One-on-one with Colorado Springs city councilmember Nancy Henjum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — News5 is taking the time to check in with Colorado Springs city councilmembers to share their voices outside of city council meetings and hear what their messages are to their constituents.

This week, we are highlighting Councilwoman Nancy Henjum, who represents District 5, which covers the Old North End and neighborhoods in the Austin Bluffs area to the Powers area.

Henjum is scheduled to host a community meeting on Sept. 24 at Edison Elementary School's cafeteria, 3125 N. Hancock Ave. The town meeting is scheduled to run 5:30 to 7 p.m. and will focus on Portal, Danville and Flanagan Parks.

HENJUM CHOSE TO MEET ME AT PORTAL PARK, I WANTED TO KNOW WHY:

"Well, primarily because it's one of our parks. I care deeply about our parks, but since being re-elected in April... This was new into my district. This part of the city was redistricted into District Five, and it's the first place I started knocking doors, the first part of the district that I really wanted to get to know, because it hadn't been a part of my district. I had started hearing from people my constituents, then about Flanagan and Portal and this pool, which I used to bring my kids to, which has been closed for quite some time. Then there's also Danville Park in this whole neighborhood, and there's a lot of deferred maintenance in our parks system, and we are millions and millions of dollars behind in that area. And that being said, this part of the city deserves to be tended to, just like every other part of the city, and I wanted to be responsive to those constituents who are very concerned about the dilapidation of the building behind me, about not having a pool, what's going to happen, and just generally the characteristic of our parks right now.

WHY DO PARKS MATTER SO MUCH AS THE CITY GRAPPLES WITH A BUDGET SHORTFALL?

"I think first and foremost... One, it's a mandate in the city charter that Parks and Recreation and cultural services is a part of the responsibility of the general fund and of city services. So first of all, it's our responsibility, but maybe even more importantly, our city was founded by General Palmer, who was really all about the parks, and he had a vision for an emerald necklace around the center of downtown, which is now a tiny, tiny part of a 200-square-mile city. But nonetheless, the beauty of where we live is why I think the majority of people choose to live here, and being outdoors in places where you can play and have fun and have a healthy lifestyle is just quintessential. So it matters to me. I think it matters to everybody."

WHAT DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM FIRST TERM WITH THAT EXPERIENCE NOW UNDER YOUR BELT?

"I appreciate that question. Tony, I'm always learning. I'm still learning. I feel like it took me two and a half to three years to really, sort of feel like I knew what I was doing. And while now I have a pretty good handle, I'm always learning more things about governance, about our city. It never ends. But what has changed? I think it's really now, it's my second and final term. I won't be running again. It's taking that knowledge and really, you know, trying to hone in on a few things that I can have an impact on, and continuing. One thing I'm not going to change is continuing to listen, ask questions, listen to my constituents, ask questions, and follow up with people."

WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST IMPACTS YOU HAD IN YOUR FIRST TERM?

"You know, I think the thing I'm probably the most proud of is the kind of putting to rest... for final... after over 20 years... the threat of the extension of Constitution Avenue from east all the way to I-25. I'm very proud. I think that was a very significant impact in legislation when I was on council in my first term, really helping to gather neighbors, to listen to their concerns, and to ultimately fundamentally make that decision as a full council that that extension will never happen. That would be probably the biggest thing, I think, you know, some of the other other things are, you know, the completion of the senior center that we just did the ribbon cutting for... a lot to thank Myron Stratton for that and the former administration for finding the dollars to help make that community center possible for a very important part of our population... that's been significant. I can't take a lot of personal responsibility for that, except that it's in my district and really supporting the accomplishment of that. I think some other things would be some cool things that happened with Pet City, and that was in my very first year. I won't go into it now, but happy to later talk with you about some of the positive things that I think have happened with that store and advancing better treatment of dogs who are being used to give us puppies, and then the Citadel and Amara actually, and that that annexation failing.

YOU SAID DURING OUR NEWS5 FORUM WATER RIGHTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO THIS CITY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE SURE WATER RIGHTS ARE HANDLED PROPERLY?

"It is the most important thing, because water is ultimately the most important resource we have for living, and we can't live for more than three days without water. And so we live in the arid west, we get over, well, we get 50 percent if you include reused... 70 percent of our water comes from the Colorado River, which is a stress river system and serves seven states, plus Mexico and tribes and and so how we use that water, and how we plan to have water for what is ultimately the carrying capacity of this region? How much of a renewable resource in water can we use? And it's a bigger topic, because of a lot of our water in the county comes from aquifers, which are non-renewable, so it's a very complex, long-term challenge. And I believe that we are asking the right questions. I think you know, the decision on Amara, and actually the whole Karmen Line decision speaks to what is the most responsible and sustainable way for us to stay vibrant and healthy as a city and ensure that we have enough water for the future."

WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT RISING UTILITY RATES?

"So Colorado Springs Utilities is an enterprise of the city. It is a publicly owned utility. Your City Council also serves as the board of directors for the Colorado Springs Utilities. When we are at utilities, we put on a different hat. We are members of a board whose primary responsibility is the fiduciary nature of the healthiness of that utility, so that it is fiscally sound and that we are providing reliable resources, energy, gas, electric, water, wastewater for all of its community owners, and that requires a whole different hat to wear and a set of questions to ask. I'm really grateful that we have the model that we do. I know there have been lots of conversations about, should there? Should we be both? There are upsides and downsides to every model, to be sure. But the reality is, when we come to vote on that at city council, we do need to take into consideration the cost and the rates, the actual... you know... are they affordable? And we have to ensure that we are putting the resources into the reliability of our system, and maintaining our system, and also building a system that will provide the energy and water we need to have a thriving economy. So those are things that all have balance required, and there are tensions in those things. And so people come to us as city council and ask us to keep the rates low, and I really get that, and we knew we need to and we do, I believe, keep them as low as we possibly can, while also recognizing that running a utility and taking care of infrastructure and acquiring water rights and all the other things creating energy are very, very expensive propositions."

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE LIVED UP TO YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES?

"I think what I promised, and what I continue to do is to listen to use my power with.. and not power over... to work in collaboration with neighbors and city government to provide the best for our city. I think those were my promises. Fundamentally, I believe I still do that. What I think changes... and what I think needs to change is when there's new information or new circumstances, and as we know, our world is changing so rapidly that we also have to be adaptable, but as long as I'm continuing to listen and continuing to follow those key principles, then being adaptive or being willing to learn and even make mistakes and admit when mistakes happen, that's, I think, the best that you can expect of any leader."

TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR FATHER WAS AN AIR FORCE PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR AT THE ACADEMY, WHAT PUSHED YOU INTO RUNNING FOR A SECOND TERM?

"I'm so glad you asked this question, because truly, my dad, Joe Henjum, he was an instructor at the Air Force Academy right after he came back from Vietnam. We lived on the Academy from like 1969 to 1972, so I went to school out there. I went to what's now Challenger Middle School, it was Air Academy junior high for one year. I have some history here that is, you know, separate from my, my last 35 years here and and his legacy and his care for the community, starting the Home Front Cares is now the Home Front Military Network, the Senior Resource Council, his commitment to service Rotary, those things had a huge impact on me and and really were fundamentally, I think, what spurred me to run. And so I'm super grateful to have that experience on the Academy and that history. And then my parents retired here, my brother and his wife and family, you know, they started a family here. And my husband and I, we have made this our home, as have so many people who have served in the military. And it's understandable, when you look around at how beautiful it is."

YOU HAVE A NEWSLETTER, BUT NO SOCIAL MEDIA. WHY NO SOCIAL MEDIA?

"Well, you know, one, honestly, partly is... time. I'm busy learning and doing the work and to spend time and creating social media posts is it's time-consuming. I also find often that social media just becomes an echo chamber and people yelling at each other, and it's just not how I'm interested in communicating with people. I'd much rather have a conversation with people. If people sign up for my newsletter, they can stay in touch and see what I'm thinking. And people can reach out to me and I'm and almost always, when I answer an email, I will say, and I'm happy to meet with you and talk with you, because a conversation and a face to face interaction, whether it's something we agree about or not, or learning, it's just, I think, so much better and and you lose that in social media. So it has a place. It's not unimportant, but I have to prioritize where I spend my time and energy."

WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE ABOUT HAVING YOUR CONSTITUENTS CONNECT WITH YOU?

"Well, look, you know, when I was raising my children, I didn't spend a lot of time understanding and learning what was happening with my city council and local government. I think we have seasons in our lives where it's hard to pay attention to everything. But I think you know, knowing where your the city website is, you know, being able to go and ask a question, get the phone number of your city council member, or the email, find out who they are. It is pretty easy to find out, if you know how. And we, gosh, like, 1000 things come to mind. And, you know, like having, we have tours with school children, and I've gone out to Boy Scout troops, and it's just like, you know, you have to ask, you know, we can reach out, but if your eyes aren't open, or your ears aren't open to learning, it's harder to reach people. So it takes, it's a mutual thing, right? We need to be accessible and reach out. And on some level, I think we have a civic responsibility to at least have an awareness."

You can watch the full raw interview at the top of this article. Other topics discussed include issues with trash trucks, volunteer efforts, the unhoused, and a special thank you to the legislative staff.

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