6/18 in Rutland

This past Friday, Susan and I left for a day in Rutland starting out at 7 am. At 8 we met with the Creative Economy Committee briefly on the new bike path that was going through Rutland. It was clear that while it was only going to be 2 miles long, they had put a great deal of effort into it, and it was going to be very well done. I then accompanied Susan to meet Marli Rupe of the Natural Resource Conservation District over lunch. The two women talked, while I ate and watched the soccer game. I called it a successful event.

At 9:30 we went to meet Mark Foley Jr and Mr. Louras - the mayor of Rutland. We discussed the city, ideas how to make it better, and the ever present problem of what to do about the large population of ex-criminals who are in Rutland and my home town of Barre.

At around 11 we went off to meet Jim Sabataso who belongs to Sustainable Rutland, at a little coffee shop. The thing about the conversation that really caught my ear was the block parties that Rutland throws every Friday night in the downtown. It seemed like a really fun, good idea, and exactly what more places in Vermont need on the weekends.

After meeting Jim we went off to eat at a restaurant called Table 24, which had a very tasty BLT. I also found out the USA soccer team came back to tie Slovenia. Awesome. After lunch we said good-bye to our hosts, and went off to get creemies in downtown Rutland. It was a great day for Team Bartlett.