Community News

CVRPC Appoints New Executive Director 

We are pleased to announce that Christian Meyer has been appointed Executive Director of the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC).  Christian has worked with the organization since 2021 and served as the Acting Director since October 2022. 

Christian joined CVRPC in early 2021 as a Senior Transportation Planner, coming from Waterbury, Connecticut where he worked on similar regional issues with the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments. He brings his experience working with municipalities to help them identify and obtain the resources needed to achieve their goals. In his new role, Christian intends to build on the existing relationships with local leaders from the Central Vermont region, which includes Washington County and the towns of Orange, Washington and Williamstown, to ensure each municipality understands and benefits from the assistance that is available to them through their partnership with the Regional Planning Commission.      

Christian, a native of Maple Corner in the Town of Calais, currently lives in Montpelier with his wife and two children. He enjoys working on his house and bumping into new and old acquaintances on the streets of Montpelier. 

Municipal Energy Resilience Program Launches

CVRPC is excited to begin assisting our region with the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP). A new program to extend the energy savings and resilience concept of the Buildings & General Services Energy Management Program (SEMP) to municipalities. The MERP will provide staff support, application and technical assistance, and funding to help communities become more energy resilient, reduce energy use and operating costs, and curb greenhouse gas emissions by promoting renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, weatherization, thermal improvements, fuel switching, and enhanced building comfort in municipal buildings and facilities. Additional details on this program are available on both our website & our recent “Let’s Get Started” news brief.  

Did you miss our Municipal Solar Workshop - Part 1?

We have a video of the workshop available online. The workshop has information to support town staff and leadership to connect them with the resources and experts necessary to navigate project development and implementation processes. Access the video here! Additional resources area also available on our website. If you have questions, please contact Sam Lash - lash@cvregion.com

Request for Proposals - Co-operative Community Engagement and Facilitation

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) is requesting proposals from qualified individuals or firms well-versed in co-operative principles to engage a 1,060-member food co-operative in the process of helping the membership to reach decisions about the business’s future.

Questions must be submitted in writing by March 29^th; and directed  to Jon Ignatowski, Planner, https://ignatowski@cvregion.com. Answers will be posted on CVRPC website on March 31^st.

Proposals must be submitted via email by April 7, 2023. Proposals must be clearly marked “Co-op Community Engagement and Facilitation” and delivered via email to Jon Ignatowski, Planner, https://ignatowski@cvregion.com. Full details here.

Municipal Energy Resilience Program - Community Capacity Building Mini-Grants

The first of many opportunities in this program. These grants provide up to $4,000 to support energy resilience community capacity building.

Potential Uses:

• (Co)-hire staff to support grant writing, project development, and/or municipal energy tracking
• Host educational events/energy fairs
• Start an energy committee

Application available here and more details about the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) on our webpage and in in this newsletter.