interview

iBrattleboro Interview: John R. Potter

by cgrotke | Town News
John R. Potter

We took some time to ask Brattleboro’s new Town Manager, John Potter, a few questions about his return to New England and thoughts about the town and his new job.
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Welcome to Brattleboro!  It’s always fun to catalog initial impressions.  When you look around Brattleboro, what do you see and how does it look  to you?

The last time I was in Brattleboro before interviewing for the Town Manager position was around thirty years ago when I came to town to buy a couple of draft horses for a woodlot operation I was running in Massachusetts. When returning this winter, the town looks very similar to what I remembered from years ago — a classic Vermont river town with kind and welcoming people who really care about their community.

iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Daniel Quipp

by cgrotke | Politics

Daniel Quipp is an incumbent running for a three year seat.

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are running for a three year seat…

Hello iBrattleboro! I’ve been on the board for the last three years and have decided to take the plunge for the 3-year seat. I’m proud of the work we have done in the last three years and am up for the challenge of the next three. Hopefully we’ll finally move out of the pandemic and into a period of recovery for all people. There are many opportunities ahead and with a new town manager at the helm, I’m excited to see what we can accomplish for the good of the town.

RTM increased compensation to make it easier for more people to serve, yet you are running unopposed. Did RTM make a mistake? Increasing compensation did not increase candidates…

Running unopposed certainly feels quite strange. In my previous three elections I think the smallest field was four candidates vying for two seats. Whether the lack of candidates is related to compensation, I cannot say. The $8000 stipend did not really figure in my decision to run again. I think the work of being on the board for the last two years might not have looked super appealing and with all of the incumbents choosing to run again perhaps potential candidates decided to wait until next year? 

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Kurt Daims

by cgrotke | Politics

Kurt Daims is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Tell everyone a bit about yourself… who are you?

I was born nearby and travelled widely. I worked for inventors, started my family and loved the ocean in San Francisco.  In 2002 I came to Brattleboro with my family.  I devoted myself to raising and home-schooling my daughters and to public service.  I hope to consolidate the power of the people in town government and help Brattleboro become town that acts as a member of the community of towns and cities  As director of the non-profit Brattleboro Common Sense I taks the credo “Think globally: act locally” for an aggressive, pragmatic grass-roots politics, which I  believe is needed to save an endangered world.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Oscar Heller

by cgrotke | Politics
oscar heller

Oscar Heller is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Tell everyone a bit about yourself… who are you?

My name is Oscar Heller. I’m a programmer and graphic designer with my own web design business called 10F Design. I serve on the energy committee and the finance committee, and I’m a town meeting rep for District 3. The energy committee played a big role in successfully convincing the Selectboard to create the new sustainability coordinator position, and I also served on the hiring committee for the position.

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Oscar Heller

by cgrotke | Politics
Oscar Heller

Another in our series of 2019 selectboard candidate interviews, this time with Oscar Heller who is running for a one-year seat.

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

Hi! I’m Oscar.

I was born in New York, but when I was 14 my parents picked a summer camp at random off the internet. That camp was Camp Waubanong in Brattleboro. I spent most of the next dozen summers in Vermont. In 2014 I moved here for good. I live on Elliot Street, just before the park, with my girlfriend Jessie and our two cats.

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Tim Wessel

by cgrotke | Politics, Uncategorized
Wessel Family

We continue our series of interviews with candidates for Selectboard, this time with Tim Wessel, the only incumbent and a three-year seat candidate.

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

Hi, I’m Tim! I’m a father to a 29 year old AND a 13 month old, which is crazy and strange and pretty darned wonderful too. I work for myself running Vermont Films, a video production company here in Brattleboro, and I spend my work life shooting and editing films for many different clients, both local and national. Many people saw my appearance on House Hunters on HGTV a few years back, and I also work in production for that show about once a month, usually traveling to do so. My wife and I just celebrated our second wedding anniversary, and the first birthday of our son.

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Daniel Quipp

by cgrotke | Politics
daniel quipp

Next in our series of interview with Brattleboro Selectboard candidates is Daniel Quipp, running for a one-year seat.

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

I’m originally from Wales and married to a person who grew up in Newfane. I have been coming to Brattleboro since 2004 and have lived here since 2014. I’m currently a crisis fuel worker with SEVCA and just started a new job with Vermont Interfaith Action working in Windham and Bennington counties.

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Elizabeth S. McLoughlin

by cgrotke | Politics

Read on for our selectboard candidate interview with Elizabeth McLoughlin, who is running for a one-year seat on the board. 

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

My husband, Tom and I moved to Brattleboro in 2007, after 20 years of visiting relatives here in town, and we opened two small businesses. The younger of our two daughters, Mary, attended BUHS.  I opened a consulting business 10 years ago. With 30 years of experience, as an environmental planner,  I prepare environmental permits, and write environmental impact statements.