Opinion

It’s Town Meeting Day in Vermont.

After watching President Trump’s first address to Congress, it occurred to me that he and his administration seemed similar to another recent administration, that of Bill Clinton.

Questions remaining at the end of the Selectboard Candidate Forum on BCTV were sent to the candidates. Here are the answers from Brandie Starr, candidate for the one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Below is information that might be helpful to know for March 7th local elections.

Attached is a sample ballot from each of Brattleboro’s three districts. All districts’ ballots are the same except for Town Meeting Members for each district. Absentee ballots are currently available at the Town Clerk’s Office and may be requested until 5:00 pm on Monday, March 6.

Polling place for all three districts in Brattleboro is the Selectboard Meeting Room, second floor of the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street, Room 212, from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm on March 7, 2017.

The entire back parking lot at the Municipal Center will be reserved for voters on election day. There are handicapped parking spaces close to the back entrance.

A mile is four times around the track. Each lap can be seen as a year, with a full presidental term of office being a mile.

This administration, after four weeks out of the blocks, has covered a bit more than 100 ft. of that mile.  Pace wins races.

So far stiff headwinds, skipping lanes, some doping, and stalking horses doing their thing. Still holding rallies yet not out of the first turn (which seems weird, kind of like stretching after the race has started).

Any early indications or predictions of how this ends? 

We hope you enjoy this interview with Rich Holshuh regarding a Representative Town Meeting article advising Brattleboro change to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

What question would you like Brattleboro to vote on?

To simply change the holiday observed on the second Tuesday in October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Why is this an issue for Brattleboro?

We hope you enjoy this interview with David Schoales, candidate for Brattleboro Selectboard.

Which seat are you running for, and why do you want to be on the Selectboard again?

I am running for the three year seat and I want to serve a few more years to help assure the good progress we made over the past four years continues as new members gradually replace us.

Give us your stump speech/qualifications…

I’ve served on a day care board, health center board, land trust board, school boards, union boards- lots of experience working with others to get things done that will help my neighbors. I’m a good listener, a strong advocate, I love learning new stuff, and I care a lot about what happens to people.

We hope you enjoy this interview with Davey Cadran, candidate for the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Which seat are you running for, and why do you want to be on the Selectboard?

I am currently running for one of the two open one-year seats on the Selectboard. I previously ran for the Selectboard and I believe that some of the issues facing the town then are still facing us now. Particularly around economic development and a pro-business atmosphere. I have had several conversations with business owners in the community who feel that the town is either outwardly against their business or suffering a form of complacency. They actually want the government to do more. You don’t often hear that from business owners.

Give us your stump speech/qualifications…

Brattleboro is an incredible town that suffers from a lack of good middle-class jobs. Go out and find someone in their late 20’s in this town and ask them what they do for work. They will often tell you that they have to string along multiple jobs just to get by.

A brief message from Hilary Francis, Town Clerk in Brattleboro:

“Avery Schwenk has withdrawn his candidacy for the one year Selectboard seat.”

We hope you enjoy this interview with Tim Wessel, candidate for the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Which seat are you running for, and why do you want to be on the Selectboard?

I’m running for a one-year seat. I feel that this is a good time for me to contribute to the town by serving the community that I have grown to love over the past 17 years of living in this area, and I think I can bring a good listening ear and solid judgment to the board.

Give us your stump speech/qualifications…

I offer voters a good balance between relative youth and a good amount of experience with town politics and board positions. I served for 11 years on the board of BCTV, and served as President for my final year. I was a town meeting representative for 6 years, and I also served on the BACC board for 5 years. I’m a local fiscal conservative, with the taxpayers’ concerns at the forefront of my mind, but I also recognize the need for some creative thinking and smart expenditures when it comes to new revenue sources and making Brattleboro affordable to all.

Rumor has it a new president is being sworn in. I believe his name is Donald Trump.

Here’s some space for you to opine, praise, vent, or otherwise comment on this solemn tradition of our great nation.