04/04/2016
Several town’s folk have asked my opinion on the current events in Berthoud.
I would first and foremost state that this is not to be a dividing and inflammatory. I would like to thank the current board members for their dedication to the job of Trustee. It is not an easy job and you can not please everyone.
With that said I hope to shed light on a major issue I see effecting the Town.
A pattern has been forming… Our Town’s future and contested issues seem to be rushed through once again just before the Berthoud elections and public opinion appears to not count.
Two years ago the Berthoud Town Board voted to close our police department the week before the election, despite public input to rebuild and fix it. Although the Larimer Sherriff is doing a great job, the price tag went up to a million dollars in 2016, a 28% increase over 2015. When the Trustees voted to close the department they promised to create a Citizens Advisory Board or an Emergency Services Commission for public safety and to build out a plan to eventually re-build the Berthoud PD. This was to include members of the Berthoud Community that have vast experience and a wealth of knowledge in Emergency Services. This never happened.
Over the course of the term of office, a vacancy came about. While the bylaws state the Board can appoint anyone, I believe the appointment should have been offered to the candidate that narrowly missed election. Instead, the Board appointed another candidate from the last election with a vote count that was substantially less. This is another example where the public spoke, yet the Town didn’t listen. Such a decision would have validated the public’s choice and eliminated the perceived ”Good Ole’ Boy” system. The town did not address why they did not follow the logical path laid out by the public election which would have help prevent tension and distrust.
Fast forward to today. This week, just a few days before 5 of them leave office, the Town Board approved of buying Guarantee Bank for $2.4 million in cash. They believe this will make a great new Town Hall. While I am not in disagreement that anything new is better than what they have now, I think there are a few loose ends that should have been addressed before making the final decision. I think it would have been wise to allow the next Board to weigh in on the decision as they will have to execute the plan. This proposal was first made public March 4th. A public forum was allowed immediately prior to the vote on Tuesday night. Many people, including the former mayor, urged the Board not to rush into spending such a large amount of public funds and to consider other options. For example, commercial real estate in Berthoud tends to sit for a while before being sold. Look how long the Wayside Inn sat empty, the space around Hayes Market, and the vacant commercial lots east of the Car Wash. They ignored the input by concerned citizens Tuesday night and voted 5-1 to finalize the deal.
My advice to the next Berthoud Board,
If you want people to be involved then include them from the start, be transparent, listen to them and validate their concerns. If you don’t have the time or desire to commit to the thankless job of being a Trustee then drop out and allow someone else to serve that will put forth the effort required. Listen to the concerns of the people. This is what keeps the small town charm and community involvement as we grow into a bigger town.
Please join me in voting.
Sincerely,
Dana Foley
877 Welch Avenue
Berthoud
303-901-9334
