How Cows Encouraged Democracy

It all started with hauling water to my cows.

My solar pump provides plenty of water for my cows as long as the sun peeks through the clouds once in a while. That solar pump is one of the best investments I’ve ever made.

But it snowed for a few days last week so my cows were thirsty. I tied the water tank on the back of my flatbed and filled it up without a single thought about serendipity or democracy.

Instead, I thought about time. Time is always my limiting factor.

When I arrived at the cow pasture, the valve was frozen solid. This could have created a time-consuming challenge for unloading, but I unscrewed the valve from the nozzle and let the water flow.

After that, serendipity commandeered the steering wheel.

If something broke or I got stuck in the snow, senior citizens who live in our local retirement community would still have a million questions swirling among the rumors.

Nothing broke and I did not get stuck. Both of these non-events are worth celebrating in their own right.

The road to the cow pasture passes town and I had an extra 30 minutes so I stopped by the city attorney’s office.

The curiosity I developed when I worked as an investigative reporter has never diminished. Only my available time to learn the answers to my questions has evaporated.

But suddenly I had time. The attorney and I visited about the negotiations between the city and the non-profit management company for the city-owned retirement community. The current contract would end on November 30 and no replacement plan was in place. Residents were concerned about personal impacts of this uncertain future. A few of my family members live in this retirement community. If a new contract created significant changes, they all could end up living at my ranch.

Their despair was audible all the way out to the ranch.

As the city attorney explained the situation from his perspective, I soon realized I needed to visit with the property management board of directors before I would understand the context of the situation.

If I needed information from all of the players involved, the residents needed that same information.

Impulsively, I suggested a community meeting. Sunday afternoon offered the fewest conflicts and, most importantly, daylight so seniors who prefer to actually see when they drive would feel comfortable attending.

Mistrust and hard feelings had developed during the 14 months of negotiations so I offered to moderate the meeting.

As soon as I left the city attorney’s office, I texted one of the property management board members. He had already heard through the grapevine that a meeting would be held on Sunday.

The only reason we have a local newspaper is to confirm whether the editor got the story right.

My objective was to provide transparency of the motives of both sides and to remind residents, city officials and property managers that the ultimate mission for the retirement community is to provide safe, maintenance-free, affordable living for people over 55.

People began to arrive about 15 minutes before the meeting would begin. We set up more chairs. Then more chairs. Then more.

I’m not sure we reached my objectives, but after more than two hours of discussion, both sides tentatively agreed to restart negotiations. Looking out at an audience of about 80 concerned citizens might have motivated the all-volunteer officials to try again.

Mostly importantly, many people participated in a respectful conversation even as they held differing opinions about the best solution to real problems.

That’s the way a functional democracy is supposed to work.

All because the cows needed a drink and nobody got stuck in the snow.