As a supporter of Jefferson County's Open Space, I gladly signed the petition to put the proposed Rooney Valley open space corridor land swap to the electors of Lakewood. I believed it was the best way to make sure all the facts were available to make this decision. Starting with an open mind, after some research I have become a strong advocate of the proposed land swap.

I have also become disillusioned with the petition process because the leaders of the opposition have produced a steady barrage of misinformation and negative innuendo in their campaign.

They claim that the proposed open space corridor is a "ditch" or a "canyon" that makes it of little value for development or open space, while, in truth, it is mostly flat, gently sloping, and ideal for an open space park connecting other open space areas.

The campaign claims that the "real wildlife corridor traverses down the very land that we are giving away" (lakewoodvoter.com). This is obviously not true. It is neither the "real" wildlife corridor nor is it being given away. A casual visit to the area can verify this.

The campaign infers that the City Manager, City Council, the developer, and homeowners adjacent to the proposed open space have conspired against the people for personal gain. They support this position by such statements as "our City officials have broken the law" (lakewoodvoter.com) and "We should not be swindling away our parks because our City is looking out for the developers' interests instead of our community's" (lakewoodvoter.com). A review of the Rooney Valley Joint Masterplan, July 30, 2002, shows that a great deal of effort has been put into planning the entire area so that when it is developed, the outcome will be the best for the citizens of our area.

It concerns me that some Lakewood voters will be influenced by the misinformation of this negative campaign, and that the decision will not be based on factual, rational thinking. Therefore, if I had to do it over, I would not sign the petition.

Please visit the area and investigate the facts for yourself; then vote YES for Referendum 1.