On January 2, 1999, Dr. William Utlaut retired as Director of the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) in Boulder, after 48 years of distinguished federal service. His responsibilities included the management of the Table Mountain research facility. Dr. Utlaut gave a fascinating description of the scientific activity on the mesa at the first membership program of the Table Mountain Association last August.

On March 18, I had a cordial meeting with Val O'Day, who is serving as Acting Director of ITS since Dr. Utlaut's retirement. He assured me that he wanted the Table Mountain facility to continue to be a good neighbor to the surrounding area. He has recently affirmed with the NIST police in Boulder that they have no requirement for a gun range on Table Mountain, and it is not his intention to open the site in the foreseeable future.

He confirmed that the recent military activity on the mesa was a cooperative effort with the army to dig trenches to lay fiber optic cable used in research activities. He is unaware of any reason for the recent spate of low helicopter flights, and has been unable to determine their source.

Prior to being appointed Acting Director, Mr. O'Day served as the Executive Officer of ITS in Boulder and provided operational and administrative oversight and management of a wide array of ITS technical programs. From 1976 until 1980 Mr. O'Day was with the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. He is an Adjunct Professor at Regis University.

Val lives in Boulder with his wife Kathryn and their three sons.

I look forward to working with him.

Jim Mays, 303-444-8058, jsmays @concentric.net