With a municipal election scheduled for this spring, three people are vying for two available director seats in the Town of Norwood. The current administrator, Candy Meehan, is running for mayor. Current Mayor Kieffer Parrino announced his decision, along with Administrator Kerry Welch. Now Norwood voters will choose their new representatives from candidates John Dotson, Niven Drybrough and Morgan Rummel.

Rummel told the Norwood Post this week why he is running for office.

“My wife and I moved back to Norwood to have our family live in what I consider to be a great community and a great place for the kids to grow up,” he said. “There will be a lot of changes in Norwood over the next few years, and I’m running as a trustee to have a say in the growth of our town and our community.”

Rummel said Norwood must develop in a way that preserves the Norwood that people love, while providing opportunities for new citizens and families to relocate to the area who will appreciate living locally and also want to give back.

“I’m interested in how the town of Norwood as a whole operates and trying to find ways to improve the outdated infrastructure and systems that we rely on as a community,” he said. “Norwood is and always will be my home. My education and experiences make me an excellent candidate for the Board of Directors during this time of change in our community.

Rummel grew up in Norwood and graduated from Norwood High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from the University of Wyoming, which included studies in everything from architectural design to civil construction.

“I took my first job as a structural engineer after college, and my wife and I moved to Longmont, when it was recognized as the fastest growing city in the United States,” said- he declared. “We moved back to Norwood before my daughter was born in 2019 to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city.”

He still works as a structural engineer from his home in town. He has designed everything from neighborhoods of over 100 homes on the Front Range to multi-million dollar homes in Telluride, Aspen, Vail and Boulder.

Previously, he and his wife lived in a place where all they could see from their two apartment windows was neighborhood development. He now has an understanding of the recent difficulties the next generation of homeowners are having in finding housing.

“I saw which strategies are effective and not effective, in my opinion, in the face of the housing shortage,” he said.

Rummel said everyone knows Norwood is growing and that growth is likely to continue. He said the best thing people can do is create a Norwood that provides opportunities for citizens who want to live in Norwood and get involved in the community.

“If Norwood is pressured to grow in a way that only benefits the rest of San Miguel County first and Norwood last, we could quickly be pushed to a point where Norwood is no longer the community whose we’re all profiting right now,” he said. “I know the ideas of the citizens of Norwood vary when asked how they want Norwood to change over the next few years. I also have thoughts and opinions on how I think Norwood should change.

He said the best way to proceed is to find a compromise that promotes change that citizens can support and sustain.

“I’m prepared to keep an open mind about any growth and change at Norwood,” he said. “But, if elected to the board, I will use my say to ensure that any proposed growth or changes benefit Norwood first.”

Editor’s note: The Norwood Post will be offering interviews with the other candidates over the next few weeks.