Relentlessness can be a great thing. The Mississippi River is relentless in its course to the sea. Sometimes the forecast in Estes is “relentlessly sunny.” Those are days that Linda and I love, with virtually no chance for precipitation or lightning.
Recently, we got up (and down) remote Rowe Peak in Rocky on such a day. A seemingly relentless slope, but one step at a time got us there.
Working in Town government requires a relentless dedication to serve others. The trustees and I receive thanks and criticism, and sometimes we are offered harsh personal insults. It is necessary to stand up to those crosswinds; that’s what we were elected to do. It’s not heroic, it’s just the way it is.
The voters chose these board members to hear the issues. When a decision point arises, the trustees gather information, weigh it all to the best of their abilities, and make what they feel is the best decision.
For tasks and projects that I have a stake in, I have a perpetual rhythm where I press, nudge, learn, navigate, negotiate, to help those items progress.
Some are one-off and short-lived. Others need me to apply momentum repeatedly and opportunistically. It’s like herding multiple logs across a lake – and the logs change shape and size along the way.
Relentlessness comes in many forms from our citizens. Some have one central issue or philosophy that they want to make sure is heard — repeatedly. Their dedication to what they believe is the best direction is a powerful thing. I hear a lot of good ideas from folks who hold such strong views.
Others offer thoughts and opinions on many matters, not just a single core issue.
Regardless of what is offered by those who speak to and write to the trustees, I advocate for and ask for civility. Relentless civility is a program anyone can decide to follow. It is always the best path, even on those topics where a citizen feels that a board member (or the whole board) is dead wrong on a decision.
I believe that each trustee is very much trying to do what they see as the best for Estes Park. And those beliefs can be dramatically different. That’s OK. Democracy in action. When you see disagreement, you won’t see disrespect between the trustees.
There are some who relentlessly criticize our Town government, saying that Town Hall is only in it for the money, that they have no conscience, or that the bureaucracy is just evil.
Accusations are sometimes made reflexively about citizens or businesses running into code problems, before finding out the whole story on specific items and issues. I’m astounded at the ferocity of some of those who think that our town government (of 200 employees) is some wicked force. Your Town employees are human and they are your neighbors.
I know that there can be rigidity to the rules – but rules are rules. The Town employees are the folks who maintain the roads, keep our parks and gardens beautiful, keep our utilities going 24/7/365, keep us safe and secure, and ensure that, even if rigid, the rules are evenly applied.
There are so many in Town government who have the best intent in their heart for our residents and visitors. They get up each morning and try to make Estes better than the day before.
Ultimately, the wheel of life is relentless. We follow our personal arc from birth to death and we follow the sun, through tens of thousands of days, through joy and pain, trials and triumphs.
So, I listened to my friend Stan Havlick and went to Eldorado on August 6. In 92 degrees Fahrenheit, I made it through the event he helped create: the Run for the Cure, which contributes to the Colorado Cancer Foundation. Many young people and others finished far ahead of me, but I was relentless and I rolled through the finish line with a smile.
Every day is a new opportunity. The day after the race, I felt like it was the beginning of a new life. Seize the day, take care of yourself, and do the best you can for others. Relentlessly sunny is a good attitude from which to operate. Keep on truckin.’