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April 3 election important to future of Berthoud

February 23, 2018 | Local News

By Mayor Steve Mulvihill

On April 3 we have an election that is very important to the future and the character of this town.  Many of you are new to town, and some of you have been here for a long time. There are two very important items on the ballot. The first is the election of the next mayor and four new trustees. The seven persons on the town board are the representatives who will be making decisions for the town over the next two to four years. There are many good people running for office. It is your responsibility to do a little research and make an informed decision about the people running for these offices.

You can find out something about some of the candidates by reading the local paper, by asking some questions of your friends and neighbors, and by meeting the candidates and asking questions about why they are running and what they would like to do for the town. In many cases some of the candidates will be expressing similar ideas. In some cases we know something about candidates because of their past history of being involved in political offices in the town. It is not a perfect science. You have to do the best you can to make a decision.

We have all experienced the political nightmare that has been part of this country for the past several years. As a result, a lot of people have little or no faith in their elected officials or the government that is supposed to represent us. Berthoud is one of the last bastions left where your vote really does count in a significant way. You get to pick a candidate regardless of party affiliations or potential outside interest. People who are volunteers motivated to help the community and represent the voters while in office. These volunteers make little money, spend a lot of time, and sacrifice other activities in which they could otherwise participate.

Berthoud, in the past, has enjoyed from some of the good and suffered some of the bad associated with a small town. Some of the good has been the great community, small businesses and excellent schools. The bad has been the lack of funds for keeping the roads and parks updated, the anti-growth attitude that has cost the town numerous opportunities for amenities and improvements. The town had become stagnant for a long time. In the past few years we have been able to initiate a can-do attitude. This philosophical adjustment has resulted in more progress and ability to provide citizens with what they need and would like.

In my short tenure as mayor I have had the opportunity to work with the current board on many subjects. The board has managed to make some significant progress with many issues and items that have been delayed, sometime for years. Now it is time to move forward – to continue with the can-do attitude and to enable the new board and town government to be more responsive and responsible than ever before.

My experience in working with the current board is that one of the two trustees running for mayor has demonstrated a great ability to listen to all sides of an issue, to empathize with all people, and to make a decision based on his own analysis of all of the issues and opinions. He has been open and honest in his communications; he accepts views that differ from his own, he has been dedicated to the town and the residents, he is young, he is honest, he is hard working, he is sincere, and he is part of the future of this town. It is time for us, as a town, to realize we need to weed out long-term politicians and replace them with younger more contemporary citizens to represent us.

Who better to hold the future of this town in their hands than younger, more energetic and compassionate people who want to make a difference? People who need to understand the contemporary issues and challenges that are ahead and who can appreciate the fact they will have to live to experience the consequences of their actions. Some politicians will brag about their experience and long tenure in small town government. Many politicians speak about their years of experience and expertise. They also forget to mention how young they were when they started in town politics. I am voting for and asking you to vote for Will Karspeck. Will is the person who has demonstrated to me his ability to be fair and independent. He is not tied to ideas and past prejudices. Will has not always agreed with me, he has not always voted with me, but he has approached every subject independently and, based on all the information, he has cast his vote.  If you voted for me in the last election, and you were going to vote for me again, please vote for Will. Will is part of the new generation of responsible young leaders who must take us into the future. Be Berthoud. Vote.

 

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