Current News

Vermont's chief regulator has decreased Vermont hospital budgets from the requested 6.4 percent system average rate increase to 5.9 percent. This will reduce operating revenues by $5.9 million. Individual hospital rate requests ranged from 4.0 percent to 8.8 percent. The requests totaled an increase of $100.7 million in operating revenues. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital asked for the biggest increase of 8.8 percent and also had the biggest adjustment, resulting in a revised rate increase of 7.1 percent. Several hospitals increases were not adjusted. North Country Hospital in Newport had the smallest increase, 4 percent, which was granted.
Paulette J. Thabault, Commissioner of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration (BISHCA), announced the her decision on 2010 hospital budgets on September 15, 2009. Part of the department s mission is to help ensure that all Vermonters have access to affordable, quality health care.

The State Board of Education elected new officers at its September 15, 2009 meeting, the Department of Education announced today. Fayneese Miller of South Burlington was elected Board chair, Ruth Stokes of Williston will continue serving as co-vice-chair, along with Kathy Larsen of Wilmington as second vice-chair.
The election was necessitated by the retirement of Chair Tom James. The governor recently appointed Stephan Morse of Newfane to complete the term vacated by James. Morse s first Board meeting will be on October 20.

Lyndon State College is the recipient of a $71, 590 grant from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Northern Region. The money will be used for paid student internships in Essex County in Vermont and Coos County in New Hampshire. These two areas fall in one of the nation’s most economically depressed regions, and this support will help businesses develop sustainable business models.
The grant creates a promising win-win situation for businesses and Lyndon students. Not only will the businesses have access to the latest in planning and development, but students will no longer have to choose between an unpaid internship and a job.

Craig Divis, a high school social studies teacher at Bellows Falls Union High School in Bellows Falls, was named by the State Board of Education as the 2010 Vermont Teacher of the Year at a ceremony held today at the school.
Also honored were:

Alternate Stacey Endres, a middle school social studies and English teacher at Milton Middle School in Milton.
Finalist Terry Frey, a K-12 music teacher at Windsor Junior Senior High School and State Street School in Windsor.

The Vermont Chamber Hospitality Council is pleased that the National Restaurant Association (NRA) presented its first annual Congressional Leadership Award to U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in recognition of his efforts to fight hunger.
“Senator Leahy’s contribution is meaningful to the restaurant industry because it helps our dining employers be good citizens while freeing up resources to invest in their businesses and their employees, said Vicky Tebbetts, Vice President of the Vermont Hospitality Council. “A vibrant dining industry is critical to Vermont’s tourism economy.”
The National Restaurant Association created the Congressional Leadership Award to recognize members of Congress who advocate on behalf of important restaurant industry causes and support legislation that help the industry to sustain its role as a job creator, a career training ground, and a cornerstone of the community.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) is bringing a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to Vermont this weekend to examine the state of competition in the Northeast in the context of the dairy crisis that continues to squeeze dairy farms in Vermont and across the nation. Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has set the hearing for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the St. Albans City Hall, 100 Main Street, in St. Albans, Vermont. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will join Leahy for the hearing, which is titled: “Crisis On The Farm: The State Of Competition And Prospects For Sustainability In The Northeast Dairy Industry.”
Witnesses will include the new head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Christine Varney. Three Vermont farmers will also testify, as well as an economist with Agri-Mark dairy cooperative, and the chief economist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Meeting in Saint John, New Brunswick, today, the New England Governors' Conference, Inc. (NEGC) adopted bold regional visions for supporting development of renewable energy resources in and around New England and for preserving its natural environment. The meeting took place during the 33rd Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP).

Yesterday, New England state agriculture leaders joined forces with dairy promotion organizations to launch the Keep Local Farms program. Inspired by the Fair Trade concept, Keep Local Farms will help to get more money directly to dairy farmers while creating stronger connections between farmers and their customers. The program is an effort to ensure dairy farmers in the Northeast are paid a sustainable price for their milk and to provide consumers with a way to support local dairy farmers, their community and the local economy.
The Keep Local Farms program is a creative and innovative approach to help our struggling dairy farmers in a very difficult economic environment. Vermonters are committed to helping preserve our dairy heritage and this program is one way we all can contribute. I look forward to the seeing the Keep Local Farms program succeed, said Governor Douglas.
The Problem:

The TransUnion Credit Risk Index, a statistic developed to measure the changes in average consumer credit risk within various geographies, increased 0.83 percent from 127.26 in the first quarter of 2009 to 128.32 in the second quarter of 2009. While 13 states experienced quarterly declines in the Credit Risk Index, this measure at a national level reached an all-time high for the third consecutive quarter. The Credit Risk Index (CRI) is defined as the weighted average probability of 90-day delinquency or worse among consumers in a given region relative to the nation as a whole.

CVPS Cow Power, the first manure-to-energy program in the country, was named the top utility renewable energy choice program in the United States on Monday. CVPS Cow Power was presented the Green Power Leadership Award and named Utility Green Power Program of the Year at “Renewable Energy Markets 2009,” an international energy conference sponsored by two federal agencies and the Center for Resource Solutions.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and CRS sponsor the Green Power Leadership Awards, which recognize the actions of individuals, companies and organizations that significantly advance the development of renewable electricity sources through green power markets.

Governor Douglas today announced the appointment of Chad Schmidt as Bennington County Sheriff. Schmidt replaces Gary Forrest who retired after 24 years as Sheriff.
“I want to extend my congratulations to Chad,” said Governor Jim Douglas. “I believe he has the experience and skill to keep our communities safe.”
Schmidt has 14 years experience in the Bennington Country Sheriff’s Department serving most recently as Deputy Sheriff. Schmidt is a graduate of Southern Vermont College where he received a degree in criminal justice as well as the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford, VT. He also received a certificate of completion in courses focused on leadership and administrative development at the FBI National Academy in Virginia.

The Douglas Administration today announced that they would seek two furlough days and five unpaid holidays as a means to find $7.4 million in labor savings as directed by the Legislature s Joint Fiscal Committee. This proposal is an effort to reach a compromise on labor savings and avoid reductions in force at this time. To find middle ground, the offer today does not include a FY 2010 pay reduction as did prior Administration offers and relies on furlough days and unpaid holidays, which are temporary savings that complicate budget problems in coming fiscal years. Last week, the union offered a similar plan of four furlough days and four unpaid holidays plus eliminating a wellness program to achieve a similar level of savings. The state had set a deadline of September 18 to avoid about 200 more layoffs.