Dear Nederland Community,

I attended and spoke at the May 7 Ned Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Rights of Nature, only to hear them repeal the resolutions.

Please SEE the wonderful detailed coverage of that part of the BOT Meeting in The Mountain-Ear in the May 9 issue. https://www.themtnear.com/articles/ned-repeals-rights-of-nature/

I share my requests with you and the Trustees and my observations with compassion. I also extend gratitude and understanding for the challenges that are part of the Trustees’ role.

1) I am asking our community to request a reinstatement of those resolutions repealed on May 7, of the various Rights of Nature (RON) Resolutions, previously passed with a lot of thoughtful work by many people.

2) Here is my reasoning: a) The BOT members were at the end of a 4-hour-long meeting with some members expressing frustration at going on in another meeting, ignoring Mayor Billy’s suggestion for an extension of discussion. b) There was not an appropriate checking of whether Nederland’s water rights were in any way threatened by the RON, yet that was a concern influencing the vote. c) It’s not good protocol to allow untransformed ego reasons (against Gary W) and hurt feelings to influence a vote affecting the towns’ water, a vote requiring thoughtfulness and good thinking. d) The MAIN reason: All of the comments from the public were in favor of retaining the Rights of Nature resolutions and ALL gave good reasons which the BOT should in fact re-consider as part of their voting process.

Respectfully submitted,

Bonnie Sundance

Nederland