Forgive the shameless promotion, but I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself as I am running for Town Meeting Representative for District 3 in Brattleboro. My name is Kathy Urffer. As you can see my last name begins with a "U" which will place me at the bottom of the list of Town Meeting Representative candidates on the ballot. I just wanted to point this out, as many friends in town have indicated that it is sometimes the practice for voters to check off the first names listed.
I currently work at the Marlboro College Graduate Center and am attending Antioch New England University pursuing a Masters degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on Resource Conservation. Additionally, I am on the Board of the West River Watershed Alliance and volunteer as a water quality sampler. In the past two years, I have volunteered for the Vermont Chapter of the Nature Conservancy as a conservation easement monitor; for the VT Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon stocking program; and as a camera operator and producer for BCTV.
I have an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and have worked as a waitress, operations director for a small environmental advocacy program, and as an administrative assistant and workshop presenter for a transitional housing facility for single parent homeless families, among other jobs.
I've decided to run for Town Meeting Representative at this time for two reasons: to continue my efforts to serve this vibrant community and to benefit from a crash course in town politics. I feel that the best way to contribute in our democracy is to be engaged in the political process. I welcome the opportunity to learn from my Brattleboro neighbors and feel that I can positively contribute to the dialogue during Town Meeting. I hope this provides some insight into who I am and I would very much appreciate your support. Feel free to direct any further questions you might have to kathyurf@gmail.com.