Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The members of Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals are holding a Nurses’ Town Hall this Friday at Burlington High School to discuss contract negotiations and the prospect of a strike should management and the union fail to reach a deal. Last week, UVMMC nurses voted 94 percent to authorize a strike if necessary, with 72 percent of union members taking part in the vote. The union and management have four bargaining sessions remaining before the current contract ends on July 9th.

“Nobody wants a strike at UVM Medical Center,” said Deb Snell, union Vice President and ICU nurse. “However, nurses are making it clear that current conditions at the hospital - namely, chronic understaffing and staff turnover - are unbearable for our patients and our profession. Our members cannot accept a contract that fails to improve staffing by providing fair compensation to nurses and support staff.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Snelling Center for Government has announced the Early Childhood Leadership Institute Class of 2018. The Class of 2018 is comprised of 25 associates from across the state who represent a wide variety of organizations connected to early childhood and family work.

Vermont Business Magazine Tick season is in full swing in Vermont, bringing with it tick-borne illness, such as Lyme and West Nile, diseases which are on the rise across the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Dr. Lou DiNicola, a pediatrician and medical director of primary care at Gifford Health Care, offers Vermonters tips for tick prevention and removal, identification of symptoms of tick-borne illness, and advice on when to call your health-care provider.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Barre has welcomed two new board members, Eric Quintin of Barre and Paulette Thabault of South Burlington at its Annual Meeting in April.

by Jim Condos Secretary of State With barely two weeks remaining before the start of fiscal year 2019, and in good faith to the over 625,000 Vermonters I represent, I feel the need to speak up and bring to your attention some of the very real impacts a government shutdown, caused by the current budget impasse, would have on the government services my agency provides – critical services which Vermonters rely on and deserve.

Failure is not an option. The co-equal branches of the Administration and the Legislature must come to an agreement on a responsible, sound budget by July 1^st. There have been numerous opportunities for compromise.

When a budget passes with almost unanimous tri-partisan support, a continuing fight feels very much like partisan positioning to score political points at the expense of Vermont businesses and families.

by Representative Patricia A McCoy (R-Poultney/Ira) Regardless of how the political debate over whether to raise property tax rates ends, the Education Fund is going to spend nearly $1.7 billion dollars next year on 76,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade. That is about $22,000 per student – the most in the nation and nearly twice the national average. Meanwhile, we have about 27,000 fewer students in our schools than we did 20 years ago and enrollment continues to decrease by about 1,000 students each year. On average, there are about 4 students for every adult in our schools, down from 7 students for every adult in 1997.

Vermont’s economy, generously described as average by national standards, and its taxpayers struggle to support this level of education spending and this growing inefficiency.

Vermont Business Magazine A new scam is targeting Vermont attorneys. The Attorney General’s Office warns that a fake “GoFundMe” campaign purports to raise money for a child with a rare disease using GoFundMe.com. According to the Vermont Bar Association, the phony campaign referenced its organization and requested that VBA members make contributions. GoFundMe.com is a popular online fundraising platform.

The VBA issued the following alert on its website:

“Recently, a Go Fund Me request entitled ‘Support Josh’ was sent with reference to the Vermont Bar Association, requesting that our membership support a member's child with a rare disease, using our info@ email address. The link goes directly to PayPal. The Vermont Bar Association did not send this email. Please note that the VBA will never send a Go Fund Me request to its members. Our IT firm is looking into this matter. Please contact the office with any questions.”

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy welcomed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Monday announcement that Vermont will receive an allocation of $4 million in fiscal year 2018 to fight the opioid epidemic across the state. The funding, a significant increase over past years, is part of a new State Opioid Response Grant program created as part of the Leahy-negotiated 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law this spring. Vermont’s $4 million grant is a direct result of language that Leahy fought for in the bill guaranteeing each state at least $4 million to fight this deadly crisis.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont ski industry fought through uneven weather throughout the 2017-2018 season to post a small increase in visitors. According to Ski Vermont, the state managed 3.97 million skier days, a 1.2 percent increase from the previous season. Ski Vermont revealed the results as members, supporters and friends of the Vermont ski and snowboard industry gathered last week at Stowe Mountain Resort for the Vermont Ski Areas Association’s 49th Annual Meeting. Alpine and Cross-Country members, associate members and marketing partners were among those who celebrated what turned out to be a successful season.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) announced late last week that the Interior and Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bills approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee include significant wins for Lake Champlain. Leahy, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has long fought for resources to protect Vermont’s ‘great Lake.’ The Interior and CJS bills approved by the Appropriations Committee include at least $12.5 million for Lake Champlain, and include funding for other competitive grant programs for which Lake Champlain protection work is eligible. The Lake Champlain Program would receive $11 million for fiscal year 2019, a $2.6 million increase from the fiscal year 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Public Assets Institute On Vermont’s jobs front May was a down month in a year of ups and downs. The number of nonfarm payroll jobs fell by 500 last month, after increasing by 600 in April. Employers reported 314,600 nonfarm jobs in May—1,400 more than last May. Meanwhile, Vermont’s unemployment rate remained at 2.8 percent in May.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo was transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center after sustaining injuries in a single-bicycle accident in Keene, NY, on Sautrday. Physicians treating him in the intensive care unit for a head injury and broken bones are optimistic about a full recovery. However, del Pozo may remain at the UVM Medical Center for a sustained period. Deputy Chief Jan Wright is serving as Acting Chief of the Burlington Police Department.

“Our thoughts are with Brandon and his family at this time,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Chief del Pozo has done so much for the community, and we look forward to him returning to command. Until then, I have full confidence that the Burlington Police Department will continue to keep the city safe and perform at the high, effective level that Burlingtonians expect.”