Vermont's Independent Voice
Browse Home
Browse News + Opinion
Browse Arts + Life
Browse Food + Drink
Browse Music
Browse Movies
Browse Events
Browse Classifieds
Browse Personals
As we reported in this week's Fair Game, Agency of Natural Resources Sec. Deb Markowitz made a bit of a whoopsie last week at a Norwich University panel on Tropical Storm Irene recovery efforts. The ANR secretary and former gubernatorial candidate apparently stepped on her boss' message, criticizing Gov. Peter Shumlin's handling of the state's waterways in the weeks and months afer the August flooding.
The episode was first reported by Vermont Public Radio's Steve Zind, who quoted Markowitz as saying, "[Shumlin] early on made some statements, some ‘dig-baby-dig' type statements, that inspired Vermonters to help out in ways that ultimately are very costly not just to the ecosystem but to the infrastructure."
After administration officials pushed back on her comments, Markowitz declined or ignored several requests for an interview (we suspected she might have been stuck in time out), but she did send us an e-mail saying her comments "were misinterpreted."
Well, VPR has now posted a two-and-a-half minute audio clip of Markowitz's remarks on its website, providing a little more context to the episode.
Did VPR get it wrong? Actually, the comments are even worse than we thought. Markowitz bemoans the fact that she and her agency "didn't have a chance to educate [Shumlin] in advance" and failed to "manage up" — i.e. get her boss on message.
More by Paul Heintz
About The Author
Paul Heintz
Bio:
Paul Heintz is a staff writer and political editor for Seven Days. He wrote the "Fair Game" political column from May 2012 through December 2016.
Paul Heintz is a staff writer and political editor for Seven Days. He wrote the "Fair Game" political column from May 2012 through December 2016.
Speaking of Blurt
-
Blurt Is No More. Here's Where to Find New Seven Days Content
Sep 17, 2012 -
Alice Eats: The Mill Market & Deli
Sep 11, 2012 -
Grazing at King Arthur Flour's Airy New Digs
Sep 10, 2012 -
Movies You Missed 55: Making Plans for Léna
Sep 7, 2012 -
Quiz: Ben & Jerry's Flavor or Porn Flick?
Sep 6, 2012 - More »
Comments (6)
Showing 1-6 of 6
Latest in News
Recent Comments
-
Marty Hogan: As a landscape architect and planner, I am stunned that a project of this proportion is going to…
Re: A Massive Tupper Lake Development Gets the Green Light
-
Cbenson9: You rock !!! Keep on going don't give up!! We need gluten free ..CLEAN FOOD!!! People are begging…
Re: Gluten-Free Gospel
- More »
