Dear Editor:
I am writing in regard to the so-called San Miguel Trail case between Grand County and Virginia Shuey, my mother. Although the county tried to push the trail over my parents’ property in 2009, my father refused to allow it. He did allow pedestrian traffic (out of kindness) during the time that the Mill Creek Bridge was under construction, and all traffic was detoured. Once the new bridge was installed and the work completed on Mill Creek Drive, he blocked his property from bike and pedestrian traffic (new bike lanes had been installed). Grand County has been relentless in its pursuit of this bike trail to the point of finally taking it to the courts for ruling of ownership of the property. No legal determination has yet been made, and that brings me to the point of this letter. Upwards of $150,000 of taxpayer money has been spent by Grand County on legal fees and there is still no determination made on this case. I believe there should be better accountability for how taxpayer dollars are spent by the Grand County Council. I would like to repeat, approximately $150,000, on one case for a bike trail over a cul-de-sac into a residential neighborhood when there are bike lanes on Mill Creek Drive. To what purpose? Obviously, county government is in need of change and more oversight. Please take a look at how your tax dollars are being spent.
