Bailey Big Brother

I love the town and the people of Bailey.  Tucked away in a valley, surrounded by beautiful wooded mountains, with the Platte River running right through town - it's an absolutely gorgeous setting.  I also love that this is a real community where everyone knows each other by their first name, and where people really help each other out.  We are here to stay, and God is going to build a brand new community of people - many of whom are still far from Him today. We want to bless Bailey by re-opening an historic country store, and create a space where people can not only buy groceries without having to drive 15 miles away, but where they feel loved and cared for at the same time.

 If I'm really honest, however, some days I feel like I'm living in a small town episode of the Twilight Zone - eyes peering out of every shuttered window, glaring at the "newcomer".  Call me paranoid, but I know for a fact that someone, or several people, watch everything that we do in or around the store - looking for some reason to report us to the authorities.   As of yesterday afternoon, we are now shut-out of the building for which we have a legal lease.  But to explain the bizarre nature of how we ended up here, I need to go through the chronology of events. 

1. Last Wednesday:  We were paid a visit by the county building inspector.  He blessed us with a red tag Notice of Violation because we did not have a permit to remodel the store.  He cited - as his rationale that we are remodeling - the fact that "shelves were moved around" and "there are things that were here that aren't here now".  I guess permits are required if a tenant wants to throw away garbage and scrap old fridges and freezers.  As he left, John said that he'd already received three phone calls about us that day (complaints) that prompted him to come by.  He also casually mentioned that his sister-in-law owns the coffee shop across the road.  Hmmm... we're also trying to open a coffee shop. 

2.  Two hours later:  A deputy sheriff pulled up, saying that he'd received a call that "people are in the building".  We talked for a few minutes, and turns out he's a big fan of the Journey Church - so ended that conversation.  He agreed that we had every right to be in the building

3.  Two days later, county building inspector comes by again - this time because I was showing my men's group around the store after breakfast.  "Got a complaint that you have a work crew in here".  Work crew?? What - do you just hang out down the street and wait for a complaint?  He's the only inspector in all of Park County, but he always seems 5 minutes away.

4.  Last Wednesday: I'm trying to fix the fuel pump on my truck and i get a call from the State Health Inspector - stating that they'd had a complaint about the sign in the store window: "Free Asbestos - inquire within".  "It's a joke" I said.  Apparently, the State of Colorado has no sense of humor.  He looked through the window and determined that we "likely" have a major asbestos spill - and wrote up an inspection report.

5.  Next day:  My favorite county building inspector shows up yet once more, saying he'd received a complaint that there are people in our building.  "The State Health Inspector says no one can be in this building".  Another call to the health inspector:  yes, your building is a veritable toxic waste zone, and you have to vacate.  Wow, all this based on hearsay and rumors, and zero proof that we even have any asbestos at all.  I call him back and leave a message:  I want a list of all the businesses in this community that you've shut down based on heresay and rumors."

6.  Yesterday:  State health guy returns my call and backs off of his "vacate the building" statement.  "I'm just concerned about the safety of everyone involved.  You've got a serious asbestos risk there."  All the current research states that it takes 15-20 years of occupational exposure to friable asbestos to contract mesothelioma.  But according to Park County and the State of Colorado, one whiff and you're as good as dead. 

So, Gwyn and I moved our office supplies back into the country store.  We'll both be working in Has-mat suits and respirators until further notice.

My latest sign in the window of the store:  "We are grateful to our county building inspector and our state health inspector for helping us to be both safe and legal in our remodeling.  To all other concerned Bailey residents: we've already contacted the CIA, FBI and NSA to keep them informed of our progress... just in case you're wondering."