Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), the region’s transportation and land use planning and policy organization, is seeking public input on planning ideas and projects for its annual work program beginning on July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2026. The public is invited to help develop new transportation, energy, water quality, and land use planning projects that improve safety and enhance mobility for all users of the transportation system, address climate change, and support our municipalities in Chittenden County.

Green Mountain Care Board Board Members and presenters will participate remotely through Microsoft Teams. Members of the public can attend board meetings by using the links or call-in phone numbers listed below. Members of the public who cannot access the meeting remotely can view the meeting in a public space.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) has announced that their long-running memory café based at the Vermont History Center in Barre will now be traveling to additional communities in our service area. On January 15th, Memorable Times Café will hold its "Winter Social" at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC) from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The group migrated under the auspices of CVCOA to the Vermont History Center in 2018, in partnership with the ABLE Library housed in that building. In 2020, CVCOA added “Memorable Times Online” as a virtual alternative to in-person meetings. Both in-person and online programs are offered free of charge.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH), in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health’s Division of Substance Use Programs (DSU) has chosen four more community mental health agencies as demonstration sites for the Certified Community-Based Integrated Health Centers (CCBHCs) model. The CCBHC model provides mental health, substance use, and physical health services in one place. It serves individuals of all ages, locations, and abilities to pay. The model ensures better access to care regardless of an individual’s circumstances. 

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (CVHHH) received a $3,500 grant from M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic branch of M&T Bank. The funds will support CVHHH’s Family-Child Health (FCH) program which provides a range of medical and non-medical supports and services to promote the health and wellness of families and children from pregnancy through birth and beyond. CVHHH’s FCH program currently provides care to approximately 115 families in central Vermont through a range of services, including lactation support, nutrition education, skilled nursing care, and pediatric palliative care. 

Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer released a follow up report today of the audit his office completed in 2023 of Burlington’s Waterfront TIF district. That audit found that administrative complexity, staff turnover, and poor recordkeeping had contributed to the City making millions of dollars in mistakes, resulting in the need to send nearly $200,000 to Vermont’s Education Fund. TIF districts allow municipalities to designate an area for public infrastructure improvements, incur debt to pay for the work, and use a portion of the area’s property tax revenue growth, which would normally pay for education, to pay back the debt. During the last decade, the City has issued nearly $16 million of bonds for public improvements in the Waterfront TIF such as the Moran Frame, Waterfront Access North, Bike Path, and Waterfront Park projects.

Vermont Business Magazine United States Attorney Nikolas Kerest announced today that he will resign effective January 20, 2025. The US Attorney typically transitions with a new presidential administration. Following his nomination by President Biden and confirmation by the Senate, Kerest has served as the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont since December 10, 2021, leading the United States Attorney’s Office’s 51 employees, in the enforcement of federal criminal and civil laws in the state. Prior to becoming United States Attorney, Kerest served as an Assistant United States Attorney in both the criminal and civil divisions for eleven years, including 4.5 years as the Chief of the office’s civil division.

Public Assets Institute Health, housing, dignified work, education, food, social security, and a healthy environment—Vermont statute requires that our spending and revenue policies address these needs. The law enshrines our values; it reflects promises we make to each other. While delivering on those promises might seem ambitious, there are concrete steps we can take now to bring us closer to living up to our shared values. This report illustrates that we’re closer to keeping some of these promises than others. Vermont has had a persistent gap between wages and costs, leaving many Vermonters struggling to afford their basic needs. Many of the state programs that improve affordability—including those for Vermonters not in the paid workforce—have not kept up with rising costs. Some have never been sufficient.

Vermont Business Magazine After a thorough executive search, Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) announced today that Dan Fingas has been selected as the organization’s new executive director. Fingas will officially begin his role on January 6, 2025. VCV said it is excited for this new chapter, as it builds on its mission to both elect environmental champions and pass meaningful environmental legislation. VCV also celebrates departing executive director, Lauren Hierl, and her decade of work growing the organization to become a leading player in environmental advocacy in Vermont. Hierl was named executive director of Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) in August. Fingas has served as VNRC’s climate action coordinator since October 2023.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.07/g, down 1.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.09/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.69/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 5.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.03/g today. The national average is up 3.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 2.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets is now requesting applications from Vermont businesses interested in vending at the Vermont Building at the 2025 Big E. The Vermont Building is one of six public market style buildings on the Avenue of the States at the Big E, a 17-day fair and exposition which takes place each September in West Springfield, MA. During this event, which brings in approximately 1.6 million people each year, the Vermont Building hosts a variety of Vermont food and retail businesses which showcase the best of what our state has to offer. The 2025 Big E will take place September 12th-28th.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Disaster Recovery Fund is closing and merging its operations with the Vermont Community Foundation, which will continue VDRF’s mission to provide disaster assistance to individuals. VDRF, created in 2011 following Tropical Storm Irene, provides financial help to disaster survivors after they have exhausted other sources of assistance, such as from FEMA, homeowner and flood insurance, and grants from local and regional disaster funds. The fund distributed $6 million in individual assistance following Irene and $1.6 million so far to survivors of the 2023 flooding.