Waterbury Makes Case For Return Of State Workers

Residents and business owners in Waterbury are renewing their call to bring back to town the state workers displaced by Tropical Storm Irene.

The Vermont House and Senate Institutions committees took nearly two hours of testimony yesterday afternoon about how the loss of roughly 1,500 state workers has harmed the local economy in the north-central Vermont town.

A state complex on South Main Street in the town about 11 miles northwest of Montpelier was flooded when the Winooski River overflowed its banks during the storm.

The administration of Governor Peter Shumlin has proposed bringing some, but not all of the workers back to Waterbury. Business owners say they need to get the situation resolved soon.

Lawmakers promised to keep the concerns in mind.