Vermont’s Catholic church has filed for bankruptcy protection as it faces more than 30 lawsuits alleging child sex abuse by clergy decades ago, according to a filing in federal bankruptcy court.

Since 2006, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, the state’s only diocese, has settled 67 lawsuits for a total of $34 million, Bishop John McDermott said in the court filing on Monday. Twenty of those were settled after the Legislature in 2019 removed the statue of limitations on when a claim could be made and the diocese faces 31 more, according to McDermott’s affidavit.

A 2019 report released by the diocese found there were “credible and substantiated” allegations of the sexual abuse of minors against 40 priests in the state since 1950. All but one of those allegations occurred prior to 2000, and none of the priests was still in ministry, the report said. Most of the priests who were named in the report were dead.

To pay the settlements going back to 2006, the diocese, which has 63 parishes and currently employs approximately 54 people, has sold church property, received some insurance funds and more recently used its investments and operating funds, the affidavit states.

“Due to the lack of insurance coverage and the Diocese’s depleted assets, the Diocese is concerned that too large of a settlement with a select group of pending cases or a judgment in favor of a single plaintiff could leave the Diocese with insufficient assets to fairly compensate other survivors and creditors, resulting in a disproportionate allocation of the limited funds available to the Diocese,” according to the affidavit.

The Vermont diocese says the goals of the bankruptcy case is “to fairly and equitably fulfill the Diocese’s obligations to all survivors of sexual abuse.” It says the civil court litigation and claims have been costly and will likely increase with the number of claims it faces.

John Evers, a lawyer representing some of the plaintiffs, said Tuesday that he and other attorneys in the cases, look forward to getting more information about the church’s assets.

“We expect there will be a fair amount of litigation through the bankruptcy proceeding where efforts are made to try and get the full picture of what the assets are and not just what the diocese has said or has listed in their financial statements or has said otherwise publicly,” he said.

In addition to Vermont, 32 U.S. dioceses and three religious orders have filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the group BishopAccountability.org.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont and the rest of the country are in the midst of Drive Electric Week, a time to learn more about what it takes to go electric.

Whether it’s the grocery store, post office or public library, most people nowadays don’t bat an eye at electric vehicle charging stations because they are all around us. Still, experts say there’s a long road ahead to meet state EV goals.

Before a dotted line or even a test drive, many prospective EV drivers turn to Drive Electric Vermont’s David Roberts for advice.

“Will it work for me in winter? You know, is the range going to be enough? And generally, the answer is yes,” Roberts said.

He says more models fit for Vermont mud and snow seasons have hit the market in recent years, giving more drivers the EV green light.

“We’re seeing more availability,” he said. “So it’s great that more people are able to make the switch.”

According to Drive Electric Vermont, the state has more than 15,000 electric vehicles, a nearly 50% increase from 2023. Despite the jump, Patrick Murphy with VTrans says Vermonters will need to do more to meet the goals laid out in the state’s Climate Action Plan, which calls for 27,000 EVs by 2025 and 126,000 by 2030.

“We’re making good progress, but we’re still not there, and we know we have quite a bit to do,” said Murphy.

Murphy believes continued funding for popular state incentive programs is essential to meeting the state’s EV goals, but he estimates the $18 million appropriated in 2022 and meant to last until 2025 will dry up by the calendar year’s end. He says it’s a double-edged sword — Vermonters are opting into EVs but millions more are needed to keep up the momentum.

“Funding is needed to make sure that the transition to electric vehicles doesn’t leave anybody behind. Because we do know that these vehicles cost more on average, and a key piece of being able to make this affordable for Vermonters is providing these incentive programs,” said Murphy.

While the state looks for solutions, you can learn more about EVs this Drive Electric Week at an event on the Statehouse lawn on Wednesday and a ride and drive in Stowe next Tuesday.

Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.

WINOOSKI, Vt. (WCAX) – Top marks for a teacher in Winooski. Winooski high school teacher Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver is Vermont’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

The Vermont Agency of Education says the history and English teacher is also a reading specialist who creates responsive learning environments where students feel respected and valued.

She’s been at Winooski High for six years and has been a teacher for 14.

In addition to teaching, MacLeod-Bluver is an instructional coach and part-time lecturer at the University of Vermont.

Her role as teacher of the year will begin in January 2025.

Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.