PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
by JIM SWIFT - TMA Board President
It's approaching two years since many of us met at the Altona Grange Hall to protest a proposal by the sheriff of Boulder County to place a gun practice range on the top of Table Mountain. The Table Mountain Association was established shortly thereafter with a mission to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with the Department of Commerce's management of Table Mountain; to seek to preserve, protect and enhance the unique quality of the rural life of our community; and to facilitate communication among residents of the area.
The association is now incorporated by the State of Colorado, presently has a twelve member Board of Directors, and a large voluntary membership from throughout the Table Mountain area. With the help of its many members the association's board has, so far, successfully prevented the placement of a gun practice range on the top of Table Mountain. Moreover, under the fine leadership of our first president, Jim Mays, we have established ongoing cooperative relationships with the Department of Commerce's management of Table Mountain. (Please see the article in this issue).
We continue to work for our second mission. Presently, for example, we are working with appropriate authorities in Longmont to seek to curtail an increase in air traffic and low flying planes in our region. In addition, we are monitoring development proposals for our area that the board deems to be inappropriate for our area's quality of life. (Please see article in this issue)
The major emphasis of this newsletter seeks to further the association's third mission, to encourage communication among and to provide opportunities for social activities for area residents. Therefore, you will find a members inventory page in this newsletter soliciting your response regarding activities and issues of interest and concern to you. In addition, we would appreciate your renewing your last year's membership, if you forgot to do so by last October. We also encourage those of you who have not joined the association to do so. Membership dues are $5.00 per family. The activities of the association are paid for by memberships and with the profits from the annual Grange Rummage Sale in October. Please take time to complete the brief questionnaire and then send it and your membership dues to me at the address at the bottom of the inventory page.
Your board meets the second Tuesday evening of each month at a board member's home. You are welcome to attend. Please give me or another member of the board a call in advance of your attendance so that we may be able to estimate the number planning to attend. We welcome your interest in work of the board of the association for all area residents. By the way, you are welcome to join the board and share the work!
Let me finish this column with a statement of appreciation to Jim Mays, our first president. Jim's professional talents and community commitment were invaluable in working with other members of the first board to establish the Table Mountain Association for the benefit of all Table Mountain area residents. Thank you Jim!