and the Statehouse to the NEK

Last Thursday (January 22nd) was NEK Day at the Vermont Statehouse and the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce showed up in big ways. 

The day marked the 5th meeting (and halfway point) of the inaugural Leadership NEK Cohort (LNEK). These community leaders in training hit the road early for a day in Montpelier spent listening to (and in one case) giving testimony to State representatives. 

Peggy Clay, human resources manager at Vermont Aerospace in Lyndon and 2026 LNEK participant, spoke passionately of the issues that hold young folks back from maintaining fulfilling careers in the Northeast Kingdom. 

“I watched far too many [young people] move away, not because they wanted to, but they just didn’t see a future here for them locally, and that reality just weighed very heavily on me.”

Clay cited a recent partnership between Vermont Aerospace and local high school Lyndon Institute she spearheaded as an encouraging example of the sort of programs that could change narrative for these young people. 

But Clay recognizes that the struggles don’t end there.

“I have folks who will apply from Littleton and say, ‘well, with your tax structure, we need an extra $2 per hour,’ and that’s just not a sustainable model for us.”

Chamber representation on the big day didn’t end with Leadership NEK. Testimony was also given by Kayla Veilleux, speaking in her role as the chair of the Northeast Kingdom Young Professionals Network, a project of the NEK Chamber. 

“I believe we need better ways of understanding why professionals stay, why they leave, and what would make staying not only viable but desirable to be in the Northeast Kingdom. I would like to see the state dedicate some resources to better understanding the needs of the young professionals who are already in the Northeast Kingdom and hoping to find their community and put down roots there for the long term.”

Read more on each of their testimonies in the Caledonian Record. 

Both Clay’s and Veilleux’s testimonies echo what we understand to be among the greatest struggles the NEK currently faces: Housing and Workforce shortages. Which is why, later that same day, Chamber Director, Loralee Tester, provided her own testimony in which she offered a 10-point framework for ensuring legislation passed this session adequately functions in rural contexts. This testimony comes as a culmination of the ongoing work the chamber has dedicated to its Housing and Manufacturing consortiums. 

We’re grateful for any opportunity to connect with state legislators, which is why it was all the more exciting when on January 26th, just days later, we were joined by several Northeast Kingdom legislators at the first of this year’s monthly Legislative Breakfasts. While over a foot of fresh snowfall overnight may have kept us from convening in person, the NEK continued to show up with strong attendance via our live streamed Q&A with representatives from all corners of the region. 

These gatherings are a time for community members to ask questions, and foster all-around clear, direct communication between the business community and our elected officials. The series will return Monday, February 23rd back at the St Johnsbury Athenaeum (weather permitting, of course). 

But the opportunities to gather and collaborate don’t end there! We hope you’ll join us next week for our upcoming Coffee & Connections, in which we’ll hear from Passumpsic Bank on best practices for avoiding fraud in your business. 

There is still lots of work ahead, but it is inspiring to see all the ways in which the Northeast Kingdom shows up for one and other. We encourage you to stay informed, stay involved, and stay curious about all the ways in which we can foster a region of abundance and a Northeast Kingdom that works for us all.