Pueblo West voters elect Bill Vickers and Brian Axworthy to board of directors

A political newcomer and a seasoned board member are on their way to serving the Pueblo West Metro District as new board members, according to unofficial election results released Wednesday.

According to the results released by the metro district, private election coordinating agency Community Resource Services has reported the top two candidates are Bill Vickers, with 1,868 votes, and Brian Axworthy, with 1,309 votes.

The four remaining candidates and their vote totals were Greg Roberts with 1,257; Brian Lucas with 1,250; Kenneth Murry with 958 and Robert Karasawa with 933.

Results will not be finalized until overseas ballots have been processed and a canvassing board reviews the judges' certificate of election, said Anthony Sandstrom, Pueblo West communications and public engagement strategist. That likely will occur between May 8 and May 16.

A drastic change in the count is not expected, so Vickers and Axworthy likely will join Doug Proal, Nick Madero and Joe Mahaney on the board. They will serve four-year terms.

Vickers, 65, is retired and previously served on the board as treasurer. He has worked the past 10 years serving on the Pueblo West Committee of Architecture, of which he is currently president.

"I appreciate the voters putting their confidence in me and giving me the opportunity to serve them," Vickers said. "I look forward to dealing with some issues and hopefully making some changes."

Vickers said he would like to see more transparency with the district and a limit to executive sessions where the board handles legal issues in private.

Axworthy, 45, is the director of nutrition services for Pueblo County School District 70. He said he was asked to run because of his work ethic.

"It is going to be a lot of work and it will take a village. I would like to see a better system for outreach and communication and, like all Colorado municipalities, work to secure water rights," Axworthy said.

"I have some safety concerns and there are some zoning issues. I want to work toward more thoughtful growth in Pueblo West with the addition of more green spaces and parks," Axworthy added.

More on Pueblo West: Meet the candidates running for the Pueblo West Metro District's Board of Directors

Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo West voters elect two new members to the metro district board