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Financial Management

GMCB Sets Adjustments for 2025 Health Insurance Premiums

Member for

1 year 8 months
Submitted by iminot@vlct.org on
health insurance


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2024
For more information, please email the Board at GMCB.Board@vermont.gov.
 

GREEN MOUNTAIN CARE BOARD SETS PREMIUM ADJUSTMENTS
FOR BLUE CROSS AND MVP

Montpelier, VT - The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) directed Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) and MVP Health Plan, Inc. (MVP) to adjust their proposed 2025 premiums for individuals and small businesses, affecting over 70,000 Vermonters.

Small Group - Average Annual Increase Over 2024 Rates
InsurerInitial RequestFinal RequestGMCB Approved
BCBSVT19.1%24.0%22.8%
MVP9.3%11.5%11.1%
 
Individual - Average Annual Increase Over 2024 Rates
BCBSVT16.3%21.0%19.8%
MVP11.7%14.9%14.2%

 

Key points:

  • Federal premium assistance will continue to be available in 2025 to most people who purchase a plan in the individual market. The total amount of assistance will also be much larger than in prior years. As a result, despite significant increases in the gross premiums of individual plans,for most people, the net premiums, after accounting for premium subsidies, are expected to decrease. GMCB encourages people to go to Vermont Health Connect and explore their eligibility for assistance and carefully evaluate their plan options this year.
  • GMCB acknowledges that, for purchasers of small group plans, as well as individuals who are not eligible for premium assistance, the approved premium increases are painfully high.However, considering the insurers’ history of losses in these markets and serious concerns expressed by the Department of Financial Regulation about BCBSVT’s solvency, GMCB had limited latitude this year to require further reductions to the proposed premiums.
  • GMCB required the insurers to make changes to the rates recommended by GMCB’s actuaries.GMCB also required the insurers to lower their assumptions about price increases at Vermont hospitals, which GMCB regulates through its hospital budget review authority.
  • GMCB Board Chair, Owen Foster, stated: “These rates reflect deep fundamental failures in our healthcare system and the immediate need for systematic change. While these rates are plainly unacceptable, the alternative of an insolvent insurer unable to pay for patient care was worse.Vermont must address its underlying healthcare cost structure, demographic and housing challenges, and transform its healthcare system if we are to alleviate the healthcare affordability crisis we are facing.”

This year’s rate requests underscore the vital importance of ongoing transformation efforts included in the Act 167 Community Engagement work. These efforts aim to create a more sustainable and affordable healthcare system to better meet the needs of Vermonters while ensuring financial stability. GMCB calls on all stakeholders—hospitals, insurers, policymakers, community health care leaders, and the public—to actively engage in these transformation efforts to build a healthcare system that is both resilient and accessible.

 

View the GMCB press release here
Specific rate increases by plan will be published by the carriers in late September or early October. 

2024 Events & Training Schedule

VLCT offers a variety of trainings throughout the year. This listing is an overview that is subject to change. For details of currently available trainings and to register, please visit vlct.org/events. Most events are posted on the events calendar four weeks before they take place. 

January

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Advocacy Chat1/8/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Town Meeting Warning and Model Articles1/10/202410:00 - 11:00Zoom Webinar
Flood Recovery Check-In1/16/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Town Meeting: Australian Ballot Voting Legal Requirements Overview1/17/202410:00 - 11:00Zoom Webinar
Introduction to Family Medical Leave Insurance1/18/202410:00-11:00Zoom Webinar
Legal Lunch Hour – January1/24/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting
Eclipse Planning Check-In1/25/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Advocacy Chat1/29/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting

February

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Town Meeting Tune-Up2/7/20249:00 - 12:00Hybrid, central Vermont
Eclipse Planning Check-In2/8/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Advocacy Chat2/12/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Selectboard Convening 2/13/20245:00 - 7:30In Person, St. Albans
Flood Recovery Check-In2/20/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Eclipse Planning Check-In2/22/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Advocacy Chat2/26/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Legal Lunch – February2/28/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting

March

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Eclipse Planning Check-In3/7/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Advocacy Chat3/11/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Flood Recovery Check-In3/19/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Eclipse Planning Check-In3/21/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Selectboard Essentials3/23/20249:00 - 2:30In Person
Advocacy Chat3/25/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Legal Lunch – March3/27/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting

April

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Eclipse Planning Check-In4/4/202410:00-11:00Zoom Meeting
Advocacy Chat4/8/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Grant Basics: Before the Grant4/9/202410:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar
Liability and Risk Management for Selectboards4/11/202410:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar
Flood Recovery Check-In CANCELLED4/16/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Open Meeting Law for Boards and Committees4/17/202410:00 - 11:30Zoom Webinar
Advocacy Chat4/22/202411:00 - 11:45Zoom Meeting
Legal Lunch – April4/24/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting
Unemployment Insurance and Act 76 - What Employers Need to Know4/25/202411:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar

May

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Advocacy Chat5/6/202411:00 - 11:45 AMZoom Meeting
Selectboard Essentials: Northwest & Chittenden County Region5/14/20245:30 - 9:00 PMHybrid, Milton
Legal Lunch – May5/22/202412:00 - 1:00 PMZoom Meeting
Grant Basics: Project Development - Developing and Funding the Project5/28/202410:00 AM - 12:00 PMZoom Webinar
Spring Zoning and Development Review Forum 5/30/20249:00 AM - 12:00 PMZoom Webinar

June

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
FLSA Basics and Updates6/4/202412:00 - 1:00 PMZoom Webinar
Intro to CaseBuilder and Your Equifax Team6/6/20242:00 - 3:00 PMZoom Webinar
DER Training: DISA360 Portal6/7/20241:00 - 3:30 PMZoom Webinar
Flood Recovery Check-In6/18/20241:00 - 2:00 PMZoom Webinar
Local Officials Golf Outing6/21/20249:00 AM - 3:00 PMGreen Mountain National Golf Course
Advocacy Chat - Wrap-up 20246/24/2411:00 AM - 12:00 PMZoom Meeting
Legal Lunch6/27/2411:45 AM - 12:45 PMZoom Meeting
DER Training: DISA360 Portal6/27/241:00 - 3:30 PMZoom Webinar

July 

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Flood Recovery Check-In7/16/20241:00 - 2:00 PMZoom Meeting
Legal Lunch – July 7/17/202412:00 - 1:00 PMZoom Meeting

August 

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Managing Your Highway Team8/7/20248:30 - 9:45 AMZoom Webinar
Flood Recovery Check-In - CANCELED8/20/20241:00 - 2:00 PMZoom Meeting
Mine Safety and Hazard Compliance Training8/21/20249:00 AM - 12:00 PMLyndonville
Mine Safety and Hazard Compliance Training8/22/20249:00 AM - 12:00 PMManchester
Ordinance Adoption and Enforcement8/29/20249:30 AM - 12:00 PMZoom Meeting

September

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
RMS for Highway Supervisors9/11/20248:30 - 9:45 AMZoom Webinar
Workplace Matters:  Performance Management9/12/202412:00 - 1:00 PMZoom Meeting
Flood Recovery Check-In - PAUSED9/17/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Municipal Budgeting9/18/202410:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar
Grant Basics: Management9/24/202410:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar
Legal Lunch Hour – September9/25/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting

October 

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Annual Meeting10/1/20243:00 PMKillington
Town Fair 10/2/20248:00 AM - 5:00 PMKillington
Flood Recovery Check-In - PAUSED10/15/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Fall Planning and Zoning10/17/20249:30 AM - 2:00 PMHybrid - Lake Morey
ADA 10110/22/202410:00 - 12:00Zoom Webinar
Legal Lunch Hour – Oct10/23/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting

November

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Elected Auditors11/13/202410:00 - 11:30Zoom Webinar
Workplace Matters: Employee Engagement11/14/202412:00 - 1:00 PMZoom Meeting
Flood Recovery Check-In - PAUSED11/19/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Legal Lunch Hour – Nov11/20/202412:00 - 1:00Zoom Meeting

December

TopicEvent DateTimeFormat/Location
Flood Recovery Check-In - PAUSED12/17/20241:00 - 2:00Zoom Webinar
Publication Date
12/12/2023

VLCT is Part of State's $15M Flood Loan Interest Relief for Members

Member for

1 year 8 months
Submitted by iminot@vlct.org on
photo of Ted Brady at Vt Governor Scott's press conference announcing MCRF on 11/29/2023

On November 28, Governor Scott and Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced the creation of the Municipal Climate Recovery Fund (MCRF). This $15 million loan program will support flood-impacted municipalities by significantly reducing the interest they must pay on short-term loans they take out to pay for recovering from the 2023 summer floods before FEMA payments arrive (which can take several months, perhaps more than a year). Operated by the Vermont Bond Bank with funding from the state, MCRF will offer financing that allows municipalities to refinance or finance flood expenses at a reduced interest rate as low as 1.3% for up to seven years. The program will save taxpayers in flood-impacted communities up to an estimated $3.5 million.

The Vermont Bond Bank is also partnering with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) on the implementation of the MCRF to further reduce interest rates on these loans for the members of VLCT’s Property and Casualty Intermunicipal Fund (VLCT PACIF) whose flood losses exceeded their insurance coverage. VLCT will subsidize applicants' interest rates to near 0% for as long as seven years, up to a total of $1 million for the group. 

"This is going to reduce the cost of debt so [recipients] can put more of that money into other aspects of running a town – they don't have to raise taxes or cut services [to regain the interest costs]," Brady explains.

The municipalities that are eligible for the additional assistance from VLCT PACIF are Barre City, Barre Town, Bolton Town, Brandon Town, Brighton Town, Cabot Town, Central Vermont SWMD, Chelsea Town, Chester Town, Glover Town, Hardwick Electric, Hardwick Town, Irasburg Town, Jeffersonville Village, Johnson Town, Johnson Village, Ludlow Town, Ludlow Village, Marshfield Town, Montpelier City, Richmond Town, Rockingham Town, Rutland Town Fire District 1, Springfield Town, Wallingford Town, Washington Town, West Haven Town, Weston Town, Wheelock Town, Williamstown Town, Winooski Valley Park District, Wolcott Town, Woodbury Town, Woodstock Town, and Wrightsville Beach Recreation District.

ARPA – The "Obligation" Interim Final Rule (IFR)

Member for

1 year 8 months
Submitted by kbuckley@vlct.org on
image of the U.S. Treasury bulding from an official engraving

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued the Obligation Interim Final Rule (IFR) to address funding recipients’ questions and comments regarding the definition of obligation. The Obligation IFR revises the definition of obligation in Treasury’s implementing regulations for the SLFRF/ARPA program and provides related guidance to give additional flexibility and clarity to recipients to support their use of SLFRF/ARPA funds. We advise referring to Treasury's two-page “Quick Reference Guide” which informally summarizes the seventeen-page Obligation IFR and Obligation IFR slide presentation.

 

FEMA Public Assistance Tips For Vermont Municipalities

  • Insurance You do not need to wait for an insurance determination before starting recovery work.
     
  • Include everything – Include everything you can think of in your damage assessments, even if you think FEMA won’t cover it. Let FEMA be the ones to decide that. Also, it is much easier to drop things from an application than it is to add them later.
     
  • “Iffy” Projects – Include them. They will not jeopardize other projects, and they might get funded!
     
  • Non-Profit Fire Departments (FDs) – If you have a private non-profit (PNP) volunteer fire department encourage them to apply for PA (not Individual Assistance [IA]).  They will likely qualify because they provide a critical emergency service to the town.
     
  • Who owns the damaged asset(s) ? – In the case of FDs, whether the FD-related expense is claimed under the FD’s PA request or the municipality’s PA request depends on who owns the asset. If the municipality purchased (holds the title to) a fire truck that it provides to a private non-profit FD, the municipality should list damages to the fire truck in its PA claim.
     
  • Municipally owned, Non-Profit operated  – Municipally owned facilities (ex. libraries, recreation facilities) are sometimes operated, overseen, and/or maintained by a non-municipal entity. If the municipality owns the facility, damages to the facility should be listed in the municipality’s PA claim and discussed with FEMA, unless there is an agreement in place that states who the responsible party for any damages is.
     
  • Non-competitive grant  – Unlike most other grants, PA is non-competitive. If you submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) and your project meets the criteria, you get paid.
     
  • Volunteer hours  – Track them all. These “donated” hours for Category A and Category B can count toward the municipality’s cost share.  You must track the name of person, phone number, dates they worked, and times worked as well as location, equipment used, and scope of work.
     
  • Volunteer equipment  – Track it all. Include the type of equipment and the number of hours it was used. The FEMA Equipment Rates will be applied, and it likely can be counted toward the cost share. See above.
     
  • Facility maintenance agreements  – In some communities, the municipality owns a facility (ex. recreation fields, library) and volunteers assist to maintain the facility. Having maintenance agreements in place that outline roles and responsibilities can be the difference between a successful PA claim and an unsuccessful one.

 

About PACIF Coverage and Processes
  • Question: Is there a deadline to file a claim with VLCT PACIF related to the 2023 summer flooding?

Answer: No, there is no deadline, but the sooner you report the claim the better. Payments for damage to covered property within flood zone A or prefixed with A will be prorated, and VLCT PACIF will have to know the extent of damage for all affected members before claim payments will be made.
 

  • Question: Does our insurance claim have to be settled within the FEMA 60-day scoping period to be eligible for federal assistance?  

Answer: No, it does not. You need to submit all of your damages to FEMA within the 60-day period to be eligible for assistance, but the status of your insurance claim is not part of the process.
 

  • Question: Will we receive FEMA funds prior to our insurance claim being settled?  

Answer: Yes, FEMA should begin issuing reimbursements even if your insurance claim isn’t settled. Once your claim is settled, you will be responsible to return funds to FEMA for all items that were covered by your insurer.
 

  • Question: Should we start hiring contractors and fixing our building/structures prior to our insurance claim being settled?  

Answer: Yes, you should follow all FEMA requirements and get your buildings operational prior to your insurance claim being settled. The insurance claim settlement process will take some time to close out. Contact Katie Buckley or Bonnie Waninger if you have any questions about FEMA requirements so you do not jeopardize your funding from FEMA.
 

  • Question: Does VLCT PACIF provide coverage for buildings in FEMA designated Flood Zone A or Prefixed with A?

Answer: The building and contents coverage available under the VLCT PACIF Coverage Document is subject to a sub-limit for buildings located in Flood Zone A or Prefixed with A. Each member has $1,000,000 per occurrence subject to a $5,000,000 all-member aggregate. Due to the size of this event, the aggregate cap will likely be met, resulting in prorated insurance payments. Because of the expected proration, the claim settlement process will take time. VLCT PACIF staff will need to know the total cost of the loss for all members before prorated claim payments will be issued. Covered buildings and contents that are not in a flood zone and automobiles/mobile equipment are not subject to the same aggregate cap and payments are already being made on those.
 

  • Question: How do we know if our building is in a FEMA designated flood zone?

Answer: VLCT PACIF staff are reviewing the FEMA flood maps. If any portion of the building is in the flood zone, it is being considered a flood zone property for insurance purposes. If you have questions about how your buildings are classified, please reach out to your VLCT PACIF claims adjuster. Flood map information is also available directly through the FEMA flood Map Service Center. To access that information, visit https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home. Note that not every address has digital information available, so in some cases, actual PDFs of flood maps must be reviewed.
 

  • Question : If we had a project scheduled prior to the flood, should we continue with that work?

Answer: Absent special circumstances such as the building being a total flood loss, yes. Any work that is unrelated to the flood should continue as scheduled, and it will not interrupt your FEMA funding or insurance payments.

Publication Date
11/10/2023

Municipal Budgeting

Event Date: 10/25/23

This annual training explains basic budgeting principles, financial management challenges, how to comply with legal requirements, and best practices for preparing the budget for town meeting. This year it also includes updates on ARPA and more. Attend this timely webinar and live Q&A to kick off budget development season.

State of Vermont - Subrecipient Annual Report

Member for

1 year 8 months
Submitted by kbuckley@vlct.org on
Grant reporting

The Subrecipient Annual Report (SAR) is required to be submitted to the Vermont Department of Finance and Management annually within 45 days after the end of your fiscal year by all subrecipients of federally funded grants. Since your local ARPA award is federal funding, you must include it in this report.  

When you are completing the Subrecipient Annual Report, you must include only the  ARPA* funds that were expended during your fiscal year for which you are reporting. Here is what you should include for your local ARPA funds:  

In Section III - Subrecipient Schedule of Federal Expenditure:

  • CFDA Number (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) CFDA numbers have been replaced with ALN (Assistance Listing Number). The ALN for ARPA is 21.027.
  • Granting Agency/Department - U.S. Dept. of the Treasury
  • Grant Number - Use your assigned "Town ID" number which can be found HERE.
  • Expenditures - enter your total ARPA expenditures  for the fiscal year on which you are reporting.  (DO NOT enter the total amount of your award or the total amount of cash you've received - you report ARPA expenditures only.)

*  If you expended any ARPA funds as a "subrecipient" of a grant from an entity other than the U.S. Department of the Treasury (ex. a grant from an Agency or Department of the State of Vermont), then you must also report these funds in the Subrecipient Annual Report and do so separately from your local ARPA funds.  They will have the same CFDA/ALN Number but the Granting Agency and Grant Number will be different. 

If you received any ARPA funds as a "beneficiary," then you do not need to include these funds in this report. 

If you are unsure whether you are "subrecipient" or a "beneficiary," please read this FAQ: What is the difference between a "beneficiary" and a "subrecipient"? and if you are still unsure, then reach out to the Agency, Department or entity that awarded the funds to your town/city/village.

Common Subrecipient Annual Report (SAR) Questions can be found HERE.

State of Vermont ARPA Funding Opportunities

Member for

1 year 10 months
Submitted by Collin Haines on
arpa 2022 01 24 0

The State of Vermont has created a one-stop-shop for all State Fiscal Recovery Fund (State ARPA) programs that are available to municipalities as eligible applicants.  It can be found HERE

For each program this document provides the:

  • Name of the overseeing state agency, department, or division
  • Official program name
  • Succinct narrative summary
  • Point of contact name and email address
  • Link to the website to learn more

This is an excellent resource for towns, cities and villages interested in leveraging their local ARPA awards.

VLCT Board of Directors Recognizes Paul Giuliani with Resolution

Member for

1 year 10 months
Submitted by Collin Haines on
paul giuliani

At its July 21, 2022, meeting, the VLCT Board of Directors adopted the following resolution honoring the late Paul Giuliani for his lifelong contributions to municipal government in Vermont.

RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JOHN PAUL GIULIANI FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
JULY 21, 2022

Whereas, Paul Giuliani was a respected, appreciated and talented practitioner of municipal law throughout Vermont for five decades; and

Whereas, Paul was the authority on municipal finance in Vermont, providing trusted counsel on long-term and short-term financing, project financing, tax increment financing, and a myriad of other municipal financing topics; and

Whereas, Paul provided wise and thoughtful counsel to nearly every city, town and village in Vermont as they considered complex legal issues, advising them how best to invest in their futures; and

Whereas, Paul was a respected resource on municipal finance and other municipal matters to the Vermont Legislature and administrative agencies;

Whereas, most Vermonters have been in a town facility or school building, driven on a road or walked on a sidewalk, played on a recreation field or biked on a bike path, or drunk from a drinking water system for which Paul helped secure financing; and

Whereas, Paul pioneered an innovative way to fund broadband buildout using communications union districts that enable towns to use revenue bonds to bring broadband to unserved households; and

Whereas, Paul was an honorable, truthful, and kind man who mayors, selectboard members, clerks, treasurers, finance officers, town managers, administrators, and public works directors enjoyed working with; and

Whereas, Vermonters lost a true champion of municipal government when Paul passed away on July 12, 2022.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ Board of Directors, on behalf of all 247 cities and towns in Vermont, expresses its profound gratitude to Paul for his lifelong commitment to local government and to making Vermont a better place, one project at a time.

[signature]
Bill Fraser
Vice President
VLCT Board of Directors

[signature]
Ted Brady
Executive Director
Vermont League of Cities and Towns