The Montpelier Happy Hour

March 18, 2022 (prerecorded 3/14): In this episode we reflect on our experience of what's old is new. Again. In other words, building policy to address society's complex issues - climate change, education funding, housing - can take years. A deep, collaborative, thorough process might create better policy, but it can also lose people (and trust) along the way. How can we balance these co...

March 11, 2022 (prerecorded 3/10): Ted Brady from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) helps us digest the many votes, amendments, and results from Vermont's Annual Town Meeting 2022.  More information on the VLCT available: https://www.vlct.org To check out the VLCT's Town Meeting preview visit: https://www.vlct.org/sites/default/files/TM2022_Preview.pdf Theme music by Red Heart the...

March 4, 2022 (prerecorded 2/21/22): In recent news interviews, several Governors have said it's time to transition from approaching COVID-19 like a pandemic. Is it time to move to endemic planning with COVID? Are we ready? Public Health researcher Anne N. Sosin joins today's show to discuss the issue.  Anne N. Sosin at The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy: https://rockefel...

February 25, 2022: Join us for this rebroadcast of a 2019 interview with author and activist, David Poses. In this episode, David shared with us what it means to build policy that support and cares for people with substance misuse disorder. David passed a way in February. He will be missed. To learn more about David's work visit his website: https://davidposes.com/home Theme music by Red Heart the...

February 18, 2022 (prerecorded 2/16): Today, we discuss vetoes. How they work and how is the Legislature responding to Governor Phil Scott's decisions to veto some key bills. To date, Scott holds the distinction of vetoing the most pieces of legislation in Vermont's history.

February 11, 2022 (prerecorded 2/6/22): Last year a task force met to decipher a path forward for plugging a multimillion dollar gap in the state employee and educator pension fund. Senator Jeanette White and Educator Molly Stoner join today's show to discuss the task force's work and the Legislature's process.  For more information on the task force's work: https://legislature.vermont.g...

February 4, 2022: Rep. Emilie Kornheiser discusses efforts to expand the state's Child Tax Credit for income-eligible families. Proposed bill H.510 would provide a credit to an estimated 51,000 children in the state ages 0 - 6. But, the measure could also cost the state more than $50 million. The legislation is modeled after the federal enhanced Child Tax Credit provided to families last year unde...

January 28, 2022 (prerecorded 1/25/22): Rep. Mike McCarthy joins us today to talk about the redistricting process happening in Vermont right now. Today we'll dive into the it's history, the process, next steps, political considerations... all of it.  To view the committee's maps and follow the redistricting process, visit: https://legislature.vermont.gov/reports-and-research/research/reapport...

January 7, 2022: Hello Beautiful People! We are happy to start our fourth year here on the show. This week a new Legislative Session started. We are talking about the Governor's State of the State address and what's ahead for our lawmakers.  (And yes, Emilie, according to Merriam-Webster, stolid is a word: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stolid ) To read Governor Phil Scott's...

December 31, 2021: In 1997, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs in the Brigham v. State court case. This landmark case stated that funding public schools through town-by-town property taxes created inequalities for students. This, said the court, was unconstitutional. The Brigham decision sparked the passage of Act 60 and an overhaul of how the state funded public schools. As we...

December 24, 2021: As 2021 draws to a close, we are going back in time to read the 1985 inaugural address of Vermont's first female governor, Madeleine M. Kunin. Some of what Kunin discusses in her address still hold for Vermont and, many things have changed. Much fodder for thought. Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net For a copy of Kunin's address visit the VT Secretary of State'...

November 26, 2021 (prerecorded 11/24): The Legislature convened Monday for a special session to vote on allowing municipalities to pass mask mandates during COVID. Rep. Emilie Kornheiser was there and updates us on what happened.  To read S.1 (Act 1) in full: https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2021.1/S.1 Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

November 19, 2021 (prerecorded 11/17): James Pepper, chair of the state Cannabis Control Board, is back! He updates us on what still needs to happen to launch Vermont's regulated recreational cannabis market. There is a May 1, 2022 deadline after all... To follow the Cannabis Control Board's work, read their reports, or submit public comment visit the board's page: https://ccb.vermont.gov Vid...

November 12, 2021 (prerecorded 11/8): Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women and Al Johnson-Kurts of Change the Story help us revisit the pandemic and its impact on women. While we have discussed the pandemic's disproportionate effect the female workforce, what else have we learned and what else do we need to change? To read the survey Cary and Al reference: https://women.vermont.gov/covid1...

November 5, 2021 (prerecorded 11/3): Emilie updates listeners on a task force charged with developing an action plan for implementing recommendations around how Vermont funds education. The task force will deliver its report to the Legislature in December.  Find more information at the JFO's website: https://ljfo.vermont.gov/committees-and-studies/task-force-on-the-implementation-of-the-...

October 29, 2021 (prerecorded 10/28): A conversation about issues facing rural communities is a nuanced one in Vermont that is... well... rural. But are some communities more rural than others? And if so, do their economic challenges differ from the less rural - or is it more urban? - communities? The rural Economic Development Working Group (REDWnG) of the Vermont House of Representatives is host...

October 15, 2021: Chris Campany from the Windham County Regional Commission joins us this week to chat money. ARPA money to be specific. What kinds of projects can these funds help with the most?  Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net RESOURCES: The Windham Regional Commission (WRC): http://www.windhamregional.org Information and dates for the WRC's three-part housing webinar:...

October 8, 2021 (prerecorded 10/7): Governor Phil Scott announced last month that the state will welcome 100 Afghans. This announcement is part of a longer effort to welcome refugees to Vermont. But, what does it mean to invite new community members to the Green Mountain State? And are Vermont communities as open as they believe they are? UVM Associate Professor Pablo Bose joins the show.  Th...

October 1, 2021: Today, we focus on W-O-R-K. For more than a year, Emilie and Olga have discussed COVID, how it has highlighted cracks our systems, and our dreams for society post-COVID. The ongoing pandemic has shown many of us that how we spend our 9-to-5 (or much more) isn't well, working. This conversation was inspired in part by an essay by Jonathan Malesic that appeared in the New York Times...

September 24, 2021 (prerecorded 9/23): During the height of the COVID pandemic last year, Vermont issued a state of emergency. This order opened doors for a multitude of housing protections such as the General Assistance Program that housed people in hotels. Now that the state of emergency has ended - but the pandemic has not - what does this mean for vulnerable people experiencing homelessne...

September 17, 2021 - Today we revisit public health policy. Vermont's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has received praise. But, we have more to learn. Anne N. Sosin, policy fellow with the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences at Dartmouth College, shares her insight on where Vermont's public health approach compares with other states.  Theme music by Red He...

September 10, 2021: Emilie updates listeners on her "off session" legislative work. Yep, just because the House and Senate aren't in session, doesn't mean lawmakers are on vacation. Here's a sample of what we're talking about: leading hybrid public hearings, overhauling the unemployment system, and US Senator Bernie Sanders visiting Brattleboro for Labor Day.  Theme music by Red Heart th...

September 3, 2021: Emilie and Olga return to complete their reading of the Vermont Constitution. In the second half of the show, they reflect on what they've learned and, in some cases, what they wish was different. Listen to 'A reading of the Vermont Constitution, part 1' (S3:Ep35) to hear beginning of the document: https://themontpelierhappyhour.captivate.fm/episode/a-reading-of-the-vermont-cons...

August 27, 2021 (prerecorded 8/20): A special reading of the opening to the Vermont Constitution. We are taking a moment to reflect and rest.  We hope you enjoy listening to beginning chapters of this governing document. In the short time it took us to record this episode, we certainly learned new things about the state we call home.  Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http:/...

August 20, 2021: In previous episodes, we've discussed equity and climate change. We've also discussed renewable energy. So how do these topics intersect when considering the power grid?  When it comes to the grid, no community is an island. John Woodward joins this week's show to dig into the equity and governance issues involved in shifting the grid to renewable power.  Theme musi...