Current News
by tim
Central Vermont Public Service met all of its service quality standards in 2009, the sixth straight year it achieved that goal.
“We believe that’s the best record in Vermont,” said Joe Kraus, senior vice president for engineering, operations and customer service.
CVPS has 17 service quality measures. CVPS measures and reports to state regulators on everything from how quickly we answer calls to bill accuracy, customer service, outage numbers and duration, and safety. All Vermont utilities have some standards and are required to file annual performance reports with state regulators.
In the Customer Information Center, CVPS employees answered 87.8 percent of calls within 20 seconds, beating the standard of 75 percent. Not one call was blocked due to system overload or other issues. Other key measures:
by intern
A new retirement plan for Vermont teachers that would save the state $15 million a year and help to resolve a lack of pension funds was introduced by legislators on Friday, according to a story in the Burlington Free Press.
A panel led by state treasurer Jeb Spaulding originally recommended that the revised plan achieve $29 million in savings. The Vermont NEA teachers union threatened to challenge any changes to the current plan that would affect those who had already retired. The union and Spaulding compromised alongside lawmakers to create the new plan.
Under the plan, teachers would retire at 65 or when the sum of their age added to years of work is 90. The retirement age for teachers is currently 62. They would also pay roughly 1 percent more towards their pension. After retirement, a new health insurance system will now offer coverage to teachers' spouses, depending on years worked. The changes will not affect Vermont teachers who have already retired.
by tim
Governor Jim Douglas today released the list of appointments made in October, November and December, 2009.
Act 264 Advisory Board
Karen Woolsey, Bethel
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council
Sandy Mayo, Castleton
Child Care Services Advisory Board
Ginger Potwin, Randolph
Vermont Communications Board
Donald Patch, Mount Holly
State Board of Dental Examiners
Joanne Bugbee, Danville
Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council
James Caffry, Waitsfield
Mary Alice Leonard-Heath, Hartford
State Emergency Response Commission
Al Barber, Hinesburg
Michael Collins, Essex
Jean Peterson, Barre
Carl Rogers, Barre
David Severance, Cambridge
Vermont Enhanced 911 Board
Donald Patch, Mount Holly
Natural Gas and Oil Resources Board
Aaron Melville, Saint Johnsbury
New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
David Baker, Saint Albans
Gail Graham, Calais
by tim
With the combined effect of increased ice formation between the Grand Isle, VT-Crown Point, NY, ferry crossings, as well as increased traffic at both the Northern and Southern crossings, we will be closing the Charlotte, VT, to Essex, NY, ferry crossing, until ice conditions permit in the spring. The new, free, 24-hour crossing from Chimney Point, VT, to Crown Point, NY, began on Monday. It will run 24 hours a day, every day.
Lake Champlain Transportation said that relocating the vessels at this time allows it to restore the Grand Isle crossing back to its normal operating schedule, and ensures that there is duplication of service at Crown Point during heavy ice conditions.
The last day of service at the Charlotte, VT –Essex, NY, crossing is Wednesday evening, with the last departure from Vermont at 5 pm and from Essex, NY at 5:30 pm.
Source: Lake Champlain Transportation. 2.2.2010
by tim
For the third year in a row Vermont achieved its goal of sustaining a seat belt usage rate of above 85 percent. And as a result of the State’s impaired driving countermeasures, Vermont attained the lowest alcohol-impaired fatality rate in the country in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA).
“We’ve worked hard to make our roads and highways safer through outreach and education,” said Governor Douglas. “These results are thanks to our hardworking public safety professionals, as well as to Vermonters who are adopting safe driving practices every day.”
In a letter to Public Safety Commissioner Tom Tremblay, NHSTA Regional Administrator Philip J. Weiser commended the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP), in particular Coordinator Jeanne Johnson, on Vermont’s progress maintaining a high seat belt usage rate and the lowest alcohol-impaired fatality rate in the country in the preceding year.
by tim
Vermont grade school and high school students have shown gradual improvement in New England Common Assessment Program test scores over the last five years, but the percent of students in the "proficient" or better categories continues to fall under 75 percent for both math and reading, with math at, especially, the high school level showing quite low scores. Girls did better than boys in reading and writing, with math scores being about equal. The disparity between those students on free/reduced cost lunch non-FRL students showed a dramatic difference, scores much lower for the FRL students, with boys doing relatively worse, especially in reading. However, all math scores were lower, with math suffering even more for low-income students. FRL is used as a socio-economic marker for low-income. See charts below for results.
by tim
Vermont Yankee reported late Monday afternoon that two of the new monitoring wells the nuclear power plant just installed have tested positive for the radioactive isotope tritium. The three new monitoring wells were installed to complement the three drilled in 2007. Confirmed analysis from the new wells show tritium concentration is at 70,500 picocuries per liter in the nearest new well about 75 feet to the south of the well where tritium was first noted several weeks ago.
by tim
The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has given preliminary approval for the issuance of the first of up to $135 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds. Significant infrastructure upgrade projects planned by Green Mountain Power Corporation have received preliminary approval for $25 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bond support. The special facility bonds utilize federal tax exemptions provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“The Green Mountain Power project marks an important milestone in the Authority’s business financing objectives this year,” said VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer Jo Bradley. “As the ARRA Recovery Zone Facility Bonds are set to expire on December 31, 2010, it is vital that Vermont businesses be aware of this important source of funding.”
by tim
Governor Jim Douglas today announced more than $200,000 in 19 matching grants to projects for the restoration and preservation of historic buildings across Vermont, including the Vermont History Center in Barre. The grant program, administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, provides owners of historic buildings with matching funding of up to $15,000 for a variety of capital repairs.
Preserving Vermont s historic buildings and structures is an important effort, Governor Douglas said. These grants help leverage significant private investment in historical buildings, which serves not only to put people to work but maintains Vermont s character and enhances our tourism economy.
by tim
Vermont Associates for Training and Development based in St Albans has received $1,058,111 as part of a US Department of Labor award of $225 million in additional funding for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) in fiscal year 2010. This funding was provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 to allow SCSEP grantees to immediately address unmet needs for employment and job training among low-income, older American workers.
"This additional funding greatly expands SCSEP's ability to serve older workers who face challenges in re-entering the workforce and attaining economic stability," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to expanding employment opportunities to even more low-income seniors and to enhancing their own career opportunities as they dedicate millions of hours to nonprofit and civic organizations."
by tim
Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 4.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.76/g today. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.67/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Vermont during the past week, prices today are 89.0 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 4.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 2.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 81.5 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.
"Prices will slowly fall across much of the country as a stronger dollar and better than expected gains in gasoline inventories push oil prices lower", says GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst, Patrick DeHaan.
by tim
The free, 24-hour temporary ferry between Crown Point, New York and Addison, Vermont, is now open to the public as of 5 am this morning. Governor Douglas was joined by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee to greet the first passengers of the new temporary ferry near the site of the Lake Champlain Bridge. The ferry began running Monday morning in time for the early morning commuters as they headed off to work. The ferry will operate year-round between Crown Point, NY and Chimney Point, VT, every day - 24 hours a day, 7 days per week - at no charge to the public. Currently, the ferry is scheduled to depart from Chimney Point on the hour and half hour and depart from New York at 15 and 45 after each hour. Initially there is a 15 ton 2-axel weight restriction per vehicle.