“I’m not going to support this resolution,” said Trustee and Mayor Pro Tem Marie Cenac at the Town Board’s study session on Jan. 28.
“It’s not that I don’t stand for most of the things, but I think it’s very political, and I think it’s partisan,” said Cenac speaking of a proposed resolution about immigration that was brought to the session for discussion. “I think this board has to stay nonpartisan,” she said.
Two weeks earlier, at the Jan. 14 Town Board meeting, more than two dozen concerned residents presented the Trustees with wording for a proposed resolution in support of immigrants in the community. They asked the board to consider replacing the existing resolution which was signed in 2018 by then Mayor Todd Jirsa under similar political conditions.
That was six years ago and since then, additional laws to protect immigrants have been enacted. The proposed resolution included language about the economic impact immigrants have on the local community and humanitarian concerns.
While public comment is not permitted duruing the Trustees study sessions, several members of the original delegation were present to listen to the Trustees’ discussion.
Trustee Frank Lancaster voiced support. “I would like to do something like this,” he said. “This is a population that is critical to our community. But we need to make sure what we do is within the scope of what we can do as a Town, and how it applies to us.” Lancaster also noted that criminals will never be tolerated in Estes Park, no matter who they are.
Trustee Mark Igel spoke of a flyer being distributed among local businesses, including his. The flyer detailed what businesses should do in case of an ICE raid.
“What I am reading, unfortunately, between the lines of this resolution and this flyer being distributed downtown is that there is a real emotional political situation in our country today,” he said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for the board to take a stance on some of the issues mentioned in the new resolution.”
“I, too, will not be supporting this resolution,” said Trustee Cindy Younglund. “We already have a resolution on the books (and) the timing is (bad) … I don’t feel that the trustees should take a political stance.”
Before she spoke, Trustee Kirby Hazelton confirmed with Town Attorney Dan Kramer that the 2018 resolution was still in effect and considered Town Administrator Travis Machalek’s opinion that the draft resolution’s wording was too broad. Hazelton would be in support of reaffirming Resolution 10-18 which was signed in 2018, she said, lamenting that immigration was an issue that had become partisan, when, in her opinion, it is not a partisan subject.
“I have mixed emotions,” said Trustee Bill Brown. “There’s a risk when we start getting into national issues that our town board has very little input on. I would like to reaffirm the 2018 resolution in some manner, because there are people on both sides of the aisle that want immigration reform in various ways.”
Mayor Gary Hall was the last to speak. “When I deal with people in this job as mayor, I don’t think of them as a citizen or a non-citizen. I think of them as human beings. It’s unfortunate that in our political climate that the partisanship runs so high, because that interferes with our basic compassion and humanity to others, whether it’s a citizen, a resident, a guest, a visitor, even businessmen downtown.”
Hall went on to say while he was glad the 2018 resolution was still in effect, he didn’t think it needed reaffirmation.
A resolution can be many different things, explained Dan Kramer. “It can be something that just happens in a moment, and it’s done, or it can express a sense of the board as a whole that’s meant to be durable and long lasting. It can create a legal effect, or it can be symbolic. It can direct staff.”
Resolution 10-18 urged Colorado’s Congressional delegation to advocate for immigration reform and has no evident expiration date. The proposed resolution includes wording that is vague, said Machalek, and it would be difficult to understand what direction staff should take if it was adopted.
Ultimately, Town staff were asked to rework the 2018 resolution before presenting it to a Town Board meeting for adoption.
“Whether this country can ever get together to come to an agreement on (immigration issues) is a difficult question,” said Brown. “It seems like the biggest political football out there, and it’s sad to see that, because it divides us in so many ways.”
Consensus does not equal a vote in a Study Session
“I feel like we have moved out of just chatting about this in a study session,” said Igel. “If we’re going to take a position on this, this will represent our community…to the delegation, to the local media, to other towns that are our size or of our interest.”
Igel expressed concern that Town staff was asking the board to take a collective position on the issue by leading the conversation to a consensus before any resolution would be considered in a regular meeting.
“That’s walking on very thin ice,” Igel said. “Right now, I’m not supporting any part of it. I think if we’re going to do something with the former resolution, we need to revise some things because laws have changed, I think that we could make it stronger for the humanness of people.”
“We’re trying to get direction from the board,” said Machalek. “So that we don’t bring you a resolution that we work on, three or four times. I will say most communities, they resolve this issue by having multiple hearings for resolutions and ordinances.”
“It’s not particularly efficient if the board is going to look at and say, that’s not what we meant at all,” said Kramer. “The more information I can glean, the more it helps me give you, not necessarily the final product, but something in the ballpark.”
Trustees will consider a revised version of Resolution 10-18 at a future Town Board meeting.
Great! Marie. Let’s get on with TOWN business!!
The left is always pushing their opinion on others no matter what the current agenda. This is of no concern for the town trustees.
Hello Trustees,
I voted for some of you, and others were brought to office by the will of other registered USA citizens. I didn’t vote for you so that you can override my General Election vote. I pay property taxes in Estes Park for three properties. I pay property taxes in two other counties and another state. I am a citizen of the United States. I voted to enact President Trumps agenda. Who are you to take that from me? What if the shoe was on the other foot? Would you let trustees enact Republicans’ agenda had Harris taken office?
A retailer and employer downtown Estes, a massive advocate of this pretend-time resolution, shamed me for not speaking my native language at work. I look like I speak two languages, and so she never asked me before hiring me. I am a terrible immigrant, and she made sure to shout at me in front of as many people and fellow employees as possible for not knowing my native language.
Welcome to my world.
An administrative town employee wrongly assumed I didn’t have a higher education and dismissed me as a new hire—due to my appearance, not my merit.
The initiative, drafted in 2017, is an embarrassment. The Mayor’s attitude towards illegal immigrants is void of the practicalities of life for someone living on the lamb.
Being virtuous might make your heart beat faster, yet I can assure you those you are protecting know you better than you know yourself.
The language in your 2017 resolution refers to immigrants. Gaslighting Republicans by leaving out the term undocumented or illegal immigrants doesn’t change the truth. It just means you are manipulative and behaving like nincompoops.
Are you trying to scare or marginalize immigrants into believing you are their protector and savior? Do you want to nurture them by keeping them undocumented, hidden in your basements and cellar apartments, when ICE targets criminal undocumented immigrants? How do you know they are not drug dealers or rapists, or human traffickers? This town has mischaracterized serial wife beaters, pedophiles, police chiefs, and the list goes on to include embezzlers. Do you now know which of your illegal immigrant employees and undocumented immigrant neighbors are not criminals?
As a second-generation American, I see your views on this matter as self-indulgent. The 2017 initiative is no better than a new one.
I subbed at our school district and saw how nasty some of the teachers treated the non-English speaking children—siding with English-only bullies rather than getting an interpreter to hear the other child’s side—horrific way to treat an immigrant—and also representative of this town’s true nature.
Hiring immigrants illegally or legally doesn’t make you more humane. Being humane makes you humane.
Your time and my tax dollars would be better spent helping your cheap, non tax paying, underserved labor become American citizens. Use town vans, library resources, and interpreters to make a genuine difference in an illegal immigrant’s life and help people with paperwork and filing fees.
Suppose this town harbors a criminal, and all illegal immigrants are criminals. If a violent, illegal immigrant assaults one of my family members, I will hold the municipality of Estes Park liable as an accessory to the crime. I will make sure the nation knows you put your liberal agendas ahead of our safety.
Never mind about the difference between legal Immigrants and Illegal Immigrants… just call them “undocumented” that sounds nicer. Anyone, regardless of race or gender or age that chooses to disregard the Law and by choice cross our borders illegally is a criminal and has committed a Federal crime. There is a legal way to enter this country, that is the beautiful thing about this nation of Immigrants. Chaos and anarchy with an open border has let it millions of people now from over 150 countries not knowing who they are why they came, and where they are now. The bazzar crimes now being committed, some incredibly organized, by illegals should concern everyone. Certainly not all are rapist, sex offenders, thieves, terrorists and child molesters and drug Cartel but clearly now we know some are. To just turn a blind eye and make no distinction between legal and Illegal is irresponsible, and now showing to be dangerous. Then to just dismiss it as just political is ridiculous. It is and has been shown to be a National Security issue…
Some thoughts on the angry posts above:
In the United States immigrants have a right to apply for asylum when fleeing a tyrannical brutal government. This is how most of our ancestors came here. These asylum programs were abruptly suspended recently, so many people trying to do the right thing are left in limbo. They therefore are considered undocumented through no fault of their own. So you see, undocumented does not equate with criminal.
When someone overstays their visa, this is not considered a criminal matter, but a civil matter. When the occurs they are also considered undocumented.
Many undocumented people are trying to do the right thing. In addition, we need to realize that our economy largely depends on immigrants. We e should be trying to help people go through legal channels and do the right thing. The last time I checked, in the United States there is a right to due process and we are supposed to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Raiding workplaces is not going to ferret out dangerous violent criminals, which we all can agree need to be Deported.
We agree on two important points. As for the noise about what is actually happening I suggest finding a legitimate source for your news.