vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

1.30.2007

Destination Bennington

Last week, we learned that Administration Secretary Mike Smith would be making a trip this week to Bennington to soothe employees' nerves over the growing number of cases of the rare disease sarcoidosis in the state office building.

The Senate Institutions Committee also planned a trip for this Thursday.

Tuesday, Gov. Jim Douglas abruptly announced he'd go too. He was to join Smith in meeting with employees this afternoon and touring construction of the new temporary buildings going up near the state office building.

Sen. Vince Illuzzi, who took some heat for highlighting employee concerns in his Economic Development Committee even though it was quite a stretch to call it an economic development issue, couldn't help but think Tuesday that he'd had an impact.

At the very least, the interest he's generated has to be helping the economy of Bennington. The Institutions Committee will be eating lunch there. Maybe the governor's driver had to fill up the gas tank.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 4:37 PM |

Comments:

While they are in Bennington, Douglas and Illuzzi will likely pander to the locals by assuring them that money will be forthcoming to complete the Bennington Bypass. Next to the Chittenden County Circ, the Bennington Bypass is the biggest boondoggle in the state's highway budget. The money going to Bennington and the Circ could be better spent on small-scale safety and bridge improvements all over Vermont.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:28 PM, January 30, 2007

Has Jim Douglas let himself walk into a trap being set by the Vermont State Employees Association? Is this the sort of issue that the governor should leave to his staffer Mike Smith?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:58 PM, January 30, 2007

The Douglas Administration has known about this issue for almost a year - this gesture is a bit too little too late. Sen.Illuzzi was right to express outrage over what was a complete lack of response by Douglas and Smith.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:21 PM, January 30, 2007

The Vermont State employees are hard working people -- they aren't setting a "trap".

They are asking for reasonable working conditions.

So far, Douglas and his band of merry men, have not dealt properly with the issue.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:04 AM, January 31, 2007

Senator Illuzzi should be commended for calling the public's attention to the serious problems in that state building. Seven employees have been diagnosed with Sarcoidosis which is a serious and rare illness. The Buildings Division Commissioner was asked last April to get the employees out of the building. They did nothing until the employees made the issue a public relations nightmare for the Administration. The "buck stops here" speech from the Governor and Mike Smith (yesterday!) rings hollow to the workers in that building since just last week the Governor was ridiculing the efforts of Senator Illuzzi. Hats off to Senator Illuzzi for having the courage to do the right thing by the workers AND the Vermont taxpayers.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:45 AM, January 31, 2007

I was at the freakin' meeting. Fact is, no one knew Douglas was even coming, hence no trap. It was supposed to be a Mike Smith meeting. Douglas, according to the press, wasn't due for a few more weeks. Maybe VSEA just wants to help these folks get the hell out of there. You should have been there to hear one of the women talk about going blind in one eye from sarcoidosis. The only trap is the toxic one the Bennington workers are being forced to "roll the health dice" in every day.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:31 PM, January 31, 2007