Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain Housing Trust’s Board of Directors announced today that CEO Brenda Torpy will step down at the end of 2020 after leading the organization for nearly 30 years, and that current Chief Operating and Financial Officer Michael Monte will be hired as its next CEO beginning in January 2021. Torpy was a founding member of the organization over 35 years ago when she worked in the office of Mayor Bernie Sanders and its first Board President. In these roles she was trailblazer for a new type of affordable housing called a Community Land Trust, which grew locally and more recently, across the globe. CHT is the largest Community Land Trust in the world.

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today released its review of Marlboro College’s proposed disposition of assets to Emerson College and campus sale to Democracy Builders. The AGO’s review, issued as a notice of non-objection, found that the proposed transactions are consistent with relevant state laws governing charitable nonprofits and their assets. The AGO acknowledged that Marlboro College’s impending closure is an occasion of significant and challenging import for many of the College’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as community members of Marlboro.

Vermont Business Magazine The country’s oldest flour company is now King Arthur Baking Company. The rebrand of King Arthur Flour reflects what the company has always been: a company of bakers who believe in the power of baking to forge community and bring joy. The new logo, which features a wheat crown, celebrates the brand’s commitment to baking. Since its start in 1790, King Arthur has evolved from America’s first flour company to the leading baking resource, providing bakers with hundreds of ingredients, baking mixes, and tools, and a thousands-strong library of free recipes and resources. In recent months, baking has become a national pastime, with 80 percent of infrequent bakers – those who previously baked a few times a year - now baking at least a few times a month.

Vermont Business Magazine Chris Cole, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services, will be leaving State service on August 21. Cole was originally appointed by Governor Shumlin as Director of Policy, Planning and Intermodal Development at the Vermont Agency of Transportation and was appointed to lead the Agency as Secretary in 2015. In 2017, Cole was tapped by Governor Scott to head up BGS.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced his issuance of a Directive pursuant to Act 92 and Act 135 of 2020 which puts in place several temporary procedures to ensure Vermonters can vote safely and confidently in the 2020 elections, including mailing every active registered voter a ballot for the November General Election. Other provisions include not allowing a candidate or a paid staff member to return ballots of unrelated voters and for the allowance of early processing of ballots by the Clerks.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) approved $6.4 million in new financing for Vermont businesses and farms in the quarter ended June 30. The Authority also approved an additional $11.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for 268 Vermont businesses throughout the state and across a variety of industries. PPP was established by the CARES Act and is implemented by the US Small Business Administration (SBA). PPP supports small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis with forgivable loans to pay payroll and operating costs.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos last week explained the just-implemented process of universal mail-in voting and the enthusiastic response to it. The number of requests for mail-in ballots is far exceeding the state’s experience with absentee ballots by more than 12-fold. But those who still want to go to the polling place to vote in-person will still be able to for the primaries in August and the general election in November. As of Monday morning, there have been 108,721 requests. Requests have now surpassed total votes cast for the 2018 Primary elections.

Vermont Department of Health Thirty-five of 63 people with a positive antigen test for COVID-19 reported to the Health Department by Manchester Medical Center since July 10 have had a PCR test. Of those 35, 33 were negative and 2 were positive by PCR test.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health continues to investigate 63 positive antigen cases tested in Manchester. The VDH as of Sunday had been able to confirm only two of those cases of 33 tested. The antigen test is a new one. The VDH only counts cases as a positive test if confirmed by a PCR test. According to Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine, the antigen test offers a rapid response and is useful for general screening but the VDH so far is not using them as its primary platform. As of Sunday morning, there were 12 new cases of COVID-19 spread across the state and 16 since Friday for a statewide total of 1,350. Deaths associated with COVID-19 are holding at 56 as they have for over a month. Meanwhile, 82,500 people have been tested.

Agency of Commerce & Community Development In the days and weeks to come we will work to restart Vermont’s economy in the wake of COVID-19. Understanding the need to restart the economy as soon as possible and improve our overall social wellbeing, we cannot allow for a resurgence of COVID-19 that would undermine or lose the important public health outcomes achieved to date.  Our work to transition Vermont out from under the Stay Home order swiftly and responsibly will take just as much effort and goodwill as we have all expended in recent weeks. Working closely with the Health Department, the State Emergency Operations Center, and dedicated professionals across State government, we have developed, and will continue to refine, critical steps to ensure the health and safety of Vermonters and the continuity of our healthcare system.

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Passing Of John Lewis

John Lewis was an American hero among us, a lodestar who drew us closer to our ideals. He was a dear friend and mentor to me on civil rights and so much else.

I felt honored when he called me his brother and when he came to Vermont last year for a night at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington that none of us will forget. Our work together on the bill to restore the Voting Rights Act that I’ve introduced in the Senate, as John and others have done in the House, has also generated such profound and lifelong memories.

This loss is felt so deeply by Marcelle and me and by so many in Vermont and across our nation.

Vermont Business Magazine An economic relief grant program has been announced which will provide grants of $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 to qualifying sole proprietors through a lottery draw. The program is funded through $1.5 million from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s CDBG Program, and passed through ACCD. The application window will open Monday, July 20, 2020 and grants will be awarded through a lottery system on August 14, 2020. And while $33 million in grant awards were paid to Vermont businesses through the Department of Taxes this week, grant payments from ACCD are expected to go out starting next week. There is still money available and time remains to apply. Grants are worth up to $50,000 for businesses and nonprofits.