Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Members of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s (BMH) Board of Directors have unanimously voted to support efforts to fight climate change and strengthen hospital initiatives that promote the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Stemming from these votes, BMH recently signed on to the Health Care Climate Action Pledge—a leadership pledge being made by hospitals; health centers; health, professional and academic organizations; and health systems from around the globe. By signing the pledge, BMH agrees to take part in efforts to reduce its own climate footprint, prepare its infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events, respond effectively to potential changes in the spread of infectious diseases, and encourage policy, development, and investment strategies that move our society away from dependence on fossil fuels.

by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, Vermont Association of Hospitals & Health Systems Happy Town Meeting Week! You may see your local legislator out in the wild at the grocery store or the transfer station. If you do, feel free to share the VAHHS Advocacy Agenda. Next week will be crossover week, where non-money bills must be voted out of committees or else remain on the wall until next year. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee continues to work on S.36. VAHHS appreciates that the committee amended the bill to increase the criminal threatening penalty when the crime is committed against health care workers. The committee also took the Health Care Advocate’s recommendation of narrowing disorderly conduct to engaging in fighting, violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior.

Vermont Business Magazine Ratchanu “Rae” Everett, FNP, is a nurse practitioner at the Mi’kmaq Nation Family Health Service clinic in Presque Isle, Maine, in a community hit hard by substance use and a state experiencing a record number of opioid overdose deaths. The clinic provides acute, wellness, and prevention services to a primarily tribal population of around 500 patients. A new clinician in a very rural area, Everett has to navigate the often-challenging process of finding treatments for patients dealing with both a substance use disorder and a chronic condition, but has limited expertise. Now, for rural clinicians like Everett seeking consultation with addiction medicine specialists, the ‘doctor is in.’

Vermont Business Magazine There are many reasons why high school students should consider a career in health; greater job security, flexible work hours, continued education and growth, but most importantly, making a difference in the lives of others. Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is offering two sessions of their popular MedQuest Program this summer at Rutland Regional Medical Center, Springfield Hospital, and North Star Health. This exciting hands-on career exploration day camp will take place July 24-26, 2023, at Springfield Hospital & North Star Health, and August 2-4, 2023, at Rutland Regional Medical Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement ahead of Vermont’s Town Meeting Day: “Town Meeting Day is one of those traditions that makes Vermont a special place to live, demonstrating our sense of community."

Vermont Business Magazine VMEC has released its annual impact report. Since its inception over 25 years ago, VMEC’s federal partner, NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has used an independent third-party organization to conduct surveys of VMEC clients as well as other MEP Centers across the US and Puerto Rico. As Vermont’s trusted, practical on the ground resource for manufacturing, VMEC generates a significant, positive return on its public investment; highlights of the FY 2022 annual report include: 443 jobs retained; 930 total jobs created; this figure includes direct, indirect and induced jobs; $69,600,000 employer wages & benefits for these jobs; Over $9 million in cost savings; An average annual compensation of $64,000 for Vermont manufacturing employees, close to 9% more than the average Vermont compensation of $56,000

Vermont Business Magazine In celebration of International Women's Day, family-owned premium workwear brand Carhartt today announced the Spring 2023 recipients of its bi-annual "For the Love of Labor" grant program that dedicated this latest round of grants to award critical funding to organizations that work toward placing women in skilled positions. After receiving hundreds of applications earlier this year, Carhartt is honored to award its Spring 2023 round of grants totaling $225,000 to seven US nonprofit organizations that support women in the trades: ANEW, Building Pathways, Chicago Women in Trades, Nontraditional Employment for Women, Oregon Tradeswomen, Tradeswomen, Inc, and Vermont Works for Women. This year's Spring 2023 grants are part of the brand's ongoing commitment to empowering the next generation of America's diverse workforce.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont is down 4 cents per gallon from last week to $3.40 today, according to GasBuddy. This is also down 10 cents/g from last month and down 65 cents/g from the same time last year. The national average price of gasoline has risen 3.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.36/g.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals’ technical members have voted to ratify a new three-year contract for University of Vermont Medical Center technical professional employees. The contract, running from March 1, 2023, to April 30, 2026, includes wage increases in line with the UVM Health Network’s compensation philosophy, both immediate and across the life of the three-year contract, as well as other amendments to the previous technical contract which expired on March 1. According to the agreement, most members of the bargaining unit are receiving immediate wage increases ranging from 6.5 percent to 25.6 percent.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) in partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor and Vermont Tech are starting a new Broadband Installer Technician apprenticeship program. It will provide free training at locations across the state for people who want to start a career as a maintenance technician, splicer, or installer.

The course will include safety training, flagger training, classroom work, and online OSHA training. When finished, candidates will enter an industry with potential for high paying jobs with opportunity for growth. These jobs can lead to careers in information technology trades, smart grid, and engineering trades.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announces a second list of grant awards from a new competitive round of Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) funding. Approximately $200,000 will be awarded to nine organizations that have diverse projects to purchase from socially disadvantaged Vermont farmers and producers and distribute to underserved community members across the state. Awards include $50,000 to SUSU commUNITY Farm to launch an expanded free CSA program for BIPOC families and new refugees; $37,319 to Conscious Homestead to expand their Community Care Share Program to distribute locally grown and produced food from BIPOC-operated enterprises to members of Black and Brown communities; and $25,500 to Healthy Roots Collaborative to purchase and distribute local food to 20 Northwest Farmacy CSA recipients and 8 NOTCH Clinic mini-fridges.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Businesses Association (BBA) is pleased to announce two new changes in leadership positions of its Board of Directors. Chelsea Condos is the BBA’s new Chair of the Board and Christian Kuzia is the board’s new Vice-Chair. Chelsea Condos, is a senior tax manager at Gallagher and Flynn. She first joined the BBA board in 2017, is a South Burlington native, and is a seasoned tax accountant who returned to Vermont recently after spending 13 years working for KPMG in Atlanta and Boston. Christian Kuzia, incoming Vice-Chair of the Board, works for Westport Hospitality, and is the general manager of the Courtyard Burlington Harbor Hotel. He joined BBA’s Board in 2021.