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| 12/3/2008 6:24:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Exercise of civil rights is best insurance of democracy
Mike Bullock
Times Editor
When the Buena Vista Board of Town Trustees back-peddled at its November 25 public meeting in its effort to dismiss mayor Cara Russell, a victory was won for democracy and civil rights in Buena Vista.
On the pretext of disciplining mayor Russell for "undermining the authority of the board of trustees," five members of the BV town council blatantly displayed childish vindictiveness in the wake of voter denial of the Cottonwood Meadows subdivision annexation at the November 4 general election.
Board members Mitchell, Flint, Baker, Benson and Boston attempted to invoke Town of Buena Vista Code provision Sec. 2-44 (with trustee Nyberg opposed), which authorizes the board to dismiss one of its members by a simple majority vote. The questions of the wisdom and constitutionality of this code provision aside, the board's attempt to make the mayor a scapegoat for failure at the polls of their favored annexation ordinance is an affront to the voters of BV.
Not only was mayor Russell's unpaid "Mayor's Focus" column in the Oct. 30 issue of this newspaper even-handed in its appraisal of annexation ballot question 2H, the trustees' attempt to punish her for exercising her freedom of the press placed the Town of Buena Vista at risk of a federal civil rights violation lawsuit and money damages.
It is not the purpose or procedure of the town board, or any elected legislative body, to be unified in sentiment or action on debatable public matters. Elected boards in a democracy are responsible for representing the diverse and sometimes opposing interests of the electorate, maintaining independence and integrity amongst themselves, and compromising or deciding by majority vote to settle matters of public business. Dissent is acknowledged as valuable, and is protected in public bodies as in general society in all genuine democracies.
Following an election in which a town annexation referendum failed by a slim margin, it is preposterous that the board majority should take offence at difference of opinion within the town council. If they had succeeded in removing the mayor from office, would dissenting trustee Nyberg be next within their sights for exercising his conscience in the matter?
In the end, political activism came to the rescue of integrity in Buena Vista town governance, as residents freely expressed their opinions in this newspaper, and turned out in force at town board meetings to express their outrage at petty politics. A spotlight once again was shown on the adage: use it or lose it, regarding democracy and civil rights in our society.
Congratulations citizens of Buena Vista, Colorado.
Abusers of public trust beware.
- Mike Bullock
P.S. Send us a letter to the editor. Thanks!
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