Maurice ‘Moe’ Brown Appointed

As Asst. Judge in Orange County

A longtime Chelsea landowner but recent resident, Maurice Brown, was appointed By Gov. Jim Douglas yesterday to the vacated position of Orange County assistant judge.

Maurice "Moe" Brown of Upper Village Road will take the position filled by Joseph Anthony until his sudden death July 11.

Brown was on a list of four people forwarded to the governor’s office by the Orange County Republican Committee. The list also included Stewart Skrill and Brian Kenyon of Randolph and Russ Hotchkiss of Chelsea.

Hotchkiss had served one four-year term from 2002-2006, but he declined to run again last year.

There are two assistant (side) judges. The other current judge is Prudence Pease of Tunbridge.

The 71-year-old Brown has a varied and successful career in several businesses. Born in Burlington, he went through the school system there, working in his father’s truck repair business.

He later went to work for the Vermont Air National Guard as a mechanic, but 40 hours a week was not enough work for him, so he and his wife Jean purchased the Ho-Hum Motel near Airport Road and ran it for six years, doubling its size by an addition.

At the same time Brown got his real estate license and began working for Crowley Real Estate and then Lang Associates, becoming manager of one of their locations.

He owned a start-up high-temperature wire business, Milibride Wire, that he later sold. "We had lots of success for four years," he said.

The two assistant judes also administer Orange County business, and Brown said his work on several boards would help him in that respect. He served as board president of a condominium association with a $500,000 budget, he noted.

In 1964, Brown bought 83 acres on Upper Village Road, and two years later he built a log cabin there. He and his wife have one son, Scott, who lives in the Burlington area.

Though he’s just lived in Chelsea full time for three years, Brown said he knows a lot of people there and has been active in various community organizations.

Serving as assistant judge, though it is paid, is also a kind of community service, he said.

It is expected that Brown will take the oath of office next week.