Glenwood’s citizens not treated like stakeholders
I am stunned and outraged that the waste of money on consultants hired to come to Glenwood to find problems continues, and my tax dollars continue to be wasted. The consultants come to find non-existent problems and send big bills to be paid with my tax dollars.
I was upset with the information that so many “problems” at Sayre Park were identified several months ago. I am more outraged with the unanimous approval regarding the improvements, and that the City Council added the replacement of the stairs. The stairs are really the only thing that need replacement. There is no reason to remove the gazebo, unless it is to silence those who speak from it when there is a gathering. It is perfectly structural. These consultants are invited to come to our community and find problems so they can justify taking a big chunk of our tax dollars. They, and not community members, are the stakeholders. They should not be — our citizens are the stakeholders but they are routinely bypassed.
Never are citizens invited into these fact-finding missions. I live directly across the street from Sayre Park. I am not considered a stakeholder, nor are any of my neighbors. Last summer I talked to the kids who play basketball at the park about the replacement of the basketball courts. No, they were not asked for their thoughts. Apparently, they are not stakeholders either.
I am really tired of the City Council deciding our priorities and not asking the electorate to be involved. Not enough citizens get involved because of the apathy City Council has created, they do not invite and encourage more input. The problem is that citizens are tired of trying to get involved and thus no longer do. How long can one beat heads against brick walls? I want my tax dollars back if all the Council wants to do is burn them up. I do not want them spent on big rocks and twigs on Sixth Street, on recycled pallet buffaloes, on unneeded tearing down of basketball courts and gazebos, or marble statues that look like piles of snow, and certainly on the confluence, which I am sure is the next place to burn dollars with little community input.
You wonder why citizens avoid involvement? Guess.
Cheryl Cain
Glenwood Springs
KDNK and CPR are great alternatives to KAJX
To those radio listeners disenchanted with Aspen Public Radio because of their recent programming decisions, this is a reminder that KDNK broadcasts NPR’s Morning Edition and the Saturday/Sunday Weekend Editions in addition to Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, All Things Considered and other programs. Plus, they have a variety of music offerings including some jazz and Bluegrass with Mustard.
Another alternative to KAJX is Colorado Public Radio. CPR broadcasts many NPR shows, including Morning Edition, Here & Now, The Moth, and others; as well as BBC World News. They also have great classical music programs.
If you haven’t yet checked out the KDNK and CPR weekly schedules, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Douglas MacDonald
Basalt
Colorado’s presidential primary is March 3
Voters may benefit from clarification of the upcoming 2020 election process.
On March 3, Super Tuesday, Colorado holds a presidential primary where voters choose their party’s presidential candidate. If you are unaffiliated, you may choose in which party’s primary you participate. If you have not previously indicated which ballot you’d like to vote, you will get two ballots, but may vote only one.
On March 7, parties hold their precinct caucuses. The Democratic Party caucus includes a preference poll for a US Senate candidate. For information about your party’s caucus, go to your county’s party website.
On June 30, a second primary election takes place for non-presidential races. Again, unaffiliated voters may choose in which party’s primary to participate.
The General Election is Nov. 3. If you will be 18 by that date, you can vote in the primaries and participate in your party’s caucus.
To participate in your party caucus in 2020, you must be registered and affiliated with your political party in your precinct by Feb. 14.
You may register to vote up to the day of the election and/or primary, though you must be a resident of the state for 22 days prior to the election in which you are voting. Deadline for registration to receive mail in ballots is Feb. 24, but you can also vote at county Voter Service and Polling Centers.
To register, change your party affiliation, or find more voter information go to https://www.govotecolorado.com.
Donna Grauer
Eagle County Democrats
