When my term as a Select Board member ends in one month’s time I will have served for six years during some of the most challenging years Brattleboro has seen. In this last year I have served as chair of the board and was responsible for running our meetings in a year where we have seen increased anger, polarization, and a lack of trust in government. Some of the things that people are feeling can be laid squarely at the feet of the Select Board – myself included – and this election provides an opportunity for change.

There are eight candidates running for the three open seats and I believe that all of them have shown themselves to serious people worthy of your consideration. I am writing to you all to talk about two candidates who I believe have demonstrated a refreshing thoughtfulness in their approaches to the challenges facing our community: Cristina Shayonye and Oscar Heller.

Cristina Shayonye is running for one of the two one-year seats. I have gotten to know Cristina this year through her participation in Select Board meetings and community organizing. Cristina’s moral clarity and critical thinking have been on display in her work around homelessness, public safety, and the town’s budget. In talking to her it is clear to me that this is someone who will fight for Brattleboro, rather than a particular ideological position. As a young parent in town she can be a voice for a part of our community that struggles to attend meetings and be represented on boards. Christina is articulate, fierce when she needs to be, and genuinely committed to solving problems.

Oscar Heller is running for the three-year seat that I am vacating. I have known Oscar since we both ran for the board in winter 2019. Since that time he and I have had many conversations about issues facing the town, and whilst we do not always agree, I am always impressed by his intelligence and curiosity. With the town budget on many people’s minds these days, Oscar’s work on the RTM finance committee means that he is well informed about the budget and has an outsider’s perspective which enables him to critique the budget development process. In debates this year I have been impressed and encouraged by Oscar’s responses, demeanor, and positivity. I can imagine him working effectively with other board members and town staff. Voters can judge for themselves by reading the candidate interviews in this newspaper, watching the debate from Feb. 12, and listening to interviews on the Vermonitude podcast. Brattleboro is lucky to have such a good slate of candidates to choose from, and I am excited for fresh perspectives to make their way onto the board.