Business forum meets in Waterbury as town braces for flood
December 22, 2023 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (standing on right), addressed attendees at a Vermont Chamber of Commerce forum held at KORE Power in Waterbury on Monday. Photo courtesy the Vermont Chamber of Commerce
On Monday morning, Dec. 18, as heavy rains that later triggered flooding soaked Central Vermont, a Vermont Chamber of Commerce event took place in Waterbury’s Pilgrim Park that included U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.
Held at KORE Power in the downtown commercial complex, the gathering included members of the chamber’s board of directors and other Vermont business leaders.
They were there for the latest meeting in the Wellspring Forum Series which regularly brings together top Vermont business and policy leaders for economic discussions. The events are held at a unique Vermont business.
Vermont Chamber President Betsy Bishop served as moderator. “We remain grateful for Sen. Welch’s willingness to meet businesses where they are, and for taking their concerns back with him to Washington D.C.,” Bishop said.
Welch answered audience questions and addressed employer concerns. Business leaders asked him to speak about opportunities for federal solutions on middle-income workforce housing, immigration, and other national economic stability concerns. Welch applauded the leadership of Vermont businesses on climate security and innovation.
“The Vermont Chamber’s Wellspring Forum provided the opportunity to hear directly from business owners about so many issues that are directly impacting Vermont’s business community. We discussed the importance of providing targeted disaster relief to businesses impacted by the brutal flooding this summer, efforts to strengthen our workforce, our continued fight to combat climate change, and federal actions to expand access to health care and childcare,” Welch said. “I will continue to bring the voices and concerns of Vermonters with me to Washington and keep working to level the playing field here in the Green Mountain State.”
Following the forum, attendees toured the KORE Power facility to learn more about battery cell technology, manufacturing of energy storage, and e-mobility.
“As New Englanders, we're particularly proud to engineer solutions that advance energy independence and reliability,” said KORE Power President Jay Bellows. “With Senator Welch's support of federal policies like the [Inflation Reduction Act], solutions built by our team here in Vermont that deliver those benefits are in demand across the nation."
Sponsored by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the series is named from a quotation by former Vermont Gov. James H. Douglas who said, “I am often reminded that the wellspring of Vermont liberty flows from Main Street, not State Street.”
KORE Power President Jay Bellows gives a tour during the Wellspring Forum visit to the Waterbury battery storage cell manufacturing facility on Monday. Photo courtesy the Vermont Chamber of Commerce