Free Zone Committee

The Free Zone Committee is the governing body of the Boulder Free Zone, the community of survivors of the superflu pandemic that forms in Boulder, Colorado. Initially an ad hoc committee of seven, it was elected as the permanent governing board at the first mass meeting, and it is responsible for organizing the community's recovery, including the power, burial, and law-and-order efforts, as well as for confronting the threat posed by Randall Flagg in the West.

Formation and Structure

The committee was formed as an ad hoc group of seven survivors who had been drawn to Boulder by the shared dreams of Mother Abagail. The original members were Stuart Redman, Frances Goldsmith, Glen Bateman, Nick Andros, Ralph Brentner, Susan Stern, and Larry Underwood. They planned the first mass meeting, held on August 18, 1990, at Chautauqua Auditorium. At this meeting, Harold Lauder made a motion to accept the ad hoc committee in toto as the Permanent Committee, which was passed by acclamation. The committee's structure was designed to be a New England township-style government, with the committee acting as selectmen. Glen Bateman proposed that the committee's term be one year, a measure that was later ratified at a subsequent public meeting.

Key Actions and Responsibilities

The committee's primary responsibilities were to organize the community's recovery and to plan for the confrontation with the dark man. They established subcommittees, including the Burial Committee, the Power Committee, and the Search Committee. They also created the position of Free Zone Marshal, which was filled by Stuart Redman. The committee's deliberations were recorded in detailed minutes, which were kept in a safe-deposit box at the First Bank of Boulder. They made the controversial decision to send three scouts—Judge Farris, Dayna Jurgens, and Tom Cullen—into the West to gather intelligence on Flagg's operations. The committee also debated the need for a Department of Law and Order, with Nick Andros proposing that Stu Redman be its head.

The Bombing and Aftermath

On September 2, 1990, the committee held a meeting at the home of Ralph Brentner and Nick Andros. Harold Lauder and Nadine Cross had planted a bomb in the closet, which was detonated remotely. The explosion killed Nick Andros, Susan Stern, and Chad Norris, and wounded several others. The committee was decimated, and its mandate was severely weakened. In the aftermath, the remaining members—Stu, Fran, Glen, Ralph, and Larry—were summoned to the deathbed of Mother Abagail, who had returned to Boulder. She instructed them to go west on foot to confront Flagg, a mission that would lead to the deaths of Glen, Larry, and Ralph, and the separation of Stu from the group.

Legacy and Dissolution

The committee's legacy is complex. It successfully organized the initial recovery of the Free Zone, but its authority was undermined by the bombing and the subsequent loss of its most capable members. After the nuclear explosion in Las Vegas, the Free Zone continued to grow, and the committee was expanded to nine members. However, the original committee's purpose had been served. Stu Redman, the last surviving original member, chose not to join the new committee, feeling that it was an honorary position. He and Fran decided to leave Boulder, seeking a quieter life in Maine. The committee's story reflects the novel's themes of the struggle between order and chaos, and the difficulty of building a new society in the face of overwhelming challenges.