Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Poultney's Green Mountain College, which closed in 2019, will have a new owner - none other than the founder of Shoreham-based WhistlePig Whiskey, Raj Peter Bhakta. Bhakta’s winning bid today was $4.55 million. With a 10 percent buyer’s premium, the deal is valued at just over $5 million. Bhakta was one of three on-site bidders, with a couple more remote. The bidding began at $3 million, the so-called stalking horse bid that had been received and accepted well in advance of the auction.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan today joined a multistate coalition in filing a federal lawsuit challenging planned operational changes at the US Postal Service. The Postal Service’s sudden and unilateral changes deprived states of their procedural right to comment on such changes before implementation. The coalition argues that cuts at the Postal Service that impact mail service nationwide—eliminating staff overtime, altering operations at state distribution centers, and removing mail sorting equipment—cannot be lawfully implemented without a public notice and comment period.

Vermont Business Magazine Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Tuesday called on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to further delay the agency’s scheduled furlough of 13,000 public servants from August 30 to the end of the fiscal year. The action affects 1,109 Vermonters who earlier had received furlough notices effective August 3. ​

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Representative Peter Welch (D), Governor Phil Scott (R) and officials from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) announced Tuesday that 14 Vermont organizations will receive more than $4.4 million in federal grants to promote economic development across the Green Mountain State. Funds will help local communities build out fiber optic broadband networks, facilitate new infrastructure development, bolster Vermont’s outdoor recreation and forest economies and invest in the state’s arts and cultural organizations.

​Vermont Business Magazine writer Bruce Edwards queried developer Don Sinex about his plans for Burlington’s CityPlace project. Sinex and his company Devonwood Investors LLC has once again taken control of the project after partner and lead developer Brookfield Properties informed Mayor Weinberger in July that it was pulling out of the project. Sinex spoke about restarting the project with no hotel, less office space, including for the hospital, but with more housing. He also spoke about the involvement with the city and particular Weinberger, who has been critical of the developers.

Vermont Business Magazine In its 30th Annual Lamplighter Awards, The New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) honored Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) with a total of three awards for their work in healthcare marketing.

The Lamplighters were established to showcase and honor excellence in healthcare communications throughout the New England region. The 2020 competition totaled 282 entries which were judged by other healthcare marketing societies across the country.

BMH received two Bronze awards for Excellence in Writing and Excellence in Publications for their special Year in Review 2019 edition of the Healthwise Magazine printed by Howard Printing of Brattleboro. “Designing the special edition of our bi-annual magazine allowed us to share a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how our hospital operates, highlighting the dedication of our staff members in a special way,” noted Maeve Shaughnessy, Marketing & Communications Manager.

Vermont Business Magazine Esri, the California-based global leader in location intelligence, has announced that partner company Axiomatic LLC has been chosen by the Vermont Department of Taxes to develop a new statewide platform for managing property tax administration, equalization, and oversight. The new system is expected to improve awareness and outcomes of property tax processes.

Vermont Business Magazine New research from the University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies (CRS) finds that three months into Governor Phil Scott's “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, Vermonters experienced increased loneliness, but less stress about their personal finances and greater confidence in local government than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 528 Essex Road in Williston has accepted a large donation of brand new, highly efficient, hydronic panel radiators straight from the manufacturer. The units are steel paneled and provide both radiant and convective heat, and are well suited for both standard-efficiency and condensing boilers.

Vermont Business Magazine The Montpelier Development Corporation and the Montpelier Foundation have distributed more than $200,000 under the auspices of the Montpelier Economic Need and Distress (MEND) Fund to 74 businesses within Montpelier’s downtown. Grant awards ranged from $1000-$5000. The MEND Fund was created to respond to the burden faced by storefront businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the State of Vermont’s subsequent ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ order. Collectively, corporate donors Union Mutual, Vermont Mutual, National Life, Northfield Savings Bank, and Noyle W. Johnson, along with local individual donors including Susan Ritz, contributed over $200,000. MEND grants are intended to assist with business recovery and revitalization efforts during this time of unprecedented economic hardship.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Public Utility Commission has extended the moratorium on involuntary utility disconnections on ratepayers until September 30. It was instituted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Phil Scott has announced $8 million in available grant funding to assist Vermonters with overdue utility bills as a result of economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on Friday announced that the COVID-19 State of Emergency has been extended to September 15, 2020, as well as additional local discretion for gathering size limits and liquor sales. The latest order enables cities and towns to enact stricter local limits for gathering sizes than those established by the State. Municipalities may also mandate shorter hours for the sale of alcohol by bars and clubs than those set forth by the Department of Liquor and Lottery.