LONDONDERRY, Vt. – At their Feb. 2 meeting, the Londonderry Selectboard discussed two seats that are up for election this year, those currently occupied by Jim Fleming and Martha Dale. Dale has announced that she will not be running for reelection, but would serve another term if no one else steps up. Fleming intends to serve another term if reelected.
Resident Heather Stephenson voiced her concern about the lack of diversity on the selectboard, expressing, “Hearing that Martha will not be running again, and seeing others continue long-term service are what prompted me to reach out.” Stephenson feels that people volunteer when “board culture feels open, respectful, and worth their time.” She stated that the board does not reflect the diversity of the town.
Stephenson added that, “Regular turnover supports renewal, succession planning, and a healthy board.” She also noted that remote accessibility could encourage others to participate in the meetings. Stephenson requested that the selectboard address not just who is not stepping forward, but why.
Board Chair Tom Cavanagh stated that the board members cannot control who runs for the selectboard positions.
Town administrator Aileen Tulloch explained that the remote piece is being addressed, with Zoom having already been added to the meetings, and assuming the budget passes, better equipment will be purchased to continue the growth of the Zoom options and meeting accessibility. She also explained that there are not term limits, and there is also no recall provision to remove an elected official.
Resident Melissa Brown suggested hosting candidate nights again, open to the community members thinking about joining any board or committee. Brown questioned what the selectboard is currently doing to fill Dale’s upcoming vacant seat. As a member of other boards and committees, Brown said, “We don’t wait for Town Meeting day for someone to raise their hand,” as a board, they “automatically start looking.”
Cavanagh, Dale, and board member Jim Ameden all said they have mentioned the vacancy, and have talked to those they felt may be interested in running for the elected position.
There was an overall sense of a limitation in regard to how many people were aware of the opening, with the news of the open seats only being spread by word of mouth. Tulloch expressed that, from experience, it is a process that “comes from the community.” The community needs to be able to support their candidates, and it is important for the community to ask people to run who they feel are a good fit to represent the town.
The board agreed to look into hosting a candidate night, and said they were happy to sit down and talk to anyone interested in running. They agreed to publish the vacancy in various places, and encouraged the community to seek individuals to run. Tulloch added that even if a seat up for reelection is currently occupied, “it is not ‘their’ seat,” implying that it’s a healthy competition.
In other news, Tulloch announced that the South Londonderry Village Wastewater System Project Phase II was selected as a regional priority project by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. This opens the door for additional funding, such as the Northern Border Regional Commission grant for which the town intends to apply.
Resident Donna Korpi then voiced her concern about the town’s winter road maintenance. She felt that there was an ineffectiveness of the salt application in low temperatures, and salt being applied before or during a snowstorm that is subsequently plowed off the roadways before it can have an effect on the snow. She questioned why the town was not following the VTrans policy, which is referenced in the town’s road policy, and requested the town decrease the financial and environmental impact of salt use to the town.
Tulloch reported that updating the road policy is on her to-do list. She also clarified that Route 11 and Route 100, as referenced in Korpi’s packet to the board, are maintained by the state. Cavanagh stated that road foreman Josh Dryden had all of the trucks calibrated for the right consistency of salt and sand.
The board plans to talk to Dryden and the road crews to see how they are handling the winter road maintenance.
The next Londonderry Selectboard meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m., in observation of President’s Day.