Living and Working in Burlington Vermont

The Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly to move towards a 2012 closure of Vermont Yankee, the state’s nuclear power plant. A vote of 26-4 is about as strong a repudiation of the plant as is possible. Four senators voted to keep the process alive (not to re-license the plant, per se).Two were Democrats and two were Republicans. So why would these four stand against the tide? Knowing each fairly well, it is clear that none are ‘in the pocket’ of VY. Each of them has a successful career outside the State House; they are all in politics not for self aggrandizement but to serve in the truest sense of citizen legislator. None need to serve other than for the calling of service itself. I could recount the history of each and attempt to divine why they stood against the tide. It might prove to be an interesting exercise but the most interesting story is that of Senator Phil Scott of Washington County.

Senator Scott is a Republican hailing from Washington County, certainly not the epicenter of conservative thought. He voted for same sex marriage and withstood a barrage of criticism. He is now running in the Republican primary for Lt. Governor in a state that is decidedly ‘blue’ and running against the son of one of Vermont’s most revered political families.

In recent polls, it appears that nearly 50% of Vermonters want VY shut down. Let’s face it. The operation and public relations efforts of VY over the past year could have been made into a Three Stooges movie. It left even their most ardent supporters scratching their heads.

Senator Scott, speaking in the quiet voice that is characteristic of his Vermont roots, explained that his vote was about ‘process’ and not a vote in favor of the power plant. He firmly believes that the legislature should be a deliberative body; one that assembles facts, debates them openly and only after that open debate, makes a decision. He felt that this vote was pushed through to appease the current popular sentiments towards Yankee and lacked the thoughtful review that the Vermont Senate has been noted for. If law and policy are made, he reasoned, based on populist sentiments much of the progressive law and policy that we have today would not exist.

Whether one agrees with his vote or not, it is an interesting perspective into one of our candidates for higher office. Process matters; dialog matters; facts matter.

As many folks know, the Chamber is celebrating its centennial year. While there are many unifying links between then and now, there is one that I think rises above all others. It is powerful and speaks volumes about what we value most. At the core of what we believe is the view that the employees of our member companies are the most valuable asset that a company possesses. The LCRCC member businesses employ roughly 60,000 staff. Every president, CEO or business owner that I speak is quick to attribute their success to the skill, dedication and commitment of their employees. Their view is a predictable as the sun rising in the east. Industries may change names of companies change, ownership can change, physical plants get altered but the constant in any business remains the people. It’s for this reason that the Chamber focuses so intently on training, leadership development and the dissemination of information. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to increase the value that an employee can make to a business. It is our critical point of differentiation and is one point that makes membership in the chamber so important.

So as we begin to celebrate our centennial year, we cannot ever lose sight of the fact that the people who constitute the membership create not only our success but the success of their companies.

Lake Champlain and those who advocate for its water quality and sustainable habitat recently won a major battle on the state and federal level.

In December 2009, environmental groups from around the country came together to launch the national "Great Waters Coalition", namely to collectively lobby for more federal funding to clean up polluted bodies of water including the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Maine, and Chesapeake Bay. There was one glaring exception from the list – Lake Champlain. Vermont groups such as Business Alliance for a Clean Lake (of which your Chamber is a founding member) and the Lake Champlain Committee were immediately galvanized into action and swiftly applied to join the Great Waters Coalition. Their entreatment was accepted – which brings Lake Champlain into a national alliance whose watersheds are home to over half of the entire country’s population.

Lake Champlain is arguably the lifeblood of the Champlain Valley if not the entire state of Vermont. However, many have not yet adequately attributed the proper importance to this essential ecosystem that shapes our daily lives and that fuels our economy in countless seen and unseen ways. As a result, the warnings of algae blooms, invasive species, and harmful climate change have often fallen on deaf ears – those who need to hear the message the loudest.

The Business Alliance for a Clean Lake (BACL) has a simple, clear mission: we support efforts to clean the lake, to prevent further man-made impacts that would reduce its safe and enjoyable use, and to protect the Lake for the future of our economy and for future generations. Restoration efforts have been slow and are hampered by lack of funding, limited interest on the part of residents and businesses, or perhaps simple ignorance that the smallest acts can make the biggest impact.

BACL has come together to make the cleanup of our state treasure a reality. Only by raising awareness and implementing educational programs, backed by state and national support, can we change the status quo. Lake Champlain joining the list of other prized bodies of water in the Great Waters Coalition will not only elevate Vermont’s efforts, but also bring us into the national movement to preserve and restore all the Great Waters in America.