Earlier this spring, former mayor, Kirk Yerke, resigned from his duties at Nucla Town Hall. In place already was a municipal election with a question on whether or not to recall Yerke. As such, when he resigned, the election remained with a question as to who his successor would be. Voters then chose to elect mayor pro tem Paula Brown as mayor. That left an open seat on the Nucla Town Board of Trustees, since Brown was a board member.
To fill her vacant position, which is volunteer and unpaid, as are all trustee seats, including the mayor’s, the town called for applications and held interviews. Aimee Tooker, Paula Riley and Joseph Hittinger submitted their letters of interest. After meeting with all three candidates, the board appointed Hittinger on May 6.
Hittinger spoke with Forum on May 9. He shared about his background and experience. Hittinger has a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in interior design and a master’s degree in architecture from the Catholic University of Washington, D.C.
He’s worked in real estate for the last 15 years, in San Francisco specifically. While he’s mostly moved his life out of the Bay Area, he’s got a few remaining clients there he is keeping. Hittinger has also worked flipping houses, and he’s planning a residential development in Nucla by the old school on Main Street. He had an interior design firm, with seven employees at one point.
He’s got board experience too. He’s currently on the West End Economic Development Corporation’s (WEEDC’s) board. In the past, he served the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research. He helped accredit different programs in the nation and was on the review board. That organization morphed into the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, and he served it as the head.
Hittinger came to the West End in 2020. He was visiting Moab, but came to Nucla and fell in love with Jim Guire, along with the environment. He bought property and stayed.
He said he’s honored the Nucla board chose him. He said his strengths are handling conflict, having conversations and trying to see all sides of issues. He considers himself open-minded and doesn’t believe he has all the answers.
“I have an eye for what’s going right and what could use improvement,” he said. “I want the West End, and particularly Nucla, to be the best it can be.”
He said he’s excited about the West End Vision Project, currently underway, which aims to drive the West End forward with community collaboration. He knows there’s a lot of pride in the heritage. He loves all of that, but he said some changes have to happen for progress. He’s ready to help with new ideas and new growth, and expanding the tax base.
He told the Forum he will make himself available to the people of Nucla. He said if he’s out in his yard working, people may stop by and chat. He responds to email — and he’ll have a town email address this week — in about 24 hours. He responds to calls and texts even more quickly.
“I have an open mind, I have a different background,” he said. “I have a way seeing things a different way because of my education and work. I want to hear others’ opinions. It’s important to flush things out.”
He also told the Forum that after the candidate roundtable session last week, the town would’ve been in great shape with Tooker or Riley too.
“We were three great candidates, and the town couldn’t have gone wrong,” he said.
