Letter: What is Club 20?

Dear Editor:
We at Club 20 are pleased to have been included in your news report on the Rio Blanco County Commissioners’ meeting in Rangely Sept. 18. You reported that RBC commissioner, Si Woodruff, told the board Reed Kelley had been “nominated to represent RBC at Club 20 as a voting member.” We would like to add further detail.
Club 20 is an independent, membership driven organization. Members include the 22 western Colorado counties, over 70 western Colorado municipalities, corporations, businesses, special districts, associations and individuals. Club 20 was founded in 1953 when our primary concern was to get more attention and funding for highways in western Colorado – trying to get our highways paved and better maintained. Today our mission has grown to being the “Voice of the Western Slope” on many issues.
Active Club 20 efforts now include rural communications, attempting to streamline public notification and communication systems for first responders on a region-wide basis, water protection, public lands management and sage grouse conservation.
Club 20 policies are developed and reviewed through 10 policy committees, and approved by our board of directors. Our executive director and staff are then empowered to advocate for Club 20 policy. Current Club 20 committees are health care, telecommunications, education, business affairs, transportation, tourism, water, energy, agriculture and public lands/natural resources. The committees meet twice a year on a set schedule. In 2018, these committee meetings are set for February 15-16, March 1-2, and July 12, 13, 26, and 27.
Our board is composed of a voting member and two alternates from each county. Half of the board is elected every year by the Club 20 members in half our counties. The next year the other half elects their board representatives. All three from each county serve on our board which meets twice a year on the Friday of our two annual conference meetings. In 2018, these meetings will be March 30-31 and Sept. 7-8.
In September, the Club 20 caucus of membership in RBC was held at your county courthouse, assisted by our executive director, Christian Reece. Club 20 activities, procedures, policy and committee structure were discussed. Reed Kelley, whose first individual Club 20 membership dates back to the 1980’s, was elected to be RBC’s voting board member while Commissioners Si Woodruff and Jeff Rector were elected alternates. Peggy Rector, a past mayor of Rangely and RBC commissioner, is a past chair of Club 20.
The current Club 20 chair, elected by the board, is Gunnison County commissioner Phil Chamberland. The vice-chair and chair-elect is Hinsdale County commissioner Cindy Dozier. Anyone wanting more information or membership is asked to please call or email the Club 20 office in Grand Junction at 970-242-3264 or [email protected]. Folks are also very welcome to call me in Craig at 824-4994. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ray Beck, Club 20
Membership Chair
Moffat County Commissioner