TOWN OF COLTON, NY
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  • HOME
  • Government
    • Town Clerk >
      • Office Hours + Land Tax
      • Notary Public Services
      • Licenses + Permits
    • Departments >
      • Assessor
      • Bookkeeper
      • BTI
      • Code Enforcement
      • Department of Public Works
      • Dog Warden
      • Highway
    • Town Supervisor
    • Boards >
      • Town Board >
        • 2025 Meeting Material + Info
        • 2024 Meeting Material
      • Board of Assessment Review
      • Planning Board
      • Zoning Board of Appeals
      • Hepburn Library Board
    • Meeting Schedule
    • Employment + Bid Opportunities
  • Forms
  • Community Resources
    • Kathryn's Kupboard - Food Pantry
    • Facility Reservations
    • Local Businesses
    • Other Resources & Links >
      • Local Churches
  • Hepburn Library & Colton Museum
  • Justice Court
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us Form
    • Town Contacts
  • Community
    • Citizen of the Year Award
    • Photos, Videos & Slideshows
    • Local History / Highlights >
      • Stone Valley
      • Early Schoolhouses + the 1940s
      • Colton Fire Department
      • Local Maps
    • Barn Quilts Around Town
    • Municipal Recreation >
      • Ice Rink / Skating / Broomball
      • John Stone Trail

TOWN OF COLTON CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD

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THE VIRGINIA SMITH OUTSTANDING CITIZEN AWARD 2024 Winner - Mary S. Rutley
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The Colton Historical Society is pleased to present the 2024 Virginia C. Smith Colton Citizen of the Year award to Mary S. Rutley with a plaque, and a name plate to be hung in the Colton Town Hall.
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​Some of Mary’s many accomplishments in the Town of Colton include the following:
  • Mary taught Sunday school at the Colton United Methodist Church in the ’60’s.
  • In 1972 she became a founder and active member of the Colton Citizen’s Committee for land Use, which instigated much of how our town is shaped today.
  • Colton’s Town land use plan, which includes the planning Board and zoning board of Appeals. Mary served on both boards for several years.
  • The Town of Colton's Neighborhood Center, the Colton Historical Society, and the Raqueteers Senior Citizen Club came to fruition because of Mary's Committee efforts.
  • Later when the DEC ordered the town dump to be closed, Mary, still on the Colton Citizen’s Committee, strongly supported formation of a transfer station.
  • A ‘bug’ committee was formed  when the town decided to spray against black flies and mosquitos. Mary wrote a course to train people about the use of BTI as an alternative to spraying, and worked until Andrea Malik took over. Today other towns are copying what Colton does.
 
Within the County, Mary's accomplishments include:
  • Other accomplishments include being appointed to the County Board of directors of St. Lawrence County Soil and water district, where she was also Treasurer.
  • In 2022, Mary received The St. Lawrence Academy medal for making significant contributions in  professional fields.
  • She taught nearly 40 years at SUNY Potsdam and published several articles. She has been known to work for her town by sending forthright letters to the newspaper editors.
  • She was an active member of the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Board of trustees.


​​The annual Citizen of the Year Award honors a Colton resident who is an active volunteer that exemplifies the adage ‘neighbors caring for neighbors.’   Each year the award is given by the Colton Historical Society to a resident who has provided outstanding service to the Town of Colton Community. Award recipients, listed below, are identified on a plaque in the Board Room of the Colton Town Hall.   
2004     VIRGINIA SMITH IN MEMORIAM
2005     GEORGE SEAVER
2006     MARY MCKINLEY
2007    BARBARA WHEATON
2008    EDWARD DEUGAW IN MEMORIAM
2009    HENRY "HANK" FORD
2010    KATHERYN HAYES
2011    BRUCE AMES
2012    SALLY SWIFT THOMAS
2013    MARY A. LONG
2014    EDWARD & JUDY FUHR
2015    EVELYN DICKIE RIEHL
2016    JEROME "JERRY" WILSON
2017     CYNTHIA HENNESSY
2018     SHARON ANDREWS
2019     JAMES CAYEY
2020     LORRAINE GOWING
2021     MARY JANE WATSON
2022 GRACE HAWLEY
2023 DENNIS EICKHOFF

2024 Mary S. Rutley
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