New Board of Selectmen starts meeting

Left to right, Selectman Jennifer Mahr (U), First Selectman Edward B. St. John (R) and Selectman J. Paul Vance (D) comprise Middlebury’s current Board of Selectmen. Mahr and Vance were elected November 7; St. John has two more years on his four-year term. (Marjorie Needham photo)

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

Middlebury First Selectman Edward B. St. John conducted two December meetings with the newly elected Board of Selectmen, one on December 7 and one on December 18. For the first time in decades, he is the sole Republican on the board. Selectman Jennifer Mahr is unaffiliated, and Selectman J. Paul Vance is a Democrat.

Another first occurred at the December 7 meeting. At the first meeting following an election, the first selectman has to appoint one of the selectmen to be the acting first selectman should the first selectman be unable to perform his duties. St. John for the first time nominated a Democrat, Vance, to this position. Following all previous elections, he appointed a fellow Republican to the position. This time there was no Republican to appoint.

St. John told Mahr he was doing so because Vance had seniority over her, albeit not a lot of seniority. Vance was appointed to the board this past spring to fill the vacancy created when Selectman Ralph Barra (D) resigned. Voting on the motion to appoint Vance, St. John and Vance voted “Aye” while Mahr voted “Nay.”

In response to requests to change the board’s meeting time, the selectmen agreed to rotate times. The board meets on the first and third Monday (except for holidays) each month. They agreed the first Monday meeting will be at 4 p.m. and the third Monday meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. starting January 2024. Mahr noted the 6:30 p.m. start time gives people time to get home from work and attend the meeting. Vance said it would be nice to have the meeting available via Zoom, and St. John said that certainly could be done.

Mahr raised the subject of the Metro Realty proposed luxury apartment project on land between Straits Turnpike and Kelly Road, saying she had received a number of letters and emails about it. She asked for a discussion of rental housing at a future meeting, noting its potential to impact student enrollment at Region 15 and the town’s emergency services. She suggested contacting Region 15 regarding their opinion on enrollment capacity and asked if the board had a Region 15 liaison. St. John said it did not, but Mahr could be the liaison if she wished.

Vance suggested letting the developer make a presentation to the board on what they are proposing. He said public safety and traffic issues also are important. St. John said if the town attorneys advised that inviting the developer to make a presentation would not interfere with its applications before Planning and Zoning, they would do that.

Apparently the attorneys saw no issue with it because Kyle Richards of Metro Realty was invited to appear at the December 18 meeting to present information on the project. Richards came to the December 18 meeting, which also was attended by Fire Chief Brett Kales and Police Chief Pat Deely. His presentation and response to questions is discussed in a related article, “Metro hearing set for January 4 Planning & Zoning meeting” published here.

The December 18 meeting also continued the discussion about vacancies on commissions and committees that was initiated in July 2023 by Economic Development Chairman Terry McAuliffe, and Dr. Ray Sullivan, who wrote a book on Middlebury’s history, said he hoped a historic marker could be placed at Tyler Crossing to note that an abandoned cemetery dating from 1703-1793 had been on Breakneck Hill. He noted these were the graves of our forebears. He said the Breakneck area is very important here and in the nation. St. John suggested getting the Middlebury Historical Society involved.

Before the meeting ended, Vance read into the record a statement saying the Board of Selectmen condemn hate and bigotry in all its forms and against any and all people. They condemn the violent attacks by Hamas against Israel and the Jewish people and noted we have a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Middlebury. The board joins their friends and neighbors in mourning the loss of all innocent civilian life in Israel and Gaza, they hope for the safe return of the hostages, and pray for peace in the entire region and for a peaceful coexistence here, abroad, and in Israel.