Buckland would make an excellent county commissioner
Editor:
It is my pleasure to recommend Phil Buckland for the position of county commissioner. I have been a neighbor and friend of Phil’s for many years and have always known him to be honest and fair with everyone he dealt with.
He is knowledgeable in county affairs and business, and would bring reason and innovation to the table in the many issues that are facing us now and in the future. He has a background in the business world that would be a plus for the position that he is running for. Phil would be a definite asset to Clear Creek County government.
Joe Martinelli
Empire
Buckland is involved in his community
Editor:
I am a 28-year resident of Empire and a 25-year member of either the town board, planning commission or zoning department. With the ever-increasing importance of elections, I have diligently followed our county commissioner races and feel it is time to comment.
One of the Democratic candidates has lived in Empire for more than 10 years and has had a zero record for volunteerism for the many events and activities that annually occur in town. He has attended only four or five meetings of the town board over this time period, with what appeared to be the intent of complaining about ordinances and procedures that he didn’t agree with.
In addition, he would inform us of our recent misdeeds and failings in dealing with important town issues. After one lengthy town board meeting concerning the termination of a vendor, which he strongly protested, I informed him of the long list of reasons that preceded our action. His response was, “Gosh, I had no idea that was the situation.”
Are you sure we want a person in charge who skips the homework before making decisions about the county’s future? I am a registered Democrat voting for Phil Buckland.
Rob Morris
Empire
Government should stay out
of fixing recession
Editor:
Opportunity missed.
Failure is the most important part of success in a capitalist marketplace. It balances greed and bad ideas by their removal from the market. It hurts, but it heals, and it worked effectively in the great depression of 1920. What’s that? You didn’t hear of the great 1920 depression? Well, that’s because the government stayed out of it, letting failure do its painful but righteous job. It was over in just about a year.
Now comes the crash of the ‘30s, and this time failure is not allowed. This time, the government steps in, and not only did it last until WWII, but it was made far worse with debt-driven vote-getters like Social Security.
This time is no different. The cause of these depressions has been the government. It put too much cheap money into the system before each crash and did the same to try to stop them.
Capitalism works very well with the checks and balances built into it by supply and demand. It has great successes to inspire, and spectacular and painful failures to punish and teach lessons. In between these is prosperity. What is very important to understand, and must be allowed, is that this balancing system swings widely. That’s called risk freedom: freedom to succeed, and freedom to fail.
When business greed starts to take over, and the people suffer, people stop buying and failure occurs. When buyers get greedy, things like manufacturing go overseas where it’s cheap and too-good-t0-be-true returns aren’t … and the people lose money or their jobs.
The government gets elected by popularity and has moved away from the tax word. It prints and borrows money to do it. The debt that has accumulated to stop failure is now far greater than the cost that failure would have been, and will make it last far longer when it finally comes.
The best way to have fixed the problem was to not have tried. But then, that doesn’t get votes. The winner of this election will be the greatest loser in history, as failure will still, once again, balance the system of bad ideas and greed. It always has. It is not a flaw.
Mark Kline
Fall River Road
Candidate Wheelock has
talent, vision and character
Editor:
This letter is to express my support for Randy Wheelock’s candidacy for Clear Creek County commissioner. He is the candidate of my choice, not only because of his talent and vision, but because of his strong moral character.
I have come to know him through our mutual dedication to the Scraps-to-Soil project. When Scraps-to-Soil was nothing more than an idea, Randy’s material and intellectual support enabled us to build our first garden and form as a nonprofit. He chooses to donate his time to our cause (and many others) because he has a deep concern for the fate of our community and the fortitude to act on his convictions.
During my time working with Randy, his voice has been one of vision, collaboration and pragmatism. I have learned much from him about the balancing act of bringing a strong vision to the table while being able to quickly and effectively adapt that vision to changing circumstances. Randy brings a lofty yet pragmatic vision to the table. This is apparent from the detail in which he outlines his platform on his website, www
.votewheelock.com.
I encourage everyone to visit the websites of the competing candidates (easily found with a quick Google search) and compare their platforms for detail and transparency. In addition, I would like to encourage anyone with questions for Randy about his platform, governing philosophy or anything else to contact him. He will candidly express to you his opinion and will gladly listen to yours.
Any candidate for government must carefully balance a number of seemingly conflicting qualities: the acumen to build a vision, the conviction and passion to pursue their vision, and the collaborative skill to incorporate new facts and opinions into that vision. Randy Wheelock has this balance.
He has run a clean, honest campaign, and I expect that to continue in the way he governs if elected. All he needs is your vote!
George Marlin
Idaho Springs
Wheelock would work hard
to preserve Clear Creek County
Editor:
As someone who was privileged to represent Clear Creek in the state legislature, I strongly ask for your vote for Randy Wheelock for commissioner.
Randy was always a resource for me as someone who was involved and someone who loved what is unique about Clear Creek.
You live in a very special place with economic and geographic challenges. I know Randy loves his home county and will work hard to preserve all that makes it a great place to live.
Joan Fitz-Gerald
former president of the Colorado Senate
Thanks for help with stranded motorist
Editor:
It was a hot, sunny day much like many we had all summer. Tourists were everywhere enjoying our county, mountains and shopping.
Farther west of us, the Disabled Veteran Summer Games in Aspen Highlands were finishing up for the year. Many disabled vets from all over the country were experiencing what life use to be like.
One family driving home from the games was jabbering about how much fun they had and were not paying close attention to the drive up Floyd Hill. Their vehicle ran into the back of a slow-moving tractor-trailer. No one was injured and the tractor-trailer’s damage was so minor that after exchanging information he was able to continue his trip.
But here is where the story begins. The van with the disabled vet and family was unsafe to go anywhere. After the police took information from the accident, they left, giving the family tow-truck phone numbers.
Now they are sitting on Floyd Hill, waiting for the tow truck in 90-degree temperatures with no water, confused and kind of alone.
Clear Creek animal control officer Tom Hayden came upon them and stopped to see what was wrong, gave them some water and started making phone calls to get them some assistance to get off the mountain. The tow truck could take the van but not the family. After several phone calls, he got me at the Elks Lodge. Having a truck, I went to see if I could help with anything. Bryce could take the husband but not the family, and Tom’s truck was full of equipment and could take only one person, so a 350-pound wheelchair ended up in my truck.
To end this story, because of Tom Hayden’s ability to do what was “the right thing,” he got Rick Winfrey, at the time just a veteran helping a veteran, Bryce from Evergreen Fire/Rescue, and himself, Clear Creek’s animal control officer. We all were able to assist a family to get off our mountain and into a motel until their van was repaired and they could go home.
Now as the veterans service officer, I want to thank both men for not just saying, “This is not my job” and leaving the family to make their own way. This was a true example of “brother helping brother,” and true compassion for our fellow man. A big thank-you goes to both men for a job well done.
Rick Winfrey
Clear Creek veterans service officer