(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A familiar face in Southern Colorado politics is throwing her hat into the ring for April’s crowded race for Mayor of Colorado Springs.

Sallie Clark, a local business owner who has held several leadership roles in Colorado Springs and El Paso County, made the announcement official in November 2022. Clark has served as a county commissioner and city council member. Most recently, she was the Colorado Director of Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“With all of my experience, from local government all the way up to the federal level, I have a lot to bring to the table in terms of my understanding of all these issues, in addition to having relationships at all levels and working across the aisle to get things done for Colorado Springs, for the county and for our state of Colorado,” Clark told FOX21 News’ Evening Anchor, Scott Kilbury.

Clark’s priorities include having more affordable housing, recruiting and maintaining the workforce, while also putting an emphasis on our parks and open spaces.

She says being a part of big decisions and projects such as the Cimmaron Interchange and the Red Rock Open Space Acquisition, as well as being a small business owner, allows her to keep the city moving in the right direction.

Currently, there are seven mayoral candidates. With Mayor John Suthers’ term limit approaching, his replacement will step into what is called a “strong mayor” system, initiated in 2010 under The Charter of the City of Colorado Springs.

Suthers took office as the city’s second “strong mayor” in 2015, won re-election in 2019, and served the maximum of two four-year terms.