ATHENS — We were sorry to learn that, for personal and family reasons, Dennis Mirante has decided not to stand for re-election to the Athens Selectboard.
It is appropriate, therefore, that we take a moment to express our gratitude to him for his service on behalf of the citizens of Athens over the past three years, especially in his efforts to encourage transparency and accountability in our town government.
In particular, we would like to thank him for his unstinting efforts to reduce our local taxes, especially through his advocacy for a budget committee, which the voters approved of at the 2016 Town Meeting, and for moving the town to the presentation of a more complete and clear picture of municipal finances and the proposed budget in the annual Town Report.
This was not an easy tenure for Dennis, as his efforts to introduce change to a rigid status quo were often met with unneighborly hostility.
And while we don't always agree with him, we respect Dennis for his perseverance and integrity, and for bringing a breath of fresh air to our local government.
Thank you, Dennis; we will miss your presence on the Athens Selectboard.