The first woman to serve on the Montgomery Selectboard was Beatrice Chaffee, who completed the term of her husband, William, who died in 1971.  She served through 1973, then again from 1976 through 1978.

     It would be almost 30 years before the next woman, Tosca Smith, would serve.  Tosca was elected when the Town voted to expand the Board from three to five positions.  She served from 2002 through 2006.

     Tosca was followed by Wendy Howard who served from 2007 through 2015, making her the longest serving woman to date at 9 years. 

     Carol McGregor (2009-2015) and Sue Regan (2010-2015) joined Wendy on the board making the women the Board majority for six years from 2010 through 2015.  Sarah Silva served one year ending in 2016.

     The current Board has had a majority of women beginning in 2021;  Leanne Barnard, Suzanne Dollois, and Emily Kimball. 

     BTW:  The first woman to serve as Town clerk was Roseanna Ariel who took office in 1957 following the death of her husband, Wilfred, who held that office but died the same year.   Montgomery Town Clerks have been women ever since.  Theresa Lamore was the longest serving woman, 1960 through 1987.

     Women have been active in many other town Boards and Committees, including the School Board, Library Board, Rec Board, Planning Commission, Board of Listers, and Budget Committee.

  Sun and rain work in their own unique ways
  Melting snowbanks, unlocking ponds and streams
  From Winter’s ice.  The stark, monochrome scenes
  Of frozen cold evaporate as days
  Begin to warm.  Early Spring’s browns and greys
  Are punctuated by plants shooting greens,
  Lady slipper pinks, and willow bud’s creams.
  Birds return, creatures stir with the sun’s rays.
  The mountains’ spines of marble and granite
  Seen through tree’s boughs with leaves still unfurled
  Hold in high crevice and ledge the last snow.
  In valleys, on hilltops winter has quit
  And nature has, once again, knit and purled
  Midst gneiss and lake places for hope to grow.

From "A Vermont Year In Sonnets" by John Chapados, used by permission.

DONATIONS

     Our thanks to Harvey and Lisa Chaffee for a donation of a book of photos and newspaper clippings on the construction of the Montgomery Elementary School in 1991-2.

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HISTORY QUIZ ANSWERS

     1. d.  The most recent State road map credits Montgomery with 56 miles of roads.

    2.  c.  The Town is responsible for plowing about 42 miles of roads.  The town doesn't plow Class 4 roads or the portion of Class 2 roads that are plowed by the State.

     According to Channel 3 News, Burlington plows 72 miles of sidewalks, using two motorized sidewalk plows.

THE RESTORATION OF BIG BEN

  Two thumbs up on this documentary on the restoration of London's Big Ben.  Click the photo to view it on YouTube.  Our Pratt Hall work is similar in some respects and, thankfully, a lot less expensive.