Bonnie Van Slyke

Bonnie Van Slyke

Bonnie cherishes the rich history of Charlestown and our rural community where we know each other, where we have a wonderful quality of life, and where we can enjoy the ocean and salt ponds, freshwater ponds, hike through open space and woodlands, glide down rivers, and gaze at the stars. She is inspired by her father George Bliven who was instrumental in defeating the nuclear plant planned for the former US Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, who advocated for the transfer of the land for a wildlife refuge and a town park, and who led the years’ long effort by countless citizens to create Ninigret Park. She saw big achievements accomplished by moving ideas forward where others could pick up the cause. Bonnie was a leader in the successful effort to defeat the Federal Railroad Administration’s plan for the Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass, railroad track that would have destroyed homes, farms, forests, and open space. She worked to defeat the plan by the developers of a proposed power plant in Burrillville to remove water from our aquifer and truck it to northern Rhode Island that would have altered wetlands and added truck traffic to our local roads. Bonnie will continue this work going forward.

Bonnita B. Van Slyke – Town Council

Bonnita (Bonnie) moved to Charlestown, a community that she has known all her life, to live full time 14 years ago and has served on the Town Council since 2014. She has worked to deliver civil, honest, transparent government that is fiscally responsible and a stable, low tax rate. She sees protecting our town’s natural assets—our drinking water, beaches, ponds, river, forests, and dark skies—and using them wisely as critical for our economy and crucial to maintaining what we love about our town into the future.

Bonnie cherishes the rich history of Charlestown and our rural community where we know each other, where we have a wonderful quality of life, and where we can enjoy the ocean and salt ponds, freshwater ponds, hike through open space and woodlands, glide down rivers, and gaze at the stars. She is inspired by her father George Bliven who was instrumental in defeating the nuclear plant planned for the former US Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, who advocated for the transfer of the land for a wildlife refuge and a town park, and who led the years’ long effort by countless citizens to create Ninigret Park. She saw big achievements accomplished by moving ideas forward where others could pick up the cause. Bonnie was a leader in the successful effort to defeat the Federal Railroad Administration’s plan for the Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass, railroad track that would have destroyed homes, farms, forests, and open space. She worked to defeat the plan by the developers of a proposed power plant in Burrillville to remove water from our aquifer and truck it to northern Rhode Island that would have altered wetlands and added truck traffic to our local roads. Bonnie will continue this work going forward.

Education

  • BA (Cum Laude), Economics, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Professional Experience

  • Freelance copy editor, technical writer, and publications specialist for clients, including Timberline LLC, Cambridge, MA; Thompson Steele Production Service, Harvard, MA; Alta Research, Inc., Concord, MA; American Management Company, Bedford, MA; and Manderson Associates, Groton, MA (1981 – present)
  • Executive Assistant, Engineering Division, Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA
  • Executive Assistant, Consulting Division, Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA
  • Legal Secretary for law firms in Newport, RI, and Providence, RI

Public Service

  • Charlestown Town Council (2014 – 2022)
  • Town Council Liaison to the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Senior Citizens Commission
  • Former officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Frosty Drew Observatory & Science Center
  • Chair, Zoning Board of Appeals, Harvard, MA
  • Former member, Board of Trustees, Harvard Conservation Trust, Harvard, MA

Personal

  • Bonnie enjoys sailing, tennis, biking, hiking, and skiing. Bonnie is a former ski instructor and volunteer in school parent organizations and Cub Scouting. She and her husband restored an antique colonial and had a small flock of sheep for many years. They have a son who lives with his family in San Francisco, CA