March 8, 2025
To my friends, neighbors, and fellow residents of Vienna,
First, let me say thank you to everyone who turned out for Town Meeting today, asked good questions, voted to approve the articles that had been carefully prepared. We completed our work together in under an hour. Well done!
Second, let me also say that it has been an honor to serve as a member of the Select Board for the last eight years. I believe much good has been accomplished.
That being said, I wish to inform you that I have resigned as a member of the board effective immediately. And I feel I owe a bit of explanation at the very least. Over the last few years, the work has been great both in scope and difficulty. It’s much more than I think most people realize. But primarily the challenges have been more than I can handle since the town wide reassessment that began about a year ago. Ten months ago, everyone received their new valuations. Since then, I have fielded many angry phone calls, so many, in fact, that I had to begin screening my calls. Those calls would come any day and any time regardless of what might seem reasonable working hours. And it seemed that I fielded the majority of the complaints for reasons I can only surmise. I was threatened with physical harm by one person. People showed up at my house to register their complaints. We did not make the re-evaluations and tried hard to be fair and reasonable with finding solutions. But it has reached a breaking point where I am unwilling to be shouted at any more.
So this move is to protect my mental (and physical) health. I regret not being able to complete the remaining year on my term, but I just can’t do it.
Again, thank you for your trust in me for the last eight years. Please direct any questions regarding the process of finding a replacement to the other two members of the board. Be kind to whoever takes my place.
Sincerely, Laura Church