[F]AIRFAX — Vermont has received $2.8 million in federal grant money to help fund 14 economic development projects in the state’s six northernmost counties.
The announcement was made Friday by Gov. Phil Scott in a renovated Scrabble game tile factory that is now home to the Runamok Maple syrup business. Scott was joined by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who also addressed the gathering of about 75 people.
“These investments will expand our workforce, create more good jobs for Vermonters, strengthen our rural communities, and expand our outdoor recreation economy,” Scott said.
The funds come from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), a federal program that invests in community and economic development projects in economically distressed counties across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.
The grants totaling $2.8 million are projected to create 175 new jobs across the counties of Essex, Orleans, Caledonia, Lamoille, Franklin and Grand Isle.
Christine Frost, the program director of NBRC, pointed out that the number does not include additional potential jobs generated by the new infrastructure and enhanced economic vitality in the affected communities.
“It’s not just about job creation,” she said. “It’s about job training, efficiency and helping to build infrastructure in these communities.”
Funding for the projects range from just more than $17,000 to the Vermont Council on Rural Development for a variety of projects in northern Vermont, to $438,000 for Burke to fix roadways and add bike lanes.
Since grants first started being awarded in 2009, northern Vermont has seen about $8 million invested in 44 economic and infrastructure development projects. Last year $2.2 million in grants from NBRC were awarded to 10 projects with the highest financial award coming in at $425,000.
“Year after year there have been projects that get a little bit of money and create a whole lot of good,” Welch said.
“And it’s because — I’m not going to say rural folks are cheap, but they’re kind of tight — and you know how to get the best value for the dollar,” the congressman said to laughter.
Welch said the federal program is “about communities rising up by themselves and taking a little and making a whole lot.”
Frost said that this year’s application process for the entire region was the most competitive it has been since the program was created, with over 96 applications and almost $24 million in requests for funding.
Frost says this is a result of more people becoming aware of the program and the work that Vermont’s congressional delegation has done to maintain funding.
“You have an amazing congressional delegation that is working hard not only in Vermont but for the rest of the region,” she said.
Leahy helped secure a budget increase of $8 million for the program in 2018 and an additional $7 million in the appropriations bill for 2019, which is now before Congress. If that goes through, it would secure $25 million in available funding for grants to the region in 2019.
Scott was scheduled to hold a press conference following the event, but it was cancelled when it was determined there were few media members in attendance,
However, in a follow-up phone interview with VTDigger later in the day, Scott:
• Said he was looking forward to his meeting Sunday in Stowe with the other New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers to discuss regional trade, energy and other issues.
“Canada is energy rich, rich with renewables, and we are looking to be a conduit for renewable power for the population-dense areas of Massachusetts and Connecticut,” Scott said.
• Said he expects supporters of his opponent in Tuesday’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Keith Stern, to turn out in force as a result of Scott’s signing of gun restrictions during the last legislative session.
“I have no doubt that he will get a significant amount of support. We have an active opposition of Second Amendment gun owners who are upset and angry with me,” Scott said. “They are seeking retribution and I have no doubt he will have strong support.”
The governor said that his greatest concern was getting people out to the polls, which he expects to be his biggest challenge.
• Said he did not know why the Republican Governors’ Association, a Washington-based organization that works to elect GOP gubernatorial candidates, has poured more than $800,000 into a PAC that supports his campaign.
“We can’t and don’t talk with RGA. We take this seriously,” Scott said, “I think this is going to be historically low turnout and anything can happen,” he said.
