Happy to agree to disagree with Fabyanic
Editor:
There is no way the two of us will ever agree on the important facts and dire financial situation this county will face in short order. I just don’t care, though. Enough said on that subject.
The critical thing for me to do is to continue working to bring the seriousness of the situation to the attention of the commissioners and county management, and to provide concrete state-supplied evidence as to the degree of overspending by departments relative to state averages and by providing specific targets for cost reductions wherever appropriate and to the degree that is necessary.
Of equal importance is the creation of a county marketing disposition and capability to be directed toward attracting a broad array of both current and prospective outside commercial enterprises and investment in order to replace the lost mining revenue and then some.
A comprehensive government and private-sector cooperative plan needs to be developed and implemented to reinvent this county as a white-collar business hub, a center for innovative technologies, a manufacturing sector, for culture, entertainment, outdoor adventure, nature exploration, fine dining, a hub for deluxe accommodation to include an upscale development of the 54-acre Indian Springs property, etc.
It doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. What we face is a glorious opportunity to work together as a community to get our costs of county government in line with the state averages and, at the same time, adopt the attitude, behaviors, zoning and infrastructure that are congruent with business magnetism.
Tim Wheeler
Idaho Springs