Liza Shares Her Views
Read Liza's Blog
October 9, 2026
Serving Saguache County is my only job, my highest priority, and a commitment I take seriously.
My opponent has stated that he intends to keep his job as General Manager of a tractor sales company in Salida and could “Zoom in” to county meetings if needed.
He is also a rancher, which I respect. I'll continue tending my garden and caring for my chickens and horses, too!
But serving as commissioner means more than attending meetings. It means showing up, listening, advocating, and being available.
In 2027, commissioners will earn $79,600 annually, compared with our county's median household income of approximately $54,283.
For that salary, Saguache County deserves a full-time public servant. That's my commitment.
A random day in the life of a commissioner:
Thursday October 8th, 2026
8am: Review emails
9am: Review Draft agenda for October 13th and give input
10am: Work on Neighborly Housing Grant with Project Manager
11:30: Counties and Communities Acting Together Interim Issues & Policy Committee Meeting
2pm: Rangeview Closeout Pay App Meeting
3:15 pm: Speaking with Villa Grove Constituent
4pm: Work on Neighborly Housing Grant with Project Manager
5pm: Saguache ScSEED Community Hour on youth engagement
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
October 9, 2026
Look at the Numbers. Decide for Yourself.
Friends,
My opponent has repeatedly referred to county leadership as the “Tom and Liza Show,” claiming that we funnel resources to Crestone at the expense of Center.
This is simply not true.
Center is a vital part of Saguache County, and is our largest municipality, where I first moved to and lived for several years - and I am proud of the investments and partnerships that have brought resources to this community. The attached spreadsheet tells a story of real dollars, real projects, and real commitments to the people of Center.
As County Commissioners, our responsibility is to serve ALL of Saguache County—from Center to Crestone, Saguache to Villa Grove, and every community in between.
We don't pit one community against another. We work to bring resources and opportunities wherever they are needed.
Dividing our communities may be a campaign strategy, but it is not my idea of leadership. I invite you to look at the numbers and judge for yourself. Know that these funds flow where they do as a vote of the entire board - Marron, Thompson, McCracken.
The record shows - I do not vote in lockstep with McCracken.
I am an independent thinker reflecting the values of my constituents as I understand them.
One county. Many communities. A shared future.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
September 18, 2026
Range View is Open
Friends,
September 17th was a really good day for Saguache.
For a long time, we have talked about the need for housing. Last Thursday, we got to stand in front of 32 beautiful new homes.
But before there were these buildings there had to be a vision.
That vision belonged to the Saguache County Housing Authority (SCHA) and, in a very special way, to Evan Samora.
And anyone who worked with Evan on the Range View project knows—once he got hold of the vision for this housing project, he was like a dog on a bone. He simply would not let go.
In a small rural community like Saguache where pulling together the financing for a project of this size can seem nearly impossible, Evan helped assemble an incredibly impressive capital stack. He kept knocking on funders doors, building partnerships and finding a way forward.
Evan saw what could be here before the rest of us could see it. He believed people in our community deserved a beautiful and affordable place to live—homes people could be proud of.
Evan’s fingerprints are all over this place. Long after today, families will cook dinner here, children will grow up here, and people will come home tired from work and put their feet up here. They may never know your name—but their lives will be better because you had a vision and refused to let it go.
There are so many others who carried that vision forward. Iris Garcia, and the Saguache Town Board who donated funding as well as granted permits and variances and vacated an alley to make this all work. Our Administrator Wendi Maez along with our Saguache County Project Manager, Ann Cunningham, oversaw grants, attended to seemingly every detail and helped shepherd this project to completion. My fellow SCHA board members Commissioner Thompson and Commissioner McCracken. Our maintenance director, Ely Van Egmond and his crew, were and will be an important part of making sure Range View is not just a development, but a place people can call home.
A huge thank you to General Contractor Diesslin Structures, Inc. and especially Project Manager Kyle Woehler and Superintendent Brandon Hawkins for your beautiful build, for bringing this project in on time and on budget—and with cost savings – so we were able to add amenities – like the one I advocated hard for to scrap the community laundry room in favor of a washer and dryer in every unit.
Thank you also to Range View neighbors, who lived with the noise, dust, trucks and disruption that come with a project like this. We appreciate your patience and your willingness to make room for new neighbors. And to every funder and partner who put their faith in this project and in this little rural community—thank you. You helped prove that beautiful, quality affordable housing can be built right here in Saguache.
Thank you to our Federal Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, who directed over 1 million in spending towards carports with PV Solar for these units – still to come.
Most of all, I am grateful for the people who will live here. May Range View be filled with families, laughter, neighbors looking out for neighbors, and all those wonderful everyday moments that turn four walls and a roof into a home. Welcome home.
Interested folks - Call Cathy Maestas or Tina Raiford to apply for a home. 719-655-2804
Liza Marron
Chair
Saguache County Housing Authority Board
September 16, 2026
These thoughts come from a very well attended Saguache County data center educational public meeting. We had Erik Eriksen from SLVREC, who brought the young man who has the small data center start up in Alamosa County. We also had Anita Seitz from Colorado Communities for Climate Action whose organization led SB26-102 to put guardrails statewide on data centers. A bill they will try to push again in 2027. Both Thomas McCracken and I testified in support of this one, and against another bill to give the deep- pocketed AI pushers 20 years of state sales tax immunity if they will come here. Seitz brought along a policy leader from the NRDC (Natural Resource Defense Council) via zoom.
Over 50 people were in the room and 20+ on zoom. This small 3MW data center proposed for Mosca doesn't pose the harm that the big hyperscale language models do. However the bigger conversation as a society is, what heartless technologies are we willing to, and have we already let out of Pandora's box. How do we want to live? What future scenario is acceptable to the commons? The terror is that there is wealth to be made, and corporate America salivates for more wealth at the expense of humanity, wild places, our planet and all we hold good.
Thankful for the people who showed up to learn, share what they knew, and debate this question, especially for Saguache County as we struggle to build compatible economic development in the face of climate change, megadrought, declining irrigated agriculture, and conservation of our over appropriated aquifer. #waterislife
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
September 16, 2026
Friends,
I wanted to share my gratitude for the rich experience I had at the Crestone Energy Fair this year. The Ecology of Community theme really resonated. My understanding and language for shelter, food, energy, community, ecology and economy, and what it means here, was deepened. Spent time in my journal reflecting on the many good conversations and connections I made. Thank you all for your community building and dedication to what is important as we move into the future together. Well done!
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
September 4, 2026
Report on 9.3.26 Data Center Education and Public Meeting
Thank-you to Saguache County Land Use for putting on a good public meeting to educate about data centers and hear from our public.
Erik Eriksen, CEO of SLV Rural Electric Cooperative attended, bringing David Myers from Strata - a startup data center company applying for a permit for a 3MW project near the Gator Farm in Alamosa County. Eriksen gave a good presentation. Myers remained calm and gave good information in the hot seat all night.
Anita Seitz of Colorado Communities 4 Climate Action came with a good informational presentation and she also invited Alana Miller to join us to answer questions via ZOOM. Miller is Colorado's Policy Director for the National Resources Defense Council for Climate & Energy.
The County is working on a microphone system to amplify voices in the room.
We had about 50 people in the room with standing room only in the back; as well as about 20 people on ZOOM.
The SLVREC presentation and CC4CA presentations will be posted to our website - as soon as our Land Use Administrator gets permission from SLVREC.
The main points I heard from the public with only three or so speaking in favor of small data centers and most speaking for protections were:
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A substantial bond for decommissioning and cleanup.
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Accountability, Verification and Strong Enforcement - regulations with teeth
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Community Benefit
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Emissions regulations for nighttime and backup diesel generators
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Air Quality
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Consideration of noise and decibel limits
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Chemical emissions and transparency
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Strongly against AI being used for surveillance of residents
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Fear that a permit will be granted and then the permittee will expand size and scope.
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A general distrust of corporations and government
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Transparency regarding rates and data usage
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Monitoring and Transparency of electromagnetic fields or EMFS
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Land Use needs to be posting PC meetings and minutes on social media as well as its normal places.
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More transparency with Saguache County's CUP process - where are the notices for opportunities for public input?
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Saguache County website is hard to navigate.
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Consider Zoning - or look at the zoning for the Crestone-Baca SubArea
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Consider the water used for cattle and compare it with the water used for data centers - it is not that much comparatively for data centers per this pro-small data center advocate.
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Consider the need for economic development, given that production agriculture is in decline due to drought.
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Consider the sacred ground of this place
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There was also substantial input regarding fears of AI and its potentially nefarious uses, particularly concerning our youth.
Anita Seitz will look into providing our county with a data centers regulation tool kit.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
August 29, 2026
This is a poem I wrote when we first created Saguache County Sustainable Environment and Economic Development over twenty years ago - it still holds true for me:
No Immunity from Community
By Liza Marron
Neighbors and friends all take heed.
There’s a little matter called ScSEED.
It’s this country we love so,
Tho we are aware of our lack of dough.
You pray to keep your place as you hit the sack,
And you know..
Those kids off in college…….
They ain’t coming back.
Life out here is lonesome, hell you knew that from the start.
But our way of life we believe in with all our heart.
So a bunch of folks who love this land,
Got together in a band.
We’d like to be freed from the wolf at the door
And to sustain our freedom even more.
Progress steamrolls along – whether light or dark.
By Gosh…that ‘ol ranch is a national park!
Tourists now they will come in droves,
With their 4-wheelers and Winnebagos.
Is it the Hilton Corporation with their big shows
You want building visitor condos?
Or your brothers Joe and Emilio with their own backhoes?
They can bring in a plastic city,
Or we can build something with logs and adobe
That’s really pretty.
In the forest, cattle should graze
Alongside the hiker whose love to be there is not just a craze.
Let’s come together in one common bond
Around this valley of which we’re so fond.
Sombreros, saints, leather, sweat, dreadlocks, paints…
We all love this valley – Corporate playtoy we ain’t!
So join the band that’s known as ScSEED
And your dreams for this place, we all will take heed!
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
August 24, 2026
Friends,
We are at a crossroads. Drought, water scarcity, and wildfire are existential threats. Our aquifer must be revitalized. We must build soil health, rehydrate our lands, keep roots in the ground, and behave more like the beaver. Outside pressures, including data centers and water export, look at our resources as a means to an end.
Production agriculture is in decline. We can and must add value to what we are still able to produce with regenerative practices conserving the water and building organic matter.
We need housing that people can afford. Building our housing stock strengthens our communities and helps people who want to live and work here stay here.
We need creative leadership with the courage to work with our community on solutions.
As one of many co-founders of ScSEED—Saguache County Sustainable Environment and Economic Development; the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition; the Rio Grande Farm Park; and Valley Roots Food Hub, I have a trusted record of serving this Valley and building community and economy.
You have invested four years in me to forge relationships and understand county government, its guardrails, and its statutes. I am ready to return that investment as we continue developing solutions that nurture our people, our economy, and our environment.
I ask for your support on November 3.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
August 12, 2026
"Marron, Rios lead Colorado push for permanent Secure Rural Schools funding" (Valley Courier)
Click here to read a clipping of the article.
Click here to read the article on Valley Courier's website.
July 24, 2026
Thank You for Spreading Love
I received this most beautiful card that blessed my soul.
When people do random acts of kindness, it ripples throughout the world.
Thank you to this kind soul spreading love.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
July 24, 2026
Eisenhower April 1953 - holds just as true today!
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed,” he said. “This world in arms is not spending money alone.
“It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
“The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.”
“This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense,” he said. “Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”
From Heather Cox Richardson's post 7.23.26
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
June 11, 2026
With Gratitude, and a Request for Support
Friends,
As we approach the June 30 primary election, I want to thank the residents of Saguache County for the trust, support, and engagement you have shown during my first term as County Commissioner. Serving this county has been an honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside residents, employees, elected officials, businesses, agencies, and community partners.
Over the past four years, this Board has made meaningful progress on several important priorities. We have advanced affordable housing projects, strengthened emergency preparedness, improved the performance of our Department of Social Services, secured more than $1 million in grant funding, got Secure Rural School funding reauthorized at $1.2 million a year for Saguache County Schools, supported economic development efforts, worked to protect our water resources, and continued investing in county infrastructure and services.
I also want to address a point of misinformation that has been circulating. Colorado law requires counties to adopt balanced budgets, and Saguache County has done so in every budget I have participated in. We have maintained required reserves and more, while continuing to provide services and invest in projects that benefit our communities. This has been accomplished despite reductions in federal funding and prolonged mega-drought.
I believe that when taxpayers entrust government with public funds, those funds should be deployed to serve the public good while maintaining prudent reserves for emergencies. Strong communities are built when we invest in people, infrastructure, public safety, housing, economic opportunity, and stewardship of the land and water that sustain us.
There is still important work ahead. I am committed to seeing current projects through to completion and continuing to work for the benefit of county employees, residents, the environment, and our economy.
I respectfully ask for your support on June 30. To learn more, please visit marron4saguache.com or call me at 719-539-5606 with your ideas, questions, or concerns.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
June 10, 2026
David Frees: A Steady Hand for Saguache County
Saguache County has a great emergency manager in David Frees. As the liaison to the Saguache County OEM, I have learned that Emergency management is much more than responding to disasters—it also includes planning, mitigation, recovery, and building partnerships before emergencies occur. As federal funding and FEMA programs are less reliable, we have to be proactive in planning, conducting exercises, and preparing for threats - such as wildfire, flooding, cyberattacks, and public health emergencies.
I have asked for a tabletop exercise for commissioners so that we can practice for our role during a mock scenario.
Under Frees's leadership and our many stakeholders and partners, including our fire districts, our Sheriff's Department, our Ambulance Districts, our School Districts, Road and Bridge, and Public Health, we can have confidence that Saguache County is ready to protect our residents when emergencies arise.
Saguache County Government: Director David Frees, M.S., EMT (saguachecounty.colorado.gov)
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
May 13
Recycling in Colorado
I am proud to be serving on the state advisory board for the recycling program currently being rolled out in Colorado due to HB22-1355. This recycling will be paid for entirely by the producers of packaging doing business in our state. At this time, almost 3,000 producers are paying dues into the program. Recycling should be free at our landfill this year, and free at curbside by 2030. Circular Action Alliance will roll out the program for Colorado. Watch their video to learn more.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
May 13
"Legacy" Film Showed at Rio Grande Basin Roundtable
Yesterday we didn't have a BOCC meeting, so I got to attend the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable. They showed the "Legacy" film brought to us by the Colorado Farm Bureau, CSU Extension, and the Colorado Dept. Of Ag and VWHS. The film and panel included fellow County Commissioner Tony Haas from Las Animas County. It really struck home. With megadrought, fuel prices, tariffs, USAID sales gone, isolation, financial stress, and the unpredictability of what one hail storm can do - the often very prideful and private people of the land do not share their despair with others. They normalize it, but the problems don't go away.
I learned you can't make matters worse if you ask if someone is contemplating suicide. We need to normalize our neighborly instinct to check in on each other.
It is an unprecedented time, and we shouldn't feel like we have to have all the answers. It is not a character defect to ask for help or need help.
This has been on my mind since Hew Hallock brought the Kirk Hanna film "Hanna Ranch" to the SLV for a showing years ago ...
You can watch both films on the internet.
Please know about CSU Extension's COMET program (free training this Friday at RGWCD in Alamosa), and the ag partnership that provides 6 free telehealth sessions through campforhealth.org.
Click here to view the "Legacy" film trailer.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
Range View - Fair Housing in Saguache
Recently, the Commissioners and Project Manager Ann Cunningham toured the Range View Fair Housing Project with Deisslen Structures Inc. General Contractor John Diesslin, Parker Ward with NorthWest Real Estate Capital Corporation, who is managing the financing, and plumbing/HVAC subcontractor Wolking Bros.
This important affordable housing project is coming along beautifully. Beginning September 1, there will be 32 affordable housing units available for families and individuals earning between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income. Those interested can contact the Saguache County Housing Authority to get on the waiting list.
Thanks to hard-won cost savings achieved by DSI and NWRECC, we were able to add washers and dryers in every unit and increase the ceiling heights to 9 feet — creating brighter, more comfortable homes for future residents. The space originally planned for a laundry room will now become a resident computer room.
We are also excited that Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper secured $1.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to construct solar carports for the project. The units will be individually metered, and the solar system is estimated to offset approximately 70% of residents’ utility costs.
We are deeply grateful to be standing on the shoulders of Evan Samora, whose vision and hard work created the capital stack that made this project possible during his time as Housing Director.
This project represents great contractors, collaboration, persistence, and a commitment to creating attainable housing for the people of Saguache County.
Fair Housing is an important issue for me as I run for re-election as your county commissioner.
Glad to talk to people about their ideas.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
April 23rd, 2026
The operations committee of the Closed Basin project had a hard decision on their hands on Monday...how much to pump into the Rio Grande to support agriculture and aquatic life, so the river doesn't get too hot and too low. Their hydrologist
Nate Reynolds put together a comprehensive data set for review before the decision. Our obligation to outer Southern neighbors is low this year due to conditions and a bit of a credit. Everyone is working so hard to do more with less. The reservoirs will be releasing early, but the transit loss to get water to where it needs to go could be up to 50%. Patt McDermott Div. Of Water Resources shared that La Garita Creek flow is already below 2002 levels. Chris Ivers of the RGWCD said that farmers are showing heavy interest in fallow programs.
Proud of Saguache Creek Water Users and Subdistrict 5 for having good results as evidenced in the blue concentric areas in the NW of the 1st graph showing aquifer rise.
The fact is that we must keep roots in the ground of some kind - to prevent a dust bowl here. Hope everyone is considering a little water for that purpose in their use and fallow plans.
It doesn't help that the Bureau of Reclamation is on a skeleton crew due to the feds incentivizing non replacement retirement. Burnout is a real factor in the 11 left trying to manage and rehab wells in the project.
Mcdermott did have a titch of good news in that a Super El Niño is developing due to warm waters at the equater in the Pacific. This could bring higher precipitation during monsoon season and next winter...
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County
April 20th, 2026
Since Columbine - Nurturing our Families
Dear Gentle Readers,
I write this on the anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School. On that day I was working for Center School District leading a youth mentoring/education program that served youth in all three districts here. We were in Denver for training, when this unfolded on the screen in the lobby.
Opalanga Pugh - a 6’ Nigerian storyteller led us in singing Kombaya, which she said was an African community spiritual meaning “Come by Here” Lord. We probably sang that for half an hour sobbing and holding hands. Columbine made our work even more important back home.
Guns are a very important part of the conversation and even more important is building community assets around families and children.
Here at home, we are working with Social Services, The Sheriff and Public Health to provide resources for people here to lead their best lives. We are working on fair housing with our community of builders, we are bringing in new resources that go above the taxpayer’s pockets. We have a new partnership with (ScSEED) Saguache County Sustainable Environment and Economic Development for right-sized economic opportunity. I helped found this
organization back in 1999 with many other great community advocates.
In these important times, I believe I am the right candidate at the right time for re-election as County Commissioner. I show up, I listen, I learn and then work to make the best choice for people to live their best lives here.
I ask for your vote in the June 30 primary; and in the November 3 general election.
Liza Marron for Saguache County Commissioner
Working for a Resilient Saguache County