Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Updated at 10:10 a.m. with audio of Shumlin's first radio advertisement of the campaign season.
Gov. Peter Shumlin's campaign for a third term promises to be a mighty "bold" affair.
The word of the day — and likely of the two months remaining until Election Day — made an early appearance Tuesday afternoon as Shumlin kicked off his reelection bid at Burlington's Main Street Landing. Standing before a robust crowd of administration officials, fellow politicians, Montpelier lobbyists and Democratic Party activists, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger previewed Shumlin's bold new message as he introduced the governor.
"I've heard one of the governor's opponents criticize him for being too bold, for being too innovative, for pushing too fast in his efforts to improve the lives of Vermonters," the mayor said. "These attacks make me wonder: Why would we want anything else? Why would we opt for timid over bold? And why would we want to go back to those days — those eight long years before Gov. Shumlin — when our government stood still, failing to address the challenges Vermonters face?"
No, Weinberger said, "What we want is more bold, innovative efforts — more strong leadership and more doing things the Vermont way."
Gov. Peter Shumlin's campaign for a third term promises to be a mighty "bold" affair.
The word of the day — and likely of the two months remaining until Election Day — made an early appearance Tuesday afternoon as Shumlin kicked off his reelection bid at Burlington's Main Street Landing. Standing before a robust crowd of administration officials, fellow politicians, Montpelier lobbyists and Democratic Party activists, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger previewed Shumlin's bold new message as he introduced the governor.
"I've heard one of the governor's opponents criticize him for being too bold, for being too innovative, for pushing too fast in his efforts to improve the lives of Vermonters," the mayor said. "These attacks make me wonder: Why would we want anything else? Why would we opt for timid over bold? And why would we want to go back to those days — those eight long years before Gov. Shumlin — when our government stood still, failing to address the challenges Vermonters face?"
No, Weinberger said, "What we want is more bold, innovative efforts — more strong leadership and more doing things the Vermont way."
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
It's been nearly a year since Jeff Munger, chair of the airport commission, penned an urgent letter to Burlington's mayor and city council asking them to fix glaring problems with the way taxis are regulated.
On Monday, the city answered Munger's plea — at least it started to. After months of study, the city attorney's office has come up with a list of recommendations for fixing the city taxi system. Now, Mayor Miro Weinberger is reviewing its report, with the goal of presenting a plan for action to the city council before its October 20 meeting. The city council can also weigh in with suggestions before September 24.
For the last decade, airport staff have been in charge of giving out taxi licenses, making sure taxis are playing by the rules and fielding complaints from drivers and passengers. The arrangement — in addition to creating more work for those employees — has made downtown Burlington a "Wild West" when it comes to enforcement.
To ease the burden on the airport, the city attorney's report suggests hiring an employee in the clerk and treasurer's office to take over those duties. Revenue from license applications would fund the position. (Taxis need a special permit to pick up passengers at the airport, and airport staff would continue to oversee those vehicles.)
Figuring out how to actually enforce taxi rules has been high on the priority list. As Munger put it in his letter: "Anyone can put a magnetic sign on a vehicle as a taxi, operate in the city and never get caught." To address this, the city attorney recommends analyzing taxi-related complaints, and based on that review, possibly hiring a part-time enforcement officer to supervise downtown taxis.
On Monday, the city answered Munger's plea — at least it started to. After months of study, the city attorney's office has come up with a list of recommendations for fixing the city taxi system. Now, Mayor Miro Weinberger is reviewing its report, with the goal of presenting a plan for action to the city council before its October 20 meeting. The city council can also weigh in with suggestions before September 24.
For the last decade, airport staff have been in charge of giving out taxi licenses, making sure taxis are playing by the rules and fielding complaints from drivers and passengers. The arrangement — in addition to creating more work for those employees — has made downtown Burlington a "Wild West" when it comes to enforcement.
To ease the burden on the airport, the city attorney's report suggests hiring an employee in the clerk and treasurer's office to take over those duties. Revenue from license applications would fund the position. (Taxis need a special permit to pick up passengers at the airport, and airport staff would continue to oversee those vehicles.)
Figuring out how to actually enforce taxi rules has been high on the priority list. As Munger put it in his letter: "Anyone can put a magnetic sign on a vehicle as a taxi, operate in the city and never get caught." To address this, the city attorney recommends analyzing taxi-related complaints, and based on that review, possibly hiring a part-time enforcement officer to supervise downtown taxis.
Monday, September 8, 2014
The family of a Winooski man who hanged himself in a state prison last year has sued the Vermont Department of Corrections.
The suit alleges that DOC staff drove Robert Mossey, 38, to suicide by failing to monitor him after prescribing medication with psychological side effects, and by letting him languish in custody weeks after he could have been released.
Mossey hanged himself in a broom closet at Northwest State Correctional Facility in Newport in August 2013, three months after he began serving a sentence for retail theft. Though Mossey had a history of depression, bipolar disorder and a previous suicide attempt, prison health care workers prescribed him a medication, Effexor, that the FDA warns has "serious or life-threatening adverse effects," according to the lawsuit.
Mossey was never evaluated by a doctor or mental health worker regarding the effects of the medication after it was prescribed, the lawsuit alleges, even though DOC protocol requires diligent follow-up. Moreover, Mossey failed to show up to receive his medication on at least five occasions inside the prison, but did not receive counseling.
Meanwhile, his personal life was crumbling. In the weeks before his death, the Vermont Department for Children and Families took custody of his infant son at birth, and Mossey's fiancée was evicted from her home, which DOC staff should have known, the lawsuit alleges.
"They were deliberately indifferent to a known risk of suicide," the Mossey family's attorney, David Sleigh, said in an interview.
The suit alleges that DOC staff drove Robert Mossey, 38, to suicide by failing to monitor him after prescribing medication with psychological side effects, and by letting him languish in custody weeks after he could have been released.
Mossey hanged himself in a broom closet at Northwest State Correctional Facility in Newport in August 2013, three months after he began serving a sentence for retail theft. Though Mossey had a history of depression, bipolar disorder and a previous suicide attempt, prison health care workers prescribed him a medication, Effexor, that the FDA warns has "serious or life-threatening adverse effects," according to the lawsuit.
Mossey was never evaluated by a doctor or mental health worker regarding the effects of the medication after it was prescribed, the lawsuit alleges, even though DOC protocol requires diligent follow-up. Moreover, Mossey failed to show up to receive his medication on at least five occasions inside the prison, but did not receive counseling.
Meanwhile, his personal life was crumbling. In the weeks before his death, the Vermont Department for Children and Families took custody of his infant son at birth, and Mossey's fiancée was evicted from her home, which DOC staff should have known, the lawsuit alleges.
"They were deliberately indifferent to a known risk of suicide," the Mossey family's attorney, David Sleigh, said in an interview.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Roughly 30 Vermont Republicans shelled out at least $300 each to talk strategy during a chicken luncheon with the Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus.
The conversation was not for public consumption. Held Thursday at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington, the lunch was an invitation-only affair. Left off the guest list? The press corps.
Seven Days obtained a copy of an invite sent out by David Sunderland, chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, and showed up to the event, but Sunderland did not allow the reporter to enter the room.
"Don't take it personally," he said. "It’s a private event for individual supporters of the party, and we wanted to be able to have open and frank discussions with our supporters as well as chairman Priebus, and we thought that would be better served in a private environment."
Who made that call — Priebus or the Vermont party? "It’s a good question," Sunderland said. "I need to refresh my memory and think if that was requested by them or by us. I don’t think that it was ever, I don’t want to misstate something. I guess you could say that the Vermont GOP decided it would be closed."
The conversation was not for public consumption. Held Thursday at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington, the lunch was an invitation-only affair. Left off the guest list? The press corps.
Seven Days obtained a copy of an invite sent out by David Sunderland, chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, and showed up to the event, but Sunderland did not allow the reporter to enter the room.
"Don't take it personally," he said. "It’s a private event for individual supporters of the party, and we wanted to be able to have open and frank discussions with our supporters as well as chairman Priebus, and we thought that would be better served in a private environment."
Who made that call — Priebus or the Vermont party? "It’s a good question," Sunderland said. "I need to refresh my memory and think if that was requested by them or by us. I don’t think that it was ever, I don’t want to misstate something. I guess you could say that the Vermont GOP decided it would be closed."
Tags: Republican National Committee , Reince Preibus , Scott Milne , David Sunderland , Michelle Obama , Burlington , Politics , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Updated at 6:33 p.m.
Three weeks after Gov. Peter Shumlin fired Agency of Human Services secretary Doug Racine, another AHS leader is on his way out the door.
Commissioner Dave Yacovone announced Wednesday that he’s leaving the troubled Department for Children and Families to take an undisclosed job outside state government. He’ll be replaced by AHS general counsel Ken Schatz, a former Burlington city attorney.
Yacovone disclosed his plans Wednesday at a hastily-called press conference at Gov. Peter Shumlin’s Montpelier office. He was joined at the podium by a cadre of DCF leaders and by the governor himself, who praised Yacovone and insisted his departure was voluntary.
“Dave Yacovone has served the state as commissioner with extraordinary distinction,” the governor said. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to him for his leadership of [a department] that is one of the most important for Vermonters that are struggling, for Vermont’s children and for families that need us.”
At the urging of his wife, Yacovone explained, he applied two months ago to a new job closer to his Morrisville home. He declined to disclose where he’s going, citing the wishes of his next employer.
“Let me be clear about this: This was my choice. In fact, several of the governor’s staff have asked me to reconsider. It’s almost humorous,” he said. “There’s no backstory here.”
Three weeks after Gov. Peter Shumlin fired Agency of Human Services secretary Doug Racine, another AHS leader is on his way out the door.
Commissioner Dave Yacovone announced Wednesday that he’s leaving the troubled Department for Children and Families to take an undisclosed job outside state government. He’ll be replaced by AHS general counsel Ken Schatz, a former Burlington city attorney.
Yacovone disclosed his plans Wednesday at a hastily-called press conference at Gov. Peter Shumlin’s Montpelier office. He was joined at the podium by a cadre of DCF leaders and by the governor himself, who praised Yacovone and insisted his departure was voluntary.
“Dave Yacovone has served the state as commissioner with extraordinary distinction,” the governor said. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to him for his leadership of [a department] that is one of the most important for Vermonters that are struggling, for Vermont’s children and for families that need us.”
At the urging of his wife, Yacovone explained, he applied two months ago to a new job closer to his Morrisville home. He declined to disclose where he’s going, citing the wishes of his next employer.
“Let me be clear about this: This was my choice. In fact, several of the governor’s staff have asked me to reconsider. It’s almost humorous,” he said. “There’s no backstory here.”
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
File: Paul Heintz
Republican gubernatorial nominee Scott Milne, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and former governor Jim Douglas at Milne's campaign kickoff last month.
When he first entered the race earlier this year, Milne told Seven Days he would not finance his own campaign. But according to his latest filing with the secretary of state's office, the Pomfret businessman loaned his campaign $25,000 on August 29. He also took contributions from two businesses he co-owns — Milne Travel and B&M Realty — and four relatives, totaling $7,350.
Only two other people contributed to Milne's campaign in the two-week period ending Tuesday.
Milne, who secured the GOP nomination last Tuesday, clearly needed the cash. He spent more than $33,400 last month, more than half of which went to television advertisements. Milne paid WCAX-TV, WPTZ-TV, FOX 44 and ABC 22 nearly $19,000 for pre-primary campaign ads.
Reached Tuesday evening, Milne seemed unsure of how much he contributed to his own campaign.
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On Tuesday afternoon, in a basement room at Burlington College, class carried on as usual — students sat listening to their professor, who stood next a life-size skeletal model.
Upstairs, the chair of the college's board of trustees was assuring a room full of reporters, students and faculty members that the school's new leadership team would do everything possible to keep the school afloat, despite dire fiscal challenges and the sudden departure of its president.
The question for the community, Yves Bradley said, is whether Burlington is better off with or without Burlington college. "We feel extraordinarily strongly that Burlington is better off with Burlington College."
Bradley was not being melodramatic. The school is under extreme financial pressure, which led NEASC, the regional accreditation group, to put it on probation earlier this summer. Four days earlier, a group of students precipitated the resignation of the school's president, Christine Plunkett, by protesting outside her car as she attempted to leave a board meeting.
On Monday, the board confirmed that Plunkett had left the college. It also announced that former FairPoint Communications state president Michael Smith would serve as interim president alongside Jane Knodell, who will temporarily serve as an academic adviser to Smith, and David Coates, who will act as an interim financial adviser. Smith will be paid $8,000 a month and will work full time through December. Knodell, who will work up to 12 hours a week, and Coates, whose hours haven't been determined, are volunteering their time.
Upstairs, the chair of the college's board of trustees was assuring a room full of reporters, students and faculty members that the school's new leadership team would do everything possible to keep the school afloat, despite dire fiscal challenges and the sudden departure of its president.
The question for the community, Yves Bradley said, is whether Burlington is better off with or without Burlington college. "We feel extraordinarily strongly that Burlington is better off with Burlington College."
Bradley was not being melodramatic. The school is under extreme financial pressure, which led NEASC, the regional accreditation group, to put it on probation earlier this summer. Four days earlier, a group of students precipitated the resignation of the school's president, Christine Plunkett, by protesting outside her car as she attempted to leave a board meeting.
On Monday, the board confirmed that Plunkett had left the college. It also announced that former FairPoint Communications state president Michael Smith would serve as interim president alongside Jane Knodell, who will temporarily serve as an academic adviser to Smith, and David Coates, who will act as an interim financial adviser. Smith will be paid $8,000 a month and will work full time through December. Knodell, who will work up to 12 hours a week, and Coates, whose hours haven't been determined, are volunteering their time.
Tags: Burlington College , David Coates , Michael Smith , Jane Knodell , Image , Web Only
Authorities say they do not have enough evidence to charge the man identified as a "person of interest" in the death of homeless man in May, and are uncertain if anyone will ever face charges in the case.
Earlier this summer, authorities said they were waiting for a final autopsy report before deciding whether to charge Mark Delude,52, in connection with the death of Forrest Bryant. In a recent interview, Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan said that report did not provide enough evidence to warrant charging Delude, who has claimed he struck Bryant in self-defense.
Donovan said that Bryant's death was ruled a homicide, but the prosecutor declined to provide additional details.
"We're going to hold it and continue to investigate," Donovan said. "It's a difficult case to prove right now. We need to continue to collect evidence."
The men had been living in a homeless encampment off Pine Street with about a dozen other people. Other tent campers said that Delude was the de facto leader, while Bryant, 40, had arrived a few weeks before he died.
Earlier this summer, authorities said they were waiting for a final autopsy report before deciding whether to charge Mark Delude,52, in connection with the death of Forrest Bryant. In a recent interview, Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan said that report did not provide enough evidence to warrant charging Delude, who has claimed he struck Bryant in self-defense.
Donovan said that Bryant's death was ruled a homicide, but the prosecutor declined to provide additional details.
"We're going to hold it and continue to investigate," Donovan said. "It's a difficult case to prove right now. We need to continue to collect evidence."
The men had been living in a homeless encampment off Pine Street with about a dozen other people. Other tent campers said that Delude was the de facto leader, while Bryant, 40, had arrived a few weeks before he died.
Tags: Burlington , Crime , Image , Web Only
Progressive lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Dean Corren won a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination last week, according to final results certified Tuesday by a statewide canvassing board. But Corren's Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, didn't do so bad himself.
The final tally shows that 3,874 — or 60.5 percent — of the 6,405 voters who took the Democratic ballot wrote-in Corren's name, while 1,895 — 29.6 percent — did so for Scott. The former publicly campaigned for the Democratic nomination, while the latter did not.
In the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Pomfret businessman Scott Milne wound up with 11,486 of the 16,010 GOP ballots cast, or 71.7 percent. Libertarian Dan Feliciano of Essex won 2,093 write-in votes, or 13.1 percent. Steve Berry of Wolcott and Emily Peyton of Putney trailed with 1,106 and 1,060 votes respectively, or just under 7 percent.
Milne will face off against two-term Gov. Peter Shumlin, who took 15,260, or 77 percent, of the Democratic votes cast. H. Brook Paige of Washington won 3,199 votes, or 16.1 percent. In that race, 1,369, or 6.9 percent, of voters wrote in the names of others, though the secretary of state's office did not release the name of the top write-in vote-getter. Supporters of Shumlin's recently-fired Agency of Human Services secretary Doug Racine had pledged to vote for him.
The final tally shows that 3,874 — or 60.5 percent — of the 6,405 voters who took the Democratic ballot wrote-in Corren's name, while 1,895 — 29.6 percent — did so for Scott. The former publicly campaigned for the Democratic nomination, while the latter did not.
In the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Pomfret businessman Scott Milne wound up with 11,486 of the 16,010 GOP ballots cast, or 71.7 percent. Libertarian Dan Feliciano of Essex won 2,093 write-in votes, or 13.1 percent. Steve Berry of Wolcott and Emily Peyton of Putney trailed with 1,106 and 1,060 votes respectively, or just under 7 percent.
Milne will face off against two-term Gov. Peter Shumlin, who took 15,260, or 77 percent, of the Democratic votes cast. H. Brook Paige of Washington won 3,199 votes, or 16.1 percent. In that race, 1,369, or 6.9 percent, of voters wrote in the names of others, though the secretary of state's office did not release the name of the top write-in vote-getter. Supporters of Shumlin's recently-fired Agency of Human Services secretary Doug Racine had pledged to vote for him.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Matthew Thorsen
Plunkett told a group of students who surrounded her car last Friday and demanded that she resign that she would leave the college. The president then drove away.
Neither she nor the college's spokesperson, Coralee Holm, would confirm last week whether her impromptu statement constituted an official resignation. Reached by phone Friday, Yves Bradley, chair of the board of trustees, said he thought Plunkett had likely been trying to extricate herself from a difficult situation.
In a press release sent Monday evening, the board of trustees announced that Michael Smith, who was most recently the state president of FairPoint Communications, will serve as interim president. Joining Smith is City Councilor Jane Knodell, who will serve as interim provost, and David Coates, a prominent businessman, who will serve as interim financial adviser.
Tags: Burlington College , David Coates , Jane Knodell , Michael Smith , University of Vermont , Image , Web Only