Letter From Kathy Pellett Announcing Her Candidacy For Chester's Select Board

To The Editor

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

After six years in the Vermont Legislature and a year of retirement, I have decided to turn my attention and skills to my home ground and run for a one-year seat on Chester's Select Board. It was an honor to serve as your State Representative and I enjoyed the work immensely. I miss being useful in this way. My stance will be the same as when I was your State Representative: to listen, to be informed and to be responsive to your concerns. My experience in the Legislature has given me a unique perspective in dealing with issues without making decisions or judgments until all the facts have been examined.

There are and will be major issues coming before the Board, such as the proposed biomass plant in North Springfield, and ensuring that Chester gets the funds it needs in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, among others. I believe the Board should work more closely with our state representative and senators, so we know about proposed legislation and how it might affect Chester. I believe the Select Board should be proactive, relying on foresight and insight.

I currently am a member of Chester's Reparative Board and a member of the State Judicial Nominating Board. I now have the time to dedicate my energy to issues that come before the town and to serve everyone fairly, helping to make Chester a better place in which to live and work.

Two of my six years in the legislature were spent on the Natural Resources and Energy Committee and four years on the Judiciary Committee. I helped shepherd bills through to passage that had a positive effect on Chester, such as securing $300,000 for Chester's waste water treatment plant. I also initiated an annual fund-raising event in Chester, now in its 6th year, to raise money for home heating fuel for local folks who need help with heating costs. The past 6 years, we raised over $10,000, which was matched by CVPS's Share Heat program.

I hope you will vote for me for a one-year term on Chester's Select Board. If you have any questions, please call me 875-1372 and I will be happy to speak with you. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kathy Pellett