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Proposed F.Y. ’22 Agencies Funding Allocations

Please find below the Proposed F.Y. ’22 Agencies Funding Allocations: Updated January 8, 2021

Proposed F.Y. ’22 Agencies Funding Allocations

Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice
BCRC
BPI
Bennington Free Library
BROC
J. McCullough Library
Paran Recreation
P.A.V.E.
R.S.V.P.
S.W.V.T. Council On Aging
Tutorial Center
V.C.I.L.
Bennington Free Clinic
Bennington Homeless Shelter
Bennington County Association Against Child Abuse
Sunrise Family Resource Center
Bennington Rescue Squad

Coronavirus Update

 

For Immediate Release

 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Launches COVID-19 Hotline
Screening at Entry and Digital Information Session Aim to Increase Information and Awareness

 

BENNINGTON, VT—March 12, 2020—Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), is continuously working to minimize the spread of COVID-19, while providing safe care for all patients. The most recent actions include the launch of a COVID-19 hotline and a respiratory etiquette check-in at the main entrance. 

 

“Proactive monitoring and protection efforts have made SVMC safe for those with appointments and procedures scheduled,” said Tom Dee, SVHC’s president and CEO. “We want our patients to feel confident that SVMC is open and ready to provide the care they need.”

 

Hotline

A COVID-19 information hotline is now available at 802-440-8844. The most commonly requested information is delivered via a recorded message, after which a representative answers between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays.

 

SVMC recommends primary care providers as the best source for individual guidance and information. The hotline offers support for primary care providers and ensures those who do not have a provider get the information and services they need.

 

“Everyone’s situation is a little bit different,” said Paula Johnson, director of Quality, Safety and Value at SVMC. “The aim of the hotline is to deliver the information that patients need in a customized and timely way. We hope this will empower community members to take actions that will help ensure their safety and limit the spread of the illness.”

 

Front Entrance Check-In

 


 

Patients and visitors to the hospital will now notice signage that directs them to the touch-free automatic door at the main entrance. Patients have the option to go immediately to the Emergency Department for care or stop at a respiratory etiquette check-in, where they will be greeted and asked whether they have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Those with symptoms are given a mask, and all are given a sticker with the date and which department or unit they are visiting. These efforts will allow clinical professionals to take the appropriate measures to ensure safety for all patients, visitors, and staff.

 

“If someone in the building has a cough or a fever, we need to know about it,” said Trey Dobson, MD, chief medical officer for SVMC. “These new screening measures ensure that we treat that person appropriately and minimize exposure to others.”

 

Visitors

The respiratory check-in is also provides an opportunity to reinforce the flu-season visitor policy, which recommends that those with symptoms of infectious disease (respiratory or gastrointestinal) wait until they are well to visit in person. In addition, visits are limited to those who are over the age of 18 and to no more than two per patient at a time. 

 

In addition, for the safety of patients and residents, the visitor policies at the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, on SVMC’s Bennington Campus, and The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls have been updated to exclude all except medical visits.

 

“We know it is difficult to forego in-person visits with loved ones in our care,” said Suzanne Anair, who administrates both facilities. “But we trust that the families of our patients and residents will understand our desire to protect them from exposure to this potentially devastating illness.”

 

Digital Information Session

The hospital is partnering with the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV) to present an online lunch and learn session for area business members at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, March 16. The session will feature SVHC’s President and CEO Tom Dee and SVMC’s Chief Medical Officer Trey Dobson, MD. Participants will be able to ask questions related to COVID-19. Chamber members and members of the public can access the session at www.facebook.com/CATTVbennington/.  It will air on CAT-TV and be posted to www.SouthwesternVermontChamber.com/lunchandlearn.

 

“We lean on the strength of our award-winning health care system to keep us informed and safe.  We appreciate all the hard work Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and our other healthcare members are doing during this crisis,” said Matt Harrington, executive director, Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “We hope this Lunch and Learn provides a regional perspective and good information to the many communities we serve.”

 

Drive-Up Testing

 

SVMC nurses conduct a drive-up test for COVID-19.

For patients who have a referral for COVID-19 testing from their primary care provider, SVMC offers drive-up testing. The service allows patients to remain in their cars. The process was initiated over the weekend to minimize potential viral exposure to other patients and staff for patients who do not need emergency care or monitoring. Clinical staff wear personal protective equipment (PPE), swab patients in their cars, and remind patients to practice self-isolation until results are known. Samples are sent to the Vermont lab for results, which typically arrive to the primary care provider within 96 hours. The State of Vermont is not charging for the test.

 

Dee continued, “We have an extraordinary team of professionals and dedicated community leaders all committed to ensuring, as best as we can, that this virus has as little impact as possible on the health of our communities. The situation is changing rapidly. We aim to keep everyone informed, so we can all work together in this important effort.” 

 

If you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, call your state’s department of health. Telephone numbers and other COVID-19 information, including frequently asked questions and helpful resources, are available at svhealthcare.org. The site is updated continuously.

 

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices. For more information, visit svhealthcare.org.

 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

 

Media Contact:

Ray Smith
Director of Marketing and Communications | Public Information Officer

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center

(802) 447-50003

ray.smith@svhealthcare.org

 

Bennington Energy Committee – December 7, 2022

MEETING NOTICE:
BENNINGTON ENERGY COMMITTEE

Wednesday, December 7, 2022  – 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Bennington Fire Dept Multi-Purpose Rm, 3rd Floor, 130 River St, Bennington

Click here to view the agenda.

 

PUBLIC NOTICE: Board of Abatement Meeting – December 13

There will be a meeting of the Town of Bennington BOARD OF ABATEMENT at the Bennington Town Office, Conference Room 1, 205 South Street, Bennington, VT.

The meeting will be at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.

You can view the agenda here.

 

Partial Closure of Imperial Avenue on Wednesday, November 30

There will be a partial road closure on Imperial Avenue Wednesday, November 30

On Wednesday, November 30, a portion of Imperial Avenue will be closed for a tree removal. The road will be closed from 8 am to approximately 1 pm. The portion that will be impacted is the section of Imperial Avenue between Silver Street and Hamilton Street. The public is asked to find alternate routes during that time period.

Select Board Meeting – November 28, 2022

There will be a meeting of the Select Board on Monday, November 28, 2022. You will find the agenda, minutes of the prior meeting, and all public documents that will be discussed during the meeting in the packet below.

The Select Board packet is available by clicking here

Rail Trail Opens

To learn about the new Bennington Rail Trail, click here.

Bennington Rail Trail

New Bennington Rail Trail Opens

Bennington’s newest bike and pedestrian pathway is now available for use. While not fully completed, it is now safe and the public is invited to begin using this new outdoor recreational and non-motorized transportation resource. The Bennington Rail Trail begins at the western end of the Walloomsac Pathway at the public parking area located on Depot Street. The pathway is paved to the intersection with Orchard Road off of Northside Drive. It continues to Emma Street as a packed gravel surface path.

 

Download Map

The new Bennington Rail Trail provides a bike and pedestrian friendly link between Downtown Bennington and the Northside Drive area which greatly enhances safety for those using the path as well as linking other pathways in town such as the Orchard Village/Willowbrook Pathway and the Kocher Drive Pathway which in turn connects to the East Road Pathway.

Work on the new rail trail has been over 10 years in the works. Removal of vegetation began in the fall of 2021 and throughout the course of 2022, the old rails were removed, new surfaces were added, plus crosswalks, signage, bridge work, and landscaping. Some additional work must be completed by the contractor, but the remaining items do not impact the safety of the new pathway. The cost of the work was 90% paid for through Federal and State grant funding.

An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new pathway will be held in the Spring of 2023 to celebrate the opening of the new rail trail. This trail is an important part of the overall network of paths throughout the town.

 

The town has announced the restrictions and trail etiquette for the use of the pathway:

Trail Restrictions

  • No motorized vehicles*
  • All dogs must be on a leash (please pick up after your dog – it’s the law)
  • No alcohol
  • No littering

Trail Etiquette

  • EVERYONE: KEEP TO THE RIGHT except to pass.
  • Ride at a safe speed. (When the path is crowded, you might need to slow down.)
  • Warn pedestrians before passing from behind with a bell or by saying “on your left”.
  • Pass pedestrians slowly
  • Bicycles, use front and rear lights at night.
  • Protective head gear is recommended for cyclists, but is not required by VT state law.

*Class 1, 2 and 3 electric bicycles are allowed on the trail. VT statute states that class 1, 2 and 3 electric bicycles are not motor vehicles.

**An individual under 16 years of age shall not operate a class 3 electric bicycle.

Vermont’s e-bike law: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/ACTS/ACT040/ACT040%20As%20Enacted.pdf

Town Offices Closed – November 24-25

The Bennington Town Offices will be closed on November 24 and November 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

We will reopen on Monday, November 28 at 7:30 am.

All About Town – Town Manager Stuart Hurd

To view the Town Manager’s November All About Town column, please click here.

Community Policing Advisory Review Board Meeting – CPARB – November 17, 2022

There will be a meeting of the Community Policing Advisory Review Board on November 17, 2022 at 6:00 pm, at the Multipurpose room at the Firehouse located at 130 River Street in Bennington.

For details about CPARB and the agenda for the meeting, please visit the CPARB page by clicking here

Village Cemetery Restoration

Outpouring of Support Restores Historic Village Cemetery!

Dozens of people turned out in the frosty early hours on November 3rd with a common goal: to help re-set as many unbroken gravestones as possible that had been callously cast down by vandals a little over a week ago.

The vandalism was discovered on October 24. Over 200 gravestones had been overturned, and many broken. Flags honoring veterans had been cast down by the perpetrators as they attacked stones in every part of the cemetery. The historic cemetery was established in 1813 and included many born in the 1700s representing some of the earliest settlers of the town. Approximately 2,100 people are laid to rest here.

The shock and outrage over the vandalism echoed throughout the community, and far beyond.

Within two hours of the first story about the vandalism, the calls, emails, and instant messages began coming in fast. “I had people from all over contacting us.” says Jonah Spivak, Communications Coordinator for the Town of Bennington. “They all wanted to know the same thing… how can they help.”

This outpouring of offers inspired RJ Joly, Director of Public Works, to suggest a volunteer day to re-set as many stones as possible.

Volunteers came out from all over to join the team from the Bennington Department of Public Works to reset the stones. From Vermont we had many people from Bennington including the immediate neighborhood, as well as people from Shaftsbury, Halifax, Pownal, Manchester, and more.

Folks from New York came as well, from Hoosick Falls, Schaghticoke, and Cohoes to name a few. The Bennington Police Department came out in force to help, as did members of the Buildings and Grounds Department, the Sewer Department, Town Staff, and the Town Clerks Office.

Special thanks to the VFW who came with an impressive number of volunteers and also generously provided grilled burgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks to the volunteers. A terrific effort and shout out to Dan McDermott and his large crew that worked tirelessly and came with their own skid steer to add to the heavy equipment on site.

We are grateful to the town of Halifax whose cemetery commissioners Gary Rand and Linda Swanson came loaded with equipment ready to go. A team including Tom Giffin and Kevin Peck and a number of additional members from the Vermont Old Cemetery Association (VOCA) was a tremendous help both in terms of muscle and a wealth of experience in gravestone restoration.

So many volunteers that it’s impossible to name them all… but please know how grateful we are to every one of you. THANK YOU!

The results were impressive… every unbroken stone that had been overturned has been set back up. In addition, many broken stones have been restored. And it was accomplished in record time… by noon the work was completed, and teams of volunteers continued to straighten and fix stones that were out of alignment or had been damaged in previous years.

A team from the Civi Air Patrol (CAP) brought youthful energy to the early afternoon under the eye of their Captain, Jonathan Mercer. The CAP worked hard re-setting stones and cleaning the faces of gravestones that had been hidden by decades of lichen buildup. “Some folks believe teenagers may have been to blame for this” notes Mercer. “It’s important for the community to see these teens are here because they want to help.”

Some stones that were badly broken remain and will be restored during a followup effort scheduled for next May. If you are interested in helping with that work, you can contact the Bennington Communications Coordinator at jspivak@benningtonvt.org.

Sometimes a terrible story can have a positive outcome. This senseless vandalism revealed something important… the resolve of people to stand up together and do the right thing when needed. We are humbled and grateful to the many people and groups who have stepped up to show their care and concern for this venerable historic cemetery.

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