By Mitch LaKind, Mayor of Monument

Doug Fitzgerald’s “The dark money is rolling in” column was spot on. I had to laugh reading it, mainly because it’s painfully true. The number of conspiracy theories about local government could fill a Netflix series.

Here in Monument, we’ve apparently been accused of every imaginable act of “obvious corruption.” We’ve been “in bed with developers” for so long that we’re starting to get bed sores. You’d think that with all that supposed influence, we’d at least have model homes named after us. Jackson Creek Parkway would be an 8-lane highway with sponsorship naming rights and a massive travel center that would rival anything Texas could throw at us.

It is even more absurd that the loudest voices making these claims never attend a council meeting nor offer concrete proof of their allegations. They might read an agenda or view the YouTube video afterwards, but never ask a question in person. Yet somehow, they’ve got it all figured out.

I’ve said this hundreds of times: if you think something’s wrong, speak during public comment. Bring your evidence! Ask your questions. But week after week, the seats stay empty. Is it stage fright? Or maybe they don’t want their comments on the record, where lies can’t hide behind a keyboard?

The truth is that your local council meetings aren’t that exciting. No smoke-filled rooms. No suitcases of cash. Just a handful of people trying to do right by their town, debating budgets, roads, and water projects until late in the evening. If that’s “corruption,” then I suppose we’re guilty of caring too much.

Doug’s right, outrage seems to be the new recreational (blood) sport. But facts still matter, and showing up still counts. Until then, we’ll keep doing the work, out in the open, every meeting, every vote, for anyone who wants to see it.