WVTK Local & State News October 18, 2011

Vermont State Police are investigating the report of a theft complaint from Champlain Valley Motorsports in Cornwall. Unknown individuals stole personal property that included a Battery, Rod and Reels, and Jumper Cables from a boat at the property. The estimated value of the property is approximately $550. Anyone with information is asked to contact Vermont State Police New Haven barracks. (802-388-4919)

The Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration approved Porter Hospital’s proposed fiscal year 2012 operating budget of $65.9 million last month, essentially as presented. The Porter budget falls within the middle of the pack when compared to fiscal year 2012 spending increases pitched by 13 other hospitals throughout the state. It’s a spending plan that requires less than a 2-percent increase in net revenues but necessitates a 10.3-percent rise in the rates the hospital needs to charge for procedures.

Addison County Superior Court is being asked to resolve a property assessment grievance filed by the owners of one of the most valuable properties in Middlebury. Town officials said as much as a penny on the local tax rate could be riding on the outcome of the case. At issue is the Lodge at Otter Creek. The town assessed the Lodge property at $18.9 million at the beginning of the 2009-2010 tax year. Following a year of improvements to the property, the assessment was boosted to $21 million for the 2010-2011 tax year. They have appealed the $21 million figure, citing a shortfall of projected occupancy and income. Superior Court has requested that the Lodge and town consider mediation to resolve the appeal.

While the town might lose some property tax revenue from the Lodge, it will be gaining some from the former Addison County Courthouse. That’s because the property will be subject to property taxes this year for the first time in history. The old brick courthouse was built in 1883 on land originally owned by one of Middlebury’s founders. The old courthouse became the property of Middlebury College once the current Courthouse replaced the structure.

Vergennes City Manager Mel Hawley is talking with two existing Vergennes businesses that may be interested in a loan from a $79,000 city fund to help them expand. He could not yet identify the firms, but said both businesses are growing businesses.

Gov. Peter Shumlin wants to ease the tax burden on Vermont flood victims. A plan announced Monday would allow towns to forgive school taxes on flood-damaged properties. Tropical Storm Irene damaged hundreds of homes and businesses around the state. Some towns have taken action to abate or defer municipal tax obligations on flood victims, but school taxes are collected as part of a statewide school funding system, so state approval is needed to relieve those taxes. Yesterday, Shumlin announced a plan to do just that. Under the plan, towns would be given the authority to abate school taxes and would be reimbursed by the state. The plan will require approval from lawmakers, but legislative leaders have endorsed the plan. The state anticipates the reimbursed abatements will total about $2 million to $4 million, money that will come from the Education Fund.

Rutland has spent more than $300,000 recovering from Tropical Storm Irene as of September 30th. The treasurer’s report for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 puts storm-related expenditures at $319,136. City Treasurer Wendy Wilton said that 31 percent of the general fund had been spent at the close of the quarter, but that the storm expenses inflated that number and most departments were near the 25 percent benchmark expected at this time of year.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday that it would close the disaster recovery center in Rutland at the close of business Thursday. This leaves two recovery centers in the state, in Dover and Waterbury. FEMA said those centers would remain open “until further notice.” People can continue to register for individual assistance through October 31st by calling (800) 621-3362.

Contractors for the proposed wind project along the Grandpa’s Knob ridgeline said they are working on finalizing data collection for the project and are hopeful they will have a complete application to present to the Vermont Public Service Board sometime next year. The managing director of Reunion Power out of Manchester said it will depend on the results of the data collection and studies on the viability of the project.

This year's lamprey-control treatments on Lake Champlain had to battle wild weather, but officials were able to successfully treat three important contributors to the lake's lamprey infestation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working with agencies from New York and Vermont, had scheduled five treatments for the fall season but have put Putnam Creek and Mt. Hope Brook in southern Vermont on hold because of high water levels.

Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell says he wants to set up a special task force to study unique legal issues raised by the destruction of real estate property during Tropical Storm Irene. Flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Irene destroyed hundreds of homes and changed the size, shape and conditions of numerous property parcels, especially in southern and central Vermont.

Vermont musician Grace Potter is going to tell the world about fair trade, a way to provide farmers across the world fair prices for their product. Potter and musician Michael Franti will be performing live from 8 – 9PM Thursday on Green Mountain Coffee's Facebook page. In their concert, Potter and Franti will share how choices as small as the coffee people drink can help make big changes. Potter says working with Green Mountain Coffee is a great way to encourage people to make the switch and look for the Fair Trade Certified label on the products they buy.

The New England Culinary Institute may soon face a funding crisis. The school has failed an annual financial responsibility test conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. According to the Burlington Free Press, it will now likely be asked to provide a letter of credit to maintain eligibility for federal student aid. Green Mountain College in Poultney and O'Briens Aveda Institute, a cosmetology school in South Burlington also received low scores but are still considered financially responsible.

It’s been more than a decade since Vermont had a comprehensive plan that lays out an energy policy for the coming decades. Now a draft plan has been written and once its revised, it will be presented to the legislature. Everyone agrees that our future energy sources should be reliable, affordable and clean - and that conservation and efficiency are important goals. A number of concerns were raised at a recently concluded series of public meetings on the plan. Some feel it doesn't move quickly enough toward renewable sources, others think it relies too much on wind development. There are also concerns that the plan places too much emphasis on small-scale renewable projects.

The Vermont Department of Corrections has announced that the number of prisoners re-committing crimes in the Green Mountain State is far lower than the national average. It is a step forward for the Shumlin administrations goal of cutting prison costs. Governor Peter Shumlin and his administration took a close look at the number of inmates who commit crimes once they are released from prison. Originally, that number was near 50 percent. But State leaders found that number is actually closer to 30 percent.

A state senator is calling for an independent counsel to review the sale of the state's largest utility to a Canadian company. Essex-Orleans Senator Vince Illuzzi says the Shumlin administration is biased in favor of the deal, so an independent review is needed to protect the public interest. Illuzzi says the sale of Central Vermont Public Service represents a huge realignment in the state's utility business. If the deal goes through, Gaz-Metro will serve about 70 percent of the state's ratepayers. The merged company will also have a big stake in VELCO. Illuzzi says VELCO is the real prize in the CVPS sale. He'd like the public to control it.

Vermont's largest hospital is joining forces with the hospital that serves the central Vermont area as a way to help develop a coordinated health care system in the state. The affiliation between Burlington's Fletcher Allen Health Care and the Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin was announced yesterday in Berlin. The affiliation will enable the two sides to plan joint quality and clinical initiatives and conduct joint purchasing and tax exempt borrowing and develop a common electronic records system. Both hospitals will remain freestanding, with separate identities, medical staffs and workforces.

A University of Vermont alumnus and Goldman Sachs analyst who planned to return to campus and talk to students about careers in the financial services industry canceled his appearance after backers of the Occupy Wall Street movement threatened protests. The cancellation came after several Facebook postings indicated that some non-business students might try to attend the appearance and disrupt it. The group Occupy Vermont urged supporters to attend the talk and make their voices heard about what it called the corruption of Goldman Sachs and to urge business students to pursue ethical careers.

Administrators from the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union say schools will close and all extracurricular activities will be suspended if teachers go on strike. Meanwhile, teachers in the district tell The Bennington Banner they're planning to open a strike headquarters in case the two sides are unable to make progress during a final negotiation session today.

A small group of Vermont farm-workers and their supporters say they had a good meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin and his lawyer to discuss immigration issues and ways to modify policing policies when it comes to the workers. Natalia Fajardo of the Vermont Migrant Farm-worker Solidarity Project tells The Burlington Free Press workers are looking forward to "keeping the conversation open."

New York state's Education Department has recommended several measures to crack down cheating on the high-stakes Regents exams that influence not only the futures of students, but ratings of public schools and teachers' careers. The report to the state Board of Regents Monday is aimed at cheating not just by students, but by teachers and administrators during exams and in scoring. The report says spot checks using "erasure analysis" of answers led to the investigation of seven unnamed schools.

Ticonderoga eateries will vie for supremacy this Sunday during the inaugural “Wing War.” The Knights of Columbus will host the competition at 2PM to determine which Ti establishment makes the best chicken wings. People will be asked to make a $5 donation at the door, which will be given to the Ticonderoga Food Pantry. Once inside people can sample wings from Ti restaurants and vote on their choice for best wings.

The Tiny Tim Christmas Wish program in Ticonderoga enters a new decade with new leadership. Nancy Quesnel now directs the program. She replaced Helen Gibbs, who stepped down after the 2010 holiday season following 20 years with the program. Tiny Tim officials are already preparing for this Christmas. Tiny Tim Christmas Wish Program applications for needy children of the Ticonderoga Central School District, including Putnam and St. Mary’s schools, may be picked up at the Ticonderoga town offices in the Community Building on Montcalm Street. Completed forms should be mailed back to Quesnel by Saturday, November 5th. (151 Shore Airport Road, Ticonderoga 12883)