Editor’s note: This letter was sent to Addison County’s two state senators and the two state representatives from Middlebury and cc’d to the Addison Independent.
Dear Sen. Hardy, Sen. Bray, Rep. Scheu and Rep. Sheldon,
I am writing this letter for my housemate Raymond Bapp. Raymond is a man with special needs. These needs have not stopped Ray from becoming an active part of his community. He is a member of Middlebury Lion’s Club, he is an honorary member of the Bristol Fire Department and he has worked at Floyd’s Automotive for 12 years. Ray is unofficially known as the Mayor of East Middlebury. He has a helper heart, he volunteers delivering meals on wheels, collects food with the Lion’s at Easter time for the food shelves, works the Lion’s food booth during the Addison County Fair and benefit tractor pulls. He also loves to fish. It is his favorite pass time.
Raymond feels that those with special needs should be able to get a free lifetime fishing license. There is a current law that allows those with limited mobility and sight to get a free license. Ray contacted Rep. Robin Scheu and requested that she introduce a bill to the Vermont Legislature. It is our understanding that Ms. Scheu did introduce such a bill to the proper committee in January of 2019. Unfortunately, we were told at the end of the 2019 legislation session, that Ray’s bill did not make it out of committee, but would remain active in the 2020 Legislature. Upon hearing this, Raymond took it upon himself to collect signatures supporting his bill. He collected over 600 signatures and we sent these to Rep. Scheu.
Sens. Bray and Hardy, and Reps. Scheu and Sheldon, please do everything in your power to push this bill through so that Raymond’s bill will become a law.
Raymond Bapp
Lynda Bushman
East Middlebury