BRATTLEBORO - The Vermont State College Finance and Facilities Committee has chosen the Brooks House as the future site for a new downtown campus for Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College.

The Finance and Facilities Committee met in Montpelier Wednesday afternoon and voted to recommend the Brooks House as the new home of a 18,000 square foot education center which will include classrooms, offices, a library and a multi-function room. The Finance and Facilities Committee will pass its recommendation on to the full Board of Trustees, which is expected to make a final decision at its Oct. 25 meeting next week.

Gov. Peter Shumlin said he was excited about the decision and was looking forward to meeting with lawmakers next year to continue working to come up with the funding to move the project along.

"This is going to be a huge boost for downtown Brattleboro," Shumlin said Wednesday after the committee vote. "I am thrilled that the Brooks House is going to be a vibrant hub for innovation and education."

Shumlin acknowledged that it is going to take some extra work to find the money for the project, but he said investing in the college made even more sense in light of the ongoing economic downturn.

"CCV and Vermont Tech do more than anyone to get first generation Vermont college students the education they need to compete and to meet the needs of employers who are trying to fill high paying positions in their companies," Shumlin said. "I know

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we are in tough economic times but that does not mean we can't make allocations toward education and toward creating jobs. It would be penny wise and pound foolish not to make this investment in the future of southern Vermont."