Vermont Senate reelects John H. Bloomer Jr. as secretary; Philip E. Baruth chosen president pro tempore
January 08, 2025 | SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The Vermont Senate on the opening day of the 2025 biennial session reelected John H. Bloomer Jr. of Wallingford as secretary of the Senate and elected Senator Philip E. Baruth of Chittenden Central as president pro tempore, the chamber announced and administered oaths for both officers.
The nominations and voice votes took place during the organizational meeting. John H. Bloomer Jr. was placed in nomination and, after no other nominations were offered, the Senate voted to close nominations and have the assistant secretary cast a single ballot. The chair declared Bloomer elected and the secretary-elect was administered the oath of office.
The Senate similarly placed Philip E. Baruth in nomination for president pro tempore, closed nominations by voice vote and declared him elected after a second was offered. Baruth then presented remarks to the chamber after taking the oath.
The Senate also confirmed internal clerical appointments announced by the chair: Melissa Rose Bridal of Montpelier as assistant secretary of the Senate; Christine F. Gilhooly of Waitsfield as operations manager and journal clerk; Andrea M. Hussey of Montpelier as calendar clerk; and Penny M. Carpenter of Waterbury as office associate. All were presented and sworn in at the bar of the Senate.
The chamber named additional officers and committees. Virginia V. Lyons of Chittenden Southeast was elected the third member of the Committee on Committees by voice vote and sworn in. The president designated a slate of senators to meet with the secretary of state and to canvass votes for state officers; those senators were elected by the Senate and sworn for that duty. The chair later designated Senator Hardy to serve as chair of the joint canvassing committee and scheduled the committee to meet with the secretary of state.
Senator Philip E. Baruth, after his oath, thanked colleagues and outlined priorities for the biennium, including education finance and flood-safety legislation, and said he intends to work across caucuses. "I will work like a dog every single day of this biennium to solve these 2 complex interwoven problems," Baruth said in remarks to the chamber.
The Senate concluded the organizational business and adjourned to reconvene at the time set by joint resolution.
Votes at a glance: the nominations for secretary, president pro tempore, assistant secretary, operations manager/journal clerk, calendar clerk, office associate, the election of Virginia V. Lyons as third member of the Committee on Committees, and the slate of senators to the canvassing committee were all approved by the Senate by voice vote or single-ballot procedure; no roll-call tallies were recorded on the transcript.
The Senate then stood adjourned until the date set in the chamber's joint rules and resolutions.
The nominations and voice votes took place during the organizational meeting. John H. Bloomer Jr. was placed in nomination and, after no other nominations were offered, the Senate voted to close nominations and have the assistant secretary cast a single ballot. The chair declared Bloomer elected and the secretary-elect was administered the oath of office.
The Senate similarly placed Philip E. Baruth in nomination for president pro tempore, closed nominations by voice vote and declared him elected after a second was offered. Baruth then presented remarks to the chamber after taking the oath.
The Senate also confirmed internal clerical appointments announced by the chair: Melissa Rose Bridal of Montpelier as assistant secretary of the Senate; Christine F. Gilhooly of Waitsfield as operations manager and journal clerk; Andrea M. Hussey of Montpelier as calendar clerk; and Penny M. Carpenter of Waterbury as office associate. All were presented and sworn in at the bar of the Senate.
The chamber named additional officers and committees. Virginia V. Lyons of Chittenden Southeast was elected the third member of the Committee on Committees by voice vote and sworn in. The president designated a slate of senators to meet with the secretary of state and to canvass votes for state officers; those senators were elected by the Senate and sworn for that duty. The chair later designated Senator Hardy to serve as chair of the joint canvassing committee and scheduled the committee to meet with the secretary of state.
Senator Philip E. Baruth, after his oath, thanked colleagues and outlined priorities for the biennium, including education finance and flood-safety legislation, and said he intends to work across caucuses. "I will work like a dog every single day of this biennium to solve these 2 complex interwoven problems," Baruth said in remarks to the chamber.
The Senate concluded the organizational business and adjourned to reconvene at the time set by joint resolution.
Votes at a glance: the nominations for secretary, president pro tempore, assistant secretary, operations manager/journal clerk, calendar clerk, office associate, the election of Virginia V. Lyons as third member of the Committee on Committees, and the slate of senators to the canvassing committee were all approved by the Senate by voice vote or single-ballot procedure; no roll-call tallies were recorded on the transcript.
The Senate then stood adjourned until the date set in the chamber's joint rules and resolutions.
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