News & Citizen

Mold Raises Questions

Wolcott School custodian Phil Cardinal exposes patches of mold beneath a rug in the sealed-off kitchen of the School Street Center. Cardinal easily sank his hammer into the floor underlayment. The type and extent of the mold problem is unknown. Noyes photo
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Big Budget Increase For Eden!
by Alicia Morissette
Many parts of the proposed Eden budgets have increased this year. Education costs have risen 15.15%, the selectboard fund has increased by $57,264.75 and the highway department has increased by $46,792.50.Like all other schools in the district, the cost of education has risen due to Special Education Services. The elementary school budget's Special Education costs alone have increased $110,640, making this year's Special Education total $348,923.
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Wolcott to Tackle Big Questions Town Meeting Day
by Amy Kolb Noyes
WOLCOTT - Only about a dozen interested citizens came out Monday evening, February 21, to hear the Wolcott School Board's presentation on the school bond vote set for Town Meeting Day. The school board is seeking to add 9,500 additional square feet to the school building, including six classrooms and a new library and administration/lobby area. The construction project is scaled back somewhat, but not significantly different from the project turned down by voters in October. Parking lot paving, estimated to cost $80,000, has been removed from the proposal. The school board has also pledged to trim back an additional $20,000 to $25,000 in unspecified areas of the $3.5 million project.
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Waterville Budget Up to Cover Education
by Alicia Morissette
Waterville's proposed budget for 2005 is one of the few budgets that has not had a dramatic increase. The few increases can be attributed to the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department (LCSD) budget and the school budget. Last year's general expenditures totaled $162,826.95, and this year's proposed budget is only $165,730.30, a difference of only $2,903.35. Of this increase, according to general expenditures in the town report, the LCSD communications budget accounts for $2,012.41.
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Monument, Playground Fodder for Town meeting Discussions
by Amy Kolb Noyes
HYDE PARK - A new playground and a veterans memorial will be among the topics discussed at Hyde Park's Town Meeting next Tuesday, March 1. Hyde Park voters will convene at the elementary school gymnasium at 9 a.m. The ballot box will also open at that time, and polls will remain open until 7 p.m.
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