To: goldsheet who wrote (89566 ) 9/16/2002 12:00:10 AM From: long-gone Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 116815 Boulder Daily Camera Nederland mayor resigns Jim Miller quits 5 months into final term, will pursue his jewelry ventures By Chris Barge, Camera Staff Writer September 12, 2002 NEDERLAND — Jim Miller has resigned as mayor of Nederland, saying he wants to devote his time to emerging opportunities in the jewelry business. He announced his intentions publicly at Tuesday night's Board of Trustees meeting. The resignation took effect at midnight Wednesday. "It's not a big deal," he said of his resignation. "The board is going to maintain its integrity and its goals. It's just time here to make a transition." In April, Miller, 56, won a third, two-year term as mayor after edging out car mechanic Chris Perret by six votes. He was also elected as mayor for one term in 1974, at age 28. Miller said his jewelry ventures were beginning to evolve to the point where he could not devote 40 hours per week to being mayor. Miller owns Master Goldsmiths in Boulder. Mayor Pro-tem Roger Cornell was promoted to mayor in the wake of Miller's resignation. "He's a sensible, solid man," Miller said. Cornell has filled the mayoral seat before. In 1991, he served the last nine months of a term when Mayor Eileen Barnes joined a number of people who resigned from town leadership. Cornell was elected to the Town Board as a trustee in 1988 and did not serve after 1992 until he ran again and was elected to the Board in April. Cornell said he felt fine about serving in the interim, until the town attorney decides whether the board should appoint a new mayor, or whether it should go to a townwide vote. "I'll be the mayor until at least the next meeting and probably further on," Cornell said. On his last day as mayor Wednesday, Miller signed papers approving a tax extension question for the November ballot. The question will ask voters if they will extend an existing 0.75 percent sales tax for 20 years. The tax would raise $1.5 million to refurbish the Community Center. He said he expects the tax will generate an additional $1.5 million in matching grants for the project. Miller said the town has made good progress under his watch, including the new teen center, post office, fire department, police chief, and soon-to-come affordable housing project. But, he added, "it would be wonderful if we could stop going through the periods of hypercriticism." bouldernews.com