Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump to acquire federal funds to assist six Vermont counties in repairing public infrastructure damaged in floods on April 15, 2019. Communities and public entities in Bennington, Essex, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor counties sustained damage exceeding the minimum threshold for federal disaster assistance eligibility.

A Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) by the State of Vermont and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) validated more than $2 million in public infrastructure damage statewide, far exceeding the $1 million statewide minimum required for Major Disaster Declaration consideration. Each of the six counties in the declaration request also exceeded the $3.78 county per capita threshold to qualify communities and public entities for assistance.

Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (“VPPSA”) and Encore Renewable Energy announced today the completion of their 855 kilowatt (kW) Trombley Hill Solar project, the first developed under their partnership formed last year. Sited on property owned by Morrisville Water and Light, it is the first utility project to come online under Vermont’s Standard Offer program in 2019. 

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) is pleased to honor three outstanding individuals and organizations who are leading by outstanding example, and developing successful socially responsible business models. Our 18^th Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner will recognize Bram Kleppner, CEO at Danforth, with the Terry Ehrich Award for Lifetime Achievement. The VBSR Innovation and Inspiration Award will be given to Windham Grows, and the VBSR Young Changemaker Award will be given to Dan Hock, Programs Director of Old Spokes Home.

The Board of Trustees for the Vermont State Colleges System today voted to roll back a planned 3 percent tuition increase to 1 percent, following an increased investment of State funding, proposed by Governor Phil Scott and supported by the Vermont Legislature.

“Having the nation’s best cradle to career education system will be the very best economic development tool we could have. To get there, we must continue to expand investments in early care and learning as well as higher education. This is why I’ve proposed increased investment in both areas and I’m thankful for the Legislature’s partnership on many of these initiatives.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Chemistry Council issued the following statement urging Governor Phil Scott (R-VT) to veto S.113 that bans single-use plastics, including polystyrene packaging products (this statement is attributable to Adam S. Peer, Senior Director, Packaging, Plastics Division):

Vermont Business Magazine Brothers and co-owners Jason and Shaun Patnaude announced that they have sold their mechanical and building automation contracting company to their employees in Vt., N.H., and N.Y. The sale is partly intended to attract more employee-owners to fast-growing Alliance Group, which provides heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and building automation services and support.

“The reason why we’ve been successful has been customer service, care, and engagement from our hard-working team,” said Jason Patnaude, the older brother and President of Alliance Group. “We’re betting that as an employee owned company, we will have an even greater opportunity to build even longer relationships with our employees, customers and our community.”

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement in reaction to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s statement earlier today.  Welch is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

“Robert Mueller’s statement today underscores the urgent need for Congress to thoroughly investigate Russian interference in our elections as well as actions taken by the President and his associates to thwart the Special Counsel’s investigation. And it sheds further light on the disgraceful lengths Attorney General Barr has gone to protect the President rather than our country. In spite of the President’s determined effort to mislead the American people and stonewall Congress, we will follow the facts wherever they lead us.” 

Every baby born in the Women’s & Children’s Unit at Rutland Regional Medical Center creates a buzz and plenty of excitement but babies born on May 29 receive an extra gift. Thanks to a partnership between the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems and Vermont Student Assistance Corp., babies born on national 529 Day received a $100 deposit into a college savings account.

This year, a total of five babies were born May 29 at Rutland Regional Medical Center and will receive the $100 savings account. Additionally, all 5/29 families throughout Vermont that submit a completed form by August 29 will be included in a drawing for an additional $529 contribution.

Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest mountain resort in Eastern North America and a POWDR company, announced that June 2, 2019 will be the final operating day of the 2018/19 winter season making it the longest ski and snowboard season in Eastern North America. The last time Killington offered lift serviced skiing in June was 2017 and in 2002 prior to that. 
The Superstar Express Quad will spin 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday, May 31 and 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2. Lift tickets will be $30* for all ages each day. Complimentary commemorative t-shirts will be available to the first 500 guests to load Superstar Express on June 1, and the Roaring Brook Umbrella Bar will feature live music, free Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream for about 500 people starting at 3:00 p.m., an outdoor grill and views of the ski and snowboard action all day.

Attorney General T. J. Donovan and U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan announced today that eight men were arrested in mid-May for possession/promotion of child pornography. The arrests were made as a result of Operation Bada Bing. Operation Bada Bing, which was conducted by Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (H S I) involved executing search warrants on several residences during the week of May 13^th based on CyberTips that were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. These CyberTips are typically generated by Internet Service Providers or social media platforms whenever they detect suspected child sexual exploitation material on their networks. These CyberTips are in turn sent to local ICAC task forces throughout the country.  

Operation Bada Bing culminated in the arrest of the following individuals:

Vermont Business Magazine Tuition for Vermont undergraduates in the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) will only increase by 1% this fall, thanks to a boost in state funding promoted by Governor Scott and advanced by the Legislature.

$2.5 million in new state support for the VSCS will reduce a 3% tuition increase for undergraduate Vermont students that was scheduled to go into effect for the fall semester. 

“We sincerely appreciate the recognition of our important role in Vermont.  We are especially grateful on behalf of our students, for whom college will cost a bit less next year,” said Chancellor Jeb Spaulding.

Company Credits Employee Empowerment with Record Profits

Vermont Business Magazine Woman-owned Nutty Steph’s announced that they have become an employee-owned cooperative as of April 1 of this year. The company says the change has fueled the chocolate and granola company’s profits, a shift that began in the months leading to its becoming a coop.

“The difference is stunning,” said Jaquelyne Rieke, Nutty Steph’s cofounder. “We were breaking even for the last nine years, and as soon as we had four people willing to embrace the employee-ownership path, everyone, including the entire business, perked up. Sales and profits are up, because everyone’s more empowered.”

“I was surprised how easy it is,” added Rieke, “I was speaking with another family-owned business who imagined all of these barriers to becoming employee-owned. But after talking with us, now they’re going down the same path.”