Vermont Senate Agriculture Committee opens new biennium; chair stresses punctuality as evacuation interrupts meeting

At an opening session of the Vermont Senate Agriculture Committee, members introduced themselves, committee staff and outside witnesses and the chair emphasized punctuality and respect for witnesses while repeated building evacuation announcements briefly disrupted the meeting.

The session served as an organizational meeting for the committee in the new biennium rather than a hearing on legislation. Senator Russ Ingalls, serving as chair of the committee, opened the meeting by saying, "We're live. Good morning. Senate agriculture, perfect meeting of the, new biennium. We have a brand new committee. We're gonna spend some time today just getting to know each other a little bit and, just go over some ground rules as far as, what I as chair would, would, expect us to be like." Ingalls later said promptness is important…