Acting Out: Estes Park's Struggle Between Old Guard and New Hopes
When the Voters Speak, Who in Town Hall Really Listens
Author’s Note: As I return to writing for the Estes Park Trail-Gazette, I am also embracing a renewed editorial vision for The Colorado Switchblade. Here, I will indulge more freely in a gonzo, satirical editorial tone, diving into commentary's more unorthodox and personal dimensions. While I will continue to cover breaking news and straightforward stories in the Trail-Gazette and at times here, The Switchblade will serve more as a platform for exploring and expressing my gonzo yearnings—offering a more subjective, provocative take on the events that shape our community.
Act I: A New Dawn, Same Old Shadows
Last week, as the sun set behind the majestic peaks of Estes Park, the town hall was not filled with fresh mountain air but with the stale breath of resistance. The stage was set, actors in place: two fresh-faced council members and a new mayor eager to cleanse the hall of its questionable past. Yet, as the curtain rose, it was clear—the script remained unchanged.
Infused with hope, Mayor Hall envisions a board risen from the town's scandal-ridden ashes. His attempts to steer toward transparency and collaboration feel like Sisyphus's eternal struggle—thwarted by the relentless weight of the old guard.
Act II: Enter the Old Guard, Stage Left
The seasoned performers of political puppetry, the old board members, wasted no time. Their opening act? A stark rebuke to Mayor Hall's suggestion of Bill Brown for the Visit Estes Park board (VEP)—a man whose qualifications shone like a full moon reflecting off the snowcapped peaks. Instead, they championed Kirby Hazelton, whose marketing experience seems pale in comparison to Brown's lifetime of professional accolades. This irony unfolds as whispers of the VEP Staff, who twice found Hazelton unqualified. Might they still deem her unsuitable for this influential role? Why would that suddenly change? One must wonder: why was she so driven, so intent on serving in this position, even at the cost of the new board's unity?
Act III: The Coup of Kirby - The Public Speaks, But Who Really Listens?
Hazelton's brief tenure in marketing, often within her family-owned businesses, suddenly became spotlight-worthy, thanks to backstage maneuvers by the entrenched board. As the townspeople voiced their opinions, advocating for a trustee on the VEP board for better oversight, and wary of reappointing someone who had to resign in the scandalous aftermath of the great 2018 VEP Cleansing, their participation felt like mere formalities against the old board's pre-scripted outcomes.
Act IV: The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Despite Mayor Hall's pleas for fresh perspectives and the rational appeals from the public, the old board's playbook is clear: maintain control, uphold familiar faces, and block transformative shifts. Each vote casts a shadow over the mayor's recommendations, a stark reminder of who truly pulls the strings in Estes Park.
Epilogue: A Clarion Call for Actual Change
As the curtains fell on another council meeting, the message resounded: true change remains a distant battle. The facade of change and progress in Estes Park has cracked, revealing the unyielding grip of the old guard. The time for complacency has passed. It's time to draw back the curtain, peer behind the props, and demand a performance worthy of this town's majestic backdrop. We can no longer accept business as usual. Will you be mere spectators, or will you reclaim your role as the true directors of our community's future? I urge you to speak your mind at the public comment section of the next town council meeting. The power rests not with the players on stage, but with us—the audience.
~JVT