Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger on Friday issued the following statement related to Governor Phil Scott's announcement of an expanded hotel/motel program for the homeless, which would expand eligibility and extend the benefits to those who qualify by 28 days, or until near the end of July: “I support an orderly end to the troubled pandemic-era motel program and Burlington is working in partnership with the State and our regional partners to quickly create new shelter opportunities – in addition to the two low-barrier emergency shelters Burlington has opened since late 2020 – to bring new homeless dedicated housing units online, and to expand services to meet the basic needs of the close to 200 adults in Chittenden County who will exit the program in June. However, for the State to, later this summer, turn out elderly Vermonters, people living with disabilities, and worst of all, young children and their families, to live in tents or in congregate shelters for months would be unacceptable."

Vermont Business Magazine The National Life Group Do Good Fest has added Fastball and lovelytheband to the July 15 benefit concert lineup, bringing together bands with number one hits in three different decades. These bands round out the bill along with headliner, two-time Grammy nominated American Rock Band Plain White T’s and Vermont favorite, All Night Boogie Band. Formed in 1994 in Austin, Texas, Fastball combined a fondness for melodic, Beatles-inspired pop with the alternative aesthetic of late-'90s mainstream rock. In 1998, Fastball’s “The Way” peaked at number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and remained there for seven weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine As boaters visit Vermont’s lakes and ponds this spring and summer, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and partners are offering a few tips on how to stay safe and protect Vermont’s natural resources. It is important that everyone can use and enjoy public lakes and ponds in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and his senior staff today again reiterated the reasons why the General Assistance "Hotel/Motel" program serving some 3,000 homeless needs to transition to the next phase. Scott said along with the obvious cost of the program ($8 million a month or about $145 a day per room), the hotel/motel program was instituted to help people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the federal funding the state can not afford to support it as is. As a transition, they have extended eligibility to for the temporary program to include families with children up 18 years old, from 6, along with the pre-pandemic eligibility that will remain in place (disabled, third trimester of pregnancy, and over 65). The clock will be reset and they will receive another 28 days. The other problem, the governor pointed out, is that the hotel/motel program did not offer services nor did it require individuals to seek services. About 800 individuals are scheduled to come off the current program on June 1 and another 2,000 or so will come off July 1. Again, some number of those will be eligible for the extended benefits.

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, surrounded by numerous community leaders and supporters, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced his intention to bring the appointment of Chief Jon Murad to the Burlington City Council for confirmation at their June 5th meeting. This is the second confirmation attempt. Murad was appointed acting chief in 2020, but Progressives block his confirmation as permanent chief in 2022. This came on the heels of the "defund police" movement, following the murder of George Floyd, and the cutting of police positions in Burlington. Murad's temperament has also been questioned by detractors, especially following an incident with an emergency department doctor at the University of Vermont Medical Center last August. But the composition of the Council swung away from Progressives since that last vote, in part because of the defund movement, and Democrats are in a stronger position. Mayor Weinberger is also lauding Murad's steadfastness and accomplishments over the last few years during what has been a difficult public safety period for the city.