With a limited number of public issues and political controversy facing Craig, the city’s voters decided that they would like to keep things just the way the are.

In the lowest voter turnout in recent history, 370 of a possible 5,293 registered voters re-elected city council members Natalie Alden, Bill Johnston and Don Jones.

Four candidates vied for three available City Council seats and Mayor David DeRose ran uncontested. Jones captured the most votes with 288, 28.54 percent, while Alden 267, 26.46 percent edged out fellow incumbent Bill Johnston who earned 265 votes, 26.26 percent.

Challenger Russ Gaylord finished fourth with 188 of the votes.

“Although not a lot of people voted, there are some positives,” Jones said. “People must be happy, because with a low voter turnout it must mean that we are doing a good job.”

The low turnout was not a real surprise to Jones, who will be beginning his sixth year on the council.

“I really kind of expected the low turnout,” he said. “There weren’t a lot of people who even knew about the election, so if the people aren’t mad, then we must be doing all right.”

Jones sees the next two years as being vital to Craig’s economy, and economic development is at the top of his list.

“I would like to see us bring in some industry that could employ 20 to 30 people,” he said. “If we could get a few light industrial companies like that to locate to Craig, the impact that it would make on the community would be terrific.”

Alden, who will be starting her third year on the council, agrees with Jones vision of economic growth.

“It is important that we set up controlled growth in the community,” she said. “It is important that we get companies to take a serious look at Craig as being a good place to locate.

“Too often, companies look for a stereotypical area in which to set up, such as the Denver area. It is important that they know that we have well-educated workers here in Craig who would love to work in better positions.”

Aside from the local industrial growth, Alden believes that technology will also play an important part in Craig’s future.

“I really think that once we get caught up with telecommunications, it will help us tremendously,” she said. “For the people who wish to set up businesses here, that is the kind of thing they are going to look at, so it is important that we keep up with everyone else.”

Johnston, who will be beginning his fourth year on the council agrees with Alden and Jones on the economic issues, however, he believes that the Yampa Valley must come together, from Steamboat Springs to Craig, in order to work together in everyone’s best interest.

“The mayor has proposed an idea where we look to work for a common goal throughout the valley, and it is a good one,” he said. “If Steamboat is a tourist hub, there is no reason for us to try to be one as well.

“What helps to make Craig a better town is the industry that we have here so that is what we should focus on.”

Johnston also hopes that separate entities can come together and work as a team to build a better Craig.

“We have so many different boards and committees right now that it is somewhat difficult to get things done,” he said. “If there is a way we can work with each other with defined goals, I think that the only outcome would be positive.”