[A]fter five years of overseeing and implementing security procedures for the Vermont Lottery Commission, Director of Security Michael Ferrant has resigned.
Ferrant left his job on Friday. He said in a resignation letter that he’ll become the committee services supervisor for the Office of the Legislative Council.
Ferrant said in a statement his departure was a personal choice to further his career.
“It has nothing to do with the lottery, the great people here or the incredible work they perform daily to provide millions of dollars to Vermont’s Education Fund,” said Ferrant.
Ferrant’s salary was about $60,000 at the time he left the Lottery Commission.
Ferrant is leaving at a time when the Vermont Lottery Commission is in the process of going through changes. A task force is now meeting to develop a plan to merge the Department of Liquor Control and the Lottery Commission.
Ferrant said in a task force meeting earlier this fall that the merger could create an opportunity improve the Lottery Commission’s overall security.
Ferrant was the only person at the Lottery Commission responsible for all security and protection of the game and its players. Vermont Lottery Commission board chair Sabina Haskell declined to comment on any open investigations Ferrant was leading.
Ferrant’s departure also leaves the small Lottery Commission staff with one less person. The Lottery has been without an executive director since last October.
It was announced in August that former FBI head Danny Racheck would become the new executive director of the Lottery Commission. Racheck starts his position Nov. 13.
Ferrant will leave a job where he largely worked independently to develop and implement security procedures of Vermont’s lottery system. Ferrant will join a larger staff with the Office of Legislative Council where he’ll train and supervise up to 20 legislative committee assistants who support the Legislature with administrative tasks, like preparing agendas, keeping records and posting documents on the Legislature’s website.
Haskell commended Ferrant’s management skills in an email.
“It’s the Lottery’s loss and the Legislature’s gain,” she said when asked about her reaction to Ferrant’s resignation.
Haskell became a member of the Lottery Commission board in the spring. She said Ferrant has “led the Lottery’s security efforts with the utmost integrity.”
Haskell said there’s a plan in place to fill in for Ferrant’s duties until a new director of security is hired.
“It is Danny’s intention to fill Mike’s position and I am assuming that will be one of his first priorities when he joins the Vermont Lottery in mid-November,” said Haskell.
