Commissioner Knabenshue Seeks Second Term

By Norman Kincaide

During an interview at the Rocky Ford Library Conference Room on December 18, 2025, District 2 Otero County Commissioner Tim Knabenshue declared his intention to seek a second term. Knabenshue believes in term limits and considered one more term to be enough. He emphasized water and private property rights issues along with public safety and traffic problems and economic development.

Knabenshue was gratified to see the completion of the traffic light project at Highway 50 and 71. The major issue was travelers being routed by GPS from Highway 10 and 71 to Road 18, not knowing of the Stop sign just north of the railroad tracks. Running that stop sign was the primary cause of collisions at that intersection. Flashing signs were installed at the intersection of Highway 109 and 266 between Cheraw and La Junta, where collisions had been an issue there as well.  

Keeping southeastern Colorado independent of control from the Front Range and Denver Metro influence is also a major concern, particularly with the imposition of unfunded mandates from the Colorado legislature. Of particular concern is Regulation 31 imposing limits on methane emissions from all Colorado landfills, which require the installation of monitoring devices at the expense of towns and counties. The installation of these devices would be cost prohibitive for Otero County.

The Public Utilities Commission ruling on gas water heaters and furnaces also impacts residents with higher installation costs for these utilities. Another one size fits all requirement is the Wild Fire Resilience requirement for new homes. Requirements for homes built in the foothills and mountains in communities like Evergreen where residential housing is denser amid a forested landscape, are far different from southeastern Colorado where housing density, the kind and density of wild fire fuel are not comparable.

Keeping water in the Arkansas Valley and preserving private property rights are paramount to Knabenshue to allow individuals to live, work and develop without undue interference from the state and federal governments. The commissioners must be ever attentive to stresses placed upon residents by the Park Service, Forest Service, United States Army, and nonprofits who seek influence, power and control over southeastern Colorado. Knabenshue said the Otero Commissioners have excellent relationships with commissioners in Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, and Prowers, and on certain issues with Las Animas and Huerfano Counties. Commissioner Tim Knabenshue looks forward to serving Otero County as well as southeastern Colorado for another four years.

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