In his letter, “Get involved, not just outspoken,” (Herald, Aug. 10), Steve Salka, Commissioner Matt Salka’s father, urged critics of La Plata County’s planning and building policies to get actively involved rather than comment from the sidelines. I agree, and that’s exactly what The Code Rights Project is doing.
Our work focuses on research, public outreach, and documenting real-world experiences from citizens navigating the county’s planning, building and legal processes. This is the kind of proactive engagement the county commissioners should be leading by learning what’s happening on the ground, listening to those affected, and using that knowledge to improve policy.
Commissioners say they cannot engage in many conversations because of their interpretation of ex parte rules. The intent of those rules is to preventing secret or undue influence, but the way it’s applied isolates commissioners so that citizens’ lived experiences are filtered through bureaucracy instead of being heard directly.
No one expects commissioners to get involved in fine details of an application, but they should be aware of how policies impact residents. We trust in our county commissioners’ integrity and believe they should hear directly from the public about their experiences with planning, building and legal issues, especially when serious problems arise.
The Code Rights Project is gathering input, verifying facts and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard. We operate with civility, objectivity and a nonpartisan approach striving to improve the system.
Mr. Salka and all residents are welcome to join us and sign up for our e-newsletter at CodeRights.org.
Jack Turner
Durango
