The County Connection: Making a difference
By Sallie Clark I've heard it said, “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.” How true that is when it comes to working in our community to get things done, whether in the private sector or in government. And, no matter what some people say, all of us have the ability to influence policies and decisions. ![]() A good example was the overwhelming vote to restore Prospect Lake on April 5. While it took the support of City Council members to place the item on the ballot and County Commissioners to allocate an additional $200,000 to the project, it was most importantly the passion of citizens that was the key to success. We've seen similar grassroots issues before, especially here on the Westside. The effort to save Fire Station 3 began in 1997, motivating the Westside neighborhood. And because of the heightened awareness of public safety issues, our city saw a successful Public Safety ballot initiative in 2001. The recent groundbreaking for the Gold Hill Police Substation off Moreno Avenue is a result of the Public Safety Sales Tax and demonstrates the power of cooperation. At the county level, much happens that affects those of us who reside in the city. Just last month, we saw the opening of the Criminal Justice Center expansion. As a commissioner, I'm directly responsible (along with my fellow commissioners) for maintaining and providing adequate jail facilities to keep criminals behind bars and to work with our sheriff, district attorney, court system and law enforcement officials to maintain a safe El Paso County. What we do in the county has a direct influence on events in our city and I will be continually working to create a better understanding of how it all fits together. A substantial challenge for the county is increased public communication. The county's new EPC Alert system will debut on the internet April 11 at www.elpasoco.com. Some new ideas include possible cable television programming and a one-stop phone number to reach all county departments. At the suggestion of Chairman Jim Bensberg, we're also looking to form a citizen's outreach committee. And we are improving the website to make it easier for citizens to learn about participation in our many county volunteer boards and missions. Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; working together is success. Each of us has the ability to make a difference, and I look forward to working with you to achieve that success. I welcome your comments. My phone number is 520-6413 and email is: sallieclark@elpasoco.com Clark, a Westside resident, represents District 3 on the Board of El Paso County Commissioners and serves as its vice chair. |