Pueblo and Southern Colorado (Trinidad, La Junta: live, floor, centers)

[esya]

OK, where is the clock--I know it's B street, but I am an occasional visitor, not a native?

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by esya

OK, where is the clock--I know it's B street, but I am an occasional visitor, not a native?

Its on the corner of "B" street and Victoria street. Not sure how long it has been there, if it was actually there around 1900 or was just made to look that way. If anyone knows I would love to know the history of it....

[esya]

Well, I hear that--I do most of my exercising at home on the floor!

[esya]

Well, I hear you, Josseppie--I do most of my exercising at home on the floor!

[Proleadership03]

Closer look of new vestas plant

[Proleadership03]

Response to a Response
February 8, 2009
Mike, I appreciated your response to my February 6, 2009 email (it was the only one). I received no responses to my January 28 e-mail.
Your response answered some of my questions but left many unanswered concerning both the NEK and El Centro Del Quito Sol situations.
My understanding NEK has been using the honor farm since 2003 with or without the knowledge of the City and not paying for the use of the facility. Is this true?
It is also my understanding that NEK has been under contract with government agencies to supply training services. In the competitive bidding process the cost of supplying this service must have included a facility to meet the requirements of the contract(s). It appears to me that Pueblo has been in fact subsidizing NEK since 2003. The picture that I am receiving is that NEK is not necessarily the visionary angel as described but possibly a greedy profit motivated company that is attempting to take advantage of Pueblo. I suspect that if NEK did not have use of the honor farm they would either lose their contract(s) and/or become much less profitable. Just think, if NEK did not have use of the honor farm, they would have had to have their own land with their own improvements.
I wonder how many thousands of dollars the use of the honor farm has already saved NEK. Because NEK has government contracts, they are accepting public funds, which translates into the fact that both their contracts and their financials are open to the public. I understand the city has requested their financials. Has NEK been forthcoming in making this information available from the time they started using the honor farm facility? I suspect that NEK needs the use of the honor farm far more than we need NEK managing the facility and this is one reason why the management of the facility should have gone out for bid in the first place.
Submitted by,
Ted Freeman

[Proleadership03]

What form of government is best suited for Pueblo
City Council-City Manager
or
City Council-Mayor
Comments to City Council
January 26, 2009
I am concerned about the situation in which we find the city government; do we keep the council-city manager form and how can that be accomplished when we find that the city is without a city manager and there is an organized group in favor of changing the government to a council-mayor form. How can the city hire a new city manager when these conditions exist? Is it the right time to consider a council-mayor form of city government and for the right reasons?
I feel, as do others, that some of the reasons to change from the council-city manager form, real or perceived are; primarily little or no transparency(the breakdown of communications between the council and city manager, and between the council, the city manager and the public); little or no justification made public of criteria or basis on which decisions on major issues are based and independent of other council members; the lack of opportunities for public input; the inefficient operation of some of the city departments; the lack of oversight of non-departmental operations, including the Urban Renewal Authority.

Let’s examine or analyze both the council-city manager and the council-mayor forms of government in their simplest of terms.
A. In the council- city manager form, the city council is elected and is obligated to represent their constituents and to serve the needs of the people. The City manager hired by the council is responsible for the operations of the city at the direction of the council and as prescribed by the city charter. The city manager shall be a professional manager both in education and experience. In this form, the council has oversight on how well the city manager is performing the duties of the office. Since the city manager is not an elected official, there is no direct obligation to the people but only to the council.
B. In the council-mayor form, the council is elected as is the mayor and therefore both have a moral obligation in meeting the needs of the people. Since the office of mayor is by election, it is implied that candidates for the office be a resident of Pueblo and not necessarily be a professional manager. It brings additional political forces on the position but also provides that the leadership be based on the desires and needs of the electorate. The council does not have oversight of the mayor, the people do.
Both forms of government appear to have their strengths and weaknesses. I feel regardless of the direction taken a charter convention must be convened as soon as possible to either update the existing charter while maintaining the council-manager form or changing the government to a council-mayor. Today, the existing city charter is not adhered to in many areas and should be updated due to new and additional needs of the city, new management techniques and procedures and technology. Otherwise we must examine, analyze and modernize how Pueblo is governed.
I am concerned about Pueblo having the dedicated leadership required to bring together people with diverse ideas to create a new governance in which the largest of majorities can believe. We must find this leadership.
Presented by,
Ted Freeman

[Josseppie]

I vote for the mayor type.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Proleadership03

Closer look of new vestas plant

Its amazing how big it is becoming and what's even more amazing is that at 200 acers is just a small part of the close to 1,000 acers they bought as their suppliers will use the rest of the land! There should be some major construction going on there for years to come.

[Proleadership03]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Its amazing how big it is becoming and what's even more amazing is that at 200 acers is just a small part of the close to 1,000 acers they bought as their suppliers will use the rest of the land! There should be some major construction going on there for years to come.

Them using very heavy duty steel for the project! Maybe that type of steel use in skyscraper and not sure about it!