By Samantha Wright
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Jim BuskeCity Council Candidate

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The field of candidates for the upcoming Ouray City Council has shaped up significantly over the past week. Two seats are up for vote in November. Councilman Joe Kersen, whose term is expiring, has announced that he does not intend to run again. Nor will interim councilman Sandy Stuller seek another term. That leaves the field wide open for three new candidates who have taken out nominating petitions over the past week: Jim Buske, Richard Kersen and Michael Underwood.
All three were at the Ouray City Council meeting this Monday, Aug. 15. As of press time, only Kersen and Underwood have turned in their petitions with the requisite 25 signatures.
Bob Risch, meanwhile, remains unopposed so far in his bid for a third term as mayor.
Buske has lived in Ouray since 2007. He is married and has one

daughter. Buske graduated from North Dakota State College of Science with a degree in computer programming. He is currently the vice president of Team Double-Click, a secretarial services firm. He is the former chair of the Tri-County 9/12 Project, and currently serves s the chair of the Ouray County Republican Party. "If elected, I would be honored to serve the citizens of Ouray," he said.
Kersen is a Ouray native who moved back to Ouray with his family from Grand Rapids, Mich. in November 2009. He has deep roots in the community and a large extended family here, including his brother Joe, a current councilman. Richard Kersen is an electrician who owns his own business, Kersen Electric. Since returning to Ouray, he has been active in the Parks and Recreation Committee. In Michigan, he was involved with the Cub Scouts. He is married and has two young children, ages 5 and 11. "I'm running for City Council because I feel there needs to be a sense of community in the city," he said. "I would like to contribute to decisions to see the right things happen."
Underwood moved to Ouray with his wife in 2004 and started a property maintenance business, Wildwood Mountain Management, Inc. The business has grown to encompass a partnership with Realtor Brian Carver that includes property management, vacation rentals and real estate sales as well. A father, grandfather, and Army veteran, Underwood has been in business for himself for 40 years. His other business ventures have included a retail furniture start-up and a wedding chapel which he operated with his wife in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. For the past year, Underwood has served on the Ouray Planning Commission. "I just love this community," he said. "I’ve done well here and the community has been good to me. I just want to serve the community. I've always dealt with people and problem solving, and I know myself well enough to know I can do the job of being a city councilman."
There is still a window of opportunity for other candidates to join the council and mayor races. Nominating petitions must be turned in to the Ouray City Hall by the end of the business day on Monday, Aug. 22. (Each candidate must gather at least 25 signatures from registered Ouray voters to put his or her name on the ballot.)
After that, there is also a short window of opportunity for potential candidates to sign an affidavit of intent with the Ouray County Clerk to be a write-in candidate.