Staff report
As Town Meeting Day approaches March 3, there are several locally contested races.
Two are seeking a Select Board seat in Woodstock. Keri Cole is running for a three-year Select Board seat against incumbent Ray Bourgeois.
Bourgeois, who was a grounds manager at Boston University until he retired and moved to Woodstock, has served on the Merten’s House board in Woodstock and the Union Arena board.
Cole is wrapping up a three-year seat on the Woodstock Village Board of Trustees and currently serves on the Development Review Board.
“I think the Select Board is involved in a wider range of town activities,” Cole said. “I feel strongly there should be someone with young children [on the board],” she added, explaining she wants to make sure the town and school are supportive of her kids, ages 2 and 4, and others.
“(The town) is a special place for many reasons,” Cole said. “There’s a surge of people and families moving to the Woodstock area in the past year or two. It’s such an amazing place to live and I want to continue to support that and encourage positive growth.”
Cole, who grew up in Georgia, moved to Woodstock in 2010 and briefly owned the Blue Horse Inn. She now works as a realtor for Williamson Group Sotheby’s International Realty. Cole also previously served on the Woodstock Planning Commission board, the Pentangle Arts Council board, the Woodstock Historical Society board, and the Woodstock Garden Club board.
In Rutland town, four are vying for a vacant town clerk and treasurer position. Kari Clark, a teacher at Rutland County Headstart, Sawyer Hathaway, an EMT, Chris Chaffee and Gary Ladabouche are seeking seats.
In Rutland City, nine are running for five Board of Aldermen seats. Incumbents Paul Clifford, Sharon Davis, Matthew Reveal, Scott Tommola and Mathew Whitcomb are running again. John Atwood, a computer programmer who previously ran for an Aldermen seat unsuccessfully is also running with Samuel Gorruso of Sam’s Good News; Kam Johnston, a school commissioner who previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor; and Michael Talbott, who is chair of the media and communication department at Castleton University.
Six are running for four School Board seats in Rutland City. Kam Johnston is seeking re-election with Alison Notte and Mathew Olewink while Brittany Cavacas, the wife of School Board member Hurley Cavacas, Kevin Kiefaber, a social worker and Cathy Solsaa, a quilter and massage therapist, are also running.
There are no contested races in Killington. Stephen Finneron is running again for a Select Board seat and Jim Haff is running again for a School Board seat. There are also no contested races in Pittsford. Incumbent Alicia Malay is running for two years and incumbent Hank Pelkey is running for three years.
