To David O'Brien

Subject: Jobe Phillips Coalition Report #1

From: Gail Bongavene, Pluess-Staufer/Omya, (802) 459-3311, Fax, (802) 459-6327

09/05/00

1. On Tues. 29 Aug. met with John Russell to discuss building a coalition of Rutland County business leaders. The objective is to build public awareness of the economic impact OMYA's construction activity has in the community.

2. Toured Sen. Jim Jeffords to the site in Danby. Two staff members accompanied him. We discussed the possibility of obtaining funds from the Highway Trust Fund. Lindsey Suddarth had worked with Congresswoman Nancy Johnson to ferret out where funds were sequestered in the Federal Budget that could be used for a study or possibly a grant to fund alternate transportation methods for the ore. These include Rte. 7 construction, Rte. 140 assistance, railroad ideas and other alternates.

3. Will meet next week to explore additional coalition possibilities.

John Mitchell