On Monday, May 6, Carolyn Shores Ness lost her bid for re-election to the Deerfield Select Board. Her opponent Mark Gilmore and his supporters mounted an energetic campaign, winning by over 40 votes. The voter turnout was said to have been more than in most recent town elections. While I did not vote for Mr. Gilmore, I respect the effort, and I will try to keep an open mind going forward as he steps into a leadership role in our town. That said, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Carolyn for her many years of service to the town of Deerfield. I believe she carried out her role on the Select Board with integrity and selflessness, and most importantly helped support a vision for town government in a time of great challenges, including environmental problems, economic changes, threats to local agriculture, and the way we see ourselves as individuals and community members. I hope Carolyn, and all the folks in Deerfield, will remember that she has many supporters, and that those of us who voted for her did so believing in what she has done for the town, and what we hope to see happen in the future. Thank you Carolyn!

Jonathan Oltman

South Deerfield