GLOVER – I hope you’ve had a restful summer and a cozy colorful autumn. It’s been a little while since I’ve written, but with the new legislative biennium approaching, I’ll be in touch more often. A lot has happened since we’ve last connected.
As many of you know, Orleans District 4 will soon have a new senator. I won’t revisit all the details surrounding Sam Douglass’ resignation, but I supported his decision to step down. The Orleans County Republican Committee will now submit three names to Governor Scott for his replacement. I don’t yet know whom Governor Scott will appoint, but I look forward to working closely and collaboratively with our new senator once that decision is made.
I continue to follow the work of the Redistricting Task Force as we begin navigating the post-Act 73 landscape. In case you missed the update, the task force recently voted against the governor’s proposal for forced consolidation of small schools. Instead, they’re recommending a voluntary approach in which existing district and supervisory unions can partner, through Boards of Cooperative Education (BOCEs), to reduce costs while keeping local voices at the table. The approach could still lead to voluntary mergers, which will be supported by additional funding, but it centers around community engagement and acknowledges an important truth, which is that the data simply doesn’t show that forced mergers would fix the cost pressures that are actually driving our education crisis. The work is complex, and I encourage you to learn more and share your thoughts at a special community meeting hosted by Sterling College and Northeast Kingdom Organizing this Friday, Nov. 21, at Sterling College. Dinner begins at 4 p.m., in Dunbar Dining Hall, and the meeting starts at 6 p.m. Several task force members will be there to hear directly from you and I hope you can attend.
Speaking of Sterling College, you have probably heard that, sadly, the college will close at the end of this academic year. Like many in our community, I felt a deep heaviness when I was told this news. A college that small, that mission-driven and that deeply rooted in environmental stewardship is rare. Sterling has been such a vital part of the Craftsbury community. It wasn’t just a school, it brought students who lived, worked, volunteered and became part of the daily rhythm of the town. At a time when we are already feeling uncertainty around institutions like Craftsbury Academy, this loss cuts even deeper. In the months ahead there will be many conversations about the future of the Sterling campus, and I hope our community will play a strong role in shaping what comes next. This moment underscores how fragile our rural institutions are, and how important is it that we protect those that we still have while thoughtfully stewarding those we are at risk of losing.
Before the legislative session begins in January, I’ll be hosting two more coffee hours at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, November 29 and December 27, from 10 a.m. to noon. I hope you’ll stop by to share what matters most to you and ask any questions about ongoing legislative work.
It remains an honor to serve you.
Rep. Leanne Harple
Leanne Harple represents Orleans-4, the towns of Albany, Craftsbury, Glover and Greensboro.
