Sign at town hall at Killington.

Sign at town hall at Killington.

Below is a letter I have written to the Citizens of Killington as published in the Mountain Times, May 4th, 2011:

Dear Citizens of Killington

On the evening of May 9th, when we gather for the special Killington town meeting, the time has come to make some thoughtful changes to how our town is governed. As residents, we are lucky that there are clear choices. Continued complacency with "the way things have been" is not the solution. Some of the political structures of the towns past are placing impediments to reinvigorating our town, and they should be changed.

During the town meeting, citizen initiatives to change the way voters are included in important town decisions will be decided. Initiatives to change voting to Australian Balloting and to increase the size of the Select Board from 3 to 5 members deserve careful consideration and a "Yes" vote by Killington residents.

Adopting an Australian ballot voting format is long overdue. While it is a wonderful concept that all residents should attend town meeting, the reality is that too many of our citizens are left out due to the structure of life in the 21st century. If Killington is to move forward, more citizens need to take ownership of town governance. Voting by Australian ballot enfranchises everyone, and we need every resident of Killington to participate if our town is to thrive. Please attend town meeting and vote "Yes" on the Australian ballot initiatives.

Expanding the select board to 5 members also is critical to Killington's future. While a 3-member board has "historically worked" for Killington, the challenges facing our town today have rendered the current board structure chaotically dysfunctional. Multiple issues requiring immediate select board focus can no longer be ignored. Maximizing available resources is critical if we are to address economic development, re-examining the town's zoning plan, fixing the financial problems of the Green Mountain National Golf course, and attracting visitors back to our town as the economy recovers. How the select board manages these and other issues will have a direct impact on our local taxes, and the quality of life of all Killington residents.

Moving to a 5-member select board would allow the board to operate more effectively. It would allow for the creation of focused, issue oriented, sub-committees within the board. It would promote broader representation by making select board members more accessible to the community. It would provide greater select board stability for our residents and businesses, as 3 members would carry over each year from the prior years board. At town meeting, please vote "Yes" on the initiative to expand the select board to 5 members.

On a personal note, if the residents of Killington decide to expand the size of the select board, I ask your consideration to fill one of the newly created board seats.

In 1997, after many years of visiting Killington first as "weekenders" then as second homeowners, Mary and I decided to pursue the American Dream and open our own small business. We chose Killington as the place to start the Birch Ridge Inn. We have established strong roots in Killington, both through our business and by volunteering our time and resources to many community organizations. It has not been easy. The political turmoil in both Vermont and Killington has constantly changed the rules on being successful. But that has not dampened our spirit. Killington, at its core, is a beautiful place. We are blessed to be able to call Killington our home.

Please attend the special Killington town meeting on May 9th. Vote "Yes" to increase citizen participation in town government by supporting the Australian ballot initiatives and the change in size of the select board. And if the 5-member select board initiative passes, please give me the honor of your vote for one of the newly created select board seats.

Respectfully
Bill Vines