The agenda for the May 12 Board of Trustees meeting came out today. There is NO PUBLIC HEARING scheduled for the Autumn Ridge subdivision. The Board will be acting on the Autumn Ridge Project WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT. They are planning to re-zone the Autumn Ridge property without a public hearing, which means no due process for Silt property owners even though a public hearing was requested and agreed to, it’s not going to happen.

This is outrageous!

Please call and write to the Board via the Silt Town Hall to voice your objections. It’s vitally important that you do so!

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Don’t be looking to the corporate-controlled US MSM for the truth about gas well drilling in the Piceance Basin. No way. If you want the truth, go to the BBC. Here’s an excruciating glimpse at our neighbors crying and dying …

Oh it’s not just our gas the Empire wants. And yes, it is OUR gas. Gas is a natural resource, that’s why it’s taxed when it’s extracted. Now they want our water, too. In the let-them-drink-gas department, check this out:

Shell makes run on water
Oil-shale plans
By Steve Lipsher

In its quest to melt oil out of western Colorado’s shale, Royal Dutch Shell has been buying up land and water rights in anticipation of what is likely to be a thirsty new industry.

Some officials, however, worry that the demands of the oil-shale industry could drain every drop of the region’s remaining water.

“On the upper end, we’re looking at potentially several hundred thousand acre-feet of water — more than people think is commonly available to develop in the Colorado River,” said Dan Birch, deputy general manager for the Colorado River Water Conservation District.

Shell and other energy companies have amassed tens of thousands of acres of cropland, ranches and open space — including a state wildlife area — to gain water that would be needed to power the oil-shale process.

“We’ve been acquiring land and associated water rights for a long time,” Shell spokesman Tracy Boyd said. “We’re just situating ourselves so that when the time comes, we’ll have the resources we need” …

And if that’s not enough to make you sick, here’s the latest on the Project Rulison nuclear blast site:

Drilling approved nearer to Rulison blast site
Permits conditionally approved about a mile from center of 1969 nuclear explosion
By Phillip Yates

BATTLEMENT MESA, Colorado — The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has conditionally approved 11 permits to drill wells a little more than one mile away from Project Rulison blast site …

For background info on the Project Rulison blast site see Pandora’s Radioactive Box.

So who’s monitoring the radionuclide levels in air, soil, surface and groundwater? Why, the gas companies of course.

Rulison Samping and Analysis Plan for Operational and Environmental Radiological Monitoring Within a Three-Mile Radius of Project Rulison
Prepared for:
Noble Energy, Inc.
Williams Production RMT
EnCana Oil & Gas (USA), Inc.

The most significant paragraph in this document is this one:

The reports will be submitted to the COGCC within approximately 60 days after the receipt of laboratory analytical results. It is anticipated that the quarterly reports will be submitted on or before the nearest business day to June 1 (First Quarter), October 1 (Second Quarter), December 1 (Third Quarter), or February 1 (Fourth Quarter). The annual report will be submitted on or before December 15. Once received and reviewed, the COGCC intends to post the submitted reports on its website for public access.

I guess that means we have to wait until the COGCC publishes the reports.

For what it’s worth, the Mayo Clinic covers Radiation sickness: Signs and symptoms in depth. They recommend potassium iodide. The FDA/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research offers this handy FAQ about potassium iodide.

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Mark your calendar for Monday, May 12.

Autumn Ridge

The first Public Hearing for Autumn Ridge will be held at 7:00 pm to consider the following requests:

1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment Hearing for the Autumn Ridge Subdivision, PUD
2. Zoning/Rezone Application for Autumn Ridge Subdivision, PUD
3. Planned Unit Development Sketch Plan Hearing for the Autumn Ridge Subdivision,
    PUD

For more information on Autumn Ridge subdivision see Nightmare on Main Street.

Did you see the letter to the editor in Monday’s paper? It’s from Brian Cox, a property owner on Cactus Drive. He’s mad as hell. Who can blame him?

Check out the comment from “Anonymous”. Gee I wonder who that is. What’s even funnier is that “Anonymous” sounds more like he’s responding to my blog Nightmare on Main Street than Cox’s letter. Moore’s arrogance is astounding. He always thinks it’s about him. Never mind that he’s requesting more than 10 code variances for his development.

Spot Zoning affects you

The “zoning/rezoning” request is the one that affects all property owners in Silt – not just noticed property owners of the Autumn Ridge project. Currently that site and the surrounding neighborhood is zoned R-1 (low density). Moore & Co. are asking to change the zoning on the property from R-1 to a PUD (Planned Unit Development) with high-density residential mixed commercial. This is what’s known as spot zoning. If the Board sets the precedent by allowing spot zoning for Autumn Ridge, who’s to say your neighborhood won’t be next?

How could that happen?

Well, let’s say your neighbor sells his property to a development company like Moore’s High Point Ventures and they decide they want to build 12-24 townhouse units with a commercial building next door to you, or across the street from you. So they go to the P&Z and Town Board with a request to change the zoning on your neighbor’s property from low density residential to high density residential mixed commercial. Suddenly your whole neighborhood and your whole life changes. Zoning is every property owner’s guarantee of his current and future property value and the current and future plan for his neighborhood. Spot zoning destroys the property owner’s rights.

Back in March, Jeanette Lyon wrote in a Letter to the Editor:

Do you understand how many personal rights you, the people of the Silt area, are losing if Tibbetts and the mayoral replacement gain control of town council?

What a joke!

The truth is, Mayor Moore is the one who wants to take your rights away. We’re still out here working to make sure the people have the right to Public Hearings and fighting for property owners’ rights while Moore works furiously behind the scenes to take those rights away.

Let’s fill up the Town Hall for this important Public Hearing. Please come and speak up to protect you and your neighbors’ property rights.

Moore still wants to stick the taxpayers with his campaign expenses

The second important Public Hearing on May 12 will address Mayor Moore’s request for reimbursement of $1,502.87 in campaign expenses. That ordinance has been changed to an emergency ordinance, which means there will only be one Public Hearing, as opposed to the normal 2 Public Hearings. The reason it was changed is because the state statute requires that the reimbursement occur within 45 days after the request is made. Moore requested reimbursement on April 8. Because the first Public Hearing on April 14 was continued, evidently the deadline would not be met within the normal Public Hearing schedule, and also meet the Public Notice requirements.

Are you confused yet?

Me too. But that’s the decision of the new Town Attorney Duran. I can’t remember his first name.

Moore’s request should have been denied because he doesn’t meet this requirement of the statute:

(2) (a) Authorized expenses shall include, but are not limited to, moneys spent in challenging the sufficiency of the recall petition and in presenting to voters the official position of the incumbent, to include campaign literature and advertising and the maintaining of a campaign headquarters.

The Recall Committee provided solid evidence as proof of Mayor Moore’s employee meddling, his permit violations, his conflicts of interest, his ethics violations, his open meetings violations. Moore failed to address any of those issues in his campaign literature, his mailings, his newspaper ads, or his signs. He was so afraid of addressing the issues he didn’t even attend the candidate forum.

Voice your opinion. Let the Trustees know how you feel about the taxpayers paying for Moore’s campaign.

Ridiculous!

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Let’s say you’re a property owner in Silt. How would you like it if, in less than 3 hours on a Tuesday night, the Planning & Zoning Commission changed the zoning in your neighborhood from low density residential (up to 4 dwelling units/acre) to high density (8-16 dwelling units/acre) mixed commercial to make way for the Mayor’s new development?

Well that’s exactly what happened at Tuesday (4/15) night’s P&Z Meeting when Mayor Moore’s new development, Autumn Ridge Subdivision was approved.

What is Autumn Ridge?

It’s a 34-unit residential development with a commercial building planned for a 3-acre site on Main Street (Hwy 6) between Steffie’s Place and 16th Street. The units will be housed in 6 buildings, and the 7th commercial building will be 35 feet high.

The developer is High Point Ventures LLC. The co-owners are:
Dave (Mayor) and Sherree Moore
Their children and spouses:
Joy and John Zeller
Jim and Kelly Moore
Plus:
Jim Voorheis (past Trustee)
Deric and Tracey Walter

The “affordable housing” aspect of this development amounts to 8 units out of 34. The price of these so-called affordable units is expected to be from $190,000 to $230,000. The rest of the units will be priced from $280,000 to $300,000.

Essentially Autumn Ridge is Center Townhomes Phase 2 – only higher density – like 13.7 units per acre.

So what’s wrong with this picture?

Currently that site and the surrounding neighborhood is zoned R-1 (low density). The developer is asking to change the zoning on the property from R-1 to a PUD (Planned Unit Development) with high-density residential mixed commercial.

What about the surrounding property owners? What about their rights? If this is allowed, if the town sets a precedent like this, then this can happen to any property owner in any neighborhood in Silt. It’s called spot zoning. You think you live in a low or medium density zone and all of sudden the property across from you is zoned high density mixed commercial.

But wait – there’s so much more. That’s not the only special consideration the developer is asking for.

37% of the units will not have garages
* Silt code requires all units have garages

20-foot lot widths
* Silt code requires minimum 25-foot lot widths

No open space designated
* Silt code requires 25% open space – this has NEVER been waived

No park land designated
* Silt code requires .74 acres for park land

Developer plans to make Cactus Drive (currently a cul de sac) a connecting thru street.
* But the Silt Comprehensive Plan (future plat) shows Cactus Drive as a cul de sac

Developer brings no water rights
* Silt code requires developers to provide water

Setbacks on end units are not up to code.

Turn radius on the street is not standard.

Parking will be reduced by lot landscaping.

The commercial aspect has a 4-year sunset clause, which means if the commercial units are not developed in 4 years, then the units can be sold as residential. So there’s no guarantee of commercial development. It’s not like this developer is bringing in an actual business to anchor the commercial building.

As for the affordable housing aspect, this is what the town’s own staff report said in the Autumn Ridge Subdivision PUD, Comprehensive Plan Amendment (12/9/07):

The applicant has chosen to pay an in lieu fee for parkland and water dedication and wishes to use the applicable impact fees to make improvements on trails, paths and other local parks. These types of improvements are certainly welcome as they will be a benefit to all the residents of Silt. But the question remains as to how much useable open space will the residents of this project have and what kind of livable environment this product will create? The project promises affordable housing but there is no guarantee of number of units or pricing. Affordable housing does not mean that aesthetics and amenities of a livable community need be negotiated away simply because the application is for a planned unit development.

I couldn’t agree more! Do we stuff people into units like sardines, give them no yards, no park, no open space, charge them $200,000 to $300,000 and call that a solution to affordable housing?

Not to mention the impacts on the surrounding property owners.

More than a dozen of the noticed property owners from Valley Drive and Cactus Drive came to the P&Z meeting and spoke out about their concerns about Autumn Ridge. Yet in spite of them and the plethora of special considerations, the Commissioners approved it anyway.

Usually when a development is proposed, the developer offers something to the town and  citizenry to offset the special considerations and/or waivers being requested. In the case of Autumn Ridge, there are a lot of concessions being asked of the town. And there are huge sacrifices in quality of life and property rights which wil be forced on an entire neighborhood of real people.

So what are the benefits again?

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New Mayor Pro-Tem

First, in other news from Monday (4/14) night’s Board meeting, in a move that was obviously well-orchestrated prior to the meeting, accused stalker Bobby Hays nominated Meredith – Miss Demeanor – Robinson as Mayor Pro-Tem. Tod Tibbetts nominated himself but no one seconded his nomination. Robinson was unanimously elected as Mayor Pro-Tem. A slap in the face to the 227 voters who voted for the recall and to Tod who has served in Silt town government for more than 10 years and has more experience than all the other Board members combined – including the Mayor – and who showed courage and leadership by bringing Moore’s misconduct in office to the public’s attention.

But what-ever. Not surprising.

Safe routes to school vs. Moore money

I spoke during public comments about the issue of safe routes to school. I requested that something be done about the muddy unpaved streets at Orchard and 3rd St so that kids can use that route to walk to school without having to dodge mud, straw bales and trip over barbed wire. Mary Blichmann (How can the wife of the guy who’s leading the recall run for trustee?) had also written a letter to the town asking them to address the safety issues with traffic and kids walking to school on Grand Avenue. Imagine that. Me and Mary on the same side.

There are no sidewalks directly east of the school. So kids have to walk in the street with the traffic, which is why Orchard and 3rd is the safest route. There’s less traffic. Of course the responses to my request and Ms. Blichmann’s letter are the same. The town has no budget for sidewalks or street improvements for kids walking to school.

But no-money-in-the-budget-for-safe-routes-to-school hasn’t stopped Mayor Moore from requesting that the Board reimburse him for campaign expenditures. In a move that smacks of utter vindictiveness Moore has submitted a bill for $2,069.80 in expenses.

Here’s the State Statute that applies, with bold for emphasis added by me:

State statute 31-4-504.5. Incumbent not recalled – reimbursement

(1) If at any recall election the incumbent whose recall is sought is not recalled, or in the event of a protest, the hearing officer determines that the petitions are not sufficient based upon the conduct on the part of petition circulators, the municipality may repay the incumbent for any money actually expended as expenses of such election when such expenses are authorized by this section.

(2) (a) Authorized expenses shall include, but are not limited to, moneys spent in challenging the sufficiency of the recall petition and in presenting to voters the official position of the incumbent, to include campaign literature and advertising and the maintaining of a campaign headquarters.

 (b) Unauthorized expenses shall include, but are not limited to, moneys spent on challenges and court actions not pertaining to the sufficiency of the recall petition; personal expenses for meals, lodging, and mileage for the incumbent; costs of maintaining a campaign staff; reimbursement for expenses incurred by a campaign committee which has solicited contributions; reimbursement of any kinds for employees in the incumbent’s office; and all expenses incurred prior to the filing of the recall petition.

(3) The incumbent shall file a complete and detailed request for reimbursement with the governing body of the municipality holding the recall election or protest hearing, which shall then review the reimbursement request for appropriateness under subsection (2) of this section, and, in the event the municipality has determined by ordinance to repay such expenses, such municipality shall repay such expenses within forty-five day of receipt of the request.

The key word in the above statute is MAY. The Board is NOT OBLIGATED to reimburse Moore. It must be done by ordinance and 2 public hearings, finally a majority vote by the Board. The town staff crossed off over $500 in expenses he submitted for food, alcohol, and attorney fees, which are not allowed. The revised total comes to $1,502.87

There will be 2 public hearings on the matter of reimbursement. The first public hearing will be held April 28. The second public hearing will be May 12. Come and voice your opinion. Contact me or the Board members and voice your opinion. We want to hear from you. I will be at the hearings to remind the Mayor and the Board exactly why the recall election was held.

Monday night was supposed to be the first public hearing. Bobby Hays called for Moore to recuse himself. Town Attorney Cindy Tester spoke up and seemed to be saying he didn’t need to recuse himself. Which is ridiculous because as the incumbent requesting reimbursement he has a financial interest in the outcome of the hearing – a clear conflict of interest. So anyway, the hearing went on. Moore asked for public comments.

I stepped forward and said this:

As a spokesperson for the Recall Committee, I represent the 227 voters who voted in favor of the recall. We say Mayor Moore should not receive one dime from the Silt taxpayers to cover the cost of his recall campaign.

The state statute refers to “moneys spent in challenging the sufficiency of the recall petitions and in presenting voters the official position of the incumbent”.

The Recall Committee provided solid evidence as proof of Mayor Moore’s employee meddling, his permit violations, his conflicts of interest, his ethics violations, his open meetings violations. However Mayor Moore failed to address any of those issues in his campaign literature, his mailings, his newspaper ads, or his signs.

Instead – as evidenced in this copy of one of his flyers – he listed his background and goals, took credit for actions by the Board as his own, and made false accusations.

The Town of Silt is not obligated to reimburse Mayor Moore. The voters did not vote on reimbursement. The Board of Trustees represents ALL the voters of Silt – not just some. Therefore the Board should not reimburse him.

Then Cindy and Tod discussed how he was supposed to question the Mayor about the expenses he submitted when the Mayor was conducting the hearing. Moore recused himself and stepped out. I guess he didn’t want to be questioned by Tod. Suddenly there was a motion on the floor to continue the matter, more discussion, vote and the hearing was stopped and continued to April 28.

My take on this Board is that they – except for Tod – are already inclined to reimburse Moore for his campaign expenses.

Safe routes to school for kids be damned. Just so long as Moore gets his revenge.

Moore votes against affordable housing

The first public hearing was held on Ordinance 12 which – to put it briefly – allows for manufactured homes in R-1 and R-2 zoning districts (they’re already allowed in R-3). The final passage of this ordinance will bring more choices for affordable housing back to Silt property owners. The first reading passed by a 6 to 1 vote. Mayor Moore voted against it, because as you know, he’s all about affordable housing. But only HIS kind of affordable housing.

BTW, HIS affordable housing project, Autumn Ridge will be presented tonight for the first time to the Planning & Zoning Commission. This will be the first of many public hearings, so I’ll keep you posted. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Or as my friend Rick says: “Stultus ut stultus fecit.”

Stupid is as stupid does.

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Silt is a bedroom community. The majority of voters commute elsewhere to work. For that reason, we like mail ballot elections because they offer the opportunity for more voters to actually vote.

However, mail ballot elections are ripe for fraud.

In his article, Why Mail Ballots Are A Bad Idea, Charles E. Corry, PhD wrote:

• Electioneering.

In a precinct election a fundamental protection for voters is the prohibition of candidates, representatives, or any election materials, e.g. posters, signs, handouts, etc., typically within 100 feet (33 meters) of the polling place so that voters are undisturbed and unsolicited while they vote in secret.

Just the opposite occurs with mail ballots. Generally candidates or supporters can get a list of who has requested or been sent a mail ballot from the county clerk and then call the voter, send mail to them, even visit them in order to influence and pressure the voter into voting for them or the candidates and issues they support.

• Ballots can be and are collected from voters by special assistants who may or may not deliver the ballots for counting, or who may help the voter fill out their ballots.

In Texas this process is so ingrained that a cadre of vote whores are regularly employed to collect ballots and ensure they are “properly” marked. In Colorado this process has been especially pronounced in special district elections where real estate developers are involved.

Oregon voter and columnist Bill Sizemore wrote:

Truth is, vote by mail is a formula for election fraud. Unscrupulous people can easily mark someone else’s ballot and not get caught.

A recent editorial column in the Pueblo Chieftain said mail balloting is fraught with danger:

Mail-in balloting is an invitation to fraud. There’s a history of that in Colorado, where a nun “helped” residents of a nursing home cast their ballots which ended up favoring the sister’s politics.

Here’s fun story about a small town election fraud conspiracy gone awry:

Dude Sharrett proclaims guilt in Appalachia election fraud scandal

In the recent Silt all mail ballot town election, during the 17 days after the ballots were mailed (3/10) a total of 353 ballots were returned by March 28. On that day, Town Clerk Sheila McIntyre said she didn’t expect many more ballots to come in. Then, from March 28 to April 1, another whopping 170 ballots came in – for a grand total of a record-breaking 523 ballots cast. One of the election judges said that the majority of those 170 ballots were from new voters who had recently moved to Silt, and they voted against the recall. Interesting.

Another interesting fact. Out of 523 voters, approximately 170 voters did not vote for any of the trustees. They only voted for the recall and the ballot questions.

During the weekend of March 28-30, a group of 6-8 people was seen out campaigning door-to-door for Dave Moore. A flood of ballots followed. 

All ballots contain this WARNING:

Any person who, by use of force or other means, unduly influences an eligible elector to vote in any particular manner or to refrain from voting, or who falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any mail ballot before or after it has been cast, or who destroys, defaces, mutilates, or tampers with a ballot is subject, upon conviction, to imprisonment, or to a fine, or both.

If you or someone you know were coerced to vote a certain way, or if someone filled out your ballot, or assisted you with filling out your ballot. Or if you or someone you know handed over their blank ballot to someone else, please contact me: peggyt@siltnet.net

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What is it with these local rag reporters? I used to have a thimbleful of respect for them – but now. How is this news?

After surviving recall, Silt mayor eyes run for Garfield County Commission
By Dennis Webb

SILT — Mayor Dave Moore is again thinking about a possible run for Garfield County commissioner after town voters on Tuesday rejected a recall campaign against him …

That Dave! What an attention strumpet! What does he do, call up reporters and blather off the top of his head?

Why do they listen to him? Why do they print this crap?

It’s mind-boggling. We REPEATEDLY supplied reporters from The Daily Sentinel and the Post Independent with the evidence from all our investigations. Conflict of interest. Employee meddling. Sunshine Law violations. Road closure violations. Fence permit violations – Tod even won a WikiFOIA award for that one. We provided them with REAL NEWS. Not fake news. But they didn’t publish any of it. One audacious reporter even questioned our right to conduct independent investigations.

But every stray thought that drifts from Moore’s gi-normous head makes it into print.

Why are these reporters such a bunch of patsies for Dave?

Do you know why?

Then for hell’s sake, TELL ME.

And don’t give me the squeaky wheel argument. I don’t want to hear it. We contacted reporters. They all knew about this blog. They HAD the information. We squeaked and squawked. Nuttin.

I’d just like to know why …

OBTW, Dave also said when he fantasizes about running for Garfield County commissioner, “he must consider how much political damage he suffered from the recall campaign”.

Um. It just so happens we have a file cabinet drawer full of dirt on Dave Moore. During our 8-month long campaign, people came out of the woodwork to tell us about their encounters with him. Of course we decided to stick to the issues related to his misconduct in office. But – OH! – the stories we could tell. Mm. Mm. Mm.

Another campaign against Dave Moore? Only wide open this time?

Bring it on.

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Dear Supporters – all 227 of you!

Oh come on now. It’s hilarious that the guy who was arrested for stalking got more votes than the wife of the guy who was leading the recall. Only in Silt.

So now we have two crazy people and a stalker on the Board of Trustees. Gotta love it.

Thank you for voting and thank you for supporting the recall, Rick Aluise’s campaign, and my campaign. We didn’t succeed in recalling Mr. Moore. But we did succeed in getting people involved. We had a record 52% turnout with 523 voters.

So much for The Paper’s contention that the recall wasn’t a hot topic around town.

It’s always an uphill battle to unseat an elected official. Especially when The Paper campaigns vigorously on behalf of Mr. Moore. Yet we reached 227 of you out there who still believe in open government and the rule of law. That should mean something to all of us – and it does.

So let’s talk about The Paper. The Post Independent. So certain was Editor Dale Shrull that Moore would win, he posted a photographer in Moore’s home to await the election results. How cozy. Shrull never allowed his reporters to report on the real issues surrounding the recall. We supplied the reporters with information time and again but that information never made it into The Paper. In the past 3 months, they printed one article about Rick Aluise, when he announced he was running. Yet they ran countless articles about Dave Moore. Shrull allowed Moore to campaign on the front pages of The Paper week after week with his fake news.

We supplied reporters with the in-depth results of our investigations into Moore’s employee meddling, his permit violations, his conflicts of interest, his ethics violations, his open meetings violations, but they never published the details for the public. The best we ever got was a line or two referring to our “allegations”. Allegations that we had proved with mountains of evidence.

On top of that, Shrull printed Letters to the Editor that contained nothing but personal attacks and smears against Rick and Janet and Tod and I. Here is The Paper’s stated policy on Letters to the Editor:

The editor reserves the right to not publish any letter submitted, and will, when necessary, edit letters for style, grammar, libel, good taste and usage. Personal attacks will not be published.

So Shrull obviously set aside that policy for his friend, Dave. However when Tod’s letter was printed, the reference to my blog was edited out. But their policy doesn’t say anything about no blog addresses. Interesting, huh?

Yellow journalism is slanted reporting masquerading as objective fact for the purpose of swaying public opinion to one side. That is exactly what happened here. It’s one thing to run a grassroots campaign to unseat the Mayor. It’s a whole nother deal when the Editor conducts the Mayor’s campaign for him on the pages of The Paper. It’s like Fox News in print.

It’s unconscionable.

Hey I’m amazed I got 199 votes. After the hussy I was painted as in The Paper I figured I would be lucky if I got 20 votes.

I’m proud of our campaign. We pressed the issues. We told the truth. We didn’t lie, or make false accusations, or engage in personal attacks – or resurrect dead children.

Dave Moore fought hard. He and his family had a lot to lose. After all, his Autumn Ridge Project that he’s currently pushing through is going to make him and his family very wealthy. He’s even planning to use his position as Mayor to obtain public grant money for his project.

I don’t see how Tod will be able to rein the Mayor in all by himself.

But I still have my blog with more readers than ever, and more people paying attention. I will keep on telling you what’s really going on.

Mr. Moore, I’m watching you.

Stay tuned …

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The results are in!

Recall
No – 289
Yes – 227

Question No. 1
Shall Town of Silt taxes be increased by an estimated $32,000 for the first full fiscal year (200 and by such amounts as may be generated annually thereafter by the imposition of a lodging tax on the leasing or renting of rooms or other accommodations in commercial lodging establishments within the Town of Silt at the amount of 2.5% per overnight stay, commencing on July 1, 2008, with the foregoing terms to be more specifically defined by ordinance of the Board of Trustees, the proceeds of which lodging tax, together with the investment earnings thereon, shall be used primarily for the development and marketing of visitor improvements and attractions, special events, beautification projects and historic preservation in the Town, as well as the general promotion of the Town and its environs as shall be deposited in the Town of Silt Beautification Fund hereby established as a fund separate and distinct from the General Fund, and in connection therewith shall the Town be authorized to collect and retain or expend the proceeds of such tax and investment earnings thereon notwithstanding any applicable limitation on revenues and expenditures, including the limitations set forth in Article X, Section 20 of The Colorado Constitution?

Yes – 324
No – 188

Question No. 2
Shall the Town of Silt Municipal Charter be amended so that the Town Administrator shall be responsible for handling general Town business and internal personnel matters, allowing the Board of Trustees to handle Town policy and governance matters?

Yes – 307
No – 186

Trustees

* Nicky Leigh – 348
* Sonny Fernandez – 324
* Joe Sos – 285
** Bobby Hays – 246
Peggy Tibbetts – 199

* elected to 4-year term
** elected to 2-year term

523 ballots were turned in which is a record 52% turnout.

Thank you for voting!

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We – meaning Rick & Janet, and I – have been having such a riveting discussion in the comments section I almost forgot to post a blog entry. You will find our discussion under Comments for my previous post: Guest Blog by Mayor Pro-Tem. Our discussion began with a rather scathing comment by my new friend Audrey, though I seriously doubt that she considers me her friend. But anybody who comments on my blog is my friend. So you’re stuck with me, Audrey – just like the Silt voters.

Anyhoo, Audrey thinks it’s “inappropriate” that I’m running for Trustee. Even though there’s no law prohibiting me from running she says, “that doesn’t make it right!” She doesn’t think a husband and wife should serve on the Board together.

According to some recent Letters to the Editor in The Paper, a few others have similar beefs about me. Please note: You’ll need to scroll down to find and read the letters cuz they’re all posted on one webpage.

Mary Blichmann, who is a Silt voter, simply wonders how can this can be?

“How can the wife of the guy who’s leading the recall run for trustee?”

It was easy. I picked up a Trustee packet and gathered 25 signatures, then turned them in by the deadline.

Jeanette Lyon, who lives in rural Silt and is not a registered Silt voter, thinks my candidacy is an insult to thinking people:

“Have you noticed Tibbetts’ wife is a candidate for town council? This is an insult to thinking people in the Silt area. No husband and wife should be on council together.”

Truth is, after my successful River Park Petition to allow dogs off-leash, I’m polling huge numbers with the canine demographic. So you could say I’m a big hit with the NON-THINKING residents. Sadly, the dogs don’t get to vote.

But – wait a minute – their owners DO VOTE.

And the Dick Cheney Sneer Award goes to Duke Cox, who is not a Silt voter, and thinks it’s all a farce – or I’m a farce – I’m not sure which:

“What a farce. So, the mayor pro-tems’ wife is running for trustee.”

I love their euphemisms for me – mayor pro-tems’ wife. He didn’t even get the apostrophe in the right place so it looks like I am perhaps many men’s wife? Then there’s Tibbetts’ wife, and my very favorite: the wife of the guy who’s leading the recall. I had a little fun with it. I wrote in my Letter to the Editor:  My name is Peggy Tibbetts. My name is not “wife of Tod” or “Tibbetts’ wife.”

At least Audrey had the decency – and the guts – to confront me directly. I assume she knows my name. I mean, now that we’re friends and all – even though I know she won’t vote for me. I bet Audrey doesn’t have a dog. Cuz if she did, he’d want her to vote for me.

I am telling you, the dogs ABSOLUTELY LOVE me. 

But those other 3 letter writers – what a bunch of losers. They didn’t even bother to find out my name. Their dogs are probably disappointed in them.

So the whole can’t-say-my-name thing strikes me as weird. What’s that about anyway? Maybe it’s just part of getting their points across. I’m married to Tod Tibbetts and he’s on the Board and they don’t think married couples should serve on the Board together, even if it’s perfectly legal. But in a recent article in The Paper about Dave Moore and the Recall, Heidi Rice wrote:

“The five candidates seeking the four open trustee seats include incumbents Bobby Hays and Joe Sos, as well as Sonny Fernandez, Peggy Tibbetts (wife of Tod Tibbetts) and Nicky Leigh.”

She felt it necessary to single me out. No one else was identified by his/her spouse. She didn’t write: Joe Sos (husband of Mrs. Sos). And it’s possible Heidi didn’t actually write that in her article – maybe her editor inserted it. I don’t know. Like I said, I think it’s pretty weird – oh – and um – SEXIST.

As an author and editor, I work in the publishing industry which is a subsidiary of the entertainment industry. Name recognition and branding are everything. I’m well known in my career circles as Peggy Tibbetts. The guy who’s leading the recall doesn’t even enter into my business dealings.

Alas, in the Silt town election I will remain “wife of Tod” to those Pilgrims still trapped in the 17th century.

I have already addressed the issue of Tod and I being on the Board together, should I win the election, in my post: Top 10 Reasons why I’m running for Trustee. I respect people’s right to object to me being on the Board with Tod. They shouldn’t vote for me. I hardly think it’s necessary to insult or denigrate me, or insinuate that my candidacy is immoral or unethical. In fact, it’s downright rude.

Harumphf!

I wonder how those same people feel about the father, John Reeves and son, Andrew Reeves who serve as Vice Chair and Chair on the Silt Planning and Zoning Commission. Or maybe that’s okay cuz they’re men and manly men don’t tell each other what to do.

But a husband and wife – oo – now there’s Trouble.

Oh please.

Do they really believe I can’t think for myself?

I guess in any election cycle, whether national or local, eventually the real issues fall by the wayside and people tend to get bogged down in the mud of politics.

It’s funny how the Recall naysayers think we must have some sort of hidden agenda. Why else would we do all this work?

Jeanette Lyon said:

“Do you understand how many personal rights you, the people of the Silt area, are losing if Tibbetts and the mayoral replacement gain control of town council?”

As if the Board of Trustees has any control over personal rights. What a joke!

Tod and I have spent the better part of the past year out talking to voters and asking for their signatures on petitions. I call that standing up for people’s rights. 

Duke Cox called us a “power-hungry cabal”. What is this mysterious POWER that we’re after?

The rule of law

Open government

A town government that responds to the wishes of the people and not the agendas of individual Board members

These are the issues we’ve stood up for. That’s what we’ve been harping about for over a year.

Here’s a f’rinstance. At last Monday’s (3/24) Board meeting, Betsy Suerth, the Town Administrator, brought up chemical spraying when the numbers of mosquitoes increase to a certain level. Mayor Moore wanted to rule by Board consensus – not even by motion – right then and there that they give Betsy permission to let the company just come in and spray for mosquitoes when they feel the numbers have increased. In the past, the Board has held public hearings and the people have rejected chemical spraying. Tod spoke up and objected to the consensus vote, saying that if the company feels that the mosquito numbers are high enough to warrant spraying, then the Board should hold a public hearing on the matter. Moore said it didn’t matter to him whether there was a public hearing. Luckily the other Board members agreed with Tod, so there will be a public hearing before chemical spraying is allowed.

Power to the people!

The Recall and running for office are all about democracy and public service. We have nothing to gain personally from our efforts. We care about the future of Silt. Period. We don’t profit financially from this exercise in democracy, or our public service.

The only way a person could actually profit financially as a Board member would be if he was a contractor or a developer who owned development land in the town, and used his elected office to curtail other projects and push his own project through. Huh.

You know, someone like Dave Moore.

* Check out the candidate profiles in The Paper today *

Only 353 out of 988 ballots have been returned. Come on people! Fill out those ballots. Sign em and get em to the Town Hall by April 1. You can DO this now. Help us restore open government in Silt.

 !!! VOTE NOW !!!