Dr. Louis Meyers, a physician and 2022 candidate for Congress, recently conducted the third in a series of interviews entitled “Vermonters Making A Difference.” His interview subject is Donald Turner, Town Manager of Milton, firefighter, and a former minority leader of the Vermont House of Representatives.

Don Turner is a true son of Milton, Vermont.

Born and raised in Milton, he graduated from Milton High School and as a teenager worked in his family businesses in Milton. After graduating from Champlain College, he became a real estate agent in Milton, and over time became the fire chief, the fire warden, the town manager, and Milton’s elected representative in the state house.

He rose through the ranks in Montpelier to serve for seven years as the Minority Leader and in 2018 was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

While serving in Montpelier he made the 110 mile daily round trip commute to return home each evening. He and his wife raised three children, all of whom live and work in Vermont.

What keeps you going through such a non-stop schedule?

Turner: “I have found that in providing local service, you can truly feel like you are making a difference and can see the results of your work.  And of course, Milton is my community and my home.”

What was it like to serve as Minority Leader in a heavily Democratic legislature?

“I wanted to be the voice of opposition, but I always wanted to be respectful of my colleagues and the position. What I understand is that you have to set goals and build consensus if you are going to help people. We looked for people willing to invest their time, energy, and funding for our caucus.  I know that every day I walked in the state house, it felt like a huge honor.”

What was it like to run statewide as the candidate for lieutenant governor?

“We raised a lot of money and had a very good campaign team. I was humbled at the support I received. And I pledged to make the campaign about issues rather than personality, and to treat my opponent David Zuckerman with respect.”

Where does the Republican party in Vermont go from here?

“We need to work on finding common-sense solutions to the economic and social challenges, and we need to be more unified. One example is immigration – we have a lot of unfilled jobs in the state and need to value immigrants who are ready to work and help build our state.”

Has Milton changed much over the years?

“We have housing which is much more affordable than the rest of Chittenden County. We have a great industrial base and infrastructure and a lot of open land. We are working on bringing in more amenities, such as a variety of restaurants.

“Milton is moving forward!”

Iri Sunij, South Burlington – immigrant, nurse, youth soccer coach

Vermonters Making A Difference #1: David Allaire, Mayor of Rutland