Saying farewell to Gov. Bill Owens tomorrow also means bidding adieu to his Cabinet members, many of whom have worked tirelessly for years to advance his agenda.
As Gov.-elect Bill Ritter continues to fill out his appointments, we wanted to salute a few of the notable public servants who’ll be leaving this week after leaving indelible footprints on state policy.
Don Ament has been Owens’ only agriculture commissioner, providing a strong voice for rural Colorado in each of the past eight years. Ament has been especially busy in his final weeks, dealing with the impact of crippling snowstorms. But season after season, he’s always been responsive to the changing needs of farmers and ranchers. In addition, Ament has offered encouragement for alternative energy efforts that may well be the salvation of the agriculture in the state.
Russ George was appointed head of the Department of Natural Resources three years ago and immediately restored credibility to the post. George’s sincere concern for wildlife and commitment to good stewardship of the state’s natural resources was clear, and his calming influence welcome. George understood the need to balance the interests of urban and rural water users and was a driving force behind the water roundtables approved by the legislature two years ago.
Colorado Department of Transportation director Tom Norton oversaw the state’s first integrated light-rail/highway expansion project with T-REX. While the mega project gobbled up transportation funding for the metro area, Norton was mindful of the entire state’s needs.
Owens’ unflappable spokesman, Dan Hopkins, is ending a long, successful career in government. He previously served ably as CDOT’s spokesman.
Lastly, the director of the Office of State Planning and Budget, Henry Sobanet, mastered Colorado’s fiscal machinery and did yeoman’s work in difficult budget years. His expertise lent quiet force and credibility as he helped craft the technical details to Referendum C in 2005.
Serving the public is often a thankless task, but we’re glad these and so many others make the commitment to Colorado and its people.
