Community Liaison Holiday Update

Thinking About Community Spirit and the Year Ahead

I almost didn’t make it to Midd Night Stroll this past Thursday.

There are always so many other things contending for our time and attention, right? But my good friends at the Better Middlebury Partnership spent a LOT of time organizing this event. And so I went to show my support. What I got in return was a reminder of why I took this job and why I love where I live.

Standing on Main Street in the growing cold, talking animatedly with so many friends and watching our downtown stores fill with happy shoppers (stores I spent many hours in this summer!), I was reminded of something pretty obvious: how important community is. And how important this community is. It’s why I took this job. To give back. To work with those who, like me, have made this town their home, their place to do business, their place of worship, their place to shop. I guess you could say I got a good dose of holiday spirit. And the evening also reminded me of another time of community spirit and can-do but on a much warmer night: our Downtown Block Party during this summer’s temporary bridge construction.

Looking Ahead

So the next few weeks look to be interesting. You’ve seen the editorials and letters to the editor. My job, as we turn the corner into 2018 and start work on a new drainage system for central downtown and the rail corridor, is to continue to communicate what’s in the works and what impact it will have on your daily life. Right now, work is expected to begin in March. I’ll be in touch with a rundown of what to expect but overall the impact of 2018 on downtown should be far less than what we saw this summer. Based on the results of the temporary bridges post-construction survey I shared with you earlier this Fall, most of you are feeling pretty optimistic about what lies ahead.

Oh, and I didn’t limit myself to philosophizing last Thursday. I bought a cool polar bear from Paula at Wild Mountain Thyme, a novel from Becky at Vermont Book Shop, and a sweet “Beermont” T-shirt (not for me) from my friends at Forth ‘n’ Goal.

Wishing you all the very best for a joyous holiday season.

That’s all for today. See you downtown.

Please keep your comments and questions coming. Send me an email at jgish@townofmiddlebury.org and I’ll try to cover it in my next update.