Rutland coordinator urges reinstatement of town service officer, warns H.91 could unevenly burden some communities

Christopher Loris, one of two part‑time homeless response coordinators for the city of Rutland, testified Feb. 5 before the House Committee on Human Services on H.91, saying the bill and current emergency rules leave gaps in local coordination for emergency sheltering and have produced unequal burdens on certain communities.

Loris told the committee he recommends reinstating the statutory position of town service officer (TSO) so municipalities can coordinate shelter placements, access state reimbursements and work directly with state field service directors. "I really think it should be up to y'all to decide what the priorities are for the individuals when we have finite resources to manage," he said, urging the committee to consider either restoring the old V.S.A. language or authorizing the DCF commissioner to appoint local TSOs.

Loris framed his testimony around three themes: municipal participation and partnerships, equitable geographic distribution of sheltered people, and a data‑driven approach to policy. He described an 18‑month contract he and colleague Megan Novak hold with the city of Rutland funded by a grant from the…