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Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Read on for:
Bakers Needed for Whoopie Pie Festival | CEDRR August Mixer |
Membership Spotlight | What's New in Rutland County | Made at The MINT | Career Hub | Upcoming Events
Bakers Needed for the Whoopie Pie Festival
Do you make delicious whoopie pies?
We are seeking additional whoopie pie bakers for the Fourth Annual Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday, September 13. Professional and home bakers are welcome to take part!
We pay each whoopie pie baker $750. Bakers much bring at least 250 (3-inch or larger) whoopie pies for sampling at your booth. Each whoopie pie should provide a minimum of four samples. This year, a $200 deposit is required. This will be refunded in addition to the $750 unless you do not show on the day of the event or cancel after August 15, 2025.
Win a Mixer at the August Mixer!
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) August Mixer will be hosted by Rutland Appliances on August 12 from 5-7 PM.
Breanna & The Boys will perform during the event. There will be fun and food catered by Kamuda's Country Market. Two KitchenAid stand mixers will be raffled off
Rutland Appliances is located at 439 US Route N in Rutland Town. We hope to see you there!
Welcome to Our New Member
The Wallingford Village Market envisions a community space that fosters meaningful relationships with local growers and producers and provides opportunities for customers to connect with local and regional makers.
We see the market as a community hub where residents and visitors alike can get their groceries, healthy prepared foods, produce, fresh breads, and other essentials, in a welcoming, chill and neighborly village environment.
Come see what we have in store for you.
Local produce, dairy, eggs, and meat
Groceries and prepared foods
Bulk spices, teas, flours, and grains
Fine wines, craft beers and ciders
Snacks, beverages, and ice cream
Eco-friendly household goods
Handmade gifts by local artisans
Deli with an ever-evolving selection of takeout
Pizza Tuesday–Saturday!
Charcuterie boards made to order!
Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for the most up-to-date news and offerings!
Food Love!
Monica, Jane, Caitlin, and the rest of the WVM team
CEDRR would like to thank the following businesses for renewing their membership:
Atomic Professional Audio, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Chris Fucci Associates, Community Bank, Cornerstone Dentistry, Gawet Marble, Green Mountain National Forest, Hirschmann Windows & Doors, Homeless Prevention Center, Lyz Tomsuden, Graphic Designer, Mountain Times, Otter Creek Engineering, PEGTV, Ryan Smith & Carbine, Ltd., Tossing Funeral Home, and The Vermont Country Store.
Co-owners, Arthur Hollinger and Nicole Bower hold the scissors, surrounded by community members and restaurant goers.
Ribbon Cutting at Tasteful Station
Tasteful Station in Poultney had its official ribbon cutting on Thursday, July 10. Co-owners, Arthur Hollinger and Nicole Bower cut the ribbon on their newest restaurant located in the former train depot, located at 28 Depot Street in Poultney.
The restaurant is open Thursday and Friday 4-9 PM, Saturday 12-9 PM, and Sunday 12-8 PM. The menu changes weekly based on foods available seasonally.
Kara Soulia Promoted to President of The Vermont Country Store
The Orton family, proprietors of The Vermont Country Store, announced that the company’s Executive Vice President Kara Soulia will become President of the venerable business, succeeding current President & CEO Jim Hall who will retire in September. Soulia has been with the company for over 20 years, beginning her career as a fulfillment supervisor in Distribution and rising to lead its Operations, Manufacturing, Inventory Management, Customer Service, and Retail areas.
Register Your Business for the VermontBiz2Biz Expo
This is an extraordinary opportunity for your company to advertise and promote your services within a 8 x 8 booth space. An expected 3,000 business leaders and customers will be attending all in one day. A full exhibit fee is required at registration. Once registered, your company logo with a link to your website will be posted on vermontbiz2bizexpo.com.
Vermont Women's Fund Announces $359,336 in 2025 Grants - Rutland County Recipients
The Vermont Women’s Fund, a component fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, is pleased to announce its 2025 grant cycle awards. This year, awards were distributed to 39 nonprofit organizations across the state, totaling $359,336. These grants support programs advancing economic security and opportunity for women+, girls, and gender diverse individuals throughout Vermont.
Below are the Rutland County recipients:
- Mission Farm, The Kitchen at Mission Farm, Killington – $10,000
- NewStory Center, General Operating Support, Rutland – $10,000
- The MINT, Scholarships for Women & ENBY Makers, Rutland – $5,500
Community Health Expands Pharmacy Access
Community Health is proud to announce the expansion of its pharmaceutical services with the upcoming acquisition of Beauchamp & O'Rourke Pharmacy, a well-established and trusted pharmacy on Woodstock Avenue in Rutland. This addition strengthens Community Health's commitment to providing accessible, high-quality pharmacy services across the region and complements the existing Community Pharmacy located in Brandon.
Access to pharmacies has been in the news with limited hours and staffing concerns. Community Health's goal is to eventually have the Pharmacy open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
Rutland Area Medical Community Announces 2025 Scholarship Recipients
In June, members of the volunteer Rutland Area Medical Community Scholarship Committee awarded five $3,500 scholarships to local students pursuing a career in healthcare. The scholarship program has been made possible through the generosity of Rutland area physicians, retired physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.
This year’s recipients include graduating high school seniors, Layan Alhallak, Rutland High School, who will attend Northeastern University; Amelia Munger, Fair Haven Union High School, who will be attending Vermont State University Castleton; and Emma Ward, Rutland High School, who will be attending Elmira College. Other recipients included current college students Maya Dow and Emily Keeler, both students at Vermont State University Castleton campus.
Schedule a Free Business Energy Consultation
Vermont businesses like Lawson's Finest Liquids have reduced operating costs by switching to 100% LED lighting. That's just one way Lawson's is saving money and energy, and it all started with a phone call to Efficiency Vermont. Give Efficiency Vermont a ring or drop them a line to start learning about potential efficiency opportunities for your business.
Nominate a Rising Star
Vermont has a wealth of talented and enthusiastic youth in our business communities (both for-profit and non-profit). VermontBiz has recognized these top 40 under 40 individuals over the last thirteen years by naming them Vermont's Rising Stars!
VermontBiz will again honor Vermont's most accomplished young leaders in November's issue. The nomination process is open from July 1 to September 1, 2025. Award recipients will be selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and involvement in their communities and will be notified after the judges have made their final decision in September.
TO BE ELIGIBLE, THE CANDIDATE:
- Must be employed in Vermont
- Must live in Vermont
- Must be involved in the community
- Must be 39 years old or younger on October 1, 2025
- May be nominated by self or another person
In 200 words or less please describe why you are nominating this person. Be sure to fill out all the required fields indicated. VermontBiz will then contact each nominee for a resume and a list of community involvement.
Governor Phil Scott shakes hands with Representative Jim Harrison at the CEDRR Legislative Breakfast.
Legislative End of Session Overview
The 2025 legislative session unfolded under growing pressure to address affordability, workforce retention, and economic stagnation across Vermont’s regions. Lawmakers responded with a mix of transformative and incremental legislation touching on education governance, public infrastructure, business financing, and labor protections. Some key proposals passed with strong bipartisan support, while others stalled or drew vetoes—leaving unfinished business for 2026. The session's signature accomplishments include the launch of a first-in-the-nation project-based TIF program, and sweeping education governance overhaul.
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CHIP: Vermont’s First Project-Based TIF – S.127
A centerpiece of this year’s economic development agenda, S.127 creates the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP)—a major new financing tool designed to help municipalities build the infrastructure needed to support housing and economic growth. CHIP represents the first statewide, project-based TIF model in Vermont, enabling communities to access future Education Fund increment from new development to pay for upfront investments in water, sewer, stormwater, broadband, and site development.
Key provisions include:
- Authorizes up to $200 million/year in Education Fund tax increment retention, capped at $2 billion over 10 years.
- Municipalities may use tax increment to fund public infrastructure that directly supports new housing or job creation.
- Broad infrastructure eligibility with VEPC approval.
- No location criteria apply — CHIP is available statewide, regardless of designation status.
- Public votes are required for every CHIP district and for any municipal bonding.
- Projects must pass a “but-for” test unless they include at least 15% affordable housing.
- Affordability affects retention:
- Up to 70% of Ed Fund increment retained for market-rate housing.
- Up to 80% retained for projects with ≥15% of units at or below 80% AMI rent or 150% AMI ownership.
- Municipal increment may be retained at 100%.
- Primary residency requirement applies to new for-sale and rental housing during the debt period.
- Projects require VEPC approval, with findings on fiscal viability, housing impact, and public good.
- VEPC rulemaking due by Nov 15, 2025; applications open Jan 1, 2026.
- Program sunsets Dec 31, 2035, but districts may operate beyond that once approved.
CHIP is designed to support a pipeline of over $2 billion in needed infrastructure projects statewide, including housing-adjacent brownfield sites, rural growth centers, and infill redevelopment. It marks a major shift in Vermont’s infrastructure financing landscape by offering smaller communities access to growth-based funding tools traditionally only available in large downtown TIF districts.
The bill also includes brownfields redevelopment reforms—streamlining permitting, clarifying liability protections, and improving coordination with the Agency of Natural Resources for contaminated property reuse.
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Education Reform and School Redistricting – H.454
After multiple false starts and a near collapse in conference committee, the Legislature passed H.454, a landmark education reform bill that reshapes how Vermont funds and governs its public school system. The bill:
- Replaces the pupil weighting system with a foundation formula, intended to equalize funding per student across districts.
- Establishes statewide per-pupil spending standards, graduation requirements, and class size minimums.
- Creates an 11-member District Design and Reorganization Committee, charged with presenting three statewide maps for redrawing school district boundaries.
- Requires the General Assembly to select a redistricting plan by January 2027, with new consolidated districts operational by July 2028.
- Launches a Commission on the Future of Public Education to address governance roles, staffing levels, and long-term cost pressures.
One of the most significant inflection points will come in 2026, when the State Board of Education is tasked with presenting three statewide redistricting designs. The Legislature must choose one in 2027. Once district lines are finalized, the shift to regional governance models may have far-reaching implications for school facilities, workforce planning, local engagement, and capital investment—particularly in regions facing declining enrollment or high per-pupil costs.
The redistricting phase will likely be the most controversial element, as it could dramatically alter local governance structures, regional staffing patterns, and future school capital investments. For communities already grappling with enrollment decline, aging facilities, or budget volatility, the impacts could be transformative—economically, politically, and socially.
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Labor and Employment Law Updates
Several key labor bills advanced, with mixed outcomes:
- S.117 (Act 40) – Wage, Unemployment, and Workers’ Comp Reforms:
Contrary to early debate, the enacted law does not create just cause termination. Instead, it:- Increases penalties for employers who willfully withhold wages.
- Improves transparency and reporting for unemployment insurance (UI) administration.
- Modernizes rules and penalties around workers’ compensation, including stricter deadlines and late-payment penalties for insurers and employers.
- Prepares the UI system for a major IT overhaul, slated for 2026.
- S.125 – Public Sector Bargaining (Vetoed):
Would have expanded bargaining rights for employees at certain quasi-public and municipal entities. Governor Scott vetoed the bill, citing financial and administrative burdens on local governments. The Legislature did not attempt an override. - H.461 (Act 32) expands Vermont’s Parental & Family Leave Act allowing up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for bereavement, safe leave (for domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking), military family exigencies, miscarriage recovery, foster-child bonding, and broader family definitions including grandparents, siblings, and domestic partners.
Labor legislation on non-competes, minimum wage, and just-cause termination—among other topics—is expected to return in the 2026 session.
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Stormwater Management and Three‑Acre Permit Changes & Support - H.481 (Act 37)
Extends compliance deadlines for Vermont’s Three-Acre Stormwater Permit by five years, authorizes municipalities to charge stormwater fees with majority property-owner approval, preserves the 0.22% Clean Water Surcharge permanently, directs new stormwater grant funding, and creates a study committee to explore regional stormwater utility districts.
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Business Financing and VEDA Modernization – H.398
H.398 updates the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) to respond to today’s business and capital landscape. The bill:
- Expands VEDA’s toolkit to include forgivable loans and grants.
- Encourages co-financing with federal and philanthropic programs.
- Clarifies statutory authority for clean energy and innovation financing.
These changes position VEDA to play a broader role in post-pandemic business support, energy transition projects, and rural economic development.
Applications Now Open
StartUp Rutland gBETA Accelerator is back this fall! In partnership with nationally ranked accelerator and venture fund gener8tor, we’re selecting 5 high-growth potential teams for a free, 7-week sprint—kicking off September 5 and culminating in a live Demo Day showcase on October 28 at Killington’s iconic K1 Base Lodge.
This program has already helped several Vermont-based venture-backed startups sharpen their story, strategy, fundraising path, and more. We prioritize Vermont-based founders (or those excited to plug into our ecosystem), but applications are open nationally—with past participants joining from across New England, New York, and even Internationally!
No fees. No equity. Just access.
✅ 1:1 mentorship from seasoned operators, investors & experts
✅ Hands-on workshops
✅ International network of mentors & investors
✅ Free office space during the program
🗓 Apply by August 31
🌐 Learn more at StartUpRutland.com
Let’s accelerate the next batch of breakout startups—right here in Rutland!
Upcoming Events at The MINT Makerspace
At The MINT, we welcome folks of all ages and orientations to gather, make, play, and build community. We are so excited to highlight our classes we have upcoming for the next few weeks.
ReMake - Sewing Machine 101
Class date: July 20th
If you're interested in using a sewing machine, troubleshooting on your sewing machine, or just getting introduced to sewing machine basics, this Skill Share is for you!
The Joy of Letterpress
Class date: August 6th
A hands on class to learn the process of letterpress printing. Attendees will be guided through the entire process of planning, preparing a chase with printing blocks, setting up a table top press, inking up a press, and making prints.
Intro to the Wheel Bootcamp
Class date: August 9th
New to the wheel, or just need a refresher? This class is for you! Learn how to center, throw, trim and glaze a simple form to get you started in the clay studio.
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region's Career Hub features full-time jobs across Rutland County that provide a salary higher than the Vermont living wage.
Access Clinician
Community Care Network is seeking an Access Clinician to join their team.
Director of Quality Assurance & Compliance
Community Care Network is seeking a Director of Quality Assurance & Compliance to join their team.
City Attorney
The City of Rutland is seeking a City Attorney to join their team.
View Rutland County career opportunities & post your position →
Franchising 101 - Small Business Ownership
July 16 | 12-1 PM | Online and FREE
Are you considering entrepreneurship as a career option but want a proven business model to get to your goals more quickly and safer? Would you like to run a business of your own that will provide greater autonomy and independence, but are not sure how to find, or choose, the right business for you? If you have answered ‘Yes’ to either of these questions, then this workshop is for you! Presented by one of North America’s Top Franchise Consultants
This session will include:
- Positives/Negatives of starting your own business or buying an existing business vs. buying a franchise.
- Common myths and truths about franchising – it’s not just food and retail
- Review of different ownership options including options that allow someone to remain in corporate and build a franchise on the side
- Review of recession resistant franchise categories
- Government regulations for franchises
- The importance of knowing your personal goals and objectives before taking the plunge
- How to safely research and select the right franchise for you
- How to finance your business
Contracting For Success: A Small Business Development Cohort
July 21-August 25 (Mondays only) | 9-11 AM | Virtual and FREE
Join other small business owners/ executives from across Northern New England in this 6-week virtual program. You will challenge your business models, practices, and increase your potential for success exponentially. This is a uniquely designed program that includes self-guided learning, facilitated discussions, collaborative training, and one-on-one business advising/mentoring.
Limited to 5 Maine, 5 New Hampshire, and 5 Vermont small businesses that have been in operation for 2 years or more. Questions? Contact SBA Vermont District Office Deputy Director Kevin Morehouse at kevin.morehouse@sba.gov or (802) 828-4422.
Guide to Leasing Commercial Real Estate
July 22 | 12-3 PM | Online | $25
This course will provide a brief outline on what steps one should take in leasing space for their business, from site selection to lease types.
See additional details on event registration site.
