Growth is inevitable, says Montezuma County Commission candidate Lyle Rice, but those who manage it should work to preserve the rural lifestyles and small-business opportunities so valued by the community.

Rice is running as a Democrat for the District 3 seat currently held by Kelly Wilson, who is expected to run for another term.

District 3 represents, roughly, Montezuma county south of Cortez and around Mancos.

A 10-year local resident with a background in agriculture, Rice believes that county government should represent independent farmers and ranchers, while keeping in mind one of the building blocks of a strong community — the chance for local entrepreneurs to start their own business.

"Small business has been the backbone of our country, but small business, including agriculture, seems to get very little support," said Rice in a news release. "Large corporations are encouraged to come to our area with jobs that provide minimum pay, and because of this, some area businesses have closed."

Rice has never held a publicly-elected office, but says he feels his experience in professional business, education and agriculture makes him a good candidate for county commission.

"I have been thinking about running for quite a while, and the timing just seems right," he said in an interview Thursday.

Rice co-founded the MontDolores Homebuilders Association and has served as its vice-president, president and director for several years. A former farmer, he has a degree in agricultural education from Colorado State University, which landed him a teaching job at Golden High School, and then later at San Juan Basin Technical School, where he taught vocational agriculture for students at Montezuma-Cortez High School. He is a member of the Cortez Masonic Lodge, was a real-estate broker for 13 years, owns a construction business, and is an auctioneer for K-Bar auctions.

He is running on a campaign platform that focuses on how to effectively deal with growth issues. Some of his ideas and concerns include:

• Giving better incentives for local community members who want to start their own businesses. "If we can give Wal-Mart a five-year tax break, then why not to the small-time local also?" he said, adding that small-business promotion benefits the community more than large businesses because owners tend to be more sensitive to a livable wage than big industry.

• Facilitating better coordination between town councils and the county on growth issues. He said developing intergovernmental agreements and zones of influence around urban centers may help to more fairly manage growth in a way that minimizes conflicts between rural and city residents. "You can never please everyone, so some compromise is always essential."

• Clarifying the county’s Landowner Initiated Zoning system. He believes the LIZ rules are too general, and need to be more detailed to be effective. "People are confused, because it is too vague," he said, noting that the region’s rapid growth rate requires that there be "more structured guidance and community involvement."

• Establishing a better working relationship between the commission and the community by scheduling after-hour meetings every month in order to provide better public access to county representatives.