United Neighbors, Inc., the registered neighborhood organization to the city of Denver. I served on that board for 6 years, with two years as the Vice President and the final year as President.
We purchased a second home in Fraser in January of 2017. We spent most weekends up here that first year, and it became harder and harder to leave this place when Sunday nights rolled around. In early 2018 we decided it was time to leave the rat race of Denver, and in October of 2018 my wife Colleen and I bought Home James Transportation. We have now been running the business for the past six winters. We have a 6-year-old son who is in kindergarten at Fraser Valley Elementary, and a 4-year-old daughter that splits time between FVE and Grand Kids Learning Center. Our 6-year-old is also killing it in Comp Center and our 4-year-old is quickly moving from pizza to french fries thanks to the awesome ski instructors at Winter Park Resort.
I completed my first term on the town of Fraser’s Board of Trustees prior to becoming mayor. In that four year span, I serve or have served on the following boards and committees:
-State Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC) member 2023-present
Representing Fraser and the NWTPR at the state level to decide CDOT funding allocations and other transportation matters.
-Northwest Transportation Planning Region (NWTPR) Advisory Board 2022-present, Vice Chairman last two years
The NWTPR prioritizes where allocated CDOT funding should be spent within the counties of Grand, Jackson, Routt, Moffat, and Rio Blanco.
-Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) 2020-present
Working with Granby, Winter Park, the County, and Winter Park Resort regarding The Lift bus service, among other initiatives.
-Community Sustainability Committee 2022-present
This group was put together to align all of the various "10-year plans" around the Fraser Valley so that we can move forward in a united front. Since defining the plan, I have sat on the advisory board with the Winter Park mayor and town manager, the Fraser town manager, and the President of Winter Park Resort. We have created subcommittees based on the areas of focus.
These are the areas of focus:
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Strengthen and diversify our economic base
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Improve our infrastructure
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Strengthen the desirable characteristics of our community and enhance resident quality of life
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Protect our natural resources and environment
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Promote the safety, health and wellness of our residents and visitors
-Fraser Budget Committee 2020-present
Working with the Finance Director to make sure Fraser is prioritizing the budget in the right ways.
-Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) 2023-present
Attending conferences with other ski town leadership to share best practices.
-Victoria Village Affordable Housing Project Evaluation Committee 2022
Reviewed the 9 proposals that we received from developers for Victoria Village. Narrowed the field down to three for the board to choose from.
-Water-Wastewater Committee 2020-2022
Sat on this committee for my first two years before it was disbanded.
Events
TBD