Current News

The US Census Bureau is launching a nationwide operation to verify and update more than 145 million addresses as it prepares to conduct the 2010 Census. In Vermont, approximately 650 people will carry out the operation. It is the first publicly visible activity of the 2010 Census, and address-canvassing listers are expected to complete the canvassing by July 2.
Nationwide, more than 140,000 census workers will participate in the address- canvassing operation, a critically important first step in assuring that every housing unit receives a 2010 Census questionnaire in March 2010.
A complete and accurate address list is the cornerstone of a successful Census, said Kathleen Ludgate, regional director at the Boston Regional Census Center. Building on the achievements of the 2000 Census, we have been testing and preparing for the 2010 count all decade and we re ready to fulfill our Constitutional mandate to count everyone living in the United States.

Though some have called the 2008 economic situation bad enough to make it a historical pivot point for the world, 2009 is shaping up to be worse for Vermont, judging by the bankruptcy filings at the United States Bankruptcy Court in Rutland. In 2008, there were a total of 48 business bankruptcies and 1,218 consumer bankruptcies. If filings continue apace in 2009, business and consumer bankruptcies will total at 95 and 1,870, respectively. The bankruptcy filings for 2009 to date suggest that the national economic tsunami has reached levels high enough to have a strong effect on the Green Mountain State.

The Senate today passed S. 154, a bill that will fully fund the town highway aid payments in April 2009. The Douglas Administration and the Legislature had previously agreed to withhold half of the $3 million, quarterly payment because of the state's fiscal situation. The state's Transportation Fund revenues continue to sag. The Transportation Fund in March was $400,000 below its target. The reaction from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, which lobbies on behalf of municipalities, was unequivocally opposed to the cuts because it would force the towns to either cut highway projects or raise taxes.
Vermonters can not afford to let their local roads and bridges fall into a further state of disrepair or pay higher property taxes, said
Senator Mazza, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. By passing this bill, the Senate has ensured that town s will not be forced to defer construction maintenance or raise Vermonters property taxes.

Governor Jim Douglas joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today to announce a $6.2 million federal grant to rehabilitate a runway at Edward F. Knapp State Airport in Barre. The project is estimated to create 54 direct and indirect jobs. The funds were made available by the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Secretary LaHood was also joined by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Lt. Governor Brian Dubie.
This money will put people to work in Vermont while providing an important investment in airport safety. That means boosting the economy in the short term through job creation and sustaining economic recovery in the long-term by making airports more efficient and secure, said Sec. LaHood.

The Vermont Public Service Board on Thursday approved one of the largest wind power generating facilities in Vermont. The PSB issued a certificate of public good to Deerfield Wind LLC authorizing it to construct and operate a 15-turbine, 30-megawatt wind generation facility, and associated transmission and interconnection facilities, on approximately 80 acres in the Green Mountain National Forest, located in Searsburg and Readsboro. Seven turbines are to be placed on the east side of Route 8 on the same ridgeline as the existing Green Mountain Power Searsburg wind facility and eight turbines built along the ridgeline to the west of Route 8 in the northwesterly orientation.
GMP's Searsburg site is still the only commercially operating wind farm in Vermont. The eleven, 550-kilowatt wind turbines (6-megawatt) can provide enough electricity to supply 1,600 average Vermont households. It went online in July 1997.

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2009 was 7.2 percent, up one-tenth of a point from the revised February rate and up 2.6 points from a year ago. Unemployment rates for Vermont s 17 labor market areas ranged from 4.3 percent in Hartford to 12.1 percent in Newport. Local labor market area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. For comparison, the March unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 7.9 percent, up one-tenth of a point from February 2009 and up 2.9 points from a year ago. When seasonally adjusted, March job levels fell by 2,100 jobs or -0.7% from February and by 13,300 or -4.3% from March of 2008. Only Healthcare (+400 or 0.9%) and Education (+200 or 1.5%) showed seasonally adjusted increases in jobs over the month.

The International Center for Captive Insurance Education has announced a new series of accounting for captives online courses in May called "Accounting for Captives: Interpretation & Management Perspectives."

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Darn Tough Vermont has announced that their military issue flame resistant Merino wool boot sock is to be included in the recently awarded Fire Resistant Environmental Ensemble known as the FREE Clothing System. This is a multilayered, versatile, insulating system that is adaptable to varying mission requirements and environmental conditions.
This four year contract worth $1 Billion dollars was awarded to ADS Tactical of Virginia Beach, VA, Darn Tough Vermont s long time partner and distributor to the defense industry. In support of this contract Darn Tough Vermont and the Cabot Hosiery Mill will knit and provide the U.S. Army with their 100% U.S. sourced and manufactured Merino wool boot socks.

Teaming up with Green Up is a win-win-win. Vermont wins, Green Up wins and the team mate wins, reported Melinda Vieux, President of Green Up Vermont.
When Governor Deane Davis in 1970 proclaimed the first of its kind statewide clean-up, he was gratified by the resounding response to his call for a volunteer army of thousands of citizens to pick up roadside litter. Thirty-nine years later, Vermont s forces continue to mobilize, with more than 15,000 expected for Green Up Day, Saturday May 2.

Senate leadership today recommended over $14 million worth of savings in labor costs. The Senate is opposed to Governor Douglas proposal to lay off an additional three hundred and twenty employees and asks the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA) and the Douglas Administration to move forward with negotiations. Senate leadership has put forward the recommendations to the VSEA and the Administration and urges them to move forward with their negotiations. The Senate's recommendations include ten ongoing furlough days, freezing the cost-of-living increase and individual step increases in pay, cutting five media related administration positions, cutting private contracts and more. The full proposal is attached to this email.

Governor Jim Douglas announced today that up to $6 million dollars in lower-rate operating loans will be made available through VEDA for farmers struggling during the economic downturn.
The loans, provided through State Fiscal Stabilization Funds in the Recovery Act, will provide working capital to farmers as they enter the busy planting season in the midst of a national credit squeeze. Volatile energy and commodity prices have caused further concern for the agricultural community in recent months.
The Governor, joined by legislative leaders, praised the collaborative work of VEDA leadership and members of the House and Senate agricultural committees.
Farms and farm suppliers are a vital part of Vermont s economy and heritage, the Governor said, I m pleased that we were able to make these funds available so that we can continue to preserve our working landscape.

Camels Hump Middle School is well on its way to hosting a $500,000 solar installation that could serve as a statewide model for power generation and renewable energy education. Thanks in large part to federal funding secured by Senator Sanders and grants from the state's Clean Energy Development Fund and Green Mountain Power, the Chittenden East school district will convert the roof of the 37 year-old school into a 72kW solar array.
"In 1992, we were one of the first schools in Vermont to convert to biomass heating," said Chittenden East superintendent Jim Massingham. "We are looking forward to taking this next step in showing the way to greater efficiency and hope that our project will help make it easier for other schools to make the best use of their resources. Having a system like this operational on our campus will also provide an invaluable educational resource for our students."