Photo: Lake Fairlee, Fairlee, VT by Kyle Hansen, TRORC
Highlights of TRORC’s 2025 Annual Meeting
The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) held our 2025 Annual Meeting on June 25, 2025, outside of our offices in Woodstock, Vermont. Our Board, comprised of representatives from our 30 member towns, was joined by TRORC staff and community members for the adoption of our Annual Budget for FY2026, the election of officers, announcement of scholarship awards, and recognition of our Volunteer of the Year.
Delsie Hoyt, West Fairlee Selectboard Chair, receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award at TRORC’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Woodstock, VT
Peter Gregory, Steve Taylor, Bill Emmons at TRORC’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Woodstock, VT
Steve Taylor sharing the history of agriculture and the region’s development at TRORC’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Woodstock, VT
Future Land Use Mapping
TRORC is Coming to Your Town
Four months into our Draft Regional Future Land Use Map outreach, and we have met with 21 of TRORC's 30 member towns! Five meetings are coming up in August.
During this process, TRORC has created an interactive web map showing our proposed Regional Future Land Use Map. After TRORC meets with each Municipal Planning Commission, they will become visible on the map.
Interactive Draft - TRORC Regional Future Land Use Map
Our next Regional Public Forum will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at the Hartford Municipal Building, Room 2, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Join us to learn what a Regional Plan is, what it does, how we do it, and if it guides our towns.
Check out TRORC's webpage to learn more about these efforts, and for a schedule of our upcoming meetings.
Learn More About Regional Plan Updates
If you have questions about the process, contact Kyle Hansen, k[email protected]
Municipal Site Green Stormwater Project Ideas Needed!
In 2024, the Long Island Sound Futures Fund awarded a grant to the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission (UVLSRPC) to improve water quality and support green infrastructure projects in the Upper Valley. As a subrecipient of this grant, TRORC is seeking municipal GSI project ideas from participating towns in our region.
Project ideas will be evaluated, and several across the Upper Valley will be selected to receive preliminary engineering, design, and permitting assistance.
The deadline to submit a project idea is August 15.
TRORC towns eligible to participate include: Barnard, Bradford, Bridgewater, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Hartford, Hartland, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Royalton, Sharon, Strafford, Thetford, Tunbridge, Vershire, West Fairlee, Woodstock
Possible GSI projects can include: Stormwater swales, Constructed wetlands, Permeable pavers, Rain gardens, Downspout disconnection, Detention/retention ponds, Planter boxes, Porous pavement, Green roofs
You can reach out to Kyle Katz to discuss project ideas, or for assistance in getting a project submitted, at [email protected]
New Ridgeline Review Standards in Barnard
In February 2024, TRORC was asked to assist the Barnard Ridgeline Subcommittee in drafting language to regulate the visual impact of development located on designated ridgelines. This past June, the Town of Barnard voted by Australian ballot to adopt the ridgeline review language into its Unified Zoning and Subdivision Regulations. The new ridgeline standards create a review process that limits the visual impact of new development in ridgeline areas as seen from public roads. The changes also include limiting the slope of new driveways as well as development on steep slopes in the subdivision review process.
Adoption of ridgeline standards is one method towns can use to reduce the visibility of development located on prominent ridges and other sensitive areas.
Please contact Peter Gregory, Executive Director, [email protected] if your town is interested in assistance with this process.
Woodstock Awarded $868,858 Grant for Water Infrastructure
Photo Credit: Sustainable Woodstock
We are thrilled to announce that the Town of Woodstock has been awarded a Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) grant of $868,858.52. TRORC’s Shared Energy Coordinator, Harry Falconer, wrote the application on the Town’s behalf.
The grant will fund up to 50% of the cost of two key projects to upgrade Woodstock’s drinking water system:
1. The design, permitting, and construction of a new well to replace of one of Woodstock’s municipal water supply wells.
2. The installation of a new water main suspended under the Elm Street bridge that will increase resilience to future flood events. The increased flow and pressure from this work will enable the water system to support hundreds of new units of housing and new local businesses.
In October 2024, the Town of Woodstock acquired the Woodstock Aqueduct Company. Voters approved the purchase of the private utility and passed a bond measure to fund urgent repairs aimed at resolving system deficiencies—especially low fire hydrant pressure that has prevented new connections to the system. In addition to that critical work, the water system still faces several million dollars in other identified needs. This grant will help defray the cost of the bond-funded work, potentially allowing the Town to reallocate the money that has been freed up to other water projects.
For more information, please contact Harry Falconer. [email protected]
TRORC's New Shared Services Program
In May, Paul Kowalski joined our staff as a Municipal Assistance Specialist. In this role, Paul will be providing support services to towns who contract with TRORC under our Shared Services Program. Many towns in our region, and across Vermont, are hard-pressed to fill necessary vacant administrative positions. In these cases, some important tasks aren't quickly and efficiently completed, which places further pressure on existing municipal staff. TRORC’s response is to make our staff available to help fill in some of these gaps.
Paul is currently providing administrative help, such as drafting Selectboard meeting agendas and minutes, distributing, and posting them on the town website. He will also be assisting with grant administration. The work he does depends upon the town’s specific needs.
For more information, please contact Peter Gregory, Executive Director, at [email protected].
TRORC's Emergency Management Planning
Quarterly Regional Emergency Management Committee (REMC) Meeting
Map Credit: Vermont Wildland Fire, State of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
Towns in Vermont have been focused on mitigating the effects of ever more frequent flood events, yet there is still a very present risk of wildfires in our region. These can be caused naturally, including through lightning strikes and dry brush, or from human causes including downed power lines, arson, or runaway bonfires and campfires.
The guest speaker at our Regional Emergency Management Committee Meeting this quarter was Dan Dillner, State Forest Fire Supervisor Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. He gave a presentation about the Wildland Fire Program in the State of Vermont and provided documents which relate to his program and how to prevent Wildfires.
He also discussed state efforts to combat a wildfire which ravaged 57 acres across a remote area of Barnard on October 27, 2024. The map to the left shows the perimeter of the area affected by the wildfire.
For more information about REMC, contact Kyle Hansen at [email protected].
Learn More About Vermont's Wildland Fire Program
Transportation Planning Initiative News
FY26 VTrans Better Roads Awards
Congratulations to the towns of Bethel, Corinth, Granville, Strafford, Stockbridge and Tunbridge on their FY26 VTrans Better Roads awards totaling $180,000 to improve ditching and culverts, bank stabilization and large culvert replacements.
FY26 VTrans Grants in Aid Awards
TRORC is proud of the region's 100% participation rate (all 32 municipalities) for the FY26 VTrans Grants in Aid program to fund ditching and cross culvert improvements totaling nearly $926,500. Towns continue working with TRORC staff person Rita Seto on project scoping, grant administration and grant reimbursement. Please reach out to Rita for any questions.
Town Municipal Roads General Permit Road Erosion Inventory Compliance
TRORC is working with 15 towns over the next two years to complete an updated road erosion inventory requirement under the Municipal Roads General Permit 2.0. Towns have until 2027 to complete an updated road erosion inventory.
If your town is interested but has not applied for a VTrans Cat A Road Erosion Inventory planning grant - please contact Rita Seto for future coordination. [email protected]
Vermont Planners Association Workshop
Photo Credit: Meghan Asbury, TRORC
TRORC's Chief Planner, Kevin Geiger, spoke on a housing panel at the Vermont Planners Association Workshop on June 6, 2025. The Center for Cartoon Studies, located in downtown White River Junction, VT hosted the workshop, allowing for an overview of White River Junction's economic revitalization and a walking tour.
South Vershire - Ely Mine Clean Up
Photo Credits: Rita Seto, TRORC
The Ely Copper Mine on the Vershire/West Fairlee line was one of Orange County's largest copper mines in the late 19th century, along with the Elizabeth Mine in Strafford, and the Pike Hill Mine in Corinth. The Environmental protection Agency (EPA) has been in the process of cleaning up this superfund site since late 2023. The same team involved with the clean up completed their work on the Elizabeth Mine in 2021.
Learn More About the Ely Copper Mine Clean Up
Upcoming TRORC Events
The Regional Plan and You - Session 4
When: Wednesday, August 13, 2025 @6-8pm in the Hartford, VT
Where: Hartford Municipal Building, Room 2, 171 Bridge St, White River Junction, VT 05001
Staff Contact: Kyle Hansen, Planner, [email protected]
Section 248a Training
When: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 @6-7:30pm
Where: Virtual via Zoom
Description: An overview of Vermont’s regulations of telecommunication facilities under the Section 248a process. Topics covered will include the 248a regulations, the role of the Public Utility Commission in the process, and how municipalities can participate in the process.
Audience: Municipal staff, Selectboard members, Planning Commission members
Staff Contact: Bryan Kovalick, Planner, [email protected]
Capital Budget Training
When: Wednesday, November 12, 2025 @6-7pm
Where: Virtual via Zoom
Description: An overview of capital budgeting for municipalities. Topics covered will include deciding what is a capital project, how to fund capital projects, how to solicit input for a capital budget, and how to draft a program report.
Audience: Municipal staff, Selectboard members, Planning Commission members
Staff Contact: Paul Kowalski, Municipal Assistance Specialist, [email protected]
The following trainings will be offered in the coming months, stayed tuned for more details!
Essentials of Land Use Planning – Session 1
Essentials of Land Use Planning – Session 2
Housing Targets Training
Funding Opportunities
This program aims to reduce single occupancy vehicles. For more information on the program and funding opportunity, please visit the VTrans Park and Ride webpage.
Deadline: August 26, 2025
Village Trust Initiative (VTI) - Round 2
The Village Trust Initiative is a collaboration between Vermont Council on Rural Development, The Preservation Trust of Vermont, and The Vermont Community Foundation. This is the second round of VTI applications open. Have questions or need help? VTI office hours are every Thursday from noon-2 pm on Zoom until September 4th. Email [email protected] to sign up for office hours.
Submit applications here.
Deadline: September 5, 2025
FY26 Mobility and Transportation Innovations Grant
This program supports strategies and ideas to improve mobility and access for transit dependent Vermont residents. To learn more, visit the grant program information page, or grant application.
Awards range from small ($10,000) to large ($100,000+).
Deadline: September 22, 2025 @4:30pm
Enhanced Rebates for Nonprofits
501(c)(3) nonprofits that provide health, safety, or welfare services in Vermont can receive an enhanced incentive, covering 100% of costs up to $7,500, with a limit of 4 products, in addition to standard rebate offers from Efficiency Vermont.
Deadline: December 30, 2026
Pre-Applications for NBRC's Fall 2025 Funding Round
Interested applicants can now submit pre-applications to NBRC's Catalyst, Forest Economy, and Timber for Transit programs for Fall 2025 funding consideration.
The required pre-applications can be submitted online through the Grants Management System (GMS).
Deadline: Friday, August 29 by 5 PM EST
Additional Lists of Funding Opportunities
8.12.2025. Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission · 128 King Farm Road · Woodstock · Vermont · 05091
To support vital journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, Book of Lists & Business-to-Business Directory, subscribe HERE!
