Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Telecom has partnered with Green Mountain Transit to provide free, gigabit-capable wifi to commuters and GMT employees using the new Downtown Transit Center, set to open on October 13. A reliable high speed Wi-Fi connection on the Downtown Transit Center platform will improve the customer experience, allowing passengers to use their wait time more effectively as they work, connect with friends, or download an e-book to enjoy on the ride. The hotspot is just one of the many increased passenger amenities that will improve the quality of service GMT provides to its passengers at the DTC. Other features include: ADA accessibility, longer customer service hours, indoor restrooms, a climate-controlled indoor waiting area, real-time bus information along with customer information screens, radiant heat on the platform, and protection from the weather.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont, and Burlington Laboratories, Inc. and Burlington Labs, LLC (together “Burlington Labs”), have reached an agreement settling an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit of the Office of the Attorney General into whether Burlington submitted false claims or received overpayments from the Vermont Medicaid Program. Burlington Labs will pay $6.75 million to settle potential claims under the Vermont False Claims Act. “This settlement balances the ongoing needs for drug testing services in Vermont with ensuring proper billings for services rendered and safeguarding of state and federal monies,” said Attorney General William H. Sorrell. 

by John McClaughry Last week outgoing Governor Peter Shumlin made public the draft agreement he made with the Federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Its goal is to dramatically change the way health care services are paid for in Vermont. And of course, if the method of payment is dramatically changed, there will be major changes in who provides the services, to whom, when, and where. The new All Payer Model is different from the Single Payer model enacted in 2011, but there are some troubling similarities. 

Single Payer proposed to put almost all Vermonters into a government-controlled universal health care program. Health insurance carriers would be put out of business. Vermonters would receive “free” care at the point of service, as in Quebec.

Vermont Business Magazine GE has awarded University of Vermont Medical Center and Burlington Labs, $25,000 to promote health and improve substance abuse recovery and employment in Burlington as part of the larger HealthyCities initiative, which is committed to bringing better health to more people throughout the US. Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, NH, was also a grant recipient. GE announced today the nine winners of the HealthyCities Leadership Academy Open Innovation Challenge. Each of the winning communities will receive an initial award of $25,000 in prize money to help develop population health improvements through partnerships with public and private entities, and will be eligible for a final prize award of $250,000 after a year of collaborative learning and support.

Vermont Business Magazine Passumpsic Savings Bank’s Board of Trustees announces that James Kisch, a business executive and national banking authority with over 25 years of financial institution management has been named to succeed Peter F Crosby as President and Chief Executive Officer of the St Johnsbury-based financial institution.

Vermont Business Magazine Personal Income tax revenues showed strength for the second consecutive month, after a long period of sluggish performance, which led General Fund revenues to a near-break even against expectations for September. Corporate tax revenue, which has been a strength the last few years, was below targets. Consumption revenues were all slightly down, except for motor vehicle purchases, which previously had been a weakness. However, year-to-year numbers for Personal Income (the single most important revenue source), Sales and Corporate are all down year-to-year. Since the end of the Great Recession, year-to-year revenues have been growing.

Secretary of Administration Trey Martin released on Monday Vermont’s “Preliminary” revenue results for September of 2016. Preliminary data reflected a good month for Transportation Fund and a slightly down month for the Education Fund. September is the third month of Fiscal Year 2017.

Vermont Business Magazine Joining many other Vermont politicians, both Democratic and Republican, US Senate candidate Scott Milne issued a statement over the weekend condemning remarks made by presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Vermont Business Magazine Pride Center of Vermont received its largest grant at the end of September when the Department of Justice's Office of Violence against Women (OVW) announced it had awarded the Center $300,000 to work with Underserved Populations through 2018.

This extremely competitive grant was written by former Executive Director Kim Fountain. The grant is a collaboration with Migrant Justice, H.O.P.E Works, WomenSafe, and Voices Against Violence to reach LGBTQ migrant farmworkers in Addison, Chittenden and Franklin counties who have limited access to services. The goal of this grant is to provide greater connection to all grant partners for LGBTQ migrant farm workers who may be experiencing sexual, domestic and/or intimate partner violence and need support.

by Mike Smith Sometimes politicians will say or do something that makes you shake your head in disbelief. Often it relates to overstating their importance, or understating their flaws; but occasionally there’s a fumbled attempt by a politician to highlight their courage. Here’s an example of a wayward attempt at bravado: In describing why he dismisses concerns about his use of the state’s aging airplane, Gov. Peter Shumlin boasted, “I was born without a fear gene.” 

Vermont Business Magazine Valley Vista, an 80-bed inpatient alcohol and chemical dependency treatment center is hiring for a number of openings on its clinical services team. The facility will holding a job fair this coming Friday, October 14, 2016 from 10:30 – 11:30 am and then again from 1:30 – 3:30 pm at the Turning Point Center of the Upper Valley, located at 200 Olcott Drive, White River Junction. There is no fee to attend and the job fair is open to the public.

This is a great opportunity to help individuals from our community, many of who are suffering from addiction, often complicated by co-occurring mental issues, find enduring recovery. Valley Vista, Vermont’s leading dual diagnosis inpatient recovery treatment program, is seeking to fill full-time, part-time and per diem positions for all shifts in the following areas:

Vermont State Police This is a further update to the press release, identifying Operators, Occupants and Vehicle information involved in the secondary crashes that occurred on the evening of October 08, 2016. Information related to Case 15A105171, in which five high school students died on Interstate 89, is further below. Updated 1:10 am October 10, 2016. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Shumlin today ordered flags around Vermont to fly at half-staff in honor of the young Vermonters who lost their lives this past weekend.