The Vermont Mapping Program is now extinct as of June 4. This program
provides the base map to any Vermont agency or general public (you and
me) that deals with property, permits and land use. I found this out
when I went in to buy a map for our property. This closing affects all
towns, all town planners, architects, foresters, surveyors, public
works, the health department, the Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont
Agency of Transportation, building and general services and you and me
as landholders.
This department makes money back where most other departments do not.
But, the most outrageous part of this situation in these times where
the Vermont state government is trying to save money, the governor with
all his wisdom has closed this department and given away for free all
the equipment and data worth more than $3 million to a nonprofit
organization.
Not only that, the mapping program, having just secured funding for its
project to be started in 2010 worth $100,000, will be given to the
nonprofit organization. This money is state money that's being given
away. Why aren't the towns and state agencies outraged about this? How
can this happen? I hope for a clear answer from the governor. It's
probably too late to resurrect the mapping program, but I just want an
honest answer as to why this was done.
Nancy Jowitt
Waitsfield
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