MONTPELIER, Vt – Governor Phil Scott has appointed three new members to represent Orange, Franklin, and Washington counties on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board. The new members are Michael Bancroft from Orange County, Jay Sweeny from Franklin County, and Brian Bailey from Washington County. Additionally, Tim Biebel from Windsor County has been appointed Board Chair for the remainder of his term.
The fourteen-member Fish and Wildlife Board is a group of Vermont citizens who serve six-year terms. They are charged with the complex task of setting fishing, hunting and trapping regulations after evaluating the scientific recommendations and legal advice from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, along with the input from the state’s hunters, anglers, trappers, wildlife watchers, and all Vermonters.
“Board members devote a large amount of time and energy to the job of setting Vermont’s fishing, hunting, and trapping regulations,” said Commissioner Louis Porter. “They bring a lifetime of experience in Vermont’s forests, fields, and waters and a commitment to maintaining these same experiences, along with our fish and wildlife resources, for future generations.”
Michael Bancroft grew up in Barre Town and moved to Corinth in 2017. After graduating from University of Vermont, he began working as a commercial insurance agent. He enjoys anything outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and hiking. Bancroft is a member of the of the Barre Lions Club, Friends of the Nulhegan, and the Champion Lands Leaseholders & Traditional Interests Association.
Jay Sweeny is a semi-retired deputy sheriff and firefighter from St. Albans. He is a lifelong resident of Vermont and is an avid hunter and fisherman. Sweeny is a founding member of the Yankee Sportsman’s Classic and a past state chair and current chapter chair of Ducks Unlimited. He is the recipient of the 2016 Sportsman’s Heritage Service Award and was a deputy game warden for ten years in the 1990s.
Brian Bailey is the owner and founder of McLeod’s Spring and Chassis in Barre. He also does maple sugaring with family and friends. Baily is a member of the Barre Fish & Game Club and is an avid hunter, angler and outdoorsman. He has been a volunteer hunter education instructor since 2018 and is passionate about getting more people to connect to Vermont’s wild landscape.