Current News

The Vermont Tax Practitioners Association (VTPA) will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, December 10th from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Best Western Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn) just off Exit 10 of I-89 in Waterbury, Vt.
The morning session will be presented by a representative of the Internal Revenue Service and will examine new tax changes for the upcoming tax season.
The afternoon session will be by the Vermont Department of Taxes and will also preview the 2002 tax year, with a special emphasis on the new tax forms and changes to the Act 60 process.
The meeting is free for VTPA members who have paid their 2002 dues. Annual VTPA membership dues are $50 payable in advance or at the meeting. Prospective members or other interested persons may attend one introductory meeting without charge. Lunch is an additional $10 charge for all attending. For more membership information call Rick Kane at (802) 463-1503.

Directors of Green Mountain Power Corporation
(NYSE:GMP) announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share on
the utility's Common Stock, payable December 31, 2002, to holders of
record at the close of business on December 14, 2002. The new indicated
annual dividend rate is $0.76, an increase over the previous indicated
annual rate of $0.55. The increased dividend payment is contingent on the
successful issuance of long-term debt, which is expected to be completed
on or about December 16, 2002.
The Company has arranged to issue $42 million in first mortgage
bonds, with an average life of 12 years. This transaction, which will
replace substantially all of the Company's short-term and intermediate
term debt, will satisfy the conditions set by the Vermont Public Service
Board for the Company to increase its dividend.
In 1997 and 1998, faced with difficult financial results, the

Retreat Healthcare announced the expansion of two of its key treatment programs for children and adolescents; The Tower
Program and the Child-Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Services. Both
programs are moving from their former locations near the main Retreat
Healthcare campus to Linden Lodge, with expanded capacity, staffing and
resources, in order to better serve the growing needs of this population.
The Tower Program is an alternative education program for students who
may be at risk of dropping out or of being asked to leave school due to
behavioral problems. A fully accredited component of the Meadows
Educational Center, the Tower Program blends education, vocational
training, life skills training, adventure-based recreation, health
education, and self-esteem building activities. Each student receives an
individualized educational plan and a hands-on, small group approach.

Paul, Frank & Collins, attorneys at law, is pleased to announce that Rebecca van Doren has joined the firm as an Associate. Ms. van Doren was admitted to the Vermont Bar on November 19, 2002, and will be concentrating her practice on general trial work, with a focus on intellectual property, including patent, copyright and trademark litigation, product liability, commercial litigation, and anti-trust matters.
Ms. van Doren is a 1985 graduate (Dean’s List) of Arizona State University and a 1998 graduate of Arizona State University, College of Law (cum laude).

GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORPORATION (NYSE: GMP) announced the preliminary results of its successful modified "Dutch Auction" self tender offer, which expired at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on November 19, 2002.

Vermont was among the best of show at the 2002 World
Travel Market in London, U.K., last week. The six New England states,
working together to attract international visitors to the region, received
the "Best Booth for Doing Business" award at the 2002 global travel
industry event.
This is the first year all six states represented New England under the
banner of Discover New England as one brand, at one booth. The Discover
New England booth was recognized as best for its layout and for the
knowledge and enthusiasm of those who staffed it. Discover New England is
a non-profit consortium of the six states, based in Stowe. Its focus is
international tourism.
World Travel Market exhibit organizer, Fiona Jeffrey, noted that excellent
quality of layout, welcoming atmosphere, product knowledge and participant
enthusiasm in promoting New England as a region were factors in the
decision.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont recently announced the election of five new board members to the organization. Alana Shaw of Winooski, a Senior Accountant at A.M. Peisch & Companny, LLP, specializing in auditing not-for-profit organizations. Christy Wigant of Essex Junction, a Senior Auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency in Burlington. Milissa Phillips of Hinesburg, the Marketing Coordinator for Sprint PCS. Betsy Lawrence of Colchester, the Medical Social Work Supervisor for Children with Special Health Needs, a statewide program in the Department of Health. Mrs. Lawrence is also a Medical Social Worker with the Vermont Cystic Fibrosis Center based out of FAHC. Matthew Callaghan of Shelburne, a Sales Account Manager at Harbour Industries in Shelburne.

The award-winning Weston Playhouse Theatre Company (WPTC), Vermont’s oldest professional theatre company, completed its 66th anniversary season with record-breaking box office and critical success. The Theatre brought Vermont Premieres of Smokey Joe’s Café, Proof, The Triumph of Love, St. Nicholas, and David Copperfield, and two sold-out musicals, Oklahoma! and Chicago, both still playing on Broadway, to the Weston stage in an extended season that ran from June through October.
WPTC Producing Directors Malcolm Ewen, Tim Fort and Steve Stettler acknowledged the unparalleled support of sponsors, contributors, patrons and volunteers, noting that “with the help of so many, the Weston Playhouse boasted higher profile productions, larger audiences, and the greatest number of subsidized tickets and accessibility services in its history.”

Allan Rodgers, President of Vermont Technical College, and Chris D'Elia,
Vermont Commissioner of Economic Development, have announced the
appointment of three Vermont executives to the Small Business Development
Center Advisory Board. Rodgers and D'Elia serve as co-Chairmen of the
13-member statewide Advisory Board. Appointed to serve three year terms
are:
David Estes, Senior Vice President, Banknorth Group; Estes has managed
Banknorth's small business lending program in Vermont and New York for the
past two years. Prior to that, he was a commercial lender and Regional
Vice President. Estes, who holds an MBA from the University of Hartford,
also taught for the New England Banking Institute. He is married with five
children and lives in Richmond where he is active in the community, his
church, and the recreation league.
William C. Shouldice IV, President/CEO of the Orton Family Foundation; As

p
{
margin-top: 0px;
margin-bottom: 1px
}

body
{
font-family: "Arial", sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt;
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal
}
Governor-elect James Douglas announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon
(November 14) that Tim Hayward would become his chief of staff. Hayward worked in
the first Snelling Administration and has been the executive director of the Vermont
Bankers Association for 18 years. Hayward is also the head of Douglas’ transition team.

V/T Commercial Real Estate of 126 College Street, Burlington, announces
that Jed Dousevicz has joined the firm as a commercial sales associate.
Dousevicz is a licensed real estate sales person, having previously owned and
operated a successful commercial insurance agency in Burlington.

The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) recently issued
$112.5 million in revenue bonds to meet the demand for new education
loans.
Most of the bond proceeds will be used to finance conventional
federal education loans, primarily Stafford loans for students and PLUS
loans for parents. A smaller share will be used to cover what are known as
alternative or supplemental loans. Increasingly, education expenses exceed
what students are able to cover using government grants and loans, forcing
students to turn to more costly alternative financing. "We remain
concerned about the amounts families are having to borrow to pay for
college, whether through the federal loan program or other sources," said
VSAC President Don Vickers said. "As a result, we will continue to
advocate at both the federal and state levels for more grants and
scholarships, which, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid."