Former Manchester state representative, 8th generation Vermonter and distinguished blues-harp player Bob Stannard is departing his executive-director post at the non-profit Better Bennington Corporation to return to the Statehouse on a daily basis come January.
Stannard, [pictured here with wife Alison at Saturday evening’s VPIRG anniversary celebration] tells Freyne Land he’s been signed up to be a Montpeculiar lobbyist for the Citizens Action Network.
“Act 160 basically positioned the Legislature to have a role in therelicensing of Vermont Yankee and whether that’s voted on in 2008 or 2009 isgoing to be up for debate,” said Stannard.
“I don’t like to consider myself a lobbyist because that implies that I’m a contract lobbyist and I take on anybody who pays me,” said the blues-harp player.
“I consider myself to be more of an advocate than a lobbysist,” said Stannard. “I takeon a cause that I believe in. I tell people I can sell gasoline to aman on fire if I think it’s good gas. I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE GAS!
“Andfor me to be able to leave a very nice life where I was having a greattime, liked by everybody, doing good work… to walk away from that to goback into arguably the most controversial issue fror thenext two years – that wasn’t an easy decision.
“My wife and I talked it over. I owe it to my great-grandchildren who aren’t born yet to do it.”
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
