Houston, we've got a problem. Cortez. Status report.
My fellow citizens of cortez, we've got to start talking to each other, we've got to start talking with, not at, the staff at City hall, the city council. City council, you've got to go to a wartime footing and stay there. A war against? A war for a thriving future for cortez.
We don't have any time to stay in our silos and sitting on the sidelines, on our couches, watching TV. We're in a crisis. Chinese characters for crisis are, an opportunity riding a dangerous wind.
If I'm wrong with the following, tell me, explain to me how the following is wrong, clearly.
If this is correct, let's join together and begin creating the best possible future for Cortez that we can. To face the truth of where we are. Not negativism, courageous honesty. And to plan the best future for all of us, not some of us, not our pals, not the powerful, not the weak, for all of us.
Despite the heroic efforts of the city hall employees these last several years, Cortez it's in deep deep financial trouble only a few years out. And if it's not too late to address it now, it will be then. A crisis now. The money to maintain let alone repair what we have in the city, it isn't there.
The heroic efforts of the current city hall team have been to:
• dig us out of a huge unfavorable debt situation to do with the building of the dam 40 years ago. We are now debt free, but use your imagination, much of the last 30 years has been associated with digging ourselves out of debt, not building ourselves a future.
• The substandard performance , based on what I'm learning, of the city government 10, 15, 20 years ago , up until about 10 years ago, there had been very inadequate planning, there hadn't been any audit, how long do you think it takes to dig out of such a situation? More than 10 years!
• Our form of government encourages the board of directors, the city council, to be a 6 hour a month council. If we were a corporation, the BOD would be extremely highly paid experts, dedicated, hugely financially incentivized to keep the well-being of their corporation front and center of their existence. But that's not the way our government is set up, 6 hours a month. It's a formula for suicide unless we step out of that. Going 100 fold beyond what is legally demanded, financially compensated, of the council, and as has been traditionally performed. To implement the council role the traditional way, the council Going forward will be a deadly ball and chain on the otherwise extremely capable staff. Part-time amateurs bossing experts? Chaining them? That's not what we want to do. I know it isn't.
• On top of the huge swamp mentioned above, a consequence, there's been no money to
• maintain our sewer system which is decades overdue for replacing.• Our city gov financial planning is world class by the end of this year with new staff of the last year or so. But the plan is based on assumptions that maybe no longer hold, maybe no longer hold at all. Such as a stable National and global economy. Even the terrified press in washington, terrified of the white house, is saying that the warning signs for the economy is now flashing yellow, which means it's really flashing red.
• Similarly our roads.
• Similarly maintaining and upgrading and fortifying our magnificent, ailing Rec Center, parks, ball fields, Etc.
I believe the city government has been incredibly able and expert Heroes, putting a temporary but life-saving tourniquet on our hemorrhaging Financial situation.
Now we citizens, and the new city council, have got to step up and be big boys and girls, come alongside them, and figure out the future that we want, and working with them. In the must-see movie, hidden figures, the team to put John Glenn in space, fell behind the russians. Their Commander said, if you want to leave it's okay, but if you're going to stay and figure this out, call your partners, and tell them you're not going to be home for a while.
My fellow citizens of cortez, that means us too. We've got to come together with the extremely able City staff, and begin figuring it out alongside them. Within the extremely difficult financial situation that we are in. No, I didn't say abusing them. I didn't say blaming them. We might have a prayer if we can keep this extraordinary staff working alongside us, rather than driving them away with the abuse that citizens have decided that they want to use with their public officials.
And it's time for the city council to decide whether it's time to join the party, or join the work. 6 hours a month continuing by the city council is a death sentence for cortez. The incoming council members didn't create the problem, but if they take the job, it's in their lap.
This city needs major major major expert, heroic, courageous life-saving surgery. It is going to be a full-time job. Call your partners and tell them not to expect you home, or don't take the job.
And at the very least any council member that takes the job, if they can't put in the time, 40, 80 hours a week, they need to be humble as hell, and follow the leadership of the extremely competent staff that we are blessed to have in the city.
And if one or two or three council members, even if not all, will devote 40, 80 hours a week as servants to the city, including the council, including the city staff, including all citizens, then the other City Council Members need to be humble as hell and follow the leadership that that time will represent. Blindly follow? Never. But humbly value, treasure, the work of those that choose to do so.
If I'm wrong, explain it to me in detail. If I am stating the truth, let's find the courage to face it head on, as our forefathers have done, and to create the best possible future for Cortez that we can. For the inescapable Joy of it.
What would I have us do? Get out from behind the TV set, roll up her sleeves, and build a future the same way the people that saw a field here hundreds of years ago decided to build a city.
What directions would we work? There's no rocket science but if you look at these two links I probably can't answer it any better than that. I don't do meaningless political sound bites, so this is what I have to offer:
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