Town Committees Gather

Town Committees Join Together

By Phyl Newbeck

On January 20th, roughly 30 members of Jericho’s various committees, commissions, and task forces got together for a potluck dinner at the Jericho Community Center. Jericho has regular meetings of committee chairs, but this was the first time in recent memory that members of all the various municipal bodies were invited to spend time together.

Representatives from groups as diverse as the Cemetery Commission, the Board of Civil Authority, and the Trails Committee introduced their fellow members and talked about the work they do including their goals and initiatives for the upcoming year. For Sabina Ernst, a member of both the Planning and Conservation Commissions, the evening was an opportunity to learn more about other volunteers. “It was great to finally get a chance to put some faces with names of people on the various committees,” she said.

Town Administrator John Abbott was thrilled with how it all came together. “All of the volunteers do incredible work providing guidance to our Select Board, as a governing body, and in turn, our Jericho neighbors,” he said. “The idea was simply to share a meal together and take the opportunity, post pandemic, for volunteers to get to know each other in a casual setting.”

Attendees enjoyed a wide variety of food, with some provided by the town and other dishes from the homes of committee members. Lucy & Howe, Jericho’s first commercial brewery, provided some of the liquid refreshments. Abbott noted that all the Selectboard members were in attendance and were able to thank the volunteers for the time and effort they put into making Jericho a better place.

As board and committee members spread out on long tables, enjoying the food, they were able to make personal connections and learn more about their fellow volunteers. For many, it was the first time they had an opportunity to hear about the flurry of activity being done by other groups.

Abbott said the feedback from attendees was great and he hopes to make the meeting an annual event. Based on the comments from those who attended, he’s not the only one who considered the evening a success.