Waterbury celebrates a symbolic milestone

The construction project is beginning nearly four years after Tropical Storm Irene flooded the downtown and damaged homes, leaving some bereft and others feeling lost.

The governor lingered for a while with local politicians and townspeople, savoring the moment beneath a blue sky edged with snow-capped mountains.

“When you think about the progress that has been made in Waterbury, it’s got to bring pride to every single Vermonter that the outcome could be as extraordinary as it is today,” Shumlin said.

In the same vein, staffers for U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders reminded the crowd that this kind of commitment to rebuilding is not always a given.

The municipal office complex, with a library and meeting room, received $1.25 million in grants from the state. Most of the money comes from a $2.95 million municipal bond, and nearly $1 million was raised from private donors. The project received sizable donations from Edward and Karen Steele and the Stiller Foundation, and an anonymous gift of $50,000.

Rep. Rebecca Ellis, D-Waterbury, who was chair of the town select board during the flooding crisis, emphasized the rarity of Waterbury’s community network.

“When Irene came, all of the Waterbury community was able to tap into this social capital,” she said.

After the storm destroyed the former municipal offices, Ellis led select board meetings at local taverns, invoking 18th-century Vermont history.

“In the past, taverns were the site of history; taverns were places people gathered and made political decisions,” she said. “And yes, decisions about our political future have been made at Prohibition Pig,” a bar and restaurant on Main Street.

State Rep. Tom Stevens, D-Waterbury, who lives on Winooski Street, said he lost only his tomato plants in Irene, and was thankful for the chance to get out and help neighbors during the crisis.

Likewise, municipal manager Bill Shepeluk praised the commitment and fortitude of people in the Waterbury area.

“I look around and see a lot of faces of people who were here the day of the flood, people who worked hard to help us rebuild,” he said. “Our friends and neighbors have agreed to fund this project with not only tax money but donations of time and money.”

Congressman Peter Welch called the rebuilding of Waterbury a testament to Vermont’s character.

“I would say it was Vermont’s finest hour, and maybe the governor’s finest hour,” he said. “Just a few years ago, it looked like this town was going to float away, and here we are now.”

The metamorphosis of Waterbury has “been a long road,” said Waterbury resident Sue Minter, the state’s transportation secretary.

Patricia Moulton, the state’s commerce secretary, praised the patience of residents dedicated to the intergenerational success of Waterbury. “This is proof positive that good things happen to people who are patient.”

That Sen. Leahy grew up on a farm just a few miles down the road doesn’t hurt either, as politicians and grant-givers understand the local commitment to rebuilding the town.

“When Waterbury calls, we answer the phone,” said Moulton. “We got all of the people in damaged homes into safe housing — and that doesn’t happen everywhere in this country.”

Citing the state’s post-Irene slogan, “Vermont Strong,” Moulton said Waterbury had passed a test. “Before Irene, no one thought this was possible,” she said. “We built a different vision for our future.”

The complex, located at 28 N. Main St., will preserve and add on to the historic Janes House, providing nearly 16,000 square feet of space for municipal offices, the town library and the Waterbury Historical Society.

Waterbury leaders expect to complete the project next January.