Current News

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP), administered by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, provides financial assistance for farms to purchase equipment that will provide improvements to water quality on their farm. Successful applicants will show how their requested equipment will increase or improve their utilization of conservation practices or otherwise reduce runoff on their farm. The maximum award amount for this competitive grant is between $25,000 - $100,000, depending on the type of equipment and applicant. There is a 10% match requirement. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Building projects may not be as visible as they were a few years ago, with prominent projects at Jay Peak, the University of Vermont and the University of Vermont Medical Center going up. The most obvious construction projects today are those involving infrastructure for two reasons. One, the need to upgrade culverts, bridges, highways and other projects that have been undermined by the floods of July 2023 and August of 2023, as well as the more recent floods in July of 2024. Two, many infrastructure projects were in response to the COVID-related recession and recovery, with much of that money coming from the federal government, especially the Biden administration’s infrastructure grants. The state still has nearly $2 billion in the bank earning significant interest, but that money is earmarked for many of these projects.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Commercial real estate in Vermont is at an inflection point, as anyone can see driving around the state, especially in the more developed areas. There is a glut of office space. This will take many years to fill up. If it ever does. In the post COVID environment there are many more people, of course, working remotely. And no one believes that all of those people will come back into the office and certainly not into the office at the same levels as pre COVID. So one of the questions is what are we going to do with all that office space? It is not easily converted into housing. Especially in the office buildings we're looking at now. The major problem is the plumbing. In a typical office building, the plumbing is centrally located, which is not conducive to apartment conversion.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of September 30. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has announced its combined 2023-2024 award recipients for service and support to Vermont’s Guard and Reserve members. At their annual banquet held recently at the Vt Air National Guard Base in South Burlington, Vt. ESGR presented or recognized 64 awards to over 34 employers who provided outstanding support over the past year. The 2023 event was canceled due to the Summer 2023 flooding. Guest speakers for the event were Major General Gregory Knight, Adjutant General, State of Vermont, and Bruce Townshend, Director of Engagement for Headquarters, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Vermont Business Magazine Interluxe Auctions, the leading online luxury real estate auction marketplace, is excited to announce the upcoming online auction for the multi-dwelling Blue Sky Estate in Peacham, VT. The property, previously listed for $6,275,000, is now headed to auction with a starting bid of $1,900,000 on Tuesday, October 15th at 9:00am EDT. With construction beginning in 1994 and lasting until 2015, The Blue Sky Estate was curated with meticulously crafted homes, barns, and outbuildings, all within a private retreat on the grounds of the historic Taylor Family Homestead. At its heart lies the Main Lodge, alongside the Mountain Cabin, a versatile contemporary Studio House, a Barn Apartment, and a modern Lake House. 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark, along with Lamoille County State’s Attorney Aliena Gerhard, will host a free expungement clinic on Thursday, October 3, 2024, with appointments available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Expungements wipe from your record specific convictions and dismissed charges after a certain period of time has passed. Under Vermont law, many misdemeanors, 14 different felony offenses, and all dismissed charges can be expunged or sealed. The free clinic will focus on expunging and sealing criminal charges and convictions from any county in Vermont and will be open to the public by appointment only.  

Vermont Business Magazine Brattleboro Savings & Loan has announced that Tom Martyn has received the prestigious 2024 Vermont Outstanding Community Service Banker of the Year award by the Vermont Bankers Association. The award was created to recognize leaders who exemplify the best of community banking through an exceptional commitment to the communities that their bank serves. For the award, nominees are put forth by colleagues from bank leadership throughout Vermont from which a winner is chosen by a panel of peers and community leaders. The award is presented each year at the Vermont & New Hampshire Annual Banker Conference that takes place in September. Tom’s leadership as the bank’s Executive Vice President and CFO and his long-term history of volunteering and service on boards of local organizations, such as the Retreat Farm and The Landmark Trust USA at present, have significantly improved the Brattleboro area community. 

Vermont Business Magazine Pomerleau Real Estate, in collaboration with Champlain Housing Trust, the State of Vermont, the City of Burlington and the Regional Planning Commission is proud to announce the commencement of one of the state’s largest stormwater management projects. This groundbreaking initiative is set to address and treat 821,144 gallons of stormwater over 21 acres, marking a significant stride toward protecting Lake Champlain and the impaired Potash Brook. The project is being constructed adjacent to the Market 32 Shopping Center on Shelburne Road, at a crucial junction for Potash Brook entering Lake Champlain. This critical project made possible with a large grant from the state, exemplifies a public-private partnership in environmental initiatives. It has been championed by Pomerleau Real Estate, Champlain Housing Trust, State of Vermont and the City of Burlington. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education released the preliminary 2023-24 Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program results. The assessment is administered annually in the spring to students in grades three through nine, and eleven. The assessment measures students’ mastery of the Common Core State Standards in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards. Average proficiency percent remained steady compared to the previous year, with the highest in English languages arts (45-58%), followed by science (41-46%), and then math (30-47%). Results continue to show significant gaps between students from historically marginalized backgrounds and their peers. These results are preliminary and final results will be made available in the winter.

Vermont Business Magazine President Joe Biden has approved a Major Disaster Declaration to help communities and individuals in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties recover from damages caused by rainfall and severe flooding July 29-31, 2024. The overnight storm devastated areas of the Northeast Kingdom, some for the second time in three weeks. The storm left beleaguered road crews with weeks more of repair work and some residents without homes. This declaration includes Public Assistance funding to pay for public infrastructure repairs, Individual Assistance grants to help people recover some of their losses, and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding to help Vermont towns build back stronger.

Vermont Business Magazine Businesses, nonprofits, landlords, and farms that suffered physical damage from 2023 flooding have until Monday, September 30 at 11:59 PM to submit an application for the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP). This includes first-time 2023 BEGAP applicants AND inquiries for Supplemental 2023 BEGAP funding (those that previously received 2023 BEGAP funding and have ongoing unmet need). Before opening the portal, the Department of Economic Development strongly encourages you to visit the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program page to learn how the program works and identify what you need to a successfully submit an application or inquiry.