OCR Text |
Show PAGE 9 THE ZEPHYRMAY 1993 Zephyr: But regarding the board, rince November, three elections have made it clear that Grand County doea not want the road, and they don't like the way things are being done. David: Absolutely. I agree with that. Zephyr Is the road board doing itself or the community any good by hanging on like this? Wouldn't you think they'd like to be good losers and leave with a little dignity? David: No. While most of the candidates were against the road, nobody came in after the election and said, we want the highway done away with. It was just wham bam, you guys are history. The road board had already made it dear that it would follow the direction of the council. Zephyr But look at the way, for instance, the board waited until February 19, four days before the new counril took office, to sign that interlocal agreement What was that? David: Oh...politics. Zephyr Weren't they trying to find a way to tie the coundl's hands? David: Sure it was. That happens all the time. That's politics. Zephyr Isn't that called dirty politics? Despite overwhelming public opposition, the road board was still trying to find a way to tie the hands of the new counril so they had to build the road anyway. Is that ethical? David: Or... Zephyr Is it ethical? David: Or the board was trying to find a way to live up to the commitments it made. Zephyr But priorities change as people change. David: They hadn't changed then. Zephyr Four days before the counril took office? David: They were still under the direction of the previous commission and they'd heard nothing else. Zephyr The voice of the people had been heard. David: You're couching it in the terms that this was dirty politics but you have to remember, for the last four years, this had been a GO project. Zephyr Would you say that George Bush left office with a tot more class and dignity than the road board? David: No. Because the new county council didn't come into office with any dignity or class either. THE HASTINGS ROAD Zephyr What o you think of the council's plans to scale, back the Hastings Road? David: I think they're crazy. There could be a tremendous road out there at no cost to the local taxpayer. Zephyr You were prepared to pay Creamer 9c Noble in excess of $100,000 to engineer that road, without making them bid on it Isn't it true that you could have had 90 of the engineering paid for by the federal government; had you put it out for bid. David: That's true. But here's the difference. We paid that out of Class B monies. We would have been able to do that if we'd paid for it with federal monies but that would have left only 10 for construction, because it would have taken 90 for foe engineering. Zephyr 90 of $3 million?! David: Oh man. You wouldn't believe it...Well, that's probably an exaggeration. But I'm telling you, when paid for by federal funds, is outrageous. When it's federal monies, the requirements go nuts. Zephyr Do you think you worked too closely with Creamer fc Noble? David: I think the media had that perception. I don't think the people did. They're just another engineering company...that's all it was. But it was a firm that knew how to get projects funded. That makes a big difference. THE KEYSTONE PIT Was to to buy it? a it decision toy good Zephyr David: We never tried to buy it. Zephyr What? David: Well, we thought about it The operation of foe pits was a good idea. It's not now. Zephyr Was it a good idea for Grand County? David: Absolutely. It was tremendous as a revenue source. Zephyr Now it's a bad idea? David: Things have changed. The requirements to operate it are too strict and it would have taken too much money to fix it up. I think we milked it for every dime we could get out of it and got out of it at exactly foe right time. As far as liabilities now, I don't think there is any ..we don't own it. Before they can do anything out there, those ponds have to evaporate and that's not ever going to happen. The county might eventually have to put 25 to 50 thousand dollars out there, but we've got hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars out of it. That's a good investment and it was good to get out of it when we did. David: He was crazy to stay. IMPRESSIONS OF THE NEW COUNCIL What think do of the new counril? Zephyr you David: Uhhhh. In all honesty, 1 think they got involved in something they really didn't understand. How much time and effort it would take. No way can this be a policy making board only. There is no one to make the policies happen. Zephyr Then should there be an administrator? David: No I do not. That's a step too far away from the people. How do you get rid of an administrator? Zephyr The counril would fire him or her. David: An administrator would have all the knowledge, and with new people coming in, what with new elections and recalls, they don't know enough to get rid of him. The new council is struggling because they don't know what's going on. And you don't have any better representation. Just because a couple of foe council go to a meeting and they come back and recommend they ratify it, doesn't make better representation. I want every single member to go to every single meeting, just like I was to every single meeting. Zephyr What other decisions have they made which you oppose? David: Well, the JB ranch, the road board..it hasn't been that long. I will give them credit for jumping in over their heads. Zephyr Do you expect recall petitions to be filed when the first six months is up? David: Sure. I toll yes. I think there will be a recall election, at least one. Zephyr Have you heard that talked about? David: Yes. There are people who are waiting. I know a guy who says he already has the petition signed and is just waiting for the date to come up. But that's just talk. Zephyr To decide that they deserve to be recalled, six weeks after they took office, is that a tactic? David: No. I think they opened Pandora's Box. Zephyr But you just said they hadn't been in there that tong. Can you really take that kind of action after such a short period of time? David: Sure they can, because this whole government was put together on the idea that we don't need any time to figure out what we're doing. We can do it now and better. Their feet are going to be held to the fire. Zephyr Do you think this election was an aberration and in a couple years or even months, the power will go back to where it was7 David: No. I think you'll just have a different set of people. Zephyr Do you see a time when the government is again run by the people who have lived here all their lives? David: I think that time has passed. Zephyr Do you still have a political future? David: I think locally it is. I would never run for elective office again, I don't think. But I don't want to dose that door totally on me. I still feel I have something to offer that's worthwhile. We'll see what happens. get-ev- en 1 !Ms?ssa gg)SsfBB)S6sB ffli fXMh THE JB RANCH LAW SUIT Zephyr You were quoted assaying the council's derision to settle the JB ranch suit was "cowardly.11 David: Absolutely. We had him on the ropes. They had the responsibility to make sure our rights were protected, and just because this guy has money and threatens us...shoot, we beat him every time we went to court. Now we have him on foe ropes and the council goes...Ohhhhh, he looks big and scary. He has lots of money. Maybe we'd better cut our losses. Zephyr How much money should the county be willing to spend to pursue this litigation? David: How much do they have to spend? The county attorney is on a salary. You can work him 24 hours a day. There are some expenses, but it's not a whole lot of money. Zephyr I understood that $15,000 was set aside for this case. David: There was. But for the precedent that would have been set, the money would have been recouped by the development on these roads. Zephyr One thing does confuse me. You have always been the champion of individual rights over community rights.that a person ought to be able to do as he pleased with his property. Why do you think differently on this issue? David: That road always existed. There has been public money spent on it. And because of use, we have the right to keep it open. We tried to negotiate some alternatives. Zephyr What is the alternative they came up with in the settlement? David: I don't know. I assume it's one he offered before. But I don't want to speculate. But Grand County rolled over and went belly up. Zephyr Let me push your button here. You accuse the council of being cowardly. Do you think it was cowardly of you to quit the day after the county voted to change the form of government? David: Uhhh.JMo, I don't think it was cowardly. There wasn't any sense in me staying in there. Zephyr George Bush stayed until January 20 to help with the transition. David: The change of government proposal said. We want you out NOW. Today! We want everybody out! But then, they said, we got you out and we don't actually want you to do anything, but don't leave us in the lurch. Well bullcrap. Zephyr Why did Manuel stay? Comintf Soon: new selection of Kokooelli A Desltfn T-shi- rts. Also favored by Benny Goodman enthusiasts. |