Sidebar by Marcia Darnell
Growth – June 1995 – Colorado Central Magazine
I have to credit Roy Romer. Most government officials faced with a problem huddle with their cronies in the locker room and say, “What are we gonna do?” Romer is, at the least, making a show of talking to The People. At best, he’s actually listening and acting on the input he receives.
However, I began to lose heart during the “Next Steps” item on the agenda. Several participants volunteered to continue the meeting-and-discussion process and effect some of the suggested changes.
Having served on many volunteer committees, I fear the usual scenario: Summit participants, caught up in the moment, offer their time and effort toward life, liberty, and prevention of condo development.
Time passes, they go on with their lives, and when the call comes to honor the commitment, they’re starting a new job, and it’s summer, and the kids are sick, and the moon is in the waxing phase of the House of Windsor. Invariably, the few (or the two) who take on the responsibility of organizing the group become the group.
I am impressed that a growth summit takes place at all — that government, business, non-profits, and just plain folks meet and talk and agree to work together. But I wonder how many of them will live up to the commitment of putting their names on that sign-up sheet.