Council represents the people

Reflecting on the ballot issue outcome and reading the article regarding that outcome, I was struck by Charlie Willman’s comment that he thought the development would have been “good for the city.”

It may also have been good for “the city” to not have to pay for the additional cost of maintaining the existing airport runway. In my opinion, that may be the defining issue where things may have gotten sideways. The city exists to serve its residents. When the interests of the city as an organization are at odds with the wishes of the residents, the elected city councilors are expected to represent the residents.

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It appears by the ballot results that a majority of city councilors either weren’t adequately listening or they thought they forgot who serves who. It would be good for council and “the city organization” to remember who serves who.

Ray Schmahl

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Glenwood Springs

March for Earth

350 Roaring Fork is reprising our Earth Day march at Carbondale’s First Friday, this Friday at 5 p.m.

We want to celebrate our recent win compelling Xcel Energy to close their newest, least economical coal plant in Pueblo no later than 2031, four years and 16 million tons of CO2 sooner.

We also want to support “No Mow May,” a nationwide campaign to let your lawn grow for the sake of pollinators and the air.

Led by the New Orleans-style marching band, the Dandy Lions; meet at Thunder River Theater Company, 67 Promenade. Visit 350 Roaring Fork on Facebook.

Will Hodges

Carbondale

Honoring schools staff

The Roaring Fork Schools recognize May as Staff Appreciation Month. This year, with the financial support of our communities, we were able to show some material appreciation for our teachers and staff members with the pay increases that everybody saw in their paychecks last week. However, money, alone, does not go far enough in expressing the deep appreciation that we feel for all the people who work in our schools. During the final month of the school year, we celebrate student and school achievements as well as the people who make those successes possible.

There is no question that the people who work in our schools — working in our classrooms, kitchens, buses, offices or even behind the scenes — are our most important asset. We have more than 1,000 staff members, and each person plays a crucial role in our mission. Our staff members do so much more than teach, prepare meals, maintain spaces or transport students: they inspire and motivate; they care for and fix; they change lives.

We are so grateful to have been able to make the largest salary adjustment in the district’s history last month through a voter-approved mill levy override; it demonstrates sincere appreciation and affirmation for the work our staff members do every day. We know that our staff do this important work not because of the paycheck, but because they care so much about the education, well-being and future success of our students and our community.

Rob Stein,

on behalf of the RFSD executive team

Complicit

Mr. Rippy (PI column, May 2) is a pie-in-the-sky Republican, acting oblivious to the widening chasm in our politics. It kills me when these guys attempt to put both parties on the same plane.

The reality is it was the Republicans and right-wing extremists that attacked our Capitol.

So please don’t put the Democrats on the same level as Republicans. Republicans are for authoritarian government. They stand for nothing but total control. So please, Gregg Rippy, save it for someone else. Your party is complicit with everything the right wing is doing and has done.

Ken Fry

Glenwood Springs

Enforce illegal camping

I just would like to know if something can be done about people camping just over the ridge from Glenwood Green apartments. It was a group of young people. They placed hay bails to sit on and took a wire table up there.

This time it rained, but next time they might set the whole hill on fire. Why couldn’t a law be passed that people caught camping with an outdoor fire or fireworks would be subject to $1,000 fine. It’s pretty scary living next to this unregulated area. Maybe a reward could also be offered for photographs of those breaking the law with all the fires around us. How can they be so thoughtless?

Nancy Bernard

Glenwood Springs