Good Sound Judgment

When we elect our Town Trustees we hope we can find six good and fine people to oversee the operation and maintenance of our community (police, fire, streets, and utilities). The job of Trustee is a difficult one as many decisions are made and each of them must be correct. The system that we use in Estes Park is exactly like every other Statutory Town in Colorado. Six trustees elected at large, a figure head mayor that can vote to break tie votes; then the similarities to other community’s ends.

When Trustees run for office in Estes Park they are elected “at large” meaning they must live in the town limits, but do not represent any specific neighborhood, ward or sector. Each trustee is elected to be independently and generally responsible to every citizen of Estes Park on all topics related to the operation of our town. What happens next? Immediately upon election they all seem to disappear and vote in a block. They have allowed themselves to be compartmentalized and controlled by the mayor (a figure head). Each trustee has the power of one vote and they give it away.

Town trustees you were not elected onto a team you were elected for your independent and individual opinions!!!

Upon taking office each trustee is assigned to specific departments of the town and chair specific committees. These assignments are made by the mayor and all committee assignments are mayoralty appointed. Each chair has absolute control of operations and personnel within their sphere of influence. Once compartmentalized trustees stop addressing the job they were elected to, general overseer, and now become department dictators, often in areas where they have no expertise. Trustees are not elected as experts in water treatment plant operation or police tactics (as examples); they are elected for good sound judgment.

This system creates ripples down into town staff and it is not a good effect. Each trustee is a chairman dictator with staff interface. Staff becomes political players not the best technician, manager, administrator or attorney they need to be to sever the town’s people. What if the town attorney is giving political answers to secure his pay check, not good legal advice?

Give me good sound judgment.

Do you know that we have had four town administrators in the last five years and three new finance directors in the same time frame? Does anyone really believe breeding town administrators in-house is the best possible talent? You breed political stooge’s in house not good managers

Give me good sound judgment.