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JANUARY 30, 2020
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
Town clerk successor set By Jason Starr Observer staff
Few people know Williston like Sarah Mason does. Mason grew up on Lamplite Lane, worked as an educator at both town public schools and has been employed at town hall for the past eight years. Now she is preparing to ascend to the role of town clerk. Mason was the only candidate to submit a petition to be on the Town Meeting Day ballot for the position. The deadline was Monday. She will run unopposed for a three-year term. Mason has been preparing for the opportunity over the past few years as the assistant town clerk and treasurer under current town clerk and treasurer Deb Beckett. Beckett plans to retire after Town Meeting Day, March 3. Beckett has held the dual clerk and treasurer role for 20 years, being reelected seven times. Last year, voters approved a change to the town charter that split the positions, with the treasurer now hired by the town manager. Town Manager Rick McGuire is currently recruiting the town’s first full-time staff treasurer. Mason, having trained for both roles under Beckett, considered applying for the treasurer’s job, but decided that her background and strengths are better suited to the elected clerk’s position. “I’m happy to have it separated,” Ma-
WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Video monitors, alarm buttons installed at town hall By Jason Starr Observer staff
Observer photo by Jason Starr
Assistant Town Clerk Sarah Mason will be the only candidate on the Town Meeting Day ballot to replace Deb Beckett as Williston Town Clerk.
son said. “It will be really nice to focus on the clerk’s office.” The office of the town clerk is often the
primary point of contact between residents and their government. The clerk is see CLERK page 3
Town hall is now under continuous surveillance with the installation earlier this month of four video monitors that provide feeds to police dispatchers. The monitors are part of a security plan that town administrators developed over the past two years after attending a Vermont Municipal Managers Association meeting where the topic was discussed. The plan also includes the installation of 18 silent alarm buttons, which were placed throughout town hall and the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library about three weeks ago. The video monitors, visible as small orbs mounted high on walls, are placed in the town hall meeting room where selectboard and development review board meetings are held, in the planning and zoning office, the town clerk’s office and the public works office. “They are all in main points-of-service areas where staff and the public interact,” Assistant Town Manager Erik Wells said. The video feeds are available to Williston Police Department dispatchers. They won’t be monitored at all times, Wells said, but are there to help police gather information if they are needed to respond to an incident. “It’s an additional tool for police response and a step to make sure our staff and the public are safe in our buildings,” Wells said. “More towns are putting these measures in, and a lot of schools are, too.” Funds for the cameras and alarm buttons were in this year’s voter-approved capital budget. The total cost of about $17,000 was partially covered by a see MONITORS page 24
PRESENTING
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New
add FRE ition E!
D ri n Dook ‘N’ d le
ALL INDOORS! DOUBLETREE BY HILTON, SOUTH BURLINGTON
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020
TWO SESSIONS: 12 - 4 p.m. & 6 - 10 p.m.
Beer, Cider, Wine, Spirits • Music • Games Food Truck Fare • Giant Game Lounge Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Jct., VT
Tickets: www.winterbrewfestvt.com