NEWFANE — It is time to vote for our Selectboard members, and we have a number of candidates to choose from, which is wonderful. We are very grateful to anyone who takes on this job. Having served on many boards, we both know how much time this kind of service demands.
Our Selectboard deals with many different issues, some of them very practical and some with large social ramifications. We saw this play out last year, when the board was asked to condemn racist writing on our sidewalks and to participate in anti-bias trainings. Some board members saw immediately the importance of these actions and supported the requests.
Ann Golob was one of these. She spoke of her experiences in past workplaces and brought a broad understanding to the issue. She was levelheaded when speaking and presented logical, clear arguments for her case. We personally feel she speaks with experience, compassion and intelligence.
Furthermore, Ann represents the town on the Windham Regional Planning Commission. She was elected to the executive board of the WRPC and is the chair of its community development committee. She is the Selectboard's liaison to our planning commission and has done solid work to prepare us to wisely use the federal American Rescue Plan Act money.
Another candidate for the board is Jeff Chevalier. Jeff is a small business owner who lives in Newfane. He has a family and a child at NewBrook Elementary School. He says:
“I am running for Selectboard to do my part to help our town to be the best place it can be. I have a strong belief in the utilization of public space and public assets to make the lives of the townspeople better. I am fiscally conservative yet socially progressive.
“I believe inclusivity, transparency and justice to be the foundation of any well-run town. I would like to do my best to help Newfane continue to be a place I am proud to call my home.”
Finally, we would like to recommend Katy Johnson-Aplin as well, who like Ann, is currently on the board. She is a lifelong resident of Newfane - she even babysat for our kids when she was 15! She has served in the military and so brings discipline to her work.
Katy says: “In the last year I've had to rapidly learn the tasks and expectations of the position and have enjoyed every minute of it. I'm glad to serve my hometown and give back to the community I love, and I hope to expand on that foundation of knowledge I've gained.
“As a homemaker, I've had more time to work on projects for the town and put my energy to good use digesting lengthy legislation and presenting it to the rest of the Selectboard, speaking with the Civics class at [Leland & Gray] and [doing] other smaller items that needed attention.
“We're living in an era of polarized opinions, and I'm willing to listen to anyone who wishes to talk with me, which I believe is key to successful, equitable leadership in a small community like ours.
With your support I look forward to continuing on the board, and seeing through long process agenda items like decisions on projects for the ARPA monies and the Act 250 process for the town gravel pit which will be ongoing this coming year.”
These candidates each have a lot to offer our town, and we hope you will vote for them!