Viewpoint: Done Biting My Lip
I’ve been biting my lip for a long time, and I think it’s time to get a few things off my chest.
Each time I have been in line at the Sunset Post Office I have, quite frankly, been a little ashamed of the behavior of the people in the line getting their mail. The rudeness toward the employees at the Post Office baffles me. Are the employees, who were given the extra work, the culprits who should be verbally bashed over our trek to get our mail?
Are they responsible for the situation? My guess is they aren’t all that happy about the extra work but they have always been professional and polite. It is too bad we haven’t been as professional and polite in return. I’m sure they have formed an opinion of people from Colorado City.
In the same vein, we have had a number of people telling us they aren’t getting their paper. If you have a subscription, the paper is being mailed. We have followed up with the Sunset office, politely and professionally, to determine why the papers are not making it into your hands. If you don’t get yours, we would be happy to replace it for you. Drop by or give us a call.
While I’m on a roll, you might brace yourself for the fact that there will be a learning curve for the new post office when it reopens. Just wanted to warn you so maybe you can kick your dog before you head for the post office, and not take it out on our neighbors who are making it possible to keep a local post office.
Item number two. Someone slipped a newspaper article under the door at our office and on the top of the article wrote the following words: “Terry, why hasn’t this been in your paper?”
Well, there were a couple of reasons. The first, was we hadn’t published a paper since the particular issue came about. And mostly, the person who left it with the personal note, didn’t sign it. I’m not sure why they didn’t sign it but that is always an issue for me. I suspect that about a paragraph of the story will eventually weave its way into our newspaper as background for issues here.
The final item is based on a lot of hearsay. It’s hearsay because I never look at social media and apparently there is much discussion about a “cover-up,” for lack of a better term, involving the Metro District.
At the heart of the issue seems to be the executive session in which former District Manager David Valdez submitted his resignation.
The issue is legal in nature. By law, an executive session can be called for only several specific reasons. After a legally called executive session occurs, the things discussed in that executive session cannot be shared.
I assume (please, note the word assume!) that the laws keep some things out of public record for the protection of the rights of the person or persons involved in the executive session; but I am not a lawyer. All I know is that the legal council the Colorado City Metro District pays told us we can not discuss the things discussed in that, or any, executive session.
There must be several pretend lawyers on social media who disagree. I will trust the professional we currently retain to make those decisions.
As you may have read in this publication, the CCMD board has requested assistance from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) in this matter. Those of you who are conspiracy theorists will be happy to know that all PCSO findings and subsequent media releases will be published in the newspaper. Unless Sheriff Taylor deems some of it to be information that cannot be released. I’ll let you take that up with him.
Whew, that feels better. Thanks for listening.