On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development team was on the road in Orange County for Governor Phil Scott’s “Capital for a Day” tour. Since 2018, this initiative has brought Montpelier to Vermonters, providing an opportunity for state leaders to understand local challenges and see successes firsthand. This work allows Vermonters to share how the decisions made in the Capital City are affecting their communities.
Randolph: Vermont State University
State officials tour VTSU manufacturing facility.
Capital for a Day kicked off with a student-led tour of manufacturing resources at Vermont State University (VTSU). Sophia Vergara, an undergraduate studying mechanical engineering, highlighted how valuable VTSU graduates are to employers, and emphasized VTSU’s coordination of course instruction and real-life work experience. The tour ended with a discussion on the The Manufacturing Collaborative, led by Executive Director Barry Hulce, which works to leverage cutting edge technology for real life applications. VTSU has successfully partnered with local businesses such as GS Precision, IBM, Collins Aerospace, Global Foundries, GE Aerospace, GW Nolato, and more.
Randolph: Business Visits
Applied Research Associates hosts a roundtable discussion.
State leaders, including ACCD Secretary Lindsay Kurrle and Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein, joined representatives from the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor and the Agency of Education to visit three prominent businesses in Randolph: Applied Research Associates, New England Precision, and LED Dynamics. These visits highlighted Vermont’s thriving manufacturing industry and its critical workforce and infrastructure needs.
At Applied Research Associates, discussions centered on workforce development and introducing manufacturing as a career path earlier in education, alongside demonstrations of advanced technologies like Microbotics, retrofitted vehicles, and an autonomous moving platform. Across the road at New England Precision, President Bruce Uryase highlighted the company’s growth since 1988 and their need for highly skilled workers, with talks also covering their planned facility expansion and associated costs. At LED Dynamics, the team toured the manufacturing center, viewed product demonstrations including the Light Therapy Bed, and discussed engineering needs and machine manufacturing expansion plans.
Vershire: Ely Mine
Ely mine site tour.
Department of Housing and Community Development Commissioner Alex Farrell and Deputy Commissioner Nate Formalarie convened with representatives from the Division for Historic Preservation and several entities engaged in the Ely Mine project. The Superfund site is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and was once home to as many as 1,000 people. Recent archaeological work recorded its significance as a historic copper mine and cleanup efforts are underway to address acid mine drainage. A group tour of the site included the Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Governor’s Office.
Fairlee: VHIP Housing Projects
DHCD leadership and others meet with Village Ventures.
Commissioner Farrell and Deputy Commissioner Formalarie were joined by leadership from the Department of Children and Families and the Agency of Human Services for a tour of several multifamily projects with homebuilder Jonah Richard. The walking tour of Main Street in Fairlee showcased several buildings that Jonah’s business, Village Ventures, has been working on. Once complete, the projects are set to produce over 50 safe and high-quality units of housing. Village Ventures has relied on several state funding sources to pencil out the redevelopment efforts, including Vermont Housing Improvement Program, and the Capital Investment Program, among others.
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Orange County was the fifth stop on this year's "Capital for a Day" tour. You can read more about recent stops in Chittenden, Orleans, Caledonia, and Washington Counties.