Current News

by Secretary Rebecca Holcombe Testing is once again in the news. NAEP test results were released across the nation; President Obama and the U.S. Department of Education have supported reductions in testing; and states have been releasing local assessment results. Yet the storyline remains the same: too much testing, not enough student achievement. In Vermont, we think the story should be more about what we are doing with these test results, and a little less about the tests themselves.

Over the last decade or so, federal policy has used student achievement data to judge and sanction schools, teachers and principals. Furthermore, many states have defined teacher and educator quality narrowly in terms of test scores.

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Vermont Business Magazine Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) has published a new Ratings Report which reaffirms Burlington’s credit rating outlook as “positive” and maintains the City’s credit rating as “Baa2.” Moody’s indicated that one of the events that could lead to a ratings increase for the City includes the audited confirmation of fiscal 2015 surplus (audit is expected to be completed by the end of 2015).

Vermont Business Magazine The United States Department of Energy (DOE), in cooperation with other federal agencies, has issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the New England Clean Power Link transmission line project. The 154-mile transmission line would travel from Quebec to Ludlow, Vermont, with nearly 100 miles of it running under Lake Champlain. The total cost estimate is $1.2 billion. It's scheduled to be completed by 2019. The issuance of the FEIS concludes the review of the project’s potential environmental impacts mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act and enables the DOE to render a decision on the application for a Presidential Permit for the project.

Vermont Business Magazine With open enrollment set to begin next week, Governor Peter Shumlin today in Burlington said that Vermont Health Connect (VHC) is ready and that many Vermonters getting their insurance through the online marketplace will see their monthly health care premiums decrease next year. This November marks the beginning of the three-month open enrollment period, the once-a-year opportunity for Vermonters using VHC to reevaluate their health care needs and change plans if they wish. It is also a time for Vermonters without health insurance to sign up.

“Vermont Health Connect is ready,” Shumlin said. “Starting next week Vermonters should log on and determine whether they’re in the best plan for their medical needs and budget.”

by Mike Faher/The Commons A developer is proposing Vermont’s largest, most-powerful wind turbine site — 28 turbines churning out nearly 97 megawatts — on a ridge in the towns of Windham and Grafton, according to new plans released Monday. With that size would come sizable economic benefits, as developer Iberdrola Renewables is estimating $285,000 in annual tax revenues for Grafton and $715,000 for Windham — more than than that town’s entire budget. The project could also pump another $700,000 into the state education fund each year. Those numbers could change, as could the proposed project’s final layout.

Vermont Business Magazine Wednesday’s strong wind storm blew down trees and branches, cutting power to thousands of Green Mountain Power customers. By Thursday morning, GMP had restored power to all 12,000 customers impacted by the storm. Meanwhile, Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) field and control room staff were able to respond promptly to restore power to over 2,500 members who lost power due to strong winds that downed trees and power lines.

“Some of the towns hardest hit included Montgomery, Huntington, Starksboro, Hinesburg, Bakersfield, Underhill, and Cambridge,” said Jeff Wright, VEC Chief Operating Officer. “Our crews were prepared for a significant outage and tackled the challenges of this weather event quickly and safely. As we roll into Thursday we will be able to access and respond to the few remaining outages. We appreciate our member’s patience as we finish the restoration work.”

Vermont Business Magazine With youth deer weekend just around the corner, young hunters are encouraged to take to the field to hone their skills and to also help Fish & Wildlife biologists by reporting their deer at one of 23 biological reporting stations around the state. Youth deer hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training they need for lifelong participation, and it also provides biological information needed to manage the herd into the future.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Livestock Care Standards Advisory Council is pleased to announce the availability of important bilingual educational materials, for use by Vermont’s cattle industry members, intended to help ensure the humane handling and transport of calves and cattle within Vermont. The release of these materials is the culmination of a year-long initiative undertaken by the Council that was supported by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the Farm to Plate Network, and many other individuals and agricultural organizations within Vermont and New England.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) is pleased to announce the transfer of its mobile flash freeze unit to the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center (PHCC) in Middlebury, Vermont under a long-term lease agreement. PHCC will utilize this innovative food processing tool to flash freeze locally grown fruits and vegetables for long-term storage, and will partner with Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE), also of Middlebury, to distribute frozen produce through the Addison County Food Shelf.

“This acquisition by the Hannaford Career Center supports a broad effort among Addison County partners to strengthen their local food system,” said Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Ross. “We’re excited that this important asset will not only be used to preserve farm fresh produce at the peak of harvest but will also increase underserved communities’ access to locally grown food.”

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine With its annual shareholders meeting a week from Friday, Casella Waste Systems, Inc is muscling up to fend off one of its investors in a shareholders proxy fight that could result in Chairman and CEO John Casella being removed from the board of directors. The annual shareholders meeting is November 6. In that effort, Casella has been supported recently by two independent advisory firms and an improved third quarter 2015 financial report released last week, which showed an increase in revenues and earnings.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s fourth and eighth graders scored among the best in the nation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests of Reading and Mathematics, the Agency announced today. Additionally, Vermont students are showing improvements in reading, which includes closing an achievement gap among low-income students. However, the 2015 test scores suggest that students across the country did not perform as well on the mathematics assessed by NAEP when compared to previous years, including in Vermont.

NAEP highlights the statewide academic performance for all students, as well as demographic groups including race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status. The test is administered every other year to students in all 50 states, but does not include results for individual students, schools, or classrooms.

SEE TABLES BELOW, INCLUDING STATE RANKS IN 4TH GRADE MATH AND READING

Vermont Business Magazine After 29 years at the Greater Burlington YMCA, the last eight as President and CEO, Mary Burns is saying goodbye. With a move out of state, the Burlington native is closing one chapter in her life, while opening another. Burns’ departure has set in motion the process of searching for her replacement, which has started with Renee Bourget-Place, Chair of the Y’s Board of Directors, announcing the selection of Pam Mackenzie as the Y’s Interim CEO.

Mary Burns. linkedin photo

“Mary’s dedication to the Y has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Bourget-Place. “It is hard to imagine our Y without her. The mark she has made on our community will be felt for years to come,” Bourget-Place added.