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Sep 28, 2008 Thursday Morrisville, VT 05661 Web Edition |
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Manor Seeks Town Help in Refinancing by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – The Manor nursing home is the only facility of its kind left in town, now that Genesis ElderCare has closed its doors. Now run as a nonprofit, The Manor is bouncing back from fiscal uncertainty. However, there is still some urgency in its need to refinance $6.5 million in debt dating back to The Manor’s construction. This is the picture painted for the Morristown Selectboard by Union Bank Vice President David Silverman and attorney Ed French, who accompanied Manor Executive Director Lynnette Smith before the board this week. They went before the board seeking the ability to borrow some of the town’s preferred-rate borrowing power. The Manor is working with Union Bank and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) to restructure its loans in 2009. The town was brought into the fold because, as the municipality where The Manor is located, it can allow the nonprofit to use some of the $10 million of preferred-rate borrowing it is allotted each calendar year. Silverman explained the municipal borrowing rate is lower, because the bank is not taxed on income from the loan. Therefore, the bank can pass on the savings by lending to the town at a lower rate. “It’s basically a one time agreement to allow The Manor to borrow part of your bonding authority,” Silverman explained. Attorney French added the town would not be responsible for repayment of the loan under any circumstance. “The reason we can do this is that we can prove to the IRS it’s a benefit to the community,” Silverman continued. While the selectmen agreed unanimously that The Manor provides a vital service to the community, they wondered if the request would limit the town’s ability to borrow the money it needs in 2009. The town is looking at borrowing funds in 2009 to replace the Bridge Street Bridge, make scheduled purchases of highway equipment, as well as its annual borrowing in lieu of taxes. Those items, by the board’s quick calculations, could add up to about $3 million. That would bring the town to within $500,000 of its bonding authority. That figure seemed too close for comfort for some board members. Both sides of the table agreed to take a closer look at the numbers and come back to the table Monday, December 8. In other business, the selectboard appointed Richard Sargent to fill Amy Walker’s unexpired term on the Morristown Conservation Commission and Reeves Larson to replace Lauren Traister on the Morristown Planning Commission. The selectboard also granted River Arts permission to allow CCS to set up a crane in or around the Copley Municipal Parking lot on New Year’s Eve. The crane will be used to drop a countdown ball at midnight as part of the planned Last Night/First Morning celebration.
LARC Still Open by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISTOWN – The doors are still open at the Lamoille Area Recreation Center, and the nonprofit’s board of directors is hopeful it will remain in operation at least through the winter skating season. While LARC could not raise the money it owed mortgage holders, Union Bank and USDA Rural Development, in time for its December 1 foreclosure deadline, enough progress was made for the bank to consider it a “good faith effort” and indicate it would extend the deadline another 90 days. LARC is still actively seeking a buyer for the ice rink and recreation center off Bridge Street, in Morristown. “Things are progressing,” said LARC Executive Director Guy Shane. He added, “We are continuing to meet with prospective purchasers.” LARC Board of Directors Chair Sam Guy was hesitant to say the rink has bought itself more time, but did say the doors remain open for now. “We’re hopeful to have an agreement to stay open until the end of ice,” said Guy. He said, for the long term, the board is actively talking with a small group of investors. He added, “We’re proceeding with vigor.”
by Mickey Smith
Vermont has a new Secretary at the Agency of Natural Resources and he's quite familiar with the forests of Lamoille County. Before moving into state government six years ago, Johnathan Wood, of Cambridge, worked for Bell-Gates Lumber for 22 years. During the 1990s he also served as chair of the Lamoille County Planning Commission's board of directors. He has lived in the Jeffersonville area since he was 17, and attended Johnson State College. For the past six years, Wood has been the Commissioner of the Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation. In his new role as agency Secretary, he will oversee that department, as well as Fish and Wildlife, the environmental arm of Natural Resources, and the central office. At Forest and Parks, he worked with a budget of about $18 million and oversaw 160 people. Now, as head of the entire agency, he is administering an $84 million budget and 600 people. He was appointed to the post after the resignation of former Secretary George Crombie. Wood describes himself as an avid outdoorsman, who likes to hunt, fish, ski, hike, and boat. While he knows the new position is an immense challenge, he said his love of the state's resources helps him to better understand the challenges ahead for him in this new role. Typically, he explained, the position of secretary is held by someone with a legal or bureaucratic background. He estimated that it had been since the early ‘80s that somebody with an outdoorsy background has held the position. “I care for Vermont's environment, that is why I live here,” said Wood. While Natural Resources encompasses more than just dealing with wildlife and trees, Wood says his experiences at Bell-Gates give him an understanding of the permitting process and dealing with those aspects from a business stand point. He said while he knows there are aspects he doesn't know about, he is a quick study and looks forward to the new challenges. Having been within the agency for six years will be a tremendous advantage as he knows the people and programs involved. He added he has had a long term working relationship with Lamoille County's politicians, especially Rep. Rich Westman and Sen. Sue Bartlett, and he feels relationships like that will help him get up to speed in the new position. One local issue that has moved to the forefront lately is the potential clean up of the asbestos mine in Eden. Wood said his department’s efforts will be two-fold. He noted they will be working closely with the EPA and Department of Health on the safety aspects, while also providing information to the public about the site and what is going on. “It's very complicated... we need to be very pragmatic,” said Wood. Wood said they are learning stuff all the time about the mine. He described it as a long term issue that will have to be continuously dealt with.
Johnson’s Holiday Festival will be happening December 12 and 13, and the town's Community and Economic Development Coordinator Lea Kilvadyova said many Johnson business owners, craftspeople, and community members have been hard at work. She said, they have planned a delightful, unique, seasonal festival and everyone from near and far is invited to the celebration. “The event will highlight the wonderful shopping, services, art and entertainment available in our village and has three parts: an Old World Marketplace, the Merchant’s Open House, and a Downtown Decorating Challenge,” explained Kilvadyova. Everyone on Main St. has been invited to take part in the Downtown Decorating Challenge to win prizes that include a Raven’s Ledge sleigh ride, Turtle Fur products, maple syrup and more. A special group of judges has been invited to award the prizes, but everyone can look for their own favorite display. The village will be filled with twinkling lights and holiday spirit. Folks can enjoy the show throughout the season, but especially, while walking around town and visiting the Merchant’s Open House and the Old World Marketplace. A special highlight will be the living nativity at the United Church. Programs will be available throughout the village so you won’t miss anything. Look for signs directing you to off-street parking spaces, since the village will be full of people and fun. Most businesses will be participating in the Merchant’s Open House on Friday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Some fun holiday “extras” will be available, in addition to the extended evening hours for browsing and dining. This will be a wonderful chance to check out your local holiday shopping options like the brand new Sweet Hollow Herbs in the Woody’s Building. The Quilted Lily will be offering demonstrations and “make-n-take” crafts. Marvin’s Butternut Mountain Farm hope enough snow will fall to let them make “sugar on snow”. Amongst the shops holding raffles are Marvin’s, Roo’s Natural Foods, Johnson Woolen Mill, and Tangles where you can also treat your hands to a paraffin dip. Some shops will be hosting other crafters or artisans just for this evening, too. Hear jazz while sipping coffee at the Lovin’ Cup café (and maybe catch a glimpse of Santa) then enjoy cookies at Merchant’s Bank. Gary and Roland Clark will be entertaining at the Hub, where you can also sample a special German mulled wine called glühwein. Sharon Burns will be at Lamoille Valley Insurance with holiday centerpieces, the Plum & Main is providing a space for Partylite Candles, and Autumn Trombley, of Silpada Jewelry, will be near Northern Highlights Salon. Steve Engel will be printing cards with his hand press at Johnson Public Library and you’ll find Sue Lenel’s Wool Folk at The Quilted Lily. The Johnson Historical Society will be welcoming people with an old-fashioned Christmas tree and more. Some of the fun will even continue into Saturday, like storytelling at Ebenezer Books at 2 p.m. Special things will be happening all through the village, so dress for the weather and come prepared to stroll. The Old World Marketplace will bring a bit of German flair to Vermont as a Weihnachtsmarkt is created at the United Church of Johnson. This portion of the event will be open Friday evening and all day Saturday. You can purchase stocking stuffers and gifts while enjoying warm waffles and homemade doughnuts. Tables will be filled with holiday goodies such as jams, jellies, honey, bread and nuts. There will even be some outdoor booths, in the German style. A unique assortment of locally made art and heritage crafts will be found including pottery, photo cards and calendars, handmade diaries, wreaths, baskets, kitchen dolls, wooden toys, incense, organic cosmetics, sculptures, and paintings. Choose from knitted, sewn, woven, quilted and felted items including children’s clothes and things for the home. You’ll find a small town antidote to the frenzy of the city along with a unique opportunity to experience German culture. For more information about the Downtown Decorating Challenge or the Merchant’s Open House, please contact Nicole at 635-2411. For more information about the Old World Marketplace, please call Renate at 635-1339. For general questions about the event, please call Diana at 635-3683 or Lea at 635-2611. Or, visit www.townofjohnson.com for a detailed program.
by Mickey Smith
At Concept 2, Dick Dreissigacker and Judy Geer have always been socially and environmentally conscious. They have again decided to take their vision and put it into practice, having purchased the Craftsbury Outdoor Center on November 7 and plan on turning it into a non-profit facility. Many of the faces remain the same, the biggest change locals who are familiar with the facility might notice is the drop in prices. Dreissigacker said they have kept everyone around and they're getting accustomed to a new mode of business where users of the facility are not looked upon as customers, but as members. He said the staff has found it liberating not to have to worry about “breaking even,” of course the successful businessman in him noted even in the non-profit world that is, of course, the plan. Dreissigacker and Geer have followed their kids' cross country ski exploits around the world. They said they have seen high priced cross country facilities that are run along the lines of the downhill ski resorts, and they have been to places that are built on open lands with a simple honor system donation box at the trailhead. Dreissigacker and Geer felt the latter is more in tune with the cross country ski experience. They explained it's not like the downhill skiing business where you have a lift line to funnel people through to take their money. In cross country skiing, the trails are spread out over large expanses and often have more than one access point, making it more difficult to monitor usage. This vision of how a cross country ski center should be run is shared by both Dreissigacker and Geer and the former owners, the Springs. After a couple of years of talking, the transaction was closed about a month ago and the center changed hands officially. With the staff and infrastructure of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, something more than a donation box was needed, but Dreissigacker and Geer felt lower prices would better entice more people to the trails. A day's pass at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center now costs just $10, with a year's membership for the entire family being $100. Students and seniors can ski even more cheaply. Participation is the first point of their mission, but, neck-and-neck, is a desire to protect the area. They have already been able to purchase a piece of land contiguous to the main property. This increase in acreage about doubles the size of the center’s main parcel. Much of the center's trail system relies on the generosity of nearby landowners. Dreissigacker and Geer said they are very appreciative of the kindness of their neighbors and look forward to a long relationship. Future changes can be expected as well. Geer is a big supporter of the localvore concept and plans to bring more, local foods to the dining hall. They plan to build on their “green hotel” status and hope to increase their sustainable operations. They are also discussing summer access to the lake. But this, is a bit of a tricky proposition, as they are already near capacity with their sculling program. Geer said they are enthusiastic about the project and happy to be able to provide the area with an affordable cross country skiing experience. They hope they can continue to serve those already interested in cross country skiing – while attracting a new crowd as well.
Local Meetings on Asbestos Mine
The towns of Lowell and Eden will host public meetings to discuss health and environmental concerns related to the now-closed Vermont Asbestos Group mine. Meetings will be held on Thursday, December 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lowell Graded School, and Friday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the Eden Central School. Residents of the towns surrounding the mine are invited to attend: Albany, Belvidere, Craftsbury, Hyde Park, Irasburg, Johnson, Montgomery, Newport Town, Troy, Waterville and Westfield. At each meeting, Vermont Department of Health staff will discuss a new health study that shows an association between asbestos-related illness and living in towns located within 10 miles of the mine. The health study suggests that residents may have been exposed to asbestos in the past, but cannot tell anything about current exposure. State health and environmental officials will also be joined by experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR). Officials will explain the state and federal work that has already been done to contain the asbestos tailings left behind by the mining operation — as well as plans for more testing and risk evaluation so that future remediation work, if needed, can start in areas where the risk of asbestos exposure is greatest. Vermont officials are calling for additional investigation of the impact of the mine, and are warning people to stay off and keep pets away.
Editorial by J.B. McKinley 12/4/08 Stowe Rumors
Much has been made of the tidbit of information published recently by Forbes Magazine that former AIG man Hank Greenberg has an itch to buy Stowe’s Mountain Company. That rumor, for whatever reason, wishful or somehow fact related, had been circulating for at least two months. Now, the rumor has apparently been solidified into what seems to be a very small fact that Greenberg is interested. Well, who wouldn’t be if you could get the money? If a cutthroat bargain is in the wind, buyers gather. But the fact was not that an offer had been made, an inspection visit scheduled, or company overtures extended, or even that behind-closed-doors discussions were happening. The tiny schred of Greenberg information expanding to hundreds of words of speculation seems more like fodder for an op ed page than the front page. The hard fact is that AIG has never even said their Stowe operation is for sale. Then there is the fact that the Greenberg interest was not the only rumor. News & Citizen tried to verify an indication back in September that Intrawest, a multinational resort company that owns Stratton Mountain and Steamboat among others, was looking at Stowe. Nothing much has come of that rumor. Emails to the company did not elicit usable information. This is what we received and interpreted as a “no comment” – “Intrawest has a company policy that we do not comment on rumors and/or speculation in the market. When there is news to communicate the media, our customers and the local community we will issue a press release...” As for the Forbes’ piece, we talked with people at Forbes and it appears their reporter has an “in” with Greenberg that allows access to the man. We were assured his interest in Stowe is real, but who ever questioned that – given the man’s history in connection with Stowe? Now, after talking with a number of folks who work in Stowe, it seems rumors of potential Stowe purchasers are rife around town, and range from an AIG needed “fire sale” to buyers in the wings hoping to get a fire sale price. The News & Citizen will wait until things get a bit past the rumor stage for an article. What happens to Stowe, arguably Lamoille County’s biggest economic engine, is too important to cry “Wolf” about. Maybe we’ll follow the Intrawest policy...
by Amy Kolb Noyes
WOLCOTT – About 40 residents turned out for a Special Town Meeting Wednesday evening, November 19, to address construction cost overruns and ponder police coverage options in Wolcott. The primary order of business was to authorize the selectboard to borrow an extra $32,000 over and above the $60,000 Town Meeting voters approved for renovations to the old train depot. After a period of explanation and discussion, the motion was made and passed. Fred Martin was the selectman who oversaw the construction project, and he explained the unexpected expenditures. Martin said about $20,000 extra was needed for foundation work. Other major expenses arose with the septic system and for outside excavators to come onto the job. Most of the work on the project was done by a crew from the St. Johnsbury Correctional Center. The town had a limited time to complete the project, as the space had already been leased to the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union to serve as a public preschool center. As it turned out, the start of school at the center had to be pushed back a week until construction was complete. OSSU has signed a three-year lease for the space, with the option for an additional two years as long as funding and enrollment numbers support the expenditure. There was discussion, raised by Bill Cotten, about making such a decision with a small voter turnout. Town Clerk Linda Martin responded that the town would have to take the money out of the town’s operating budget if the voters did not approve additional loan funds. “We cannot borrow the money without taxpayer approval,” said Martin. She went on to explain the bank has agreed to wait until January to close the loan, pending the outcome of the meeting and the mandatory 30-day waiting period after such a vote. Selectboard Chair Pam Hammel added the board considered sending out a flyer to remind voters of the meeting, but felt it an unnecessary expenditure after recent press coverage of the issue. She added, “We anticipate making a decision on this tonight so we can move forward with the loan on January first.” Hammel also noted the lease term is, in essence, five years – as is the term on the loan. She said she hopes the preschool will be in place for even longer, but it should be there at least long enough to cover the loan payments. “We hope this is a real long-term thing for the people in Wolcott,” Hammel said of the preschool. With that, the question was called and passed on a voice vote. Next, Hammel and the board set about gauging public opinion on what police options should be presented at Town Meeting in March. For several years, Wolcott voters have struggled with the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) budget. In the past, the town’s options have been all or nothing – either be a full-fledged participant in funding the 24/7 department with Hyde Park and Johnson, or walk away and rely upon the minimal coverage provided by the Vermont State Police. This year, Hammel said the town has a third option to consider. Hammel said Sheriff Roger Marcoux said his staffing and the needs of the other two towns are such this year that he can offer Wolcott a compromise. For $80,000 LCSD would cover Wolcott from 4 p.m. until 8 a.m., and the town could get midday coverage from the Vermont State Police. According to Hammel, Sheriff Marcoux said the 2/3 coverage arrangement would work well all-around because Hyde Park and Johnson need more coverage during the day, and most Wolcott residents are out-of-town working during the daytime. In addition, the state police are more available to provide adequate coverage to Wolcott during daytime hours. “According to Roger, what happens out here from eight to four is very little,” said Hammel. She added, if a house is broken into during the day it is often not discovered until after 4:00 when the residents return from work. “He felt that this would be a good time to try this and see how it would work,” Hammel said of Marcoux. Selectman Houle, who has also been working on the Sheriff Department contract, noted both the state police and LCSD have two Lamoille County officers on during the day shift, so the degree of coverage should be about the same. Selectman Arlo Sterner said one difference would be the daytime response to minor auto accidents. He said the State Police have said they would leave it up to the fire department to clear the road after a fender bender. Houle also added this is a one-time opportunity for the town. He said, “They’re giving us a one-year trial period to see if this works for Wolcott.” Houle said if Wolcott voters go for the 2/3 coverage option and decide it is not adequate, they will be able to return to a fulltime contract the following year. He said the LCSD budget is going to be level funded next year, so fulltime coverage would cost Wolcott about $132,000. Houle added Wolcott’s decision would not affect what Hyde Park and Johnson pay next year. “Please talk with your neighbors and friends about this, the ones who aren’t here tonight but will be at Town Meeting” Hammel encouraged those in attendance.
The Village of Johnson Trustees filed for a 13.85% electric rate increase with the Vermont Public Service Board on November 14th. Municipal Administrator, Duncan Hastings, said, “The Board really had no choice about filing for the increase.” Hastings outlined the costs driving the need for the increase: “Increases in Power Supply Costs account for 10.73% of the total increase. Small increases in Operations and Maintenance, Depreciation and Amortization, Taxes and Interest Expense, account for 3.12% or the rest of the increase.” He added, “All of our costs for materials, fuels and oils, insurances and everything else we need to operate and maintain the system have escalated well above 3%. Transformers alone have doubled in price in the last two years.” According to Hastings, the 10.73% increase in Power Supply costs breaks down to a 65% increase in purchased power and a 35% increase in transmission costs. “Hastings said, “For example, one existing purchased power contract costs app $40/mwh for electricity and expires in January of 2009. The replacement cost is app twice that amount, in the $80.00/mwh range. This is what we have to pay for the electricity we provide our customers and these costs simply cannot be absorbed without a rate increase.”
Hastings blames much of the cost increases on what he believes is a failed experiment imposed on the New England Region by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He stated, “This grand experiment called “Standard Market Design” created a “stock market” like structure where electricity is traded on a daily basis (by companies like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) within specially created “markets” for all aspects of production and sale of electricity. This was promised to spur competition, thereby drive prices down.” It has done just the opposite in fact, and prices have increased twofold since it’s inception. Hastings said, “It’s pretty outrageous, what is taking place, and we should all be contacting our Congressman to ask them to provide greater oversight of FERC and to seek changes to the market system that would help protect the rate payers. There has been a lot of money exchanged, but it hasn’t benefited the rate payer” Hastings concluded by saying, “The Trustees work very hard to provide high quality electric service at reasonable rates, and our rates are still some of the lowest in the state. Most of the state’s utilities are going in for rates cases now or in the near future. It is very difficult to keep prices low when we are constantly being hit with higher charges for purchased power.”
Entrepreneurship and Leadership... Some Additional Skills From GMTCC
by Mickey Smith
It doesn't take much more than a walk through the new front doors for people to realize Green Mountain Technology and Career Center is their father's vocational center. Along with new classrooms and programs designed to incorporate modern technology... GMTCC is looking for new ways to help students be ready to enter the workforce. GMTCC Director Joe Teegarden explained there are more skills to a job than just knowing which wrench to use or what button to push on the keyboard. He said the school is working on giving students skills in how to make it in the working world. Everything from how to present themselves on the job, to things to be thinking about if you want to start your own business. This year, the tech center has begun a “student council” to help design and plan student led and student wanted programs. Teegarden said they did not want to go the route of elections that often seem to become nothing more than popularity contests. He said it was their goal to utilize students who had a sincere desire to work on their leadership skills. Rather than elections, students were asked to “apply” for the positions, including submitting three reference letters. Each applicant was interviewed by a panel of faculty and staff and five students were chosen to be the tech center's first representatives to ACTS (the Association of Career and Technology Students). Lindsay Wheeler was named president, Kelly Marckres was named vice president and Derek Choate, secretary. Charles and Kayla Limlaw also serve on the board, which is overseen by Patti Coultas, the tech center's adult education coordinator, and business teacher Lisa Durocher. The five of them have been charged with coming up with three programs for the students and two community service projects. The first of the student programs was “Entrepreneurship Day” held in GMTCC's Community Education Center. About 100 students signed up to listen to real world advice about starting a business. ACTS arranged for local contractor Brian Jessiman to speak to the students about his green construction business and what he encountered along the way to help prepare him for self-ownership. Dave Rubel, the area business advisor for the Vermont Small Business Development Center, also spoke with students regarding how can you tell if starting a business is right for you. At the end of Rubel's talk, students were encouraged to check under their chairs where they were presented with coupons to Hoagie's Restaurant. Rubel told them this reflected a valuable lesson in the work world, “you have to move your butt, to make a buck.” They also learned about goals, and how you can't expect rules to remain the same. After estimating how many Smarties they could build into a tower. Then they were told, for round two, they would need to use their non-dominant hand. ACTS plans a survey after the event to help determine their next program for the students. In the meantime, they are gearing up to do their first community service effort around the holidays.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
The Vermont Board of Education has named Armando Vilaseca, 51, to replace Richard Cate as the state’s Education Commissioner. Before the decision went to the Board of Education for its 6 to 2 vote in favor of Vilaseca, three finalists for the position were interviewed by a roundtable panel last Monday, November 17. Among the panelists was a handful of student questioners, including three who attend Peoples Academy. Sophomore Collin Craig, junior Nicole West and senior David Chiaravalle spent all day Monday, November 17, at a hotel conference room in South Burlington. Collin and Nicole were there representing the Peoples Academy Change Department (PACD), a student governance group charged with recommending areas of improvement to school administration. PACD is part of a four school initiative facilitated by Helen Beattie. High schools in Winooski, Windsor and Montpelier are also involved in the project, called Youth and Adults Transforming Schools Together. The Vermont Department of Education reported more than 20 candidates, from both in and outside Vermont, applied for the commissionership. The three finalists included former Deputy Commissioner of Education Brian C. O’Regan; Betty J. Sternberg, superintendent of schools in Greenwich, CT and former Connecticut State Commissioner of Education; and Vilaseca, who, until now, served as superintendent of Vermont’s Franklin West Supervisory Union, in Fairfax. The students were involved in a “focus forum” that also included parents, teachers, administrators and education and business leaders. After reading through resumes and brainstorming questions, the panel interviewed the candidates individually, for about an hour each, then spent time as a group reflecting on the interviews. Nicole said the students’ line of questioning was intended to get at the candidates’ view on students’ roles in shaping their education. How would they change the system to give students more of a say in their own education and the governance of their schools? “It was a good experience to meet them and be part of the process,” said Collin. After the interviews were over, the group went into a final executive session to express their thoughts and concerns before taking a vote. Collin picked the winner as his favorite. He said Mr. Vilaseca came across as more personable and the “most interesting character.” Nicole preferred Ms. Sternberg, saying she came across as “more student-oriented.” It was with feedback such as this in mind that the Board of Education made their decision later in the week. Morristown Budget Schedule
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – The Morristown Selectboard has begun its budgeting process for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The budget process will take up much of the board’s time over the next couple months. The following is a budget meeting schedule released this week; all meetings will be held on Monday evenings, at the Morristown Municipal Office Building, on Portland Street. Unless otherwise noted, meetings begin at 6 p.m. November 24 Special Meeting Budget Review for Revenues, Fire & Police December 1 Regular Selectboard Meeting & Budget Review for Highway & Fields & Parks December 8 Special Meeting Budget Review for Capitol Budget, 4th of July and Recreation December 15 Copley Trust Meeting 5:30 PM Regular Selectboard Meeting & Budget Review for Library December 29 Regular Selectboard Meeting January 12 Regular Selectboard Meeting- Review Warning for Town Meeting January 26 Regular Selectboard Meeting- Adopt Warning for Town Meeting
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Despite investment concerns the Trustees of the Alexander Hamilton Copley Trust Fund, this week, approved a request of just over $33,000 to pay for the accessibility lift at the River Arts Center. The decision was split 5 to 2 in favor of the expenditure, and the trustees agreed to hold a discussion with the fund manager before granting any more requests. The Copley Fund, like most other investment funds, has seen a significant decline in its value in recent months. The fund is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of the Morristown Selectboard and two members at large. It was trustees Todd Yando and Gloria Wing who favored tabling the River Arts decision until speaking with the Merchant’s Trust manager who controls the Copley Fund’s investments. Trustee Dick Sargent spoke up in favor of the River Arts request. “This is a vibrant organization in our community,” said Sargent. “We can just screw everything and count our pennies or we can help out.” Trustee Dave Yacovone, who made the motion to approve the request, supported Sargent’s sentiment. The Copley Trust Fund is currently worth roughly $1.1 million. River Arts has raised nearly $820,000 to renovate the old Lamoille Grange Hall to house office, classroom and performance spaces. The local arts organization took out a loan to complete interior renovations, including a lift to access the second floor. Executive Director Steve Ames said the $33,083.53 appropriated by the Copley Fund for the lift will go to pay off the portion of that loan spent on the lift. The Copley Fund had previously granted $64,150 to renovate the main room on the first floor of the River Arts Center, which has been named the Copley Common Room. Ames said River Arts is currently fundraising to complete renovations and start an endowment for ongoing building maintenance expenditures. They are working on matching an anonymous $75,000 challenge grant, $50,000 of which is earmarked for the endowment. Other major grants for the project have included $35,000 from the Preservation Trust of Vermont and $36,000 from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Ames said the next big phase of the project should come next spring when exterior painting is scheduled to begin. Ames said that portion of the project will cost approximately $30,000 due to required lead paint remediation and historical renovation requirements such as restoring, rather than replacing, original clapboards.
Severance Named Emergency Manager of the Year
Cambridge's David Severance was honored by Vermont Emergency Management, as more than 350 emergency responders and planners from around Vermont came together for the first time. They gathered recently at the first annual Vermont Emergency Preparedness Conference at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee. The conference was an opportunity for local, state, and federal agencies to connect on issues of mutual aid and preparations for emergencies. It was co-sponsored by Vermont Emergency Management, Vermont Homeland Security and the Vermont Department of Health. Cambridge Emergency Management Director David Severance was honored as the Vermont recipient for the Northeast States Consortium’s Emergency Manager of the Year. The honor recognized his years of service and continued contribution to the safety and readiness of his community. Severance helped found Cambridge Rescue, developed the town’s emergency response plans, and served as a leader in emergency management for his and surrounding towns. Dave was nominated by his selectboard and community members. Emergency responders from fire departments, ambulance crews, the Vermont National Guard, special rescue teams and police departments sat side by side with town clerks, local emergency management directors, and other emergency planners to hear how they all interconnect and how that partnership can be helped by state and federal resources. Speakers from Vermont Emergency Management, Vermont State Police, Vermont Hazardous Materials team, and others explained the state’s emergency infrastructure and what resources are available to towns in a time of disaster. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Administrator Arthur Cleaves spoke of the federal aid process and how the federal government can help local jurisdictions pay for disaster recovery and prevention. Those presentations were accompanied by talks from local officials from Barre City, Cambridge, Lincoln, and others who shared their own experiences in disasters, including successes and important lessons learned and how they have used those lessons to better prepare for the future. Severance talked about the heavy rain and tornado that ripped through his community in July and the unique challenges he faced in responding. “Emergency management doesn’t focus solely on responding to a disaster. Other phases of emergency management include preparedness, recovery and mitigation.” Vermont Emergency Management Director Barb Farr said. She added, “At times, several state agencies come together to respond to an incident, but towns can also take steps to prepare for and mitigate the effects of a disaster. This conference allowed towns to look at how they can help themselves and help each other; it also showed them what the state and federal government can do in all stages of emergency management. Hopefully we have better equipped everyone to protect the public in future disasters.” The conference also served as a forum to recognize those in the emergency response community who have gone above and beyond in keeping citizens of individual towns and the State of Vermont safe.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISTOWN – Stove manufacturer HearthStone is growing, adding jobs, adding product lines and, the Town of Morristown hopes, adding onto its building. The alternative is to move out of town altogether, which would pose quite a blow to the local economy. That’s why when HearthStone manager Dave Kuhfahl came before the Morristown Selectboard this week, the board essentially agreed to his every request. Kuhfahl will be traveling to Spain next month to address the Board of Directors of HearthStone’s parent company, Hergom. He hopes to convince the corporate board to invest in HearthStone’s current location, despite the temptation to move the company somewhere that might offer lower taxes, existing infrastructure and more convenient shipping options. Kuhfahl went to the selectboard seeking some “carrots” that might help him plead his case. Lamoille Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Art Sanborn accompanied Kuhfahl before the board. He offered to help facilitate one major hurdle – how to quickly bring Village sewer services to HearthStone. The selectboard promised HearthStone they would make that happen two years ago, and Kuhfahl said it needs to happen in the spring. “We’d like to get that underway because that would certainly clear some hurdles for us,” said Kuhfahl. He noted HearthStone currently employs about 65 people and is having to regularly pump its septic system. “It just doesn’t make sense,” said Kuhfahl. The selectboard renewed its pledge to find a way to bring the sewer line to HearthStone’s property line. From there the company would pay to hook onto the system. Town Administrator Dan Lindley said he would be meeting this week with LEDC, HearthStone and others to work on the issue of how to pay to bring the sewer infrastructure to the HearthStone facility. Lindley said the line extension will present an opportunity to hook up other properties, such as the Engine House and beyond. “This line should be properly sized, should there be anything to the north,” said Lindley. He said the new line should be eight inches, rather than four inches, to accommodate future growth. Selectman Todd Yando said the Village of Morrisville, which owns and operates the sewer system, also needs to be involved in the process. “They really have to get on board because they’re the ones who are going to reap the benefit of getting it constructed,” said Yando. Sanborn agreed to approach Morrisville Water & Light with the selectboard’s request for involvement. In addition to action on the sewer line, Kuhfahl also asked the selectboard to agree to a five-year tax stabilization proposal, should HearthStone expand on site. If built, he said the 28,800 square foot addition will cost HearthStone two to three million dollars. In order to help absorb that cost, Kuhfahl asked the selectboard to waive local zoning permit fees, hold off on new personal property taxes for the first five years, and phase in additional property taxes on the new portion of the building over five years. Because zoning fees are based on a percentage of the project cost, Kuhfahl estimated Morristown’s fees for the HearthStone project at about $5,000. He said the personal property tax abatement would amount to $2,500 and the property tax stabilization would save HearthStone $4,000. Selectman Dave Yacovone responded he didn’t think that was a high price to pay for the number of jobs HearthStone plans to add – which could be as many as 30 new employees. HearthStone currently pays about $32,000 a year in town and state property taxes, as well as $2,500 in personal property tax. Kuhfahl noted HearthStone has been located in Morristown since its inception 30 years ago. The company went bankrupt in 1988, then sold to its current Spanish parent company and reopened at its current location the following year. Since then the company has added 28,000 square feet onto the building. It is now looking to mirror that addition on the other side of the building, should the company stay in Morristown. The extra space will be needed to manufacture a new line of pellet stoves HearthStone has developed, and plans to bring to the market next year. Kuhfahl said pellet stoves are so popular right now, HearthStone could have added 50 jobs this year if they were already in production. Kuhfahl said his company, this year, sold over 1,000 stoves wholesale in Vermont. “I think HearthStone’s an important part of Vermont,” he told the selectboard. He said he hopes it will continue to be so.
Giant Map Makes Local Stop by Mickey Smith
If during the past week you have overheard a student saying she walked from Vermont to California at school, they might not be fibbing. As part of National Geography Awareness Week, the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center arranged to have the National Geographic Society's “Giant Traveling Map” in the area. A 26'x35' foot map of North America has been in the county, making stops at the Bishop Marshall School, Cambridge Elementary, and GMTCC. This map is one of five roaming around the country, stopping at schools. Along with another North American map, there are also maps of Asia and Africa of similar size making the rounds. Accompanied by a trunk of accessory games and learning tools, the North American map includes directions for placing Hawaii the correct distance from the mainland. The original plan was to unfold the map in the new Community Education Center of the tech center, and allow schools to come to the map. Transportation costs became a concern, so the tech center offered to bring the 101 pound map around to the schools. Once at the schools, the map could be set up and shoeless students (strict stocking feet only rules apply) could walk around on the continent while playing a variety of games designed to improve their grasp of geography. Dan Beaupre, director of Education Partnerships for National Geographic, was the co-creator of the maps. A Vermont resident, he came to the tech center on Monday, November 17, to see his maps in use. He explained, by making the map large enough to traverse, National Geographic is trying to show how small the world has become. Beaupre said they are working on creating lighter but just as durable maps. He said the life expectancy of the maps is three years, although the original is still being sent around in its fifth year. Each year they plan to introduce new continents.
State Fund Helps Keep Barn Standing
HYDE PARK – Over the past 17 years, the State of Vermont has helped to preserve over 225 historic barns and other agricultural buildings by granting over $1.4 million to farm owners through its Barn Preservation grant program. The owners, at a minimum, matched the state funds. Many of them invested much more of their own money to keep the historic structures standing and a part of the landscape. One of the Vermont Barn Preservation program’s most recent investments occurred off Brook Road in Hyde Park, at Gus and Mary Elfer’s farm. Gus calls his place an “obsolete dairy farm, still in farming.” One of the farm buildings on the Elfer’s property is a turn-of-the-century “Mow Barn.” It is a dairy barn designed at the end of the loose hay era, with an upper story hay mow (rhymes with cow), or storage area. The barn was built in 1902 by R.A. Holbrook, against a hillside with exposed ledge and clay soil. Over the years, the barn has undergone a series of foundation repairs to fight its inclination to slide downhill. The first major foundation repairs were completed in 1921. Over the years a series of piers, patches and cement pours have helped keep the building standing. While the barn has seen a number of upgrades, there were no major changes to its design. Because the milking parlor is on the second story Gus said it’s no longer legal to use as a dairy barn, but he still stores hay in the mow. The cows reside in a modern barn, built in 1974. In order to keep the old barn standing through its second century, Gus needed to invest approximately $22,000 in drainage and foundation work. That’s a lot of money to put into a building that’s no longer serving its main purpose. The Elfers turned to the highly competitive Barn Preservation Grant program. State Architectural Historian Nancy Boone, who helps administer the grant program, said the Legislature appropriates $15,000 to $200,000 to the program each year, which is enough to fund 20 to 25 grants. The matching grants can run up to a maximum of $10,000. At first the Elfers were told they were not chosen for this past grant round. However, as some other applicants dropped out of the program, more funds became available. The state offered the Elfers $6,200, although they had applied for $10,000. After Gus sharpened his pencil and started to work on a scaled-back restoration project, the state came through with more money – a total of $9,950, just $50 short of the maximum grant amount. The Elfers added $12,000 of their own savings and the project was on. Waterville contractor Mike Lanphear came in with a crew to jack the barn and Jan Lewandoski, of Greensboro Bend, provided technical assistance on the project. Mark Myette, of North Hyde Park, operated the heavy equipment on the jobsite while Phil Moran, of Eden, poured a new foundation wall. Gus completed most of the drainage work himself, which was about a quarter of the overall project. “All of these guys were really reasonable and came in right on the money with their estimates,” said Gus. He was pleased with the work, and the money well spent on a barn that remains a piece of Vermont history.
VEC Seeks Rate Increase
JOHNSON – Vermont Electric Cooperative is seeking a 9.24% rate increase, effective the first of the year. VEC submitted its request last week to the Vermont Public Service Board. At the same time the company proposed an alternative regulation plan to minimize the impact of large swings in future transmission costs. The alternative regulation plan would give VEC the flexibility to adjust its rates on a quarterly basis, according to transmission costs. Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service already use alternative regulation plans. Such plans allow the utilities to pass along costs and savings to customers without having to go through the rate case process with the Public Service Board. According to the Co-op’s CEO Dave Hallquist, each rate case costs the utility approximately $300,000. “While we recognize that these are challenging economic times for our members, we would not ask for a rate change unless necessary to maintain and improve safe and reliable service while ensuring the continued financial stability of the Cooperative,” Hallquist stated. “As a cooperative our commitment is to VEC members, who are both consumers and owners of this organization.” Hallquist said the two major components contributing to the current request are increased regional transmission costs and capital improvement expenditures. Other factors include higher payroll and related costs, property taxes and vegetation management costs. “About half the rate case is for capital improvements,” said Hallquist. He noted VEC has designed a 10-year infrastructure investment plan to keep the system running smoothly. He likened the investment plan to the maintenance of roads and bridges. While 50% of the requested rate increase is for local infrastructure improvement, Hallquist said another 30% is intended to cover the costs of regional system improvements throughout New England, which are reflected in transmission costs. He explained Vermont utilities belong to a regional group, ISO New England, where utilities share the costs of upkeep on the transmission system region-wide. Due to recent improvements in the regional system, VEC’s transmission costs have been increasing at a rate of about 30% per year. However, Hallquist says he anticipates those costs will start to go down in a couple years, once recent regional transmission improvements are paid for. VEC’s last revenue increase was two years ago, when rates rose by 7.15%. If the current request is approved, the monthly bill for an average residential member using 600 kWh would increase by $9.01, from $97.48 to $106.49. Hallquist added that energy conservation remains one of the best ways for members to reduce their electric bills. “Even with the higher costs, there are steps members can take to conserve energy and reduce their bills,” said Hallquist. “We encourage members to contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or www.efficiencyvermont.com for more energy efficiency information.”
Things Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 11-20-08 Buy Locally for Our Own Good
I haven’t written it, though it’s high time. The banks that do business in Lamoille County are to be commended. Perhaps you’ve noticed that there haven’t been any headlines about Union Bank or TD Banknorth or any of the others having made a high proportion of “toxic” loans. Apparently Yankee common sense put the brakes on maneuvering financial instruments like a teenager on a joy ride. What was the result of that fiduciary caution? No bank failure, no begging for handouts, money still available to loan, no run on your bank – that’s what. Congratulations, bankers! And “thank you.” So, let’s extrapolate from the banks to the rest of our local businesses – maybe they are all doing a pretty darn good job of being there for us, too? Right now, I know everyone is bugging us to shop and buy locally. Nevertheless, because I think the cause is worthy, I’m adding my voice to the fray. With our economy sailing close to a rocky shore, it’s time to help ourselves. Heck, the big rats have already left the ship with a lot of cargo, it’s almost desperately true that the mice need to hoist a sail and get on course again. Buy locally if you can. Send every relative out of state a local product for Christmas. Help the businessmen and women who are our neighbors. Take a moment to consider that they might be putting a brave face on things, maybe they need a little boost. It’s true that if they make a profit, it’s much more likely to be spent locally than if you head to Burlington to drop a bundle in a chain store. Let’s stay close and spur our local economy by spending our dollars closer to home. It can’t hurt and it may help a lot. In the meantime, you won’t be paying for shipping and then discovering you could have bought the same thing in town for almost the same price. You will be saving about 50 cents each mile you don’t drive and acting “greener,” too. So, Black Friday, next week, skip the migration to the box stores, where the crowds will be horrible, and spend a few bucks in Lamoille County.
by Mickey Smith
A rabid skunk was found on the Camp Road (that runs parallel to Route 12) in Elmore last week. Vermont State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Robert Johnson said a resident observed the skunk acting strange and aggressive. The skunk was dispatched and collected for testing, resulting in a positive test. Dr. Johnson said this animal did not come into contact with pets or people, but residents should remember rabies is still in the area and it is good to watch for such situations. For more information about rabies call the rabies hotline at 1-800-4RABIES or check out their website at http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/rabies/Rabies_fact.aspx.
by Mickey Smith
Champlain Oil has agreed to join forces with Price Chopper for their Fuel AdvantEdge program. According to Price Chopper spokesperson Barbara Page, Champlain Oil will be changing their gas station, located at the corner of Congress and Main Street in Morrisville, from a Citgo station to a Sunoco station within 10 days of Monday, November 3. After the changeover customers will be able to redeem their savings at that station. The station was closed on Monday, November 10, for the changeover. Brian Cairns, of Champlain Oil, said the changeover only takes a day or two. He said Champlain Oil has partnered with Sandri, the Sunoco provider in Vermont, in about five locations where there is a Price Chopper and not a Sunoco station. Cairns said the partnership will run as long as the program is in place. Price Chopper and Sunoco have teamed up to offer a discount on a fill-up based on the amount of groceries purchased. Using Price Chopper’s AdvantEdge cards, customers can get 10 cents per gallon off their gas purchase for every $50 spent on groceries. There is a limit on the gallonage. For details check out Price Chopper literature. Page said signage will be affixed to the pumps explaining the mechanics of the program.
by Mickey Smith
The Johnson Fire Department unveiled their new 2009 International 4400 series engine on Saturday, November 8. The truck replaces a 1974 pumper purchased from Rhode Island after the department’s disastrous fire. “This is the final piece of the puzzle as far as getting us back to full power after the fire,” said Johnson Fire Chief Gordon Smith. Johnson Firefighter Daryl West said the truck was purchased as part of their capital budget, which is built into the overall town budget. Firefighter Arjay West said the truck has a 1,500 gallons per minute Hale pump on it, with a 1,250 gallon capacity tank of water. The truck also carries 1,000 feet of 4” hose and four SCBA breathing units, along with an assortment of rescue tools. He described the truck as being a workhorse for the department and it is designed with a rescue style body. The truck this one replaces has been sold to the Wolcott Volunteer Fire Department.
LAMOILLE COUNTY – Stowe Town Clerk Alison Kaiser thought she could help give local food shelves a boost going into the holidays if she could encourage some of her fellow Town Clerks to collect nonperishable food items on Election Day. Boy, was she right! With the cooperation of all 10 of Lamoille County’s Town Clerks, nearly 4,000 pounds of food was distributed to three food shelves in the county. “It was my goal to overwhelm the food shelves with this collection effort, especially before the holiday season begins,” stated Kaiser. “The thought of someone going without is heart-breaking. I thought, if I can spare a can or two without breaking my budget to help someone else in need, than so can a lot of other people. They just need to be reminded once in a while.” The Election Day drive was a resounding success, netting 3,000 pounds of food for Lamoille Community Food Share, 400 pounds for the Cambridge Food Shelf and over 500 pounds for the Johnson Food Shelf. Lamoille Community Food Share spokesperson Deb Krempecke was thrilled with the response. “It was great,” said Krempecke. She said her volunteers commented that it’s like Christmas to have so many extra things to put on the shelf. Krempecke added it’s one thing to have peanut butter on the shelf to give away, but to be able to offer crunchy peanut butter so someone who prefers it is really great. She said she’s not surprised by the community’s response, but she is quite pleased. “It was just overwhelming,” said Krempecke. “It was well worth the effort.” Food shelf volunteers picked up voter donations from Lamoille County Town Clerks’ offices Wednesday morning and delivered the goods to the food shelves. Morristown Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson said voters in her town truly responded to the call. “The food really poured in on Election Day,” Wilson commented. “We were their first stop on Wednesday morning, and we pretty much filled the bed of the pickup truck.” Wilson called the effort an easy way to collect donations, and suggested the Town Clerk’s office might be an effective drop-off site for other food drives, and possibly a Halloween candy drop to help take the burden off Village residents who, in Morrisville, see hundreds of trick-or-treaters. “My office will always be willing to be a repository,” stated Wilson. She added she believes most other Town Clerks would feel the same.
Visioning a Business Office Park
MORRISTOWN – Over the past several months, as the Morristown Planning Commission has updated its Town Plan and begun reviewing its zoning bylaws, the subject of creating a business office park has become a major topic of conversation. The idea of creating a business office park on the outskirts of the Village has been on the books in Morristown since the 1990s. In an effort to further define the concept of such a park, to be located near the Bishop Marshall School, the selectboard has agreed to pursue a $15,000 municipal planning grant from the state. Chip Sawyer, of the Lamoille County Planning Commission, is preparing the grant application. “This grant would provide an opportunity to make use of stakeholder involvement and momentum and provide planning for much-needed infrastructure in one of Morristown’s designated economic development areas,” the grant application states. “Municipal sewer and water service is a zoning requirement for all development within Morristown’s Business Office Park (BOP) zoning district. However no such infrastructure currently exists within the BOP, aside from the parcels along Route 100. Citing the lack of infrastructure as one of the major impediments to development within the BOP, the Town of Morristown, the Morrisville Water and Light Department, BOP landowners, and other stakeholders, including the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), have begun a conversation about the possibilities for providing infrastructure in the same model as an industrial park. In light of this effort, and in recognition of the BOP’s economic local and regional economic development potential, the Morristown Planning Commission and selectboard have decided to seek funds from the Municipal Planning Grant program to match local municipal funds toward infrastructure planning in the BOP.” The BOP would provide space for offices and possibly light industry, but would not accommodate retail. The downtown group MACC has raised some concerns with the Planning Commission about the possibility of a BOP drawing business away from the downtown. If funded, the planning grant would be used to hire a consultant to further define the park’s uses as well as develop specific strategies for infrastructure such as water, sewer, roads and other utilities. “This application finds its roots within local support for good planning,” the application states. “The Town, BOP landowners and other stakeholders all recognize that having one comprehensive plan for infrastructure in the BOP will be a much more responsible and effective way of moving forward than by having landowners and developers construct infrastructure on a project-by-project basis.” Sawyer said Morristown is applying for the maximum municipal planning grant of $15,000. He said the town should know by the end of the year if the application was successful. If funded, the town will have until May 2010 to complete the project.
MORRISTOWN – As it turns out, Morristown has some pretty big trees! We know this thanks to the first annual Big Tree Contest, conducted throughout the summer and fall by the Morristown Conservation Commission. Last week, commission members Steve Rae and Jim Pease visited trees that were entered into the contest by local residents, to verify their size and species. Rae said trees in both the town and village were entered. Winners were announced this week, and were presented with a quart of Vermont Maple Syrup. John and Sarah Guillot, of Stagecoach Road, submitted a 74-inch circumference (over six feet around) White Ash. That tree won the category Most Unique Tree Find in Town.” Stacey Heuer won for the Largest Silver Maple in Town, with her submission of two maples, which sit majestically in front of the Langdell Farm on Route 15, east of town. The largest of Stacey's two trees boasts a circumference of 168 inches, or 14 feet! A Silver Maple on the property of Carolyn Levis won the largest Silver Maple in the Village category. Carolyn's son, Robert, made the entry on her behalf. “The interesting fact about this tree is that it was planted when Carolyn and her husband moved to their house on Paine Avenue in the 1950s,” Rae reported. “It is remarkable that this Silver Maple with a 12 foot circumference has grown so large in one person's lifetime.”
This year’s winning trees will set a standard for enterprising individuals
to locate bigger and
Theft at Aubuchon's by Mickey Smith
The Morristown Police Department is looking for information regarding a shoplifting case at Morristown's Aubuchon Hardware. On Friday, October 31, at about 4:23 p.m., an unknown male entered the store and stole merchandise from within the store. The person was captured on the store's security system, and the police are asking for the public's help in learning the identity of this person. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Morristown Police at 888-4211 or the anonymous Central Vermont Crime Stoppers tipline at 1-800-529-9998.
Potential Superfund Site – Potential Risks?
by Mickey Smith
In light of a new Vermont Department of Health report that found a potential for increased asbestos-related health risks for people who have lived near the Vermont Asbestos Group (VAG) mine in Eden and Lowell, state officials reiterated the need for additional investigation of the mine's impact on its surroundings. Human Services Secretary Cynthia D. LaWare and out-going Natural Resources Secretary George R. Crombie, have said Vermont is pursuing all available avenues to control the environmental and health impacts of the mine, and is working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. The EPA is dealing with the problem both through cleanup and legal actions. They are in the early stages of evaluating the VAG site for potential listing on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), which would make it eligible for federal funding for a comprehensive cleanup of the site. EPA is also seeking a federal court order against the parties responsible for the contamination to require immediate steps to abate the current risks. In August, following the state’s request for assistance, EPA completed a $2 million cleanup effort to reduce the offsite migration of asbestos-laden tailings. The Vermont Department of Health has completed a preliminary epidemiological analysis that suggests a potential risk of increased asbestos-related illnesses. A major limitation of the study is the lack of information about an individual’s exposure – whether people inhaled asbestos, and if so, where and in what setting, how much, over how many years and other determining factors. The study cannot determine the source of illness, or if exposure to asbestos continues. “Our findings are statistically significant and cautionary, but we need to know more,” said Health Commissioner Wendy Davis, MD. “It is extremely important that Vermonters stay off the mine, and we recommend that you contact your health care provider if you are concerned that you may have been exposed to asbestos.” The Health Department’s analysis of hospital discharge records, Vermont Cancer Registry data and death certificates for the years 1996 to 2005 found statistically significant associations between illness (asbestosis and lung cancer) and residence in towns within a 10-mile radius of the mine, including the towns of: Albany, Belvidere, Craftsbury, Eden, Hyde Park, Irasburg, Johnson, Lowell, Montgomery, Newport Town, Troy, Waterville and Westfield. The health reported noted, “the odds of dying with asbestosis are more than 12 times as high... among people living close to the mine compared to people living further away from the mine.” The report also noted “an approximate 60% increased odds of developing lung cancer.” No significant findings were found for pleural malignancy, peritoneal malignancy, or mesothelioma. The study goes on to list the limitations of the study, including a lack of exposure information. “Residency close to the mine is used as an exposure surrogate, but residency may be a poor indicator of actual non-occupation asbestos exposure,” said the report. “In light of this new information from the Health Department, we intend to aggressively pursue all available resources to ensure we continue to thoroughly investigate all environmental and health concerns,” said LaWare. “The report makes clear that a more comprehensive, in-depth health risk assessment must be conducted.” Among their recommendations is a more complete health risk assessment including activity-based sampling, perimeter air sampling, and data to better understand the off-site migration of the asbestos. As the assessment work is carried out, the Health Department strongly recommends that people and their pets stay off the inactive mine, which closed in 1993, to minimize direct exposure to the asbestos tailing piles. Despite posted “No Trespassing” signs, the mine has been routinely accessed by the public for recreational use, such as collecting rocks and geological artifacts, skiing, hiking, hunting and riding all-terrain vehicles. Trespassing on the site also poses a high risk for injury due to the instability of the tailing piles. The Agency of Natural Resources began investigating the site in 2004 and has conducted biological and chemical assessments of 23 locations within the two affected watersheds as well as additional sediment and water sampling downstream from previous study locations. “We have requested that EPA and other federal agencies take the lead in continuing to address the environmental and health impacts of the mine,” said Crombie. “This is a high priority for us. The immediate measures to address the health risks and the long-term cleanup of this site will require significant financial resources, and we support the Department of Justice’s efforts to also bring in the parties responsible for creating the mess.” The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday, November 5, filed pleadings in federal district court in New Jersey, seeking injunctive relief against G-1 Holdings, the former owner of the Vermont Asbestos Group mine in Eden and Lowell, seeking, among other things, additional investigation into the potential impacts of asbestos on locations off of the mine property. The Health Department report was included in this filing. This is the latest in a series of efforts by state and federal agencies to pursue all available resources for the cleanup of the now-closed mine. The Attorney General’s Office has already filed suit against the current owner in state court. Officials from the Department of Health and Agency of Natural Resources will meet with local select boards in coming weeks and plan to hold community meetings in early December. According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources' waste management division, the two most significant tailings piles contain about 29-30 million tons. From the early 1900s until 1993 when the mine was closed, white asbestos (chrysotile) was mined from open pits. VAG purchased the mine in 1975. VAG is currently a cooperative owned by the former employees of the mine, with Howard Manosh, of Hyde Park, who owns 2% of the company, serving as elected president.
ELMORE – Elmore resident Robert Burley has been selected to fill out the unexpired term of Selectman Bob West, who recently resigned. West also served as Elmore’s Road Commissioner. Resident Brian Shackett was appointed to fill the Road Commissioner post. Selectman Burley was appointed this month after a competitive bid for the post. He is a Vermont native and a 20-year resident of Elmore. Burley’s resume states he spent 25 years as a high tech executive and worked as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He served as an officer and a pilot in the United States Air Force, including combat in Vietnam. Burley is also a commercial pilot and a Masters alpine ski racer, competing internationally. Shackett is in charge of the prisoner work crew for the St. Johnsbury Correctional Center. He was one of a handful of applicants for the Road Commissioner position. Both appointments are in effect until Town Meeting Day in March, when the positions will be up for election. West served on the selectboard for 22 years and acted as Road Commissioner for the past 11 years. West cited personal reasons for his resignation, noting he had achieved his goals for the town and the time was right for “a new set of eyes and ears.”
by Mickey Smith
MORRISTOWN – Three teenagers have been charged in connection with burglaries and vandalism around the area, as a result of an investigation by the Morristown Police Department. Adam Warner, 19, Anthony Snell, 19, and Sean Horgan, 19, were charged with burglary and unlawful mischief related to burglaries at two local businesses, as well as several incidences of vandalism to buildings and motor vehicles, where windows were broken and tires slashed. The incidents occurred between August 31 and October 21. Included in the vandalism were several smashed windows, including glass on cars and Manosh trucks, in the H.A. Manosh parking lot area. As a result of the investigation, Morristown Police allege Warner and Snell were found to be responsible for smashing windows at the Wolcott Elementary School earlier this summer.
MORRISVILLE – Despite appearances to the contrary, the Bridge Street Bridge is not yet under construction. When a crane appeared in the parking lot of Tomlinson’s Store earlier this week and workmen entered the river on Tuesday, many people believed the bridge was undergoing repairs or being prepped for replacement. Morrisville voters, next week, will cast ballots on whether to replace the bridge. In fact, this week’s work was a project of the Village of Morrisville Water and Light Department. MW&L is in the process of repairing erosion around the concrete encasement of a sewer line crossing the Lamoille River in the vicinity of the bridge, according to MW&L General Manager Craig Myotte. Myotte explained the erosion was discovered last year, during an inspection by divers. He added the repair is needed to prevent the rupture of the sewer line and the discharge of untreated wastewater into the river. “The repair consists of three primary steps,” Myotte explained. “The first step is to shore up the eroded space around the existing concrete sewer line encasement with rock material. The second step will be to inject concrete into the void after it is partially filled with rocks. Finally, larger rock material will be placed upstream of the repair to protect it from future erosion.” The repair work began on Tuesday, October 27 and is expected to be complete by the end of the week. Myotte estimated the cost of the repair to be $60,000.
Accident at Elmore Park
ELMORE – Three Vermont Youth Conservation Corps workers had a rough night their last night on duty at Elmore State Park. They crashed the park pickup truck at about 11 p.m., Friday, October 17, sending one occupant to the hospital with minor injuries. State Regional Ranger Supervisor Nick Caputo said it was an unfortunate way to end the season but added, “We were very lucky that nobody was [seriously] hurt.” Caputo said Park Manager Elizabeth Doyle, 28, of Augusta, ME, was driving the truck with two other VYCC park employees inside when the accident occurred. Caputo said they reported seeing someone enter the park, which closed for the season on Columbus Day. The three park workers drove up the road that leads to the hiking trail up Mt. Elmore, but didn’t find anyone. On their way back down the mountain, where the road is still dirt, they reported a deer ran out in front of the truck. Doyle swerved to avoid the animal and the passenger side tires caught the edge of the road, causing the vehicle to roll off the road. Caputo said the state is looking into the matter, but has no reason to doubt the reports of those involved. The smashed truck, a 2000 Chevrolet S-10, parked in view of the entrance to the park fueled local rumors about the incident. When asked about the rumor that the VYCC workers were partying in celebration of their last night at the camp Caputo said, “I think that’s just a rumor. We don’t have any reason to believe they were fooling around.” VYCC President Thomas Hark adamantly denied the rumor. “There clearly was no drinking or partying going on,” he commented. Hark also noted any illicit substances would have been detected by the hospital. He said one occupant of the vehicle was taken to the hospital that night and another went the following day, as a precaution. The people involved were also interviewed by police, the parks service and VYCC personnel. “We have very clear and strict safety protocols in everything we do,” said Hark. He added the VYCC has been staffing state parks since 1991 and this is the first accident in all that time. “We take this very, very seriously,” said Hark. Hark said the VYCC employees were going after someone they thought was headed up to party on the mountain. That person was never found, and it is assumed he or she went to a different part of the park.
by Mickey Smith
MORRISTOWN – Everyone has started to buzz about Price Chopper's advertised savings on gas program, but around Morristown the big question of “where can I participate” is still looming. Price Chopper and Sunoco have teamed up to allow customers to save 10 cents per gallon (up to 20 gallons) on gas for every $50 they spend at Price Chopper, meaning somebody spending $150 will save 30 cents per gallon of gas the next time they fill up the tank. But, the problem is that Morristown does not have a Sunoco gas station! Barbara Page, a spokesperson for Price Chopper, said they are working on finding a different gas station to take part in the program in the Morristown area. She expected a station should be found in the next couple of weeks. She said, in the meantime, Morristown shoppers can use their fuel advantedge savings at other participating Sunoco stations around the state if they wish. On the back page of this week's Price Chopper flyer, is an advertisement explaining the deal. Listed in the ad are locations were the savings can be redeemed. The address listed in Morrisville is the location of the Price Chopper store. Page explained that was included as a place-saver for when a participating gas station is found. The program is scheduled to run through the end of the year.
by Mickey Smith
A strange acting raccoon, noticed in the Sweetser Lane area of Stagecoach Road, has tested positive for rabies. Stowe Police Officer Elizabeth Rankin said the raccoon had been observed, acting more and more strangely for a few days, before an officer was finally able to locate it October 23. Rankin said she and other officers made a couple of trips to the area before the raccoon was found.
WOLCOTT – The Wolcott Selectboard has warned a Special Town Meeting for Wednesday, November 19. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m., at the town office building. Voters are being asked to authorize an additional $32,000 “for cost overruns on renovations to the railroad station” that is now being leased to the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union to serve as a preschool center. At Town Meeting last March, Wolcott voters, by a vote of 65 to 29, authorized the selectboard to borrow $60,000 for the project. The renovation was done over the summer with labor provided by the St. Johnsbury Correctional Center work crew. The cost overruns are primarily attributed to foundation and septic issues. The selectboard is also asking voters to remain after the meeting for a “public discussion” on police coverage. The Warning states the board will present three options for future police coverage. Currently, Wolcott, along with Hyde Park and Johnson, contracts for fulltime coverage through the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department. The cost of that coverage has been a major discussion at Town Meeting in recent years. “This will be an opportunity for the voters to gather information and have a discussion on what they would like to have for police coverage in our town,” the Warning states. “The discussion will also help the Selectboard make decisions when they start working on the 2009 Town Budget.”
MORRISVILLE – Student leaders at Peoples Academy spent Tuesday, October 28, going over numbers in Union Bank’s boardroom. They weren’t training to be bankers; they were analyzing data from the 2007 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey is administered every other year to Vermont students in grades eight through 12. In 2007, more than 90% of Vermont schools participated in the survey. This year students from five schools, including PA, were afforded the opportunity to analyze the data for their school, and compare it to the state numbers. The PA effort is being led by Student Assistance Professional Counselor (SAP Councilor) Drew Farrell. With the help of referrals from teachers, counselors and students, Farrell identified high school students in every grade to assist in the project. He said the students chosen were identified as leaders in their classes who make healthy decisions. The students from all five schools involved in analyzing the data (PA, Mt. Abraham Union High School, Mt. Mansfield Union High School, South Burlington High School and Vergennes Union High School) recently got together for a daylong training with Helen Beattie, the project coordinator for the state. This week, Beattie joined the PA kids in Morrisville. “This is their data and this is a good opportunity for them to bring meaning to it,” Beattie explained. The students spent Tuesday pouring over the data and identifying their school’s strengths and weaknesses. They then discussed ways to build on the strengths and improve on the weaknesses, and drafted an action plan to that effect. This winter, the students will host a Community Dialog Night to present their ideas and gather feedback from the greater community. By springtime, the group hopes to involve even more students in addressing the problems identified at their school. Abby Fitzgerald, Sara Jones and Katelyn Dewey were the first students to commit to this project. They have been meeting weekly with Mr. Farrell to manage the effort. The girls agreed it is interesting to look at PA’s data and compare it to the state averages. Most exciting, they said, is the opportunity to improve their school. “We can change the numbers,” Abby said. Sara completed her thought adding, “Try to make a difference.” The girls all reported they were surprised by some of the numbers, including drug and alcohol use among younger students (grades 8-10), the number of respondents who said they have purposefully hurt themselves, and the number who have reported having sexual experiences with which they were uncomfortable. Katelyn said their main goal is to raise awareness about the problems, so they will be addressed. “If we can make a difference, that’s what matters,” Sara added. Freshmen Sam Loh and Dillon Quad said survey topics such as drug use, drinking, smoking and sexual activity are big issues for their class. Sam said of the 500 or so students who took the survey at PA, about 170 were thrown out because they were deemed not to be truthful or would otherwise adversely affect the data’s accuracy. He added he was surprised by the number of people who were not honest when taking the anonymous survey. “It’s a pretty personal survey,” Dillon noted. Sam and Dillon examined the data regarding sexual activity. They said they were surprised at the number of students who reported having early sexual experiences. They reported five percent of girls and 12% of boys at PA reported having sex before age 13. Sam and Dillon think the school could address this concern by introducing sex education before eighth grade, and by continuing to teach about teen pregnancy, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases throughout the high school grades. On the positive side, they reported 82% of sexually active females and 73% of sexually active males reported using some form of protection. As a result, Sam and Dillon identified the attempt to prevent unwanted pregnancies as a strength for their school. As freshmen, Sam and Dillon will have the opportunity in their junior year to compare the 2007 results to the results of a survey that will be given next year. In 2010, they hope to be leading a similar group of students in analyzing new data. Dillon said he’ll be interested to see if the number of PA students engaging in risky behavior go down. “Hopefully they do,” added Sam. “We’ll see that we did something to help.”
A Visit, A Pet Peeve, Paying People
Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie stopped by the news office a couple of weeks ago on the campaign trail. As he seated himself in our small office he said he was running on his record. He thinks that is enough and, frankly, so do I. Eventually, he pulled out a 122 page logbook of his record with entries from 2003 or so until now. It is an impressive compilation – who knew, or knows what a lt. governor is supposed to do, or actually does? Here are some of the topics covered, that seem to show a range of the lt. gov’s duties: growing jobs, educating the next generation, healthy aging, energy (dated Dec. 2006 - “Leaving Foreign Oil Behind”), environment, making a safer state, making international friends for VT, and housing. Of course, Dubie is running on his record, but only to show what he might do to affect Vermont’s future. He said Jim Douglas’s and his goal is for Vermont to make it out of these economic times “leaner and better.” Right now, Dubie is chairing the Fuel and Food Partnership, using 2--1-1 as a food and fuel info center and has launched the Button Up Vermont seminars. “I will seek ways to make government more efficient,” he pledged. “Our job in Montpelier is to serve the people of Vermont... we realize we need to reform, reconnect and redesign state government... to ensure services are delivered in a compassionate way.” Dubie talked for quite awhile about his effort and the statewide petition to pass a new Jessica’s Law for Vermont. He said the law he supports is basically a clone of New Hampshire’s. He has talked with NH people and they say it works. OK, now the pet peeve. This one happens at the Vermont interstate rest areas. Have you ever stopped to use the facilities, looked around for the free coffee, and found it being dispensed in the midst of some fundraiser or other? Increasingly, this has happened to me. Somehow the idea that the free coffee that either Green Mountain Coffee is donating or the taxpayers are funding, is being dispensed in a manner that looks like you must make a donation in order to snag a cup. At the very least it is uncomfortable to stand in front of a bunch of freshly scrubbed Brownies or Daisies or whatever and not make a donation. But, the fact is, the coffee is free at the rest areas. It is part of our welcoming visitors to our state. So, why are we embarassing them unless they drop a buck on whoever is panhandling the place this weekend? Paying People – this comment is about the new voting machines towns got through state grants. The machines are to make counting and tabulating easier, but the catch is they cost money and must be set up for each election. There is a minimum cost. They replace either volunteer or paid labor of townspeople. My question: is this a great time to replace 10 paid local people counting with a machine? Even if it costs a bit more? My thought on the machine vs. people question is, don’t fire up the machine for any small elections. That’s my tiny “redistribution of the wealth plan” this election year!
by Mickey Smith
Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) Secretary Cynthia D. LaWare recently announced the winners of the fourth annual Secretary's Community Awards, with Lamoille County Court Diversion and Restorative Justice Programs (LCCDRJP) earning the award for the district that serves the Lamoille Valley. LCCDRJP received the award at a special ceremony held October 27 in Waterbury. The ceremony recognized the seven northern winners. A separate ceremony was held in Rutland for the southern winners on October 29. According to the Agency of Human Services, these awards are granted to individuals, work teams, and organizations from outside of state government that work closely with the Agency to serve and support Vermonters. “The 2008 awards recognize individuals and organizations that provide compassionate and comprehensive services to Vermonters of all ages. This year's award recipients have provided invaluable support to the Agency and represent some of the best efforts in the state to improve the everyday lives of Vermonters and the communities in which they live,” said Secretary LaWare, “I'm very pleased to have this opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of our community partners.” AHS Field Service directors were solicited for nominations representing each of the 12 human service districts in Vermont. Carol Maloney, co-director of LCCDRJP, said receiving the award was a very humbling experience. She took great pride in the fact they were nominated for the award by their peers and said flexibility, effectiveness, and collaborative spirit were among the reasons cited for the nomination. Maloney said they have long had a “do whatever it takes” attitude. Currently LCCDRJP has nine programs serving about 700 people. In the press release regarding the awards, LCCDRJP was described as having “developed a strong network of services for children with incarcerated parents to help focus on breaking the cycle of dependency.” The press release praised the program staff for being “able to make deep connections with families and youth in a holistic and strength-based fashion.” The awards recognize extraordinary contributions to the health and well-being of Vermont residents and winners exemplify the AHS four key practices of: excellent customer service, holistic service delivery, strength-based relationships, and results oriented practices in their service delivery model.
by Mickey Smith After pleading guilty to four felony counts stemming from a drug bust last year, Kyle Bidwell, 25, of Johnson, was sentenced to 18 months to five years for his involvement with cocaine and marijuana. At the time of his arrest, Bidwell told police he was just selling to family and friends. Between July and September of 2007 a cooperating individual, working with the Vermont State Police's drug task force, made cocaine buys from Bidwell. Police raided his home in October that year confiscating drugs, paraphernalia, and money. Bidwell changed his plea to guilty on four of the charges brought against him, in a plea agreement to have the other charges dropped. Bidwell requested Judge Brian Grearson, who had familiarity with the case, sentence him. Judge Grearson sentenced Bidwell to 18 months to five years for each of two counts of sale of 2.5 or more grams of cocaine and one count sale of less than 2.5 grams of cocaine. He was sentenced to zero to three years for possession of 2.5 grams or more of marijuana. He will serve all four sentences concurrently.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Do you have questions about the Bridge Street Bridge and Morristown’s plan to replace it? The Town of Morristown has announced a series of informational meetings, in advance of the November 4 ballot item through which the town will seek voter approval to borrow up to $1.5 million to replace the deteriorating bridge. Five meetings have been scheduled before Election Day. Each meeting will start at 6 p.m. Meetings will be held at the Lamoille Senior Center Thursday evenings, October 16, 23 and 30. Meetings will also be held at the Tegu Building Community Meeting Room Tuesday evening, October 21 and Monday evening, October 27. In addition to the meetings, the town has produced an informational brochure on the Bridge Street Bridge project, which will be circulated around town during the next few weeks.
by Amy Kolb Noy esWant to reduce home energy use, but not sure where to start? Tired of cold or drafty spots around your house? Wondering what resources are available to help make efficiency improvements? Button-Up Vermont is here to help. Three towns in Lamoille County are among 100 communities statewide holding free Button-Up Vermont workshops this fall. Local lawmakers, including Senator Susan Bartlett, Hyde Park/Wolcott Representative Linda Martin and Stowe Representative Heidi Scheuermann, are working with Rotary Clubs in Cambridge and Morrisville, as well as The Stowe Energy and Climate Action Network, to host workshops this month. Button-Up Vermont is a series of two-hour workshops intended to teach participants the fundamentals of how buildings lose energy and do-it-yourself opportunities for saving energy. Those opportunities include behavioral changes and low-cost weatherization measures. Workshop participants will receive educational materials on measures they can undertake themselves, contact information for energy audit services and lending institutions that offer low-interest loans for energy retrofits, and other information. Discounts from local retailers on weatherization materials are also available. The Button-Up workshops are conducted by a select group of trained, certified energy auditors delivering a prepared presentation/slide show. The series is sponsored by Central Vermont Community Action Council, Efficiency Vermont, Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network and Vermont Agency of Human Services, Department of Children and Families. Local workshops will be held in Stowe on Saturday, October 18; Morristown on Tuesday, October 21; and Cambridge on Monday, October 27. Saturday’s workshop in Stowe will be held in conjunction with the Stowe CAN Go Green Festival. The Button-Up workshop, led by certified energy auditor Brad Cook, will be held from 10 a.m. until noon at the Stowe Elementary School. Cook will teach homeowners about some of the most cost-effective solutions for saving energy, how to prevent a home from losing heat, what weatherization and energy conservation projects homeowners can do themselves, and when a professional is needed. At noon, the doors open up in the gym for the Stowe CAN Go Green Festival. Lots of vendors will be on hand with sustainable products and services related to home energy. The Go Green Festival includes an eco-friendly product raffle (including a free energy audit), free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and speakers on eating local, renewable energy and offsetting your carbon footprint. The festival runs until 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required for the Stowe workshop. To register, email Christine Dorsey at cdorsey68@gmail.com with the subject line "Button Up Vermont Workshop Registration" and include your name, email, mailing address and phone number, or call her at 505-0508. The Morrisville Rotary Club is sponsoring the October 21 Button-Up workshop at the Stonegrill Restaurant, in Morristown. The Cambridge Area Rotary is holding the October 27 workshop at the Cambridge Elementary School, in Jeffersonville. Both of those workshops will start at 6:30, with a half-hour seminar on heating safely with wood, offering “tips for not burning your house down.” The Button-Up Home Energy Saving Workshops will run from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Both the Morristown and Cambridge workshops will give away a home energy audit as a door prize. For more information on the Morristown workshop call Senator Susan Bartlett, 888-5591, or Representative Linda Martin at 888-5654. In Cambridge contact Sam Lotto at 793-5509 or swlvt@together.net. Information is also available at www.helpforvt.org and www.efficiencyvermont.com.
Designing the Downtown by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – This Thursday is your chance to chime in on possible changes to the way cars, bikes and pedestrians move through Morrisville’s downtown. Consultants Oman Analytics have completed a “Downtown Opportunities Study” with the help of a local steering committee, including members of the Morristown Planning Commission, MACC and others. Now they are asking for the community’s involvement. To that end, a “hands-on” Morrisville Downtown Design Workshop will be held at the River Arts Center Thursday, October 16, beginning at 6 p.m. The evening will start with a presentation of the Downtown Opportunities Study transportation analysis, which includes a detailed look at a one-way traffic pattern in the heart of the Village. Food and drinks will be served after the presentation, to fuel participants’ minds and prepare them to get involved in the interactive workshops. The workshops are scheduled to start at 6:40, followed by a slide show of downtowns. Then participants are asked to, “Roll up your sleeves and delve into visioning for Portland and Pleasant Streets.” The evening’s events are intended to wrap-up by 8:40. On site childcare will be provided. For more information call Community Development Coordinator Heidi Krantz at 888-5147.
New Year’s Celebration Wins VCF Grant by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – A new, family friendly New Year’s celebration in Morrisville has won the support of the Vermont Community Foundation. This week VCF announced it awarded more than $283,000 to 46 Vermont organizations as part of its Sustainable Communities grant round. Grant recipients are nonprofit organizations that promote the arts, humanities, cultural heritage, the environment and economic development. River Arts, in Morrisville, was the only grant recipient in Lamoille County. RA received $4,950 to create a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration it’s calling “Last Night, First Morning.” Among the other grant recipients was Hardwick’s Highfields Institute, which was awarded $10,000 for the Community-based Organics Recycling Expansion program. That program intends to broaden the availability of organics recycling options in Vermont communities, address water pollution issues, build healthy agricultural soils, and develop regenerative food systems. The VCF is made up of more than 500 distinct charitable funds, each established by charitable individuals to build healthy and vital Vermont communities. Grants from these funds are awarded both at the suggestion of fund holders and through competitive processes. In addition, the VCF offers planned giving, nonprofit agency endowment management, and other philanthropic services to help ensure that philanthropy is increasingly effective in supporting healthy and vital Vermont communities.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
What would happen if Vermont’s childcare providers all went on strike? The Kids Are Priority One Coalition suggests it would bring the state’s economy to a standstill. To make the point, the Coalition, Building Bright Futures and other early child care and education programs are promoting a “virtual strike” this week. The Coalition stated the strike is designed to increase awareness among employers, policymakers and the public about the connection between child development and economic development. It is also intended to set the stage for the Coalition’s legislative effort to address what it terms “the severe under-funding of Vermont’s Child Care Subsidy Program, which supports low and moderate-income families with the high costs of quality care.” The Coalition notes income eligibility guidelines have not been updated since 2000 and reimbursement rates remain “well below market rate.” To demonstrate the impact of child care on the economy, tens of thousands of buttons are being distributed this week stating, “This employee made possible by child care” and “Support Vermont’s Economy, Support Quality Child Care.” In addition, each day of the virtual strike, which runs through Saturday, will feature activities for parents, early childhood programs, school-age providers, business, and policymakers. Thursday evening, October 16, Building Bright Futures is sponsoring a local candidates’ forum that will focus on early child care and the economy. The forum will be held 6-7:30 p.m., at the River Arts Center, in Morrisville. Organizers are calling this week’s event a “what if” strike. Early care and education programs will remain open, but parents who use child care are asked to wear the buttons to demonstrate they are at work – thanks to child care. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 70% of children in Vermont are in out-of-home care during the workweek. “Vermont’s child care industry is part of the infrastructure necessary to keep Vermont’s economy working,” according to Coalition literature. “Numerous studies have shown that employees’ productivity is higher when they do not have to worry about their child’s well-being or safety. A stable, quality and affordable early care and education system makes it easier for employers to attract and retain employees.” The Coalition further states, “The Early Care and Education System also supports the development of our future workforce. Science tells us that early experiences build the foundation for a child’s developing brain. The skills needed for a child’s future begin to develop early, through positive and nurturing interactions with adults at home and in the community…We know that supporting healthy child development is easier and more effective than trying to make up for damaging early experiences later on.” So look around this week and see how many coworkers, store clerks and other people you meet are wearing virtual strike buttons – and see for yourself the impact child care has on the community.
Wolcott Considers Law Enforcement Plans – Again by Mickey Smith
The Wolcott Selectboard has approached the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department and the other towns (Hyde Park and Wolcott) receiving patrol coverage from LCSD regarding the potential of changing Wolcott’s contract with the law enforcement agency. The coverage issue has arisen several times in recent years, but in the past the only options available have been full coverage from the sheriff's department or using the state police. In the past, the issue was brought up at Town Meeting time, when Sheriff Roger Marcoux had already prepared a budget for the upcoming year. This time around, Wolcott has begun the process earlier and the selectboard wants to take the time to get feedback from the voters on three potential options. Added to the options of full Sheriff's Department or full Vermont State Police coverage is a third proposal of two-thirds sheriff coverage, one-third state police. By cutting one third of the coverage, Wolcott would save about $52,000, or about 3 ½ cents on taxes. Based on this figure, someone with a home appraised at $200,000 would save $70. Sheriff Marcoux said this was a good time for Wolcott to try such a plan, as his department has recently had some turnover of higher paid personnel. Even with a loss of about $52,000 from Wolcott, Marcoux said he plans to submit a level-funded budget with no increase to any of the towns next year. Under this new proposal, Wolcott would spend about $80,000 (two-thirds of its current contract) on sheriff's department coverage from 4 p.m., until 8 a.m. The Vermont State Police would cover calls during the daytime hours. This, Marcoux said, would be best for both agencies. He said the daytime is when the state police has the most coverage available, and that is also when Johnson and Hyde Park require the most coverage from his department. Hammel said the selectboard would be deciding at its October 15 meeting, if they are going to warn for a November 19 informational meeting to discuss the options with the town. She said, in the past, voters have turned down the option of dropping the contract with the sheriff's department, but many commented it was because there wasn't a lot of talk of what options existed. “We need people in there to discuss this,” said Hammel of the informational meeting. She said by bringing up the issue now, it will give voters a chance to think about their options before Town Meeting. At this time, if Wolcott decided to go ahead with the two-thirds coverage, it would be for a one year trial period. Hammel said this would give residents a chance to see how well coverage works from the state police. They would then have some comparison information for determining future coverage. Hammel said the selectboard would encourage feedback from residents about their experiences with the state police, including some sort of evaluation process should they decide to go that route. While both Hyde Park Selectboard chair Scott Griswold and Johnson's chair Eric Osgood thanked Wolcott for starting the process early enough to make budgetary plans accordingly, both towns expressed concerns about how the change would occur. Issues were raised about Wolcott's involvement with the sheriff's department after the one year test program, and also any need for the sheriff's department to respond during their “off hours.” Griswold said he would push for this to be a one year trial, with a return to the “all or nothing” policy after the test. He said he didn't want to see Wolcott considering cutting to only one-third coverage after this. Osgood said he wanted to see a “burden rate” established for out of jurisdiction calls. There are concerns that when the state police are slow in responding at 3 a.m., the sheriff's department might wind up responding. Wolcott Selectboard member Marquis Houle pointed out if this type of charging is done for calls in Wolcott it should be done in Elmore, Cambridge, Eden, Belvidere and Waterville as well... the other towns covered by the state police. The debate of coverage by the state police versus other law enforcement agencies has become an issue statewide. Linda Martin, Hyde Park and Wolcott's representative in Montpelier, said the state is conducting a study of law enforcement in an effort to better define the state police role. Larger towns like St. Albans Town and Cambridge have become a drain on the state police system, as they have a higher volume of calls due to their size. Martin said there has been talk of a system where towns with a population over about 3,000 would have to provide their own coverage. Another possibility would be the state police handling more specialized crimes, such as violent or drug related crimes. The report is due to be completed in November or December, and to be presented to the Legislature in January when the session opens. Rep. Martin said, by Town Meeting, residents should have some idea what is going to happen.
Purchase & Sales Agreement Signed for Engine House by Mickey Smith MORRISVILLE – Manufacturing Solutions Inc. (MSI) is one step closer to owning the former railroad engine house on the end of Stafford Avenue, ending years of that building sitting dormant. At a meeting of the Lamoille Economic Development Council (LEDC), held Tuesday morning, September 23, a formal purchase and sales agreement for the sale of the building was signed by Laurie Walsh, president of LEDC's board of directors, and Garret Hirchak, owner of MSI. The signing of the agreement made formal a transaction that has already been in process for about a year. Last October at LEDC's annual meeting, it was announced MSI would be purchasing the engine house. Since that time, Hirchak has been cutting through the red tape needed before the purchase can be closed. While working on the paper trail attached to the building, he has already begun with the physical part of the process, including gutting the dilapidated building and reconnecting power. Art Sanborne, executive director of LEDC, said a title search is scheduled for November and at about the same time, Hirchak will be beginning the permitting process. One significant piece that still needs to be worked out is the plan for brownfield remediation. Due to the years spent as a railroad yard, there have been some groundwater issues that need to be mitigated on the property. MSI and LEDC, with help from the Lamoille County Planning Commission, have been working on creating a plan to rectify that situation. While control of the property was turned over to the Town of Morristown and LEDC, when the railroad was discontinued, the property was officially owned by the State of Vermont. Paperwork was also signed transferring the property to LEDC as part of the process to ultimately have it end up in the hands of MSI. Hirchak said there is a June deadline for getting all of the permits and cleanup in order. He expects they will have no trouble meeting that and looks forward to getting into the facility. Last year when it was announced Hirchak's company would be purchasing the site, Hirchak said MSI currently has work going on in four facilities around the area, including sites in both Morristown and Hyde Park. This will allow the consolidation of his enterprise, which subcontracts to other businesses like Concept 2 and Blodgett Ovens.
by Mickey Smith
HYDE PARK – Fire ripped through the home of Rocky and Jennifer Miller last Thursday, September 18, destroying their home and possessions. Jennifer Miller said her husband was home at the time of the fire, and first noticed a small fire on the roof of the garage, that quickly spread. He called the fire department, but by the time they arrived the fire had spread the length of the house through the open attic. She said she was told being an old farmhouse, there were multiple layers to the roof, making it difficult for the firefighters to chase the fire. Miller said very little was salvageable. She noted they were able to pull out some papers from the home office on the opposite end of the house from the fire, but nothing else was saved. The Millers had just purchased a new refrigerator a couple of weeks ago, and that melted in the fire. Firefighters from Hyde Park, North Hyde Park, Morrisville, and Johnson were called to the scene to battle the blaze. Miller said they were thankful that nobody was hurt, and family, friends and the rest of the community have been great. She affirmed they have received a lot of donated clothing; to the point they are probably going to donate some that does not fit or they could not use to the Salvation Army. Andy Lague has offered the Millers the use of a trailer until they can rebuild the house. The rebuilding is a project that is already in the design stages. Friends and family have also volunteered their time to help with the clean-up. She said because they have been busy at the house, word is trickling in of various fundraising efforts. She said the employees at Mac's Convenience Store have a jar set up asking for donations. The Millers are regulars there for coffee, and Jennifer said the girls there have been wonderful. She had also heard through her daughter about a penny drive going on at the school. Miller said her family was greatly appreciative of all the helping efforts of the family, friends, and the greater community.
Info Sought in Attempted Burglary by Mickey Smith
The Lamoille County Sheriff's Department responded to the Laraway Youth and Family Services' Foote Brook House for an attempted burglary on Wedneday, September 17, at approximately 12:30 p.m. According to Lamoille County Sheriff's Department Deputy Kevin Maxfield's press release, someone living in the residence heard a noise outside and went to check the area. According to Deputy Maxfield's release, he saw a male in his early 20s standing at the entrance to a shed on the property holding a yellow pair of bolt cutters. The subject ran to a car and drove off after seeing the resident. The subject is described as being about 5'8” and with a medium build. He had a shaved head, with brown hair and was wearing a dull colored t-shirt. He reportedly fled in a car described as a large older model sedan, possibly a Buick or Cadillac, that was painted primer gray. Several of the panels were of a darker shade. It was last seen traveling toward the Plot Road in Johnson. A female was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, and was described as being in her early 20s with blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to call the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department at 888-3502.
MORRISVILLE – Should Morrisville institute a one-way traffic pattern in the heart of the Village business district? Would such a move help to alleviate rush hour traffic backups on Main and Portland Streets, or would it just prove to be a hassle for commuters and businesses? These are some of the big questions being asked as the town works with consultants from Oman Analytics on what it’s calling the Morrisville Downtown Transportation Opportunities Study. Another big question is: what does the community want? Planners are hoping for a big showing at next month’s public forum to help answer that question. The forum will be held Thursday evening, October 16, at 6:00 at the River Arts Center. There, consultants and members of the local project steering committee will be on hand to present study findings, answer questions, and gather feedback from the public. In preparation for the public forum steering committee members, including members of MACC and the Morristown Planning Commission, met with consultants last Thursday, September 16, to go over the study and its findings. Oman Analytics Principal Michael Oman provided a study overview. The impetus of the study was to examine a one-way traffic pattern around the Portland/Main/Pleasant Street block, around the municipal parking lot. “There are essentially two, parallel, aims for such modifications to the traffic in the village core,” Oman stated. “To address significant congestion and circulation problems in the village core, and potentially, to draw the increasingly important Pleasant St. block into the economic and civic life of the downtown.” Oman further noted the main purpose of the October 16 forum will be to make sure the one way traffic solution “will be a good fit with the community.” Oman cited a previous traffic study that put the Village center traffic count at about 10,000 vehicles per day. Other options planners have considered to ease the rush hour backups include a traffic light at the Portland and Main intersection and simply waiting to see the impact of the alternative truck route, slated for construction in 2012. The “one-way circulation system” now under consideration would rotate traffic counter-clockwise around the municipal parking lot, using Portland, Main and Pleasant Streets. The north side of the loop, however, has yet to be delineated. The steering committee discussed using Railroad Street, Hutchins Street, or building a new road that would better align with Bridge Street. Oman noted there are existing problems that a one-way traffic pattern would not fix, or might even exacerbate. Of particular concern is the addition of more right-hand turns that southbound tractor-trailers would need to negotiate. “Trucks southbound on Route 100 already experience two sharp right turns: at Bridge onto Portland and again at Portland onto Main,” Oman observed. “These will remain unaffected by the one way system. However, depending on the route selected by the new pattern, there is the potential to introduce one or two additional sharp right turns.” Oman noted, if the Hutchins Street connection is selected, the right turn from Hutchins to Portland northbound will also pose difficult turning conditions, and if the Railroad St. route is selected, the turn from northbound Portland onto Bridge Street will be tight. In addition to truck turning radii, planners would need to examine possible issues posed by steep slopes, including road grades and stopping site distances. Finally, Oman added the one-way pattern would mean more road space for non-vehicular transportation. “To some degree, a one way circulation system can capture more space for community activities other than driving. To the extent that only one lane is used for the one way system, additional space for parking, pedestrians and sidewalks, bicycle lane(s), greenspace, or some combination of these may be captured…” Community Coordinator Heidi Krantz is hoping for a big public turnout at the October 16 forum. She commented at the steering committee meeting, “The community feels pretty well planned, we just have to figure out how to implement some of these ideas.”
by Mickey Smith
A 34 year old Belvidere resident was arrested for driving under the influence, while piloting a dirt bike on Friday, September 19. At about 6:34 p.m, Vermont State Police Trooper Jonathan Purdy saw two off-road vehicles traveling south on Vermont Route 109, about two miles south of the intersection with Route 108. Trooper Purdy stopped one of the vehicles, a mini-bike, but the other took off and was not located. The mini-bike was being driven by Joseph Miller, who did not have a valid operator's license due to a prior DUI stop. Purdy alleges Miller was found to be intoxicated and there was an active warrant out for his arrest. He was arrested and processed and then lodged at Northeast Regional Correctional Facility.
Copley Fund to Aid Noyes House Repairs
MORRISVILLE – The Board of Trustees for Morrisville’s Alexander Hamilton Copley Fund has approved a $33,524 request from the Morristown Historical Society (MHS) to pay for needed upkeep to the Noyes House Museum. The money will be used to paint the museum’s ell and barn exterior walls and to replace the ell roof. The Board of Trustees, which is made up of the town’s selectmen plus two members at large, originally expressed concern over the request because one of the trust’s criteria is that the money used for a project not be commingled with other funds. The historical society is privately fundraising for additional building repairs, including repairing and painting the barn roof and sealing brick and cedar shingles on the house. To date, $8,800 has been raised for those projects. MHS member Bill Lizotte appeared before the Copley Trust Board of Trustees Monday evening, September 22. He read an email from museum director Scott McLaughlin emphasizing the project as a stand-alone effort. “Three months ago, the Morristown Historical Society asked for $33,524 from the Alexander H. Copley Trust Fund. These funds are to pay exclusively for the painting of the ell and barn exterior walls and to replace the ell roof of the historical society’s Noyes House Museum. We asked for the full amount for these projects and will not have to locate any additional funding to complete them...” McLaughlin further stated, “…The work completed this fall is only some of the efforts needed to restore the museum, which is owned by the Village of Morrisville and leased to the historical society. Next year, work will concentrate on the building’s electrical, plumbing, and heating systems, reducing the high humidity in the building, making it handicapped accessible, and improving storage facilities for our collections…” Explanations by McLaughlin and Lizotte satisfied the board’s concerns, as Trustee-at-Large Gloria Wing introduced a motion to approve the funding request. The motion passed unanimously with Trustee-at-Large Dick Sargent and Selectman Dave Yacovone not present. In addition to prohibiting the commingling of funds for a project, the fund criteria also state trust funds should be “used for creating works of public utility and beauty for the use and enjoyment of the inhabitants of the Village of Morrisville in the Town of Morristown.” Projects are to be located within the Village or purposed to specifically benefit Village residents. Another criterion states, “No part shall be used for a religious, political, educational or any purpose which it is the duty of the Village or Town to provide.” Work on this project is expected to be completed this fall.
Court House Closing One Half Day a Week by Mickey Smith
A statewide plan to reduce about $875,000 from the appropriation for the judiciary branch of state government will mean the Hyde Park courthouse's front doors will be locked from 8 a.m., until 12:30 p.m., on Wednesday mornings. Starting October 8, the Lamoille Court House will be closed to the public on Wednesday mornings, saving the cost of the guard at the front door and in the courtroom. While saving on the cost of security, the closure will also allow employees a chance to catch up on paperwork without interruptions, as along with the public not being allowed into the courthouse, phones will not be answered either. The cost savings will represent a 2.6% reduction in the budget. Acting Court Manager Cathy Wilson said a locked drop box will be placed in the front of the courthouse, where filings can be deposited, but she advised people who can, to wait and file paperwork in person. She pointed out this allows for questions to be answered, as well as receipts to be issued when needed. Courts around the state will be closed to the public for one half day in an effort to save money. Wilson said the schedule has been broken up so all courts are not closed at the same time, but she noted it was not designed to serve as one court covering for another. As during after hours situations, anyone needing a relief from abuse order during the Wednesday closed hours can call 1-800-540-9990 and a court staff member will meet them at the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department to complete the paperwork. All departments in the courthouse will be closed during
this time, including: District, Family, Probate, and Superior Courts. Any
hearings already scheduled for Wednesday mornings will be changed, and in
the future, schedules will be set up to keep that time period free. The
administrative judge has the power to schedule a temporary opening for
situations like a jury trial. Wilson said these would be on a case-by-case
basis. She said she did not foresee this change, the half day closing,
reverting any time soon. Editorial by J.B. McKinley 9-25-08 No More Bail Outs
As we all know, stuff in general is just getting too expensive, even unaffordable, for more and more folks. Not least – all these bail outs. Back in March, the Washington Post estimated the long term cost (including veterans benefits, etc.) of the Iraq War will be $3 trillion. Now we’ve got the bailouts, on top of the war expenses, being lumped into what is now $700 billion, but who knows if that will be enough? This is all getting too expensive at a time when every American, down to infants, pays about $900 each year on the national debt.And, Congress still says it will save Social Security! With what? I see things this way. If a business fails. It should fail. It did something wrong. Let the sucker go under. If you can’t a pay your mortgage. Not my problem. It’s the guy who took out the mortgage who should have a problem. If big financial concerns buy or offer mortgages without screening who is supposed to be doing the paying, well, it’s a hard world. Let’s face it, for those of us out here paying our own mortgages, it ain’t always easy. What is the government doing? These private businesses have proven, through failure, that they are doing business poorly. Why shouldn’t another business, see their failure, step up and do things right? Isn’t that free enterprise? Frankly, the bail out business is un-American, non-capitalistic and not likely to work in the long run because bail outs are breathing life into day old corpses. Why shouldn’t foreclosed homes be sold and become someone else’s good buy? Why isn’t the old rule of one man’s misfortune is another man’s fortune, holding true? The fact is that the bail out procedure is going so against the grain of reality that one unthinking man’s misfortune is becoming every taxpayer’s misfortune. Where’s the fair play in that? It appears the lesson from recent national economic policy is that we should buy what we want on credit and we’ll never have to suffer. Boy, are we, as middle income taxpayers, in trouble. The nut of the question here is, who should be in trouble. It should be those who caused the problem. Since when do we send the innocent bystander to jail for murder, when the murderer got away? Even worse than the lack of justice involved in the bail out mentality is the outlook for a nation that thinks this way.
MORRISVILLE – This winter it is going to be tough for some low and middle income Vermonters to pay skyrocketing prices to heat their homes. Over the summer, the local United Way and RSVP offices set out to do something to help bridge the gap between local incomes and energy prices. They started the Lamoille County Firewood Project. To date, local volunteers have helped cut, split and stack over 50 cords of wood, and there’s more work to be done. Wood has been donated by the State of Vermont, Vermont Electric Co-op and private citizens Priscilla and Craig Matten. United Way of Lamoille County Executive Director Dawn Archbold said the project has gotten a lot of people excited and wanting to help, including state government. In fact, the Governor’s office has started its own firewood initiative, called “Wood Warms,” based on the Lamoille County project. Archbold said she and RSVP coordinator Dan Noyes have been called upon to help the state with the logistics of putting the project together. Brendan Cosgrove has been given the nod as the state’s Wood Warms coordinator. He said of the Lamoille County project, “These guys are ahead of the curve. We’re going to try and model the Wood Warms program for the rest of the state after this project.” Cosgrove added, after Wood Warms is up and running, it will become “one united effort” with the Lamoille County project. Senator Susan Bartlett added she is looking into making changes to Vermont’s Good Samaritan Law to cover this type of effort. Cosgrove said the state will be providing liability coverage for Wood Warms when it is up and running, but Archbold said the United Way of Lamoille County had to purchase liability coverage for the local effort this year. BankNorth funded the rental of a wood processor, run by Gerard Bellavance, that helped speed the Lamoille County project along. Local Guardsmen lifted chainsaws for the effort. Volunteers, from students to businesspeople, have run splitters and stacked cordwood. Much of the work was completed over the course of two workdays Saturday, September 6 and Monday, September 8. Volunteers are now being recruited for two additional workdays next month, Saturdays, October 4 and 18. Noyes said the work those days will involve additional splitting as well as distribution. To that end, Noyes said he is especially interested in volunteers who have splitters and trucks to lend the effort. Interested volunteers should call RSVP at 888-2190. Archbold added people who have signed up to receive free wood are also being asked to volunteer for the project. Applications for free firewood are currently being accepted at the Central Vermont Community Action office, on Harrell Street, in Morrisville. Firewood applications can be downloaded from the United Way of Lamoille County’s website at www.uwlamoille.org. Eligibility requirements are also available at that site. The Lamoille County Firewood project is donating cordwood to local residents with incomes 126% to 200% above the poverty level. Organizers said these are the people who fall through the cracks of the current system – earning too much to qualify for traditional federal fuel assistance, but who will nonetheless be struggling this winter. “This program is not designed to provide people with all their heating needs as we are only giving one cord to each applicant, Noyes explained. “It is just one thing to help people deal with the high cost of heating their homes.”
LARC Update MORRISVILLE – The recent publicity surrounding financial woes at the Lamoille Area Recreational Center (LARC) has raised concerns among users of the facility. The LARC Board of Directors met this week to discuss feedback board members have received since last Tuesday’s announcement that a buyer is being sought to avoid foreclosure. Board member Jean Drolet spoke on behalf of the board this week. He assured everyone that LARC would remain open through the winter. He said the board wanted to assuage public concerns about signing up for hockey leagues, skating lessons and other winter activities offered at LARC. He said the best thing people can do to help the situation is to keep signing up for programs and utilizing the rink. “We expect the rink to operate through the winter at least,” said Drolet. He offered that those concerned about the facility’s ability to remain open will be offered the option of paying for programming on a month-to-month basis. The federal Rural Development program, which backs 90% of LARC’s $1.5 million mortgage through Union Bank, has officially given LARC until December 1 to find a suitable buyer or otherwise come up with money to cover its loan. That said, Drolet said the board has received some assurances, and is confident the rink will not shut down before the end of its busy winter season. Drolet said the board is working on several fronts to solve its financial woes. While LARC earns enough to cover its operating expenses, it has not been able to make enough profit to pay down its mortgage and make up for construction cost overruns and other early financial stumbling blocks. As mandated by the lenders, Drolet said LARC is actively seeking a private buyer who would continue to run the arena and surrounding property as a community center. He noted the LARC property is zoned for recreational use, and therefore cannot be turned into a warehouse or other commercial facility. Meanwhile, last week’s announcement has drummed up some community members interested in finding a way to help LARC, a nonprofit, remain a regional recreational asset. He added the rink is still selling advertising banners, and local businesses have indicated they want to support the facility. “There’s quite a bit more support than two or three years ago when it was just a rink,” he commented. In addition to continued patronage, Drolet said local athletes can support the facility by participating in an upcoming golf fundraiser. The Lamoille Masters (formerly called the CREW Classic) is scheduled for Monday, September 15, at the Stowe Country Club. For more information log on to LamoilleMasters.com. Finally, Drolet said LARC has had some very positive discussions with the Morristown Selectboard, which has contacted state and local lawmakers on LARC’s behalf. He noted the offices of U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders are aware of the situation, as is State Senator Susan Bartlett. In the meantime, LARC is operating – business as usual. Drolet said the only project that has been put on hold thus far is the creation of a computer learning lab. Drolet said the board is waiting to see what is going to happen long-term before it spends grant money on that project.
Multi-State Search for Missing Teensby Mickey Smith
Vermont State Police are leading the search for two 16 year old girls from Cambridge who were reported missing by their parents. Brandalia “Brandee” Sheppard and Kimberly Marrier have made no contact with their parents. Sheppard's mother, Heather, said a friend received a text message during the timeframe when both teenagers’ parents were beginning to wonder about the whereabouts of their daughters. Sheppard said neither set of parents had reason to believe their daughters were planning to take a trip. She stated neither girl took any clothes other than what they were wearing and Marrier did not even have any identification with her. She said there does not appear to be anything missing and neither left a note. The girls are believed to be traveling in a 1997 dark blue Toyota Corolla, with the license plate number DDX 770. Shepard reported the most recent news they have received is Brandee's debit card was used in Johnston, RI on Monday, September 8, at 5:33 a.m. She said they do not know yet if it was used by one of the girls or someone else. Police are in the process of obtaining surveillance tapes of the transaction. “We're hoping that it was her,” said Sheppard. Sheppard said she could not think of any connection the girls had to Rhode Island. She noted she knew her daughter has never even been to Rhode Island and did not think Marrier had either. Since that one text message, which Sheppard said left no clue to them taking off, there has not even been any contact with friends. Sheppard said the state police have been amazing, offering assistance right from the onset. Sheppard has also been appreciative of the assistance from both Lamoille Union and BFA-Fairfax (where her daughter attends). She also pointed out that Lamoille Principal Brian Shaffer and the BFA principal have been great, helping to connect the police with students who might have information to add about the girls. Sheppard said the community support has been wonderful as well. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Vermont State Police at 888-2031. 15th Anniversary of Cheryl Peters Death by Mickey Smith
Fifteen years after Cheryl Peters was found shot to death in her Morrisville home, Morristown Police are still looking for the person who killed her. Sunday, September 7, marked the 15th anniversary of the only unsolved murder in Lamoille County still considered open by the police. Morristown Police Chief Richard Keith said his department still reviews the case from time to time, especially to get a new staff member up to speed. Keith noted while it’s not really an active investigation, it is constantly on their minds and they are always interested in new information that might come to light regarding the case. Lamoille County State’s Attorney Joel Page said the case has been turned over to the Attorney General's office, but it is still the type of case his office wants to see solved. “That's one of those cases that's going to continue to stick in our craw,” said Page, noting no prosecutor or police investigator wants to see a murder go unsolved. Page agreed with Keith that new information is needed to get the investigation moving forward. “We would love to see a break,” said Page. Anyone with any new information is asked to call the Morristown Police at 888-4211 or Lamoille County State’s Attorney's office at 888-7945. Cheryl Peters was found slumped down on the sofa of her home on Washington Highway, across from the National Guard Armory. She had been shot in the head. No arrest has ever been made in the case. Few Votes Cast in Primary LAMOILLE COUNTY – A slim percentage of Lamoille County voters turned out to cast their ballots in the primary election Tuesday, September 9. With every town but Cambridge reporting, turnout ranged from a low of 2.3% in Stowe up to about 10% in Elmore. About 2.5% of voters turned out in Waterville and Johnson. In Hyde Park there was 3.3% voter turnout, while Eden saw about 3.5% of its voters. The turnout was 4.3% in Morristown. Turnouts were better in Wolcott and Belvidere, which saw 9% and 9.5% respectively. The Democratic ballot contained the only contested races. As with the state as a whole, Lamoille County went overwhelmingly for incumbent U.S. Congressman Peter Welch over Democratic challenger Craig Barclay Hill. The county was split over the Democratic Lieutenant Governor’s race, where Thomas Costello won the state as a whole. In Lamoille County, Costello took Hyde Park, Johnson, Morristown, Stowe and Wolcott. Freeman prevailed in Belvidere, Eden, Elmore and Waterville. It appears as if many voters made their way to the polls to give High Bailiff Warren Miller the write-ins he needed to appear uncontested on the General Election ballot in November. There was no candidate printed on any primary party ballot for High Bailiff. Miller received a majority of the write-ins for that seat in every reporting Lamoille County town except Waterville, which had no High Bailiff write-ins. Several Town Clerks said they struggled with the decision of whether or not to use ballot counting machines for the primary, which cost about $1,000 to program. In Stowe, Town Clerk Alison Kaiser estimated it cost about $26 per participating voter to run the primary election.
by Mickey Smith
Senator Sue Bartlett and challenger Jim Black met Monday afternoon, September 8, at Johnson State College as part of Senator (Professor) Bill Doyle's Election Forum Series. The two took turns being grilled by students in the class on a variety of topics of both a local and state-wide nature. Senator Sue touted her years of non-partisan experience in Montpelier, while Professor Jim extolled a need to improve the economics of the area. Bartlett said that as chair of the Senate appropriations committee she has long had to work with the Republican party, to the point of irking her fellow Democrats. Black told the class there has been too much partisanship in Montpelier. “We have a Republican governor, and Democratic controlled legislature... they don't get along,” said Black. Bartlett explained she has not been a part of that, trying to work with both parties deciding how to dole out the state's money. “... And I take a lot of heat from it from the Democrats,” said Bartlett. Among the topics discussed, were an additional tax added to the state sales tax (Bartlett is in favor of considering tax options if needed/Black is opposed to any additional taxes); the re-licensing of Vermont Yankee (Bartlett wants to make a decision once the facts are in from an independent look at Vermont Yankee/Black supports re-licensing, but realizes if any significant issues are found from the independent report, they need to be fixed first); and an 18 year old drinking age (Black is in favor of lowering the drinking age, but is concerned about the loss of highway funds/Bartlett is willing to talk about it, but sees the loss of those highway dollars too big an issue to tackle). While their views on these subjects varied, one area where they both agreed was the need for the state (and the nation) to get off a reliance on fossil fuels. Senator Bartlett called a decision in the 1970s to not create a pipeline for natural gas from Canada “an opportunity we missed.” Black agreed with her, and they both were also for looking at other forms of natural energy including wind generators. The Lamoille County Senate debate, was round two of a five part series. Democratic Lieutenant gubernatorial candidates Tom Costello, of Brattleboro, and Nate Freeman, of Northfield, met on August 25 to kick off the series. Upcoming debates include incumbent Attorney General William Sorrell and challenger Karen Karin. Monday, October 13, will pit the three candidates for governor against each other, as Governor Jim Douglas, Rep. Gaye Symington and Anthony Pollina will answer questions from the students. The final forum will be held October 20 and will pit Secretary of State Deb Markowitz against challenger Eugene Bifano. The forums are held in the Ellsworth Rooms of the Library and Learning Center and begin at 4:30 p.m. They are free and open to the public.
TSSA Agreement Near MORRISVILLE – After years of arguing over boundary lines, it seems the Morristown Selectboard, Morristown Planning Commission and the Morrisville Village Trustees may have come to a conceptual agreement regarding an expanded Town Sewer Service Area (TSSA). The Lamoille County Planning Commission has been consulting on the TSSA project, as well as the Morristown Planning Commission’s Zoning Bylaw revision process that is now underway. LCPC’s Chip Sawyer and Bill Rossmassler presented a proposed expanded TSSA boundary to the selectboard Monday evening, September 8. The existing TSSA boundary is simply where sewer service currently exists. That includes all parcels within Morrisville Village limits, and some areas outside the village that are commercially developed. Representatives of the three boards met last week and agreed on the proposed expansion boundaries. “I think it was a monumental meeting,” Sawyer told the selectboard. Sawyer noted, at the joint board meeting the boundary was set but specific zoning language is still under discussion. “I think we’re about half way there,” he said of the entire TSSA process. Sawyer explained the purpose of expanding the TSSA is “to encourage more compact and high density growth in whatever we determine the sewage area to be” as well as to protect prime agricultural soils. “We basically started out with the village… and any zoned areas outside the village,” Sawyer explained. To that the group settled on adding an expanded commercial area along Route 15 to the northeast of the existing TSSA boundary, which includes the former Langdell Farm. Southwest of the current boundary are two areas of proposed expansion. One would cover the Lamoille Area Recreational Center peninsula, which is being proposed as a special recreation district in the zoning revision process. The Planning Commission is also considering designating a special business office park zone in a vicinity of Cadys Falls Road, across from the Lamoille Family Center. That area has also been included in the expanded TSSA boundary. At Sawyer’s request, the selectboard passed a resolution accepting the TSSA extension. Rossmassler noted the Village Trustees and the Planning Commission will be meeting next week, and both boards will be asked to adopt the same resolution. If adopted by all three boards, the new boundary will then be sent to the District 5 Environmental Commission for its opinion. Sawyer said the TSSA wouldn’t be official until it is incorporated into either the zoning bylaws or a sewer ordinance.
Eden Day Bigger and Better by Mickey Smith
Not even a little rain can dampen the spirits in Eden this year. A lot of preparations have gone into making this year's Eden Day celebration the biggest yet. Lorinda Bullard, who serves on the planning committee, said new members to the Eden Historical Society have helped bring new ideas to the table and they expect to have something for everyone this year. She said there will be a lot of kids games, including a greased pig race and an inflatable obstacle course brought by the National Guard. Local notables, including Bruce Burnor and Wayne Demar, have volunteered to take a turn in the dunk tank, and the day's activities will culminate with a street dance featuring Silver Wings in the elementary school parking lot – in the case of rain, the dance will move inside the school. Festivities start at 9 a.m., and go to 5 p.m. The parade takes place at 11 a.m, following Route 100 down from Old Deuso Road to the Knowles Flat Road, where it will end at the softball fields by the school. All of the events will take place around the school, stretching over to the historical society where a flag ceremony will be held honoring those lost seven years ago on September 11. A craft fair and flea market are planned, as well as a demonstration by the North Hyde Park/Eden Volunteer Fire Department.
Editorial by J.B. McKinley 9-11-08
Forget the Refrigeration
Folks in Morrisville may remember the counter proposal from the taxpayers group when the town proposed building a new combined town office/library building called the Centennial Center. The group’s proposal claimed that it was unnecessary for town offices to be located in the central business area and that co-location of government services (as many as possible) was a worthwhile goal. A close look was taken at the former Union Carbide real estate as a good spot for such a move. What was best, they said was, one big facility that would or could house the fire department, the police department, the highway department (closer to their gravel pit), maybe rescue and all the town offices. A bonus, the group held, was the extra land for athletic or other use. Well, if that was so then, or at least an attractive option for many townfolk, then an even bigger and better choice is available right now and at a bargain foreclosure price. LARC, or CREW, is for sale. So what do we have here? Well, you’ve got a huge new building on over 30 acres. There’s 7,000 sq. ft. on the unfinished second floor alone! Forget the ice making machines and tubing under the floor; just think of the floor space! The fire department would rattle around in this building. It is centrally located and could serve the North End homes and businesses with quicker response fire protection as well as the village. There would be lots of parking for chilly employees, who would no longer searching for a parking spot or be denying that spot to a downtown business customer. And – again – though no one has yet heard a firm sale price, the $1.5 million or less in debt to be paid off is less money than the much smaller Centennial Building project. Suddenly, the town would have real estate to sell and no lease to pay. Surely, this would offset most of the LARC purchase. So, you say, LARC sits on specially zoned land. Well, who zones the land anyway? You guessed it, the town. By the way, the land directly across Bridge Street from LARC is slated to be zoned “Business Office Park.” How tough would be to extend this change across the road? Here’s a spot where all the town’s services (or you pick the ones to re-locate) would emanate from one centrally located government park. All this would be in an idyllic woodland setting. That seems like some kind of 21st Century environmentalist dream. Is it a fantasy on ice or is the LARC location a heck of a deal for the Town of Morristown? Think about it.
Edwin Taylor Pavilion Dedicated by Mickey Smit hFamily and friends of the late Edwin Taylor gathered on Wednesday, August 27, at the site of a pavilion built in his honor at Mount Norris Scout Reservation in Eden. It took a volunteer work crew, led by Ed's eldest son, Terry, just 14 work days over the course of the summer to put together the structure which will be used by scouts for years to come. Todd Taylor, Ed's youngest son, put it best when he pointed out the project combined the three things that his father cared for deeply... his family, the Knights of Columbus, and the Boy Scouts of America. Fellow Knights Roland Lajoie and Sonny Hill served as the co-chairs for the committee to built the pavilion; son Terry was the main contractor on the project; and the scouts will reap the benefits sown by the kindness fostered by Ed. Along the way, family and friends from Knights, Scouts and the greater community contributed their time, money, and materials to help get the pavilion built. Though it was pointed out he wouldn't have wanted to have his name on the building, Ed would have been right there working on the project and and helping to raise the money to make sure it got done. “He was his own non-profit agency,” said Todd, talking of Ed's many charitable endeavors. Father Francis Privé, of Eden's St. Gabriel's Catholic Church, offered a blessing of the pavilion. Richard Stockton, of the Green Mountain Council of Boy Scouts of America, spoke on behalf of the scouts, praising Ed's commitment to scouting for both his two youngest sons, who reached Eagle Scout, and other scouts around the area. Ed's wife, Betty, hammered the final nail into the structure symbolizing the culmination of the hard work put into the building. She also introduced the work crew involved in the process. Betty presented each of the workers with a t-shirt, as well as a merit badge. Betty described how, at first, she was hard at work offering sandwiches and drinks to the work crew, but it wasn't long after construction began that she found herself learning about the working end of a screw gun – from that point on everyone was on their own for lunch! To conclude the ceremony, BSA's Michael Coutu, who first envisioned the project, presented a deed to the Green Mountain Council ensuring the structure's continued use by the scouts.
Festival La Moelle A Celebration of French Canadian Heritage
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Come celebrate the Lamoille Valley’s French Canadian Heritage at Festival La Moelle! The festival is presented by the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with area businesses and organizations. Festivities will be held Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13, at multiple venues in downtown Morrisville. Festival La Moelle will showcase art, French and Abnaki culture, food, history, literature, and the music of French Canada and its influence on our region. The event is free and open to the public. All performances and presentations are family-friendly. In conjunction with the festival, an exhibit of advertising artwork by Roy E. Heinrich, commissioned by National Life of Vermont, will be on display at the River Arts Center. The art was commissioned in the 1930s to portray life in Colonial New England. The exhibit has been on display, throughout the summer, at Johnson State College’s Julian Scott Memorial Gallery. The two-day festival will feature an encampment by French & Indian War re-enactors from Quebec; an historical presentation on Samuel de Champlain, entitled “Walks With Champlain” by noted historian Julie Dowd; French/Canadian cooking classes; a clogging demonstration; a presentation on French/Canadian genealogy from the Vermont French/Canadian Genealogy Society; and music from Yankee Chank, The Fiddleheads, and renowned Canadian folk trio, Genticorum. In addition, a limited edition Festival La Moelle art print by artist Julie Ruth will be available for purchase. A complete festival schedule is listed below. Financial support for the festival is provided by Vermont Tourism & Marketing, National Life of Vermont and the Quebec Government Office in Boston, along with various businesses and organizations throughout the Lamoille Valley. For information, contact Mary L. Collins at WLVB, 888-4294 or mcollins@radiovermontgroup.com.
Friday 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. NORTHSIDE MERCHANTS CAR SHOW - Antique & Classic Car Show with entertainment at the Northgate Plaza.
Saturday 10 a.m. – dusk. NOYES HOUSE MUSEUM - FRENCH & INDIAN WAR ENCAMPMENT. Welcome our Canadian neighbors as they present an encampment of French & Indian War re-enactors. Under the direction of Robert Dionne, 15 knowledgeable historians from Quebec will set up an authentic encampment on the grounds of the Noyes House Museum. Experience living French Canadian history during one of its most tumultuous times! The museum will also be open. 10 a.m. – Noon. RIVER ARTS CENTER - CHILDREN'S ARTS TENT. Children's Art Projects, Bean Bag Toss & A Bouncy Castle!! Presented by Building Bright Futures Council and the Lamoille Family Center. 10 a.m. – Noon. LAMOILLE SENIOR CENTER - TORTIERE COOKING & EATING!! Tortiere Cooking Class and Tasting with Mrs. Julie Bourne and friends. Tortiere will be served at noon! 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. MORRISTOWN CENTENNIAL LIBRARY - STORYTELLING AND DISPLAY OF FRENCH-CANADIAN BOOKS AND HOLDINGS. In cooperation with the Hyde Park Memorial Library a storytelling hour for children and their families on favorite French-Canadian folk tales. A display of genealogy materials and books will also be available. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. NOYES HOUSE MUSEUM - LAUSANN LABOMBARDE & BRIAN ANDERSON: TRADITIONAL QUEBECQOIS FIDDLER AND BLACKSMITH. Lausanne is proud to carry on the traditions of her grandfather, William Henry LaBombarde, who played all the string instruments in his family band back around the turn of the century and called dances too. She is well-versed in traditional Quebecqois fiddle music and is joined by her husband Brian, a blacksmith with a love of history. He has built his own 1750's period portable forge and hand bellows and often brings it to re-enactments and demonstrates. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. DOWNTOWN MORRISVILLE - CRAFT SHOW.
See the wares of area artisans and crafters. Noon – 1 p.m. LAMOILLE SENIOR CENTER - TRADITIONAL TORTIERE LUNCHEON. Enjoy the delicious flavor of traditional tortiere baked by our local community. (Small charge per piece). Noon – 12:45 p.m. LAMOILLE SENIOR CENTER- BATISTE STORIES WITH LAWRENCE EARLE. Enjoy the humor of Lawrence Earle as he regales us with stories of "Batiste" - Rollicking French Canadian humor! Noon – 5 p.m. MAINSTAGE TENT, MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT. Vendors & Displays. Various food vendors will be set up as well as presenters displays and information. Limited Edition La Moelle Festival Art Prints by Julie Ruth. Other crafters include artists, Jess Graham and Kate Sprague, blacksmith Brad Robertson, spinner and knitter, Becky Herrick and potter, Heather Stearns. 1:15 – 2:30 p.m. RIVER ARTS CENTER - FRENCH CANADIAN FIDDLERS WITH LAWRENCE EARLE. The traditional reels of French-Canadian fiddlers comes alive! 1 – 3 p.m. LAMOILLE SENIOR CENTER - ABENAKI HISTORY PRESENTATION. Abenaki Culture and History Presentation with Skip Berniere and his grandson, Timothy De La Bruere, a member of the Vermont Governor's Commission on Native American Affairs. 3 - 4 p.m. MAIN STAGE TENT - FIDDLEHEADS & CLOGGING DEMONSTRATION & WORKSHOP. Enjoy the delightful sounds of Vermont's young fiddlers, Fiddleheads, and traditional clogging with Anne Whiting. 2 - 4 p.m. RIVER ARTS CENTER - VERMONT FRENCH CANADIAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY. Vermont French Canadian Genealogical Society. Sheila Morris will present a genealogical workshop for you to discover and research your French/Canadian roots. The VFCGS has published over 30 books and hosts a fall conference each year where guest speakers share their knowledge and expertise. In their library you will find millions of records dating from 1621. The Society also has the Vermont Vital Records from 1760 to 1941. 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. RIVER ARTS CENTER - YANKEE CHANK. Enjoy the lively sounds of Celtic and French folk music from Yankee Chank! 5 - 6 p.m. HOLY CROSS CHURCH - FRENCH MASS WITH FATHER RAINVILLE. The Catholic faith was and is extremely central to the French Canadian community. Through the generosity of Fr. Prive and Holy Cross Church along with the Knights of Columbus Fr Boivin Council, Holy Cross Church welcomes Father Rainville who will conduct the Mass in French. 6 - 8 p.m. RIVER ARTS CENTER - GENTICORUM! Awarded "Best Ensemble" Award from the Canadian Folk Music Awards, Genticorum, graces the River Arts stage with their spirited and flawlessly executed French/Canadian folk music. Genticorum is one of the most sought-after proponents of Québécois musical culture. Weaving wooden flute, fiddle, acoustic guitar, jaw harp, bass and foot percussion with strong vocal harmonies, they offer a blend of traditional songs and tunes as well as original compositions. Genticorum has forged a solid place for itself on the folk and world music circuit, playing festivals, concerts and dances. 8 - 10 p.m. PUFFER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH – CELLIST EVAN DRACHMAN & PIANIST JEFFREY GOLDBERG. Drachman, Founder and Artistic Director of the Piatigorsky Foundation is one of the most respected authorities on the presentation of live Classical music for diverse audiences everywhere. The foundation is named for Drachman’s grandfather, the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky. Mr. Drachman has appeared regularly as soloist with orchestras and in recitals and chamber music performances across the United States and Europe. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Joan, and sons. Jeffrey Grossman’s experience includes repertoire for the piano, harpsichord, and chamber organ. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Cambridge Early Music Project and is the founder and harpsichordist for New York early music ensemble Callisto Ascending. He is active as a collaborative pianist and harpsichordist and makes his home in New York City. 8 p.m. – Closing. BEES KNEES - YANKEE CHANK. Enjoy the continued lively sounds of Celtic and French folk music from Yankee Chank!
Local Gubernatorial Appointments by Amy Kolb Noyes
Richard Bailey, of Hyde Park, was named to the Vermont Lottery Commission. Richard Johannesen, of Stowe, was named to the Vermont Pension Investment Committee. Gerald Brown and Mary Lintermann, both of Stowe, were named to the Workforce Development Council. Lintermann was also appointed to the Workforce Development Leadership Committee. Write-in for High Bailiff
by Amy Kolb Noyes
ELMORE – Lamoille County High Bailiff Warren Miller is asking voters to write his name in on the primary ballot Tuesday, September 9. Miller is seeking to retain his position, but said he didn’t realize the High Bailiff term is only two years. He noted all other county-wide offices are elected every four years. It is the High Bailiff’s job to help unseat the Sheriff, should he be found to be involved in illegal acts, and to perform his duties if the Sheriff is absent or ill. Miller said he has spent exactly zero hours on his High Bailiff duties in the past two years. He also added, “I’ve cost the taxpayers nothing.” Miller is especially fond of his state-issued High Bailiff license plate, but added he had to pay an extra registration fee to have it on his truck. So, in essence, not only is he not earning anything from the job – he is paying for the privilege. If Miller wins his write-in campaign next week, he will automatically appear on the ballot for November’s election. Thus far, he has not had to face any challengers. LARC For Sale
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISTOWN – The Lamoille Area Recreational Center (LARC) board of directors, facing insurmountable debt, is seeking a buyer for its ice rink and recreational center. While the recreational center brings in enough money to cover its operating costs, the nonprofit has not been able to pay down its mortgage, according to Board Chair Sam Guy. Union Bank financed the construction project with loans backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division. LARC has twice restructured its loan, but still has been unable to make headway in paying down the debt. One such restructuring occurred in January 2006. As part of that agreement, the nonprofit sought abatement of its 2006 taxes from the Town of Morristown and renegotiated the way it pays for electricity through Morrisville Water & Light. “The bank has been super with us,” said Guy. “They have been phenomenal.” Guy added he hopes a buyer can be located that would like to continue operating LARC as a community-oriented recreation facility. He said the board is still holding out hope there is a way to keep LARC going. “We don’t want to see it go away,” said Guy. “We hope that the community thinks it’s worth having and maybe we’ll find a way to save it.” LARC spokesperson Ken Peer issued a press release this week stating, “…Unfortunately due to cost overruns from the initial construction and higher than expected operating costs, mostly related to higher fuel, electrical and insurance costs, LARC has struggled to meet its debt service requirements. …Over the last several months LARC has been in negotiations with these institutions [Union Bank and Rural Development] in an attempt to further restructure its obligations. However, while LARC continues to generate adequate cash flow to fund operations, cash available to service its debt remains extremely limited. As a result, the parties have not been able to reach agreement, and the lenders have issued a letter demanding payment in full of the loans.” “LARC and its lenders have continued to discuss alternative courses of action and have recently reached an agreement in principle whereby LARC will be given a period of time to find a buyer for the facility. The final terms of any sale will be subject to approval by the lenders. LARC believes that a successful sale is in the best interest of both the community and the lenders when compared to the likely outcome of a foreclosure proceeding. Closing the facility would be a big loss for local families, businesses and schools and is not likely to offer the best financial outcome for its lenders.” Guy said LARC does not have an asking price for the facility. Any purchase agreement would need to be negotiated between a buyer and LARC’s lenders. In addition to its indoor ice rink, the 40,000 square foot arena has an unfinished second story, with 7,000 square feet of unused space. Guy estimated it would cost about $600,000 to renovate the second story. The LARC property, a 35.5-acre peninsula that juts out into Lake Lamoille, includes a network of trails, an outdoor basketball court and three extreme paintball courses. LARC has also been in discussions with the town to lease a portion of its land for a municipal skateboard park. LARC, which originated with the name Community, Recreation, Exercise and Wellness (CREW), borrowed $1.5 million in 2003 to construct the arena on land purchased with an anonymous donation. Much of that debt remains in place. Last week, LARC representatives had a closed-door meeting with the Morristown Selectboard. Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer said this week that the town is willing to support LARC with looking at various possibilities and is open to further discussions. However, he said the town is not currently involved in any specific plans. “We feel that it’s an important recreational facility for the community and we don’t want to see it close,” said Bryer. CREW officially opened in March 2004, six years after the organization’s conception. The facility is now home to Peoples Academy Varsity Hockey, Lamoille Area Girls Hockey Club and Lamoille Area Youth Hockey. The ice is also used by North American Hockey Academy, Stowe Youth Hockey Winter Carnival Tournament, Essex Youth Hockey, Lyndon Area Youth Hockey, Motley Crew Women’s Hockey Team, Coed Leagues, Lamoille Area Skating Academy, Northeast Kingdom Skating Club, local schools, and the Green Mountain Curling Club. In the spring, the ice is replaced by turf used by Morrisville Soccer Club, Women’s Indoor Soccer League (WISL), Men’s Adult Soccer League, Lamoille Union High School Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Peoples Academy Varsity Baseball and the Lamoille County Babe Ruth Baseball. During the past year LARC has made plans to expand its programs and services. Soon-to-be-complete is a computer learning lab, intended to provide after-school student tutoring for grades 4-9. For the past six months LARC has been in discussions with local day care providers to expand programs into the LARC facility to provide daycare and after school services for nearly 100 children. Peer stated, “During this time LARC continues to operate as usual pending the outcome of this process and encourages everyone to support the facility with their continued patronage.” 9/11 Remembrance
Elmore’s West Resigns
by Amy Kolb Noyes
ELMORE – Long time Elmore Selectman and Road Commissioner Bob West has resigned his posts. The town is now actively seeking people to fill the jobs until Town Meeting, in March. West resigned from the selectboard last month, effective immediately. He agreed to stay on as road commissioner until a replacement is found. West has served the town as selectman for 22 years and has acted as road commissioner for the past 11 years. He also spent two decades as town moderator, serving up until a few years ago when he passed the gavel to Jon Gailmor. “The contributions of his talent, knowledge and dedication have been significant to the development of Elmore,” remaining selectmen Mike Boudreau and George Vaupel stated in a release issued by the town. “Bob said that he has enjoyed helping the town develop but he is now looking forward to travel, visiting with his grandchildren and pursuing other personal interests. Bob has agreed to provide advice and consultation to the town until the two vacant positions can be filled.” West told the News & Citizen he’s served the town “long enough so they should have a new set of eyes and ears.” He added there is such a thing as staying in office too long. “I’m trying to move on with my life,” said West, “Things are changing.” West said he feels he’s leaving the town in “pretty good shape.” He said the town’s equipment and buildings are “up to snuff” and the roads are in pretty good condition. “I’ve kind of reached my goals,” said West. Elmore is now advertising for a selectboard member and a road commissioner to serve for the next seven months. Both positions come with a stipend. Selectboard candidates must be Elmore residents, but candidates for the road commissioner position need not live in town. Around Town by J.B. McKinley
You know, it has slowly seeped into my consciousness that there are a few recurring annoyances that rear their heads about this time of year. I’ve just begun identifying all of them. But, let me share a couple with you and you can see if these things crop up in your lives. Hey, maybe it’s just me. Take last night. I began mowing the lawn here at the N&C when the almost new lawnmower started shutting off every time I hit a little bump. After pulling the cord, pushing the rubber primer button, pulling the cord, taking 10 steps and repeating until angry, I decided the safety shutoff thingy was not working. The cable somehow loosened or stretched. Of course, I tried using a tighter grip. Heck, a silver-backed gorilla couldn’t have held that thing tighter. Still – rup, rup, rup, ruuuup... silence. The durn thing shut off again. Time to look at the situation more closely. After grass stained pants and a burned forearm where I lay it on the engine, yep, I discovered, the cable was loose. This time without the strength (or suppleness) of the aforementioned gorilla, I clambered into our dumpster after a suitable scrap of wood and jammed a stick in the mower. Away I went. And, no, it’s not just the safety shutoff, last year at the same time is was the blade that loosened and sheared off the little pegs that keep it from spinning and thus not cutting anything. Another year the mower deck rusted in half. Number two. It’s the time of year that the snow tires you bought several years ago are finally wearing out. No way are they going to make it through another inspection. This is always a terrible decision making time for me. Will the car live long enough to require another set of tires? If so, will the tires fit whatever I get next or something already in the stable residing in the treeline? Should I buy new? Should I buy used? Should I buy two winters and two summer or all season treads? You get the picture. The good side of this problem is that I have till October to make a decision. Then there’s the chainsaw. You see the electric sharpener that I used to have wore out and the company is out of business. With that great tool, I used to take just two strokes of the stone on each tooth and the saw cut sharp and straight. But that was then, this summer it’s been back to the old file and my lengths of firewood look like huge designer shampoo bottles; the ends are slanted and curved so that I am ashamed. Currently I am cutting through about 30 percent more wood because of the 45 degree angle I’m sawing at each end of the piece. Try to set one of those up to split. So, got a few of your own? Maybe those old threads in your chimney cleaning rods let go and the brush is stuck 15 feet down? Well, it’s just that time of year. Enjoy the sun we’re getting kick back on your ridgepole and smell the late season haying going on.
Last Call for Big Trees by Amy Kolb Noyes Don't delay! The Morristown Conservation Commission (MCC) is still taking entries for its "Big Tree" contest until the end of September. MCC is conducting a contest to identify the town’s biggest and most majestic trees. “We would like to know about large trees on public lands in Morristown,” stated MCC Commissioner Steve Rae. “This includes trees along the town’s roads, trees in the town forest, or trees in the state forest in Morristown.” As for trees on private property, Rae added, “If you know about a large tree on your land, or have a landowner’s permission to report a tree on their land you could also tell us about that.” Entry forms for the Big Tree contest are available at the Morristown Town Clerk’s Office, or on the web at: http://morristownvt.org/images/Tree_Contest.pdf. Send completed entries to: Morristown Conservation Commission, P.O. Box 748, Morristown, VT. 05661 MCC will make every effort to visit each tree and verify its size. Winners will be announced in October. That’s also when MCC will release information on the town’s most majestic trees and where they can be found. To check out some statistics about outstanding trees in Vermont and around the country visit http://www.vermonttreesociety.org/list.htm.
Bridge Talk in Morristow nby Amy Kolb Noyes MORRISTOWN – Just as “Bridges to the Future” was the theme for this year’s Fourth of July celebration in Morristown, bridges were a prevalent theme throughout this week’s meeting of the Morristown Selectboard. The first presentation the board heard Monday evening, August 25, was from the Morristown Alliance for Culture and Commerce (MACC). Heather Sargent presented for the business group, which has its sights set on building a pedestrian bridge across the Lamoille River at Morristown’s Oxbow Park. Sargent said architect Paul Trudell has done some preliminary drawings of what such a structure might look like. She said the bridge idea is intended to make it easier for rail trail users and others to get to shopping and dining establishments in the north end of town. “Also, it’s a safer way to get to the north end, assuming we don’t have flooding,” Sargent quipped. Sargent also updated the selectboard on other MACC initiatives, including an effort to compile a group of investors to purchase the Water & Woods building, on Portland Street, and have it renovated for future retail use. The Morristown Recreation Commission, a group created by the selectboard about a year ago, was next to present. Commission members Dorinne Dorfman, Laura Jacoby, Peter Everett and Guy Shane proposed the town appropriate $5,000 to hire a staff person to oversee volunteers, act as a recreation liaison for the town, schedule the use of fields and maintain a website with the various recreation schedules. Commissioners said such a position would be an interim step before having a staffed recreation department. “It’s a bridge to where we would like to head,” said Dorfman. Community coordinator Heidi Krantz added hiring a paid coordinator would “help address some potential liability issues” and would also “provide management support for the summer program.” Board members Bob Beeman and Brian Kellogg expressed support for the idea, which the board will discuss further as it prepares a budget for the next fiscal year. “I think it’s a good idea to go forward, myself,” said Kellogg. Beeman commented, “I think it’s a step in the right direction, anyway.” Beeman expressed some doubt that the stipend being considered was enough to cover all the responsibilities the commission had in mind for the position. “It sounds like quite a list of tasks for $5,000,” said Beeman. Dorfman responded, “Again, it’s just a bridge.” Recreation Commissioner Guy Shane presented to the board a user fee schedule and application for using the town’s Oxbow fields that the commission is proposing the town consider. Selectman Brian Kellogg, acting as Chair in Shaun Bryer’s temporary absence, placed those items on the agenda, to be discussed at the selectboard’s next meeting. Next to present to the board was Steve Rae, whom the board tasked with compiling a list of state-owned properties in town that might be considered as trailheads for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Rae, on behalf of the board, drafted a letter to State Rail Property Management Specialist Larry Donna identifying four potential trailhead sites on state-owned land. Among the sites are Tenney Bridge, on Route 15A; the railroad overpass at Needle Eye Road; a parcel near Melben’s Restaurant at the end of Pleasant and Railroad Streets and “various locations where the rail ROW travels along Lake Lamoille” such as near HearthStone and the old Engine House property. Finally, the board had a lengthy discussion on the Bridge Street Bridge and its need for major repairs or replacement. Before the resignation of former Town Administrator Dave Crawford, the board had been considering the installation of a 30-year “temporary” bridge, such as the Mabey Bridge that has been installed in place of the old Tenney Bridge. The issue was put on the back burner as the selectboard spent the summer hiring a new town administrator. Now with new TA Dan Lindley in his second week on the job, Lindley has put the bridge issue at the top of his priority list. Meanwhile, local structural steel artist John Rubino has suggested the town consider building a unique, locally engineered bridge. Chairman Bryer put the question to the board: should they ask voters to approve a temporary bridge costing $850,000 or more, or spend money researching the cost to design and engineer a unique local bridge that would, presumably, be more expensive and have a longer lifespan? Bryer said he intends to bring some proposal before the voters in November. Just what that proposal will be depends largely on the results of Lindley’s research over the next few weeks.
by Mickey Smith FairPoint Communications, who recently purchased telephone services in Vermont, is continuing with an effort to have high speed internet available to 80% of Vermont by 2010. One of the most recent steps toward this will be the introduction of DSL to Eden. Beth Fastiggi, public relations manager for Vermont's FairPoint Communications office, said the service should be up and running by the end of the year. In order to get the service to the town, three units have to be installed, with each covering about a three and half mile radius. She said there will be small pockets of the outlying regions that are still not covered, but the highest concentrations of residents will have the service available to them. Two levels of service will be available. The starter plan is more affordable and Fastiggi said it's designed for those who are making the switch from dial-up and don't know how much they would actually use the higher speed connection. The power plan is faster and is designed for people who already know they need/want high speed. She said this would include people who like playing online games or use their computer for video. Fastiggi said at the start of 2008 there was 65% coverage for high speed internet, by the end of this year they estimate 75% of the state will be covered. Work has also been ongoing in Morristown, Hyde Park, and Cambridge, but Fastiggi said the Eden project is significant because it is an area that has not been covered by any type of high speed internet before. The southern ends of Waterville will also be seeing some coverage as part of expansions to the Cambridge line. The Eden Broadband Committee has been working hard to get their town included in FairPoint's plans. Those serving on the committee include Gerry Furlong, Kelley Wilson, Sarrah McNall, Mason Taber, and Linda Young. Don Goodhue, who does IT work for Union Bank, has also been offering technical assistance. “He's someone who can talk at their level,” said Furlong.
by Mickey Smith
HYDE PARK – Pet owners in the Lamoille Valley area have a less invasive and less painful option for many forms of surgery and diagnostic work with the introduction of endoscopic surgery. Though LVVS, led by doctors and sisters Paula and Valerie Yankauskas, will mostly be using the new procedure for spaying, it will also be available for emergency procedures both involving surgery and those of a more exploratory nature. Dr. Cindy Pratt, one of the veterinarians at LVVS, explained they are now offering rigid endoscopy, which involves a small incision to insert a tube with a camera on the end of a pole into the area in question. If surgery needs to be performed, a second incision and second tube is used to get surgical tools into the area. Dr. Pratt said some areas, including the ears and nose can be checked without making an incision. Dr. Pratt said recently a dog with long lasting sinus issues, was found to have a popcorn kernel lodged in his snout. The kernel’s removal ended the dog's issues with nasal discharge. Two video monitors in the operating room allow the doctors to see what is going on inside the body in high magnification. Dr. Pratt compared the process to a video game, where you are watching the screen and manipulating your hands to do what you are seeing on the screen. She said surgeons in human medical situations, actually use video simulators to practice their skills. Because the surgery is less invasive, the recovery time and pain involved is greatly reduced. In Europe the spaying of pets just involves the removal of ovaries, in the US the practice includes the removal of the uterus as well. Through endoscopy, only the ovaries are removed and cauterization quickens the healing process. The slowest part of the surgery involves getting the equipment set up. Dr. Pratt said once they get up to speed, a spay should take about 20 minutes – about the time of a traditional spay. Dr. Clarence Rawlings, of the University of Georgia – Athens, was brought in to train the doctors and staff. Along with getting their own people up to speed, LVVS has used their training time to offer a presentation to area veterinarians and their laboratory technicians. The training offered continuing education credits to those who need them to keep their certification and licensure.
by Amy Kolb Noyes MORRISVILLE – The Morristown Selectboard set its new municipal tax rate this week. Morristown residents can expect to be paying higher tax bills this year. Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson presented the figures that the board adopted Monday evening, August 25. The municipal tax rate has been set at $0.6733, which board members estimated to be an 8.8% increase over the current municipal rate. The percentage increase is less when combined with the school tax rate set by the state. Morristown homestead taxpayers will see a 5.53% jump in their combined school and town tax rate. The selectboard approved a total combined homestead tax rate of $1.7054. Nonresident property owners will see a 6.87% rise in the non-homestead tax rate. That new combined rate is $2.0247. Assistant Town Clerk Kathy Killian said tax bills will go out at the end of September, with payments due in November and May. Killian noted taxpayers receiving a state property tax refund will see a change in how it is credited to their bill. Last year the entire refund was credited to the first tax payment. This year, Killian noted, the state has required the refund be split equally among the town’s installments.
by Amy Kolb Noyes MORRISTOWN – Plans for a municipal skatepark in Morristown took a step forward this week. Members of the Morristown Selectboard and the Lamoille Area Recreation Center (LARC) Board of Directors began to work on a lease agreement for the town to take over a portion of LARC’s land on which to build the park. Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer held an initial meeting with the LARC Board to detail issues that will need to be addressed in the deal. At the top of the list of concerns is making sure the park will be covered under the town’s liability insurance through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Other issues to be hammered out include park rules, regulations and oversight, according to Bryer. Attorney David Polow volunteered to draft an initial lease agreement as a starting point between the two boards. Town attorney Dick Sargent has already reviewed and commented on that document. Both boards agreed most of the issues can be hammered out between Town Administrator Dan Lindley and LARC General Manager Guy Shane, and do not require board involvement. Bryer added the town’s Skatepark Committee has proposed a design and has already begun fundraising for the project. Following a brief public discussion of the skatepark lease negotiations, the selectboard entered into an executive session with Shane and LARC board members Sam Guy and Donnie Blake. No action was taken as a result of the executive session.
by Mickey Smith After a request to the Johnson listers and Board of Civil Authority was denied, A lawyer on behalf of the Vermont Studio Center (VSC) has filed paperwork in Vermont Superior Court, in Hyde Park, asking for a tax grievance hearing to act upon the proposal to remove most of their buildings from the tax rolls. Court documents show VSC owns about $2,852,000 in real estate in Johnson. VSC is asking for $2,623,900 of their property to be exempt from taxes. According to court documents, the Vermont Studio School (VSC) requested in June to be removed from their tax liability citing their non-profit status and public use. The initial appeal was denied because one part of the request was not turned in, in time to be considered. After that request was denied, VSC appealed the decision to the Board of Civil Authority (BCA). It was during the Johnson BCA’s investigative process that questions were raised regarding the validity of the request. Three criteria are used for determining public use: the structures need to be dedicated unconditionally to public use; benefit an indefinite class of people; and be owned and operated as a non-profit. The majority of the questions raised involved part two and the definition of “indefinite class of people.” The denial by the BCA is because the Center uses a juried panel to determine admittance, there is a definite group of people who can use the center. In their findings of facts, the BCA said the burden of proof falls on VSC. They did not feel VSC's argument was persuasive enough to warrant overturning the decision. According to court information provided by George Pearlman, who was acting on behalf of VSC's Board of Directors, over 97% of the people who apply are accepted. They offer over $1 million dollars in scholarships, and over 200 of those are full scholarships. Court documents show a second concern was raised when Stearns Allen, of the Vermont State Tax Department's Property, Valuation, and Review Department, met with the BCA. Along with the concerns about the term "indefinite," court documents say Allen said if the town granted tax relief and the state did not, the town would be liable to pay the education taxes due on the properties in question. Court documents show, Johnson Municipal Administrator Duncan Hastings attempted to get Allen's concerns in writing or to have him appear at the appeal hearing but the PVR Department advised him not to attend. VSC's appeal was filed on August 20. County Clerk Kathleen Hobart said these appeals are normally heard in a timely manner. She said due to the timing, the process is slowed slightly because this is the time of the year when judges are rotated to new areas. Once the new judge is in place, Hobart said, most likely a status conference will be held to set a time line for the hearing.
Things Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 8-28/08
Your Water? Well, Noooo
There’s a trend concerning property rights of landowners in Vermont and it’s a simple one; those rights are weakening. Property rights are being quietly assailed on all sides by federal and state agencies with their regulatory powers, by environmental pressures (wherever they stem from) and by some non-governmental organizations’ propaganda. From the Army Corps of Engineers wetland regs, to state logging rules and even town or neighborhood watershed zones, if you are a landowner more than ever before you must have permission to do things on the land you own or to use the resources you thought you owned and, in fact, may well have paid for in full at fair market price before government decided to snip away at your deed. Apparently the next thing you don’t own is the water under your own property. I’ve been told the first law in many years on this subject was passed last session in Montpelier. It may be that several proposals to withdraw lots of gallons of spring or well water to bottle and sell have prompted a new look at what the state thinks it needs to appropriate in order to protect. So do we own the water under our land? Well, right now, only if your town and neighbors decide you can have it. As long as you just want to make a little money from it and not get rich, you may be able to extract and sell some undetermined gallonage – maybe. But, you say, we must protect our groundwater, save it for public and future use. Well, OK, let’s look at that for a minute. Does that mean if oil gushes from a well on your land, your town or the state is going to tell you how much you can sell? What about the soil? That’s a non-replaceable asset in any kind of human terms. Will the state decide to regulate turf farms or tell farmers they can only harrow on damp days so the soil doesn’t blow away? What about minerals? If I find gold on my land, will the state want to regulate my take because gold is a strategic metal? In short, I hope the Vermont Supreme Court takes a darn hard look at some of these new laws, especially groundwater laws. Yes, I can see that water may need some protection to serve the public weal, but the underlying question of property rights is also important. If the modern world is now so different that private property ownership must be marginalized, then we, and especially the judges, need to ponder what is to come very carefully. History shows us that public property ownership as a society’s model has only really worked in subsistence economies. This could mean an incredible change in philosophy and in the nature of our country. Meanwhile it’s not so bad that you can’t drill a well on your own place... well, wait a minute I think the regs say ... yeah I guess there are rules already and more to come... Be alert, or government will be telling you when to wash your car or to save water, or as they say in Florida on occasion when you are on a municipal water system, “If it’s pee, let it be. If it’s brown flush it down.”
by Mickey Smith The Lamoille County Sheriff's Department is looking into the death of a male at 36 Commonwealth Avenue in Hyde Park, near the Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Roger Marcoux said the body of a male was found in an apartment at about 12:22 a.m., on Thursday morning, August 14. They believe the cause of death was accidental suicide, but are investigating the situation, as the death went unnoticed for several days. He said the body was discovered after neighbors noticed a foul odor from the apartment. The investigation is continuing to confirm the nature of the cause of death. Anyone with any information regarding the death is encouraged to call the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department at 888-3502.
by Mickey Smith HYDE PARK – For years, the Vermont State Police-operated dispatch centers have received funding from the Vermont Enhanced 911 Board and now, thanks in part to the efforts of Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux, some of that money will be coming to locally run dispatch centers including the one servicing Lamoille County. Currently, eight public safety answering points (PSAPs) handle the dispatching around the state. Four of these are run by the state police and four are regionally run similarly to the Lamoille County's dispatching center. Vermont E-911 Board Executive Director David Serra said for a long time there has been a disproportionate amount of work handled by the various PSAPs. Some cover very large areas, while other are very regionalized. Smaller PSAPs, like the one that covers the city of St. Albans, were asked to take on larger chunks to help ease the burden on the larger PSAPs. This led to the discussion of the subsidies going to the state police, but not the smaller PSAPs. The smaller PSAPs will receive $45,000 - $90,000 for two positions. The state police PSAPs receive about $1.8 million. One million of which goes towards a budgetary shortfall, the other $800,000 is based on $45,000 per employee. Sheriff Marcoux said Lamoille County's population of approximately 25,000 is about half of what they would like to see covered by the regional PSAPs, but when the college and two ski resorts are included in the service area it gets the overall coverage number up to an acceptable range. Marcoux said after discussing the money with the Sheriff's Advisory Committee, it was decided to use the $90,000 for needed upgrades to dispatch. Within the next five years or so, radio frequencies will have to change to narrow frequencies, which will mean an upgrade of equipment. Marcoux would also like to move the dispatch center to the upstairs of the Sheriff's Department for both safety and space reasons. Through his work on state committees, Marcoux hopes to get a lot of work done to upgrade the radio coverage of Lamoille County. Marcoux has also been working with Vermont Communications (VCOM) to improve the communications tower servicing this area. Marcoux had been planning an extensive overhaul which would replace the Davis Hill tower, in Hyde Park, and then remove the tower sitting between the Court House and the Sheriff's Department. VCOM, a board that Marcoux is vice-chair of, wants to link radio coverage throughout the state. Under this plan the Davis Hill tower would become part of this system, so Marcoux is looking into this as an alternative to his department coming up with the funds to replace that tower. If this was the case, Sheriff Marcoux said, his office would only have to deal with the tower between the two buildings. He is awaiting a final decision on plans for renovating the Court House before continuing with that process.
by Mickey Smith HYDE PARK – In light of the recent tragic event in Wells, Vermont's Enhanced 911 board is warning cell phone users to make sure their phones are prepared for emergency situations. In Wells, an emergency call from a cell phone wound up being answered in New York state, because the cell phone was using a New York tower. The woman, who had allegedly been shot by her son, could not respond to efforts to learn of her location. Verizon had to be used to learn the caller’s official address – which slows down an emergency response due to the red tape involved in getting the information. Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux serves as chair of the Vermont Enhanced 911 Board. He and David Serra, executive director of Vermont E-911, said since about 2002 cell phones have been required by federal law to be equipped with one of two types of locating systems – either GPS or a network system that relies on the use of at least two towers to triangulate a person's position. For many phones, these programs have either been shut off or have yet to be activated. Serra said an estimated 50% of all 911 calls come from a cell phone, and only about 40% of those give 911 operators the proper location information. Even when the 911 location feature is activated, there can be issues that cause the system to fail. Like a hand held GPS system, the phone's capabilities are limited to having contact with an open sky. The networking system works better by using more towers to pinpoint a location. Unfortunately, Vermont only has about 586 cell phone towers so, too often, the signal is using just one tower. Lamoille County dispatchers estimate in this county between 60 and 70% of cell phone calls they receive are using just one tower. Vermont Enhanced 911 warns cell phone users to contact their wireless provider to find out which system their phone uses and if it activated. “When dialing 911 on a cell phone, please try to be aware of where you are. The call-taker will first attempt to verify your location information with what we see on our screen. It may be that location information is not available due to GPS limitations or the lack of more than one cell tower. In that case, the cell user will need to inform the 911 operator of where help should be sent,” said a release sent out by Serra and Marcoux. National accuracy standards require cell phones installed with GPS systems to locate someone within 50 meters 67% of the time, and someone within 300 meters 97% of the time. Vermont does not meet those requirements, but Serra explained the average is compiled nationwide. He said 911 calls from cell phones are constantly being audited and they are working on what can be done to improve Vermont's results. Serra said if they feel it is warranted, a complaint can be filed with the FCC against the cell phone companies. In the meantime, Vermont Enhanced 911 is asking everyone with cell phones to do what they can to assist in emergency situations.
by Mickey Smith Shawn Hickok, 21, of Morristown, has been charged with the alleged sale and possession of prescription pills, according to a press release by the Morristown Police Department. Hickok is alleged to have sold prescription pills to a confidential informant on two different occasions. Upon his arrest for the alleged crimes, Hickok was found to be in possesssion of prescription pills, as well. Hickok is scheduled to be arraigned on these charges in Hyde Park District Court on Tuesday, September 16. Area Family in Hit and Run by Mickey Smith The Vermont State Police are looking for information after a hit and run incident in Barton that sent a Stowe mother and her three year old son to the hospital. Desirae Edwards, of Stowe, was removing her son, Gavin, from his car seat at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, when they were struck by a dark colored, possibly black, Pontiac. Mother and child were taken to North Country Hospital in Newport, where they were treated and released. Gavin suffered a broken nose and lost some teeth. Desirae was uninjured. Anyone with information about the hit and run accident is asked to call the Derby barracks of the Vermont State Police at (802) 334-8881.
Power Tools Stolen by Mickey Smith The Morristown Police Department is looking for information regarding the theft of power and hand tools from a van owned by Little Putty's Lawn Care. The tools were stolen during the late night hours of Monday, August 11, while the van was parked on Cadys Falls Road near the Waja Farm, in Morristown. Many of the tools had the initials “L.P.,” either engraved or painted in orange on them. This is the second theft of tools along Cadys Falls Road. Sometime over the weekend, between August 8 and 11, tools were stolen from an MSI warehouse along the same stretch of road. Morristown Police Chief Richard Keith said the investigation has not yet shown whether the two crimes are related or not. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Morristown Police Department at 888-4211.
by Mickey Smith The Morristown Police Department has reported they have concluded the investigation against Kyle Surprenant, 34, of Derby, and have charged him in connection with the alleged theft of $115,295.96 in property in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut. The investigation began when Surprenant was implicated in the brazen and unusual theft of a storage container filled with furniture from behind Rent A Center, in Morristown. During the course of Morristown Patrolman Jason Luneau's investigation, Surprenant allegedly admitted to stealing diesel fuel from two tractor-trailer trucks parked off Route 2 in St. Johnsbury in May of this past year. Included in the items recovered as a result of the investigation are: a Bobcat skid-steer, Mack Roll-Off truck, industrial air compressor, two ATVs, a small utility trailer, a box trailer, a zero turn industrial lawn mower, miscellaneous mowing equipment, a large industrial Lincoln welder, several pieces of furniture, industrial tools, and a generator. The Morristown Police have estimated they have been able to recover $112,154.20 worth of the items stolen. With Surprenant's cooperation, the Morristown Police have located the owners of most of the property. Police are still looking for the owners of a Wacker GS-85 generator that was stolen from a service style truck while parked at a motel in Newport City. Patrolman Luneau's investigation also led to the arrest of Neil Stanzione, 59, of Derby Line, for alleged possession of over $1,000 in stolen property.
by Mickey Smith The Lamoille County Sheriff's Department is investigating the theft of four firearms and a compound bow from a residence on Elmore Pond Road, in Wolcott. It is believed the weapons were taken on or around the weekend of August 9. Anybody with any information or who might have seen something suspicious is encouraged to call the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department at 888-3502.
Sometime between 5:30 p.m. on August 11, and 9:00 a.m. on August 12, an unknown suspect (or suspects) entered Chuck’s Bikes through a rear entry door and stole a cash register. The cash register, which was identified as a Sharp X EA 203 contained approximately $200 in assorted cash. Anyone with information about this burglary is asked to call Patrolman Jason Luneau at 888-4211 or the anonymous Central Vermont Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-529-9998.
by Staf The Walker Bros. Circus will be coming to the Lamoille County Field Days site in Johnson on Tuesday, August 19, for shows at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The Walker Bros. Circus is considered a European style, one-ring circus, emphasizing the human aspects of a circus performance, jugglers, acrobats, clowns, etc. Earlier in this decade, there were issues with the treatment of animals most notably elephants. Since that time, the circus has changed to use domesticated animals. Among the acts scheduled to appear at the Walker Bros. Circus are: Lucio, the clown prince of comedy; the aerial ballet of Miss Rebecca and La Francie; and Paulo, a nine year old juggler. Free children's tickets can be found at various businesses around the county, and tickets will also be available at the time of the shows. News & Citizen reporter Mickey Smith has been contacted to make a cameo appearance in the circus ring. The Walker Bros. Circus hails from Sarasota, FL, a town known for its circuses dating back to 1927 when Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus began wintering there.
by Mickey Smith The Alexander H. Copley Trust Board met Monday evening, August 11, to discuss two projects, which have requested funds for their completion. Both, though, face questions that must be answered before approval. The Noyes House Museum is looking for money for its roof project and River Arts has asked for funds to pay for handicapped accessibility. Morristown Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer said both projects have received approval in their first round of deliberation. By the rules of the Copley trust, projects must be voted on twice with three months between the two votes. Bryer said there have been concerns raised about giving River Arts more money after they have already received a large gift in the recent past. He said their first round approval was not unanimous, and that will probably be readdressed when they come up for vote the second time. The Noyes House project had already received first round approval, but there was some confusion about the length of time since that first vote. It was determined the project had not met the three month time frame, so that final vote is still to come. Bryer said their project does not fully meet the terms of the Copley Trust's rules. According to the rules, a project has to be funded in full by the Copley Trust, and the Noyes House has been doing some fundraising for the project. Bryer said there are enough projects to be done at the Noyes House, that the Copley money can be used to make sure one gets completed in full.
by Mickey Smith Four tries, and several years later, Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley (CHSLV) has been granted full Federally Qualified Health Center status, and with that a significant annual grant to help improve health service to their patients in the area. For the past three years, CHSLV has been operating under FQHC “look-a-like” status, which while it offered many aspects of the full status, was missing the big piece – an annual grant of $650,000 to be used for program development of health care in the Lamoille Valley. CHSLV serves as the umbrella agency for Morristown Family Health Care, Stowe Family Practice, The Women's Center, and Behavioral Health and Wellness. David Silverman, who serves as president of CHSLV, explained the grant is specifically awarded for three years at a time, but he said the program is designed to run for 20 years at a time, so if all remains good the area could see an influx of money for quite some time. Kevin Kelley, CEO of CHSLV, said this grant means sustainability for their programs for many years to come. “I can't tell you how fortunate Lamoille County is for getting a program like this,” said Kelley, explaining, Senator Bernie Sanders played a large role in securing the grant for this area. Much of what will come out of this will benefit the underinsured or uninsured. Two of the biggest programs to arise from the grant will be a dental clinic and an ability to secure lower priced pharmaceuticals for the under or uninsured. Kelley estimated out of 17,400 patients served by CHSLV about 2,100 are uninsured. He said for those people, plus those who are underinsured, this would be a significant savings. The dental clinic, Silverman explained, will start small. He was thinking maybe one dentist and two or three chairs, but that could expand. Before accepting this position, Kelley helped create the nation's largest FQHC dental clinic in Bangor, ME. The pharmacy program, called a 340B, allows patients of the CHSLV facilities to receive the lowest federal government negotiated price for pharmaceuticals. Kelley said the area is working with other FQHCs to create Community Pharmacy, LLC, which will allow for both on-site distribution as well as mail order service. Kelley said Community Pharmacy would be able to process about 1,800 prescriptions per day spread out among the five FQHCs making up the LLC. Kelley expects the new pharmaceutical services to start up by December, and said it should have minimal effect on the local pharmacies because they will mostly be working with the uninsured and underinsured. By being granted FQHC status, their health care providers will be protected under the federal tort claims act, eliminating the need for malpractice insurance. Kelley said this would result in a savings of over $200,000 a year for the CHSLV health care providers, which will allow a reduction in rates. While tort protection means the health care providers cannot be sued, Kelley said there is still a strong level of accountability, as quality of care is a key piece looked at by the FQHC inspection process. Silverman said the malpractice insurance savings wouldn’t really kick in until year two, because in order to close malpractice insurance you need to “buy the tail.” Which, he explained, means paying an amount equal to one and a half times your normal premium in order to cover past issues that may not have come to light yet. The grant and accompanying status will also allow for the creation of a sliding fee scale for the under or uninsured, as well as bring in more specialists who could serve the area on a rotating basis. CHSLV began its life as Copley Professional Services Group in the fall of 2005. In 2005, Dan Ayres became the first executive director of CPSG, at the time he said of the process of granting FQHC, “The challenge is not when you get there. The challenge is getting there.” He described as the hoped awarding of the grant being a win-win for both the patients and the care providers. Now CHSLV, led by Kelley, has reached that challenge and is moving on to show the community the win-win situation predicted by Ayres.
by Mickey Smith For the first time in 2008, rabies has been officially detected in Morristown. Two raccoons were found with rabies in Stowe, earlier in the year. A brown bat, which was found on Meadowood Road (off Trombley Hill Road) in Morristown, tested positive for rabies on August 5. It is the 45th known case of rabies in Vermont this year. State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Bob Johnson said the bat came in contact with a pet, prompting concern. Dr. Johnson said this situation serves as a reminder that bats can get into the house, and his office is interested in testing bats that are found in homes. Dr. Johnson said a bat found in a room with a sleeping individual or an unattended child or a bat that has made physical contact with an individual should be tested for rabies. While rabies is mostly contracted through a bite, though rare, rabies can also be passed through non-bite exposure if wet infectious saliva or nervous tissue contacts a fresh open wound or eyes, nose or mouth. Rabies is not found in blood, urine, feces, or skunk spray. Since 1992, rabies has spread throughout the state, prompting the desire to test animals that have possibly come in contact with humans and domesticated animals. Anyone with any questions about rabies, is encouraged to call Wildlife Services via the Vermont rabies hotline at 1-800-4RABIES. Ramping Up Accessibility Projects by Amy Kolb Noyes Eighteen members of the Harrisville United Methodist Church recently piled into vans to make the 13-hour trip from their small western Pennsylvania town to Lamoille County. They came to build handicap accessible ramps for locals on a waiting list for the service. The volunteers, ranging in age from 11 to 76, brought hammers, tape measures and groceries to fuel their efforts to ease mobility for Lamoille County residents experiencing physical challenges. “We’ve had several folks from our church go on international mission trips overseas,” noted Pastor Bill Hastings. “We wanted to find a project, a mission trip that was affordable, allowing more members to participate.” Hastings and his volunteer crew set their sights on Vermont. An internet search netted the United Way of Lamoille County (UWLC) and RSVP & The Volunteer Center of Lamoille County. The local organizations issued a call for skilled carpenters to assist the volunteers in ramp building and other wheelchair accessibility projects. What a church group from out-of-state initiated turned into a true Morrisville community effort. Puffer United Methodist Church provided space for the group to camp out and prepare their meals. Peoples Academy offered up its locker room showers. Local skilled carpenters aided in the construction and local businesses loaned tools and equipment. Money to purchase materials was provided by the Vermont Center for Independent Living, the United Way of Lamoille County and the Vermont Agency of Human Services. By week’s end, the group completed two ramps and an interior accessibility project. It wasn’t quite all work and no play on the church group’s working vacation. Their week concluded with a jovial cookout at UWLC Executive Director Dawn Archbold’s home. Before heading back to Pennsylvania, the crew also took a tour of the Ben and Jerry’s factory, in Waterbury, and sampled some of Vermont’s famous ice cream. “We’re hoping this project serves as a catalyst for the community, encouraging others to help out on community projects such as this. There’s still work to be done,” said Dan Noyes, program coordinator for RSVP & The Volunteer Center of Lamoille County. Noyes noted there are still people on the wheelchair ramp waiting list who cannot easily maneuver in and out of their homes. Interested volunteers can call Noyes at 888-2190.
Cracking Down on Sidewalks by Mickey Smith
Representatives from the Town of Morristown and Messier Concrete met recently to go over the options of rectifying cracks in the sidewalk along the east side of Portland Street. Messier Concrete poured the new sidewalks last summer, and they are already cracking. Ten areas with significant cracks have been identified and Messier Concrete has agreed to repair the issues. Morristown Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer said in four areas Messier Concrete has agreed there could have been issues with engineering, and those areas will be torn up and re-poured. In six other areas, the problem appears to have more to do with the situation than the process, but Messier Concrete has agreed to grind and seal the cracks. The issue came to a head, when the town was prepared to offer Messier Concrete the contract to do the sidewalks on the west side of the street as well. Bryer said Messier was the lowest bidder, and came in under budget and on time last year. So they were ready to award the contract when resident Chris Ransom brought up the issues of the cracks. Ransom felt the concrete was not cured long enough, the base not properly compacted, and tied into structures, which would not allow for proper expansion in cold weather. Selectman Brian Kellogg suggested the bid be awarded contingent on a meeting with Messier Concrete to see what could be done regarding the sidewalks. After that meeting the following recommendations were made: At the Green Dragon Restaurant – the cracked slab will be replaced and expansion joint material installed where the new saw cuts have to be made. At the slab near the door of Caplan's – a small surface crack has appeared, this one may be ignored. A slab near the lower end of Caplan's – the portion with a stress crack will be removed and a new slab poured. In front of Green River Furniture Store – this was agreed to be the most challenging due to poor soil conditions and deterioration of the building foundation. A section was chosen to be removed, with a third saw cut that runs parallel to the building, a safe distance back from the foundation, to a create a new slab area. This area will be re-poured and new expansion joints installed at the cuts. At the corner of the south side of Hutchins Street – this damage was caused by heavy vehicles driving over the walk when making the corner. The decision was made to grind and seal the area. At the corner of the north side of Hutchins Street – the same determination was made, they will also grind and seal that area. At the Thai Orchid Restaurant – the cracked slab will be saw cut and removed, and a new section of walk will be poured. Expansion joints will be placed along the steps of the building. Between the Thai Orchid and the Jost Electronics building, a portion will be cut out and replaced, to include an area where a hole has formed over the property pin. At a location below Jost Electronics – grinding and sealing of the walk will take place. At Denoia's Dry Cleaning – grinding and sealing at the location of the crack will occur. Bryer said Messier agreed the curing could have been part of the problem, as they were working in extreme heat last summer. They have agreed to let the new pours cure longer. Many of the issues occurred at areas where holes have been left for the eventual replacement of power poles. The wooden poles are slated to be removed when the power lines are moved off the main thoroughfare. Bryer said it was theorized the open ground might be causing more water to seep under the sidewalks in those locations, thus causing more frost issues. Bryer seemed pleased with Messier's willingness to rectify the issues. The plan is to have the crew do the repair work when they are in town to do the west end of the sidewalk. Bryer said timing is still being worked out because Messier Concrete is only bonded to do so many sidewalk jobs a year. If, he said, the new sidewalk work needs to be pushed back to next spring. They hope to work something out to get the repairs done this fall.
Things Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 8-14-08
Watch the “Legals”
Since this is a column of opinion I thought I’d mention two rumors that are swirling around Morristown this week. The rumors, whether they have basis in fact or not, serve to remind us all once again that the legal notices in the back of this paper can serve a purpose, if we just take the time to read them. First, I received an anonymous call asking the paper to look into the rumor that Mud City area landowners were asking the town to zone their area for 10 acre or larger minimum lot sizes. Morristown currently has two acre zoning, I believe. The paper has not yet tried to determine if this is true or not, but again it serves as a reminder to keep our eyes open for upcoming proposals of change. You may want 10 acre zoning or you may not, but the change could have a significant monetary impact. Let’s say you currently live in a house on 13 acres, what if you needed money some day for long term care for grandma or a child’s college education? As things stand you might sell off a two acre lot for $40,000 and your home would remain fairly well surrounded by land. But the 10 acre regulation means you might have to sell your entire property to raise the money. Another zoning issue has been brought to the attention of the paper this week. As folks watched the excavation and form-building at the new Chittenden Bank branch site next to McMahon’s several noted that the side of building is practically in the existing street. They commented that cars are often backed up that far in a queue waiting to pull out onto Brooklyn Street. Just what’s the setback there from the road? It was mentioned that authorities jumped on McDonald’s quickly when they didn’t like the color of their roof, is it OK that the bank jut out into the current street/thoroughfare? All the other plaza buildings are well back from the heavily travelled parts and there is a wide sidewalk in front of Big Lots and the others. So, maybe the bank siting is not a big deal and perhaps 10 acre zoning is not important to you either, but things like this are happening all the time and they don’t make the Free Press, or maybe not even the front page of our humble newspaper. Sometimes these smaller issues are the ones that impact you and it might pay to keep an eye on the legal ads. Bousquet Resigns from Chamber by Mickey Smith
MORRISVILLE – Steve Bousquet has resigned his position with the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce effective Friday, August 1. A search for a new executive director will be launched in the near future. In the interim, the chamber's board of directors has appointed Bill Bourne of Mortgage Financial to the role of Interim Executive Director. Bourne has been on the board since 2004 and has been president of the board of directors for the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce since January 2008 and previously the vice president. Bourne cited “personal reasons” as Bousquet's reason for resigning, he said they were disappointed to lose Bousquet, but they will continue to move forward with the initiatives he has started. “We appreciate what Steve has done,” said Bourne. Bousquet said he had been considering his next move for some time now, and felt the time was right to pursue some other interests. “I took a lot of time to think about the next step in my life,” said Bousquet. He called the board an exceptional board, and harbored no ill will towards the chamber. He added health was also not an issue, he and his family are doing well. Bourne will be working closely with Marlene Merriam, office manager, to execute the day to day operations of the chamber. He added they will soon begin the search for a new executive director. “The Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce has seen tremendous growth since the beginning of 2007. We are looking forward to the continued growth and development of the chamber over the coming years,” said Bourne. If you have any question or concerns, please call Marlene Merriam, Office Manager at (802) 888-7607 or Bill Bourne at (802) 888-1630.
“These tax credits help attract private investment to our designated downtowns and village centers – places where everyone agrees development should be directed,” said Governor Jim Douglas. “This is an investment in new affordable housing, new businesses and jobs, and community revitalization.” The $57,388 in credits is intended to help River Arts rehabilitate its new center, at 74 Pleasant Street, and make it compliant with fire and building codes so it can be used as an intergenerational arts center and home of River Arts. “This building originally housed Morrisville's high school and later served as the Lamoille Grange Hall,” Douglas said. “Now it will be the home of Lamoille Valley Farmers and Artisan Market.” The state tax credit program is designed to work with the federal tax credit program to leverage a combined state-federal credit valued between 30 and 40 percent of eligible expenses. The credits are awarded to projects within Designated Downtowns and Village Centers in Vermont. The program will work a little differently for River Arts, according to Executive Director Steve Ames, as RA is a nonprofit organization. “Because we’re a nonprofit, we don’t have a tax burden that this credit will go against,” Ames explained. Ames said River Arts will be able to sell the tax credit to a local bank, to be used against the bank’s tax liability, for 80% to 100% of its value. The proceeds from that sale will be put toward construction costs, such as window restoration and interior renovations. Ames noted the tax credit application was entirely a volunteer effort in support of River Arts. He added the application’s success is also testimony to a wider community effort. “It validates the broad community effort to get Downtown Designation,” said Ames. He added, “It just enhances the community resource.” Ames said River Arts hopes to be wrapping up its capital campaign in the spring. That’s also when RA plans to paint the exterior of the River Arts Center. To date, 22 downtowns and 78 village centers have state designation, and all older and historic buildings in these designated areas are eligible for investment incentives. To become a Designated Downtown, communities must have both a downtown revitalization organization and demonstrate its commitment and capacity to support such a program, as well as meet several other requirements. Village Centers go through a similar, but abbreviated process. Designated communities become eligible to compete for funding for building rehabilitation and safety improvements, and transportation projects. Skatepark Committee Preliminary Plan MORRISTOWN –The Morrisville Skatepark Committee has been given the green light to begin fundraising for a municipal skatepark, to be built using grants and private donations, on property owned by Lamoille Area Recreation Center (LARC). The skatepark committee met with the Morristown Selectboard Monday, July 28, to present its design proposal for a concrete skateboard park. The committee hopes to replicate a skatepark in Pepperell, MA, built by a Rhode Island company called Breaking Ground. The committee further proposed Breaking Ground be hired to build a skateboard park for Morrisville. Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer said the board authorized the committee to proceed with its fundraising plan with the Pepperell design in mind. He cautioned, however, any final design would need to be put out to bid by the town. The selectboard also gave the committee the go-ahead to draft a proposed lease agreement between LARC and the town, for the selectboard to review. Bryer noted the selectboard plans to negotiate a land lease agreement with the LARC Board of Directors. All parties agree LARC is the best place in Morristown to build the park. However, the town needs to have control of the land in order for the park to be insured by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns as a municipal facility. The committee’s third directive from the board was to develop a list of Skatepark Committee members for the next year. “Once the lease agreement and the list of skateboard park members are passed by the selectboard the skateboard park committee plans to fundraise and apply for grants,” stated committee co-chair Isaac Graham. Graham asked anyone interested in being a part of the committee to contact him at 888-5891 or igrah287@yahoo.com. Tax deductible donations toward the project are now being accepted at the Morristown Town Clerk’s Office. Checks should be made payable to the Town of Morristown, with a memo stating it is for the skateboard park. Mail to: Town of Morristown, P.O. Box 748, Morrisville, VT 05661. Graham also has artwork for sale to benefit Morrisville Skateboard Park on www.igrahamart.com.
Things Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 8-7-08 It’s D____d Wet!
I sure can’t be called foresighted in picking my subject this week. Any idiot knows the rain just won’t quit this summer. But it’s starting to go beyond Vermont’s normal quirky fast changing weather. Everything is wet out there and it’s starting to get indoors, too. Having trouble drying your bath towels? Washing them twice as often to keep the sour smell down? Having lots of luck saving energy by hanging your clothes out to dry? No. Well, at least you are in the same bathtub as we all are! Not just basements are damp this year, but some are flooded as deeply as they get in the spring run-off season. First floors and higher seem damp, old varnishes are sticky on antique furniture, paper in desks is not crisp, and odors seem to propagate more easily this year from the dog’s favorite chair and the hooks or closet where outdoor clothing is hung. One would think we are in the tropics and it’s the monsoon season. There is high water in every river, brook and freshet. Farmers’ fields are wet with drowned crops in low spots and stunted crops in slightly higher areas. Slugs, snails and earwigs are the big winners this summer; they are inundating gardens just above the waterline! Then there is a lesser known problem everyone is keeping quiet – leach fields aren’t too effective this summer as several have whispered in my ear. The ground is too saturated unless you are sitting on a mountain of sand. Front lawns feel like sponges, even the lava rock in your grill is soaked. Thinking of painting your house? Have a roof repair or replacement scheduled? Good luck. You better join the rest of us and say a few words to whomever you worship for a bit of dry before winter.Folks in these businesses are working, but squeezing jobs in between raindrops. ‘Course, we can look forward to winter... we know it must get cold enough to snow eventually. Wonder how much of that stuff we’ll get.
by Mickey Smith
For many members of the Catholic communities of Holy Cross, St. Teresa's, and St. Gabriel's there is a familiar face at the pulpit these days. Father Francis Prive´, who was raised in Lamoille County, became the priest of the three churches on July 1. Father Prive´ has moved around the state during his 39 years as a priest, mostly spending time in Chittenden County, St. Johnsbury, and Rutland. He made his way back into his home county for four years (from 1999-2003) as he served the parish of St. Mary's in Cambridge along with St. Thomas' in Underhill. Now he finds himself back in the town where he was born, living near his family. Father Prive´'s three brothers, Norman, Andre, and Dennis all live here in Lamoille County, as does one sister Annette Bolio. His other two sisters are close by, Theresa Spaulding is in Worcester and Evelyn Gilbar in Derby. He was born on the Randolph Road in Morristown and lived on Cottage Street before moving to Johnson in 1949 because his father got a job working for Eastern Magnesia Talc Company. Father Prive´ admitted when he took the position in Rutland, he looked at that stop as his final place before retirement. His thought was he would be serving that parish for eight years, which would place his age at 70, and then he could retire back to this area and serve as a substitute priest, filling in for vacations, illness, sabbaticals, etc. Plans changed this past winter, when Bishop Salvatore Matano called asking him to consider taking these three parishes full-time. Father Prive´ said he had to think about it for maybe two minutes, before accepting the new assignment and has since changed his views on retirement. He now feels this will be his last full-time assignment, but isn't putting a timeline on how long he will remain. He said he has never been happier, and doesn't plan to move again until he retires. He noted this seemed to be the thought of the Bishop as well, who recently told Father Prive´, regarding the move, “maybe I would get a few more years out of you.” Now that he is back home, Father Prive´ has been having a chance to catch up with a lot of long time friends and acquaintances. He said some parishioners from the Underhill/Jericho area have even ventured over to say hi. Father Prive´ plans to continue two of his hobbies that have gained him some fame around the state. Yes, Father Prive´ will soon be making doughnuts and he has already started a garden. The doughnuts are taking a bit longer, as he's found the kitchen in the Holy Cross Rectory to be too small to house his commercial mixer and fryer, along with the flour bin and oil containers. Freezer space is also an issue, but he expects to have things worked out soon and to be cooking again just as quickly. His brother, Norman, offered him space for a garden, and with the help of his brother, Dennis, he even brought with him his tool shed from Rutland. Father Prive´ described it as a good, solid shed built by the Amish, which he considers a memorial to his mother. With it, he explained, he has “a little bit of mom watching over me.” Father Prive´ uses both his doughnuts and garden as a way to involve the community with the church. Making 20 dozen doughnuts at a time, there are plenty to go around at after-mass coffee socials; and in the past he has kept a garden large enough to offer vegetables to his parishioners and the local food shelves. Then there is the camaraderie with the volunteers who show up to assist with picking and distribution. He said he has been very pleased with the three communities he serves, as they have shown a real sense of responsibility for the buildings and grounds, as well as their faith. He has seen this is necessary to keeping a parish thriving in today's society. He also looks forward to being involved at the Bishop Marshall School, where he has four grandnieces and grandnephews attending. He said he was also glad to see the sense of spirituality is still here that he remembers from his childhood. And he looks forward to beginning a regular coffee hour... probably about the time the first batch of doughnuts is complete.
HearthStone Sales Hot MORRISTOWN – When Morristown woodstove manufacturer HearthStone held its three-day factory tent sale last month, it sold out of floor models by 11 a.m. on the first day of the sale! July is usually HearthStone’s down time, but President Dave Kuhfal said sales didn’t slow even after the big sale. “The last full week in July we took more orders than any week last year,” said Kuhfal. He added many dealers are ordering stoves 100 at a time – a previously unheard of amount. Typically, Kuhfal said the season doesn’t really start until mid-August. Just last year Hearthstone was laying off employees for lack of work. Now the company has diversified its product line, including adding wood cookstoves, and it can’t keep up with demand. They’ve hired nearly 20 new employees and still have spots to fill. “We’re hiring all the time now,” said Kuhfal. He added, “We’re back on the high side.” Kuhfal can tell you exactly when business began to turn around. “It’s been a liftoff,” he said. “Just about when gas hit $4 a gallon and people stopped buying Hummers and big SUVs, they started buying woodstoves and pellet stoves.” Kuhfal said there are a lot of first-time woodstove buyers in the marketplace right now. He noted, nationwide, pellet stoves are completely sold out until next year. HearthStone does not currently manufacture pellet stoves, but that will soon change. Kuhfal said they will be added to the product line next year. Kuhfal said consumers are drawn to wood and pellet stoves both for price and environmental advantages. He said the cost of wood is currently about half that of oil for the same heat value. In addition, Kuhfal noted all bio-based products, such as wood and wood pellets, are “basically carbon neutral.” He said burning a log in the woodstove gives off the same amount of carbon as a fallen log rotting in the woods. It’s simply an accelerated process. He said pellet stoves have a slightly larger carbon footprint, due to the packaging and manufacturing process. But either way, Kuhfal said, “You’re on the winning side burning wood.” Kuhfal noted all HearthStone stoves are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency as “clean stoves.” He said clean stoves came on the market in the late 1980s. They release two to three grams per hour of particulate emissions. Older stoves can release anywhere from 50 to 200 grams per hour, making them not as environmentally friendly. But even for woodstove manufacturers, the new marketplace is a tough place to do business. The high oil prices that have ramped up consumer demand have also driven up shipping and raw material costs. “Even though we’re busy, we’re still not financially strong… because the costs have rocketed so much,” explained Kuhfal. “Raw material prices have doubled.” Kuhful said, because HearthStone imports materials such as iron and soapstone, the weak U.S. dollar has also had a big impact on the company’s bottom line. He noted they bring in raw materials from Brazil and “all over the world.” Business is still good enough, however, for HearthStone to consider expanding its operations. Kuhfal said the company is currently quoting out an expansion of its Morristown facility. Wolcott UMC Is Dedicated “Historic” Church WOLCOTT – The Wolcott United Methodist Church will be dedicated as an historic site this month, thanks to a pastor that served more than 150 years ago. The church belongs to the United Methodist Church’s Troy Annual Conference. The Troy Conference Historical Society is dedicating the church a “Historic Site of the Troy Annual Conference” during a special service Sunday, August 16, at 10 a.m. The Wolcott Historical Society is supportive of the church’s effort. WHS spokesperson Renee Wahler said the group is excited about the commemoration and its significance to their efforts to honor and preserve the town’s history. The Wolcott United Methodist Church was constructed under the guidance of Reverend George S. Brown, the first African American pastor in the Troy Annual Conference. Reverend Brown came to Wolcott in 1855 and started Methodist Episcopal classes. “He organized a class in the village as well as one on Town Hill and East Hill, with a total of 70 members,” explained Methodist historian and former Wolcott Pastor Rev. Pat Thompson. “In 1856 the trustees voted to build a church under the direction of Rev. Brown,” Rev. Thompson stated. “The original class lists and the Clerk’s record for the building project are both in the handwriting of George S. Brown. As far as the records of the Conference indicate, this is the only church in which George S. Brown actually served as minister. As a result, the Troy Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History recommended to the 2008 session of the Troy Annual Conference that this church be designated as an officially registered site of the Troy Conference.”
Mount Norris Getting Back to Normal By Mickey SmithFor the second time in recent years, heavy rains forced the evacuation of Boy Scouts from the Mount Norris Boy Scout Reservation in Eden. This time, those running the campground took a page from their own manual and were prepared.Heavy rains on Thursday, July 24, washed out two sections of Boy Scout Camp Road, the road leading to the area where 163 scouts were camping. Those spots were repaired by road crews, and the decision was made to evacuate the campers before heavy rains further eroded the road and caused an emergency situation.In less than an hour, the campers were bussed to the Eden Central School where they stayed for the night, before returning to Mount Norris on Friday.Richard Stockton, chief executive officer of the Boy Scouts’ Green Mountain Council, described the evacuation as a much more proactive experience. He said since they have been through similar flooding before, everyone better knew what they should do.“We had a plan for it, and got all the players there,” said Stockton.Stockton said they are planning an “after action” meeting to discuss the situation and see how they could further improve their emergency response if a situation was to arise again.Work continues on the area that washed out. Stockton estimated it would probably be next summer before they were totally back to where they were before the storm. Even then, there will be slight modifications, as he said they are going to relocate one campsite and will have to do some creek restoration work.He said there are five or six spots along two roads that they have had to work on, but noted they are up and running and it's not affecting Boy Scout programs.Morristown Closes in on New Town AdministratorBy Mickey SmithMorristown - What has been a very lengthy process may be just about over, as Morristown Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer announced an offer has been extended and tentatively accepted for the vacant Town Administrator position.Last week Bryer was expecting to announce the hiring of the board’s first choice, but that candidate withdrew during the negotiation process. Because of that unexpected twist, the board went back to their second choice, who Bryer said has verbally agreed to accept the position.He said the name of the candidate has not yet been released, allowing the candidate time to notify his current employer. Bryer said, at the same time, the board is completing a background check on the candidate.He said he expects they should be announcing the name next week, and will set up a time to “Meet the New Town Administrator” at the end of next week.Contract Offered For New SuperintendentBy Mickey SmithHYDE PARK – About 40 people took advantage of an opportunity to meet the three candidates for Lamoille North superintendent and their input was used in the decision making process to offer the position to Dr. Debra Taylor, of Shorewood, Wisconsin.Though Dr. Taylor comes from the furthest away school,with the other two candidates from within Vermont, she also has the closest ties to Lamoille North. Between 1980 and 1982, she was Lamoille North's Director of Special Education.At press time, Dr. Taylor had not officially accepted the position. She was offered the job after being the unanimous choice of the 17 votes cast. While all 30 members of the various boards have been invited to take part in the process, 19 votes are cast. Each town, excluding Belvidere, gets three votes, Belvidere gets one because they don't have an organized elementary school, and the Lamoille Union Board gets three votes as well.If she accepts the job, Dr. Taylor would replace Dr. Terry Bailey, who resigned last month to take a position with the Burlington school system.Storm Ruled TornadoBy Mickey SmithA post storm write-up from the National Weather Service (NWS) has detailed the storm which badly damaged a strip of North Cambridge and Waterville and has now ruled it to have been an “EF (Enhanced Fujita) 1 Tornado.”Winds approached 100 mph in the storm that developed across the northern Adirondack Mountains and traveled east into Chazy, NY, before crossing Vermont through Grand Isle County, and moving into the northwest corner of Lamoille County.The damage swath reached from Metcalf Pond Road in North Cambridge to the Naylor property on the Plot Road in Waterville. The path was about seven miles long and followed along the Cambridge/Fletcher town border.According to NWS, a broad rotating storm started to form near North Cambridge, with “strong outflow winds” approaching the area of rotation.“It should be noted, the rotating storm was located within a south to north oriented valley, which helped to enhance the low level storm circulation,” stated the report.“Southerly winds are funneled into these valleys and help to organize the turning of the low level winds,” the report also stated.While much of the damage was caused to softwoods, State Forester Ray Toolan said there were some pretty big hardwoods that snapped off 15 to 20 feet above the ground. He noted extensive damage to the Naylor sugarbush along the Plot Road. He said the root balls of some of the pine blown down in the storm measured 20 feet across.The report estimates 80 to 90 percent of the trees in the swath between North Cambridge and Route 108 were either blown over or snapped off.The report includes a 30 second video, shot by the Tom and Nanci Lepsic family. Although the video does not show a funnel cloud, the video shows an almost immediate 180 degree shift in the winds.“The convergence of two different wind directions and the valley orientation helped to produce two brief tornado spin ups.The enhanced Fujita scale for tornadoes classifies them in six levels, based largely on wind speed and type of damage caused. EF 0 are the weakest of tornadoes, with wind speeds of 65-85 miles per hour; EF 5 are the most severe with wind speeds over 200 mph. Over 80% of tornadoes fall into the EF 0 or 1 classes.Clean up continues, and will continue for quite some time. Toolan advised people with damage to over 40 acres should make a “heavy cut request” to be safe. This is required for clear-cutting, and he said it would be hard for the state to determine after the fact whether a field of stumps was caused by storm damage or just a decision to clear timber.There is no cost for the request, and the forms are available at Toolan's office at the Agriculture Building in Morrisville. He said the state is expected to expedite the review process for storm damage related requests.Tess Greaves, a forestry technician dealing with fires, said the weather has been wet enough that there is not a threat of forest fires at this time. She did note a dry spring could cause concern with the amount of softwood that has fallen.There have been some concerns about tornado damage not being covered by insurance. One rumor spoke to the possibility of a conspiracy to call the storm straight line wind damage in order to keep it covered by insurance.Ted Lambert, of Poulos Insurance, said wind is typically a basic property inclusion. He said he had not seen a tornado exclusion in this area before. He noted in places where wind is commonplace, like the southern Atlantic states where hurricanes are prevalent, that would be a separate policy.Lambert said with the high rains, flood insurance is something people should be thinking about. Flood insurance is a separate policy that is sponsored by the government. He said it is available to anyone, and people with concerns should talk to their agent.Local Bookkeeper IndictedBy Mickey SmithAn area bookkeeper was arrested and arraigned on Friday, July 25, on multiple charges of federal wire fraud, money laundering, and tax fraud.Deborah Whitney, 42, of Eden, was arrested after an indictment was handed down on July 22. That indictment alleges Whitney, doing business as D & DD Bookkeeping, embezzled large amounts of money from customers, including Arthur's Department Store, in Morrisville, and Stanley Wescom Construction, in Eden, by forging signatures on hundreds of business checks.The indictment alleges Whitney owes Arthur's Department Store over $600,000 and that she embezzled $150,000 from Stanley Wescom Construction. She is also charged with defrauding other area individuals by soliciting over $86,000 from them under false pretenses.Whitney appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier in federal court in Burlington on July 25. She was released pending trial under the supervision of the court's pretrial services department.An indictment is a formal declaration of the charges, it does not presume guilt and is only an accusation.Wolcott Puts Emergency Plan Into ActionBy Amy Kolb NoyesWOLCOTT – Last Thursday’s heavy rains triggered an unprecedented event in the Town of Wolcott. It was the first time Emergency Management Director Arlo Sterner took the town’s Emergency Management Plan off the shelf and put it into action.“We’ve had a lot of training but we’ve never had anything to work on,” Sterner said of the town’s emergency management team.Sterner, who is also a selectman, set up the emergency operating center in the kitchen of his home on Route 15. The town rescue truck was brought over from the fire department and parked in his dooryard to aid in radio communications. Sterner said he made the call on his own to set up the emergency operating center because there were no other selectboard members around on Thursday afternoon. He said the town road crew was overwhelmed with road washouts.“The town crew was out in force and we backed them up,” Sterner explained. Sterner added the new incident command structure was utilized. Sterner, as Emergency Management Director was in charge, assisted by Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Bovat. Emergency responders drove the town roads to check for flooding and stop in on elderly and sick residents. The Town Clerk was notified and she, in turn, notified Vermont Emergency Management.In North Wolcott one private citizen, Woody Brown, was called upon to put his backhoe to use for the town. Sterner added County Oil was called in when Brown’s machine ran out of fuel, so the town will have at least one bill to settle from the storm.Sterner said he was in touch with Wolcott School Principal Merri Greenia, who agreed to open up the school and its kitchen facilities should the need arise for an emergency shelter. In the end, no one needed to be evacuated, but several roads were overwhelmed by water.“Bear Swamp was one huge lake,” said Sterner, noting it cut the road down to one-way traffic. Likewise, half of West Hill Road was washed out. Flooding also damaged East Elmore Road, Elmore Pond Road, Baldwin Brook Road, and the intersection of Richard Woolcutt Road and Tjader Roads. Sterner added Morey Hill was closed for a while and Brook Road was completely washed out.It’s hard to say if any lives were saved, but one tangible result from Thursday was learning what needs to be worked on before the Emergency Management Plan is put to use again. Sterner said he discovered the new town office building should be equipped with a better antenna and a generator in order to be used effectively as an emergency command center. He said he also recognized “culverts in town are way too small.”“This is a first for the Town of Wolcott – to set up an emergency operating center and put it to use,” said Sterner. All in all, he said it went pretty well. Monday night at the fire station, those involved got together and compared notes. Sterner said he received good feedback, and next time he will do a better job of delegating authority.Meanwhile, the cleanup from the heavy rains is ongoing. Sterner said the emergency command center was set up at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, and closed up at 9:00 that night. The town’s road crew was out until 1:00 the next morning, and is still working on patching up the town’s roads.Things Look This Way to MeEditorial by J.B. mckinley 7-31-08Cut $30 MillionHeadlines this week said the State of Vermont needs to tighten its belt another $30 million for the coming year. Is that possible?Sure. Here are a few ideas.In highway repair: Fix the road surface. Forget the new guardrails. Forget the brand new signage, if the old is still functional. When was the last time you complained about an old guardrail? Is that rusty guardrail destroying your car’s undercarriage?In state agencies: Stop changing logos and letterheads. Let’s have a new slogan with no money spent on it. “Millions for services, Nothing for image changes.” Forget newly designed forms, colored or heavy paper, the imagination boggles at what is spent here. Forget fancy posters. Pay someone’s kid to do the things. No one is ever going to love state government, no matter how much is spent on public relations.Control consultants fees: Do the people of Vermont need this study/survey? Make a new regulation; any company over the initially agreed fee or budget never gets another contract.Scrutinize arms of state government that are essentially advocacy groups. As revenue shrinks should we spend money on advocacy or should we actually spend money delivering services. Look at programs that are popular and programs that aren’t, in terms of tangible benefit received for money spent.Sell state property that is unused, land, equipment and fixtures.Look at refinancing debt.Initiate meaningful internal incentives for cost-saving ideas suggested by employees at all levels. While you are at it, protect those people who make unpopular suggestions. What do I mean? Is the boss taking a weekend in Maine with the state car? Do you dare tell anyone?Copley Takes First Step In Building ProjectBy Amy Kolb NoyesMORRISVILLE – One thing that has not changed with the new Copley administration team is the hospital’s need for facility upgrades. For several years hospital administrators have been talking up the need for capital improvements to Copley Hospital. This month the hospital has taken the first step toward what promises to be a big project.Copley is at the beginning stage of developing and implementing a Master Facility Plan. The hospital has submitted a letter of intent to the State of Vermont's Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA), notifying the agency that the hospital will be seeking a Certificate of Need for facility upgrades. The next step, when building and renovation plans have been solidified, will be to file an application for a Certificate of Need.The total proposed capital expenditure for the project is $20 million. Hospital officials have confirmed that Copley's debt capacity is $15-$20 million. The hospital is also investigating the possibility of accepting charitable donations toward the project.“As part of its strategic planning, Copley Hospital is focusing on responsible growth as determined by the health needs of the community,” stated hospital spokesperson Leah Hollenberger. “The Board of Trustees and Hospital Administration have, through careful research and discussions with the community and healthcare providers, identified three absolute critical needs which can be met with a 3-5 year facility reconfiguration and building project.”Hollenberger outlined the three most urgent areas of need as surgical services, outpatient care (also known as ambulatory care) and heating and cooling plant replacement and upgrades."Over the years Copley has developed a standard of clinical excellence and an array of service rare for a small, rural community hospital," said Copley President Melvyn Patashnick. "For our future, it is imperative that Copley have the space needed to provide both the services and technology to ensure the quality healthcare our community needs."Hollenberger noted Copley's facilities are the oldest in the state. She added the lack of space and the aging facility are hampering the hospital's efforts to provide services needed by the community.Hollenberger explained specific details of Copley's building plan have not been confirmed as the organization is still exploring its options. In the Letter of Intent, Copley projected plans will involve building approximately 33,000 square feet of new construction and renovating an additional 15,000 square feet of existing hospital and ancillary service space. The new construction and renovations will occur on the Copley campus, and services and programs will be maintained without interruption during any construction and remodeling activities.In general, the plan calls for building a new surgical services suite to house three new operating rooms, increasing space in the Center for Outpatient Services (Ambulatory Care Unit) to allow for growing demand for outpatient services, as well as infrastructure updates using alternative energy.Hollenberger detailed the three areas of need. She stated of the plan for new operating rooms, “Copley's current operating rooms were built in another era, before the extraordinary advance in technology and equipment. While Copley has continuously upgraded equipment and technology, the lack of space has created inefficiencies. Building this new suite will enable Copley to outfit each operating room for modern technology and accommodate the increased volume of surgery.”Hollenberger noted the hospital is looking at several scenarios to increase space for the Center for Outpatient Service.“Copley is weighing the impact of relocating the Billing Department to another property on the campus to create added space, almost doubling the square footage and providing more procedure rooms,” she explained. “Also under exploration is having the current operating rooms becoming procedure rooms for the Center for Outpatient Services.”Finally, Hollenberger stated, “Copley's heating and cooling system of boilers and generators have been in place since 1958 and are well past life expectancy. New boilers and generators will enable Copley to take advantage of alternative energy, lessening dependence on costly fuel oil while assuring comfort for all patients.”Despite the physical plant’s shortcomings, Copley Hospital has been a busy place in recent years. The number of surgeries from 2002 through 2006 at Copley increased 20%, with more than 1,850 procedures being performed in 2006. Visits to Copley's Center for Outpatient Services have increased nearly 9% since FY05. Community need assessments have indicated the need for more access to existing services such as rheumatology and cardiology and the need for new services as the population ages, according to hospital officials. Services currently offered on an outpatient basis include: dermatology, gastrointestinal procedures, neurology, pain management, oncology care, pulmonology, sleep studies, urology and minor surgical procedures.
by Mickey Smith
Upon the recommendation of two committees created to conduct first round interviews, the Lamoille North Supervisory Union (LNSU) Board has announced they will interview three finalists for the position of superintendent. Those interviews will occur Monday evening, July 28, at a meeting at the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center Community Education Center. The public is welcome to meet the candidates from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Each candidate will be available to answer questions in a different room of the tech center. The two interview panels with a total of 12 representatives were charged by the LNSU Board to select from three to five finalists for the next step. The panels interviewed seven applicants on Monday and Tuesday, July 21 and 22. The first panel was comprised of: Joe Teegarden, director of GMTCC; Kathy Ferguson, CES guidance counselor; Nikki Thomas, representing the central office; Becky Penberthy, LNSU and LUHS Board member from Waterville; Rachel Wellman, incoming senior from Cambridge; and Bruce Burnor, Eden resident. The second panel was made up of Marilyn Frederick, LNSU business manager; Bill Baker, LUHS math teacher; Dana Jewett, LUHS assistant principal; Jeff Coslett, LNSU and CES Board member from Cambridge; Aaron Hayford, incoming senior at GMTCC; and Lisa Fernald, Hyde Park resident. The finalists selected are, in alphabetical order: Marie Fay, Guildhall, currently director of Student Support Services, Whitefield, NH, Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study, Plymouth State University, Doctoral candidate Argosy University; Elaine Laine, Stowe, currently principal of Hazen Union High School, Hardwick, Doctor of Philosophy, George Mason University; Debra Taylor, Shorewood, Wisconsin, currently director of Instructional Services, School District of Shorewood, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin. No ranking was given to the finalists. An executive session of the board for the purpose of interviewing the three finalists and deliberating will begin by 6 p.m. with each interview lasting up to an hour. Any action taken from the deliberation will occur in open session following the interviews.
by Mickey Smith
Shortly after 3 p.m., on Wednesday, July 16, Michael DMuhala received a phone call that no parent wants to receive. “We lost David,” said his mother, crying on the other end. Michael's five year old son David, who is autistic, was playing near a brook between Laporte Road and Golf Course Road, in Morrisville, when he darted off upstream and disappeared. For nearly five hours, the DMuhala's agony was shared by family, friends, and complete strangers. Morristown Police responded and quickly had assistance from Morrisville Fire Department, Morristown Rescue, Vermont State Police Search and Rescue, Lamoille County Sheriff's Department, Stowe Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol's air unit, Whitcomb Aviation, American Red Cross, and other local and state emergency service agencies. While the official search was being conducted, centering around a dog from VSP canine unit, volunteers ranging from firefighters and emergency personnel to concerned citizens who just wanted to help, were gathering and offering their assistance. An estimated 300 people were ready to begin scouring the countryside after the trained dog was allowed to perform a search in as scent-free an area as possible. Ernie Patnoe, his wife Tracy, and an employee of theirs at Mud City Kids Daycare, Suzy Young, were among those ready to volunteer. Young, who has experience working with autistic children, knew from past experiences when an autistic child focuses on something they stick to that mindset. She felt they should follow the brook, so the three of them headed away from the search area and began a search on their own where the brook crossed the next road upstream, looking to see if he had made it that far. They picked up his tracks where the brook crosses Lyle McKee Road and Ernie started searching the south side of the road (near the guide lights for the airport), while Tracy and Suzy headed to the north side, where Tracy and Suzy said, through two-way radios they had brought with them, that they heard the boy. Minutes later, at about 7:45 p.m., Tracy alerted Ernie that they had found David in a pasture. Using his GPS, Ernie said David was about 2.1 miles from the site where he had last been seen. He estimated with the meandering of the brook, David had traveled close to three miles total. Searchers had surmised he wouldn't cross the roads, which Ernie noted was accurate... his tracks showed he followed the water through the six-foot culverts under the road. He said the boy also stuck to walking in the stream, probably due to the berry bushes and thick brush in the woods. Ernie said the only time he seemed to break away from the brook was in the case of a waterfall or other impassable area. In his press release on the incident, Morristown Police Corporal Ryan Bjerke said David was found in good condition, but taken to Copley Hospital as a precaution. “The Morristown Police Department would like to extend its appreciation to all of the residents that turned out to assist and a special thanks to those who located David,”concluded Cpl. Bjerke's release. Later that evening, Michael DMuhala collected and wrote down his thoughts about the situation, noting David was peacefully playing with his sister as he always does, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
David’s father, Michael DMuhala brought the following letter into the paper to share with the community:
What's Right with the World
Yesterday afternoon I experienced what can best be described as one of every parent's worst nightmares. My five year old autistic son David was playing in the brook with his sister and his grandmother as he does most sunny days when he suddenly, quietly bolted upstream into the woods and disappeared. After 15 minutes of frantic pursuit and searching my mother called me and in tears said these heart-stopping words, "We lost David." In that surreal instant, my whole world slipped into a slow-motion blur of pacing and praying, strange faces and voices, sirens, radios, helicopters, phone calls, interviews, hugs and weeping... that felt like a never-ending opening scene from some horrid disaster movie. There were dogs frantically trying to pick up his scent and search planes circling overhead and ambulances and grief councilors and unbearable talk of deep ponds and cliffs and heavy traffic and poisonous plants and... This merciless ordeal went on for five agonizing hours before my little boy was recovered in a field over a mile away and then back in my arms again safe and sound. As my mind was finally able, once again, to think the thoughts that were being presented to it and the tunnel vision I'd been experiencing gradually broadened to take in the rest of the world, the staggering reality of what had just taken place at last began to sink in. I looked around in wonder at the countless people and scores of emergency vehicles and as the roar of cheering continued and tears of joy flowed down faces all around me the staggering love of this community just plain slammed into me. I can't fathom words to express my awe and gratitude towards every single one of the hundreds of individuals who trudged through the woods and swamps and fields looking for my boy and towards the dozens and dozens of emergency workers and rescuers who unleashed a hundred times the resources I could have believed possible and towards the thousands who were praying for us all across this country and others and especially to my faithful Lord Jesus Christ who watched over my son and kept him safe against all odds until you all found him. As I'm writing this, David is peacefully playing on the living room floor with his sister Hannah just like he always does...as he always should...as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened. Thank you all from the deepest, deepest depths of our hearts for finding David and bringing him back home to us.
Your true friend and neighbor, Michael DMuhala (David's Dad)
LC Mental Health Contemplates Move MORRISVILLE – Lamoille County Mental Health is a diverse organization, but CEO Butch Alexander says, operationally, they are needlessly spread out. If all goes as planned, LCMH will soon be able to co-locate its three program arms and administrative offices into one central location. He hopes that location will be the former Genesis ElderCare building, on Harrell Street in Morrisville. LCMH is currently going through the purchasing and permitting processes to that end. Today, LCMH owns a clinic at the Copley Health Systems campus, and rents buildings on Portland, Brooklyn and Harrell Streets. And still, space is tight. Alexander said a single central location would make sense for the organization, as well as its clients. He noted it is inconvenient, at best, for clients who go to one building for a service to have to go across town to take up an administrative issue such as a question about a bill. “So we have people all over the place, and even with those rental spaces we still have two to three people in an office,” said Alexander. Alexander said, if the sale goes through on the Genesis space, LCMH will have significantly more space, and operations will be more efficient. The Genesis building has four wings totaling approximately 30,000 square feet. “Which magically fits our three programs plus administration,” Alexander noted. LCMH’s three program arms are Child and Family Services, Developmental Services, and Community Rehabilitation and Treatment. “It should be very cost effective… to have all the programs under one roof,” Alexander commented. LCMH has a contract on the Genesis building and hopes to buy the property in the next few weeks. The former nursing home facility has sat vacant for about two years, since Genesis closed its facility. A local zoning permit has been issued, and Alexander said he is not certain if an Act 250 permit will be required. Alexander noted they do not intend to add on to the building or make any alterations other than some cosmetic changes. He noted the type of use would remain medical, as it was when the facility was a nursing home. Likewise, LCMH won’t be changing its program offerings if the new space is secured. “All we’re doing is consolidating the program,” said Alexander. We’re not adding anything new.”
MORRISVILLE – Three blue recycling bins now accompany trashcans placed in strategic locations in the Village of Morrisville. The recycling containers have been put in place on a trial basis. If all goes well, the selectboard intends to expand the program. The three containers are located on Main Street, Portland Street and at the Oxbow Park. Morrisville resident Marci Young went before the selectboard and asked that the town consider recycling containers alongside its public trash cans. Faced with funding concerns, Young turned to the Village and applied for a grant through its Amy Wade Fund for Village beautification. The Village Trustees granted $800 from the fund to purchase recycling containers – approximately enough money to purchase six recycling bins. The bins are intended to collect mixed recyclables, from paper to plastic bottles. However, if nonrecyclable trash is put into the bins, such as plastic film shopping bags or containers contaminated with food, then the town will have to pay a higher trash-hauling rate to have it removed, according to Casella Waste Management representative Denise King. Tina Sweet, who works in the town’s finance department, said she was told the town would have to pay $15 to have the recycling bins emptied – the same fee as emptying the street-side trashcans. “It’s not really a savings to the town, but it’s a good thing to do if people don’t put garbage in them,” Sweet commented. King noted she could not say offhand what the town would pay to have a clean barrel of recyclables hauled away, but she said it should be less money than the trash rate. Presumably, if the recycling containers are used properly – for only clean recyclable paper, glass, plastics and metals – then the special containers would save the town money as well as saving resources.
70-90 MPH Winds Flatten Seven Mile Stretch by Mickey Smith
What has been ruled straight-line winds by the National Weather Service destroyed forest lands, downed power lines, and badly damaged buildings between North Cambridge and Waterville on Friday, July 18. A swath a third to a half a mile wide, from about the Pond Road in North Cambridge to a couple miles up the Plot Road in Waterville, saw serious damage from the storm which local weatherman Roger Hill described as a “gust front.” The entire storm lasted about five minutes. While winds of these speeds are not common, Hill said this storm was fairly common for its type. He said the damage in Cambridge and Waterville was on the southern tip of a storm that started in the Plattsburg, NY area and moved in an east-northeast direction. This, he said, is common in these types of storms. Some witnesses including Pete Tilton, of Waterville, questioned the term straight-line as they saw the winds coming from several directions. Tree tops at the Tilton residence in Waterville show the evidence of being twisted at they came down. Hill said winds were coming from the south and northwest, which could result in this kind of action. He said the differing directions of winds probably had as much to do with the shape of the valley as anything. Mike Lepsic, of North Cambridge, noted differing directions of wind as well. He said one of his family members got about 30 seconds of video of the storm on her digital camera. The video, he said, shows trees bent over in one direction and after the camera cuts away for a moment the trees are bent over in the opposite direction. Lepsic took Monday and Tuesday off from work to clean up the damage. He brought in Tamarack Land Maintenance, of Stowe, to use their excavation equipment to help clear the damage. Most of the trees that were downed were softwood. He looked into having loggers clear the land, but found that wasn't feasible. The trees, he explained, are twisted and entwined in each other, making it impossible to simply pick out the valuable lumber. Just down the road, Greg and Kathy Beaudoin had a note on their door saying they were doing chores at Bruce Urie's farm. The Beaudoins’ barn collapsed during the windstorm, with Greg, Kathy, one of their children and their hired hand, Nick Therrier, inside. They held onto a post as things came down. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, although Nick received a little cut on his face and Greg said everyone was a little bruised. For the time being, the Beaudoins have about 40 cows staying at the Urie farm. Greg wasn’t sure how long their care would have to remain up there, as the barn will pretty much have to be entirely rebuilt. Sonny Miller donated a cattle truck to move the herd. “We were lucky enough to have neighbors who could accommodate us,” said Greg thankfully. Greg said one cow had to be sent for beef, and another is touch and go. A third was stitched up and should be okay. He said his daughter lost six ducks from the pond, as well. Hill said wind speeds, when the storm hit the area of the Beaudoin farm, are thought to have been close to 100 mph. The winds also damaged the roof on their house, which was replaced with the help of friends on Saturday. Greg said Aubuchon Hardware donated tarps to cover the roof the night of the storm, and friends put up the tarps immediately. “We started about 3 p.m. and had it on by about 7 p.m.,” said Greg. The extended News & Citizen family was affected by the storm, a tree came down on Waterville correspondent Ethel Coburn's trailer. Damage to the bathroom and bedroom is going to cause her to need to get a new one, but in the meantime volunteers have helped with repairs to get her through. Pete Tilton counted 32 volunteers working to clear his Waterville land on Saturday after the storm. Route 109 in front of his house was impassable as were several locations along the Waterville end of the Plot Road. Other reports are coming in of people losing the trees on eight acres of a 10 acre woodlot and the Naylors, in Waterville, lost a significant portion of their sugarbush. People throughout the swath can be seen this week cleaning up branches and trees that were downed by the storm.
by Mickey Smith
The Morristown Police Department’s investigation of the theft of a 20 foot storage container from Rent-A-Center has uncovered several pieces of property that are believed to have been stolen, but have not been claimed. Kyle Surprenant, 34, of Derby, has been arrested and charged in connection with the storage container theft. During a search of his home and business other items that are thought to have been stolen were uncovered. In a press release, Morristown Police Patrolman Jason Luneau said most of the items had their serial numbers removed. Morristown Police Chief Richard Keith said Surprenant owns a sanitation business and allegedly used his equipment to hook onto the unit that was filled with furniture. A Bob Cat Skid-Steer and a roller compactor, which were also believed to have been stolen, are now missing. The Morristown Police Department has compiled a list of the items they have recovered; anyone who is missing any power tools or other construction equipment is asked to call the Morristown Police Department at 888-4211.
Bailey Is Director of Operations for Burlington Schools
Dr. Terry Bailey, superintendent of Lamoille North, has been offered and has
accepted the position of Director of Operations for the Burlington schools.
Bailey has 35 years experience as a teacher and administrator in Vermont and
Virginia. He currently lives in Burlington, and has been an educational
leader in Vermont schools for the past nine years. Bailey was selected as Director of Operations from among three highly-qualified finalists for the position. "It feels absolutely great to be joining the Burlington School District. I am fortunate to join a group of professionals who value the best education for all students. I look forward to working to support the vision for public schools in our community," said Bailey.
The Director of Operations, as part of the central level district leadership team, will support the district through managing the daily operations of the central office, facilitating interdepartmental communication and allocating central office tasks, resources and systems as needed. Bailey will report directly to the Superintendent of Schools.
Jeanné Collins, superintendent, stated, “Terry will bring a breadth of experience that we need right now, with a focus on systems and greater communication. As Burlington moves forward with a vision for excellence and equity in 21st century schools, Terry's expertise will support the district's commitment to fiscally responsibility and operational efficiency.”
Bailey has a master’s degree and doctorate in education from the University of Virginia, and was named Vermont Vocational Director of the Year in 2003 by the Vermont Principals Association. He also was presented Virginia Peninsula Administrators’ Service Award in 1999. Bailey will start in the position August 1.
Rehabbing the Round Barn MORRISTOWN – It was a tough winter for the Welch’s Round Barn, on Route 12, in Morristown. Although not visible from the road, except if one peered in through the front entrance, roof sections at the back of the barn collapsed under the weight of the snow. To the casual observer, the barn may have appeared to have its entire roof supported and re-shingled over the past several years. However there was a portion in the back yet to be done, and that’s what gave way last winter. Now the family of Earle and Arlene Welch has a big job on their hands. They started to tackle the problem over the Fourth of July weekend, renting a man-lift to clear debris and cut away two sections of the barn. The Round Barn is a bit of a misnomer. It is actually an icosagon, or a 20-sided structure. Seventeen of the 20 roof sections had been replaced before this winter. With a swath of the barn now completely cut away, Welch daughter Lorna Guy said more people are noticing the damage. “It’s not falling in,” she assured. “It’s actually being worked on and repaired.” Lorna also noted there is a timetable to have the project complete. She said, “We are making a big push this summer and fall.” A family wedding planned for next June is the reason for the expedited timetable. Earle and Arlene’s granddaughter Angela has decided to hold her wedding and reception in the family barn. She and her fiancé have rallied the family around the project, and donated the money they would have spent on renting a reception hall toward the renovation. Arlene explained her husband Earle, son Dean, and other family members and neighbors have been working on barn repairs over the past seven to eight years. The work has been slow going, as the sheer size of the building means timbers must be custom cut and hand hewn. The barn stands 40 feet high at the center silo. The silo itself is 12 feet in diameter. The encircling barn is 240 feet around. A hay bay surrounds the silo and, back in the day, the cows fed in a circle. Arlene said Earle, as a boy, also utilized the barn as an indoor bicycle track on rainy days. Now in his 70s, Earle Welch is still spending a lot of time in the barn. Welch daughter Janet Silverman stated of her father, “…he has been cutting enormous logs off the property and hand sawing them into long sturdy beams that have been stockpiled in preparation for repairs this summer.” She added, “All of the restoration efforts thus far have been completed in the original manner that the barn was built.” In addition to labor, the family has paid for the vast majority of repairs out-of-pocket. Arlene said the state did offer an historic preservation grant, but there were too many strings attached. She said the project would have had to go out to bid, and Earle and Dean would not have been able to do any work themselves. In the end, they decided it would actually cost less to do the work themselves, without the grant money. That said, Historic Preservation has provided a small matching grant to help pay for raw materials, such as lumber, nails and shingles. Arlene noted they are not reimbursed for the beams cut off their property. Arlene and her daughters all expressed Earle’s reluctance to ask for help. They describe him as a proud Vermont farmer, who’s used to taking care of things himself. That said, the women of the family said they realize they can’t do this alone. They said many people look to their family’s barn as a local icon and have asked how they can help. Janet wrote, “People have told us over and over again how much they love this historic landmark. How can they help? I am now seeking financial assistance. We need money. There is still a lot of lumber, nails, shingles, siding, paint, etc. to be purchased and the anticipation of hiring a crane and professional carpenters to help place those very critical sturdy beams that Earle has crafted. Any contribution would be of great help and sincere appreciation.” Donations can be mailed to: Round Barn Restoration Fund, 2881 Elmore Road, Morristown, VT 05661. Janet said her father has also agreed to put a donation drop-box up at the barn for those wanting to make an anonymous contribution. She said the exact location of the box has yet to be determined. The round barn was built in 1916 by Earle’s grandfather, William S. Welch. William and his eldest son, Delbert, logged and cut the lumber for the barn off the farm. Two carpenters, Will Goodrich and Irving LeBaron were brought in to assist in construction. With the two extra men around, Earle’s grandmother, Grace, was overwhelmed with the extra cooking and household chores. William hired a young woman named Shirley Parker to assist Grace in these tasks. By the time the barn was complete, Delbert and Shirley were to be married. Delbert and Shirley took over the farm after William’s death in 1934. They had one son Earle who, along with his wife Arlene, would inherit the farm and its famous barn. Arlene said, in the 1950s, they painted the traditional red barn yellow. It took about 70 gallons of paint, she recalls. Arlene said the family is now considering returning the barn to its original red, once repairs are complete.
Morristown resident Chris Bartlett, a 32 year veteran of the merchant marine, has been elected by his peers to serve as National Executive Vice President of the American Maritime Officers (AMO) union – the third highest position in the union. Bartlett, who ran on a reform plank looking for reform of the current union leadership, won the position in a court ordered limited re-run election. This revote covered five positions that the Department of Labor determined were too close to call and the election process showed signs of irregularities. In the rerun, Bartlett netted almost 65% of the vote and was the only person from his reform movement to gain one of the five seats up for grabs. Four others won in the original election. Bartlett said he plans to do everything he can to promote shipping, from his new office in Toledo, Ohio where his primary concern will be the Great Lakes area. He said, though, overall he will be working with anyone who has an interest in the shipping business under the U.S. Flag. Because of the legal battles over the election, Bartlett is already a year and a half into a four year term. He said for the time being his family, wife Elise and Jacqueline and Veronique, will remain in Morristown. The Merchant Marine is a civilian auxiliary of the United States Navy. It is comprised of privately owned ships which transport cargo and people. During wartime, they can be called upon to transfer troops and equipment.
25 Years at Elmore Store by Amy Kolb Noyes Lake Association members held an indoor flea market at the Elmore Town Hall Sunday, July 13. The flea market coincided with the annual chicken barbecue to benefit the Elmore Fire Department. Later that day local musicians entertained at a block party, from 4 until 8 p.m. When closing time rolled around Sunday evening, the Millers kept the lights on and the doors open and stayed open all night. Miller said he enjoyed extended visits in the early morning hours from summer resident Alice Angney and Senator Susan Bartlett. Come Monday morning, WLVB returned for its second live broadcast of the weekend while a free pancake breakfast was served up over at the Town Hall… and a good time was had by all! Grand Jury Indicts Leon
by Mickey Smith
A grand jury, convened in United States District Court in Burlington, has handed down a five count indictment against Eugenio “Gene” Leon, 35, of Hyde Park. The indictment alleges Leon, who owns Common Acres Campground Recreational Park (formerly known as Common Ground Amusement Park), in Hyde Park, conspired to grow more than 50 marijuana plants at Common Acres and also grew marijuana plants at a property he rented on Leriche Road, also in Hyde Park. The final count of the indictment presents United States Attorney Thomas Anderson's request to require Leon to forfeit property obtained, either directly or indirectly, as a result of the violations outlined in the earlier counts. This forfeiture would include a Wolff Den Road, in Hyde Park, property owned by Leon since 2003, the campground/amusement park which sits on 30 acres along Route 100 in Hyde Park, and a condominium owned since 2004 by Leon in Miami, Florida. According to police reports 97 marijuana plants were seized at the two properties in May. Fifty-eight plants were found at the campground, while 39 plants and grow equipment were found at the other location. Police also found $45,000 in cash at his residence. Leon was arrested on May 21 and has been released on bail. He faces up to $1,000,000 in fines plus 20 years in prison if found guilty of the charges. Leon reopened Common Acres last year, after putting a lot of work into repairing and cleaning the facility. At the time, Leon alleged the most recent prior owners had left the place a shambles before stopping to make payments on the property.
Rev. Pat Retires
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Reverend Patricia J. Thompson has retired from her post as pastor of the Puffer and Wolcott United Methodist Churches. What’s unusual it that, as she retires from the ministry, she’s also stepping down as leader of the church in which she grew up – Morrisville’s Puffer UMC. “It’s very rare and it probably wouldn’t have happened if the conference hadn’t moved Kirk in the middle of the year,” Rev. Thompson explained. Thompson came to preach at the Puffer and Wolcott churches at the end of 2005, when the Regional Conference unexpectedly moved Pastor Kirk Thompson (no relation) to a different congregation. She had been working part-time at Lamoille Home Health and Hospice, and wanted to return to the ministry but didn’t plan on working full-time. That changed when the need arose at the church that nurtured her as a child. “It just felt to me like this is what I needed to be doing,” she explained. Pat Thompson was born and raised in Morrisville and her parents, Si and Frances Jewett, were very involved in the Puffer Church and its governance. She started her first career, fresh out of college, working for the Head Start program. She said her first call to serve was in helping low income people. She ended up running a Head Start training at the University of New Hampshire, while living in York, ME. “And that’s when I started experiencing my call to the ordained ministry,” said Rev. Thompson. She enrolled in seminary at Boston University in 1983. She graduated in 1986 with a master’s degree in divinity. During the summers of 1984 and 1986, while still in school, she preached at a United Methodist Church on Long Island. After graduation she went to a little church called Caswell in Limestone, ME. That’s where she met her husband Vernon. “I was there for five years and got married in the process,” Rev. Thompson explained. Next, she was sent just 22 miles down the road to Presque Isle, ME, where she spent the next seven years. In January 1996, she recalls, two boys broke into the church and set it on fire. The building was destroyed and Rev. Thompson spent her last two years in Maine building a new church. After that, she said she was tired. She took a two year family leave and returned to be with her widowed father in Morrisville. Before the first year was up, however, her father had remarried. With some extra time on her hands, Rev. Thompson spent the summer of 1999 filling in for a pastor who was on leave at the Lakes Region Parish, in the Barton/Glover area. When that assignment was complete, Rev. Thompson agreed to take a part-time ministry at the United Church of Johnson. What was supposed to be a short-term stay at a church that had lost its pastor, stretched out a couple years. She said she “couldn’t pull out on them” because she could feel the healing going on there. She eventually left Johnson in June 2003 and began working part-time as Lamoille Home Health’s Hospice Chaplin, and then as a social worker for that agency. That’s when she was called to Puffer and Wolcott. She planned to retire a year ago, but then agreed to stay on this past year. “It’s just been a great blessing,” said Rev. Thompson. “I was able to end my ministry in the churches that nurtured me.” In addition to her ministry, Rev. Thompson has completed a lot of research for the church over the past few years. One of her subjects was George S. Brown, an early African American minister who preached at the Methodist church in Wolcott. “It felt like it was meant to be,” said Rev. Thompson. That research has led to another project that she’s currently involved with. She is now doing research for the African American National Biography, a project out of Harvard University that is attempting to recover the stories of early African Americans. In addition to George S. Brown, she has researched Samuel Snowden, the first African American pastor in the UMC’s New England Conference. Next she will research his son, Isaac Snowden, who was admitted to Harvard Medical School in 1850, but only stayed one semester before he was asked to leave due to the racial protests of other students and professors. Rev. Thompson said she will continue to research and write, and she will remain in Morrisville. She said she would like to write “a more comprehensive history of the New England Annual Conference.” This wouldn’t be the first history she has published. Two years ago the United Methodist Church published Courageous Past, Bold Future. Rev. Thompson compiled the over 200-page volume on “The journey toward full clergy right for women in the United Methodist Church.” And while her journey of a career in the church is coming to an end, it seems clear other adventures await for Rev. Thompson. Selectboard Considers Sidewalks and Streetlights
MORRISVILLE – Sidewalks and streetlights were among the issues examined by the Morristown Selectboard Monday evening, July 14. Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson went before the board for a second time to discuss placing streetlights along Bridge Street, down to the Lamoille Area Recreation Center (LARC). Because the money for the project was not in the town’s budget, the board had previously directed Wilson to seek out community partners to help fund the effort, including the Village Trustees and the Morrisville Alliance for Culture and Commerce (MACC). Monday night Wilson reported the other organizations are supportive of the project, but are not willing to share in its $1,500 price tag. Wilson encouraged the selectboard to follow through on the project, even if the town had to foot the entire bill. She added the annual added cost to run the streetlights would be about $100. “I urge you to pursue it,” Wilson told the board. Wilson explained the Village Board of Trustees said its contribution to the effort would be the installation of the streetlights. MACC is spending its money on purchasing old-fashioned lampposts for Portland Street, to match those it bought and Morrisville Water & Light installed on Copley Avenue. “MACC says they support the project, but they can’t fund it,” Wilson told the selectboard. Selectman Bob Beeman urged Wilson to turn to the private sector for contributions. “I’d also like to say, I think we can solicit some businesses,” said Beeman. “The business I work for, I think, would contribute.” Beeman agreed to work with Wilson on asking private businesses for contributions toward the project. Also this week, the selectboard awarded a contract to construct a sidewalk along the west side of Portland Street. Three contractors looked at the project and two submitted bids. The selectboard awarded the contract to the low bidder, Messier Construction, with conditions. Messier built the sidewalk along the east side of Portland Street last summer, and finished the project in a timely manner and under budget. The board was ready to award the bid to Messier without conditions until resident Chris Ransom raised “major concerns” with the job done last year. “It’s got numerous cracks down by the Thai Orchid and up around Norm’s Furniture,” said Ransom. He asserted the concrete was not cured properly, not properly compacted, and tied into buildings so it can’t expand well enough. All in all, he said the project was “poorly engineered.” Noting part of the issue is the amount of water that flows down Hutchins Street, Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer responded, “I think it would be good to at least make sure that the work they did last year is holding up the way it should be.” Selectman Brian Kellogg suggested the bid be awarded, contingent upon a town inspection of last year’s project and that any noted problems be addressed. Selectman David Yacovone concurred, and the motion passed unanimously. The selectboard grappled with some other big issues this week, including employee compensation issues and longevity pay raises. The board heard a speculative report from Finance Director Carol Bradley, who projected the town’s possible financial standings based on best and worst case scenarios relating to the price of road salt and diesel and heating fuels over the next year. The board unanimously voted to enter into a consortium of towns proposed by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) that will allow VLCT to negotiate road salt prices for the coming winter. In executive session, the board narrowed in on a candidate for the town administrator position. Acting Town Administrator Richard Keith said the board did decide to offer the job to a final candidate, and hopes to have the position filled by September 1. The name of the TA candidate is being withheld until the job is officially filled. Selectboard Considers Sidewalks and Streetlights
MORRISVILLE – Sidewalks and streetlights were among the issues examined by the Morristown Selectboard Monday evening, July 14. Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson went before the board for a second time to discuss placing streetlights along Bridge Street, down to the Lamoille Area Recreation Center (LARC). Because the money for the project was not in the town’s budget, the board had previously directed Wilson to seek out community partners to help fund the effort, including the Village Trustees and the Morrisville Alliance for Culture and Commerce (MACC). Monday night Wilson reported the other organizations are supportive of the project, but are not willing to share in its $1,500 price tag. Wilson encouraged the selectboard to follow through on the project, even if the town had to foot the entire bill. She added the annual added cost to run the streetlights would be about $100. “I urge you to pursue it,” Wilson told the board. Wilson explained the Village Board of Trustees said its contribution to the effort would be the installation of the streetlights. MACC is spending its money on purchasing old-fashioned lampposts for Portland Street, to match those it bought and Morrisville Water & Light installed on Copley Avenue. “MACC says they support the project, but they can’t fund it,” Wilson told the selectboard. Selectman Bob Beeman urged Wilson to turn to the private sector for contributions. “I’d also like to say, I think we can solicit some businesses,” said Beeman. “The business I work for, I think, would contribute.” Beeman agreed to work with Wilson on asking private businesses for contributions toward the project. Also this week, the selectboard awarded a contract to construct a sidewalk along the west side of Portland Street. Three contractors looked at the project and two submitted bids. The selectboard awarded the contract to the low bidder, Messier Construction, with conditions. Messier built the sidewalk along the east side of Portland Street last summer, and finished the project in a timely manner and under budget. The board was ready to award the bid to Messier without conditions until resident Chris Ransom raised “major concerns” with the job done last year. “It’s got numerous cracks down by the Thai Orchid and up around Norm’s Furniture,” said Ransom. He asserted the concrete was not cured properly, not properly compacted, and tied into buildings so it can’t expand well enough. All in all, he said the project was “poorly engineered.” Noting part of the issue is the amount of water that flows down Hutchins Street, Selectboard Chair Shaun Bryer responded, “I think it would be good to at least make sure that the work they did last year is holding up the way it should be.” Selectman Brian Kellogg suggested the bid be awarded, contingent upon a town inspection of last year’s project and that any noted problems be addressed. Selectman David Yacovone concurred, and the motion passed unanimously. The selectboard grappled with some other big issues this week, including employee compensation issues and longevity pay raises. The board heard a speculative report from Finance Director Carol Bradley, who projected the town’s possible financial standings based on best and worst case scenarios relating to the price of road salt and diesel and heating fuels over the next year. The board unanimously voted to enter into a consortium of towns proposed by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) that will allow VLCT to negotiate road salt prices for the coming winter. In executive session, the board narrowed in on a candidate for the town administrator position. Acting Town Administrator Richard Keith said the board did decide to offer the job to a final candidate, and hopes to have the position filled by September 1. The name of the TA candidate is being withheld until the job is officially filled. Storage Container Theft Solved
by Mickey Smith
An extensive investigation has helped the Morristown Police Department crack a series of unsolved larcenies in this area and beyond. During April, a 20 foot long storage container (with a large amount of furniture inside) was stolen from the rear of the Rent A Center. Through the course of the investigation Morristown Police believe the same person broke into a storage unit at Demar's Storage, stealing about $5,000 in tools. The investigation led Morristown Police, with assistance from the Vermont State Police, to Kyle Surprenant, 34, of Derby. The execution of a search warrant at Surprenant's property in Derby also uncovered two ATVs and a utility trailer. Morristown Police believe the ATVs and trailer were stolen out of Claremont, NH. According to MPD Patrolman Jason Luneau's press release about the incident, Surprenant has been charged with several counts of larceny and possession of stolen property. The investigation is on-going, and the police expect more arrests to be made. Anyone with information pertaining to the investigation is asked to call Patrolman Luneau at 888-4211. Tax Free Weekend Good for Local Sales
Retailers around Lamoille County reported excellent sales this past weekend, when shoppers were given a break from state and local sales taxes. Big ticket items sold especially well, according to local business owners. In Morrisville, Power Play Sports had a good run on bikes, selling about 10 over the course of the weekend. Manager Nate Paulin said that’s about as many bikes the shop would sell if it were running a special sale, but in this instance the shop didn’t have to foot the bill for extra advertising. Across town, at Ward’s Systems, owner Alan Ward commented, “Our sales were about three times what they normally were.” He added most of the products sold over the weekend were expensive items, including computer systems and mp3 players. He added customers also added smaller purchases while they were shopping. He noted many people came in the previous week to scope out what they planned to buy over the weekend. “We were pleased,” said Ward. He added he thinks all retailers benefited by the extra advertising done by some of the state’s furniture companies. Next door at Sears, owner Joe Phelps said, “It was fun. It was busy. It was like Christmas all over again.” He said most of the weekend sales were appliances and electronics. He noted sales are still strong on Energy Star appliances, which remain tax-free until this Saturday, July 19. Pellet stoves were the hot item over at Guy’s Farm & Yard. “We pretty much sold everything we can get our hands on,” reported Lorna Guy. She added they probably would have sold out of pellet stoves soon, even without the tax-free weekend, and that the actual pellets are always tax exempt. “We’ve been extremely busy all spring with the pellets and the pellet stoves,” said Guy. Guy said they have been working on obtaining a line of pellet boilers, and about a dozen customers have already indicated they would purchase a boiler if the store can obtain them. Toward the west end of the county sales were brisk as well. Allen Lehouillier, of Johnson Farm and Garden, likened the weekend to one of their open houses. He said the tax-free sales notion seemed to motivate people to start projects they might have put on hold. He thought the hype got people excited about the idea of spending money again. Lehouillier added saving the sales tax gave people a deal on items that normally are not included in their store sales, due to an already low profit margin. Lawn furniture was another popular category of sales. Diana Osborn, of The Quilted Lily in Johnson, said there was a vibrancy out on the streets which has been missing. She noticed more people on the street, which in turn led to more people going into stores. Osborn said she saw more tourist traffic than usual, which she felt was linked to having more locals on the streets making the downtown stores look more attractive. “It's all contagious,” she said. It wasn't just the typical big ticket item stores that were positively affected by the day. Ashley Bryce, at Hanley's General Store, in Jeffersonville, said they saw a surge in beer and cigarette sales. While food items are already tax free, she said when people found out they did not have to pay sales tax on beer and cigarettes they stocked up. Despite not carrying a lot of items that fell under the tax free category, she said Saturday was one of their busier days recently. Governor Douglas called the weekend a “tremendous success.” “This sales tax holiday provided an opportunity for Vermonters, and visitors, to save some much needed cash, help our local businesses and encourage economic growth,” Douglas said. “Millions of dollars in sales and other economic activity have been generated by taking the simple, commonsense step of suspending the sales tax.” According to the Governor’s office, retailers around Vermont are reporting record-setting sales and the state even opened the Georgia Southbound Information Center early over the weekend to accommodate a surge of shoppers coming from Canada. “Every Canadian shopper represents new money being infused into our local economies,” the Governor said. “In addition to purchasing products from our local shops, they dine at our restaurants, spend the night at our hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts and make plans to return.” Governor Douglas noted that many retailers offered additional discounts that, combined with the sales tax exemption, made needed products accessible to Vermonters during difficult economic times. “Vermont’s retailers have been excellent partners in this effort and contributed significantly to its success,” he added. Included in the Governor’s Economic Growth Initiative, the sales tax holiday was July 12 and 13 and exempted all non-business purchases of items costing $2,000 or less from state sales tax except automobiles and other vehicles.
VAST Trailheads Considered
MORRISVILLE – Where should the trailheads to the new Lamoille Valley Rail Trail be located? That’s a question VAST representative Alan Robertson has put to the towns along the trail. Robertson came before the Morristown Selectboard this week to push for an answer from the town sooner, rather than later. VAST, which has a contract with the state to operate the railroad right-of-way as a four-season trail, has suggested three possible trailheads in Morristown, but urged the town to identify any other possibilities, before the state begins dispensing of its landholdings along the former rail corridor. Robertson explained VAST is responsible for maintaining the trail, while towns will be in charge of upkeep on the trailheads. That said, Robertson encouraged selectmen to think simply when it comes to the trail gateways. He said the trailheads might have an informational kiosk and/or bathroom facilities, but those are not necessary elements. “Trailheads don’t need to be fancy,” said Robertson. In fact, he said, a grass area with signage and a place to park is preferable to a paved parking lot. VAST, he noted, will provide the signage. VAST has identified the Engine House property, a spot near Melbens (the old train station) and an area near the new bridge to be built on Route 15A as possible trailheads in Morristown. He encouraged the town to indicate interest in those trailheads, and others, to the state. “Pick at least the trailheads that we have suggested, then go for more on your own,” Robertson advised. He added it wouldn’t cost the town anything to reserve state lands as possible trailheads, so they remain in the public domain. “If you change your mind later on, that won’t be held against you,” Robertson added. The selectboard is looking for citizen feedback on possible trailhead locations. Robertson noted some smaller trailheads could be reserved for non-motorized activities in the spring, summer and fall, while larger trailheads would have extra parking for snowmobilers to park vehicles and trailers before accessing the trail. Upward Bound Helps Community by Colin Santee
The Upward Bound program recently gave back to the Morristown community that supports UB in more ways than one. Morristown community members provide support for scholarships and students in their internship programs. On July 9, the 90 students of the Johnson State College Upward Bound program performed a variety of tasks around the community.
Students were given a choice of where they wanted to help. There were many forms of service to choose from. Community service jobs ranged from playing board games with senior citizens at Copley Manor, to making an old garden look new again in front of the Morristown Historical Society’s Noyes House Museum on Main Street.
On campus at JSC, the Upward Bound community woke up bright and early around 6 a.m. and then made the trek to Morrisville. They set up base camp on the green next to the Union Bank. From there, the groups spread out to their own locations around the village and town.
All the groups were treated at Thompson's Flour Shop to a spectacular lunch. After washing off following their work, the groups were divided in two for college tours in the afternoon. One group went to Vermont Tech, while the other group traveled to Norwich University.
The weather was less than cooperative, as it was uncomfortably warm, and sprinkling for the entire duration of the tours. For their hard work, the students were given the choice of three movies playing at the local Bijou. Hancock, Get Smart, and Wall-E were the choices. All movies were a big success among the students who also enjoyed delicious popcorn and soda.
The Upward Bound community worked hard to make a significant contribution to the community that has helped them so much. As a participant in the day’s activities, I was very pleased with the positive attitude held by all, despite the hard labor in the hot sun, and the college tours in the rain. Things Look Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 7-17-08 E Pluribus Unum
The Bradley Project on America’s National Identity may not be a topic being discussed over your dinner table. But its report makes some intriguing points and finally a suggestion or two to put on the national agenda. The report investigates whether or not Americans have a weaker feeling of being bound together – whether they feel that they are in the same boat together, or not. It asks, do people have a clear idea of what an American is? The project employed Harris polls to get the answers. Sixty-three percent of us who were surveyed believed Amercans’ sense of national identity was weakening. But by 80% to 9%, we felt it would be better if we dwelled longer on what an American is than on our various ethnicities. This issue came up in my mind as I watched Morrisville’s 4th of July parade. My favorite addition this year was the Liu Lin’s restaurant contingent marching in the parade. The Bradley report (which you can find online) may say it best. “America is enriched by diversity. It is preserved by unity.” And this statement was highlighted by Liu Lin’s presence in the parade, applauded along with everyone else. The parade emphasized that our nation was built on ideas, not ethnicity. What makes an American is his or her commitment to free speech, free movement, freedom of opportunities, the rule of law and the Constitution. Because you were born in Ireland or Cambodia, this may make you Irish or Cambodian but it does not make you an American. What makes an American is what you learn and feel in your heart. It is the rights of man as expounded by our founding fathers and interpreted over more than 200 years. That is what makes our American identity and unity and what unites us if far greater than what divides us. A committee formed on July 4, 1776 to design a seal for the new nation suggested the motto, “E pluribus unum;” Latin for “Out of many, one.” And so it has been. But there is a narrow road to follow, we don’t want our immediate national future to turn into events proving we’ve slipped from the narrow way and chosen to make “many from one.” Diversity needs to be celebrated, but not held preeminent. Along this line of thought the Bradley project suggests that civics needs to be re-emphasized in schools. The entire scope of American history needs to learned so that students may see the many good and great accomplishments of America as well as its many flaws. The Harris survey for the Bradley project found 89% of Americans and (including as subgroups 89% of African Americans and 90 % of Latinos) believe that “Americanization, including learning English and embracing American culture and values, is important in order for immigrants to successfully fulfill their duties as American citizens.” Currently immigration is at its highest level since the 1920s. So, the way things look to me is that diversity of thought and ethnicity is our sharp sword, but we must not impale ourselves upon it.
by Amy Kolb Noyes NORTH HYDE PARK– A California company will be moving its manufacturing facility to North Hyde Park, with help from the Vermont Economic Development Authority. VEDA announced it has approved $328,629 in financing to Hawkeye International, Ltd., which manufactures pressure-sensitive tape and composite products used by the aerospace, defense, recreational and housing industries. Hawkeye International plans to construct a 9,600 square foot facility at the North Hyde Park Industrial Park. VEDA stated the company will maintain a warehouse in southern California, but move all its manufacturing and processing to Vermont, “allowing the company to expand its global operations.” The total Hawkeye project is projected to cost $885,000. Hawkeye already owns the industrial park lot. The company reported it expects to create eight new jobs at the North Hyde Park facility.
by Guy Page See “Cambridge Contacts” in this issue for Kathy Johnson's thorough review of Cambridge July 4 Parade float prizewinners. Below are some other, more subjective highlights. The Bishop John A. Marshall School Marching Band was led by Drum Major Cassandra Machia. A Jeffersonville resident, Machia graduated this year and will attend Rice Memorial High this fall. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H all made an appearance, as did the restored, antique wagon belonging to Visions of Vermont art gallery. The Second Congregational Church float sported a banner with Galatians 5:14 writ large: "The entire law is summed up in one command: love your neighbor as yourself." The weather was blue-sky clear but not blazing hot. Still, it was warm enough for the crowd to appreciate water bottles that emerged from the rolling water coolers pushed by Cambridge Village Market employees. The parade began at the blinking yellow light on Rte. 15, and wended its way through the streets of "downtown" Jeffersonville. Some of the parade route had sidewalks, some of it didn't. The lack of sidewalks made the experience much more intimate than parades conducted on wide, big city streets with sidewalks – sort of like seeing a baseball game in Fenway Park rather than Yankee Stadium. The parade route – or rather the marshalling of it – didn't make everyone happy. One irate motorist complained loud and long to a marshall that she was unable to travel through Jeffersonville even though the parade had not yet begun. I heard the Democrats were there, but didn't see them. I did see Mark Boyden's truck festooned with GOP political stickers. Candidates Jim Black and Rich Westman marched, and supporters Jack and Susan Schill and son, Hugh Tallman, and Saul Costa of Waterville marched and/or tossed candy to children. Joel Page, wearing a pork pie hat that can only charitably be called "antique," drove the classic pickup carrying the CHS float depicting the early days of skiing in Cambridge.
According to Lamoille County State's Attorney Joel Page, Traber broke into several homes in Stowe on July 30th and July 31, 2007. In one of the homes, he stole a loaded handgun from downstairs, then went upstairs, and entered the owners' bedroom while they slept. He began to rummage through their nightstand when they woke up and confronted Traber. Traber made up a story and left without further incident. Traber was later identified and arrested the next day. He has been incarcerated since his arrest. “The court talked about the high level of trauma the victims experienced,” said Page. It was a high level of risk that Traber’s behavior created for the persons sleeping in their bedroom, he clarified. “The victims legitimately feel he should be locked up for life,” said Page. “What’s to say the next time… someone wouldn’t be killed or seriously injured?” “I’m very satisfied with it,” said Page of Traber’s sentence. Page prosecuted the case up until the sentencing, when he was ill. He mentioned that the threatening of lethal force in the sanctity of a bedroom and the audacity of rifling through the nightstands, with the victims present, was a shocking aspect of the case. Traber was accompanied on his crime spree by Jenaya Peets, 20, who has changed her plea in court. Peets is currently scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday, August 26 on charges stemming from crimes related to Traber’s. The proposed plea agreement calls for a two year minimum sentence with a 10 year cap, said State’s Attorney Page, but, of course, the defense may argue for less.
by Amy Kolb Noyes MORRISVILLE – The cost of emergency medical care, like just about everything else, is on the rise. Even so, rescue squads in Morristown, Cambridge, Stowe and Hardwick were shocked when they received a new contract from Northern Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) upping its paramedic intercept charge to $500 beginning July 1. For Morristown, that is quite a jump from the $75 it has been paying for the past several years. In addition, NEMS said it would also begin billing its full fee for instances when a paramedic is called to a scene, but turned around in route because the service is no longer needed. Such calls were not previously billed. A paramedic intercept is when a NEMS paramedic is called to provide a higher level of care on a rescue squad’s emergency call. In a May 22 letter sent with the new NEMS contracts, NEMS Executive Director Michael Paradis stated, in 2007, NEMS spent over $25,000 to provide the service but only received $5,000 in intercept fees from Morristown, Cambridge, Stowe and Hardwick. That loss, he stated, is passed on to the five towns that contract with NEMS as a professional rescue service. Those towns include Hyde Park, Eden, Johnson, Waterville and Belvidere. Representatives from those towns make up an Oversight Committee that helps govern NEMS. NEMS is also governed by the Newport Ambulance Service’s Board of Directors, as it is a division of Newport Ambulance. “Over the five years that we have offered the present contract we have lost over $100,000,” Paradis stated. “We can no longer justify that to the five towns we are contracted with.” Paradis concluded the letter by stating NEMS was not in a position to negotiate its new terms. However, Paradis and Oversight Committee Chair Scott Griswold, of Hyde Park, did sit down with representatives from the various rescue squads Wednesday, July 2, in response to a June 24 letter signed by the Morristown, Cambridge, Stowe and Hardwick squads. The letter was addressed to Paradis, the Oversight Committee, and the Eden, Hyde Park, Johnson, Waterville and Belvidere selectboards. The letter requested the new contract be reconsidered, as the squads’ FY 2008-2009 budgets are already set and “such a significant increase will be impossible to accommodate.” Fifteen people sat around the Morristown Rescue conference table last week. Paradis justified the sudden and drastic increase by saying intercepts weren’t really something they had examined until now. “We didn’t realize when we first started this that we’d have the number of intercepts that we have now,” Paradis explained. He later added, “It costs us about $479 to run the rig out the door.” Griswold commented, “We have become the paramedic provider for the region, which is a good thing.” He noted it is less expensive to provide such services regionally than each town hiring its own paramedic. Rescue squad representatives said they realize NEMS has expenses for intercept calls, but a $500 fee would mean the squad wouldn’t get reimbursed for its expenses on a Medicaid or Medicare call. They asked that NEMS first bill private insurance companies for their fee, when applicable – a practice NEMS has not attempted thus far. “If you’re charging us $500 we’re losing money on every patient we have,” said Morristown Rescue Administrator Joyce Lanpher. Emergency room Dr. John Kaeding, who is also Morristown Rescue’s medical director, advocated for striking a financial balance. “It just seems like what we have to do is figure out how everyone can stay afloat and where the money’s going to come from,” said Dr. Kaeding. Min Francis, of Stowe Rescue, said she called five regional ambulance services in the state and found the most expensive intercept charge to be $350. Paradis and Griswold were asked if they would consider a $350 fee and not charging when a paramedic is turned around before he or she gets to the scene. “Could we do that for a certain amount of time and see how it goes?” Francis asked. Griswold said the Oversight Committee would have to hold a vote, but he would support such a proposal. Lanpher commented an agreement would also have to be run by the selectboards of the rescue squad towns. She noted Stowe Rescue deals with more patients with private insurance, but other towns may not be able to pay $350 per intercept call. Morristown’s Dot Cook raised the issue of what triggers a paramedic intercept. She noted paramedics are, and should be, called to administer life-saving care. However, she said, they are also called in to administer pain controlling medicine that other emergency workers are not certified to administer. She said those types of calls, to make a patient more comfortable on a sometimes-long ride to the hospital, are often not necessary. “Because of the area we live in, we’ve gone for a luxury we can’t afford,” said Cook. Kaeding added, educating people at the hospital, the rescue squads and at NEMS as to when a paramedic intercept is necessary should be another piece of the solution. Before leaving the table a compromise proposal was reached wherein NEMS will charge $250 per intercept between August 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. NEMS will not charge for turn-around calls and will attempt to bill private insurance companies before billing the rescue squads. All parties will attempt to better educate their personnel about when a paramedic intercept is necessary. The various town selectboards will have to sign off on the agreement before it is put in place.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Change doesn’t come easy. To get an entire community to think “outside the box” can be frustrating, at best. But Morristown Planning Commissioner Steve Berson has managed to convince the town to at least consider a radical change in how traffic is routed through the Village of Morrisville. Berson and other local planners are working with consulting firm Oman Analytics on what they’re calling Morrisville’s Downtown Opportunities Study. The town received a $12,000 planning grant to pay for the study. Berson said 15 to 20 people turned out for a “first step meeting” last month. Participants brainstormed ideas to help traffic flow better through the downtown. “The meeting went very well,” Berson told the News & Citizen. He added, “It was just great being in a room where people could be totally open minded.” The traffic flow idea that prompted the study is a north/south one-way traffic pattern in the heart of the Village, around the municipal parking lot. The portion of Portland Street between Hutchins Street and the blinking light would be for southbound traffic only. Traffic headed northbound from the Village would be routed down Pleasant Street to Hutchins Street or a new road built to route traffic onto Bridge Street. However, Berson said the study is about more than traffic flow patterns. He said the goal is to make the Village a nicer place, with more ambiance. He said this type of planning is important for the future of the town, especially if the alternative truck route is to be built, giving drivers the option of bypassing the Village. Berson said the consultants are now reviewing the data from the June meeting and are tasked with boiling the ideas down to some plausible solutions. In Berson’s words, Oman Analytics will “bring it down to earth.” Oman Analytics principal Michael Oman said his group is currently working with a local steering committee and regional planners on the project, in advance of a large public forum planned for the fall. “At present, we are engaged in something of a technical phase of the project, in which we develop the traffic data and analyses and urban design information that we will bring to the public forum to try to stimulate discussion and consensus building,” Oman stated. The public forum is tentatively scheduled for Friday, September 26. Oman Analytics will file a final report with the town in mid-November.
Morristown’s Independence Day Celebration Draws Record Crowd by J.B. McKinley
MORRISVILLE – The general consensus of bystanders seems to be that, given the fantastic weather and the well organized events, more people than ever before lined the streets in Morristown to watch the parade of their neighbors pass by. Morristown Police Chief Richard Keith has commented that the town was visited by more people than last year and estimated that the crowd was about average. Grand Marshall Sonny Demars rode the huge and sparkling draft horse wagon at the head of the parade followed by 88 registered “groups” who walked or rode on floats, horses, in hot rods, classic cars, firewood trucks, and every other conveyance imaginable. Event organizer Alex Garven piloted an electric vehicle that may be part of bridging to the future! Miss Vermont was on hand, stock car racers paraded. There was a jet flyover. The News & Citizen has been told that all concessionaires did well. Here are a few statistics: $11,110 in cash was raised; $7,000 worth of in-kind donations such as tent use, etc. were also raised. All of the money was spent locally with the exception of payment for the rock groups in the day’s concert. About $2,000 was left over after expenses are paid and will remain in the town coffers. Garven noted that all the money was documented and the bookkeeping was done by the town. Below are the prize winners for the Morristown 4th of July Parade. She commended the parade entries who registered early and noted that litter and garbage pick-up was not too bad a job this year. She said it is a big job to organize the event, representing about a month of 40 hour plus work for her and many hours of work from all those who volunteered. The impressive list of volunteers, business and individual, can be seen on the Thank You page in this paper. Perhaps not many ever knew it took this many folks to make such a day of celebration work.
$100.00 first prize (donated by Guys Farm and Yard) for the River Arts float; $50.00 2nd prize (donated by Dr. Gary Waring) for the Post Office float; $25.00 3rd prize (donated by Starfire Jewelry) for the Lamoille Family Center float; Community coupon book (from Justice for Dogs) to Shirley Benway and her goats for best use of animals in a float.
Fiddler Contest: Senior Division: Grand Prize $500.00 (donated by Union Bank) awarded to Scott Campbell of Barre; 2nd prize $200.00 (donated by the Morrisville Rotary) awarded to Rick Campbell of Barre; 3rd prize $100.00 (donated by Pyrofax/Ultramar) awarded to Ronald Sanville of Westfield. Jr. Division (13-18 year olds): 1st prize of $120.00 (donated by Ed and Mary Ann Wilson) awarded to Catherine Fortier of Richford; 2nd Prize of $80.00 (donated by Ed and Mary Ann Wilson) awarded to Emma Brown of Morristown. More One Way Traffic The Vermont Agency of Transportation will be limiting the Route 15 Cambridge bridge to one lane starting Monday, July 14, for a period of about six weeks so sand blasting and painting crews can complete their work. According to John Zicconi, VTrans communication director, two separate crews will be working on this job to minimize the time that the bridge will be restricted to one lane. The crews will not work overnight, but having two crews allows VTrans to make the best use of daylight hours.
by Amy Kolb Noyes MORRISVILLE – Johnson attorney Doug Molde and Union Bank’s home office drew top honors at this year’s Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) annual banquet. Each year the LCPC Board of Directors’ Marvin Award Committee picks recipients for its annual Jim Marvin Awards. This year the committee also chose to recognize a few runners-up. Molde, a former LCPC board member, took home the Jim Marvin Award for Excellence in Community Service. Molde completed an extended tenure on the Johnson Planning Commission this year. He has been a driving force for planning initiatives in Johnson and has long served as the town’s representative on the regional planning front. Honorable mentions went to Morristown residents Steve Rae and Dana Wildes. Rae has served Morristown in many capacities, but none more passionately than his work with the Conservation Commission. Wildes dedicates much of his time to the Village of Morrisville as Chair of the Village Trustees. Union Bank’s renovation of Morrisville’s highly visible Centennial Block earned it the 2008 Jim Marvin Award for Excellence in Project Design. “Conklin Construction did a great job on the Union Bank project, as did architect Paul Trudell, of Silver Ridge Design,” commented LCPC Interim Executive Director Dave Pelletier. He noted both the design and construction firms are from Hyde Park. Two honorable mentions were also awarded for excellence in project design. Boyden Farms, in Cambridge, was recognized for its new function hall. The Town of Wolcott was also honored for its renovation of the old school into a town office building. Pelletier said the committee felt all six of this year’s nominees deserved some acknowledgment of a job well done. “The LCPC Marvin Award Committee met, discussed and decided Doug and the Union Bank were the stand-outs this year, but the others certainly deserved recognition,” Pelletier explained. The Jim Marvin Awards were handed out Tuesday evening, June 24.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
JOHNSON – Now that the dog days of summer have settled in, it’s time to start thinking about Lamoille County Field Days! Deanna Judkins is heading up the Field Days effort again this year. She said the directors have added some exciting new highlights to complement the favorite annual offerings. With one low admission price for everyone, Judkins said Field Days is the best bang for your buck when it comes to family entertainment. Events run Friday, July 25 through Sunday, July 27. Exhibits open at 9 a.m. all three days. The main gate closes at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday. For those hoping to earn a ribbon and have their craft, food or flower items judged, contest entries need to be delivered to the Johnson fairgrounds in advance. Craft items can be dropped off between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 23. Agricultural products should be entered at Harlow Hall between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24. Food and flower items will be accepted from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday. New this year will be performances by the Blazing Saddles 4-H Drill Team, both Friday and Sunday at noon. Friday there will also be new performances by the Johnson State College Men’s Ensemble, at 4 p.m., and One Night Stand (formerly the Rockafellas) at 7 p.m. On Saturday night, at 8 p.m., country musicians the Don Campbell Band will be back at the Harlow Hall stage. Also new, at the animal barn, will be demonstrations of Parelli Natural Horsemanship by Stephanie Lockhart with her rare Colonial Spanish horses. Other Friday highlights include a draft horse show, ox pull, the No Strings Marionette Company, arm wrestling contests and a slow tractor race. Saturday features gymkhana exhibitions, a lumberjack round-up, the 4-H dairy show, street stock tractor pull and the Northern Vermont Ladies’ Underhanded Skillet Tossing Competition – and don’t forget the street stock truck pull at 2 p.m.! Sunday favorites include the open horse show, pony pull, antique tractor pull, the famous Field Days Talent Show and the Vermont State Pedal Pull Championships. For a complete listing of events, look for the 47th Annual Lamoille County Field Days schedule of events.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
ELMORE – Work got underway this week to place a new, properly drained foundation under the Elmore Lake School. Last summer, school officials discovered mold in the existing school basement, along with a number of drainage issues. Before school started last year the basement was sealed and a negative air filtration unit was installed as an interim measure. LSSU Assistant Superintendent George Cormier noted the air up in the classroom was tested on a regular basis throughout the school year and was always deemed safe. “So with that immediate need addressed—the safety of the kids and where to educate them—we got to work on a more permanent solution,” said Cormier. Cormier said the school district worked with a civil engineer to draw up two options: fix the existing foundation or move the building and replace the foundation. Cormier said, when the bids came in, the difference in the two project options was about $15,000. Knowing that the old foundation had been reinforced once and continued to suffer leakage problems, Cormier said the school board recommended the full foundation replacement to voters at Town Meeting. “It’s a little more expensive but it seems like a better long-term answer,” said Cormier. Voters agreed and overwhelmingly approved the project, to be financed over three years. Cormier said the total project cost is $99,000, which includes last year’s temporary measures and all the air quality testing, as well as the new foundation and drainage work to be completed this summer. The project has been approved for 30% school construction aid from the state. Before the work crew from Rogers Bros., of Barre, came on site this week everything had to be cleared from the basement. Cormier said a lot of moldy storage items had to be disposed of, but the existing furnace, oil tank, water heater and other fixtures will be reinstalled in the new basement. “The plan all along was to start this project as soon as we could after the kids left the building,” said Cormier. The target completion date for the project is August 15. Before then, the school must be jacked and moved back off its existing foundation. The old foundation will be removed, drainage work completed and a new foundation poured. Once the building is returned to the new foundation mechanical systems will have to be reinstalled and a new handicapped ramp and front and back steps constructed. Cormier said the entire school property, including the playground, is closed for the duration of the project for safety reasons. He noted the property is fenced off at night, but has to be opened up for work crews to get around during the day. Although the gate may be open Cormier said, “The site is really closed to the public.” He added, “It is dangerous.” ATVs Warned The Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department has been receiving complaints of ATV use in the Ober Hill Road and Tree Farm Road areas in the Town of Johnson. The LCSD is recommending that anyone who wants to operate an ATV on public highways check with the Johnson Town Clerk's office on what roads are open. They should also request a copy of the Town Ordinance in reference to the use of ATVs. by Mickey Smith The month of July will be a busy one for the Lamoille North Supervisory Union (LNSU), as they work through the timeline created for choosing a new superintendent. At a meeting of the board on Thursday, June 26, the board set up a process to get through the search and appointed Sue Cano, presently director of student support services, to be interim superintendent. LNSU will be accepting applications until July 15. LNSU Human Resources Director Gary Chicoine said as of that meeting, they already had six applicants, including two sitting superintendents and two sitting principals. The board decided to allow Chicoine to pre-screen the applications to make sure people are qualified for the job. As soon after July 15 as that process is finished, they will invite candidates for a first round of interviews. These interviews will be conducted by two committees. There was debate about how many candidates should be invited back for a second round of interviews. It was decided to give the committees a little leeway in sending forward candidates. Patrick Cray, Eden representative, made the motion that no fewer than three and no more than five candidates be brought forward as a consensus of the two committees. The first round of interviews is planned for the week of July 21, and the board hopes to bring back the semi-finalists during the week of July 28. Some questions were raised about travel costs. It was agreed the district would pay transportation costs of bringing in the finalists, and asked Charleen McFarlane, executive assistant to the superintendent, to make the needed arrangements. A community meeting was discussed for the week of July 28 to allow the public to meet the final candidates and weigh in with their thoughts. The board agreed to name Sue Cano interim superintendent until a new person was hired and trained. She was contracted for a minimum of 60 days, with her title changing to transition facilitator when the new superintendent is hired. The end date was left open, as Cano has expressed a willingness to accept the position for up to a year if needed. Waterville resident, and a former superintendent in Vermont, Ray Proulx was invited in by the board to discuss the qualifications for the job. He urged the board not to hire somebody just for the sake of hiring someone. He noted seven or eight searches around the state this spring completed with interim superintendents – because they did not find a candidate that definitely met their needs. He said those searches netted between zero and 18 responses. Proulx led the board in an exercise to focus on their expectations from the new superintendent. He said the expectations will drive their questions. After building a broad list of areas the board feels are important, they whittled the list down to the four most important, choosing: curriculum, a strong leader, understanding local politics and the Vermont environment, and being an agent for change. Because the school district does not have a curriculum coordinator, they feel the superintendent needs to be strong in that area. They want a strong leader who is capable of motivating and can offer a clear vision and a way to implement that vision. Being a rural area with diverse backgrounds, they want someone who is capable of understanding the culture and climate forces that can exist. They also want someone who is creative and innovative and is not afraid to look at areas that might need changing. With the infrastructure firmly in place, this might be a time to look to someone who can offer new ideas to the school system. Eden Board member David Whitcomb added the board needs to be wary of change just for the sake of changing. The community is invited to offer insights into what should be expected from a new superintendent through an on-line survey. Anyone interested is asked to answer the question, “What do you want the superintendent to accomplish?” People can answer the question through three ways: they can mail their response to LNSU, 95 Cricket Hill Road, Hyde Park, VT 05655; or email it to info@lnsu.org, or they may go to the school's website www.LNSU.org and follow a link to the on-line survey.
Accident Ends in Stowe Hollow Death by Mickey Smith
Stowe Police are investigating a single car accident on Upper Hollow Road, in Stowe, that claimed the life of Neil Shapiro, 38, of Stowe. According to the Stowe Police Department press release, a Mercedes was traveling north on Upper Hollow Road when it failed to negotiate a bend in the road. The car left the roadway and struck a tree. Shapiro was the only occupant of the vehicle, he was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Stowe Police Chief Ken Kaplan said the accident was reported at approximately 2:58 a.m., shortly after it occurred. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, anyone with any information is encouraged to call the Stowe Police Department at 253-7126. Former HP Resident Earns Navy Honor w-pic by Mickey Smith
Jill Ballard, the daughter of Elsa French and husband, the late Dr. Edward French, has received the “Meritorious Civilian Service Award” from the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations. She received the service award for her work in the Programming Division, where she serves as Sea Pillar Section Head. Her job is based at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. According to Vice Admiral B.J. McCullough III's citation, “Ms. Ballard has demonstrated superior performance in single-handedly developing a detailed briefing for the Director, Force Structure Resources and Assessment (J-8) of the Joint Staff, the Deputy Director of Program Analysis, and the Deputy Comptroller...” “Her briefing skillfully told the story of potentially critical gaps in future capabilities, and backed that up with the exact programs and funding to address these shortfalls,” stated Vice Admiral McCullough. The briefing, and the accompanying support materials which she developed, was presented to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ultimately to the President of the United States. “In developing the final form of the briefing, Ms. Ballard was the critical link between the Joint Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations to ensure that Navy Leadership was completely aware of all of the final issues that were negotiated in this critical matter. Ms. Ballard's untiring devotion to Navy's current and future mission reflected great credit upon herself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service,” concluded McCullough. Paintball, Computers Expand LARC Offerings
MORRISTOWN – The Lamoille Area Recreation Center (LARC) is gearing up for an exciting summer season. The ice is back and the rink will be home to skating programs beginning in July. Meanwhile, three extreme paintball courses are now open for play. Public paintball will be offered on the weekends and a men’s league has already signed up to use the facility on Tuesdays. Spokesperson Ken Peer said LARC will also host private paintball parties during the week. Peer said LARC’s next project will involve creating a computer learning lab. The lab will be available for kids to use while family members are participating in ice and soccer programming. In the past, kids have used the lobby picnic tables as a homework space. “It gives them an outlet and an option where they can… do their studying in a more closed off secluded room,” said Peer. The Vermont Community Foundation recently awarded LARC a $6,000 Successful Communities grant to help create the learning lab. Peer said LARC will be purchasing a system that will include six desktop computers with high speed internet access. Peer said LARC is working with Johnson State College to enlist volunteer tutors who will receive college credit for their work tutoring middle level and high school students at LARC. LARC is also looking into offering vocational programs to children and adults and SAT/ACT prep courses. The computers will also be available for people who just want to surf the internet, and Peer added there will be some parental control and security features in place. “The possibilities are endless,” said Peer. He added of the learning lab, “We’re hoping to have it fully up and going within 45-60 days.”
Selectman Harris Resigns
WOLCOTT – Longtime Wolcott Selectman Robert Harris has resigned his post. Harris cited personal reasons for his mid-term departure. “Ninety percent of it is because I’m going to expand my business and it’s going to take a lot more of my time,” Harris told the News & Citizen this week. Harris said he will be expanding his product offerings at his Wolcott appliance sales and service store. He said it would not be fair to remain on the selectboard, but not be able to dedicate the time the job requires to be done properly. Wolcott changed its governance structure from a three-person to a five-person selectboard several years ago. Harris added he does not like working on a five-person board. Harris noted he likes and works well with all the people on the board, but does not like working under the new structure. “The other 10% is I hate the five-person board,” said Harris. He added, “With five people I find it takes too long to make a decision. I found I just can’t seem to get used to it.” In total, Harris has served nearly 10 years on the Wolcott Selectboard. He was chairman for his first six years, then was out of office for a few years before being elected again to a three-year term. Harris was re-elected to his three-year term last March. Selectboard Chair Pam Hammel said the board plans to appoint Marquis Houle to step in for Harris until Town Meeting in March, when the position will be up for election. Hammel said a few people had shown interest in the position, but as of this week, Houle was the only person still willing to take the job. Houle had served on the selectboard until March when he decided not to run for re-election. Hammel explained Houle had some professional development responsibilities for his job, but he has completed that and now says he has the time to dedicate to the selectboard, at least for the next eight months. Hammel said the board plans to appoint Houle at its meeting on Wednesday, July 2.
MORRISVILLE – The Village of Morrisville Water & Light Department will be filing a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this month. MW&L General Manager Craig Myotte said this is the next, and hopefully last, step in what has been an ongoing battle over tariffs MW&L has been forced to pay Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS), despite the fact the agreement that authorized the high tariff rates expired nearly two years ago. Myotte explained utilities pay tariffs to other utility companies when power is routed through another company’s infrastructure. The tariff, typically around three percent, is intended to cover the costs incurred by the utility lending the use of its grid. Back in 1996, as the result of FERC-mandated arbitration, a document known as the “Northern Loop Agreement” was signed by CVPS, Green Mountain Power (GMP), and municipal electric departments in Stowe, Morrisville and Hardwick. The agreement was a 10-year interim fix to ongoing maintenance problems and extended outages experienced by the three municipal departments. Using high voltage lines owned by CVPS and GMP, a loop of power supply was mapped out that could provide electricity to Stowe, Morrisville and Hardwick from either direction. Myotte said the growing population in the 1980s and 1990s translated to a growing load on the local power system. Being able to meet that load demand from both sides of the loop put a stop to long power outages. Rather than waiting for a downed line to be repaired for power to be restored, power could be brought in from the other side of the loop. “From a reliably standpoint it made a lot of sense,” said Myotte. The Northern Loop Agreement, which was in place from November 1, 1996 to October 31, 2006, based tariffs paid by the three municipalities to CVPS and GMP on incremental losses incurred for the emergency line use. In essence, if Morrisville relied minimally on the loop, it would pay the typical three percent tariff for emergency line usage. However, the more Morrisville relied on the loop for power, the higher the tariff percentage, up to a cap of 13%. Myotte explained Morrisville, Stowe and Hardwick have all relied on the loop much more than anticipated, and therefore were paying tariffs at the upper end of the agreement’s scale. Halfway through the agreement, in 2001, the parties set about working on a long-term solution to the power supply problem. What emerged as the solution is the 115kv VELCO line that is being constructed between Middlesex and Stowe. The VELCO line ran into some snags, however, and was not close to done at the end of 2006 when the project was targeted for completion and when the Northern Loop Agreement expired. To ensure transmission reliability in the interim, until the VELCO line is complete, Myotte explained the three municipalities signed on for “open access transmission tariff” from the larger utilities. Morrisville signed an agreement with CVPS and Stowe and Hardwick signed similar agreements with GMP. Those agreements all were filed with FERC and they capped tariffs at three percent. Myotte explained VELCO is Vermont’s transmission company and it keeps track of tariffs for the entire state. As a result of those open access agreements, Myotte said VELCO should have stopped billing under the Northern Loop tariff structure when the Northern Loop Agreement expired on October 31, 2006. However, nearly two years later, VELCO is still billing the three towns the high tariffs under the Northern Loop Agreement. As of last April, Myotte said the three towns have been overcharged a combined $1.3 million. Myotte said VELCO will not change its billing practice until all parties agree to make the billing change. Myotte said CVPS is refusing to acknowledge the change and has avoided resolving the issue. He also noted CVPS, as the state’s largest utility, is VELCO’s majority shareholder. Myotte said he has approached VELCO directly on several occasions, and has called on the Department of Public Service and local legislators, who have also encouraged CVPS to deal with this issue. Myotte said even a letter from the Department of Public Service directing CVPS to resolve the issue has not resulted in any action. Myotte said the next step is to file a formal complaint with FERC. He said he is personally preparing the filing, on behalf of the Morrisville, Stowe and Hardwick departments. As the largest investor-owned utility in the state, Myotte said he doesn’t expect CVPS to cooperate unless it is forced to do so by regulators. “One point three million is huge money for Stowe, Morrisville and Hardwick, but it’s nothing for CVPS,” said Myotte. Even if CVPS is forced to refund tariffs to the three municipal utilities, ratepayers will not see a drop in their monthly bills. Myotte said customers would see the result in a lack of future rate increases.
by Mickey Smith
On second thought, the voters of Cambridge have decided not to purchase the Poppe property. Two months ago, by a margin of 46-44, Cambridge agreed to buy the land that sits in front of the Town Garage, in Jeffersonville. Last Wednesday, June 25, more than twice as many voters showed up to revote on the issue, and decided by a margin of 119-72 not to purchase the property at a price of $126,000. At the meeting, Selectboard Chair Bernie Juskiewicz tried to clear up a few rumors which had been circulating prior to the vote. Juskiewicz said the town has not spent a penny on the property as of yet, and had not hired fellow board member Dana Sweet for trash removal services at the property. He also said there were questions about the historical aspects of the house, but the property is not listed on either the state or national historic register. Bill Litchfield, who circulated the petition asking for the revote, noted houses around that one are, and some property owners chose not to participate. After clearing up those concerns, Sweet explained how the purchase of the property could aid in the construction plans. Because of the Poppe vote, construction has yet to begin on the property, meaning it could continue until spring of next year. Purchasing the property would have given the town an opportunity to rotate the placement of the buildings, allowing the old garage to stand until the new garage could be built. It would also make it an easier shot to the sewer hookup. Voters also heard from Peter Ingvolstad who has started a project to create a non-profit group on land donated by Smugglers' Notch. The Gateway to Nature program will offer a hands-on approach, both through work and play, to living in harmony with nature. As part of the project, Ingvolstad said, interested people will be learning about building environmentally friendly houses – part of which will be using old houses to build new houses. Ingvolstad said if the town decided to purchase the property, he hoped rather than discarding the structure they would allow him and his volunteers to dismantle the property and re-use it. Much of the concern against the purchase centered around the town simply not being able to afford to purchase more property... and by 47 votes, the voters chose not to purchase the property. The Poppe property came onto the market at about the same time the town was looking at options for rebuilding their town garage. Voters had turned down a proposal at the town's gravel pit and there was opposition to infringing on the school athletic fields to expand the current town garage site. The board originally decided not to pursue the property because of the cost, but at Town Meeting a group of citizens brought up the idea again, prompting the first vote. Things Look This Way to Me Editorial by J.B. McKinley 7-3-08
Individual Right Affirmed
Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 ruling on the case of District of Columbia vs. Heller has definitively interpreted the Second Amendment to the Constitution to mean individual men and women have a right to keep and bear arms. The argument that the Second Amendment, which reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” is a “collective” right has been discarded. The Court’s majority opinion almost scoffed at the idea that the founders would have felt it necessary to codify a statement that would essentially mean the nation’s largest military force would be allowed to have firearms! Correctly, the five justices saw how ludicrous such a reading of the Second Amendment would be. Then, they went further and stated that the historical record, (which they followed in English law back to the 1600s) indicated that to an American in the 18th Century the right to keep and bear arms was almost so common an assumption that it might have been held to be assumed at the time of the writing. If you have access to the internet, you can read the quite understandable text of the decision and the dissenting documents at www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf For the first time since 1939, the Supreme Court considered the Second Amendment. And in 1939, in the Miller case, the Court was almost perfunctory. If the Second Amendment is addressed again by the Court, it may well consider last week’s opinion a more valid precedent. In fact, last week’s decision has almost reversed the body of law pertaining to this issue that has been passed since 1939. Of course, the decision has nullified the District of Columbia handgun ban and, right now, the National Rifle Association is planning to question the gun law in Chicago. No doubt litigation on both sides of the gun control issue has been spawned. Meanwhile, here in Vermont where our Constitution mirrors the Second Amendment using plainer terminology, we have been vindicated and supported by the U.S. Supreme Court. In brief reflection, the only time individual rights have been affirmed in the last decades at such a level was the Roe vs. Wade decision. Yes, said the Court, you have the right to defend yourself in your own home and neither Mr. Heller nor you need to fasten on a trigger guard or dissassemble your chief means of defense. Personally, the way I look at things, this Supreme Court just handed us all the best ever present for the Fourth of July. They didn’t so much “interpret” the Second Amendment, as understand it is a plain statement, meant to be understood by us all. Then they said – and it’s the law. Bravo!
by Mickey Smith
Through a partnership between the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation and the Friends of Green River Reservoir (FGRR) the state park now has a brand new contact station for staff and visitors to use. Local architect Milford Cushman, who is also a member of the Friends group, designed the building and the Friends hired local contractor Tell Gregory to construct the building. The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation footed the costs for the building materials. Craig Whipple, director of the state parks system in Vermont, said at a ceremony emceed by Sally Laughlin, president of FGRR, this project serves as a model of how the state and the private sector in local communities can work together and hopes to see this replicated throughout the state with other projects. Craig said working with FGRR has led to many enhancements at Green River Reservoir State Park (GRRSP). Also speaking at the ceremony were Cushman and Susan Bulmer, regional parks manager, who has been involved with GRRSP since its founding in 1999 and helped create a long range management plan for the park.
by Mickey Smith
Acting Morristown Administrator Richard Keith said the town offices have been receiving complaints about horseback riding through cemeteries. Keith said while there are not any ordinances against it, he considered it a common courtesy not to use cemeteries as a horse path.
Line Painting by Mickey Smith
Weather is the main culprit keeping Morrisville's street crew from repainting the lines and crosswalks in the downtown. Acting Town Administrator Richard Keith said the crews are ready to go and asked the community to be patient as they wait for some good weather. Keith said in order for the paint to adhere well, they need some dry and warm weather. He said the pavement has to remain consistently over 55 degrees and lately, even when the weather is dry, the evenings have not been warm enough to allow the paint to dry. He noted they would rather wait to have the paint set up correctly.
by Mickey Smith
Two lost hikers were found at about 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning, June 22, after spending an unplanned night on the Long Trail. After leaving for a hike at noon on Saturday, Lori Usheroff and Linda Frasier were expected to return from hiking in Eden at about 5:00 p.m. When they had not returned by 8:00 p.m., a call was placed alerting the authorities. Vermont State Police Search and Rescue and Stowe Mountain Rescue searched for the two hikers through the night, before they were found in good health.
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – The Copley Band Shell at Peoples Academy stood staidly before a sea of green and gold Thursday evening, June 19. Eighty-eight members of the Class of 2008 sat anxiously awaiting the presentation of their diplomas. Hundreds of proud friends and family members surrounded the graduates at the culmination of their public school careers. Salutatorian Andrea Fagnant was the first speaker to note the class had not been known for its academic prowess, but promised “we have not wasted our high school years.” Fagnant, as the 2008 recipient of the University of Vermont’s Green and Gold Scholarship, certainly proved she had not wasted any of her time. Fagnant went on to remind her classmates that life is short and loss can come at any time. She advised her classmates not to put off telling people how much they mean and remember to thank the people who have helped along the way. “Carpe diem,” she advised, “Seize the day.” Next, Senior Class President Ashley Isabell introduced commencement speaker Mr. Reeves Larson. Larson was asked to speak because he is a teacher the class appreciated as especially entertaining. Larson noted his first year at PA was the Class of 2008’s freshman year. Therefore, he said, he would never forget them. Larson started his address by naming four graduates and asking them to raise their hand. He then introduced himself, saying they are the only four students in the Class of 2008 he had not worked with directly. “You have been a challenging group,” Larson admitted. He added they’d shared a lot of laughs and rewards along the way and thanked them for the challenge noting, “You’ve made me a better teacher.” His advice for the class, beyond the obvious (world peace – yes, global warming – no), centered around money, time and friends. He advised they “understand money” and work hard to earn it by doing something they love. He added, “Know what to do with that money – save it, spend wisely.” Larson also told the class to “use your time wisely” and finally, “choose your friends wisely.” He added, “which means not choosing some people.” The Peoples Academy Chorus was next to take the stage, performing Def Leopard’s “Two Steps Behind.” Valedictorian Megan Duffy was next to step up to the podium, wearing green mud boots to match her cap and gown. Duffy admitted to sometimes being aloof to the high school experience, but proved she knew her class well as she rattled off some of their more impressive individual accomplishments. Duffy contended they, as a group, were not just now “entering the real world.” She maintained they have been living in the real world all along. In fact, Duffy did a superb job maintaining focus as she contended with an onslaught of real world distractions during her speech including the fire horn, sirens and dogs barking in response. “We are not, at a glance, an exemplary group...” said Duffy. “What matters is we have become a group of individuals.” Duffy concluded, “The Class of 2008 is capable and unafraid to follow their own paths, wherever those paths will take them.” This year a few new faces looked out over the crowd from the band shell. They included Superintendent Tracy Wrend and Principal Philip Grant, who handed out scholarships and awards, respectively. They were joined, in the presentation of diplomas, by Morristown School Director Judy Geer, Elmore School Director Peggy Sprague and Wolcott School Director Pam Peck. The graduates partook in a resounding rendition of “Dear Old P.A.” before tossing their mortarboards high into the air. The Peoples Academy graduating Class of 2008 are:
Edward G. Adams Kyle P. Allaire Adam C. Audet Brian Belanger Matthew Adam Bergman Schuyler A. Biasini Megan Leann Billado Thorin Bingham Jacob Bourne Michalla Hilary Bowen Tyler Bradley-Manning Matthew Buckley Kelsey Caitlyn Buker Kirstin R. Campbell Taylor Lorraine Cheney Navani Carman Chotalal Eric Clancy Lauren Joyce Cochran Anthony J. Cole Troy Combe Benjamin R. Cote Krystle Cote Ryan D. Demars Andrew P. Desrochers Christopher P. Desrochers Joshua Dickinson Portia Athena Ariel Domasin Nichole Ann Douglass Jean-Nicolas Drolet Megan Elizabeth Duffy Kelsey Elizabeth Dunn Katherine Louise Earley Allison M. Eckert Jessica Rose Eno Andrea M. Fagnant Joseph R. Flynn Randy J. Forant Ryan E. Getek |
