Letter: A vote for Wendy Gutierrez on Aug. 10

In response to Kim Rochelle’s letter, “grow” as defined by Webster incorporates some of the following descriptors: “… to come into being or be produced naturally …; thrive; increase in size, quantity or degree or in some specified manner … and develop toward maturity …”
Although both of our town’s governments promote growth within their boundaries, it is also within the scope of our county to work with the towns to manage growth. The RBC TAG (Technical Advisory Group) includes both towns as they use “input from county and municipal residents” to form the basis for their planning process.”
As a former airline pilot flying worldwide, I have seen terrible results of uncontrolled and mismanaged growth. We have an opportunity in Rio Blanco County to elect a commissioner who will strive for “sustainable growth” by promoting more streamlined processes at all levels of government and creating a more stable job base to carry us through the boom/bust cycles.
After retiring from United Airlines, I worked three years as the program director for aviation technology/flight at Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely. A part of this job was managing the Rangely Airport and interacting with our Rio Blanco County commissioners and administration. Based upon this experience, I believe that a new commissioner should be one with business experience, government experience and a history of community involvement as demonstrated by their past actions. More importantly, they need to be able to think independently, while listening to and representing us, their employer.
I have known Wendy Gutierrez for the 24 years that I have lived in this county and found her to be honest, trustworthy, an enthusiastic supporter of our communities (both towns and the county), an astute business woman and a thoughtful, active listener and believe her to be the clear best choice as our next Rio Blanco County commissioner.
Congratulations to the Rio Blanco Times Herald for their balanced reporting on this race and to the candidates for refraining from personal attacks on one another.
David L. Cole
Meeker