Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General William H Sorrell and the Department of Public Service won a victory yesterday in a ruling by a three-judge Licensing Board of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The ruling grants the State of Vermont a hearing on several of its challenges related to Entergy’s planned use of the Vermont Yankee decommissioning trust fund. “We remain steadfast that Entergy must use the decommissioning fund appropriately,” said Attorney General Sorrell. “We are glad that the Licensing Board has agreed to let our challenges proceed.”

Vermont Business Magazine Saying that the Vermont Department of Labor has failed to effectively implement numerous measures, Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer on Monday released the findings of an audit concerning worker misclassification. The audit report identifies deficiencies in program management at VDOL and details the actions needed to better detect and prevent misclassification of actual employees as "contractors." The auditor also maintains that the Department of Buildings and General Services and the Agency of Transportation (VTrans) have not adequately fulfilled their responsibilities.

Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday, August 25, 2015, the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports presented the Second Annual Michael Feulner Award to University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center in recognition of having the most employees participate in the Vermont Corporate Cup Challenge and State Agency Race on May 14, 2015. UVM Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center had over 320 employees registered for this year’s race.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) is a non-partisan state agency advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls. Sixteen volunteer commissioners and representatives from organizations concerned with women’s issues guide VCW’s public education, coalition building, and advocacy efforts. Commissioners are appointed by various appointing authorities to serve four-year terms.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) said today he will introduce legislation to stop soaring increases in pharmaceutical prices. Americans, who already pay the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world, saw prices jump 12.6 percent last year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That increase was more than double the rise in overall medical costs.

“Americans should not have to live in fear that they will go bankrupt if they get sick. People should not have to go without the medication they need just because their elected officials aren’t willing to challenge the drug and health care industry lobby,” Sanders said. The pharmaceutical industry spent nearly $230 million lobbying Congress last year, some $65 million more than any other industry.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Another big shoe has dropped in the race for Vermont governor and it certainly will not be the last. Vermont-native Bruce Lisman today announced his candidacy for Governor of the State of Vermont, pledging to lead the state toward a brighter future and work to make Vermont an even better place to live, work and raise a family. Lisman, who will be running as a Republican candidate for Governor, is well-known for working to achieve non-partisan solutions to Vermont’s challenges. He founded and funded Campaign for Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine More than 385 Last Mile Ride participants joined together to raise $104,000 to support Gifford Medical Center’s end-of-life services on August 19 and 20, exceeding the event’s ambitious 2015 goal of $100,000. “The enthusiasm, spirit, and selfless efforts of all of you—volunteers, staff, participants, donors, and Combat Vet road guards who keep our event safe—have helped us to raise more than $300,000 over the years for end-of-life services,” Gifford’s Director of Development Ashley Lincoln told the crowd as she announced this year’s record-breaking figure. “Thanks to you we’ve exceeded our $100,000 goal allowing us to provide comfort and support to families when they are feeling most vulnerable.” Lincoln went on to share that there will be a second garden room suite created during the hospital’s current renovations.

by John McClaughry Vermont is now well into the throes of coping with a new education governance law (Act 46). The law’s stated goal is to move the State “toward sustainable models of education governance.” That is, the State wants to encourage local school districts to merge into a “preferred education governance structure” built around fewer but larger supervisory districts with unified tax bases.

The State’s carrot is reduced residential school property tax rates, which offer disappears in two years for districts that fail to act. The State’s stick is that the State Board of Education will impose a mandatory consolidation plan in 2018 if a district fails to respond to the carrots.

Underlying Act 46 is the long-standing desire of state education leaders, now headed by the Governor, to reduce the welter of school governance models into a small number of varieties of mega-districts. That’s what “sustainable” means, as viewed from Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine Based in South Burlington, nearly 50,000 Vermont Gas customers could see their natural gas bills decrease for the 12^th time since January 2012. The company announced today it has proposed an overall rate decrease of 3 percent to the Public Service Board for rates that would go into effect November 1, 2015. VGS said the decrease will provide needed savings to businesses and families this winter. VGS serves Frankin and Chittenden Counties and is in the process of extended the gas line to Addison County, which currently is under further review by the PSB. The PSB is expected to rule by the end of the summer on the Addison extension, which has been under construction for over a year.

Vermont Business Magazine At the 39^th annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premieres (NEG/ECP) in St Johns, NB, today, Gov. Peter Shumlin and the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG) took action on issues affecting the region, including the opioid epidemic, national surface transportation legislation, and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

by Mike Smith It’s popular to combine the names of famous couples. In Hollywood, there’s Kimye (Kim Kardashian and Kanye West) and Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie). In national politics, we’ve heard of Billary (Bill and Hillary Clinton). The uni-name suggests a unified brand — a team.

Vermont Business Magazine The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain, a full-service, private ski club in southern Vermont’s Deerfield Valley, has been named one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing private companies in America as part of the Inc. 5000 list, with three-year revenue growth of 733 percent ($14.5 million in revenue). This is the second year The Hermitage Club has made the list. This year, the Club is 622 on the list, whereas in 2014 it was 794. The Club has remained the number one company in Vermont for two consecutive years. Second on the Vermont list is Marathon Health in Winooski. Marathon Health is one of the Top 100 largest companies in Vermont by revenue ($38.1 million) and is number 1079 on Inc.'s list (400 percent 3-year growth).