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Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington police union contact was ratified Monday night by the City Council during its July 25 special meeting. The contract, which includes 20 percent base pay increase over three years, builds upon the BPD Rebuilding Plan, which was approved last month by City Council as part of the FY 23 budget. The contract was approved by the City Council 10-1. As part of the Fiscal Year 2023 budget process, Mayor Weinberger identified that a strong contract with the BPOA would be a critical step to rebuild the BPD back to the 87-officer authorized cap (there are currently 62 officers on staff). The negotiated contract achieves that goal by offering police officers a 20 percent base pay increase over three years, including a 12 percent increase in the FY 23 (in years two and three the increases mirror the terms of the recently approved AFSCME contract).

by Michael Del Trecco, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, VAHHS The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) kicks off the formal process of annually approving hospital budgets this Wednesday. It starts with their initial public overview of the filings of Vermont’s non-profit hospitals. As we prepare, there are so many clichés that come to mind. In fact, in health care, it feels like these past three years have been a series of dramatic clichés. Terms like “unprecedented” and “extraordinary” come to mind in describing each new twist of the pandemic and its fallout. Though we feel numb to yet another series of highs and lows, the fact is we are in new territory. As we try to figure out the new normal and move forward, we must recognize where we’ve been and commit to where we need to go.

Vermont Business Magazine Tess Wiskel, MD, is a Climate and Human Health fellow with the Harvard Center for Climate, Health, and Global Environment; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Emergency Department; and the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. She will be a guest on Medical Matters Weekly at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27. Tess is an emergency physician and a graduate of the Brown University Emergency Medicine Residency Program and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Health has awarded five Vermont schools the designation of “Asthma Friendly Schools” for their efforts to implement health policies and practices to help students manage their asthma, prevent asthma attacks and avoid missed school days. Windsor School in Windsor County was recognized with Gold-Level status. Schools awarded Silver-Level status are Braintree Elementary and Brookfield Elementary in Orange County, Currier Memorial School in Rutland County, and Doty Memorial School in Washington County. The awardees were nominated by community champions and school nurses.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont is participating in one of the nation’s largest studies to gauge the economic power of the nonprofit arts and culture industry, and it needs audience input. The national study, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), is the sixth national study of its kind and is administered by Americans for the Arts. Conducted about every five years, the study measures the economic impact of spending on employment, government revenue, and household income related to the nonprofit arts and culture industry. AEP6 involves 387 participating communities representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Now through April 2023, Vermont audiences attending select in-person arts and cultural events, performances, and exhibits will be asked to take a brief electronic survey, either on their own smart device or using a venue-provided device

Vermont State Police On July 24, 2022, at 9:32 PM the Marlboro Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire on Augur Hill Road. Firefighters found the single-family residence engulfed in flames and learned the homeowner was trapped inside. A family member, David Johnson, attempted to remove the victim but was unable to. Mr. Johnson sustained severe burn injuries and was transported to the hospital. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and located the victim in the living room. The victim was identified as 52-year-old Beverly Covey.

Vermont Business Magazine Maximus (NYSE: MMS), a leading employer and provider of government services worldwide, today announced that the Maximus Foundation will award more than $2 million in grants to 167 nonprofit organizations across the United States this year to fund its three key themes for giving in 2022: community development, youth development, and healthcare services. This marks an increase from 2021, when the Foundation awarded roughly $1.2 million in grants to 154 nonprofit organizations and the highest level of giving in the Foundation’s 22-year history. Vermont was given a total of $20k in grants.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University will receive $75,000 – $15,000 per year for five years – from the Pritzker Military Foundation, to help fund new, diverse student activities. This gift continues about 20 years of student life support from PMF. The partnership provides valuable startup funding, assisting with operating expenses and events for a broad range of new activities. The funding supports non-athletic organizations with annual budgets of $3,000 or less. Each year, the Student Life Grant Fund Committee, chaired by the student clubs coordinator, typically receives 17-20 applications, of which 10-12 receive funding.

​Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced today that the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has awarded $1 million in grant funds to subsidize the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at multiunit properties to provide residents with at-home charging access. The Multiunit Dwelling Electric Vehicles Supply Equipment (EVSE) Grant Program was a pilot program to gauge interest and reduce financial barriers to EV ownership. The program’s pilot focused on affordable and non-profit multiunit housing providers. The first round of awarded projects will result in 84 new Level 2 charging ports at 37 locations across eight counties, reducing the at-home charging access barrier to EV ownership for 6,230 homes in affordable multifamily buildings.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets The Intervale Center has been delivering business planning and coaching services to farmers statewide for over 15 years. They provide free, in-depth, personalized support to farmers and value-added food business owners. This service helps them develop the business management skills necessary to meet their personal and financial goals. Working with farmers in any stage of business development, the Intervale Center strives to understand the farmer's financials, help develop their business management systems, and achieve long-term goals.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Being a dairy farmer in Vermont is not an easy life. The work is hard, the hours are long, and cows don't take weekends off. It's a seven day a week operation.
For Vermont farmers, milking cows is not only a source of income. It's a way of life. It's a love of the land. It's an attachment to a farm that, in many cases, has been handed down generation after generation. We thank Vermont farmers not only for providing us with high-quality, locally produced milk, but for helping us keep Vermont as one of the most beautiful states in the country. Agriculture not only remains a very important part of the Vermont economy, but it is also a key component to tourism, another economic engine for the state.

Vermont Business Magazine On Friday afternoon, July 22, 2022, Governor Scott joined the Vermont Congressional Delegation, the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB), and several CUDs to announce an additional $48.8M in broadband construction grant awards. This will bring the total investment in broadband buildout in Vermont to nearly $100M since the launch of the VCBB in August 2021.