Kathryn Turnas II is running for the 3 year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Tell us about yourself...

Well I am 69 going on 70 this October, a mother of two children, Gregg Maloof, and Leslie Maloof and grandmother of one Julia Maloof. I'm retired and just finished a half hour documentary for All Souls Church Universalist Unitarian (ASC) and am in the process of starting another on Restorative Justice.

Presently my activities include the Town Arts Committee, the Friends of the Library Board, Development Review Board, ASC Social Action Committee Chair and the adversary committee (CAP) for the Community Justice Center. My past board experiences have been the Brattleboro Community Television (BCTV) board, as well as a member and Vice Chair of the ASC Board.

Before I retired I worked for over thirty years in the corporate world with IBM, Hewlett Packard, Ernest and Young in their credit, sales and finance departments.

What do you find special about Brattleboro?

It is hard to say just what I love about Brattleboro without going backwards. I used to spend so much of my time here when I first moved to New Hampshire in the 70’s and continued to do so while I attended Keene State. I relocated back to the East Coast, from Seattle, WA. to be close to my mother. I had the choice of either living in Keene or Brattleboro, and Brattleboro won hands down.

I found it easy to get involved both politically and socially since I am an strong advocate of volunteerism. Over the past seven years , I have had the opportunity to work with the following groups; Save and Green, Post Oil Solutions, the Overflow shelter meals, Brooks Library, the Women’s Film Festival, Brattleboro Community Television and town representative for District 2 and District 3.

I just wouldn’t want to work or play anywhere else.

Why did you choose to run for a 3 year seat?

I chose to run because I know that I could bring to the Brattleboro Select Board the insight of and prospective of a retired person living on a very limited income, using the Brattleboro Drop In Center Food Shelf, and waiting for affordable housing.

Irene has taught us as a community that we have to take a hard look at the protection of our rivers and streams and the people who live near them, because this will not be a one-time event and we just cannot put people back in harm’s way.

Do you have any specific issues that you would like to address as a member of the Selectboard next year?

Some of the issues that I would like to see addressed are the following: The passage of the fluvial erosion ordinance, the urgent need for affordable housing, supporting the use of the Brooks House as a future educational campus, the complete streets program, and the new town plan that will presented before the board this year. Granted, there will be other issues brought before the board in the next three years and all will need the total attention of each board member.

Assuming budgets continue to be tight, how can Brattleboro best maintain its identity? How would you create a sustainable path to the future in a climate of ongoing budget cuts?

I hope they don’t mind, but I was so impressed with the Vermont Workers Center Peoples Budget for Vermont, and I found that there is no reason why it should not be applied to any local community budget process.

Does the budget ensure that adequate resources are raised to meet everyone’s needs? Revenue policy must follow budget policy, not vice versa.

We must decide how much money we need to spend and then raise that money. We must seek to mobilize the maximum available resources for meeting the spending needs identified in the budget. Each budget allocation would explicitly state what its intended outcome is and how that outcome can be measured.

How do you determine public opinion on an issue? (from emails, number of people at a meeting, phone calls, letters to editor, etc.?) Should public opinion enter into Selectboard decisions, and, if so, when?

The determination on any issue should be the balance of all information obtained through all available sources may they be emails, all town committee meetings, phone calls, print media, and just people stopping on the street. Of course, public opinion should weigh into any decisions the Select Board makes. After all, we work for them not the other way around.

To what extent does the Town have an obligation to assist its poorest people? What about other distinct groups, such as the elderly, business owners, home owners, renters, or youth?

The poorest people are a part of all of the groups mentioned and we have an obligation not only to make their lives less stressful, and more productive, whether we are poor or doing well, we are all one community and need to resolve whatever problems arise together.

Is there any police equipment you would not authorize? For example, if the police presented a grant to purchase drone aircraft, would you approve the purchase?

It was mentioned that the present budget did not allow for a another new police car, and yet I find it a bit amusing that we might seek a grant for drone aircraft.

I think we need to take a closer look at the Community Justice Center and all that it offers in settling conflict before it burdens our justice system even more.

What’s your assessment of public involvement with the Selectboard? Should anything be done to increase public involvement with Selectboard meetings? Why or why not?

Actually, I stand by the need for a seven person Select Board to make it possible for the Select Board to attend more town committee meetings and town related events. I have tried to be in two places at once and if anyone has figured out how to do it, please let me and the sitting board know.

I wish I had an answer for this because it is absolutely necessary for the public attendance to the Select Board meetings be increased. Attendance to political public meetings tend to be subject driven leaving us with the question “How do we fix it?” Maybe there should be a special Select Board meeting where it is run by senior high school students who will soon be voters. This has been done in other communities with great success.

It all comes down to what I stated before, that we are working for the people who put us in office not the other way around. Once this is made clear, it would allow people to feel part of their community political process.

Any final words on why we should vote for you?

I have not been in Brattleboro for thirty years or more, alas, only seven going on eight. From the time I first time I set foot in this community, I fell in love. I would feel proud to represent this community on the Select Board and would appreciate your vote.

As a permanent member of Brattleboro regardless of the outcome of the election, I will not go away.

I will still continue to be part of the goings on, be it a District 3 rep, a volunteer at the Brooks Library, a member of the Development Review Board, a member of the Town Arts Committee and the Community Justice Center, or just standing behind the camera for BCTV.

I will remain a voice in the community as one of the public to be heard.

Thanks for spending time with iBrattleboro.