Weld Said with Mary Metzger | A Greeley Free Press Podcast
Greeley Free Press
Weld Said is a podcast featuring conversations with people from across Weld County, Colorado about the issues, ideas, and lived experiences shaping our community. Host Mary Metzger talks with local residents, organizers, and thinkers about civic engagement, community life, and the future of our region. greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Episodes
Conversation with Community Members on Why They Are Voting No on Ballot Measure 2F
What does growth with a community look like? And what happens when residents feel it’s being done to them instead?On this episode of Weld Said, host Mary Metzger and producer Jennifer Andrews talk with Greeley community members Rhonda Solis and Rachel Burdan about why Rhonda and Rachel are voting NO on Ballot Measure 2F.After two petitions and a public vote, the debate over Catalyst continues to divide the city. Rhonda and Rachel discuss their concerns about the proposed 40-year tax, financial risk, and the inclusion of parks and other public facilities alongside Catalyst. The conversation also explores what could happen if 2F fails and what a different path forward might look like.It’s a conversation about taxes and budgets, but also about trust, working people, and giving residents a meaningful voice in Greeley’s future.We will also be inviting others who support 2F to share another perspective in a future episode. We want listeners to hear the reasoning behind both positions, ask questions, and make their own informed decisions.We hope you enjoy this timely conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Ep 27 | Who is Left to Care for Greeley’s Rich History?
Too busy for a full podcast? Check out selected short clips from this episode and others on YouTube » Former City of Greeley Museums manager Chris Bowles joins Mary to talk about the uncertain future of Greeley’s museums and what could be lost if the city changes how they are funded and operated.Chris describes the budget cuts his team faced, the city’s proposal to explore moving the museums to a nonprofit, and why he believes a cost recovery model failed to capture much of their work. Museums care for collections and historic buildings, teach local history, and give people a place to see themselves in the story of their community. He also explains why the museums made general admission free earlier this year.The conversation moves beyond the budget to the history Chris came to love while working in Greeley - and to the residents who filled council chambers and spoke up for the museums when their future came into question.Listen to hear Chris’s perspective on what it takes to care for Greeley’s history, and who will do that work in the years ahead.Want to Learn More About Greeley’s History — and Support the People Who Make them Special?Visit an exhibit, attend a program, bring someone who’s never been, or share what you learned. Spending time in these places is one way to support the work of the curators, educators, and staff who care for our history.Explore Greeley’s museums and historic sites:* Greeley History Museum* Centennial Village Museum* Meeker Home Museum* White-Plumb Farm Learning CenterCheck each site’s visiting information before heading out; hours and access vary.Have a favorite museum memory? Share it in the comments.A note to listeners: This conversation reflects Chris’s experience and perspective as the former museums manager. We have not independently verified every claim made during the interview. The city may have a different account of its decisions and plans for the museums. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Scott Slaugh on Data Centers, Privacy and Representing House District 64
Colorado House District 64 Representative Scott Slaugh joins Mary Metzger for a wide-ranging conversation about the issues affecting Northern Colorado and the experiences that shaped his approach to public service.Slaugh discusses his upbringing in Milliken, his military service, his work as a home builder and his first year in the Colorado Legislature. The conversation explores housing affordability, metro districts, community benefit agreements, data centers, Flock cameras, government surveillance, crime, transparency and public trust.Slaugh also explains why he considers himself working class, how he approaches disagreements with people across the political spectrum and why he is running to retain the House District 64 seat.House District 64 includes western Greeley, Johnstown, Milliken, Berthoud, Mead and surrounding areas in Weld and Larimer counties.Weld Said shares conversations with the people shaping Greeley and Weld County. An invitation to appear does not constitute an endorsement. The views and factual claims expressed by guests are their own.Learn more about Representative Scott Slaugh:https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/scott-slaughSubscribe for more conversations about the people, policies and decisions affecting Northern Colorado. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Wildfire, Water and the Politics of Public Land
What is undeveloped land worth to us? Who decides how water is used, how wildlife habitat is protected, and what strategies actually make communities safer from wildfire?In this episode of Weld Said, Mary Metzger talks with Adam Bronstein, Oregon director for Western Watersheds Project and host of the Our Public Lands podcast, about wildfire, water, wildlife, public lands and the competing interests that shape how those resources are managed.Bronstein discusses fuels-reduction logging, home hardening, defensible space, recreation and the role of money and institutional incentives in land-management decisions. He also talks about why water rights do not necessarily mean healthy rivers, and why open space matters for both people and wildlife.The conversation also touches on Colorado’s Proposition 137. Bronstein raises concerns about whether funding presented as conservation and wildfire prevention could also support fuels-reduction logging projects he opposes.Closer to home, the conversation asks what these larger debates mean for Weld County: how we balance growth with open space, how we protect the land and water people depend on, and who gets to shape those decisions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | CD-04 Candidate Eileen Laubacher on service, politics and showing up
[ See all highlight clips of this podcast » ]Eileen Laubacher never expected to run for Congress.After 34 years in the Navy, retiring as a rear admiral in 2024, she thought the next chapter of her life would look very different. Instead, she found herself watching institutions she had spent much of her life serving change in ways that convinced her she needed to step forward. Now, she is running for Congress in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.But this episode of Weld Said is not really a traditional campaign interview.Mary Metzger and Laubacher talk about service, community, healthcare, housing, rising costs, corruption and the difficulty of getting government to listen to the people it is supposed to serve. They also spend a lot of time talking about something that feels especially important right now: what happens when people stop seeing each other as enemies and start talking to each other again.The conversation moves from military service and rural hospitals to medical bankruptcy, working families and the growing cost of simply getting by. It also gets personal, including stories about the people who step in when a family is struggling, sometimes with something as simple as a meal, a favor or groceries left anonymously at the door.Again and again, the conversation comes back to the same idea: most people care about their families, their communities and each other far more than our politics sometimes suggests. We may not agree on everything, but that does not mean we cannot listen, find common ground and help one another.As Laubacher and Metzger put it near the end of their conversation, we are not alone. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
A Layered Conversation On Law Enforcement with Matt Turner
What does community safety look like when law enforcement and the people they serve may experience the same system very differently?Mary Metzger sits down with Matt Turner, a candidate for Weld County sheriff, for a frank conversation about law enforcement, public trust and the responsibilities that come with the badge.They talk about Flock cameras and surveillance, ICE and undocumented residents, addiction and fentanyl, officer discretion, mental health, jail operations, accountability, community engagement and the fear that can exist on both sides of an interaction with law enforcement.Turner also discusses his background in the military and the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, why he is running for sheriff, and some of the changes he would like to make if elected, including community listening groups and greater public engagement.It is, as Turner points out more than once, a pretty layered conversation.Weld Said is a Greeley Free Press podcast hosted by Mary Metzger, featuring conversations with the people shaping Greeley and Weld County.See more from Matt Turner on his Facebook page or his campaign website. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Where Are the Leaders?
Editor’s note: This is a submitted opinion piece. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Greeley Free Press. GFP reviewed factual claims in the submission and reached out to the three candidates specifically named in the piece to give them an opportunity to respond. By Jenifer MontesAs someone who has been on the front lines in Hudson over the past year, fighting tooth and nail against the Big Horn for-profit ICE detention center, election season is starting to feel like a painfully predictable ritual. Every cycle, a fresh wave of candidates rolls in promising to save us from the extremist nightmares of Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, and Steve Reams. They smile for the media, sell their carefully crafted lines, and play up their backgrounds to buy sympathy—positioning themselves as our valiant defenders against the far right. But if they were actually here for us, they wouldn’t just be using our fear of those politicians as a cheap campaign pitch; they’d be standing right here in the trenches.For a year, grassroots organizers like myself and everyday community members have done the taxing work, holding town halls, scrutinizing municipal codes, and demanding basic accountability from local leaders. Yet when you look around the room at those very local community spaces and council meetings, the candidates who are desperately courting our votes by flashing their anti-extremist credentials are nowhere to be found. Instead, we are left navigating a roster of absentee figures and slick political actors whose commitment to Weld County is just pure theatrics to win votes, leaving us with politicians who are all show and no substance.Take Manny Rutinel. He’s got the playbook down to a science: leaning heavily on his family’s immigrant background and rolling out a painfully practiced, performative hola just to manufacture instant relatability and score easy political points. Except, the second you need him to actually stand with the communities bearing the brunt of ICE raids, detention expansion, and the looming shadow of the Big Horn concentration camp, the tune shifts real fast. Ask him to set foot in Hudson, and out comes the eternal politician’s excuse: That’s outside his district, or he’s just too busy from his team. Apparently, when a full-blown human rights crisis unfolds right next door, treating district lines like a moral Get Out of Jail Free card is just what passes for leadership nowadays. He’s there for the flashing lights, but when the crowd disperses and you actually need a representative to put their neck on the line, he’s nowhere to be found.Let’s talk about what’s actually in his district: the notorious Frederick hold room, where human beings—some as young as six years old—have been locked in windowless boxes with no beds or toilets for up to 34 days. And what was Manny’s heroic contribution? He rolled up after hours with a full media crew, filmed himself knocking on locked doors, looked right past the community members standing right there and into the cameras, then ghosted before anyone could ask him for an actual plan. Sure, he wrote up a polite little letter to ICE. Fantastic. But, letters don’t keep kids warm, and we’re the ones still out there watching that horrific hold room to this day with zero support from him.It’s a recurring comedy of bad optics. Remember the three-week JBS strike? Manny made his grand cameo just long enough to drop off a few boxes of donuts —apparently expecting three thousand starving employees to survive on a pastry crumb— while the community pulled endless shifts handing out actual water and snacks because those workers didn’t have access to a cafeteria.Try texting Manny for support, whether it’s months in advance or last minute. You’ll be met with crickets and excuses. But you know what never changes? Our town hall, every single month on the first and third Wednesday at 6 p.m. sharp in Hudson. People figure out how to make their way there from all over Colorado, carpooling, recovering from major surgeries, leaning on walkers—like Emma, who literally took a bullet to the foot from a GEO Group employee at the Aurora center. If everyday people can push through physical agony to show up for each other, why can’t the guy with the official title? Oh right: because choreographing TikToks and staging photo-ops doesn’t require getting your hands dirty.Then there is the race for Weld County Sheriff, featuring independent candidate Fabian Rodriguez, whose official stance on immigration enforcement attempts to play both sides of the fence. Rodriguez states that his office “will follow Colorado law” and will not engage in civil enforcement or target people solely on status, prioritizing violent crime instead. His commitment is fundamentally rooted in operating within the legal status quo, meaning a refusal to take a principled stand against systems like ICE detention facilities operating in our backyard—so long as the paperwork is processed “legally”.What makes this position sting, at least to me, is how he leans on his own immigrant background as an easy shortcut to earn the trust of the Latino community, offering a warm sense of security while delivering zero actual protection. To me, it feels like a profound betrayal: wrapping yourself in a shared cultural identity just to secure votes, only to fold when it takes courage to push back against a machine like ICE. That isn’t representation—it feels like a betrayal.The community needs to trust this protection now more than ever. Recently there was a report that exposed a system where local inmates are handed over to ICE and disappear before they even get their day in court—violating due process rights and leaving victims and families with zero answers. When local law enforcement operates as a transport system that makes people vanish into federal custody before a judge ever sees them, how can any immigrant family trust that badge?ICE isn’t above the law, and with over 50 lives stolen in ICE custody alone, passive compliance is a choice. Local law enforcement has a fundamental duty to stand as a shield for residents, not a revolving door. Working within a broken system isn’t reform; it’s preservation—and true community safety means having the backbone to stand up for basic justice, even when it’s uncomfortable.Then there is Eileen Laubacher, who spent most of her adult life registered as a Republican before conveniently slapping on a Democrat label when it fit her political ambitions. In my view, she has mastered the art of showing up for photo-ops and waving from parade floats, but goes completely missing when real leadership is required. When a massive detention facility is expected to open right in the very district she’s running to represent, I’d expect someone asking for our votes—especially someone trying to prove she’s a “new” kind of Democrat—to take a stand. Instead, you get dead silence. To me, it just proves that while it’s easy to campaign when all you have to do is smile for the cameras, a fresh coat of party paint doesn’t give you a spine when it’s time to look voters in the eye and address a human-rights crisis in your own backyard.Every community deserves so much better than elected officials who act like empathy is a favor you have to pull teeth to get. They shouldn’t have to carry the weight of a humanitarian crisis entirely on their own shoulders—sacrificing sleep, emptying their own pockets, and carpooling through physical pain just to keep each other safe while the people with power look the other way.Honestly, I am so completely exhausted by the endless theater of choosing the lesser of two evils, or being handed the same old bad deal wrapped in a different color. We don’t want the same destructive leadership of Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, and Steve Reams under a different brand name—we deserve to actually be heard, to feel safe in our own neighborhoods, and to know we can count on the people we vote to represent us because they didn’t just slap on a fake label when it became politically convenient.This community deserves real people—not polished brands, not career politicians, and not paper-thin phonies who only show up when there’s a camera crew in sight. We need leaders who actually listen to everyday people, who don’t b******t their way through town halls, and who are genuinely about it from day one.Real leadership isn’t a curated TikTok video, a polite letter mailed off to an agency operating with total impunity, a calculated silence on detention centers, or a sheriff playing both sides of the fence with the law. It’s showing up when it gets uncomfortable, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the dirt, and having the guts to draw a hard line.F**k Donald Trump and every machine that profits off human cages. We must abolish ICE.It’s time to stop waiting around for absentee saviors and start backing the people who have been in the trenches all along, refusing to look away. Let’s change s**t up, build a community that actually protects its own, and stop settling for anything less than real.Author Bio: Jenifer Montes is a 34 yr old long-time Weld County resident and organizer who is deeply rooted in the community she calls home. As a proud child of immigrants, she fights alongside local families against political intimidation and systemic oppression at every level, showing up for those without privilege because the work doesn’t stop. Her grassroots advocacy has been featured on the Weld Said with Mary Metzger podcast. Greeley Free Press reached out to several candidates mentioned in this article and their replies, when provided, are listed below. Fabian Rodriguez, Independent Candidate for Weld County Sheriff “I want to make my position on immigration as clear and easy to understand as possible:The Weld County Sheriff’s Office will not stop, arrest, or hold someone simply because we believe they may be undocumented. We will follow Colorado law, the Constitution, and the law enforcement policies of the Sheriff’s Office.If someone is arrested for a crime and has a criminal case in Weld County, we will work with the District Attorney’s Office to determine the proper next steps. When possible and legally appropriate, we want local criminal cases to be completed here in Weld County. This allows victims and their families to see the case through the court system and ensures that people accused of crimes are held accountable.There is also an important difference between a criminal warrant and a request from immigration authorities. If a judge has issued a valid criminal warrant, the Sheriff’s Office will follow that warrant. We will not automatically hold someone simply because immigration officials have requested that we do so.At the end of the day, my position is simple: our job is to protect Weld County, keep people safe, and hold people accountable when they commit crimes. We will focus on criminal behavior, not someone’s immigration status.I know immigration is an emotional and complicated issue, which is why I want my position to be clear. There should be no confusion about where I stand: we will follow the law, protect victims, prioritize public safety, and treat people fairly regardless of their immigration status.”Eileen Laubacher, Democratic Candidate for CD 04Eileen has been open about the role her faith plays in her life and public service. At the heart of that faith is a belief that every person has dignity and deserves to be treated with fairness and compassion. Those values guided her throughout 34 years of service to our country and continue to guide her today.Eileen has spent significant time listening to voters in this part of the district, including nearly 30 meet-and-greets across Weld and Larimer counties, where she has welcomed any and all questions about where she stands on any issue.On the proposed Bighorn facility, her position is clear: Hudson deserves a real say in what happens in Hudson. A 1,200-bed detention facility in a town of roughly 1,650 people would fundamentally change the community. Residents deserve a transparent public process and clear answers about the impact on water and sewer systems, roads, law enforcement, emergency services, and first responders before anything moves forward. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Who Takes Care of Greeley's Wild Spaces?
[ Short attention span? Pressed for time? We see you! Check out highlights from this episode and others on our YouTube channel. Share the clips you love! ]There’s a whole wild Greeley happening around us that most of us may have never seen.Bobcats. Badgers. Coyotes. Bald eagles. Deer. Wild turkeys. And, every once in a while, even a mountain lion, black bear, or moose passing through.This week on Weld Said, Mary talks with Justin Scharton, manager of Greeley’s Natural Areas and Trails division, about the work happening behind the scenes to protect and restore the natural spaces around us.Greeley currently has about 2,600 acres of natural areas and roughly 35 miles of trails. But keeping those places healthy involves a lot more than simply leaving the land alone. Justin talks about native habitat restoration, invasive plants, prescribed burns, wildlife cameras, trail maintenance, drought, and the sometimes complicated relationship between development and wildlife habitat.We also talk about something we loved learning: Greeley has a long-term goal of putting every resident within a 10-minute walk of nature.That matters not only because nature is beautiful, but because access to the outdoors shouldn’t depend on where you live, how much money you have, or whether you have a car.And residents don’t have to just enjoy these places. They can help take care of them.Justin talks about volunteer projects through Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, where community members can help restore habitat, work on trails, plant native vegetation, improve natural areas, and become part of the stewardship of these places.We also spend some time talking about Greeley’s newest natural area, Arroyos del Sol, nearly 1,000 acres of prairie, bluffs, arroyos, and wildlife habitat between Greeley and Windsor. The property was protected from development and more than doubled Greeley’s protected natural-area acreage when it was acquired.As Greeley continues to grow, the conversation raises a bigger question: how do we grow without losing the open spaces, wildlife, and landscape that are part of what makes this community feel like home?And maybe just as importantly: what role can each of us play in taking care of it?Learn more and get involved🌿 Greeley Natural Areas & TrailsExplore local natural areas, trails, volunteer opportunities, the Get Outdoors Greeley plan, and other resources:https://greeleyco.gov/natural-areas-and-trails/🌄 Arroyos del Sol Natural AreaLearn about Greeley’s 978-acre natural area, its wildlife, planning, conservation, and future trails:https://speakupgreeley.com/newest-natural-area🦉 See wildlife caught on camera at Arroyos del SolTiny ducklings, barn owls, deer, bobcats, and more have turned up on the wildlife cameras:🥾 Volunteer for Outdoor ColoradoJustin mentions VOC as one of the ways residents can get involved in trail work, habitat restoration, native planting, and other stewardship projects:https://www.voc.org/🌾 Trust for Public Land: Arroyos del SolMore on how the land was protected and the effort to preserve one of the last large parcels suited for open space in western Greeley:https://www.tpl.org/our-work/arroyos-del-sol📚 Last Child in the Woods by Richard LouvJustin mentions this book during the conversation about kids, screens, boredom, creativity, and the importance of spending time in nature.https://richardlouv.com/books/last-child/🐾 What wildlife have YOU seen in Greeley?We want to know. Which of these have you spotted around town, along the Poudre, or in one of Greeley’s natural areas?Vote in our poll. And if your favorite local wildlife isn’t listed, tell us about it in the comments. OR drop your favorite Greeley natural area photo in the comments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Who Wins in Metro Districts?
Metro districts are all over Northern Colorado. But how many of us really understand how they work, who pays for them, and who benefits?In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Mo Dower, a former Berthoud trustee who is now running for Colorado House District 64.Mo first became involved in local government because of issues affecting her own community. But during her time as a trustee, she says she began running into problems that couldn’t be solved at the town level. Changing them would require changing state law.One of those issues is housing.Mo walks us through how metro districts can be used to finance new development, why she believes the system can create additional opportunities for developer profit, and what communities might do differently. She talks about impact fees, development codes, smaller and more attainable homes, corporate ownership of housing, and ways state and local policy could help make growth work better for the people who already live here.It’s a particularly relevant conversation for Greeley, where questions about growth, affordability, public-private development, and who ultimately benefits from new development have become increasingly important.Mary and Mo also talk about community benefit agreements, rising rents, wages, corporate landlords, AI in hiring and healthcare, data centers and water, and the role regular citizens can play in changing public policy.And for Mo, some of this is personal. Her own adult children aren’t sure they’ll ever be able to afford homes here. That’s part of what has motivated her to take what she learned in local government and make a run for the Colorado Statehouse.Whether you live in House District 64 or not, this conversation offers an interesting look at some of the rules and systems shaping growth across Northern Colorado, and what we might do differently if the goal is to make that growth work for more people.Learn More:Colorado House District 64See the current Colorado House district boundaries and interactive map from the Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission:https://redistricting.colorado.gov/content/house-final-approvedDetailed Weld County House District MapsWeld County Clerk and Recorder:https://www.weld.gov/Government/Departments/Clerk-and-Recorder/Elections-Department/Election-MapsWhere Are the Metro Districts?Explore Colorado’s interactive metropolitan district map from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs:https://data.colorado.gov/Local-Aggregation/Metro-Districts-in-Colorado/knbf-ggf2What Is a Metro District?The NoCo Optimist’s 2020 explainer looks at Greeley’s approval of eight metro districts and explains how these districts can finance infrastructure and levy property taxes:https://www.thenocooptimist.com/news/greeley-city-council-votes-to-approve-a-plan-for-eight-new-metro-districts-thats-a-big-deal-heres-what-it-means This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Faith, Power, and the Systems That Shape our communities
[ Full episode and Short Clips also available on our YouTube channel and on Apple Podcasts shortly after publication ] This episode goes a little farther from home than Weld Said usually does.Our conversations are typically rooted pretty firmly in Greeley and Weld County. And this one begins there, with questions about representation, Cascadia, growth, water, development, and the arrival of large data centers in Northern Colorado.But when Mary sits down with Dr. Andres Guerrero, a longtime Greeley resident, educator, theologian, author, and Harvard graduate, the conversation doesn’t stay within city limits for long.Guerrero has spent more than eight decades studying, teaching, questioning institutions, and thinking about who has power, whose voices are heard, and whose are too often dismissed.What begins with his years in seminary and his questions about the role of women in the Catholic Church moves into Chicano history and identity, race and representation, poverty, capitalism, socialism, faith, immigration, homelessness, war, artificial intelligence, environmental responsibility, and the systems that shape people’s lives.There are strong opinions in this conversation. You may agree with some of them and strongly disagree with others. In fact, we’d be a little surprised if anyone agreed with everything.But agreement isn’t really the point.Again and again, Guerrero comes back to something much simpler and perhaps much harder: listening to one another, especially when we disagree.Along the way, Mary and Andres talk about whether Greeley’s growth is benefiting the people who already live here, the future of water in a growing community, concerns surrounding Cascadia and data centers, the difficulty of escaping poverty, privilege and power, mothers and families, grief and the loss of a child, learning to forgive ourselves for our mistakes, loving our enemies, and whether curiosity, empathy, and connection might help us build bridges across some of the divisions between us.It is less an interview than two people thinking out loud, following one question wherever it leads.We don’t resolve every question. We don’t attempt to offer the final word on capitalism, socialism, religion, race, foreign policy, growth, or any of the other enormous subjects that come up.Instead, we invite you to listen.And the good news is, you don’t have to agree first.BOOKS & AUTHORS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE• A Chicano Theology by Andrés G. GuerreroGuerrero’s published work on Chicano liberation theology, race, class, religion, land, nonviolence, and the cultural and spiritual significance of Guadalupe and La Raza.• From Indians to Chicanos by James Diego VigilA history of the Mexican-American experience and the cultural forces that shaped Chicano identity.• Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right by Jane MayerGuerrero recommends Mayer’s investigation of political money, wealthy donors, institutions, and power.• Paulo FreireFreire’s ideas about oppression, liberation, education, and the danger of oppressed people simply becoming new oppressors come up several times during the conversation.• Reies López TijerinaGuerrero also discusses Tijerina’s writing and political thought, including ideas he encountered while conducting his own academic research. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Ep. 19 | Greeley Water Explained: Terry Ranch, Uranium, Drought, and Growth
Greeley has long been told that water is one thing we do not need to worry about.Generations of planning, senior water rights, reservoirs, pipelines, and major investments have placed the city in a stronger position than many communities across Colorado and the West. That is something worth understanding—and something worth protecting.In this episode of Weld Said, Mary Metzger sits down with Leah Hubbard, the City of Greeley’s deputy director of water resources and, in her own words, an all-around “water nerd.”They talk about where Greeley’s water comes from, how its water rights work, and why the city believes it is prepared for future growth.They also discuss some of the questions residents continue to raise:What changed when Greeley became involved with Terry Ranch? What does naturally occurring uranium mean for Terry Ranch and Chimney Hollow? Why did Greeley avoid drought restrictions during an exceptionally dry year? How do large developments affect the city’s water system? And why can a household’s utility bill rise even when it uses very little water?The conversation also explores Greeley’s role in shaping Western water law, the generations of residents who planned for the community’s future, and the responsibility that comes with inheriting such a valuable resource.Having water rights does not automatically guarantee that water will always remain plentiful, affordable, and clean. But understanding how the system works is an important place to begin.In this episode:* Terry Ranch and underground water storage* Naturally occurring uranium at Terry Ranch and Chimney Hollow* Greeley’s water rights and development requirements* Drought, agriculture, and conservation* Water, sewer, and stormwater charges* Growth, infrastructure, and long-term planning* Greeley’s public water tours* The updated edition of Confluence, a history of Greeley waterGuest: Leah Hubbard, deputy director of water resources for the City of GreeleyWeld Said is hosted by Mary Metzger.As mentioned in this episode, you can find the updated edition of the book about Greeley water, Confluence on Amazon and other booksellers, or at local bookstores like Midnight Oil. This episode is also available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
The Chicken Farm Giving Greeley Kids a Second Chance Sean Short from Blooming Health Farms
What can a chicken farm teach a young person about responsibility, failure and starting over?In this episode of Weld Said, Mary talks with Sean Short, co-founder and executive director of Blooming Health Farms, a working chicken farm on the edge of Greeley that provides entrepreneurship education and mentorship to justice-involved youth.Sean shares how his own struggles with alcohol and the criminal justice system shaped his commitment to reaching young people before their mistakes become their entire story. He explains why working with animals creates immediate, meaningful lessons about accountability, and how treating young people as capable equals can help them recognize possibilities others may have overlooked.The conversation also explores agriculture, working-class knowledge, the importance of allowing people to fail safely and the surprising origin of Blooming Health Farms’ annual Cakes and Eggs fundraiser.This is a conversation about chickens, community and what can happen when someone believes in a young person who has been written off.Support Sean’s work by joining community at their annual fundraiser. Details below. Blooming Health Farms’ 4th annual Cakes and Eggs fundraiser! Sunday, August 2nd9 a.m. to Noon Glenmere Park in GreeleyKids 13 and younger eat free!You can donate, like, follow and subscribe to Blooming Health Farms on their website at https://bloominghealthfarms.com!Would you like to be on the podcast or recommend a guest for Weld Said? "Contact us via Substack or email us at [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Rethinking Homelessness in Greeley with Davey Autobee
In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with David, a lifelong Greeley community member and the founder of Last Light, a new nonprofit focused on supporting unhoused neighbors and people living close to homelessness.This conversation is about homelessness, but it is also about the way people see each other. David talks about what inspired him to start Last Light, including the example of his uncle, who helped unhoused people when David was growing up, and the community spaces he experienced through music where everyone was welcome.Mary and David talk about how easy it is for people to judge unhoused neighbors without understanding how close so many people are to losing housing themselves. They also talk about the many forms homelessness can take: the person sleeping outside, the worker living in their car, the person fleeing domestic violence, the person struggling with mental health, addiction, or simply not having the documents, transportation, shower, bathroom, food, or support they need to get back on their feet.David’s message is simple: communities need to rethink how they help people.Instead of asking whether someone “deserves” help, what if the question became: what would actually help? A ride to an appointment. A shower. A clean pair of socks. Access to food. A phone number. An email address. A community garden. A benefit show. A safe place to sleep. Someone willing to sit down, listen, and say: you still belong here.They also talk about how community care cannot only happen during the holidays. Families need food, diapers, formula, tampons, toilet paper, transportation, support, and connection all year long. Kids need meals in the summer, not just during the school year. People need help before they fall all the way through the cracks.Last Light is still new, and David is inviting the community to help build it. Anyone with an idea, a resource, a connection, a donation, a space, food, supplies, or even just a few minutes to make a phone call may have a way to help.David and Last Light can be reached at: [email protected] for families and kids food programs:Weld Food Bank Child Feeding Programs:https://weldfoodbank.org/child-feeding-programs/High Plains Library District Kids Eat Free calendar:https://highplains.libcal.com/calendar/hpld?t=d&q=kids%20eat%20free&cid=8181&cal=8181&inc=0 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | You Can Choose the Sheriff, But Only If He Gets on the Ballot
In this episode of Weld Said, Mary talks with Fabian Rodriguez, an independent candidate for Weld County Sheriff in 2026.The sheriff’s race is one of those local elections that can be easy to overlook until you stop and think about how much the sheriff’s office actually touches. The jail. Public safety. Immigration fears. Technology and surveillance. Mental health. Discretion in policing. The relationship between law enforcement and the people it serves.In this conversation, Rodriguez talks about his background in law enforcement, why he decided to run, and why he believes the sheriff’s office should be more connected to the community.Mary and Fabian discuss what experience should mean in a race like this, how law enforcement can build trust with immigrant communities, what role technology like Flock cameras should play, and how officers can use discretion when working with people who are already living paycheck to paycheck.They also talk about mental health support for officers, the importance of transparency, and why Rodriguez believes the sheriff’s office should be rooted in public safety and community - not partisan politics.At the center of the episode is a simple question: What kind of sheriff’s office does Weld County need, and how do voters get a real choice in deciding that?Listen to the full conversation on Weld Said Episode 16. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Petition for a Choice: Stacey Graham Wants Weld County Voters to Have an Option for Commissioner
Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about county commissioner races — but those decisions shape a lot of what happens in our daily lives.In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Stacey Graham, an independent candidate hopeful for Weld County Commissioner At-Large.Stacey is working to collect enough petition signatures to get her name on the ballot, giving Weld County voters another option in a race that is often quiet, and more often than not, uncontested.The conversation covers Stacey’s background in law firms, policing, investigations, and her current work with District 6 students. Mary and Stacey also talk about smart growth, data centers, water, transparency, public involvement, working-class representation, and why local government should do a better job listening before big decisions are made.This episode is not just about one candidate. It’s about what happens when someone steps forward to run, what it takes to get on the ballot, and why voters deserve a real choice.If you’d like to learn more about Stacey Graham or help her petition onto the ballot, visit: grahamforweld.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Keep the B******s Honest
In advance of the Colorado Democratic and Republican primaries, we are inviting candidates to talk more about who they are and what they believe in. We welcome any candidates who reach out to speak with us. We don’t focus on policy issues, because you can find those elsewhere. We hope you find these conversations insightful into the people behind the issues.This episode of Weld Said was a little different from the start.When the podcast studio was not available at the last minute, Mary had to pivot. Since the conversation had to happen over Zoom anyway, she decided to try something new: her first video podcast!And somehow, that fit the conversation perfectly.Mary sits down with David Seligman, a workers’ rights, civil rights and consumer protection attorney running for Colorado Attorney General, for a conversation that feels less like a campaign interview and more like two people talking honestly about work, grief, dignity and what it means to fight for people.They talk about his father, his grandfather, the people he has represented, the meaning of working class, the cost of unchecked corporate power, and why the law should feel like something regular people can use, not something that only belongs to lawyers and the powerful.It is also a conversation about Colorado, about water, housing, metro districts, data centers, medical debt, public spaces, and what happens when people feel like decisions are being made about their lives without them.This one is thoughtful, grounded and surprisingly personal.Watch or listen to Mary’s first video episode of Weld Said with David Seligman.To learn more about David Seligman or contact his campaign, visit seligmanforag.com. David is a democratic candidate and will face several others in the primary elections on Tuesday, June 30th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Who Does Justice Protect?
In advance of the Colorado Democratic and Republican primaries, we are inviting candidates to talk more about who they are and what they believe in. We welcome any candidates who reach out to speak with us. We don’t focus on policy issues, because you can find those elsewhere. We hope you find these conversations insightful into the people behind the issues. On this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Michael Dougherty, Boulder County District Attorney and candidate for Colorado Attorney General, for a conversation about justice, public service, power, and the people most affected by the systems meant to protect us.Mary approaches the conversation from a place she often returns to on Weld Said: the lives of working people, vulnerable people, and people who do not always have power when institutions make decisions about them. Victims deserve safety, protection, and accountability. But what happens when the person caught in the system is also poor, young, undocumented, working class, or someone who made a mistake and still deserves a chance to repair the harm and move forward?In this conversation, Mary and Michael talk about the difference between justice and punishment, whether mercy and accountability can coexist, and how public officials can rebuild trust when communities feel ignored or betrayed. They also discuss immigrant protections, consumer scams, water rights, environmental justice, workers’ rights, gun violence, and what it means for the Attorney General to serve as the lawyer for the people of Colorado.This is a conversation about the law, but it is also about broken systems, public trust, and the kind of Colorado we want to build for people who have been harmed, people who need protection, and people who deserve not to be defined forever by their worst day. To learn more about Michael Dougherty or contact his campaign, visit michaelforag.com. Michael is a democratic candidate and will face several others in the primary elections on Tuesday, June 30th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
The Appointed One: Getting to Know Ward I’s New City Council Representative
On this episode of Weld Said, Mary Metzger sits down with Craig Huddleston, Greeley’s newly appointed Ward 1 city councilmember.Because Huddleston was appointed rather than elected, many residents may still be wondering who he is, what brought him to Greeley, and how he thinks about the community he now represents. This conversation offers a first glimpse into how he intends to represent Ward I. Mary and Craig talk about Greeley’s growth, working people, wages, the trades, local jobs, and what opportunity can look like for the people who already live here. They also discuss the Catalyst/Cascadia project, the breakdown in trust between city hall and some community members, and the ongoing conversation around a Community Benefit Agreement.The episode also touches on access to city programs, the cost of participation for families, poverty prevention, and the importance of listening to people who are directly affected by city decisions.Listen to hear more about Craig’s background, his perspective on Ward 1, and how he is thinking through some of the biggest questions facing Greeley right now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Books, Dragons, and Building Community in Downtown Greeley
What makes a community feel like home?In this episode of Weld Said, Mary Metzger talks with Pablo about growing up in Greeley, traveling the world, building businesses, and staying connected to the community that shaped him.Their conversation touches on downtown Greeley, entrepreneurship, books, travel, and the changes that come with a growing city. It's a conversation about the people, places, and experiences that help create a sense of belonging.If you've ever wondered what makes a community thrive, or why some people choose to invest so much of themselves in the places they love, this conversation is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
West Greeley Community Oversight Committee Member, Bob Locke, Asks "Is the Math Mathing?"
This episode was originally recorded Thursday, May 28th, 2026This is a longer episode than usual, but if you’re trying to understand what’s happening with the Catalyst/Cascadia project in west Greeley, it may be one of the most important conversations we’ve released.Mary sits down with West Greeley Citizens Oversight Committee member Bob Locke and local artist and community advocate Megan McBride Kennedy for an in-depth discussion about the proposed development, the project’s finances, public transparency, housing, jobs, community benefits, and what growth should look like in Greeley.Together, they explore questions many residents have been asking:* Does the project make financial sense?* Who benefits from the development?* What risks are taxpayers taking on?* What role should the community play in major decisions?* And ultimately, who is Greeley growing for?Whether you support the project, oppose it, or are still trying to understand the details, this conversation offers an in-depth look at the concerns, hopes, and questions surrounding one of the biggest development proposals in Greeley’s history.This may be the most detailed public conversation we’ve had yet about the Catalyst/Cascadia project and its potential impact on Greeley’s future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
So, Are You Working Class?
I just love Weld Said—podcast host Mary Metzger’s gently spoken but penetrating questions asked of guests who have generously agreed to the vulnerable position of being publicly interviewed. I feel a little thrill every time a new episode appears in my podcast app. But the one aspect of this show that has vexed me is the perpetual twofold question, asked of each guest: “What do you think working class is, and do you identify as working class?”I have felt like it’s almost irresponsible, as there’s never any follow-up to whatever ridiculous thing the guest says.In one episode, a guest said yes, he believes he is working class; he works with his hands. In almost the same breath, he then referenced his au pair, pausing to thoughtfully ask the host if she knew what that was. Another guest emphatically declared that we are all working class if we have jobs. This from a well-to-do woman with an extensive education and a former job in the corporate sector. I wanted to f*****g scream.But there’s got to be a correct answer, right? A reputable, official definition, maybe from a sociologist or venerated-but-controversial economist from the middle of the last century?I’m always in my car, driving the 92 miles to my job (just happy to be here!), listening, and I always make a mental note to do some research on the term.Wikipedia says, “Most common definitions of ‘working class’ … limit its membership to workers who hold blue-collar and pink-collar jobs, or whose income is insufficiently high to place them in the middle class, or both.” The Center for American Progress defines it as “workers without a four-year college degree.” The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare says younger people and socialists use the term to denote anyone who has to work for a living.I guess everybody’s right.So now I think I’m starting to understand Mary’s commitment to asking this question: it’s a kind of litmus test.What are your attitudes about education, socioeconomic status, relationships to labor? Do you think you’re an Average Joe or better than those around you? Do you think any of this matters and if so, how?And it’s a private litmus test for the listener too: what do you think of the guest’s answer?I come from pretty humble roots, but I’ve never known how to categorize myself. My dad went to college, but he was a drastically underpaid schoolteacher on the south side of Chicago. We didn’t have a lot of money, but he was educated. So, what is that?I went to college—lots of it—thanks to generous, need-based government funding and talent-based scholarships that were available back in the 90s. I majored in arts and humanities and earn less than most entry-level high school teachers in Wyoming.I feel supremely uncomfortable around my colleagues, whose families were better off than mine growing up, and I most often relate best to those with less education than me, despite the fact that I work in academia.My frustration with Mary’s question is really about my own class issues, perhaps laced with the guilt of having been lucky enough to pursue my interests and create meaningful work for myself in adulthood.I want to think of myself as working class, but I’m probably kind of… not.Some guests on Weld Said seem not to want to call themselves working class. Is that a status issue? Those who do really don’t seem to fit the general vibe; is that a desire to be relatable?And what does the title “working class” mean if it can mean anything at all?In this day and age, after a solid 50 years of a shrinking middle class and at least 20 years of hearing “affordable higher education” as an oxymoron, what use are these divisive terms?The average American under the age of 65 has a median bank account balance of $8,000 across checking, savings, and money market accounts. That’s a financial cushion which could so easily be obliterated by one medical emergency.I don’t know what class that implies, but it’s a painful truth more of us have in common than we realize.And if you pull on that thread, perhaps the entire fabric of this whole system of socioeconomic categorization unravels.Maybe that was the point of the question all along. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Melissa McDonald on Cascadia, Working Class Greeley & Rebuilding Trust
This week, Mary sits down with Greeley Mayor Pro-Tem Melissa McDonald for an in-depth discussion about the Cascadia development, the Community Oversight Committee, housing affordability, homelessness, economic growth, and the role working-class voices play in shaping the future of Greeley.Melissa reflects on criticism she and City Council have faced, acknowledges communication challenges surrounding the project, and shares why she believes developments like Cascadia are important to Greeley’s future. Along the way, the conversation explores public engagement, water, downtown development, housing solutions, and what it means to serve a community that doesn’t always agree with its leaders.Whether you’re a supporter of Cascadia, a critic of it, or simply trying to understand the debates shaping Greeley, this episode offers an opportunity to hear directly from one of the elected officials helping make those decisions.At a time when many public conversations happen through social media posts, comment sections, and public meetings, we appreciate Melissa McDonald taking the time to sit down for a long-form discussion about some of the most debated issues facing our community. We may not all agree on the answers, but meaningful community conversations begin when people are willing to listen, ask questions, and engage with one another.Listen now on Substack, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Catalyst Project Won’t Save Greeley: A Reality Check
Greeley is staring down the Catalyst Project — with promises of economic growth, better connectivity, and an upgraded quality of life.It’s dressed in ribbon-cutting language: jobs, vibrancy, and revenue capture.Peel back the glitter, and what you get is a plan that mostly lines private pockets, and hands Greeley residents a bill with very few guarantees.The Catalyst Oversight CommitteeMayor Dale Hall framed the committee’s role as a translator between city hall and the wider community.“What we’re trying to find is, somehow, how you can help us translate this information to a community wide understanding.” ~ Greeley Mayor, Dale HallYet the execution has too often looked like posturing.The council has presented itself in a matter that suggests that they alone grasp the complexities of the project, and we the community do not.The job of the committee should be to ask questions, create needed transparency and attempt to mend broken respect, not to manufacture consent and push the project forward as is.The committee could also recommend a community benefit agreement be in place for the project.A community benefit agreement could demand the project provides high paying jobs with benefits, provide transparency for wages and career ladders, implement environmental regulations to protect our land and water, or even determine that portions of the profits be used to sustain community projects.Effective public communication starts by seeking genuine public interest, holding forums where questions matter, sharing clear data in plain language, and acknowledging concerns rather than dismissing them.Instead, the process of the Catalyst Oversight Committee feels driven by an agenda to “make the project look good” and to bamboozle Greeley residents into acceptance, despite consistent opposition requesting the city to pause and listen.Worse, there’s a troubling tone beneath the strategy: an implication that neighboring cities regard Greeley as a second-class place, that must lure wealthy newcomers with heavy incentives, and a narrative that frames Greeley’s own people and housing stock as inadequate.If the city truly wants community support, it must stop talking down to its residents, stop treating public engagement as a PR campaign, and start rebuilding trust by honoring local voices, explaining trade-offs transparently, and designing outcomes that respect the city’s existing character and the people who already call it home.The first Catalyst Oversight Committee meeting was all about the big picture and featured a slideshow called “High Level Overview”, led by John Hall.John Hall is an external consultant and advisor for the city of Greeley; he shifted from a director position to a consultant role in June of 2025.John Hall described the process of negotiating with developers to develop the land west of Greeley.“The question isn’t whether growth will happen, but what kind of growth we choose.”Rather than reacting and letting growth just unfold, Hall argues for a proactive, deliberate approach that influences long term growth in Greeley.Hall explained it was the city that was actively reaching out to developers, to help Greeley proactively grow.In the Catalyst Project the city of Greeley is considering themselves as the Developer, and Water Valley is the fee developer.At the end of the first committee meeting, I was surprised to hear several members say they were not aware of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit LLC that will assume the city’s debt and issue bonds to cover the predevelopment costs and the remainder of the Catalyst project.The Second meeting was kind of about the big picture but was more of a waste of time than anything.At the end of the second meeting the mediator hired to facilitate the committee asked the members to give their opinion on how to present the information to the public so they can better understand how great the project is.The facilitator shows blatant bias by insisting the information had always been public and that people should have “shown up” to the community meetings.She states,“there were council meetings, public meetings that people didn’t go to.”This is false.The community did show up, spoke out and organized only to be ignored by the council.The citizens rallied not once but twice because they were not being heard.The people formed a petition to get Catalyst on the ballot and let the people vote.However, the Catalyst was treated as an administrative rather than legislative matter, and the first petition was dismissed on a technicality.This prompted a second petition aimed at changing zoning to at least temporarily halt the project.Critics say the development was poorly conceived and now appears financially unviable: feasibility studies suggested two anchor tenants, hotel and waterpark occupancy projections were wildly inflated, and overall numbers seem unreasonable.You can’t make people buy into a blatantly bad idea simply by repeating it louder.What Greeley Needs to fix: Perceived mismatch between leadership priorities and community directionOne prominent problem is a pattern of top-down planning— “orchestrating growth” from the top.Instead of genuine community led decision-making.The impact of this has made residents feel sidelined; projects may reflect leaders’ preferences rather than community needs, harming public trust.Instead of building shared ownership, the project has often been presented as a done deal or framed by leaders as the best available future.That makes it harder to craft solutions that match actual local needs and priorities.Community buy-in is critical for long-term success; without it, the project will continue to provoke resistance, delays, or misaligned outcomes.Economic growth and opportunity: for whom?The pitch is simple: more development means more sales tax transitioning to benefit Greeley.However, that logic conflates government receipts with residents’ wellbeing.Sales tax revenue flows to municipal budgets and could decrease the deficit, but this does not automatically translate into better lives for the average Greeley resident.The supposed “economic growth” is largely captured by corporations and outside private equity, not by raising incomes or creating durable, high-quality jobs for locals.With the Catalyst project there is minimal impact and doubtful benefits for residents.the measurable benefits to everyday people in Greeley are likely minimal.If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck in Greeley today, you won’t necessarily be better off because a flashy new complex opened on the outskirts of town.If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck in Greeley today, you won’t necessarily be better off because a flashy new complex opened on the outskirts of town.CBAs provide a replicable, legally enforceable framework for ensuring that public investments yield measurable benefits for historically disadvantaged workers and communities.As worker’s wages go down, many people feel pessimistic about the U.S. economy.Local governments have tried to boost economic growth by giving corporations tax breaks and subsidies to invest locally.However, wealth inequality remains a serious problem, and there are still too few jobs that pay enough to support a family.If the city of Greeley continues to make major investments in private developments, it is essential that these deals include commitments to benefit the public.Organized community members who fight for Community Benefit Agreements have been successful in raising wages for publicly funded projects, for example.The Tennessee Soccer Stadium CBA secured a $15.50 floor for wages back in 2018, they were also able to secure local hiring commitments from high-poverty areas called “Promise Zone residents”, and by 2023, Nashville Soccer Club had hired 180 employees, 80 of whom were Promise Zone residents.The Tennessee Soccer Stadium CBA secured a $15.50 floor for wages back in 2018, they were also able to secure local hiring commitments from high-poverty areas called “Promise Zone residents”, and by 2023, Nashville Soccer Club had hired 180 employees, 80 of whom were Promise Zone residents.CBAs are a mutually beneficial contract for all parties involved.Equitable training and employment opportunities can benefit historically disadvantaged populations, while simultaneously building a workforce pipeline for companies.A Community Benefits Agreement calls for a development funded by public resources to deliver concrete economic benefits for Greeley residents through binding, enforceable commitments in the development agreement.Specific requirements include a minimum 50% local-hiring target for all construction and operational jobs tied to the project.Living-wage standards with full benefits for all project-related employment.Implementation of state-registered apprenticeship programs that prioritize Greeley youth, workforce development participants, and previously incarcerated residents.Allocation of at least 20% of procurement spending to Greeley-based businesses, and provision of affordable commercial space reserved for Greeley startups, artists, and small businesses.Higher local hiring and living wages increase household income, reduce unemployment, and expand the tax base.This approach would benefit Greeley by keeping public investment and the economic gains it produces within the community.Higher local hiring and living wages increase household income, reduce unemployment, and expand the tax base.Apprenticeship and re-entry-focused training build long-term workforce capacity and reduce recidivism.Local procurement and affordable commercial space stimulate small-business growth, preserve creative and entrepreneurial ecosystems, and help diversify the local economy.Binding, written commitments ensure these outcomes are measurable and accountable, preventing promises from evaporating once construction begins and ensuring the city’s residents truly share in the project’s economic return.With an influx of higher-end housing aimed at regional demand, Greeley risks further inflation of property prices and rents.Housing and property values: who benefits?Developers and local officials talk about “growth,” “opportunity,” and “economic development.”But when you scratch the surface of the proposals being pushed with Greeley taxpayer dollars, a troubling picture emerges, much of what’s being built won’t serve Greeley residents.When the primary beneficiaries are non-residents, we must ask whether taxpayers in Greeley are getting a fair return on their investment.This could be a loss for local renters and homeowners.With an influx of higher-end housing aimed at regional demand, Greeley risks further inflation of property prices and rents.I have heard repeatedly from Greeley City council and during the Catalyst Oversight Committee meetings that Greeley is becoming a housing shed for Colorado, where only commuters live here.Rural farmers, working class people, and immigrants have made this city their home from its founding.By driving up the housing prices the city is effectively driving those people out.I am concerned that this is why the council is so eager to push the catalyst project through, as housing prices increase property taxes will also increase and the city will generate more revenue.When houses aren’t affordable, lower income families are forced to leave.A Community Benefits Agreement would call for legally binding, deed-restricted affordable housing protections tied to Greeley’s actual Area Median Income (AMI) of $68,650, not national or developer-calculated figures.It could require 50% of all new housing units within a 10-mile radius of the Cascadia development to be set aside for low- and moderate-income residents, with those commitments written directly into the development agreement (no voluntary pledges).Affordability definitions must reflect Greeley AMI.Prioritize existing Greeley residents and households on local housing waiting lists.Furthermore, prevention grants should be established with specified funding amounts to protect residents facing displacement from Cascadia-driven rent or value increases.Lastly, a property tax relief program with defined dollar caps and eligibility thresholds could be created for longtime Greeley homeowners experiencing higher assessments linked to the development.Property tax relief for long-time homeowners preserves community continuity, reducing the risk that rising assessments force out established residents.Implementing these measures would stabilize neighborhoods, prevent displacement, and ensure the benefits of large-scale development accrue to current Greeley residents rather than pricing them out.Binding, deed-restricted units and use of local AMI make affordability enforceable and tailored to local incomes, while resident priority and eviction-prevention funding protect vulnerable households during market shifts.Property tax relief for long-time homeowners preserves community continuity, reducing the risk that rising assessments force out established residents.Altogether, a CBA would promote inclusive growth that balances new investment with the city’s social and economic stability.We’ve seen too many promises broken.A legally binding CBA with enforcement mechanisms means developers can’t walk away from their commitments.CBAs shift power from developers to communities.When development happens in our neighborhoods, we deserve a say in what benefits we receive.Right now, Greeley has an affordable housing problem, imagine if Greeley followed suit from other CBA’s for stadiums like in Tennessee, where they negotiated 20% of developed units rented at affordable rates, and at least 20% of affordable units must have 3+ bedrooms to accommodate families.Negotiations like these can ensure that no Greeley resident is displaced.Growth and development aren’t inherently bad.Thoughtful projects can revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs, and expand opportunities.But we must be honest about who benefits.If Greeley taxpayers are being asked to fund development that mainly serves developers, and other non-residents, that’s a raw deal.Residents demand transparency, accountability, and projects that prioritize our community, not just the bottom line for outside buyers and developers.Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support GFP’s work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Episode 8 | The Holistic Gem in the Heart of Greeley
There’s something very Greeley about this episode.Mary sits down with Jennifer Mongan, owner of the Academy of Natural Therapy in downtown Greeley, to talk about working class life, chronic pain, caregiving, and the ways our bodies carry stress long before we realize it.The Academy has been teaching massage therapy and holistic wellness for nearly four decades and has recently added an esthetician modality for its students. But this conversation goes far beyond the classroom.Together, Jennifer and Mary discuss how healing doesn’t always come from the places we might be told to look. Sometimes it comes through massage therapy, acupuncture, posture correction, breathing, herbs, community care, or simply someone reminding you to slow down and breathe.They also explore what it means to be working class in Greeley, why so many people live with pain they think they just have to accept, and how community support often becomes the real medicine when life gets hard.From chronic pain and autoimmune struggles to caregiving, kids’ posture, and the importance of helping people before crisis hits, this episode is a reminder that wellness is bigger than prescription, it’s about how we care for ourselves and each other.Listener Note: Discussions of health, wellness, and healing in this episode reflect personal perspectives and should not be taken as medical advice or an endorsement of any specific treatment or product. Please consult a qualified medical professional when considering treatment options. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Ep. 7 | "The People, The Project, The Future" with Deb DeBoutez
This week on Weld Said, Mary is away handling a family emergency, so Jennifer and Megan step in for a conversation with Greeley City Council Member Deb DeBoutez.Deb shares her path to Greeley, from single motherhood and community organizing to city government and public service, and reflects on what it means to serve a city while staying connected to the everyday realities people face.We talk about parks, housing, public trust, and of course, Cascadia, what the project means for Greeley, how the city got here, the growing financial concerns, and why community oversight matters. We also discuss the idea of a Community Benefit Agreement and what that could look like for future development in Greeley.Throughout the episode, one question keeps coming up: who gets to shape a city, and how do people stay part of that process?Because Greeley’s future works best when the people who live here have a voice in it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
🎧 Weld Said | Episode 6 | Greeley Garden Club Leaders Talk 70 Years of Growing for Community
When people talk about growth in Greeley, they usually mean new buildings, big projects, and development.But there’s another kind of growth happening here too.In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Mary Fagerberg - one of the founding members of the Greeley Morning Garden Club - and current president Deb Martinez to talk about nearly 70 years of tending gardens, building community, and showing up for the city in a quieter way.At 99 years old, Mary Fagerberg is still connected to the work she helped begin in 1956. Her efforts are a reminder that some of the most meaningful contributions to a community don’t come quickly, and don’t stop after a season.Together, they share stories of the gardens they care for, the people they’ve impacted, and why growing things (literally) still matters.🌸 Upcoming Events🌿 Plant & Bake Sale📅 May 9, 2026🕗 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM📍 Sanborn Park, GreeleyA longtime community favorite, this annual sale features vegetables, annuals, perennials, and—new this year—native plants to support water-conscious gardening. Proceeds fund local garden projects and community beautification efforts.🌷 Greeley Garden Tour📅 June 20, 2026🕗 8:00 AM – 2:00 PMTour five private gardens across Greeley and see the creativity and care happening in backyards and neighborhoods throughout the city. Tickets are $15 and available online and at select local businesses.🔗 http://greeleygardenclub.com🌿 Did You Know? The work of the Greeley Morning Garden Club can be seen throughout Greeley and Evans, in spaces both visible and quietly tucked into neighborhoods.Some of the gardens they help care for include:* Centennial Library Circle Garden* Pearl Usher’s Memorial Garden at Madison STEAM Academy* Anna Stead Memorial Garden in Evans (Southmore Park)* Linn Grove Cemetery gardens, including the estuary, Soldier Field star, and Mary’s Garden* Guadalupe Community Center vegetable garden, where food is grown for community useThey’ve also supported gardening efforts across the city through grants, tools, and partnerships - helping others start and sustain their own growing spaces.🌱 Why It MattersThere’s a version of Greeley that gets talked about all the time—growth, development, what’s coming next.And then there’s the version that’s already here.The one held together by people who show up without recognition. Who plant, weed, water, and care for spaces most of us pass by without thinking twice.For decades, much of that work has been carried by women like Mary Fagerberg and the members of the Greeley Morning Garden Clubn- quietly shaping the look and feel of this city.They are part of the heart of Greeley.And like many things that matter, their work doesn’t continue on its own.It needs new hands. New energy. A new generation willing to step in, learn it, and carry it forward. If you’re interested in learning more about the club, visit the website and show up for the next meeting or event! 🌱 Photo Gallery from 70th AnniversaryWe didn’t get our episode out in time for the 70th Anniversary Party, but we’re sharing a few photos here from the event. The first photo is Fagerberg from many years ago. Second photo includes our guests Mary and Deb. The rest are a few of the items that were on display at the celebration. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
A Savior Complex Masquerading as Revolution
Savior complex masquerading as revolution.I keep circling back to something that feels like a paradox. Many Indigenous leaders and community organizers call for slow, structural, and peaceful change not because they lack urgency, but because they understand the cost of upheaval. Their communities have already survived too much to risk another kind of war, even one dressed up as liberation.And yet, there are those who believe the system is too broken to wait. That peaceful means have failed. That urgency justifies force. That they are fighting for the very people who have suffered the most.This is where the dissonance lives for me.Because somewhere in that urgency, I feel a loss of listening. A shift where empathy is replaced by ideology. Where the desire to fix things overrides the need for consent. Where people begin to move ahead without bringing others with them, especially the very people they claim to stand for.That kind of “help” starts to echo the same patterns it’s trying to dismantle.If we are not careful, revolution becomes another form of control. Another version of oppression, just wearing different clothes.I want to do this work. I want to show up, organize, and be part of change. But I also want to be deeply aware of how I show up.Not to dictate. Not to impose. Not to center myself.To listen.To ask.To follow the lead of those most impacted.To sit in discomfort instead of rushing to action that may cause more harm.Because burning everything down might feel powerful, but it can also leave the most vulnerable with even less.Real change, I think, asks more of us than urgency. It asks for humility. Patience. Relationship. Trust.A friend once told me something simple that has stayed with me: bring people along, don’t step over them.And it reshaped how I move in the world.So I come back to what I’ve always told my grandchildren:When you know better, do better.Right now, for me, that means unlearning.It means listening more than speaking.It means doing the work in a way that makes people feel seen and heard.Not in a way that serves me.But in a way that serves them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Episode 5 | Brian Rudy on Greeley’s Biggest Issues
In this episode of Weld Said, host Mary Metzger sits down with Greeley City Council member Brian Rudy for a wide-ranging conversation about some of the most pressing issues facing the community right now.The discussion explores how many of Greeley’s biggest challenges are interconnected. From the ongoing JBS strike and questions around worker safety, to immigration and ICE concerns, housing and renters’ rights, policing, homelessness, water, and the future of major developments like the Cascadia/Catalyst project and the proposed data center.Rudy shares his perspective on what it means to be working class, how he approaches his role on City Council, and what he believes community members can do to have their voices heard. At the same time, the conversation acknowledges a broader reality: many residents across Greeley are experiencing these issues differently than how they are often understood at the city level.Rather than aiming for easy answers, this episode focuses on creating space for a candid, community-centered conversation about power, policy, responsibility, and trust and what it means to show up for the place you call home.We hope you enjoy this conversation. You’re welcome to share your feedback as a comment here, on YouTube, or on our social platforms. This episode was recorded on Thursday, April 2nd, 2026 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Episode Four | The JBS Strike and How Greeley Is Showing Up for Its Working Class
In Weld County, thousands of people go to work every day doing jobs most of us never see.Right now, many of them are standing outside instead.Workers at JBS are on strike - calling for safer conditions, fair pay, and basic dignity. But beyond the headlines, this story is about something else, too: how a community shows up.In this episode, we talk with Jen - an organizer, an advocate, and the daughter of a longtime plant worker - about what’s happening on the ground. From early morning picket lines to family ties inside the plant, this is a closer look at the people at the center of the strike.Because this isn’t just about work.It’s about what it takes to get by.And what it looks like when people stand together.If you’d like to be a guest on Weld Said, send a message to our editors. Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
What Happens When the System Gets it Wrong?
In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Jesus Molina Harrow to talk about an experience that never should have happened.During his senior year of high school, Jesus was arrested in Greeley for a warrant that wasn’t his, spending hours in jail with no clear explanation and no support afterward.What follows is a conversation about what that experience does to a person - mentally, socially, and emotionally - and the bigger question it raises: what accountability and care should exist when the system gets it wrong? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said | Episode Two | How a Near-Death Experience Changed the Way a Greeley Activist Sees Community
In Episode 2 of "Weld Said," Mary Metzger sits down with community member Johan Lindig for a thoughtful conversation about surviving a life-threatening illness, caregiving, and how those experiences can reshape the way we show up in our communities.They also discuss civic engagement, the realities of working-class life, and why understanding how local government works matters for everyday people in Weld County.Weld Said features conversations with community members about the issues, ideas, and lived experiences shaping life in Weld County, Colorado. But I think the more you get comfortable with being uncomfortable Yeah. The better life is. Yeah. Because you, you are not sitting in complacency of life and you, um, miss a lot of the beautiful things that are in the mess of life that, you know, there’s so much joy in the mess, even in these moments where you feel like everything’s falling apart.You see people in a different light. Yeah. And it gives you hope that things can change.Thanks for listening! This post is public so feel free to share it.Interested in being a guest on a future episode? Reach out and join the conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com
Weld Said |Episode One | Having an E-Tiffany
Welcome to the very first episode of "Weld Said" with host Mary Metzger!In this episode, Mary sits down with Greeley community member Tiffany Simmons for a thoughtful conversation about local leadership, working-class realities, healing, and the future of our community."Weld Said" features conversations with people across Weld County about the issues, ideas, and stories shaping Colorado’s fastest-growing county.“ Here’s a fun trick when dealing with challenging people, when we can recognize that underneath that tough exterior is actually just a hurt little kid, is someone who has been through life experiences that have brought them to that point.It allows us to have more compassion for them. Um, I don’t know that I have ever met someone that I have sat down and I have talked to that I haven’t felt connected to and haven’t been able to have empathy for…”Tiffany SimmonsShare this Podcast! Interested in being a guest on the show? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out and share your story.#WeldSaid #WeldCounty #Greeley #CommunityVoices #Colorado This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com