The political implications are complex in a sophomoric kind of way.
Peaking our Estes Parkian curiosity is the over all dynamics of the community. How did this community get so squirrelly? Is it something in the air, endemic to town hall like Legionnaires disease on a cruse ship or is this a community wide phenomenon effecting both the width and depth of this valley? Subliminal stupidity perhaps?
Small town politics can be so blatantly corrupt that it is a euphemism for corruption in America . As in “small town politics - oh brother don’t you just hate it?” But this vale of shame over small town politics is somewhat deserved, we have all heard stories of small towns where mayors and town trustees’ kids get away with stuff because their dads were elected to office. Kind of a get out of a jail free card , or even better one can always arrange for your son to run the night shift at the water plant. I mean after all what are the perks for community service, right?
It’s the look the other way mentality that keeps the conveyor moving. I do believe that there is a naiveté factor involved, but there are those that purposely know better and are predators, wolves in sheep’s clothing. Those are the ones we intend to ferret out. Some one is making money during this chaos, someone always is. This is another consequence of small town living, it’s a fish bowl for everyone, even the wolves.
The Chamber has a big legal bill over this lawful/ unlawful war. Who has benefited someone benefited? Out of town accommodations businesses made money or saved money so why are they not contributing? Why are they hanging back like scared children? The first part of the law suit that was won by the Chamber was concerning an illegal 2% income tax on out of town businesses for access to potential customers. That amounts to a lot of money every year, 2% of gross. Subliminal stupidity perhaps?
Besides your town leaders propensity to ignore the Laws of the State of Colorado (the lack of indignation in the community is a mystery). The politics are equally as baffling.
Some political questions we should all ponder:
Why don’t the town’s people want to handle their own town government?
Why are we the only town in the United States that doesn’t know the difference between what is a businesses function and governments function? Didn’t work for Russian, did it?
Where are the businesses leaders?
Who is making money, because someone is?
.
This whole Chamber of Commerce verses the Town issue; the town’s staff short comings, weirdness, inadequacies, the trustees’ dishonesty, are all established fact - ho hum, what’s new?
Where are the business leaders? Pull up any Chamber of Commerce web site of any community, large or small, rural or urban, resort or industrial, in the United States and you will find the business leaders running the Chamber of Commerce. Where are the Bank presidents here in Estes Park? First National Bank just received an award for record deposits in a town of this population level, some obscene amount like 80 million. When the Estes Parkian read this we were shocked! To quote Susan Doylan, 85% of the businesses in this community fail every five years a horrific statistic. The Chamber of Commerce is dead dog broke. Evidently the businesses do not make money, but First National Bank is? What is up with that?
Is the president of First National Bank sharing his magical businesses acumen with the rest of the community in the form of leadership, guidance, sponsorships, Naa, No, Nyet.
Which bank in Estes Park has taken a businesses leadership roll? Who amongst those MBAs help the businesses that drop their money in their coffers? Answer…not one. In this day and age of electronic banking why would a businesses in Estes Park use a local bank that does not support the local businesses?
Is the First National Bank’s secret, you guessed it, town hall deposits. That’s why Randy R. is on the Board of Directors…get it? Does the School district bank there? Does the YMCA bank there? Does the Rotary Club bank there? Does Quota Club bank there? I know a lot of trustees get mortgages there.
Political solution #1: do not bank in Estes Park until those limp wrested backboneless bankers come out of the closet and support the local businesses in a political roll.
What do the Bankers do to help expand the economy here in Estes Park?
Now for the other major political black hole in Estes Park.
The Down Town Business District
Who owns all those buildings (actually we know, do you)? How do they stand on this whole issue? The people that own the buildings in the downtown businesses district, what do they do to support all their tenants? What are the visions of those owners for the future of the businesses community? What do they do to bring customers to the tenants of their buildings?
Rent is due twelve months a year where are the year around customers? There is inadequate parking in the down town businesses district - what are the building owners doing to improve that inadequacy for their tenants? Nothing, Nada, Nyet.
What are the property owners doing to create events, activities, interest, buzz, to bring people to Estes Park businesses? Nothing, but they do cash the rent checks; they do expect the property tax % payment and then go off to winter in Tucson.
We have a list of property owners in the downtown businesses district and we have scanned the list of boards, trustees, commissions and the like and you people are not on any of them, why?
The people that built the Mall of America do not leave it up to the tenants to attract people to the mall; neither do they leave it up to a town staff.
You are business people; build a ski area, ice rinks, something, anything.
Why would anyone rent square footage in downtown Estes Park to run a business? The locals will not support you and town hall will make absolutely miserable to just get by. Town Hall keeps raising utility rates, taxes, fines and fees - to the point being ridicules
We at the Estes Parkian suport this political campaign:
Do not start a business here, do not rent retail space here, you will fail.
Do not bank here our banks suck.
Do not advertise your business locally - it is a total waste of your money.
Do not give to any non profit, because you will be a non profit business.
The joke going around town that the only way to make a million dollars in Estes Park is to come to Estes Park with three million - is not funny.
Revealing your weasels, rats and carpet baggers - now that’s funny!
