RE: Community gardener wins mayor's race in Burlington, VT

**"Jack Hale" j*@knoxparks.org**

We have had a couple of city councilmen, but no mayors so far.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-admin@mallorn.com
[community_garden-admin@mallorn.com] On Behalf Of Jim Flint
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 9:16 AM
To: community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: [cg] Community gardener wins mayor's race in Burlington, VT

News release:  March 9, 2006

To: ACGA list serv members

From:  Friends of Burlington Gardens

Burlington's mayor-elect is rooted in community gardening

State Representative Bob Kiss is the new mayor-elect of Burlington, VT,
receiving 54.4% of votes cast using the city's new Instant Runoff Voting
system. In winning Burlington's first open mayoral contest in 17 years,
Kiss garnered a broad base of support from city residents of diverse
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The city has a population of
40,000, with more than 1,500 residents involved in community gardening.

Although outspent 4:1 in the mayor's race, Kiss used a grassroots
approach
and a platform of inclusive government to win a come from behind
victory.
While all five mayoral candidates affirmed the importance of community
gardens, organic farms, and neighborhood green space, Rep. Kiss offered
a first-hand perspective on sustainable living as a 30-year participant
in
the Burlington Area Community Gardens program, sponsored by the
the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department.

Mayor-elect Kiss began community gardening in Burlington in 1974. His
first
plot was at the former Cathedral Square garden off Pearl Street. When
the
site closed in the mid 1970s, he relocated to the new community garden
at
Ethan Allen Homestead. In the early 1980s, Kiss became one of the first
gardeners at the Intervale Community Garden, which was located closer to
his
home in the Old North End. He and his partner Jackie Majoros continue to
garden at the Intervale site, which in 1988 was renamed the Tommy
Thompson
Community Garden, in honor of the founder of Gardens for All.

Research is currently underway to determine whether there are mayors of 
other
cities in North America who are active community gardeners. Please email
Jim Flint at jimf@burlingtongardens.org if you have information or a
story 
to
share about the past or present involvement of your city's mayor in 
community
gardening.

For articles on the mayor's race and photos of Bob Kiss, click on the 
following links:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/N
EWS01/60308003/1001/ARCHIVE 
(March 8, 2006)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/N
EWS01/603090312/1009 
(March 9, 2006)

Friends of Burlington Gardens
33 Tracy Drive
Burlington, VT  05401
802.658.5733
www.burlingtongardens.org 

______________________________________________________
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ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and
to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org

To post an e-mail to the list:  community_garden@mallorn.com

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
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______________________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org

To post an e-mail to the list:  community_garden@mallorn.com

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden