Today, a slate of new county officials will be sworn into office. All are Republicans. All were elected to represent all the citizens of the county, not just those who voted for them.
James Lambert is new to the county commission, replacing two-term commissioner Steve Chappell. He is taking office at a time when the county is facing potential change. As the economy continues to improve, development may bring pressures to balance traditional land uses with new proposals. Governing Montezuma County is not simply a matter of preserving local heritage; the county must make careful decisions about future directions, because change is inevitable. At the same time, the longer oil prices stay low — and deep-pocketed OPEC nations may have the will to hold them down until the U.S. petroleum industry is badly wounded — the substantial portion of the county’s revenue that depends on carbon dioxide is at risk. At some price, far above the cost of product in Saudi Arabia, using CO2 to recover oil from nearly spent wells is not a profitable technique. Kinder Morgan is continuing to pump existing CO2 wells but has quietly shelved the expansion plans it was pushing only a few months ago.
At the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, Steve Nowlin likely will not be as political as his predecessor, Dennis Spruell. The focus of the sheriff’s job is to ensure that the law is enforced effectively and fairly. Those tasks will keep Nowlin occupied. He has worked in both municipal and state law enforcement, and he has had months to prepare for his new office, but he still faces a learning curve and a staff unsettled by change. He will bring welcome professionalism to the position, but he will face pressures from constituents who want him to continue in Spruell’s footsteps
Kim Percell will take charge of the Montezuma County Clerk’s Office after years in a subordinate role. Her most public challenge will be to administer elections without the problems and errors that have plagued them in the past.
County Assessor William Scott Davis was unopposed in the general election after defeating a primary opponent who later alleged that he had shown favoritism in assessing property. He was elected fairly and deserves an opportunity to prove that he can handle the responsibility of assuring all property is assessed fairly and equitably. No citizen should have to know a county official personally to get a fair deal, and all county employees should be reminded that they have a moral and legal duty not to let such suspected problems go unreported.
Although the pay is above what most in Montezuma County earn, working for upward of 25,000 bosses is a unique challenge. For that reason alone, outgoing county officials deserve appreciation. Chappell has worked long and quietly, as have others. Spruell’s accomplishments, which often have been overshadowed by problems, should not be forgotten. Thanks to all who have served the county.
The best way to ensure that incoming officials serve their constituents well is for those constituents to form relationships with them. That does not mean haranguing them at every turn; all of them have numerous issues with which they must deal. But if they hear the calm, reasonable voices of citizens, offering suggestions as well as complaints and kudos as well as criticism, they will better understand all those issues and by more inclined to consider a wide range of solutions, even those that do not come from their own inner circles.