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Public commenters urge scrutiny of UN-linked funding, raise annexation and water access concerns
Summary
During public comment residents urged the county to end partnerships they said are tied to the United Nations, criticized annexation practices and described ongoing lack of working water in the Sawmill District; comments prompted no formal council action at the meeting.
During the public comment period on Jan. 15, several residents raised concerns on a range of topics.
Pam Kaiser (Middlebury) urged county officials to sever relationships with organizations she said are linked to the United Nations, arguing local foundations should not be used to advance international agendas. Kaiser said the county should "be proactive and stop working with groups like the Community Foundation that fund projects" she associated with UN influence.
A Goshen resident identified as Glenn criticized building maintenance, microphone/technology testing and raised concerns about plans to sell county property without adequate environmental vetting. He also warned against replacing elected roles with appointed panels, saying: "When you start governing by committee... it's still a dictatorship." His remarks included longstanding complaints about potholes and infrastructure in county neighborhoods.
Rhonda de Caere, speaking from the Sawmill District, gave a first-person account of living without reliable household water when her family arrived in the 1990s: "He said, we have no working water, and our bathtub at home is filled with dirty clothes." Her testimony was offered in the context of the council-passed water appropriation discussion.
No formal action was taken in response to these public comments during the meeting; the council adjourned after the public comment segment.
