Town Meeting Day is one week from Tuesday, and Montpelier will be electing a new mayor. This year, flood resiliency is a key campaign topic.After last summer’s devastating flood in the capital city, one thing all three candidates agree on is that floods will come again.”What we know is that we’re going to have another flood,” incumbent Mayor Jack McCullough said.McCullough is running for reelection this year.He took office last year after former Mayor Anne Watson was elected to the legislature.McCullough said he still has work to do.”In addition to continuing to work on flood recovery, we need to continue to work on developing housing for our residents,” McCullough said.Climate activist Dan Jones, who challenged McCullough in 2023, thinks it’s time for a change in the city government, to prepare the city for future floods.”We can’t pretend that it’s 10 years out or 20 years out or something; it’s now,” Jones said. “Also, I think our city has been neglecting things like its water infrastructure for 20 years and it’s time to get that fixed.”Poet Carlton Langston Anderson said he would offer a fresh perspective in the mayoral office, as the only person of color running for the position.He said the top challenge facing Montpelier right now is flood recovery.”The flood would be number one, how to fortify the city,” Anderson said. “It’s not about resilience. It’s about fortification, because we should have done it a long time ago.”Each candidate also addressed housing as a top priority in the capitol, promising to work towards more affordable rents and available housing.Whoever is elected will serve a two-year term.There are also five people running for three city council positions in Montpelier.
Town Meeting Day is one week from Tuesday, and Montpelier will be electing a new mayor. This year, flood resiliency is a key campaign topic.
After last summer’s devastating flood in the capital city, one thing all three candidates agree on is that floods will come again.
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“What we know is that we’re going to have another flood,” incumbent Mayor Jack McCullough said.
McCullough is running for reelection this year.
He took office last year after former Mayor Anne Watson was elected to the legislature.
McCullough said he still has work to do.
“In addition to continuing to work on flood recovery, we need to continue to work on developing housing for our residents,” McCullough said.
Climate activist Dan Jones, who challenged McCullough in 2023, thinks it’s time for a change in the city government, to prepare the city for future floods.
“We can’t pretend that it’s 10 years out or 20 years out or something; it’s now,” Jones said. “Also, I think our city has been neglecting things like its water infrastructure for 20 years and it’s time to get that fixed.”
Poet Carlton Langston Anderson said he would offer a fresh perspective in the mayoral office, as the only person of color running for the position.
He said the top challenge facing Montpelier right now is flood recovery.
“The flood would be number one, how to fortify the city,” Anderson said. “It’s not about resilience. It’s about fortification, because we should have done it a long time ago.”
Each candidate also addressed housing as a top priority in the capitol, promising to work towards more affordable rents and available housing.
Whoever is elected will serve a two-year term.
There are also five people running for three city council positions in Montpelier.
