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Comments flow like w(h)ine after election

Aspen, CO Colorado

The elections for Aspens mayoral seat and two open spots on City Council ended Tuesday, with Mick Ireland retaining the top post and Derek Johnson and Torre unseating incumbents Jackie Kasabach and Jack Johnson. The Aspen Art Museum also failed at the polls in its bid to build a new facility on city land (by either buying or leasing it), as Question 1 went down by a vote of 1,471-902.Although the election ended, the online comments did not. Heres a sampling of what some Aspen Times online readers had to say, starting with a reader who goes by the screen name you must be kidding. Mick got voted in with second place votes. he lost the art museum issue and jack johnson. The voters elected him without confidence. He called this a mandate. Mick wake up the sun is setting on your machine. It was not a mandate and you did not have an iota of coattail. Your machine is over. Two years from now I hope you have a real job. your days as an elected official will be over. The voters have spoken so for once listen! Reader EDLFWood had a different take: The bottom line is good won! Way to go Mick see you at the town races, please do everything you can to help locals, poor and rich. One reader, SilverAnniversary, offered this insight:If Aspen liked Jack’s anti-business approach and his condescending attitude, he’d still be on council. Derek has built a great business in D&E. The town is looking for a middle-of-the-road position. That’s how we arrive at Mick being re-elected and Derek and Torre taking beating the incumbents. Development applications – if they come at all in this economy – probably won’t be approved as quickly as under Klanderud, nor will they be denied as quickly as they were the past two years. I’m looking forward to the balance. Reader 1978LivesOn bemoaned the election of Derek Johnson, opining that IF this “new Johnson” starts leaning towards SkiCo wishes and policies…he should be thrown to the dogs. We (Aspen) don’t need any activist council members with a pro-business, pro-skico agenda! Retorted SilverAnniversary: That’s why we elected Derek. Why he came in first. Because he is pro-business, pro-SkiCo, involved with the schools and a heckuva family man to boot. Jack was the opposite and he’s gone. Derek’s the kind of person who makes this town work. Now we’ll have at least two councilmen who will listen with an open mind to businesses here. And I think Torre will be a good, moderating swing vote. You may like to throw Derek to the dogs, but you’ll have to wait four long, wonderful years. And there was snidly69, who made a call to action: Rather than whining, why don’t you all buckle up and help the town become what it can be. Realistically, the mayor works for the people. If you do not agree with Mick and the city council, show up at meetings and take part in representative government.He cannot ramrod things through himself, he needs the City Council members to agree with him. If you do not agree on an issue, it is up to you all to dissuade them. What people like about Mick, whether he is right or wrong, is that he truly CARES about what he does and about the town he lives in, unlike so many greedheads around here.Aspen needs to get off of it’s high horse and get back down to an economy of scale,and hopefully soon.Yeah, there are many of us who long for the “good ol’ days” and actually having real people around rather than having to grovel at the feet of the rich and uber-rich.Elizibeth Paepcke would be proud,as there is someone who believes in what she started at the helm. But reader mfitzgerald was not swayed: Great comic relief. Mick wins by a handful of votes, declares a voter mandate, and celebrates the result of his carefully rammed-through instant runoff, “incumbent perpetuation” system. He “could’ve gotten more votes,” but for the fact that there were vacancies in local public housing. It is to laugh. Successful Aspenites better grab their ankles, ’cause more “fairness” and “growth management” are on the way.