Dear Editor,
Democracy is not a spectator sport. It is our civic duty to stay involved in our governmental decisions to insure the government does our bidding. That founding ideal has been locally delegitimized by the county council and its chairman. Contrary to Lynn Jackson’s assertions after the vote to join, winning an election is not permission to ignore public input.
Lynn Jackson and Liz Tubbs make unprovable claims that the people who wrote letters and showed up to protest the coalition didn’t represent a majority of the population’s desires or tell the whole story.
I have facts for you “representatives.” Public hearings and public meetings and public correspondence are for councilmen, after they are elected, to get transparent support and direction from the community, particularly on contentious issues. It is a fact that Lynn Jackson and the council could only get a minimal number (24 in favor to 224 against) of residents to write letters. Only four people came out and verbally supported him. Why is it that an overwhelming number of voters, whose only recourse is verbal public input, were ignored? The answer: An ideology of ego and greed drives Lynn Jackson and the current council. This council, under Lynn Jackson’s direction, refuses to recognize that its responsibility is to govern rather than to dictate.
Lynn Jackson orchestrated all this upheaval and won, yet feels he must continue to make the unsubstantiated claims of silent majority support. That is a stale transparent tactic of dictatorial politicians who know they are on the losing side of public opinion. Again, winning an election is not permission to ignore public input.
The council members who voted to join the coalition were happy to shove their ideology down Grand County’s throat. But, boy howdy, were they reasonable. Never mind a very large number of local entrepreneurs, professionals, local and retired business people, former elected officials and old and young residents alike who wrote and or spoke of caution or outright disapproval of joining the cabal.
Many who spoke out were young people new to the participatory government process. I wonder why young people distrust government.
This conservative council has been in total control of the direction we have moved.
Each member promised policies to promote jobs and economic growth; they also claimed they would listen and learn. The only idea this conservative council has come up with is forming a socialist governmental coalition that might, some years in the future, create jobs. Those jobs, if they even happen, would be at least three to five hours from Moab each way. Additionally requested CIB funds may be deferred; that is real possibility.
All this is now moot, but it is still a poor legacy this council and its leadership is writing.
