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Parks & Recreation Commission Long-Serving Employee, Commissioner After Retirements

The Recreation Commission honored a long-serving town employee and a long-serving Recreation Commissioner during their first in-person meeting since March of 2020 on Monday night.

The two honorees were Nancy Santilli and Commissioner Paul Raymond.

Parks & Recreation Director Brendan Egan said Santilli started with the department 2000 and was originally there to help with registrations but her roles kept expanding. She started bookkeeping, working with field permits and was the first point of contact for the public when people visited or called the department.

“Her upbringing was to help out wherever she could,” Egan said. “We are learning life post Nancy now, which is not easy. She has been a valuable part of our department working with the public. By the response we saw on Facebook after we announced Nancy’s last day was July 31st you can see what type of valuable member she was. She helped everyone out with everything and we’re here to recognize her 21 years of service to the town of Burlington and more specifically the Parks & Recreation Department.”

Members of the commission also praised Nancy’s long service.

“Everything came from you over all these years,” Chair Kevin Sullivan said. “You’re the friendly face that everyone sees when they come to the Recreation Department and it’s nice we can do this in person and just say thank you for everything.”

“I’ll just add to the congratulations,” member Thomas Murphy said. “It’s great to see you here tonight being recognized for all that you’ve done. The best of luck going forward.”

“I just want to wish you a long and healthy and happy retirement,” member Steve Nelson said. “I’ve only been on the commission for a little over a year now but I’ve so many glowing comments about your service to the Recreation Commission and how said everyone was that you were leaving.”

For her part, Santilli said it was hard to leave a job she loved.

“It’s difficult for me, it’s been a wonderful 21 years and I’ve really enjoyed working for Parks & Recreation and being able to help people and working with wonderful people,” she said. I just thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m going to miss it.”

Santilli also said she have watched the department grow during her time there.

“I’ve seen so many changes in the department over the years and have seen it go from one point to where it is now and it’s amazing,” she said. “It’s a totally different department.”

Chair Sullivan said Raymond had been on the commission for 18 years as a liaison from the Planning Board before stepping down earlier this year.

“I have to say I really enjoyed all the years we served together,” he said. “I learned so much from you right from the beginning. Your years of wisdom and what you’ve shared with the commission and your insight on things and how things work in the town. You come in from the Planning Board but once you’re here you are all in. You are a Commissioner and I appreciate everything you did for us and the towns a better place because of you.”

Other members also thanked Raymond for his service.

“I just want to say congratulations for everything you’ve done for this community,” member David Norden said. “One thing that stood out over the five years working with you is your passion for the town in everything. We might not have always agreed but you were so passionate about what you believed was best for the town and I absolutely admire you for that. I’ll take what you taught me going forward.”

Member William Gaffney, the current representative of the Planning Board, said he has big shoes to fill.

“All the feedback he’s given to the Planning Board as a commissioner I use that as a benchmark and certainly can’t replace him but will do the best I can,” he said.