"I urge the legislative conference committee to report out a compromise that is more closely aligned with the opportunities associated with a larger facility, which may in fact have more than 25 beds. But most importantly, I urge the committee to see this decision as one that affects all parts of a complex but essential system of services for all Vermonters."
"Since Brattleboro retreat is an IMD with more than 16 beds are they going to write their losses off as a capital loss or is the State going to pay for those beds annually?"
Fair question…
Senate votes 18-10 to build just a 16-bed state hospital. Also rejects amendment giving hiring priority at the private hospitals to displaced (now soon-to-be RIF’d) VSH caregivers.
VSEA will be letting folks know the roll call vote "yeas" and "nays" very soon. Thanks to all the VSH caregivers who came to the State House today and to the vigil tonight.
Day of activity at State House culminates in "Vigil for VSH Patients" outside the Pavilion Building, beginning at 5 p.m. All VSEA members are welcome to join the vigil!
"Jeb Spaulding, the secretary of the Agency of Administration, blamed the Vermont State Employees Association for the timing. He said the union wanted to ‘roil the waters and get concessions.’"
"He said the layoffs had nothing to do with the bill in the Senate. ‘The reason we were pushing bill was because the governor asked for it to be on his desk by Feb.17,’ Spaulding said."
So VSEA ensured its members were aware and that legislators knew all the facts, and somehow that makes us wrong? We prefer that it makes us transparent.