Current News

Koosharem Corporation, parent of The Select Family of Staffing Companies, a top 10 national staffing leader, completed its acquisition of Walnut Creek, California-based Westaff, Inc. Westaff maintained a large network of successful franchise offices, of which the Mount Family Group of Burlington was a part.
The Mount Family Group Ltd. operates Westaff branches in 9 cities and towns in the Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, including offices in Burlington and St. Albans.
The local Westaff offices gain significant advantages by joining The Select Family of Staffing Companies, which offers award-winning Risk Management programs, first-class time and attendance systems, and excellent staffing and business solutions options for the clerical, accounting, mortgage, industrial, and technical fields, among others.

Long time Medical Director of the Laboratory at CVMC, Dr. Brian Travis, has passed the torch to his colleague, Dr. Cathy Palmer, who has been named the lab s new Medical Director. Dr. Palmer received her MD/PhD degree from Indiana University and went on to complete an Internship and Residency in Pathology at the University of California San Diego Medical Center. She came to Vermont to pursue a Clinical Fellowship in Cytopathology at Fletcher Allen Health Care and subsequently was a Research Fellow in Environmental Pathology at UVM. Dr. Palmer is certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, with subspecialty certification in Cytopathology.

St Johnsbury Academy played an important role in helping Vermont record the nation’s largest five-year increase in the percentage of its high school student population scoring 3 or higher on at least one Advanced Placement (AP) exam.
AP courses are designed to provide high school students college credit, advanced standing, or both, upon successful completion of a national examination administered by the College Board.
According to the College Board, an exam grade of 3 or higher is a strong predictor of a student’s ability to succeed in college and earn a bachelor’s degree.
Last year, 38 percent of the Academy’s graduating senior class passed at least one AP exam. According to the College Board’s fifth annual AP Report to the Nation issued February 4, statewide, 19.8 percent of last year’s public high school seniors earned 3 or higher on one or more AP exams. Nationwide, 15.2 percent of the public high schools’ Class of 2008 earned 3 or higher.

Peter Hofstetter, the Chief Executive Officer of Northwestern Medical since 1994, announced on Monday that he has accepted the CEO position at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, New Mexico.
“We are sorry to lose Peter,” said John Casavant, the President of the NMC Board of Directors. “He has served our hospital and our community incredibly well over the past 15 years. His vision, leadership, and positive energy have helped us thrive. Peter’s collaborative approach has positioned us well for the future.”
“I would like to thank Peter for his many years of service to NMC and the Franklin County community,” said Steve Payne, MD, the President of the NMC Medical Staff. “He has led us through extremely challenging times, helping keep NMC a forward-thinking, vital health care provider for our area. We wish him and his family the very best as they move on to New Mexico where they should find a much warmer climate.”

Ledyard National Bank is pleased to announce that they have made a Leadership Partner Pledge in the amount of $1,500 to the Upper Valley Housing Coalition. Ledyard National Bank proudly supports the Upper Valley Housing Coalition s mission to promote balanced communities that provide an adequate supply of housing for the region s workforce.
Ledyard Financial Group, Inc., headquartered in Hanover, New Hampshire, is the holding company for Ledyard National Bank. Ledyard National Bank, founded in 1991, is a full service community bank offering a broad range of banking, investment, tax and wealth management services in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region. Ledyard National Bank has eight offices with locations in Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme, New London, and West Lebanon, New Hampshire and in Norwich, Vermont.

The Vermont Department of Labor’s Project WorkSAFE Program is pleased to announce that DEW Construction of Williston has met and successfully completed the requirements of the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) for the Jay Peak Ski Area Hotel Expansion Project.
DEW Construction and Project WorkSAFE, Vermont’s Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program, began working on the certification process more than four months ago.
“We applaud the employees and management of DEW in this accomplishment.” said Scott Meyer, Manager of Project WorkSAFE. “To be conducting this type of work while maintaining a safe workplace speaks very well to the caliber and commitment of staff at DEW and all its sub contractors’ on this site. They have a lot to be proud of and we hope that other Vermont employers will follow in their lead.”

Governor Jim Douglas today returned without signature Senate bill S.115, An Act Relating to Civil Marriage. The text of Governor Douglas veto message follows.
April 6, 2009
The Honorable David A. Gibson
Secretary of the Senate
State House
115 State Street, Drawer 33
Montpelier, VT 05633
Dear Mr Secretary:
Pursuant to Chapter II, Section 11 of the Vermont Constitution, I am returning S.115, An Act Relating to Civil Marriage, without my signature because of my objections described herein. I do so recognizing that this is an issue that is intensely personal, with strongly held beliefs and convictions on both sides. But I am charged by our Constitution to act on this legislation and by its return, I have fulfilled that responsibility.

The nine-member Judicial Nominating Commission named to recommend a slate of candidates to replace retiring U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha will accept applications for the upcoming vacancy in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont through May 4. Applicants should visit the Vermont Bar Association s web site at www.vtbar.org to obtain a questionnaire and further instructions.
Any member in good standing of the Vermont Bar is eligible to apply for the U.S. District Court vacancy. Applicants are asked to complete a questionnaire which is available on the web site, or to request a copy in writing from the Judicial Nominating Commission c/o The Vermont Bar Association, 35-37 Court Street, P.O. Box 100, Montpelier, VT 05601, Attn: Bob Paolini, executive director.

Green Mountain Power customers will be especially happy to see the sun shine in Berlin, Vermont, where the Company will build the largest solar array in Northern New England. At 200 kilowatts, the new array will be the largest project in Vermont when it is built this summer.
"Building a large solar generator is an important step towards reaching our vision of supplying customers with power that has low carbon emissions, low cost and high reliability," said Mary Powell, president and chief executive officer of Green Mountain Power. "Solar power is extremely low in emissions, and perhaps best of all, with the help of declining solar costs, grants and tax credits, this project will be cost effective for our customers."
The solar generator will be located on Green Mountain Power property west of Montpelier on a site that is ideal for a solar installation, with open space and good sun.

Vermont Administration Secretary Neale Lunderville on Friday sent state worker union leaders a counter offer to his original proposal to cut wages of the more than 8,000 state employees. Lunderville said on March 10, 2009, that in order to avoid 320 layoffs, the state and union would have to find $17 million in sustainable wage reductions. The union had essentially rejected that proposal and offered their own, which included furloughs and cuts in raises instead of cuts in current wages. In the latest proposal, the Administration increased the floor for a 5% salary reduction from $30,000 in the original proposal to $38,000 in the current proposal; $38,000 is the average private sector salary. Also, the Administration is proposing to extend the salary reduction and medical premium increase items to all three branches in order to make the proposal equitable across state government and lessen the impact on only one branch.
Administration Counter Proposal dated April 3, 2009

Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz today announced the publication of Municipal Law Basics, an easy-to-read handbook designed to help citizens better understand the basic laws that apply to Vermont s municipalities. Markowitz said, If you have ever wondered who oversees local government, or whether you are allowed to tape meetings of your selectboard, or whether citizens may petition the school board to change a policy, then Municipal Law Basics is a publication for you.

Statewide student winners of a financial literacy poster contest will be recognized by State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding and Governor Jim Douglas on April 9, 2009, 11:30 a.m., State House, Montpelier, Cedar Creek Room. The theme of the national contest, sponsored by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, was I m going to be a millionaire because I ¦ The student winners and their parents will be at the State House event. Student winners will be announced in three grade divisions elementary, middle school, and high school. The student winners are from schools in Reading, South Ryegate and Williston. Legislators and State House visitors may view a display of student posters from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that day. State winners receive a $100 savings bond and their schools a $100 cash award.