Brock accepts Salmon invitation to teach course

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(Host) Here’s a political story you might not expect to hear.

After last year’s razor thin contest for state auditor you might think that Tom Salmon and Randy Brock would still be at arms length.

But the former auditor, Brock, has accepted Salmon’s invitation to teach a course at an annual conference put on by the auditor’s office.

VPR’s Ross Sneyd has the story.

(Sneyd) On election night, it looked as though Salmon had lost the race to Brock by several hundred votes.

A week later that margin narrowed to just a couple hundred in the certified count.

And then after the recount, the outcome was overturned and Salmon had won by 102 votes.

Bitterness seemed to linger last winter when Brock attacked a municipal advisory committee that Salmon appointed.

Now the two say their relationship is cordial. And Brock says he’s glad to share his experience on fraud investigations.

(Brock) "Speaking at this particular conference, it’s a technical conference designed for government auditors about a subject in which I hope that I have some expertise and will be able to benefit the audit profession."

(Sneyd) Brock started the annual "auditor’s conference" last year. One of the students then was Tom Salmon.

Salmon says next month’s conference is designed as continuing education for municipal and state auditors, as well as certified public accountants.

According to Salmon, rooting out fraud is an important part of the work, and his first choice to lead the course was his former opponent.

(Salmon) "It’s just a show of respect for his professional standing and integrity and also his skill level that I think should continue to be an asset to Vermont."

(Sneyd) Salmon says there’s no politics involved.

(Salmon) "It’s only in Vermont. I think that in Vermont you need to try to have a good working relationship with everybody. It’s essential in this state because you may or may not be working with them again at some point."

(Brock) "I’m certainly considering a lot of options. After all, we’re only 460-some days away from the next election."

(Sneyd) Brock says people have approached him about running for auditor – or for other offices.

But he says he doesn’t know what he’ll do.

For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.

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