Current News

Vermont Business MagazineThe state is expecting the statewide school property tax rate to increase over 7 percent next year, which amounts to $235 on a $250,000 home. This equates to a9.4 cent average increase in education property tax rates, which is being driven by an anticipated 3.52 percent increase ($47.5 million) in education spending statewide. The much smaller municipal property tax rate is set by the local cities and towns in March.

Commissioner of Taxes Kaj Samsom on Thursday released his annual education tax rate letter, which forecasts the education tax yields for resident homeowners and the nonresidential tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2019, using statutorily required calculations. The Agency of Education, Department of Taxes, Department of Finance and Management, and Joint Fiscal Office collaborate to establish the yields and rate as part of the statutory obligation.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Watershed Grants Program is now accepting applications for projects that protect, restore and enhance the state's lakes, streams, rivers and ponds, including Vermonters' ability to understand and enjoy these treasures. Applications are due no later than Monday, January 15, 2018. Program grants are available to municipalities, local and regional government agencies, sporting clubs, non-profit organizations, and water-related citizen groups. The range of past projects is just as diverse, and has included invasive species education, shoreline vegetation restoration, and the removal of old dams and replacement of culverts to improve fish movement.

For the 2018, $85,000 is available to fund three categories of projects. The three categories and the maximum amount for each project type are: education and outreach ($5,000), planning, assessment, inventory, monitoring ($3,500) and on-the-ground implementation ($10,000).

Vermont Business Magazine The New England power system is expected to have the resources needed to meet consumer demand for electricity this winter, according to ISO New England, the operator of the region’s power system. However, power system operations could become challenging if demand is higher than projected, if the region loses a large generator, electricity imports are affected, or when natural gas pipeline constraints limit the fuel available to natural-gas-fired power plants. In those instances, the ISO could be required to implement special operating procedures to maintain reliability. total capacity is expected to be 10,000 megawatts greater than the historic peak demand set in 2004.

Vermont Business Magazine Gaz Métro, the parent company of Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas Systems, on Wednesdayrevealedits new identity, Énergir. Gaz Métro said in a statement that it’s a natural step for the company, which has diversified in the last decade. Québec’s primary natural gas distributor is now significantly invested in new and renewable energies, both locally and in the United States, where over half of its assets are located. Gaz Metro acquiredMaryland-based Standard Solar last March.

Gaz Metro Evolution

A decade ago, almost all its operations were related to natural gas. Today, nearly 45 percent of assets are in electricity production and distribution, and non-gas energy services. Much of that is through GMP, which owns or operates hydro, wind, and solar electric facilities. Énergir also recently acquired

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard resort in Eastern North America and part of the POWDR adventure lifestyle company, reports record-breaking crowds at the World Cup with more than 34,000 spectators over the weekend, while Germany’s Viktoria Robensberg won gold in giant slalom and Mikaela Shriffin won gold in slalom and silver in giant slalom.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Kelly MacLaury Pajala, of Londonderry, as Representative for the Windham-Bennington-Windsor District, serving the towns of Jamaica, Londonderry, Stratton, Weston and Winhall. Pajala, an Independent, will fill the vacancy left when Rep. Oliver Olsen (I-Londonderry) stepped down this month. Since 2012, she’s served as town clerk for the Town of Londonderry and for the three years prior to that, was the assistant town clerk in Weston. Pajala also owned her own business, Dancing Hands Creations.

Vermont Business Magazine John Ewing died last Sunday following a battle with bone marrow cancer. He was 85. The longtime resident of Burlington was a lawyer by training and was general counsel for Bank of Vermont (now KeyBank Vermont) before being named president in 1993. He then was appointed by Governor Dean as chairman of the Environmental Board in 1995 and served until 1998. He founded Smart Growth Vermont before it merged into the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Among many accolades as a lawyer, banker and environmentalist, he's a winner of the Arthur Gibb Award and helped found the ECHO Center in Burlington. Below are tributes from friends and colleagues as requested by VBM. His obit, which first ran in the Burlington Free Press, is at the end.

Scott Carpenter, SVP, Regional Manager, Wealth Management and Private Banking, People’s United Bank

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine John Ewing was a lawyer who eventually became a bank president, which is an unusual progression in the financial world. He’s best remembered today as an environmentalist. But John Ewing did not conform to the usual in any regard. He didn’t try to be a maverick and never raised his voice to be heard above the crowd. But people listened anyway. He simply was a man who loved his adopted state and wanted to do right by it.

Ewing, a longtime Burlington resident, died November 26 after a battle with bone marrow cancer at age 85.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Albans Town Educational Center hosted an event to celebrate their new 2089-panel solar array, the largest on any school in the state. The array will meet 100% of SATEC’s electricity needs, plus share extra production with the nearby Bellows Falls Academy, St Albans’ high school. Waterbury-based SunCommon is SATEC’s solar partner on the project.

The newly unified Maple Run Unified School District now includes both schools, making the shared solar array possible. The project will save the District approximately $400,000 with no initial capital cost to St. Albans taxpayers.

Vermont Business Magazine On Friday, the statewide nonprofit conservation organization, the Vermont Land Trust (VLT), will have a new president. Nick Richardson, most recently Vice President for Finance and Enterprise at VLT, will take the helm. Nick has been at VLT for more than five years and is recognized by the organization, partners and members for his creativity, hard work and passion for Vermont.

Vermont Business MagazineJoin the Vermont Woodlands Association on two Winter Tree Identification Walks this December. The first Tree ID Walk will be hosted at Merck Forest and Farmlandon Saturday, December 9^thfrom 1pm-3pm.The secondWinter Tree IdentificationWalk will be hosted at the One World Conservation Centeron Saturday, December 16^thfrom 10am-12pm.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott Wednesday afternoon announced he has decided to opt-in to the federal FirstNet plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public safety community. The Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network is expected to provide Vermont’s first responders with access to a reliable, secure and technologically robust cellular network that is now under development.