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March, 2006
Greetings to our Members, Supporters and Friends,
As we move forward into the new year, Friends of Mount Sunapee thanks you for a very good 2005.
While our work is not done, through public awareness, activism, education and a lot of effort, we achieved what we hoped for—protection of Sunapee’s west flank—at least for now. Certainly, we have much to do and friends to thank, particularly, Governor Lynch for his principled decision and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests for upholding Mount Sunapee State Park's essential public values and heritage. We are now in a good position to continue our efforts.
First, we will continue to monitor and respond to attempts to exploit our public lands for private gain, especially at Mount Sunapee State Park. We seek comprehensive long term planning for the Park and an open and accountable over-sight policy that recognizes community concerns and welcomes a wide spectrum of voices.
As for NH Senate Bill 5, the legislative study of the New Hampshire park system now underway, we will join with like-minded organizations and advocate for reasonable policies to sustain all our parks and in a manner that is environmentally and public friendly.
Taking a broader and pro-active stance on regional open land issues, FOMS is supporting several initiatives to identify and preserve critical properties—parcels that protect water resources, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas and open space, or provide important forestry or agricultural benefits. We will support public and private land conservation in the area by furthering education, sharing expertise and collaborating with existing organizations, such as the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, the Forest Society, Lake Sunapee Protective Association and local conservation commissions.
We also recognize the importance of local and regional planning boards in ensuring the quality of life that we all expect . The best land use and community planning, however, will not succeed without community education and citizen involvement. Subdivision and zoning regulations are meant to be ever-changing instruments that reflect a community's ever-changing values and concerns. FOMS will continue to participate in discussion and planning of our local ordinances.
As for our organizational structure, we are going forward without Tom Elliott as Executive Director. As we evolve as an organization, Tom is also moving on to new opportunities, but not new priorities. He will continue to support our mission and assist the Board, particularly from the political analysis and action perspective.
Committees, under the guidance of the Board, have been identified and will be working in the follow arenas:
• Public Policy and Public Lands
• Land Conservation
• Land Use Planning
• FOMS Administration (Human Resources, Membership and Fundraising).
With added opportunities for membership involvement, FOMS will broaden its base and strengthen its ability to move forward in several directions at once. We hope that you will consider volunteering and joining one of our committees.
As in the past, we welcome your comments, suggestions and active contributions. Each of our Board members welcomes discussion on the issues, not just those in this letter. Thank you again for being a Friend of Mount Sunapee and helping us to achieve success in 2005.
Now, on to 2006!
P. S.—To learn more about FOMS committees and how you can help, phone (603) 863-0045 or email
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Regarding contributions, they remain fully tax deductible as allowed by law. FOMS is charitable tax-exempt organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.
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