What events were discussed throughout the year and what were the results?
Habecker got ousted for his disrespect of our community and the flag and now sues the Town.
Home Rule was discussed; a Charter Commission was voted on and failed to win support.
Town lives up to their 85% business failure rate which now includes some of Estes Park’s longest running businesses in the best of locations, like Stage Western.
The Town/Chamber dispute continues to a final-final resolution while Baudek attempts to thwart its moving forward by working behind the scenes.
The Town attempted to take away property rights in A-Accommodation zoning, which was illegal and finally dropped.
The school board overcame an attempt at recall, as some poor sports from the old corrupt board wanted their jobs back.
A vote to increase taxes in the recreation district was shot down. No new taxes!
Don’t you wonder what fun lies ahead?
First on the agenda will be to renew EPURA. That’s the slush fund for the Town spending. Just say NO!
Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
What Would We Do Without Them?
Volunteers keep the community operating. What would we do without the many volunteers we have in Estes Park? This is such a wonderful attribute of our community. Just to list a few areas, we have a volunteer fire department, volunteer citizen police, many hundreds of volunteers in the National Park, volunteers in blood drives, community service such as the Duck Race, events at the fair grounds, the library and numerous venues. If you were not mentioned, the thanks go out just the same. Volunteerism in our community is something we should all be thankful for. So, thank you volunteers!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Resolutions for 2006
The coming of the New Year gives one the opportunity to review their place in the world, asses the things they’d like to see different in themselves and others and to take stock of what to do about it.
Can you change others? Not likely.
Can you change yourself? With dedication and effort.
Can you change your circumstances? By all means.
Can you change the community in which you live to make it more acceptable to you? One can, but it is really hard.
The Estesparkian would like to share the resolutions we could make that would make this a better community.
1. Be accountable and ask others to be accountable.
2. Educate yourself about our community, politically, healthcare, Rocky Mountain National Park.
3. Take the opportunity to learn about the issues that face us and take a position on them.
4. Tell others what your position is, and why you feel that way.
5. When there is a political issue before you, become educated and find out what you believe in, then vote.
6. Volunteer. Many of us are consummate volunteers, but, try something new.
7. Read a new book every month.
8. Give a helping hand to someone you don’t know.
9. Cook a meal for 4 new people.
10. Spend an hour in the library, just to look at what we have to offer. It’s inspiring.
11. Go look at the hospitals plans for development. We are lucky to have such a dedicated Board of Trustees and the departing Doug Faus. Doug, thank you for being in our community and good luck with your great new job.
12. Support our school board. We pay for our schools, we should know about them.
Estes Park seems to have more warts than most communities, but there is a remedy. It’s us. Let’s all take the responsibility for where we are and make a difference is that is what we want.
Can you change others? Not likely.
Can you change yourself? With dedication and effort.
Can you change your circumstances? By all means.
Can you change the community in which you live to make it more acceptable to you? One can, but it is really hard.
The Estesparkian would like to share the resolutions we could make that would make this a better community.
1. Be accountable and ask others to be accountable.
2. Educate yourself about our community, politically, healthcare, Rocky Mountain National Park.
3. Take the opportunity to learn about the issues that face us and take a position on them.
4. Tell others what your position is, and why you feel that way.
5. When there is a political issue before you, become educated and find out what you believe in, then vote.
6. Volunteer. Many of us are consummate volunteers, but, try something new.
7. Read a new book every month.
8. Give a helping hand to someone you don’t know.
9. Cook a meal for 4 new people.
10. Spend an hour in the library, just to look at what we have to offer. It’s inspiring.
11. Go look at the hospitals plans for development. We are lucky to have such a dedicated Board of Trustees and the departing Doug Faus. Doug, thank you for being in our community and good luck with your great new job.
12. Support our school board. We pay for our schools, we should know about them.
Estes Park seems to have more warts than most communities, but there is a remedy. It’s us. Let’s all take the responsibility for where we are and make a difference is that is what we want.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Report Card
Yes we admit it; the Estesparkian keeps track of the town’s political activities.
Who else is going to do it? The trail/ the Freebe press/Town Bugle/Channel 8?
Only the Estesparkian!
You, the citizens of Estes Park, elected your leadership to oversee your town.
How are they doing?
What are their voting records?
What are their views and what promises did they make to you that prompted you to vote them into office?
Do they speak up or do they send out Town staff to speak for them?
You will be electing three new people in April to this body.
Do you want three people that will melt in with this body or do you want three people that are individuals? 50% replacement, this will be a new board after April. What kind of board do you want? These are exciding times!!!!!
Do you want trustees that are technically competent to chair a department like public works, then that person should have a background in water/wastewater, street maintenance, etc.
What about personnel, has this board hired the best people available? It seems they are diligent about providing the top salary and benefit packages for personnel, on par with Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland and Boulder. Do your trustees hire personnel that are on par with that compensation? Since 2000 we have had three different finance directors and three different town administrators. What does that mean? Which trustee has ever explained their vote on an issue in public - in the press? Is the Mayor the only voice in or out?
Excuses or leadership?
Its report card time:
What has your leadership done for you? Be specific. Example: Lori Jeffery-Clark was elected on a platform that she would do what for you and did she accomplish that thing? She was real active politically all over the country ( we paid the bill ), getting apointed to stuff nationally but what did she do for you here in Estes Park?
Simple:
Rate your Trustees:
John Baudek
Sue Doylan (term limited)
Lori Jeffery-Clark (term limited)
Chuck Lavine
Wayne Newsome
Bill Pinkham
Richard Homier (replaced David H. up for reelection)
These individuals are individually accountable to you. They were not elected as a group, they are elected as individuals. Are they serving you or are they serving town staff?
Who else is going to do it? The trail/ the Freebe press/Town Bugle/Channel 8?
Only the Estesparkian!
You, the citizens of Estes Park, elected your leadership to oversee your town.
How are they doing?
What are their voting records?
What are their views and what promises did they make to you that prompted you to vote them into office?
Do they speak up or do they send out Town staff to speak for them?
You will be electing three new people in April to this body.
Do you want three people that will melt in with this body or do you want three people that are individuals? 50% replacement, this will be a new board after April. What kind of board do you want? These are exciding times!!!!!
Do you want trustees that are technically competent to chair a department like public works, then that person should have a background in water/wastewater, street maintenance, etc.
What about personnel, has this board hired the best people available? It seems they are diligent about providing the top salary and benefit packages for personnel, on par with Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland and Boulder. Do your trustees hire personnel that are on par with that compensation? Since 2000 we have had three different finance directors and three different town administrators. What does that mean? Which trustee has ever explained their vote on an issue in public - in the press? Is the Mayor the only voice in or out?
Excuses or leadership?
Its report card time:
What has your leadership done for you? Be specific. Example: Lori Jeffery-Clark was elected on a platform that she would do what for you and did she accomplish that thing? She was real active politically all over the country ( we paid the bill ), getting apointed to stuff nationally but what did she do for you here in Estes Park?
Simple:
Rate your Trustees:
John Baudek
Sue Doylan (term limited)
Lori Jeffery-Clark (term limited)
Chuck Lavine
Wayne Newsome
Bill Pinkham
Richard Homier (replaced David H. up for reelection)
These individuals are individually accountable to you. They were not elected as a group, they are elected as individuals. Are they serving you or are they serving town staff?