Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Lisa Ventriss, President of Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR) and Jeffrey Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources (EPR), announced the Q4 2016 outlook results of their joint initiative, the VBR-EPR Business Conditions Survey. While the data are slightly more positive, especially in the hospitality industry, Vermont businesses are still concerned about labor shortages. Housing and health care costs also are seen as drags on the local economy.

Methodology
The quarterly survey is a tool for tracking business conditions and forecasting the future of Vermont’s economy, by providing insight into business sentiments and trends. Specifically, the survey provides both a look back at the previous quarter and a predictive index going forward.
The data for both the backward and forward-looking questions are weighted to the Vermont economy by sector employment and turned into “diffusion indices”.1

Vermont Business Magazine A national rating firm has determined that the Burlington ares is on of the best places in America for working women. SmartAsset has ranked the Burlington metro area as number five in the US. The Upper Valley area of New Hampshire ranked number 4. Those were the top two regions in the Northeast.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin and Governor-elect Phil Scott today issued the following statement on concerns raised by Vermonters following the presidential election and recent events across the state: "At this time of national discord, Vermont can present a united voice urging compassion, commitment to community, and fierce dedication to equal rights and justice. The example we set for the nation can help guide us forward through this turbulent time.

by Libby Weiland, Vermont Community Garden Network Washington Electric Co-op (WEC) employees have been growing a garden at work since 2015. In conjunction with other employee wellness efforts, they use produce from the garden for shared lunches, at work tastings, and seminars on cooking and nutrition. Employees say the garden encourages healthy habits.

Vermont Business Magazine Secretary of State Jim Condos chaired the statewide canvassing committee for the General Election at 128 State Street, Montpelier on Tuesday. This Canvass is to certify the votes for the November 8 General Election as reported to the Secretary of State. The statewide canvassing committee is set by state law and is composed of the Secretary of State and the chair of the state committee of each major political party or his/her designee. Although the Canvass only requires statewide results, the committee is provided town by town vote counts as well as county and statewide total vote counts.

"Voting is at the very basis of our democracy and every vote counts," Condos said.

In attendance this morning were Condos; Conor Casey, designee for Dottie Deans, Democratic Party Chair; Josh Wronski, designee for Emma Mulvaney Stanak, Progressive Party Chair; and Jeff Bartley, designee for David Sunderland, Republican Party Chair.

Vermont Business Magazine A multifaceted approach to sustainability including environmentally friendlier laundry facilities and controlling pests with beneficial insects has earned Wake Robin, nonprofit life care community in Shelburne, a prestigious environmental wellness award. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) is pleased to announce that the 2016 winner of the ICAA Innovators Green Award is the older-adult community of Wake Robin. The community received the award for its Energy Use and Consumption Plan. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today is national Utilities United Against Scams Day, when utilities across the country warn customers about bill payment phone scams. Vermont’s three largest utilities are joining together to alert customers that scammers regularly make calls threatening disconnection if payment is not made immediately, and those calls have increased recently. One customer ran into GMP’s office today after receiving such a call, alarmed that his restaurant might be disconnected while serving lunch.

“We would never make a call threatening immediate disconnection if credit card information is not given immediately,” said Dorothy Schnure, spokesperson for Green Mountain Power. “We work with customers who are having difficulty paying a bill. If a customer has any doubt about the legitimacy of a call, we encourage them to hang up and call our listed number for any questions about their account status.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce announced on November 15, 2016 at their Annual Meeting (sponsored by GE-Aviation) that Greg Cox of Boardman Hill Farm, Vermont Farmers Food Center and Vermont Farmers Market is the Chamber's 2016 Business Person of the Year. Cox has been a farmer for 40 years and in 2007 helped to transform the Vermont Farmer’s Market to a year round market.  He is one of the visionaries behind the Vermont Farmers Food Center, which he says “it’s not just because of me; I can’t do this by myself”.  Cox also mentors new farmers at his Boardman Hill Farm, giving them space (free of charge) to learn how to produce food and guides them in the process. He feels we need to “own our own food future”.

Vermont Business Magazine Seven Days is expanding its news team in anticipation of the upcoming legislative session. The moves include the promotion of Paul Heintz and Alicia Freese and an expanded role for former Burlington Free Press reporter Candace Page.

Vermont Business Magazine - Gov. Peter Shumlin has appointed long-time health care advisor Robin Lunge to the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), replacing Dr. Allan Ramsay whose term expired September 30, 2016. Lunge will serve a six-year term, beginning November 28, 2016. Lunge has a deep knowledge of federal and Vermont health care law and policy and has been at the forefront of many of Vermont’s health care reform efforts.

Robin Lunge April 2014. VBM photo.

Vermont Business Magazine - The U.S. government recently expanded its Historically Underutilized Business Zones program in Vermont. The HUBZone program assists small businesses gain preferential access to federal contracts due to limited economic development in rural communities.

The SBA changed its regulations to implement certain sections of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.  Among other things, these sections expanded the definition of "base closure area" under the HUBZone program.  As a result, Addison, Bennington, Orange, Rutland, Windsor and Windham counties have been designated as HUBZone due to the 2011 closures of Courcelle Brothers U.S. Army Reserve Command in Rutland and Chester, Vt.

Orleans County is an existing HUBZone based on unemployment data, and Essex County continues to be designated as a HUBZone based on and income and unemployment data.

Vermont Business Magazine - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday morning met with his staff to inform them of his decision about the Senate committee on which he has chosen to serve as Ranking Member in the new115^th Congress, which convenes in January.  Leahy has the most seniority of all members of the Senate and currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee.  Leahy has chosen to serve as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee in the new Congress (in the Appropriations Committee, the title of the post is “Vice Chairman”).  Leahy will continue to have the most seniority overall on all the committees on which he serves: Appropriations, Judiciary, and Agriculture.

Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)