New city mayor calls for unity

VERGENNES — The first meeting of the newly configured Vergennes City Council featured a statement from new City Mayor Matt Chabot seeking unity and cooperation among councilors and patience from citizens. The March 9 gathering also saw an uncontested election for deputy mayor and bouquets thrown to two former members of the council. Chabot referenced the turmoil and discord that Vergennes saw during the second half of 2020. Issues including uncivil debates at the council level and on social media, at times … (read more)

I found the article “Mayor won’t run in March city elections” in the Jan. 14 edition left out some important key points on the debate that happened at the Jan. 12 city council meeting. The most important facts that were left out were in the timeline. Alde … (read more)

VERGENNES — The debate on whether Mayor Lynn Donnelly should be allowed to return to the Vergennes City Council in March and serve out the final year of her two-year term — to which she was elected in March 2020 — came to an abrupt and emotional end at Tu … (read more)

VERGENNES — Vergennes Mayor Lynn Donnelly warned a special city council meeting on Tuesday to “have a discussion regarding the events that led up to the July 16th meeting,” and unofficially to try push things in the right direction after weeks of politica … (read more)

It resonated with me when reading Rebecca Rey’s Sept. 3 letter to the editor concerning the many “key people, at key moments who stepped up to help us move forward,” referring to Gerianne Smart. She could have been talking about many of the community memb … (read more)

Having read Andy Kirkaldy’s July 17 account of the July 16 Vergennes City Council warned meeting, and having watched a video of the meeting on Saturday, I am compelled to write this letter to support Jeff Fritz, and to condemn the flawed and outrageous pr … (read more)

It was disheartening to learn about the antics at the July 16 City Council meeting in Vergennes. How did the comments and behavior of a few do anything to raise up the residents’ self-esteem and project civil civic engagement? What incentive have you crea … (read more)

UPDATED: To include news that Bill Benton has resigned from the city council. VERGENNES — A majority of the Vergennes City Council voted at a special meeting on Thursday to accept the resignation of Mayor Jeff Fritz. Deputy Mayor Lynn Jackson Donnelly aut … (read more)