Newly appointed state school redistricting panel weak in Southern Vermont representation

By Cynthia Prairie
©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

This week, members of the Vermont House and Senate named appointees to the new School District Redistricting Task Force.

But only one of these 10 appointees represents the southern part of the state below Route 4. That one member is Wendy Harrison, a state senator who represents Windham County and lives in Brattleboro.

At least one-quarter of Vermont’s population of 648,000 lives south of Route 4, an area that seems to get scant attention from the solons of Montpelier.  A Telegraph article just last week pointed to the lack of Southern Vermont representation on boards appointed by the governor, with only 12 of 83 positions recently filled by Southern Vermonters, two of whom are Chester residents.

According to a press release from the Office of Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth, in “creating the district proposals, the Task Force’s goal is to increase equitable access to educational opportunity for all of Vermont’s students. The Task Force will hold public hearings, in consultation with the Commission on the Future of Public Education, to receive and consider feedback from members of the public regarding school district consolidation and proposed boundaries.”

On Monday, the Senate Committee on Committees, which includes Sens. Baruth (D/P-Chittenden-Central) and Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden-Southeast), and Republican Lt. Gov. John Rodgers, announced its appointees. It was required to appoint one retired or former Vermont superintendent, one retired or former Vermont school business manager and three current members of the Vermont Senate, not all from the same party nor the same school district. Those appointees include:

• Dr. Jennifer Botzojorns of St. Johnsbury, retired superintendent for the Kingdom East School District;
• Chris Locarno of Barre, retired director of finance and facilities for the Central Vermont Supervisory Union;
• Sen. Scott Beck (R-Caledonia);
• Sen. Martine Gulick (D-Chittenden Central) and
• Sen. Wendy Harrison (D-Windham).

Then on Tuesday, Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski announced her appointments, which were required to be three members of the House, one former superintendent and one former school business manager or school board member. The Speaker’s appointees include:

• Dr. Jay Badams, former superintendent of SAU 70, the nation’s first interstate school district that included Hanover, N.H., and Norwich.
• Kim Gleason of Grand Isle,  former school board member.
• Rep. Edye Graning (D-Chittenden 3).
• Rep. Rebecca Holcombe (D-Windsor Orange 2), which contains Norwich to north of Strafford.
• Rep. Beth Quimby (R-Caledonia 2). 

Harrison, the only appointee from Southern Vermont, said,  “We’ve established the framework and our success in improving the system will depend on getting the details right. I look forward to working with my colleagues on those details.”