Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) today published a Request for Proposal (RFP) to contract with one or more Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to provide certain Medicaid services. The goal of the RFP is to continue to build an integrated health care system that improves the quality of, and access to, care for all Vermonters. The RFP furthers this goal, the DVHA said in a statement, by creating the opportunity for health care providers to get paid in a way that rewards quality, care coordination, and early intervention. 

Specifically, the RFP seeks to make a regular, predictable, and prospective payment to ACOs for Medicaid services.  Rather than being paid for every service, an ACO would be paid in advance for their entire population.  Predictable payment should allow providers to focus on quality of care, innovation, and making long term investments in their practices. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin provided the following update today on results from an additional 50 private well samples collected last week in North Bennington. Twenty-two samples showed non-detect results, and 19 samples showed concentrations of PFOA over the Vermont Health Department advisory limit of 20 parts per trillion (ppt), ranging from 22ppt to 471ppt. The remaining nine results were below 20ppt. Five monitoring wells surrounding Bennington Landfill were also tested and showed PFOA levels ranging from 18ppt to 140ppt.

Vermont Business Magazine The first batch of Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Gin aged in 100 percent Vermont oak barrels will be released at the Made in Vermont Marketplace show at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction on April 16 & 17. The Marketplace show is open to the public, and tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and children under 12 are free. Tom Cat Gin is distilled and barreled at Caledonia Spirits in Hardwick, Vermont. The quality of the barrel significantly impacts the flavor and color of the emerging spirit. The cold climate of the Northeast leads to slow growing, tight grained white oak. This along with precision and craftsmanship results in the highest quality barrels.

Vermont Business Magazine A new study from New York financial technology company SmartAsset shows where people can get the most out of their money thanks to a favorable cost of living. Residents of Addison County get the most bang for their buck in Vermont, while those in Essex County get the least. Chittenden County, which is the overall wealthiest, has the second best buying power. The study compares median income and cost of living data nationwide to find the counties where people hold the most purchasing power. The study aims to find the places where average living expenses are most affordable to the people who live there. The study looked at the cost of living relative to income to determine  purchasing power.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy today recognized Art Woolf, University of Vermont Associate Professor of Economics, as the 2016 Financial Literacy Champion. The award recognizes leadership and outstanding innovation and achievement in the effort to advance the financial literacy of Vermont youth. The honor comes with a $1,000 cash award.

UVM Professor Art Woolf

Vermont Business Magazine From coin identification to how our banking system works, Vermont students were challenged this year, through two financial literacy programs, to learn more about how our economy works. State Treasurer Beth Pearce today recognized student achievement in the Reading is an Investment program and the Be Money Wise financial literacy poster contest. Both programs are administered by the Treasurer’s office.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Economic Development Authority has approved $10.6 million in economic development financing for commercial, agricultural, small business and energy projects totaling $23.5 million. Projects include: Coffee Lab International, Inc, Waterbury; Lucky’s Trailer Sales, Inc, Colchester; Wilcox Ice Cream, East Arlington; Green Mountain Harley-Davidson, Essex Junction; Black Lantern Inn, Montgomery; Mad River Garden Center and Mad River Property Management, Waitsfield; Maple Leaf Solar’s, Bennington; Bright Star Solar, LLC, Benson; Killington Mountain Lodge; and Summit Lodge, Killington.

by Mike Faher/The Commons Brattleboro As states like Vermont push for more say in nuclear-plant decommissioning, an industry group is pushing back. Rod McCullum, a senior director at the Washington, DC-based Nuclear Energy Institute, says the state’s demands for more public input and more financial regulation could have a negative effect on cleanup efforts at plants like Vermont Yankee. During a March 30 visit to Brattleboro, McCullum also said the state’s concerns about being left with a big bill at Vermont Yankee are unfounded.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Environmental Consortium and Vermont Technical College (VTC) are excited to announce registration is open for the 5th Annual Water Quality Conference. The conference will be held June 8, 2016 at VT Technical College in Randolph, VT. Vermont faces numerous water quality challenges attributable to human activity. Wastewater management, storm water runoff from impervious surface associated with roads, homes and businesses, drainage from farm fields and logging roads, and historic hydrologic modification of our streams and rivers all impact current surface water conditions. 

by Mitch Frankenberg 2.2 BILLION is a number that everyone throughout North America should remember. 2.2 BILLION is the number of reasons why Vermont and land throughout the world is targeted for large scale buildouts of wind, solar, and gas. 2.2 BILLION symbolizes a primary and under-appreciated reason why all forms of taxes and costs of living throughout North America are escalating out of control. 2.2 BILLION. Write down this number and tell it to everyone you know.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 1, 2016, Franklin-Grand Isle United Way and United Way of Chittenden County announced to donors, supporters and community partners that the two organizations have merged to form a single organization. The new United Way of Northwest Vermont proudly serves every community within Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, combining the expertise, staff and resources of the former organizations to better address the complex challenges and needs across the region’s interconnected communities.    

Vermont Business Magazine New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) was recently honored with two  Diamond Awards, which recognize outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry. The awards were presented by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Council, a national network comprised of over 1,200 credit union marketing and business development professionals. Awards are given in each of 30 categories ranging from advertising to community events and beyond.

NEFCU won a Diamond Award for a logo design  It won another Diamond Award for a branch redesign.