NEWFANE — With three members of the Selectboard voting aye and one abstaining, the Board authorized Chairman Jon Mack to nominate member Chris Druke for a service award through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
“There is a municipal award for service beyond the call of duty, and it was recommended to me that Chris Druke be presented with this award, which I think she richly deserves,” Mack said at the Board's Aug. 1 meeting.
“I have to bring it up because it requires the Selectboard to vote,” he explained. To Druke, sitting just beyond Gloria Cristelli to his right, he said, “You can vote against it, but you can't refuse it.”
As laughter subsided, he added, “Chris has done some really wonderful work for the town, and continues to do so on a weekly, daily, monthly, every-time basis - I hope at not too much expense to her own business, making her have almost two jobs.”
Druke is owner of Druke Insurance Agency.
Cristelli moved Druke be nominated. Mike Fitzpatrick seconded. The vote was 3-0-1, with Druke abstaining, and Vice-Chair Todd Lawley absent.
According to the VLCT, the Municipal Service Award is given to an elected or appointed municipal official who has shown an active commitment to strong local government beyond the borders of his or her community - such as service to the Vermont League of Cities and Towns - and has demonstrated a commitment to his or her municipality by serving on a board or commission.
VLCT also bestows a Legislative Service Award.
Founded in 1967, the VLCT is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves Vermont's municipal officials.