Our mission is to assist towns in Southeastern Vermont to provide effective local government and to work cooperatively with them to address regional issues.
In the absence of county government, we provide the essential link between local, state and federal government. We are a public entity, constituted by law and required to meet statutory obligations.
We are an important resource to the 27 towns of the Windham Region in Windham, Windsor, and Bennington counties.There are 11 regional planning commissions in the state. The WRC was the first, established in 1965. The state’s purpose in creating regional planning commissions was to:
- Promote economic development, increasing jobs and income;
- Preserve the natural beauty of Vermont;
- Obtain and maintain efficiency in government expenditure;
- Safeguard and extend local autonomy in planning and development decisions.
Our core program of work focuses on the areas of: assistance to towns on planning and zoning; regional plans; transportation, including bike, pedestrian, transit, and rail; community development, including brownfield redevelopment and community development block grant support; energy; project review; natural resources; GIS mapping support for towns; and all-hazards emergency planning.
Each town’s selectboard determines who will represent the town on the WRC. Each member town appoints two commissioners who represent that town’s interest in regional affairs. The exception is Somerset, where the commissioner is appointed by the Governor.
Additionally, the WRC has up to ten citizen interest commissioners who represent other regional interests such as business and industry, health care, natural resources, energy, and housing.
The WRC is organized around a strong committee structure. These committees are where most of the work gets done and the decisions made. Commissioners serve on these committees and make the decisions. The WRC has 10 highly-qualified staff with more than 80 years of combined professional experience who provide support to the committees, and execute the Commission’s program of work.
The WRC is supported by an annual appropriation from member towns; historically, a share of the state property transfer tax; and by other private, state, and federal resources. Core funding from the state is contingent upon our performance.
Address & Contact
- Street:
- 139 Main Street, Suite 505
- City:
- Brattleboro
- State:
- VT
- Zip:
- 05301
- Phone:
- (802) 257-4547
- Website:
- http://windhamregional.org/
- Category:
- Government Organization