Holly Cole

The City of Powell is doing “very well” overall, Holly Cole says, but she believes it could use some fresh thinking.

“Sometimes, I think some of the decisioning gets stifled because they're stuck in the old ways,” Cole said in a recent interview, “and new ideas help communities thrive.”

She’s hoping to bring some of those new ideas to the city council next year, as she’s running for the open Ward 1 seat.

Cole says she wants to help the council make thoughtful, responsible decisions that are focused on Powell’s long-term success.

“People often say we need change,” she said, “but what we really need is competent leadership making sound decisions for the entire community.”

Background

Cole described herself as a proud mom, wife, daughter and sister who’s passionate about serving the community.

Cole has been in the banking business since 1998 and came to Powell in 2005. She’s worked at First Bank for the past 19 years, where she’s an assistant vice president and personal banker.

Cole said she supports local nonprofits and works alongside the bank’s donation program. For the past four-and-a-half years, she’s also served on the Powell Recreation District Board and has worked to support the development of a new recreation center.

“Getting a rec center is very important to me, and I know it’s very important to a lot of the community,” Cole said.

She believes it will eventually take a voter-approved 1% specific purpose sales tax to make the rec center a reality. When it comes to raising funding, she feels a temporary sales tax is an “easy way to do it that doesn’t impact people that much.”

In the more immediate future, Cole is backing the proposed $19.3 million specific purpose tax that would, among other things, fund a new Powell Senior Center.

“By focusing on projects that improve quality of life for residents of all ages, I hope to help move Powell forward while pursuing the values that make our community special,” she said.

Examining city policies

If elected to the council, Cole said she hopes to look at some of the city’s policies and make sure they fit Powell’s needs.

For example, Cole thinks the city’s limits on parking campers along public streets could be refined. The council has barred campers from being parked on the street between Labor Day and Memorial Day as a way to address the safety issues that can arise when drivers’ lines of sight are obscured. But Cole, a camper owner, notes any parked vehicle can cause issues. She thinks it would be better for the city to focus on specific spots where there are problems.

Her understanding is that Cody only restricts camper parking on streets where “it truly does impact being able to drive down the road or see,” she said. “And I think doing it more like that makes more sense.”

She’d like to take a similar approach to other ordinances and policies, too.

The banker said her professional experience has not only given her familiarity with budgets and figures, but also red tape.

“Banks are overregulated,” Cole said, “and we kind of want to keep our regulations under control in the city so that our businesses don’t suffer, and our schools don’t suffer and our residents don’t suffer.”

Being a representative

Cole said one reason she decided to run was that she felt there were some council candidates who are “just loud speakers.” She said council members need skills like “listening, being supportive of your neighbors and understanding what they’re asking of you, because that’s the whole point of why you’re on there.”

“You’re the representative of your people in your ward, and you need to be their voice,” she said. “And it needs to be for them, not for you.”

Cole said she’s committed to listening to Powell residents and being a strong, thoughtful voice for the community.

In addition to Cole, Steve Nickles, Jim Core, David Bryan and Crystal Reese are also running to replace outgoing Ward 1 Councilman Steve Lensegrav.

The top two vote-getters in the Aug. 18 primary will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Ward 1 is made up of the northeastern part of the city, including everything east of Division Street and, generally, north of Third Street.