Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting 132 new cases of COVID-19. Based on a deeper review and totality of the facts, Moderna determined none of the doses at Springfield Hospital were impacted by temperature inconsistencies and can be used with full public confidence.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources electric bus pilot program has moved into its next phase. The participating school districts and transit agency have selected their buses, which are due to arrive in Vermont at the end of this year. In December 2019, Barre Unified Union School District in partnership with their bus contractor, Student Transportation of America (STA); Champlain Valley School District; Franklin West Supervisory Union; and Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD), were chosen from a competitive pool of applicants to receive Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust funds to test the use of electric buses in Vermont. Each electric bus vendor was selected through a competitive process in the fall of 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine In 2021 the Vermont Legislature and taxpayers will face a number of important fiscal matters, including the need to deal with a general fund revenue shortfall and increasing demands for public services that result from the COVID-19 economic downturn. In this challenging environment, the following statement of support conveys the urgency with which the Vermont Business Roundtable believes investments in Ages 0-5 should be addressed by stakeholders.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich Solar Technologies (NST) has launched its Small Business Community Solar Alliance (Small Biz CSA) throughout northern New England focused on helping small businesses recover from the devastating impacts of COVID 19.

Norwich Solar Technologies CEO Jim Merriam said, “Small businesses are hurting across Northern New England, and we all want to do our part to help them come back strong. Using the savings solar can provide, Norwich Solar can help small businesses reduce the energy expenses and recover faster.”

NST’s Small Biz CSA requires no upfront costs and has no operations and maintenance expenses. Businesses simply sign up and save.

By becoming a Member of the Small Biz CSA, small business owners are also helping support other small businesses that are engaged in engineering, designing, and constructing these projects. With more energy dollars circulating within the state the whole local economy benefits.

by Don Turner 2021 marks 25-years since then-Treasurer Jim Douglas recommended that the state change its trajectory from costly "defined benefit" retirement plans for state employees and teachers to "defined contribution" plans. Eleven years ago, in 2009, a special commission suggested a consideration of this same idea. I have previously written about our pressing need to consider a defined contribution option, as well as the "sleeping giant" of our unfunded liabilities. Unfortunately, since the time I wrote my opeds in 2019, Vermont's unfunded liabilities have ballooned from $4.5 billion to more than $5 billion.

by Julie Lowell, Public Assets Institute The president is calling for unity, as the transfer of presidential power in Washington has been anything but peaceful over the past few months. Here in Vermont the soon to be released Tax Structure Commission’s report provides a real-world example of what united policy development looks like. The Commission’s recommendations include changes to the education tax system; the sales tax base; income taxes; public benefit programs; telecommunications taxes; climate policy; and collaboration with other states. In the draft, they recommend, among other things, replacing the property tax with an income tax to fund public education, and broadening (including to groceries) and lowering the sales tax.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) cautions Vermonters about the significant risks associated with investing in publicly traded companies that are experiencing extreme price volatility due to stock speculation. DFR’s warning comes in light of the stock price volatility experienced over the past few weeks by GameStop Corporation, whose shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

Vermont Business Magazine Most New Englanders have seen ice shanties on frozen lakes, but few, if any, have seen an ice shanty shaped like a fish—not to mention a stovepipe hat, a wishing well, or a wedge of cheese. The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Retreat Farm present all this and more in the inaugural Artful Ice Shanties Design-Build Competition, an outdoor celebration of the delightful possibilities of winter. Over a dozen artistic and ingenious ice shanties will be on view at Retreat Farm from February 13 to 28.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) is seeking petitions from eligible candidates for three seats on the board of directors that are up for election in May. In order to run for the board, a candidate must be a VEC member and may not be employed by the cooperative. Candidates must have a principal resi­dence within VEC service territory that is also in the district they are running to represent. Directors are elected to serve four-year terms.

by Jared Duval, Executive Director, Energy Action Network One thing the pandemic has underscored is the critical importance of acting swiftly on the best available data and evidence. Ignoring warnings, whether from public health experts or climate scientists, makes future options more limited, costly, and painful—and less effective. As scientists make clearer every year, the climate crisis is real, getting worse, and profoundly threatening to lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems around the world. The consequences—from severe storm damage, sea-level rise, flooding, drought, and the spread of disease— impact us all. This global emergency requires each of us to do everything we can to hasten the transition off of fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College has become the first Vermont higher education institution to work with a federal wetlands easement program in the long-term preservation of natural habitat, reducing harmful phosphorus runoff into Lake Champlain and supporting educational and research programs in the College’s increasingly popular and active Natural Area across Route 15 from the main campus.

Vermont Business Magazine South Burlington-based iSun has been selected by competitive bid to provide its innovative solar EV carport, rooftop and ground-mount technologies to the Meriden Housing Authority for two locations in Bristol, CT. Provides renewable energy and clean mobility to former schools converted into low- and medium-income housing. Will produce sufficient annual power to provide 100% equivalent of the tenants’ power needs.