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SAXTONS RIVER -- The Bellows Falls attorney seeking a Democratic nomination for the fall's Windham-4's state representative race was recently appointed the chairman of the Saxtons River Recreation Committee.
Chris Moore, running against current State Reps. Matt Trieber and Carolyn Partridge for one of the district's two seats in Montpelier, was appointed to the position at Monday's Board of Trustees meeting at the Saxtons River Fire Station on Main Street.
Samantha Fletcher was named the vice chair. She said that the Saxtons River Recreation Area was acquired about a year ago and the committee was informally started on Tuesday, July 17.
Moore said about a dozen individuals have volunteered to help the recreation area, not including those from the construction and plumbing trades that have offered their professional assistance. The rec area, according to Moore, is a 15-acre facility on Pleasant Valley Road, which connects Saxtons River and Vermont Route 103. It features a pond, baseball field, softball field and basketball court.
He said he wants to continue soliciting funds for the area.
"I think it's important to do it right now within the next few months because there is interest and interest wanes after a while," he said. There is a list of necessary repairs and replacements, including a new roof, new pavilion and new sign.
There is also no functioning sink anywhere on the site, Moore said.
"It's important
Moore also said a lot of locals have used the pond to cool off this summer.
Fletcher said the recreation area does not receive funding from taxpayers and still won't even though it was acquired by the village. She said Owen Dodge was the lone member of the Saxtons River Recreation Area Inc. Board of Directors until stepping down.
She and Moore said the recreation area relies on volunteerism. The committee received a $2,000 monetary donation from a group that calls itself the Northeast Windham County Charitable Fund as well as professional help from Thad Guild of TMG Enterprises LLC. Fletcher said Guild donated his time and equipment to haul sand -- donated by Dick and Darlene Wyman of Athens -- to the recreation area's beach for resurfacing purposes.
Living on Pleasant Valley Road, Fletcher said her family is a neighbor to the recreation area. She said her son attends day camp there in the summer and her husband used to work as a lifeguard at the pond when he was a teenager.
She said she views it as a community investment and is excited about being named vice chair under Moore.
"I think it's a step in the right direction," she said. "Hopefully we can return the area to the stature it used to have."
Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277.
