Chapter Elections

Your Vote Counts!

It is time once again to cast your ballot for members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter Executive Committee (ex-com). All Sierra Club members in the Rocky Mountain Chapter, which includes the entire state of Colorado, are eligible to vote. The ex-com consists of one delegate from each of the 14 groups and seven at-large delegates. Group delegates are selected by the group executive committee, and at-large delegates are elected by the general membership for two-year terms. The ex-com determines environmental positions and budget priorities, oversees chapter committees and local groups and conducts the general business of the chapter.

This year there are four openings on the ex-com and eight candidates, Steve Glazer, Gary Lane, David Mastronarde, Donna Murphy, Barry Satlow, Jean Smith, Sherri Valentine and Roger Wendell. Please cast your vote(s) on the enclosed ballot. You may vote for up to four candidates. If you have a joint membership, there are two boxes beside each nominee's name, and each of you may vote for up to four candidates. If your ballot is missing or if you have any questions about the procedure, please call the chapter office at (303) 861-8819.

The candidates' statements follow, in random order. Thanks for participating!


SHERRI VALENTINE

As we increasingly face challenges to our environment and environmental values, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and ineffective. When we join together to educate ourselves and others, we effect results which can and do make positive, long-term differences. As we learn more about the world around us, we all make better choices impacting our future. As Sierra Club, I see our role as teaching that there are better ways and why.

My experience with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Sierra Club has included: Member, Rachel Carson Group Executive Committee; Member, Rocky Mountain Chapter Political Committee; Chapter Spokesperson, Sheep Mountain Quarry; Chair, Front Range Mountain Backdrop Project Committee; Vice-Chair, Rocky Mountain Chapter Executive Committee.

If elected I will continue to do my best to help protect the earth, her flora and fauna, by "walking my talk" because I sincerely believe that everything IS "hitched to everything else in the universe" (quoting John Muir). Thank you for your vote.


DONNA MURPHY

Hello, I'm Donna Murphy from Canon City. I can time my Sierra Club involvement with the birth of my eleven year old son. The world is ours, on loan from our children. We have to take care of it. Sierra Club is one of the most diverse, caring organizations with the goal of stewardship of the earth.

I resigned from the Ex-Comm when I was appointed county commissioner for 1996, but remained active with the Sangre de Cristo Group. I have been serving on the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area's Citizen Task Force, the BLM's Front Range Resource Advisory Council, and the Upper Arkansas Watershed Council, in addition to local involvement and writing an environmental column for the town newspaper.

Environment, Politics, Economy, Social Justice. It is all hitched to each other, just as John Muir said. I ask for your vote to work for and with you.


JEAN SMITH

As an Executive Committee member, my 20 years experience in non-profit fund raising, training and organizational strengthening, as well as five years of leadership in Enos Mills Group and the Chapter, will help build a diverse environmental agenda and strong support of local Groups and their programs. Since 1994, I have coordinated volunteer mappers, many from Sierra Club, who are identifying areas in the Upper Arkansas and South Platte watersheds for a network of habitat reserves. This effort brings together many themes - protecting remaining roadless areas and riparian corridors, designating Wilderness, dealing with increasing motorized recreation, protecting native species, and Citizens' Management Alternatives for US Forest and BLM, among others - themes which are an integral part of Sierra Club's legacy for future generations. I will help keep public lands issues as a strong component of the Rocky Mountain Chapter's mission.


STEVE GLAZER

I have been the Chapter Water Resources Committee Chair for two and a half years and attend the Chapter Conservation Committee meetings in that capacity. Two years ago, the Chapter appointed me delegate to the Southwest Regional Conservation Committee and I was recently elected Vice Chair of SWRCC. At the beginning of this year, I was asked by SWRCC and the (National) Board of Directors to chair the newly-formed Colorado River Task Force. I bring with me six years of experience of serving on the Board of Directors of High Country Citizens' Alliance as our Water Quantity/Quality Program Coordinator. For 5 years I have been a member of the Colorado Water Quality Forum and serve on an advisory committee to the Water Quality Control Commission. I look forward to adding my skills and expertise to the diversity of perspectives needed on the Chapter ExComm.


DAVID MASTRONARDE

I have served on the Chapter Executive Committee for the past three years, first as Chapter Vice-Chair, then as Chapter Chair for two years. During this time, I have assumed responsibility for many aspects of the management of the Chapter. I was recently named Chapter Leader of the Year in recognition of my contributions, which include making our meetings more effective and congenial, getting the Chapter's finances onto a more sound footing, and helping to resolve disagreements among activists. My term as Chair will thankfully soon be over, but I expect to continue overseeing the financial affairs of the Chapter. If elected, I can provide experience and continuity to the Chapter Executive Committee. Please vote for me.


GARY LANE

I have the two most important qualifications for an Executive Committee candidate: the time to devote to the Rocky Mountain Sierra Club and the sincere desire to serve the cause of preserving our natural environment. My professional legal experience includes working on environmental issues at the state and national levels. Examples of my local involvement are representing the Ute Pass Preservation Committee in its successful efforts to preserve a scenic trail near a proposed gravel pit outside Colorado Springs and founding, with other activists, the El Paso County Green Party.

As a member of the Executive Committee I would work to achieve three primary goals: First, the preservation of existing wilderness and natural ecosystems, second, maintaining the health of our natural resources; and third, improving opportunities for all citizens to enjoy our natural heritage consistent with the other goals.


BARRY SATLOW

Conservation battles are fought both inside and outside the Club. I led the successful fight against a proposed hydro-electric plant on Boulder open space. Working on urban sprawl, I helped draft growth control initiatives in several communities. As an incumbent chapter ex-com member and delegate to national Council of Club Leaders, I want to continue work on key national proposals for funding, staff reorganization and uniform staff pay severely affecting our chapter. I am active in chapter fundraising and budget and will volunteer to assist the treasurer.

Co-editor of Peak & Prairie; won chapter distinguished service award. Former chapter vice-chair, acting political chair, negotiator for Wild & Scenic North St. Vrain. Former Indian Peaks Group (Boulder) chair, treasurer, newsletter editor, chair of Political Action for Conservation. Attorney for W-470 Concerned Citizens in W-470 election suit; on Colorado and Boulder ACLU boards.


ROGER J WENDELL

During our own short lives we are each witnessing the ruin of nearly 4 billion years of organic evolution. The wonderful array and variety of life that graces our planet is being plundered, fragmented, and decimated in the name of human greed and indifference.

In my own way I've attempted to slow the destruction by committing myself to the environmental cause. My personal efforts have included time at public hearings, logging blockades, grazing protests, and countless letter writing campaigns.

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Created on 18-Sep-1997 at 21:56:42