Stirling: Who would Braudis support?

I was concerned about certain criticisms of Sheriff Joe DiSalvo’s role and arranged to meet him at the county office building. I toured the jail building, which is plenty big, and it has a nice sized, well equipped gym, which is used by inmates and sheriff’s deputies alike. Sheriff Joe has overseen over $1 million in repairs, updates and safety measures. More needs to be done because the existing jail has foundation issues. Sheriff Joe wants to address mental health issues, and separating inmates by gender. This will be a key task in Sheriff Joe’s next term. He has said, “We need something different than what we have now!”

With Sheriff Joe’s long service and tenure, he receives two four-week vacations each year, which does not seem inordinate. Why would he not spend that time in his second home in the California desert? He and his wife stretched years ago to finance and purchase a modest house in the California desert.   

I have heard negative criticisms about his having a special affordable housing situation. I have known Sheriff Joe for 25-plus years, and he has always rented a little Victorian owned by second-home owners. It has Sheriff Joe living smack in the middle of town, quickly available for any emergencies.

He was gifted a 5% interest in Lift Vodka. He is not involved in day-to-day operations. He is not hawking vodka on the streets of Aspen. His name is nowhere to be found on any of the ownership documents, and he receives no compensation for this gift share. Lift Vodka is apparently being scrutinized by Colorado liquor authorities, but not Sheriff Joe.

For not arranging a replacement for the local high school party, the sheriff’s followup investigation indicated that Michael Buglione had not been completely forthcoming about the mixup about someone replacing him at the high school shindig. He could have been more clear about his responsibility to arrange another chaperone for the party.   

If Sheriff Bob was still in our midst, I would bet he would be supporting Sheriff Joe in his quest to continue the fair, careful and personal approach to being our sheriff. I am supporting Sheriff Joe. 

Bill Stirling

Aspen