I am writing this letter to join my voice with those who oppose granting a special permit to SoulFest to have their event this summer in the town of Northfield. Many have written fact-based letters about why this is not a good fit for the town. However, I want to highlight a different issue, the mental health of the town residents. Here we are facing a possible traumatic event that could be happening this coming summer. There are already many residents fearful and angry and working overtime to communicate with the Selectboard about our feelings and concerns about this possibility. The facts are important, yes. Also important is how we feel about living in the town of Northfield, specifically our trust in our elected Selectboard and appointed town administrator to take care of us and make decisions in our best interest.

I am a retired psychiatric nurse. I know all about trauma. Trauma affects the nervous system, the immune system, the whole body and mind. I know I am feeling terrified that a huge event like this could happen two blocks from my home, and others are feeling this, too. I know that there is always a political importance to being measured and fact-based. On the other side, there is also a political history in our democratic system of being passionate and fighting for what we believe in. But there is a toll that emotion takes. To our whole selves, our trust in one another, to the health of our community.

SoulFest is not appropriate for our small town of Northfield. With my neighbors and friends writing letters and making topographic models to scale and researching the limits of our infrastructure, this issue has created a traumatic ongoing experience for many of us opposing this event. Please make it stop. We ask the Selectboard to reject this special permit application now so we can live our lives without this fear hanging over us.

Jamie Yost

Northfield

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