Leading up to this year’s Middlebury town meeting, one of the most hotly debated items on the agenda was a business development fund aimed at attracting new businesses. But after a lengthy discussion at town meeting, voters were decisive, voting 125-64 in favor of the fund.
Spearheaded by the Better Middlebury Partnership, the fund was proposed last year following a research project  by Middlebury College intern Ryan Kim, who was present at Monday’s gathering. Central to the BDF will be an economic development director who will be charged with recruiting new businesses to Middlebury and helping current enterprises prosper and grow.
A range of local business leaders and all but one member of the Middlebury selectboard were strong proponents of the fund. For more on this issue read the story and watch the video here.