Cody Kennedy - Grand Junction City Council
“Together, let's do what's best for Grand Junction!”
About Cody
Serving the community I love has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I spent 17 years with the Grand Junction Police Department, first as a police officer and eventually as a detective, before being elected to City Council in 2023 and serving as Mayor from 2025 to 2026.
In many ways, serving on City Council has been a culmination of a lifetime of experiences. I’ve worked in agriculture, business, law enforcement, and real estate, and each of those experiences has shaped how I approach public service. But nothing prepared me to understand Grand Junction quite like those years in law enforcement. Seeing our community from the driver’s seat of a patrol car, at all hours and in its best and worst moments, gave me a connection to this city and the people who live here that I never could have anticipated.
I grew up in the small town of Berthoud, Colorado, along the Front Range. My family had a farm and a cattle-feeding operation, and I grew up around horses, rodeo, and agriculture. After graduating from Berthoud High School, I attended Colorado State University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business in 1997.
Following college, I went to work for Continental Grain as a commodity trader in Washington state, buying and selling agricultural commodities and working directly with farmers and commercial buyers. I later returned to Colorado and worked in insurance and employee benefits before beginning my career with the Grand Junction Police Department in 2005.
Over the next 17 years, I served in patrol, SWAT, and criminal investigations, including several years as a corporal and as an instructor in defensive and patrol tactics. As a detective, I worked on everything from complex financial crimes to homicide investigations, and throughout my career, I was fortunate to receive three Lifesaving Awards and multiple Chief’s Commendations. I also spent more than a decade serving on the City’s Police Retirement Plan Board, helping oversee employee retirement funds and receiving the Colorado Public Plan Coalition’s John M. Sopranuk Award in 2013 for fiduciary responsibility.
Alongside my law enforcement career, Summer and I continued building a residential real estate business that we had started years earlier. We began by purchasing our first home, saving for the next, and eventually turning our previous homes into rental properties as we moved forward. More than 25 years later, I remain actively involved in real estate investment and property management. That experience has also given me opportunities to help provide housing for Afghan refugee families, people returning to the community after incarceration, and individuals dealing with substance-use and behavioral health challenges.
Since joining City Council, I’ve focused on responsible government, housing affordability, public safety, and the long-term needs of our community.
City Council of Grand Junction, Colorado
During my year as mayor, Council adopted a new Strategic Framework emphasizing core services, fiscal responsibility, housing, transparency, and efficiency. I also initiated the Housing Affordability Code Task Force, bringing together people with practical development and housing experience to identify unnecessary regulations and delays that increase construction costs, with the goal of making it easier to build more homes at prices working families in Grand Junction can afford.
Water has become another important focus of my work. I’ve spent considerable time learning about Grand Junction’s municipal water system, visiting our watershed and treatment facilities, and working with the employees responsible for maintaining those essential services. I’ve advocated for responsible investment in our aging water infrastructure and currently represent Mesa County’s municipal interests on the Colorado Basin Roundtable. I’ve also written extensively about Colorado River issues, including my Haunted by Waters series published through the CLUB 20 Foundation.
Today, I continue serving on City Council and several regional boards and commissions, working on issues ranging from economic development and transportation to water resources and public infrastructure.
Summer and I raised our three daughters here in Grand Junction. This is where we’ve built our family, our business, and our lives. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve a community that has given us so much.
Meet Cody
Serving.
In March of 2022, Cody retired from the Grand Junction Police Department after nearly 17 years of service to the community. Throughout his law enforcement career, he served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Street Crimes Unit Officer, SWAT Officer, Defensive & Patrol Tactics Instructor, Corporal, and Field Training Officer. Working alongsid
In March of 2022, Cody retired from the Grand Junction Police Department after nearly 17 years of service to the community. Throughout his law enforcement career, he served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Street Crimes Unit Officer, SWAT Officer, Defensive & Patrol Tactics Instructor, Corporal, and Field Training Officer. Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Grand Junction Police Department was a true privilege, and it laid the foundation for his continued public service.
Family.
Cody and his wife, Summer, have lived in the same Redlands neighborhood for over 20 years. Married in 1996, they’re the proud parents of three daughters, now 24, 22, and 19, who inspire them daily. Summer is a Grand Valley educator, and all three of their girls are following in her footsteps with a shared passion for teaching and making a difference.
Volunteering.
Cody is a volunteer board member for Crime Stoppers of Mesa County and has a leadership role with Grand Valley Resettlement Program – a local nonprofit supporting Afghan refugees making their home in Mesa County. This year Cody also served on the Latino Coalition for Community Leadership’s local planning team for the Transforming Safety H
Cody is a volunteer board member for Crime Stoppers of Mesa County and has a leadership role with Grand Valley Resettlement Program – a local nonprofit supporting Afghan refugees making their home in Mesa County. This year Cody also served on the Latino Coalition for Community Leadership’s local planning team for the Transforming Safety House Bill. This team of community leaders from various backgrounds and organizations worked together to direct state funds to some of the most vulnerable populations in Grand Junction.
Cody’s priorities for City Council :
Compassionate Fiscal Responsibility
As City CouncilCity Council, Cody remains committed to balancing the city’s budget with heart and common sense. He believes every tax dollar should be spent wisely, but always with an understanding for the real-life needs of the people who live here.
Affordable Housing
Cody understands that housing is one of Grand Junction’s biggest challenges. That’s why he supports smart infill development, neighborhood revitalization, and strategies that make it possible for residents to live affordably in every part of our city.
Public Safety
With a deep background in law enforcement, Cody knows what it takes to keep our city safe. He actively supports initiatives to recruit, retain, and equip police officers and firefighters, ensuring our public safety departments are fully staffed and ready to serve with excellence.
Community Partnerships That Work
Solving complex issues like homelessness, mental health, and addiction requires teamwork. Cody believes in strong partnerships with nonprofits, regional governments, and community leaders to drive real solutions, not just short-term fixes.