Kathi Grace: Backing three leaders for Select Board
February 23, 2026Fellow community members,
For 50 years, Waterbury has been my heart and my home. Like many of you, I’ve stayed through the worry of rising floodwaters and the frustration of seeing our best plans go off track. Because I care so deeply about our future, I’ve spent decades attending meetings and listening to our neighbors talk about their hopes and financial worries. I know how it feels when new policies seem to lose touch with the everyday realities we face. I also believe more than ever that every single person in our town deserves to feel heard and respected—whether you’ve been here for five decades or five days.
We are extremely lucky to have a group of candidates running for Select Board who truly care about our community. Their integrity is inspiring. However, because our town is navigating so many complex changes right now, I feel we need leaders who have already been walking this path with us.
Chris Viens, Sandy Sabin, and Evan Hoffman have been at Select Board meetings, month after month, listening, questioning and learning from Waterbury’s government leaders. They have seen where we’ve been and understand the challenges ahead. As we transition to a new town manager, their steady presence will help ensure our town grows in a way that is financially feasible while still taking care of our most urgent needs.
I believe this trio will bring an uncompromised perspective to the Select Board. Chris Viens is a local business owner who understands Waterbury’s infrastructure needs and methods by which to improve them in a fiscally responsible manner. Sandy Sabin works in municipal finance and intimately understands the ins and outs of Town budgets, state and federal grants and how to maintain solvency during these uncertain economic times. Evan Hoffman and his family have been Waterbury residents for decades, so he has both a historical and fresh perspective on what life in Waterbury can mean for the next generation.
In terms of the pending open seat, I hope the new Select Board will appoint the runner-up from the three-year race to fill the remainder of Kane Sweeney’s term. It feels like the fairest way to honor the hard work and passion of those who have already stepped up to serve us for the longest term available.
Let’s move forward together with leadership that understands and cherishes our community.
Respectfully,
Kathryn Grace
S. Main Street, Waterbury