Conventional wisdom says it takes six months before a change in rate kicks in. We are now at that point and the uncertainty continues. Two of the states leading economists, Richard Heaps of Northern Economic Consulting and Jeff Carr of Economic Policy Research agree that the national slowdown has caught up with Vermont. Lay offs are being reported form one end of the state to the other. Central Vermont is not immune as Mad River Canoe recently announced that they would be closing the Waitsfield facility by year-end with all production being done in North Carolina.
Housing is still a critical issue in Central Vermont, at all levels.
Expect to hear more about this later. This was their first request for funding since receiving Downtown designation. Unfortunately, they did not receive funding for their other request for parking improvements at the Depot and Merchants Row. The Vermont Granite Museum has been raised and lowered onto a new foundation. The McFarland House received major funding from the legislature and work should begin soon on the rehabilitation that facility for state offices.