Governor Douglas; Check Out My Qualifications To Be FPR Commissioner.......

It thoroughly amazes me what it doesn't take to get a position in the Douglas administration. You'd like to think there's a bit of professionalism, or at least the people appointed to positions of authority have some relevance to the position. The appointment of Jason Gibbs to the position of Forest, Parks, and Recreation Commissioner is a joke, a new low the Douglas administration has stooped to. His qualifications; a degree in environmental something, interest in the outdoors, and being Douglas's campaign manager. This is even worse than Neale Lunderville as Transportation Secretary.

Hey Jim, why wasn't I in the running? Compare my qualifications to those of your new Commissioner of FPR; a degree in environmental science from a Vermont college. Six seasons of working at non-profit boys and girls camps in Vermont. Six seasons of working at a Vermont ski area. A couple terms on a town planning commission here in VT, the last as chair. Two year internship while in college with a non profit nature center whose mission centered around environmental education here in VT. Two years of being a hazardous waste operator for a Vermont solid waste district. Five years of working as an instructional assistant in Vermont schools, grades 2-8. Three seasons of working for VT state parks as a park naturalist. Two years of working customer service for the sporting goods division of a large multi-national corporation, and I'm a 31 year old lifelong Vermonter.

I point this all out not to gloat, but because even with all the cool stuff I've done, I sure as hell wouldn't consider myself qualified to be Commissioner of FPR! I don't know what to say. With all the people in Vermont who might have been qualified, he went with his campaign manager? I find it dissappointing, selfish, and a slight to the whole state of Vermont.

I think the people who run state government should have something to offer the position they occupy. More so than just being able to put a good spin on stuff. There's no good spin on Vermont State Parks needing money, because fees and leases to ski areas don't cover the cost of running the parks. There's no good spin on Vermont's forests are threatened by Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, Emerald Ash Borer, and Asian Longhorned Beetle in addition to the ongoing Dutch Elm, Butternut Canker, and Gypsy Moths among others.

To me it implies that Douglas doesn't really appreciate the magnitude of the position. I can only hope Gibbs surprises everyone and exceeds expectations. There's a big difference between filling a position, and excelling in it. Vermont deserves only the best.