Vermont Rep. Warren Kitzmiller (D-Washington-4) planned to retire at the end of this session after 22 years in office. Courtesy photo.
The flags at Montpelier’s City Hall flew at half staff today for the late Rep. Warren Kitzmiller, D-Washington-4, who served as Montpelier’s representative in the Vermont House for 22 years. City Manager Bill Fraser asked for the flags at City Hall to fly at half staff Monday, July 11, in honor of Kitzmiller, whose death was announced on Sunday, July 10. The exact date and cause of death were not reported to the City Clerk’s office at the time of this report.
Then governor Howard Dean appointed Kitzmiller to fill the seat left behind by his late wife, Karen Kitzmiller, after she passed away from cancer in May 2001. He remained in office ever since, with his current term expiring January 4, 2023, according to Ballotopedia.com. He sat on the Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the House Government Operations Committee.
Kitzmiller had announced that he planned to retire in an interview with The Bridge last April. At the time, he said he was looking forward to retirement, especially skiing in the winters, which had otherwise been taken up with the legislature.
Before his time in the Statehouse, Kitzmiller owned and operated Onion River Sports on Langdon Street. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania (according to his Facebook page), Kitzmiller worked at Mount Snow from 1967 to 1970, and then at the Village Ski Shop until 1972. He owned Onion River Sports from 1974 through 2000.
Kitzmiller was a city council member from 1978 to 1980, according to Ballotopedia.com.
Mayor Anne Watson opened the city council meeting on July 11 by extending condolences to Kitzmiller’s family. “We are grateful for all the work and service he did for the City of Montpelier. He was such a wonderful man. So kind,” Watson said.
