Windsor and Orange counties diversify

Vermont Business Magazine, Dec 01, 2006 by Edelstein, Art

With low unemployment and steady economic indicators, the Upper Valley remains one of Vermont's strongest economic regions. As 2006 wanes, local business experts and regional observers say the towns in the Windsor/Orange County reporting districts are economically healthy and optimistic about the future.

"People are cautiously upbeat about the economy," observed Dick Drysdale the long time editor/publisher of The Herald of Randolph.

"The manufacturing base seems to be holding steady," offered Jeremy Ingpen, the soon to be departing head of the Randolph Area Community Development Corp.

Robert Flint at the Springfield Regional Development Corp. is excited about developments in his town with the sale of the former Fellows Gear Shaper property in North Springfield purchased by Winstanley Enterprises of Concord MA. He calls this "the most important economic development in Springfield in many years.

"We have a lot of activity in economic development," boasts Gayle Ottmann at the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. She said White River Junction and the Town of Hartford are undergoing positive economic changes.

A Survey of the Area's Towns

Randolph, a blue-collar town with a strong farming sector is economically healthy, having overcome a disastrous fire in the downtown several years ago and the closing of the nearby Ethan Allen Furniture plant.

Long time observer Drysdale (see sidebar) points to a variety of factors in the economic mix here that have him in a positive mood.

The Gifford Medical Center is the biggest local employer and recently dedicated the enlargement of the Menig Wing, a 20bed nursing home. GMC has produced what Drysdale calls "a very healthy professional sector."

The proximity of Vermont Technical College and Dubois and King, Vermont's second largest engineering firm, are also important to the local economy notes Drysdale. Dubois purchased the former Randolph Elementary School on Main St. and renovated it three years ago.

While manufacturing jobs have declined from perhaps 1,000 a decade ago, there remains a considerable manufacturing sector located primarily at the former Ethan Allen plant purchased by James Dwinell. That building has become a de facto incubator with 17 companies employing about 80 people involved in storage, distribution and manufacturing.

Another boost was the purchase by Applied Research from South Royalton of the former Waterbury Companies plant. Applied Research is flourishing with several defense contracts and has a workforce of many PhDs. The company is developing a means to find landmines.

Drysdale also points to the former Vermont Pure water plant, now ClearSource Inc, as a strong manufacturer. This water bottling company continues to grow, and recently added its own water bottle making machinery.

Vermont Castings, (see sidebar) manufacturing wood and gas stoves with its own foundry is doing very well and looking to hire new employees. As long as oil prices remain high, this manufacturer Will grow, said Drysdale.

Downtown Randolph, said Drysdale, "manages to stay open," although the commercial sector "continues to struggle." Most storefronts here are occupied and Main Street "continues to look good and well taken care of " New eateries, including a Mexican restaurant, have opened.

According to him, "we have a very broad economic base, except tourism."

Ingpen, who leaves his post this month, said RACDC is developing homes in the downtown. A dormant 4.4-acre lot formerly owned by Ethan Allen and vacant for 20 years, immediately adjacent to the developed downtown area will become a new neighborhood with five to six townhouse units grouped around a central square. It will include 25-30 housing units.

Ingpen said this is the last major piece of undeveloped land in the village, which has "a great need for affordable housing."

Houses here will be affordable to people at 80 to 100 percent of median income. The target sale price is $175,000 for two to three bedroom units with purchase price subsidies for many prospective buyers.

"This project has taken the lion's share of our energies," offered Ingpen.

In growing manufacturing, Ingpen points to New England Precision a high quality metal stamping operation employing 50. Applied Research, the defense contractor, has more than 50 employees, and the town is seeing what he deemed "a scattering of small manufacturing startups."

Ingpen points to new energy at Vermont Tech with its new president Ty Handy. He now sees more student focus and a desire to engage with the community. "The school has a significant effect on employers as they hire graduates," he noted.

However, he said, the impact from students on Randolph "is not significant as its substantially a commuter school."

Also important in the local economic mix is the agricultural base. "We are an agricultural town with several award winning farms," noted Ingpen.

Nearby East Randolph is doing well, said the RACDC head, with Greenwoods Farm Equipment a strong retail establishment. The local village is benefiting from a village certification from the Vermont downtown program that has led to village planning for transport, sidewalks, tree planting and general upgrading of village facilities.