Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the availability of a new round of funding through the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Communities Grant Program to help Vermont communities use outdoor recreation opportunities to grow their local economies. The program will again award grants ranging from $10,000 to $200,000 to Vermont towns, villages or cities to support development of “outdoor recreation friendly” communities.

“This program has already demonstrated great success with high levels of interest in the last round of funding and positive feedback from communities around the state,” said Governor Scott. “I appreciate the work of the VOREC Steering Committee, my teams at the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, and the legislature for supporting this program to strengthen outdoor recreation-based economic development.”

Vermont Business Magazine DealerPolicy in Williston, Vermont, has won a 2019 Agent for the Future Award from Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance. The Agent for the Future Award recognizes independent agencies that are adapting to meet the changing needs of customers and driving the independent agent channel forward.

The Agent for the Future Award recognizes DealerPolicy for their commitment to innovation, growth and advancement.

"DealerPolicy is very pleased to be honored with the Agent for the Future Award from Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance. We are dedicated to best in class customer service and we're making revolutionary technology changes in the insurance space.  We're excited that our focus on growth and change is being recognized," said Jeff Mongeon, President. 

by Don Turner Our education funding system is broken. We all know it. Ever since the passage of Act 60 in 1997 and Act 68 in 2003, Vermonters have been perpetually frustrated with our education financing system. And for good reasons. Vermont has the second highest property tax burden in the nation. Marry that with a declining student population and wild inequality in educational opportunities and outcomes between different regions in the state.

Vermont Business Magazine ACLU of Vermont client Brian Croteau Sr has reached a settlement with the City of Burlington in his federal lawsuit challenging the City’s policy of confiscating and destroying the property of homeless residents in violation of their constitutional rights. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Burlington agreed to policy changes that require it to advise individuals of the specific reason their sheltering site is being considered for removal, provide an opportunity to object to that removal, give adequate notice before taking property from sheltering sites, and store that property for at least 30 days. In addition, Burlington agreed to pay Croteau $25,000 and mediation costs to resolve the case.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont-based Runamok Maple, the makers of infused maple syrups that take the ultimate breakfast topping to a new level. These syrups are a Sunday morning pancake breakfast must but also a great cocktail ingredient, baking sweetener and can even be used as part of a meat marinade, the possibilities are endless.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan will moderate a public panel discussion on the topic of a regulated, commercial cannabis market at Contois Auditorium in Burlington on Thursday, December 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The purpose of the panel is to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by our neighbors in Massachusetts and Maine as they prepared for regulated markets for commercial cannabis in their states, and the lessons Vermont can learn as we prepare for the upcoming legislative session in January.

“Vermont has created a legal limbo by legalizing possession of cannabis but remaining silent on how Vermonters obtain it,” said Attorney General Donovan. “This lack of clarity has raised issues for law enforcement, public health, and consumer protection. Vermont can learn from other states’ experiences and make informed decisions on how best to create a regulated market this upcoming legislative session.”

Vermont Business Magazine Elizabeth Novotny, Esq, of Chittenden County became President of the Vermont Bar Association during the Vermont Bar Association's annual meeting on September 27, 2019. In Novotny's remarks to the membership, she praised the deep commitment of Vermont lawyers to public service and underrepresented communities, citing a recent American Bar Association Survey and Report on the Pro Bono Work of America's Lawyers that determined, among the states participating in the survey:

Vermont Business Magazine Acting Commissioner of Taxes Craig Bolio has released the statutorily required education tax rate letter which forecasts the education tax yields for resident homeowners and the nonhomestead tax rate (formerly called “nonresidential”) for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2021.

Using statutorily prescribed calculations, the Agency of Education, Department of Taxes, Department of Finance and Management, and Joint Fiscal Office collaborate to establish the yields and rate.

The forecasted FY21 homestead property yield is $10,883 compared to $10,648 for FY20 (the current property tax year). The forecasted FY21 income yield is $13,396 compared to $13,081 for FY20 and impacts credit claims submitted in the spring of 2021. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) announced a $1.8 million settlement with Companion Life Insurance Company, of South Carolina, for selling unapproved and inadequate student health insurance policies to students at 10 Vermont higher education institutions. The penalty component of the settlement is the largest ever ordered by DFR against an insurance company. 

Vermont Business Magazine After serving as the Executive Director for Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) for 14 years, Jane Campbell will be resigning her position to embark on the next chapter of her career. Campbell served as Executive Director of VBSR from 1992 - 2002, then returned to lead the organization in February of 2016 (during the period of 2002-2015, Campbell was the Executive Director of Copley Hospital Foundation and Development Director of the Vermont Historical Society). She will continue to work closely with the staff and Executive Committee of VBSR to plan for a smooth leadership transition.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermonters participate in Giving Tuesday and share their generosity, they should be mindful of charity scams. With the increase in donation requests this time of year, consumers should take the time they need to research a charity before they generously give. The Vermont Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program can help Vermonters avoid common charity scams by offering tips to help consumers before they answer the phone, mail a check, or submit an online gift. 

“Giving Tuesday is a great day to give, but given the prevalence of scams I want Vermonters to make sure they don’t get ripped off,” said Attorney General Donovan. “If you get a call, letter, or email pressuring you to donate, make sure you are asking questions about how your donation will be used. When in doubt, contact the Consumer Assistance Program for more information.”

by Charlotte Albright/Dartmouth Traditionally, when students are tested on a subject, they use paper and pencil, or perhaps a computer, to demonstrate what they have learned. But what if brain scans could show them in the act of acquiring knowledge and then applying it to questions and problems? That's the question driving research being done by David Kraemer, assistant professor of education and a graduate adviser in psychological brain sciences, with his team of graduate and undergraduate students at the Dartmouth Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning Laboratory in the Department of Education.