Doug Farnham has been appointed as Vermont’s chief recovery officer by Gov. Phil Scott in the wake of July’s devastating flooding.
Scott’s office made the announcement Wednesday and said that Farnham is tasked with coordinating flood recovery efforts, along with ongoing historic community revitalization work.
Farnham previously served as the deputy secretary of the Agency of Administration, overseeing the state’s management of historic federal Covid-19 recovery and infrastructure investments.
In a press release announcing the appointment, Scott said that “working to build back smarter and more resilient to the impacts of climate change will be key” as the state recovers from flooding.
“Recovery means helping people get back on their feet and making the most of the transformational investments that were being made before the floods,” Scott said. “It is important to have someone with Doug’s experience to help bring all the tools and resources together, so we keep our transformative community revitalization work on track for the greatest impact.”
Farnham, who lives in Montpelier, also worked for the Vermont Department of Taxes, where he held several roles, including deputy commissioner, policy director and economist, and director of property valuation and review.
Grants for businesses, nonprofits
Also on Wednesday, the state urged businesses and nonprofits to get ready to apply for a new $20 million grant program designed to help businesses and nonprofits recover from flood damage.
The application portal for the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program will open at noon Thursday, Scott’s office announced in a press release.
“More support will be needed, but this $20 million commitment from the State is a strong first step as we work to help employers impacted by catastrophic July flooding,” Scott said in the release.
Organizations that are awarded grants can receive up to 20% of their net, uncovered damages after factoring in other funding sources like insurance coverage and other grant awards. Most can receive up to $20,000, and more money could be available for entities that suffered $1 million or more in physical damage.
Physical damage includes damage to real estate, improvements made by lease holders, inventory and equipment.
For more information, email ACCD.BizFloodGrant@Vermont.Gov.
