The Amazing Mick-Marilyn Emails

June 19th, 2008 at 06:56am Post Staff 43

Editor's Note: Italic text indicates Aspen Post Editorial Comment. Note that all email addresses have been deleted.

 

Hauenstein email to Mayor Ireland and Council June 11:

From: Ward Hauenstein
Sent: Wed 6/11/2008 7:34 AM
To: Dwayne Romero; J.E. DeVilbiss; Jack Johnson; Mayor Mick Ireland; Steve Skadron
Subject: Last night's work session

Greetings Council members,

Thank you your dedication to your duties. I fear I must write in private to express how stunned I was at the dressing down or spanking of Marilyn Marks at last night's work session. I have been working with Marilyn for the past few months now on the Housing Subcommittee. I suspect the public remarks attacking MM were a venting of steam from previous and numerous emails from her. I know what my inbox looks like with multiple Marilyn emails. I also know how much she drives her beliefs. In my position as chair of the Housing Subcommittee I sometimes feel like the parent telling the kids to just get along. The above remarks notwithstanding I was still embarrassed for her and for CC.

I do not think CC is opposed to taping of work sessions. I think the rants from CC are a result of a lot of push from MM. If calling CC remarks a rant is offensive I do apologize. I don't want to lay the groundwork for a future dressing down by CC at my expense. However, I respectfully call upon CC to show more compassion and diplomacy with their comments to the public. I have told MM several times that she is a 78 rpm record in a 45 rpm world (a quote form Chris Cassatt). How is it that MM can so move people to provoke the reaction from CC in general any you Mick in particular. Mick we have been friends for longer that I can recallJ, but I was shocked at the rancor of your remarks.

Indeed it was not pretty last night. The aphorism "there are two things you do not want to see how they are made, sausage and your laws" is true. Please accept my private remarks to you in the spirit in which they are intended, peacefully. I know it must be very difficult to keep your emotions aside, but that is what is expected of you as elected representatives. We, the public hold you to a higher standard.

Respectfully yours,

Ward Hauenstein

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From: Dwayne Romero
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:25 AM
To: Ward Hauenstein; Dwayne Romero; J.E. DeVilbiss; Jack Johnson; Mayor Mick Ireland; Steve Skadron
Subject: RE: Last night's work session

Thank you Ward for your comments - they echo exactly what I attempted to express last night. It was a low point indeed for us, and I was embarrassed by all of it.

I concur that elected officials should in fact be held to a higher standard of decorum and diplomacy. For me, this is the essence of leading by example. When up at CC I often ask myself "how would my kids learn from my behaviors and actions, and would they be proud or embarrassed by all this?"

The public hopes for higher standards, demands it actually, and is wholly disappointed when we slip. Unfortunately, nowadays that disappointment is expressed as jaded cynicism and disillusionment. We can do better - we should strive to slip less often.

Again, thanks for your thoughtful words. I take them with a great deal of importance.

Best,

Dwayne

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-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "Mick Ireland"
To:, Ward Hauenstein, Dwayne Romero, J.E. DeVilbiss, Jack Johnson, Mayor Mick Ireland, Steve Skadron
Subject: I meant what I said.
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:10:15 +0000

And I don’t think speaking the truth is rancorous.

MM is using Burlingame as a political wedge issue, plain and simple. She misrepresents statements I make to her. She demands inordinate amounts of staff time. I don’t need lectures, we should speak truth to power and the power being spoken to is the money for an Endless Campaign. What is happening is wrong. When people start raising money in secret two years before an election and tell others “we have to use” Burlingame to elect a new council, that is a politicization of the public process that we don’t need.

Is it any coincidence that the same people are looking for a PAID investigative reporter? Who do you think will be investigated? Garfield and Hecht? Tim Semrau? Get a grip, it’s just money being used to prep the next political campaign.

Is the hiring of a Citizen Action Group director a clue? At 20 hours a week, what do you think the point of that is? Don’t ask me, ask them if the purpose is to replace certain members of council and get a “majority.”.

Writes one citizen:

I believe that the coalition of people who have been behind the current Burlingame agitation have a number of individual, personal and quite different agendas, but that they are joined in using the taint of sleaze to discredit important public measures that have been strongly and repeatedly endorsed by Aspen’s electorate over many years.

You may know that the Citizens’ Action Group is actively recruiting an ‘Executive Director’ – a paid, half time position.

The author of the above is not a supporter of mine from past campaigns. He/she is very concerned about Burlingame being a political football.

This country has suffered greatly under Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and I am not going to stand still for that same wedge politics, Swift Boat method being used here. If people want to raise money and run for office, let them do so under the Campaign Finance Act. I don’t like 527 attack groups and I am not going to wait until the attacks are launched before speaking out on what is happening. This is constant politics, don’t let the council do anything but respond to attacks and claims and spin and requests for tons of documents.

If you want big city politics with secret PACs and constant politics, then say so. I am sorry some people do not recognize or admit the damage they do when they join in efforts to turn every meeting into a campaign platform. What was done last night was an attempt to embarrass the council into accepting demands that we broadcast work sessions, to gain political advantage by making us either refuse to have cameras or to acquiesce to a change in our decision making. Ironically, the public was cut out of the decision making process when we were force to agree without deliberation to their demands.

If you want to lead by example, don’t lecture us that bowing to unreasonable demands lends to transparency. How would you feel if one of your favorite development projects was dismissed without a regular meeting because people marched into the room with cameras and demanded that we decide now, at a work session? Would that be fair? Or should I say FAIR? What do your kids learn from a group that raises money in secret, probably illegally? That decorum means we can’t speak out against that activity? That we dare not call it what it is, that speaking the truth about the Endless Campaign is indecorous and that we should remain silent while democracy is replace by plutocracy?

Thanks.

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Paul Menter Email to Mayor Ireland and Council June 12:

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Menter
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 12:44 PM
To: Mick Ireland; J.E. DeVilbiss; Dwayne Romero; Steve Skadron; Jack Johnson
Subject: Videotaped worksessions

Dear Mayor Ireland and City Councilmembers,

I read with interest the Daily News story regarding Marilyn Mark's using Grassroots TV to tape your Tuesday worksession. I am out of town on a family vacation so do not know of the events firsthand, but based upon what I have read in the paper I must respectfully suggest to you that if reports are accurate it was in-appropriate to publicly admonish a citizen for choosing to engage in the City's policy process in a perfectly legal manner.

As elected officials it is your solemn responsibility to defend the rights of all citizens to participate fully in the public process, even if you consider their doing so contrary to your political interests, and even if their methods offend your philosophy of good public process.

Aspen is navigating a crisis. It is unrealistic to think that "business as usual" will continue, or should even be an option for you to consider. Clearly there are serious gaps in the City's policy deliberation and approval process. Aspen needs your leadership in navigating this crisis.

Personally I tend to believe that City Council worksessions are better conducted less formally, with Councilmembers free to speak their minds to each other without fear of every phrase being parsed for hidden, or unintended meaning. However that kind of informal process requires trust, and that trust must be earned.

I know from working with each of you your dedication to Aspen, and believe that you approach your duties with the best intentions. However, you currently preside over an organization whose public policy review and approval processes resulted in...

1. An official disclosure document that grossly understated the known total costs of the Burlingame project at the time of its publication, and for which there is apparently no traceable evidence as to its underlying assumptions in any official file or record, and 2. The contractual and budgetary approval of the City's largest construction project in its history without ever requiring a comprehensive budget of all costs in advance of that approval.

It is important to remember that you would not even be aware of these facts had it not been for the work of the Citizen Budget Task Force.

Subsequent to these two events, as we know, the actual costs of Phase I have become known and are an order of magnitude greater than the amounts originally disclosed. Had those complete costs been part of the deliberation process of previous Councils would decisions to approve and then increase the cost of the project have been different?

At this point we will never know. But we do know, and I am sure we all agree, that the community deserved to know the total costs of the project, presented in appropriate and complete context in advance of Council approval.

So I ask you. Does the process that permitted these events merit the informality of unrecorded worksessions? It seems to me an initial small step in rebuilding trust through transparency would be to videotape your worksessions for at least a year. This would have the secondary benefit of creating a more comprehensive record of Council deliberations and direction on issues not requiring formal action.

I know this is a difficult and frustrating time. It is only natural that those frustrations might be displayed from time to time. I hope that Tuesday's events fall into this category. A temporary flare up of understandable frustrations.

In closing, you did not create the issues that have resulted in the current crisis. You are, as you know, responsible for fixing the institutional deficiencies that contributed to current circumstances.

Hyperbole of the kind quoted in Wednesday's paper in my opinion only serves to exacerbate rather than resolve the City's institutional challenges that affect policy making and the growing societal divisions among its citizenry that influence the tone of the debate.

Thank you for listening. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss any of this information further.

Sincerely,

Paul Menter

612 W. Main St.

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----- Original Message -----
Subject: RE: Videotaped worksessions
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 0:32:14
From: Mick Ireland
To: Paul Menter, J.E. DeVilbiss, Dwayne Romero, Steve Skadron, Jack Johnson

Paul:

Actually, I wasn't with the city when those mistakes were made but rather I am in the position of correcting them, hence the CBTF was a tool for discovering such things. But I don't buy into the agenda of prosecuting those who did make mistakes unless they were acting with malice.

As to the cameras, I fundamentally disagree with the process used in doing this. We were asked to consider this policy change the night before and were forced to comply within 24 hours. The cameras show up and you are forced to either acquiesce or make a decision on the spot.

We have a responsibility make decisions with notice and chance to respond by all citizens, not just those who show up with cameras.

You says this:

it is your solemn responsibility to defend the rights of all citizens to participate fully in the public process

Ask yourself, did making that decision at a work session without notice to the public give anyone other than those present the ability to make a comment? How about yourself, did you get a chance to comment before the decision was made? In fact, by making the decision on the spot, no citizens other than those present, had a chance to express an opinion on the matter. The decision was made at a work session rather than as a duly noticed agenda item. It's bad precedent.

A brochure is not a "disclosure document" in the sense that there are such formal documents with a legal meaning. It was mistake but it was not even allegedly deliberate. There were lots of documents out there and the attempt to delegitimize the election because of one factual component is inappropriate. The brochure was an estimate, not a contract or a bid or an RFP.

I think we have an obligation to speak the truth. When "citizens" are raising undisclosed campaign PAC money contrary to state finance laws, when the stated intent of their campaign on Burlingame is to elect a new council, we have a right and duty to call out this illegality. When a "citizen" walks into the city attorney and tells him he has an "obligation" to prosecute Rachel Richards because she campaigned for Burlingame and may have cited the brochure, something very wrong and pernicious is going on.

Instead, we focus on the council objecting to being forced to televise its meetings. And we focus on whether some citizen was criticized as though we have no right to criticize wrongdoing.

I know, Mick is just being paranoid in connecting the dots, the call for a Ken Starr special prosecutor, the "investigative reporter" being hired, the undisclosed PAC, the demands for every document that uses the word Burlingame in the last ten years be produced not once but twice.

As far as I am concerned, anybody can run for office or form a PAC or do whatever they want but the people have voted again and again and again that election campaigns require disclosure. And the suggestion that we should prosecute people for possibly citing incorrect in their campaign is a dangerous development in any Democracy.

Mick

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Marcia Goshorn Letter to Citizens Budget Task Force
From: Marcia Goshorn
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 1:44 PM
To: Barry Crook; Alan Fletcher; Bill Pope; Charlie Tarver; Danny Aronson; Dave Ressler; David Hyman; Don Davidson; Howie Mallory; Jenny Elliot; Jim De'Francia; Lex Tarumianz; Lisa Baker; Maurice Emmer; Michael Fox; Michael Kosnitzky; Paul Menter; Peter Fuchs; Peter Louras; Scott Gordon; Steve Marolt; Tom Oken; Tom Schwerin; Torre; Ward Hauenstein
Cc: Marilyn Marks; Rebecca Hodgson; Bentley Henderson; Mick Ireland; [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: Marilyn's resignation letter

I am sure by now that you have all read the paper concerning Marilyn Marks resignation from the Financial Task Force. Marilyn put in long hours and did a great deal of work to move us forward to where we are today and I would like to thank her for all her efforts . I have decided to send you all a copy of her resignation letter, because she should tell you in her own words the reasons for her decision

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-----Original Message-----

From: DeFrancia, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 1:49 PM
To: Marcia Goshorn; Barry Crook; Alan Fletcher; Bill Pope; Charlie Tarver; Danny Aronson; Dave Ressler; David Hyman; Don Davidson; Howie Mallory; Jenny Elliot; Lex Tarumianz; Lisa Baker; Maurice Emmer; Michael Fox; Michael Kosnitzky; Paul Menter; Peter Fuchs; Peter Louras; Scott Gordon; Steve Marolt; Tom Oken; Tom Schwerin; Torre; Ward Hauenstein
Cc: Marilyn Marks, Rebecca Hodgson, Bentley Henderson, Mick Ireland, [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: RE: Marilyn's resignation letter

A great loss of a true "worker bee" and the CC should be ashamed of its conduct on the 10th and I, for one, intend to tell them that!!

JDeF

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From: Ward Hauenstein
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 2:06 PM
To: DeFrancia, Jim
Cc: Marcia Goshorn; Barry Crook; Alan Fletcher; Bill Pope; Charlie Tarver; Danny Aronson; Dave Ressler; David Hyman; Don Davidson; Howie Mallory; Jenny Elliot; Lex Tarumianz; Lisa Baker; Maurice Emmer; Michael Fox; Michael Kosnitzky; Paul Menter; Peter Fuchs; Peter Louras; Scott Gordon; Steve Marolt; Tom Oken; Tom Schwerin; Torre; marilynrmarks; Rebecca Hodgson; Bentley Henderson; Mick Ireland; [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: Re: Marilyn's resignation letter

Jim,

I did so. My letter to them was private. If it happens again my personal admonishment wilI go public. I think that everyone that was there should let the CC know how they feel about the treatment given to Marilyn in specific and everyone in general. It is a loss for us all. I have a great deal of respect for MM and am ashamed of the way she was treated. CC knew the cameras would be there. There is a documented history of her attempts to get work sessions taped. Grassroots called Jack and Mick ahead of time. They knew. It was not a surprise. This is the type of personalization that we as a city should be ashamed of and strive to elevate above. How many of us would have had the composure under fire that MM had? I would not have. She is a cool cat. We as a country have to be tolerant of people that have differing views. We can all learn from those that are smarter than we are yet do not agree with us. It would be a REALLY dull town if everyone agreed on all things. Civil discourse and respectful treatment of all people should be a shared goal.

Just my thoughts.

Ward

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From: Mick Ireland
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:38 PM
To: Ward Hauenstein
Cc: Jim DeFrancia; Marcia Goshorn; Barry Crook; Alan Fletcher; [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: Re: Marilyn's resignation letter

Ward:

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.

CC did not know there would be cameras, only that MM WANTED cameras and she sent us an e-mail saying so. On Monday, we were asked about taping work sessions and three of us said we did. But it was not a scheduled item on the agenda and it is not appropriate to spend money outside the public process.

As far as i know, Grassroots did not call me. The only notice we had was her e-mail saying what she wanted the council to do. I attach that e-mail at the bottom. It does not tell us that she was bringing cameras, only that she wanted us to fund such tapings. To say that "I knew in advance" is complete buy in to spin. And even if I knew in advance, does that mean I have to acquiesce without further thought, that a citizen group can set politcy just by showing uop?

Cameras were thrust upon us. It was political ploy to either A) force acquiesence to her demand or B) be in the position of denying "transparency." Would any of you support us making decisions on items not on council agenda simply becasue some body walked in and demanded that we do so right now, no delay? MM has used Burlingame as a political tool and has said so in her e-mails. Her intent as announced was to create a platform for next year's eelction. She started raising money for that campaign last year, asking people for money for a PAC to fund her efforts.

The peiople in this town have voted again and again for campaign finance disclsoure laws. If you want to put up candidates for office, file the paper work and report it. Even the so called 527s have to file some paper work. There is great danger in secretly funded political campaigns, the people have recognized this and the law should be followed.

Personally, I think this community and nation have suffered from undisclosed attack ads and behind the scenes funding of causes. I know I have. I know when the "investigative reporter" gets hitred, he/she won't be looking at your life, it will be me and my family, as usual. And I know the citizen action group executive director position being advertised is not to wiork on some "transperant" political organization. Just yesterday, she was in the city attorney's office asking for Rachel Richards to be prosecuted by the city for disseminating false information under the Home Rule Charter. She told John that rachel had "virtually admitted" her guilt and that he had an "obligation" to prosecute her. Of course, that means "special prosector." Doesn't anyone recognize this tactic - create a smear by alleging ridiculous charges and then keep the issue alive by abusing the process. Doesn't Whitewater and Ken Sarr ring a bell? Why is that acceptable conduct here in Aspen?

Perhaps you remember when Andrew Kole came to city council to demand. "Where is Rachel Richards in all this, why isn't she being questioned." I suppose that question is just a coincidence.

This campaign is about focusing blame on certain predecessors in office, fixing the blame and not the problem. Who will speak out about how wriong that is or do we just accept such actions becasue to criticize the perpetrator would be "uncivil."

If we can't speak out against this sort of conscious subversion of the process for political ends, then we are complete cowards and desrve to be governed by whoever will use the lowest form of attack to acheive an end.

To sit by and allow the public process to be used to punish those who supported Burlingame and admitted to make mistakes is more than wrong, it's vicious.

Mick I

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From :MM Friday June 6

Mayor Ireland and Councilmen DeVilbiss, Johnson, Romero and Skadron:

I am writing to reiterate my request made repeatedly over the last year that City Council approve Grassroots TV recording and broadcast of Council work sessions at City expense.

I have written to you, and spoken at Council sessions in the past concerning the excellent capabilities of Grassroots, the interest of the public in Council activities, and the enhanced public information which Grassroots coverage provides. Our City Council members are putting in many long, hard hours in public work sessions, multiple times a week. Grassroots coverage would give a broader group of citizens the ability to stay informed and engaged in the public process during your deliberations.

As you know, private citizens currently have to fund the taping and broadcast of important work sessions to meet the above goals. Until the City is willing to fund this effort, I encourage interested members of the public to contact Grassroots to underwrite this public service activity. It is surprisingly inexpensive and the contribution has broad reach and benefit. (For example, taping of Tuesday’s Council session on Burlingame Issues and “Scrape and Replace” Lottery issues, both of which certainly have broad-based public interest, will require private funding by civic-minded individuals.)

If the request is again denied, I respectfully request that the Council explain the rationale of the decision. It would be helpful to the public to know the obstacle to this request for more transparency which supports good governance.

Thank you for your consideration.

Marilyn Marks

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From: DeFrancia, Jim Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:44 PM
To: Mick Ireland; Ward Hauenstein
Cc: (ENTIRE CBTF, SAME DISTRIBUTION LIST AS ABOVE—EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED BY MARILYN MARKS FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES.) [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: RE: Marilyn's resignation letter

BS!

It was not a political ploy. Drop the paranoia.

It was an effort to discuss an important issue in public for the widest public benefit. Are you afaid to have wide public observance? The regular meetings are aired, so what is the problem with work sessions being aired?

And under any circumstances the conduct of the CC was deploarable. Who in the hell are you guys to berate citizens? Who in the hell do you think you all work for?

Shameful!!!

JDeF

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From: Mick Ireland
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 5:29 PM
To: DeFrancia, Jim
Cc: [FULL CBTF DISTRIBUTION LIST—EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES] [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: RE: Marilyn's resignation letter

Oh, I am sorry, I thought maybe even public servants had free speech rights, including the right to disagree with you, with "citizens" and with political agendas like having people prosecuted for supporting Burlingame.

Paranoia? Sure Jim, it's just a coincidence that MM has sent out e-mails urging that Burligame be used to elect a new city council so "we can have" a majority. And when people tell me they have been solicited for an illegal/secret PAC, they are just making that up.

And the hiring of an "investigative reporter?" I am sure he she will be looking at your personal stuff, right? wanna bet? It's pretty obvious who the targets will be. I've been down this road before so maybe I am paranoid based on experience. Maybe when someone asks for all of your personal e-mail in pursuit of a political agenda you'll see it differently. I've been through the "investigative' process and i think it's wrong and I am not going to wait until after the fact to say so.

I suppose you'll approve when we decide against a development action at a work session or without notice to the public because someone marches in and demands that we do so and besides, it's a good idea. So the rule is, if you or MM want soemthing done, the deliberative process is out the window and you have 24 hours to act or else. I am sorry but I believe that due process means everyone gets a say, even those in the minority. So, We should not be in the psoition of changing policy, even if the change is a good idea, without full opportuinity for comment.

But it's OK to berate Mick Ireland or prosecute Rachel, after all, who the hell are they? ceryanly not "citizens" deserving respect!

M

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-----Original Message-----
From: DeFrancia, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 5:55 PM
To: Mick Ireland; DeFrancia, Jim
Cc:[ENTIRE CBTF DISTRIBUTION LIST. EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED FOR PRIVACY] [other email addresses deleted]
Subject: RE: Marilyn's resignation letter

Whoa! I am not aware of the points you cite about investigations and the like. If true then you have every right to be defensive and concerned.

BUT, was not the issue at hand a simple one? Air a public broadcast of a work session - or not. If that was the issue of the moment then any discussion/action should have been confined to THAT issue, absent speculation on motives.

The other points you raise can/should be addressed, but as separate points. Under any circumstances I can't see a justification for the snide comments of JE, for example, well into the meeting.

Basic point here: you guys need to stick to the subject: broadcast or not. I am most certainly open to further understanding (I missed that whole show anyway since I came late as you saw).

JDeF

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-----Original Message-----
From: Mick Ireland
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 6:42 PM
To: 'DeFrancia, Jim'
Cc: [ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION LIST OF CBTF---EMAIL ADDRESSES DELTED FOR PRIVACY BY M.MARKS][other email addresses deleted]
Subject: Would that it were simple

Jim:

It is not simple. Never is. It is all too easy in a Democracy to exclude the minority from expressing its opinion on the grounds that an idea is "obviously" right.

That's exactly what we did. On Friday we were urged to allow cameras, On Monday we said we would but couldn't budget the money at a meeting where there was no notice and on Tuesday the issue was forced on us.

Even when we have a room full of people opposing a development application, we have made every effort to ensure that the minority has a chance to respond, even when it means continuing a meeting or even reconsidering a decision. Even if I know three members of council agree on something (as was the case in favor of cameras), I still have an obligation to notice the meeting so that EVERYONE has a chance to tell their story.

Bringing uninvited cameras is an old trick that Michael Moore loves: make them throw you out of the meeting and film the cameras being excluded.

The irony is that I have supported making a web cast of all the meetings since the beginning of the year but we had not gotten cost estimates and budget data so we have not proceeded. The whole citizen budget task force is aimed at making sure we budget things with full understanding, not just because a room full of people want us to act now. This is the big picture: abuse of process, illegal campaign fund raising, attempts to politicize Burlingame rather than fix the problem. If I don't speak truth to that power, who will?

Thanks.

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From: Ward Hauenstein
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:36 PM
To: Mick Ireland
Cc: [EMAILED TO ENTIRE CBTF. EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED BY M. MARKS FOR PRIVACY][other email addresses deleted]
Subject: Re: Marilyn's resignation letter

Mick and all,

Since this has become a very public discussion I want to see the emails that you site as quoted below. I have asked you to name those involved in illegal actions. If the law is being broken take the appropriate actions. If there are no supporting emails please do not bring up this issue again. If there are emails produce them and prove that MM has an agenda that I am not convinced of. I would rather believe people are telling me the truth.

MM has used Burlingame as a political tool and has said so in her e-mails. Her intent as announced was to create a platform for next year's eelction. She started raising money for that campaign last year, asking people for money for a PAC to fund her efforts. Your email addressed to me 6/13/08 4:38PM

In your reply to my email you disputed the facts. Is the Daily News correct? Did a Grassroots manager call you and Jack? If not then have Grassroots either confirm that they did not call you or have The Daily News retract.

 

Ward: 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.

CC did not know there would be cameras,… As far as i know, Grassroots did not call me. The only notice we had was her e-mail saying what she wanted the council to do. Your email to me 6/13/08 4:38PM.

Marks had sent council members a letter the week prior to the meeting stating her intention to fund the taping and rebroadcast of Tuesday's work session privately if the city would not pay the bill. And during public comment at Monday's meeting, Marks again requested that the council provide funding to record and broadcast all work sessions. Some council members expressed support for such a concept, but reminded Marks that a decision to allocate funding could be made only if the item were actually noticed on a future agenda.

So when the cameras appeared the next day, council members were upset and spent about 20 minutes telling Marks so. A GrassRoots manager also told Ireland and Johnson about an hour before the work session started that a citizen had requested that it be taped. Council upset with ex-task force member's tactics by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer Friday, June 13, 2008

Mick, I can understand your points about decisions being trust upon you. Your point about Michael Moore and believing the whole issues was a political ploy. If there is a political agenda that you have commented on previously show me the emails.

Mayor Mick Ireland sees a more sinister hand at play in the dust- up over Burlingame's price tag. " There's an agenda there," he said. " Some of this is to load costs on to make the project look prohibitively expensive." Daily News 5/21/08

I speak for myself only. I have not seen anything other that hard work to produce more affordable housing, at a better value to tax payers, as quickly as possible.

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-----Original Message-----
From: DeFrancia, Jim
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 8:25 AM
To: Ward Hauenstein; Mick Ireland
Cc: [ENTIRE CBTF DISTRIBUTION LIST, EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED BY M.MARKS FOR PRIVACY][other email addresses deleted]
Subject: RE: Marilyn's resignation letter

I support Ward in this position.

Let's air it, if true. That will settle/resolve it once and for all.

JDeF

Entry Filed under: Aspen, Women, Television, Affordable Housing, United Post, Aspen City Council