Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The UVM Medical Center and Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals will resume negotiations on Monday, August 13 and Tuesday, August 14 with the assistance of a federal mediator. Monday marks the 25th bargaining session since talks began in late March.

“Our goal from the outset of negotiations has been to present thoughtful proposals that address the concerns nurses have raised while balancing our commitment to providing high quality, affordable health care in our community,” said Eileen Whalen, MHA, RN, president and chief operating officer of the UVM Medical Center. “We are hopeful these next two sessions with the mediator will lead to the fair resolution we are all seeking.”

Vermont Business Magazine Ship-builder Austal successfully completed acceptance trials on the US Navy's Burlington, Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF 10), last week, in the Gulf of Mexico. Burlington is slated for delivery to the U.S. Navy in the Fall and is the tenth ship in Austal’s 12-ship portfolio valued at over $1.9 billion.

“Another trial completed for the incredibly successful EPF program,” Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle said. “I am so proud of our dedicated workforce and how they keep achieving these milestones staying on schedule and budget.”

The ship was christened in February 2018 by Marcelle Leahy, wife of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy.

Sister ship (EPF 10) USNS Brunswick. US Navy photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) recently hosted the inaugural Summer Harvest for Housing to benefit the affordable housing non-profit’s mission in Lamoille County and Hardwick. On a steamy Friday evening in Johnson, more than 60 folks gathered under a large tent at Legion Field to enjoy a community style dinner, with live music and lawn games to benefit Lamoille Housing Partnership. The Summer Harvest for Housing fundraiser benefitted the local non-profit’s mission of “creating and preserving affordable housing for low and moderate income residents of Lamoille County and Hardwick.”

Saint Michael's College The members of the Society of Saint Edmund, founding religious order of Saint Michael’s College, will conclude their 175th Anniversary year of celebration with a Mass at Saint Anne's Shrine, Isle La Motte, Vermont, on August 15, 2018, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 11 am.

by Jack Hoffman, PAI There’s a case to be made that this year’s budget showdown in Montpelier was lot of high drama with little substance. After all the drama, the budget that was finally approved created one problem that the Legislature will have to address next year and ignored another that should have been addressed long ago.

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.