NEWFANE — Brattleboro residents have a chance to bring a fresh perspective to the Selectboard by electing Ian Goodnow, a young, committed, energetic, and thoughtful member of the community.
Ian fell in love with Brattleboro before #lovebrattleboro was a hashtag, and he fell in love with my daughter Ruth 10 years before that, at the University of Vermont.
He's currently in his second year of reading law at Costello, Valente & Gentry, a path he chose instead of law school, both to avoid student debt and to become embedded in the community.
“Reading law offers me an intimate view of the town and the county. Interacting with people and policies is an inherent part of my work as an attorney-in-training,” he says. “I have a unique view of the population, the geography, and the issues facing the town.”
Goodnow is running for a one-year seat so that he can learn from the experienced, more senior members of the board. In addition to a youthful perspective, Ian says he will bring his “growing legal experience.” He already serves as a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Board of Civil Authority, and as an alternate on the town's Development Review Board.
Homelessness is a huge issue in town - one, Goodnow says, that is best addressed by the many passionate people already working hard for the best solutions.
“The best thing we could do,” he says, “is support their efforts to help this vulnerable population. Humane human services and clean, affordable housing improves the entire town.”
Goodnow doesn't think Brattleboro residents would benefit from a mayor. “A five-member Selectboard provides wider, more diverse representation and is more democratic than putting a single person in charge of the town budget,” he says.
Ian has hiked both the Long Trail (twice) and the Appalachian Trail (with Ruth). Before hiking the AT, he and Ruth taught in Taiwan and the country of Georgia. At UVM, Ian majored in Russian and political science and served in the student government. He graduated from Essex High School, where he played quarterback for the Hornets; he's an Eagle Scout; currently, he's training for his third marathon.
The people of Brattleboro will be well-served to have Ian's energy, intelligence and thoughtfulness at their service. If I lived in Brattleboro, I'd vote for him.
And I'm so glad he said, “Yes,” when Ruth proposed.