Waterbury Select Board’s youth is unique for Vermont — Waterbury Roundabout

Waterbury currently has three millennials on its five-person select board: Chair Alyssa Johnson, 30, Vice Chair Kane Sweeney, 31, and member Ian Shea, 40.

Meanwhile, three of the five candidates on the ballot Tuesday for Waterbury Select Board are under 40. Sweeney is running unopposed for a three-year term. Meanwhile, deli clerk Evan Karl Hoffman, 28, and attorney Tori Taravella, 32, are two of the four candidates running for two one-year seats. The others are incumbent Mike Bard, 67 and retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and write-in candidate Sandy Sabin, 61, a municipal accountant.

This is unusual for Vermont where almost half of local government officials are over 60, according to a 2021 study by the Center for Research on Vermont. 

Waterbury’s youthful membership on the select board is not unique to the current crop of board members and candidates. In the past decade, others in a younger demographic than what the UVM study found include past Chair Mark Frier, past Vice Chair Dani Kehlmann, and Katie Martin, who served two years in her mid-20s.

These young leaders overcame the challenges that often prevent people like them from participating in town government, especially a lack of money and time.

“Trying to get younger people to serve on these positions will continue to be a challenge as long as boards, legislatures, and councils are all volunteer,” said Sweeney, who works as a chef at The Reservoir and has been on the board for two years.

As Vermont’s population ages, it’s important to convince young people to become involved in town government. But young adults face financial pressures that older generations did not, especially the growing cost of housing, health insurance and education. For example, child care for two young children in Vermont now costs more than $26,000 a year.

“Vermont has a long history of volunteer government, for better or for worse,” Sweeney said. “For people to find the time for work and child care, it becomes straining to take up volunteer positions in government.”

While everyone in local politics brings representation to the table, Sweeney thinks this is especially important to his generation. “Millennials and Generation Z want to see people who look and talk more like them on their boards,” he said.

Having younger people in town government encourages other young people to run for office. This is due to the role model effect. As individuals see characteristics and attributes of themselves in the elected officials who represent them, they are more willing to run for office.

Additionally, creating mentorships can help build self-confidence in younger people, which in turn makes the likelihood of running for elected offices greater. 

This is an issue that’s been on Johnson’s mind. In October, she moderated a panel for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns about young professionals and local government. It was part of a town fair event encouraging youth participation in public service. “It’s really important to think about how we can support the next generation in stepping up into these roles,” Johnson said. “and doing that early, while there’s still opportunities for mentorship and learning.”