The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 24: Municipal and County Government

Chapter 076: Economic Development Performance Grants

• § 2780. Repealed. 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3.

• § 2781. Definitions

  For the purposes of this chapter:

  (1) “Regional development corporation” means a nonprofit corporation organized in this State whose principal purpose is to promote, organize, or accomplish economic development, including providing planning and resource development services to local communities, supporting existing industry, assisting the growth and development of new and existing small businesses, and attracting industry or commerce to a particular economic region of the State;

  (2) “Regional planning commission” means a regional planning commission operating under subchapters 3 and 4 of chapter 117 of this title;

  (3) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1983, No. 39, § 1; 1989, No. 21, § 2; 1995, No. 190 (Adj. Sess.), § 1(a).)

• § 2782. Proposals for performance grants for economic development

  (a) The Secretary shall negotiate and issue performance grants to qualified regional development corporations, regional planning commissions, or both in the case of a joint proposal, to provide economic development services under this chapter.

  (b) A proposal shall be submitted in response to a request for proposals issued by the Secretary.

  (c) The Secretary may require that a service provider submit with a proposal, or subsequent to the filing of a proposal, additional supportive data or information that he or she considers necessary to make a decision to award or to assess the effectiveness of a performance grant. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1985, No. 62, § 1; 1989, No. 21, § 3; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)

• § 2783. Eligibility for performance grants

  Upon receipt of a proposal for a performance grant, the Secretary shall within 60 days determine whether or not the service provider may be awarded a performance grant under this chapter. The Secretary shall enter into a performance grant with a service provider if the Secretary finds:

  (1) the service provider serves an economic region generally consistent with one or more of the State’s regional planning commission regions;

  (2) the service provider demonstrates the ability and willingness to provide planning and resource development services to local communities and to assist communities in evaluating economic conditions and prepare for economic growth and stability;

  (3) the service provider demonstrates an ability to gather economic and demographic information concerning the area served;

  (4) the service provider has, or demonstrates it will be able to secure, letters of support from the legislative bodies of the affected municipalities;

  (5) the service provider demonstrates a capability and willingness to assist existing business and industry, to encourage the development and growth of small business, and to attract industry and commerce;

  (6) the service provider appears to be the best qualified service provider from the region to accomplish and promote economic development;

  (7) the service provider needs the performance grant and that the performance grant will be used for the employment of professional persons or expenses consistent with performance grant provisions, or both;

  (8) the service provider presents an operating budget and has adequate funds available to match the performance grant;

  (9) the service provider demonstrates a willingness to involve the public of the region in its policy-making process by offering membership to representatives of all municipalities in the economic region which shall elect the directors of the governing board;

  (10) the service provider demonstrates a willingness to coordinate its activities with the planning functions of any regional planning commission located in the same geographic area as the service provider. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1983, No. 39, § 2; 1989, No. 21, § 4; 1995, No. 46, § 30; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)

• § 2784. Terms of performance grants

  (a)(1) Funds available through a performance grant may only be used by an applicant to perform the duties or provide the services specified in the performance grant.

  (2) The amount and terms of the performance grant shall be determined by the Secretary.

  (b) A performance grant shall be made for a period specified by the grant.

  (c) Payments to a service provider shall be made pursuant to the terms of the performance grant. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1983, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 5(b); 1985, No. 62, § 2; 1985, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 1989, No. 21, § 5; 1995, No. 46, § 31; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)

• § 2784a. Plans

  A service provider awarded a performance grant under this chapter shall conduct its activities under subdivision 2784(a)(1) of this title consistent with local and regional plans. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)

• § 2785. Rules

  The Secretary may issue rules necessary to carry out his or her duties and the purposes of this chapter under the provisions of 3 V.S.A. chapter 25. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3.)

• § 2786. Applicability of State laws

  (a) A service provider awarded a performance grant by the Secretary under this chapter shall be subject to 1 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 2 (open meetings) and 1 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 3 (public records), except that in addition to any limitation provided in subchapter 2 or 3:

  (1) no person shall disclose any information relating to a proposed transaction or agreement between the service provider and another person, in furtherance of the service provider’s public purposes under the law, prior to final execution of such transaction or agreement; and

  (2) meetings of the service provider’s board to consider such proposed transactions or agreements may be held in executive session under 1 V.S.A. § 313.

  (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the exchange of information between or among regional development corporations or regional planning commissions concerning any activity of the corporations and the commissions, provided that such information shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

  (c) The provisions of 2 V.S.A. chapter 11 (registration of lobbyists) shall apply to regional development corporations and regional planning commissions. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1987, No. 256 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1995, No. 46, § 32; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)

• § 2787. Economic development strategy; deference to regional plans; CEDS

  In the event a major employer in an economic region announces a closure, relocation, or other significant action that will impact directly and indirectly jobs or wages in the region, and a regional planning commission has adopted a regional plan pursuant to section 4348 of this title or a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) approved by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, or both, and the plan or CEDS, or both, includes mitigation strategies to address substantial local and regional economic and fiscal challenges related to that employer, including closure, relocation, or reduction in workforce, then:

  (1) the Executive Branch shall defer to the regional plan and CEDS when using or distributing funds or other resources meant to mitigate anticipated local and regional economic and fiscal challenges, or shall provide the regional planning commission for the region with its basis for not deferring to the plan and the CEDS; and

  (2) the Executive Branch shall involve the regional planning commission and regional development corporation for the region in decisions regarding the use or distribution of those funds or resources. (Added 2015, No. 51, § F.1, eff. June 3, 2015.)