MORRISVILLE – Voters in the Village of
Morrisville approved nearly $13.3 million in spending articles by Australian
ballot Monday, April 9. Morrisville Water & Light ratepayers will foot the
tab for the projects and refinancing items. MW&L hopes to secure USDA Rural
Development grants for up to 45% of sewer and water projects.
Only 13% of Village voters cast ballots on the
initiatives, with 145 voters visiting the polls and 13 people voting by
absentee ballot. The first article asked to expend up to $6.8 million on
improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, and to install water meters for
all water customers. Article1 passed 84 to 61. MW&L hopes to secure $3.06
million in Rural Development funds for that project.
Articles 2, 4 and 5 sought to refinance into
long-term bonds monies previously approved by voters, as well as finance some
new projects. Article 2 sought to bond for $973,000 in wastewater collection
and pumping improvement projects. It passed 93 to 52. Article 4 was for $1.33
million in past and future improvements to the water plant’s distribution
lines, and passed 85 to 60. Article 5 seeks to bond for $2.625 million in past
and future electric plant improvements. Article 5 passed 84 to 61.
Article 3 sought funding for a new project – a
$1.55 million reservoir replacement and pressure zone in the Elmore Street
area. MW&L has applied for $698,000 in Rural Development money for that
project. While that article also passed, the vote was slightly closer with 75
in favor and 67 against. At last week’s informational meeting, several people
raised concerns over a perceived connection between the Elmore Street project
and the Pope Meadow duplex subdivision proposed for that area. MW&L
Superintendent Craig Myotte told the News
& Citizen the projects were completely unrelated.
Now that the voting is complete, Myotte said the
next steps will involve scheduling the various projects and waiting to hear on
the Rural Development grant. The grant decision has already been delayed, but
Myotte said he expects to have a final determination soon.
“I’m still optimistic we’re going to hear within
the next month or so,” said Myotte.
Twenty-three Village voters, or a mere two
percent, participated in Morrisville’s Annual Village Meeting Monday evening,
April 9. Because the major project and funding issues were decided by
Australian ballot, the Village budget was the only spending item considered at
the meeting. From the floor, voters approved a $12,020 general government budget,
of which $10,716 will be raised by taxes, according to Village Clerk and
Treasurer Mary Ann Wilson.
Also at Village Meeting, Trustee Chairman Andy
Jensvold was thanked for his 16 years of service to the Village as he stepped
down from his post. Jensvold was not out of service for long, however, as he
was soon elected a Village Auditor. Keith Thompson, who ran unopposed, was
elected to fill the vacant five-year term on the Village Board of Trustees.
“I’m really impressed with the people in the
community who come out and participate in the process,” Myotte said after
participating in his first Morrisville Village Meeting. He said he was
impressed with the questions asked from the floor, and said he would like to
see more people engaged in the process.
WOLCOTT
– A petition handed in to the Wolcott Selectboard last week prompted the board
to schedule a special meeting to reconsider a Town Meeting Day decision not to
pay for road patrol from the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department in the next
fiscal year, which starts July 1. While they are at it, the selectboard decided
to add a couple other articles to consider at the special meeting, scheduled
for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at the Wolcott Town Hall.
Selectboard
Chair Fred Martin explained the school district has deeded the old School
Street school building over to the town. The selectboard is asking voters to
approve borrowing up to $150,000 to renovate the old school into new town
offices. To help fund the project, the board is also seeking voter approval to
sell the current Town Clerk’s Office building and a landlocked 8.3 acre parcel
owned by the Town near the Craftsbury line, known as the Gore land. Martin said
all articles will be considered from the floor of the Special Town Meeting.
Martin
noted the town began interior demolition at the old school building this week.
Over the next four or five weeks a crew from the St. Johnsbury Correctional
Center work camp is gutting the interior down to the studs, stripping the roof
and weatherproofing the old school building. Martin said the Town already has
money set aside to pay for the work being done now.
Town
Constable Bob Bovat has been helping oversee the 10-man prison work crew. He
said all walls, doors, windows, drop ceilings, light fixtures, pine paneling,
copper piping, bathroom fixtures and
heaters are coming out of the building. Bovat said the salvage from the project
will be reused in the new building, go to other town departments, or be sold at
a public flea market to be held when the demo job is complete. He specifically
noted the fire department is interested in some of the old school’s heaters and
the fire and security systems will go to the Town Garage and Fire Department
building.
Bovat
said the Town has leased the oldest part of the building, the original school
building, to the Wolcott Historical Society. A portion of the connector between
the original building and newer classrooms will be removed, creating two
separate buildings. The newer portion of the building, closest to the parking
lot, is what the town would like to use for town offices and meeting space.
As
for the Sheriff’s Department budget revote, Constable Bovat handed in petitions
containing nearly double the 50 signatures needed to reconsider the Town
Meeting action not to pay $126,435 for the LCSD patrol budget. Bovat commented
he needs the support of LCSD road patrol in town.
At
Town Meeting, Chairman Martin said an informational meeting would be held before
any reconsideration, to discuss the Town’s options. This week Martin said there
really are no new options to share in advance of the vote. He said other police
departments such as Morristown and Hardwick are not interested in offering
police coverage to Wolcott.
“There’s
really no information,” said Martin. “Essentially, either you have State Police
[emergency only] services or you pay the Sheriff’s Department for enhanced
services.” Martin added the selectboard will answer questions from the floor at
the special meeting, but commented, “It’s pretty cut and dry.”
If
the Sheriff’s budget reconsideration is not approved, Wolcott voters will then
be asked to amend the Town Budget by $8,500 to cover lost revenue from traffic
fines.
HYDE PARK – Students at Hyde Park Elementary
School have a full schedule of events planned this week, in celebration of
“Read Across America” and “Turn Off the T.V. Week.” First graders kicked off
the week with a greeting and a Rock ‘N Read Rap at a school-wide morning
meeting Monday, April 9. Throughout the week, students, staff, faculty and
community members will be taking their turns with a good book in the school
library’s “best seat in the house” rocking chair, donated for the event by
Buck’s Furniture. The school aims to have the chair occupied throughout the
school day, all week long.
In addition to participating in the rocking chair
relay, students are encouraged to forego the television for at least three days.
The school is rewarding these healthy behaviors with chances to win free books
from the school book fair that is going on throughout the week.
Other Rock ‘N Read activities are designed to
help kids get out of the house and away from the television. They include a
Family Game Night at the school on Tuesday and a Book Fair Open House and Ice
Cream Social Thursday evening. During the school day on Wednesday, community
guest readers are visiting each classroom. The week wraps up on Friday with a
closing celebration, including a special story time and the drawing for free
books!
Very Literate Month
Meanwhile, some of those HPES students are
welcome to visit the Morristown Centennial Library. In Morrisville this month
is Amnesty Month – the month when anyone who has found a LONG overdue book may
bring it back and pay no fine! Of course, visitors may wonder exactly what is
going on if they visit this Thursday between 3:30 and 3:45 p.m. Those 15
minutes have been declared “Drop Everything and Read Time.” Everyone will be
reading, you won’t even be able to check out a book! This month is also National Poetry Month and
the library has a display of poetry books. Then, don’t forget! next week is
National Library Week.
For
years they paced the sidelines trying to outwit each other, but now Don Messier
and Bob Rowe can be found alongside each other in the Vermont Basketball
Coaches Hall of Fame.
Messier
began his 30 year coaching career in North Stratford, but became Lamoille
Union’s first boys basketball coach, and remained their only coach until his
retirement in 1992. Twice during the ‘80s his teams made it to the state
championship game. The common thread to the two teams were the two talented
Stephens brothers, Boder and Andrew. Both were centers on Messier’s state
runner-up teams.
Rowe
coached from 1969 to 1997 at Peoples Academy and his teams made three
appearances in the championship game, winning it all in 1987.
Coincidentally,
it wasn’t just coaching in Lamoille County that Messier and Rowe had in common,
both are credited with 340 career wins.
Florida Man Faces 14 Charges
by Mickey Smith
HYDE PARK – A
Florida man, who the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department says has only been in
the area for about a week, is facing up to 106 years in prison based on 14
counts stemming from a series of burglaries in the Hyde Park and Johnson area.
Galvaston Rocky
Witherspoon, 21, has been charged in connection with break-ins, thefts, and
vandalism at four Hyde Park homes and one Johnson residence. The 14 counts
include 11 felonies, and could send Witherspoon to prison for up to 106 years.
The investigation
began on April 3, as the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department learned of the
break-ins, which included a common theme of items stolen. This included
jewelry, stereo equipment, cash, antique coins, liquor, and DVD equipment.
Another common thread was random damage, including smashing windows and dishes.
The following
night, Vermont State Police Sergeant Joe Paquette was checking out an abandoned
green 1998 Subaru Forester, which was located off Route 12 in Elmore. While investigating the vehicle, Sgt.
Paquette noticed footprints leading from the car down a bank to some
trees. At the base of those trees he
found a yellow pillowcase with jewelry and jewelry boxes, items that were later
positively identified as having been stolen in the string of burglaries.
The vehicle was
registered to an Ann Marie Licari, who was later found to be out-of-state. Her home and vehicle were left in the care of
her niece, Angela Layow, and her niece’s boyfriend, Eric Bua. Through the
investigation, Bua’s real name was discovered to be Galvaston Witherspoon. This
information did not come out until he had been in custody at the Sheriff’s
Department for about a half hour.
A search warrant
was conducted at the Licari home, Simmonds Mill Road, Elmore, and according to
LCSD Detective Darin Barber’s affidavit Layow and Witherspoon gave sworn
statements implicating two other men as the burglars. Witherspoon alleged he
picked up Kyle Kizer and Gene Mead, as they were walking down the road with the
pillowcase. He alleged they ran out of gas and he told the two of them to ditch
the pillowcase.
Based on this
information, Barber said, in his affidavit, he and other members of the
Sheriff’s Department went to the home where Mead and Kizer were known to be
residing. Barber alleged they were given permission to search the home, and
found numerous stolen items, which were later identified by their owners.
Kizer and Mead
were simultaneously interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department; Kizer by Detective
Barber and Mead by Chief Deputy Eben Merrill. According to the affidavit, both
gave the same account of the burglaries. They alleged Witherspoon was the “main
actor” in the crimes and was the one responsible for gaining entry by breaking
down the doors and smashing windows and other unnecessary damage. Both also
alleged Witherspoon told them “this is how we do it in Florida.”
Through the
course of the investigation it was learned there is an active warrant out for
Witherspoon in Dade County, FL, for burglary and Grand Theft Auto.
Witherspoon was
charged with five counts of felony burglary, each carrying a one to five year
sentence; four counts of felony unlawful mischief, carrying up to five years in
jail; two counts of petit larceny (a misdemeanor) punishable by up to one year
in jail; one count of felony grand larceny punishable up to 10 years in jail,
one count of unlawful mischief (a misdemeanor) with a penalty of up to six
months; and one count of providing false information to a police officer,
carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail.
Witherspoon’s
court record shows four and a half pages of prior problems with the law in
Florida. His priors include vehicle theft, burglary, larceny, and cocaine
possession.
Sheriff Roger
Marcoux said while in court for his arraignment Witherspoon fell backwards when
it was stated he was facing 106 years in prison.
Sheriff Marcoux
said at that point Judge Dennis Pearson decided he had, had enough with
Witherspoon and asked Marcoux to take him into custody.
Witherspoon was
held after not being able to produce a $50,000 security bond. If he makes bail,
he has been ordered by the court to check in daily at the Lamoille County
Sheriff’s Department and remain living in Lamoille County. He would also be
under a 24 hour curfew.
Chief Deputy
Merrill said Mead and Kizer have been cited to appear in court next Monday,
April 16. He said they are facing similar charges to those Witherspoon is
facing.
MORRISVILLE – You may have noticed the blue and
silver “Volunteer Van” that has been parked at Morrisville Plaza in front of TD
Banknorth for the past couple weeks. The van belongs to a new program that enables
volunteers to help otherwise homebound folks get around. The van provided its
first ride this Monday, April 9. Working with Lamoille Home Health &
Hospice and the HASS program, RSVP volunteer Peg Forest picked up residents
from St. John’s Knoll, in Johnson, and brought them to Morrisville for
shopping.
RSVP’s new Volunteer Ride Program – LiveVT
(Locally Inspired Volunteers Empowering Vermont Transportation) – is a
grassroots partnership of local nonprofit organizations and businesses working
to address unmet elderly transportation needs by utilizing volunteer drivers in
donated cars. LiveVT is a collaboration between RSVP and Rural Community
Transportation (RCT), with help from partners Community Action Motors, in
Barre; Central Vermont Council on Aging; Lamoille Home Health & Hospice;
Green Mountain Technology and Career Center; NAPA Auto Parts and the United Way
of Lamoille County. With seed money by the Richard E. and Deborah L.
Tarrant Foundation all these folks are on the way to building a volunteer ride
network in Lamoille County with RSVP Volunteers.
Lamoille County RSVP coordinator Dan Noyes
initiated the program. Noyes commented, “This initiative strengthens the
ability of seniors to continue to age in place by providing access to services,
medical aid, education and volunteer opportunities. Rural communities are
dependent on access to transportation, whether public or private. This poses
challenges for some older adults as their ability to drive safely
diminishes. In most cases, the loss of the ability to operate a vehicle is
not a reason for moving out of their home and into an assisted living facility,
so long as basic transportation needs can be met.”
Transportation for the elderly has long been
identified as a local need. A 2002 United Way of Lamoille County Community
Needs Assessment identified transportation for the elderly as an issue of
concern. That document directed the local United Way Board to identify
programs that will address this issue. The Vermont State Plan on Aging
identifies as its number one goal to “enhance the ability of Vermont elders to
live as independently as possible, actively participating in and contributing
to their communities…” The state plan goes on to outline numerous
transportation shortfalls and problems with the direction of transportation in
local communities. Noyes said LiveVT directly addresses these issues.
“Sound transportation investment is the backbone
of the local economy, with elderly transportation being one of the most complex
issues,” Noyes stated. “The rural nature of Lamoille County proves to be
problematic when addressing these transportation needs, as fixed route
transportation will not meet the basic needs of this community.”
The 1990 GMC Sierra mini van was donated by
Community Action Motors, in Barre, to RCT. The van, apart from a couple
of small dents, is in great condition and has just over 50,000 miles. It
has a heavy diamond plate step to make access through its side door a bit
easier. Once the van was registered and insured it made its way to the
Green Mountain Technical and Career Center, in Hyde Park, where it underwent a
bit of preventative maintenance. Weather-stripping around the doors was
re-attached and the van was given the green light for service.
While the Volunteer Van hit the road this week,
more volunteers will be needed if the program is to be successful. If you are a
safe, conscientious driver with a clean driving record (who isn’t afraid of a
little snow), consider volunteering to give people rides to the store, appointments
and volunteer opportunities! For more information, to volunteer or to donate a
car please contact Dan Noyes at RSVP, 888-2190 or dan@volunteervt.com.
Eden to Revote
School School Budget Thursday
by Mickey Smith
EDEN – Eden
voters will take a second look at the town’s school budget on Thursday night,
April 12, at 7 p.m.
After the school budget was defeated at Town Meeting, the
school directors went back to the drawing board and cut $17,334 from the
budget. A revised budget of $2,338,194
has been presented. Lamoille North Superintendent Dr. Terry Bailey said the
money represents non-salary areas, largely supplies and services
Bypass, Bridges,
& Hogback Road Top County Plans
by Mickey Smith
The annual
transportation budget has been released by the House and Lamoille County
appears destined to begin some long anticipated projects. Included in the proposal is a doubling of the
funding for right-of-ways linked to the Morristown Alternate Truck Route, the
re-decking of the “Wrong Way Bridge” in Cambridge, and the replacement of the
Main Street Bridge in Johnson.
For Johnson, this
will be phase two of a three-phase plan to upgrade the bridges in the Village.
Last year, the Railroad Street Bridge was replaced, and next up will be the
Pearl Street Bridge.
Cambridge
Representative Rich Westman, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, has
also made sure $160,000 was included for work on the Hogback Road. He said the money will be split almost 50-50
between the two towns, as they each deal with resurfacing their approximately
three mile segments of the road. Federal
funds have been earmarked for the project, but state regulations greatly
increased the cost of the project leaving the towns to foot the bill.
The doubling of
funds for the alternate truck route (bypass) in Morristown will cut in half the
amount of time needed to obtain the right-of-ways, which will allow the project
to start two years earlier – keeping it in time to use federal funds earmarked
for the project. Westman said he has
also included the replacement of the Bridge Street Bridge into this project, as
the long wait in getting the bypass going has caused increased deterioration to
that bridge.
A paving project
is also slated to be starting this summer, Rep. Westman said the Belvidere
Corners segment of Route 118 will be started this summer.
Lamoille County
Planning Commission Assistant Director David Pelletier said the projects are
ranked for importance by both his office and the state. With those receiving a
higher ranking getting first priority. The ROW’s for the bypass are first among
10 such projects in the state, and Main Street Bridge in Johnson is fourth among
55 bridge replacement projects around the state.
A project to plan
and construct a new sidewalk on Route 100 south of Morrisville village is
ranked 25th out of 29 projects by the state, so this may not start
this year. But, Pelletier said, once a project is on the books it has a good
chance of staying until completion.
Bousquet Chosen
to Lead Chamber
by Mickey Smith
MORRISTOWN –
Local real estate agent and Morristown Selectman Stephen Bousquet has been
selected as the new executive director of the Lamoille Valley Chamber of
Commerce.
Bousquet looks
forward to putting his knowledge from both the corporate world and from owning
his own small business to work in his new role at the chamber.
“Having
experience as both a small business owner (Stephen Bousquet Real Estate), and
as a Field Facilities Director and Audio-Video Producer for National Life of
Vermont, we are looking forward to Steve bringing a fresh level of expertise
and vision to the LVCC,” stated LVCC Board Chair Deb Partlow, in a press
release announcing Bousquet’s hiring.
The new job
coincides with Bousquet’s decision to retire from the real estate field. He said he plans to wrap up his remaining
projects, as he does not want to change horses in midstream.
For Bousquet the
new job is another way he feels he can give back to the community – something
instilled in him through his family.
Bousquet hopes to work closely with the Lamoille County Planning
Commission and the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation to help improve
the economic health of the region.
Economic development has long been an interest of Bousquet’s. He was a founding member of MACC (Morristown
Alliance for Culture and Commerce) and serves as their economic development
chair.
“There is so much
potential for businesses and the community here,” stated Bousquet. “My new job
with the LVCC will be to focus energies on making our business and community
relationships more effective, as well as to grow our membership by providing
more benefits for the Lamoille Valley and its communities. This new position
will allow me to help create those opportunities.”
“With our future
goals of increasing public awareness of the good work the chamber does, the
incredible opportunities for synergies between the LVCC and business
organizations, and the linking up with peer organizations in the community, we
sought an individual who knows the area and is both motivated and
organized. We are very pleased that
Steve is on board,” said Partlow.
Bousquet lives in
Morrisville, with his wife Kathy, and their two children.
Things Look This Way to Me
Editorial by J.B. McKinley 4/12/07
Governor Chats
Governor
Jim Douglas dropped in at the News &
Citizen office for a long talk Monday after he’d been down at the Boyden
Farm awarding grants. He arrived without a retinue and seemed disposed to chat
rather than to harangue me with his agenda. Of course, your editor had a few
questions.
He
said he is committed to his stance on affordability, i.e. concerning taxes,
higher education and education costs, housing, and more. He mentioned the lack
of funding for the Vermont Promise scholarships as one reason he vetoed the
budget add-on bill recently.
He
said he felt the proper tack to take on many of these issues was to find ways
through incentives – not disincentives like new taxes. He felt this was a major
disagreement between himself and the majority of the Legislature. “I’m for the
carrot,” Douglas grinned.
The
Governor said he is concerned about the “disconnect” between our so-called
citizens’ Legislature and the people. He’s hearing about genuine concerns over
high taxes, the high cost of college educations, the inability to buy a home
and at the same time, he asked, the Legislature has tentatively brought up the
idea of five new taxes?
However,
though we discussed a number of issues such as wind generation, energy tax
credits, class size, student/teacher ratios, global warming, one theme subtlety
underlined our whole conversation. I emphasize that this strictly my reading of
the Governor. I felt that he was unhappy with the Legislature’s work ethic. He
mentioned a recent Free Press article that interviewed several young
legislative pages, who basically said lots of legislators were arriving late
and leaving early. In his way, he wryly
noted the pages seemed very candid. He did not say they were wrong. The
legislators “... really need to dedicate their full energy to improve the lives
of their constituents,” admonished Governor Douglas. He recalled arriving at
the State House at 7:30 a.m., ready to roll with the day’s business as being the
way things were done a few years ago.
In
retrospect I guess that was my chance to ask when our Reps. and Sen. arrive,
but I wasn’t that quick, nor do I think Douglas is suggesting a time clock be
installed at the State House. But, I now know that our Governor is questioning
the work ethic of this Legislature’s participants and that’s one aspect of the
Governor himself I don’t believe anyone can question.
So
here’s the way I see it; most of us have been around long enough not to expect
to get all the government we pay for, nor do we expect the government to get it
right. But we should expect everyone involved, starting at the top, to take
their jobs seriously and remember for whom they are working.
Thanks
for the insider snapshot, Governor.