Thanks Mara

The Charlotte News, Charlotte, VermontOn behalf of the Board of Directors, I’m writing to thank Mara Brooks for her many contributions to The Charlotte News over the past eight months.

Our readers first got a taste for Mara’s reporting chops on May 20 when we published her story, “Why they left: Former ZBA members open up.” It was a story that had to be told and Mara impressed many of us with her writing skills, her sharp questions, and her ability to get up to speed quickly on a complex story.

Also on May 20, Mara wrote her first editorial, “Can you trust us?” in which she set out the responsibilities faced by community journalists, and the high standards she set for her own reporting.

Over the next few months, Mara followed with stories on the health center, the development review board, Vermont Commons School, Charlotte Community Partners, and a host of others. Mara also expanded the paper’s coverage of town affairs, boosted the newsletter publication schedule, recruited an experienced community journalist to cover town meetings, and produced in-depth reporting on several problems in town government.

We were surprised by Mara’s resignation but appreciate the thoughtful way she has focused her work and set priorities for the December 2 edition of The News and the next. We also look forward to seeing more of Mara’s reporting in The News in the new year, as her schedule and other responsibilities allow.

Everyone here joins me in wishing you all the best for future success, Mara. Thanks again for the hard work and long hours you put in as editor of The Charlotte News.