Current News

In a historic step forward in the State’s treatment of acute mental illness, Governor Peter Shumlin cut the ribbon Tuesday on the new 25 bed state-of-the-art Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) in Berlin. The opening of the VPCH is the capstone of a decentralized 45-bed continuum of inpatient services, with partner hospitals Rutland Regional Medical Center and Brattleboro Retreat, for all Vermonters with acute mental health treatment needs. Tropical Storm Irene severely damaged the Waterbury state office complex, including the old hospital, in 2011.

“This facility has been a long time coming. Finally we can truly say Vermont is protecting and caring for some of our most vulnerable neighbors in an efficient, high-quality building, and appropriately treating mental illness like any other disease,” Shumlin said. The Governor also noted that the new hospital was funded with significant federal financial support, saving Vermont money.

by John Herrick vtdigger.org The Washington Electric Co-op is proposing changes to a program that allows homeowners who generate renewable energy to sell excess power back to the electrical grid. The East Montpelier-based electric utility is asking state regulators for permission to tweak its net metering program. Patty Richards, the co-op’s general manager, says Washington Electric wants to ensure the program is “fair to all of our membership.” WEC is proposing adding a fixed customer charge and a new grid service fee based on the amount of power the net metering member generates. The co-op’s proposed charges would cover fixed costs that some net metering customers pass on to other customers, Richards said.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has announced the availability of approximately $476,000 in Municipal Planning Grants (MPGs) to help cities and towns realize their visions for building more livable, walkable and sustainable communities. Grant applications are due September 30, 2014 with funding decisions announced in December. Funding priorities for this year support local work to improve downtowns and neighborhoods and minimize the damage from future floods.

Since 1998 MPGs have invested over $10 million to help Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities. Recently completed MPG projects continue this tradition, including the following.

Vermont Business Magazine has announced that nominations are now open for the 5^th annual Rising Stars Awards. VBM will again honor Vermont's most accomplished young leaders at the Rising Stars event this fall. The nominations process is open from July 1 to September 5, 2014. Award recipients will be selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities.

TO BE ELIGIBLE, THE CANDIDATE:

Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced the appointment of Neale Lunderville as the interim General Manager of the Burlington Electric Department during a news conference at BED. Most recently, Lunderville served as chief executive officer of NG Advantage, an energy company he co-founded in 2012 that delivers compressed natural gas to industrial users. Lunderville also served as Secretary of Administration and Secretary of Transportation for Governor Jim Douglas, and as the Tropical Storm Irene Recovery Officer for Governor Peter Shumlin. Weinberger has asked the City Council to approve the appointment at its July 14, 2014 meeting.

Donald J Laackman officially begins his tenure today as the eighth president of Champlain College, succeeding David F. Finney, who retired June 30 after nine years. Laackman was appointed president-elect in December 2013 by the Champlain College Board of Trustees and has been working with the transition team meeting faculty, staff and students throughout the spring. In a brief, informal ceremony in the President’s office, outgoing President Finney handed over the keys to the College to Laackman on June 30, officially marking the start of the new leadership era.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems is taking issue with State Auditor Doug Hoffer’s comments to the media following the release of a report (link is external) on the availability of consumer information on health care services.

A solar orchard powering Middlebury, Vermont’s Woodchuck Hard Cider (link is external) won two honors at a national solar show in Boston last week. The 150kW Bridport project utilizing Vermont-made AllSun Trackers was a “Project of Distinction” finalist and won “Project of Distinction 2014 Fan Favorite” at the PV America event. The 1.5 acre solar orchard (link sends e-mail) consists of 26 pole-mounted dual-axis AllSun Trackers, which use GPS and wireless technology to follow the sun throughout the day.

Faced with a mounting array of crises, Doug Racine, the secretary of the Agency of Human Services, says the six departments that fall under his purview are on track. The agency confronts intractable problems that affect Vermonters: drug addiction, homelessness, mental illness, imprisonment, old age and sickness. But of late the agency has also had to handle multiple public relations crises. Fires burn in several departments, and critics say Racine has not been an effective leader. The Department of Vermont Health Access has spent $72 million to implement the Affordable Care Act, but Vermont Health Connect, the state’s online health care exchange, is plagued by problems. The Department for Children and Families is under scrutiny in the aftermath of the deaths of three toddlers who had been in the state’s care. Two of the deaths were ruled homicides.

The Boys & Girls Club of Burlington on Monday received a $1 million gift from Tony Pomerleau and his family, the largest gift in the organization's history. The unrestricted gift will support the club’s mission and educational programs along with scholarships for youth who are participants in the Club’s Early Promise Program. Club officials said the gift will transform the mission and educational programs at the club and allow it to serve more Burlington children.

Ernie, left, and Tony Pomerleau. VBM file photo

Vermont’s recently created Shoreland Protection Act goes into effect beginning July 1. In May, the Vermont General Assembly passed shoreland protection legislation that applies to activities within 250 feet of a lake or pond’s mean water level for all lakes and ponds greater than 10 acres in surface area. The Act establishes a new state regulation for guiding shoreland development. The intent of the Shoreland Protection Act is to prevent degradation of water quality in lakes, preserve habitat and natural stability of shorelines, and maintain the economic benefits of lakes and their shorelands by defining standards in creation of buildings, driveways, and cleared areas in shorelands.

Georgia Mountain Community Wind farm (GMCW) welcomed over 560 community members atop Georgia Mountain at their Open House and Wind Turbine Tours on June 8. The four 2.5 MW turbines were steadily generating power as guests toured the project and enjoyed views of Lake Champlain and the surrounding region. Over 10 school bus loads of visitors took a guided tour to the top of Georgia Mountain to see the wind turbines operating up close and learn more about the project.

“I live right here — and I love it! Love wind, and am grateful to see it every day,” said a community member from Westford, Vermont.

The weather cooperated for the second year in a row, and visitors enjoyed hot, 80-degree temperatures and a light wind out of the West, with wind speeds averaging 5-10 miles per hour.