Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced the appointment of Katherine Schad as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Burlington. Katherine is currently serving as the Vice President of Project Support Services at Tetra Tech in Burlington, and will bring over 20 years of experience in operations, regulatory compliance, and financial and project management with global mission-driven organizations to the position. Mayor Weinberger will ask the City Council to confirm Katherine’s appointment at its meeting on January 21.

Vermont Business Magazine The State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is encouraging Vermonters to start the new decade with a commitment to trim “waste-lines.” Currently, the average Vermonter disposes over 1,300 pounds of trash per year. Over the next 5-years, the State and municipalities will help Vermonters bring the amount down to about 1,000 pounds each year. Small steps can make a difference in reaching this goal - like composting food scraps.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan today announced his office will take the lead in the prosecution of Leonard Forte of LaBelle, Florida. Forte is accused of felony sexual assault, and his trial has been delayed for more than 25 years. Assistant Attorney General Linda Purdy of the Office’s Criminal Division will lead the litigation team comprised of former Vermont Attorney General and Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Amestoy and Former Vermont Deputy Attorney General and Vermont Supreme Court Associate Justice Brian Burgess, who Attorney General Donovan has appointed as Special Assistant Attorneys General.

Vermont Business Magazine A winter storm approaching Vermont will bring ice accumulations that will likely pull down trees and snap branches over the weekend, causing power outages across VEC territory. GMP is also positioning crews to respond as quickly and safely as possible to potential outages. The icing is expected to begin in the early hours of Sunday. While icing is likely throughout northern Vermont, the greatest threat for heavier and more damaging accumulations will be in Chittenden, Grand Isle, and Franklin counties. Flooding could also occur.

In preparation for this and any storm, VEC urges members keep the following in mind:

· Plan for medical needs/devices. If someone in your home is dependent on electric-powered medical equipment, make sure you have a battery backup or make alternative arrangements to ensure their needs are met.

Vermont Business Magazine As expected, the manic nature of weekly unemployment claims continued last week. Claims fell by nearly a thousand last week. While this is typical for the post-holiday period, claims this year have been even more up-and-down than last year. Initial claims for the week of January 4, 2020, were 680, which is a more typical weekly number. They were down 967 from last week and 19 fewer than they were at this time last year.

Vermont Business Magazine GenNx360 Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, announced Thursday that its portfolio company, Miller Environmental Group Inc, a leading provider of environmental and emergency response services in the Eastern United States, has acquired Environmental Products & Services of Vermont, Inc. Headquartered in Syracuse, NY, EP&S is a leading provider of emergency response, remediation, and environmental services and operates across 17 service locations along the eastern seaboard from Vermont to Florida. MEG is majority-owned by New York-based GenNx360 Capital Partners, a leading private equity firm investing in industrial and business services companies, which invested in MEG in March 2019. The transaction closed on December 27, 2019. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Vermont Business Magazine After nearly a decade of work and with substantial public input, the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has completed the long-range management plan (LRMP) for Mt. Philo State Park. This plan will guide the long-term management and stewardship of the area’s natural resources and human use. Work on the Mt. Philo plan has been a lengthy process, during which several public input meetings were held and the plan underwent multiple revisions to incorporate public feedback.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) welcomes applications from Vermont agricultural and forestry businesses for Trade Show Assistance Grants. The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative has set aside $30,000 to be distributed on a first come first serve basis to support yearly marketing plans for Vermont businesses with reimbursement directly to Vermont businesses to exhibit at trade shows outside of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Bennington College has awarded three grants of $5,000 each to implement and support community-proposed initiatives that explore and expand food systems in Bennington county. Project proposals from Willy’s Variety Store, Shires Housing, and Project Against Violent Encounters (PAVE) were selected among applications from community members to Bennington College’s Community Resource and Strategy Fund. This fund supports catalyzing, collaborative projects that further understanding of local food systems and leverage innovative solutions to address food insecurity in Bennington County.

Vermont Business Magazine Last month, City Market offered its 22nd Annual COTS Tree Sale to benefit Vermont’s Committee on Temporary Shelter. City Market once again sold fresh balsams from Moffatt’s Tree Farm in Craftsbury, Vermont. The Co-op sold 662 trees starting on Wednesday, December 4 and the net proceeds were donated to COTS. City Market continued the “Buy a Tree, Plant a Tree” program for the second year in a row.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today delivered his 2020 State of the State address, calling for unity and collaborative leadership in making a difference in the lives of Vermonters across the state. But one minute into it, his speech was disrupted by climate change protesters. The "Extinction Rebellion" group called out swift action on saving the planet. The chanting, with included the refrain "Listen to the People" lasted 10 minutes. The governor patiently waited until it became clear the chanting had become circular and he asked them to now hear him. The call-and-response chants continued and Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman, who presided over the joint session of the Legislature in the Well of the House, called a recess and the protesters were peacefully removed.

Vermont Business Magazine Here are reactions to Governor Scott's State of the State Address delivered Thrusday afternoon at the State House in Montpelier. We publish them verbatim in the order in which they reached us.