Charlotte Republican Committee Hosts Energy Forum on January 26
by Bob Bloch, Committee Chair,
January 12, 2012, page 11.....

A politician, a scientist and an economist will come together on Thursday, January 26, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall for a public forum on the new state energy plan. We anticipate a spirited, informative and entertaining discussion.
The forum, hosted by the Charlotte Republican Committee, will focus on the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan, the final version of which was released on December 15. The controversial plan calls for major changes in the ways Vermonters will source and use energy over the next 40 years, impacting virtually all Vermont citizens, businesses and institutions. The distinguished panel will discuss the plan in depth from various perspectives, and there will be opportunity for questions and comments from the audience.
The three panelists include:
Mike Yantachka – Mike is a longtime Charlotte resident who currently serves as Charlotte’s State Representative. Prior to becoming our state representative, Mike enjoyed a 36-year career in software development. He served as both Charlotte and Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chair and in several community service positions, including Justice of the Peace and on the Charlotte Central School Board. Mike received a B.S. degree in mathematics from King’s College in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, and a M.S. in math from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Hans C. Ohanian – Another Charlotte resident, Hans studied physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and at Princeton, and has taught at RPI, Union College, the University of Rome and the University of Vermont (UVM). Hans has authored several physics textbooks and dozens of articles on the more arcane aspects of physics. Of late, Hans has become interested in the ecological and economic aspects of renewable energy systems in Vermont. His favorite renewable energy system is his beloved sailboat “Archimedes.”
Arthur Woolf – Art joined the Economics Department at UVM in 1980 after receiving his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Wisconsin and a B.A. in American History from Cornell University. He wrote his dissertation in economic history, examining the impact of electrification on U.S. manufacturing in the early 20th century. In 1988 Dr. Woolf began a three-year stint as State Economist under Governor Madeleine Kunin, in which he learned first hand how to apply economic principles to public policy issues. Returning to UVM in 1991, his research interests broadened to include public policy analysis, especially focused on state and local government. He has spent a lot of time trying to explain economics to non-economists.
For more information on the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan, go to vtenergyplan.vermont.gov.
Please join us for this timely, informative event.