Current News

Williston, Vermont-based AllEarth Renewables has announced a new Vermont dealer- installer partnership, making their innovative solar tracker systems available around the state.
The dealer network expansion coincides with Vermont’s new statewide solar customer benefit, enacted as part of Act 47, which assures net metered solar installations receive at least $0.20 per kilowatt hour from utilities for the energy produced.
AllEarth Renewables, the local manufacturer and installer of the AllSun Tracker, will partner initially with four local solar installers to cover the state:

Solar Tech, of Sutton, will serve the northeast

ReKnew Energy Systems, of White River Junction, will serve the east-central region

BackSpin Renewables, of Middlebury, will serve the western central region

Integrated Solar, of Brattleboro, will serve the southern region

This summer, EPA will be continuing its work at the Pine Street Canal Superfund Site in Burlington, by gathering public input on plans to enhance part of the site’s remedy and by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the cleanup.

In the East region midsize utility segment, Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) ranked third in customer satisfaction. This reflects an overall upwards trend in the number of customers pleased with their electric utilities in 2011.
Although residential electric utility customers are less satisfied with power quality, reliability and price than in 2010, improvements in operational-related aspects have largely mitigated the negative effects on overall satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.
The study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six key factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.

On Tuesday, July 12, Mayor Bob Kiss sent a memorandum to the Director of Parks & Recreation Commission stating his approval of the Vermont Air National Guard Charitable Foundation’s air show staged for the Summer of 2013.
Due to the number of complaints sent to Kiss regarding the 2006 air show over Burlington’s waterfront park, a public forum was promised before another show was approved. This forum took place on April 26 of this year. Many showed up to the forum to speak both against and in favor of the 2013 air show.
Supporters lauded the show as a way for Vermonters to demonstrate their appreciation for the Vermont Air National Guard, it’s charitable efforts, and the business it brings to Burlington.

The Town of Killington has installed colorful new street pole banners to welcome travelers and promote a new municipal brand.
The banners, which are displayed along the Route 4/Route 100 access corridor in Killington, help establish a point of arrival for the resort community, and signal a broader re-branding of the entire community.
‘These banners and the new design they display are the first of many steps we are taking to unify our Town’s branding’ says Seth Webb, Killington’s Economic Development and Tourism Director. ‘We’ve elected to build on the equity of Killington Resort’s strong brand for synergy, using similar colors and characteristics, but we’ve also made sure we create something that is uniquely distinct. We believe the new look will help tie us together visually as a community.’

The University of Vermont had its best fundraising year in history for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, raising a grand total of $29,069,046 in support of UVM people, programs, and facilities.
The total, a 4.5 percent increase over 2010, marks four consecutive years of growth in private giving to UVM. It exceeds the previous record-of $28,615,707 set in 2007, the final year of UVM’s last comprehensive campaign, which raised more than $278,000,000 in support of UVM priorities.
‘This is a remarkable result for us even in the best of times,’ said President Daniel Mark Fogel. ‘Given what the national and world economies have gone through in recent years, four consecutive years of growth is an extraordinary vote of confidence in the university, and we’re very grateful to our donors for their support.’

U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Karen G Mills issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in Vermont that were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred on May 26-27.
"The US. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of Vermont with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA."

To meet the challenges of an ever-changing 21st century workforce and to support the new economic realities of doing business in Vermont and elsewhere, Champlain College will bring together students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, businesses, government officials and others to envision a new educational career model at The Champlain College Summit: ‘Building Partnerships for a Thriving Workforce’ on August 10-11.
The urgency to create a new way of thinking about work and how we educate people for their professional life is reflected in Vermont’s projected demographics, organizers say. According to the Vermont Workforce Development Council’s Annual Report 2010, ‘The available workforce in Vermont has shown little growth in recent years and will begin to shrink in 2012.’

by Kate Duffy,
Vermont Business Magazine
Breaking up is hard to do. Central Vermont Public Service will pay $19.5 million to Fortis Inc, a Canadian company that had sought to acquire the utility in a $700 million deal announced in late May. The deal dissolved when Gaz Metro, the Montreal-based parent company of Green Mountain Power, bested it with a $702 million offer to merge the two Vermont utilities.
CVPS shareholders will receive $35.25 per share, a 45 percent premium over the closing price of $24.32 immediately before the Fortis deal was announced, and 15 cents higher than the $35.10 Fortis had offered for each share.
Fortis declined to submit a counter offer. Instead, it will collect on a sort of corporate pre-nuptial agreement, receiving a $17.5 million ‘break-up fee’ and $2 million from CVPS to cover expenses associated with the failed acquisition.

The Vermont Foodbank asks the public to do ‘Nothing’ about hunger. Breaking away from traditional appeals, the Foodbank’s ‘Nothing’ campaign evokes the desolation of ‘Nothing’ to eat and offers something to do about it.
Cans of ‘Nothing’ ‘ 14,000 empty cans with slots for collections ‘ will be sold for $2.99 each at all Vermont Hannaford Supermarkets. Proceeds from the sale of each can benefit the Foodbank and help provide 18 nourishing meals for a family in need. The Vermont Foodbank turns ‘Nothing’ into a commodity to help the hungry at a time when the need has never been greater.
The ‘Nothing’ Campaign is on the web at www.nothing.org, on television, on the radio, and in social media outlets such as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. This landmark campaign begins July 14, 2011, and continues through September.

More than $1 million in federal disaster aid has been approved for eligible applicants in Vermont affected by the spring storms and flooding that occurred from April 23 to May 9.
Since President Obama issued a major disaster declaration on June 15th for these storms in the counties of Addison, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orleans, over 800 people have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The grants include $1,050,536 in housing assistance, such as rental and home repair assistance, and $25,820 in other needs assistance, such as replacement of personal property.
Caledonia and Washington counties recently received federal declarations on Friday, July 8, for storms and flooding that occurred May 26th to 27th.

Vermont Business Magazine is seeking nominations for this year’s highly anticipated selection of Vermont’s Rising Stars, Vermont's most accomplished young leaders. Award recipients will be selected in September by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities. Nominees must be under 40 as of October 1, 2011. Nominations will be open until September 2. The Rising Stars will be honored at a dinner in November.
To nominate someone, please click HERE.
Last year, at its inaugural Rising Stars Award dinner, VBM honored 40 winners, as it turned out, 20 women and 20 men. The average age was under 30.