Happy 2009!

I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season enjoying time with friends and family and that 2009 will prove to be a healthy and prosperous new year for you.

Now that the elections and recounts are over, the real work is beginning. We are looking forward to the new Obama administration in Washington while we wonder what will be done in Montpelier to weather these difficult economic times.

Here's what's on the burner for the month of January.

1. The Chittenden County Democrats Show will be broadcast Live at 5:25 once again this Monday, January 5th, from the CCTV Channel 17 studio in Burlington. Appearing with me will be Sen. Hinda Miller and Rep. Mark Larson, and we will be talking about the current budget crisis Vermont is experiencing. Residents of Burlington, So. Burlington, Winooski and Essex Junction can view the program live. LCATV and VCAM as well as CCTV will rebroadcast the program at various times throughout the month for other Chittenden County residents. Check their schedules for broadcast times. Previous shows can also be viewed online at the CCTV website: http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/live-at-5.


2. A County Committee meeting will be held during the week after the inauguration of Barak Obama. The time and date is not yet certain, so I will send out a follow-up notice. The agenda will include:
   
   
   • Election of a Vice-Chair -- Our Vice-Chair, Robert Ready, resigned back in August, and with the County Fair, the primary and general elections, and personal commitments, I was not able to properly schedule an election to replace him. Nominations will be open from the floor. The Vice-Chair will assist me with keeping the website current and help with organizing meetings and other events, including fund-raising. Anyone planning to run for this position is welcome to contact me at any time via email or phone (233-5238).
   
   
   • Report from the legislature -- I hope one or more legislators will attend the meeting to fill us in on how the session is proceeding with regard to the important issues.
     

   • Inauguration experiences -- Anyone who attended the inauguration is welcome to tell us about their experiences so that we stay-at-homes can enjoy them vicariously.
   
   

3. Local elections -- The upcoming Town Meetings are an opportunity for Democrats to run for elective office. We need Democrats on School Boards, Select Boards, City Councils, etc. It is not only a way to further the Democratic Vision of serving our communities in a progressive way, but also to provide a leadership base that can provide future candidates for state-level offices. The deadline for submitting a petition to the Town or City Clerk to get on the ballot for a municipal election is Monday, January 26th, 5:00 PM.
   

I look forward to seeing you at future meetings and events, and I encourage you all to stay active in your local Democratic committees. If you can't find any events or activities in your town, email your Town Chair (you can find them listed at the website below in the righthand sidebar) and ask them what's happening, or light a fire under them. Let's use 2009 to build a strong organization at all levels so that our success in 2010 will be even greater than our success in 2008. I welcome any feedback and suggestions you may have.
Regards,
Mike Yantachka
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman