WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.260 Welcome to Empower You. I'm Amy Stevens. You may have heard Pastor Steve's podcast 2 00:00:06.260 --> 00:00:11.920 where we had a conversation about public policy engagement or civic engagement. 3 00:00:11.920 --> 00:00:16.620 You know, COVID changed a lot of things in our community and this is where the 4 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:21.860 road really exploded in membership and where people began to get engaged. And so 5 00:00:21.860 --> 00:00:26.460 Pastor Steve came to me and said, hey, would you consider volunteering to help 6 00:00:26.460 --> 00:00:31.960 lead this effort? We have all kinds of views in our church, diverse views. And 7 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:36.440 really, how do we make sense of that? How do we move forward? People are exhausted, 8 00:00:36.440 --> 00:00:40.240 a lot of people angry, some just trying to raise their kids. How do we stay 9 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:45.120 engaged? And I'm convinced it's through big, important little things, things that 10 00:00:45.120 --> 00:00:48.440 you and I can do every day. And that's what you're going to hear on these 11 00:00:48.440 --> 00:00:52.040 podcasts. You're gonna hear from people in the community, school board members, 12 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:56.460 you're going to hear from people that work in the life, pro-life space, you're 13 00:00:56.460 --> 00:01:01.060 going to hear from legislators, people that are going to talk to us about what 14 00:01:01.060 --> 00:01:04.459 their lives are really like, what their jobs are really like, and actually how we 15 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:08.620 can make a difference and or support them. And so that is the hope for Pastor 16 00:01:08.620 --> 00:01:15.340 Steve, that's the hope that I have, and we look forward to engaging with you. 17 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:24.760 We have a wonderful, accomplished woman that I'm so excited to be speaking with. 18 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:31.000 Lynette Crow Iverson is a newly elected City Council member here for El Paso 19 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:35.200 County, Colorado Springs, not El Paso County, Colorado Springs. Lynette, I want 20 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:38.980 to welcome you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for having me. Now we've known 21 00:01:38.980 --> 00:01:44.800 each other for quite a while, but I'd like you to talk about your original 22 00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:51.140 business that you started that boomed and that you recently sold. Lynette Crow Sure, happy to. 23 00:01:51.140 --> 00:01:55.060 When I first moved to Colorado Springs in the early 90s, I'm a Colorado native. 24 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:59.540 With my late husband, I was a newly registered nurse and I worked at 25 00:01:59.540 --> 00:02:04.340 Memorial Hospital in labor and delivery for about six years and, you know, caught 26 00:02:04.340 --> 00:02:07.620 more babies than the doctors and kind of discovered I'd rather tell you what to do 27 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:11.800 than you tell me what to do. We had a big joke and laugh about it, but in that 28 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:15.900 mindset, I actually went down the road of opening a medical clinic with a 29 00:02:15.900 --> 00:02:21.660 physician in occupational medicine and pain management and ran that, expanded 30 00:02:21.660 --> 00:02:27.400 that, franchised a piece of it, Conspire, the drug compliance program, sold that 31 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:33.540 before COVID, and then sold the medical clinic in April of 2022. So for 23 years 32 00:02:33.540 --> 00:02:40.100 we grew and expanded across the nation. Lynette Crow And then instead of taking it easy, 33 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:48.760 you thought you'd just run for city council. Lynette Crow I did. I swear, I woke up, I was like, I was so happy you won. 34 00:02:48.760 --> 00:02:54.360 And then I think one day later, I find out you're Mayor Pro Tem. Now that is good for you. 35 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:59.240 Lynette Crow Thank you. Lynette Crow Good for you. I love it. Okay, so tell me what your, tell me about that 36 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:04.920 experience because I, I don't think people understand enough that we deal with two 37 00:03:04.920 --> 00:03:09.840 things when you decide to run for office. What that experience is like to get 38 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:14.880 elected, and then when you get the office, and what happens there, that 39 00:03:14.880 --> 00:03:21.000 adjustment, right, that whole transition, and it is a transition, right? So what was 40 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.600 it like when you ran for office? What are, what are some of the things that stick 41 00:03:24.600 --> 00:03:31.160 out to you that, that, you know, the people asked you and that you didn't 42 00:03:31.160 --> 00:03:35.000 really understand, I think at the time, what surprised you when you ran? 43 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:46.120 Lynette Crow Right. So for me, for the last two years, I ran campaigns with Mayor Southers. So I ran 2C, the first one, and I ran PPRTA, and I ran this last top. So I was always behind the scenes. 44 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:59.320 So it was easy for me to run campaigns behind the scenes. But then when you run, you're in front of everyone, all the time, everything you say, everything you do, how you comb your hair, what you wear, it's all critiqued. 45 00:03:59.320 --> 00:04:11.560 And so it's a whole different ballgame, right? You hear a lot more from, you get inundated with emails on your opinions and who you are, and, and what party you're affiliated with, because it's a nonpartisan race. 46 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:29.160 And so, and all the voter questionnaires, right? 30. Oh, my 30 questionnaires. I stopped at 30. But it's, you know, luckily, you can cut and paste some. Yeah. Yeah, I did. Right, right. But a lot, a lot per industry, right? 47 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:52.120 So the industry has questions you wouldn't have, right? You have questions that downtown partnership wouldn't have, right? And so on. So you really get educated in that process as well, of what's important to organizations in town, what's important to the citizens, because you get a lot of emails based on recreational marijuana, based on taxes, based on potholes, anything to do with the city. 48 00:04:52.120 --> 00:05:00.040 And so you really do get to educate yourself in those three months of what's important to the community, and you probably are set up in a, in a, 49 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:06.080 good mind space to hit the ground running until you're in that seat and then it shifts. 50 00:05:06.080 --> 00:05:13.840 And then it shifts, yes. And one thing before we get into that, what is, people are often confused 51 00:05:14.400 --> 00:05:21.520 about the differences between city council of Colorado Springs versus being an El Paso county 52 00:05:21.520 --> 00:05:29.040 commissioner. So what does a city council person do? What are the issues that city council covers? 53 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:34.080 In city, the city council role is to oversee the budget. So we approve the budget from the 54 00:05:34.080 --> 00:05:40.320 mayor's office first and foremost. That is a very big role of ours every year in October. We will, 55 00:05:40.320 --> 00:05:46.000 we will start getting pieces of it now in July and in October it has to be solidified. So we 56 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:52.080 oversee the budget of the city and all land use, metro districts, annexation, 57 00:05:52.640 --> 00:06:00.480 anything that has to do with land use, which is really a big deal, especially right now. And the 58 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:06.720 city council is the board to our utilities, which is a nonprofit. That's an interesting 59 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:12.240 relationship, isn't it? You were asked, I believe, I remember seeing this, what would you do with 60 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:19.440 utilities? How is that transition? What is that going to look like? It's not a common thing. 61 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:26.000 It is not common to have a city owned utility. And we talk about it being a $2 billion utility, 62 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:31.520 but if it was traded on the market, like other utilities, it would be a $6 billion utility. 63 00:06:31.520 --> 00:06:38.640 So you have nine city council members running and making decisions on behalf of your very big and 64 00:06:38.640 --> 00:06:43.840 very growing utility that now has a lot of mandate issues coming down from the state and the feds on 65 00:06:43.840 --> 00:06:51.840 clean plan and coal and electricity. And it's a big lift. It is a huge lift. I remember 66 00:06:53.200 --> 00:07:00.080 in state office, I had a very controversial vote because the Obama administration had wanted to 67 00:07:00.080 --> 00:07:07.040 tell the state how we were going to cut back. And the state pretty much said, no, thank you very 68 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:14.480 much. We will do that. We will decide. Now that entailed a vote on Drake. It entailed a number of 69 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:22.560 things that is very complicated, right? And at the time, and still am, I'm very supportive on 70 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:28.320 natural gas. Suddenly that's a dirty word. Don't know how, when that happened and suddenly 71 00:07:28.320 --> 00:07:33.440 everything's electric and I, I'm not letting my conspiracy mind go, but I think there's reasons 72 00:07:33.440 --> 00:07:39.040 for that, which is, which are crazy. But these are the issues you're dealing with and they affect 73 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:45.840 housing. They affect the cost in housing. They're, they're also going to affect the rate payer. Yes. 74 00:07:45.840 --> 00:07:51.760 Because we cannot afford to be on electricity. The rate payer cannot afford it. Building cannot 75 00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:56.400 afford it. Housing cannot afford it. We will never have affordable housing. Right. So there, 76 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:06.480 there's a lot, um, at stake with how we, um, react to this. We need to be, um, proactive and not 77 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:13.280 reactive. Yes. Yes. I thoroughly agree. So when we get into then you get elected, then I wake up in 78 00:08:13.280 --> 00:08:19.200 the morning and one day later you're our mayor pro tem, which is amazing. Okay. So what then 79 00:08:19.200 --> 00:08:25.360 was that transition like between running for office and then getting into office? 80 00:08:25.440 --> 00:08:31.440 So now you're sitting on the dais. Yes. And now, you know, you have the concerns right in front of 81 00:08:31.440 --> 00:08:37.200 your face. Yes. And many of them do have to do directly with what, um, you do as a city council 82 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:41.679 person. And a lot of them don't, but you still have to be very respectful. And I would never 83 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.920 shut the door to people coming and expressing their opinions and their thoughts, because if 84 00:08:45.920 --> 00:08:52.720 we ever go down that road, um, that, that would be a terrible day. So, um, you know, it's, it's long 85 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:58.800 days of listening to opinions and concerns and worries of the citizens. And so that's democracy. 86 00:08:58.800 --> 00:09:03.120 And that is a great thing. Um, unfortunately some of it should be over at commissioners. 87 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:08.080 Unfortunately, a lot of it needs to be up at the state. Right. Um, cause there, 88 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:12.560 there laws that are coming down from the state. Yes. And that's why elections matter. Yes. And 89 00:09:12.560 --> 00:09:18.240 this is what I say to people, elections matter. You need to go back up to the state house because 90 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:23.920 there's nothing we can do about some of the decisions they have made at the state. We can 91 00:09:23.920 --> 00:09:29.920 only make decisions around our city, our budget, and you know, anything that has to do with the 92 00:09:29.920 --> 00:09:36.800 city. That's interesting because I think within city government, there are areas we want to bring 93 00:09:36.800 --> 00:09:43.360 it down to its most local, we would say. Right. Power. Right. I, even, you know, the state having 94 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:51.760 been there, I almost want to rely more on my city and or municipalities to protect us in many ways. 95 00:09:51.760 --> 00:09:58.800 And I know that you, you get requests as sanctuary cities for this or sanctuary for that or whatever. 96 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:01.640 There's a part of me that says yes, 97 00:10:01.640 --> 00:10:03.920 particularly when we went through COVID, right? 98 00:10:03.920 --> 00:10:07.720 Our county commissioners ran a resolution. 99 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:11.920 It's really how this church got involved in so many things 100 00:10:11.920 --> 00:10:16.880 because of the clamp down on freedoms during COVID. 101 00:10:16.880 --> 00:10:19.720 And I know you are a nurse 102 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:22.640 and you believe in personal autonomy 103 00:10:22.640 --> 00:10:24.840 and you believe in health freedom, right? 104 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:28.600 And yet you've sat on boards, you've watched this. 105 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:31.560 I'm interested in your thinking particularly on that 106 00:10:31.560 --> 00:10:33.000 at a local level. 107 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:37.320 And to be fair, nobody knew it happened so fast 108 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:40.200 and it came barreling through that nobody knew 109 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:42.240 really what was the truth and not the truth. 110 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:43.400 Nobody knew how to react. 111 00:10:43.400 --> 00:10:45.760 And in government, there's some things you can do 112 00:10:45.760 --> 00:10:48.120 coming from the feds, coming from the state 113 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:49.400 that you have to be careful for. 114 00:10:49.400 --> 00:10:50.960 And I applaud Mayor Sethers. 115 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.960 I think he did a really good job. 116 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.320 And I think the county commissioners did a really good job 117 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:57.340 holding the line where we could. 118 00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:59.900 We were the fastest metro city in the state 119 00:10:59.900 --> 00:11:01.820 to come out of COVID financially. 120 00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:06.540 So we clearly didn't clamp down as hard as many, 121 00:11:06.540 --> 00:11:10.020 didn't follow exactly what everybody wanted us to do 122 00:11:10.020 --> 00:11:11.980 and council was split. 123 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:15.420 Some wouldn't come back to council for three or four months 124 00:11:15.420 --> 00:11:19.100 or even a year or two just based on fear 125 00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:21.620 and the fear mongering that went on. 126 00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:22.900 And then some held the line. 127 00:11:22.900 --> 00:11:26.500 So it was an interesting dynamic at that time. 128 00:11:26.500 --> 00:11:28.060 And it caused a lot of division, 129 00:11:28.060 --> 00:11:30.100 which I think was part of the plan. 130 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:31.060 Ah, yes. 131 00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:32.700 Yeah, sure. 132 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:35.260 But I think our city did, 133 00:11:35.260 --> 00:11:37.620 hindsight, there's things we could have done better 134 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:39.260 and we've all said that. 135 00:11:39.260 --> 00:11:43.200 But I think any major thing would happen in the future, 136 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.660 I think we're better prepared to kind of have an idea 137 00:11:46.660 --> 00:11:49.060 of what that looks like with personal freedoms. 138 00:11:50.140 --> 00:11:52.900 You know, Target can stay open, but your boutique can't 139 00:11:52.900 --> 00:11:54.020 and you're selling the same thing. 140 00:11:54.020 --> 00:11:54.840 Right. 141 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:55.680 Things like that. 142 00:11:55.680 --> 00:11:56.520 And your church. 143 00:11:56.520 --> 00:11:57.340 And your church. 144 00:11:57.340 --> 00:11:58.180 Right, and your church. 145 00:11:58.180 --> 00:12:00.000 Well, yeah, but to the point of, you know, 146 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.120 the business and, you know, liquor stores are essential, 147 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.960 marijuana is essential, but your church isn't. 148 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:05.800 Right. 149 00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:06.620 And yeah. 150 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:07.460 Yeah, right. 151 00:12:07.460 --> 00:12:08.440 And I agree. 152 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:09.540 I thoroughly agree. 153 00:12:09.540 --> 00:12:12.980 And maybe this is an area of future conversation, 154 00:12:12.980 --> 00:12:17.200 I think, to avoid some of the pitfalls that happened. 155 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:21.640 And, you know, I was reading a scripture this morning 156 00:12:21.640 --> 00:12:23.840 and I wanted to talk to you about it 157 00:12:23.880 --> 00:12:27.480 because I don't think sometimes people understand, 158 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:30.320 particularly in this age of social media, 159 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:33.040 prior in the late 90s or whatever, 160 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.440 you didn't have as much public scourging, so to speak. 161 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:40.200 Right, I mean, but. 162 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:41.400 Well, you have social media. 163 00:12:41.400 --> 00:12:43.300 Well, social media, good gracious. 164 00:12:43.300 --> 00:12:47.520 But a wonderful wise friend of yours and mine 165 00:12:47.520 --> 00:12:51.040 who just recently passed away would very often, 166 00:12:51.040 --> 00:12:52.560 I think, give this, 167 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:56.960 I would call it supportive words, 168 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.080 but particularly from the Bible. 169 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:02.880 It says, how joyful you are when you make peace, 170 00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:05.520 then you're recognized as a true child of God, 171 00:13:05.520 --> 00:13:09.480 how enriched you are when you bear the wounds 172 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.560 of being persecuted for doing what is right. 173 00:13:13.560 --> 00:13:15.920 For that is when you experience 174 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:17.920 the realm of heaven's kingdom. 175 00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:20.140 That is the Passion Bible, which I love, 176 00:13:20.140 --> 00:13:22.100 but it's said different ways. 177 00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:25.980 But really, when you're persecuted for doing what's right. 178 00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:29.780 And we're living in times right now 179 00:13:29.780 --> 00:13:34.300 where doing what's right comes at quite the cost, right? 180 00:13:34.300 --> 00:13:35.140 Absolutely. 181 00:13:35.140 --> 00:13:36.500 It comes at such a cost. 182 00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:40.460 I viewed the Monument Charter Academy's 183 00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:42.700 board meeting last night 184 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:46.280 because they're dealing with the transgender issue 185 00:13:46.280 --> 00:13:49.140 and they're dealing with parents saying, 186 00:13:49.140 --> 00:13:52.860 look, this is, we want our kids safe. 187 00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:56.960 What policies are going to come from this resolution? 188 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:59.060 Our city's dealing with this. 189 00:13:59.060 --> 00:13:59.900 Absolutely. 190 00:13:59.900 --> 00:14:01.660 Actually, it just came up at council yesterday 191 00:14:01.660 --> 00:14:04.300 and anyone can go watch the council meeting. 192 00:14:04.300 --> 00:14:07.360 In June at the community center, 193 00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.060 there was a drag show. 194 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:14.060 So Inside Out made a reservation 195 00:14:14.060 --> 00:14:17.060 for the community center to hold an event. 196 00:14:17.060 --> 00:14:18.980 And the event was a drag show 197 00:14:19.820 --> 00:14:23.020 where they had a male in drag show, 198 00:14:24.060 --> 00:14:29.060 exposed butt, parading up and down an aisle 199 00:14:29.260 --> 00:14:31.700 and like a runway. 200 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:33.260 Was it for children? 201 00:14:33.260 --> 00:14:34.260 There were children. 202 00:14:34.260 --> 00:14:35.940 There were very small children. 203 00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:38.980 There were families there, very small children there. 204 00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:41.820 And I sat on the dais and listened to this 205 00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:43.260 and I just kept thinking, 206 00:14:43.260 --> 00:14:45.740 when my children were small in the summer, 207 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:48.220 we were encouraged to go find all the children 208 00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:49.060 in the neighborhood 209 00:14:49.060 --> 00:14:51.780 and ask them to go to vacation Bible school. 210 00:14:51.780 --> 00:14:54.140 And those were the things that were important 211 00:14:54.140 --> 00:14:55.860 to parents and children then. 212 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:59.220 And they would go to church and they would sing songs 213 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:00.060 and they would do. 214 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:05.420 and they would have fun and they would learn about Jesus and here we are now 215 00:15:05.420 --> 00:15:11.420 taking our children to drag shows. The reason it came to City is because it was 216 00:15:11.420 --> 00:15:16.940 in a city-owned building and that's what our taxpayers dollars are going to and I 217 00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:21.140 believe the majority if not all of my constituents would not think that's a 218 00:15:21.140 --> 00:15:26.540 good use of dollars when we are we are putting that stuff in children's minds. 219 00:15:26.540 --> 00:15:30.560 Right the sexualization of children. Right yeah so you can go watch it and 220 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:33.860 the CEO of Inside Out you know verbalized that it's no different than 221 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:37.640 watching a gymnast it's no different than going to the swimming pool but the 222 00:15:37.640 --> 00:15:43.120 swimming pool children are there having fun the intent of swimming is family 223 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:48.920 clean fun activity exercise it's water that's what you do in the summer that's 224 00:15:48.920 --> 00:15:53.440 the intent of swimming. No different than swimming. The intent of a drag queen show 225 00:15:53.460 --> 00:16:00.580 is sexualizing children. That's right. Wow. Wow. So again you're sitting at the 226 00:16:00.580 --> 00:16:06.700 dais and you're listening to this right and you know it's hard I've had some 227 00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:10.740 issues where you're very right that you're watched all the time you really 228 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:15.100 are in a glass bowl because you have cameras pointing down you've cameras 229 00:16:15.100 --> 00:16:22.540 actually at every angle I as I've watched same in the house right but I I 230 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:27.560 have to tell you I have to watch myself in terms of going rolling like rolling 231 00:16:27.560 --> 00:16:31.840 my eyes I in fact one reporter my favorite Lynn Bartles would come to me 232 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:36.120 and say you rolled your eyes you know I'd have to stop that because some 233 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:42.600 things are so outrageous they're so ridiculous that you're going wow okay I 234 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:47.120 thought I'd heard it all but today we're at a new we're at a new point and and 235 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:53.380 respectfully you have to you just it's these are things that you learn on the 236 00:16:53.380 --> 00:16:58.580 job right and right these are these are tough issues yeah for me it wasn't even 237 00:16:58.580 --> 00:17:04.160 an eye roll it was very sad it was very sad for to think that there's actually 238 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:09.500 people out there that think this is okay for our children and Councilman 239 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:13.579 Donaldson asked the question were there small children there and they said yes 240 00:17:13.579 --> 00:17:18.640 there were how how young very young I mean it's it's recorded very young 241 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:24.140 children this is the problem with America today yeah what are we teaching 242 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:27.000 our children what are we stilling in our children what's the next generation 243 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:31.040 gonna look like so when you talk about the scripture light versus dark yes of 244 00:17:31.040 --> 00:17:36.020 course we have to listen and we should listen right but to agree and to go 245 00:17:36.020 --> 00:17:41.200 along with for our children for me is not okay and I'm very convicted that 246 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:47.660 this is evil and it's a spiritual war and I can tell you this council will be 247 00:17:47.660 --> 00:17:52.300 putting something in place that this does not happen again Wow well thank you 248 00:17:52.300 --> 00:17:58.620 thank God for you I I am I couldn't agree more I watched last night as 249 00:17:58.620 --> 00:18:04.380 monument dealt with this and put some principles in place on modesty on child 250 00:18:04.380 --> 00:18:10.660 privacy on and parents had really thoughtful questions it really was I 251 00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:14.500 thought just such a well-done meeting now are they gonna fight over the 252 00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:20.120 policies that come out are could there be some legal action with the state 253 00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:27.160 because there was a law passed this year on some of the title 9 issues which you 254 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:33.240 know as someone very and you too pro-woman I disagree with biological 255 00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:37.160 males being able to participate in women's sports that women have fought so 256 00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:44.340 hard so hard to attain and attain a level of of leadership we had Eli 257 00:18:44.340 --> 00:18:50.820 Bremer here on empower you and Eli brought up an excellent point that women 258 00:18:50.820 --> 00:18:56.300 who participate in sports really the the numbers of them going into executive 259 00:18:56.300 --> 00:19:01.900 positions and holding leadership positions is very large is that do we do 260 00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:05.980 we want to strike women down from being able to accomplish that and all the 261 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:10.240 things you learn from sports right right amazing well to me it's common 262 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.960 sense it's an unfair advantage a male I feel different than a female it's 263 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:21.460 ridiculous to think that it's just now that's an eye roll that's more of a 264 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:26.940 you've got to be kidding me right in what world right yeah that even a thing 265 00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:31.620 I mean who would have thought so absolutely but at some point we have to 266 00:19:31.620 --> 00:19:36.340 be the light but we also have to love what God loves and hate what God hates 267 00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:40.820 and God hates that sin he loves the people and we love the people yeah but 268 00:19:40.820 --> 00:19:44.660 we don't love the sin right and when you're an adult you can make those 269 00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:48.500 choices but when you're five years old right with a developing brain that's 270 00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:53.780 right yes no developmentally that's crazy you know there's a there is a 271 00:19:53.780 --> 00:20:02.020 passage I read today that as your profile grows as a leader that it 272 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.360 takes more courage at every step of the way, 273 00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:07.080 because your profile is growing, your profile is grown. 274 00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:11.080 You are going to be in the middle of this whole, 275 00:20:11.080 --> 00:20:13.060 and the city has been in the middle, 276 00:20:13.060 --> 00:20:17.400 of all of the marijuana slash mushroom, all of that. 277 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.720 Tell me what's going on with that, 278 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:21.320 because I think the byproducts, 279 00:20:21.320 --> 00:20:24.200 particularly when you came from, 280 00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:27.400 you had Conspire, which looks at employee testing, 281 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:30.720 drug-related testing, which is insane right now, 282 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.880 the amount of people that just use marijuana 283 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.200 and are driving around, and it's just, 284 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:39.200 and the amount of accidents that we have, 285 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:41.320 and lives lost, but no one wants to talk about that, 286 00:20:41.320 --> 00:20:43.160 because the media shuts that down. 287 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:46.320 Tell me what you've seen, because I think the days ahead, 288 00:20:46.320 --> 00:20:49.600 particularly on the mushroom issue, is very important. 289 00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:51.740 Well, lucky for us, we are a home real estate, 290 00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:53.440 which is one thing that Governor Poulos 291 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:55.280 would love to take from us, 292 00:20:55.280 --> 00:20:58.000 and he was at CML this week, 293 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.080 and saying there, he's not done, 294 00:21:00.080 --> 00:21:02.280 and that is a priority for him, 295 00:21:02.280 --> 00:21:05.120 and so the city's better geared up for that, 296 00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:07.480 because he would love to take that away from us. 297 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:10.600 So we are able to vote on recreational marijuana, 298 00:21:10.600 --> 00:21:12.760 and be able to, and the voters voted. 299 00:21:12.760 --> 00:21:13.600 Right, they did. 300 00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:17.120 In November, they did, and it passed. 301 00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:18.880 That's not something we want in our city. 302 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.960 The voters had the right to do that, 303 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:24.200 because we're a home real, and even though, 304 00:21:24.760 --> 00:21:27.000 you know, the polling was close, 305 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:29.240 but I just, I had faith, I knew they'd come through, 306 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:30.840 because people are waking up to it. 307 00:21:30.840 --> 00:21:31.760 The education is there. 308 00:21:31.760 --> 00:21:33.880 There's a reason it's a scheduled drug. 309 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:37.000 It's still a federally illegal drug. 310 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:38.540 It's still federally illegal, 311 00:21:38.540 --> 00:21:40.920 because it's under that schedule that it causes harm, 312 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:42.840 especially in a maturing brain. 313 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:47.400 So we still have that power and authority in our city, 314 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:50.720 and I think as long as we continue to keep that, 315 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:53.480 and again, because it's federally illegal, 316 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:57.760 any company receiving federal dollars has to test, 317 00:21:57.760 --> 00:22:00.880 and they have to show the testing. 318 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.880 And so, federally, they crack down on anybody 319 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:08.500 receiving federal dollars, DOD companies, military. 320 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:10.720 So it's very much a confusion 321 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:13.000 between the state and the government, 322 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:14.680 when they're saying this is dangerous, 323 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:15.880 and you're not getting money 324 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:17.840 if you don't test your employees. 325 00:22:17.840 --> 00:22:19.400 On the one hand, it's legal. 326 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:21.200 I was in office when that thing passed. 327 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.880 And the employer has the right to test, 328 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:27.440 and so it is confusing to people. 329 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:28.840 Yes, it is. 330 00:22:28.840 --> 00:22:32.560 It is, and it is, even locally, right? 331 00:22:32.560 --> 00:22:34.920 When Palmer Lake in our area 332 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:37.160 was looking at the marijuana issue, 333 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:40.840 and my husband wanted to run a resolution saying, 334 00:22:40.840 --> 00:22:42.440 monument doesn't support this, 335 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:44.360 we wanna protect our children, 336 00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:48.080 because we're getting closed in on either side. 337 00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:52.840 And there are people, again, his colleagues were like, 338 00:22:53.800 --> 00:22:55.160 oh no, we can't tell people what to do. 339 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:58.200 And he said, we can't tell people 340 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:01.000 when our kids are going to be in the middle of this 341 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.280 because of these different bedroom communities? 342 00:23:03.280 --> 00:23:06.200 You're crazy, you've gotta be kidding me. 343 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.360 But we have that up there. 344 00:23:09.360 --> 00:23:13.360 I don't know, we can't really say that, can't do that. 345 00:23:13.360 --> 00:23:16.780 And I, for one, think it's crazy, 346 00:23:16.780 --> 00:23:19.740 because the amount of addiction issues 347 00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:22.820 we're seeing with kids everywhere 348 00:23:22.820 --> 00:23:24.660 is just stunning in this state. 349 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:26.180 There's many studies of cities 350 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:29.480 who do have recreational marijuana. 351 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:32.340 They tax it, and this is the big thing for the pro is, 352 00:23:32.340 --> 00:23:33.900 well, we get all this tax money, 353 00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:35.020 and we'll put it to prevention. 354 00:23:35.020 --> 00:23:36.820 Well, that in itself is an oxymoron, 355 00:23:36.820 --> 00:23:38.460 so why would you need to do that? 356 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:41.860 But the cities that do have recreational marijuana, 357 00:23:41.860 --> 00:23:43.420 if you look at their studies, 358 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:47.800 for every dollar that they bring in on the tax, 359 00:23:47.800 --> 00:23:50.820 they spend three on prevention and social costs, 360 00:23:50.820 --> 00:23:53.480 meaning homelessness, addiction, 361 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:56.080 emergency room visits, healthcare. 362 00:23:56.080 --> 00:23:57.880 So the one to three ratio, 363 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:00.440 just, and the studies have been done, 364 00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:01.960 it doesn't make sense. 365 00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:03.560 Doesn't even pay, frankly. 366 00:24:03.560 --> 00:24:04.800 It doesn't, we actually pay. 367 00:24:04.800 --> 00:24:05.620 And crime. 368 00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:09.560 Right, exactly, police, crime, the social cost. 369 00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:11.840 The social cost is huge, right? 370 00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:12.680 Absolutely. 371 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:17.680 And the medical provision part was the gateway, right? 372 00:24:17.800 --> 00:24:21.480 It was the, and we still have a gray market going on. 373 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:23.880 We still have a gray market. 374 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:26.440 That was predicted the moment that thing passed, 375 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.920 which is insane, right? 376 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:29.040 That just is crazy. 377 00:24:29.040 --> 00:24:30.640 Well, and back to educating the voter. 378 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.640 People are awake now. 379 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:32.480 Yes. 380 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.300 And they're starting to pay attention. 381 00:24:33.300 --> 00:24:34.640 But when 64 passed, 382 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:37.240 because the language said that the proceeds 383 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:41.000 of the sale of medical marijuana 384 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:44.000 would go to building construction of schools. 385 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.120 And so people thought, 386 00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:46.760 oh, they're going to put money in schools, 387 00:24:46.760 --> 00:24:48.960 meaning raises for teachers, or laptops, 388 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.800 or air conditioning. 389 00:24:49.800 --> 00:24:51.520 No, it's building. 390 00:24:51.520 --> 00:24:53.360 It's construction of new schools. 391 00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:55.960 How many schools are we building right now? 392 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:58.560 And by the way, we have schools that are empty. 393 00:24:58.560 --> 00:24:59.400 Are closing. 394 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:00.220 Exactly. 395 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:02.880 So again, back to the voter not being educated 396 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:04.320 on what they're reading and being tricked 397 00:25:04.320 --> 00:25:05.320 into something ridiculous, 398 00:25:05.320 --> 00:25:07.440 where we're gonna do something bad for good 399 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:10.700 or good for bad, again, is a split mind. 400 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:12.840 And so after that, people are like, 401 00:25:12.840 --> 00:25:14.960 well, I wouldn't have voted for it if I knew. 402 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:16.440 I hear so many people say that now. 403 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:18.200 Well, that train left the station. 404 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:19.040 That train is down the, yeah. 405 00:25:19.040 --> 00:25:20.640 I mean, you're not putting that back in. 406 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:24.800 And so we're not, we're, you know, we have HVAC issues. 407 00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:26.560 We, you know, you saw through COVID, 408 00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:29.520 schools didn't have ventilation, so they couldn't open. 409 00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:31.560 That money did not go to schools. 410 00:25:31.560 --> 00:25:33.760 That money was to construct schools. 411 00:25:33.760 --> 00:25:37.320 And I don't know even how easy that was to get. 412 00:25:37.320 --> 00:25:38.720 So where is the money going? 413 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:42.440 Prevention, addiction programs? 414 00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:43.920 I mean, think about it. 415 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:47.880 Listen, there's always someone, always, every year, 416 00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:50.800 every year with the program ready to go, you know. 417 00:25:50.800 --> 00:25:53.800 We'll save, you know, and by the way, 418 00:25:53.800 --> 00:25:57.040 prevention, I am, I get it, right? 419 00:25:57.040 --> 00:25:58.720 From a holistic health point of view, 420 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:00.920 prevention, wee-haw, I'm there. 421 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:05.840 But very often, it's, people don't want to see the numbers. 422 00:26:05.840 --> 00:26:07.680 Now, particularly in this issue, right? 423 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:11.080 This is an issue where your numbers actually 424 00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:12.520 aren't adding up. 425 00:26:12.520 --> 00:26:16.840 Well, and when we, I would go to a lot of debates on this 426 00:26:16.840 --> 00:26:19.240 along during 64, before it passed. 427 00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:22.440 And parents would say, oh, Lynette, I did marijuana, 428 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:24.440 I was in college, look at me, I'm an attorney now. 429 00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:27.320 In the 70s, it was like your daddy's ditchweed. 430 00:26:27.320 --> 00:26:30.760 You had one joint that was probably 8, 9% THC 431 00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:32.800 and you passed it around the room. 432 00:26:32.800 --> 00:26:35.880 We are genetically modifying those plants 433 00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:39.160 to be 60 to 80% THC. 434 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:41.280 It is not the same drug. 435 00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:43.280 Yeah, this is not your dad's marijuana, no. 436 00:26:43.280 --> 00:26:46.240 That's right, it's not ditchweed that they talked about. 437 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:50.240 It is a very strong, potent gummy worm. 438 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:53.320 And it's like in a worm, in a cookie, in a candy, 439 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:57.280 in food, you can get pot-tarts, like Pop-Tarts. 440 00:26:57.280 --> 00:26:58.320 You keep pot-tarts. 441 00:26:58.320 --> 00:27:01.720 So it's not just that, I've never done it in my life, 442 00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:03.840 but I was terrified of my parents 443 00:27:03.840 --> 00:27:05.240 and I lived in a small farm community 444 00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:07.000 and we just didn't do that, right? 445 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:10.480 You're better than me because I was not terrified. 446 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:12.640 I did not do drugs, I did not. 447 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:15.320 But I've studied them at length over the years. 448 00:27:15.320 --> 00:27:18.720 And they just, again, weren't educated. 449 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:20.760 There was no, I hate regulation, 450 00:27:20.760 --> 00:27:22.360 but they should have at least regulated 451 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:24.400 how you could modify that plant. 452 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.320 Because now you've got plants 453 00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:28.240 and who knows what's in those plants? 454 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:31.760 Fungus and mold, and who knows what they're putting in them. 455 00:27:31.760 --> 00:27:32.960 But we're finding it out. 456 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.560 People are starting to ask on that 457 00:27:35.560 --> 00:27:37.080 and I think it's a good thing. 458 00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:41.320 I wanna round up our conversation here 459 00:27:41.320 --> 00:27:45.480 with how, as a uniter, 460 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:48.720 because that's what I know you and your career as, 461 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:50.960 how do you unite those, 462 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:54.040 particularly that you're working with right now on council, 463 00:27:54.040 --> 00:27:55.600 how do you come to some consensus 464 00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:58.720 on where you should go on difficult issues? 465 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:01.400 How do you relate in those ways? 466 00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:04.160 How do you bring people around? 467 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:07.280 How do you attempt to do that? 468 00:28:07.280 --> 00:28:10.080 Well, I think for me, it's not even about personalities 469 00:28:10.080 --> 00:28:12.800 and getting into political issues. 470 00:28:12.800 --> 00:28:14.640 It's the facts. 471 00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:16.440 Here are the facts. 472 00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:19.520 Here's how it's going to affect our city. 473 00:28:19.520 --> 00:28:22.040 This is going to then affect our citizens. 474 00:28:22.040 --> 00:28:23.840 And is that what we're here for? 475 00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:25.800 You can have an opinion one way or the other. 476 00:28:25.800 --> 00:28:28.280 You can be pro this all you want. 477 00:28:28.280 --> 00:28:29.920 That's fine what you do in your personal life. 478 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:32.640 But as an elected official of the city, 479 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:34.640 our job is to take care of the city, 480 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:37.440 not to take care of anything else 481 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:41.160 except for the city assets and the citizens. 482 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:43.320 And so I just come with facts. 483 00:28:43.320 --> 00:28:44.720 I just come down to the facts 484 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:46.560 and how is that going to affect? 485 00:28:46.560 --> 00:28:48.880 What's the outcome of this decision 486 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:51.240 going to be on our citizens? 487 00:28:51.240 --> 00:28:53.360 And I try to stay out of the emotional part 488 00:28:53.360 --> 00:28:54.480 and the drama part. 489 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:56.160 And if you can just keep listening 490 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:57.480 and bring it back to the facts, 491 00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.800 bring it back to the facts, 492 00:28:58.800 --> 00:29:02.000 then I think that that's been beneficial. 493 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:05.600 I don't know that we're only in nine weeks. 494 00:29:05.600 --> 00:29:07.320 We've only had a few votes. 495 00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:10.240 With many more to come. 496 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:11.840 Yeah, with many more to come. 497 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:17.520 Some disruption in utilities 498 00:29:17.800 --> 00:29:19.560 which way they want to go 499 00:29:19.560 --> 00:29:20.800 and direction they want to go. 500 00:29:20.800 --> 00:29:23.160 And how are we going to fix 501 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:25.760 and pay for all of our infrastructure that's really old? 502 00:29:25.760 --> 00:29:28.720 And how are we going to annex and still keep up? 503 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:32.240 But I firmly believe in private property rights. 504 00:29:33.320 --> 00:29:34.800 So I'm not not growth. 505 00:29:34.800 --> 00:29:36.120 I'm not not annexation. 506 00:29:36.120 --> 00:29:37.840 But at the same time, 507 00:29:37.840 --> 00:29:39.240 how are we going to pay for that? 508 00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:40.640 And what is that going to do the rate payer? 509 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:43.840 So these are really hard decisions. 510 00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.920 Very hard. 511 00:29:44.920 --> 00:29:47.400 Oh, I have no, 512 00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:51.000 I just feel for you because seriously, 513 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:52.880 one thing I've seen, 514 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:55.480 particularly where I'm where I live, 515 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:58.760 and we're now a lot of people that are fleeing Denver 516 00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:00.440 from crime. 517 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:05.520 then they come down to our bedroom community and put their kids in the 518 00:30:05.520 --> 00:30:10.160 schools and you know they they have a very different view coming you know from 519 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:16.160 Denver and then they'll commute. To me there has been almost it's it's really 520 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:20.280 it's frightening to look at I see it in the Gazette I see it in the papers your 521 00:30:20.280 --> 00:30:26.480 land as a developer is my land I have a right to tell you well I get it if you 522 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:30.960 want to apply for permits and we go to the town councils and we do that there's 523 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:36.960 been this growing oh my gosh we have so many apartments you're just wrecking my 524 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:41.720 view you yeah we don't need another apartment in a in the space of this 525 00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:47.960 table okay and it's become and I've watched conservatives and Republicans get 526 00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:53.760 this way and literally it was the fight that we had a monument I mean this whole 527 00:30:53.760 --> 00:30:59.720 not just anti-development but that your land is my land now your land hadn't 528 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:03.360 been used for years so therefore who do you think you are suddenly wanting to 529 00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:09.720 put a Whataburger or whatever in my community right right how do you deal 530 00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:15.640 with that I mean I I'm gonna tell you it's been a fight it has been we have 531 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:19.040 well-meaning people who are like yeah I don't want that I don't want I don't 532 00:31:19.040 --> 00:31:22.400 want this here I don't want that it's your Planning Commission right we're 533 00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:27.680 planning right right and we have to rely on the experts right of our Planning 534 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:32.120 Commission to do their due diligence yes that's their job and then they bring it 535 00:31:32.120 --> 00:31:36.480 forth to council and then we review all the public process we review Planning 536 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:42.840 Commission we listen to the developer that's our job is to make sure that it's 537 00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:47.000 all packaged up before it gets to us I don't really pay attention to it until 538 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:51.240 it gets to us because I don't want to have any opinion right on any piece of 539 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:55.680 it until it gets to me right so that I'm getting just the information I need 540 00:31:55.680 --> 00:32:00.600 and it is hard because I call them growing pains we're a lot I mean our 541 00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:06.240 parks are loved to death which is why right you know through COVID that's what 542 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:09.920 we had right so thank goodness we had it so there's some assets that Colorado 543 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:14.440 Springs has that many people want now they're fleeing from other states yeah 544 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:17.160 and they're coming here and they're bringing other ideas and their 545 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:22.680 ideologies and they're bringing you know that here having said that we have 546 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:29.040 a plan for the city to grow we have plan COS we put these things in play in place 547 00:32:29.040 --> 00:32:34.880 now we've got Annex COS and we've got the HBA that is very smart people Home 548 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:40.400 Builder Association on how to grow wisely right we're not gonna not grow 549 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:46.200 that isn't possible no not with the amount of people moving here no and look 550 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:51.320 at the military many of them read to come back and retire here my area right 551 00:32:51.320 --> 00:32:56.440 in the case that's right new no and we do we want to put walls up and stop 552 00:32:56.440 --> 00:33:00.240 people from going and limit our taxes and limit what we can do we don't want 553 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:05.800 to do that either but we have to go smart yes yes very good very good so in 554 00:33:05.800 --> 00:33:10.840 closing I want to ask you what can we do to support you what supports you in a 555 00:33:10.840 --> 00:33:16.440 City Council position I'm a citizen I'm not in office anymore well first and 556 00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:20.440 foremost just prayer prayer for every single City Council member because 557 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:24.440 they're all filling it yeah as much as I am yeah they're all getting their 558 00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:29.240 district people are getting district staff that are at large we're getting at 559 00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:33.320 large I mean we're getting it from everyone so I just think that you know 560 00:33:33.320 --> 00:33:38.760 there's power in that and for each one of them just to have you know the 561 00:33:38.760 --> 00:33:42.240 discernment that they need to make the decisions based on the city they have 562 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:48.120 favor to be in that seat that's right so how do we you know keep our city going 563 00:33:48.120 --> 00:33:52.200 in that trajectory because we're a faith-based community and we pray and 564 00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:57.480 now we're a praying city first and foremost and then you know pay attention 565 00:33:57.480 --> 00:34:02.200 to what's coming to council look at the agendas see what's on see what's coming 566 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:09.199 watch the council meetings and get involved in these situations that you 567 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:13.239 don't you can if you don't do anything then that that's on the citizens too 568 00:34:13.239 --> 00:34:18.440 this is your city you voted for these people to be in City Council reach out 569 00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:23.560 give your opinion show up at council when you think things aren't right for 570 00:34:23.560 --> 00:34:28.280 the city I mean you're wait we do listen we do read those emails we do pay 571 00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:32.880 attention if it's something we can do as a City Council person we do check 572 00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:40.360 into it I love it because I know you do yeah you know some wonderful people now 573 00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:45.480 on council I'm I'm very impressed yeah I think there is a lot that can be 574 00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:52.040 accomplished and I'm thrilled that a person of faith is on council and someone 575 00:34:52.040 --> 00:34:57.720 who is attentive and that's you and I am praying for your leadership because we 576 00:34:57.720 --> 00:35:01.720 need just so many 577 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:04.280 I think courageous, courageous and wise people in this hour. 578 00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:06.120 And I view you as that. 579 00:35:06.120 --> 00:35:09.280 I just want to thank you for being on Empower You. 580 00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:10.420 You heard it here. 581 00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:12.380 Please pray. 582 00:35:12.380 --> 00:35:13.620 Pray for our council people. 583 00:35:13.620 --> 00:35:14.620 Pray for the city. 584 00:35:14.620 --> 00:35:15.500 Pray for the mayor. 585 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:17.260 Pray because it's important. 586 00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:22.260 And frankly, quality people like councilman, councilwoman 587 00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:26.340 Crow Iverson make Colorado Springs better. 588 00:35:26.340 --> 00:35:28.300 So thank you very much.