Current News

by John Herrick vtdigger.org The Senate Economic Development Committee passed a Shumlin administration proposal to encourage growth in downtowns and limit urban sprawl. The legislation amends the state’s land use and development permitting process under Act 250.

The committee voted 4-1 Friday to approve H.823 with minor changes.

Committee Chair Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, voted against the bill. He opposed a provision that places new requirements on development in strip areas, such as Shelburne Road in Burlington or Putney Road in Brattleboro.

by Laura Krantz vtdigger.org The Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to compromise on a bill about driving under the influence of drugs after wrestling all week with how to keep unsafe drivers off the road without infringing on civil liberties. Although the committee did not vote, it plans to see a draft next week that sets the standard for drugged driving at a level that “interferes with safe operation of a vehicle in the slightest degree.”

Senators said they object to the House version of the bill, but have wrestled for several weeks with how to modify it.

The House version lowered the drugged driving standard to align it with the “under the influence” standard for alcohol.

James J Gozzo, PhD, President of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, has announced that Harry L Chen, MD, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, will be the commencement speaker at the second graduation ceremony of the school’s Colchester Campus. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 1 pm at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

“As someone who has served as a practitioner, an academic, an elected official, and now Commissioner of Health, Dr. Chen has a unique perspective on the practice of health care and the future of the U.S. health care system. His insights will greatly benefit our graduates as they prepare to begin their own careers in this rapidly changing field,” said President Gozzo.

Vermont Business Magazine Tiny bubbles and children's voices filled the air at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington today as the statewide campaign, Let's Grow Kids, officially launched. Business leaders, early childhood professionals, public officials and many others attended the event, which also featured several hands-on activities for children - who represent the very heart of the campaign.

"Giving our children a solid start in life is a value we all share," said Robyn Freedner-Maguire, campaign director for Let's Grow Kids. "These children will be our community leaders, our teachers, our doctors...we want all Vermonters to understand how very important the earliest years of our children's lives are not only to their future, but to our state's future as well."

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) has selected two vendors to complete projects that will significantly expand cellular coverage in unserved areas of the state. The expansion will include at least 450 miles of coverage along many state highways plus some well-traveled town roads. The VTA focus is on roadways with no cell service at all or where drop zones are significant.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org News spread quickly — within hours of testimony on Wednesday — that the Senate Finance Committee is considering an increase in the employer assessment. Nothing draws a crowd at the Statehouse quite like the rumor of a tax — of whatever size — on any item, service or income.

Sen. Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, is chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. Photo by Roger Crowley/for VTDigger

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org Key senators Thursday agreed on their own version of the state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The Senate Appropriation’s Committee voted unanimously to move the $1.4 billion General Fund spending plan to a full Senate vote next week. The panel’s proposed amendments to the House-passed budget include, most notably, increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates for healthcare providers from 0.75 percent to 2 percent, on par with Gov. Peter Shumlin’s recommended budget increase. (The total cost of the rate increase is roughly $4 million.)

by Tom Brown vtdigger.org Governor Peter Shumlin made it clear Thursday that passage of a bill reducing the number of school boards in the state is one of his major goals for the waning legislative session. The governor told reporters that the administration would fight for H883 down to the final gavel. “We have to take the burden off property taxpayers that are seeing increases that their wallets can’t sustain,” he said at a Statehouse news conference.

The bill would eliminate 270-plus school districts and create 45 to 55 supervisory districts that would have unified management of personnel, coordinated best practices for teachers and district-wide curriculum, was stalled in the House Appropriations Committee this week.

by John Herrick vtdigger.org Developers are opposing the Shumlin administration’s proposal to create tight-knit downtown areas surrounded by rural countryside, and have been lobbying against what they say is an anti-development bill. But the administration pushed back Thursday, defending lawmakers’ current proposal, H823, as a “balanced, thoughtful way to move forward with development in this state.”

Governor Peter Shumlin and Deb Markowitz, Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, today announced the 2014 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence. The recipients will be recognized in May at a ceremony in Burlington. Environmental excellence awards have been given since 1993 to recognize efforts and actions of Vermonters to conserve and protect natural resources, prevent pollution, and promote environmental sustainability. To date, more than 200 efforts have been recognized.

“These projects contribute significantly to Vermont’s environmental quality and encourage others to take similar actions to protect our resources,” said Sec. Markowitz. “They demonstrate the importance of innovation and partnerships in enhancing and sustaining Vermont’s environmental quality.

Award winners will be recognized at the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility Annual Spring Conference on May 14 at the Davis Center on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington.

Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew PC has completed a renewable energy project on the roof of its Burlington headquarters intended to reduce the firm’s carbon footprint. Dinse serves as counsel to clients financing and developing renewable energy projects in Vermont and New York.

Dinse will benefit from the power generated by the 16.5 kW project consisting of 55 300-watt solar panels on the roof of the firm’s building at 209 Battery Street in Burlington, Vermont. The installation was coordinated by Encore Redevelopment of Burlington, Vermont, and designed and installed by Peck Solar of South Burlington, Vermont. The project was commissioned on April 9, 2014.

The solar array creates a clean renewable energy resource for 25 to 30 percent of the electrical demand associated with the office equipment at Dinse, a 30-attorney firm.

Vermont Business Magazine In a report released Friday, for the third year, Designated Downtowns in the Vermont Downtown Program through the Agency of Commerce’s Division of Community Planning and Revitalization, saw increases in businesses and jobs created, rehabilitation projects, and public and private investments in downtown. With a seven percent increase over 2012, Vermont Downtowns realized nearly 600 new jobs and more than $100 million in private investments.

The ACCD report said this growth came despite the disruption of major construction projects in downtowns around Vermont. Barre and St Albans completed major streetscape re-designs which included infrastructure improvements, sidewalk replacement and new lighting while Montpelier completed a district energy project.