Colleen Haag Public Service Award

Colleen Haag - 2016 Award Recipient

Colleen Haag

Haag Award Criteria

In 2017, the Shelburne Selectboard put out a call to “recognize one of its own with a Public Service Award to be presented to someone who by his or her actions exemplify the spirit of public service, who has shared his or her time, talent and energy for the betterment of our community, who inspires purpose, who drives lasting solutions, someone who makes a difference.”  

The Colleen Haag Public Service Award Team will follow this call, with these clarifications:

  • “recognize one of its own” The nominee should be a resident of Shelburne. The committee recognizes, however, that some of Shelburne’s volunteers live in neighboring towns, so exceptional volunteer service by those living outside the community will be considered.
  • “someone who by his or her actions exemplify the spirit of public service” The nominee should be someone who values and exemplifies the values of our community.
  • “who has shared his or her time, talent and energy for the betterment of our community” The priority will be to select an individual who has volunteered their time, but those who have served exceptionally in other capacities may be considered.
  • “who inspires purpose, who drives lasting solutions, someone who makes a difference” The nominee will most likely continue to serve the community by inspiring others. 

In September 2016 at the Shelburne Museum, we honored and thanked a legend, Shelburne Town Clerk Colleen Haag. Colleen was a magnificent public servant, genuinely kind and universally respected.  

We recognized her 35 years of continuous, professional, and faithful service, and we extended our deepest and most heartfelt thanks for her devotion, loyalty, honesty, integrity and for being the face of Shelburne every day for almost 35 years.    

Colleen, of course, spent most of her time in the Clerk’s Office serving all of us with kindness, professionalism, and non-partisanship. The Town of Shelburne’s Clerk Office is now Haag Hall.  

With recognition that we are a town of volunteers and public servants and that our strength lies with our residents, our volunteers, and our staff, the Selectboard with great community support, decided beginning March 2017, at Town Meeting and every Town Meeting thereafter, that Shelburne would recognize one of its own with a Public Service Award to be presented to someone who by his or her actions exemplify the spirit of public service, who has shared his or her time, talent and energy for the betterment of our community, who inspires purpose, who drives lasting solutions, someone who makes a difference.  We named that award The Colleen Haag Public Service Award. 

The design of The Colleen Haag Public Service Award itself is symbolic and special.  In 1963 the 9th Earl of Shelburne – a direct descendant of the 2nd Earl of Shelburne for whom this Town is named – visited Shelburne in celebration of the town’s 200th Anniversary.  

He was 22 at the time and brought with him a silver bowl as a gift.  This silver bowl is currently living in the Town Vault.  Town Manager Joe Colangelo recently has been in contact with the 9th Earl of Shelburne who is thrilled to have the Colleen Haag Public Service Award designed in tribute to the silver bowl.