By Guy Page
A map of recent appointees to Scott administration boards and commissions shows more than half live along the I-89 corridor in Washington and Chittenden counties.
On June 8, the Scott administration announced the names and hometowns of 120 people appointed to boards and commissions in April and May. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the Governor’s website to apply.
The map shows that both Chittenden and Washington counties have more than 30 April-May appointees each, almost all within a short distance of I-89. By contrast, Addison County has only two, Orange County three, Essex County two, and Grand Isle County none. The southern tier of Windham and Bennington counties has a combined total of eight.
The lopsided numbers don’t sit well with former Mendon (Rutland County) lawmaker Job Tate:
“The term systemic gets overused in today’s political discourse but, in this case, systemic geographic bias in our state govt is quantifiable, chronic and overwhelmingly slanted towards Washington and Chittenden Counties,” he told Vermont Daily today. “I don’t see how a resident of Southern or Northern Vermont could look at this recent list of appointees and not feel completely marginalized.”
“Appointees to the State’s boards and commissions is the perfect, and perhaps the only, way to include voices and opinions from across the state and, yet, the bubble persists.
Are the farthest corners of our state filled with Neanderthals incapable of adding their unique, informed perspectives to the course of our state government? Of course not,” Tate continued.
“The truth is, these appointments are achieved through the political you-scratch-my-back-i’ll-scratch-yours system that has become so calcified in Montpelier. One need only see that the majority of these appointments came from the Governor’s hometown to understand how narrow a view of Vermont Montpelier currently has.”
As state government develops more virtual, work-from-home capability, proximity to state offices in Burlington and Chittenden counties might become less of a consideration for candidates.
“Appointees to the State’s boards and commissions is the perfect, and perhaps the only, way to include voices and opinions from across the state and, yet, the bubble persists. Are the farthest corners of our state filled with Neanderthals incapable of adding their unique, informed perspectives to the course of our state government? Of course not.”
Former Rep. Job Tate
Most appointees bring life experience to their appointed duties, which are usually (but not exclusively) advisory. The following is a list of the more than 180 boards and commissions. Click on the link to view their current membership:
- Access Board
- Accountancy, Board of Public
- Allied Mental Health Practitioners, Board of
- Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders, Committee on
- Animal Cruelty Investigation Advisory Board
- Apportionment Board
- Apprenticeship Council
- Architects, Vermont Board of
- Arts Council, Vermont
- Aviation Advisory Council, Vermont
- Blind & Visually Impaired, State Rehabilitation Council for the
- Building Bright Futures Council
- Capital Debt Affordability Advisory Committee
- Capitol Complex Commission
- Chemicals of High Concern For Children Working Group
- Children and Family Council for Prevention Programs
- Chiropractic, Board of
- Clean Water Board
- Clinical Utilization and Review Board
- Commission on Women, Vermont
- Community Development Board, Vermont
- Community High School of Vermont Board
- Connecticut River Valley Flood Control Commission
- Criminal Justice Training Council
- CJTC Advisory Committee
- Current Use Advisory Board
- Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf/Blind Advisory Council
- Dental Examiners, State Board of
- Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living Advisory Board
- Developmental Disabilities Council, Vermont
- District #1 Environmental Commission
- District #2 Environmental Commission
- District #3 Environmental Commission
- District #4 Environmental Commission
- District #5 Environmental Commission
- District #6 Environmental Commission
- District #7 Environmental Commission
- District #8 Environmental Commission
- District #9 Environmental Commission
- Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission
- Domestic Violence, Vermont Council on
- Downtown Development Board, Vermont
- Economic Development Authority, Vermont
- Economic Progress Council, Vermont
- Education, State Board of
- Educational & Health Buildings Financing Agency, Vermont
- Electricians Licensing Board
- Elevator Safety Review Board
- Emergency Communications Advisory Commission
- Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council, Governor’s
- Emergency Response Commission, State
- Employment Security Board
- Employment of People with Disabilities, Governor’s Committee on
- Endangered Species Committee
- Engineering, Board of Professional
- Enhanced 911 Board, Vermont
- Fire Service Training Council, Vermont
- Fish and Wildlife Board
- Green Mountain Care Board
- Green Mountain Care Board Nominating Committee
- Green Mountain Secure Retirement Plan Board
- Health, Board of
- Hearing Panels for Professional Public Educators
- Historic Preservation, Advisory Council on
- Homelessness, Vermont Council on
- Housing Finance Agency, Vermont
- Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont
- Human Rights Commission
- Human Services Board
- Human Services Grant Advisory Committee
- Independent Living Council, Statewide
- Interagency Committee on Administrative Rules
- Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, Vermont Council for
- Joint Committee on Tax Credits
- Judicial Nominating Board
- Labor Relations Board, State
- Lake Champlain’s Future,Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on
- Land Surveyors, Board of
- Libraries, Board of
- Liquor and Lottery, Board of
- Livestock Care Standards Advisory Council
- Marijuana Advisory Commission, Governor’s
- Medical Practice, Board of
- Mental Health Crisis Response Commission
- Milk Commission, Vermont
- Municipal Bond Bank, Vermont
- Municipal Employees’ Retirement System, Vermont
- National Ocean Council Regional Planning Body
- Native American Affairs, Vermont Commission on
- Natural Resources Board
- New England Board of Higher Education
- New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission
- New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
- Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission
- Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel
- Nursing, Board of
- Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
- Optometry, State Board of
- Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons, Board of
- Parole Board
- Passenger Tramway Board
- PEG Access Study Committee
- Pension Investment Committee, Vermont
- Pesticide Advisory Council
- Pharmacy, Board of
- Physical Fitness and Sports, Governor’s Council on
- Plumbers Examining Board
- Private Investigative & Security Services, Board of
- Psychological Examiners, Board of
- Public Utility Commission
- Public Transit Advisory Council
- Racial Equity Advisory Panel
- Racial Equity Task Force
- Racing Commission, Vermont
- Rail Advisory Council, Vermont
- Real Estate Commission, Vermont
- Recreational Facilities Grant Program Committee
- Restorative Justice Study Committee
- Search and Rescue Council
- Sentencing Commission
- SerVermont
- Single-Use Products Working Group
- Snowmobile Advisory Council, Governor’s
- Special Education, Advisory Council on
- Standards Board for Professional Educators, Vermont
- State Infrastructure Bank Board
- State Police Advisory Commission
- State Program Standing Committee for Adult Mental Health
- State Program Standing Committee for Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health
- State Program Standing Committee for Developmental Services
- State Rehabilitation Council
- State Workforce Development Board
- Sunset Advisory Commission
- Sustainable Jobs Fund Board of Directors
- Substance Misuse Prevention Oversight and Advisory Council
- Symptom Relief Oversight Committee
- Technical Advisory Committee
- Telecommunications Authority, Vermont
- Telecommunications and Connectivity Advisory Board
- Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission
- Tobacco Evaluation & Review Board, Vermont
- Transportation Board
- Travel Information Council
- Travel and Recreation Council
- Uniform Laws Commission
- University of Vermont Board of Trustees
- Unorganized Town – Glastenbury
- Unorganized Town – Somerset
- Unorganized Town- Buel’s Gore
- Use Value Appraisal Reimbursement Study Committee
- Vermont Council on World Affairs
- Vermont Humanities Council
- Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees
- Vermont State Housing Authority
- Vermont State Retirement Board
- Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Board of Directors
- Vermont Tax Structure Commission
- Vermont Universal Children’s Higher Education Savings Account Program Fund Advisory Committee
- Veterans Advisory Council, Governor’s
- Veterans’ Home Board of Trustees, Vermont
- Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery Advisory Board, Vermont
- Veterinary Board, State
- Victims Compensation Board
- Web Portal Board, Vermont
- Workforce Equity and Diversity Council, Governor’s
- Working Lands Enterprise Board
Categories: State Government
Hey Scott, Bennington and Windham counties are part of VT too! 4 in each county?? Give me a break!
Yeah, sadly, it seems that Governor Scott has all but fully delegated his authority to his staff and has been pretty hands off in a number of important areas. I can understand that he must be overwhelmed by all he has had to contend with between the legislature and COVID, but this is another example of where things seem to have gone. Sad for me as Phil is a really conscientious, great guy and friend and I can only believe that this is not where he would have wanted things to end up with his administration, but the workload is insurmountable for one governor to truly be involved in all the decisions being made. This is the tip of the iceberg, unfortunately and seems to be where every administration ends up.