Chester board punts making school board rep recommendation; hears protests about protests

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Last Wednesday, the Chester Select Board was met with a fairly full house and two large servings of controversy starting with the public comment period. One issue concerns the use of the Green for political demonstrations while the other involved objections to a candidate who is seeking an appointment to fill a soon to be empty Chester seat on the Green Mountain Unified School District Board.

Board punts school rep recommendation

The resignation of Tuck Wunderle from the GMUSD board  has opened a seat for a Chester representative. Wunderle was elected, along with Casey Leahy, in March 2024 to fill two three-year seats on the board. He resigned his position to attend graduate school.

The school district had put out a call for candidates to be appointed to fill out Wunderle’s three-year term, and gave the Select Board the opportunity to weigh in on the qualifications of those who did. But prior to any discussion, Select Board chair Lee Gustafson said that the topic was polarizing and he did not believe the board should take it up.

“I believe the school board is capable of making their own decisions without our input,” said Gustafson.

However, board vice chair Arne Jonynas, who has served on school boards in Chester, disagreed. He said he felt strongly that one of the two candidates should not be allowed to be on the GMUSD board. He said that knowing the information that the board has received he would strongly recommend the other candidate, Penny Benelli, a recently retired Chester lawyer.

Board members Peter Hudkins and Arianna Knapp agreed with Gustafson that the school board was better equipped to pick Wunderle’s replacement. Gustafson also noted that the school board could reject the Select Board’s nomination, which happened earlier this year when the GMUSD board rejected the candidate endorsed by the Cavendish Select Board. In that case, two Cavendish members and two Chester members voted in favor of the Cavendish board’s choice while the remaining five — four from Chester and one from Andover — voted for a second candidate.

But Jonynas said he wanted to make his position known because of the “egregious” nature of the information the board had received.

While no names or specific complaints were discussed at the meeting, the only other candidate for the board is John Keller, who sent a formal letter of interest to both the Select Board and to schools Superintendent Layne Millington. In 2022, Keller had made an unsuccessful run for the Select Board, just about a year after moving to town.

According to documents from the Windsor County Superior Court Criminal Division, at the end of April, Keller plead guilty to one count of domestic assault for an incident that took place in Chester and Rockingham in August 2024 and involved two other people. Keller was given a deferred sentence and one year of probation, which began on May 1. He was also assigned a probation officer and given 13 conditions, including not engaging “in violent or threatening behavior,” not possessing a firearm or other weapon that could cause “death or serious bodily injury” and participating in a “state certified domestic violence … program.”

When asked on Tuesday evening for a comment, Keller replied, “I will not answer to any of these allegations until you post the criminal background checks of every board member.”

Before the end of the discussion last Wednesday, Chester resident Robert Nied said, “I’d be seriously disappointed if the board sidestepped this because it’s uncomfortable.” He pointed to situations in the past where the Select Board has advised the school board on appointments from Chester. “I think you have an absolute ethical responsibility to weigh in given the information you have.”

The board then moved on.

The Green Mountain Unified School District Board is scheduled to take up the issue at 6 p.m. this Thursday at the Green Mountain High School Library, 716 Route 103 S. You can also view the meeting on Zoom by clicking here.

Businesses complain about demonstrations on the Green

The complaints about the Green stemmed from two demonstrations that took place recently. Two business owners said that the gatherings – one with around 500 participants from 10 a.m. to noon on a Saturday in April, and a second with about half as many  attendees that occurred at 4:30 on a Thursday in May – interfered with traffic, took up parking spaces and made stopping there to shop less attractive.

Sharon Baker, owner of the clothing shop Sharon’s on the Common, said that no one had told them about the first rally when demonstrators “invaded (the Green) for several hours” and made it “kryptonite for the day” for visitors. She described Main Street as “the gauntlet” for drivers, with loud protesters taking up all the parking spaces.

Baker said she closed down during the rally, but reopened later to no business. She said that she was asked “What’s happened to Chester, not what happened in Chester”

Amber Ham of Songbird Wellness, an herbal apothecary shop and massage therapist, which is just beyond the west end of the Green, said that the first rally “wiped” out her business for that morning and she believes there should be a better venue for such gatherings.

But Amy McPheters of Chester said she saw no violence at the first rally and thought that the shops that closed up lost an opportunity. She said that people who buy a business on the Green know it’s the center of town and that such gatherings occur there.

Chester resident Jerry Gleason suggested that there be a permit process for using the Green. Town Manager Julie Hance confirmed that no permits are currently needed to gather on the Green.

Marilyn Mahusky of Chester called the Green the quintessential space for people to exercise their First Amendment rights to speak and assemble.

Scott Blair, who with his wife Leslie, owns the Southern Pie Cafe, said that while food businesses like his have made money during these events, other Green businesses did not and he is concerned about that.

Gassetts resident Roy Spaulding said that the growth of peaceful protests in Burlington, “once the shining star of Vermont,”  ruined that community. Spaulding pointed to shuttered businesses, then called Burlington one of the most dangerous cities in the country. He asked the board to put “guardrails” on such rallies and “find a more suitable spot” for them.

Shortly after Spaulding spoke, Chester resident Susan Bailey called the meeting’s attention to a Forbes Magazine article that said Burlington is the 4th safest city in the United States. She noted that the same article called Vermont the nation’s safest state and said that perhaps Burlington seems less safe by comparison.

Chester resident Scott McDonald said he hates to see the town divided and that a better place could be found for people to protest. He suggested the triangle in front of Town Hall, which is “away from downtown, away from the schools, away from the library.”

Hance said she would provide the board with model policies for use of town property for discussion.

Green Up Day thanks; Bailey Hill Road controversy; Empty businesses?

Green Up Day coordinator Frank Kelley thanked the many people, organizations, school groups and town employees that took part in this year’s clean up. He said that their efforts had filled the large roll off container.

Smokeshire property owner Paul Bidgood asked the board for a “date certain” when he will get information from the town so he can continue to assert that Bailey Hill Road – which the town considers to be a Class 4 road – is actually his property. He said that the town relies on a report from Select Board member Peter Hudkins. He believes that report is wrong. Three months ago, Bidgood said, he asked for information that the report is based on and has not received it, even though a public records request must be answered in three days. Hudkins said he was working with historical documents and that was taking time.

Saying that the town is not a friendly place for businesses, Chester resident Steve Mancuso gave the board a list of 30 empty buildings as evidence of that problem. He asked that if the town is going to make ordinances or bylaws with regard to issues before the board that they keep the interests of the town’s businesses in mind.

A close look at the list noted that most are currently being used by businesses or as residences although the Chat & Chew and Jeffery Barn – both on Rt. 103 north – are derelict. At least three on the list are for sale.

Low reservoir; Class 4 roads policy

Under old business, Hance said that people may notice that the town reservoir on Reservoir Road is low. She wanted the public to know that that was the result of engineering advice that the level be kept low while the dam is being evaluated after last year’s storm.

Also, the board asked the Chester Conservation Committee to look at model policies regarding Class 4 roads and make recommendations for the creation of a policy for the 17 miles of such roads in Chester. Once a policy is adopted, the town can begin marking those roads for public use.

Cynthia Prairie contributed to this article.