Identifying Ancient Roads
by Amy Kolb Noyes
Just what is an “ancient road” and why are Vermont towns pouring over old records to identify former byways? The short answer to those questions is that a state law passed last year, Act 178, mandates towns identify and classify old, unused roads, or let them fade into permanent obscurity. The long answer is quite a bit more complicated. As such, this will be the first in a series of articles on ancient roads in Lamoille County.
Act 178 is a legislative attempt to forestall litigation and other problems caused by the existence of old, and sometimes forgotten, roads that have never been formally thrown up by a municipality. As Vermont’s population expands, homes are being constructed in more out-of-the-way places. Long-forgotten, but not formally abandoned, Class 4 highways once accessed these places. In recent years, conflicts have arisen over the status of these “ancient” roads. In some cases, landowners wish to have the town reassume responsibility for such roads. In other cases structures have been built within the rights-of-way of forgotten roads.
Act 178, passed a year ago, directs municipalities to identify ancient roads and either officially give them up or add them to the town’s highway map as a Class 4 road, or trail. Towns have until 2009 to discontinue or add to the highway map filed with the Vermont Agency of Transportation any existing Class 4 roads that are “not otherwise clearly observable by physical evidence of their use.” Ancient roads not officially discontinued or included on the highway map will automatically be classified as “unidentified corridors.” All unidentified corridors in the state will automatically be discontinued, under Act 178, on July 1, 2015.
“Basically, the clock started ticking when that legislation passed,” explained Lamoille County Planning Commission Assistant Director Dave Pelletier.
There often is no clear paper trail pertaining to old roads that may have been formally thrown up by a town. Because selectboards are in charge of town roads, there may be no more of a record than a mention in selectboard meeting minutes when a road was discontinued.
“The research is a massive task for a lot of these roads,” said Pelletier.
To help towns through the process, this year the state issued $100,000 in grants to identify ancient roads. However, 68 towns submitted grant requests totaling $323,800. In Lamoille County, only Belvidere and Morrisville were issued grant funds. Belvidere received $3,325 and Morristown was awarded $5,000.
Johnathan Croft, of the VTrans Mapping Unit, sent a survey to towns over the winter to gauge how the ancient roads identification process is proceeding. Croft concluded most towns reported needing more time and money to get the job done right. “…The full ramifications of Act 178 are not clear, mostly due to the legislation being newly enacted and municipalities needing time to learn the nuances of the Act and prepare for any work that will be undertaken,” Croft stated in his report summary. “It is apparent that there are differences between municipalities and their approaches to the issue, but there are also many commonalities including need for funding and additional time. In another year, more information will be available to better assess Act 178 and additional recommendations will take form to make the Act more effective.”
Throughout the summer, the News & Citizen will be examining how towns in Lamoille County are approaching the ancient roads project and meeting the requirements of Act 178.
Pope Meadow Decision Expected
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Neighbors have turned out in force to oppose a duplex development proposed for the Greaves field, along Elmore Street, just inside the Morrisville Village line. The Morristown Development Review Board concluded taking testimony on Virtual Realty’s subdivision application last week. According to Zoning Administrator Mark Leonard, the DRB will meet in deliberative session following a site walk on the property on Thursday evening, May 3. Leonard expects the board will make a decision on the application at that time.
Virtual Realty’s Scott Mansfield is planning the 44-unit “Pope Meadow” subdivision. Plans call for the nine acre field to be divided into 22 lots, with a duplex to be constructed on each lot.
Hyde Park Budget Vote Saturday
by Mickey Smith
HYDE PARK – Voters in Hyde Park are reminded the town’s school budget re-vote will be held this Saturday, May 5, at 9 a.m. at the Hyde Park Elementary School gymnasium.
The original budget proposed by the school board was defeated at Town Meeting. Since that time, the school board learned of some new students, with special needs, prompting the board to add about $150,000 to the budget. This represents re-including a teaching position, which the elimination of would have created a single 26 student fourth grade classroom next year. This will give Hyde Park Elementary two teachers in every grade.
A budget of $2,948,307 has been proposed for the registered voters to consider. An information meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m., also in the gym. Copies of the school budget proposal are available at the school front desk
Eden Still Looking for School Budget Answers
by Mickey Smith
EDEN – Around 20 voters turned out for a meeting, Monday, April 30, in the Eden Central School gym to discuss the next step in trying to get a budget passed for the town’s school system.
No decisions were made, but residents were able to ask questions about everything from the need for so many paraprofessionals to the possibility of more deficit spending this year.
The board will be taking up the budget process at their next regularly scheduled board meeting, May 7. The public is invited to attend to help the board come up with a budget that will meet with voter approval.
Former school board member Bruce Burnor suggested the school board look for areas where positions might be able to be combined. He said though there is very little in the budget where the school board has any control any more, he suggested that might be an area where they could show the taxpayers a willingness to try to save money.
“This town is terribly divided on a lot of issues, and this is just one more,” said Burnor.
“We can’t dig into our pockets any deeper, taxpayers are already at the bottom of their pockets,” he added.
“We are trying to watch every dollar we can, it comes out of my pocket, too,” said board chair Patrick Cray.
Eden has scheduled a third school budget vote for Saturday, June 2, at 9 a.m.
If a school budget is not passed by June 30, the school board can borrow 87% of the current budget for operation of the school next year. The big problem comes with the “prebates” which cannot be figured without an approved budget.
Lamoille County Green
by Amy Kolb Noyes
Coordinators across Lamoille County are gearing up for Green Up Day on Saturday, May 5. Here’s a rundown of what’s going on in your town:
Belvidere – Pick up your Green Up bags at Tallman’s Store. Full bags can be left by the side of Route 109 and someone will come and fetch them!
Cambridge – Green Up bags are available at Cambridge Village Market; Hanley's Store, in Jeffersonville, and the Town Clerk’s Office. There are sign up sheets and volunteers are asked to write down where they plan to pick up trash and how many bags they took. Organizer Jill Richardson is attempting to collect better data on where people are already picking up, so she can ask others to clean up uncovered areas. Full bags can be left along the roadside and they will be picked up Monday Morning.
Eden – Coordinator Anita Gagner is handing out Green Up bags again this year, and signing folks up for specific sections of road. For details call Anita at 635-2735.
Elmore – A town truck will be parked at the Town Clerk’s office until mid-afternoon to collect Green Up trash. Volunteers should meet at the Elmore Lake School around 9 a.m. A sign-up sheet was sent home from school last week. Bags are available at the Elmore Store.
Hyde Park –Bags are available at the Town Clerk's office for people to pick up. There's also a form to be filled out to let Coordinator Dawn Archbold know the number of volunteers and where they plan to Green Up. Dawn said there are still some side roads where volunteers are needed. After this year, Dawn plans to step down as Hyde Park’s Green Up Coordinator and she’s looking for someone to take over the post.
Johnson – Green Up Day activities will be happening in the center of town Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will be hot dogs and lemonade, as well as a chance to win prizes for each full bag returned. To get bags before Saturday, call Gail Longley at 635-2917.
Morristown – Green Up bags are available at the Town Clerk’s office, where volunteers can sign-up to cover a specific stretch of roadside. A special Green Up trash dumpster will be placed at the Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District Recycle Center, on Trombley Hill Road. The Recycle Center will be open from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Green Up Day, Saturday, May 5. Free refreshments will be available. The Morristown road crew will go around on Monday, May 7 to pick up any Green Up trash left on the roadside. Bags left for pickup should be left in groups and securely tied.
Stowe – Volunteers in Stowe should meet at the Sunset Grill 9:00 a.m. Coordinator Parker Diamond will present an information session, then all will spread out for the clean-up. All Green Up trash should be brought back to the Sunset, to be trucked to the transfer station. Bags will be available at the Sunset. If folks choose to pick up their own road, they should let organizers at the Sunset know the details, and bring the full Green Up bags to the Sunset so it can be included in with the rest of the garbage. Any questions? Call Parker at 253-9577 and leave a message.
Waterville – Tom McGrail is the person to contact for Green Up Day details in Waterville. His phone number is 644-2075.
Wolcott – Green Up bags are currently available at the Town Clerk’s office, and one bag will be sent home with each elementary school student this week. On Saturday, bags will be available at the Wolcott transfer station and at the Glee Merritt Kelley Memorial Library. The library will be open from 9 a.m. until noon. Please access the library through its direct entrance, around the back of the Wolcott School. Sign up in advance to participate in a Green Up Day window box planting activity at the library at 11 a.m. – space is limited! Full Green Up bags should be taken to the transfer station for free disposal. Transfer station hours are 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday. If volunteers are unable to get Green Up trash to the transfer station and must leave it by the side of the road, they should call the Town Garage at 888-3353 and leave a message with the location of the garbage to be collected.
Remember to play it safe! Green Up volunteers should wear brightly colored clothing, gloves and thick-soled boots or shoes. Children should be well supervised and aware of traffic hazards. Dead animals and possibly harmful materials should be left in place an reported to the proper authorities. Have a safe and fun Green Up Day!
Tribble Trial Moving Closer
by Mickey Smith
HYDE PARK – The new attorneys for Dennis Tribble feel if they can get hold of pertinent documents in a timely fashion, that they can keep moving forward towards a new trial for their client.
A new trial was ordered for Tribble, after he was found guilty in a trial he boycotted. Tribble is accused of killing his neighbor, Michael Borello, in September of 2000.
Dan McGuire, who was in attendance at the Monday, April 30, status conference in Lamoille District Court, and Kevin Griffin, who participated via conference call, asked Judge Dennis Pearson for any assistance he could offer in getting the Department of Corrections to turn over documents which Tribble has acquired from his past legal teams. Tribble has fired at least three teams of lawyers, and attempted to defend himself from jail last summer.
Griffin said he feels once he is able to go through the information already collected, there won’t be a need to re-perform a lot of the work already done. He said the problem has been with getting the information from Corrections, explaining you can’t just drive up to Newport and ask them to hand you the boxes.
“Corrections doesn’t let boxes in or out like that,” said Griffin.
Judge Pearson was not sure what influence he could exert, but agreed, “Mr. Tribbble has done a fairly credible job on his own trying to pry loose what he was able to” from his former attorneys.
The decision was made to schedule another status conference hearing for June 18, at which time Griffin and McGuire hope to be able to address several motions which are pending in the case.
Wrong Way Bridge One Lane for the Summer
by Mickey Smith
CAMBRIDGE – If you haven’t already been caught in traffic delays near the “Wrong Way” bridge, you can expect to join those already waiting in traffic for the rest of the summer.
John Zicconi, communications director for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, said the start of the project was delayed due to winter weather lasting into April. Zicconi said the original plan called for two-way traffic to reopen in mid-November. Because of the late start, Zicconi called this an ambitious schedule so VTrans is not guaranteeing that target.
The low bid came in at $2,357,861, and was awarded to Beck & Bellucci, Inc. of Franklin, NH.
The project calls for the entire concrete deck to be replaced, and a new five foot sidewalk on the downstream side of the bridge. A new black aluminum railing for the bridge will also be erected. This work is planned for the current construction season. The bridge will remain open (though only one lane at a time) throughout the project.
The plan calls for the retention of the current steel structure, with repairs made to the substructure and painting of the steel next year. This could mean possible short periods of one-way traffic next year, as well, said Zicconi.
Things Look This Way to Me
Editorial by J.B. McKinley 5/3/07
Green Up is a State of Mind
Going out and greening up is a great thing to do with your kids. Of all the years I’ve taken part, the best years were the years my young kids helped. Here’s my agenda for a great day:
Get the kids up early or let them get you up early Saturday.
Let them wear their favorite raggy clothes.
Cheerily greet the day and fix a fast and easy favorite breakfast.
Then gather your green Green Up bags and hit the roadside.
If the weather is great, it can be a rare time in the outdoors with your kids. On a backroad you will see hear and see birds and have teaching moments. Of course, the whole idea of participating in Green Up Day is a teaching moment. You and they are making the world better for you and everyone else. You are discovering first hand how irresponsible some folks are. On Green Up Day it’s truly obvious that lots of folks still need educating.
But, though my kids may have been warped by their father, they’ve given me the opinion that most kids kind of like jumping the muddy ditches – and occasionally sinking a foot deep in the muck. They have great curiousity about the throwaway items of other lives. They marvel at a rusty beer can without a pop tab. What made those triangular holes? They are amazed how many leaves cover some trash in just one year. They try to figure out which frequently seen car on our road dumped the major pile of same brand vodka bottles and emptied ashtrays.
Then there’s the Green Up Days that have been rainy and chilly. Even these days can be fun. After all, what’s better than being drenched and really muddy at least once a year? It’s even better when you get to feel self-righteous about being out there and doing the dirty work, while others have obviously given the day a pass.
Finally, you get to take your bags to the collection point. Meet friends. Marvel at the pile. Maybe share a donated drink. Then, go home feeling good. Regardless of whatever hearty cheer or mild threats it may have taken to get your kids to come along, take it from they will share a feeling of satisfaction.
There are a lot of days without that. Green Up Day is unique. It is a good thing. Give it a try.