Andy Montroll – Vice Chair  As a Burlington City Councilor for 15 years, I had strongly advocated for the creation of Burlington Telecom so that residents and businesses of Burlington could enjoy and have access to the same type of advanced telecommunications and high-speed broadband internet services that were available in other large cities in the country, but not in Burlington.  For a while, it appeared that Burlington Telecom was well on its way to success.  After leaving the City Council, I was saddened and concerned when we started to learn the full extent of its financial problems.  However, despite these problems, I firmly believe that Burlington Telecom can remain a valuable asset for our community and I further believe that the best chance for its future success will be through the efforts of the Co-op.  That is why I welcome this opportunity to serve on the Co-op’s board.  I also hope to bring my expertise in the telecom industry to the board.  Through my work as an attorney, I have represented several entities involved in the telecommunications business.  For example, I’ve represented a Burlington-based long distance provider that serves businesses throughout the United States, as well as a municipally-backed telecom start-up in central Vermont.  Earlier in my legal career, I also represented a Vermont electric co-op in various proceedings at the Vermont Public Board, so I have strong understanding of how utility co-ops operate.