Current News

Vermont Business Magazine All three of the major General Fund revenue components exceeded targets in July, according to results released today by the Vermont Secretary of Administration. General Fund revenues totaled $105.35 million. This is +$1.10 million or +1.06% ahead of the monthly forecast target of $104.24 million. The Personal Income (the most important single revenue source), Corporate and Sales taxes all exceeded their targets, if only slightly. The one component that failed to meet its target was the Inheritance/Estate (notoriously hard to predict) and the “Other” category.

The current month’s results are +$4.35 million higher than the results for July of last year (FY 2015). July is the first month of the new fiscal year 2016. The new fiscal year revenue targets were adopted by the Vermont Emergency Board on July 27, 2015.

Vermont Business Magazine A common plant found along roadsides and open areas may not appear harmful but its sap contains a chemical that causes serious skin reactions when exposed to sunlight. The plant tends to be taller than other roadside plants with a slight yellow flower. The sap, or juice, inside the stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of the wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.), also called “poison parsnip,” contains chemicals called psoralens. Contact with the sap causes a chemical burn in the presence of sunlight, a condition known as phytophotodermatitis.

by John McClaughry The Public Service Department is hard at work updating the state’s 2011 Comprehensive Energy Plan. This herculean task requires putting together the products of at least nine working groups and reports over the past five years, ever mindful of the 2006 mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to as much as 75 percent below the 1990 baseline by 2050, to “lower the state’s contribution to global warming.”

The central driver of these plans is Governor Shumlin’s 2011 decree that the state must obtain 90 percent of its total energy from renewable sources by 2050. This decree, incidentally, has never been voted on by elected legislators, even though every year they are asked to approve ever more legislation to achieve it.

Vermont Business Magazine Special Olympics Vermont welcomed three new staff members in 2015: Caitlin Jenkins, Daniel Favand, and Rachel Hamm, all of Burlington. In April, Caitlin Jenkins became the Community Development Manager for Special Olympics Vermont. Caitlin graduated from the University of Windsor located in Ontario, Canada with a Masters in Human Kinetics. Before joining the SOVT staff, Caitlin worked for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games, and US Lacrosse.

Daniel Favand assumed the role of Operations Manager in April. Daniel graduated from Geneva College in Pennsylvania with a B.A. Prior to Special Olympics Daniel obtained a masters of social science from the University of Edinburgh in Ireland.

Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing After years of watching other states attempt to position themselves as autumn destinations, Vermont has thrown down the gauntlet and declared itself the home of the World’s Best Foliage. “No one does foliage better than Vermont,” declared Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin. “Three-quarters of our state is forested, and we have the highest percentage of maple trees in the country. With our flaming reds, blazing oranges and glowing yellows, we have the most vibrant fall colors in the world.”

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Burlington today is warning the public against a fraudulent job posting listed on Craigslist. The job posting is for “Airport Office Assistant,” which is not a current opening in the City of Burlington. This posting was not made by the City and is not connected to the City in any way. It has been reported to the City that when replying to the fraudulent Craigslist advertisement, the respondent is then asked for his or her social security number. The City of Burlington does not ask for social security numbers on the City employment application, which is accessible on the Current Job Openings page of the City website.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine How many and when jobs will be cut at Vermont's largest for-profit business is not certain at this point, but Keurig Green Mountain, Inc (NASDAQ: GMCR) said its workforce will be reduced by 5 percent system-wide, which would mean about 330 jobs. Governor Peter Shumlin said it will affect about 200 Vermonters, with most of the local layoffs hitting the Waterbury facility that makes its single-serve machines. Shares of GMCR fell rapidly Wednesday afternoon on news that revenues were below expectations and lower than the previous quarter. Keurig, based in Waterbury, Vermont, released its third quarter 2015 results showing a 5 percent decline in net sales. It also announced a $1 billion stock repurchase plan.

Vermont Business Magazine EPA is awarding a total of $2 million in Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grant dollars to municipalities and organizations across the state of Vermont. Additionally, three communities have been selected by the State of Vermont for inclusion in the Brownfield Economic Revitalization Alliance (BERA) program.

The EPA Brownfields grants, funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, and Cleanup grant program, provide communities with funding necessary to assess, clean up and ultimately redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin and Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz today announced that Waterbury Representative Rebecca Ellis will join ANR’s Department of Environmental Conservation as Senior Counsel for Government Affairs on August 10. Ellis resigned her seat as state representative for the Washington-Chittenden District yesterday. Gov. Shumlin will appoint a replacement before the start of the next legislative session in January.

Ellis has served as a legislator since 2011, most recently as vice chair of the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee. Prior to her tenure in the Vermont Legislature, Ellis worked from 1997 to 2011 as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Vermont, where her practice focused on environmental issues.

Vermont Business Magazine Saint Michael’s College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education according to the Princeton Review. The education services company features Saint Michael’s again in the new 2016 edition of its flagship college guide, The Best 380 Colleges, released August 4. The latest guide places the Colchester liberal arts college in “top 20” rankings for “Town-Gown Relations are Great” (#11), “College City Gets High Marks,” (#12) and “Best College Radio Station” (#13).

“If you’re genuine and true to who you are, you’re bound to do well at Saint Mike’s,” the guide quotes a student as saying.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Wednesday announced $291,965 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants to six communities across Vermont. The grants are awarded by the National Park Service and will be used to restore and grow parks and build community playgrounds.

In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: “These grants are an investment in our communities and help ensure that Vermonters will have access to public reserves that are iconic of our Green Mountain State tradition of exquisite outdoor spaces and superb recreation. We were proud to support these grants and look forward to seeing these projects completed.”

Vermont Business Magazine Community Capital of Vermont (CCVT), New England’s highest volume SBA micro-lender, has received a grant from the US Small Business Administration to offer consulting services to CCVT borrowers in the areas of marketing, advertising, sales, and financial management. “I commend CCVT for the well-deserved award of $120,000 in resources from the Small Business Administration to continue the important work they are doing in communities all across our state,” noted Congressman Peter Welch. “Supporting Vermont start-ups, underserved businesses, and first-generation entrepreneurs who are creating jobs and spurring the state’s economy is an important service, and I’m pleased CCVT will be able to continue and expand upon their current operations.”