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Regional plan update planned; staff warn federal grant funding is uncertain after new administration order
Summary
Staff outlined a year-and-a-half schedule to update the regional plan with public outreach Feb–May focused on mission/vision, housing and flood resilience. The executive director warned that an administration executive order has paused or placed uncertainty on some federally funded grants tied to the commission's projects.
Staff for the Lamoille County Planning Commission told the board that the regional plan will be updated over the next 18 months with focused public outreach and required updates to align with recent state law changes and federal economic development strategy language.
"We're gonna be doing a lot of public outreach between February and May regarding the plan, and most of that outreach will be around the mission and vision statements and kind of reaching out to select boards, trustees, and members of the public, about how they see, the future of Lamoille County," Tasha said, summarizing the outreach timeline and primary focus areas. She said the outreach will include questions on housing and flood resiliency.
Tasha said the update will add changes required by Act 181 and will update the plan’s housing, flood resiliency and economic development sections. Staff recommended adding language that aligns the commission’s regional plan with the Northern Vermont Economic Development District to help the region access federal economic development funds.
Separately, the commission’s executive director told the board that a recent executive order at the federal level has created uncertainty for several federally funded projects. "We have a large grant...with the Economic Development Administration...they have asked us to put our work with consultants on pause," the executive director said. The executive director also listed other federally funded programs the commission is monitoring, including Brownfields funding, a Safe Streets for All grant, and a health equity grant through the Department of Health; staff said some projects appear more exposed than others depending on whether funds were already obligated.
Staff told the board that the commission has a state funding surplus for the year that reduces immediate financial risk to ongoing local support, but that the agency is monitoring the legal and administrative developments closely and will update communities as the status of obligated and pending funds becomes clearer.
Practical next steps include a suite of public outreach methods: live workshops with select boards and trustees, an interactive phone/tablet-based survey tool, online SurveyMonkey copies of questionnaires, and paper copies at libraries and town offices. The commission also plans a joint forum for select board members and trustees on April 10 at the Green Mountain Tech Center to present materials and collect feedback.
Board members asked staff to circulate details on the April forum and on any state or federal announcements that change program status.
