by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine COLCHESTER – The executive boards of the Democratic party for both the town of Colchester and the county of Grand Isle conducted unpublicized meetings last week to produce names for a possible successor to longtime State Sen. Dick Mazza.
The private selection sessions were held before many of the constituents for Mazza, D-Grand Isle/Colchester even knew he had resigned Monday April 8 after 42 years at the statehouse, including 39 years as a state senator.
The list of six nominees proved to be interesting for both who was on as much as who was not included.
The chairs of both Democratic committees, who presided over separate private meetings – Julie Hulburd for the town of Colchester and Dr. Deborah Lang for Grand Isle County – each had their names sent to Gov. Phil Scott for consideration to fill the seat.
Two Democratic State Representatives from Colchester – Sarah "Sarita" Austin, who covers Malletts Bay and Curt Taylor, who covers the village and Fort Ethan Allen areas – round out the three names sent from the town committee.
Joining Lang on the list of nominees from the Champlain Islands are Andy Julow, a former school board director from North Hero and Carol Tremble, a CPA and former South Hero selectboard member.
Hulburd told Vermont News First she believed there was not enough time to properly warn a public meeting for Democrats in Colchester to attend.
Hulburd said she has been town chair only since June and took her lead from the Vermont Democratic Party. She said the email from the Governor's office, which was sent at 1:46 p.m. Tuesday, asked the two chairs to provide names promptly.
Hulburd said she later met by Zoom with Colchester Vice Chair Bob Henneberger, Secretary Ruth Blauwiekel and Treasurer Carol Anderson to approve the three nominations from the town. Hulburd said she emailed the names to the Governor on Thursday.
Lang did not respond to repeated attempts by Vermont News First to reach her over the weekend for comments about the process used in Grand Isle County and the quick turnaround time she used.
The letter from Scott's office did not put any deadlines on the committees to find interested candidates.
However, in a return email to the Governor with the three Island names, Lang wrote the Grand Isle County Committee wants Scott to act quickly to fill the seat.
Lang wrote she believed there are some major decisions for the senate to consider before it goes home next month, including the annual budget, education funding and leadership.
Gov. Scott also has to fill another legislative seat that was pending before Mazza's resignation. Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanek, P/D-Burlington resigned April 1, four weeks after winning the race for Mayor – and one week before Mazza.
Mazza's resignation letter got overshadowed by the historic total solar eclipse in Vermont last Monday. Some local TV stations never reported a full story about his resignation until Tuesday or Wednesday. The Islander newspaper put the announcement on its Facebook page on Monday, but the full story in its print edition landed on Thursday.
So many in the senate district of about 20,000 voters in Colchester and the Islands were unaware until mid-week about the seat vacancy. If people were interested in seeking the public office, it was too late. By that time, the six names had been sent to the Governor's office. Scott
Scott has not said what kind of candidate he is looking to appoint.
He may be looking for a senator that is close to Mazza's middle of the road philosophy on many topics, including spending and public safety. As the legislature increases taxes and fees, Scott and Mazza have repeatedly said Vermonters do not have bottomless pockets filled with cash.
The new senator will be expected to hit the ground running with so much to learn and so little time left in the session. Also, it is unclear if the new senator will get the two longtime committee assignments that Mazza has held, or if some current senators might want those seats. The Transportation Committee and the Institutions Committee are both considered prize appointments.
The Governor also may feel some pressure to appoint a woman since there are only 12 in the 30-seat senate. Scott also may feel pressure to appoint a candidate from the Champlain Islands because some residents believe the area is shorted at the legislature when it comes to reapportionment at the Statehouse.
If Scott appoints one of the two House members from Colchester seeking Mazza's seat, it would mean the appointment process would start over to fill that House post before adjournment.
It is unclear if the two Democratic committees were seeking candidates that are interested in running only to close out Mazza's term, which would end in January, or whether they wanted somebody that might get an early jump on running for a full two-year term in the November election.
Mazza, who resigned for health reasons, has said he will help in any way in getting the seat filled. Mazza, in the days before his formal announcement, had been speaking with close friends about who might be good in his district to fill his seat if he resigned.
The letter from Scott seeking nominations said Mazza had asked the Governor's office to seek separate lists from the two Democratic committees.
Scott's team is expected to begin interviews sometime this week with the six candidates, an office spokesperson said. The list will be whittled down and the governor will eventually interview the finalists.
A spokesman for Scott said Friday afternoon the governor's office was still waiting for one applicant to submit the resume and cover letter that was requested so the office could prepare for interviews.
The governor does not have to pick from the two lists submitted. Some previous governors have actually picked somebody not on the party list.
While it apparently was too late for many residents to express interest in the vacant seat to the local Democratic committee, there were some names that local residents were surprised were not on the list. Among them was former House Speaker Mitzi Johnson of South Hero, South Hero Selectboard Chair David Carter and current State Rep. Josie Leavitt, D-Grand Isle/West Milton, the lone Democrat in the House from the islands.
Two of Leavitt's three Democratic colleagues serving in the House from Colchester had their names sent to the Governor's office. The fourth Colchester representative is a Republican, Pat Brennan.
Also not included were either of Mazza's two adult children to serve out the final 3 or 4 weeks of the legislative session, but there may have been no interest. Governors have been known to appoint family members to fill seats.
Democratic Gov. Howard Dean picked Republican Diane Snelling in 2002 to succeed her mother Sen. Barbara Snelling, who resigned for health reasons.
