LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Although construction in Louisville’s Cornerstone neighborhood is now everywhere, getting here was no walk in the park for many fire survivors.
“The cost of building is astronomical right now,” said Judi Kern who lost her home in the fire. “Personally, yes. I did lose my house in the Marshall fire and my husband and I are pretty severely underinsured. We are taking from savings as well as getting an additional loan.”
That hardship is partially why Kern is running to replace Councilwoman Maxine Most in next week’s recall election.
“She’s not hearing the residents,” Kern said.
The argument is that Most is out-of-touch with voters, making several controversial statements after the Marshall Fire – including a meeting where she compared the complete loss of a home to having a tree fall on your roof or losing a hot water heater.
“Everybody who loses a furnace this year, or a water heater this year is going to have to comply with the 2021 codes,” Most said.
For her part, Most has never wavered from her positions, saying homeowners, no matter the losses – should build to green standards.
“I’m very focused on climate change,” Most told Denver7. “I didn’t vote to waive the 2021 building requirements. I personally don’t believe that the appropriate response to a climate-driven disaster is to lower the building standards because we know that buildings contribute 40% of the carbon footprint.”
And she stands by her record.
“I don’t want to judge anyone, and I don’t want to take away from anyone’s experience,” Most said. “Everyone is entitled to their own experience, but I think if you look at my record, it really represents the values of this community.”
Kern disagrees and believes the community is ready for a different direction.
“We would, as a collective group, really like somebody to sit on council who listens to all the members of the community,” Kern said. “Every one of us. And it matters what they all say. It matters what they’re going through. Everybody’s in a different spot. What we were saying was – please let the residents have a choice based on their budget, so that everybody has an opportunity to come home.”
You can learn more about the recall efforts hereand the candidates, Judi Kern and Maxine Most.
