Publications

Contact Us

Some Huerfanos rate local government bodies as unacceptable

by William T. Beverly, Ph.D.
WALSENBURG- During early October, over 130 internet-savvy, registered Huerfano voters rated the 2010-2011 performance of local government bodies including Huerfano County Commissioners, Walsenburg City Council, La Veta Town Council, Re-1 School Board and La Veta School Board.
Respondents rated each on a 5-point scale (unacceptable to wonderful) or (A, B, C, D, and F) with the ultimate “good” being a 4.00 GPA.
Some received more failing grades than others. For example, Walsenburg City Council received failing or unacceptable ratings from 38% of respondents, while unacceptable ratings for others were as follows: Huerfano County Commissioners (22%), La Veta Town Council (21%), Re-1 School Board (21%), and La Veta School Board (3%).
By voting for or against candidates, the people of the Walsenburg area can control the Walsenburg City Council when they bring home grades equaling a GPA of 1.09 (Grade D) or the Re-1 School Board (GPA=1.58, grade D+, C-). Meanwhile, La Veta area voters can control the La Veta Town Council (GPA = 1.30 or D+) and the La Veta School Board (GPA=2.25 or C+). But neither locality’s voters can totally control the County Commissioners (GPA=1.63 or C-).
La Veta’s School Board earned the highest GPA at 2.25 (C to C+) and also received the most wonderfuls or A’s (10%). A wise office-holder said, “as long as I get 50% or more of the vote, I am doing just fine.” If neutral or better (C’s, B’s and A’s) are indicators of good job performance, then the La Veta School Board does best, rated “neutral or better” by 82.4%, followed by Huerfano County Commissioners (56.5%), Re-1 School Board (55.1%), La Veta Town Council (44.1%) and Walsenburg City Council (33.6%).
If voters want strrong leaders, they must analyze sore points and vote out the bad apples. At the recent Walsenburg candidates’ forum, for example, the sore point of nepotism surfaced. Everybody had something to say. Other sore points around Huerfano include the following: the Blanken recall, Walsenburg’s inability to keep an administrator, incomplete water/sewer lines in Walsenburg’s Northlands, fracking, academic and general organizational problems at Re-1, and student behavior problems in the La Veta School District.
This online poll/survey will be available at www.beverlyresearchdata.blogspot.com/until election day. Anyone can go there (electronically) and give an opinion. More data from this poll will be reported in future articles.
The poll results reported above do not reflect official votes. Citizens must vote in order to decide whether a government body should be held accountable when it earns poor grades. Citizens can make change happen through voting, public presentations, and letters to the editor.

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

Read More »