Current News

Vermont Business Magazine President Obama announced plans to request full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in his FY17 budget request. This includes more than $1 million for the Silvio O Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (Connecticut/Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Vermont). According to theannouncement from the Department of Interior, in 2017, the President's budget calls for $900 million in conservation and recreation projects, through a combination of discretionary ($475 million) and mandatory ($425 million) funding, and pursues permanent authorization in annual mandatory funding beginning in FY18.  

National Wildlife Refuge Association President David Houghton had this to say:

Vermont Business Magazine. The facts on wasted food are staggering—Americans generated 37 million tons of food waste in 2013 alone, with only five percent diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting, according to US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA’s cost estimate of this waste is about $165 billion a year. 

Reducing, donating, and diverting wasted food offers multiple benefits for business, including savings from reduced commodities purchased and potential disposal cost reductions. Businesses receive recognition for their environmental action, potential access to tax credits through donation of wholesome food, along with additional community and social benefits through donation.

Vermont Business Magazine. Steven Judge, a well-known Micro Dairy farmer with over 50 years of experience in the dairy industry and founder of Bob-White Systems, has always been an advocate for environmentally responsible farming, community-based farms and farmers. He has turned that advocacy into a new campaign to support small farms in Vermont and ensure that new legislation, ACT 64, doesn’t put small farms out of business.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power filed a new report with the Vermont Public Service Board outlining the positive impact of the Company’s laser focus on reliability. The report shows decreased outages in 2015 and increased system reliability.

“Keeping the power on and restoring it quickly is one of the most important things we do for our customers,” said Mary Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer. “As Vermont’s Energy Company of the Future we are always focused on what we can do to improve reliability in an era of more erratic weather and an increasing number of storms all year long.”

As part of its reliability report, Green Mountain Power measures the number and length of outages. In 2015, customers saw the average time without power all year drop to 3.5 hours, significantly lower compared to a five year average of nine hours. Also in 2015 customers saw the average length of each outage decrease to less than two hours.

Vermont Business Magazine When I was first elected to public office at the age of 37, I was lucky enough to have a mentor, Tom Lehner, who had spent most of his career in public administration.  I first met him when I was a young law clerk to Supreme court Justice Louis Peck and he was the Court Administrator.  Tom took seriously the obligation of government to look out for all Vermonters – especially those who could not easily speak up for themselves. I remember how he would raise his eyebrows at me when I was about to move ahead without fully considering all of the unintended consequences of a decision. He would say, “Remember Deb, what you see will depend upon where you are sitting.”

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is seeking director candidates for three positions on the Board of Directors that will open in May of 2016. VEC's twelve-member board is responsible for setting policy for the member-owned electric distribution utility, which serves approximately 32,000 members in northern Vermont. Board members are elected by VEC members in their district or zone and are expected to represent the interests of the members.

"This is an exciting time to be involved with energy issues," said Christine Hallquist, CEO.  "Our Board plays a critical role in setting policy and direction for VEC's future. I encourage interested members to consider running for an open seat in their district."

Vermont Business Magazine VSECU, a credit union for everybody in Vermont, today announced a partnership with Vermont-based equity crowdfunding company Milk Money L3C, designed to empower entrepreneurialism and drive local business development.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Senate passed the Paid Sick Days Bill (H. 187) giving all Vermonters access to three paid sick days after they have worked a year. The bill excluded an amendment which would have exempted small businesses with five or fewer employees from the Paid Sick Days bill. Sen. Campion’s amendment was shelved by an amendment from Sen. Campbell, which calls for a survey of Vermont small businesses. The survey has a deadline for completion of January 15, 2017. The Senate narowly voted to substitute the Campion amendment with the Campbell amendment 15-14.

Below are reactions from Lt. Governor Phil Scott, Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas, House tMajority Leader and Paid Sick Days Coalition.

Lt. Governor Phil Scott 

Vermont Business Magazine Peisch & Company, LLP is proud to announce the acquisition of the public accounting practice Enman & Associates, P.C. a Vermont CPA firm established in 1987 by the sole owner Sandra K. Enman, CPA, CFP, CVA.

Sandy will work out of A.M. Peisch’s office in Colchester, VT and will be actively involved in smoothly transitioning her clients over the next couple of years. “After careful consideration, I selected a firm that would allow for a responsible succession plan; as well as an organization that possesses similar values, compatible fee structures, and a corresponding philosophy for doing business. A.M. Peisch’s emphasis on excellence and integrity was an important aspect of this decision. I am also thrilled that my new colleagues possess the capabilities to provide my clients with a wider array of services and a greater depth of expertise.”

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, asking him to use his existing authority to raise the minimum broadband speed that determines funding eligibility for the Farm Bill broadband loan program.

Leahy’s letter follows his successful inclusion of report language in the Fiscal Year 2016 Agriculture Appropriations bill directing USDA to implement the broadband provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill, including the authority to review and raise the minimum speed established by the bill.  Leahy is a leading member and a former chairman of the Agriculture Committee, which handled the Senate’s work in writing the Farm Bill.

Vermont Business Magazine The People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced today that it has awarded $20,000 to the Vermont Foodbank for the purchasing and distribution of food.

The Vermont Foodbank was founded in 1986 in response to an increased need for emergency food assistance among low-income households in central Vermont.  At that time, the Vermont Foodbank distributed to eight food shelves in the central Vermont area.  Today, there are 225 network partners statewide that receive food from the Vermont Foodbank for local distribution.

The grant brings the total amount awarded by People’s United Community Foundation to the organization to $120,000.