AURORA | Aurora City Council members have yet to decide how they’ll replace Councilmember Dustin Zvonek when he steps down from his at-large council seat later this month.
Zvonek announced his imminent departure during the Oct. 14 City Council meeting, citing issues surrounding family.
A discussion is scheduled for the council’s Oct. 28 study session to set rules for appointing a new at-large member beyond those set forth in the city code and city charter.
Current rules require a potential council member to be a U.S. citizen 21 years of age or older and to have lived in the city for at least a year — both by the next municipal election in November 2025. People who are salaried employees of the city, hold another elected office or have been convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, perjury, solicitation of bribery, or subordination of perjury do not qualify.
Zvonek is a conservative councilman and the mayor pro tem who was elected to his seat in 2021. He announced on Oct. 14 that he is stepping down, noting his recent hiring at Denver’s 76 Group, a political lobbying and public relations firm, and citing family concerns as the reason for his departure.
The city charter gives the council 45 days from Zvonek’s departure to vote on a replacement. Among the procedural issues still in question is whether people who wish to be considered for the appointment must formally submit their intentions and other documentation before that vote.
The council last tried to appoint a replacement among its ranks in 2021, when then-Councilmember Nicole Johnston gave two months’ notice that she was leaving her Ward II seat. The council decided to accept applications for candidates, hold a virtual reception with questions from residents, interview candidates during a study session, and then vote on the candidate. Yet the ten remaining council members were deadlocked 5-5, unable to reach a six-vote majority needed to make an appointment, leaving the seat open until Aurora bar owner Steve Sundberg won it in the November 2021 election.
The conservative-majority council has been bitterly divided in recent months, especially over Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky’s false claims that violent members of a Venezuelan prison gang called Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA, have overrun parts of Aurora. Her narrative, debunked by city police, has become a popular talking point among far-right conservatives this campaign season, including Donald Trump. It also has prompted xenophobia against immigrants Aurora and, Jurinsky’s critics say, hurt the city’s reputation statewide and nationally.
Some city officials expect those tensions may spill into the council’s decision about Zvonek’s replacement. It is yet unclear whether Zvonek himself — an ally of Jurinsky — will weigh in the vote.
The council’s study session is schedule for 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 28. The sessions are live streamed on Aurora Comcast cable channels 8 and 880, as well on AuroraTV.org and Youtube.com/TheAuroraChannel.
How serious can a winning candidate be to quit the job in the middle of a two year term? Is he taking his marbles and going home because the conservatives, like himself, have made his position a hot seat? Inquiring minds want to know!
The term for a Council seat is four years, not two. Please see City Code Section 54-4 or City Charter Article 3-5.
Today, you don’t sound like a citizen of Aurora, Kane. Most all of we concerned Aurora citizens understand all terms are for four years, but never the less.
The answer to your inquiring mind is, insert drum roll, no. Almost all politicians, at any level, who quit site family problems but rarely is that at the crux of their problems. It’s about the money. Follow the cash and appease your inquiring mind.
And yet, you surely voted for him Dick.
A couple things come to mind reading your efforts.
1) By the way, Aurora has four years of sitting on council, you might want to check your references.
2) Is your logic altered or somewhat the same for the cities 2017 council election? Nicole Johnson the EMERGE grad (a program dedicated to helping left-leaning women get elected)? Johnson bailed early; you may or may not remember, long time ago?? If not, you’re in good hands. Read the attached link. And don’t miss reading the comments from folks on her time as a city lawmaker.
https://sentinelcolorado.com/orecent-headlines/aurora-city-councilmember-nicole-johnston-announces-resignation-move-to-colorado-springs/
Nicole Johnson was a lovely and gracious person. She was capable of disagreeing without being disagreeable. I note I often disagreed with her.
Nice how the writer goes from the vacancy to an attack on Councilwoman Jurinsky. Too bad Dave Perry has poisoned the Aurora Sentinel to the point its corrupt.