BELLOWS FALLS — In many town and villages around Vermont, getting people to run for public office has become a struggle.
Not so in Bellows Falls.
With three seats up for grabs on the Village Trustees - two two-year seats and a one-year president's seat - seven residents have thrown their hats in the ring, and only two are incumbents.
Village President Roger Riccio decided not to run for reelection.
Andrew Smith will be completing his first stint as a village trustee and is vying for the president's seat, along with newcomer Nancy McAuliffe.
Deborah Wright withdrew her name for this seat, but remains in the running for the other position.
Incumbent Stefan Golec will be challenged by Kathryn “Kate” Aldrich, Sanford “Sandy” Martin, Evelyn Weeks, and Wright.
Three of four auditor candidates will also be seated: Pat Fowler, Tim Powers, Michael “Mickey” Tolaro, and Wright.
Wright, whose name remains on the ballot, told The Commons, “I have decided not to push for the auditor position, as it conflicts with the trustee position.”
Also uncontested for one-year terms: Michael Harty for town moderator; Donna Harty for village treasurer; and Kerry Bennett for village clerk.
Kathryn 'Kate' Aldrich
“Having started my career in public accounting I have audited many governmental entities in the state of Vermont. This experience has given me a unique understanding of the management, budgeting, accounting and communication skills needed to successfully operate a small village,” Aldrich said. “I would like the opportunity to apply these skills to create positive change for the village I call home.”
She said her primary role would be to “ensure that the village runs as efficiently as possible. This means creating and adhering to a fair budget, providing a measure of oversight for village agencies and creating opportunities for growth in the future.“
“I don't believe there is one primary issue facing the village right now but rather many issues that together are preventing us from moving forward,” she continued. “There is a drug problem in the village, and we need to continue to support the Bellows Falls Police Department as they work to eradicate this problem.
“We have many problems with our infrastructure; the streets and sidewalks need repair, and efforts need to be made to reopen the Vilas Bridge.
“We need to determine which of these projects requires completion first and make a long-term plan that would allow us to get them all completed.
“Finally, we need to bring more business to our village; business means tax revenue which in turn means lower tax rates for residents. We need to work in conjunction with the town development office to create incentives that would draw business in.”
Aldrich said her role is “to listen to the complaints, comments and concerns of the residents, while remaining objective and making decisions that are in their best interest.”
As for a merger of the Village of Bellows Falls and the Town of Rockingham, she believes it could be studied in greater detail and “makes sense and could be equitable” for residents of both municipal entities.
Stefan Golec
“With ever-increasing arrests due to the influx of heroin and other drugs, we as a village need to send a clear and concise message” to drug dealers, says incumbent Stefan Golec, also in the running for a two-year trustee's seat, who describes the village's struggle with heroin and illegal drugs as “the issue I feel is important to everyone from the feedback I've gotten.”
“It's a quality-of-life issue that affects all in the village,” said Golec, who expressed his continued support for Bellows Falls Police Department outreach to students in kindergarten through grade 9.
Golec said he stands for “good-paying jobs” in the village and believes that the village should continue to support the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance (BFDDA) and “help any way we can” the Green Island Project and Sustainable Valley Group (SVG) proposals for revitalizing the Robertson Brothers building, a derelict paper mill on the island.
In Golec's view, his role as trustee is “to present fair and balanced budgets in reference to water, sewer, police, and fire that taxpayers can afford, and to always be willing to listen to people and be honest with people.”
“I work for [the public] and thus am responsible to the people I serve,” he said. “I'm always willing to listen to their concerns and questions and find an answer before making any decision that affects [them].”
Golec, who said he supports a “fair and equitable merger” for Rockingham and Bellows Falls that “works for both parties,” described himself as “open and fair with no personal or hidden agenda.
“I conduct the people's business in open public meetings, which they are welcome to attend and [in which they] are encouraged to participate,” he said.
Nancy S. McAuliffe
Nancy S. McAuliffe, a candidate for village president seat, retired in 2005 and moved with her husband to Bellows Falls, where she was born and raised, and which she remembers as “a vibrant and proud community.”
“I am disturbed at the direction my village has taken,” she said, noting that the village taxes “continue to rise, and the trustees have not done anything to address this.”
McAuliffe said economic development was the most important issue for Bellows Falls, namely “bringing businesses into the village and thereby increasing employment opportunities,” she said.
“I have the time, organizational skills, and leadership quality to take [the village] in a positive direction,” said McAuliffe, who vowed that she would “manage the agenda as president and make sure the trustees and village remain focused on our future.”
“I respect the public's right to voice their opinions given in a constructive and positive manner,” she said.
As for a Bellows Falls/Rockingham merger, “This is not a yes-or-no answer,” she said. “I am pro-merger if a plan is proposed that is equitable to both the Village of Bellows Falls and Town of Rockingham residents.”
“The voters should be allowed to make the decision, not the trustees,” McAuliffe said.
Sanford “Sandy” Martin
“Since being introduced to Bellows Falls in 1992 and buying our home here in 2004, I've come to appreciate the village as a great place to live,” said Sanford “Sandy” Martin, a candidate for a two-year trustee seat.
“It is now time for me to give of my time and talents to try to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of the village,” he said, crediting his 30-year career in credit management as providing “the insight into what it takes to monitor finances, evaluate personnel performance, and negotiate acceptable settlements.
“The issue I hear in most discussions is our real-estate tax rate and the burden on the taxpayers,” he said, also noting that those costs also felt by tenants in the form of higher rents.
“My primary role as a trustee will be to work diligently with the trustee board and village manager to maintain an acceptable level of services and controling costs,” Martin said.
He said he would like to see more voter participation at the annual Village Meeting and at regular trustees' meetings and said, as trustee, he would “be a good listener, respectful and thoughtful in my responses. The relationship will develop as time progresses.”
And regarding a Bellows Falls/Rockingham merger, he believes the voters should decide.
“If a balanced proposal [for a merger] comes before the Village Trustees and the Rockingham Selectboard, I would be in favor of it being presented to both entities,” Martin said.
Andrew Smith
“Bellows Falls can expect me to bring a fair, thoughtful, and progressive approach to village issues,” said Andrew Smith, a current trustee who is vying to be the president of the board.
Smith, as president, said he would chair “meetings that are efficient, civilized and welcoming of citizen input. The board being approachable for the citizens is very important.”
Also essential, he said: leadership of village departments and budgets, and “clear and constructive communication” with the municipal manager.
The same principles come with constituent relations, he noted.
“I've learned a lot from taking the time to carefully listen,” he said. “Seeing more of the public attending our meetings will be encouraged.
“It's not easy choosing a single-most-important issue facing our village,” Smith said, but he described fighting the opiate epidemic as “a driving factor” that merits taxpayer support.
“While tax-funded services keep BF a great place to live, work, and raise kids, strong local work on the opiate epidemic is essential if our community doesn't want to be left behind,” he said, noting his support for drug prevention and treatment programs and the efforts of the Bellows Falls Police Department.
Smith doesn't favor a potential merger and described it as “Bellows Falls' aging elephant in the room.”
“Bellows Falls is our community's urban and retail center,” he said. “Our demographics and our need for services both differ greatly from the town of Rockingham.”
He noted that taxpayers in both Rockingham and Bellows Falls have indicated to him a “widespread disinterest in merging - in some cases, a disinterest running generations deep.”
“I'd like to see our current municipal configuration continue,” he said. “We each bring excellent strengths to the relationship.”
He described a merger proposal last year as “an invitation to the trustees to attend a hasty funeral of the Village Corporation. It was nothing less than predatory.”
“Caution is needed with this chronic hot-button issue,” he said.
“The board mustn't ever permit a special-interest agenda to be mistaken for a broad based initiative,” Smith said. “I feel the village deserves to have the assurance of a governing board that resides within the village.”
Any merger proposal would need to have a clear vote and a careful trustee process to study the issue, “followed by the trustees forming a balanced study committee to objectively analyze issues of efficacy and equity,” he said.
“However, without broad-based support, I wouldn't encourage that exercise,” he said.
Evelyn Weeks
Evelyn Weeks, assistant executive director of the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce for 30 years and a candidate for the two-year trustees seat, offers a succinct platform: “Time for a change.”
And she proposes that that change come in the form of proper Village financial management.
For Weeks, the most important issue facing the Village is to maintain and upgrade the water and sewer departments. She describes that work as “a good investment in the village's future.”
As for a Rockingham/Bellows Falls merger, that would be “up to the citizens of the Bellows Falls village, and they will make that decision,” Weeks said.
Deborah Wright
“Today's community demands more from its elected officials, and should demand it,” said Deborah Wright, a candidate for a two-year trustee seat.
“Bellows Falls can, and will, return to greatness by sustaining and increasing local industry, creating jobs, retaining our youth and supporting laws that eradicate the current stranglehold of drugs on our community,” Wright said.
“It goes without saying that the village has its own work to do before a new merger conversation begins,” she added.