SAXTONS RIVER — I was very sorry to read this article, which painted the actions of several loyal public servants, particularly Louise Luring, in such a bad light.
The expression “If you want something done, ask a busy person” could have been written for Louise. She has volunteered for and/or led numerous local organizations and served on countless boards and committees since she moved here with her family almost 40 years ago.
She knows Vermont's laws and rules inside out, and as chair of the Saxtons River Board of Trustees for the last 20 years, she has followed them implicitly.
Her knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order is so legendary that when anyone questions a procedural step in a meeting, the response is often “Where's Louise?"
It's unusual for Louise to forget something, but on the rare occasion where it might have happened, she knows when the situation calls for action “in good faith.”
That's what she did when she asked Lamont Barnett to sign a letter of support for a grant application for Our Place Drop-in Center and the Greater Falls Warming Shelter.
Of course, these longtime public servants know all about the Open Meeting Law, and getting approval retroactively is not the norm. But they also know the history of both agencies receiving approval from the town, and the importance that they both be funded.
The fact that Louise has juggled all her volunteer activities so faithfully and well for decades is a marvel. Rather than questioning her judgment or wagging a finger, we owe her our sincere gratitude for her unflagging commitment to the vitality and welfare of this entire community.