Current News

Governor Douglas announced this afternoon that he intended to veto the $4.5 billion budget bill as it is currently constructed and that he is calling the Vermont Legislature back in session for June 2. Douglas has not yet received the budget, and therefore has not vetoed it, because the bill is still being proofed. In a long and sharply worded letter to Speaker of the House Smith and Senate President Pro Tem Shumlin, Douglas said, "It is unfortunate that you are unwilling to attempt to find a moderate compromise supported by a multi-partisan coalition of lawmakers one that includes Republicans, Democrats, Progressives and Independents that represents the views and opinions held by most Vermonters. Rather you seem intent on a budget that satisfies more fiscally liberal members of your caucus, even if that comes at the expense of fiscal prudence. If my only choice is between allowing your fiscal 2010 budget to become law or a veto, I must choose veto.

Mike Tuttle, President and CEO of Merchant's Bank, and the 2008 Community Campaign Chair, announced the official results of the campaign at the Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration, May 6th. The campaign raised $4 million. In his remarks to the crowd of over 375 people, Tuttle said, "In spite of an incredibly difficult time economically for so many people, those who were able, gave a little more, and people just seemed to want to help in any way they could. We are thrilled with the outcome and amazed at the goodwill of so many people. We are very fortunate to have hundreds of generous contributors who willingly donate their time, their talent, and their money to make life better for everyone in Chittenden County."
The "Top Ten" combined campaigns (total of employee and corporate/organizational gift) were also announced, with a new company joining the ranks this year -- NRG Systems. The "Top Ten" collectively raised over $1.7 million in the 2008 Campaign.

A team of over a dozen IBM volunteers worked through the day putting a new roof on the building that houses vital disaster relief supplies and tools at the regional headquarters of the American Red Cross. These critical infrastructure repairs are a direct result of a unique community partnership as IBM and the United Way of Chittenden County team up with Merchants Bank and the State of Vermont to support the American Red Cross. The Mansfield Avenue location in Burlington supports over 1,300 volunteers statewide who help their neighbors prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.
With funding from the Merchants Bank Foundation, matched in part by a grant from the State of Vermont s Human Services and Educational Facilities Grant Program, a dozen or so volunteers participated in the IBM Days of Caring program promoted by the United Way of Chittenden County.

The Vermont Community Wind Farm is in the process of trying to gain support to build 60 wind turbines on three ridges covering six towns in Rutland County. The project as conceived would have a rated output of 80 megawatts. By comparison, the Entergy Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Vernon has a rated output of 605 megawatts. VCWF already has signed leases for more than 4,000 acres of land in IRA, Clarendon, Tinmouth and Poultney, managed by Wagner Forest Management Company.
The Vermont Community Wind Farm is estimated to produce approximately 240,000 megawatt hours of energy per year. An average household in Vermont uses 7,110 kWh of energy per year. Therefore, the wind farm would produce more than electricity than for all of the 25,683 homes in Rutland County. Vermont consumes about 6,000 gigawatt hours a year. About one-third of what Vermont uses is produced by Vermont Yankee.

A group of representatives from major wind industry companies today released a letter to key members of Congress urging them to strengthen the renewable electricity standard (RES) contained in the draft bill unveiled this week by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman.
“We are concerned that the significantly lower renewable targets currently being discussed, as compared to proposals from President Obama, Chairman Bingaman and Chairman Markey, will severely blunt the signal for companies like ours that manufacture turbines and components to invest billions of dollars to expand production and our workforces in the U.S.,” the letter said.
It was signed by representatives of GE Energy, Vestas Americas, Gamesa, NRG Systems of Hinesburg, VT, REPower USA, Broadwind Energy, TPI Composites, PPG Industries, Clipper Windpower and AWEA.

More small businesses will be eligible for U.S. Small Business Administration-backed loans, meaning greater access to much-needed capital in this tough economy, as a result of a temporary alternate size standard for the agency's largest lending program.
SBA s alternate size standard for its 7(a) loan program will go into effect early next week through Sept. 30, 2010. As a result of the temporary change, more than 70,000 additional small businesses including auto and RV dealerships, auto industry suppliers and others could be eligible to apply for SBA 7(a) loan.

University of Vermont president Daniel Mark Fogel announced three key appointments Friday. Jane Knodell, associate provost for budget and capital planning, has been named interim provost; Domenico Grasso, dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, has been tapped for the position of vice president for research and dean of the Graduate College; and Larry Shirland, professor and associate dean for undergraduate programs in the School of Business Administration, will be interim dean of that school.
Knodell, an associate professor of economics, has served in a variety of key administrative positions at UVM. She was special assistant to the provost in 2006 and in 2007 accepted the role of associate provost for budget and capital planning. She also served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2004 to 2005, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2003 to 2004, and chair of the Department of Economics from 2001 to 2003.

Join the Vermont Chamber of Commerce in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vermont Business and Industry EXPO. The May 20 & 21 trade show presents a line up of seminars, special events and award ceremonies. Check the schedule of events below and register today for the region's largest B2B trade show!
Wednesday, May 20:
8 a.m. KPMG/Northfield Savings Bank Business Breakfast - Kick off EXPO with Vermont REAL and Flashbags
10 a.m. EXPO Opening Ceremonies - Governor James Douglas will present the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award
12 noon Let's Do Lunch! Presented by EWA Government Systems, Inc. - A networking luncheon
2 p.m. 7 Experts-7 Tips-7 Minutes Seminar - A panel of experts will share their tips on saving time, money and stress
5 p.m. EXPO Networking Reception sponsored by Waitsfield & Champlain Valley Telecom - FREE to attendees and exhibitors. Meet, mingle and celebrate
Thursday, May 21:

At its recent annual meeting in San Diego, the Association of Life Insurance Counsel (ALIC), elected Michele S. Gatto as its 81st President. Founded in 1913, the ALIC is the bar association for lawyers in the life insurance industry. Gatto is Executive Vice President Corporate Services and Chief Legal Officer of National Life Group in Montpelier, Vermont.
The ALIC represents the best and brightest legal professionals serving our industry. It has developed a rich history, a record of scholarship, and an important collegiality. I am truly honored to have this opportunity to serve as the association s 81st president, said Gatto.

Governor Jim Douglas announced today that the Department of Public Service has filed the State s application for $21,999,000 allocated for the State Energy Program under ARRA (the Federal stimulus bill). This money will added to $7 million dollars of State funds available to the Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) to provide grants and loans for renewable energy projects such as solar photovoltaic, wind turbines, methane digesters (cow power), and other biomass. Estimates are that this money will encourage $150,000,000 of total expenditure on renewable energy projects which will produce 3 million megawatt hours of electricity in the next twenty years at rates comparable to today s cost of power generated from natural gas. Using renewables instead of natural gas to generate this electricity will prevent the release of an estimated 860 million pounds of CO2.

US House passed a bill today that would invest $6.4 billion in school modernization, renovation and repairs in fiscal year 2010. The vote was 275-155. The bill authorizes $14 million in funding to Vermont schools.
HR 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Act, would require that the majority of funds be used for projects that meet green building standards.
US Rep Peter Welch and several other northeastern lawmakers successfully amended the bill during the last Congress to allow schools to use the funding for renewable energy and heating systems including biomass, wind, solar and geothermal.

CCTV Center for Media & Democracy celebrates 25 years of public access television with a gala event at the Burlington Boathouse on June 13 at 6 p.m. CCTV first aired in 1984 on Vermont's first public access cable channels. Since then, CCTV has supported the development of access across the state (23 centers operate 42 channels), launched and operates Channel 17/ Town Meeting TV in Chittenden County, and delivers communications strategies and services for Vermont nonprofits.
Looking back, founder Lauren-Glenn Davitian points to major changes of the past 25 years: "Ronald Reagan was President, Dick Snelling was Governor, and Burlington was barely a three-party city. We were squarely in the analog age and the World Wide Web wasn't invented!" Since then, CCTV has secured public access for much of the state and also produced 15,000 hours of programs that cover media makers, decisions makers, regular people, and visiting dignitaries.