As the Hartford Selectboard prepares to fill the recent Selectboard vacancy, I believe the process should reflect the will of the voters—not the preferences of the board or political insiders.
The most fair, transparent, and democratic approach is to appoint the next-highest vote-getter from the most recent town election. In this case, that person is Lannie Collins.
Lannie ran a strong campaign in March 2025. He earned the trust of hundreds of voters and showed his commitment to Hartford by putting himself and his ideas before the public. He showed up. He listened. He earned support.
Choosing someone who never ran, never campaigned, and never received a single vote would be an insult to those who participated in the electoral process — and to the process itself. This seat doesn’t belong to the Selectboard. It belongs to the people.
This isn’t about politics — it’s about process. Bypassing a well-qualified, publicly supported candidate like Lannie in favor of a hand-picked appointee damages public trust and sets a bad precedent. The voters made their preferences known. The board should honor that.
Please, do the right thing: Respect the voters. Appoint Lannie Collins.
Patrick Danaher