Joined by US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Green Mountain Power today announced a new initiative called “eHome,” a first in the nation holistic home energy services program. The first home in the program is in Rutland and is called the Energy Home of the Future. This is the first of a 100-home pilot project. It will serve as the model for energy efficiency, weatherization, and the use of innovative new alternative energy technology tools such as high tech thermostats and smart electrical plugs. As part of the program, Green Mountain Power will work with customers to update existing homes to help them use less energy, save money, improve comfort, and reduce fossil fuel use.Secretary Moniz was in Rutland on Friday and toured the Energy Home of the Future as part of his visit. He called the home the “pathway to the future” and lauded GMP and its partners for the important work they are doing to demonstrate the full value of energy efficiency and innovation.”Efficiency and the emphasis on efficiency, including in this house, is really, really the pathway to the future. We cannot solve our energy and climate challenges without efficiency playing a huge role. So that’s what you see being played out here in front of us and I want to thank the Borkowskis,” said Secretary Moniz after touring the Energy Home of the Future.US Energy Secretary Addresses Vermont Energy SummitPrior to the Rutland visit, Secretary Moniz was up Route 7 in Middlebury. There, he spoke at a Vermont Energy Summit as part of a first-hand look at how Vermont is on the cutting edge of transforming its energy systems from fossil fuels to sustainable energy.In remarks at Middlebury College, Moniz focused on the need to reduce the cost of clean energy. Vermont, he added, “really looks unique” in terms of public and private cooperation on energy issues.Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) welcomed the energy secretary to the state. The department Moniz heads, the delegation said, is an “indispensable partner in almost all of Vermont’s clean energy success stories,” including the first-in-the-nation statewide smart grid, Montpelier’s district heat project and Rutland County’s path-breaking efforts to improve energy efficiency at homes and businesses. During the 90-minute energy summit, Moniz was joined by the congressional delegation and Goverrnor Peter Shumlin for the wide-ranging discussion of energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate change. The delegation highlighted Vermont’s role in leading the nation in developing advanced energy storage, smart grid integration and resiliency, cold weather heat pumps, efficiency retrofits, clean energy research, and agricultural methane digester technologies.“I believe this small state can lead the nation, which can lead the world. And that is, in fact, what we need to do,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate energy and environment committees.“The Third National Climate Assessment shows the fast-evolving impacts of global climate change – effects we have already felt in Vermont,” Leahy said. “The Secretary’s strong comments make it clear that not much time remains for us to get this right. We’ve made a strong case this weekend for the strengths that add up to make the City of Rutland, our dairy farms and Vermont as a whole ideal partners for the Energy Department on a variety of energy solutions.”“The secretary’s visit today demonstrates that Vermont is a model for the nation in our approach to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change,” said Welch. “I applaud his strong leadership on these issues and am confident he will be going back to Washington with some practical Vermont ideas to make progress for the country on these issues.”RUTLAND, VT–(Marketwired – May 16, 2014) – GMP. Senator Sanders office. PHOTO: Secretary Moniz, right, with Governor Shumlin.
by Bruce Lisman Good public policy badly executed is not better than bad public policy executed well. The outcome is often the same for Vermont citizens—bad. And, of course, bad ideas executed badly are a special hell for Vermonters. We’ve just re-elected a government that has made bad ideas, bad management, and bad leadership seem ordinary. No whining here. The people voted to return many of them to office—but protested by withholding support for our Governor and reducing the ruling party’s majorities in the House and Senate.It’s a rebuke and a fair warning to those just elected. The Governor is wrong: we don’t want ‘bold’ leadership; we want competent leadership. We expect them to act as fiduciaries for the public’s money. We want them to take seriously the embedded philosophy of Vermont that would offer a helping hand or a comforting hand to those in need but balanced with those other great Vermont characteristics, frugality and commonsense.My colleague, Tom Pelham has written and spoken often of our government’s unwillingness to restrain their passion to spend money without regard to the state’s constrained resources, its modest economic growth and the obvious uncertainties in the broader economy.The Governor proposed budget increases that averaged 4.8% over the past three years; he and the Legislature reached agreement on budget increases that averaged 4.5%. Of course, those increases far outstripped economic growth and could only be accomplished by using one-time stopgap funds, cost shifts and other budgetary gimmicks. With disappointing tax receipts, the Governor was forced to rescind $20 million of spending and employ yet another $10 million in one-time funds and, 5 years into an economic recovery now faces a more than $100 million deficit. Worse, our government doesn’t have the capacity to invest in the very priorities they’ve outlined. Delusional leadership. Vermonters pay the price.Now, everyone seems to know about the education funding/property tax crisis after thirty-five towns voted down their school budgets in protest, with more protests likely to come next March. We don’t expect our elected leaders to predict the future, but we don’t expect them to create a future crisis, either. That’s exactly what the Governor and the Legislature did in 2011 when they transferred $27 million to the general fund that should have gone to the education fund. It caused the growth rate of property taxes to accelerate, even as they hung more mandates on school budgets. A lack of transparency and short-term thinking gave us long-term problems. The Governor is now proposing consolidation but without data that would support that strategy; and the Speaker of the House has a secret plan. That’s like someone breaking your leg and then offering you a crutch. It’s the people who pay for bad ideas.Vermont Health Connect is a catastrophe of major proportion—its poor execution is already legend; the $100 million spent is astronomical, the loss of credibility is nearly complete. However, those Vermonters who use the system are paying the price – incredible delays, lost information, uncertainty, questionable access to services and medicines, and higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs for many.Campaign for Vermont believes that our government has an obligation to tell taxpayers not only where money is spent, but how well it’s spent. Our government can’t do that. Our leaders don’t have critical information when analyzing current challenges, so they make decisions blindly. They can’t manage our government to serve the people.And, the implications of this are significant. Problems cannot be properly analyzed, the costs of the cure cannot be measured, and the benefit value of real solutions for real people cannot be evaluated. I know of no successful enterprise that operates without data to support decision-making, the capacity to execute policy, and the willingness and ability to measure outcomes. Because of such dysfunction, Vermont leaders and managers in our government are handicapped and Vermonters pay for their failures.Bruce Lisman lives in Shelburne and is a co-founder of Campaign for Vermont Prosperity, Inc.
Vermont Business Magazine New York residents pay the most for basic health insurance and Vermont is second, but has the highest monthly premium at $469 a month, compared with New Mexico, which has the lowest monthly premium at $181 a month. New Mexico pays the least for basic health insurance, according to a new study released today by leading personal finance website GOBankingRates.com. The study compared silver plans ― the most popular plan according to the Department of Health and Human Services ― offered through the national or state-level insurance exchanges administered through the Affordable Care Act.The lowest-cost silver plans for each state were ranked based on the favorability of the following cost factors:The plan’s monthly premiumThe deductibleThe emergency care copayThe copay for care from a primary physician”Higher insurance costs in many states are tied to high costs of living or being in rural areas,” said Elyssa Kirkham, the lead GOBankingRates reporter on the study. “Where costs of living are high, like New York or Vermont, care is also likely to be more expensive, a cost which insurers pass to enrollees through higher premiums.””Competition is another key factor of health insurance costs,” said Kirkham. “In rural states like Wyoming and Oklahoma, fewer residents means a smaller health insurance market with fewer options, where insurers can charge more without losing customers. Of course, subsidies can offset these costs, but this form of assistance also varies widely from state to state,” she said.The 10 States With the Highest Health Insurance CostsNew YorkVermontSouth CarolinaAlabamaNew JerseyMississippiOklahomaIndianaDelawareWyoming2. VermontVermont’s cheapest silver option, the Silver CDHP Plan from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, has the highest monthly premium of any state, charging $469 a month, or $5,628 a year in premiums. The yearly cost on this plan is estimated at $7,317 on average by Vermont’s exchange site and up to $11,377 in a “bad year” with many health expenses.These high costs are offset somewhat by a low deductible of just $1,425, one of the lowest of the silver plans included in this ranking. The policyholder is still responsible for some costs once the deductible is met, however, such as a 25 percent co-insurance on emergency care and a 10 percent co-insurance charge for visits to a primary care physician. Vermont’s health insurance exchange, Vermont Health Connect, added a comparison tool to its website in December 2015 that allows shoppers to compare out-of-pocket costs and premiums on different plans.The 10 States With the Lowest Health Insurance CostsNew MexicoUtahCaliforniaTexasPennsylvaniaMichiganDistrict of ColumbiaHawaiiOregonIdahoAdditional insights:The state with the highest monthly premium is Vermont, at $469 a month, compared with New Mexico, which has the lowest monthly premium at $181 a month.Primary doctor copays vary widely by state. West Virginia and Indiana have no copays, but Californians’ copays are the highest ― $250.Deductible costs range from $1,300 in North Dakota to $6,850 in South Carolina, which is more than five times the price.Despite New Mexico’s low costs, many residents have encountered difficulties in January 2016 getting their health coverage due to a high volume of December 2015 health insurance applications still being processed.50 States and D.C. Ranked by Health Insurance Costs Here is the full ranking of the 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst, according to their health insurance costs for the silver plan with the lowest monthly premium in each state.1New Mexico18Minnesota35North Carolina2Utah19Virginia36Georgia3California20Iowa37Florida4Texas21Nevada38Alaska5Pennsylvania22New Hampshire39Tennessee6Michigan23Maine40Missouri7District of Columbia24Kentucky41Colorado8Hawaii25North Dakota42Wyoming9Oregon26West Virginia43Delaware10Idaho27Washington44Indiana11Wisconsin28Ohio45Oklahoma12Connecticut29Montana46Mississippi13Arizona30Maryland47New Jersey14Louisiana31Arkansas48Alabama15Illinois32South Dakota49South Carolina16Kansas33Rhode Island50Vermont17Massachusetts34Nebraska51New YorkAbout GOBankingRatesGOBankingRates.com is a leading portal for personal finance and consumer banking information, offering visitors the latest on everything from finding a good interest rate to strategies for saving money, investing for retirement and getting a loan. Its editors are regularly featured on top-tier media outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Business Insider, Daily Finance, Huffington Post and more. It specializes in connecting consumers with the best financial institutions and banking products nationwide.LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — GOBankingRates.com
Vermont Business Magazine Lyndon State’s News7 has again been recognized by the Boston/New England Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences. The organization selected Lyndon State College’s daily student newscast and two stories that appeared on those newscasts for awards in their 2016 College/University Awards programs.The November 19, 2015 newscast, anchored by Camille Delongis ’15 and Dominic Amato ‘16, directed by Adam Donnelly ‘16 and produced by Ryan Jenot ’16 received the Best College/University Newscast Emmy Award. This is the second year in a row News7 @ 5:30pm has won the regional NATAS student award for excellence in the college/university newscast category. Lyndon’s News7 has won seven of the NATAS student awards for excellence in all.Reporter Alex Paduch ‘17 and Photojournalist JJ Murphy’s ‘16 piece titled “Wheeled Strikers” won in the General Assignment-Light News category edging out a story from Boston University. Video Journalist Taylor Young ‘15 received an honorable mention for her serious news piece called “The Story of Victory.”Young is now working as a photographer and multimedia journalist at WCAX 3 CBS, Burlington, Vermont, and will soon be joined at WCAX by the director of the winning newscast, Donnelly. Murphy will graduate in May and has already accepted a photographer’s position at WGHP 8 FOX, High Point, North Carolina.Each year the Boston/New England Chapter honors outstanding student achievements in production by conferring awards of merit. The presentation of these awards is intended to be an incentive for the continued pursuit of excellence by those studying media and journalism and to focus public attention on outstanding cultural, educational, technological, entertain, news and informational achievements by students.Student Winners will be invited to receive their awards at the 39th Boston/New England Emmy® Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the Westin Copley Place Boston.
Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Health Network is pleased to officially welcome Alice Hyde Medical Center as its fifth hospital. The inclusion of Alice Hyde, based in Malone, NY, in The University of Vermont Health Network strengthens a long-term partnership between the hospital and The University of Vermont Medical Center, which have been clinically affiliated since 1997.Over the course of that nineteen-year relationship, providers from UVM Medical Center have provided patients at Alice Hyde with access to high-quality specialty care close to home. In recent years, Alice Hyde has also collaborated with UVM Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital to bring specialists to Malone. Specialists in Cardiology, Oncology, Pulmonology, Vascular Surgery and, most recently, Interventional Radiology see patients at Alice Hyde Medical Center on a regular basis. Many of the patients seeing these specialty providers used to travel to Plattsburgh or Burlington to receive their care. “Joining The University of Vermont Health Network is the next logical step in the development of our relationship with our regional partners to bring high quality care close to home,” said Douglas F. DiVello, President and CEO at Alice Hyde Medical Center. “Patients at Alice Hyde are already receiving specialty care from other providers here at our facility. Countless members of our local community have benefitted from this affiliation to-date, and our patients will continue to see more benefits as our relationship gets stronger. We are excited to officially be part of the Network, and to work closely with our partners to continue providing great care to our community.”“We are proud to share our specialty providers with Alice Hyde,” said Stephens Mundy, President and CEO of UVM Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital and Community Providers, Inc. “Because of our collaboration with Alice Hyde Medical Center, patients are able to see their specialist closer to home. Dr Wolkowicz, who is one of our Cardiologists, now sees many patients in Malone who used to travel to Plattsburgh to see him. Not having to travel that distance is a huge benefit to those patients.”Though Alice Hyde has had a clinical affiliation for nearly two decades, joining the UVM Health Network brings additional benefits. As a UVM Health Network affiliate, Alice Hyde will enjoy a stronger connection to The University of Vermont Medical Center, one of the top academic medical centers. They will also benefit from significantly greater purchasing and negotiating power, as well as access to capital resources and enhanced technology.Under this affiliation, Alice Hyde remains a free standing hospital with its own board, management, workforce, licensure, medical staff and endowment. It is subject to the Network’s oversight and has representation on the Network’s Board of Trustees. Alice Hyde representatives will participate in developing and implementing system-wide initiatives and programs that promote their shared objectives. A letter of intent to explore affiliation was signed in April 2015. This was followed by several months of due diligence work and the adoption of a formal membership agreement in October 2015. The final step was to receive regulatory approval from various New York State agencies. The New York State Department of Health provided their approval on February 11, followed by additional approvals from the New York State Attorney General and Department of State. Alice Hyde Medical Center is the fifth affiliate hospital of The University of Vermont Health Network, and the first hospital to join the Network in more than 3 years. The UVM Health Network now consists of:The University of Vermont Medical CenterThe University of Vermont Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical CenterThe University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical CenterThe University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians HospitalThe University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital“This is an exciting moment for The University of Vermont Health Network,” said John Brumsted, MD, President and CEO of The University of Vermont Health Network and CEO of The University of Vermont Medical Center. “When we work together, our patients benefit. Our goal is to improve the quality of the health care services we offer through collaboration on joint clinical initiatives, and to integrate clinical services to improve quality and access.”About the University of Vermont Health NetworkThe University of Vermont Health Network is a four-hospital system serving the residents of Vermont and northern New York with a shared mission: working together, we improve people’s lives. The partners are:The University of Vermont Medical Center (link is external) The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center(link is external)The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital(link is external)The University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital(link is external)The University of Vermont – Alice Hyde Medical Center(link is external)Our 4,000 health care professionals are driven to provide high-quality, cost-efficient care as close to home as possible. Strengthened by our academic connection to the University of Vermont, each of our hospitals remains committed to its local community by providing compassionate, personal care shaped by the latest medical advances and delivered by highly skilled experts.
Vermont Business Magazine The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) celebrated National Homeownership Month at Putney resident Dennis Miller’s new home at Locust Hill Mobile Home Park Tuesday. Miller is the first homeowner to purchase an energy efficient modular home through USDA Rural Development’s Energy Efficient Manufactured Home Pilot Program.“Manufactured homes have long offered an affordable housing option for many Vermonters, however older manufactured homes often have high maintenance and operational costs,” said Ted Brady, USDA Rural Development Vermont and New Hampshire State Director. “The energy cost savings of new manufactured and modular homes, combined with USDA’s long-term, low-rate, no-down-payment mortgages, offer existing and potential manufactured housing park residents new financing opportunities.”Miller, a Putney resident employed by the Putney School, purchased a Vermont-made Net Zero Energy Capable VERMOD and placed it in the Locust Hill Mobile Home Park owned by Windham & Windsor Housing Trust. Miller’s purchase, coordinated by Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, was completed with financial support from Champlain Housing Trust, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Efficiency Vermont and USDA Rural Development.USDA Rural Development’s Energy Efficient Manufactured Home Pilot Program allows low income homebuyers to purchase a high-performance modular or manufactured home in a manufactured home park using a 30 to 33-year mortgage at 3 percent. Very low income homebuyers may be eligible for an interest subsidy down to 1 percent. Brady noted that park tenants seeking a mortgage to purchase a new home and site it on a leased manufactured park lot traditionally face short-term, high-interest mortgages.Two models of high-performance homes have been approved for purchase through the pilot program, the Better Homes AHEAD Manufactured Home and the VERMOD modular home. Homeowners in Rural Development-approved parks are eligible for participation in the program. More information on Rural Development’s Energy Efficient Manufactured Home Pilot Program can be found on the Rural Development website or by contacting Jill Chapman at (802) 828-6022 or by email at [email protected](link sends e-mail).Rural Development and Windham & Windsor Housing Trust celebrated Miller’s new home and Homeownership Month during a service project in the Locust Hill Mobile Home Park. Park residents and community members joined staff in cleaning the park and in planting a community garden.The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust has been strengthening the communities of Southeast Vermont through the development and stewardship of permanently affordable housing and through ongoing support and advocacy for its residents since 1987. WWHT now provides 707 affordable apartments throughout Windham and Windsor counties, coaching to families to help them prepare for and navigate the home buying process, and direct loans to homeowners for repairs, energy upgrades and accessibility improvements. For more information, visit our website at www.w-wht.orgor(link is external) call us at 802-254-4604.USDA, through its RD mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an active portfolio of $213 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural areas. For more information on Rural Development visit the Vermont Rural Development website (www.rd.usda.gov/vt (link is external)) or contact USDA RD at (802) 828-6000.PUTNEY, VT. (June 21, 2016)- The U.S. Department of Agriculture
by Mike Smith Donald Trump blasted the media on Twitter last weekend, saying: “If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn’t put false meaning into the words I say, I would be beating Hillary by 20 percent.” Trump was angered by media reports describing turmoil in his campaign and saying that advisers, including family members, were urging him to stay focused on the economy and public safety rather than getting sidetracked on other, sometimes trivial, issues. First, Donald Trump’s campaign is, in fact, in disarray. States that should still be in contention and possible “pick-ups” for the Republican presidential nominee are now swinging in favor of Hillary Clinton. And states that should be solid Republican and easy wins for any Republican presidential nominee are becoming close races between Clinton and Trump in recent polls. Trump is discovering that rallies with his faithful and reliance on social media are poor substitutes for a well-established political ground game, strategic advertising and well thought out policy statements. If advisers and family members are counseling him to change course, then good for them, because they are giving him sound advice. Second, Trump craves the attention of the press, but this attention must be on his own terms, which, in a democracy, it never is. If press coverage isn’t fawning or positive, then the media become a convenient scapegoat for his failings. Since the outset of his campaign for president, Trump has relied heavily on the media, sometimes saying or doing outrageous things just to attract attention. But this is a one-dimensional campaign strategy that has a significant downside, since it places so much power over the fate of a campaign in the hands of the media. That is why you are hearing advisers urging him to start advertising so he can get his message out on his own terms. Trump deserves what he gets in negative media coverage because of the things he says and does, but he probably doesn’t deserve all the negative press that he gets. Studies confirm that the media as a whole tend to be more liberal than the average American. Also, they are likely to hold political views that align more closely with Democrats than Republicans. As a result, Republicans feel that there is an inherent bias in the media, and this manifests itself into an obsession with Trump, resulting in less scrutiny of Hillary Clinton. As evidence of this bias, many Republicans will point to the media’s lack of initiative in uncovering a possible conflict or questionable contacts between the US State Department headed by then Secretary of State Clinton and the privately operated Clinton Foundation. To them, these possible breaches in protocol and ethics raise many questions that are far more serious than Donald Trump calling someone a name.However, the truth is that Trump makes it deliciously easy for the media to pounce when he shifts his positions, can’t answer questions or provide explanations in an articulate manner, is confrontational and less than transparent. But minus the name-calling, many wonder if Hillary Clinton is that much better? This is why Trump and Clinton are the two most unpopular presidential nominees in history. This presidential election should have favored a Republican nominee, especially against Hillary Clinton, an unpopular Democrat. The American public is yearning for change. They want economic and political policies that look out for their welfare, instead of focusing on the welfare of the elite. And yet Trump continues to slide in the polls and no matter how many times he tweets, and no matter how many times he calls this election “rigged,” the sole reason for his failure falls squarely on his shoulders, and not with the media. Mike Smith is the host of the radio program, “Open Mike with Mike Smith,” on WDEV 550 AM and 96.1, 96.5 and 101.9 FM. He is also a political analyst for WCAX-TV and WVMT radio and is a regular contributor to the Times Argus, Rutland Herald and Vermont Business Magazine. He was the secretary of administration and secretary of human services under former Governor Jim Douglas.
Vermont Business Magazine Vermont property owner Robert Immler of Brattleboro settled claims that he filed false lead paint compliance documents for his two rental properties in violation of Vermont consumer protection and lead laws. “Lead paint is an avoidable hazard. Vermont landlords will be vigorously prosecuted for avoiding their lead paint obligations, or worse, lying about them,” said Attorney General Sorrell today.Every landlord with pre-1978 rental properties is required to submit annual compliance statements which show that the landlords have performed the essential maintenance practices (known as EMPs) and the properties are in compliance with the lead law. The Department of Health inspected Mr. Immler’s two Brattleboro properties and found they were not in compliance, contrary to certified statements that Mr. Immler filed with the Department.Under the terms of the settlement(link is external), Immler will pay a penalty of $20,000 ($10,000 in payments to the State and $10,000 to be paid into the properties for permanent lead abatement improvements).For information concerning the Vermont lead law, including the duties of property owners, and for copies of court documents from recent enforcement actions involving lead, see the Attorney General’s website at:http://www.ago.vermont.gov(link is external) and click on “Lead.”Vermont AG: Aug 30, 2016
Sugarbush Resort,Sugarbush Resort has been ramping up its commitment to employee health and wellness in recent years. Two years ago, the resort established a Health and Wellness Committee, inviting employees to have a voice in increasing the company’s commitment to personal health and wellness and environmental awareness. The resort has also taken a lead in encouraging and supporting athletic events that promote employee personal wellness.Here’s a recent look at resort employee athletic endeavors:Sugarbush sent 42 employees to participate in the Corporate Cup 5k Challenge on May 12th in Montpelier to benefit the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.Marketing Department Graphic Designer Audrey Huffman recently finished first among Expert Women in the Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge in Sugarloaf, Maine; first in her division in the Vermont 50 Miler in Ascutney, Vermont; and first in her division in the Allen Clark Hill Climb in Fayston, Vermont.Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Babic recently competed in the Spartan Race World Championship Beast-Elite in Squaw Valley, CA and finished eighteenth in his age group. Joining Babic in an earlier qualifying race was VP of Food and Beverage Gerry Nooney, VP of Finance Melissa Roberts, and Sugarbush Health and Recreation Center (SHaRC) Fitness Instructor Kathleen Cosentino.Amy Kretz, Planning and Utilities Assistant, recently finished second in her age group at the Mt. Washington Road Race, second among women in the Mad Marathon half marathon, and first in her age group at the Vermont 50k.VP of Communications Candice White recently rode the 50-mile Kelly Brush Foundation Century ride with her two children Posy (LaBombard), a busser in Timbers Restaurant, and Owen (LaBombard). Sugarbush is a sponsor of the Kelly Brush Foundation Century Ride.Communications Assistant Nadine Rowell recently completed the 9/11 Memorial Half Marathon in Washington, D.C., in support of the Wounded Warrior Project.Marketing Coordinator Cory Ayotte completed his first marathon–the Vermont City Marathon– in May, and went on to hike the entire Long Trail with his wife in June in just 16 days.Other athletic endeavors include Cliff Cox of the SHaRC, who completed a sail from Majorca to Antigua on a Super Maxi Yacht last year; Jill Wilkinson of the SHaRC and Ski and Ride School, who has completed five 5 k runs in the last five months; and Renee Lemieux of the SHaRC, who has served as a Routesetter in two bouldering series this year, and in June, completed a 1,130 mile section of the Appalachian Trail.The resort is a major sponsor of the Mad River Path Association’s Mad Dash 5k and 10k races over Columbus Day weekend, and will have a team of employees competing.Sugarbush increases its staff at this time of year, and is currently hiring for a number of positions including: administration, base area operations, food and beverage, lodging, ski school, communications and marketing, and mountain operations. The resort will be hosting the following off-site job fairs:October 11 – Bobcat Café & Brewery (Bristol)October 12 – Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen (Barre)October 18 – The Blue Stone (Waterbury)October 25 – Skinny Pancake (Burlington)November 1 – American Flatbread (Burlington)Source: Sugarbush.com,Yes
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont DMV has announced that DMV Express, Vermont’s online vehicle registration service, recently surpassed a total of 2 million online registration renewals since its launch in 2005. With nearly 700,000 vehicle registration renewals processed annually through the Vermont DMV over all channels, over 30 percent are now processed through the convenient online service. Online 72-hour truck permitting at https://secure.vermont.gov/DMV/irp/(link is external) Motorcycle course registrations (https://secure.vermont.gov/DMV/VREP/(link is external)).These services were built for the DMV at no cost to Vermont taxpayers through a unique self-funded model with VIC.About Vermont Information ConsortiumLocated in Montpelier and staffed by Vermonters, Vermont Information Consortium (http://www.Vermont.gov(link is external)) is the official digital government partner for the state of Vermont. Managed through a unique public-private partnership, the Montpelier company has built and maintains over 160 interactive government services and websites on behalf of the state and is a wholly owned subsidiary of digital government firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV).Source: MONTPELIER, Vt.–(BUSINESS WIRE(link is external))–The Vermont DMV 12.23.2016
Launched in 2005 by the state’s digital government partner, Vermont Information Consortium (VIC), the service allows Vermont vehicle owners to enjoy the convenience of doing business with the Vermont DMV from the comfort of their homes and businesses. Accessible online 24/7 at https://secure.vermont.gov/dmv/express(link is external), via IVR (phone) and card swiper kiosks, DMV Express processes motor vehicle renewals at any time, day or night. With about 100,000 users in its first year, the service has grown steadily ever since, with nearly 250,000 transactions expected in 2016. The service has also securely processed over $130 million in registration payments since 2005.Additional online Web services provided by the Vermont DMV and VIC include:License reinstatements at https://secure.vermont.gov/DMV/reinstatement/(link is external)