News Release - Jack Crowther
January 24, 2018
Contact:
Jack Crowther
802-775-1182
jackcrowther926@yahoo.com
"I’m pleased to announce today my candidacy for the Rutland City Board of Aldermen.
I do this humbly, with an appreciation for the importance of the job. I recognize that my capabilities are finite and that Rutland’s challenges are large. Nonetheless I believe I can contribute, based on my experiences over seven decades, my residency here for nearly 50 years, and a sincere affection for my hometown.
I offer my time and my effort. My 22 years at the Rutland Herald have given me a valuable background in municipal government, the habit of asking questions and listening, and practice in sorting through facts to find the thread and the meaning.
I worked for Central Vermont Public Service Corp. for 10 years and as a self-employed business writer for four years. These experiences gave me perspectives on the corporate world and that of the small business entrepreneur. I’m afraid we often take the latter for granted, but they are lifeblood for a sustainable local economy.
I am married to Susan Crowther, a retired Rutland teacher. We have two children, living with spouses and children in New York City and Seattle.
I was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. Among other things, that experience taught me that having power and wise leadership are not synonymous, even in America.
Many may know me as the “fluoride guy.” I have spent close to four years studying the issue of public water fluoridation and about three years actively opposing the fluoridation of the Rutland City water supply. Much of what I’ve had to say can be found on my website, rutlandfluorideaction.org.
My concern over the harm being done by fluoridation, a form of mass medication, to the citizens of Rutland is basic to my candidacy. I strongly oppose fluoridation’s violation of our rights to informed consent. I am dismayed that trusted entities like the American Dental Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency have turned a blind eye to the risks of fluoride in our water.
At the same time, I recognize that if elected my job would be a weekly commitment of hours, 99 percent focused on non-fluoridation issues.
I will sketch out a “platform.” In the interests of brevity, I’ll simply say now that my ideas may seem conventional. I will cite the time-honored virtue of economy in government; I’ll endorse Rutland’s already demonstrated character as a welcoming community; and I’ll offer an idea or two for consideration.
I’m ready to listen and to join the conversation of how to move Rutland forward."