How refreshing it was to read Rebecca Samulski’s responses to Journal questions in the Aug. 12 issue. Rebecca is a Montezuma-Cortez High School graduate who left Cortez seeking an education and returned brimming with the ideas and energy that can take our county into the future. “With a shared vision, we can better align policies, programs and the county budget to support our future needs.”

This last summer, we drove through a huge strip of Texas that had too many hopeless towns left behind culturally and economically. This year is 2020. Montezuma County has been our home for over 40 years, and I’d love our community to remain rural and snug, but I also want it to be a place where new families can survive and thrive. Like it or not, Montezuma County continues to grow, and our corner of the state mustn’t wishfully act like the year is still 1975.

If we must grow, we should grow with goals that will encourage our kids to stay, keep our families thriving and educate our students for a really demanding and exciting future. Rebecca has grown up here and come back to work on building a better community. She’s got my vote.

Janet ChanayDolores