In the bustling hive of city governance, it’s easy for the public to perceive municipal employees as faceless bureaucrats, merely cogs in the machinery of local administration.

However, behind every policy decision and infrastructure project lies a team of dedicated individuals who are deeply connected to the heartbeat of our community. You’ll find more than just suits and ties; you’ll find neighbors, friends, and passionate advocates for our community. “The City” is a collective of passionate, driven, dedicated individuals who proudly serve Woodland Park and all its residents.

Walking through the doors of City Hall, you’ll be greeted by Christie. Christie Huber is easily recognizable by citizens, each of whom she greets with a cheerful smile and upbeat attitude. Christie’s role is as demanding as it is diverse, keeping her very busy each day, evident by the sneakers on her feet. Christie and her husband of forty-six years raised five daughters between a charming community in the Midwest and the mountains of Woodland Park, which they’ve called home for nearly two decades.

Christie loves to keep active, enjoying skiing and hiking and keeping up with her soon-to-be 14 grandchildren, who bring her immense joy. When she’s not spending time with her family, Christie often donates her time to causes she is passionate about. She volunteers at the Marian House in Colorado Springs, assisting some of the more vulnerable citizens in the area who benefit from her contributions as much as they do her compassionate heart. Christie’s demonstration of compassion and selflessness extends to her proud support of Donate Life America, an organization dedicated to life-saving organ donation—a cause especially significant to her as she is a living donor herself.

When she’s not helping folks with their utility bills, you will find Judy Bundy splitting her time between being an avid sports enthusiast, a doting pet parent, adventuring with her husband Brian of 34 years, and her most cherished role, making memories with her grandchildren.

Always keeping busy, you can usually catch Judy powerwalking throughout the community on her lunch breaks, striding in style. Judy has been with the City of Woodland Park for many years, helping folks establish new utility services and manage their accounts. But Judy is arguably most known for her work assisting community residents, which falls well beyond her job description. Judy’s bubbly personality is paired with her tremendous heart, and her heart is her biggest contribution to the community. Judy often donates her personal time and resources to help care for and support elderly and sensitive community members. Judy selflessly provides everything from assisting with simple errands to delivering meals and wellness checks on folks she knows need additional love and support.

At the heart of the Planning Department is a team of committed individuals who navigate tough assignments like establishing new subdivisions and businesses in our community, among many other responsibilities.

This is where you’ll find Dave Burgess. Dave is a Colorado native who spent his childhood in Woodland Park, where he graduated high school. Dave’s professional career is vast, with an impressive range of accomplishments, from serving as a drafter for a surveying company to senior designer for a civil engineering company in Las Vegas, where he lived for 20 years. Dave was also a registered medical assistant, having served the Woodland Park community for several years before beginning his next public service career with the City of Woodland Park. Dave has been married for twenty years and is an exceptionally proud father to his daughter, who he lovingly describes as being beautiful, smart, wonderful, talented, and, above all, kind. If you have the pleasure of getting to know Dave, you’ll quickly understand that the kindness he values in his daughter is a quality he shares with people in his life. Around the office, Dave is favorably known as “the man.” Dave’s calm, collected, and reasonable personality tackles anything thrown at him with ease, always remaining level-headed. He’s an excellent problem solver, always willing to pitch in and help support his fellow staff members.

Humanizing municipal staff involves acknowledging their exceptional and individual contributions while recognizing the enthusiasm they bring to their daily duties. Being a public servant is more than “just a job.” For many City employees, the grind extends well beyond 5 pm on Fridays. They are serving over long weekends. They are serving over holidays. They are serving while the rest of us are peacefully sleeping. They carry the community’s needs with them when they go home after a long day. So the next time you encounter a City employee, whether a planner, a public works crew member, or a lifeguard, take a moment to acknowledge the person behind the job title. Often without recognition or praise, they are the unsung heroes who keep our city running smoothly.