Select board votes to create new inclusion banner

November 7, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti

Keeping with a message it adopted in January, the Waterbury Select Board last Monday approved wording to put on an “inclusion banner” that will be made and hung near the municipal offices until Town Meeting Day.

“Waterbury condemns racism and welcomes all” is the opening to the Declaration of Inclusion the board adopted January 18 as a statement to disavow racism and discrimination. The statement is on the homepage of the town website, waterburyvt.com, and was embraced by town leaders at the suggestion of the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition that formed last year.

The wording will be used to create a banner to fly on the banner frame adjacent to the municipal center through Town Meeting Day. The move was an alternative the board decided to take after it decided not to rehang a banner with the message “Waterbury Stands With Black Lives Matter” at the request of the anti-racism group last month. 

The decision on the banner language came after lengthy and passionate discussion during which multiple members of the public weighed in, some saying the message was too harsh in using the word “condemn,” while others supported the term saying it was appropriately strong.

Ultimately, the board followed its declaration message with a 4-0 vote to move ahead with the banner as proposed. Board member Katie Martin was absent; Vice Chair Chris Viens first voted against the measure, but then changed his vote to yes with the note that he would have preferred having the welcome wording precede the condemnation phrase.

Passionate debate

The discussion of the banner message involved many speakers offering a range of views of how the words could be interpreted and how strong a message was appropriate for this purpose. 

“To me, this is negative,” said Maggie Kerrin, holding up a printout of the proposed language. “We’re condemning something?” 

She criticized the Declaration of Inclusion saying more community input should have gone into its creation and that the excerpt from it should not be on a banner. “Waterbury is not a condemning community. I don’t think this is the first thing we want people to see coming into the community,” she said. 

Board member Mike Bard pointed out that the declaration has been in place for months. “I don’t think anyone who’s a reasonably thinking person can object to what’s in that Declaration of Inclusion,” he said. “I think we do condemn racism. Can anyone say they support racism? I don’t think so. It’s an affirmation.” 

Elisabeth Walton said she thought more people would prefer the message done in a more positive way that would not create division around this topic. “It does have a negative connotation,” she said. “I would rather see it say ‘Waterbury welcomes all.’” 

Board member Dani Kehlmann pointed out that the banner’s purpose is more than just a welcome sign, and rather “a strong statement of inclusion and anti-discrimination.”

Maroni Minter, a co-founder of the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition, made a passionate appeal to use the term “racism” in the banner message. “If saying we condemn racism is what’s offensive or hurts people, I just want you to think about what it’s like to experience it,” said Minter who is Black. 

Outbursts from members of the audience prompted board Chair Mark Frier to interject: “I will not have anyone speaking over each other. … I will remove people from this meeting. I just won’t have it.”

Minter said the mission of the anti-racism group is to strive for a more inclusive community and its embrace of the “Black Lives Matter” message is to recognize mistreatment and violence against Black people, particularly by police in society, and not to diminish the importance of the lives of those who are not Black. “We have work to do in our community. I think this is a good step forward,” he said of the board’s willingness to create the banner. 

Other speakers continued to make the case for language that uses “a more gentle approach” as Angela Wells described. Flora Scott, a writer, said the term “condemn” could shut down the discussion it’s intended to create. “People don’t want to hear negative words. They’re painful to hear,” she told the board. “We are against racism, but let’s do it in a more inviting way.” 

Embracing a strong stand

Others embraced the wording as proposed. 

“There’s racism throughout our country in all towns,” said Duncan McDougall. Progress has lagged in combating racism, he said, for lack of strong stands against it. “I think this takes an appropriate strong stance.”

A former local and state official, state representative for Waterbury, and “proud aunt” of Maroni Minter, Sue Minter thanked the select board for drafting a banner message to incorporate the ideas of anti-racism and inclusion. The timing is important, she said, as Vermont tries to attract a younger, more diverse population.

“At this moment, there are many who don’t feel included,” she said. “I believe that this statement is eloquent. I strongly support the select board raising this as a way to both celebrate our fantastic community and the resilience of this community and yes, raising the fact that racism is an idea that we condemn while we include and welcome all.” 

Waterbury’s Planning and Zoning Director Steve Lotspeich shared his personal perspective as a parent of three children of color. “Our children experienced a lot of racism growing up in Waterbury,” he said, from kindergarten or earlier and into young adulthood. 

He said he took a photo of the “Waterbury Stands With Black Lives Matter” banner when it was hung along with the lighted “Vermont Lights the Way” sign near the town offices. “I was proud that Waterbury had the courage to put that up,” he noted, calling it bold and a way to challenge people. “I think if talking about racism makes people uncomfortable - it should be - because people who experience racism are made very very uncomfortable and it could be traumatic and very troubling for them.” 

Mallory Culbertson suggested that the banner’s message as proposed would likely resonate with individuals beyond those who experience racism, so it is important that the message be strong. 

“To water it down will probably make people feel less safe,” Culbertson said. “Seeing very clear language condemning racism makes me feel safer as a queer person, because if you are a community that stands very firmly in anti-racism, in my mind that means you’re probably also standing very firmly against other kinds of oppression... I like this language.” 

Town Manager Bill Shepeluk reminded the select board that the phrasing from the Declaration of Inclusion is intentional. 

“I think we’re splitting hairs saying using the word ‘condemn’ is too egregious,” Shepeluk said. “I would hope that the vast majority of people in the town condemn racism. We’re trying to move the ball forward to get people to talk about this issue. If we sugarcoat everything and can’t offend anyone, then nothing is going to change.” 

After hearing from many speakers, Shepeluk reminded the board members of their roles as elected officials. “You’re elected to do what’s best for the community in your minds,” he said.  

Several speakers mentioned that they had acquaintances tell them they did not want to attend the select board meeting to speak out against the banner messaging fearing backlash in the community. 

Frier said he believed it was important for the anti-racism message to be strong and he did not want to re-word it. “I’m a business owner in town and I sit here and support this. It’s sad anyone sees this as a negative,” he said. 

Frier noted that he’s had people tell him they’ve experienced racism in Waterbury. “I don’t believe we’re free of it,” he said. “It may be a small minority that experiences it and we as a community need to stand with them and stand up against it.” 

Kehlmann told the audience to encourage their friends who were reluctant to attend meetings to come, either to just listen or share their views. She said the board strives to make meetings orderly and that it’s important for members of the public to take turns speaking. “We want you all here. We want to hear what you have to say,” Kehlmann said. “It matters. We want you to feel safe. We want you to feel respected. We ask for a respectful atmosphere.”