Three Waitsfield residents have written letters to the Waitsfield Select Board seeking an appointment to a board seat that is currently vacant and that runs through March.
The candidates are Erica Stroem, Larissa Ursprung and Stephen Gavosto. The select board will interview the candidates at its March 25 meeting. The seat is open because Jordan Gonda who held it, resigned from the board earlier this year.
The select board asked candidates to answer these questions and will ask more at next week’s meeting. Here are their answers, edited for space, in alphabetical order.
INTRODUCTIONS
Stephen Gavosto: Over the years, I have worked locally, established and managed multiple businesses within the community. My commitment to Waitsfield goes beyond my entrepreneurial endeavors, as I am deeply invested in the well-being and development of our town. Serving as an interim member of the Waitsfield Select Board is a natural extension of my dedication to this community. I believe my extensive local experience and business background uniquely position me to contribute effectively to the select board during this interim period.
Erica Stroem: I am interested in serving as an interim member of the Waitsfield Select Board because I would like to be part of navigating our increasingly complicated future as a representative voice of our community. I would like to be part of a team, working together to cooperatively implement the Town Plan while understanding the desires and needs of our community members. I am interested in learning hands-on about the details and functioning of our local government and engage in the challenge of making government work for everybody.
Larissa Ursprung: I became interested in serving as an interim member of the Waitsfield Select Board after recent contact from Jordan Gonda. We met briefly in 2021 when I presented a report to the select board as chair of the General Wait House Committee. I have greatly enjoyed serving already, and I cannot ignore the intersection of the town’s needs with a coincident short-term expansion in my bandwidth. It would be an honor to invest this time and energy in public service at a time that seems a possible point of inflection for the future of our town. I often hope that I will be demographically represented in the bodies of decision-makers that will affect my future and that of my family; it seems only right that I be willing to do the work of providing that representation myself.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Gavosto: As an advocate for affordable housing, I have been working on initiatives to address this critical issue, aligning with the town's priorities. This dedication to community engagement has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of local needs and concerns -- chief among them is affordable housing which I am currently working through various projects to meet that need. Germane to housing are utilities -- specifically water and septic. While I have only been watching these initiatives from the sidelines, I wish to get more involved in the process.
Stroem: I have minimal experience with civic and charitable involvement in the Mad River Valley; however, I have run two successful fundraisers. One event raised $10,000 from the local community to build a latrine at a school in Uganda. The second was a six-month GoFund Me project which raised $28,000 for housing and needs for local resident George Pakk. Through my music I have been fortunate to be involved in numerous charities and money-raising events for everything from the local [public access] television station and local business to the senior center and Mad Dash.
Ursprung: In addition to the General Wait House Committee I currently serve on the Rural Resource Commission and was involved in their recent CLG grant project for the Fayston-owned Boyce Hill Forest property. I served on the executive board for Mad River Valley Arts, and still volunteer for them. I have hosted several community events over the past several years out of the historic barn on my property, and recently established a small business to more formally cultivate art-making and community involvement out of our space.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Gavosto: My professional background as a business owner and entrepreneur has equipped me with valuable skills in strategic planning, budgeting, and decision-making. I have a track record of successfully navigating complex situations and finding practical solutions. My commitment to developing more affordable housing aligns with the town's objectives, providing me with insights into addressing crucial community challenges. My extensive experience in Waitsfield, coupled with my passion for community development, positions me to be a valuable addition to the board. I am eager to contribute my skills and insights to ensure that Waitsfield continues to thrive as a vibrant and inclusive community.
Stroem: One of the most valuable things I bring to the select board is my socio-economic position which gives me a distinctive perspective on working and living here in the Mad River Valley, as well as access to a group of people perhaps not always seen for their contributions. I also believe the last 35 years of living in tourist towns and being a full-time service industry worker gives me a unique viewpoint. As a member of the Park City, Utah, community from 1992-2005 I had a first-row seat at a rapidly changing small town. I helped organize Citizens Allied for Responsible Growth to work with city government and local citizens to find balance.
Ursprung: My professional and personal background is eclectic, but unified by an ability to learn quickly on the fly, as I imagine would be beneficial for this role. My most locally relevant experiences stem from my work on the historic barn on our property, for which I applied for, received, and administered a Historic Preservation Barn Grant from ACCD. Restoring Stowell Barn was my first experience interfacing with government entities in Vermont at both the state and local level, and much of my subsequent engagement was informed by that project.
