a day ago
Newest Pueblo City Council at-large candidate emphasizes need for community resources
He has lived in Bessemer, on the East Side and in the Mesa Junction and is now looking to represent his hometown at-large on Pueblo City Council.
Nathan Harper is one of six candidates vying for one of the two open at-large seats in 2025. Harper owned Roots Recycling, now known as Design for Recycle, for six years before selling the business to a friend in 2024. He continues to work and serve as a member of the leadership team at the business he once owned.
Harper has owned or served as part-owner of multiple businesses in Pueblo. He also spent about a month of his life unhoused.
"I had to figure out how I was going to sleep safely at night, still see my daughter and still be able to provide the necessities that I needed to provide for myself and her," Harper told the Chieftain. "I have been there. I've been below poverty level, I've been lower middle class and I've been everywhere in between. I know a lot of what people in Pueblo have been through and what they care about."
If elected, Harper said he would prioritize providing social services for unhoused individuals, struggling families and their children. He supports community building in education and after-school programs.
Harper also said it is important that crime in Pueblo is understood as "not just a one-point issue."
"Crime is something that has been systemic, and it doesn't start just with the person that's maybe doing the crime or making the offense," he said. "A lot of times, you see people that don't have access and they are not able to build a better life through services provided through the community."
Harper also spoke about the importance of providing services for the youth to make a lasting impact in the future.
"Take care of them while they're young, and over time, it's going to take care of itself," he said. "We take care of those that are in need now, and they will ultimately reciprocate to all of us by being a better part of our community in the future."
At-large seats currently occupied by Pueblo City Council members Brett Boston and Dennis Flores are up for election in 2025. Flores is unable to run for reelection due to term limits, while Boston is running for reelection. Other candidates vying for an at-large council seat include Tom Croshal, Sam Hernandez, Steven Rodriguez, and Selena Ruiz-Gomez.
Road safety: Pueblo police want 15 new cameras to stop public from using 'roadways as a racetrack'
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@ Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Former recycling business owner enters race for Pueblo City Council
Solve the daily Crossword
