By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—In a particularly competitive election cycle, six candidates for Brandon Selectboard faced Brandon residents at a “Candidate Forum” at the Brandon Town Hall on Thursday, February 13. The event was sponsored by the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and was meant to provide an opportunity for voters to ask candidates about specific issues and policies.
There will be three seats up for grabs on the ballot in March: one 3-year seat and two 1-year seats. The 3-year seat is currently held by Tim Guiles, who is not running for reelection after two terms. One of the 1-year seats is currently held by Heather Nelson, who is not running for reelection after one full term and one partial term in which she replaced former Selectboard Chair Seth Hopkins when Mr. Hopkins stepped down to become Brandon Town Manager in 2023. The other 1-year seat is currently held by Ralph Ethier, who is now running for the available 3-year seat. Mr. Ethier was first appointed to the Board in 2022, when Mike Markowski stepped down.
In alphabetical order, the six candidates are Vicki Disorda, Ralph Ethier, Jeff Haylon, Ray Marcoux, Cecil Reniche-Smith, and Isaiah Webb. Mr. Ethier and Mr. Webb are both running for the 3-year seat while the remaining four candidates are running for the two 1-year seats.
Ms. Reniche-Smith and Mr. Ethier have both held seats on the Selectboard. Ms. Reniche-Smith was a member of the Board from March 2023 to March 2024. She chose not to run for reelection in 2024 for personal reasons. Mr. Ethier is currently a member of the Board. The other four candidates are all newcomers, though Mr. Marcoux ran unsuccessfully for Selectboard in 2024.
The forum was moderated by BACC Executive Director Bernie Carr. Each candidate was given an opportunity to make an opening statement. The floor was then opened to questions from the audience. The candidates then made closing statements.
Because of space constraints, The Reporter cannot publish the candidates’ statements and responses in full. What follows is a condensed version meant to convey the core of each candidate’s responses. To hear the Forum in its entirety, please watch the recording at https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1056656423. Thank you to Arlen Bloodworth for making the recording available to the public.
The statements, questions, and responses are presented here in the order in which they were given at the Forum.
Opening statements
Isaiah Webb: I have lived in Brandon for 11 years. My family has had a farm in Shelburne since the 1880s. I’m here to bring common sense solutions to problems facing us now. I believe in thinking both locally and globally. I’d like to make Brandon an example for other communities across the nation. I’m working to open an outdoor-based youth community center in the next few years. I’m trying to get Green Mountain Power, Casella, and Carrera to work on a plant in Rutland County that will convert our waste to energy.
Cecil Reniche-Smith: I graduated from Vermont Law School in 1996. I spent several years in private practice and then became Senior Assistant Attorney General for the state of Oregon. I returned to Vermont in 2019 to assist my mother, who was living in Bethel and suffering from dementia. I fell in love with Brandon the first time I drove through the town. I was lucky enough to find a house on Pearl Street. I enjoyed my term on the Selectboard last year and look forward to serving again. My knowledge and experience will help the town.
Ray Marcoux: I moved to Brandon from Sudbury in 1993. I’m running for Selectboard to put the needs of the people before the wants of a few.
Ralph Ethier: My parents moved our family to Brandon in the 1970s. There were 11 children. I have 7 sisters—I know how to negotiate. I would like to remain on the Selectboard. We’ve done a lot of good things this year. I also live on Pearl Street, but on the other side of the tracks. I’ve been here most of my life. I worked at VT Tubbs when it was still here. I now run my own business.
Vicki Disorda: I’m a 4th-generation Vermonter. My family has been on Union Street for 80 years. I’m a “pink-collar worker” in that I work in a care-oriented field, caring for my mother in hospice. I manage two budgets. I’ve been the chair of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and am familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order. I attend Selectboard meetings religiously and was on the advisory panel when the town was choosing a new town manager. I’m on the Historic Preservation Committee. I’m the pastor at the Brandon United Methodist Church. I want to keep Brandon affordable for all. I will bring economic diversity to the Board.
Jeff Haylon: I’ve lived in Brandon for 4 years. I worked in politics in Texas. I’m now a salesman and woodworker. I’ve served on the board of the Brandon Free Public Library and on the Brandon Energy Committee. I also run a weekly trivia night at Red Clover Ale Company. I want to build community. I want to keep Brandon affordable and safe. I am willing to hear anyone out.
Questions
Question #1: What would you do to maintain a culture of civility on the Selectboard?
Webb: That’s a great question. Just leave your ego at the door.
Reniche-Smith: People can feel emotional about their opinions and we need to acknowledge at the forefront that everyone is there because they love Brandon. But we may have different opinions about how best to serve the town. The key is to hear everyone out even if there’s disagreement.
Marcoux: Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. You’ve got to keep it civil.
Ethier: Respect each other’s opinion. Some meetings can get hostile. I agree, treat people the way you want to be treated.
Disorda: I think the Selectboard has made it clearer now how to engage with them at meetings. People are often upset about something when they show up. You can’t take it personally. Stay calm and treat others with respect.
Haylon: I agree with everyone else. I also think using humor helps. Be willing to smile and meet people where they are.
Question #2: What is the most challenging issue for Brandon?
Haylon: Affordability. We need to make sure people who want to live here can live here. We have to be careful to create an efficient budget.
Disorda: Public safety. We need to replace the 4 police officers we just lost and figure out how to retain law enforcement going forward.
Ethier: The police force. We’ve got a big job ahead of us solving the staffing issue at the Police Department.
Marcoux: The police force. We train them and then they move on. We need to make them agree to stay a set number of years in exchange for their training.
Reniche-Smith: In the short term, it’s police and staffing. In the long term, it’s affordability. We need to think about what price we’re willing to pay for the level of safety we want. Some things we’ll be able to do locally, but we will need to engage the state and federal governments for some others.
Webb: The police. There’s billions of dollars in grant funding available that we need to go after. We need to have an officer that specializes in cyber crimes and electronic theft. We need to stabilize our taxes, create affordable housing, and build a parking garage.
Question #3: Why are you running and what do you want to accomplish?
Reniche-Smith: I love Brandon and have a family tradition of public service. I was in the public sector for most of my career. I’ve been on nonprofit boards. I bring that experience.
Marcoux: To keep taxes down and keep Brandon affordable. We don’t need to create more things to take care of, like the connecting path to Neshobe, when we can’t take care of the things we already have.
Ethier: I add a lot to the Board. I’ve had my own business for 26 years. My experience brings a lot to the table.
Disorda: I’d like to open the Selectboard up for more debate and discussion of ideas. Right now there’s not a lot of dialogue. There’s also an emphasis on tourism and the downtown. Not enough attention on local people. For example, the proposal to shut down Syndicate Road because of illegal dumping is shortsighted and exclusionary. It’s one of the few places hunters with disabilities can go.
Haylon: I’ve always felt called to public service. If not as a job, then as a volunteer. I bring a younger perspective to the Selectboard. I’d like to get younger people involved in town life. I’d like a strong police force, a low budget, and a high quality of life.
Webb: To keep taxes low. The increase has been too much. And to keep the town safe. I think I have fresh ideas. Make things work for everyone.
Question #4: If you think taxes are too high, what would you change in the town budget?
Marcoux: We don’t need to raise any more taxes.
Ethier: This year’s budget was very reasonable.
Disorda: This year’s budget is a lot leaner and the percent increase is more in line with what we’ve had in the past. I would reallocate some funds to replace the highway department position that was cut.
Haylon: This year’s budget was reasonable. It’s important to remain flexible over the long term. We need to attract businesses and new homeowners. We could try offering a six-month tax holiday to new businesses that come to town.
Webb: We need to restructure our budget to keep taxes at a steady level without major increases.
Reniche-Smith: This year was very reasonable, especially given inflation and increased costs. The budget process was very successful. This year’s police budget was the highest ever but still not enough for 24/7 coverage. We can’t promise not to raise taxes next year but the goal is to develop a fair and affordable budget.
Question #5: How will you handle being on the losing side of an issue?
Ethier: I’m good friends with one of the other members of the Selectboard. We sometimes disagree but we still talk every day. I’m very open-minded. I like to hear different perspectives before I make up my mind.
Disorda: You’re not always going to get your way. That’s just democracy. You need to present your side and be convincing. Do your homework. I’m good at doing my research. I’ll present reasonable arguments.
Haylon: I’ll dust myself off and move forward respectfully. That’s just the nature of the beast. You can still be friends with people you disagree with. You win some, you lose some.
Webb: I’m truly looking for the best solution for the town as a whole.
Reniche-Smith: I try not to think of winning and losing. The Selectboard shouldn’t be adversarial. We should do what’s best for Brandon. I ended up on the short side of a lot of votes when I was on the Selectboard. But I got behind the decisions that the majority wanted.
Marcoux: Win or lose, we’re there for the town. Try to work it out and do what’s best for the town.
Question #6: How will you determine what the people of Brandon want?
Disorda: I’m out in the community all the time. I’m the Pastor at the Brandon United Methodist Church. I have conversations with a lot of different people who don’t go to Selectboard meetings. I’m very approachable to a lot of people because I’ve lived in town so long.
Haylon: The Selectboard needs to do more direct outreach. Go out and canvass the community. Make themselves visible. I’m always checking in with people. You can come knock on my door. We need to make sure people know they can talk to us.
Ethier: We need to hold public meetings and get information out to people.
Marcoux: Get the word out more. Get younger people involved, too. Young people have a stake in the town, too. We need to teach people how the system works.
Reniche-Smith: This is the trickiest part of a representative democracy. I’m going to use my best judgment to find the best solution that reflects the will of the people. I make myself available at the bakery, at the library.
Webb: Get more young people interested in what happens in town. Make myself available. Let people know they can contact me if they need anything. I want everyone to have my phone number.
Question #7: Many residents don’t have time to seek you out or come to meetings . . . how will you know what we want?
Webb: I’ll go around and check in with people. I’m here to try to find solutions no one else thought of.
Reniche-Smith: You have to tell us. It’s not always easy, but every Selectboard member has email and a phone number on the town website. The Selectboard is there to represent you.
Marcoux: Email. Phone. Visit us at home. The Selectboard can’t be psychic. You have to contact them or it’s just a guessing game.
Ethier: Email and phone. I get very few emails asking questions about the Selectboard. I was surprised. I thought I’d get more.
Disorda: If we have a diverse Selectboard, chances are there will be at least one member you connect with and feel comfortable approaching.
Haylon: We’d need to do more outreach. We need to hear you, not just wait for people to come to us. I’d love to see the Selectboard go out into the community to hear what they have to say.
Question #8: How will you increase Brandon’s tax base?
Reniche-Smith: We need to grow the tax base. We have an Economic Development Officer in our town management whose job is to find businesses that want to come to town. We need to find places for new businesses and make sure we have a diversity of business. We don’t have a lot of industry anymore. We’re mostly a small retail town now. That’s a smaller tax base. We need to draw more people to move here. We have old housing stock that can be rehabbed. It’s a complex puzzle.
Marcoux: We have to bring jobs here. We have to bring people here. We have to draw businesses that pay good wages. But there aren’t a lot of options for locations for new businesses.
Ethier: Last year the Selectboard changed Brandon from a 1-acre to a 10-acre town under Act 250. That was an important change. [Editor’s note: Mr. Ethier referred here to a change in Brandon’s policies that now allows development on parcels up to 10 acres without Act 250 review.]
Disorda: We need to attract manufacturing companies. Full-time jobs with benefits will attract families.
Haylon: Housing. There are no houses to buy in Brandon. To attract young people and families, we need housing. The developments at the Training School are a good start. We need higher density housing. But we need to proceed carefully.
Webb: People need to have as many kids as possible. We’ve got a declining population. I’m designing an 18-unit housing complex with a construction company to bring more people to the area.
Question #9: Do you support 24/7 police coverage and, if so, how do we get it?
Marcoux: We do need full coverage. We have to make cuts to find the money.
Ethier: I would like 24/7 coverage but don’t think we can afford the $1.2 million it would require. It’ll take several years to get there.
Disorda: We allocated $937K for the Brandon Police Department for next year but that was for the chief, 5 full-time, and 1 part-time officers. With the loss of 4 officers, we should take the savings in payroll and roll it over for next year’s police budget. That will be a good start for 24/7 coverage. We should also vote down the Valley Community Center proposal for $12 million and the $50K appropriation for a capital fund. We need to vote conservatively this year in order to get 24/7 coverage next year.
Haylon: I want 24/7 coverage. But we need to do it incrementally. And officers need local housing. Maybe we can offer reduced or zero property tax to attract officers?
Webb: I’m in favor of 24/7 coverage. There’s quite a bit of grant money for police. We need a full-time grant writer. There’s billions of dollars available through grants.
Reniche-Smith: Yes, the town seems to want 24/7 coverage. Not sure we can afford it without rethinking how the Police Department operates and where officers live. And we can’t go back and forth on it every year. If we put $1.2 million in the budget for police, we have to do it every year.
Question #10: What is your 5-year vision for Brandon?
Ethier: I’d like Brandon to have 24/7 police coverage and some large manufacturing companies.
Disorda: I’d like to see large manufacturing, a laundromat, more parking, and some assisted-living facilities.
Haylon: I’d like to see more businesses and manufacturing. More families. Flood and disaster preparedness.
Webb: The outdoor youth center I’m working on will bring 50 to 100 jobs to the area. I’d like to see more manufacturing.
Reniche-Smith: I’d like to see light industry and manufacturing. More affordable housing. Higher density housing. Retail that isn’t high-end boutiques. 24/7 police coverage at an affordable price. A laundromat would be awesome.
Marcoux: I’d like to see more industry and housing. More basic retail.
Question #11: How will you get in touch with people whose backgrounds are different from yours?
Disorda: I already interact with a diverse group of people in town through my work at church and volunteer organizations.
Haylon: We all tend to hang out with people with similar interests. But I’ve lived in big cities and small towns. I do a lot of different things that bring me in touch with a lot of different people. I know “haves” and “have nots.”
Webb: I’ve lived all over. Big cities and small towns. I like everything. Some nights you might find me mudding in my truck. Some nights you might find me dancing the tango.
Reniche-Smith: That’s a really important question. I’ve been a “have” and a “have not.” My family background is in farming. I was very privileged to go to law school. If you go outside your comfort zone, you’ll be surprised how much we all have in common.
Marcoux: You have to be able to get along with whoever you’re with.
Ethier: I’m very approachable. I prefer one-on-one conversations. I’m happy to talk to anyone.
Question #12: Should Brandon allow All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) to use town roads?
Haylon: I’m unlikely to support that because most people wouldn’t agree. Would have to know that there was public support for it.
Disorda: I would agree with ATVs on class 3 and 4 roads and class 2 only to reach gas stations and inns. I’ve had positive experiences with this in New Hampshire. People are generally respectful and mindful. It would increase revenue to our 1% local-option tax fund.
Ethier: I’m open to a lot of discussion on this. Could be very good or very bad. But our current police force is not sufficient to monitor ATV use. We should see how it goes in other towns.
Marcoux: Benson and Whiting have allowed this for a while. We should allow it, if ATVs are registered and insured. There’s an economic benefit to it.
Reniche-Smith: I have reservations but am happy to discuss it. I wouldn’t want to do it unless everyone on the designated roads is ok with it. If it’s just on trails, that would be ok.
Webb: If licensed and insured and safe, it’s just another form of transportation. I’d like Brandon to have a dirt track for 4-wheelers and trucks.
Questions directed to individual candidates
Question #13: Mr. Marcoux, the profane signs you had on your house made your partisanship so evident.
Marcoux: Freedom of speech.
[Editor’s note: Mr. Marcoux had banners on his house that opposed former President Joe Biden and candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz with profanity. The signs have been removed.]
Question #14: Mr. Haylon, as a member of the Brandon Energy Committee, will you push your personal feelings on the town regarding electric vehicles and renewable energy?
Haylon: I’d like to challenge your assumptions about my beliefs. I have an electric car and am happy with it, but I don’t think it’s necessarily the right solution for everyone. Let’s look at everything on a case-by-case basis to see what’s best for the town. Let the police department decide what kind of cars are best for it.
Closing statements
Webb: I’m for more jobs, affordable housing, better alternatives for education. I’m looking not just 5 years ahead, but 100. Thank you all. I plan on working for the community even if I’m not elected.
Reniche-Smith: Thank you all for coming. The turnout tonight shows people care. I enjoyed being on the Selectboard and look forward to joining it again. The breadth of my experience and knowledge will help me make good decisions for the town.
Marcoux: I support the police department, job creation, affordable housing. I want to make Brandon better for everyone.
Ethier: I’ve been on the Selectboard for several years now and you have that background on me and know how I’ve voted.
Disorda: Thank you for the respectful demeanor tonight. I’m a protector by nature, especially of the most vulnerable citizens among us. I’d love to see Brandon as it was when I was a kid in the 1980s. You could get everything here. It was a more unified and inclusive community. My priorities are the police department, a laundromat, parking, and jobs. New faces bring fresh ideas.
Haylon: Thank you all. Housing is my priority. I’m just as happy rolling up my sleeves and working in the mud as I am reading a spreadsheet. Come reach out to me.
