[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E112-E113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF SAM MAMULA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Sam 
Mamula of Breckenridge, Colorado for his exemplary public service.
  Mr. Mamula has proven his dedication to Breckenridge. He has held a 
variety of local government positions during his residency, including 8 
years on the town planning commission and 8 years on the town council 
before becoming Breckenridge's mayor.
  The citizens of Breckenridge have benefited greatly from Mr. Mamula's 
dedicated leadership. Specifically, Mr. Mamula has taken leadership 
roles in Breckenridge's use of biodiesel in its diesel municipal 
vehicles which is reducing pollution in Colorado.
  Mr. Mamula has also been a tireless advocate for affordable housing 
in Summit County and was recognized nationally when Breckenridge won an 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Award for Smart Growth 
Achievement in the built projects category for the Wellington 
Neighborhood affordable housing project. This project included a 
cooperative partnership among the town of Breckenridge, Summit County, 
the Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado Department of Public 
Health and Environment and a private developer.
  The dedication, enthusiasm and activism with which Mr. Mamula has 
pursued his work deserves our most sincere thanks. Thus, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Sam Mamula for his service and 
many contributions to his community. He is much appreciated
  For the benefit of our colleagues, I am attaching a copy of a recent 
story about Mr. Mamula that appeared in the Summit Daily News.

              [From the Summit Daily News, Jan. 28, 2004]

                     Mamula To End a Political Era

       We have to admit it. We are big Sam Mamula fans. Nobody is 
     sorrier than we are that the Breckenridge mayor is stepping 
     down after one term as hizzoner.
       Mamula is a quote machine without peer, except for County 
     Commissioner Tom Long. In this business, we like that.
       The thing about Mamula is that he always makes a point. We 
     like that even better.
       Usually, his point is about the quality of life in the 
     greater Breckenridge area. With Mamula at the top spot in 
     town, locals knew they had somebody battling for the soul of 
     the Summit.
       We say that with due apologies to The Summit Foundation, 
     which considers itself the ``Soul of the Summit,'' and with 
     good reason.
       But the battle for soul--quality of life--is really fought 
     in the trenches of planning commissions and town councils 
     where hundreds of small decisions add up to something ugly if 
     somebody isn't on guard.
       Ironically, one of Mamula's biggest achievements on behalf 
     of the town and taxpayers will occur after he's left office--
     the huge open space purchase of the B&B Mines property in the 
     Golden Horseshoe.

[[Page E113]]

       The deal is scheduled to close in June.
       Mamula spent eight years on the town planning commission 
     and eight years on the town council before ascending to 
     mayor. It was a good run.
       ``It was a tough decision. I stalled to the last minute,'' 
     said the reluctant retiree who needs to spend more time with 
     his convalescing wife.
       ``I really like being mayor. I liked being on the town 
     council and I liked being on the planning commission. It 
     really has been a labor of love for me rather than a carrying 
     out of duties,'' he added.
       Mamula called it ``fulfilling'' to work with a ``great town 
     council and staff.''
       ``With a town manager like Tim Gagen, being mayor is 
     'relatively simple, frankly,'' Mamula said.
       Mamula vows to stay involved in the town but promised not 
     to become a ``town council observer.''
       ``There has got to be something I can cut out of this whole 
     thing that someone is going to let me do,'' he added.
       We hope so, too.

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