Unsung Heroes in Elbert County

During the last election, the good folks over at Kiowa Court House went out out of their way to provide a break area replete with snacks and beverages for those of us working on the count.  Ed Ehmann kindly gave up his office for quite some time so that the election volunteers would have a place where they could get a much needed respite from the tedious work of conducting an election. And in that office on the north wall was a colorful map of the county divided up by regions.  

Being the political wonk that I am, the map spawned some interest and I wondered what possible divisions in our county were being made by those large areas on the map.  When I stood to look at the carefully divided representation of our county, it became abundantly clear just how important this document was.  With absolutely no facetiousness in this statement whatsoever, I was reminded how easily we forget the real purpose of county government and just how crucial it is.

 

The map on the wall to which I am referring divides the county into the areas of responsibility that each of the county road grader operators are required to cover.  Each area had a name on it which represented the driver of the blade operator.  One area. One name.  In terms of the size of some these designated zones, it becomes abundantly clear that each of these names is very important to each and every one of us who lives in Elbert County.  

We all are aware of the deficiency this county has when it comes to the amount of actual paved roads.  The last time I checked, it was somewhere a little over 200 miles for an area about the size of a small New England state.  That said, these operators did not create this shortage of pavement, nor did they ever get a vote on what materials were purchased to build our vast array of dirt roads.  No, all they are asked to do is keep the roads open.  That is a gargantuan task and they get the job done.

 

Whether you want to admit it or not, Elbert County does not have enough commerce to supply all of our population with gainful employment.  What that means is that a significant number of people in this county have no other choice than to get up every work day and commute into the metropolitan areas along the Front Range.  My wife and I did it for years.  We drove in 50+ miles and we drove back 50+ miles so that we could build our dream house and have our beautiful woods.  And yes, because our roads get muddy, snow covered and sloppy beyond all description, we, too, have cursed the County Gods and screamed possibly the most asinine complaint ever uttered in our beautiful county, "Where the hell is the #%&ing blade driver?"  

 

Truly, the answer to that utterance of stupidity has a very simple answer.  They are out working to keep you safe. They probably have been out all night long.  Their families are worried about them.  They are not superheroes, but they are about as close  to superheroes as anything we have to offer here in Elbert County.  It will also probably surprise no one when I say that for the importance of the work they do and the strange hours they put in, they are under-compensated and under-appreciated.  They are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.  They have protected you and your family as surely as any sheriff's deputy or firefighter and yet they receive almost none of the same type of recognition those other heroic people receive.

It is time to reverse that lack of recognition.  It is time to thank these people for the important work that they do.  I am fortunate enough to know my local operator.  He is a good family man and has been there for me and my community more times than I can count. Get to know your road grader operator.  If you see them in the store shake their hand and thank them.  If you see them on the road, give them the space and patience necessary to do their work. And just don’t take them for granted. When the county fair is up and running at the fairgrounds in Kiowa in Augusts, go over and watch them compete with their graders and let them amaze you with their skills.  These people deserve no less. 

Think about that the next time you get to work and punch in on time.  Think about this the next time you arrive home during a storm and a loved one shows you how much they appreciate that you are home, safe and sound.  You had a lot of help getting there.