State of Vermont
House of Representatives
Montpelier, Vermont
Concurrent House Resolution
H.C.R. 117
House concurrent resolution congratulating Evelyn Weeks of Bellows Falls on her selection as the 2007 Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year
Offered by: Representatives Obuchowski of Rockingham, Partridge of Windham, Deen of Westminster and Mrowicki of Putney
Offered by: Senators Shumlin and White
Whereas, each year, the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce bestows a special honor, the Person of the Year award, on an individual who has made a lasting impact on life in the Bellows Falls – Walpole, New Hampshire bi-state area, and
Whereas, this year’s honoree is Evelyn Weeks of Bellows Falls who has been associated with the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce for a quarter of a century, and
Whereas, her association with the chamber started as a board member, then progressed to the status of regular and faithful volunteer, and she ultimately joined the chamber’s full-time staff, and
Whereas, she has stayed on the job through the tenure of eight different chamber directors, and
Whereas, Evelyn Weeks is known for her cheerful personality and as a true professional who performs her work for the chamber with great dedication, competence, and reliability, and
Whereas, she served the local business community in an important way when she convinced her husband, Brad, to assume temporary command of the historically locally owned Brown and Roberts hardware store, during a critical transitional period, until a new permanent owner could be found, and
Whereas, Evelyn Weeks works annually for many hours, along with her husband, to ensure the success of Rockingham’s Old Home Days, and
Whereas, the Bellows Falls Women’s Club has greatly appreciated her years of membership, support, and work on behalf of that community organization, and
Whereas, Evelyn Weeks was informed of this award at a surprise announcement during a chamber of commerce dinner event, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly congratulates Evelyn Weeks of Bellows Falls on her selection as the 2007 Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Evelyn Weeks in Bellows Falls.
H.C.R. 118
House concurrent resolution honoring Philip R. Benedict for his 36 years of exemplary service at the Vermont agency of agriculture, food and markets
Offered by: Committee on Agriculture
Whereas, the Vermont farmer has no better friend in state government than Philip Benedict, and
Whereas, Vermont’s agricultural heritage flows through his soul as his ancestors were among the first settlers of the town of Sharon in the 1700s and his family has farmed the rugged Vermont soil for centuries, and
Whereas, after graduating with undergraduate and graduate degrees in entomology from the University of New Hampshire, he realized that it was time to cross back over the river and return home, and
Whereas, the agency, at that time the department of agriculture, was the perfect place for Phil Benedict to serve the agricultural community and draw on both his academic and personal knowledge, and on April 21, 1971, he joined its ranks to begin an illustrious career, and
Whereas, over the ensuing decades, he developed an expertise on the increasing impact of state and federal water law on Vermont’s farmers, and
Whereas, Phil Benedict earned the respect of other employees through his diligent work and his willingness to discuss his thoughts with them and listen to their ideas, and
Whereas, the legislative arena was his special forte as he worked with the late Senator Francis Howrigan, former chair of the senate committee on agriculture, the late Representative Bob Wood, former chair of the house committee on institutions, and Senator Bobby Starr during his terms as chair of the house committee on agriculture to mold legislative enactments that protected the interests and concerns of Vermont’s farmers, and
Whereas, according to Al Boright of the legislative council, Phil Benedict has a keen sense of the legislature’s annual adjournment, always making an appearance shortly before the final fall of the gavel, and
Whereas, over the course of his career, Phil Benedict has worked harmoniously and productively under the leadership of a dozen commissioners or secretaries of agriculture, and
Whereas, in 1990, under Phil Benedict’s guidance and leadership, the department of agriculture built a state-of-the-art agricultural laboratory facility in Waterbury that remains one of the most advanced in the nation and has been recognized for its high quality work, and
Whereas, in 2001, he was awarded the James P. Graham Award from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture for outstanding service to agriculture in the United States, and
Whereas, despite Phil Benedict’s frequently stated adage that he was nothing but a “dumb entomologist,” that folksy persona could not hide the passionate, knowledgeable, and effective advocate Vermont’s farmers have been so fortunate to have on the agency’s staff, and
Whereas, after 36 years, Phil Benedict will conclude his service on behalf of the state of Vermont, and he and his wife, Susan, son, Dan, and grandson, Alexander, eagerly anticipate spending more time together, and he also plans to pursue his favorite pastimes of skiing, golfing, fishing, and heading to deer camp each fall, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly honors Philip Benedict for his extraordinary service on behalf of the state of Vermont and his tireless efforts to ensure the future of our state’s agricultural heritage, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Phil Benedict.
H.C.R. 119
House concurrent resolution congratulating Harwood Union High School students’ award-winning jazz musicianship
Offered by: Representatives Minter of Waterbury, Dostis of Waterbury, Donahue of Northfield, Grad of Moretown and Hosford of Waitsfield
Whereas, jazz is a musical genre that swings and reverberates with a sound that is uniquely American, and
Whereas, Harwood Union High School has earned a reputation for excellence in jazz musicianship, both within Vermont and nationally, and
Whereas, on March 13, the Harwood Jazz Band, consisting of Quinn Mahoney, Iris Davis, Cecilia Scribner, Cecilia Hackerson, Keith Nelson, Garnet Morgan, Justin Gilman, Neal Smeltzer, Jake Sallerson, Taylor Scribner, Geoff Vantine, Greg Mehuron, Joe Simoes, Josh Baker, Patrick Torsell, Michael Hardin, Chris Barosky, Greg Sallerson, and Chris Markley, won first place for the third straight year at the Vermont High School Jazz Festival in Burlington, an honor that earned the school’s jazz musicians statewide recognition, and
Whereas, at the festival, Neal Smeltzer, Joe Simoes, Josh Baker, Michael Hardin, Chris Barosky, and Greg Sallerson were selected to participate in the Vermont AllState High School Jazz Band; Michael Hardin and Greg Sallerson were presented performance scholarships and Michael Hardin was also a composition scholarship winner, and
Whereas, the stellar quality of the school’s jazz music program was demonstrated once again on a national stage when Harwood students won honors at the Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival in Boston, considered the premier secondary school jazz music competition in the United States, and
Whereas, the Harwood students were prepared to show the judges that jazz music thrives in the towns nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains, and
Whereas, the presence of students from large urban high schools, and magnet schools specializing in music, did not deter the Harwood students from taking their instruments in hand and conducting jam sessions that amazed their competitors and impressed the judges, and
Whereas, the Harwood small jazz ensemble, consisting of Chris Barosky, Chris Markley, Michael Hardin, and Greg Sallerson, won the first prize, making 2007 the second consecutive year that the school has brought home this special award, and
Whereas, Harwood’s jazz band played superbly, and, although it earned second placing on the judges’ scoring sheets, the band was unfortunately eliminated from consideration due to extending the performance time accidentally by eight seconds, and
Whereas, individual festival honorees from Harwood included Chris Barosky, who was presented two Outstanding Musicianship Awards, Michael Hardin, who also won an Outstanding Musicianship Award, and Greg Sallerson, who earned a Superior Musicianship Award, and
Whereas, Harwood faculty member Bruce Sklar has organized and directed a jazz music curriculum and performance ensembles that are truly among the top in the nation, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly congratulates Harwood Union High School students’ award-winning jazz musicianship, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Bruce Sklar at Harwood Union High School in Duxbury.
H.C.R. 120
House concurrent resolution congratulating the 2007 Mount Abraham Union High School Eagles Division II championship boys’ basketball team
Offered by: Representatives Sharpe of Bristol, Fisher of Lincoln, and Clark of Vergennes
Whereas, Mount Abraham Union High School had never captured the DivisionII boys’ basketball crown, and teams from this Bristol-based school have long hoped to bring home the championship trophy, and
Whereas, the 2006–2007 boys’ basketball squad demonstrated skill and depth as it reached the Division II championship game against four-time title winner Windsor High School, and
Whereas, when these two talented teams from the western and eastern slopes of the Green Mountains, respectively, met on the basketball court at Barre Auditorium, an intensive game was sure to ensue, and
Whereas, sensing that an historic opportunity had arrived, the Eagles, after trailing briefly 11–10, remained largely in control of the contest, and
Whereas, when the first quarter concluded, Mount Abraham held a 17–3 lead, and
Whereas, the Eagles’ Kevin Labas, who scored a gamehigh 30 points, hit a powerful 17-foot jump shot that helped the Eagles leave the floor at halftime with a 32–29 lead, and
Whereas, the feisty Windsor Yellow Jackets continued their offensive drive early in the third quarter to tie the game at 32–all, but Mount Abraham rebounded immediately and when the third period concluded led 59–51, and
Whereas, the Eagles remained ahead for the balance of the game, and at the final buzzer, had captured the Division II championship with a 76–71 victory, and
Whereas, all the Eagles, including Adam Hannah, Ben Leavitt, Alex Huizenga, Greg Lutton, Devin Wendel, Corey Kayhart, Will Manley, Chad Estey, Trent Roleau, Austin Olson, Kevin Labas, and Tim Lueders-Dumont, will remember their roles in this special moment in the team’s history as will manager Becky Cowin, and
Whereas, coach Bill Leggett and his assistant coaches Kevin Masse and Ernie Senecal were great tacticians, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly congratulates the 2007 Mount Abraham Union High School Eagles Division II championship boys’ basketball team, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Bill Leggett at Mount Abraham Union High School.
H.C.R. 121
House concurrent resolution honoring the Middlebury Union Middle School 2007 MATHCOUNTS® Vermont state championship team
Offered by: Representatives Maier of Middlebury, Nuovo of Middlebury, Bray of New Haven, Jewett of Ripton and Stevens of Shoreham
Offered by: Senators Ayer and Giard
Whereas, MATHCOUNTS® is a national program designed to improve the mathematical skills and spark the interest of middle school students in a critical academic subject that will affect their lives every day, and
Whereas, this academic enrichment program has been offered to students for over two decades, is now available in every state and territory in the country, and is a collaborative partnership of educators, industry sponsors, school administrators, teachers, and students, and
Whereas, MATHCOUNTS® entails a curriculum that is made available at no cost to teachers that can be used to supplement standard classroom mathematics materials, for extracurricular programs, or as the basis for participation in the state and national MATHCOUNTS® competition series, and
Whereas, there are over 500 local competitions in which students participate on a team or individually, and the challenges presented to the students are on both a written and an oral basis, and
Whereas, the winners of local competitions then proceed to a state MATHCOUNTS® competition which, for Vermont in 2007, was held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph on March 24, and
Whereas, the mathematically astute teams at the Randolph event represented the top middle school math students in the state, and
Whereas, when all the scores were tallied, the Middlebury Union Middle School team, consisting of Jarrod Ashley, Matt Burkins, William Conlon, Neil Guertin, Stuart Guertin, Max Longchamp, Stephen Peters-Collaer, Addison Tate, and Miles Zwicky, was crowned the championship team and won the right to represent Vermont at the national MATHCOUNTS® competition to be held in Fort Worth, Texas on May 10–13, and
Whereas, the Middlebury Union Middle School MATHCOUNTS® team’s success is due in part to the skillful teaching of coach Diane Guertin, and
Whereas, the team was recognized at the state board of education’s academic achievement and leadership honors ceremony held on April 10 at Champlain Union High School in Hinesburg, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly congratulates the 2007 Middlebury Union Middle School MATHCOUNTS® Vermont state championship team, and be it further
Resolved: That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Diane Guertin at Middlebury Union Middle School.
H.C.R. 122
House concurrent resolution honoring the musical choral ensemble Counterpoint and congratulating Robert De Cormier on his receipt of an honorary degree from Middlebury College
Offered by: Representatives Head of S. Burlington, Baker of West Rutland, Branagan of Georgia, Devereux of Mount Holly, Howrigan of Fairfield, Hutchinson of Randolph, Kitzmiller of Montpelier, McCormack of Rutland City, Moran of Wardsboro, Trombley of Grand Isle, Valliere of Barre City and Wright of Burlington
Whereas, choral performance is a distinctive musical genre which has existed in either a religious or secular variation among numerous cultures for many centuries, and
Whereas, Counterpoint, a Vermont-based choral ensemble, performed its premier concert in August 2000 and has quickly gained widespread recognition as an outstanding interpreter of culturally diverse musical offerings, and