I have consistently pursued board training programs because I believe an elected official must understand their proper role as a responsible public servant. My family business is in steady hands with the next generation, which means I am ready to be a 100% full-time Commissioner for you.

Water is the absolute foundation of Rio Blanco County. You cannot support a traditional energy sector, sustain main street small businesses, or protect family agricultural land without securing our water supply.

By bringing specialized work back in-house, we can save taxpayer dollars, keep money circulating in our local economy, and better invest in the road, bridge, and emergency staff who keep our towns safe. We must protect the essential services our residents rely on every day.

Local elections are where the decisions that impact your daily life are actually made. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of the paper today, compare the answers, and look at the depth of experience being offered.

The primary determines who will actually be on the ballot representing us. It sets the course for how we handle our water infrastructure, manage our natural resources, and balance our county budgets for years to come.

Whether you have lived here for generations or are new to the area, your vote matters. If you have questions about the registration process, how the ballots work, or what’s at stake for our county, please don’t hesitate to reach out. There are absolutely no "stupid" questions when it comes to local government, and I’m always happy to help you find the answers.

Being unaffiliated is more than okay—it means you look at the issues and the candidates, not just the labels. The primary election is your opportunity to look at the road ahead and choose exactly where you want to see our community go.

Over the years, balancing my public duties as Mayor and board member alongside running a local business has been a challenge. When those responsibilities conflicted, I always chose to put public matters first, even when it meant neglecting my own business's bottom line. I did that because the needs of our community have to come before a private pocketbook.

There has been some great discussion lately about the many issues facing Rio Blanco County—from energy policy and small business regulations to the "small" bills being pushed at the state level. It’s true that a leader must be aware of the entire landscape, but I believe effective leadership is about knowing where the foundation lies.

I’m eager for the opportunity to take that lifelong knowledge and put it to work full-time for the county. The place that raised me needs a voice to advocate.

Water is the foundation of everything we do in Rio Blanco County. This coming Monday, May 18th, I’ve been invited to join the White River Water Alliance to discuss the issues facing our river, our fire safety, and our natural resources.

I’ve always believed that if you want to know how a project is actually going, you don't ask the person in the office—you ask the men in the field.

As a Commissioner, the first step should be to listen to the people already doing the work. We need to trust local expertise and keep that work—and those taxpayer dollars—right here at home.

A few things we discussed:
• Protecting our Land
• Water Rights
• Local Insight
• Full-Time Focus: With Charlie taking over the business, I’m ready to be a full-time Commissioner—in the office every morning and out in the community every afternoon.

The reality is that we are losing tradesmen at an alarming rate. Our community depends on people who know how to build, fix, and maintain the world around us. We have to do everything we can to support and encourage the next generation of tradesmen coming out of our schools.

I have spent years building relationships and learning how to move projects forward for the benefit of our town. I am ready to apply that same level of dedication, transparency, and investment to the entire county.

From the hay fields of Meeker to the municipal water supply in Rangely, our water is our future. Protecting it requires a technical understanding of river systems, irrigation benefits, and the legal battles happening at the State Capitol.

A political campaign often gets lost in the noise of policies and promises. While those are vital, I believe a successful County Commissioner needs to be a trusted neighbor first.

One of the questions I get asked most is: "Travis, you’re a busy man—how will you have time to be our Commissioner?"

The answer is standing right here…