VERGENNES — Members of the Vergennes City Council held their annual goal-setting discussion at a meeting last Tuesday, May 22. Here is what each alderman said:
•  Ziggy Comeau said she would like to continue to establish better dialogue with surrounding towns. “If something comes up, we have to communicate with each other,” she said.
•  Randy Ouellette said he would like to make sure the annual Youth Fishing Derby continues to run smoothly, and to “come up with a plan” and a site for the new police station.
•  Joe Klopfenstein, the council representative on the city recreation committee, focused on recreation. He said in the short term he would like to establish a toddler playground and a dog park, and in the longer run would like to complete the “rail trail” between the Agency of Transportation commuter lot at the intersection of Routes 7 and 22A and the Otter Creek basin, and re-establish the job of city recreation coordinator.
•  Peter Garon said he would like to work on an energy project that would benefit the city, and to help City Manager Mel Hawley update the city’s personnel policies, something he said was an area of expertise.
•  Renny Perry said he would like to “encourage continued downtown progress” and improvements, possibly through grants, and “foster economic development” by working with the Vergennes Partnership and the Addison County Chamber of Commerce.
•  Bill Benton echoed Perry on downtown issues, and said his real estate background could be put to use to create a maintenance plan for city buildings. Benton also suggested a capital improvement plan for city parks, and a long-range look at “stewardship” of city parks and lands.