Kristen Grindal-Keller
Kristen Grindal-Keller
After spending over four decades as a Burlington resident and the last two years as a selectman, my goals and positions for the future of this great little town have become very clear.
I want this town to remain one in which we can be comfortable raising our children, one where our citizens feel safe and secure. I want the town to be in a position to provide the services we need while remaining affordable for all. I want the town to remain as rural and undeveloped as possible while fostering the development of services that benefit us all. I have no interest in seeing us welcome the big box stores that clutter our neighbors but we ought to be able to do more of our shopping locally.
Our town and school systems need to find ways to support our local merchants in every way possible. We struggle to carefully encourage development in what could become a downtown, village area.
We need to find a way to slow traffic as it presently flies up and down Route 4. No one should travel through our town at those speeds.
On taxes and fiscal responsibility we need to recognize that every community family has been forced to live with less in the last couple of years, and town spending in every area should face those same restrictions.
No one can afford increased taxes. As town leaders we have found ways to limit spending while providing quality services.
I believe the only way to protect the character of the town is with effective zoning regulations and aggressive enforcement.
Education is our largest investment. Large amounts of tax money have dramatically improved our educational facilities. As a mother of two school-aged boys and a product of the Region #10 school system, I believe it’s time now to renew our focus on our children’s education.
Let’s spend our limited funds on continuing to improve our education system. We owe our children the very best education possible.
Our recreation facility use has exploded. It is remarkable to see so many children enjoying the town facilities. We need to find ways to expand these offerings not just to children but to entire families and our seniors.
In closing, my goal will be to continue the careful, realistic, thoughtful and respectful government I have been part of for the last two years.
