On May 5, the Carbondale Historical Society will present the final installment of its winter speaker series at KDNK, welcoming three former Carbondale mayors: Stacey Bernot, Michael Hassig and Dan Richardson.
Stephen Shapiro, president of the Carbondale Historical Society, said that audiences are in for a plethora of discussion topics, from changes wrought by COVID to money, taxes, housing, history and more.
“One of the core pieces that all three mayors have so much to say about is development, the politics and policies behind it and what happened under their watch,” Shapiro told The Sopris Sun.
Shapiro said that hearing from former leaders will help the community better understand what it was like to be in that position then. “I think that a mayor has a unique perspective,” he stated, “They dealt with all sides. For a lot of us who aren’t in that position, hearing from them allows us to gain a much greater perspective. As leaders, they took on so much, so I find their words kind of land with power. I think we will learn a lot by hearing from them.”
In a written response to The Sopris Sun, Bernot expressed her excitement for the event and praised the Carbondale Historical Society for its hard work in putting together events like the speaker series. She stated, “I look forward to reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new community members.”
She continued, “The historical society works hard to bring topics and themes into our lives in an informative and engaging manner. Come out and support their mission of sharing Carbondale’s history with the current community; maybe you’ll learn something that enhances your perspective on local governance.”
“Stacey Bernot was the youngest and also the first female leader that we had, so that is something we wanted to highlight, as well,” Shapiro added.
Richardson expressed similar excitement in his written response. “I always appreciate an opportunity to reflect on the past, especially when it involves multiple perspectives,” he said. “I have great respect and gratitude for Michael and Stacey’s efforts, so it’s an honor to share the space with them.”
Richardson said that attending the event will be a good opportunity for the community to learn from each other. “If you live in Carbondale, you can appreciate what a gem it is. We are lucky in many ways, but we are also intentional and thoughtful about how we collectively build our community. Listening, learning, engaging, reflecting [and] collaborating are all great ways to be part of the building process,” he said. “This is one of many opportunities to do this.”
Hassig echoed Richardson’s sentiments in his written response. “Carbondale is lucky to have passionate and engaged citizens. That engagement has shaped the town’s growth and development. It’s interesting to reflect on where we’ve been and how we got here.”
He also stated that a lot has changed in the community over 20 years and that hearing the perspective of three former mayors will provide an exciting perspective to folks who may not be aware of that history.
In a nutshell
When: Sunday, May 5, 5pm
Where: KDNK classroom, 76 S. 2nd St.
Cost: Free! Donations welcome.
More info: www.carbondalehistory.org, 970-414-1078