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Kitty Toll Throws Hat Into Ring

BY SALLY ANDERSON COOK
Staff Writer – The Caledonian-Record

Danville native Kitty Toll, a Democrat, will seek election to the Vermont House representing the towns of Cabot, Danville, and Peacham. She hopes to replace Steve E. Larrabee Sr., who has served Caledonia-Washington-1 as a Republican representative since 1995. He decided not to run for re-election.

“I am running because I want to address several critical issues in Vermont which affect us all right here in our district,” Toll said. “These issues include affordable housing, energy costs, property taxes, education, and farming and agriculture.” She said that education needs to be affordable, and that the sources of funding have to be scrutinized to see how they would impact people in the area.

“I don’t have solutions, but we have to study how any possible option would affect other things,” she said.
In the energy field, she said alternatives should be studied to find out what is efficient. “We need a strong local economy to create job opportunities that enable our children to remain in the area and to be active and successful participants in Vermont’s future,” she said. “We need to develop economically but preserve our landscape and I truly believe we can find that balance.”

Toll grew up on a sixth-generation dairy farm that continues to operate today, with her mother Catherine Beattie and the late Harold Beattie. “There are only two dairy farms left in the village area, both are century old family farms and I don’t want to lose them,” Toll said. “There use to be more.” More home businesses and more niche farming, like the Patterson’s corn maze in Danville, and more ways to use land might be part of the solution, she said. “Even on our own farm, kids have a farm stand. They understand if they plant and sell corn, make bread and sell jams and jellies they make money and they learn how to work,” Toll said.

Educated in Danville schools, Toll has a Bachelor of Science degree from Lyndon State College and holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Vermont. She has worked as an elementary school teacher for 14 years in Gilman, Charleston and St. Johnsbury. In 1993, she was named outstanding teacher of the year in the St. Johnsbury School District. She and her husband, Abel Toll, have two children Kate, 13, and Margaret, 7. Toll stopped teaching when the children were born. “My mother was a representative when I was five,” said Toll, who was the youngest of 14 children. “We have a big supportive family and they’re all right in the village. They’re encouraging me to do this. So, it won’t be a hardship.”

When Toll was in the eighth grade, she was a page in Montpelier in the early 1970s, when Tom Salmon was governor.
“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Toll said. “I believe in the Democratic process, and I’ve always wanted to be a member of the House.” Toll is a long time member of the Danville Congregational Church, and serves on its board of trustees and board of deacons. She is also on the library board of trustees. For many years, she was co-chairman of the Danville Chamber of Commerce, and a past member of the Danville Planning Commission and Zoning Board of
Adjustment.

A corporator of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, she is currently active as a volunteer on the hospital’s capital campaign and the annual fund campaign of Lyndon State College. “Community service has always been a way of life for my family, and I’ve been fortunate to live, work, and raise a family in such a unique place as the Northeast Kingdom,” Toll said. “I believe it is time for me to put my experience and energies to work on issues that affect the broader community.”

She said she is also no stranger to politics with two parents taking an active role and a sister, Jane Kitchel, who is a state senator. “We grew up in a household where my mother was always active in politics, and we heard about issues,” Toll said. “My father was on the selectboard.” She said both her mother and her aunt, Alice Hafner, were strong women, good role models who taught her there were no boundaries and the possibilities
were endless.

“It’s important to me that we don’t lose that quality in the Northeast Kingdom, where people are friendly and helpful,” Toll said. In the region, children are fortunate to have small caring schools and Toll said she thinks there are opportunities here for them after they finish school. “If I’m honored enough to be elected, I will be committed to the job and do the best for the area, I truly mean that,” Toll said.

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Bid for House Seat is a Lifelong Dream for Kitty Beattie Toll

By Mary L. Currier

Native Vermonter Kitty Beattie Toll began her campaign for the House of Representatives this past January with hopes of holding a seat in the House at the start of the 2009 legislative session. Kitty is running as a democrat representing the Caledonia-Washington-1 district, which includes the towns of Cabot, Danville and Peacham.

Kitty grew up in Danville on a fifth generation farm, which is still in operation today.  The youngest of fourteen children, Kitty is the daughter of former State Representative Catherine “Kate” Beattie and the late Harold Beattie. Kitty and her husband, Abel, live in Danville with their two daughters, Kate and Margaret.

As a wide-eyed five-year-old, Kitty recalls witnessing former Governor Phil Hoff first announcing his gubernatorial candidacy in her hometown of Danville. This young girl recognized that “a seed had been planted.” She recounts the good fortune of having spent so much time at her mother’s side while the legislature was in session. So, inspired by childhood memories and her mother’s example as a legislator back in the ‘60s, Kitty, at age 12, took her first step into the political landscape by being selected to serve in Montpelier as a Legislative Page.

This inquisitive and socially conscientious youngster blossomed into a young woman with hopes of someday fulfilling her dream of serving as State Representative. “In 1992, I seriously considered running for this seat, but decided the time was not right for me as an individual, and I feel in the last 16 years I have gained many experiences, am more mature, and have participated in more community organizations, groups and activities giving me a better understanding of the people I would be representing.” Now that Kitty has these years under her belt she feels this is the “right year to take on the challenge both personally and politically.”

After graduating from Danville High School in 1977, Kitty continued her education in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont at Lyndon State College, where she earned her Bachelor degree. She then went on to the University of Vermont to earn a Master’s of Education degree. Kitty taught for 14 years in the Vermont public school system.

When asked in what ways she felt her life had prepared her for a seat in the House of Representatives, Kitty was quick to credit her parents. “We were taught by our parents to be involved in our community, taught the importance of our local school and the education we were receiving, taught to respect other members of the community, encouraged to take risks, seek out opportunities and explore areas outside of Vermont whenever the opportunity arose.”

When tracing Kitty’s political path to this point, it leads to an extensive resume and proven record in community service which includes: present member and former co-chair of Danville Chamber of Commerce; longtime organizer of Danville Fair; Deacon and Trustee of Danville Congregational Church; member of Danville Parent Teacher Group; Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital corporator and capital campaign volunteer; Lyndon State College fundraising volunteer; former member of Danville zoning board and planning commission; and past Trustee and Chair of Pope Memorial Library.

Kitty’s involvement with local organizations is a strong expression of the issues with which she identifies: Developing a strong local job market to strengthen our communities; Enhancing educational opportunities; Keeping graduates employed in Vermont; and Protecting our environment. Kitty puts these issues in the forefront because she does “care what type of world we leave for our children.”

Kitty’s longtime commitment to the welfare of our local communities and state speaks to her concern to nurture Vermont’s “heritage of being strong and independent and caring of one another.”  She also puts in the forefront “the quality of life of all Vermonters and keeping traditions alive and well.”

Whether Kitty shakes your hand wearing her parent, teacher, farmer, or activist hat, she will do so in hopes of hearing your concerns. Take the opportunity to talk to her and chances are she will listen. She shares the philosophy that “good decisions are made when one is willing to listen and weigh out all factors and know the impact a decision will have.” It is with this philosophy that Kitty hopes to take her commitment to youth, community and the heritage of Vermont to the House of Representatives in January.