World 08-21-19

GUEST OPINION
Invest in Primary Care Where It Is Needed Most
Tess Kuenning, CNS, MS, RN, President and CEO
Bi-State Primary Care Association
tkuenning@bistatepca.org
Bi-State Primary Care Association is proud of the work of
our Vermont Congressional Delegation to increase access to
comprehensive, affordable, quality health care for
Vermonters and people across the nation. Senator Leahy
advocates as a member of the Appropriations Committee
and Congressman Welch is making his voice heard for added
funding in his role on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Senator Sanders shapes policy through his role on the HELP
Committee (Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions)
and is championing key investments in accessible health care
through legislation currently before Congress. Senator
Sanders’s legislation is fully supported by Senator Leahy and
Congressman Welch.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are nonprofit
organizations that provide health care services to over
28 million Americans regardless of ability to pay. They
employ over 222,000 people and save our health care system
billions of dollars by providing affordable preventive care to
rural and urban medically underserved communities and
reducing the need for more expensive care, like emergency
department visits.
Several bills have been introduced in Congress to provide
long-term and stable funding to FQHCs. The most robust
bill is S. 962/HR. 1943, the Community Health Center and
Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act, authored by
Senator Sanders and Congressman Clyburn.
S. 962 doubles the funding for the National Health Service
GUEST OPINION
New weatherization incentives good for families, good for jobs
By Brian Gray
In the midst of the warm summer months, it’s easy to forget
the long winter and cold, wet spring we survived this
year. But there are plenty of reasons for Vermonters, especially
with moderate incomes, to take action now in preparation
for the coming cold.
Just about every Vermonter would agree that if there was
something they could do to reduce their heating bill and
make one less trip to the wood pile they would do it. Well,
luckily there is. Weatherizing our homes and buildings does
just that – it saves money, heat and labor. It also creates good
paying jobs and boosts our local economy.
This is why I was so pleased by the recent announcement
from Efficiency Vermont, in partnership with qualified contractors
like Energy Co-op of Vermont, to deploy an additional
$2.6 million to help moderate-income Vermont households
make substantial upgrades to their homes, including
air sealing and insulation. This work will help families keep
winter outside this year, and make their homes not only
more affordable, but also more comfortable and healthier.
The funding was made available by the legislature and will
help an additional 1,500 Vermont families take advantage of
Efficiency Vermont’s comprehensive weatherization program,
called Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.
Qualified families who heat with natural gas are also able to
access the increased incentives, thanks to support from
Vermont Gas Systems which has announced that it will
match the incentives for their customers as well.
While most Vermonters understand that weatherization
makes sense it has remained financially out of reach for too
many. To date, incentives to weatherize homes have largely
been focused on low-income Vermonters. The Energy
Co-op of Vermont has helped hundreds of our members take
advantage of Efficiency Vermont’s program, which can save
more than $500 a year in heating costs for an average home
that heats with oil. But I’ve always thought many more of our
members would take advantage of this program if the
upfront costs of this work – which on average is about $7,500
– could be brought down. With the new funding, families
with household incomes between 80% and 120% of Area
Median Income cut that cost in half – up to $4,000 – and
their projects with 0% interest through the Heat Save Loan.
• • •
• • •
Corps (NHSC). The NHSC is a program that awards scholarships
and loan repayment to primary care providers in
regions of the United States with limited access to health
care. Funding for the NHSC is critical because this program
increases access and brings more providers to the areas that
desperately need them, including right here in Vermont. The
bill extends the Community Health Center Trust Fund for 5
years and includes an increase of 10% to meet the growing
demand for comprehensive mental and oral health services,
and to support our workforce of doctors, nurses, dentists,
and mental health providers in FQHCs across the country. S.
962 also includes critical capital investments that would
enable FQHCs to meet the needs of their communities
around the country.
Recently, a different approach in Congress proposes to
fund FQHCs and the National Health Service Corps at flat
levels for 4 years. This approach causes grave concerns as flat
funding does not accommodate medical inflation. Health
policy experts have reported this could result in effectively a
20-percent funding reduction over four years, forcing centers
to reduce their hours and staff, and leading to four million
fewer patients served each year.
We congratulate and thank our Vermont Members of
Congress for their unwavering support. Bi-State represents
28 Community Health Centers serving over 315,400 patients
across every county in New Hampshire and Vermont, and
we see firsthand that Community Health Centers are improving
health outcomes and narrowing health disparities in our
local communities. We are grateful to work alongside champions
who are fighting for a long-term investment in a successful
primary care delivery model.
The vast majority of homes in Vermont were built long
before model energy code standards. In fact, the average
home has air leakage that is equivalent to a four-foot square
hole in an exterior wall. Weatherization is the term used to
describe a process that includes sealing leaks in the building’s
perimeter, ductwork and windows. Insulation is often
added to the walls and ceiling to improve energy efficiency
and enhance the air barrier between the indoor living area
and the outdoors.
Weatherization is one of the easiest ways to increase comfort,
improve indoor air quality and save energy and money.
It’s also one of the best ways for us to create good paying jobs
right here in Vermont. It has allowed the Energy Co-op to
grow its number of Vermont employees by 29% with good
paying jobs. And the numbers obviously go far beyond our
small shop. The 2019 Vermont Clean Energy Industry
Report, released last month tells the story well. Vermont has
the highest clean energy employment per capita at 5.7%.
With a total employment of almost 19,000 workers, the clean
energy sector has become a significant part of the Vermont
economy.
Contractors like the Energy Co-op and the members of
our team who perform energy audits and make energy
improvements to homes and buildings are a critical part of
this growing economic sector.
I am happy that our legislators and governor recognize the
value of weatherization. It is just good old common sense
and with the passage of this bill it will be more widely available
to hard-working Vermonters. As the cost of living continues
to rise, weatherization provides an easy way for
homeowners to trim expenses without lowering their standard
of living. And it also reduces trips to the woodpile.
To learn more about Efficiency Vermont and their weatherization
programs and incentives visit www.efficiencyvermont.com
Brian Gray is the General Manager of the Energy Co-op of
Vermont, a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, established
July 2001. Today, Energy Co-op of Vermont serves over
2,000 members in northwest and central Vermont. The Energy
Co-op of Vermont’s goal is to help members reduce their energy
costs by using less fossil fuel and help them transition to renewable
fuels where it makes sense.
Governor Phil Scott and the Public Service Department
Introduce Broadband Innovation Grant Program
Governor Phil Scott and the Public Service Department
today announced the launch of the first of three rounds of
funding for the Broadband Innovation Grant program to
help communities conduct feasibility studies and create
business plans related to the deployment of broadband in
rural, unserved and underserved areas of Vermont.
“Expanding reliable broadband access to Vermont’s rural
communities is so important in our work to increase economic
and educational opportunities and enhance public
safety for all Vermonters,” said Governor Scott. “I look forward
to the creative thinking and solutions that will result
from this grant program.”
The $700,000 in total grant funding was appropriated to
the Department in Act 79 (H.513) of 2019, which aims to
increase broadband deployment throughout Vermont. The
program will award up to $60,000 per grant to eligible grantees,
including non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses,
cooperatives, communications union districts and other
government entities. Grantees must deliver a feasibility
study that proposes new broadband systems with minimum
speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload in unserved
or underserved areas. If the study indicates that a project
could become cash-flow positive within three years, the
Department will request an actionable business plan from
the grantee.
Strategies studied and planned for may include formation
of, or partnership with, a cooperative, communications
union district, rural economic development infrastructure
district, municipal communications plant or utility. Business
plans must include engineering and design plans, financing
models, estimated construction costs and ideal operational
models. Studies must conclude within six months of receipt
of the award and findings must be reported to the commissioner
of Public Service.
“The Department of Public Service looks forward to seeing
new ideas generated through this program, and we hope
that these grants will jump start new broadband projects
throughout the state,” said Public Service Commissioner
June Tierney.
The Broadband Innovation Grant program will join other
existing grant programs in Vermont’s growing suite of tools
to bridge the state’s broadband gap. For example, the
Connectivity Initiative will continue to incentivize existing
providers to extend service into unserved and underserved
areas, while the Broadband Innovation Grant program helps
develop innovative, long-term plans that address communities’
unique challenges.
For more information on the Broadband Innovation
Grant, please visit publicservice.vermont.gov or https://
publicservice.vermont.gov/content/broadband-innovationgrant-1st-round-8-6-19.
PUBLIC NOTICE
BULLETIN BOARD
This space will be reserved for all town offices to post their
notices such as... Tax Notices • Water/Sewer Due • Hours • Etc.
Central Vermont Supervisory Union
Public Notices
Serving the Towns of
Northfield, Orange, Washington, and Williamstown
www.cvsu.org 802-433-5818
Homelessness
Th e Central Vermont Supervisory Union is interested in locating
children and youth who may be experiencing homelessness.
These children and youth are entitled to receive an education
and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in schools
within the supervisory union. If you know of any child experiencing
temporary homelessness in the area who is not enrolled
in school, please contact Andrea Wasson, Co-Director of
School Transformation, Central Vermont Supervisory Union,
111B Brush Hill Road, Williamstown, VT 05679, 802-433-1877
Notice of Child Find PK-12 Students
Notice to Parents and Other Interested Parties:
Central Vermont Supervisory Union is Seeking to Identify
All Children with Disabilities Residing in Washington, Orange,
Williamstown and Northfield.
Under federal and state law, including the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, the Central VT Supervisory Union has a duty
to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities
residing in Washington, Orange, Williamstown and Northfield,
ages birth through 21, regardless of whether they are currently
enrolled in public school. Homeless children temporarily residing
in any of these towns, and children enrolled in programs
of home study and/or private schools are also covered by this
effort. Where a child is found to meet certain statutory criteria,
the school district has a duty to provide certain educational
services and/or modifications and accommodations so that the
child may receive a
free and appropriate public education as defined by law.
If you are aware of a child who may have a disability, you may
contact the school district as follows, to make a referral for
identification and/or evaluation: Call or write: Andrea Wasson,
Co-Director of School Transformation
Central Vermont Supervisory Union, 111B Brush Hill Road,
Williamstown, Vermont 05679 802-433-7077
Copies of Parental Rights Under Section 504 and Parental
Rights in Special Education are available upon request by contacting
the person identified above.
Be assured that all information collected about a child will be
stored in locked files and will remain confidential under the
protections of the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
(FERPA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Section 504 Compliance
In compliance with Section 504 Act of 1973 the Central Vermont
Supervisory Union provides this notice to all employees,
beneficiaries, and the citizens who reside in the member towns
of Orange, Washington and Williamstown.
1. Central Vermont Supervisory Union is responsible for
identifying, evaluating, and affording access to appropriate
educational services if a student is found 504 eligible.
2. Central Vermont Supervisory Union and its member
districts (Paine Mountain and Echo Valley Community) do not
discriminate against otherwise qualified individuals who may
have handicapping conditions in admission and/or access to
education or employment in its programs and activities.
3. Any individual with a complaint or concern regarding Central
Vermont Supervisory Union’s compliance with Section
504 may seek a resolution through Andrea Wasson, Co-Director
of School Transformation, Central Vermont Supervisory
Union 111B Brush Hill Road, Williamstown, VT 05679, 802-
433-1877
Protection of Student Rights
In compliance with federal requirements under the Protection
of Student Rights Act (PPRA), this is to provide parents with
notice of specific parental rights of request with regard to the
following:
1. Policy on the rights of parents upon request to inspect any
survey created by a third party (a survey funded by a non-U.S.
Department of Education source). If the third-party survey
involves questions related to political affiliations, mental or
psychological problems, sexual behavior and attitudes, illegal
or antisocial behavior, critical appraisals of family members,
income or privileged relationships such as doctors or lawyers,
parents may opt their children out of its administration. This
requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure, or use of
student information for marketing purposes.
2. Secondary schools are to provide upon written request from
military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access
to secondary school students’ names, addresses, and telephone
numbers. Parents may request in writing their child’s name not
be on the list.
Policies and procedures are available at all schools in the
Central Vermont Supervisory Union and can be found at our
website www.cvsu.org.
Personally Identifiable Information
The schools comprising the Central Vermont Supervisory
Union (Northfield Elementary School, Northfield Middle High
School, Orange Center School, Washington Village School,
Williamstown Elementary School, Williamstown Middle High
School) have designated the following personally identifiable
information as directory information under the Family Rights
and Privacy Act:
The CVSU and its member districts designate the following
information as directory information:
-Student’s name, mailing address, birthday (month and day
only), dates of enrollment
-Parent or legal guardian’s name and mailing address
-Student’s grade level classification
-Student’s participation in recognized school activities and
sports
-Weight and height of members of athletic teams
-Student’s diplomas, certificates, awards and honors received
Th e CVSU and its member districts will release directory
information without prior written consent unless the parent or
eligible student informs the principal or superintendent in writing
that any or all of the information designated above should
not be released without prior consent.
August 21, 2019 The WORLD page 9