This is a letter to the editor regarding the Telluride inspired ballot proposal to amend the home rule charter and take all building permit variances to a public vote instead of a vote by City Council.
There are plenty of opinions on this:
Neil B. Siegel
Andy Stone
Lee Mulcahy
Blanca and Cavanaugh O’Leary
Mick Ireland
Curtis Wackerle
Chad Abraham
Maurice Emmer
and many more…
I couldn't find a copy of the petition or the ballot proposal on line.
Here's some backstory.
and here's the letter:
****************
I wish the authors of the "Keep Aspen Aspen" and City Council had met Bubbles.
Bubbles was a student of human nature. Not that Bubbles had any reason to trust humans they'd been pretty awful to him before he made it to Anderson Stables. His previous owner had used a 2x4 as a training tool.
He was a stout little quarter horse with a sure step who'd take you down the steepest slope, weave through deadfall or rocket through the barrels at top speed like a horse half his age.
He was a sweetie but every once and awhile he would jump. There wouldn't be anything in on the trail, nothing to spook him, he'd just give a big ol' sideways hop and if you weren't paying attention- you'd be on the ground. Then he'd stop and look back and I swear he'd be laughing at you.
That was the point of course, to see if you were paying attention. Given his history Bubbles could have turned into a biter or a fighter but instead he became a teacher. He'd test you just enough to let you know this was a dance for two, not just the one with a sloppy hand on the reins or swinging the 2x4. All he asked for was your attention and your attention had better include respect.
Mutual respect. That was Bubble's lesson.
The "Keep Aspen Aspen" charter amendment is a big ol' 2x4 to the head. Before you pick up that 2x4 think about what this amendment achieves. The message to Council is that we're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.
Fine and good. Beyond that what are some of the possible outcomes? Developers could turn tail and suddenly comply with all existing code… and there'll be pork in the treetops come morning.
Council could weaken current code and make everything compliant taking the voters out of the equation entirely…soon to be an Oliver Stone conspiracy movie.
Citizens could suddenly become proactive and delve into the minutia of each variance request leading to the democratization of every issue ... and we all become Gandhi.
Citizens could rely on the best advertising soundbite for their vote….like "keep Aspen Aspen" which is a sterling example of a catchy soundbite.
We could all just vote our emotions unencumbered by facts.
Yeah, those last two, those I believe.
The problem is this won't just be a one-off. Changing the charter hamstrings this Council and all future Councils. You don't use the 2x4 once you use it repeatedly in perpetuity. The last time we did that in Colorado it was the TABOR. Will we be de-Berting in a few years?
Yep Su Lum "This is no way to run a railroad". The train of City Hall and the train of Citizen outrage threaten to meet head on leaving a ton of twisted anger and smokey unintended consequences.
How do we achieve mutual respect? One thing for sure it's not with a 2x4 to the head.
There are plenty of opinions on this:
Neil B. Siegel
Andy Stone
Lee Mulcahy
Blanca and Cavanaugh O’Leary
Mick Ireland
Curtis Wackerle
Chad Abraham
Maurice Emmer
and many more…
I couldn't find a copy of the petition or the ballot proposal on line.
Here's some backstory.
and here's the letter:
****************
I wish the authors of the "Keep Aspen Aspen" and City Council had met Bubbles.
Bubbles was a student of human nature. Not that Bubbles had any reason to trust humans they'd been pretty awful to him before he made it to Anderson Stables. His previous owner had used a 2x4 as a training tool.
He was a stout little quarter horse with a sure step who'd take you down the steepest slope, weave through deadfall or rocket through the barrels at top speed like a horse half his age.
He was a sweetie but every once and awhile he would jump. There wouldn't be anything in on the trail, nothing to spook him, he'd just give a big ol' sideways hop and if you weren't paying attention- you'd be on the ground. Then he'd stop and look back and I swear he'd be laughing at you.
That was the point of course, to see if you were paying attention. Given his history Bubbles could have turned into a biter or a fighter but instead he became a teacher. He'd test you just enough to let you know this was a dance for two, not just the one with a sloppy hand on the reins or swinging the 2x4. All he asked for was your attention and your attention had better include respect.
Mutual respect. That was Bubble's lesson.
The "Keep Aspen Aspen" charter amendment is a big ol' 2x4 to the head. Before you pick up that 2x4 think about what this amendment achieves. The message to Council is that we're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.
Fine and good. Beyond that what are some of the possible outcomes? Developers could turn tail and suddenly comply with all existing code… and there'll be pork in the treetops come morning.
Council could weaken current code and make everything compliant taking the voters out of the equation entirely…soon to be an Oliver Stone conspiracy movie.
Citizens could suddenly become proactive and delve into the minutia of each variance request leading to the democratization of every issue ... and we all become Gandhi.
Citizens could rely on the best advertising soundbite for their vote….like "keep Aspen Aspen" which is a sterling example of a catchy soundbite.
We could all just vote our emotions unencumbered by facts.
Yeah, those last two, those I believe.
The problem is this won't just be a one-off. Changing the charter hamstrings this Council and all future Councils. You don't use the 2x4 once you use it repeatedly in perpetuity. The last time we did that in Colorado it was the TABOR. Will we be de-Berting in a few years?
Yep Su Lum "This is no way to run a railroad". The train of City Hall and the train of Citizen outrage threaten to meet head on leaving a ton of twisted anger and smokey unintended consequences.
How do we achieve mutual respect? One thing for sure it's not with a 2x4 to the head.
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