POULTNEY, Vt. – With the announced closure of Green Mountain College, the Town of Poultney in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) will convene a community and economic development assessment in Poultney on Thursday, March 7th.
More than a dozen regional and statewide community and economic development leaders have been invited to the assessment. Participants will hear from Poultney town officials, business leaders, and Green Mountain College leadership about the planned closure of the college, the town’s concerns, and potential opportunities moving forward.
“Our goal with this assessment is to gather information, hear about specific challenges and opportunities, and strengthen the relationships between the town and the state’s community and economic development leaders,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Community Development Ted Brady. “Our visiting team will come with lots of questions, a passion to help Poultney, and a commitment to working with the town going forward.”
Poultney town and ACCD officials invite interested residents to attend a discussion about the Town’s challenges and opportunities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Whitney Hall, The East Room, 2nd Floor on the Green Mountain College campus.
“While we certainly won’t have answers or solutions to all questions, we hope this public forum will help all attending better understand the situation and how they may be able to help in the coming months,” said Poultney Town Manager Paul Donaldson.
Representatives from the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Housing Vermont, the Vermont Council on Rural Development, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, the Rutland Economic Development Corporation, and Vermont’s Congressional delegation have been invited to attend the assessment portion of the meeting.
# # #