Current News

Vermont Business Magazine New Breed, the premier revenue performance management partner for the world's fastest-growing companies, today announced that it has been named HubSpot's 2022 North America Partner of the Year. New Breed is now the only partner in HubSpot's Impact Award Hall of Fame to be a three-time recipient of the North America Partner of the Year award. HubSpot, a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform for scaling companies, uses the award to recognize members of its Solutions Partner Program who meet specific criteria that contribute to their growth and the growth of their customers.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine With personal and corporate income taxes again leading the way, General Fund tax revenues again surpassed recently updated targets. Personal income taxes were a whopping $11 million ahead of targets and corporate income was over $6 million ahead, or by more than 50 percent. The state’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts in January were a combined $345.8 million, or 6.5%, above monthly consensus expectations. This continues the trend of the first six months of the fiscal year, where combined revenues across all three funds were 6.3% above the consensus target set at the July 2022 Emergency Board meeting.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported February 15, 2023, that COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations were largely unchanged again over the last week. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Hospitalizations decreased to 41 last week (they were as low as 30 last fall). Total cases fell slightly to 495. There were five COVID-related deaths in the last week for a pandemic total of 910 as of February 11.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) Interim Superintendent Lori Madden returned to her role as Assistant Superintendent at Northwest State Correctional Facility (NWSCF) in St Albans on February 10. Effective February 20, Amy Jacobs, Interim Assistant Superintendent at NWSCF, will assume the role of Interim Superintendent at NSCF in Newport. This transition took place following a January 25 letter from Vermont State Employees’ Association Inc (VSEA) expressing a “vote of no confidence” in Madden.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, in a huge victory for climate action and addressing Vermont’s second largest source of climate pollution – the thermal heating sector – the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee voted 5-0 to advance the Affordable Heat Act (S.5). This legislation is the culmination of years of work and analysis, represents a key pillar of the state's adopted Climate Action Plan, and is a top priority in the 2023 Environmental Common Agenda – a policy agenda signed onto by 19 environmental organizations. The Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee has taken weeks of detailed testimony and made many notable improvements to the policy to ensure that it helps build an equitable and affordable transition to a local, clean energy economy by keeping dollars spent on energy here in Vermont – and requiring that the majority of residential clean heat services go to low- and moderate-income Vermonters.

Vermont Business Magazine In advance of Town Meeting Day, March 7, Burlington School District (BSD) has published a number of resources designed to help voters have all the information they need to vote on the School District’s proposed budget, which is increasing 6 percent. BSD’s 2022 Annual Report is now available online along with a budget one-pager that explains next year’s FY 2024, $104.1 million proposed budget (FY 23 $98.2 million). The BSD stated that spending at this level could produce a property tax rate increase of 4.03% (current estimate).

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Senate gave final approval to S.3, a bill that would prohibit paramilitary training camps. The bill passed second reading on a vote of 29-1 yesterday. The passage of this bill follows a rise in concern across Vermont and the country about the increase in extremist paramilitary organizations and the lack of adequate prevention, intervention and enforcement authority in Vermont. President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth and Senator Sears, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, spoke about the importance of this measure.

Vermont School Library Association "We are collectively appalled by the decision by the leadership of the Vermont State College system to eliminate their print collections, repurpose their physical spaces, and lay off librarians. We are calling on the leadership of Vermont State University (VTSU) to reverse this decision. We believe that all Vermont students should have access to robust and well-funded library programs that include access to professional librarians who work in partnership with faculty and in support of students. Ample research, both quantitative and qualitative, shows that students at all levels thrive with the help of these library programs."

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Weinberger announced that the City has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the owners of land parcels neighboring City-owned property in the South End, with the purpose of facilitating a conceptual design and framework for the coordinated redevelopment of the parcels resulting in a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible mixed-use neighborhood. The MOU creates a framework for a collaborative and efficient planning process for multiple independently owned sites, with the goal of informing a future Development Agreement.

Vermont Business Magazine This spring, guests at the Lamoille Community House will be forced to find another place to sleep when the seasonal shelter closes on April 15. But thanks to $3.8 million in funding awarded to the Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB,) the Lamoille Community House (LCH) will be operating a new year-round shelter for people experiencing homelessness as early as next fall. Lamoille Housing Partnership will acquire and rehabilitate the Forest Hill Residential Care Home in Hyde Park to create a 21-bed shelter for adults experiencing homelessness. When complete, the building will be leased to the Lamoille Community House, which will operate the year-round, low barrier shelter and provide guests with a place to sleep, cook meals, and connect to services. LCH currently operates a 12-bed seasonal shelter offering these same services in the Village of Hyde Park.

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Bank, a leading, socially responsible community bank with financial centers in New England and New York, was recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best Midsize Employers 2023. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The awards list was announced Wednesday and can currently be viewed on the Forbes at America's Best Midsize Employers 2023 (forbes.com). Berkshire Bank is the only Massachusetts-based bank, and one of four banks in New England and New York, on the midsized employer banking and financial services list. Berkshire has branches in southern Vermont.