Vermont Business Magazine News

Commercials for Westaff and Allen Pools and Spas were the winners of the Best in Show awards announced May 16 at the Vermont Association of Broadcasters annual convention in Montpelier.  Mt. Mansfield Media of Colchester won the Best in Show award for television for a commercial for Westaff entitled, “SH@! Bad Employees Do.”  Mt. Mansfield also won the award for best produced agency television commercial for another Westaff commercial, “When Bad Employees Go Viral.” 

by Anne Galloway May 16, 2013 vtdigger.org A little-known, six-paragraph provision that passed in the Senate just five hours before adjournment on Tuesday could lay the groundwork for significant changes in the way business is conducted at the Vermont Statehouse.

Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that Paul Dupre of Barre, Executive Director of Washington County Mental Health Services, Inc (WCMHS), will become the new state Commissioner of Mental Health. Dupre has worked closely with the Department of Mental Health, the Vermont Council of Developmental and Mental Health Services, consumers, families and advocates in developing and implementing a recovery philosophy in community settings. He replaces Acting Commissioner Mary Moulton, who will return to her previous position at WCMHS. 

A dedication ceremony for the Lattie F Coor House, newly named in honor of one of the University of Vermont’s longest serving and most successful presidents, was held Thursday on the front lawn of the building at 438 College Street, the administrative home of UVM’s College of Arts and Sciences. Coor, a legendary figure who served as UVM

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) says $2.2 million in milk program safety net payments are arriving just as Vermont dairy farmers need them most, as spring planting begins.  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week announced the payments under the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program that provides support in months when the price that farmers are paid for their milk drops while production costs remain high. 

Senator Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) amendment to make significant improvements to the job-creating EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center program was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday during the panel’s third day of debate and votes on the comprehensive immigration reform bill.  The amendment was filed to the bipartisan immigration reform bill by Leahy, who chairs the Judiciary Committee.

Marlboro College has announced its 66th graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 19 will feature Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin addressing the 62 graduates from the Class of 2013. “Governor Shumlin is an ideal choice to address our thoughtful, motivated, and well-prepared graduates this year,” said college president Ellen McCulloch-Lovell. “He is keenly aware of the talents our graduates possess and the importance of utilizing those precious skills in a democratic society.”

by vtdigger.org On October 1, the state is slated to open the doors to Vermont Health Connect, Vermont’s new health insurance marketplace. Three months later, on January 1, 2014, the web-based exchange will become the sole insurance marketplace for an estimated 118,000 Vermonters, who purchase individual plans or work for businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

Three destinations have joined the Vermont Attractions Association (VAA) as businesses gear up for the busy summer season.  The newest attraction members in Vermont’s premier vacation lineup are Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery in Berlin, Hidden Springs Maple in Putney and Rockledge Farm Woodworks in Reading.

Mayor Miro Weinberger today held his “Way to Go!” multi-modal tour during which he promoted through his own actions various active transportation options as alternatives to driving a single occupancy vehicle.  Weinberger’s modes of transportation included walking, riding the bus, cycling, and car-sharing.  Engaging in these healthier, more eco-friendly, and less expensive forms of transportation reduces our commuter carbon footprints.  At the tour’s end, Weinberger unveiled the

Senator Patrick Leahy will deliver commencement remarks and receive an honorary doctorate during ceremonies honoring the first class to graduate from the Albany College of Pharmacy’s Vermont campus. Sunday, May 19, 2013, Expo North Building, Champlain Valley Fair, Essex Junction, 1 pm.

Due to a downtown tax credit program, Barre's downtown center acquired the money needed to make some high-profile improvements. The Barre City Firehouse was converted into space for four businesses, the fire-damaged Aldrich Block was revived with a new restaurant called the Cornerstone and the Lash Furniture Building is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation that will provide 40,000 square feet of commercial and office space in the heart of the city.

by Nat Rudarakanchana May 15, 2013 vtdigger.org Amid the flurry of last-minute legislating in recent weeks, an important detail about the notoriously complex development tools known as tax increment financing districts, or TIFs, escaped much notice. After four audits done in 2011 and 2012, the state auditor held that the towns of Burlington, Winooski, Milton and Newport collectively owe the state Education Fund $6 million in TIF-related revenues.

K-TOR, LLC, designer and manufacturer of portable power generators, announced today the release of their second-generation Pocket Socket hand crank generator, the Pocket Socket 2.  This affordable human powered generator features a standard outlet interface, which provides backup energy and emergency power to a wide range of electronic devices.

The US Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday approved a five-year farm bill that includes a new dairy program and other features important to agriculture in Vermont.  The bipartisan vote was 15 to 5, sending the bill to the Senate Floor for debate and votes.

The Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. (NPCC) today released the results of its annual summer reliability assessment. The comprehensive assessment projects that the region will have an adequate supply of electricity this summer.

RE/MAX of New England’s April Monthly Housing Report indicates that median price and number of homes sold increased from the same time last year across the region.  According to RE/MAX New England, home sales in Vermont increased over 24 percent year-over-year, while the median home price increased by 6.3 percent, now standing at $210,000.

The Energy Co-op of Vermont’s Co-op Solar hot water heating program has received the Vermont Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its contributions to protecting the environment, conserving energy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Governor Peter Shumlin, state transportation officials and legislators today announced a plan to reduce travel and parking demand among state workers, and expand parking at the popular Richmond Park and Ride bus stop off Interstate 89. 

Fletcher Allen Health Care filed two Certificate of Need (CON) applications today with the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB).    Conceptual CON

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today issued the following statement on a Congressional Budget Office report that the federal deficit is expected to total $642 billion in the fiscal year ending September 30: 

The eleven winners of the Vermont Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence were recognized Monday as part of the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility annual meeting. The event was held at the University of Vermont Davis Center. The awards were presented by Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz.

by Nat Rudarakanchana May 14, 2013 vtdigger.org In one of the last items of Statehouse business Tuesday, top tax legislators decided against extending a tax break for users of cloud computing software for three more years.

by Andrew Stein May 14, 2013 vtdigger.org In a final-hour move, the Vermont House voted on Tuesday to strip a charge on health insurance premiums from Senate bill 152.

by Alicia Freese May 14, 2013 vtdigger.org Two education bills that were floundering on Monday met different fates Tuesday in the final hours of the legislative session.

by Anne Galloway May 15, 2013 vtdigger.org The Vermont Legislature adjourned Tuesday night after an exhausting two-day bill passing marathon that sapped the patience of lawmakers. Dozens of bills were churned through the House and Senate within a matter of hours. Some were small provisions; others were big ticket items like the budget and tax bills.

According to a just-released report, Vermont continues to hold its place as one of the likeliest places for embezzlement in the US. The 2012 Marquet Report on Embezzlement is the fifth annual white collar fraud study on major embezzlement cases in the United States.

by Nat Rudarakanchana May 14, 2013 vtdigger.org Despite much political drama and grandstanding, campaign finance reform failed this year, which means tighter regulations on money in politics won’t be imposed until at least the 2016 elections.

Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery officially broke ground this spring at the newly acquired Ayers Brook Goat Dairy in Randolph, Vermont. The first demonstration farm of its kind in the US, Ayers Brook will model best practices in goat dairy farming, support regional agriculture and offer a teaching venue for potential and current goat farmers.

by Andrew Stein May 13, 2013 vtdigger.org The state Senate voted Monday to place a charge on health insurance premiums and extend an employer assessment to pay for the operation of the state’s new health insurance marketplace, called Vermont Health Connect.