Current News

Vermnont Business Magazine Union leaders from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 2320, 2326 and 2327 and the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 1400 informed Consolidated Communications on Friday that union members have ratified the tentative labor agreements reached on Aug. 4. The new contracts, which cover approximately 1,200 workers in Northern New England, will run through August 7, 2021.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department As incidents of bears breaking into homes, garages, sheds and vehicles in Vermont increases, so too should efforts by residents to bear-proof their homes and secure potential outdoor food sources that can attract bears. While searching for food in early July, one bear broke into a Killington home through an open window, and another Killington bear entered the Northstar Lodge through an open door. A Pownal woman awoke to the sound of a bear breaking through a kitchen window to access a honey comb that had been left within reach, while a similar incident occurred in Townsend where a bear broke into a kitchen freezer.

Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Election Data & Science Lab has released its 2016 Elections Performance Index (EPI), ranking Vermont 1^st overall in elections administration for the 2016 election. The EPI is widely considered by state election administrators as the most reputable elections management index, and provides a non-partisan, data-driven measure of how well each state is performing in managing its national elections work, using a number of indicators ranging from voter turnout to the availability of online tools for voter accessibility.

Vermont (86 percent) finished just ahead of Minnesota and Delaware. California, Oklahoma and Idaho (58 percent) rounded out the bottom. SEE FULL LIST BELOW.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Legal Aid and the University of Vermont Medical Center recognized that by teaming up to address patients’ legal challenges, they were also removing barriers to better health. This unique partnership, called Legal Access Works, is celebrating a major milestone this week with the UVM Medical Center’s Community Health Team referring its 500^th patient to Vermont Legal Aid.

In its second year, the program saw a 74 percent increase in referrals, serving 249 patients from April 2017 to March 2018. Patients receive help with legal situations relating to the social determinants of health, including income, housing problems, legal status, education, access to healthy food, and personal and family stability.

Vermont Business Magazine Last year, MVP asked for a modest increase to its health insurance rates and got a small one. This year it asked for a much larger rate hike, but saw it reduced by 40 percent, which will be further reduced with tax credits to about 1.9 percent. The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) today announced its decision to reduce the rate increase requested by MVP Health Plan, Inc for insurance plans offered for 2019 in Vermont’s individual and small group market through Vermont Health Connect (VHC), Vermont’s online health benefits exchange, or by direct enrollment with the insurer.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine AFT Vermont announced today that it is divesting its funds from New England Federal Credit Union, ratcheting up pressure on the University of Vermont Medical Center’s board of trustees, especially two members who also serve on the bank’s board. A press conference Thursday was held outside NECU’s Williston headquarters.

The nurses’ union, which is a member of the AFT, went on a two-day strike in July. The AFT is using its funds as leverage as it leans on the hospital to negotiate a new contract with hospital nurses.

Deb Snell addresses a press conference Thursday morning in front of NEFCU's headquarters in Williston. VBM photo.

Vermont Business Magazine People from Bennington and North Bennington who may have been affected by PFOA contamination of drinking water now have until Friday, August 17 to register for a blood test to determine the levels of PFOA in their blood. The Health Department extended the deadline an additional week to allow more time for people interested in having their blood tested to sign up. The tests are for those who may have been impacted by the contamination, but who have not been previously tested for PFOA levels in their blood. The Vermont Legislature has made funding available for this effort.

In 2016, private drinking water wells in the area around the former Chemfab/Saint-Gobain facility had detections of PFOA ranging from non-detect to nearly 3,000 parts per trillion, well above Vermont's health advisory of 20 parts per trillion.

Vermont Business Magazine Accomplished attorney and environmental advocate Jennifer Rushlow will direct Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, the touchstone of the law school’s top ranked environmental law program, Vermont Law School President and Dean Tom McHenry announced Monday. Rushlow will be transitioning from the Conservation Law Foundation, where she was a Senior Attorney and Director of Farm & Food, leading CLF’s New England-wide advocacy on agriculture and food issues.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority and Encore Renewable Energy has formally announced a partnership to pursue development of approximately 10 megawatts of solar capacity on behalf of VPPSA’s Member municipal utilities. Under the partnership Encore will lead design, development, financing and construction of solar projects at locations in at least three of VPPSA’s Member utility territories. VPPSA will assist identified host communities in managing the resulting generation to maximize its value. The agreement also allows for Encore and VPPSA to partner in seeking additional development sites in other Member service territories and represents a significant milestone in the VPPSA Members’ transition towards economic, locally sourced, renewable energy resources.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan issued the following Advisory in response to the recent United States Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, 585 U.S. ___ (2018). Janus overturns decades of well-established law and practice relating to public employers’ deduction of fair share agency fees from public sector employees who decline union membership. Under Janus, a public employer may not deduct agency fees from a nonmember’s wages without the employee’s affirmative consent.

All other collective bargaining rights and obligations of public sector employees and employers remain the same under state law. Public employees retain their statutory rights under Vermont law to organize, join unions, and engage in collective action for mutual aid and protection. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office issues this Advisory in affirmation of those rights and to provide initial guidance on the issue of union dues and agency fees.

Vermont Business Magazine Noluma International, LLC has partnered with Jersey Girls Dairy of Chester, VT, to design their new light-protected packaging for their pasteurized fresh milk brand. The packaging is designed to protect milk’s nutritional value, and maintain its freshness longer. Research has shown that retail, refrigerator and home fluorescent and LED lights degrade the vitamins and nutrients in milk and affect its sensory characteristics as soon as an hour after light exposure.

Owner Lisa Kaiman sports sunglasses at her dairy with just one of the girls. Courtesy photos.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest mountain resort in Eastern North America, on Wednesday reported a successful US Open of Mountain Biking featuring 269 riders, representing 11 countries in Downhill, Enduro, Adaptive and kids races in front of a crowd of over 5,500. The event was held August 1-5.