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Opinion — Michael Gaughan and Katy Hansen: Vermont needs to get on the road to risk reduction

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4 months ago

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Opinion — Michael Gaughan and Katy Hansen: Vermont needs to get on the road to risk reduction


This commentary is by Michael Gaughan, the executive director of the Vermont Bond Bank, and Katy Hansen, the director of the Rural and Small Cities Program at the Public Finance Initiative.

Vermont municipalities face a stark reality. The federal support that communities have relied on after disasters may be dramatically reduced in future years. The public will soon see the FEMA Review Council report, which is expected to recommend shifting more disaster response costs to states while also raising the dollar threshold for what qualifies as a federal disaster. Vermont is already confronting this reality with the recent denial of the July 2025 disaster declaration and the related on-again off-again funding for core infrastructure resilience programs.

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For a state that has experienced over $240 million in FEMA related municipal damages from flooding in the past three years, the potential reduction in federal support threatens the fiscal and physical structures that undergird our communities. This is a staggering number, representing more than 30% of the Vermont Bond Bank’s current municipal loans, which obscures the threat to individual towns where disaster costs can be overwhelming. Take, for instance, towns such as Lyndon, where an estimated $18 million in damages occurred in 2024, roughly six times the town’s highway budget. 

READ MORE

Vermont appeals Trump’s rejection of disaster aid for July 2025 flooding


by Shaun Robinson


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But this moment of uncertainty is an opportunity for Vermont to take matters into its own hands. Recently, the Bond Bank was selected to participate in the Public Finance Initiative’s Rural and Small Cities program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to receive capacity building and educational support to develop clear guidance alongside our loan programs for communities to reduce the risks caused by extreme weather to their infrastructure. This builds on the Bond Bank’s decades of experience lending to local government and addressing challenges of infrastructure planning and finance. Our team of experts organized stakeholders from across the state to discuss how to spur action while coordinating resources. 

As others have noted and the FEMA report is anticipated to make clear, we must take responsibility ourselves and change practices to save Vermont from the inevitable. Thankfully, regional and statewide partners are making progress in developing the tools and know-how to respond to our collective flood risk. 

The convening helped the Bond Bank to highlight the largest potential contributor to post-disaster fiscal stress for our municipalities — our municipal roads. This network connects us to families, jobs, schools, grocery stores and hospitals, and is where more than 80% of municipal flood damage has occurred over the last 20 years. 

The Bond Bank’s goal is to use its understanding of public finance best practices and the helpful tools from partners like the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) to drive the development of more capital plans and financial benchmarks that incorporate technical analyses from regional and state partners. Simple at its face, the effort is interdisciplinary and complex in practice. The convening was important to help the Bond Bank develop guidance and spur implementation. The Bond Bank aims to coordinate low-cost financing sources and expand the Municipal Climate Recovery Fund (MCRF) to help communities when disaster strikes. The intent is to turn the recovery cycle on its head: align existing resources to reduce risk before disasters strike and plan for more post-disaster relief.

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The MCRF, established in partnership with the State and Treasurer’s Office, has already demonstrated its value. Since launching after the July 2023 floods, it has provided $33 million in loans at just 1.3% interest to 27 Vermont towns, offering seven-year terms with two years interest-only to give communities breathing room as they await potential federal reimbursement. This isn’t flashy, but the point is its practical value. For example, Lyndon received $4 million in MCRF loans that gave them space to deal with critical, immediate needs and time to sort through what the federal government would support.

With engagement from the partners at the convening, an expanded MCRF program, when combined with the capacity of our Vermont banks, would help address our vulnerable road infrastructure by aligning incentives for communities to plan, design and invest in improvements, and if disaster strikes, ensuring that communities can access resources through loans and adaptation grants to build back in the right way. 

This approach demands a shift in thinking. It means partners like the Bond Bank need to do everything we can to reduce costs for borrowers while also giving direction on how to take the first step in the financial trade-offs of implementing resilience projects. While this is hard work, it’s also empowering. Instead of waiting for federal aid that might never come, Vermont communities can reduce risk before disasters strike and build resilience on their own. 





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Vermont

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

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11 hours ago

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April 18, 2026

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Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes


Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14

Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.

Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)

Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.

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Key Stats

  • Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.

  • Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.

  • Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.

  • Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.

  • Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.

 
How It Happened

  • The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.

  • Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.

  • The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.

  • Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.

  • Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.

  • Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.

  • The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.

 
Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.

Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse),  and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.





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Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list

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23 hours ago

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April 18, 2026

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Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list


Is creativity the missing key to better health?

Research suggests creative activities like art, music and crafts may benefit mental health as much as other key health habits.

Here’s another reason Vermont is the best New England state: It’s home to one of the top 5 happiest cities in the United States.

Plus, it has another within the top 15.

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Massachusetts, on the other hand, doesn’t even break the top 50. Nor, does Connecticut or Rhode Island.

The personal finance website analyzed 182 of the largest cities in the country, and ranked Boston 63rd overall. Although the city is home to some of the nation’s top universities, high-ranking hospitals, and well-regarded companies, it didn’t break the top 50.

To get the rankings, WalletHub compared the cities using 29 metrics, including life-satisfaction index, depression rate, poverty rate, job security, and acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and cities were assigned an overall happiness score.

Here’s a look at how the cities ranked.

South Burlington is No. 4 happiest city, Burlington is No. 11

South Burlington came on top for Vermont in WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the United States, ranking at No. 4. In scored very high for emotional and physical well-being coming in at the No. 4 spot, which made up for coming in No. 48 for community and environment. It was No. 9 for income and employment ranking. That gave it a total happiness of score of 70.15

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Burlington wasn’t far behind at all, taking the No. 11 spot on the list and a happiness score of 67.54. It’s highest score was for income and employment ranking where it came second. It ranked No. 13 for community and environment and No. 21 for emotional and physical well-being.

Happiest cities in the US, per WalletHub

Here are the 25 happiest cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:

  1. Fremont, California – 74.09
  2. Bismarck, North Dakota – 73.11
  3. Scottsdale, Arizona – 71.36
  4. South Burlington, Vermont – 70.15
  5. Fargo, North Dakota – 69.36
  6. Overland Park, Kansas – 68.45
  7. Charleston, South Carolina – 68.44
  8. Irvine, California – 67.99
  9. Gilbert, Arizona – 67.96
  10. San Jose, California – 67.79
  11. Burlington, Vermont – 67.54
  12. Madison, Wisconsin – 66.35
  13. Columbia, Maryland – 66.28
  14. Chandler, Arizona – 65.69
  15. Seattle, Washington – 65.62
  16. Plano, Texas – 65.34
  17. San Francisco, California – 64.99
  18. Lincoln, Nebraska – 64.90
  19. Portland, Maine – 64.59
  20. Tempe, Arizona – 64.30
  21. San Diego, California – 64.30
  22. Raleigh, North Carolina – 63.47
  23. Peoria, Arizona – 63.38
  24. Durham, North Carolina – 62.84
  25. Huntington Beach, California – 62.80

Least happy cities in the US, per WalletHub

Here are the 25 least happy cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:

  1. Detroit, Michigan (#182 overall) – 29.55
  2. Memphis, Tennessee (#181 overall) – 34.39
  3. Shreveport, Louisiana (#180 overall) – 34.93
  4. Cleveland, Ohio (#179 overall) – 36.50
  5. Huntington, West Virginia (#178 overall) – 37.20
  6. Toledo, Ohio (#177 overall) – 37.21
  7. Augusta, Georgia (#176 overall) – 38.24
  8. Fort Smith, Arkansas (#175 overall) – 38.66
  9. Dover, Delaware (#174 overall) – 39.08
  10. Akron, Ohio (#173 overall) – 40.11
  11. Baltimore, Maryland (#172 overall) – 40.28
  12. Birmingham, Alabama (#171 overall) – 40.37
  13. Baton Rouge, Louisiana (#170 overall) – 40.47
  14. Columbus, Georgia (#169 overall) – 40.61
  15. Montgomery, Alabama (#168 overall) – 41.35
  16. Gulfport, Mississippi (#167 overall) – 41.65
  17. Charleston, West Virginia (#166 overall) – 42.18
  18. Jackson, Mississippi (#165 overall) – 42.60
  19. St. Louis, Missouri (#164 overall) – 43.53
  20. Knoxville, Tennessee (#163 overall) – 44.04
  21. Wilmington, Delaware (#162 overall) – 44.34
  22. Little Rock, Arkansas (#161 overall) – 44.48
  23. Mobile, Alabama (#160 overall) – 44.85
  24. New Orleans, Louisiana (#159 overall) – 45.19
  25. Tulsa, Oklahoma (#158 overall) – 45.33

Where New England cities ranked

Here are the 12 happiest cities in New England, and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:

  1. South Burlington, Vermont (#6 overall) – 70.15
  2. Burlington, Vermont (#11 overall) – 67.54
  3. Portland, Maine (#19 overall) – 64.59
  4. Nashua, New Hampshire (#27 overall) – 62.49
  5. Manchester, New Hampshire (#51 overall) – 59.10
  6. Boston, Massachusetts (#63 overall) – 56.88
  7. Warwick, Rhode Island (#66 overall) – 56.59
  8. New Haven, Connecticut (#95 overall) – 54.14
  9. Bridgeport, Connecticut (#96 overall) – 54.01
  10. Providence, Rhode Island (#98 overall) – 53.52
  11. Worcester, Massachusetts (#116 overall) – 50.12
  12. Lewiston, Maine (#145 overall) – 47.28



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Tornado with winds up to 90mph touches down in Vermont amid storms

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2026

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Tornado with winds up to 90mph touches down in Vermont amid storms


A tornado touched down in Vermont Thursday, when a strong storm system moved through the area, the National Weather Service said.

Winds are believed to have hit 90 mph when the tornado churned through Williamstown at about 9:15 p.m., the agency said Friday. That makes it an EF1 tornado on the Fujita Scale, which goes from 0 at the weakest to 5 at the strongest.

Lasting three minutes, the twister traveled for more than four-tenths of a mile, with a maximum width of 100 yards, according to the National Weather Service’s preliminary assessment. It damaged a pair of buildings and numerous trees, shearing tree tops. Golf ball-sized hail was also reported in the area.

Severe thunderstorms popped up across the North Country Thursday night, including in central Vermont — Williamstown is south of Montpelier.

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The town thanked its road crew, firefighters and locals who spent hours in the wake of the storm cleaning up.

“We appreciate all that you do to keep the town functioning though an emergency situation,” the town said.

People in the area told NBC affiliate WPTZ that the storm was shockingly powerful, and National Weather Service staffer Marlon Verasamy said that while tornadoes in Vermont are rare, they’re even rarer in this part of the state.

“Generally, when we do see tornadoes around the area that they’ve been in Addison County and not here, so it make it really, really unique to get a tornado in this kind of terrain in this part of the state,” Verasamy said.

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