Rockingham, Bellows Falls Hires New Town Manager Scott Pickup
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE 59 PAID POSTAL CUSTOMER FREE Years RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER PERMIT #2 N. HAVERHILL, NH ECRWSSEDDMECRWSS Ask us about our Holiday Ad Bundle! Your Local Community Newspaper NOVEMBER 04, 2020 | WWW.VERMONTJOURNAL.COM VOLUME 59, ISSUE 23 Rockingham, Bellows Falls hires new town manager Scott Pickup BY JOE MILLIKEN for six years, the commissioner and decided to apply.” wear many hats and pitch in to A few of Pickup’s top pri- The Shopper of public works for the city of After the town’s previous get the job done, and I really orities will include the Police New Rochelle, N.Y., and be- manager, Wendy Harrison, re- felt the spirit during my inter- Department’s union nego- BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Af- fore that was the city manager signed in May, the search for view process here. I am very tiations, the village and town ter a thorough search, the town in Rye, N.Y. and Germantown, the successor came down to happy that I was selected and budgets, the continued ef- of Rockingham and village of Ohio. Being from out-of-state, Pickup and one other candi- my appreciation for the dedi- forts to revitalize the Bellows Bellows Falls recently hired a how did his interest in this date. Pickup was selected and cation and effectiveness of the Falls Opera House and local new manager. In a recent joint position and Vermont come considered the best candidate current staff has only increased businesses. Municipal manager, Scott Pickup. meeting between the Rock- about? for the position because of his as I have settled into the job. “Being a small organiza- PHOTO PROVIDED ingham Selectboard and the “I have a son attending the extensive city, town, and mu- “As with any new position, I tion, I am always looking for Bellows Falls Village Trustees, University of Vermont, and my nicipality managerial experi- have been getting up to speed efficiencies in our operations, some public meetings where Scott D. Pickup was a unani- wife and I have spent increas- ence. on current operations, budget, and we have some opportuni- we hope to engage the public mous choice to become the ing amounts of time over the “I have had the privilege of and the expectations of the ties to add more citizen services in a candid discussion about new town manager through last three years visiting him working in a diverse array of elected officials for the man- through our website and on- the issues that are top of mind June 2022, with a possible one- and other places in Vermont,” communities in terms of size ager. Covid has been a concern line, where we can create better to folks. Finally, I hope citi- year extension added on. Pickup said. “After spend- and population, and enjoyed in all our conversations and we access and convenience for our zens reach out to me, either in Originally from Monroe, ing multiple years working in my time working in German- are wary of its continued im- residents,” Pickup concluded. “I person at Town Hall, by email Conn., Pickup has a master’s metro New York at different town, Ohio, [population 5,000] pact on our business commu- am also encouraged with our at [email protected] or by degree in public administra- local governments, I wanted to which shares a lot of the same nity, education system, and the Police Department and elected phone to share their insights, tion and a bachelor’s degree in step away and find a job where challenges and opportunities safety of the staff and public, officials supporting communi- concerns, and advice. Local health services administration, I could live and work in a com- that exist here,” Pickup said. which will be a factor as we de- ty-based policing strategies and government works best when both from the University of munity. I saw the listing for “Working in a smaller orga- velop budgets and revenue pro- increasing our public outreach. we have a broad representation Cincinnati. He was previously, RockBF on the VLCT website nization requires the staff to jections for 2021 and beyond.” “We are also looking to start of citizens participating.” Westminster celebrates elder residents WESTMINSTER, Vt. – On len, Judith Berkley Jo Crocker, Saturday, Sept. 26, Westminster Ruth Morse, Bob Gay, and Bar- Cares and town residents cel- bara Holton. Of the 14, two are ebrated Westminster’s 90-plus- 90, six are 91, one 92, one 94, one year-old citizens during the an- 95, one 96, one 97, and one 98. nual Celebration of Aging. Due Pete Harrison, vice president, to Covid-19 safety concerns, gave a heartwarming presenta- a small private ceremony was tion addressing each of the hon- held outdoors on the lawn of the ored guests. The presentation in- Westminster Institute for guests cluded interesting family history, of honor and their families, fol- places they’ve lived, companies lowed by a community drive-by they’ve worked for, and stories and parade. about their lives in the commu- Westminster has 14 residents nity. Guests of honor were given Westminster residents celebrated the town’s eldest citizens. Halloween in who are 90 years of age or older. photo books to commemorate PHOTO PROVIDED Thirteen still live independently the occasion and for their con- in the area and five attended tributions to the community. support of this event. Cars were ment led a parade along Main Bellows Falls the event: Charlotte Kurkul, The Westminster Cares Board decorated with balloons, stream- Street with cars filled by each Libby Mills, Ben Hutchins, Lee of Directors expresses their ap- ers, and signs with messages for guest of honor and their family. BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – This festive Halloween display was put MacDuffie, and Bill Smidutz. preciation to our honored guests the guests of honor. Commu- Community members lined the together by a group of senior residents and friends of Canal The families of Phyllis Anderson for attending; to the many fam- nity members drove by cheer- streets to wave and give “shout- House in front of Sharon Bocelli & Co. Auction Gallery near the and Paulie Kissell attended in ily members who accompa- ing, honking, and greeting each outs” to each of the honorees as Canal House’s rear entrance. their honor. Not able to attend nied them and the community honoree. To close out the event, they passed by. PHOTO BY BILL LOCKWOOD were Lois Woodward, Dot Al- members who turned out in the Westminster Fire Depart- Thank you, Westminster! Rotary International Awards Local couple light up the roads for help two area hospitals safety BRATTLEBORO/TOWNSH- no cost to the hospitals. ment officer. WESTMINSTER, Vt. – END, Vt. – Thanks to generous “It means so much to all of us “We thank all of the mem- Kurn Hattin Homes for grants made by the Rotary Foun- who work at Brattleboro Memo- bers of the Rotary Club of the Children has a unique cam- dation of Rotary International to rial Hospital and Grace Cottage Deerfield Valley for working pus design in that the lower Medline Industries Inc., Brattle- Family Health & Hospital, and so hard to facilitate this grant and upper campuses, where boro Memorial Hospital and to the patients that we serve, that from Rotary International,” the children live and go to Grace Cottage Family Health & the Rotary Foundation has made said Gina Pattison, director school, are intersected by a Hospital have been able to pur- this grant award to Medline on of development and market- town road. The children are chase disposable isolation gowns our behalf,” said Andrea Seaton, ing at Brattleboro Memorial taught many safety proto- for use by medical providers at Grace Cottage’s chief develop- Hospital. “We are very pleased cols, which include looking to have been included in the both ways before crossing Rotary Foundation’s Covid-19 the street at the designated Global Grant program.” crosswalks. However, many “Our members are so ap- drivers have a visual im- preciative of all of the work pediment at certain points that essential frontline work- on the road and also tend to Kurn Hattin children pressing the crosswalk button and safely cross- ing Kurn Hattin Road. ers have been doing to keep us drive above the speed limit PHOTO PROVIDED all as safe and healthy as pos- through the area. sible during the pandemic,” Because of our growing said Bob Pavia, president of concern for the children’s reality. signs were gifted in response to the Rotary Club of the Deer- and drivers’ safety at our two Sincere appreciation goes a published Kurn Hattin wish field Valley. “We are happy to crosswalks, we needed to out to Kurn Hattin volunteers list. Each crosswalk has two be able to help care for and make the crosswalks more Trustee Terry and Marya Hol- poles with bi-directional, twin Sarah Shippee, vice president of the Rotary Club of the Deerfield protect the people of our com- visible to oncoming traffic combe from Walpole, N.H. rectangular rapid flash bea- Valley, and Joe Long, treasurer, pose in front of disposable isolation munities through this grant to more clearly identify the for completely funding flash- cons, and signs on each pole. gowns along with Andrea Seaton, Chief Development Officer at Grace to Medline via Rotary Inter- crosswalks and the pedestri- ing lights and reflective signs The lights are solar powered Cottage Family Health & Hospital (left) and Gina Pattison, director of national, which benefits our ans in them to drivers. Two that alert oncoming traffic and with push-button controls. Development and Marketing at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (right). wonderful community hospi- of our wonderful supporters make the children and staff PHOTO PROVIDED t a l s .” have now made that goal a more visible.