[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6108017,"mediaKeyId","2772348-4b9c010d814beb94aacbe359fc4dc25e","parentId",2772348,"title","Bennington lawmakers outline education overhaul and housing measures as federal funding uncertainty looms","audioSeconds",2127,"startMs",100000,"endMs",2227000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2772348-4b9c010d814beb94aacbe359fc4dc25e&start=100&end=2227","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2772348-4b9c010d814beb94aacbe359fc4dc25e/thumbnail_100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108017/Bennington-County/Vermont/Bennington-lawmakers-outline-education-overhaul-and-housing-measures-as-federal-funding-uncertainty-looms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108017-28bed388c12a65f127554bc0c404058a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157626&Signature=iXFw06BGEtA61eOSyC9zDtBMcW8goXDjbyNoVND89AYNhcM~e3MIom2jPFn22FV58PX3FsHfYd3baO6SVnTvGjYbMwR2Vf48jN1umfvNMDoWokJhaonUqRZZRfGfoJZpqDM~hs5aP7Oz512eojEWx1PG8klE5OarSD11rcp~OZlGZj6wONdcyuF92jDDz7NGx6-pwHTcw4UVzyqjfVWjPBe11Vs6~jPkvjcsJMrlfIuZdFKu776-~GY3uylvlWiMFLA13sRhuqBFMVdKfo8GLgKBlQFVWTkbt7eGVlcqOdANKfS5loRjXy47YFV96ux3BGTZ6KstdwGku4PttN0m2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bennington County Regional Commission, VT","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","Sen. Seth Bongard, chair of the Senate Education Committee, told the Bennington County Regional Commission Tuesday that the Senate will focus on implementing recent education and environmental reforms rather than introducing major new measures this year. \"Over the course of the last 4 years, we passed about 20 years worth of really critical, groundbreaking environmental legislation,\" Bongard said, adding that the legislature will prioritize monitoring and assisting implementation rather than new bills.

Why it matters: The remarks map how the General Assembly plans to shift from passage to execution of recent laws — a choice that affects municipal planning, school budgets and regional natural-resource permitting. Speakers also warned that much depends on unstable federal funding for K-12 education.

Bongard summarized two core elements of the governor's education proposal: consolidation of supervisory unions and districts, and a switch to a simpler funding model. \"There's 2 major pillars... collapse our 52 supervisory unions at 119 districts into something significantly smaller,\" he said. On funding, he described the proposed move to a foundation formula — \"a weighted per-pupil block grant\" — intended to make school finance more understandable and to place clearer responsibility for funding levels.

Bongard said consolidation is aimed primarily at improving specialized services rather than producing large immediate savings. \"You can have... the right people in there that you can't afford to have in little tiny districts,\" he said; \"it's more for those reasons than savings.\" He also pushed back on a proposal discussed in testimony to mandate uniform statewide class sizes: \"I am loathed to do that... a 1-size-fits-all approach across the state of Vermont is really... a recipe for bad things happening at the local level.\"

Federal funding and independent schools: In response to a question, Bongard said roughly one-third of Vermont public school funding is federal, and that the state will have to \"monitor as best we can\" because federal appropriations timelines and uncertainties make planning difficult. On the fate of independent schools, he said the House approach was more restrictive than the Senate’s; his Senate construct would \"pair back choice\" in some places but preserve independent-school tuition options in geographic areas where they are integral to the system, such as parts of the Northeast and the Southwest.

Housing, infrastructure and brownfields: Rep. Jonathan Cooper (Bennington-1), a member of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, reviewed housing-related bills moving in both chambers. He said House Bill 479 and Senate Bill 127 share many goals, including expansion of the Vermont Rental Housing Improvement program (allowing rehabilitation grants of about $50,000 plus $20,000 specifically for accessibility upgrades in some proposals) and increased reporting requirements for recipients. \"We want a little bit more... reporting from recipients of that as well to get a feel for where this money is going,\" Cooper said.

Cooper described other items under consideration: a Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program (grants up to about $20,000 for park owners and $15,000 for homeowners), and competing proposals for a Vermont Infrastructure Sustainability Fund (House proposal roughly $15 million vs. a Senate figure around $9 million) intended as a loan fund for water, sewer and other infrastructure tied to housing.

On brownfields funding, Cooper said the Senate had proposed an additional appropriation (discussed in committee as roughly $4 million) while the House version did not add additional funds; he noted recent federal freezes on some EPA brownfields grants and said the state-level funding conversation has become more urgent. Cooper also described a $2 million appropriation in a House bill for the Vermont Economic Development Authority to use for non-disaster-declaration disaster recovery assistance.

Community Housing Investment Program and tax increment financing: Cooper summarized a Senate-origin Community Housing Investment Program (CHIP) proposal that would adapt tax-increment-like tools to smaller parcels and mixed-use development. He said the program was still taking shape in appropriations discussions and noted an open question about affordability requirements for CHIP projects.

Small-scale food manufacturers: Cooper highlighted House Bill H-401, a revived bill to ease regulations for small food manufacturers and home-based bakeries. \"It didn't just make it out of House Ag — unanimous vote — it left Ways and Means in the House at 11-0,\" Cooper said, adding he expected it to move to the Senate next.

Meeting context and next steps: Several commissioners asked follow-ups on details, including class-size policy and the distribution of brownfields funds. Appropriations work in both chambers remains live, and attendees were reminded that some funding numbers and program details could change as budget negotiations continue.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved the minutes from Jan. 16, 2025 during the meeting. Sheila moved to approve; Walter seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote; Commissioner Tiffany abstained because she was not present at the Jan. 16 meeting.

Ending: Lawmakers and staff asked the commission to monitor state budget activity and to relay local concerns about school-district configuration and housing infrastructure as committee work proceeds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bennington County Regional Commission Meeting - March 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sen. Seth Bongard and Rep. Jonathan Cooper briefed the Bennington County Regional Commission on the legislature's shift from passing new environmental laws to implementing recent reforms, the governor's two-pillar education proposal (district consolidation and a new foundation funding formula), and housing measures that include expanded rental rehabilitation grants and infrastructure funding.","taxTitle","Bennington County, Vermont","taxId",73320,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108012,"Land Use Review Board rolls out Act 181 implementation, interim Act 250 exemptions map and regional-plan outreach",1936,2483000,4419000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2772348-4b9c010d814beb94aacbe359fc4dc25e&start=2483&end=4419","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2772348-4b9c010d814beb94aacbe359fc4dc25e/thumbnail_2483000.jpg","/articles/6108012/Bennington-County/Vermont/Land-Use-Review-Board-rolls-out-Act-181-implementation-interim-Act-250-exemptions-map-and-regional-plan-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108012-7fcda8743addf1e7f3f64b733d9ea792/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157626&Signature=UWCIf26vdz6LlzdSdRkqa8Nfrx81Q2t0Wr4G65l6uIkrGe2Q-gfn2w9k-NhIAderXgX74NKeyUsbRVpNyMT2Od6qxXzhC5oqBVyZ~3hTHInSMz25dkwY3niMV45ymPuAayDrH5ItsmLUY4~sGoQ3-9PzU-~ENefdamew3KlWPiT87j36cHiT5N2BW09oRwjwUYW0nAu5~9KQJcMiytZl~xPeEGyRCchxIbGmsdR~1LiTHxdbPXwPzN1lKHY0-8LuH3BDldtIa-zS4w56qjCV5nyFVeExvm9LCLQMxkttm-22Ik3AtCyEMjnBvbReJqe4jvHgPKjomQVlDHMi9mXGtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Janet Turley, chair of the Land Use Review Board (LURB), told the Bennington County Regional Commission that the new board is operational and working to implement Act 181 and the jurisdictional changes that will affect Act 250 permitting. \"We are up and running,\" Turley said, noting the board has been meeting weekly and taking meetings on the road across the state.

Why it matters: Act 181 redefines how future land-use mapping and Act 250 jurisdiction interact. Municipalities and regional planning commissions must update maps and plans; LURB approval will be required for regional plans and some municipal exemptions, which changes timelines and processes for local projects.

Tier structure and exemptions: Turley explained the LURB’s approach to tiers and exemptions under Act 181: centers, planned growth areas and village areas can be eligible for partial or full exemptions. \"The tier 1A designation... will be a full exemption that municipalities opt to apply to the Land Use Review Board to receive,\" she said. Tier 1B will be tied to regional-plan approvals and municipal opt-ins, while the board will define Tier 3 areas where Act 250 would continue to apply with no exemptions.

Board roles and rulemaking: Turley described board assignments: Alex Weinhagen is leading tier-3 work and stakeholder meetings for rulemaking; Brooke Dingledine is leading an appeals study that will evaluate whether some Act 250 appeals should first go to the LURB; Kirsten Sultan is overseeing a review of wood-products/forest manufacturing issues. The board is also developing procedural tools for digital applications for tier-1A requests and regional-plan approvals.

Interim guidance and district coordinators: Turley said staff created an Interim Act 250 Exemptions Map to help municipalities and applicants identify current exemptions while the new rules are developed. She warned that two ARPA-funded district coordinator positions that support district offices and applicants are due to end soon and asked the legislature to consider extending those positions. \"We see those 2 positions as critical to maintaining our services to the state,\" she said.

Regional plan and future land-use mapping: BCRC planners Tali Fishburne and Samantha Page briefed commissioners on the regional-plan update required under Act 181. Fishburne said the BCRC team is drafting a new future land-use map aligned to the 10 Act 181 categories and will meet with municipal planning commissions across the region through the spring. \"The future land use mapping process requires us to update the future land use map... in line with the 10 categories that are defined in Act 181,\" Page said.

Community engagement and schedule: Staff outlined a public-engagement plan that includes planning-commission meetings (now under way), tabling at public events (May–October), community center outreach (libraries, idea boards) and a public survey to run through the summer and fall. Commissioners were asked to suggest local events where staff should tabling; one commissioner recommended the Stanford resiliency fair in May as a likely venue.

Next steps and timing: Turley noted key deadlines: the new regional plans must be Act 181-compliant and approved by LURB by Dec. 31, 2026. The board has multiple rulemaking obligations — including defining tier-3 and establishing appeals procedures — and intends to hold stakeholder meetings in coming weeks. Planners asked municipalities to watch the BCRC regional-plan web page for schedule updates and to help promote the public-engagement events.

Ending: The board and BCRC staff emphasized outreach and clarified resources for applicants during the transition; Turley urged municipalities to use the interim exemptions map and to flag issues with district coordinators while the LURB finalizes rules.","Janet Turley, chair of Vermont's new Land Use Review Board, told the Bennington County Regional Commission that the board is conducting statewide meetings, working on rulemaking for tier designations under Act 181, and preparing a regional-plan approval process; staff noted an interim Act 250 exemptions map and urged extension of two ARPA-funded","actionData","errors"]

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Bennington lawmakers outline education overhaul and housing measures as federal funding uncertainty looms

Land Use Review Board rolls out Act 181 implementation, interim Act 250 exemptions map and regional-plan outreach