Come to ‘The Whole Shebang’
I invite the community to join me and my fellow City Council members at the Glenwood Springs Community Center from 12-3 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 16, for an event called “The Whole Shebang.” The event is exactly what the title implies — there will be lots going on!
First and foremost, we will unveil the City’s plans to fight the proposed expansion of the Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry at the edge of town, next to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. You can learn what your city government is doing to fight this completely inappropriate proposal, understand the review process with the Bureau of Land Management, and find out what you as citizens can do to help stop this expansion in its tracks.
The Whole Shebang isn’t all business, however. There will be food by Smoke and activities for children. It is also a chance to honor the good work of community members over the last year. There’s been some amazing things happening in our town that deserve recognition.
Please join us to celebrate what makes Glenwood great and what we need to do to protect her from a massive mining operation at the edge of town. The Whole Shebang is free and open to Glenwood Springs residents, employees, business owners and any and all from our neighboring communities who want to attend.
Jonthan Godes
Mayor, Glenwood Springs
Gardner should support CORE Act
I am elated that the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act passed in the U.S. House earlier this month — a victory that brings us closer than ever before to realizing permanent protection for Thompson Divide.
It’s unfortunate that Rep. Scott Tipton voted against the bill. Even more unfortunate, are the untrue statements he made leading up to and following its passage, which assert that some communities and stakeholders were left out of the collaboration process. Now that the CORE Act heads to the Senate, it’s particularly important that those of us who have been advocating for areas like Thompson Divide since the beginning, set the record straight. We need Sen. Cory Gardner, who has not yet taken a position on the bill, to step forward as an advocate for it — an effort that could be derailed if he doesn’t have the facts.
The fact is, all seven affected counties (Republican and Democrat) have written letters of support for protecting the lands contained within the CORE Act, and along with thousands of other constituents, have been asking Colorado’s congressional delegation to protect these places for a decade. In some cases, like efforts to protect Thompson Divide, those asks began within weeks of Rep. Tipton’s initial election to office. The fact is, the Congressman has consistently found reasons to ignore our requests.
When Rep. Tipton talks about resistance from some communities to justify his opposition, he’s referring to places like Mesa County, which have no lands directly impacted by the CORE Act. He’s upset that another legislator would pursue public land protections in his district, while at the same time, deferring to counties with no direct stake in the lands at issue.
Further, a recent poll performed in Rep. Tipton’s 3rd district shows that fully two-thirds of his constituents support the passage of the CORE Act. Mr. Tipton has refused to honor the wishes of his constituents — but we hope Sen. Gardner will, but voting yes for this legislation.
Coloradans agree that we love our clean mountain water and air and appreciate our wildlife and wild lands. These are not partisan values, and neither should be the protection of these places. I strongly urge Sen. Gardner to listen to his constituents, to familiarize himself with the history of the CORE Act’s broad community support, and to work with Sen. Michael Bennet to pass it in the Senate.
Lindsay Gurley
