Between the Lines: Weighing coal weighers and consolidation

Posted on March 15, 2012 |

• Opinion

By Gregory Dennis

There are about 626,000 Vermonters — a number smaller than the population of Memphis, Tenn. Compared to the single government of that medium-sized city, Vermont has 237 towns, nine cities, five unincorporated areas and four gores.

“We confront the 21st-century challenges of delivering good government with a 19th-century governance structure,” says Bruce Hiland, who chairs the Cornwall selectboard. He featured the contrast between Vermont and Memphis governance in his remarks at the recent Cornwall town meeting.

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