April 9, 2025
Agenda:
• Welcome
• Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD)
Discussion on the impacts of school closures, how the process currently works, and what the supportive resources are.
Minutes:
Welcome
Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD)
Discussion on the impacts of school closures, how the process currently works, and what the supportive resources are.
Denise Smith - Executive Director of VCRD & Jessica Savage - Director of Programs and Strategic Initiations at VCRD
Ben Doyle - President of Preservation Trust of Vermont
Ben discussed how the Preservation Trust supports communities through transiting a school building. They have noticed reactive responses where the decision to close a school is made and the planning of next steps takes years. Many times this takes more capacity than a group of volunteers. Ben emphasized that planning and support needs to be proactive to help communities successfully transition their buildings smoothly and efficiently. If a school construction fund is stood up by the legislature, a portion of it should go towards the transition of buildings to reduce the impact of competition for municipal grants. The larger the facility the more difficult, larger carrying costs, and longer the project of transition. Typically a 3-5 person selectboard does not have the capacity to drive a large economic development project.
Michael Pelton - Windham, VT Resident
Denise Smith
Denise wrapped up by providing some next steps and policy ideas for the caucus. She shared that there is a steering committee of technical support providers that exists and could be a valuable resource. She recommended that local communities should be supported early, being proactive about what the transition of their school building would look like and what resources would be needed. Young people should also be involved in these discussions. She also recommended learning from other towns and looking to align education and the transition of resources with community economic development. Denise will share case studies from towns who have successfully transitioned their buildings and towns who have took on additional costs and logistics in order to do so.
Additional Resources - Village Trust Initiative Model: https://www.vtrural.org/village-trust/
General Discussion
The caucus discussed the role of Regional Planning Commissions and the gap of not having region/county government, as well as the valuable resource of the municipal technical assistance program (MTAP) and the decrease of funding the program is receiving in the FY26 Budget.
Caucus leadership to write a letter to Senate Appropriations in support of funding MTAP.
Caucus discussion to pivot to rural health care next week.
