Current News

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS While it may be tempting to think that the State House goes into a state of suspended animation during the off-season, only to come alive at the sound of the gavel’s fall in January, there’s a lot of work that goes on with its inhabitants from May to December. Just as legislators are never truly “off the clock,” VAHHS also works with health care providers, community members, businesses, and policy experts to brainstorm solutions and develop a robust legislative agenda. This off-session, in addition to our typical work, we helped manage an IV fluid shortage, worked to discern more on the AHEAD model, and attended community meetings on the Green Mountain Care Board’s Act 167 report produced by Oliver Wyman.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Enjoy a day of learning and camaraderie at the Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association (VVBGA) Annual Meeting on January 28th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Burlington. The day will include presentations given, mostly by farmers, on the following topics: coping with flooding; market garden infrastructure; using the H2A program; assessing profitability; cover crops; on-farm engineering; reviving a blueberry farm; strawberry production; organic pest management; adapting to climate and market shifts; and a slide tour of farms in Korea and Japan.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott began his fifth term this month after an overwhelming victory last November. The Republican former contractor turned 66 last summer and ran for another term because he felt there was “unfinished business.” With significant, though not majority, gains in the election in both the House and Senate, Scott will have a greater ability to push his agenda and moderate the legislative process. In case you missed the political ads, ribbon cuttings, events and press conferences over the last several years, he remains focused on housing and affordability. For this interview, which he does annually in December with correspondent James Dwinell and VermontBiz Editor Timothy McQuiston, everyone was remote. The governor was recovering from COVID, which he contracted mid-month. He said he wasn’t feeling too badly, but he sounded like he had a head cold and acknowledged some fatigue. Nearly five years after the pandemic began, this was his first bout with the SARS CoV2 virus.

Vermont Business Magazine Did you know that at one time there were five ski areas in both Waterbury and Stowe, two in Morrisville, and one each in Hyde Park, Johnson, Jeffersonville, and Cambridge? Or that the second rope tow in Vermont was built in Cambridge? Over the decades, Vermont has lost 185 ski areas, leaving only 20 remaining today. Join the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s monthly Red Bench series on Thursday, January 23, 2025, as ski historian Brian Lindner and “Searching for Vermont’s Lost Ski Areas” exhibit curator Poppy Gall share the stories of 15 lost ski areas. These include one demolished during the construction of Interstate 89 and another that had to truck in snow from New York State during a snow drought.

Vermont Business Magazine Burton has announced the addition of two top executives to its leadership team: Jennifer Valentine – Chief Merchandising Officer and Debbie Lee – Chief Marketing Officer. These strategic hires reflect Burton’s dedication to driving innovation and leadership in snowboarding, from product development to brand storytelling. Both Jen and Debbie recently relocated to Burlington, Vermont, where they are based at Burton’s global headquarters, reporting to CEO John Lacy and collaborating with Burton Owner Donna Carpenter.

Northeastern Vermont Development Association The Vermont Bond Bank announced $40M in low-interest loan funding for schools and municipalities for energy and weatherization improvements. This funding comes from the USDA Rural Energy Savings Program loan program. Currently, the program offers loans with ~2% interest at a term limit of 10 years. Municipalities interested in this program can contact NVDA for help with prioritization of local projects, loan application development, and project management assistance.

Vermont Business Magazine In partnership with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas recognized two Vermont youth with the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award on Friday. The national award recognizes individuals under 25 who have demonstrated leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and are motivated to improve the quality of life in their community. Vermont’s 2024 recipients of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are both recent high school graduates: Yolanda Bansah, who graduated from U-32 and now attends Fordham University; Marshall Moffatt, who graduated from Richford High School and now attends the University of Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement of a $25.8 million investment to help replace the Readsboro Bridge over the Deerfield River. The federal funding, provided through DOT’s Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program and made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will improve and help complete street enhancements, create accessible sidewalks, and improve safety in Readsboro. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced today that Roxanne Vought will depart her post as the organization’s seventh executive director on May 30, 2025. After a total of 10 years with VBSR in various roles, she is leaving to support an aging parent. VBSR’s Board of Directors has begun a comprehensive search for their next executive director during the organization’s 35th year. Vought’s tenure as executive director began in parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. She evolved the organizational culture, transitioned VBSR into the remote work era, and forged numerous future-ready strategic partnerships within the business and economic development community. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR), a member of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), has joined a $17 million settlement with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. (Edward Jones) resulting from an investigation into the broker-dealer’s supervision of customers paying front-load commissions for Class A mutual fund shares in light of later moving brokerage assets into fee-based investment advisory accounts. As part of the settlement, Edward Jones will pay each of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico an administrative fine of approximately $320,000. DFR assessed Edward Jones an administrative fine of $272,641.52. Edward Jones also agreed to contribute $48,113.20 to the Vermont Financial Services Education and Victim Restitution Special Fund. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims remained relatively high last week but fell after a New Year's spike. For the week ending January 4, 2025, new claims were 561, which is down 337 claims from the week before and is 95 more from last year. The holiday season brings wild swings in claims as temporary workers are hired and then laid off. Claims were 181 at the end of September. Weekly claims across the nation also were down, while overall hiring last month was brisk. For the month of December the US jobs report beat expectations, while the US unemployment rate fell one-tenth to 4.1% for December. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) announced today that Hicks Logging, LLC, a business that performs logging activities in Vermont, was fined $6,000 for failing to file advanced notice of its intent and to obtain a permit to conduct a heavy cut on property located in Concord, Vermont. A heavy cut is defined as a harvest leaving a residual stand of healthy trees below the recommended density as defined by the USDA Forest Service silvicultural guides for similar stands. The goal of the Heavy Cut Law is to limit extensive harvesting on large areas of 40 acres or more and to ensure that any such harvesting is guided by an approved forest management plan. Prior to conducting a heavy cut, a Notice of Intent to Cut must be filed and authorization secured from FPR. Any permit issued must include an approved silvicultural plan for the harvest.