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Wolcott School
Revote
Greene Named Hometown’s Postmaster
Tragic
Accident Takes Lamoille Coach
Joe’s Pond
Preserved
Hyde Park
Sued for Fire Drill Frostbite
Rushford
to Retire |
Wolcott
School Revote
by Amy Kolb Noyes
The Wolcott School Board has set a date of Monday,
January 30, for a school bond reconsideration vote. A
citizen petition forced a revote on the school and library
renovation and addition $2 million bond.
The proposal lost by 14 votes on November 8. The
school board is required by state law to set a revote within
60 days of a petition being filed. The board expects to sign
a formal Warning later this week, according to Chair DJ Masi.
Greene Named Hometown’s Postmaster
by Amy Kolb Noyes
WOLCOTT – Wolcott native Joy Greene has officially been
installed as Postmaster to her hometown. She is now back in
charge of the very Post Office where she began her career
nearly 24 years ago.
Joy began working for the Wolcott Post Office in 1982
as Post Master Relief (PMR). She stayed there for two
decades before the United States Postal Service sent her to
Peacham to serve as Postmaster. Last May, Joy returned to
lead the Wolcott Post Office. She was installed as Wolcott’s
Postmaster at a ceremony held in Fairlee on Wednesday,
November 2.
“I’m glad to be back home,” Joy told the News &
Citizen. She added she likes the shorter commute, working
just four miles, or six minutes, from home. Joy also
commented, “I’ve enjoyed getting back with the people
here.”
Tragic Accident Takes Lamoille Coach
by Alicia Morissette
Lamoille Union High School Principal Sharon Fortune
stated, “A tragic accident took the life of Lamoille Union
High School’s beloved soccer coach, Dean Labrie, in the
early morning hours. A resident of Cambridge, Dean served as
the Girls’ Varsity soccer coach at Lamoille Union for seven
years, winning two state titles.
“Dean was a warm and caring coach, who had a wonderful
sense of humor. He was an excellent musician playing with
local bands. We are eternally grateful for his many and
varied contributions to Lamoille Union and his community. He
will be missed by all who were blessed by his presence.”
According to a press release from the Vermont State Police (VSP),
Dean Labrie was near the 1829 antique barn [close to his
home] on Tuesday, December 20, around 1:30 a.m. when he
“crossed the center line and hit the guardrails on the north
side” of Route 15.
Then Labrie’s Volkswagen Passat station wagon
reportedly spun sideways in front of VSP Sergeant Joseph
Paquette’s Ford Crown Victoria and the two vehicles
collided.
Labrie was pronounced dead at the scene, and Paquette
was taken to the Northwest Medical Center in St Albans to be
treated for lacerations and bruises. Cambridge and Johnson
rescue squads and the Cambridge Fire Department responded.
The accident closed Route 15 for five hours and traffic
was rerouted. An investigation is ongoing and involves VSP
troopers and detectives from the Lamoille and Williston
offices.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has information
that could assist the investigation is urged to call
Lieutenant Alan Buck at 878-7111.
Joe’s Pond Preserved
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISTOWN – Joe’s Pond, near the Morristown/Stowe line, has
been in Ron Stancliff’s family for generations. Now, the
land has been forever preserved through the Stowe Land Trust
(SLT). This marks the first time SLT has worked with a
landowner to preserve a property outside of Stowe.
The 32-acre parcel includes the pond, a state-designated
Class 2 wetland, meadow and woodlands. The property can be
accessed by foot via Stancliff Road. SLT Executive Director
Heather Furman said SLT will mark the access in the coming
months.
Stancliff first approached the Morristown Conservation
Commission (MCC) about conserving the property, which was
once part of his parents’ farm. MCC, in turn, proposed the
project to the SLT Board and a site walk of the property was
conducted last spring. Stancliff agreed to donate a
conservation easement to SLT, which will ensure the property
is protected from development. The process culminated in a
closing Tuesday, December 20.
“It’s exciting because it represents a nice partnership
between and among a private landowner, Stowe Land Trust and
the Morristown Conservation Commission,” Furman commented.
She said of Stancliff, “he recognizes the long term nature
of seeing things protected.
This is actually the second parcel Stancliff has preserved
through the Stowe Land Trust. Stancliff worked with SLT to
preserve a 10-acre parcel bordering the Sterling Town
Forest, in Stowe, that includes his family deer camp.
“It is with great pleasure that my wife and I have
worked with the Stowe Land Trust to protect Joe’s Pond from
future development,” Stancliff commented. “I have fond
memories of my father and uncle, Raymond Chaffee, enjoying
an evening of bullpout fishing. I have hunted this area for
grouse, rabbits and waterfowl and formed an attachment and
respect for keeping land open to all.
“We dedicate this parcel to the memory of my
Grandparents, Arthur and Emma Stancliff, and parents
Laurence and Doris Stancliff, who farmed here as a
livelihood.”
The property has never been posted and Stancliff said he is
happy it will continue to be open for anyone to fish, hunt,
canoe and otherwise enjoy.
“For me, it was memories of my past
and I want to preserve it so it won’t be developed,” said
Stancliff. He encouraged other landowners to work with
organizations such as MCC and SLT in order to retain some of
Morristown’s open lands.
“The Morristown Conservation Commission was pleased to
be part of this effort,” stated MCC co-chair Steve Rae.
“Early on in the process...Ron Stancliff let us know of his
interest in conserving this area. We met with the Stowe Land
Trust at Joe’s Pond to access its potential. It will be the
first case of the Stowe Land Trust implementing a new policy
of working with landowners in areas bordering Stowe to help
with conservation efforts.”
While Furman recognized the importance of preserving
public access to the property, she said SLT was primarily
interested in conserving the land’s unique ecology. She
commented, “The main purpose of this project is to protect
those ecological values.”
SLT is a private nonprofit organization. Furman said
the organization is looking to branch out and help conserve
properties in communities around Stowe. The Joe’s Pond
property is SLT’s 23rd conservation project in the
organization’s 17-year history.
Hyde Park Sued for Fire Drill
Frostbite
by Amy Kolb Noyes
HYDE PARK – The Hyde Elementary School and the Town of Hyde
Park were served as codefendants in a lawsuit to be heard at
Lamoille County Superior Court on Tuesday, December 20. HPES
student Erika Tallman and her father, Randall Tallman, are
suing to collect punitive damages, lost wages and medical
expenses resulting from a case of frostbite then-fourth
grader Erika suffered during a fire drill last January.
According to court documents, the Tallmans accused HPES
of being “...negligent in providing for the safety and well
being...” and “...recklessly indifferent to the safety and
wellbeing...” of Erika Tallman. The legal complaint further
states, “It is more likely than not that Plaintiff Erika
Tallman will suffer future pain and anguish as a result of
the Hyde Park Elementary School’s negligence and reckless
indifference to the safety and well being of the Plaintiff,
Erika Tallman.”
The document establishes Erika was “...wearing slippers
without socks, as was the general practice in her classroom
and allowed by her teacher. Erika Tallman was forced to
stand in freezing, slushy water for the duration of the fire
drill, despite having told her teacher that her feet were
cold and hurting.” As a result, the lawsuit alleges, Erika
suffered frostbite on her feet.
Punitive damages are being sought because, the complaint
alleges, Erika’s teacher refused to allow her to go inside
the school building, despite her repeated requests.
Randall Tallman could not be reached for comment
before press time. HPES Principal Ilene Levitt did not wish
to comment on the case. The News & Citizen called HPES
School Board Chair Kalee Roberts who was out-of-state on
Tuesday, and not aware of the lawsuit.
Although she had not seen the lawsuit, Roberts said she was
aware of “an incident that occurred during a fire drill that
resulted in some injury.” Roberts confirmed the incident had
come before the school board and, as far as she was aware, a
claim had been submitted to the school’s insurance carriers.
She said if the Tallmans were not satisfied with an offer
made by the insurance company, their next recourse would be
to file suit.
“It’s part of a process,” Roberts commented.
She noted, “It’s an insurable claim and it will get
resolved.” Roberts added the school is duty-bound to hold
fire drills.
Rushford to Retire
by Amy Kolb Noyes
HYDE PARK – Hyde Park Postmaster Gary Rushford will enter
into retirement at the start of 2006. He told the News &
Citizen he plans to fill his days “playing and
volunteering.” Rushford likes to drive, and thus serves as a
volunteer driver locally for Meals on Wheels and Rural
Community Transportation (RCT). He also spends one day a
week driving a van for disabled veterans down to the V.A.
Hospital in White River Junction.
As for playing, Rushford will spend a little more time
driving his 1962 Chevy Impala and he said he will also add a
few more hobbies to his repertoire.
“I have never had the opportunity to snowmobile. I’m going
to do some of that this winter,” said Rushford. He added, “I
have never had the time to golf, so I’m going to do that
this summer.”
In order to fund these new activities, Rushford quipped his
wife, Linda, will continue to work.
Gary has written a letter, which follows, to bid
farewell to his customers in Hyde Park. He told the News &
Citizen he will also miss his many business customers from
the north end of Morristown, who chose to use the Hyde Park
Post Office.
To the people of Hyde Park Rushford wrote:
“On December 31 I will retire as Postmaster of the Hyde Park
Post Office. This is the most difficult career decision I
have faced, one I have anguished over for many months. The
opportunity to return to my hometown and serve as the
Postmaster has been a dream come true.
“My Postal career began when George Babcock, Rural Carrier in
Morrisville, asked if I would be his substitute carrier. I
was hired December 24, 1983 as a Rural Carrier Relief. In
October 1987, I was appointed Regular Rural Carrier in
Graniteville. Since then, I have served as Officer-in-Charge
in Albany, Chelsea, Waterbury Center, and Hyde Park. I was
appointed Postmaster of Hyde Park January 24, 1994.
“I have been blessed to work with some of the finest
employees in the Postal Service today, ‘the best of the
best,’ making my decision to retire even more difficult. I
have encouraged all employees to strive to advance in their
career, and several employees have accepted the challenge
and are managers or postmasters. The opportunities have
never been greater, and I wish all employees the best of
luck in reaching their career goals.
“Many changes have taken place over the years but there
is one constant, the customer. When I returned to Hyde Park
as Postmaster in 1993 I was surprised to find that I no
longer knew everyone in town. I thought that getting to know
everyone would be one of my greatest challenges, but I was
proven wrong. My job was made easier from day one because of
the friendliness of the Hyde Park customers. Everyone made a
point of coming in to welcome me, introduce themselves, and
wish me well in my new job. What I will miss most in
retirement is you, my friend and customer. You are the
greatest.
“As I reflect on my decision to retire, it
becomes obvious why it was so difficult to make. I will miss
my employees, I will miss my customers, and I will miss the
challenges of the job. The opportunity to serve you has been
a remarkable experience. Thank you for the memories.”
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