$500 Mini Grants for Towns and Schools!

The VTrans Public Transit Section offers grants to municipalities and schools to assist in building a statewide outreach and advocacy network for the Go! Vermont Program. Who is eligible?

selectboards
school groups (K-12)
volunteer committees (such as town energy committees)

Learn more!

Town
Volunteer
Toolkit

Toolkit

In Vermont and New Hampshire, transportation is the largest single source of greenhouse gases.

This toolkit is for community volunteers who would like to locally tackle the climate impacts of our car-centered transportation system.

Mobility
Checklist

Learn More

Winner of the Planning Project of the Year Award from the NH Planners Association in 2008! This checklist helps developers, planners, and town boards understand how to “think beyond the car” and integrate biking, walking, and transit into their plan development. It was created with the help of the Upper Valley’s professional planning community and revised in 2014.

Smart Commute Home Edition

Our Smart Commute Home Edition program worked with towns to lower residents’ transportation costs. Modeled after our successful workplace-based program, Home Edition followed a simple process to evaluate opportunities and develop tailored recommendations like new park-and-ride lots, improved marketing of carpool and bus resources, better telecommuting opportunities, electric vehicle charging stations, and more.

Smart Commute created a tailored commuting program designed to meet the needs of participating towns. Starting with a short survey of town residents, we established baseline data on commuting habits, developed a sustainable commuting plan, and worked with town officials and volunteers to implement it.

Participating Towns

2014 Smart Commute Bradford Action Plan
2014 Smart Commute Hartford Action Plan
2015 S mart Commute Hartland Action Plan
2014 Smart Commute Norwich Action Plan
2015 Smart Commute Royalton Action Plan
2015 Smart Commute Sharon Action Plan
2014 Smart Commute Windsor Action Plan
2016 Smart Commute Action Plan for Sustainable Woodstock

Commuter

Calculator

Resources for Towns

White River Junction Downtown Parking Study Final Report (2017)
This study for the Town of Hartford, Vermont, was produced by Vital Communities and RSG to examine parking constraints and options in the town’s burgeoning historic downtown.

A Look at the Municipal Vehicle Registration Fee (2015)
This study examines an optional $5 vehicle registration fee used by over a dozen New Hampshire municipalities to build local transportation improvement funds. Authorized under RSA 261:153 VI, the optional fee allows municipalities to establish local transportation improvement funds for projects as diverse as basic road maintenance, sidewalk construction, and public transit. The study concludes that many towns are seeing significant benefits from the optional fee and more are interested in adopting the optional program.

Mobility Checklist (2014)
Winner of the Planning Project of the Year Award from the NH Planners Association in 2008! This checklist helps developers, planners, and town boards understand how to “think beyond the car” and integrate biking, walking, and transit into their plan development. It was created with the help of the Upper Valley’s professional planning community and revised in 2014.

Managing Transportation Demand in the NH Route 120 Corridor: Policy, Finance, and Governance Options (2012)
This study examines how a commute trip reduction ordinance, parking revenue, and a corridor management authority could improve transportation options in the Route 120 corridor.

A Widening Gap (2007)
This study advocates for increased funding for transit services in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Operational Impact Study of Advance Transit Fixed-Route Bus Network (2005)
The “Operational Impact Study” examines the positive contribution of Advance Transit to maintaining clean air in the Upper Valley.

East Central Vermont Sustainability Consortium
Vital Communities is proud to be part of the East Central Vermont Sustainability Consortium, a three-year effort to plan for the future needs of Orange and Windsor Counties, Vermont.

Success Stories

Lend Your Voice to Local/National Commute Survey

The commutes of many Upper Valley residents have changed significantly due to COVID-19, with many shifting to telecommuting. Now that workplaces are s [...]

Your Bus in Real-Time.

Not sure when and where to catch Advance Transit or if the bus is on time? Download the Advance Transit Real Time App or check the Where’s My Bus? f [...]

Bike to Work Day at Dartmouth College

Bethany and I arrived bright and early at the Hop at Dartmouth College Friday, May 19, to greet employees and students who arrived that morning on two [...]

Dirty Hands, Clean Bikes

I had a lot of fun teaching a Basic Bike Maintenance workshop at the Upper Valley Haven on April 29, ably assisted by Lisa from the Haven! A doze [...]

Spring Into Bike Riding Season…

...with practical skills training to get you riding more! What is Everyday Bicycling? It’s using your bike for those everyday trips that we all ma [...]

Survey Says: Parking and Transportation in White River Junction Are…

Thank you to the more than 500 downtown White River Junction residents, employees, business owners, and visitors who took our survey about parkin [...]

Start a Vanpool in Woodstock!

Looking for a better way to get to work? If you have at least 5 people who share a similar commute and schedule, you can create a vanpool! Va [...]

Planning the Parking Future of White River Junction

Hartford Awards Grant for White River Junction Parking and Transportation Plan; Vital Communities and RSG to Lead Project Vital Communities and nei [...]

Advance Transit Releases Real-Time App

An increasingly common tool in urban areas, a real-time transit app has come to the Upper Valley. You can now use an iPhone or Android to see wher [...]

More Bus Service for the Bradford Area and I-91

Exciting new bus service improvements from our partner, Stagecoach Transportation Services! Expanded RIVER ROUTE (Wells River-Newbury-Bradford-Fa [...]

Calendar

	October 2020
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14 LUV Transportation & Livable Communities Day - VINS and Zoom LUV Transportation & Livable Communities Day - VINS and Zoom Starts: 12:00 pm Ends: October 14, 2020 - 8:00 pm Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85144193896?pwd=cHVVUkpXcmcvcVNpZUw1eXdyYk9iQT09 Description: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85144193896?pwd=cHVVUkpXcmcvcVNpZUw1eXdyYk9iQT09 More details... Leadership Upper Valley Session Leadership Upper Valley Session Starts: 12:00 am Ends: October 14, 2020 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	15 From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities Starts: 2:00 pm Ends: October 15, 2020 - 3:00 pm Location: Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5170431849006990096 Description: Which uses of our land provide the best economic returns to our towns? The answers might surprise you. Developing big parcels of land on the fringes of town as malls, big-box stores, or suburban tracts? No. Building up existing downtowns with mixed uses – residential, commercial, social services, and more? Yes. Acre for acre, this type of development raises more property tax revenue and requires less new infrastructure for taxpayers to pay for. In addition, mixed-use downtown development can have positive implications for climate change, public health, historic preservation and community architectural “character,” and social equity. This broad issue is explored in a series of engaging, accessible, virtual presentations featuring renowned planner Joe Minicozzi of the North Carolina-based firm Urban3, which kicks off with the session From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities, on Thursday, October 15, 10 am. Register now for this free event. Minicozzi will follow up with presentations focused on the communities that were studied, including a session focusing on Lebanon, Claremont (shown above), and Hanover, on Thursday, October 29, 11 am. Urban3’s research was contracted by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Vital Communities is the Upper Valley event co-sponsor. Register for this free LOCAL event. Urban3 derived its findings by analyzing the property tax revenues of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Hanover, Hudson, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Nashua, Pelham, Peterborough, Portsmouth, and Rochester. Minicozzi, the principal of Urban3, is an urban planner who utilizes new ways to think about and visualize land use, urban design, and economics. By using these data to create 3D visualizations, Urban3’s analysis reveals the potential for improving the fiscal health of each of these 15 communities. The visuals show what types of development create the greatest tax return for communities, and create a clear and data-driven understanding of the economics of place. Communities can use these findings as a tool to make public policy adjustments, with the goal of creating long-term financial resiliency. The Lebanon-Claremont-Hanover conversation will drill down from the statewide picture presented on October 15. Analysis, charts, and observations of data for each of the three towns will be presented. A panel with planning officials from each of the towns and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will provide local context and answer questions in a facilitated discussion. The series aims to give participants another way to look at how we use our land, and the implications for local health, prosperity, climate, and social equity. They should be able to use the information to make choices that enable and protect what they value in their local communities. Although the data was derived from studying particular New Hampshire communities, residents and officials of towns of all sizes can gain valuable insight from this discussion. Questions to be explored include: What are the financial implications of different land uses, and how can this knowledge help us make and implement good decisions for our homes, businesses, schools, and other needs? Who really pays for infrastructure and its continued maintenance? How can we preserve and replicate the homes and buildings we appreciate most, that give our communities character, and offer the greatest benefits to the public as a whole? More details... Community Economist Michael Shuman: Rebooting Your Economy After COVID Community Economist Michael Shuman: Rebooting Your Economy After COVID Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 15, 2020 - 11:30 pm Description: Introductory Webinar: Rebooting Your Community After COVID - How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401ks The Local Crowd (TLC) Upper Valley & Monadnock will host an online introductory webinar with community economist and author Michael H. Shuman called "Rebooting Your Community After COVID - How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401ks" on Thursday, October 15, 2020, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This event is free, but registration is required. Register Today! "When the pandemic recedes, we all will be called upon to take extraordinary steps to revive the local businesses that serve as the foundation of our communities," shared Shuman. "One critically important step will be for you and other members of your community to move your investment capital from Wall Street to Main Street." The event's target audience includes community members with tax-deferred retirement accounts, whether a 401k or IRA, interested in moving a portion of their money to local businesses, projects, or people. Others who might benefit from this event are local business people looking for new sources of capital, community economic developers and those looking for new ways to solve local economic problems and strengthen local resiliency. Shuman, a leading visionary on community economics, serves as Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation and Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performs economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. His three most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs; The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity; and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. More details... • •	16	17
18	19	20 Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Lebanon/Mascoma Valley Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Lebanon/Mascoma Valley Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 21, 2020 - 12:00 am More details... •	21	22 UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE Starts: 8:00 pm Ends: October 22, 2020 - 9:30 pm Location: By video conference Description: This is the meeting of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association. For spring 2020 and until further notice, meetings will be held remotely. More details... •	23	24
25	26	27 Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Kearsarge Region Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Kearsarge Region Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 28, 2020 - 12:00 am Location: (Zoom Line)-Zoom Line 1 More details... •	28	29 Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis in Lebanon, Claremont, Hanover Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis in Lebanon, Claremont, Hanover Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: October 29, 2020 - 4:00 pm Location: Register for this free LOCAL event at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4748637198917028623 Description: Which uses of our land provide the best economic returns to our towns? The answers might surprise you. Developing big parcels of land on the fringes of town as malls, big-box stores, or suburban tracts? No. Building up existing downtowns with mixed uses – residential, commercial, social services, and more? Yes. Acre for acre, this type of development raises more property tax revenue and requires less new infrastructure for taxpayers to pay for. In addition, mixed-use downtown development can have positive implications for climate change, public health, historic preservation and community architectural “character,” and social equity. This broad issue is explored in a series of engaging, accessible, virtual presentations featuring renowned planner Joe Minicozzi of the North Carolina-based firm Urban3, which kicks off with the session From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities, on Thursday, October 15, 10 am. Register now for this free event. Minicozzi will follow up with presentations focused on the communities that were studied, including a session focusing on Lebanon, Claremont (shown above), and Hanover, on Thursday, October 29, 11 am. Urban3’s research was contracted by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Vital Communities is the Upper Valley event co-sponsor. Register for this free LOCAL event. Urban3 derived its findings by analyzing the property tax revenues of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Hanover, Hudson, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Nashua, Pelham, Peterborough, Portsmouth, and Rochester. Minicozzi, the principal of Urban3, is an urban planner who utilizes new ways to think about and visualize land use, urban design, and economics. By using these data to create 3D visualizations, Urban3’s analysis reveals the potential for improving the fiscal health of each of these 15 communities. The visuals show what types of development create the greatest tax return for communities, and create a clear and data-driven understanding of the economics of place. Communities can use these findings as a tool to make public policy adjustments, with the goal of creating long-term financial resiliency. The Lebanon-Claremont-Hanover conversation will drill down from the statewide picture presented on October 15. Analysis, charts, and observations of data for each of the three towns will be presented. A panel with planning officials from each of the towns and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will provide local context and answer questions in a facilitated discussion. The series aims to give participants another way to look at how we use our land, and the implications for local health, prosperity, climate, and social equity. They should be able to use the information to make choices that enable and protect what they value in their local communities. Although the data was derived from studying particular New Hampshire communities, residents and officials of towns of all sizes can gain valuable insight from this discussion. Questions to be explored include: What are the financial implications of different land uses, and how can this knowledge help us make and implement good decisions for our homes, businesses, schools, and other needs? Who really pays for infrastructure and its continued maintenance? How can we preserve and replicate the homes and buildings we appreciate most, that give our communities character, and offer the greatest benefits to the public as a whole? More details... •	30	31

Vital Communities Program News

Community Discussion Lists: A Way Out of Partisanship?

In these contentious times, when civility, useful information, and real communication seems to be frequently missing from the big social media platforms, it is pretty wonderful to have a local resource where we can learn ...more

Upper Valley Housing, 2010-2019: The Numbers Are In

How many and what kind of homes are we creating in our region? Vital Communities and Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Commission partnered with 29 towns to measure the numbers, types, and values of homes ...more

Study Underscores the Benefits of Buying Local

A study commissioned by Vital Communities finds that, for every dollar they earn, local retailers and restaurants return a share to the local community that’s up to four times as big as that of chain ...more

Hartford Dollars Sell Out in Two Days!

Buyers gobbled up $18,000 worth of Hartford Dollars within just days of the new "currency" going on sale! And organizers hope it's only the start of more and stronger trends and programs toward keeping dollars ...more

Crowdfund Revels North's Christmas Revels Film!

Give Today to The Christmas Revels' 2020 Production! Will the COVID-19 Grinch steal The Christmas Revels? Perish the thought! This year The Christmas Revels will go onscreen with a film featuring the artistry and panache that ...more

Fall Guided Quest in Wilder, VT

Join Vital Communities’ Valley Quest Coordinator Sandy Gmur along with Roy Black, lifelong resident of Wilder and a member of the Hartford Historical Society, on a guided exploration of the historic village of Wilder. Did ...more

Quest to Refresh Challenge!

Do you need to press the reset/refresh button? Have you spent too much time behind a screen these days? We have a solution! Take our challenge – Quest to Refresh! Complete five or more Quests ...more

Quests Along the Cross Rivendell Trail

Do you hope to do a longer hike before the good weather ends? Do you enjoy a challenge? We have a way for you to attain these goals! Two of our Quests incorporate sections of ...more

Weatherize Webinar, August 17

Weatherize Webinar with NHSaves Monday, August 17 at Noon Did Covid-19 stop your 2020 weatherization plans in their tracks? NOW is the right time to jump back on the weatherize band wagon. Lower energy bills and cozy ...more

Pick Your Own is OPEN ♥

Yes...Local as Usual, Safer than Ever. Pick Your Own strawberry farms opened this past weekend. Get out there and pick the delish! There is nothing like ripe berries. So good. Each berry that comes into season ...more

Berries: Delicious, versatile and in season now!

The Upper Valley berry season typically ranges from late June to early October. In our short, but fruitful season, we can enjoy raspberries and strawberries (although neither are technically real berries), then move into summer ...more

Welcome 31 New Upper Valley Change-makers

Vital Communities celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 on Wednesday, June 10. This event marked the program’s 14th graduating class, as 31 local leaders completed the 10-month program with a ...more

TLC 4WARD Crowdfunding for Businesses

Do you own an Upper Valley business that is suffering due to the effects of the pandemic and could use a little help from your friends? TLC 4WARD Upper Valley is here for you. The Local ...more

A Letter To Our Upper Valley Schools

I hope this note finds you all healthy and adjusting to the routines of remote learning and teaching. I know my family and I are starting to feel a rhythm in our days and finding ourselves to be ...more

Five Inspiring Stories

On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included: Electric charging stations in Bethel An Upper Valley eBike lending library Energy saving window ...more

13th Annual Roundtable - September 15

You're Invited! The 13th Annual Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable will be held Tuesday, September 15, 5-8 pm in West Lebanon! This annual gathering of local energy volunteers is open to all, whether you serve on an ...more

Stand in Your Circle of Strength and Lead

Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more

Heroes & Leaders: Creating a Vital Upper Valley

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more

Read our blog

Want more information?

Staff

Ana Mejia

Climate Projects Coordinator

Transportation, Energy

802-291-9100 x114

email
phone phone

Transportation, Energy

— Ana Mejia, Climate Projects Coordinator

Ana Mejia is the Climate Projects Coordinator at Vital Communities. She is a Southern California native and first arrived to the Upper Valley in 2018. Ana received her Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and her Master’s in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, where she wrote her thesis on solar home affordability and energy efficiency programs for low income families. When she is not actively working towards creating sustainable communities, Ana enjoys swimming, cross-country skiing, birding, and trying out new dessert recipes with her KitchenAid mixer.

Bethany Fleishman

Transportation Program Manager

Transportation

802-291-9100 x111

email
phone phone

Transportation

— Bethany Fleishman, Transportation Program Manager

Bethany Fleishman was born at the old Mary Hitchcock hospital in Hanover, N.H., grew up in West Hartford, Vt., and now lives in Hartford Village, where she can see the White River and the trains from her window. She has a biology degree from St. Lawrence University and has worked in public health outreach, as a line cook in San Francisco, a pastry chef in Hanover, and as a member of the Town of Hartford Selectboard. She serves on the board of directors for both Advance Transit and Upper Valley CarShare and is a lifelong bike commuter.

	October 2020
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14 LUV Transportation & Livable Communities Day - VINS and Zoom LUV Transportation & Livable Communities Day - VINS and Zoom Starts: 12:00 pm Ends: October 14, 2020 - 8:00 pm Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85144193896?pwd=cHVVUkpXcmcvcVNpZUw1eXdyYk9iQT09 Description: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85144193896?pwd=cHVVUkpXcmcvcVNpZUw1eXdyYk9iQT09 More details... Leadership Upper Valley Session Leadership Upper Valley Session Starts: 12:00 am Ends: October 14, 2020 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	15 From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities Starts: 2:00 pm Ends: October 15, 2020 - 3:00 pm Location: Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5170431849006990096 Description: Which uses of our land provide the best economic returns to our towns? The answers might surprise you. Developing big parcels of land on the fringes of town as malls, big-box stores, or suburban tracts? No. Building up existing downtowns with mixed uses – residential, commercial, social services, and more? Yes. Acre for acre, this type of development raises more property tax revenue and requires less new infrastructure for taxpayers to pay for. In addition, mixed-use downtown development can have positive implications for climate change, public health, historic preservation and community architectural “character,” and social equity. This broad issue is explored in a series of engaging, accessible, virtual presentations featuring renowned planner Joe Minicozzi of the North Carolina-based firm Urban3, which kicks off with the session From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities, on Thursday, October 15, 10 am. Register now for this free event. Minicozzi will follow up with presentations focused on the communities that were studied, including a session focusing on Lebanon, Claremont (shown above), and Hanover, on Thursday, October 29, 11 am. Urban3’s research was contracted by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Vital Communities is the Upper Valley event co-sponsor. Register for this free LOCAL event. Urban3 derived its findings by analyzing the property tax revenues of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Hanover, Hudson, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Nashua, Pelham, Peterborough, Portsmouth, and Rochester. Minicozzi, the principal of Urban3, is an urban planner who utilizes new ways to think about and visualize land use, urban design, and economics. By using these data to create 3D visualizations, Urban3’s analysis reveals the potential for improving the fiscal health of each of these 15 communities. The visuals show what types of development create the greatest tax return for communities, and create a clear and data-driven understanding of the economics of place. Communities can use these findings as a tool to make public policy adjustments, with the goal of creating long-term financial resiliency. The Lebanon-Claremont-Hanover conversation will drill down from the statewide picture presented on October 15. Analysis, charts, and observations of data for each of the three towns will be presented. A panel with planning officials from each of the towns and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will provide local context and answer questions in a facilitated discussion. The series aims to give participants another way to look at how we use our land, and the implications for local health, prosperity, climate, and social equity. They should be able to use the information to make choices that enable and protect what they value in their local communities. Although the data was derived from studying particular New Hampshire communities, residents and officials of towns of all sizes can gain valuable insight from this discussion. Questions to be explored include: What are the financial implications of different land uses, and how can this knowledge help us make and implement good decisions for our homes, businesses, schools, and other needs? Who really pays for infrastructure and its continued maintenance? How can we preserve and replicate the homes and buildings we appreciate most, that give our communities character, and offer the greatest benefits to the public as a whole? More details... Community Economist Michael Shuman: Rebooting Your Economy After COVID Community Economist Michael Shuman: Rebooting Your Economy After COVID Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 15, 2020 - 11:30 pm Description: Introductory Webinar: Rebooting Your Community After COVID - How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401ks The Local Crowd (TLC) Upper Valley & Monadnock will host an online introductory webinar with community economist and author Michael H. Shuman called "Rebooting Your Community After COVID - How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401ks" on Thursday, October 15, 2020, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This event is free, but registration is required. Register Today! "When the pandemic recedes, we all will be called upon to take extraordinary steps to revive the local businesses that serve as the foundation of our communities," shared Shuman. "One critically important step will be for you and other members of your community to move your investment capital from Wall Street to Main Street." The event's target audience includes community members with tax-deferred retirement accounts, whether a 401k or IRA, interested in moving a portion of their money to local businesses, projects, or people. Others who might benefit from this event are local business people looking for new sources of capital, community economic developers and those looking for new ways to solve local economic problems and strengthen local resiliency. Shuman, a leading visionary on community economics, serves as Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation and Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performs economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. His three most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs; The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity; and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. More details... • •	16	17
18	19	20 Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Lebanon/Mascoma Valley Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Lebanon/Mascoma Valley Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 21, 2020 - 12:00 am More details... •	21	22 UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE Starts: 8:00 pm Ends: October 22, 2020 - 9:30 pm Location: By video conference Description: This is the meeting of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association. For spring 2020 and until further notice, meetings will be held remotely. More details... •	23	24
25	26	27 Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Kearsarge Region Community Resilience Through Local Food Security: Kearsarge Region Starts: 10:30 pm Ends: October 28, 2020 - 12:00 am Location: (Zoom Line)-Zoom Line 1 More details... •	28	29 Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis in Lebanon, Claremont, Hanover Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis in Lebanon, Claremont, Hanover Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: October 29, 2020 - 4:00 pm Location: Register for this free LOCAL event at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4748637198917028623 Description: Which uses of our land provide the best economic returns to our towns? The answers might surprise you. Developing big parcels of land on the fringes of town as malls, big-box stores, or suburban tracts? No. Building up existing downtowns with mixed uses – residential, commercial, social services, and more? Yes. Acre for acre, this type of development raises more property tax revenue and requires less new infrastructure for taxpayers to pay for. In addition, mixed-use downtown development can have positive implications for climate change, public health, historic preservation and community architectural “character,” and social equity. This broad issue is explored in a series of engaging, accessible, virtual presentations featuring renowned planner Joe Minicozzi of the North Carolina-based firm Urban3, which kicks off with the session From the Outskirts to Downtown: Taxes, Land Use & Land Value Analysis of 15 New Hampshire Communities, on Thursday, October 15, 10 am. Register now for this free event. Minicozzi will follow up with presentations focused on the communities that were studied, including a session focusing on Lebanon, Claremont (shown above), and Hanover, on Thursday, October 29, 11 am. Urban3’s research was contracted by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Vital Communities is the Upper Valley event co-sponsor. Register for this free LOCAL event. Urban3 derived its findings by analyzing the property tax revenues of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Hanover, Hudson, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Nashua, Pelham, Peterborough, Portsmouth, and Rochester. Minicozzi, the principal of Urban3, is an urban planner who utilizes new ways to think about and visualize land use, urban design, and economics. By using these data to create 3D visualizations, Urban3’s analysis reveals the potential for improving the fiscal health of each of these 15 communities. The visuals show what types of development create the greatest tax return for communities, and create a clear and data-driven understanding of the economics of place. Communities can use these findings as a tool to make public policy adjustments, with the goal of creating long-term financial resiliency. The Lebanon-Claremont-Hanover conversation will drill down from the statewide picture presented on October 15. Analysis, charts, and observations of data for each of the three towns will be presented. A panel with planning officials from each of the towns and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will provide local context and answer questions in a facilitated discussion. The series aims to give participants another way to look at how we use our land, and the implications for local health, prosperity, climate, and social equity. They should be able to use the information to make choices that enable and protect what they value in their local communities. Although the data was derived from studying particular New Hampshire communities, residents and officials of towns of all sizes can gain valuable insight from this discussion. Questions to be explored include: What are the financial implications of different land uses, and how can this knowledge help us make and implement good decisions for our homes, businesses, schools, and other needs? Who really pays for infrastructure and its continued maintenance? How can we preserve and replicate the homes and buildings we appreciate most, that give our communities character, and offer the greatest benefits to the public as a whole? More details... •	30	31

The VTrans Public Transit Section offers grants to municipalities and schools to assist in building a statewide outreach and advocacy network for the Go! Vermont Program. Who is eligible?

selectboards

school groups (K-12)

volunteer committees (such as town energy committees)

In Vermont and New Hampshire, transportation is the largest single source of greenhouse gases.

This toolkit is for community volunteers who would like to locally tackle the climate impacts of our car-centered transportation system.

Smart Commute Home Edition

Participating Towns

Commuter

Calculator

Resources for Towns

Success Stories

Calendar

October 2020

Vital Communities Program News

Want more information?

Staff

Ana Mejia

Transportation, Energy

— Ana Mejia, Climate Projects Coordinator

Bethany Fleishman

Transportation

— Bethany Fleishman, Transportation Program Manager

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