[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11925-11926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO COUNCILMAN JIM SPEHAR OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN T. SALAZAR

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2007

  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, I stand today to pay tribute to Jim 
Spehar, an outstanding community leader from Grand Junction, Colorado. 
For eight years he has served the City of Grand Junction as a 
distinguished and valued member of the City Council. Prior to that, Mr. 
Spehar served as a Mesa County Commissioner from 1991 to 1995.
  Leadership and candor have been a hallmark of his legacy and he has 
employed both of these qualities in his city and county roles, as well 
as having served as president of the Colorado Municipal League. In 
addition, he excelled as the western Colorado representative for the 
Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors. He currently serves as the 
director of the Central Rockies office of the Sonoran Institute, where 
he assists cities in assessing the impact of growth on their 
communities.
  Jim Spehar has always been about the betterment of communities and 
his decisions have always reflected that thought. Popularity was not 
his concern--reaching for the good of the populace has been at the 
heart of his actions. Never one to back down from controversy, Jim has 
led by example through

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thoughtful decision making with integrity and fairness. His leadership 
will be difficult to emulate, and the bar he has set will take 
extraordinary efforts by those who follow him.
  It is my pleasure to acknowledge his contributions to the city of 
Grand Junction and Mesa County, as well as the entirety of the State of 
Colorado.

                          ____________________