Decades of indecision

To the Editors,

Perk up an ear and listen close – the machinery of human civilization and culture approaches. Call me behind-the-times, however, the majestic San Juan is under threat yet again. This new enemy of the landscape has proven to be a relentless opponent of logic and a voracious consumer of raw materials. Take heed, good people of Southwestern Colorado. Prepare to defend yourselves. Your tax dollars will not save you. Your votes will not deter the approaching beast. Even your sacred municipal planning departments are unprepared for this unlikely foe.

Your adversary is inaction. Federal inaction. Given the increasing number of visitors to the Weminuche and South San Juan wilderness areas, the towns of Southwestern Colorado are becoming dependent on outdoor recreationalists. More ski resorts are called for. More hunters and fisherfolk desire their trophies. More ATV and off-road vehicles probe the backcountry. Once upon a time, someone argued for the establishment of a San Juan national park. The idea went nowhere. Nevertheless, as long as Durango and Pagosa and Silverton and Lake City and Creede are dependent on a form of eco-tourism, reconsider the notion of a San Juan national park.

The U.S. Forest Service manages land for a multitude of competing economic interests while the National Park Service (NPS) protects land. And protection is required for the San Juan. Some people believe the San Juan is beyond hope. Too many roads, too many vested interests. Hogwash. The NPS needs to explore and experiment with new management techniques in order to stay current with the desires of the American people.

The San Juan landscape is an excellent opportunity for the NPS to design and maintain a new breed of park land. Rope off a chunk of territory from Rico to Cumbres Pass. Remove some roads. Build a few visitor centers. Reintroduce a few wolverines, permit a few elk hunters each year. The decades of indecision and inaction by federal agencies needs to end. The current situation is a public tragedy. Everybody wants access and everybody wants their own slice of the pie. Everybody wants to consume without regulation and without regard to sustainability. The San Juan watershed is precious enough to warrant inclusion in the national park system. Besides, the flora and fauna are basically intact, the mountains rival anything found west of the Mississippi and America needs an infusion of new parks and new, more flexible land management policies.

The San Juan should not be overlooked any longer. The Forest Service has proven itself unworthy of the status as guardian of the San Juan. One too many yurts, I guess. Call me crazy. Call me an outsider. Call me whatever you want, but I am not content with the indecision and stubborn fears of federal agencies and local residents unable to address the black and blue mammoth in the room.

– Willis Lambertson, Barrington, IL

Fostering the grassroots

To the Editors,

My decision to retire in La Plata County some 10 years ago was not only based on numbers of days of powder skiing per year or visions of challenging hiking trails but, more so, on the vibrancy of a caring and sharing community. That is, people of all ages that take pride in the education they can offer from elementary school alternatives to the exceptional curriculum and students of our own Fort Lewis College. We, in Durango, share a collective pride in our new, green-built library, a strong interest in preserving and using open space and in providing a community recreation center open to all. Not least, I and others sense a unique generosity that motivates our citizens to contribute to a large group of nonprofits working within and outside La Plata County. Lastly, our county citizens value a serious grassroots approach to democracy at local levels to make our immediate decisions on budgetary and quality of life alternatives. But after 10 years, I am genuinely concerned by the thought of passage this November of ballot initiatives 60, 61 and 101 and with it the inability of our community to grow and to collectively make decisions on our future. If you, as I, value the continued growth of our communities and the opportunities we can afford to our youth, to our working population and to retirees, such as myself, I urge you to find out all you can about initiatives 60, 61, 101 before Nov. 2 and vote against these draconian measures.

– Respectfully submitted, Ross Park, Durango

Drilling and the ballot booth

Dear Editors,

So Christi Zeller with La Plata Energy Council thinks that Representative Salazar’s plan to protect Animas Mountain and Perins Peak from gas drilling is “imprudent?” (Herald, 10/9). This is exactly why we need to re-elect John Salazar. If we don’t, the gas industry will have its way with his replacement, and nowhere will be off-limits, no matter how important the area is to us all. I know this is a “change” election, but is this the kind of change we want to see?  

This is the same reason we need to elect Bruce Baizel as county commissioner. Baizel has worked for years his current job for balanced gas production that protects landowners, groundwater and important resources. He is the only one in the race with that experience. Please vote for the two candidates with significant experience in natural resource management – John Salazar and Bruce Baizel.

– Matt Kenna, Durango

A man of integrity

To the Editors,

I support J Paul Brown as our state representative in House District 59. I have known J Paul for over 30 years and have seen him in business, in private and in public life and know him to be a man of integrity, honor and courage. Whether you agree with his political views or not, you will always know where he stands on the issues and how he will vote. The policies of the last two years have resulted in the loss of over 160,000 jobs in Colorado (source: Colorado Dept of Labor and Employment, Sept. 3, 2010). We need people like J Paul in our state offices that will vote to reverse this trend, stop wasteful spending and remove barriers to free enterprise. That government is best which governs least.

Please take time to learn all you can about the candidates and where they stand on the issues that are important to you, then vote for the best person for the job. I am confident that better government will be the natural outcome of greater education.

– Del Talley, via e-mail

Signs of substance

Dear Editors,

They are everywhere. Lieb’s signs have literally plastered the county. Just think what the landscape will look like if uncontrolled development is allowed on every piece of vacant land that hosts his sign. Want to turn the county back to sprawl and uncontrolled development? Then Lieb’s your man. It is short-sighted to believe the current slow down in building will last forever and we do not need a commissioner who represents only the narrow interests of development. Lieb veils this special interest by saying the election is about jobs. Guess what. Lieb already held key positions for creating jobs with the Chamber of Commerce and with LEAD. If he’s so great at creating jobs then why didn’t he do it when he was in a position to? If he was so effective at creating jobs we wouldn’t be in the current situation. County Commissioners have very little to do with job creation; either he’s applying for the wrong job or he wants to expand county government.

An effective county commissioner needs a much broader background and Bruce Baizel has it. Baizel is a rancher who can represent the agricultural interests of the county.  He is an oil and gas expert who understands the industry from both an environmental and economic perspective. Baizel is a water attorney who knows how to protect our most valuable resource. He understands that economic vitality depends on more than just building. So let’s elect Bruce Baizel who will represent all the diverse aspects of La Plata County. I encourage you to learn more by visiting www.brucebaizel.com; you will be impressed with his substance and happy that he isn’t polluting the landscape with more signs. 

– Jan Masse, Bayfield

Honest, forthright and passionate

Dear Fellow Constituents,

I recently had the opportunity to meet and work with Brian O’Donnell who is running to be our state representative for the 59th District. As a teacher, I am very concerned about the quality of education in our state as well as the working conditions for educators.  Brian listened intently to my concerns. Both of his parents were public school teachers, and he spoke knowledgeably and passionately about ways to improve our educational system. In our discussion it was apparent to me he is a man of substance who knows the issues and cares deeply about them. And better yet, he is honest, forthright and passionate about working hard for us in Denver.  I am excited to support him in November and hope you will support him too.  

– Hilde Giltner, via e-mail  

Let the cyber debate begin

Residents and Voters,Now that we’re in the thick of this year’s election season, I’d like to try something new. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get on the internet and watch side by side the candidates you will be asked to vote for answer the same questions on the issues that matter to you? What I want to try is simply this: in a YouTube type video format have each of the candidates for the position of La Plata County Commissioner answer a question like, “What do you think about hydraulic fracking?” Then anytime you want, at lunch, at work, whenever, watch/listen to Bobbie Lieb, Bruce Baizel and Ken Root all dazzle you with their intimate knowledge of the issues. I’ll even allow comments to be posted and responded to.

All three have bent over backwards, persuading anyone who will listen, how much they care about our community. I’m confident that if the candidates are serious about serving the residents here and not just corporate interests, they’ll be more than happy to accept this offer of free publicity to help fully inform the voters. What have they got to lose? Or hide? It’s not just about how many signs you’ve littered the county with or who can get the most friends and family to send letters to the editor, it’s about selecting the candidate that best represents your needs and the needs of our community for the future.

All the videos will be un-edited and no bias injected. I’ll be contacting Ken Root (I), Bobbie Lieb (R) and Bruce Baizel (D) and posting the videos this week. Please put some thought into the issues, visit the Politics page at OneDurango.com and then vote. Also, if you’d like to submit a question for the candidates or comment on this video idea, please contact me at BVana@OneDurango.com .

– Thanks, Bill Vana, Durango

Why elect Whitehead?

To the Editors,

Everyone agrees that Ellen Roberts is a nice person, a good attorney and a fairly moderate Republican, so why isn’t she the best choice for our senator? Simply put:  because Bruce Whitehead has a better voting record, is an expert in water issues and is already highly respected in the senate.

Roberts tries to portray herself as “green,” but her record on conservation and environmental issues is abysmal. The Colorado Conservation Scorecard, which includes dozens of pieces of legislation, only rated her at 32 percent while Whitehead scored 92 percent. These are not far-out enviro pieces of legislation but basic water-efficiency standards, rural co-op transparency and renewable energy standards.

As a woman, Roberts is trying to play the gender card and appeal to women. I’m not buying it. She voted against maternity coverage, after school outdoor programs, capping high interest payday loans and a long list of other women- and family-oriented pieces of legislation. In fact, the Women’s Lobby scorecard only rated her at 46 percent while Whitehead scored 83 percent.

Add to this Whitehead’s unequaled expertise in water issues, and he rises to the top. The Legislature is packed with attorneys, but Whitehead is an engineer, a water engineer, who knows how critical water issues are for the arid West. Whitehead’s water expertise is needed and respected in the Senate. This expertise will enable him to be a leader for us, not just another attorney turned politician.

Let’s send Whitehead back to the Senate. He has the record and the expertise to show he is the best choice for this very important position. Thank you Ellen Roberts for all you’ve done, but Bruce Whitehead needs to be our Senator.

– Laura M. Godfrey, Durango

A fully loaded Soapbox

The political inbox is officially overflowing at theDurango Telegraph. Effective immediately, we are no longer accepting endorsement letters related to the Nov. 2 election. See you in 2012.