Granite Chips June 22, 2011

Posted by Carolyn Dawes 
on Jun 22, 2011
 
 

We started with the usual song, pledge & grace.  Well, not so usual.  Though we started the song at a pretty lively pace, someone started clapping to make it go faster.  I was feeling especially ornery, so I went slower instead and finished a good measure or so behind everyone else.

 

Sue proposed a fine on President Claire at her (Claire’s, not Sue’s) last regular meeting as President.  Sue said the meeting started 5 minutes late.  PC paid.

 

Someone then proposed a fine on El Presidenté for NOT clapping to have us pick up the song pace, but leaving that responsibility to someone else.  Dick immediately amended the fine to include me for singing out of sync with the gang.  I said I was singing antiphonally, but paid the fine anyway.  I said I was opposed to the clap – that I find it rude.  Obie asked if I felt that way about all VD, or just the clap.  Thanks, Obie, for putting a smile back on my face.

 

P. Claire paid up for forgetting the secretary’s report throughout the year.  By her calculations, she paid $25.  I hope she included a dollar for today, because we had no secretary’s report.

 

Ron reminded everyone about our Rotary Breakfast on July 30th, and passed around the sign-up sheet.

 

Mario gave a Happy Dollar – he attended Monday’s Montpelier Rotary Club meeting to promote the car raffle and sold a couple tickets.  He encouraged everyone to keep selling.

 

After several minutes of eating and general conversation, Mario again rose, this time to propose a fine on Billy for eating two brownies before he (Mario) had a chance to eat one.  Billy’s defense (?) was he would gladly eat more, if they are available.  The find passed.

 

Michael preemptively paid a fine for wearing a shirt with the Times Argus logo on it.  He gave a Happy Dollar on behalf of the special flood section that ran in Friday’s paper, and passed out additional copies.

 

Judy gave a Happy Dollar for today’s CVHHH golf tournament, and the fact that the sun is shining.

 

President Claire said there are two Rotarians of the quarter:

  • Karl – for stepping up and giving a great program on his trip to Greece on a day when there was no speaker; and
  • George – for stepping up and covering the Granite Chips when I wasn’t available.  Claire said he took notes on the paper tablecloth.

 

Karen announced tonight’s Authors at the Aldrich writer – Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Powers, who’s most recent book is a biography of Mark Twain.

 

P. Claire made the following announcements/observations:

  • There was a piece on WCAX about a community that decorated pianos and placed them on the street for people to play.
  • The board is considering cleaning up Dente Park as a club project.  The park was impacted by the flood.
  • There is a news alert about a case of measles in the area.
  • Reminder about next week’s changeover dinner on Wednesday at 6:00 PM.

 

Joe introduced our speaker – Dr. Deb Richter.  Dr. Deb works in addition medicine and substance abuse services.  She talked about the recently passed legislative health care reform bill (Act 48):

  • The goal is affordable, high quality health care for all.
  • Vermont spends more on health care than the national average.
  • Most health care costs are fixed – overhead, administration are independent from “heads in beds”.
  • We have more technology that population needs, both in VT and the country.
  • There is no centralized health care system.
  • Most people are healthy – 20% of the population uses 80% of the care.
  • There is a need to look at what the population needs and put a system in place.  Heath care should be thought of as a public good.
  • Barre needs more money for drug rehab.
  • Federal legislation was passed that limits what the state can do until 2017.
  • Act 48 did the following:
    • Established Green Mountain Care Board to control health care cost growth – it will go into effect in October, 2011.
    • Will create the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange to reform insurance – goes into effect in 2014.
    • Will create Green Mountain Care – a single payer plan that goes into effect in 2017.
  • There is not enough primary care, prevention, home care & hospice.  The system will help identify where the gaps are and fill them.
  • Insurance companies will primarily be phased out or used for claims processing after 2017.
  • Creation of regional centers of excellence where the more expensive equipment will be located.
  • Health care should operate under more of a business approach, and should be available 24/7.

 

Sorry, the discussion was fascinating, but was running long and I had to get back to the office.  I left before the end of the program and missed who won the raffle.

 

Remember to RSVP for the changeover dinner!