Change city policies

The recent coverage of Mayor Yemi Mobolade raises a simple question: What do we actually expect from our elected officials?

For years, people have complained that our leaders are too old, too wealthy, and too out of touch with the realities of everyday life. Then we elect a younger mayor with school-aged children, and we’re surprised to learn that he occasionally faces the same childcare challenges that millions of working parents do.

Are we really saying public service means you stop being a parent?

If city employees felt pressured to help because of the mayor’s position, that’s a legitimate management issue and one that should be addressed with clear policies. But that’s a far cry from the narrative that this somehow amounts to corruption.

The same goes for the mileage audit. If the City already has telematics data but relied on a reimbursement process that didn’t accurately reflect actual miles driven, that sounds like a flawed administrative process, not a conspiracy to defraud taxpayers.

Accountability is important. So is perspective. The Auditor’s office exists to identify significant waste, fraud, and abuse. Taxpayers should reasonably ask whether these issues warrant this level of time and resources, or whether our attention would be better spent on matters with greater financial impact.

We should fix the policies. But let’s not confuse ordinary parenting and imperfect processes with scandal.

Jenna Walker

Colorado Springs

Owning the issue of public safety

Say you are a resident here in the Springs returning from running errands. Perhaps you don’t finish with everything on the list because of the voicemail message from your spouse saying, “Please return home as soon as possible.” The chill in the voice on the recording focuses your mind even though the reason for the request is unclear.

In September 2023, I arrived home on a weekday afternoon to find my husband was extremely sick, in and out of consciousness, and difficult to move. (Luckily, he cleaned up the blood he coughed up or maybe this experience would have ended differently – I was freaked out by the scene as it was.)

Since he was a heart patient, my response to this unknown medical emergency was to dial 911. Imagine my surprise when a voice recording stated that 911 operators were maxed out, but they would put me on hold. I thought about that, hung up, and redialed 911, hoping the first call was a fluke, but the recorded advice was the same – join the queue or call back later. Since he was 20 feet from his car in the garage, I propped the back door open and eased him toward it. Although he was leaning heavily, we were able to get to the front of the car, where he spread-eagled over the hood, unable to move. If I ran to get a neighbor, he would fall and hit his head. Maybe the only reason we got him into the passenger seat was his willpower and the car’s low clearance. I wasn’t strong enough to do all the work.

As I drove to Memorial Central, the 911 operator called us and asked how we were doing. Terrible! She said she could get an ambulance to our house in an hour. No thanks. We finally arrived at the ER, and he was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer and sent to surgery, which proved successful. I cannot say whether he would have survived if I hadn’t come home, but we wonder to this day.

If you dial 911 and the system works as intended, you don’t think about it. If you dial 911 and nothing happens, it is a literal wake-up call.

Police Chief Adrian Vasquez and Fire Chief Randy Royal offered a welcome first step toward fixing this problem in their Sunday op/ed. They want the city to form its own 911 Authority by regaining local control over funding and restructuring the system. Getting our city’s house in order could also benefit the hodgepodge of county, state and regional partners. This is what leadership looks like – owning the issue of public safety, now and years from now. We look forward to seeing what the City comes up with.

Joanna Koob

Colorado Springs

Have things changed for the better?

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was in Old Colorado City. The first Race to the Clouds was held in Manitou Springs, with the cars reviewed at Garden of the Gods Park.

In about 1984, I had to pick up my son at the Colorado Springs airport at midnight. It was just me and the janitor.

How things have changed. For the better?

Patricia Rice

Colorado Springs

Democratic control of the country

In Tuesday’s opinion page, there was a great letter from Lt. Col. Barry S. Oswell. He asked, “Fight Trump on what?”  That’s exactly my opinion. Just what are Phil Weiser and Michael Bennet going to stand up to Trump about? He’s saved the world from nuclear annihilation, closed the border, and gas prices are coming down. He’s doing a terrific job of running this country. Let him continue doing so.

The Democrats think they have a chance to take control of this country in November. I hope not. If you’re tired of hearing lies from do-nothings like Bennet and Weiser, then don’t vote for the worthless kind.

And let’s elect a governor who will fix our roads back to what they were more than twenty years ago when I  was still driving trucks. If you let the Democrats take over, you will regret it. They are a pack of socialists, and they will eventually take your freedom from all of us in November. Make your vote count in November.

Eric DesPres

Calhan