DRM News

(Burlington, Vt.) Vermont’s House Minority Leader Patti Komline and Assistant Minority Leader Pat McDonald were the guest speakers at the DRM Leadership Forum that was held May 18 in Burlington. The leaders cited the sex offender bill and the sex offender registry bill as examples of good work that was accomplished this year by the Legislature. The state budget dominated the remainder of the conversation, along with some discussion of the economic development, renewable energy and Vermont Yankee decommissioning bills. Komline and McDonald described the legislative year as one of “missed opportunities.”

Vermont Senator Susan Bartlett (D-Lamoille), chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, was the featured guest at the DRM Leadership Forum held April 20 in Burlington. The long-time senator confirmed her intention to run for governor in 2010, in addition to sharing her views on a wide range of current issues.

David O’Brien, commissioner of Vermont’s Department of Public Service, shared his views on a variety of topics including the relicensing of Vermont Yankee and the current stalemate between VY and the Vermont legislature, the importance of broadband and wireless connectivity and cell coverage to Vermont’s future, Smart Grid opportunities, green growth zones and the state’s approach to stimulus spending at DRM’s third leadership forum held March 23 at the firm’s Burlington office.

Vermont’s new Speaker of the House, Shap Smith, engaged in a candid discussion of current legislative topics including the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee, the state’s response to the federal stimulus package and the role of renewable energy in Vermont’s future at the 2009 DRM Leadership Forum on March 2. Business leaders and DRM legal professionals attended the breakfast meeting, which was held in the Burlington office of Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC.

In a breakfast meeting with business leaders and attorneys in the Burlington office of Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin provided an overview of the challenges facing the Vermont legislature this session and responded to a wide range of questions posed by those attending the first 2009 DRM Leadership Forum on Tuesday, February 24.