TRIBUTES
Everyone at Newmont Slate is inspired by these
stories—
• THE TOWN THAT DARED TO DREAM
The Wells Town Hall pictured is clad with
Newmont’s Vermont Black roofing slate donated and
installed by Newmont Slate Co., Inc. The Wells Town Hall is
projected to last for several hundred years.
THE TOWN THAT DARED TO DREAM
Wells, Vermont, is a quaint, picturesque
town located southwest of Rutland at the southern tip of Lake
St. Catherine near the New York border about 2.5 miles from
Newmont Slate. Chartered in 1761, this town of 23 square miles
houses a population of 1,121, with a density of 48.3 people per
square mile.
Wells may be a very small New England
community, but for it’s size, its achievements are
extraordinary. For over two centuries, residents conducted town
business in rented or donated spaces, often ill equipped to
support the affairs of this charming little town.
In determined pursuit of designing and
building a Town Hall, the town leadership began to discuss
their needs and what it would take to achieve their dream. It
wasn’t long before Don Preuss volunteered to manage the
construction project as Clerk of the Works while others
volunteered to serve on the building committee that included
Chairman Norman Brown, Secretary Stephanie Andrew Smith, Joe
Capron, Ron Dreher, Rich Holcomb, Dave Murray, and Paul
Woodruff.
Working hard, the building committee
raised necessary funds or in-kind contributions to cover costs
for the new Wells Town Hall of their dreams.
This completed project came in, on-budget
and months ahead of schedule, due to the dedication and
streamlined teamwork among the volunteers, the general
contractor and donors.
Extraordinary contributions toward this
project, including land donated by the Preuss family, narrowed
the Town’s debt down to $171,000 from the actual cost,
valued at over $600,000.
Congratulations one and all!
Above is a closeup of the Wells Town Hall
roof, clad with slate donated by Newmont Slate Co.
Photographs and images courtesy of
and©Susan Wonderly 2006-2007 All rights reserved
Website: Newmont Slate Co., Inc.©2007
Site developed and maintained by
susanwonderly.com
