(Roundup of news from March 2023)
Bill Stenger back home after release from prison
Newport businessman Bill Stenger, the former president of Jay Peak resort, was released from prison March 22, according to a Facebook post by his son Andrew. The post reads: “Just under 7 years ago a long, complicated journey started for my father and our family. I’m extremely grateful to report the journey is finally over. Next stop- large fries at Mc’Ds drive through. Bringing the big man home today.” The post shows father and son, but when the photo was taken was not clarified nor was the time of release. Stenger began an 18-month federal prison sentence at Fort Devens, MA, on June 7, 2022.
Stenger confirmed to VermontBiz that he was indeed back home.
Stenger, 73, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a felony charge of knowingly and willfully submitting a false document in January 2015 to the Vermont Regional Center as part of his promotion of the Jay Peak Biomedical Research Park EB-5 investment project, also known as AnC Vermont project in Newport.
In response to Stenger’s release, the US Attorney’s Office in Burlington sent this statement to VermontBiz: “We understand Mr. Stenger has been transferred to home confinement. However, a definite confirmation of his transfer to home confinement, any explanation of the timing, and what conditions are associated with home confinement, are questions better directed to the Bureau of Prisons than to the US Attorney’s Office.
“Our understanding is that Mr. Stenger’s transfer to home confinement at this time is based on a statute-based calculation of time in custody, over which the Office for the US Attorney for the District of Vermont has no influence. Previously, our office strenuously objected to the prospect of Mr. Stenger’s earlier, discretionary, transfer to home confinement. While we recognize that Mr. Stenger’s age and lack of prior criminal record made him a reasonable candidate for home confinement, an earlier discretionary transfer to home confinement would have confirmed Mr. Stenger’s long-standing belief that he did no harm, even when he stole millions of dollars from his investors and left debts, unfulfilled promises, and unfinishable projects in his wake.”
M&A activity push February tax revenues 15.4% over targets
Secretary of Administration Kristin Clouser has released Vermont’s revenue results for February 2023. For the fifth month in a row, both the General Fund and the Transportation Fund ended with revenue above target. The Education Fund bounced back from its prior month miss to surpass the February target by $1.3 million. Year to date, all three funds remain ahead of their respective targets as adopted by the Emergency Board at its January 17, 2023 meeting. The state’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts in February were a combined $203.6 million, or 15.4%, above monthly consensus expectations. This continues the trend of the first eight months of the fiscal year, where combined revenues across all three funds were 6.3% above the consensus target set at the July 2022 Emergency Board meeting.
Vermont’s unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent in February
The Vermont Department of Labor has reported the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had fallen one-tenth to 2.8% in February 2023. The rate has fallen the last two months, after the annual revision reset the 2022 data upwards. The revision in particular indicated more growth in the Labor Force than originally reported. The Labor Force is up 900 from January and up 5,090 from a year ago. The number of Employed also grew by 1,169 from January, while the number Unemployed fell by 269, indicating that all the major metrics showed improvement. The civilian labor force participation rate was 63.6 percent in February, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the prior month. The comparable United States jobless rate was 3.6 percent, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the revised January estimate. Vermont is tied for the 12th lowest rate in the nation. North and South Dakota are tied for the lowe
Governor lets budget adjustment bill become law despite reservations
Governor Phil Scott has allowed the budget adjustment bill to become law without his signature. It surpassed his recommendation by about $50 million. Scott could have vetoed the bill, which would have been unprecedented. While he agreed with the vast number of provisions to the bill, which adds spending to the current fiscal year, he said he was concerned that it could remove options for needed spending items in next year’s budget (FY2024, beginning July 1, 2023). Meanwhile, Scott did sign H46, which allows for the dissolution of Colchester Fire District Number 3. st at 2.1% and Nevada has the highest at 5.5%.
House passes family leave bill H.66, Scott sticks to own plan
The House has given its approval to H.66, a bill that gives Vermonters up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave insurance with 90% pay and employment protection. The legislation provides leave for a variety of health conditions for both employees and their family, including but not limited to miscarriage, residential treatment for substance use disorder, childbirth, and child bonding. The House has given final approval and sent it to the Senate. Governor Scott has put forth a voluntary family leave plan and voiced his opposition to H.66 as currently constructed. The second reading roll call vote, with several lawmakers absent, was 99-32, one vote shy of what would be needed for a veto override. Lawmakers passed a similar bill in January 2020, but ultimately failed to override Scott’s subsequent veto.
CCS to assume operational control of Green Mountain Support Services
The Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) has announced that Champlain Community Services (CCS) has begun initiating operational control of Green Mountain Support Services (GMSS), a Specialized Services Agency (SSA) based out of Morrisville, Vermont, providing Developmental Services, Adult Family Care, and Brain Injury Services to 122 Vermonters. This action by CCS comes after DAIL issued a notice of SSA de-designation to GMSS on February 27, 2023. All SSAs are required to meet certain criteria and undergo periodic review by DAIL to ensure that the SSA designation criteria are met. DAIL’s most recent re-designation review of GMSS identified multiple deficiencies requiring corrective action.
Senate gives final approval to S37, abortion and gender-affirming ‘shield bill’
The Vermont Senate has given final approval to S37, known as the “shield bill,” which would provide protections to patients and providers who administer or receive reproductive and gender-affirming care in Vermont. The bill will now move to the House for further consideration. This bill would safeguard providers who provide abortion care and gender-affirming care, prevent insurance companies from raising rates for providers who provide abortion care and require pregnancy centers to adhere to Vermont’s consumer protection laws meant to protect patients from deceptive advertising.
Goddard College UAW staff union go on strike
Goddard College UAW (Local 2322) Union staff have gone on strike over pay and benefits while contending that the administration is no longer following the mandate of the alternative college in Plainfield. The administration said it was disappointed by the decision by the UAW Staff Union to strike on March 24, believing the two sides were close to a settlement. The CBA expired on June 30, 2022. Goddard was formally placed on “Notation” in Fall 2022 by NECHE, the accrediting body, regarding concerns about the college’s finances as it fell short of their Fall enrollment projections.
GMCB FY24 hospital budget guidance caps 2-year growth at 8.6%
On March 29, 2023, the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) voted unanimously to approve hospital budget guidance for the 2024 Fiscal Year (FY). The approved hospital budget guidance maintains an ambitious two-year revenue growth cap of 8.6% for Vermont hospitals and adds objective, national benchmarks for evaluating hospital budget requests. The GMCB also reviewed FY22 year-end actuals for Vermont’s 14 community hospitals. Last year, the GMCB adopted a two-year revenue trend, which was carried forward in the FY24 guidance. In accordance with the approved guidance, the GMCB will consider factors driving hospital expense growth, hospitals’ ability to manage those expenses, and how Vermont hospitals perform relative to peers based on national benchmarks.
House approves universal school meals bill
The House gave final approval to H.165, the Universal School Meals bill, permanently enacting the universal meal program that provides free breakfast and lunch for students in all public schools and is available in independent schools. This bill also supports local communities and farms across the state by connecting farmers with schools and creating a partnership that benefits all involved. The Joint Fiscal Office issued a report in February estimating that the cost of universal meals in FY 2023 is projected to be approximately $27.2 million, and if the current USM program continued in its same structure in FY 2024, JFO estimated the cost would range from $26 million to $31 million.
UnitedHealthcare agrees to extend in-network coverage to UVMHN patients for rest of 2023
The University of Vermont Health Network will remain in-network for UnitedHealthcare commercial insurance plans through the end of the 2023 calendar year as part of a recent agreement between the non-profit health system and one of the nation’s largest insurance carriers. UnitedHealthcare announced in February that it would let the UVMHN contract expire April 1. Their policy holders would then have to get treatment as out-of-network patients and pay higher rates or go to a different provider. UVMHN said it will take a financial hit because of the deal and it doubts that an agreement will be reached for 2024.
Hoffer releases audit of VTrans cost and schedule performance for paving
State Auditor Doug Hoffer has released a new audit examining whether VTrans completes its paving projects on time and within budget, and whether they utilize performance measurement tools to accomplish those objectives. He said there is a lack of documentation explaining delays.
The Governor’s State Strategic Plan includes the goal of improving “transportation project planning” by continuously improving “project development efficiency by reducing the time and cost for planning, engineering, permitting, right-of-way acquisition and construction management.”
The importance of that goal is evidenced by the Legislature’s approval of $590 million for paving projects from fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
The audit assessed the cost and schedule performance for 14 paving projects against VTrans’ initial estimates to the Legislature and found significant deviations, primarily in the preliminary engineering phase. It also found a lack of consistent record-keeping that would allow thorough assessment of what caused these deviations.
Hoffer said: “This audit is really timely since the Governor proposes to spend $141.6 million on paving next year. VTrans can’t successfully reduce the time and cost of their pre-construction work, as they say they will, if they don’t have a system in place to measure it. I look forward to seeing how they implement our recommendations.”
Senate gives final approval to S37, abortion and gender-affirming ‘shield bill’
The Vermont Senate has given final approval to S37, known as the “shield bill,” which would provide protections to patients and providers who administer or receive reproductive and gender-affirming care in Vermont. The bill will now move to the House for further consideration. This bill would safeguard providers who provide abortion care and gender-affirming care, prevent insurance companies from raising rates for providers who provide abortion care and require pregnancy centers to adhere to Vermont’s consumer protection laws meant to protect patients from deceptive advertising.
Governor announces departure of Education Secretary Dan French
Governor Phil Scott has announced that Secretary Dan French will be leaving his job leading the Vermont Agency of Education next month to take a senior leadership role at the Council of Chief State School Officers. Secretary French has served Vermont and its students for years, first as a high school social studies teacher, then a K-12 principal. He served over a decade as a superintendent first in Canaan, Vt. and then for the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union from 2007-2016, where he was recognized as Superintendent of the Year in 2009. He also served as president of the Vermont Superintendents Association.
State’s leak detection services helped save 30.4M gallons of water in 2022
For the eighth year in a row, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) offered free leak detection services to Vermont’s public water systems. Water systems serve homes, schools, and businesses and offer Vermonters clean, safe drinking water. In 2022, DEC helped 17 systems find and fix 21 leaks which saved 30.4 million gallons of water a year. Water leaks often go undetected until there is a significant problem. That is why it’s important for water districts and municipalities to conduct leak detection surveys every one to three years.
Burlington voters reject police oversight board
With over 10,000 voting in Burlington, in the City’s first city-wide public safety vote, the Community Control Board proposal strongly opposed by the Mayor failed with 63% of Burlingtonians voting No. The Board would have had sweeping oversight of the Police Department. Tim Doherty (D) in the East District and Melo Grant (P) in the Central District were elected to the Burlington City Council, along with Hannah King (D) in a Ward 8 special election following the October resignation of former Councilor Ali House (P). Also elected were incumbent councilors Joan Shannon (D) in the South District, and Mark Barlow (I) in the North District.
EPA: Vermont gets $3.72 million investment for clean water infrastructure upgrades
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $57,253,000 from the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act for states, Tribes, and territories through this year’s Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The funding will help communities upgrade essential wastewater and stormwater systems to protect public health and treasured water bodies across the nation.
Hoffer releases report identifying risks to Vermont’s universal broadband efforts
State Auditor Doug Hoffer has released a new report highlighting potential risks to Vermont’s unique strategy to achieve universal broadband access. The Vermont Community Broadband Board is overseeing the distribution of approximately $350 million to extend high speed internet to every unserved address in the state. At the local level, ten communications union districts (CUDs), which have been formed by groups of Vermont towns, are receiving the funds and partnering with private telecommunications companies to extend fiber to residential and business addresses and to provide service. The report identifies 10 risks the VCBB needs to mitigate to increase the likelihood that every Vermonter will have access to 100/100 Mbps service. The risks range from supply chain issues, to federal spending restrictions, to contract and governance oversight concerns.
Blue Cross to continue OneCare payments to primary care providers
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont will continue to support primary care practices who deliver essential care to our members and will continue the per-member-per-month (PMPM) care coordination payments for attributed members for all of 2023. In a statement, BlueCross Vermont said, “Our primary care providers need and deserve financial certainty. We recognize that making the difficult decision to forego a contract with OneCare Vermont for 2023 should not come at the expense of our provider community.”
Welch announces $28.4M USDA investment in rural Vermont health care facilities
Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) has announced new funding to support health care facilities in St Johnsbury and Waterbury. United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small and USDA Rural Development State Director Sarah Waring joined Welch to announce $28.4 million in USDA grants to Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) and Copley Hospital. The investments are expected to save more than 400 jobs and benefit more than 9,500 rural Vermonters.
S.5, Affordable Heat Act passes Senate, moves to House
The Vermont Senate has advanced S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, on a 19-10 vote. The bill will now head to the House of Representatives. The Senate would need 20 votes to override a possible veto of the bill by Governor Scott, who has voiced his displeasure with the current wording of S.5. “In Vermont, 73% of the energy in the thermal sector comes from fossil fuels, and every bit of that energy is imported, meaning those dollars are leaving our local economy. This policy would create a blueprint for a sector-wide transition for fossil fuel heating providers, requiring them to help their customers stay warm with cleaner, renewable energy sources and phase out the use of fossil fuels over time.”
House passes suicide prevention bill H230 to increase gun safety
The House has passed the suicide prevention bill, H. 230. The legislation addresses the alarming increase in suicide rates in Vermont by creating mechanisms to provide a period of time and space from firearms for individuals experiencing suicidal impulses. The bill requires locked gun storage to prevent firearms from being accessed by children, creates a 72-hour purchase waiting period, and allows family and household members to petition the court for temporary gun removal under our state’s “red flag” laws. Following the vote, the bill moved to the Senate for further consideration. If enacted, Vermont will join a growing number of states that have implemented comprehensive suicide prevention plans.
SVHC introduces real estate developer for former college campus
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has entered into a purchase and sale agreement of the former Southern Vermont College (SVC) campus to Alfred Weissman Real Estate, LLC (AWRE) in a press conference this morning at the historic Everett Mansion. The real estate agreement between Harrison, NY-based AWRE and SVHC is for the acquisition of the former college campus, including the Everett Mansion, dormitories, gymnasium, soccer field, and 366 acres. SVHC will retain the lower baseball field consisting of five acres. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Scott announces first approved Community Recovery project applications
Governor Phil Scott and Agency of Commerce and Community Development has announced the first round of approved grant applications for projects that spur economic recovery through the Community Recovery and Revitalization Program. The program, being administered by the Department of Economic Development, aims to strengthen communities across the state by reversing the harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic through assistance with capital investments that will help businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities to recover, retain existing jobs, and grow the economy. Thirty-one projects have been approved by an inter-agency committee, resulting in a proposed award amount of $10,328,196 which is expected to support $153,515,054 in total project costs. The 31 projects are expected to support 354 existing jobs and enable the creation of 205 new jobs, 79 new affordable housing units, and 196 new childcare slots for low- to moderate-income families.
Vermonters more positive about economy than US overall
Over 100 Vermont businesses from diverse industries completed the 2023 annual economic survey in January regarding the outlook of Vermont’s small- to medium-sized businesses. 80% of the business owners who responded have fewer than 25 employees. The survey, presented by Davis and Hodgdon CPAs and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, revealed that there is more optimism in business owners’ attitudes about the Vermont economy than there is optimism for the U.S. economy. Also noteworthy is that most business owners are optimistic about their operations and profitability in 2023 and many have made significant adjustments to their business models to adapt to post-pandemic life.
AG Clark recognizes Consumer Protection Week, Top 10 complaints
In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Charity Clark has announced the top 10 consumer complaints received by her office’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) in 2022. CAP, a partnership between the Attorney General’s Office and the University of Vermont, offers a free mediation service for Vermont consumers, including small businesses. In 2022, CAP received 1,206 complaints and recovered more than $452,000 for Vermont consumers, nearly doubling the total amount of recoveries for Vermonters compared to 2021 ($240,000). Claiming the list’s top spots are complaints involving vehicles, home improvement, and retail respectively – collectively representing approximately 52 percent of all complaints filed in 2022.
Technical professional employees union and UVMMC reach new contract
The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals’ technical members have voted to ratify a new three-year contract for University of Vermont Medical Center technical professional employees. The contract, running from March 1, 2023, to April 30, 2026, includes wage increases in line with the UVM Health Network’s compensation philosophy, both immediate and across the life of the three-year contract, as well as other amendments to the previous technical contract which expired on March 1. According to the agreement, most members of the bargaining unit are receiving immediate wage increases ranging from 6.5 percent to 25.6 percent.
Vermont Everyone Eats program comes to a close
After 32 months, seven program extensions, and over 3.6 million meals distributed, the Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE) pandemic relief program ended on March 31st. Between August 2020 and March 2023, VEE has benefited tens of thousands of Vermonters by providing economic stabilization for independent restaurants, strengthening their relationships with farmers and food producers, and contributing significantly to statewide anti-hunger efforts during a time when food insecurity hit record highs. With its unique cross-sector approach engaging local restaurants in providing prepared meals with Vermont ingredients for community members in need, the Vermont Everyone Eats program leveraged over $46 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding.
Senate passes bill to end cash bail for nonviolent misdemeanors
The Vermont Senate has given final approval to S.27, a bill that would prohibit the use of cash bail for nonviolent misdemeanor offenses. This year, the Vermont Department of Corrections reported that nearly 200 people were being held in custody pre-trial because they didn’t post bail. Several states and jurisdictions that have eliminated cash bail or have greatly limited its allowable use have seen higher rates of appearance in court. This bill would prohibit the imposition of cash bail in cases where the defendant has been charged with a misdemeanor and to require criminal justice stakeholders to develop recommendations to eliminate cash bail. It would also require the Department of Corrections (DOC) to report racial data on pretrial detainees, and require the Judiciary to establish and implement a system to notify those charged with a criminal offense of upcoming court hearings.
Lake Champlain Management Cooperative to reduce stocking for lake trout
The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative—a working group of fisheries professionals from Vermont, New York and USFWS—has announced their decision to further reduce the number of stocked lake trout released annually in Lake Champlain. This decision was prompted by a continued increase in natural reproduction and the documentation of multiple age classes of wild lake trout in the lake. A stocking program was established in the 1950s to restore lake trout in the lake following the loss of native populations due to water quality and habitat changes. Although the lake was stocked with 82,000 fin clipped fish annually, there was little evidence of successful natural reproduction during the first 60 years of this program. In the last 12 years, UVM researchers have documented an increasing number of unclipped juvenile lake trout, suggesting successful natural reproduction and the establishment of a wild population.
Senator Patrick Leahy joins UVM as President’s Distinguished Fellow
Senator Patrick J Leahy will follow up his decades of service in the U.S. Senate with an appointment to the position of President’s Distinguished Fellow at the University of Vermont. Leahy will participate in campus activities with a special focus on the numerous program areas for which he was a tireless advocate for Vermont. As President’s Distinguished Fellow, Leahy will contribute to UVM’s mission by participating in the launch of research, academic and engagement projects initiated through his efforts while in Congress. He will be available as an advisor to students and faculty members, a guest lecturer in classes and at public events, and a conduit between the university and organizations and communities in all corners of the state.
Welch introduces bipartisan DAIRY PRIDE Act to combat mislabeling of non-dairy products
Following the US Food and Drug Administration’s proposed guidance to allow nut, oat, soy, and other non-dairy products to use the name “milk,” Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jim Risch (R-ID), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont) have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat the unfair practice of mislabeling non-dairy products using dairy names. The Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act (DAIRY PRIDE Act) of 2023 would require non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt or cheese.
Jasper Hill’s Whitney is American Cheese Society’s Best in Show
The US Cheese Championship, a biennial contest held this year in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, deployed a professional panel of judges to evaluate over 2,249 entries. A first, second, and third place cheese or dairy product was named for each of the 113 entry categories. The 20 highest scoring cheeses were then evaluated for a final round of judging. Whitney, Jasper Hill Farm’s top scoring entry, is the American Cheese Society’s current Best in Show Champion. It is a raw milk, semi-firm cheese made with natural cultures from the Farm’s own herd of cows. Whitney has a velvet-smooth, supple texture, rosy-orange hued washed rind, and notes of butter and toasted nuts. Whitney’s recipe is based on classic European Mountain style cheeses designed for melting, and as such, it took first in the Raclette-style category at both the ACS and USCC Competitions.
Woodstock Foundation claims no systemic discrimination
The Woodstock Foundation trustees say a law firm hired for an independent investigation was unable to substantiate complaints about systemic discrimination against females or LGBTQ persons working at the Woodstock Inn and Billings Farm & Museum. The trustees, through both a letter to employees and a separate legal filing last week, downplayed the employee allegations raised in a lawsuit filed against them in January and instead maintained there was misconduct by the three main players that sought to address the employee complaints.
VSP announces resignation of two troopers in Westminster
Following an internal investigation, the Vermont State Police have announced the resignation of two troopers assigned to the Westminster Barracks. The voluntary resignations of Nathan Greco and Nathan Jensen were effective Friday, March 31, 2023. The Vermont State Police began investigating the troopers’ conduct in early February after VSP and Department of Public Safety leadership received complaints that the troopers had used inappropriate and racist comments as they played an online game while off duty. The comprehensive investigation was unable to substantiate every allegation raised against the troopers, but the information that was corroborated represented a serious violation of the Vermont State Police Code of Conduct.
iSun reports final Q4 and full-year 2022 results, revenues up 69%
iSun in Williston has reported fourth quarter 2022 revenue of $25.9 million, compared to $27.0 million in the same period in 2021. Full year 2022 revenue was $76.5 million, representing a $31.2 million or 69% increase over the same period in 2021. This year’s revenue growth was driven primarily by the fulfillment of increased residential consumer demand and expanded services across all markets, as well as execution of the commercial and industrial backlog; total backlog was $164.2 million as of December 31, 2022. iSun also generated new future demand by adding $11.0 million in new business during the fourth quarter. Williston-based iSun, Inc(link is external) (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50 years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2022.
VTrans awards more than $200,000 in planning funds to Brattleboro, East Hardwick, West Windsor
The Agency of Transportation (AOT), the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), and the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) have announced that $258,000 in funding has been awarded to Brattleboro, East Hardwick, and West Windsor through the Better Connections Grant Program, which seeks to towns build stronger communities that are more livable and walkable.
Secretary of State urges residential contractors to register
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas is urging residential contractors to register with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR). Pursuant to a law passed by the Legislature last year, residential contractors working in Vermont who perform $10,000 or more worth of work inclusive of labor and materials must register with OPR. The registration requirement applies to any contractor who performs residential construction where the estimated value is $10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials. Home contractors will also be required to maintain insurance and have a contract with the homeowner.
Tracy Zschau named interim president of Vermont Land Trust
Long-time employee Tracy Zschau has been named Interim President of the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) by the organization’s Board of Trustees. She takes the role after serving VLT for over 25 years, first as a conservation project lead in the Northeast Kingdom then later as Vice President for Land Protection. She will retain her role as Vice President while also serving as Interim President. Zschau will serve as the Interim President until new leadership has been established. She succeeds Nick Richardson who served as VLT’s President and CEO from September 2017 to March 2023.
CHT opens second round of funding for farmworker housing repair loan program
Champlain Housing Trust has announced it has financing available for a second round of applications for its Farmworker Housing Repair Loan Program. This program provides a loan up to $30,000 for farmers to make essential repairs and necessary improvements to their farmworker housing. The loan is forgiven over ten years so long as the housing is maintained for farmworkers. The program’s purpose is to preserve this important affordable housing resource and to help improve the health and welfare of the farm workforce. When the program opened last year, CHT received 45 applications seeking $1.8 million. The $500,000 available during the first round allowed loans to support just 15 of the applications. For this second round, CHT received an additional $774,000.
Hoffer audit finds DAIL’s efforts to protect LTC home residents lacking
State Auditor Doug Hoffer has released a new audit today examining the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living’s performance inspecting long-term care homes housing vulnerable older Vermonters. The audit found that across seven years DAIL, as the department is called, was not performing annual facility inspections as required by law and rarely used enforcement tools to address the problems they found. Hoffer said: “To put it plainly, DAIL’s efforts to ensure Vermonters living in assisted living and residential care facilities are safe have not been good enough. Inspections may have been interrupted during the height of COVID, but our review found systemic problems going back years before that.”
UVM research shows unintended consequence of revised mammography guidelines: Fewer women in most at-risk age group screened
In 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its mammography screening guidelines to recommend that routine breast cancer screening start at age 50 rather than age 40, recommending an individualized approach for women ages 40-49. The group cited insufficient evidence for screening women ages 75 and older. Researchers at the UVM Cancer Center, Sarah Nowak, PhD, and Brian Sprague, PhD, found that the change in guidelines led to a decline in mammography screening rates for all three age groups, including in the 50-74 group most at risk of developing breast cancer and most in need of screenings, an unintended consequence. The researchers coined the term "spillover" for this effect. Vermont had the second steepest drop of any state for all three groups.
BSD released from DOJ settlement agreement
Burlington School District (BSD) has announced that "following three years of hard work and a renewed focus on training in Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying (HHB) procedures," the District has been released from its 2019 settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice. In a letter to the District, the DOJ noted, “We also recognized the efforts of the District's leadership to prioritize equity work and appreciate the District's commitment to continue its work in this area. In particular, we have observed that District employees' compliance with your policies and procedures regarding harassment has increased tremendously since our initial investigation.”
Health Department website gets a new look
The Department of Health has launched a newly designed website, which will help improve Vermonters’ ability to access important public health information. The web address will stay the same — healthvermont.gov — as will most content on the site, including current web pages and links. The new design makes the site more user-friendly, with a layout that is easier to read and find key resources. Visitors can now use a search bar and dropdown menu at the top of the site and browse new and current topics on the home page. The updated site has improved search function and works better for mobile devices and screen readers. It also helps Vermonters find information in languages other than English — with prominent links to professionally translated materials and to Google translate.
Middlebury man charged with manslaughter in construction site incident
Vermont State Police on Thursday, March 30, 2023, cited a suspect on a manslaughter charge arising from an assault in November 2022 at a road construction site in Bolton that resulted in the death of the victim, David Cheney, 72, of East Montpelier. Thursday afternoon, Whitney Grady, 42, of Middlebury turned himself in at the Williston Barracks, where he was processed and released on a citation. On Nov. 10, 2022, Cheney and Grady were working on a road construction project on U.S. Route 2 near Notch Road in Bolton, Cheney as a dump truck driver and Grady as a traffic flagger. According to the findings of the investigation, an ongoing dispute between the men that day escalated into a physical confrontation at about 1:15 p.m. in which Grady repeatedly punched and kicked Cheney. After the assault, Cheney was able to return home, but he subsequently suffered medical complications related to his injuries and died later that day at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.
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