King Cannabis Rules

For about a year I have  experienced being on the Walsenburg Finance Committee as a citizen member.  It was a learning experience.  There were many items that demanded attention at each meeting.  The other citizen members and the city council members who showed up from time to time discussed issues to be included on the city council agenda.

If you attend one of these meetings, you will be recognized if you have a comment or question.  After you present your idea, Dave Johnston and other council members will politely show you why your idea is not acceptable and business will continue as usual.  The addition of citizens to various committees was a kind of window dressing to show that the city was open to ideas. They are open to ideas as long as it's their ideas. At present there is only one committee which is the finance committee.

As the finance committee and city council meetings approach, the notice for the meetings and their agendas are posted at the library and city hall.  Many times last minute changes are added.  This is a pattern for short notice changes like those at the last meeting when very serious decisions were made without discussion. Many citizens weren't aware of these major issues, so they didn't show up.

Most decisions of the Walsenburg City Council are unanimous.  There is very little dissent. The decisions are made by Dave and the council before a vote is taken. In essence a council meeting is a formal announcement of what has been decided that is best for the populace.  I don't accept this as a a way to run a democratic form of government.

The idea for a representative government is that the electorate is entitled to an opinion, and the representative elected has a duty to his constituents to listen to them and do what they ask.
This concept has been overlooked in every level of government to the extent that we are facing the type of system seen in socialist countries. When you vote you must choose what the party advocates.

When the city council puts a referendum on the ballot, they make it known in advance that bad things will happen if it doesn't pass. They held true to their promise. Not only did they pass an initial ten percent water rate increase, but they are planning to increase electric rates with a three percent franchise fee.  A sewer fee increase is slated for April and a gas increase is on the table.

If all of this is hard to digest. the sale of 330 acres of the city ranch for marijuana production with little or no advance notice, should just about do it.  Now we have three major highways into Walsenburg where visitors are shown how popular marijuana is here.  It seems that we are vying for the title of the marijuana capital of southern Colorado.

When I moved here for retirement, I never saw this coming. Seeing this infatuation for marijuana, would have sent me down the road to look for somewhere more appropriate.  If this is what the citizens want, it's their decision.  I have met some very nice folks here, and I'm sure some of them feel as I do.  Let's just hope the real estate market will improve as workers decide to make a career move into the marijuana industry.  That will help those of us who want to move on.

Walsenburg Executive Orders

This is an historic week.  The U.S. president is going ahead with a full blown attack on the U.S. Constitution by announcing unlawful amnesty for millions of illegals.  During the same week, the city of Walsenburg has copied the tactic of issuing executive orders during its city council meeting on Tuesday night, November 18th.

While not without precedent, the council acted with impunity by passing a large utility rate increase and agreeing to sale over 300 acres of the city ranch with a minimum of public input.  Very little public notice was given about these major issues.

This is reminiscent of the Northlands Sewer Project.  When objections were voiced over the city financing and guaranteeing the project, they argued that no city funds were being spent on the project.  It took a long time and a lot of questions, but the city finally admitted it was financing the start up costs for the project.  There is still no evidence that the 19 property owners with the most to gain from the project have injected funds.

 It is disappointing on many levels to see politicians ignoring the electorate.  All of the blame is not on the politicians. If the citizens don't hold them accountable, they will begin issuing executive orders.

Photo source: ( http://rarehistoricalphotos.com/color-photos-from-nazi-germany/

A Fee is a Tax of a Different Name

It comes as little surprise that the City of Walsenburg wants your money.  If you don't pass a sales tax, this is what you get.  A fee of 6% is proposed for your sewer and water bills.  The city is determined to get more money.  Just think if you had passed a sales tax before they pulled this out of the hat.  The combined hit would be even worse.

If you want to say anything, it better be soon.  Ordinance 1051 is being pushed through with "emergency status".  On Tuesday night, November 18th, the ordinance will be voted on in the Walsenburg City Council Meeting.

It will be interesting to see what emergency conditions will merit the expenditure of this extra sack of money.  It is our money now, but it will belong to the city soon.  Does your city councilman support this ordinance?  Even though your councilman does not have a means of contacting him or her directly, you can get a message to them by contacting Wanda Brit at 719-738-1048 ext. 218.

Instead of working to get businesses to relocate to our area, it is easier to take funds from citizens who have little recourse. This is a way to create an exodus from the city.  Who wants to keep paying increasing fees for the city's financial failures?  By taking on huge new projects they can't afford, the city is ensuring that the current crisis will continue to grow.

No wonder one of the business owners on the council recently resigned.  Anyone who has a concern for financial responsibility should consider the same option.  Going down with the ship isn't always a noble cause.

Another Year, Another Budget

Walsenburg is facing a deadline for submitting an annual budget for the new year.  It is a difficult operation.  A number of calculations are done and the choices are presented to the city council.  Most of the time the choices are between two evils - do without something to have something else.
It appears this year will be no different.  A couple of budgets will be considered on November 11th. One choice will be to restore city employee pay cuts, and the other is to leave them intact.  There are arguments for either decision, but the facts don't change.

Walsenburg is struggling with a deficit in the general fund.  What caused it is only useful as a reminder of mistakes to avoid in the future.  To ignore the past and act as if the deficit doesn't exist, would be to refuse to learn from the past.

When money is needed for funding for a huge project like the  Northlands Sewer Project, and the city needs new money to keep it going forward, money is always found.  If money is needed to refurbish infrastructure of sewer and water lines in the city, there is no money available.  A pattern has emerged.

Now the city has come to admit that funds have been spent to advance the Northlands project.  These funds will be lost if the project doesn't go forward.  The alternative is to be liable for several millions of dollars instead of $400,000 to $500,000 which has been spent.  This formula looks similar to the kinds of decisions made in the past which have resulted in our present dilemma.

The bond pledge for an over-sized sewer plant was based on a trust that the prison would pay for it. The present project in the Northlands has a pledge for loan payments that only the city can guarantee.

Another loser from the past is the city water park.  A decision was made to spend a large sum on a water park that is expensive to operate and can only stay open two to three months a year.  Despite the obvious problem, no one has the courage to say, "enough."

A denial that there is a problem which can be solved is a sure decision that nothing will be done. Operating within a reasonable budget is not impossible.  When almost every project the city plans, involves a grant or a loan from the government, it is an admission that there is no money available for it.  When there is no money and there is a large deficit, it means you slow spending.  Repay the deficit first and think about large projects when the city is solvent.

Walsenburg Citizen's Forum

After reading an article by Eric Mullens from the Huerfano Journal's Facebook page about the last Walsenburg City Council meeting, I felt compelled to discuss the citizen's forum which is the segment of the City Council meetings where citizens are allowed to speak if they sign in prior to the Council meeting.

I have used the forum on a few occasions to express my concern about some issue that I thought needed addressing.  I have also attended council meetings when other citizens have spoken.  Most of the people who speak are not professional entertainers; therefore, they don't give particularly entertaining performances.  Of course, this is not the purpose of the forum, but the fact that there is a place for ordinary citizens to voice concerns is very important.

If a person chooses to speak on a topic that is inappropriate, this can be addressed after viewing his subject on the sign in sheet.  To decide after one incident to reduce the forum time allowance by half is an over reaction.  I have stated to the City Council on more than one occasion how important I thought the forum was to the citizens.

To be honest there are times I would like to place a limit on the Council's speaking time.  I hope the Council won't limit this forum. It is one of the only ways that citizens can voice concerns. The only other forum for expressing opinions is the "letters to the editor" in local papers.  This is limited by who the paper chooses to publish and whether the editor agrees with the point of view of the writer.