Zolanye McCulley-Bachicha
Democratic Party
How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?
My qualifications to serve as Coroner are built on a unique combination of a professional degree in nursing, business management expertise, government financial management, and a lifetime of experience in the death care profession. Together, these experiences have prepared me to serve families with compassion, manage and lead a professional office, and be a responsible steward of taxpayer resources while attending to the dignity of grieving families.
As a nurse, I have been trained to assess situations critically, communicate with families during difficult times. My experience provides an understanding of medical terminology, patient care, and the realities surrounding illness, injury, and death. Having these experiences adds to the value of the Coroner's Office, where sound judgment, attention to detail, and compassionate communication are essential.
My business education has given me the knowledge to effectively manage operations, oversee personnel, evaluate processes, and ensure that public resources are used efficiently and responsibly. The Coroner's Office is not only a public service agency but also an organization that must be managed professionally, transparently, and with accountability to taxpayers. And for better or worse now critical legal procedures to the deceased.
In addition, my experience working with government budgets has provided me with a strong understanding of public finance, fiscal responsibility, and the importance of maximizing every taxpayer dollar. I understand how government agencies operate, how budgets are developed and managed, and how to balance the needs of the community with fiduciary responsibility.
Equally important is my lifetime of experience in the death care profession. I believe this experience is one of the most valuable qualifications a Coroner can have. The coroner works closely with grieving families and collaborates with funeral homes, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other agencies. Having firsthand knowledge of the death care process allows me to better understand the needs of families, identify challenges, and ensure that services are provided with professionalism and compassion.
Four years ago, I stood firm in my want to advocate for those who can no longer speak, and those who are here to grieve for their loved one.
Some view experience in the death care industry as a conflict, but I believe it is an asset. Brian Cotter through his heinous acts and behavior has made it extremely difficult for those in the death industry to comprehensively work as a coroner, we should not all be shroud for the acts of former Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter. The importance of a coroner who understands the industry inside and out and can use that knowledge to better serve families. The mission should always be to provide the highest level of service, support, and accountability to our community.
I also want to be clear and transparent: I do not own a funeral home. While my family has a long history of serving our community through funeral service, my involvement has given me firsthand knowledge of the needs of grieving families and inspired my passion for public service. Their commitment to serving families with dignity and respect is what inspired my own desire to serve our community.
Our community has experienced challenges in the past that damaged public trust. I understand those concerns and take them seriously. I am committed to restoring confidence in the Coroner's Office
through transparency, ethical leadership, accountability, and professionalism. My experience should be viewed not as a threat, but as a valuable asset that will help me serve our community with integrity, compassion, and a deep understanding of the responsibilities entrusted to the coroner.
What are your top policy priorities?
The Coroner's Office does not create policy or pass ordinances; it operates under state law and statutory mandates. However, there are several priorities I believe should be standard practice within the office.
1. Full-Time Professional Commitment
For nearly 50 years, Pueblo County has not had a coroner solely dedicated to serving in that role. Pueblo’s elected coroners have maintained other professions while carrying out their duties and that is true for the current appointed coroner.
When I first sought this office four years ago, I committed to serving as a full-time coroner dedicated exclusively to the responsibilities of the position. During the appointment process in September, county commissioners specifically raised the expectation that the coroner should be fully committed to the office, and I agreed with that expectation and would fulfill it. Currently the appointed coroner runs a nurse practioner practice in conjunction with coroner duties.
The citizens of Pueblo County deserve a coroner whose full professional attention is focused on death investigations, family support, public safety, and accountability. Following recent community trauma, restoring public trust requires visible commitment and accessibility. Families should have confidence that their elected coroner is fully available and solely focused on serving the community.
I believe serving as a full-time coroner, without outside employment, should be the standard moving forward. It demonstrates accountability, accessibility, and an unwavering commitment to the people we serve. The lack of this commitment has been catastrophic on this community.
2. Public Health, Public Safety, and Transparency
Approximately four years ago, I raised concerns about the lack of publicly available annual reports from the Coroner's Office. While a report was published in 2021, no annual reports have been released since. Although there has been a change in leadership, the office has maintained continuity through its staff, records, and operational systems, and the necessary data remains available.
One of the most important responsibilities of any public office is transparency. The publication of an annual report is a fundamental tool for accountability and helps inform the public about the office's work, challenges, and impact on community health and safety.
Annual reports should not depend on who occupies the office. They should be a routine and expected function of the Coroner's Office. Regular reporting promotes transparency, strengthens public trust, and provides the community with a clear understanding of the office's workload, accomplishments, and contributions to public health and safety.
The publication of an annual report should be considered a core responsibility of the office and an essential part of accountable government.
What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it?
In discussions surrounding the recent legislation affecting Colorado coroners (HB24-1100 vs SB26-105), an important clarification has been overlooked. It is being presented as though the previous requirement applying to counties with populations of 150,000 or more was a long-standing provision. In reality, that requirement was enacted only in 2024.
One of the individuals who testified in support of the bill was Brian Cotter. His testimony raises legitimate questions about whether the legislation was designed to protect the public interest or to preserve existing power structures. If the bill's purpose was to prevent situations like those seen in Penrose or Trinidad, why were similar safeguards not proposed for communities of comparable size?
There is question, had heinous acts of Brian Cotter not been discovered in 2025, would this legislation supported by Brain Cotter, allow him to continue this egregious business of not fulfilling families wishes and providing dignified care for the deceased.
The current proposal to raise the population threshold to 300,000 would restore the ability of voters to participate in the democratic process regardless of political party affiliation. It is also noteworthy that the legislation received bipartisan support.
Another important aspect of the discussion involves conflicts of interest. It is being suggested that the current legislation weakens conflict-of-interest standards. However, it adds to contain a specific conflict-of-interest provision addressing funeral home ownership or operation by a coroner. Therefore, characterizing the legislation as reducing conflict-of-interest standards is misleading.
The bill also requires coroners to obtain certification through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) or to be a board-certified forensic pathologist. However, the certification required can only be obtained by individuals who are currently employed within a coroner's office, and can only be obtained through the ABDMI agency which poses the employment requirement. What coroner would knowingly hire their election opponent.
It is also worth noting that the current appointed coroner received this certification approximately a few months ago. He was appointed to the position without holding the certification, despite the current appointed coroner expressing his view that coroners should be certified before taking office. This apparent inconsistency deserves public discussion as voters evaluate the qualifications and standards being applied to candidates seeking the office.
Voters deserve a full and accurate understanding of these issues before casting their ballots. Public discussion should be grounded in the actual language and history of the legislation rather than claims that do not reflect what the law previously required.
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