ADDISON — Addison residents on March 1 will have a choice between two long-tenured public servants in a race for three-year term on the town’s selectboard.
Incumbent Kimball Provencher and challenger Rob Hunt have about a combined and evenly split 40 years of service to Addison between them.
Provencher, a 53-year-old Bridport native and resident of Addison since 1988, works for Reed’s Equipment in his hometown. He served a three-year term on the Addison selectboard in the late 1990s, and then was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2000. Addison residents have regularly returned him to the board since.
Provencher has also served on the Addison Central School building committee, the Tri-Town Water Commission, and on the Lake Champlain Bridge Project Public Advisory Committee.
Hunt, 48, is a dairy farmer who joked in an email he wanted to run for the board because he needed the money. A resident of Addison for 22 years, he first served a stint on the town’s zoning board before settling in on the Addison Central School board. He has spent the past 16 years on that board, serving as chairman much of that time.
Both Provencher and Hunt were sent emails asking the same questions and given a week to respond by a deadline set at the end of last week.
The questions and their answers were:
1. Why did you choose to run?
Provencher: “Originally it was to serve my community, and it still is.”
Hunt: “My decision to run is due to what I see as inappropriate behavior on the part of the selectboard and some of the boards under the selectboard’s authority. I believe a person with a specific agenda makes for a poor board member on any board.”
2. What do you consider to be the most important issues, short- and long-term, and what are your views on them?
Hunt: “I consider fiscal responsibility and transparency in government are two of the most important issues. I believe Addison has a fiscally responsible selectboard. However, I feel that the voters are very unaware of what goes on, at times, in Addison government. The need for transparency in local government is essential.”
Provencher: “Short term, there are some behind-the-scene issues that are in the court system that we have been unable to talk about, that I would like to see come to a favorable resolution. Long term, with the cost of inputs rising and the continuing reduction in state aid, maintaining our infrastructure, equipment and buildings without raising taxes too much.”
3. What would be your highest priorities if elected or re-elected?
Provencher: “Making Addison a nice place to live, work and do business.”
Hunt:“My highest priority, if elected, would be to request the selectboard follow Robert’s Rules of Order correctly and to work towards providing Addison residents more information on town issues.”
4. Simply put, why should Addison residents vote for you?
Hunt: “I think Addison residents should vote for me because I am honest and dedicated, and I believe I have fairly represented them as a school board member.”
Provencher:“I feel I’ve done a good job and would like to continue to work for the people of Addison.”
Andy Kirkaldy may be reached at [email protected].