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Gaslighting isn't reassuring.
I showed up a few minutes before the Wednesday Montrose County Commissioners meeting. The parking lot was full, sans a couple of spots in the back. Engagement is a beautiful thing.
The only seats available were front row bingo (nod to the late great Bob Eucker). Face-to-face with the players in the story we've all been following and I've been writing about. Emotions ran high. There were the tears, the stare downs and the knowing glances. I won't say who did what, but the tension couldn't be cut with a knife. We needed to borrow Elon Musk's big hulking chainsaw. Did I mention the person escorted out by a deputy during public comment time? That was an embarrassing hoot and not for him. Having a lawyer removed from a meeting while he's exercising his First Amendment rights might mean a fast track to a lawsuit and the people who might pay in the end would be the taxpayers. Let's hope cooler heads prevail. But let's stay positive — a mantra that has turned into Montrose's battle cry. Squint hard enough at the recording of the meeting and you might see progress. Progress? Commissioner Scott Mijares might be getting the message that County Manager Frank Rodriguez is a popular fella. Testimony from the Olathe resident was powerful enough to bring Rodriguez, the 20-year military veteran and longtime law enforcement officer, to tears. For me, it puts the wind in my sails that I'm on the right track and willing to go the distance supporting Rodriguez. I was at a dinner Wednesday night and the subject came up. An employee with the Town of Olathe was there and said, "Wait, this is about Frank Rodriguez? That's crazy. He's great and an incredible leader." Mijares for his part is having a hard time admitting he's wrong. He reminds me of Fonzi from Happy Days (YouTube him, kids) — not for his coolness, but for his classic inability to admit when he's wrong. The line was "Fonzi, It's okay to say you were wrong." The Fonz would reply, "I know, I was wwrrrr… I was wrrrrr…okay I wasn't exactly right." Instead of Mijares stepping up and telling the audience I have no intention of firing Frank, he decided to do this weird dance by asking Rodriguez if he ever told him he was going to fire him. "Not to me directly." Rodriguez answered. Did Commissioner Pond ever tell you he wanted to fire you? "Not to me directly", Rodriguez replied. Then Mijares declared that the whole episode was started from false rumors. I'm loopy from the gaslighting fumes. During a break in the meeting I told Mijares if he ever wanted to sit down, I'm open to it. He told me it's going to take a long time because I lied. Lied? I asked. You heard him, referring to Rodriguez, I never told him I was going to fire him. Fortunately by this time I was wearing my gaslighter mask I have 40 years of business management experience, never have I seen or been told. "Ok, we're going to terminate this employee, let's tell him what we're planning to do and we'll terminate later." Yep, that's how it's done. Credibility is a precious commodity and Mijares' credibility is falling with every word he speaks in this episode. I stand behind what I've written, my sources are credible and at no time has Mijares or Pond said we have no intention of firing Rodriguez. Instead they've gone from aggressive in the first work session after the situation was brought to light to defensive. The "liberals" are out to get us or Pond's deflection in his Mirror column — "staff is setting us up" — is more gaslighting. Pond has to be confused, not too long ago he was basking in popularity as the face of the Halt the Dolores movement. But the cause faded with the Biden administration and now both sides seek a compromise with a reasonable NCA and some who stood with Pond are moving forward while Pond remains stuck in his short-lived victory. The stadium is empty, the fans went home and those who carried him on their shoulders during the victory celebration have placed him back on the ground. Now he's in a position hindered by rules and regulations. The cause he thinks he has is hyperbole. The position he is in is work. There is no limelight. The county he proclaimed, in his announcement on Facebook prior to his selection, as dysfunctional isn't. There's nothing to post a five minute video rant about like there was during the Halt the Dolores campaign. It's back to the real world and if Pond has aspirations of continuing as county commissioner in the next election he needs to take this dose of reality and adjust his actions. It won't be 50 people deciding whether he's a county commissioner, it'll be over 20,000. His image, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not, has taken a major hit. False rants and dirty looks to those who are speaking out won't help him. For Mijares there is a reality to his imaginary monarchy. There is a recall movement beginning to take hold. If he thinks it's a bunch of disgruntled liberals he's sadly mistaken. This is a diverse group of people and politics has nothing to do with it. It's a loss of patience for his antics. These are people who are methodical, people of influence, people who can get things done in a hurry with time on their side. He better change and change quickly or there will be a change. They say heavy is the crown — well the crown is even heavier when it's a figment of one's imagination.
You're probably asking me then where the progress is. I've been critical of Michael Bagadliacco, but I give credit where credit is due. After Dr. Ahmed's presentation I saw Bagadliacco, who had been a vocal critic of his hire, walk up to him, shake his hand and engage in a conversation. From a distance it was a poignant moment. Does it give me hope? Yes, but it's only a moment. Does there need to be a good faith statement from either Pond or Mijares that Rodriguez is truly safe in his position? As the Fonz would say, "Exactamundo!." Michael Bagadliacco and Dr. Miza Ahmed share a moment.
Dennis Anderson is the publisher of the Montrose Daily Press and the Delta County Independent.
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