Notes before the 2009 session
by Rep. Bill Frank

     Thank you voters of Jericho, Underhill and Bolton for your support in re-electing me to the Vermont House of Representatives. I enjoyed meeting and speaking with you at your doors and in your yards. I appreciate the kindness with which you greeted me and the thoughtfulness of your concerns and comments. It's a true honor to serve you in the legislature. I am looking forward to the upcoming session, which begins January 6th.

     This past summer and fall I was a member of two legislative committees. The Health Access Oversight committee is charged with issues that require legislative approval or action when the legislature is not in session. We regularly hear from the commissioners of the Department of Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) and the Office of Vermont Health Access (OVHA). We reviewed many proposals for 2009 budget rescissions. There are fours senators and four representatives on the committee representing the Health and Welfare and Finance committees.

     At the end of the last session I helped formulate a committee to study End of Life Care, Palliative Care, Pain Management and the Pediatric part of each. This committee was made up of three senators and three representatives and I am a co-chair. We took testimony from advocates, stakeholders, doctors, hospitals, the Commissioner of Health, the Attorney General and many others. Our goal was to find out what is working in Vermont, what isn't and to make recommendations for legislative action. For example a focus is physician training on end of life care. We are now writing our report and I am hopeful to get legislation passed this year, this is definitely a priority for me. The committee will meet in January to finalize the report that is due to the legislature January 15th. I will post the report on my web site when it is finished.

     Vermont requires that the legislature approve any re-licensing of a nuclear power plant. The 40-year license of Vermont Yankee will expire in 2012 and Entergy, the plant owners are applying for re-licensing, so it is time for the legislature to act. To learn as much as I can about Vermont Yankee I attended an afternoon Legislative Briefing on Vermont Yankee in November. This answered many of my questions but of course raised even more. The Legislative Joint Fiscal Office's web site has much information on Yankee including a video of the November legislative briefing. Entergy is giving legislators a tour of the Yankee facility in December that I plan to take.

     Meals on Wheels deliver a hot nutritious meal at the noon hour to elderly or disabled people or anyone who has difficulty preparing a daily meal. You can sign up for a hot meal to be delivered 5 days a week with a bagged meal for weekends or as few as one or two meals a week. There is a large group of Underhill and Jericho volunteers who deliver these meals to our community residents. Currently volunteers are delivering as few as 8 meals a day in Jericho and Underhill. If you know someone who could benefit from a hot meal delivered to their house, including a visit from a very friendly driver, call the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging at 865-0360 or 1-800-639-2084.

     The Jericho-Underhill Ecumenical Ministry runs a Food Shelf at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Route 15 (between Clark's Truck Center and JeriHill Hardware). Food and clothing are distributed the third Saturday of each month. The food shelf attendance has grown significantly in the last year from 325 families to 576 families. A 77% increase in the number of families served over the past year. Over 1,800 people are now served.

     Donations can be dropped off at the church on the Friday before distribution. To set up other times to drop off donations call the church at 899-3932. Donations are also collected at all the Jericho and Underhill churches and the Covenant Community Church on Route 15 in Essex. The distribution date before Christmas is Saturday, December 20. Please take donations Friday, December 19. If you prefer checks may be sent to The Ecumenical Ministry, P.O. Box 65, Jericho 05465. Remember the need is there all year, not just during this Holiday Season.