Mountain Times - Volume 49, Number 48 - Nov. 25- Dec. 2, 2020

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2 • LOCAL NEWS The Mountain Times • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 Kimbell drops out of House speaker race Senate to see women-dominated leadership By Katy Savage Shortly after announcing his candidacy for House speaker, Rep. Charlie Kimbell (D-Woodstock) dropped out of the race on Friday, Nov. 20 and endorsed House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, to the position. Kimbell said he spent 2 ½ weeks calling about 80 colleagues. Most of them said they were voting for Krowinski. “It was pretty clear I didn’t have enough votes to win the speaker’s race inside my own caucus,” Kimbell said. Kimbell kept track of potential votes with a spreadsheet and called the results “humbling.” He said Krowinski had the clear majority. “Jill has worked hard over the past years for the party and the state and she’s earned it,” Kimbell said. Krowinski is now the only Democrat nominee positioned to become speaker after former Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D- South Hero) lost her seat by 23 votes in a recount Nov. 20. The vote for Democratic nominee will be held during a caucus meeting on Dec. 5. The speaker will be formally announced when the Legislature reconvenes in January. “It’s best for the party if the person who has the most votes is then endorsed WHEN YOU CAN REFACE! YOU CAN WHEN REPLACE REFACE! WHY High Abrasion Resistance • Easy to Clean • Anti-Slip Waterproof Against Future Problems • Excellent Flexibility $350 OFF ANY BASEMENT FLOOR RESURFACING Must present coupon at time of estimate. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Expires 02/28/21 $350 OFF ANY GARAGE FLOOR RESURFACING Must present coupon at time of estimate. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Expires 02/28/21 OUR LIQUID STONE CAN REFACE: • Concrete basement floors • Over solid plywood floors • Radian heated concrete surfaces • Garage floors CEMENT OVERLAY WITH WOOD FLOOR PATTERN FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION, CALL 860-919-7819 liquidstonefinish.com • Email: liquidstone@att.net Visit Us on Facebook at Liquid Stone Finishes by the whole caucus at once,” said Kimbell. Kimbell, who was elected to the House in 2006, said he wants to be considered for a leadership position for the caucus or for a policy committee, pledging to focus on rural areas. “Wherever they need me to serve is where I’ll serve,” Kimbell said. On the Senate side, local legislators — mostly women — have also climbed the ranks to leadership positions. This marks the first time in Vermont history that all three elected positions are to be held by women. Woodstock resident Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, was nominated Senate majority leader following a caucus meeting on Sunday, Nov. 22, while Sen. Cheryl Hooker, D-Rutland, was nominated Senate majority whip. This marks the first time in Vermont history that all three elected positions are to be held by women. Sen. Becca Balint (D-Windham) is likely to become the first woman and first openly gay person elected Senate president, replacing Sen. Tim Ashe, who didn’t campaign after he lost a bid for lieutenant governor. Women-led > 9 REFINISHED COUNTERTOP EPOXY AND CEMENT-BASED OVERLAYS BLENDED EPOXY OVERLAY VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region CEO Ronald J. Cioffi, RN, announces retirement Ronald J. Cioffi, RN, and CEO of the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR), one of the state’s largest providers of skilled home health and hospice services, announced plans to retire in June of 2021. Cioffi, a registered nurse and native Vermonter, joined the VNA (then known as the Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association) in 1980 as a dialysis nurse. In 1992 he was promoted to the chief executive officer role and oversaw the agency through unprecedented financial growth and an expansion in areas served and breadth of services. Cioffi led the agency in establishing new services and partnerships including specialty clinical programs such as pediatric rehabilitation, pediatric high-tech services, wound care, hospice and palliative care, and telemonitoring. Under Cioffi’s leadership, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region continues to be recognized nationally for quality patient care, including obtaining the HomeCare Elite designation 10 times in the last 12 years and in 2017 being named a Top 100 Agency, as well as surpassing national benchmarks in Home Care and Hospice Care. Cioffi, a sought-after expert on home health care, serves on the board of directors at Rutland Regional Medical Center > and the VNAs of Vermont and VNA Health System. He was one of the initial partners in the VNA Health System and has served as board chair for the VNAs of Vermont three times. In 2014, he was named the Rutland Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year. “It’s difficult to articulate how much Ron has done for the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region and those who live and work in Rutland and Bennington Counties,” said Dan DiBattista, president of the board of directors. “Ron is a visionary who has led the agency through some of the most challenging times in healthcare and Ronald J. Cioffi he has led with expertise, energy, passion, and a dedication to the residents of the communities we serve.” “I have been fortunate to work with some of the best, brightest, and talented professionals throughout this agency, with our board of directors, our generous donors, and our community partners,” said Cioffi. “They have allowed me to leave a legacy at the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region and work in the communities I love.” A committee from the VNAHSR board of directors has created a committee to begin the process of selecting the agency’s next chief executive officer. Firehouse: Town accepts high bid on the Firehouse property from page 1 Selectman Jim Haff told the Mountain Times there is written authorization for the town to sell the property on the Fire Department’s behalf. The request for proposals called for a minimum bid of $300,000. There were two bids, each for the minimum amount, one from Rock Landscaping and Property Management, and the other from Ryan Orabone, owner of Till I Die Apparel. In addition to the higher price, stipulations favoring the seller included a 10- year easement to the existing truck refilling tank and Roaring Brook water access system for Killington Fire & Rescue. Fireside Properties has agreed to “work with the Town of Killington to ensure that future development of the property is consistent with the anticipated new town center designation.” The buyer has delivered a $5,000 deposit to the town, the balance of the purchase price to be paid when title is passed. Mr. Durkee did not respond to the Mountain Times’s inquiry into his plans for the property.
The Mountain Times • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 LOCAL NEWS • 3 Covid strikes Rutland schools Staff report Courtesy dft.vermont.gov Vermont has seen an increase in Covid cases at schools, but still fewer than most. While schools seemed to be limiting the spread of Covid-19 fairly well initially, a number of cases have recently been reported in Rutland County. Earlier this month, a preschooler at Orwell Village School tested positive and last week there were three confirmed cases in Rutland City Public Schools — each at a different school. The cases involved a kindergartner at Northwest Primary School, a Rutland Intermediate School (RIS) sixth grader and an Rutland Middle School (RMS) staff member. At Northwest, both kindergarten classes were put in quarantine and moved to remote learning until next Monday. At RIS, the entire sixth grade was placed under quarantine and will remain remote until Dec. 2. At Rutland Middle School a cohort of students was also placed under quarantine but will return to in-person instruction next Monday. Superintendent Bill Olsen has said cases have shown that the district’s preparation has paid off, as infection doesn’t seem to have spread within the school. Additionally, in the nearby Greater Rutland County Supervisory District a sixth-grader at Poultney Elementary School tested positive Friday, Nov. 20. The combined fifth- and sixthgrade classrooms are now remote and will remain that way for two weeks. It was the first case of Covid in the GRCSU school district. Earlier this month, a Pre-K student who attends Mary Johnson Children’s Center (run out of Orwell Village School) tested positive, but since the student was not in school during the time they were infectious so it did not affect the K-8 school. David Younce, superintendent of the Mill River Unified Union School District, said that although his district has not seen any cases of Covid it has connections to the cases in the Rutland. Employees with children in city schools may have to quarantine. He described it as “the tangled web of quarantine impacts” in an interview with the Rutland Herald. Younce said about 50% of district employees opted to be tested as part of the state’s new K-12 surveillance Schools >10 Man steals car, leads police on chase through Rutland, Clarendon and Wallingford On Thursday, Nov. 19, at 9:10 p.m., officers from the Rutland City Police Dept. were advised of a stolen vehicle complaint from Panera Bread parking lot in Rutland City. While investigating this complaint, officers observed this vehicle traveling on Route 7 and attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop. The vehicle failed to yield, and a brief pursuit ensued. Officers discontinued the pursuit at the intersection of Route 7 and Route 103 in Clarendon. Vermont State Police troopers then again attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop on Route 103. The vehicle failed to yield to troopers and a pursuit ensued. The vehicle traveled southbound on Route 7 in the northbound lane of travel at a high rate of speed. The vehicle turned on to Hartsboro Road and Homerstone Road in Wallingford, where troopers successfully used a tire deflation device to stop the vehicle. The operator was Troopers successfully used a tire deflation device to stop the vehicle. identified as Jeffrey Kozikowski, 43, of Rutland, who was taken into custody without incident. Kozikowski was transported to the Rutland City Police Dept. for processing. After processing, Kozikowski was issued a citation to appear in Rutland Superior Court Criminal Division on Nov. 20 to answer to the charges of Attempting to Elude, Grossly Negligent Operation, Aggravated OOC, and Grand Larceny. 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Mountain Times - Volume 49, Number 48 - Nov. 25- Dec. 2, 2020

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