To the editor:

I am supporting Jeff Hindman for another four years on the town board. I have known Jeff for over 15 years, and I have seen the improvements he has brought to the Town of Berthoud. Like myself, Jeff is a small business owner and he understands how to work hard and motivate his teams to complete projects successfully. Jeff is intelligent, experienced and dedicated to put in the extra hours needed to serve on the board. He works hard for what is best for Berthoud and his list of accomplishments is long. 

Jeff worked to get Berthoud to update our energy code to save new homeowners hundreds of dollars per year on utility bills, while at the same time increasing the quality and health and safety features.

By moving forward with financing, the Waggener Farm Project, Jeff and a 5-2 majority of the board have saved taxpayers millions of dollars by leveraging our new sales tax revenue at 2.7% interest, a historically low rate. This will allow the town to spend over $3 mllioni more for the same financing cost while adding amenities. Jeff also fought hard to keep the rec. center located close to downtown and to our schools rather than the more remote location west of County Road 17.

Jeff designed, built and donated the picnic shelter at the skate park. It is the first off grid town facility and has a solar panel to generate electricity for lights and plugs for the youth to use.  This donation to the town was unfortunately never covered by our local newspaper which has also stated that it will only do profiles of three of the four candidates and will not cover Jeff!

Please join me in voting for Jeff Hindman.

Sincerely,

John Clarkson

Berthoud

To the editor:

Some newspapers (The Longmont Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald, for example) fact-check their letters to the editor. The Surveyor does not, based on statements published in the letter from Steve Mulvihill. First, he said that Mr. Brian Laak dropped out of the race because Mr. Jeff Hindman “begged” him to do so. Really? That doesn’t match with what I know, and I wonder how Mr. Mulvihill would know since clearly he isn’t friends with Mr. Hindman. Secondly, Mr. Mulvihill wrote that Mr. Hindman was forcibly removed from a County Commissioner’s meeting. Mr. Mulvihill, perhaps you could share the date of that meeting with us? Because I believe that also is a falsehood, designed to influence voters. You have a history of doing this.
Last year you called someone else a “rat.” Perhaps you should check yourself.

Erik Reckase

Berthoud

To the editor:

Steve Mulvihill’s rambling letter attacking my husband, Mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Hindman, was full of falsehoods. 

First, Jeff has never, ever, been forcibly removed from any meeting. That is a falsehood started many years ago during a contentious election and should not be repeated by a former mayor from whom I expect more integrity.

Second, while Jeff opposed the location of the new Town Hall and argued against it in letters to the paper and town representatives, he had good reasons.  First and foremost, the board at that time used water and wastewater funds to buy the building, contrary to town policy. And, Jeff was not on the board at that time and had no vote or say in the matter and Mulvihill knows that.  

Finally, Jeff did not pressure Brian Laak to retire from the town noard. In fact, it was the opposite. Jeff argued strenuously with Brian to stay on the board, a fact I know is true because I was on the listening end of the phone calls. Brian and Jeff are colleagues who respect each other, but more importantly, Brian and Jeff are good friends. Indeed, Brian and his lovely wife Isabelle, are our friends. I too was upset by the news that Brian was not going to seek re-election because he and Jeff often process town politics together and now, I am going to have listen to much more of it. I have secured a promise from Brian that Jeff can call anytime to process (I am holding you to that, Brian.). 

I hope that Mulvihill is not deliberately spreading lies, because that is character assassination and defamation. I hope that he is merely confused or unwittingly repeating the lies of others. But before he writes letters to the paper, he should do his homework.

Mulvhill does not have to like Jeff Hindman. Jeff has a strong personality — he is dogged about his beliefs and argumentative about his opinions. Believe me, I know full well — I have to live with the guy. He would have made a great trial lawyer. But he is also warm, gregarious, generous to a fault, smart as heck, passionate about Berthoud, and has a deep historical knowledge of the town.  

Throughout our 26 year of residency in Berthoud, Jeff Hindman has work tirelessly for one agenda: parks, recreation, and trails, and smart, sustainable growth that protects and reflects Berthoud’s charming, family-friendly, small-town community. 

Laurie Hindman

Berthoud

To the editor:

I moved to Berthoud over three years ago and during the last three years I have seen a lot of growth and division in the community. I understand that some don’t want change, but change must happen. When you have a community growing as fast as Berthoud with many more homes to be built in the next several years, we have to think more about the future than ever before. We need board members who are not afraid of change and to think of the growing community when making decisions. Jeff Hindman is one of those trustees. He has fought tirelessly for the future of the community like promoting the new parks and a rec. center. As a mom of three sons actively involved in Berthoud rec. sports, I am anxiously anticipating the completion of the parks and rec. center. Currently sports have to be carefully scheduled or held in other cities for lack of space. That’s revenue the city is losing by not being able to host more sporting events here. 
With our growing community we also want it to be done right. The little things that you and I may not think about are on the minds of board members like Jeff Hindman like beautiful neighborhoods and enough parks and trails and open space to make Berthoud feel like the garden spot and community it was meant to be. Vote for experienced leadership and getting things done.
Marisol Rodriquez
Berthoud

To the editor:

I am the current chair of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. I have known Jeff Hindman for five months but in that time, I have come to respect his commitment to this town. I’m a fairly new resident to the town of Berthoud (two years) and have witnessed the rapid growth of this wonderful historic town. I, myself, am from small historic towns in the Midwest. We cannot ignore progress. It’s all around us. Jeff Hindman will bring knowledge and fiscal responsibility to the town of Berthoud. I am disappointed that the Surveyor would only feature a profile of three of the four candidates. I would hope that we see a bio of Trustee Hindman so we all can have a sense of everyone running and make an informed decision.

Helen Scavone

Berthoud