Current News
by tim
by Morgan True vtdigger.org The Green Mountain Care Board rejected a request from the University of Vermont Medical Center to spend an additional $1.45 million on planning for a proposed $187.3 million inpatient facility still under review by the regulatory board. The board denied the request for additional planning money because the hospital wanted to proceed with “preconstruction services” that were supposed to begin after the final project was approved.
Al Gobeille, the board chair, declined to comment because the matter is still pending.
The hospital wants to build a 180,000-square-foot facility that would include 128 single-occupancy rooms and is expected to cost $187.3 million to complete. The seven-story structure would be located on the west side of the hospital’s property in Burlington above the existing emergency department parking lot.
by tim
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin attended KidSafe Collaborative’s Annual Outstanding Service Awards and congratulated the honorees for their efforts to improve child safety and wellbeing, at a luncheon held April 16 at the Sheraton Burlington.
The 2015 Awards were presented to:
Outstanding Professional: Steve McLaughlin, Social Worker, Vermont Department
for Children and Families, Family Services Division – Burlington Office.
Outstanding Promising Professional: Ashley Sargent, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Recruiter, Lund – Family Adoptions Unit.
Gregory Packan Esq. Award for Outstanding Children’s Advocacy: Melissa
McConnell, School Social Worker, Howard Center/Orchard Elementary School
Outstanding Volunteers: Youth Councilors and Participants, Diversity Rocks!
International Youth Group.
Outstanding Collaboration: VT Child Health Improvement Program, University
of Vermont Children’s Hospital.
by tim
Each baby born at a Vermont hospital on May 29 this year will receive a $100 deposit into a Vermont 529 college savings account opened in his or her name by the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems is joining VSAC, which administers Vermont’s 529 college savings plan, to help educate Vermont families about saving for college for their children.
“We are excited to partner with VSAC on 529 Day because it’s another way our community hospitals can be there for Vermonters at every stage of life,” said VAHHS CEO and President Bea Grause. “Our members are dedicated to providing high quality, affordable, accessible health care. And the health care reforms we’re working on now connect Vermonters with tools to help them succeed far beyond the walls of their local hospital.”
by tim
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Just as the state economists suggested might happen in regards to personal income tax revenues, April receipts were the largest on record in the state of Vermont at $160.76 million, in data released today. The economists made this prediction in large part because of growing corporate profits in 2014 that did not show up in typical personal income withholding, but had to be accounted for once taxes were filed. Corporate, Sales and Rooms & Meals tax receipts were also ahead of their targets, finally pushing overall tax revenues ahead of expectations.
by tim
The Hermitage Ski Club at Haystack Mountain, a private ski resort in Wilmington and Dover, Vermont, has admitted to violating land use and environmental permitting laws and has agreed to pay $205,000 in civil penalties for violations that occurred during construction and development of the ski resort. “Developers cannot ignore our permitting and environmental statutes,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell. “Ski resorts are critical to Vermont’s tourism economy, but all development projects must meet our environmental standards,” he added.
The Attorney General worked closely with the Natural Resources Board and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources on all aspects of the enforcement action. The settlement resolves violations of Vermont’s Act 250 land use statutes and permits, Water Pollution Control statute, Dams and Wetlands Protection statutes, Public Water Supply and Potable Water statutes, and storm water construction permits.
by tim
Seventh Generation, a leading household and personal care company, based in Burlington, Vermont, today launched a new promotion in partnership with Whole Foods Market and Baby Buggy that will help make every diaper change a "change for good." For every pack of Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers purchased at Whole Foods Market from May 1 - September 30, 2015, Seventh Generation will donate a pack of newborn or size one diapers to Baby Buggy, a national nonprofit that provides families with children in need across the country with essential gear, clothing, products and services. Baby Buggy will distribute the diapers free of charge to babies in need in local communities across the U.S.
by tim
Steve and Deb Mayfield, owners of the Shelburne Country Store, today announced the acquisition of The Christmas Loft located in Shelburne. Based in Jay, Vermont, The Christmas Loft is a privately held corporation that operates three retail locations in Shelburne and in North Woodstock and North Conway, New Hampshire. The purchase by the Mayfields includes just the Shelburne location. The Christmas Loft will continue to operate the remaining New Hampshire locations as well as their office and warehouse in Jay independently.
by tim
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Heating should be cheaper next winter for 80 homes near Saint Michael's College in Colchester. A $500,000 Vermont Community Development Program grant, announced by Governor Peter Shumlin Monday morning, will help lock-in their affordability by making them more energy efficient. The apartments are part of Winchester Place, a mixed-income development of 166 apartments owned in partnership by the Champlain Housing Trust and Housing Vermont. The long-term affordability of the homes was secured through the purchase of the land for about $2 million. The land had been leased from Saint Mike's.
by tim
National Small Business Week 2015 celebrations kicked-off today in South Florida. The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and designed to recognize the nation’s top small businesses, entrepreneurs, and business advocates. The week-long event will continue through Friday, May 8, with SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet hosting planned national events in Los Angeles, San Antonio, New York City and Washington, D.C., where festivities will conclude with recognizing national award winners and the selection of the national Small Business Person of the Year.
In his proclamation declaring May 4-8 as National Small Business Week, President Barack Obama declared America’s small businesses “the backbone of our economy, employing half of our country’s private sector workforce and creating nearly two out of every three new jobs in our country.”
by tim
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the senior student loan notes at 'AAAsf' and the subordinate student loan notes at 'Asf' issued by Vermont Student Assistance Corp Series 2013-1. The Rating Outlook on the notes, which is tied to the sovereign rating of the US government, is Stable.
KEY RATING DRIVERS
High Collateral Quality: The trust collateral is comprised of 100% of Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans. The credit quality of the trust collateral is high, in Fitch's opinion, based on the guarantees provided by the transaction's eligible guarantors and at least 97% reinsurance of principal and accrued interest provided by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Fitch currently rates the U.S. 'AAA' with a Stable Outlook.
by tim
The April Northeastern Vermont Development Association progress report offers the following updates to the EB-5 development projects under way in the northeastern part of the state. AnC Bio Vermont: Developers will begin construction on the 84,000-square-foot bio-tech research and manufacturing facility on May 14, 2015. The Peak CM Construction project is expected to take 14-16 months.
Q Burke Mountain Resort - Construction Updates
Note: All visitors and workers are required to sign in at the PeakCM construction trailer before entering the construction site. Safety orientation and full PPE are required for all site visitors. If visits after normal business hours are required, permission to enter the site must be arranged with the site superintendent beforehand.
Project Highlights - April
by tim
The following statement is being issued by Block & Leviton LLP, Finkelstein Thompson LLP and Green & Noblin PC regarding the Drywall Antitrust Litigation. If you purchased Wallboard INDIRECTLY from one or more of the companies listed below, your rights may be affected by proposed Settlements. Proposed class settlements totaling $10.5 million have been reached with two Defendants in In re Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2437 and 13-MD-2437, pending in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.