Mayor's Message - Common support: Part 2

By Mayor Gary Hall

I’ll continue my recent focus on local entities and partner institutions – my “local focal point.” National policy is in a state of great change and some of those may affect the Town and our critical partners. I’m working to stay attuned to those real or potential impacts; some will take time to settle, filter down, and understand. Others might be more immediate.

All in all, the Town Board and Town staff must continue to work to maintain our local services as best we can during these turbulent times.

The Park School District

I think the world of Superintendent Ruby Bode and her team. They are entrusted with our most precious human resource, our youthful students.

Ruby’s crew navigates challenging regulations and finances to provide guidance, education, opportunity, and fun to the ever-changing crop of kiddos. I am cheered to see how they nurture those budding brains with humanity and compassion. I recall the critical junctures in my life when I became aware of social issues and more. Many of those epiphanies started in my school years; the Estes kids are at some of those highly impressionable times.

These are the moments that, to a large degree, shape their comprehension of the world, their discoveries of self, and their directions in how they interact with future adult peers. I support the superintendent’s enlightened efforts, and those of her staff, to shape our children’s futures.

I have concerns about the shrinking student population due to the challenges of young families being able to afford living here. That drives me to support workforce housing projects and childcare causes.

Eagle Rock School

I had the opportunity to meet with a couple of the administrative staff members in January. That is an amazing and strong organization on the hill up there. Over 30+ years, they’ve had so many bright students pass through, kids who were looking for a different creative path in their pre-college education, and who found it at Eagle Rock. In fact, the administrators I met with were prior students, so it feeds itself.

Safeway 

We all know some of the dedicated, hardworking staff by name. Some have been there for a long time, serving our community. They need more of those dedicated, dependable workers. Send strong workforce members their way!

Most of the time, I find what I’m looking for at Safeway. In the aisles, I always meet a friend or three, including employees. Those dedicated staffers are key to the operation. We’re lucky to have a supermarket in town.  Before 1985 or so, we didn’t have one. I support them in spirit and commerce. There will always be the challenge of visitor surges versus inventory, but Manager Jared Allen and his team work to compensate.

I know that many folks supplement from Front Range stores if they can. Perhaps there will be additional stores in the future, or options for delivery from Front Range stores will become broad and affordable in the future as transport systems evolve. I’ll continue to encourage options.

I also enjoy stopping in The Country Market for the goods that they keep. Our Safeway supermarket is essential to Estes, and I will continue to be there. (The self-service line moves quickly even when long!)  

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