On August 26, 2020

Merger will serve community better

Dear Editor,

Congratulations to the Rutland Region Chamber and REDC for making the decision to finally merge the two organizations to better serve the business community and the greater-Rutland region. I’ve long thought they could provide improved services and become more efficient together, provided there was solid leadership at the top.

Lyle Jepson is an outstanding choice to lead the merged organization. His work at Castleton University, REDC and Vermont Technical College and his ability to get things done make him the perfect choice. We need to get things done!

In fact, this has been talked about for decades from what I gather, with no results until now.

Making change is hard, I get it, and I applaud the current board members for diving in and having the courage to facilitate the merger during this difficult time.

I am hopeful that this should be the first step towards further consolidating the other local economic development groups into this newly merged organization. Rutland County needs a strong, nimble economic development group, and under Lyle’s leadership, I believe that is exactly what we
will have.

Donald Billings, Rutland, owner of Roots-The Restaurant, The Bakery and The Annex in downtown Rutland as well as Cru and Mountain Merchant in Killington.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Before school budget talks turn to slashing expenses

November 20, 2024
By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the owner and publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister paper of the Mountain Times.  With 2024-25 education property tax rate hikes well into double digits last year, it’s little doubt school boards will be primed for holding costs to a minimum for their upcoming budgets. Already…

Keep pets safe this trapping season

November 20, 2024
Dear Editor, The recreational trapping season in Vermont begins on the fourth Saturday of October each year and lasts through March 31st. For some animals, like otters and beavers, this season lasts for five long months. There are no limits on the number of animals a trapper may kill or on the number of traps…

‘You belong here’

November 20, 2024
Dear Editor, A Latin teacher from junior high school once told me that the word “trivia” comes from roots, meaning three roads. The idea was that people would come together where roads meet to exchange small pieces of information — trivia. Here in Vermont, we certainly swap news on street corners, and I’ve had my…

Welcoming new Americans will strengthen Vt’s economy

November 20, 2024
By Mike Pieciak, Vermont State Treasurer As Vermont’s Treasurer, I am committed to growing Vermont’s economy and building a more inclusive future for our state. To keep our economy on a positive track, we must address our demographic challenges and grow our workforce. I regularly hear from employers about the difficulty of finding workers —…