LONDONDERRY, Vt. – The Londonderry Selectboard’s April 1 meeting started with an executive session, after which they announced that they were offering the position of short-term rental (STR) administrator to Andy Dahlstrom. After returning from another executive session and moving on to a different item, they ratified their decisions to establish an STR working committee, and the South Derry Master Planning Task Force.
Londonderry’s neighbor Weston is home to the Weston Theater Company, and was among the towns hit the hardest by last summer’s flooding. All of the Theater Company’s performance spaces sustained some flood damage, so, while they will be able to perform there this summer, they need rehearsal space in the meantime.
Susanna Gellert, executive artistic director of the Weston Theater Company, requested to use the Londonderry Town Hall as a rehearsal space for “Jersey Boys,” from May 19 – June 7, Tuesday through Sunday. The Theater Company will not need exclusive access to the space, but they do want to be able to leave instruments there overnight and be able to “trust that they’d be there the next day.” The selectboard were all in favor of the idea, and even approved use of the space for another show’s rehearsals from June 30 – July 19, “provided that [the initial dates] are without incident.” Speaking from the audience, Bob Wells of the Londonderry Arts and Historical Society expressed excitement at the idea, saying that, “This sounds like a great opportunity for our town to help another organization that really is struggling because of the flood.”
Wells also had a request for the selectboard. Wells reminded selectboard members of the successful event surrounding the installation of a historic marker commemorating Londonderry as the birthplace of Burton Snowboards, one of the early pioneers of the snowboarding industry. Burton Snowboards will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2027. To honor this, and to inspire pride in Londonderry residents, Wells would like to install a statue at Aiken’s Corner with a similar publicity event. Since the actual event date is still three years out, Wells just needed to ask if the selectboard would allow him to continue planning. “My mission is to do something that will make all of us in Londonderry proud,” he told the selectboard.
Wells said that he and Mimi Wright have contacted a sculptor who is known to Burton owner Donna Carpenter, and learned that they could purchase a bronze sculpture for $90,000-$100,000. This 10-foot-tall sculpture, a duplicate of one installed in Breckenridge, Colo., would require a 4-foot-tall base, and would fit well within current plans for Aiken’s Corner.
Selectboard Chair Tom Cavanagh warned Wells that deed issues had squashed a previous attempt to install a statue at Aiken’s Corner, but the selectboard gave Wells permission to continue planning, and to come back to them with any issues in the process.
The Londonderry Selectboard meets on the first and third Mondays of each month, at 6 p.m., at the town office (Twitchell Building).