Mark Stickel

Mark Stickel (Term of Office 1989 - 1995)

Mark Joseph Stickel was born October 16, 1955 in Chamberlain, South Dakota to Maynard Ralph Stickel and Magdalen Margaret (Crofter) Stickel. Mark attended kindergarten in South Dakota. The family moved to Colorado where Mark attended grades one through three at Gregory Hill, grades four through six at Sunset Ridge Elementary, grades seven through nine at Shaw Heights Junior High School, and grades 10 through 12 at Westminster High School. Stickel earned an Associate’s Degree at the Community College of Denver and attended Metro State College. Mark’s principal at Gregory Hill Elementary School, George Horvorka, would later become the Mayor of Westminster, serving at the same time as his former student, Mark Stickel, was the Mayor of Federal Heights.

Mark married Cynthia “Cindy” Lou Stockham on October 22, 1976. They had three children, Alexandré Thomas, Mark Christopher and Phillip Austin. Mark began his career in heating, ventilation and air conditioning in 1975, retiring in 2009.

Stickel’s service to Federal Heights began when he was elected to City Council to replace Joseph Yedo in a 1983 recall election, serving from July 6, 1983 to January 3, 1984. When his term ended, he was selected as chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 30, 1984 and held that position until August, 1989.

In July, 1989, Mayor Lester Bauer was recalled and Mark Stickel was elected Mayor to fill the vacancy. Stickel joined City Council members Earl Headley, Linda Dunn, Wayne Martin, Al Pfluger, Robert Snell and Robert Wright.

During Stickel’s tenure as Mayor from 1989 – November 21, 1995, the City made major additions to buildings at the Police Department, Fire Station, and Public Works shop. The City paid $2.1 million in cash, incurring no debt, to add the Community Room to City Hall. During that time, the City implemented its first ambulance service and the Police Department became nationally accredited. “Backdraft,” joined the fire department as its first mascot, and the Fire Department’s ISO rating went from a 7 to a 3. The City hired its first community development director and first city engineer.

Mayor Stickel served as chairman of the ADCOG committee, chairman of Colorado Municipal League’s District 3, and started a Historical Committee. During his six years as Mayor, three Mayor Pro Tems served with him, Earl Headley, Ernest Shelton and Wayne Martin, as well as three City Managers, Robert Bridges, Eugene Wieneke and Roger Tinklenberg. While he was Mayor, the City received seven Government Finance Officers’ Awards and the City Treasury went from $3.5 million dollars when he was elected, to $10.5 million when his term ended.

Mark Stickel’s service to the City continued by serving a two-year term as a Ward I City Council Member from 2018-2020.