As we digest the documents that have poured into the Estes Parkian the question of why a small statutory governing body so eagerly ran headlong into an obvious brick wall is unavoidable.
Are the trustees doing what’s best for this community?
The broad stroke of responsibilities and essential services of a town government would dictate a conservative management and balance of priorities. What is the mandate of this community government and within that mandate what activities and services are considered top priority, then second tier, third tier, and so on? Health, safety, creation of community law and the enforcement of those laws, common good kinds of services, and the services citizens cannot provide for themselves.
How did visitor services become the Holy Grail for town hall?
Why Town Hall would be apparently throwing the political baby out with the bath water is a mystery about which we can only speculate. Is their national one of a kind town advertising department experiment worth shooting themselves in the foot for? Evidently so because they loaded the gun themselves and are taking very careful aim at their own big toe. Greg White is leading cheers and giving them legal advice “aim real good at that toe nail and squeeze that trigger boys and girls, this will not hurt one bit I promise, I looked into it.
Are the trustees doing what’s best for this community?
Are we getting the best legal advice this community can afford? What an attorney does is sell you their time and advice. For the uninitiated; attorneys are rated by their own peers for the quality of the advice they render. Greg White is a BV rated attorney. This will not be Greg’s first visit to the Supreme Court of Colorado.
Supreme Court case number 96SA0413
White, Gregory Alan
Attorney Discipline- Failing to Take Steps to Protect Clients Following Order of Administrative Suspension- Public Censure - 1998
The Supreme Court accepted a conditional admission in this lawer discipline case, and publicly censured the respondent and ordered him to comply with certain special conditions. The respondent was administratively suspended from the practice of law in 1996 due to his failure to comply with mandatory continuing legal education requirements. See C.R.C.P. 260.6(10). The respondent admitted that during the period of his administrative suspension, he neglected legal matters by failing to withdraw or to obtain substitute counsel for his clients, or even telling them he had been suspended, in violation of Colo. RCP 1.3 (neglecting a legal matter).
Pondering over Greg Whites resume one would have to ask:
Are the trustees doing what’s best for this community?
When the mayoral appointed CVB board asked Greg White if assessing a 2% fees on out of town motels based on gross sales was legal’ Greg White assured the community he has studied the issues and it was legal.
He was wrong!
When the town trustees received an opinion from George Cerrone Jr.(advisor to the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce) a professor of governmental law at the prestigious University of Denver law school. That funding marketing was a violation of Colorado Law. Greg White assured the entire community that he had looked into it and it was legal, the town trustees commenced to fund the CVB, and proceeded to evict the Chamber of Commerce. Hired staff and funded a new Visitors Center.
He was wrong!
Are the trustees doing what’s best for this community?
Now Greg White has advised the trustees to pay him more money on a fool’s errant at the Supreme Court.
It is easy to predict him to be wrong again.
What next?
Town Hall will be investigated by the district court to the depth of their illegal activities, allowing the courts to move on to the main event which is to determine if your trustees created policy administratively verses legislatively. Sounds boring but when you are in charge of the community chest as stewards you had better know the difference. Your mayor your trustees your town administrator and most importantly your town attorney seem to skip over those important details.
Credibility is everything to a town board, the community’s future and health. When was the last time this community government asked for something through your vote and it was granted (exception; the recall of a trustee).
Leadership seems to be on vacation in Estes Park.
