During the month of October and continuing into November, Western Colorado Alliance has enacted the first of many actions planned under the new Care Over Cuts campaign first rolled out during Building A Bigger We, our 45th Annual Conference in August. These actions occurred in Mesa, Montrose, and Garfield Counties, and have already paid dividends for local communities as a result.
On October 14 and 15, Western Colorado Alliance of Garfield County organized over 60 people to address the Silt Board of Trustees and the Rifle City Council regarding the results of their recent public transportation poll. As a result of the efforts of Alliance members, the presentations were standing room only. Several elected leaders thanked the Alliance after the meetings. In Silt, the Trustees engaged our presenters for ten minutes beyond their allotted time with questions.
A few days later, on October 18, Western Colorado Alliance of Mesa County hosted a YIMBY! (Yes, In My Back Yard!) event during which Alliance members and concerned residents filled out postcards to the Mesa County Commissioners, urging the Commissioners to officially acknowledge the housing crisis in Mesa County. Those postcards were delivered to the Mesa County Commissioners on Election Day. (More on that below!)
One week later, on October 25, Uncompahgre Valley Alliance canvassed Montrose neighborhoods on behalf of Propositions LL and MM (Healthy School Meals For All) and local ordinances. Fifteen dedicated Alliance members and supporters reached 200 voters as they walked the streets of Montrose! Door knocking is the most effective method to get out the vote. We saw a lot of smiling faces, and all our canvassers had a great time sharing nonpartisan voting information with their neighbors.
On November 4, Election Day, Uncompahgre Valley Alliance organized the largest turnout at a City of Montrose budget open house. Alongside our partners All Points Transit, the group made a visual impact on city staff and elected officials. During the one-on-one conversations following the Budget Open House, we got confirmation that the City Manager’s office would meet to discuss how the 5% for transportation that our Alliance secured last fall would get distributed to All Points Transit. Alliance leaders Mel McKelvey and Kendra Stucki put the affiliates’ work on the public record during the comment period after the budget house, and Uncompahgre Valley Alliance looks forward to strengthening local funding for local transportation.
Also on November 4, 22 members of Western Colorado Alliance of Mesa County arrived at the Mesa County Commissioners at 9 am to present over 200 Yes In My Back Yard! (YIMBY!) postcards, which asked the commissioners to unite the Community Development, Public Health, Human Services, Public Works, and Regional Transportation Planning Departments to work together to put Mesa County on the path to meeting its housing needs. At the event, Pastor Valerie Carlson shared their story on their YIMBY! project, which seemed to make a big impression on the Commissioners. The Alliance members received a “Yes” from the County Commissioners to continue discussions on how Mesa County can better meet its housing crisis.
Finally, that night, we were able to bask in a major victory for our nascent Care Over Cuts campaign: Propositions LL and MM passed in Colorado, ensuring school children in our state will have access to healthy, local foods! This is a major win for children, parents, and local farmers and ranchers, and we are proud of our Alliance’s efforts to see the bills become law.
As the next step in our Care Over Cuts campaign, we now turn our eyes to the coming legislative session. Stay tuned!
