Power of Attorney

Know  all  by  these  presents,  that  the  undersigned  Patrick S. Robins, (the
"Reporting  Person")  hereby  constitutes  and appoints each of Jodi L. Bachand,
Jamie  Oberle  and  Thomas  J. Meshako as the Reporting Person's true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the Reporting Person, in the Reporting Person's
capacity as a reporting person pursuant to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"), and the rules thereunder of
Merchants  Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act;

(2)  do  and  perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the Reporting Person
which  may  be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4
or  5  and  timely file such form with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)  take  any  other  action  of  any  type  whatsoever  in connection with the
foregoing  which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in  the best interest of, or legally required by, the Reporting Person, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
Reporting  pursuant  to  this  Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain  such  terms  and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in her
discretion.

The  Reporting Person hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority  to  do  and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary,  or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein  granted,  as  fully  to all intents and purposes as the Reporting Person
might  or  could  do  if  personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation,  hereby  ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or
such  attorney-in-facts substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to
be done by the virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted. The Reporting Person acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in  serving  in  such  capacity  at the request of the Reporting Person, are not
assuming,   nor   is   the  Company  assuming  any  of  the  Reporting  Persons'
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the Reporting
Person  is  no  longer  required  to  file  Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the
Reporting  Person's  holdings  of  and  transactions in securities issued by the
Company,  unless  earlier  revoked  by  the Reporting Person in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorney-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Reporting Person has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 23rd day of July, 2015.

/s/ Patrick S. Robins
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Patrick S. Robins