Select board candidates on the issues
A Waterbury Roundabout survey
February 26, 2021As Town Meeting Day nears, Waterbury Roundabout caught up with the six candidates for Waterbury Select Board. We asked them to tell voters a little about themselves and share their thoughts on some of the top issues they are likely to encounter if elected. Here are their answers.
Candidates Scott Culver and Dani Kehlmann are running for a three-year seat.
Scott Culver. Courtesy photo.
Dani Kehlmann. Courtesy photo.
Candidates Mark Frier*, Katie Martin*, Brock Coderre, Noah Fishman are vying for two one-year seats on the board.
Coderre did not submit a response.
*denotes incumbents
Mark Frier. Courtesy photo.
Katie Martin. Courtesy photo.
Brock Coderre. Courtesy photo.
Noah Fishman. Courtesy photo.
Name, age, occupation (your day job or jobs)
Scott D Culver, 49, Safety assistant for Engelberth construction
Dani Kehlmann, 36, Director - Waterbury Area Food Shelf; Coach - Waterbury Functional Fitness
Mark Frier, 40, Small Business Owner - The Reservoir/The Bench/Tres Amigos Restaurants
Katie Martin, 24, Behavior Interventionist for Green Mountain Behavior Consulting, multi-season sports coach at Harwood Union, waitress, writer. (Martin covers Harwood H.S. sports for Waterbury Roundabout.)
Noah Fishman, 39, Co-Owner Zenbarn and Zenbarn Farms
Have you run for elected office before?
Yes.
No - This is my first time as a candidate.
Yes.
Yes.
No - This is my first time as a candidate.
If 'yes' above, what elected offices have you held?
Vermont state Babe Ruth Softball Commissioner Vermont district 1 Cal Ripken baseball/softball Director USSSA Fastpitch softball New England Commissioner President-Waterbury Cal Ripken League Sons of the American Legion.
Select board for the past 5 years, currently sit in the Revitalizing Waterbury Economic Development board, BS in Mechanical Engineering
I have held a seat on the Waterbury select board for a one year term, I am also the acting select board liaison to the Ice Center Board of Directors.
Why are you running for a seat on the Waterbury Select Board?
To give back to my community. Create diologue, improve communication and be a liaison to the community.
I am running for Select Board to increase communication between citizens and local leadership by giving voice to people who have been historically ignored. I'm running to create a more welcoming and safe environment for present and future residents. And I am running to help our friends and neighbors better meet their basic needs such as affordable housing and healthy food while also encouraging responsible growth and development for a thriving business community. As a former teacher I learned that many of my students were afraid to speak up because they often asked for help but had been dismissed, giving them the impression that their needs didn’t matter. To remedy this, I actively sought input from my students to implement their ideas. I spent months building strong, trusting relationships with these teens by showing up, listening, and standing up for them. I garnered support from colleagues to start clubs that students were begging for, approached administration to include curriculum that students were passionate about, and accompanied children to meetings so they knew someone was in their corner. By listening to students and involving colleagues, we created a more responsive, functional, effective community - together. I learned, truly, that a rising tide lifts all boats. These are lessons that stand at the core of who I will be on your Select Board: I will empower citizens through community engagement and seek to give a voice to those who are traditionally silenced. It is with that authenticity and action-driven passion that I seek to serve our town. Waterbury’s students, families, and businesses have needs that are not being met largely because they are not being heard. Our town has a rich history and deep roots with a bright future. I am running to make authentic change so we can stay true to who we are as Vermonters while making transparent decisions that help lead us forward.
I hope to continue to represent the citizens of Waterbury with a focus on affordability and sustainable growth.
I'm running for select board for another single year term because I have enjoyed my time on the board and learned so much about how our town operates. I think it's important for everyone to be involved in volunteering in their local community, no matter what committee. I have learned about how decisions are being made in our town, and what the process is for listening and engaging community members. My first year I have really listened and watched my peers on the board, and have contributed some of my opinions, but I'm looking for the opportunity to represent the community again for another term and really be able and comfortable to weigh in more, and engage in the discussions.
I grew up in Waterbury, watched my parents grow a business here, and went to Waterbury Elementary and Harwood Union. After High School I went to college out of state and pursued a career in international development that brought me around the world from West African to Serbia and Washington DC. I learned a lot about communities, what makes them strong and how to affect change. I managed multi-million dollar budgets and helped nonprofits and governmental organizations confront challenges and build sustainable organizations. I now have two kids in the local schools and own two businesses. I've been deeply involved in social justice issues alongside developing my businesses as well. I see huge potential for this town to build on the great foundation we have and make it even better more inclusive and sustainable. Instead of complaining I decided to offer my service and years of experience in community development and business to support my home town. I am an avid listener and problem solver. I look forward to helping us emerge from a global pandemic stronger than before, confronting our toughest challenges and achieving outcomes for our town to help our communities residents, businesses and institutions. Affordability, economic development and social justice will be areas of focus for me to achieve this goal.
COVID-19 dominated many aspects of life in 2020 and it likely will impact 2021 for some time as well. What are the major challenges you see for our town government to address due to COVID?
Getting people back to work, food insecurities, Transportation for elderly and community members with underlying health issues. bringing economic growth to the area while not jeopardizing health and safety. Educating the public on how to protect themselves and work with the department of health to enhance understanding of guidelines to follow.
After surveying many business owners in town, most have indicated that their main concerns are increasing patronage of local businesses while maintaining health and safety due to COVID-19. This means we will need to work hard to help folks find ways to safely increase usage of local shops, restaurants, and other organizations with potential incentives and education. Additionally, we need to find creative ways to increase town revenue to help us combat financial setbacks due to the pandemic. Working in conjunction with the Planning Commission on the interim zoning bylaws will help us create paths to development and bring residents to town.
I am concerned COVID has impacted our most vulnerable citizens incomes, coupled with higher property taxes due to mainly educational cost increases could cause some real pain. Additionally I am concerned for the mental health of our citizens as this pandemic continues to play out.
Budgeting. This past year as we rode the waves of Covid, the town and all of the boards, departments and committees had to look at their expenses and try to cut back where they could. I think that going forward, we will have another tight year to make up for it, and it will require our department heads to think outside of the box too, much like our recreation director did when he thought of offering an additional camp this past fall for academics for the students in our district. I think we have to look at what things are absolutely necessary, and that can get done this year, but I think being open minded, and responsible with the tax payer money is going to be the biggest thing this year.
COVID has hit us hard and challenges us to rethink many things. First and foremost we need to rebuild our economy, support small businesses and those most in need. When the grants and additional stimulus run out, we need to be sure our businesses and vulnerable community members are ready. The town should partner with businesses to support their growth and success. Too often the relationship with the town is adversarial. We also need to encourage and support more businesses to open here and reduce barriers to entry to create good jobs and bring more visitors to our town. We also need to support our most vulnerable by finding ways to increase affordability of life here and support vital services for low-income families such as access to food, childcare and community resources. Further, we need to be prepared for the next crisis by assessing the town's response to COVID and what could have been done better, lessons learned so we're more prepared for the next one.
Article 8 on the March 2 ballot asks the public whether Waterbury should "opt-in" to the legal cannabis marketplace being established in Vermont that would allow for licenses to grow, process, and sell legal cannabis products. Do you support Waterbury opting in? Why or why not?
No, I do not support this endevour. Our community has other issues that require attention first. there are way to many underlying statistics and the lack of a town/village police force only makes this a more difficult.
With thoughtful and cautious regulation and licensing conditions to be adopted by the town, I support Waterbury opting in to allow retail cannabis shops. Opting in would create job opportunities and increase revenue while supporting local growers and entrepreneurs. The tax money collected is slated to fund to after school programs and youth drug prevention programs, a great way for Waterbury to boost the community. Scholarly articles and peer reviewed papers from studies across the country continue to show no increase in youth usage, decreased area crime, and- what I believe is crucial to Vermont- significant decrease in opioid misuse, abuse, and mortality rates. Additionally, I believe this is a positive opportunity for our town to educate folks on the matter of marijuana and combat misinformation. We can also educate the community on the inequity of how BIPOC folks have been disproportionately impacted by the "war on drugs" and work to create policy that bolsters folks in the BIPOC community and create opportunities within this growing industry.
Yes, bring it out of the black market and tax it. I also think it is a way to control what is being sold and make sure the supply chain is Vermont based.
I have been thinking about this, and there is no right or wrong answer, and there is no simple answer. Personally, I think that our town should have a LOT, (local option tax) that we can tax the sale of alcohol, and medical cannabis. This does not mean I would like a state run dispensary for those who wish to purchase cannabis on every corner, I think one location, in the center would be all that our town would need to have (if voters vote yes). I think that it should be State run, and facilitated. I would like to have a budget line item just for this revenue to see what the potential earnings are and use the money collected from it (after the state takes their share) and use it for something that younger families, or older generations want. I fear that Waterbury is becoming something for one demographic of people, and I would like to see the money go towards something that would benefit all. I like that this Article is on the ballot, as I think we will get more voter feedback on it, rather than on the floor at town meeting day. If this doesn't pass, but passes in other towns I would like to see it modeled, and then see what the next move it. I know that this topic makes people uncomfortable, concerned, or upset. I know others who would like this to happen this year. I think that everyone, including myself could have more education on the matter, and keep a positive dialogue going. Everyone has different values and opinions, and I think it's important to hear them all.
Yes I support Waterbury to opt in to cannabis retail. Cannabis represents an immense opportunity for our town economically and if done right we can position ourselves as a leader in this new industry as we've done for things like craft beer, ice cream, cheese and cider. The legal cannabis market is also the best way to control and regulate this product and keep it out of the hands of kids. Research indicates that legalization reduces black market cannabis availability and has the potential to lower youth use. Further, cannabis can be a tool to reduce opioid addiction which has become an epidemic in its own right in our town and across our state.
Waterbury's contract with the Vermont State Police for local policing service ends June 30. Do you support renewing this contract as it has worked for the past three years? Should it be for a different level of service?
Would consider creating a Waterbury Police Department if a VSP contract is not an option.
This is an area I don't feel educated enough to publicly comment on today, but have been working to get informed and up to speed in order to form an opinion.
Support the same level of service.
Support the same level of service.
Support the same level of service.
The Select Board is considering interim zoning for part of downtown to address outdated regulations and accommodate new development proposals. Do you support this approach to foster economic development in Waterbury?
I would like to receive more information on the extent of the zoning and look at the impact the new zoning laws would create.
Yes.
Yes.
I would only support it with the planning commission’s recommendation.
Yes,
2020 brought a heightened focus on racial justice and equity issues in our nation, state and community. What can local leaders do to address racial justice in Waterbury?
Local leaders need to be the example and set the bar for the community members that elected them into the position they are in. being an advocate for equity, inclusion and diversity.
I encourage folks to watch the candidate forum hosted by WAARC for a wide ranging conversation on this topic. Below is a piece of my response to a similar question in that forum: If elected I’ll lead by example; that includes both modeling the behavior I believe to be right- such as speaking out against racism when I see it- and also taking accountability when I misstep. I will make mistakes, and I invite the community to use compassion and call me in when I do. If elected I’ll advocate for ongoing training and engage fully in all learning opportunities. I’m a member of WAARC’s outreach team, and I will continue to be a part of that group. Secondly, education is crucial. Ensuring that our community members understand what Structural and Institutional Racism are and how they’ve played a part in our town and state is crucial. It can be easy to dismiss racism in Vermont but that doesn't make it go away. So many folks love to say that we lack diversity. And visually that might be the quickest conclusion, but it isn’t the truth. We have diversity; and to say we don’t is dismissive of the folks of color and cultural differences that are asking to be heard. We must celebrate diversity in our town with educational opportunities and visual representation, such as the mural being planned. Third - partnerships. Plenty of organizations are already doing this type of work so we don’t reinvent the wheel. I would encourage the town to actively seek out those partners, such as the Government Alliance on Racial Equity who have great tool kits; and National League of Cities which has free resources and training specifically for local governments. We can investigate how racial disparity plays a role in town services such as fees, health outcomes, citations, code violations, and other areas by separating aggregate data. In closing I want to remember that inclusion is not only about race or color but about identity. And folks of all identities deserve a safe and welcoming place in Waterbury no matter their age, background, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical ability.
I think the best route is to partner with groups like WAARC (Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition) to help understand what a town can do to address racial justice. I support their work and will continue to educate myself on the topic.
We can work together with the WAARC group and be apart of an on-going discussion about our community, we can receive our sensitivity training, and work with other district leaders such as the school board to ensure that everyone in our community feels heard, understood, and supported in our town and our schools. I think that we have done a fair job thus far hearing from constituents, but I would always like to hear from more people. We can always educate ourselves more too.
We can model good behavior and leadership, support organizations at the forefront of this work like the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism coalition and consider the impact of decisions on BIPOC people. This is a complex and deeply-seated issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. I support visible public ways of demonstrating our support for the Black Lives Matter movement and then backing this up with policies and programs that educate our community, our leaders and set us on a path toward racial equity and justice.
The Harwood Unified Union School Board supports renaming Thatcher Brook Primary School in Waterbury now that historical background about its indirect namesake Partridge Thatcher being a slaveholder in the 1700s has come to light. Do you support this decision? Why or why not?
Absolutely, this goes right along with the theme of racial equity and the healing process. I suggest that the community as a whole has to decide on how to move forward, understand the future direction and make informative decisions which include the school board, select board and any other parties interested. These steps, if done correctly makes everyone feel better about the decisions made.
I support the decision that has been made to rename the primary school. I believe the change will do significantly more good than it could do harm. If the name of the school makes even one student feel unsafe, it’s enough reason to reconsider. By changing the name of the school, we do not erase history but we create an environment in which it is safe to teach the history of the Thatcher Brook and its namesake. It creates a way to educate schoolchildren about Partridge Thatcher and tell them we chose to change the name of the school once we learned about him ourselves in order to foster the safest, most welcoming school we could. The school was not named with the knowledge of who he was but now that we know better, we must do better. It’s ok to normalize learning new information and making new decisions. We must continue to learn and grow as a community and as individuals. I heard someone say, and fully agree, that it is more important to fix past wrongs than stand up for a past that felt right at the time.
I do support the decision. The change shows we want to make this community as welcoming and comfortable as possible for families of color.
I don't believe that the school board should have made that decision, I believe it should have been a town decision, as the school is on our town. I would have asked for an Australian ballot vote from the town tax payers so they would all feel like they have a say and could chime in. I attended the public meeting that was hosted and facilitated by WAARC members and Harwood Union High School students, and I listened and engaged in the dialogue. I don't know if I would have changed the name, honestly, if anything, I would change it back to The Waterbury school. I felt like there could have been more community input on it rather than a fast vote at the school board to allow more voices to be heard, and again, I think it should have been a Waterbury community vote, not a district wide one.
Yes. I support the school boards decision as elected officials that have assessed the issued, listened to stakeholders and unanimously decided to change the name. I grew up on the actual Thatcher Brook and growing up the school was not named Thatcher... I feel no deep connection to the name and believe we can find something more meaningful and appropriate.
In 2019, a study was done to envision a future community center as a hub for recreation and activities from young children to seniors. Should the community seriously consider implementing that plan?
Yes.
My answer is leaning toward yes. I am working to educate myself on the study and its outcomes so I can make a more well-rounded opinion. I'm also curious about the town residents' opinion on the matter. I believe we'd need to look into cost/benefit, what types of creative ways we could use the community center, and how it fits into our town plan. I believe there are many folks who deserve to be a part of this conversation such as the rec department and am working to learn the opinions of all involved.
The community center was at a scale and cost that I could not support today but I think elements of the plan could play into smaller projects in the not so distant future.
Yes.
Yes.
Summertime brings an increase in visitors to Waterbury as well as greater activity among residents using parks, trails, swimming holes in the community. Speeding, traffic and parking were concerns in 2020 in particular. Do you have any suggestions for how the town should address these issues this year?
Now is the time to review traffic studies, focus on congensted areas and make informitive decisions to make downtown safe and prosperus.
There are some dangerous situations when it comes to speeding and parking throughout the town. As a resident who lives near TBPS, I am often put in an unsafe situation when I leave my home around school pick up time. I am personally invested in finding solutions to these problems. Continuing to provide traffic calming measures such as broad paved speed tables, adequate and visible signage, and continued upkeep of street markings and crosswalks. I would aim to work with the relevant committees and commissions to explore affordable and sustainable solutions to parking in popular recreation areas and potentially exploring public transportation to such areas, similar to what is used for ski areas. I am not sure if this is an efficient solution, but is an example of the types of creative methods we can explore to think outside the box.
Continuing to listen to concerns and addressing them as they arise will continue to be the best way to address community concerns. We have invested in police services through the state and speed feedback devices. Engaging our municipal staff is important to address issues quickly.
The town tried to help with speeding concerns with moving around a speed tracker to various locations. We listened and heard from many community members all over the town about their concerns, and we also talked about moving around where the State Police are shooting radar. Whenever we moved the portable speedbump however, we heard people who were upset with it, or mad that it was moved there when others requested it. Its hard to please everyone honestly. I think just being aware of where the concerns are and being in constant communication with community members, the VSP and trying to remedy the problem. I think its also important for parents to start when their kids get the license to not speed, we are a small town with a lot of walking families or bikers, its important to be safe and enforce safety with driving.
This is a difficult issue to address especially with visitors. I do believe that good planning around our streets design, plantings and signage can help with speeding. Parking in downtown is an issue that I'd have to discuss more with those who have been working on this issue much longer than me. I would, however, like to see a concerted effort to encourage and support more walking/biking and possibly public transport from local hotels airbnbs, etc. I could see a Waterbury shuttle for big tourist weekends be something that could be an interesting approach, perhaps a partnership among hotels and local businesses that brings visitors to key destinations. This type of public/private partnership could help be beneficial to all parties.
Finally, (taking a cue from a candidate on social media), fill in the blanks for the next 2 statements. The best thing about Waterbury is ____
its rich history, vast opportunities from recreation to economic development. The small town feeling that everyone can be a part of.
Warm, welcoming community full of unique and passionate individuals.
Our people.
That Waterbury has something for everyone.
It's resilience and ability to bounce back and keep on progressing
Waterbury would be a better place if ____
Community goals and positive thinking come together to provide a healthy, safe and prosperus future for all.
We worked hard to create access to affordable housing (rental and real estate) and eliminate vacant commercial real estate. I believe we could address a myriad of town issues by saying, instead of "no, because" we said "yes, if..."
We can address our housing affordability issues.
We were able to attract and retain more young people who could afford to live here
Please add anything else you'd like people to know.
As a member of this wonderful community it would be my honor to serve you as a select board member!
Please feel free to reach out to daniforvt@gmail.com if you have any questions about my answers, ideas, or thoughts! Thank you for being an informed citizen; your voice is so important to creating the type of town that is safe and welcoming to all.
I love this town and will work hard to support it's continue prosperity.