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Lost Creek Guide
– Way of the World –
by Bob Grand The world never slows down, have you noticed? Election day is coming in November. In reality, it will probably be a lot earlier with mail in ballots. I am not going to suggest who you should vote for. That is up to you, as it should be. All I ask is that you look at the facts, think about them, and base your decision on who to vote for, whoever it is, on which candidate would best represent what you believe to be the best course for the future for you, your family, your town, your county, your state, and the country. There is a large percentage of voters who will not do that. They will either vote Democratic or Republican, blindly. I challenge you to explain the difference between the Democratic National Committee and the Old guard Republican party members in Weld County. Do either really care about the people they are supposed to represent, or do they just want to maintain the status quo control of their organizations, the public be damned? There is a quote often attributed to George Orwell, author of 1984, that goes something like this: During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. He really did not say it. The point is, we live in times where statements are made by people who want you to believe what they say. Supported by a media that plays extremely fast and loose with the truth. Because it is America you have a right to say what you think, that does not mean that what you say is true. Be aware and be questioning. Just because it appeals to you on the surface does not mean it is right. We have been going through a period that all Americans should be concerned with. Being vilified because you disagree with someone is wrong. We have a right to our opinions, and we are entitled to voice them, protected by the United States Constitution. That does not mean you should fabricate a set of facts to support it. There is some justice. Nicholas Sandmann, the Covington High School student who sued the Washington Post for defamation, has settled his case for an undisclosed sum. There is still half a dozen more suits he has filed. It is unfortunate but all of us should be concerned that the press and the government should pursue individuals for political objectives without having consequences if it is proven they have violated the constitutional rights of anyone. Recently there was an interesting piece about applying the Bivens Act (403 US 388 1971), where the Supreme Court established the right to bring lawsuit for financial damages against individual law enforcement officers acting under the color of Federal law, for violations of constitutional rights. With the announcement this past Friday of the first guilty plea in the Russian investigation one has to wonder how far up the chain the path will lead and to what criminal and civil actions might evolve. We all should be concerned. This time around it was the President and some of the people around him that were accused, and because many people do not like the President little was said. This time is was the President, if left unchecked who does it happen to next? You or a family member? Our Governor and the state legislature have a very unpleasant budget experience to deal with, a significant revenue shortfall. This year the pain was offset by having large COVID 19 payments to dip into that were not scrutinized very hard as to where they went, not so in the future. Colorado, by law, has to have a balanced budget. Our entire state budget needs to be reviewed, line by line, something the federal government would be wise to do. Do not hold y7our breath. Did you know that the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission raised the mil levy used to fund operations rate it charges oil and gas companies 36% to fund operations including the five new full-time paid Directors at $150,000 per year each? Did anyone ask what the level of oil & gas exploration is projected to be and does the COGCC staff of 140 really need to be at the same staffing level that was supporting almost twice the production rate that is being forecasted? The Governor and the state legislature have a tough task, I do not envy what they will have to do but do it they must. You think you hear squealing at the county fairs? The RTD has the same issues, aggravated by a continuing reduction in ridership. The new normal of working from home generated by the COVID 19 has changed RTD demand and will continue to do so. Will we continue to follow a theoretically plan for urban transportation demand or will we realize and accept demand is changing, not that I am convinced it was there to begin with. Why don’t our elected officials start asking questions? Tax monies are not unlimited. Someone will eventually ask how come we are paying full salary and benefits for government employees, who for many, are providing a shadow of services that they did before COVID 19. Unpleasant to talk about, you bet. The reality is someone needs to be asking what are the options? The old normal is dying. Where is the reality to face the new world we are dealing with? Small business owners, the core of our economy, the core of our employment opportunities, are facing challenges every day just to survive. When will government employees begin to taste the realities of life? In my view only when we hold our elected officials accountable. Perhaps then, we might see more solutions being developed. Education is not exempt from the issues we are all facing. Going back to school is important for our young people. It represents many challenges to both parents, school districts and the young people themselves. This is all uncharted waters. Colleges have the same issue. Online learning programs are very real and how do you balance an infrastructure that was designed to support in person learning to something way different. Change will have to come. Like in business there will be those who do better than others and they will survive. Those that don’t, won’t.
The Lost Creek Guide, Llc Bob Grand - Publisher 303-732-4080 publisher@lostcreekguide.com Our deadline is 7 working days before publication
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August 19, 2020
Times we are in call for leadership. There is no guidebook on what right thing is to do. All we can do is vote for who we think can do the best job and see what happens. I am afraid we all in for an experience that will not necessarily be pleasant. As always, your thoughts and comments are always appreciated: publisher@lostcreekguide.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letter to the Voters for Weld County Commissioner District 3 Race
In science it often happens that scientists say, ‘You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,’ and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn’t happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.” ― Carl Sagan Weld County Government has been coasting. It has been coasting for a very long time. When done correctly governing is of the people, by the people, for the people. We, the citizens of Weld County have abdicated our responsibility because it seemed unimportant and mundane. Roads got fixed, not quickly or well. The Sherriff’s Department grew, but could not retain qualified individuals, because of low pay and morale. Morale is low within the department because jails are being used as storage facilities for humans who have mental problems. Weld County Government has outsourced the management of the county wherever it can. The management of that growth is now in the hands of for profit developers. The fluid that has calmed the normal forces that would have brought change over the decades? Oil. The resource curse, often spoken of in places like Nigeria or Congo, can effect places as small and localized as a county. Mistakes and bad decisions can be ignored or paved over when taxes from the sale of oil and natural gas can be used to cover them. Pet projects like paved roads to county commissioner’s houses can be green lighted and justification for them never explained. A time of reckoning is upon Weld County which has relied on this as an excuse for true fiscal responsibility. In July of 2020 only 5 rigs are currently active in the state of Colorado. In normal times a rig count in excess of 30 is considered normal. Oil and Gas tax revenue has been the proverbial tide that has covered up Weld County’s naked swimming. It will not last. Oil and Gas in the Wattenberg Field isn’t as easy or as cheap as it once was, and unless some dramatic new technology comes along that refreshes and invigorates the Niobrara Formation it is unlikely that the Northern Colorado fields will be as cost competitive as the Texas and California fields are, much less the Saudi, Russian and even Venezuelan fields are. Good news is that we will always beat the cost and difficulty of production of Brent, North Sea Oil. Bad news to be Norway or The United Kingdom! Speaking of Norway, Did you know that they have a sovereign fund that they use to maintain fiscal and political independence? Weld County could have done something similar, but the Republicans chose to lobby for a 51st state. We must stop this silliness and short sighted way of dealing with the problem faced by the county. One way or another the county will have to diversify out of oil and gas and into its primary source of its wealth, the people of Weld County. Barbara Kirkmeyer has been County Commissioner for District 3 from 1993-2001, 20082020. She’s now running for State Senate 23 because she has been term limited twice now at the county level. Her Republican replacement is Lori Saine, whose sole claim to fame is an arrest for trying to board a plane with a loaded 9mm, and being called by Denver’s weekly Westword, “Colorado’s Nastiest, Most Clueless Politician.” Lori is leaving her term limited position at House District #63, to continue employment in governmental bureaucracy having failed at the state level and bringing that failure to a more home level, Weld County District 3. Where her cluelessness, and poor decision making can continue the legacy left by Barbara Kirkmeyer of ignoring the needs of Southern Weld County and it citizens the same way she’s ignore common sense and good taste. She hopes to use District 3 like Kirkmeyer is, as a home base while they plot their never ending climb for ever higher political office. Are we really just a jumping board to them? Can’t we encourage them to seek greener pastures in private industry, something neither one knows anything about? I know I plan to vote for them to spread their wings and experience what the rest of us know all too well. Michael Welsh Democratic Candidate for Weld County Commissioner District 3
