Current News

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine On Monday, University of Vermont Medical Center filed a motion with the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) to delay a board order that penalizes the hospital for delivering necessary care to patients in fiscal year 2023. Unless the GMCB’s enforcement action is overturned, it will force UVM Medical Center, the academic medical center that anchors University of Vermont Health Network, to cut patient care and support services. Because the board penalized UVM Medical Center without first providing the hospital an enforcement hearing or taking any testimony regarding the consequences of the ordered cuts, UVM Medical Center will appeal the enforcement action as an illegal exercise of the board’s authority. The motion UVM Medical Center filed yesterday, if granted by the board, would allow the hospital to postpone some of the service cuts while its appeal is pending. The GMCB, in turn, disputed the assertions made by the hospital.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending October 12, 2024, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths and outbreaks all fell after a worrying late summer rise in cases and fatalities. Vermont cases are now under 200 and lower than they were a year ago. Hospitalizations also saw a drop in admissions. Hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases decreased to just over 10 cases. The VDH reported 1 COVID-related fatality, even as COVID deaths are higher this fall than last so far. The number of COVID cases fell last week to 153. Cases had been falling in April and May and were as low as 31 at the beginning of May. Along with the case numbers, wastewater monitoring also has shown a decrease in levels of virus. The pandemic death total stands at 1,215 as of October 12, 2024

Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer released a follow up report today of the audit his office completed in 2023 which examined the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living’s performance inspecting long-term care homes housing vulnerable older Vermonters. That audit found that across seven years DAIL, as the department is called, was not performing annual facility inspections as required by law, did not have effective systems in place to ensure safety violations would be fixed, and rarely used enforcement tools to address the problems they found. “Put simply,” Hoffer said, “our audit found that DAIL’s efforts to ensure Vermonters living in assisted living and residential care facilities are safe were not good enough. As someone who has had family members in long term care facilities, I know Vermonters count on the State to make sure our peace of mind about their safety is well-placed.”

Vermont Business Magazine The City of Rutland Board of Aldermen has approved the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply to the State for a TIF District, marking a significant milestone in the City's strategic efforts to boost economic development, create housing, and address long-standing infrastructure needs. This initiative aims to remove key building barriers to private development while improving the quality of life for residents. Presenting the TIF District Plan and LOI before the Board of Aldermen were Ed Bove, Executive Director of the Rutland Redevelopment Authority (RRA), which serves as Rutland City’s economic development entity, as well as Stephanie Clarke, Vice President of White + Burke Real Estate Advisors, who is guiding the RRA through the TIF Districting Process. The City anticipates submitting its full TIF District application for VEPC approval by early 2025, with public infrastructure projects beginning as soon as 2026. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his cabinet will be in Chittenden County on Thursday, October 24 for its Capital for a Day 14-county tour. Governor Scott first launched this initiative in June 2018, and he and his cabinet visited all 14 counties over the following 10 months. Capital for a Day gives local constituents, municipal government leaders and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff. In addition to the public schedule listed below, Governor Scott and members of his cabinet will participate in meetings to discuss municipal flood response and recovery, public safety, and other events which are not open to the general public.

Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday afternoon, October 22, parents, local business leaders and elected officials will gather to celebrate the new Little Ones University child care center that opened in Williston in early September. The new program was made possible with the help of new public investment from Act 76, the child care law passed last year. The Williston center is now providing over 100 additional child care spaces to the Chittenden County community. Little Ones University already operates programs in Essex and Colchester.

Vermont Business Magazine Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) invites members of the community to attend the annual Memorial Service at the Remembrance Bench in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery on Monday, October 28 at 1 p.m. This service is for anyone who has experienced the death of a baby or child, or supported someone who has. All who wish to attend the memorial service at Remembrance Bench are welcome. Please note that this year, because of flood damage to the cemetery’s roads, attendees will not be able to drive to the site. Parking will be at the entrance of the cemetery, and the walk to the site, which is less than a half a mile, does involve a hill.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (VAMHAR) has appointed of Daniel Franklin as its new Executive Director, effective November 4th, 2024. A native of Guilford and resident of Craftsbury, Franklin joins VAMHAR from Jenna’s Promise, where he served as COO and Interim Co-Executive Director and played a crucial role in envisioning and implementing the holistic, wraparound model of care known as the “Recovery Village Model”. This model has garnered statewide and national attention as a paradigm- shifting way to create community-level change, to reduce stigma, and to better serve people with trauma, substance use disorders and other barriers in their lives.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Education reminds Vermonters about upcoming opportunities for public engagement through the Agency’s Listen and Learn Tour. Watch this video to learn more about this opportunity to share your thoughts and help the Agency craft a strategic plan which reflects the priorities and needs of Vermont communities. Each public engagement session will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Every session will begin with introductory information and data to support more in-depth conversations, followed by breakout sessions on topics related to student achievement and support, career and college readiness, and school budgets, among other emerging priorities.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs (SAS) today announced the upcoming retirement of Executive Director John Campbell, scheduled for January 11, 2025. Campbell has served with the Department since July 2014, first as a Deputy State’s Attorney in the Windsor County Office, and then as Executive Director since May 2016. Campbell also served as a State Senator for Windsor County for 16 years including 7 years as Senate Majority Leader and six years as the Senate Pro Tempore. The Executive Committees have appointed Tim Lueders-Dumont to the Director position upon Campbell’s retirement. Lueders-Dumont has worked for the Department since May 2021.

Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Agriculture and Food Entrepreneurship (CAFE) at Vermont State University (VTSU) has announced the start of construction of a state-of-the-art meat processing facility on the VTSU Randolph campus. This groundbreaking facility will directly support the growing regional need for qualified butchers, providing individuals direct access to equipment and instruction on the art and science of meat processing. This facility is set to open in May of 2025, under the name “1787 Butchery.”  This name gives credence to the founding year and long-standing educational mission of the legacy institutions that are now VTSU. The space will include a dedicated digitally integrated classroom, and an environmentally controlled processing floor with professional grinders, cutting, storage and packaging equipment that reflects the latest in industry standards. A meat smoker will allow for teaching on cured meats. 

Vermont Business Magazine Getting vaccinated against respiratory viruses like COVID, flu and RSV is one of the most important steps to stay healthy during the fall and winter months — and now is the time to do it. Vermont health officials are encouraging everyone 6 months and older to get this year’s updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines. RSV immunizations are also widely available for pregnant people and infants, and older adults. Nearly all children will get RSV for the first time before age 2. Most people will have only mild, cold-like symptoms, but it can be serious for infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Older adults should also be protected against RSV. All adults 75 years and older, and adults who are 60 to 74 and have certain medical conditions, should get the RSV vaccine. If you have already received an RSV vaccine as an adult, you do not need another dose.