Emery Mattheis for Selectboard

For a New Approach

Who I Am

I grew up in Indiana in a small, one-factory town. For over a century, our community’s economy depended on this factory. When it was caught illegally polluting the river, instead of taking ownership of their actions, they moved overseas. Our town never recovered. I moved from there when I was 14, to another rural town in western North Carolina. I stayed there for college and gained the work trade of painting and drywalling, a profession I still do when I can today. We then moved to Vermont in 2017 for me to attend Vermont Law School. In 2019, we decided Randolph would be our home. We bought a vacant house and began fixing it up, and in 2020 I began working for the Town of Randolph.

I was the assistant administrator for both the zoning department and the town manager for a year, then I was elected to be our town clerk and treasurer. My three-year term taught me so much about our town, our residents, and our various challenges we face as a community. What I heard most often from residents can be boiled down to one phrase: “Things aren’t getting easier.”

My wife and I have two kids and we both work full time, and we share one car. We’ve been tightening the belt lately, like most folks. I agree that we are moving into more difficult times, both nationally and locally. But I disagree with the hands-off approach. Towns in decline don’t get better by not investing in them – no more than houses do. They need planning, maintenance, and investment.

Why I'm Running

I believe the Selectboard should meet twice a month. This would increase the pace of decision- making and the amount of public input and debate. I also offer the idea of the Board occasionally meeting elsewhere in the community to hear from more residents. I encourage more town volunteer groups and better communication between all parties.

I don't believe in the strategy of deferred maintenance. We should take action consistently to maintain our roads, utilities, and buildings. I support the East Valley Community Hall, and I support the Kimball Library (disclosure: I'm married to one of our amazing librarians). I'd like to make our downtown a more inviting place to gather, relax, and explore. I want the flower baskets, flags, and holiday decorations up timely. I support our Rec Department and I support Morgan Easton.

It's clear our Police District debate is not over, and we shouldn't avoid this issue. Our officers are overworked, the department building is in rough shape, and the taxable district doesn't match the true service district. Scott and our other officers are fundamental to our community. We can be respectful of their time, and our tax dollars, by installing infrastructure to reduce traffic speed at the fire station/Cumby's. We should debate the merits of adding a social worker specialist to their team.

I've been told by Randolph Center residents that their independent water district is in need of more permanent management, and soon. We should explore the best approach at taking over the responsibility as a town. I agree with our current Selectboard Chair that we should upgrade the walking path along Rt 66/Floyd's to a packed gravel multi-use trail, plus more. I'd also like to thank Trini for over a decade of dedicated service to this town – especially for her hard work in getting us our fire insurance money back.

Town leadership is not engaging with the public in the way this town needs. Leadership is combative and opaque; they drag their feet on decisions and then don't do enough to explain the decisions they do make. I personally have heard one say they actively hope that Randolph residents won't participate in government. I do not believe this is the right way to govern.

I have serious concerns about the temperament of our town manager, and I'm doubly concerned that our Selectboard has failed to give him his annual performance review for all five years that they should have.

I'm concerned that they seem to have no interest in fixing our library, nor do they have interest in forming a community hall in the Village or in repairing the one in East Randolph. I'm concerned about the direction of our economic development, and of course also our housing. Our vacancies and other under-utilized buildings and houses are preventing the younger generations from moving up.

I'm concerned that the independent water district in Randolph Center is approaching the point where its managers are past retiring age, and there aren't enough people taking up the responsibility to continue it. John Lens told me directly that the Town doesn't want to touch it. I believe it's the town's duty to take this responsibility on and help its residents.

I support Morgan Easton to be our Rec Director. Town administration does not share this support, and I'm told they "have someone else they'll ask that may be a good fit." I believe most people that interact with our Rec Department want Morgan to be in charge.

I believe our police district should be town wide (especially since coverage already is), as well as the tax burden for such. If Randolph Center and East Randolph don't want to help pay the cost, then the vote would mean the town has spoken and we lose our police force. Excluding these major parts of our community is not right and is contradictory to the Selectboard's verbalized goal of unity.

I believe infrastructure improvements designed to slow down traffic through the Village would serve our town best, and it would free up our officers to no longer need to sit at the fire station as speed control.

Last, but most important of all, I believe we need to become more dependable and resilient as a community.

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