Recalling the former governor’s years

Stephen Woody

The Notebook

Colorado’s punditry is atwitter at recalling the “Owens years” of late. Gov. Bill Ritter was sworn in today; the former governor, Bill Owens, is now a private citizen again. One more Owens story.

I first met him in the summer of ’98, when he was running for governor the first time, and he stopped into the Daily Press office. It was lunchtime, and the front-counter personnel had disappeared for whatever reason, and the office was quiet. My office then was up in the front, and I could hear someone breathing, shuffling. He was standing alone. It was odd, in that candidates usually have a posse with them.

“You look like Bill Owens,” I said upon greeting. He laughed and we struck up a conversation.

As it turned out, we knew some of the same people in east Texas. He was a graduate of Stephen F. Austin College in Nacogdoches. (It’s not everyday you run into someone who knows Phyllis Meisenheimer from Marshall, and is running for governor.) We talked of a mutual love, baseball, and finally got around to politics. What was refreshing: it was a one-on-one conversation. No aides lurking about, answering cell phones, taking notes, planning the next meeting. (Owens, incidentally, was the guest speaker, when he was state treasurer, at the very first Uncompahgre Valley Business Expo, sponsored by the Daily Press and the Chamber).

Later, Gov. Owens came to Montrose and always with a phalanx of staff. One of his visits coincided with the Notebook’s 50th birthday, and was a treat. Another time, he came to the Montrose Pavilion to sell Referendums C&D. His charisma, his initiative was the primary reason Referendum C, a political risk, passed. One impression always: the guy sure looked like he enjoyed being governor.

He was effective, respected and will likely be back in public service one day.