RON STEWARTLifetime bureaucrat controls the county Sheer graft. The recent action by the County Commissioners to appoint one of their own, Ron Stewart, as the head of the county open space department is a transparent effort to keep this lifetime bureaucrat in total and personal control of this counties land uses indefinitely. It is no secret that this man has garnered complete personal authority in all current land use issues in the unincorporated county. The three-person panel of County Commissioners is a sham of diverse representation, thanks to the Democratic political machine in this county. The utterly vacuous Jana Mendez votes only as Mr. Stewart directs her, rendering all actions before this committee his personal decision. This absolute power to decide is not lost on him. I am quite sure it is a role he rather relishes. A position not to be rescinded easily. The control of the Open Space Department is the ultimate seat of power in this county. It is the local Holy Grail of knee jerk politics, which allows the voters in the City of Boulder to keep surrounding lands as void of use as possible. Just ask Mr. Crain with the city's program. The debacle of planning and subsequent hundreds of thousands of tax dollars wasted to separate one family from their land on Davidson Mesa is just a single testament to the carnage allowed the bloated egos managing these programs. Out here in the real world where income is earned and not forcibly solicited by tax, employees like that get fired real fast. In this community they chase off town managers. Ron Stewart knows that this seat of power must go to him now, as it is a lifetime position. But perhaps this man, who just had a statewide takings law passed virtually in his name, could pause to personally explain to the landowners of this county the farce behind proposed slope regulations, or the de facto abandonment of the county's Comprehensive Plan. The beauty of this place is a reflection of all of us. Diversity is a good thing. Instead we get Country Club Boulder. JAMES C. PARKS Boulder Copyright © 1999 Boulder Daily
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