Category: Voices

An Interview with Fay Hollander, founder of Klara Simpla

An Interview with Fay Hollander, founder of Klara Simpla

by Kelly (of rituals) ♥ 4 Comments

“A long slow color is green.”

Fay Hollander

(This quote, from a poem by Faye, was engraved on a wooden medallion which greeted guests above the entrance to what was once Southern Vermont’s natural living Mecca~Klara Simpla.  This interview took place in 1997 in Faye’s apartment above the shop on Main Street in Wilmington.)

Fay, tell me the story of how Klara Simpla got its start…

Well, this was the Wee Ski Shop, and Wee Moran ran it.  I had just moved in up the street and happened to walk by.   Wee was out on the sidewalk, looking very glum, and told me that his wife had just been dropped in the hospital and had broken her spine.  And I, never having been in a ski shop in my life, said, Well, is there anything that I can do?

That was December 15, 1965.


So I came in to help with getting the equipment out and for sale.  On Friday nights, there would be a line of young people down the block because (don’t forget) this was the only ski shop in town when Mount Snow opened.  We’d work all night just to keep things going.

Sometimes those people coming in late were hungry, and I began to think that maybe it would be nice if we had something here.  So I took three hundred dollars and bought honey and peanut butter from Walnut Acres in Pennsylvannia.  And then, they’d say, “Do you have any bread?”  So I started ordering organic bread from Canada.

And that’s what made it grow.


So how did you end up in Vermont selling organic foods?

My father was an organic farmer and a bee keeper in Virginia.  He helped other people learn organic farming, and that interested me.  I studied very practical things in college… how fibers and food were made, and how to test them, so I had a good background for this.
Coming to Vermont, over thirty years ago, was a real turning point for me.   I didn’t know a soul, but it felt like I should be here.  It was one of those things that you don’t have to think about it–you just feel very right without putting a whole lot of [mental] handicaps in your way.

You know some people use their minds to figure everything out.  I’m not that kind of person.  How can the heart speak if the mind is busy?

I heard that the locals wouldn’t set foot in here when you first got started.

Yes, it was a very weird beginning. The people in the town walked on the other side of the street because they didn’t want to come near me.  I  heard that they thought I was a witch!


I  first had a big herb table in the ski shop.  The police would come in, with their hands behind their backs, and walk around and look at it out of the corner of their eye.  As a matter of fact, they arrested a young man who was going out with a bag of herbs.  So it was scary for me.  I couldn’t see the humor in it then.

What turned things around?

When Wee died in ‘72, he left no will, and I was faced with eviction.  I had been living here and taking care of everything.  It was a monumental task but he needed the help.

People began to hear that this place might be lost.  (By that time it was almost a full-fledged health food store as it is now.)   And people came in… there was a crippled man from up North who brought in a check for me to use to pay the lawyers;  and there was a wealthy woman in Brattleboro who heard what was happening and sent another big check–without knowing how I would pay her back.


That’s what let me know how important this place was to people.

So many people write you and call you or want to come to visit. At eighty years old, how do you keep up with it all?

Well, I think a lot of the people who correspond with me must think I’m dead by now!


I actually have a lot to do to keep things going here, but I don’t try to put it all in one basket, I spread it out.

Here’s a quick question that I know a lot of people would like the answer to: Why aren’t you listed in the phone book under Klara Simpla?

I don’t know, it’s not important to me. [We  both laugh as the phone rings on cue.]

Some people are really overwhelmed the first time they walk into this store…

[Fay laughs as recalls this incident.]

I used to have some chairs out front in the summertime and I would sit out there.  One afternoon a girl sat down beside me; she was about twelve years old, and she looked at me and said, “Do you work here?”

And I said, “Yes.”

And she said, “How do you stand it?”


And I said, “What do you mean?”


And she said, “It smells so awful in there.”

Fay, what’s going to happen to Klara Simpla when you’re gone?

I have no idea; whatever needs to happen, I guess.  That’s a nice way for it to grow.


I thought you were going to ask me about the books.

I do love your book collection.

You know when I first put the books in the store, somebody said to me, “You’ll never sell books like that in this town!”  But in a short time, there were people coming from Boston to buy books here.


People would say, “Oh I love this shop;  I could just live here!”  And I used to sort of giggle inside;  because I used to sleep in the book department before there was this space upstairs.  I would just uncover a cot that had books on it during the day and lay down there at night.  I loved the feeling of the books around me.   (They were my salvation growing up.)

Is there anything that you’d want me to say or not to say in my  article about Klara Simpla?

I’d want it to say what’s real.  I can think of an article that was done here where everything seemed flowery and nicer than it was–embellished–as though that was necessary. That’s a handicap, when you embellish things and then try to live up to something that isn’t real.

Klara Simpla has touched so many lives.  What has this meant to you?

If I make a difference and it’s positive, that pleases me.

Closing words…

I feel very lucky for the chain of events that brought, even us, together.  I  have a lot of love in my heart for Vermont and the people here.  I think it’s a great place to be.  There’s a freedom in this state;  it’s a real haven for having yourself expressed and getting to know yourself.

Kelly Salasin, Wilmington 1997

The Meetinghouse Preschool, Marlboro, VT

The Meetinghouse Preschool, Marlboro, VT

by Kelly (of rituals) ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

on the occasion of its 25th anniversary (1998)

Kelly Salasin

This year The Meetinghouse preschool in Marlboro, Vermont celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. This milestone is testimony to the hundreds of parents who have come together since 1973 to support this school and entrust their children to its teachers.

More than 300 preschool students have graduated from Meetinghouse since it first began. Some of those alumni were on hand for the anniversary dinner held this April at the Colonel Williams Inn in Marlboro.

Hannah Van Loon was a student in the first class to pass through the school, and remembers it as a safe, and comfortable place,  “I still remember building with those red and white cardboard blocks,” says twenty-eight year old Hannah, who now works as a paraeducator in Brattleboro.

Simon Holzapfel, twenty-five, and his brother Forrest, twenty-three, also attended the school in its early years. “I remember the windows being really high, “ says Simon about the classroom which is housed in the town church. “I’m still friends with some of the kids that were in my class back then,” he adds.

As an eighth grader, Simon returned to the preschool to work as a helper. “I read to the kids, pushed them on the swings, and helped them play more civilly,” recalls Simon, who is now a teacher himself at the Putney School.

Liza Murrow Ketchum founded The Meetinghouse School in the early seventies and served as its first director/teacher. As an educator and writer, she studied schools in England for the book she authored, Children Come First. Liza was impressed with the innovative primary programs there which helped shape her vision for the preschool she would start in Marlboro.

The directorship of the school has changed hands over the years, and Liza, who is now a children’s author, resides outside of Boston. She was excited to receive the announcement of the school’s twenty-fifth anniversary, saying, “I was tickled to see Joe Hamilton’s signature on the letter.”

At seventy-seven, Mr. Hamilton has served as chairman of the board since the school began.“All of my efforts over the years to retire have been fruitless,” says Joe with a hint of a smile, “Three or four years ago they passed a resolution… they won’t let me resign.”

When first searching for a site for the preschool, Liza found the town church to be the perfect spot. Built in 1932 and located in the center of Marlboro, the building has a large center room, kitchen and bathroom facilities, and huge windows that let in plenty of light.

Like other rural churches in the area, membership had been declining, and services were only held in the summer months and at Christmas time. As church moderator, Joe Hamilton, a dairy farmer in West Brattleboro, supported the idea of turning over the use of the first floor of the church to the preschool. “It just seemed to me that it was better to have the building used,” said Joe.

The Hamilton family has been members of the church since the early 1800s (before the original building on that site burnt down). “Joe was a great link between the school community and the church community,” says school founder Liza Murrow Ketchum, “The first year or two, most of the people were nervous about the preschool, but once they saw that the families and I cared about the building, things changed.”

Liza describes the involvement of the parents in the school during those early years as “heartwarming,”and adds, “There just wasn’t any other way to run the place.”

This tradition of parent involvement in the school has been passed down through the generations of families, and has kept this cooperative preschool alive. Twenty-five years later, the parents continue to work closely with the director to ensure the school’s success:

Parents come in to cook and create with the children, they volunteer to work as substitutes or chaperones if needed, they provide snack for the class, they take on the jobs of maintaining and cleaning the building, and they organize and carry out the fundraisers that financially support the school.

For some this may seem overwhelming, but for the parents whose children attend this school, it is essential. “A lot of parents in this society are looking for a place to put their kids while they go off and do their things, I don’t think that’s the general consensus here,” says parent Kathy Pell, “We’re looking for a place for our kids to go that we’re a part of as well.”

“This is a different place than others,” continues Kathy, who also serves on the board. “There are preschools that we have been to where they won’t let parents come in, where they won’t let you stay, where they certainly wouldn’t let you sit there and help your kids out during the day– and be a part of the whole thing. Family is really important here, and that makes it unique.”

Board member and parent Carol Brooke-deBock agrees, “Any teacher that comes aboard has to feel committed that the kids just aren’t being sent to the school. She has to want to work with the whole family, and to encourage the parents to ask questions.”

“Parents are willing to make the commitment,” adds parent Jodi Paloni, who also serves on the board, “That commitment is needed to keep things going, and it’s fun! It’s not just what get’s done… it’s the spirit of it all. That provides the momentum for the school.”

Celeste MacArthur takes advantage of the scholarship offered for cleaning the classroom. Her daughter Iyla is the third of her children to attend Meetinghouse. “Even when I’m cleaning, I think about the kids… It isn’t just a job. I have so much gratitude for Iyla’s experience here,” Celeste says.

Working scholarships are available to families who need tuition support. Generally tuition covers about sixty percent of the school’s annual budget (depending on enrollment), while the remaining portion comes from the school’s fundraising initiatives.

“Fundraising can be a drag at times… It’s a lot of work, ” emphasizes school treasurer Carol Brooke-deBock, “But it also brings people together. People feel more invested in the school because of it.”

The school’s largest and longest-running fundraising effort is their Annual Cider Sale which has taken place each autumn for the past twenty years! The school even has its own pressing equipment.

Whether or not you know the school, you most surely know this event that takes place on Route 9 in Marlboro each Columbus Day Weekend. The landmark is the huge mound of apples and the big tents under which the cider is pressed and the home baked pies are sold.

The cider sale kicks off the school year for the parents and really brings their families together:  the week before the sale everyone gathers at Scott Orchard in Dummerston to do the picking. The preschoolers work along side their– brothers and sisters, moms and dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends– to gather the apples for the cider and for pies that will be baked the following week.

The relationships formed in coming together to support the school “carry over into the community,” explains board member Laura Hunter. “There is this great friendship outside of the school… it’s really amazing. We are all so different from each other, but the core of why we are at Meetinghouse is the same, and that makes our bonds so strong.”

That bond is vital to parent Kathy Pell who was new to the community when her son Dakota was a preschooler. “When we moved here, I definitely didn’t feel like I was part of anything,” explains Kathy, “but being at Meetinghouse, first as parent, then as a board member, gave me this little tiny community to be a part of… a place where we share a philosophy of what we want for our kids… to have a really safe, really enjoyable, learning environment.”

The common values held by these families are “apparent in the children themselves,” says parent Dolly Glennon, who drives from Wilmington each day so that her sons Brad and Drew can attend the school.

Meetinghouse has always attracted families from communities outside its home in Marlboro. Prior to relocating there, Laura Hunter traveled from Brookline to enable her daughter to attend the school. “Erica has special needs,” explains Laura, “We had looked at every place in the area, and nothing felt right. But the minute that I took her over to Meetinghouse, it was like, ‘this is it!’”

“Paul works well with kids with special needs,” says alumni parent Janie Ahern about the school’s director, Paul Redmond, “That makes it a very unique school… It’s not only unique to the kids who are already there, but also for kids that really need something extra. Not all preschools can do that.”

“Paul interacted with my daughter like nobody else did,” explains Laura, “I really needed that for her. I never felt like I could drop her off and leave her with anybody else before. This was a safe place.”

Many parents seem to know that The Meetinghouse School is the right place for their child the moment they walk through the door. “It’s definitely the perfect environment… the children have the space to expand, “ says Dolly Glennon about the classroom, “It’s also really neat to have a male role model for the kids.”

Janie Ahern served on the board in 1989 when Paul Redmond was hired as the director. She later worked as his assistant after her children graduated from the school. “One of the most important things about Paul is that he thinks of each child as being truly unique, and he treats them that way. Not all teachers do that,” Janie explains. “Paul really zeros in on the kids, and that’s his focus, “ she adds, “He is very concerned about the child’s well being and about what they are learning in the world… and that’s not just out of a book, and it’s not just from a project.”

On first encounter, it may surprise you to meet the director who runs the Meetinghouse School– he’s not  what you might expect of someone whose days are spent with small children. For starters, there aren’t too many men working in preschools; and Paul’s not fresh out of college either, he has a masters in education and has been teaching for almost thirty years.

Paul Redmond is a big, burly kind of guy with a long droopy mustache. (He once came to school clean shaven and dressed in a tie and suit for Halloween… none of the kids recognized him.) There’s a definite solidness about Paul, in the way he talks to the children, and yet he is also very gentle. With his southern accent, you’ll hear him reminding the girls and boys to be “ladies” and “gentlemen.”

They love him!

“Paul comes when we need him,” says four-year old Lindsay Ware, “When I am up in a tree, he helps me get down.”

“We like when Paul plays tricks on us, like when he pretends that Brad’s lunch is his,” say five-year olds, Aaron Brooke-deBock and Margaret Bernhard, with a giggle.

“Paul protects things,”says Liza Haughty,

“and when somebody gets hurt, he comes,” adds Alex Hunter.

“We like when he does scary stories!” three-year olds, Madeline Hawes and MacKenzie Fisher, say with a big grin.

At times the parents pull up to the school at the end of a rainy day to find the building vibrating with Latin music as Paul leads the class in a scarf dance. On the drive home, the children will laugh about how Goldilocks met The Three Pigs in a play they acted out that morning. Day and night, the house will be filled with song… “Mud, mud, I love mud! I’m absolutely, positively, wild about mud!”

“I want the kids to be excited about being at school,” says Paul, “ I want them to sing and dance… I want the world to open up to them. If children feel safe, emotionally and physically, then they’ll explore, they’ll take chances. I provide that safety by being consistent, by assuring them that no harm will come to them, and by letting them know that there are certain things that I will allow and certain things I won’t allow. They come to trust me.”

“Paul is obviously ideal,” says board member Kathy Pell about the kind of teacher the parents want for their children. “We want someone who encourages the children to solve their own problems, but who also gives them the skills to do that… someone who encourages them to explore, who doesn’t push educational philosophies versus the children’s learning and growth… someone who will be enthusiastic and gentle, all at the same time,” she explains.

“In the same way that children need to feel safe, parents need to feel that their children are safe,” says Paul, “They have to be involved in order to feel that. The better the parents know me, the more comfortable they are with me, and the more willing they are to talk to me about their children’s real issues. I like it when parents come and visit. I like for them to feel that this is their school, and I like for them to know what’s going on.”

Mornings at Meetinghouse are a nice blend of what this school is all about. At group time, the children come together on the green rug to sing songs and hear about the day’s activities. The parents circle around with babes in arms (or coffee), keeping their eyes on wandering toddlers.

There’s lots of laughter, especially among the adults, as Paul (who has been described as the David Letterman of preschool) targets comments their way. Parents linger just a moment more to see what he’ll say next as he manages ‘show and tell’,… always able to find a new angle on the same fire equipment that one little guy has brought in each week since the beginning of the year.

After group, the parents leave one by one, and the children begin their day.

The scene is timeless...

Alex and Brad at the easel, Margaret and Liza in the dress-up corner, MacKenzie and Orion dressed in capes and armor in the climbing frame, Lloyd and Griffin at the sandbox, Lindsay and Cody at the art tables, Eli and Iyla building towers, Jason and Aaron with Trent eating peanuts…

Change the names and the faces, and you are transported back to an earlier time when children who are now out of college did these same things.

Meetinghouse is not about a certain group of kids or even a certain group of parents, it’s not about one particular director or one particular way of teaching, it’s not even about the building that’s housed it for the last twenty-five years.

The Meetinghouse School is a tradition created by all of those pieces coming together, working together, to make a safe and happy place for our children.

Happy 25th Anniversary Meetinghouse!!!


The Power of Community

The Power of Community

by Kelly (of rituals) ♥ 3 Comments

The Meeting for the Town/Community Center, Marlboro, VT (photo: David Holzapfel)

“In Marlboro, democracy=scale x community x commitment = OPPORTUNITY.”

Paul Costello, Executive Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD)

Kelly Salasin

I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make it to the Community Visit Day with the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) in Marlboro.   I wasn’t sure that I understood what it was about–and I wasn’t sure I’d have anything to offer.  Childcare also loomed as a hurdle.

The Youngest Participant (photo: David Holzapfel)

But then I stumbled upon this quote, and it shifted my attention:

“There is no power greater than a community

discovering what it cares about.”

~Meg Wheatley

I was further moved by the effort my fellow townspeople were making–on behalf of all of us–for this gathering.  I wanted to water their seeds of effort and support its bloom.

When I looked closer at the schedule for the day, I discovered that there were choices that fit my interests–and my ability to contribute.

While I didn’t attend the earliest of the meetings, I made sure that I was there for the Town Identity gathering and the Community/Town Center gathering.

What impressed me most was the–process (though the potluck was a close second.)  The Vermont Council on Rural Development has facilitated this visioning work with 35 towns throughout the state:

“VCRD is a neutral, non-profit organization that brings Vermonters together across political lines and organizational boundaries to advance rural community and economic development throughout the state.”

Renewable Energy Meeting, Marlboro, VT (photo: David Holzapfel)

VCRD facilitated each of the nine meetings, encouraging as many townspeople as possible to share their voice–before their team of state, federal, business and non-profit leaders reflected it back.

There are two additional Community Visit Days scheduled in the upcoming months to build upon the ideas that were brought forth in today’s visioning process.

Until then, I wanted to share the highlights of this experience via my tweeter feed: (Note: I only attended 2 of the 9 possible meetings.)

  1. visiting team consensus is that Marlboro is ready to go; we have a collaborative vision, energy & a great sense of community already
  2. the question of a town/community center=build or develop another site, Marlboro Town Visit
  3. Common highlights reported from visiting team at Marlboro tonight: PUB, INTERNET, CORRIDORS of CONNECTION
  4. There are several members on the visiting team at each of the meetings in Marlboro today
  5. The visiting team will now reflect what they heard at tonight’s mtg on Marlboro’s Town/Comm. Ctr. A town PUB was a high priority.
  6. townsppl discuss desirable aspects of community center: BATHROOMS,kitchen!,lg gathering space,smaller spaces,office space,parking

  7. Town/Community Center Gathering, Marlboro, VY (photo: David Holzapfel)

    Community members identifying needs 4 town/community ctr: incidental & intentional gathering place 4 all ages

  8. Marlboro Town Visit~attending pm meeting on topic of Community/Town Center;
  9. Democracy=scale x community x commitment = OPPORTUNITY. Vermont Council of Rural Development in Marlboro 2day!
  10. Director of VT Council Rural Devt speaking to community now; Marlboro Town Visit Potluck

  11. Potluck Gathering at the Community Meeting (photo: David Holzapfel)

    Full House in the OUtback at MES with the community potluck on Marlboro Town Visit today

  12. Vt Council on Rural Devt has facilitated this process in 35 Vermont communities. Marlboro Town
  13. townspeople want to inc. everyone’s voice&participation, Marlboro Town Visit
  14. love model that VT Council Rural Dev’t using 2 bring us together,2 share voices,reflect back priorities,focus on our strengths,next act
  15. Marlboro Identity meeting http://wp.me/pG508-6u~State guests now reflecting back priorities heard from citizens with suggestions
  16. Guest Who’s Coming To Dinner? Here’s the list of attendees from the state at the Marlboro Visit 2 day
  17. Hard 2 find place 4 town seniors 2 gather,would be nice 2 have place 4 more opportunities-meals,exercise, etc?;Marlboro Town Visit Day

  18. MarlboroTownVisitDay~Rte 9 issues discussed~divides town,dangerous, can town b better defined so drivers slow, notice town, explore?
  19. Marlboro Town Visit Day

  20. Marlboro's Town Hall has WIfi Access (photo: David Holzapfel)

    Brainstorming town opportunities~gallery 4 all town artists w cafe; Marlboro Town Visit Day

  21. more marlboro opportunities~turn post office, town hall, meetinghouse into intentional town center
  22. Town opportunities~restaurant at Hogback?town pathways 2 ease connection?daycare/preschool? neighborhood clusters? Marlboro Visit
  23. Is Marlboro elitist? Birkenstock land? Is everyone included? Do we hear from all voices? What’s our outreach?
  24. Marlboro Town Identity convers. cont~community preschool closing, hard 4 young families 2 afford 2 live here, follow
  25. Not 2 late 2 join in Marlboro Community Visit Day,potluck 6:00 pm, next “set” of mtgs at 7:00. Schedule http://wp.me/pG508-6n

  26. Town Identity Meeting, Town Hall (photo: David Holzapfel)

    discussing assets & challenges of Marlboro Identity here at the Town House with the VT Council on Rural Dev’t, follow

  27. The meeting on Town Identity beginning now at the Marlboro Town House with VT Council on Rural Dev’t; follow at
  28. Here at the Marlboro Community Visit Day with the VT Council on Rural Dev’t–higher turn out than Town Meeting, follow at
  29. No power greater than community discovering what it cares about~Meg Wheatley

Yours Truly,Tweeting the Meeting-detail/photo: David Holzapfel

Of Special Note~ I neglected to tweet about the most memorable aspect of the gathering for me:  The Potluck Supper! Jean Boardman’s cake from The Whetstone Inn had an extra dose of Creme de Cacao and there were actually flowers on the table–flowers!–in March.  No doubt a passionate team of volunteers deserves credit for highlighting the day’s work with such hospitality!

Tweeting Town Meeting

Tweeting Town Meeting

by Kelly (of rituals) ♥ 8 Comments

Residents head to the Town Hall for Marlboro's 2010 Town Meeting (photo: Marcia Hamilton)

(Scroll down below to see the tweets)

The room breaks out in laughter as townspeople turn toward each other–repeating the word “tweeting’–after my announcement that I’ve been live posting today’s Town Meeting for VPR.

The only other time the gathering laughs as hard is when the Town Energy Committee announces that they have received a $750 grant for an audit of our 200-year old Town Hall (where today’s meeting takes place.)

Though a 20 foot snow pile stands beside the building, the weather today is so atypically mild that most attendees can remove their hats and gloves (and some even coats) in the beloved–but drafty–Town House.

Kids play on the snow pile during the lunch break, Marlboro Town Meeting, 2010 (photo: Marcia Hamilton)

Marlboro’s first town meeting took place in 1775 after being settled a decade earlier.  The town once called “New Marlborough”  had a population of 1300 in the year 1820.  The census  for 2000 recorded 978 citizens in  present-day Marlboro.  (Info. from the Marlboro Historical Society.)

To follow the highlights of the Marlboro’s 2010 Town Meeting, take a look at the stream of tweets (140 characters or less) that were posted live during yesterday’s annual gathering:

8:55 am, Residents take their seats for Marlboro's Annual Town Meeting, 2010 (photo: Marcia Hamilton)

Tweeting Town Meeting

(9:15 am)

Up at 6 2 make it back 2 VT in time for Town Mtg~ still missed my fav. part~the opening

(9:30 am)

Marlboro Town Mtg. now discussing School Bd’s request 2 reduce their own stipend from $1,000 to $100

(9:45 am)

After much discussion “against” reducing Marlboro School Board stipend, amendment passes 2 support their request

(10:00 am)

Only in VT~Marlboro Town Mtg. Moderator steps down 4 moment 2 answer question in his other role as District Superintendent

Moderator( & School Superintendent Steven John) presides over Marlboros 2010 Town Meeting (photo Marcia Hamilton)

(10:15 am)

Almost FULL House here in Marlboro (Town House that is) approx. 120 ppl

(10:30 am)

School Superintendent turns back 2 Town Mtg Moderator & Marlboro school budget passes with ease

(10:45 am)

Marlboro Town Mtg has apparently shifted 2 comically editing the Town Report after brief adjournment

(11:00 am)

Forced Hand count 2 suspend rules 2 move “closing discussions” B4 Lunch while attendance high

(11:05 am)

Standing Applause~Bob Anderson speaks on behalf of Marlboro Conservation Commission who raised MILLION 7+ 2 preserve Hogback MT!

(11:15 am)

It’s VT Town Meetings where I learned what it means 2 participate: http://wp.me/pja7h-w6

(11:30 am)

Long-time Marlboro resident Dan MacArthur proposes shifting vote for Town Officers 2 Town Mtg rather than ballot

(11:35 am)

Constable Clarence Boston supports vote 4 Officers at Town Mtg when VT makes 2day PAID HOLIDAY!

(11:40 am)

Road Foreman Dave Elliot counters that Meeting Hall wouldn’t accommodate all voters if Officers were 2B elected at Town Mtg

(11:45 am)

Marlboro’s Town Meeting suspended 2 welcome State Rep. Marek~with applause

(11:50 am)

Always lots of knitters at Marlboro’s Town Meeting; mine is the only lap with a computer

(11:55 am)

This live coverage made possible by wi fi at Town Hall; no high speed access yet at my Marlboro home

(12:00 pm)

Marlboro res. Alan Dann whose wife is Dr. addresses Rep. Marek~ wants VT 2 serve as model 4 rest of nation around HEALTH CARE!

(12:05 pm)

Almost skipped Town Mtg this yr 2 prolong family vaca; VPR inspired me 2 B here once again; had 2 wake kids at 6:00 am

(12:10 pm)

14 yr old son attends Town Mtg. every yr since infant; learning what it means 2 live in community

(12:15 pm)

Marlboro Town Meeting about to adjourn for annual community POTLUCK LUNCH (my boys live 4 the homemade desserts!)

(12:20 pm)

Biz Owner Jane Wilde apologizes for cell phone ringing during Town Meeting~ a first for Marlboro

(12:30 pm)

Marlboro Potluck Lunch, Town Meeting Day, 2010 (photo: Marcia Hamilton)

A Town Mtg Potluck 4 all ages~grandchildren, elders & everything in between

(12:45 pm)

Whetstone Inn owner Jean Boardman’s “Chocolate Creme de Cacoa cake” is dessert of choice at Marlboro’s Potluck–every yr!

(1:15 pm)

Motion 2 keep Selectboard comp. at current rate rather than reduce it–2 avoid lengthy Marlboro discussion against reducing 🙂

(1:20 pm)

Applause~Resident Keely Eastly acknowledges Marlboro Selectboard 4 maintaining balanced budget–never a deficit

(1: 25 pm)

Applause~Selectperson Gail MacArthur recognizes Town Foreman, Dave Elliott & Crew for great care of Marlboro roads

Dave Elliott, Marlboro's Road Foreman (photo: Marcia Hamilton)

(1:30 pm)

Marlboro Road Foreman Dave Elliott reports: loss use of 2 trucks in last storm; circles still under his eyes; budget passes

(1:35 pm)

With mudseason approaching, Marlboro Rd. Foreman offers 3 Rules of Good Roads: “Drainage, drainage, drainage (& carpool.)”

(1:40 pm)

In 1822,Marlboro inhabitants vote 2build Town House/hosting 2day’s mtg http://www.marlboro.vt.us/groups/historical_society

(1:45 pm)

Protocol questioned following death of Fireman Jack Horton at accident scene;choked response:”We watch each others back more.”

(1:50 pm)

Editor/Creator Jess Weitz applauded for community newletter~The Marlboro Mixer~ an excellent town resource

(1:55)

Marlboro Town Meeting votes en masse on Articles #9-15~funding town & county programs

(2:00 pm)

Mathematics professor/author, Joe Mazur, of Marlboro, speaks on behalf of Mayors for Peace~2 end use of nuclear weapons

(2:05 pm)

Legacy~first legal Town Meeting in Marlboro held in 1775 http://www.marlboro.vt.us/groups/historical_society

Vintage aerial view of Marlboro town center (photo: Marlboro Historical Society)

(2:10 pm)

Marlboro Town Meeting still more than half-full following lunch adjournment

(2:15 pm)

Marlboro’s first settlers came in the spring of 1763 http://www.marlboro.vt.us/groups/historical_society

(2:20 pm)

Many townspeople speak to the power of small groups of citizens in favor of movements like Mayors for Peace

(2:30 pm)

“Never doubt a small grp of thoughtful, committed citizens can change world. Indeed, it’s only thing that ever has.” M. Mead

(2:35 pm)

Moderator shares:wife’s aunt in Hiroshima on day bombed. http://kellysalasin.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/an-apology/

(2:40 pm)

Marlboro Town Energy Committee offers its services 2 homes 2 reduce energy use

(2:45 pm)

Marlboro citizens encouraged 2 serve on town committees & also help put away chairs 2day, adding,”There are leftover desserts!“

(2:50 pm)

More laughter & applause than angst today at Marlboro’s Town Meeting

(2:55 pm)

Laughter follows my announcement that I’ve been live “tweeting”Marlboro’s meeting as most have little idea what “tweeting” is

(3:00 pm)

Signing off~Thanks again VPR for keeping the spirit of Vermont–and Town Meeting– ALIVE. It was a pleasure.

Town Hall, Marlboro, VT 2010 (photo Marcia Hamilton)

Kelly Salasin, March 2, 2010, Marlboro Town Meeting, Vermont