Built One Conversation at a Time

I've been thinking about this a lot lately — while knocking on doors, grabbing coffee with neighbors, and walking the trails here in Lone Tree. This community is filled with thoughtful, engaged, well-informed people who care deeply about where they live. And most of them just want to know that someone is actually listening.

That's something I know how to do. It's what I've built my career on.

Real trust isn't built in a council chamber — it's built on a trail, over coffee, at a school pickup line.

The Realtor Who Asks Questions First

In my real estate work, I never start by telling clients what they should do. I start by asking questions — a lot of them. What's working in your current home? What isn't? What feels stressful, what feels right? And sometimes the most important question: Is moving truly the right decision, or would you be happier staying put?

My job isn't to push a transaction. It's to ask the right questions, listen carefully, and help people arrive at the decision that truly serves them — not me.

I believe governing a city should work exactly the same way. Good leadership doesn't start with predetermined outcomes. It starts with asking: What problem are we actually trying to solve? Who will this impact? Are we making this decision because it's easy — or because it's right for Lone Tree?

People want to be heard. And the best decisions happen when they are.

Learning from the People Who've Led This City

Before I even announced this campaign, I sat down and listened to the people who know Lone Tree best. I've had coffee with past and current mayors — from inaugural Mayor Jack O'Boyle, to Jim Gunning, to Jackie Millet, and now Mayor Marissa Harmon. Each conversation was different, but the through-line was the same: strong cities are built on collaboration, willlingness to dive into the details, and steady leadership. Not ego.

Those conversations shaped how I think about this role. City Council isn't about having all the answers — it's about asking the right questions on behalf of the people you serve, and working alongside talented city staff to carry out the direction residents want.

Lone Tree operates under a council-manager form of government. Council sets policy and long-term direction. The City Manager and professional staff implement that vision and handle day-to-day operations. It works beautifully when there's mutual respect and clear communication — and I intend to be the kind of Council member who makes that partnership stronger, not harder.

Lone Tree Already Does This Well — And I Want to Build On It

I want to give credit where it's due: Lone Tree is genuinely good at keeping residents informed. Timberlines, the city's bi-monthly magazine, is well-done and well-distributed. The city's social media accounts do a great job keeping neighbors in the loop on day-to-day happenings. These are real investments in community connection, and I'll support them fully.

What I want to add is something a little different: direct, personal communication from your elected representative. Not just official city channels — but a Council member who shows up in your neighborhood, in your inbox, at your HOA meeting, to say: here's what I'm hearing, here's what we're working on, and here's how you can weigh in.

Where I'll Show Up

Communication isn't a campaign strategy for me — it's just how I operate. So here's what you can actually expect from me, not as a candidate, but as your neighbor who also happens to be on Council:

Regular community meet-ups — informal, accessible, neighborhood-based. Coffee chats, walks on the East-West regional Trail, or gatherings at the library. Places you already go.

Social media that actually says something — I'll be active on Instagram, Facebook, and NextDoor sharing what I'm learning, what's coming before Council, and what I'd love your input on. Not just city announcements.

A regular newsletter — plain-language updates on what Council has been working on. No jargon. Just what's happening and why it matters.

A 48-hour response commitment — if you reach out by email or direct message, you'll hear back from me. Not a form letter.

Year-round HOA and neighborhood group engagement — because the conversations that matter most usually happen before anything ever reaches a Council agenda.

Lone Tree is filled with people who chose to be here — families who moved across the country, retirees who picked this community on purpose, young professionals putting down roots. Everyone I meet cares about this place. They just want to know someone at City Hall is listening with the same level of care.

I am. And I will.

Let's Start Now

I'd love to hear from you — before the election, not just after. What do you love about Lone Tree? What concerns you? What do you wish the city would do differently?

Send me a message at taraforlonetree@gmail.com, find me on Instagram @tarameekma, or follow along on Facebook. And if you see me on the trail or at the farmers market — please stop and say hello. That's exactly the kind of city I want to help lead.

Because the best conversations in Lone Tree don't happen in a council chamber. They happen right here — neighbor to neighbor.

Keep Lone Tree Special.

About Tara

Tara Meekma is a Lone Tree resident, real estate professional, wife and mom. She is running for Lone Tree City Council, District 2 in the May 5, 2026 election.