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District 9-R should emulate the sheriff

I read with great interest the article on Sheriff Sean Smith’s organizational changes at the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office. One paragraph caught my eye: “(there was) rampant speculation that ‘heads would roll’ – speculation that has proved wrong. Instead, the staff, with few exceptions, has remained intact.” It seems that Smith has displayed a certain level of confidence in the men and woman under his command, believing they have the wherewithal to adjust, adapt and succeed in a reorganized Sheriff’s Office.

Oh that another community leader, Durango School District 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger, had the same confidence in his people. No such luck, many heads have rolled. In what amounts to a slap in the face to 9-R staff members and the community, he has replaced many dedicated employees with years of service (especially and conveniently those in the higher salaried positions) with cronies and yes-men straight from the Front Range.

To Snowberger, the people of Durango, country rubes in his eyes, are incapable of running their own school district. Why else has the district office been stacked with people fresh from the Harrison school district? But when all the admin positions are filled by carpetbaggers from Colorado Springs, that is not a meritocracy but instead blatant cronyism.

I look forward to the day when the school board either wakes up or is replaced, and finds a leader along the lines of Sean Smith, a person who seems to respect the people and values of Southwest Colorado. With a wise local leader, The Front Range-ization of 9-R need not be a forgone conclusion.

Joe Green

Durango



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