Editor’s note: This commentary is by Fred Schwacke, of Bondville, a scientist, engineer, businessman and entrepreneur who has worked in various industries worldwide, including R&D and corporate troubleshooting for Fortune 500 companies and the ski industry. He was chair of the Tri-Mountain broadband committee, which successfully brought last-mile broadband to the Winhall, Peru, Londonderry area.
Open letter to Gov. Phil Scott,
I read your inaugural address with great interest. In it you mention two points which I believe to be of particular interest and importance to rural Vermonters: your Covid response and last-mile broadband.
Most Vermonters, not all, are studiously following all of the most stringent CDC guidelines and yet their lives are being adversely affected by the disease and many are contracting Covid through no fault of their own. Fortunately, many states are currently offering them the protections offered by vaccinations, starting with those in the greatest jeopardy, starting with the over 75 population and/or those with high-risk conditions; unfortunately, your administration is not among them. Nor are you offering any plan to remedy this inequity. Vermonters are needlessly dying every day while most of the vaccines you have on hand sit frozen in storage, not to mention the lives and families that lie in ruins and businesses that are languishing.
While I can’t ask for miracles, I can ask that Vermont perform at least as well as others have proven themselves capable of. It must be pointed out that a large part of your campaign, and arguably a major reason for your victory, was your claiming credit for the state’s successful Covid response.
Speaking frankly, what have you done for us lately? In light of the lack of your administration’s receptiveness to phone calls or its issuance of any substantive updates from you in over a week, how are you going to quickly and efficiently expedite the vitally important solutions to this life-threatening tragedy Vermonters are bravely facing? Please keep in mind that your lack of responsiveness and leadership will inevitably cause large numbers of needless deaths, familial hardships, and economic destruction in the very near future! Time is of the essence!
You mention placing a priority on internet broadband, this is a problem that has plagued the most rural of Vermonters since the advent of dial-up. Despite endless promises from both the state and federal governments, including yours, it remains unsolved and barely even addressed. If not for the efforts of local groups and small independent companies like Great Awk Communications (at their own expense), and now the very responsive NewCo, we would still be unserved. Because of them, and some others, things have improved somewhat but we remain at best underserved.
To the best of my knowledge, virtually none of the new grant funding has been earmarked for us, the last-mile Vermonters, especially those in Southern Vermont. Particularly during Covid, this presents huge problems to our schoolchildren, sequestered families, and small businesses, yet you have not provided any substantial help. It’s our turn!
When can we look forward to you turning your priorities and promises into effective actions?
