Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor released the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for August as 1.8 percent. This reflects no change from the prior month’s revised estimate, which is the lowest on record for the state. Vermont is tied with New Hampshire for the second lowest rate in the nation; Maryland is lowest at 1.7 percent and Nevada is highest at 5.4 percent. The Vermont civilian labor force increased by 771 from the prior month’s revised estimate (see Table 1). The number of employed persons increased by 670 and the number of unemployed persons increased by 101. No changes were statistically significant in the seasonally adjusted series. The civilian labor force participation rate was 64.0 percent in August, an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. The comparable United States rate in August was 3.8 percent, an increase of three-tenths of one percentage point from the revised July estimate. 

Vermont Business Magazine The 2023 SHRM Vermont State HR Conference, held in Burlington on September 14th and 15th, achieved a remarkable milestone by shattering all previous attendance records. This year's conference brought together HR professionals from across the state, and beyond, in a two-day event that combined exceptional learning opportunities with memorable celebrity appearances. The #SHRMVT23 Conference, organized by the Vermont State Council of SHRM is the state's premier event for HR professionals and enthusiasts. This year's conference saw an unprecedented surge in attendance, with over 500 participants converging at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters and Vermonters with children who have been to a doctor’s office in the last six months are asked to keep an eye out for a survey about their experience, which is arriving in mailboxes this fall. Every year, the Blueprint for Health and OneCare Vermont conduct a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey. The results of this survey provide the broadest statewide look at patient experience of primary care in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Dunkin’ franchisees and the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation recently celebrated a $10,000 Iced Coffee Day grant for the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. The foundation is delivering the $1.6 million in funds raised on Dunkin Iced Coffee Day this year to local hospitals and fortifying its commitment to bringing the simple joys of childhood into the lives of kids battling hunger or illness. Dunkin’ Franchisees Damartin Quadros, Susan Quadros-Covey, and Ari Souliotis, and Dunkin’ Business Consultant Amy Carey recently gathered to present a ceremonial grant check to University of Vermont Children’s Hospital Community Fundraising Supervisor Tatiana Havens. 

Vermont Business Magazine If you stopped by the pop-up tent outside the Paramount Theater a few weeks ago, you might have met Kelsey Bathalon, BSN, RN, CCM, a volunteer and Care Manager from Community Health, working the crowd, signing up participants in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Rutland on Saturday, September 23. Alzheimer’s isn’t new to Rutland County and Vermont. The Alzheimer's Association predicts that the number of Vermonters living with Alzheimer's (13,000 in 2020) will increase over 30% by 2025.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Adult Learning (VAL) is pleased to announce the recent support of Mascoma Bank as their first top-tier or “VAL-edictorian” level business sponsor. The Vermont Adult Learning Business Sponsorship program was launched in late 2021 as a way of strengthening connections with area employers and enhancing community goodwill while diversifying VAL’s funding streams. 

Vermont Association of Hospitals & Health Systems VAHHS is holding its Annual Meeting: Community Connections. "We have a packed agenda! We will explore how various organizations in our community—including hospitals and other health care providers, but also businesses, government agencies and other groups—can work together to support one another."

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Colleges System announced today that Chancellor Sophie Zdatny will be stepping down from her position at the end of the year. Chancellor Zdatny has been with the system for nine years, initially as Associate General Counsel for three years, then General Counsel for three years before she was named Chancellor in April 2020. She will continue serving through the end of December 2023 and the board anticipates announcing a hiring process for the next leader in the coming weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger announced over $44 million in savings for Burlington’s taxpayers, driven by favorable lending terms as a result of the City’s restored Aa3 credit rating. These locked-in savings were shared in Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Katherine Schad’s Fiscal Health Report, an annual report that the administration has published since it was requested by the City Council in 2013 following the issuance of a $9 million Fiscal Stability Bond that year. The report updates prior savings projections and outlines $24,108,885 in current dollars of savings on debt service. The report outlines an additional $20,566,079 savings on future debt service for the $130 million bond issued for the construction of a new Burlington High School and Technical Center. Together, the total current dollar savings to taxpayers and ratepayers is $44,674,964. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council announces $1,931,000 in awards to 85 creative sector organizations and businesses in its final round of funding through the Creative Futures Grant program, marking the end of this unprecedented investment in Vermont’s creative sector. The program has distributed more than $8.8 million to 233 organizations and businesses across the state since December 2022.  Supported by funds from Vermont’s share of ARPA, the program aims to provide relief to one of the state’s economic sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding of up to $200,000 was available to Vermont-based creative economy nonprofits and for-profit entities, including sole proprietors, demonstrating economic harm caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic.  

Vermont Business Magazine Federal assistance can help Vermonters recover from the July 7-17 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. Here are ten facts to know about the help that may be available to you, including: You won’t be taking money away from someone else by applying. FEMA will distribute funds to every eligible applicant regardless of how many people apply. FEMA assistance is available to homeowners and renters, including owners and renters of mobile homes. And eligible homeowners and renters will receive FEMA assistance as grants that do not have to be repaid.

Champlain Housing Trust The new Braeburn Apartments on Williston Road in South Burlington are poised to open at the end of September. Crafted out of the former Ho-Hum Motel, these 20 apartments will soon be home to people who previously had no permanent housing as part of our efforts to address the significant homelessness challenges Vermont faces. CHT acquired the Ho-Hum back in the fall of 2020 with a grant from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund administered through the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. CHT operated the property as a quarantine and isolation motel for about two years before beginning the transformation to permanent housing last winter.  One of the benefits of this conversion was being able to create these 20 apartments at a lower cost. At less than $185,000 per apartment, they are much less than half of the price of what a newly built apartment would cost.