The tank with two mounted 40 mm guns pointing down the parade route is owned by Bill Koch, a billionaire energy magnate who also owns Oxbow Mining Co., Gunnison Energy Corp. and a growing list of ranches around Delta, Pitkin and Gunnison counties. Koch is the brother of Charles and David Koch, who are known for their hugh financial support of conservative causes.

Fighting Koch's theft of our public access to public lands, the obvious political power he has by hiring an increasing number of our population, his expansion efforts to build another coal mine affecting a number of organic farms and vineyards, and the general presence of his paranoid selfness in our beautiful environment are making our lives interesting to say the least. I must admit that his stewardship of the Oxbow Coal mine is positive as he has upgraded and improved the working environment of many miners and is a large economic factor for our otherwise struggling economy, improving the lives of many people I am friends with. However, his arrogance and lack of respect for the diverse nature of our community make us feel like there is a stink in the air. His presence is also secondary to the fight to stop gas/fracking well spread over 30,000 acres of our precious land.