With Sue Fillion’s appointment to become Planning Director, I got to thinking about just how many women are in key postions of Town government. I took a look. The majority of town offices in Brattleboro now have women heading them.
- Town Assessor – Jenepher Burnell
- Library – Starr Latronica
- Accountant – Brenda Bryer
- Grants & Loans – Kim Ellison
- Parking Enforcement – Carol Coulombe
- Planning Director – Sue Fillion
- Recreation and Parks – Carol Lolatte
- Town Clerk – Hilary Francis
plus numerous essential support staff, assistants, and secretaries.
(The Police, Fire, DPW, Town Manager, and Finance departments have men in the senior positions.)
I see this as a rather major change. It wasn’t that long ago that men were in the majority, but changes in staffing at the Library, Assessor’s office, Planning office tipped the scales.
Brattleboro may not quite have figured out hiring people of color (to the best of my knowledge, senior staff remains almost entirely white,) but we are breaking that proverbial glass ceiling here, and should make note of it.
