Peter D Van Oot is an attorney with the northern New England law firm of Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC specializing in land use, environmental and corporate law, primarily from the firm’s Lebanon office.

Chittenden County's economic prospects are far from untroubled, but as the recession grinds on in many places around the country, the Burlington area's problems appear mild by comparison.

“Chittenden County continues to lead New England in lowest unemployment rates, foreclosures, and the depreciation rate of homes,” Ernest Pomerleau, CEO of Pomerleau Real Estate, pointed out. “Our commercial vacancy rates, although higher than normal, are well below the region's averages,” he added.

While the recession continues to hit hard at the national and state economies, there is a bright spot in Vermont’s job outlook. The state's information technology companies, those producing software, are doing well. Medical technologies along with mobile computing and cell phone growth are pushing software development and expanding the opportunities in this industry. As a result relatively high paying positions are available. The major problem locally is finding enough workers.

The Potter family of Waitsfield has built a creative arts economy all by itself.

"It's about taking the simple threads of art and trying to work them into the public world," said Sparky Potter, 62, patriarch and founder of the innovative Wood & Wood Sign Systems – Ben & Jerry's Homemade three-dimensional signs are among his creations.

Peggy Potter, his wife, is just winding down a 20-year career making and selling the high-end painted wood bowls that have won her national recognition.

The historic national health care reform legislation involves numerous components. One component, also required by the IRS in Schedule H, Form 990, is for increased oversight of tax-exempt hospitals. (Note: There are no for-profit hospitals in Vermont.)

Vermont’s computer and related electrical machinery manufacturing sector, dominated as it is by IBM in Essex Junction, is rebounding from the recession and sees some positive signs for the near future. The notable loss is the closing of Suss MicroTec, a stalwart of the state's high-tech seen. Upwards of 100 jobs will be lost at the Waterbury manufacturer.

IBM itself hired more than 200 workers for its manufacturing plant last year and is in the process of filling an additional 100 jobs since April.

Grand Isle County's small economy rests, somewhat precariously, on three legs: tourism, agriculture and residential real estate. The first is faring well, the second is characterized by both high ambitions and an embarrassing scandal, and the third is moribund, at least for now. Conditions in the Champlain Islands in mid-2010 are thus inspiring a mixture of optimism and despondency.

In my last column, I showed how I use technology to facilitate work when I'm overseas. This one’s about what happened when I returned. It wasn’t pretty.

I came home to discover that my former employer had turned off my landline phone, my cell phone, Internet connection, even my cable TV. And he'd done it so effectively that I couldn't just pay ‘n play with any of ‘em.