PASCAL'S WAGER

Attention all political impresarios, knowledgeable overseers, shakers and movers off all things Estes Park…time for a check-in with the brain barn think tank.

The elections for trustee are now in the history books, and all the election promises made with fingers crossed behind backs…wink/wink - nudge/nudge…are quickly forgotten. Be prepared for the same old nothing, that’s what you expect - that’s what you will get, a big fat nothing.

Now what?

As we researched the history vault of EPURA for future articles, it was impossible to ignore those bits and pieces of nothing that habitually never happen in Estes Park. Nothing goes on and some politicos will tell you “that indicates - all things are well”…or nothing goes on because your elected officials spend too much time manipulating and not leading. The latter explanation is our opinion. The philosophy expressed is “pay as you go,” we keep paying, but where are we going… slowly no where!

Isn’t it nice that people volunteer for political office? Nice isn’t it…volunteering for leadership positions…follow me they proclaim and I will change things. I am qualified to lead you; I have a unique combination of education, experience and love of place that empowers me and me alone to move this community to heights previously unknown, and then you do nothing, you lead us nowhere. Bill Pinkham’s big claim to fame is the 2017 committee…what a joke, Tom Pickering kowtowed Bill to the level of being embarrassing.

What has gone on around here in the past ten years? Town Hall remodeled Town Hall to the tune of how many millions of dollars?...they created a dog park, embroiled the community in several law suits, held meaningless community forums and built some sidewalks…you have a broke back Chamber of Commerce, Jaycees closed their doors, and the community endured recall elections. What is the big deal?...Where did we take off to?...What did those volunteer trustees do to lead us?...They took us where?...So what is the big whoop? The Big idea?

Increased our market share…not hardly.

Created new industry…nope.

Eased the traffic…ha ha ha.

Provided more parking…go fish.

Produced community unity…in your dreams.

Formed staff stability…forget it.

Community involvement in government…never (you’re not suited for Home Rule).

Altered the perception of Estes Park…same ole-same ole.

Reduced crime…jokes on you.

Provided better infrastructure…silly.

Gave us cleaner streets…think again.

Fire protection…excuse me.


We have new leadership…where are you taking us? How are we going to get there?

The saga of the blind leading the blind continues, maybe we can hook up with Loveland…as a ward or something…Longmont perhaps, we now have an insider.

Here is our big idea.

This is what we need to do…“America’s Cathedral” a “Super Walmart”…located in Stanley Park. It makes sense, the town will have its sales tax base and we don’t have to tolerate all those little tee-shirt shops for the bulk of our general fund monies, messy business those small business owners. In time Elkhorn and Moraine could be lined with condos. The school is slowly loosing all its students; it is going out of business, in the next ten years the school campus would make exceptional additional parking for the Super Walmart!

We are now officially anti- Home Rule for Estes Park. You can’t run your own town, and you have no interest in accountability. The ex mayor said it “you are too stupid to understand the complexities of negotiating away community property,” and he is right.
You are not qualified to run your own town!!! Your town trustees have embroiled this community in so many complex intergovernmental agreements…to supplement their lack of local authorities…the practical need is to assign to others powers they do not have. Example, your trustees entered into an agreement with Larimer County…so they could assess fees on folks outside the town limits again…then they will have a group (grope) study committee of hand picked - rubber stamping - clones.

Our government is intended to be a Government of Laws, and Town Hall refuses to follow laws. In a corrupt society everyone expects exceptions to the rules; the law makers are the biggest law breakers, and you are good with that. The Estes Parkian has said it before, “If you stand for nothing - you will fall for anything.”

David Haubecker is still flinging quotes about his rights…he so easily forgets…he was voted in and then voted out! There was a recall election Dave, a special election…an exorcism so to speak. David is uniquely Estes politics; he is so sure that you are stupid and he is smarter, as he weasels himself back into a position of trust…a commission seat of some sort…to relieve you of your rights, again! You were voted out, recalled and it doesn’t really matter the reason…personal hygiene, ideology, the make of auto you drive…voted out by recall - is - voted out by recall. The Estes Parkian finds the “David Watch” the perfect local political Petri dish, to explain who and what you are Estes Park. David is skulking around town hall, like a hyena filled with the will to serve and regain his feeding position on the carcass. How many variances did David receive… wrestled from the community over the years? Good night Irene! Oh good Lord!

The Estes Parkian lobs back this quote:

“God is or is not. But to which side shall we incline?….Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate the two chances. If you gain, you gain all, if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager then without hesitation that he is.”
Blaise Pascal

Where in the world is Hector?

Where in the world is Hector Ivan Garcia?

Fair warning, you must be an adult to read further, you must have at least one year of college to begin to understand what is being addressed here.

The town’s “Fire Fee” is the absolute limit for this Estes Parkian. We abhor the way our little town is managed, this is one more example of the divisive negative “up your nose with a rubber hose politics,” Estes Park is famous for.

GIVE US THE MONEY (forget about better or improved service)

An elected town board has only one way of speaking and that is through ordinance, every thing else is political garble. The nonsense that is published by Estes Pravda and the gibberish that is printed as explanations for…the criminal acts perpetrated upon the captives of the Estes Valley. I am speaking to the voice of a town government and that is "the town ordinance" - also known as town law. Trustee’s opinion is just opinion no more no less.

Town ordinance (town law) mandates the funding of a fire department in Estes Park. The town has only one employee in the fire department, they do pay for some gas and some equipment costs as well, which minimally impacts the town’s adequate budget.

The Visitors Center and the advertising and marketing budget, on the other hand, is not supported by town ordinance (town law) and it appears to violate State Law as well. Yet the town hired six full time employees, and it is anyone’s guess how many part time contracted individuals (in excess of $320,000.00 in full time salaries alone - not including benefits - for a task that is at best three months of questionable productivity) to do what the Chamber did at no cost to the community at large. Why? Equalization… the in-town verses out-of-town divisive tool the trustees used to justify the spending of your sales tax dollars in defiance of state law. Remember all the fights and issues the town created for the Chamber? Then the trustees concocted some income based tax/fee, again they broke the law, and created strife and division within the community. The budget of the visitor’s center…advertising & marketing…buses…and the convention center is an order of magnitude greater than fire protection. Now mind you, we think our volunteers are fantastic, but the point here is one of priorities. Your trustees prefer to be in the “sappy the clown” tourist entertainment business…more than the "protecting our health business"…as the State and local laws mandate.

GIVE US THE MONEY (to hell with laws)

So why do we allow this sophomoric “hick town” madness?

All the money spent on the visitor’s service gesture…benefits only a few businesses, mostly motel owners, primarily the Holiday Inn. In contrast, a full time professional fire department would benefit everyone in the Valley, year around. Priorities people…it is all about adult choices…and priorities.

Twice the trustees have concocted some fire district scheme - that no one wanted and voted down - so now they come back with this silly “fees” nonsense. Some of you folks will actually send them a check that will be deposited into the general fund to buy one more ad in the Readers Digest, booking people into the Holiday Inn.

GIVE US THE MONEY (you elected me so now I am smarter than you are)

Are you seeing the trend here?

They will not follow the law, their own or the State of Colorado’s Law.
The voters do not trust them, in town or out of town.

GIVE US THE MONEY (to hell with everyone else’s needs)

They will not annex you into our town - but they want you to pay the bills - to back a fire department that they are mandated to have, but refuse to finance. The local political perception is our tax money is more wisely spent on print ads in the Readers Digest, than on a fire department. Entice them to come here, but not adequately protect them? Now mind you, if town hall was pulling down a monster bill on a first class - full time - fire department I might be more sympathetic to this greedy money grab, but the way things fly around here…I offer you this advice…Take your $130 dollars and put it into a fire services savings account at Key Bank, do this every year. If the need ever arises the money is there, God forbid. Chances are you will never need it, but at least you have your money. Screw the greedy bastard law breakers… until they start following the law and stop creating ciaos in the valley.

All the issues point to “Town Hall” in origin. GIVE US THE MONEY (or we will make life miserable for you…consequences)

One more question before we sign off. Speaking of laws; one year ago there were several people busted for selling drugs in Estes Park. There were several people involved and they were arrested according to Pravda. Whatever happened to those people? I have never seen a trial and we could find no record of them processing through the system. Did they come back and set up shop, or move on to sell drugs to kids in some other town? Where in the world is Hector Ivan Garcia?

EN BANC

The election results were very curious to the Estes Parkian, we are somewhat stymied as to the political paradigm in Estes Park.

The citizens voted overwhelmingly that… they want a say…in the sale of town property, as they no longer trusted the elected officials to know when voting is or isn’t appropriate. The town finds itself a looser at the Supreme Court of the State of Colorado over the exact same issue…which certain acts are legislative or administrative. Come now people of Estes Park, you need to get your heads on straight here. Do you want a say in your town government or not? Your votes on “Lot 4” say you do, overwhelmingly.

You had better start getting your brains wrapped around this issue…fast!

Let us explain:

You elected a mayor and trustees that have proven to do nothing they say they are going to do, except become team players that…go along-to-get along…with town staff. You elected Jerry Miller who has shown zero interest in Estes Park politics to date, but ran for trustee at the bequest of his close personal friends Peter Marsh, Eric and Susan Blackhurst. He already made a public statement in the “Trail Gazette,” to alibi his campaign promises and he hasn’t even been sworn in yet.

One week prior to the elections, the Supreme Court of the State of Colorado refused the Town of Estes Park’s case en banc; meaning none of the supreme court judges were interested in the town’s arguments. The town broke the law and now the case has been remanded back to the District 4 Court to be investigated - as to the depth of the town’s lawlessness. Chuck Levine and Bill Pinkham have spent hundreds of thousands of the citizen’s dollars over the past four years defending your town’s lawless acts, and then they get reelected!

Not one word in any of the local media about this case…curious wouldn’t you say? The town is busy behind the scenes buying off Lois Smith and the Chamber of Commerce, working in secret to stop the bleeding…what is the price of the rule of law anyway? How can your elected official use the Constitution of the State of Colorado as a door mat?

Estes Park has the same problems today that it did fifty years ago. The same problems only on a grander scale, with tougher potential solutions, and yet you elect trustees that offer you NO solutions or additional credibility.

Why is this significant you ask?

Simply it is about the administration of town hall and can your town be operated lawfully; in fact - town staff, the trustees, and the mayor have acted in concert to break the law as a tactic in an over all plan…they know and plan on the fact that fighting them is very expensive. Even more startling is that the citizens seem clueless, or at least the majority of you are civics challenged. Look around…your businesses are leaving and your tax base is going into the latrine. You can bet your town marketing folks are burning the midnight oil - polishing off their best excuses;…the cost of oil,…the economy,…the cost of hair cuts in India,… we broke the law for you,…it will be something - you can count on that, they are marketers after all, “spin doctors” - “snake oil salesmen!”

The town spends millions of dollars annually on the same old tired advertising and marketing program that are proven useless, ineffective and unprofessional. Millions of dollars are diverted from essential services; like fire protection and public works projects…at the same time they keep upping your utility bills. If you would take fifteen minutes of your time and stroll through the town ordinances, you will find services like the “fire department,” and the “police department,” and the “drinking water treatment plant,” supported by town ordinance as essential services…and advertising and marketing are not. Every year the town spends millions of our precious sales tax dollars running worthless print ads “branding” Rocky Mountain National Park, and renting the convention center from the Holiday Inn…the single largest budget line item cash outlay each year…and it is not supported by town ordinance as an essential service. These are budget black holes…sucking money at an unsustainable rate. Who benefits besides a few motel owners and town trustee spouse salaries? The amounts spent are unjustifiable, it would be more cost effective to split the money up between the motels and let them do their own advertising and marketing.

What in the name of “Sam” is going on down there? Town Hall wants a fire district for more money, they want a marketing district for more money, and they want to renew EPURA for more money. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on free bus rides for visitors…because all private companies that have attempted to run a system for profit have failed…no one rides the bus - free or other wise. Like we have told you…your elected officials burn our money like mindless twits. They now want to run a performing arts center, with whose money and where is the money going to come from? The same number of people that came to RMNP in the 1970’s came to RMNP in 2007…we are at capacity in the summer and have been for years! We are spending one hundred times more money and getting the same results.

You, and your new mayor, and the trustees are shipping the community off to District Court for the penalty phase; costing us how much money to defend a program that is unique in all of Colorado…proven ineffective, irrelevant, stupid, expensive, and unlawful. A small group of failed salesmen and women - having weaseled town salaries for themselves and spouses - have convinced everyone that if we do not allow them to spend millions of our dollars on the same ad program every year, no one will come to Rocky Mountain National Park. They have convinced everyone that the future of the entire valley and the national park rests on their shoulders. The “Snake Oil” salesmen have convinced you…that they and they alone are the center of the universe…when in reality they are marketing people/marketing themselves…get it?

Let me see…free rides for visitors, but they want to charge you a fee for fire protection or they will let your house burn down. How many visitors voted in the election? Zero, nada, none, not one… yet they spend more money catering to visitors than they do on the people that elected them.

Estes Park's statutory elected officials are not “Intrawest,” they are not “Vail and Associates,” they are not “Forever Living Resorts,” they are not "Rocky Mountain National Park." but they do like to pretend like they are and the court system reminded them they are not, they tell you a tale…you go along-to-get along… that is why you have the same problems you did fifty years ago. Now you all have a big headache of a problem.

They are your officials - you elected them - you allow this kind of crap government, so we say “suffer through it”…“tuff luck”…“to bad - so sad”…“ if you snooze you loose”…“you are what you eat!”


No. 07SC738
Court of Appeals Case No. 06CA0953 (7/12/07)

Petitioner:
TOWN OF ESTES PARK, COLORADO, a Colorado municipal corporation,
v.
Respondents:
ESTES PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, a Colorado nonprofit corporation; NORM PRITCHARD and DEE PRITCHARD, individually and d/b/a BLACK DOG INN, a Colorado sole proprietorship; and BALDPATE INN, LTD., a Colorado corporation.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.


Well….we do not like it, and we will not go away, and we intend to keep harping in your ear about the importance of lawful government….whether you like it or not.

Estes Parkian for a lawfully operated community, not operated by “Snake Oil Salesmen.”

“Branding” indeed!

National news media “branded” Estes Park already!

"Deep blue glacial lakes and majestic mountain views" in a "totally overstressed" park. "Traffic, condo developments, and noise around the sappy, touristy town of Estes Park lessen appeal."

NICE!!