In Praise of Gay Cappis

For the last two years I've pretty much withdrawn from the world, and certainly the political and administrative world of county politics. Throat cancer, a hernia, Covid and now prostate cancer -- my focus has been on my own healing. In hiding. Thus, itki was only yesterday I learned of the passing of one of the most important women I've ever met. 

I can't begin to tell you how much Gay Cappis inspired me. Her philosophy of local government was with me for the entire 20 years I served as San Miguel County Commissioner. She taught me that as an elected official you worked to make the laws fit the citizens, not to force the citizens to fit laws -- particularly those that made no provision for reasonable exceptions. In some places that could have meant the "good old boy" system of favoring friends. But in San Miguel County Gay favored everyone. 

As a newcomer to the county forty years ago I experienced first-hand her ability to find a way to register a car with title problems or get an important license, even if a crucial piece of the requirements couldn't exactly be met. Little things in the perspective of government, but huge things for newcomers struggling to make ends meet. Gay found a way to help every person that came through the San Miguel County Clerk's door -- not to break the laws, but to bend them as far as reasonably possible. Her motto was: For the people. First!

I was so impressed I endeavored to follow her example for as long as I was in office. To serve the people and to uphold the law, in that order. But my mere two decades as a commissioner were no match for the number of years she gave to public service. Always with a smile and with infallible good humor. 

In my mind Gay Cappis will always be remembered as the very best model of a true public servant.