Arson Claims Downtown Rehab Project

by Mickey Smith

MORRISTOWN – Since two questionable fires badly damaged it eight years ago, the condemned Hutchins Street building, owned by J.B. McKinley, has sat dormant.

This past February Dan Kresky entered the picture, looking to rehabilitate the building to the point of being able to gain funding to purchase it for a business plan he has been developing for 10 years.

Starting in early May, Kresky began slowly deconstructing and rebuilding the main and oldest part of the house – the part least damaged in the two earlier fires. He would arrive from his home in Enosburg at about 9 a.m., work on the building until going to his job at The Manor at 2:30 and arrive back home around midnight. His plan was to use the building as a base of operation for a renovation of home business and a storefront for people to purchase hardware, such as discount tools and salvaged building materials. The building would also serve as a showcase for his talents in the renovation field.

Kresky had rented the building from McKinley with an agreement to purchase it when he could get the building up to snuff for financing. On Tuesday, July 24, Kresky put the final pieces of financing together.

“Literally I was about a month away from opening,” said Kresky.

Between Thursday night and Friday morning, July 26 and 27, Kresky’s work went up in smoke as fire destroyed the building and the tools and supplies he had stored on the second story. The fire has been ruled arson by the Vermont State Police Fire Investigator Mark Galle.

Morrisville Fire Department was called to the scene at 12:16 a.m. When they arrived, the building, which did not have electricity, was fully involved. Hyde Park, Stowe, and Wolcott Fire Departments were called to the scene to assist. Using a plan conceived by the late Chief Wayne Camley, the department wanted Stowe to bring in their aerial truck.

Chief William Spear said the same concept of getting water from both sides was reached by using Morrisville’s deck gun, saving Stowe’s aerial for lighting.

The main plan was to protect the nearby buildings, because everything on that street is so closely built. The residents in the adjoining buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

Because of the condition of the building, Chief Spear said they weren’t able to do much work in the building.

He noted several members of the Wolcott Department went inside and helped knock down the fire. Fifty minutes after the initial tone had gone off, the fire had been knocked down.

“They hit it hard,” he said.

The department stayed on the scene until about 2:30 Friday afternoon. Spear said most of the firefighters left in the morning, in time to head to work, but a crew stayed on the scene through the afternoon to take care of hot spots.

Due to the damage to the building, the remaining structure was knocked down on Friday afternoon and the lot will be cleared for safety reasons.

Detective Sergeant Galle’s investigation found no “usual ignition sources” to cause the fire, prompting the designation of arson. The investigation is continuing jointly between the VSP Fire Investigation Unit and the Morristown Police Department. Anyone with information about the fire, is encouraged to contact the Vermont Arson Tip Award Program at 1 800 32 ARSON or the MPD at 888-4211.

Recently, the house has been the target of a series of larcenies and trespasses. Kresky said he had hidden some tools on the second floor, which vandals had not been able to find.

“But the fire didn’t have any trouble finding them,” he said. Kresky had renter’s insurance, but it did not cover his losses. McKinley carried no insurance on the building.

McKinley said it’s especially unfortunate that the building was lost just as it was about to be resurrected. He said it was the Hutchins family home for which the street was named and was built at the time of the coming of the railroad just below the site. McKinley said he and his wife, June, wanted the building to be restored by someone with the time and resources and that is why it sat so long awaiting the right buyer.

Kresky said the fire won’t deter him from his plans. He has already started looking at other property in the Lamoille Valley, but said his goal still remains to locate in Morristown.

“It’s central to the entire northern part of the state, about an hour from everything,” he said.

Elmore Book Exchange

by Paul Fink

The Elmore Book Exchange, located next to The Elmore Store, in the Elmore Town Hall on Route 12, was started with a simple goal in mind: To encourage reading. The exchange is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00) for the rest of the summer and possibly into next fall. The space behind the meeting room was renovated, cleaned, and is now run by a local book club that includes members Lynda Worth, Anita Morris, Ruth Wesolow, and Kathy Crypel. The book club had the idea for the book exchange and volunteered to do all the work involved.

The Exchange is open to anyone willing to pick up a book and they stock about 1,500 adult volumes. There are also over 1,000 children’s volumes and people of any age are welcome. The idea is that people will donate old books and will find new ones in the Exchange’s selection. This means the Book Exchange is completely free of charge! If you’ve got a book you’ve finished reading – just drop by and swap it for another!

The Elmore Book Exchange provides a great place to browse and read thousands of books, so if you find a chance, you should make your way there. The women running it are very friendly and would be glad to see you, so why not go for it? It’s never too late to get lost in a good book.

Jersey Heights Expansion Plan

by Amy Kolb Noyes

MORRISVILLE – Landowner Howard Manosh and Engineer Sam Rugianno appeared before the Morristown Development Review Board last week to introduce plans for an additional 44 units to be constructed on 40 acres at the Jersey Heights development. Thursday night’s hearing was the first in what both the applicant and town zoning officials believe will be many meetings on the plan, which will require local zoning permits as well as a state Act 250 permit.

“We are just starting out here and we look forward to the comments from the neighbors and the board here to make this project sail smoothly,” said Rugianno.

The site plan includes two roadways to be constructed, and development to occur behind the existing houses on Jersey Way. The first phase of the development would include 16 single family homes on a new road off Cottage Street, at the point where Jersey Way currently connects with Cottage Street. The second phase would consist of 14 duplexes around a cul-de-sac, to be accessed both by the other new road and Jersey Way.

Plans call for the development to be hooked up to municipal water and sewer systems. The entire development has been allocated municipal water. Only the first phase has received sewer allocation, according to Manosh. Site plans also show three fire ponds, sidewalks and streetlights.

Addressing neighbors’ concerns, Rugianno said he has designed 25 to 50 foot buffers around the class three wetlands near the project. He said those buffers exceed state wetland protection requirements.

Once the lots are divided, Manosh said he will only build units as they are sold. He hopes to have all permits in place by the first of the year, to allow construction to start next spring.

About 25 neighbors were present for the hearing. Many people raised concerns regarding additional traffic on Jersey Way. Resident Dot Reeve said traffic concerns are amplified because Jersey Way is a private road, which can’t be posted and speed limits are not enforced. Manosh responded he is working with the town to take over Jersey Way and make it a town road. However, Manosh said his subdivision plans won’t change if the town does not accept the road.

Manosh met with Town Administrator Dave Crawford on Monday, July 30. Crawford told the selectboard that evening the two came to an agreement on how to proceed with the takeover of Jersey Way. Morristown policy states it will take over from developers roads built to town specifications. The takeover of Jersey Way has been stalled for years due to discrepancies in the quality of the road construction. Crawford reported he and Manosh agreed to take sample borings from the road to see if it was built up to town standards. If the roadway is up to town standards, the town will pay for the borings, if it is not then Manosh agreed to pay for the borings. In addition, Crawford said Manosh agreed to pay for paving the road, if it is deemed inadequately constructed and needs to be repaved in the next eight years.

Stowe Home Invaders Arrested on I-89

by Mickey Smith

STOWE – Two Lamoille County residents were lodged in jail after not posting bail following a Monday night, July 30, burglary spree.

Stowe Police Chief Ken Kaplan said Steppy Traber, 21, and Jenaya Peets, 19, both of Stowe, are alleged to have burglarized three homes – two of which were occupied.

Chief Kaplan said the first burglary occurred at about 9:30 p.m. in the Park Street Condominiums. Kaplan said Traber is alleged to have entered an occupied home and took a wallet that was on the counter without being detected by people in the kitchen.

About an hour later a burglary occurred on the Mountain Road. At this residence a television was taken from an unoccupied home.

At around 11:30 p.m., the most daring of the crimes took place, as police allege Traber entered a home on Cottage Club Road and took thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and a loaded 9mm handgun.

At one point, Kaplan alleges Traber entered the bedroom where the homeowners were sleeping. Chief Kaplan said the wife awoke and Traber allegedly told her he was a member of the Morristown Police Department checking on people’s homes because of a series of burglaries in the area.

Kaplan said the couple questioned this and tried to alert the police, but their phone did not work, so they went to a gas station and called the Stowe Police.

Stowe Police received a tip of a car observed at the scene of one of the burglaries and the license plate was run, linking Traber to the scene. Peets is alleged to have been the driver and lookout for the crimes.

Stowe Detective Bruce Merriam knew of Traber from when both suspects lived in Elmore, and Traber’s Stowe residence was soon learned.

A trip to the Stowe residence did not find Traber or Peets, but a neighbor said they had just barely left and had been loading a bunch of stuff including a television into their car.

Kaplan said a “Be On the Lookout” bulletin was issued statewide. Traber and Peets were located on Interstate 89 near exit 8 by the Berlin Police Department. Traber was immediately returned to Stowe by the Stowe Police, who were not far behind and Peets was later brought back to Stowe.

Traber was charged with three counts of burglary and grand larceny. Peets was charged as an accessory to all three.

New Traffic Pattern for Village

by Amy Kolb Noyes

MORRISVILLE – The concerns of some village residents has led to a trial change in the traffic pattern onto one road in the residential area of Morrisville Village. Within a few weeks’ time, northbound commuters will no longer be able to skirt around the line at the village traffic light by cutting back onto East High Street, from Route 100.

This week, the selectboard unanimously authorized the purchase of “no right turn” signs to be placed at the intersection of Route 100 and East High Street, the street in front of the Morristown Police Department parking lot. Town officials hope the signs will discourage commuters from bypassing the Main Street light by taking East High Street to Union Street, and on through the residential area.

The action was prompted by a letter from David Ring, who resides at the corner of Union and Congress Streets. Ring originally suggested the town make Union Street one way, open only to west-bound traffic. At the suggestion of Police Chief Richard Keith, the selectboard decided to first try the no right turn measure instead – a move supported by Ring.

Ring and neighbor Michael Isabelle told the selectboard both the amount and the speed of traffic were of concern to village residents. Ring said he has lived in his home for 21 years, but has never seen the amount of traffic that is now in the village, especially during peak commuting hours in the morning and afternoon. He said he fears for the safety of children who play on the street while drivers are using village roads as “the bypass” for the downtown intersection.

Isabelle, who has several young children, added the traffic speeds through the village are also a concern, calling it “a speedway bypass.” He estimated some people are traveling at 40 to 50 miles per hour, in order to cut down on their commuting time. The speed limit in the village is 25 miles per hour.

“I don’t want to be the big jerk of the neighborhood, but I have kids to think about,” said Isabelle. “If people have to wait at the light for five more minutes, so be it. I don’t want my kids to be run over.”

Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer, who grew up on Union Street, said the problem is not new. He asked Chief Keith for his input.

“I think the simplest solution to try is putting a sign at East High Street: No right turn,” offered Keith. He said the police would make an effort to educate drivers of the change before starting enforcement.

He added, “I think it would make quite a significant difference.”

The board agreed to try Keith’s suggestion and evaluate its effectiveness in the fall. If the town decides to make the change permanent, the selectboard will adopt an ordinance and set a fine for violating the no turn provision. Meanwhile, police officers are able to issue $50 tickets under a state traffic ordinance to motorists defying the no right turn rule.

“It’s not too far out of our way, so I don’t think it’d be too far for us to enforce,” Keith joked.

Highway Superintendent Bob Melfy said the signs could be installed within the next couple of weeks.

Wind Tower Approved

by Amy Kolb Noyes

MORRISTOWN – Wind power is coming to Morristown. The town and village Development Review Board has unanimously approved the construction of a wind generator off Stagecoach Road. The generator is being erected by Bruce and Tina Tomlinson, and will be used to power their home and business, B&B Nurseries.

The Tomlinsons applied to the DRB for a conditional use permit for a 10 kilowatt generator on a 100 foot tower. After two board room hearings and a site walk where a balloon represented the tower height, the board approved the project late Thursday evening, July 26.

“I’m pretty tickled with it,” Bruce Tomlinson told the News & Citizen. “I’m happy that we’ll be able to erect the thing.”

Several neighbors came to the first hearing with questions and complaints about the impact on the viewshed, possible noise, land values, effect on the bird population and other concerns.

Some of the same issues arose when the hearing was resumed last week, and Tomlinson was prepared with answers. He said the tower would be painted a dull, neutral color and the tallest blade would reach a maximum height of 110 feet. Tomlinson cited research claiming more birds are killed by flying into picture windows than small wind towers. He also testified the tower won’t make any more noise than the sound of a refrigerator running. Tomlinson said the structure will be located about 150 to 200 feet from his house, and more than 300 feet from any property line.

The Tomlinsons are erecting a 100 foot tower, which will stand about 60 feet taller than surrounding trees. Tomlinson explained the tower must be 30 feet above the “tallest thing around,” which means it would need to be at least 70 feet tall. By going up to 100 feet the Tomlinsons will be able to get 25% more power from their wind power system.

Neighbor Leon Whitcomb suggested the Morrisville-Stowe Airport might require a beacon on the tower, as the area in question is a “Runway Nonprecision Instrument Approach Zone.” However Zoning Administrator Mark Leonard said the tower is well under the Federal Aviation Administration’s beacon height requirement for structures over 200 feet.

Tomlinson also came armed to last week’s hearing with a formidable show of support. He submitted more than a half-dozen letters of support from neighbors in favor of the project as well as a petition of support signed by 47 nursery customers. Several area residents attended the hearing and spoke in favor of the project.

Mud City Loop resident Gert Lepine commented a lot of people stand behind the Tomlinsons’ project, and are waiting to see how it works out for Bruce before they invest in personal windpower.

“He’s setting an example for a lot of us,” said Lepine.

Morristown’s town plan and zoning bylaws do not specifically address wind towers, and the Tomlinsons are the first people in town to apply for such a permit. DRB Chair Gary Nolan said Morristown will soon have a windpower section in its regulations, now that the issue has arisen in town.

Tomlinson and some of his neighbors agreed wind power will become more common in Vermont as alternative fuel sources are more closely examined.

“I have children,” said Tomlinson. “They have to live in this world. Hopefully they’ll have children… If we continue down the road with fossil fuels there’s going to be problems. So we have to start somewhere.”

He added his small wind tower will save 2.5 tons of carbon that he won’t use over its 30 year expected lifetime. Any extra power generated that the Tomlinsons don’t use will go into the power grid.

With a permit in hand, Tomlinson said he hopes to start putting up his tower around October 1. He noted the systems are made to order and it will take a couple months before the components arrive. Tomlinson said he is excited about the precedent he is setting in town.

“It’s a step forward, not only for the town, but for everybody,” said Tomlinson.

Vermont: Rural Paradise?

Lamoille County, we aren’t in Kansas any more! Maybe we residents are being naive not locking our cars and doors. Are we living in the past, in a sort of psychological rose-colored bubble reinforced every day by the Public Relations vision of Vermont as a rural paradise that should be preserved for tourists?

What am I talking about? Well, we’ve had some pretty unusual and serious crime in Lamoille County, perhaps starting in the ‘90s with the Scoville and Peters murders (neither are closed cases). Examples continued through this past week with a bold downtown arson and an even bolder daytime impersonation of police and burglary in Stowe. Think of it, you find some very unlikely looking guy in your house, he says he’s the police, and then calmly steals your home defense gun! Gentlemen, that is in-your-face bold. It’s the kind of story that should be an email about weird Miami or LA crime.

In several of these cases and others, the shock that local folks have been suspected as perpetrators is the factor uppermost in our minds. After all, we think, these crimes do happen any place, occasionally, it’s the knowledge that it may have been someone we know, someone we see on the sidewalk, who is sufficiently warped to have committed such a crime that’s the real kicker.

But, of course, the moment passes and we forget our shock until the next time. And then there’s that old and powerful rationalization we all make, “It can’t happen to me.”

Well, folks, with more than a shred of bitterness, I can attest that it can happen to me. This week, someone, probably a Lamoille County resident, burned my building on Hutchins Street in Morrisville. Given the fact there was a late night movie that evening at the Bijou, Bones was busy two houses away, and the building’s tenant was watching the building until midnight, it’s quite clear some local carefully picked his or her exhilarating moment alone with a match.

Yep, it’s entirely possible to be victim in Lamoille County. It’s a feeling I now share with those who came before me. Luckily, mine was not a case of bodily injury or abuse. No one lost their health or life, but lots of people lost my formerly easily won trust.