In the spirit of the new GMD Oddsmaker, it’s time to visit that “other hand.”

We always gave Governor Douglas a hard time when he bad-mouthed Vermont’s business climate to anyone who would listen in the world-at-large.

Reasonably enough, we think one of the governor’s jobs should be to put a positive face on the state to attract the tourism, trade and investment upon which Vermont’s future is heavily dependent.

So it was with some dismay that I read an e-mail that is apparently in wide circulation, from Chris Kimball of “Cook’s Illustrated” and “America’s Test Kitchen” fame.  

Just to set this one up for those who wouldn’t know a butter knife from a bundt form:  Mr. Kimball, a denizen of Boston and the CEO of a food publishing and TV empire, has a house in Rupert, Vermont.  He was recently filming episodes of “Cook’s Country” there while the surrounding communities were dealing with the after-effects of Irene.  Wrote Kimball:

The flood waters have long abated but many bridges are still out, roads partially washed away, and barns and basements full of fine silt. Our governor was standing in a riverbed watching neighbors repair the damage using backhoes and bulldozers. A local zoning administrator came up and complained that the workers did not have permits to work in a streambed, an area protected by environmental regulations. The governor turned to her and said, “Well, it would probably be best if you spent the next couple of weeks inside.” She asked why and the governor responded, “Well, we’ll be doing a lot of things you don’t like and there is nothing you can do about it!” That’s how Vermonters deal with disaster relief.

A quick Google-search of the above quote yielded evidence that, owing to Mr. Kimball’s e-mailed comments, Governor Shumlin is enjoying an unprecedented popularity among right-wing bloggers!  That’s right; at least temporarily, Peter Shumlin is a darling of the anti-regulation crowd.

I don’t think this is the kind of press Vermont needs to reinforce its green brand, and to assure potential visitors and investors that the environmental priorities for which we are respected remain intact.

I agree with Sec. Markowitz who said in an October 8 editorial:

Work in Vermont’s streams and rivers must be done with the knowledge that doing the work incorrectly is just money down the hole.

This is the message of custodial responsibility with which we want Vermont’s global image to be associated.