My granddaughter Simone walked into my office on Sunday with an urgent request. Would I help her pack up some of her dolls, and carry them into the attic? Seems Simone had $38 burning a hole in her wallet — a windfall from her recent birthday — and she felt a resultant burning desire to buy toys with the money. Possibly an OMG Doll?
But her mom had drawn a line in the sand — or should we say, in the bedroom rug. The bedroom rug, so often littered with plastic playthings. Mom does not countenance litter, especially plastic litter.
No more buying of toys, even with birthday money, until some of the trifles go into the attic.
Simone exhibited no regrets, as we loaded some of her dolls and doll accessories into a plastic tote — playthings that, just a few days earlier, had seemed (to me, anyway) so popular and well-loved. She shed not a tear as the tote disappeared into the attic. Her mind was clearly focused on the future, and the new (as yet unidentified) toy upon which she would soon be spending her money.
I know that feeling of expectation. I guess we all do.
But let’s get back to the Ross Aragon Community Center, on Friday, July 31, and listen to the Town Council as it plans for the future — mainly, the short-range future. Mainly, the 2020-2021 tax spending season.
Although “The Meltdown of the Pagosa Springs Economy Due to COVID-19” was not one of the specific discussion items listed on the retreat agenda, the term “COVID-19” did appear at one point on the numerous large sheets of easel paper stuck up on the wall by facilitator Yvonne Wilcox. That appearance implied that COVID might be considered one of the top ten priorities for 2020-2021 spending season.
“Might be considered.”
Ms. Wilcox had prepared herself and the Council for this annual retreat by doing a couple of surveys, prior to the event, to collect background information. One of the surveys asked the Council (and a couple of Town staff members, Town Manager Andrea Phillips and Town Clerk April Hessman) what achievements from the 2019-2020 tax spending season had been most meaningful to them.
Eight of the survey responses had mentioned the Town government’s COVID response, which had included about $125,000 in donations towards various relief efforts, aimed at those most hard-hit by the pandemic and economic meltdown this past spring.
Other meaningful expenditures and efforts had included the commencement of construction on the Town’s new $4 million (or maybe $6 million) maintenance facility across the street from Yamaguchi Park… a renewed focus on street maintenance and sidewalks… the Council’s November vote to define developer Jack Searle’s vacant property on Hot Springs Boulevard as “dangerous urban blight” and the creation of a “URA” (Urban Renewal Authority) to allow massive tax subsidies for selected development projects… the Town’s purchase of a small parcel in Mesa Canyon to be used by the rafting industry and recreationalists as a boating take-out… and six other items.
But it seems, as we look towards the future, some of those meaningful items are now ready for the attic?
In the end, a continued COVID response by our municipal government didn’t make the cut as a priority for 2020-2021. Other things were seen as more important.
This may strike some local taxpayers as sensible, considering the Town spent $125,000 already on COVID relief, and… well… the crisis is practically over… Right? According to the thoughtful discussions I witnessed on Friday, the COVID crisis has already taken a back seat to several more important issues.
At the top of the list: Broadband.
Followed by: an update to the Land Use and Development Code.
And: Well-maintained streets and sidewalks, and improved ‘walkability’ in the historical downtown.
We might note that the Council priorities for the 2020-2021 tax spending season, as shown in the image above, include “Affordable Housing.” I’ve written occasionally here in the Daily Post about the ongoing housing crisis in Archuleta County. In fact, it sometimes feels like most of my editorials have related in some way to that particular crisis.
But some of our community leaders have seemingly consigned that issue to the attic. As we can see, when the Council and staff listed the eleven key issues they’d successfully addressed during the 2019-2020 tax spending season, affordable housing didn’t even make the list.
A brand new, multi-million-dollar Town maintenance facility? Yes, that was high on the list.
A “clean audit”? Yes, that made the list.
A place for tourists to get out of the river, after a pleasant trip down the San Juan? We checked that one off.
But safe, warm, affordable homes for the people who keep our economy running? Nope. Wasn’t a priority last year.
I have stated previously that I have a lot of respect for the volunteers currently serving on the Pagosa Springs Town Council. (Technically, they aren’t truly volunteers, because they are paid a small monthly stipend. Unlike the volunteers on, say, the Planning Commission, who are truly volunteers.) I’ve witnessed a high level of intelligence among the current members, and a willingness to share their concerns and ideas openly and publicly. Although it’s more typical, on a government commission, to have one or two people dominate the discussions, in the case of our current Council, all seven Council members willingly participate in the discussions and debates.
The main thing missing, in the operation of our Town government, is public participation. In my opinion.
Increased public participation and better communication with the public has been among the top goals of the Town Council for the past six years, and that particular priority has been mentioned in the reports that resulted from the annual planning retreats.
But that priority — like COVID — is missing from the key goals that Council selected at this year’s retreat. So tomorrow, I will try and summarize what the Town Council wants staff to spend time on, and money on, during the 2020-2021 season. And why.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.