As the newly elected state representative from northwest Addison County, I want to express my great thanks and excitement to the voters of the greater Vergennes area. It was by your enthusiastic response in November that I am gratefully slated to be seated with 49 other new members in the Vermont House of Representatives. This is the second-largest turnover in the statehouse in history, a testimony to the change that is desired and the amount of work that is ahead of us this biennium.

I have completed the training on state operations with my freshman class and my schedule is booked solid with agency and department orientations along with professional and NGO meetings aimed to acquaint us with all the people with whom we’ll be interfacing and the needs felt across the state. It’s a bit like being at the end of a firehose at this point and I’m enjoying absorbing as much of it as I can.

I want to encourage you by noting that the incoming class is full of very competent and enthusiastic people from all across this great state. We enjoyed a wonderful time of bonding during our orientation together at the statehouse. Our class comprises a full one-third of the House and is nearly a 50/50 composition of Democrats and Republicans, and we share much more in common than we differ. This group, along with our more experienced senior colleagues, is poised to work together to solve the many tough problems facing Vermonters.

I plan to keep you informed of our progress as the year gets underway, after being sworn in on Jan 8, via periodic editorials here as well as on Facebook and my website NorthForVTHouse.com. I’m very excited to serve you.