From 2007 to 2008 the Council on the Future of Vermont traveled around the state holding public forums and met with farmers, nurses, students, veterans, seniors, businesspeople, advocates, low income and working Vermonters. These meetings were in both large public forums and smaller focus groups. One public forum was held in every county and over 90 focus groups were conducted: overall the Council met with more than 1,200 Vermonters through forums. At each forum, a trained facilitator asked Vermonters to answer 5 questions:

  1. What does Vermont mean to you?
  2. What common values do Vermonters share?
  3. What challenges and opportunities do we see for our communities and state?
  4. What should our priorities be as we work together to prepare Vermont for the future?
  5. How do your thoughts about Vermont's values, future challenges and priority issues apply to YOUR community?

 

Here are the notes collected at each of the county forums: