Running for Boulder City Council · 2026
Scott Rendleman
Rendleman is an attorney running for council for the first time.
Money (city clerk; Thursday before election report, filed Oct. 29, 2026; retrieved Oct. 30, 2026): raised $4,150 · spent $1,420.15 · matching funds received $0.
About this candidate
Rendleman is an attorney running for council for the first time. His stated priorities include wildfire preparedness, housing affordability and trust in city government.
- Occupation: Attorney
- In Boulder: moved to Boulder in 2011
Bio sources: boulderreportinglab.org
In their own words
Short passages from questionnaires, interviews and the campaign website, by topic. If a topic is missing, we have no quote on it. That says nothing about their view.
Downtown
Yes, I supported sending the Downtown Development Authority proposal to the November ballot.
Source: Better Boulder · questionnaire · 2026-09-13 · 2026 City Council Candidate Questionnaire
I support reconsideration of the DDA.
Source: Downtown Boulder Partnership · questionnaire · 2026-09-21 · 2026 Mayoral and City Council Candidate Questions — Scott Rendleman
Governance
City government currently appears focused on managing growth and housing, advancing climate goals, and addressing public safety and homelessness.
Source: Better Boulder · questionnaire · 2026-09-13 · 2026 City Council Candidate Questionnaire
So much of the Boulder community feels that City Council is not listening to its concerns, and it's one of the reasons I'm running this year.
Source: Downtown Boulder Partnership · questionnaire · 2026-09-21 · 2026 Mayoral and City Council Candidate Questions — Scott Rendleman
Housing
Yes. Ordinance 8666 was a modest, incremental modification of the Land Use Code to allow potential development, within 350 feet of bus routes.
Source: Better Boulder · questionnaire · 2026-09-13 · 2026 City Council Candidate Questionnaire
Public safety
Boulder businesses rightfully expect commercial districts to remain safe and clean.
Source: Downtown Boulder Partnership · questionnaire · 2026-09-21 · 2026 Mayoral and City Council Candidate Questions — Scott Rendleman
Transportation
No. The CAN has strong city support, but the community does not yet show sufficient backing for this; the Iris plan remains too contentious now.
Source: Better Boulder · questionnaire · 2026-09-13 · 2026 City Council Candidate Questionnaire
What reporters wrote
These are the reporter's words about the candidate, not the candidate's own.
According to Rendleman, he was disappointed that the DDA didn’t go forward this year – it lost on a 4-4 Council tie – and he would have voted for it had he been on Council at the time.
Richard Valenty · 2026-09-22 · Candidate interview: Scott Rendleman
Rendleman stated that he did not at first appreciate the high-rises being built in Boulder, but currently favors more development rather than sprawl.
Yellow Scene · 2026-09-05 · Profile source: Lisa Ann Jacobs
Scott Rendleman is a first-time candidate for Boulder City Council running on a platform of climate resilience, particularly wildfire preparedness, stronger trust in government and more affordable housing.
Boulder Reporting Lab · 2026-08-28 · Profile source: Scott Rendleman
Endorsements
Each line says where the endorsement comes from.
What the labels on each endorsement mean
- Endorser's own statement
- The organization or person announced it themselves (their site, their press release, or a news story reprinting that release).
- “X campaign lists Y”
- Only the candidate's (or ballot campaign's) own website says so. We didn't find the endorser saying it. It may be true, but it is the campaign's claim.
- City filing
- A committee's registration with the city clerk names the candidate or measure it supports.
- News listing
- A news outlet lists the endorsement, but we did not find the endorser's own statement.
Titles (e.g. “U.S. Representative”) are as printed on the cited page and describe the person, not an endorsement by their office. A blank title means the source did not give one.
No endorsements on file. That is not opposition.
Endorsements they have given (2026)
These are personal endorsements, not ones made by any office they hold.
- Supports: City 2L: Collective bargaining for firefighters (new Charter §73)Boulder Firefighters for a Stronger Boulder ballot campaign lists Scott Rendleman. Only the campaign says so. 2L Endorsements – Boulder Firefighters for a Stronger Boulder
- Opposes: City 2K: Building Boulder Together: Recreation and Safety BondNo on 2K - Demand Fiscal Responsibility ballot campaign lists Scott Rendleman. Only the campaign says so. Who opposes 2K (No on 2K - Demand Fiscal Responsibility)
At the forums, in their own words
Short passages from 2026 candidate forums, by topic, with the question and a link to that moment in the recording. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. If a topic is missing, we have no quote on it. Compare answers to the same question.
Housing
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
If elected, name your top three priorities. And do you believe the city is moving in the right direction or wrong direction on those top priorities?
my third priority is to increase affordable housing through increasing the supply.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 21:49 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What specific policies, development strategies, funding approaches, or partnerships would you pursue to increase or preserve housing affordable to families at approximately 30 to 40 percent AMI? (submitted by co-sponsor EFAA)
We need to look at those municipal properties that will be going offline and repurpose them for affordable housing.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 40:42 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Ballot issue 2J, the residential vacancy excise tax, would be a tax of approximately $4,000 on residential property vacant for more than half the year. Do you support this tax and will it generate enough income to pay for administering this complex program? (30 seconds)
Yes on 2J (the vacancy tax), in their words below.
I do support that measure. We need to disincentivize people from having homes that they don't occupy.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:25:20 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Budget, debt and the 2K bond
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
If elected, name your top three priorities, and do you believe the city is currently moving in the right direction on those priorities?
My priority would be to have a pilot of a performance auditor to see where our programs are working well and where they need improvement.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 28:53 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Boulder voters are being asked to authorize $400 million in new debt through additional property taxes for recreation, public safety and other city facilities as part of ballot issue 2K. Do you support this measure? Why or why not?
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
I don't support the bond measure. And in fact, if I had been on city council, I would not have voted to submit the bond measure to the Boulder voters.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 52:29 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Transportation
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What are your feelings about the bus-only lanes and the core arterial network (CAN)? Should Boulder continue prioritizing protected bike lanes?
The way that it's being implemented or planned to be implemented on IRIS is not what North Boulder wants.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:03:41 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What are your feelings about the bus-only lanes and the core arterial network (CAN)? Should Boulder continue prioritizing protected bike lanes?
I am proposing that we have a trial of the North Boulder lanes where we use cones
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:04:10 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Growth and development
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
Tell us one city issue on which you changed your position after considering new evidence or another perspective.
I've come around on that issue because as I have seen buildings along 28 that are higher, we're able to increase the supply of housing.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 57:57 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Tell us about one city issue on which you changed your position after considering new evidence or another perspective. What changed your mind?
I believe in certain areas it's appropriate to increase our height so that we can have more housing.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:31:54 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Climate and wildfire
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
If elected, name your top three priorities. And do you believe the city is moving in the right direction or wrong direction on those top priorities?
We are headed in the right direction with the community wildfire protection plan.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 21:29 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Empower Our Future council climate forum · October 13, 2026
Climate hushing: political leaders now seem reluctant to connect negative everyday experiences to climate change and its driver, carbon pollution. How do you plan to be vocal and lead on climate?
I think that it will be the responsibility of the next city council to continue to push for its climate goals.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 21:03 · Empower Hour 2026-10-13 Boulder City Council Candidates on Energy and Climate (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Empower Our Future council climate forum · October 13, 2026
Xcel says it will deliver 100% clean electricity by 2050, not Boulder's 2030 goal, and has presented no concrete plan under the 2020 franchise agreement. What remedies would you propose for Xcel's failures to deliver, at the city level, at the PUC, or at the state level? And would you be open to inviting cities that have gone to market for their electricity to come to Boulder to educate us about life after Xcel?
we should be looking at the 10 year opt out as to whether there is an option that makes Excel energy recommit to its carbon reduction goals.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 58:57 · Empower Hour 2026-10-13 Boulder City Council Candidates on Energy and Climate (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Empower Our Future council climate forum · October 13, 2026
Xcel is preparing a decade-long remediation of nearly 2 million tons of coal ash at the Valmont power station. Should Boulder use its franchise and partnership agreements with Xcel to require strong, independent air quality monitoring throughout the cleanup? And if so, how specifically would you do this?
So I do favor the independent monitoring. And I think that this is an area that we should work together with Excel Energy.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:08:09 · Empower Hour 2026-10-13 Boulder City Council Candidates on Energy and Climate (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Arts and culture
Arts and culture forum · September 15, 2026
What measures would you support to ensure future CCRS non-profit capital investments are transparent, guided by clear public priorities and evaluation criteria, and directed toward significant projects that create visible, lasting community value?
I believe that we need an imitated performance monitor that measures our outcomes on our programs
Transcript note: Likely 'independent performance monitor' (Whisper).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 26:02 · (Pt 1/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube)
Arts and culture forum · September 15, 2026
Final one-minute statement
Art funding should be transparent so that we can tell our community members when we spend on art funding that it was worthwhile and enriched the community.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 26:39 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube)
Other topics
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
If elected, what is the single most important new initiative you would pursue in your first year to improve Boulder's business climate? Are there any past policies the Council has adopted you would consider reversing?
my initiative for businesses would be to revisit how we structure some form of downtown development before it.
Transcript note: Refers to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA); 'before it' likely 'authority'.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:14:56 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
If elected, what specific actions would you take to support downtown businesses, encourage investment, and make economic vitality a priority?
I would have an initiative where we look at where can we get savings and make it more affordable for businesses to open.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:38:58 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Opening statement (one minute)
I will advocate for the people who feel that their voices have not been heard.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 17:33 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Do you agree or disagree that our city council is adequately representative of the social, political and economic interests of Boulder? Would you support a study session on proportional representation?
No yes/no label: Interested in hearing more; not a yes or no.
In terms of a study session, I'd be interested in hearing more about whether that would make sense
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:14:58 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Empower Our Future council climate forum · October 13, 2026
Council opening introduction, climate and energy forum (one minute)
I'm running for Boulder City Council, because I want to strengthen our public confidence in our city government.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 14:47 · Empower Hour 2026-10-13 Boulder City Council Candidates on Energy and Climate (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
No earlier questionnaire answers on file.
Money
- $4,150Raised
- $1,420.15Spent
- $0Matching funds received
- $2,729.85Cash on hand
2026 · Rendleman for Boulder · Thursday before election report, filed Oct. 29, 2026; retrieved Oct. 30, 2026.
26 contribution lines, 12 expenditures. City clerk, not TRACER. Clerk statements · Everyone.
Who gave: all 26 contribution lines
| Name | Type | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Scott Rendleman (from candidate) | Monetary | 2026-09-09 | $2,000 |
| Cindy Caruso | Monetary | 2026-10-06 | $100 |
| Dan Caruso | Monetary | 2026-10-14 | $100 |
| Pat D'Esposito | Monetary | 2026-09-30 | $100 |
| Julian Farrior | Monetary | 2026-10-13 | $100 |
| Brooke Harrison | Monetary | 2026-09-27 | $100 |
| Kristin Kalush | Monetary | 2026-09-18 | $100 |
| Sharon Kieffer | Monetary | 2026-09-17 | $100 |
| John Lindner | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $100 |
| Mary Lindner | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $100 |
| Kirsten Lynch | Monetary | 2026-09-13 | $100 |
| Andy Nathan | Monetary | 2026-10-14 | $100 |
| Drew Pytlinski | Monetary | 2026-09-17 | $100 |
| Evan Pytlinski | Monetary | 2026-09-17 | $100 |
| Mike Pytlinski | Monetary | 2026-09-17 | $100 |
| Dana Faulk Query | Monetary | 2026-10-04 | $100 |
| Dave Query | Monetary | 2026-10-04 | $100 |
| Audrey Smith | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $100 |
| Yancey Spruill | Monetary | 2026-10-14 | $100 |
| Roberta Klein | Monetary | 2026-09-26 | $50 |
| Russ Overy | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $50 |
| Susan Reynolds | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $50 |
| Pat Shanks | Monetary | 2026-10-10 | $50 |
| Jim Wallace | Monetary | 2026-09-21 | $50 |
| Jordan Wallace | Monetary | 2026-09-17 | $50 |
| Sarah Wallace | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $50 |
Spent on: all 12 expenditure lines
| Payee | Purpose | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yard Sign Plus | Campaign Yard Signs | 2026-10-08 | $552.17 |
| Yard Sign Plus | Yard Signs for Campaign | 2026-08-27 | $286.50 |
| Uprinting | Door flyers | 2026-10-09 | $164.29 |
| Uprinting | Door flyers | 2026-08-27 | $163.77 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. | Expenditure for Meta/Facebook ads | 2026-09-20 | $114.28 |
| Stripe | Fees for donation processing through Stripe | 2026-09-30 | $40 |
| Stripe | Fees for donation processing through Stripe | 2026-09-22 | $36.40 |
| Google Payment Corp. | Domain Registration and Business Starter | 2026-09-01 | $15.12 |
| Stripe | Generate reports from Stripe information | 2026-09-16 | $15 |
| Stripe | Fees for donation processing through Stripe | 2026-10-18 | $13.20 |
| Google Payment Corp. | Web domain Rendleman4Boulder.com | 2026-08-05 | $12 |
| Google Payment Corp. | Fees for Google Workspace for campaign website | 2026-10-01 | $7.42 |
Campaigns
| Year | Office | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Boulder City Council | on the ballot |
Gifts to 2026 campaigns
From the campaigns' own filings with the city clerk, under the name as filed.
| To | Filed as | Type | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Brockett | Scott Rendleman | Monetary | 2026-08-25 | $100 |
| Jamillah Richmond | Scott Rendleman | Monetary | 2026-09-16 | $100 |
Forum attendance
- 2026-10-13 Empower Hour: Climate and Energy Forum with Boulder City Council Candidates — attended · recording
- 2026-09-26 League of Women Voters of Boulder County City Council and Mayoral Candidate Forums — attended · recording
- 2026-09-15 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture — attended · recording
- 2026-08-26 Boulder Chamber City Council and Mayoral Candidate Forum — attended · recording