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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

Ten Towns Approve Funding For Southeastern Vermont Economic Development

Susan Keese
/
VPR
Laura Sibilia is Direrctor of Economic Development for the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and a founder of SeVEDS.

Economic Development was on the Town Meeting agenda in a number of southeastern Vermont towns.  Ten towns said ‘yes’ to funding requests from a multi-town effort known as the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies, or SeVEDS.

The requests ranged from $36,000 in Brattleboro to just under $700 in Weston. Only one town, Newfane voted not to fund the effort this year.

SeVEDS grew out of a realization that the region was losing population, especially among young professionals and families.

The group has identified a number of ‘vital projects’ that could attract economic funding serve as economic engines for the region. It’s also surveyed employers on their future hiring plans.

Laura Sibilia is the economic development director for the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, the SeVEDS group’s parent organization.  

“Getting that information for a five-year window looking forward is really important if you think about it in terms of being able to deliver appropriate work force training programs. And also in terms of being able to conduct more effective regional recruitment programs, which is something we’ll be focusing on this year," Sibilia said.

Just this week the group announced a new cooperative agreement among six area colleges. The schools will share an internship program to help students gain real-world experience and develop contacts with area employers.

Susan Keese was VPR's southern Vermont reporter, based at the VPR studio in Manchester at Burr & Burton Academy. After many years as a print journalist and magazine writer, Susan started producing stories for VPR in 2002. From 2007-2009, she worked as a producer, helping to launch the noontime show Vermont Edition. Susan has won numerous journalism awards, including two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for her reporting on VPR. She wrote a column for the Sunday Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus. Her work has appeared in Vermont Life, the Boston Globe Magazine, The New York Times and other publications, as well as on NPR.
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