Steve Egan seeks Selectboard seat, emphasizes experience, community involvement

ROYALSTON – Steve Egan is making another run for the Selectboard, and so far is the only candidate on the town election ballot for the seat.

Despite this, Egan said he’s not taking anything for granted. In 2023, Shelby Bronnes mounted a write-in campaign for Selectboard and won a narrow victory over Ryan Hood, whose name appeared on the ballot.

“Until the votes are counted, I’m just a candidate,” said Egan.

The retired U.S. Army officer said his experience with other committees led to him seeking more opportunities to become involved in the town.

“The experience I got working on those committees and working with various people in the town – I think I can use that to really help refine the way we do business,” said Egan. “We have good people and we could work to push some issues the town feels strong feelings about.”

Some of those feelings, he said, include a fondness for the South Village.

“I think the South Village is beautiful,” said Egan, who has chaired the committee charting the future of the long-closed King Street Bridge. “We’re working with the state and a whole lot of different agencies to try and get some grant money to help us.”

In addition to the King Street Bridge Committee, Egan chaired the first committee charged with exploring whether there was a need for a full-time police chief and police officer. He was then chosen chair of the Police Chief Search Committee, which recently completed its work. He is currently a member of the Finance Committee and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Egan said that Royalston, along with other communities across the state, will have to make some difficult budget decisions heading into the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. Despite the challenges, he thinks the town can handle this, adding that he has the same concerns as other residents.

“I’m not different than anyone else when it comes to concerns about budgets and financial requirements or responsibilities,” Egan said. “That wasn’t going to detract from my decision to run.

“Like I found during my career in the Army,” he added, “sometimes you have to make tough decisions and not everyone is going to be happy, but you do the best you can for the greater good.”

Last April, Egan ran as one of three candidates to serve out the year remaining on the term of former Selectboard member Shelby Bronnes, who had resigned in January. Egan and Chris Deveneau lost to board veteran Linda Alger

“I think it was a good thing that Linda won,” Egan said. “She had a lot of experience and could help the other board members, who were pretty new.”

Egan said he made the decision to run again at the urging of several residents with whom he had served on various committees.

“What I learned is that people are very, very passionate; they’re informed and passionate about their positions,” he said. “And if you don’t agree, that’s okay. There’s a way – and I think this town does it really well – where there can be a dialogue. We have a discussion and we come up with a solution that works. It may not be the solution that everybody loves, but it’s one that everybody can live with, because it has the best interest of the town and the people in the forefront.”

Egan served in the Army for 28 years after graduating from West Point and the U.S. Army War College. Over the years he was posted to 15 states and three countries – South Korea, Germany, and Iraq. He and his wife Danielle moved to Royalston in 2023. They were drawn to the town, he said, because of its “history, character, charm, spirit and roots.”

Royalston’s annual town election is Monday, April 6. Voting will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.