Evan Karl Hoffman: Getting connected, giving back

February 13, 2026

Dear Waterbury neighbors,

I am running for a one-year term on the Waterbury Select Board. I work at Village Market, cutting deli meat and stocking shelves, I volunteer at the library, and I serve on the town's VT250 Committee and Town Meeting Day Study Committee. I've been attending Select Board meetings for two years now, and in that time, I've become so much more connected to the community I grew up in. Now, it's time for me to take the next step and start giving back.

The most pressing issue facing the town this year, as it has been for several years, is affordability. But that word has been thrown around a lot lately, to support so many different political agendas, that I want to clarify exactly what I mean and what I stand for. 

It's not about slashing the town budget to buy a small tax break. It's about working people being able to afford housing, food, transportation, and other basic necessities, so that we can live in the community where we work. No person working 40 hours a week should be struggling to make ends meet. And yet, many of my coworkers talk about moving to other towns or states, where they can find much cheaper housing and better-paying jobs. I've considered it myself in the past. When the rent is high enough to drive people away, they don't come back, and no one else will come in to fill those jobs. If the people working in your grocery store can't afford to live here, eventually you won't have a grocery store anymore. The same goes for bars and restaurants, nurses, teachers, and snowplow drivers. Our economy and the vitality of our town rely on housing that everyone can afford.

I also want to use my time on the board to increase communication and public engagement. You'll hear a bit about the Study Committee at Town Meeting, and more throughout the year as we seek public input and look for ways to increase participation. I'm very excited to do that work, but low engagement is a problem on the other 364 days, too. The town needs your input to be effective, and you need to know your government is working and responsive to your needs. I will make it a high priority to close that communications gap.

Lastly, I want to express my thanks to the four outgoing members of the Board. I've had great and productive conversations with all of you, and I appreciate your time and dedication to an underpaid and difficult job. I don't think the vast majority of the town knows how much work you all do, but those of us who go to meetings and see you in action appreciate all that you do. Your combined decade-and-a-half of experience on this board will be deeply missed.

Thank you for your consideration,

Evan Karl Hoffman

Waterbury