Words, actions and experience matter.

Along with friends and neighbors, we have all witnessed Thomas Cooke’s tough stance voting against Dakota Pacific and others that don’t fit our community’s vision for how we want to grow. 

Thomas voted “No” on Dakota Pacific’s requested land use change application, as it never aligned with Summit County’s general plan. Thomas’ opposition has been steadfast since the developer initiated their application in 2020. 

Thomas has served on the Synderville Basin Planning Commission for eight years, including one as chair and one as vice chair. He serves on the Board of Governance for the Winter Sports School, and volunteers time with Summit Land Conservancy, serving on the Headwaters Campaign Cabinet.

As an advocate and activist, it is important for me to see women and people of diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives in leadership positions in our community and in all levels of public service and elected government.

When we look to elect people to lead our community, we need these people to have proven varied experience so we can have confidence that they have what it takes to make thoughtful decisions in our collective interest — decisions that are often contentious and may invoke backlash. This experience comes from time on the ground, in challenging and ambiguous settings and environments, and in the community in varied positions of involvement and leadership. 

When I am speaking of Thomas’ character and expertise, I am not just reading from his CV or LinkedIn. I have worked together with Thomas first hand as a colleague at Bicycle Collective, where his contributions have helped drag us out of the dark days of the pandemic and lead a digital transformation that has resulted in increased year over year impact and growth for our nonprofit. 

Please vote for Thomas Cooke for Summit County Council Seat C.

Donna Matturo McAleer 

Pinebrook