On April 16, over 100 Vergennes community members gathered in a community meeting to consider the ideas that were discussed through the Vergennes Community Visit process and to set priorities for action. At the Community Meeting participants reviewed all the issues that the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) Visiting Team had heard in focus forums on the Community Visit Day held on March 18 and the school forums on March 4. At the April 16 meeting, community members discussed what was most important and most needed and voted on the priorities that they thought the community should line up to accomplish. Then, a number of participants signed up to serve on Task Forces to move these issues forward over the course of the next year.
The top 3 priorities that residents chose to focus on and build task forces around are:
Improve Transportation and Parking
Advance the Vergennes Economy & Expand the Community & Economic Development Capacity of the City
Redevelop the Vergennes Falls Basin & Open a Riverwalk
The next step in the process is the “Resource Meeting” set for May 21, from 6:30 to 9:00 at the Bixby Memorial Library. The Vermont Council of Rural Development will bring a new team of facilitators to help each Task Force build a concrete list of action steps and identify the resources – both human and financial – available to support their efforts. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the formation of the task forces at the meeting on May 21st.
Paul Costello, Director of VCRD produced the event. “It’s exciting to see the energy and skills of community members lining up together to confront the challenges that the community identified as its most important priorities.”
Mayor Bill Benton serves as the overall Chairperson for the entire process. After the meeting on April 16th he reflected that “the public response to the project prioritization meeting was thrilling. We had 100 citizens sharing positive discussions on topics that are sure to increase the livability of the City of Vergennes. The community can now focus on specific work plans and resources to bring these ideas to fruition.” Mayor Benton will coordinate with Task Force chair people over the course of the next year to help groups work together effectively.
All Vergennes residents are invited to the meeting on May 21; you don’t need to have come to earlier sessions or to have signed up in advance. Costello points out that, “Everyone is an equal at every stage of this process.” Community members who would like to sign on to one of the Task Forces could do so in advance by emailing info@vtrural.org; but everyone is welcome to attend the event and join a group then.
Please mark your calendars with the date: Vergennes Resource Meeting, May 21, from 6:30 to 9:00 at the Bixby Memorial Library; please come and put yourself on the line to address Vergennes’ most important challenges!

For more information Visit http://vtrural.org/programs/community-visits/vergennes/rm-press-release