H.C.R.  317

House concurrent resolution honoring Robert P. “Bob” Northrop for his dynamic leadership as president of the Vermont Electric Cooperative

Offered by:  Representatives Frank of Underhill, Allard of St. Albans Town, Barnard of Richmond, Branagan of Georgia, Dates of Shelburne, Dowland of Holland, Endres of Milton, Evans of Essex, Fisher of Lincoln, Gervais of Enosburg, Heath of Westford, Hudson of Lyndon, Johnson of South Hero, Kilmartin of Newport City, Lawrence of Lyndon, Marron of Stowe, Martin of Wolcott, McAllister of Highgate, McCullough of Williston, Miller of Elmore, Minter of Waterbury, Nease of Johnson, Nitka of Ludlow, Obuchowski of Rockingham, Parent of St. Albans City, Randall of Troy, Rodgers of Glover, Shaw of Derby, Smith of Morristown, Symington of Jericho, Trombley of Grand Isle, Turner of Milton and Westman of Cambridge

     Whereas, in 1936, Congress enacted the Rural Electrification Act to provide financial assistance for the establishment of electric service in the many rural areas of the country that still lacked electricity, and

     Whereas, in 1938, taking advantage of this federal largess, the Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) was established in Lowell, and, in 1939, when Governor Aiken flipped the switch to start the current flowing to homes, residents in the towns of Eden and Lowell were introduced to the wonders of electricity, and

     Whereas, during its 68-year history, VEC has expanded its territorial coverage and now provides reliable electric service to 37,000 customers throughout the state and in several Massachusetts communities bordering Vermont, and

     Whereas, VEC is organized into 15 service districts, and the cooperative’s board of directors is composed of an elected representative from each district, and

     Whereas, in recent years, VEC had experienced financial difficulties threatening the cooperative’s fiscal solvency, and

     Whereas, the dedicated and dynamic leadership of VEC president and District 10 director Bob Northrop enabled the cooperative to weather the fiscal storm and emerge as a financially solvent and debt free organization, and

     Whereas, the VEC was extraordinarily fortunate to have him to guide the cooperative through an extremely challenging and dangerous period in its history, and

     Whereas, in recognition of his leadership role at the VEC, the Northeast Association of Electric Cooperatives honored Bob Northrop as the 2001 recipient of its prestigious George D. Aiken Award, and

     Whereas, Bob Northrop is a man committed without question to making Vermont a better place as his end-to-end Long Trail hikes to raise financial support for the trail’s protection continued long past the age when most persons would consider this type of activity, and

Whereas, after an amazing tenure of many years as both VEC’s president and District 10 director, Bob Northrop will be retiring from these positions at the conclusion of his current term in May 2006, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:

That the General Assembly honors Robert P. Northrop for his dynamic leadership of the Vermont Electric Cooperative, and be it further

Resolved:  That the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Robert P. Northrop.

Attested to:

Brian E. Dubie                                               Donald G. Milne

President of the Senate                              Clerk, House of Representatives