I was listening to Mandi on 630 KHOW Friday morning, Sept. 18, 2015, and she said Hickenlooper announced he wants to make Colo. the best state in the nation for biking and wants to throw $100M towards this goal. 1st of all, what I am about to say, I have no intention of throwing salt at a wound. However, it sounds to me he's following in the footsteps of Gov. Moonbeam, oh I mean Brown of California, who's pursuing a $69B high speed rail btwn. LA and SF, but thwarted efforts in recent yrs. to improve water storage in CA. Oh, in the last couple of yrs., he did approve a $11B measure for improving water storage, but that's less than 16% than what's proposed for high speed rail. Given CA has had a history of droughts, I'd think water storage would be a higher priority. However, a high speed rail is needed given I-5 btwn. LA and SF is in good shape and there are plenty of flights btwn. the 2 cities!!! Now, on to my point about Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper wants to spend $100M on bike trails, paths, etc., but hasn't ordered any state agency to clean up the S. Platte debris at US-85 near your house. I have noticed there's similar debris in the Big T. on the east side of the I-25 bridge that could use some cleaning. He has not called for a temporary lifting of the PRRIP agreement so upper end S. Platte R. rights owners can turn on their wells. In the mean time, towns like Gilcrest and many residences and farms are floating. Even a water resource expert that you mentioned in your letter to the AG has recommended turning on the wells. I am not a water resource expert when I met w/ the Town of Gilcrest and the Dept. of Health WQCD rep several yrs. ago it was common sense to me that the wells need to be turned on at least temporarily. I am not sure how long temporary would be, but long enough that the flooding in the S. Platte basin would stop. Are our politicians minds so polluted that they cannot determine what true priorities are? Or are what they doing part of the Agenda 21 master plan to move rural residents to major cities? Are our governors and maybe some state legislators getting pressured from federal politicians and bureaucrats to do this or not to do that? I don't know the answers to these 2 questions, but the actions of our politicians tells me it's mostly pointless of dealing with them. They either have no intention of changing their priorities or are too scared to be true leaders.

Roni, a few months ago, I made the point you are more patient and diplomatic than I am. As I said a few days ago, I'd be interested in knowing whether AG Coffman will respond to your most recent letter. I realize Coffman doesn't have the authority to call out some state agency to clean our rivers that have incurred severe floods in recent yrs. and she cannot put on hold the Neb. - WY- CO compact agreement for a temporary period. However, I would expect her to pressure Hickenlooper to do something about the S. Platte basin. If some major action isn't initiated btwn. now and the end of the next legislative session which ends next May, I believe you will be purposefully ignored.

I am sorry for spouting off, but when I heard the news this morning, I instantly thought of you 2 and Gilcrest and just shook my head wondering what are their priorities. I also thought of a very good friend of mine who's a manager of a good sized water and san district south of Oakland and he is doing his best to get water to his district customers. He has or at least at one time had clout as he was on some committee that advised Gov. Schwarzenegger on water issues. When are our alleged leaders going to get back to serving us citizens?

Ken Keil