State officials will visit Killington and Mendon at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, to hold a town-meeting style discussion about how they can assist local communities recover from Tropical Storm Irene. The local visit is part of the statewide Community Recovery Partnership initiative launched by Governor Peter Shumlin, and is designed to not only identify local needs but also connect communities with the support and resources they require for both short- and long-term recovery.
The discussion will focus on the local response ‘ what worked, what did not, the community's current and future needs its capacity to meet those needs and any gaps. Recovery goals and opportunities around communication, housing, business, how best to prepare for the next event, flood plains, river management, and infrastructure repair, as well as other topics those in attendance wish to discuss. The issues identified will aid the state as it develops a plan to help communities emerge stronger and more resilient, as well as help Vermonters to thrive in the decades to come.
‘We know that all recovery is local and the best role for the state is to support the towns,’ Governor Shumlin said. ‘The first step is to talk with communities about both their current needs and their future plans, in order to better gauge the additional assistance they will need going forward. We need to harness the incredible community energy of the past four months and direct it toward rebuilding Vermont into a stronger, smarter and safer state.’
Recovery needs vary from town to town and from region to region.To best understand these needs, state officials will ask residents to share their views and ideas. The Community Recovery Partnership team that will visit Killington and Mendon on January 11 will include representatives from Vermont’s Agency of Commerce & Community Development, Agency of Human Services, Agency of Natural Resources, Agency of Transportation, and Vermont Emergency Management. The meeting will also include officials from the Rutland Regional Planning Commission and the Rutland Economic Development Corporation.
At the meeting, planned for the Killington Town Office, state representatives hope to learn about our community’s current needs, the local capacity to meet those needs and were the gaps are. They also wish to understand our community’s vision five years into the future, and how we can best identify and show progress in meeting those goals.
‘Our mission is to support communities as they make the hard decisions about recovery,’ said Noelle MacKay, Commissioner of Economic, Housing and Community Development, who will spearhead the local meeting. ‘Having cross-agency teams meet with those who experienced how Irene impacted every state region is critical as we help towns identify gaps in their capacity to meet immediate need, as well as identify future recovery trends worth pursuing.’
The recovery partnership team will conclude its statewide visits in February, and then summarize their results. State agencies will then help match local needs with existing service in the short term, while creating a long-term recovery plan that will support local rebuilding efforts. The wealth of local experience captured at the meeting with Killington and Mendon will lay the foundation for a stronger, smarter and safer state.
‘True recovery is a community-powered process, and we are eager to have Vermonters with local knowledge be active participants,’ said Neale Lunderville, Vermont’s Irene Recovery Officer. ‘These conversations will inform the state’s long-term recovery plan and help set our direction for the future.’
For more information about the state’s Community Recover Partnership contact Chris Cochran at [email protected] or by calling 802-828-3047.
Summary:
IRENE RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP MEETING FOR KILLINGTON AND MENDON
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
6:30 p.m.
Killington Town Hall
2706 River Road, Killington, VT
Vermont officials to meet Killington residents over Irene recovery January 11
Submitted by tim
on