City Council appointee O’Malley hopes to hold off Johnson in District 6
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs City Council District 6 spans north from Peterson Air Force Base up to Woodmen Road and east out to Falcon.
District 6 is one of the least crowded districts, with Mike O’Malley running against Garfield Johnson. City Council appointed Mike O’Malley by a 6-2 vote in January to replace outgoing Councilman Andres Pico.
Mike O’Malley
"I've got quite an extensive background in the military and the government. I’m a certified firefighter, national and state-certified," said O’Malley.
O'Malley believes that experience sets him up to make hard decisions on behalf of City Council District 6 constituents.
"Getting chemical weapons out of Syria — that was mine and a cohort's idea, the neutralize on board the ship at sea," said O'Malley.
O'Malley says Colorado Springs leaders need to be prepared to allocate money that could come soon from President Joe Biden's proposed $2 trillion nationwide infrastructure plan.
"The biggest thing is roads," said O’Malley. "When you’ve got billions and trillions of dollars coming your way, you have to be shovel-ready to get it put to work. And I told that to the staff at City Hall months ago."
He also hopes the city will consider investing in research and development to improve future infrastructure plans.
Garfield Johnson
O'Malley’s competitor, Garfield Johnson, also has a military background.
"I moved to Colorado Springs in 1993 in search of Olympic dreams from Nassau, Bahamas, where my parents were indentured servants," said Johnson. "Since arrival, I’ve been a teacher. I’ve also served in the military."
Johnson believes public safety, law enforcement, and first responders, and roads are key issues for Colorado Springs City Council to address in the coming years. He also wants to make sure Space Command stays in the Springs.
"We’re going to lose about 5,000 employees because they will have to relocate to Hunstville, Alabama," said Garfield.
Johnson attended the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He has three Masters' Degrees in public administration, political science, and criminal justice. Johnson also holds a Doctorate Degree in educational leadership.
"I volunteer here regularly in the community, at the Olympic Training Center as a junior coach for the Junior Olympic Team," said Johnson. "I volunteer at the soup kitchen. I occasionally do ride-along with the Colorado Springs Police Department."
Read about city council candidates in District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, and District 5 ahead of Tuesday's city election.
Voters can also locate ballot drop boxes here.
