Vermont Public Television will keep its federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the station's board announced today.
The board's audit committee chairman, Tom Pelletier, said in a statement that CPB had informed Vermont Public Television that its funding was safe.
I am pleased to report that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting notified us earlier this week of its decision to restore Vermont Public Television’s eligibility, effective immediately, for federal Community Service Grant funding. As a practical matter, this means that VPT may resume spending any unexpended CSG funds, and that it will also receive additional federal funding for FY2014. This is, of course, welcome news for VPT, and we are grateful for CPB’s continued support of VPT. We will continue to cooperate fully with the CPB Office of Inspector General as they conclude their review.
The clearance from CPB comes after months of turmoil for the station, which started on Christmas Eve, 2013, when an anonymous complaint to CPB alleged that VPT's board had violated open meeting rules by holding meetings without first informing the public.
An internal audit by Pellitier's committee found that none of the meetings in question were required to be warned in advance because all of them were properly closed under federal rules. The audit found, however, that VPT's board did violate open meeting rules by not posting publicly about the meetings after the fact.
Pelletier's announcement did not explain the decision by CPB to keep funding the station, but indicated that the corporation's outside investigation of VPT is wrapping up.
