Gov.-elect Phil Scott announced another round of key members of his incoming administration Tuesday, including his picks to lead public safety efforts and the stateโs environmental agency. In addition, he named a finance commissioner and said he would reappoint the current chair of the Natural Resources Board.
Thomas Anderson, a former U.S. Attorney, will be commissioner of public safety, overseeing the Vermont State Police, Vermont Emergency Management, the Crime Information Center and the forensics lab. He currently works in the U.S. Department of Justice.
Julie Slack Moore was named to be secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, where she will oversee environmental policy and enforcement. She previously worked in the agency in former Gov. Jim Douglasโ administration as the โlake czar,โ in charge of efforts to reduce phosphorus in Lake Champlain. She currently works as the water resources group leader at Stone Environmental, an environmental consulting firm, and is a registered professional engineer.
Scott also announced Tuesday that he would keep on Andy Pallito as finance commissioner and that he would reappoint Diane Snelling to lead the Natural Resources Board. Snelling, a former state senator, was appointed to the position in March. Pallito has worked in several administrations in several capacities, including corrections commissioner under Douglas and Gov. Peter Shumlin. He was appointed finance commissioner by Shumlin in 2015.
Scott praised Andersonโs โintegrity, experience and commitment to the safety and rights of all Vermonters.โ Anderson began his legal career as deputy stateโs attorney in Orleans County.
He will replace Keith Flynn.
โGovernor-elect Scott is a strong advocate and partner for the public safety community at every level and he has an aggressive plan to continue to combat Vermontโs opiate epidemic. I look forward to working as part of his team, with the Departmentโs talented and committed public servants, and with all of Vermontโs public safety officials, to fulfill our vitally important responsibility,โ Anderson said in a statement.
Scottโs plan to combat the heroin epidemic includes appointing a person in charge of coordinating the state response, a council to come up with ideas, a statewide summit and more treatment programs. He has not specified how those expanded programs would be funded.
One of Mooreโs priorities will be the federally mandated cleanup of Lake Champlain, which she worked on previously during the Douglas administrationโs Clean and Clear program. The Legislature this year will consider funding proposals to pay for the cleanup, which is projected to cost more than $1 billion over the next several decades. Many of the proposals expected to be considered would test Scottโs pledge to not raise taxes.
โI am looking forward to working with Governor-elect Scott, my new colleagues in the cabinet and the dedicated employees of the Agency of Natural Resources to promote and protect Vermontโs natural resources, working landscape and the recreation assets that we value as Vermonters and attract millions of dollars in tourism visits each year,โ Moore said.
Moore will replace Deb Markowitz, who ran against Shumlin in 2010 and was one of his โteam of rivalsโ appointed to a key post. The other opponents who won key posts were Doug Racine, who served as secretary of the Agency of Human Services, and Susan Bartlett, who served as a special adviser to Shumlin.
Scott announced that he will keep on Pallito as commissioner of finance and management. One of Pallitoโs key responsibilities is developing the state budget.
The governor-elect said Snelling will stay on as chair of the Natural Resources Board, which is in charge of administering the stateโs development land use law, Act 250. As a member of the Vermont Senate, she served on the Natural Resources Committee.
Scott has more appointments to make for key cabinet posts, including secretaries of the agencies of education, agriculture and transportation, as well as commissioners for the Public Service Department and the Motor Vehicles Department.
