I find it interesting that the Town of Bayfield put on a "show" of trying to get town residents to take part in the recent town board elections.
I say "show" in that they failed to follow state and federal laws of a fair election. It seems that even if a town resident serving in the military and stationed outside the area, and listed as such with the La Plata County Clerk's office, still isn't allowed to vote in town elections.
They still can't get an absentee ballot even if they call the town hall and request one. They can't even get the town clerk to return their phone call.
My son and daughter-in-law are stationed with the U.S. Navy at Oceanic Navy Base in Virginia. Well, my daughter-in-law is presently on board the USS Truman in the Persian Gulf. They were not able to participate in the recent town elections. Yup, the La Plata County Clerk's office has them on the absentee ballot list for U.S. Military - same place that the Bayfield Town Clerk got her listing of town residents. Even after my son personally called the town hall in late February to request a ballot, he was transferred to voicemail to leave the request. Guess the town couldn't afford a postage stamp to mail a ballot, but they could afford to buy the Marshal's office several LARGE toys. You know that front end loader, six-by dump truck, Hummer for the bargain price of what was it $40,000 or $50,000? Let's see, 50 cents for a postage stamp versus $40,000 for a loader that doesn't work. It still has to be "repaired". The Bayfield Town Hall/Board sure has its priorities straight. Ignore someone protecting our county so we can buy surplus junk that will sit in the town yard, sort of like a ladder truck at the fire department that sat unused for 10 years before it got sold. Yup, our town council/manager sure do have the best interests of the taxpayers at heart.
Bill Faust
Bayfield
