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Elmore Examines School Choice Limits
by Amy Kolb Noyes
ELMORE – The Elmore School Board is considering taking advantage of a
2009 amendment to Vermont’s school choice law which would allow the town to
designate a receiving school for its seventh through 12th graders. Until
now, students, in towns such as Elmore that do not have a middle/high school
and do not belong to a union school district, can choose to attend any
public high school. They may also choose to attend a non-parochial private
school, to which the town would pay up to the state average tuition cost.
Families make up the tuition difference in that situation.
The amendment, known as Act 44, allows towns to designate a public or
independent secondary school for its students. For this to happen, the
voters of the sending town must approve the change at a regular or special
Town Meeting. In addition, the school board in the receiving district must
vote to accept the designation.
Act 44 is intended to give “sending school” communities more control over
tuition paid to receiving school districts. The town could designate a
school with traditionally lower tuition rates, assuming that trend would
continue as tuition rates are set each year. Opponents of the law say it
could effectively end existing school choice in a time when the value of
choice is being touted on a national level.
The Elmore School Board has not taken a position on the issue, but is
hosting a public forum to garner community feedback. The meeting will be
held Monday, December 14, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., at the Elmore Town Hall.
“The agenda will include a review of the new legislation, an explanation of
the options we may consider and an opportunity for members of the community
to give input regarding the community’s priorities and values: how important
is choice and how much are citizens willing to pay?” School Board Chair
Penny Jones wrote in an open letter to the community.
She continued, “The Board recognizes that school choice is valued highly by
our community and has not adopted a position on the new law. We believe it
is important that community members have the opportunity to discuss the new
law and its implications, including the possible impacts on education
quality and costs. We hope you will join us.”
A fact sheet distributed with the letter outlines some basic questions and
answers about Act 44 and how it relates to Elmore. The sheet indicated if
Elmore were to designate a secondary school, it would likely be Peoples
Academy Middle Level and High School, in Morrisville. Elmore already
designates the Morristown School District to educate students in primary
grades not served by the Elmore Lake School. Elmore now operates the state’s
lone one room schoolhouse (kitchen addition notwithstanding).
The fact sheet states, “Generally, the vast majority of students in grades
7-12 choose to attend Peoples Academy and Peoples Academy Middle Level.
Currently, seven students, or 13% of Elmore’s students in grades 7-12 chose
schools other than PA and PAML. The article could be worded to “grandfather”
students who currently access [a different] school to continue to do so, to
prevent any current student from having to change schools.”
Act 44 does contain a provision that allows families to petition the school
board to provide payment to another school if it is in the best interest of
the student. If the school board allows the request, the family could still
have to pay a portion of the tuition. The fact sheet distributed by the
Elmore School District states, “In that case, the amount of tuition paid on
behalf of the student [by the town] will be limited to the lowest of three
tuition rates: the actual tuition of the designated high school, the
statewide average tuition or the actual tuition of the requested school.”
Teen Thrown Through Store Window
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISTOWN – Many holiday shoppers noticed a large plate glass window at
Big Lots was boarded up over the weekend. What they may not have guessed is
that it was broken when a local teenager hurtled through it.
Police are not releasing the names of the two 17-year-old minors involved in
the incident and no charges have been filed at this time. The situation is
still under investigation.
According to a report by Morristown Police Corporal William Morley, one teen
was pushing the other through the Morrisville Plaza parking lot in a
shopping cart, when the cart hit the curb and sent its passenger, airborne,
into the window.
“He said he ended up hitting one of the big windows in front of the store
and breaking it,” Morley stated. “He said [he] was catapulted from the
shopping cart after it struck a curb in front of the store.”
After the accident, the teens reportedly got in their car and drove to
Peoples Academy, where Officer Morley spotted the parked car. Morley
reported the teens took off as he approached in his cruiser, and he followed
them down Copley Avenue and into the Village.
“I noticed this vehicle cut off another East bound vehicle as it turned into
the Cumberland Farms store’s parking lot almost causing an accident,”
Morley’s report stated. That’s when Officer Morley pulled the car over.
While questioning the driver, Morley reported he noticed fresh blood and a
small cut on the passenger’s right hand. The passenger told Morley he cut
his hand on a window at home.
“…I then saw more blood dripping from inside his coat sleeve onto his
pants,” Morley stated. “I asked him to pull his sleeve back so I could see
where the blood was coming from. When he pulled his sleeve back I noticed a
very large laceration on his wrist.”
That’s when Officer Morley got the real story. He followed the teens up to
the emergency room at Copley Hospital, where the teen was treated and
released to his parents. The driver of the car, who pushed the cart, told
Officer Morley he would pay for the Big Lots window. Store manager Wilson
Hughes estimated it would cost $2,500 to $3,000 to repair the damage.
Christmas Eve Arraignment for DUI Suspect
by Amy Kolb Noyes
A Johnson man was taken into custody last week for suspicion of driving
under the influence of alcohol, after he refused to conduct a Field Sobriety
Exercise. Shane P. Smith, 20, was stopped on Route 2A, in Williston, just
after midnight on Thursday, December 3. Smith refused police officer Joshua
Thomas Moore’s request that he take part in a field sobriety test, and was
subsequently taken into custody on suspicion on DUI.
“Upon lodging Smith at the Chittenden County Correctional Center, it was
determined that Smith’s blood alcohol level was 4 times the legal limit,”
Officer Moore stated in a press release. Smith will be arraigned on the
charge of DUI #1 Refusal in Chittenden County Court on December 24.
Festival of Lights Winners
by Amy Kolb Noyes
MORRISVILLE – Last Saturday, December 5, Morristown held its 10th annual
Festival of Lights. Each year the Morristown Alliance for Culture and
Commerce (MACC) puts on the festival to kick off the holiday shopping season
in downtown Morrisville.
Several contests and drawings were held as part of the festival. Eleanor
Randall, of Morrisville, won a downtown shopping spree raffle sponsored by
the News & Citizen and downtown merchants. Her name was selected out of
several hundred entries. Quite a crowd gathered Saturday afternoon at Guy’s
Farm & Yard, on Portland Street, for the drawing! The spree includes items
and gift certificates worth about $500 at participating Morrisville
businesses.
In the holiday display contest, first and second place residential and
commercial winners were named. Lynn Delaire, owner of Maple House, on Maple
Street, took first prize in the residential category. Dale Allen, of Harrell
Street, took second place. In the commercial category, the Union Bank home
office, in the Village, took first place and Haymaker Card & Gifts was
awarded second place.
Gingerbread houses of all shapes and sizes began arriving at the Tegu
Building the morning of Monday, November 30, in preparation for the
gingerbread house decorating contest.
“In all, 14 creative and cute houses filled the window of the Town Office
building,” reported Community Development Coordinator Heidi Krantz. She
added, “…this year’s gingerbread collection surpassed expectations.
Participants ranged from seasoned builders, [to] young children, to budding
professionals.”
First place went to Tricia Follert; Noah Sweet and Colby Masse, with Heather
Masse and Tina Sweet, won second prize; and third place was awarded to
Allaynnah, Harley and Brooklyn Dewey. Other participants included Emma and
Elijah Santos; Abbie Alden and Jenna Sweet; Brice Rohanan and Suzanne
McCarthy; Savannah Ries; Isabel Clancy; Wolcott Church of the Nazarene;
Colin Compagna; Emily and Amy Tallman; Tracy Dunphy; Green Mountain and
Technology and Career Center’s Culinary Arts program; and Jesse Pelton.
Krantz commented, “The Community has enjoyed the efforts of all these
talented people – and we’ll look forward to next year’s creations!”
The Morristown Centennial Library was also a big winner, as MACC donated the
proceeds from its historical home tour to the library addition fund.
Organizer Heather Sargent said the money is still coming in, but she
estimates $1,800 to $2,000 was raised.
“We’re thrilled about that,” said Sargent. She added MACC is already
thinking about houses to be included in next year’s tour.
Crowd Turns Out for Elmore Roads Hearing
by Amy Kolb Noyes
ELMORE – Forty people filed into the Elmore Town Hall Wednesday evening,
December 2. They were there for a public hearing on the town’s proposed
reclassification of three currently un-maintained class 4 roads. Selectboard
Chair Bob Burley explained the three roads “have not been maintained in
recent memory.” He said state Agency of Transportation regulations require
the town either bring the roads up to class 4 standards or downgrade them to
trails. The town is proposing all three roads be designated as un-maintained
trails for non-motorized use.
The first road in question is Stage Coach Road, running east-west between
Elmore Mountain Road and Micklin Farm Road. This road is not included on
current town or state maps, but was identified as a result of the state’s
Ancient Roads identification effort.
Second on the list is a .4 mile section at the end of Courchaine Farm Road
that runs through the Rysz property. The final, and perhaps most
controversial, proposal is a 5.75 mile portion of Eagle Ledge Road, which
runs from the Lindenmeyr property to the Worcester town line.
Towns are required to perform basic maintenance of class 4 roads, including
upkeep on bridges, maintaining a passable roadway and water flow control in
the surrounding watershed. Burley commented, “We haven’t done it, in some
cases, for over 100 years.”
Burley said the town planning commission and selectboard have been working
with regional planners on this issue. He said the town is not attempting to
limit the legal uses of the rights of way, but to limit the town’s exposure
from illegal uses. He noted snowmobiles and ATVs are already prohibited from
using the roads by state statutes and town ordinances.
“We are changing a classification to match what its current use is,” Burley
explained.
Burley noted, if the town were required to repair the three roads in
question and damage to surrounding wetlands from user abuse, it would be
quite costly.
“This does not close a door… it brings to light a significant financial
exposure to the town,” Burley said in an interview with the News & Citizen.
Eleven people spoke at the public hearing, and Burley commented the meeting
remained civil. A meeting on the same subject several years ago became
heated, causing the town to drop the issue for a while.
“Nothing surfaced in that meeting that we were not anticipating,” said
Burley. He noted, “Frankly, the [Select]board and the planning commission
were very well prepared.”
Burley framed five prioritized outcomes based upon feedback received at the
public hearing. He said there was unanimous agreement on the first three
outcomes, that the town preserve the Rights of Way, stop damage to the lands
in question, and do so at the lowest possible cost to the town. The other
desired outcomes were that there be appropriate enforcement and, finally,
appropriate land access.
“Landowners and users all agreed on the first three,” said Burley. He noted
both sides were about equally represented in their comments.
Next, Burley said the selectboard will form a task force to include
representatives from each of the major constituencies to further examine all
sides of the issue. The selectboard plans to make a final decision within
the year.
Things Look This Way to Me
Editorial by J.B. McKinley 12-10-09
Time to Pinch Pennies
The news reported from a broader stage than Lamoille County is suggesting
that the U.S. has turned the corner on this depression. If so, it’s a turn
that barely made us sway in our seats. Our recent snowfall may do more for
us locally than news of the economic uptick. The point is not many of us are
rolling in dough as yet. And, of course, the news from state government is
absolutely abysmal. Two year economic forecasts, on the face of it, look
like killers. Even with the 3% pay cut to state employees, state spending
must not simply be checked, it must be forced down well below level
budgeting. Government deficit spending and being many millions in the red is
not going to help our economy recover quickly. That would be expecting a
packhorse to win a race against a field of thoroughbreds.
What brings this to mind was the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife’s
thick, large format, glossy booklet of hunting and fishing information. It’s
nice and it was printed out of state. However, I doubt you could call it
handy or necessary. You certainly couldn’t call its production “supporting
Vermont industry,” or “thrifty.” But, that’s where we should all be going in
these times – we should be supporting spending in Vermont and making the
thrifty choice.
Government is supposed to lead. It should set an example. Gubernatorial
candidates take heed! Talk about saving. Talk about spending within our
capabilities. Talk about spending reform. Talk about cost controls.
Scrutinize every little penny. Talk about rewarding departments that spend
wisely and censuring departments that don’t. Prioritize projects and be
ready to lop off the projects at the bottom of the list.
I’ll bet more than a few of us are doing that right now with our Christmas
lists!
Years ago Fish & Wildlife put out a pocket-size, cheap paper booklet with
the hunting and fishing season info and laws. It worked. Is that more
expensive to produce than this year’s offering? Remember the stink over the
Fish & Wildlife’s free calendar a few years ago that was printed in Canada?
How many departments are printing out of state and buying materials above
the necessary quality level? How many dollars are flowing away on projects
like this? Why not create a booklet that will stay the same for the next few
years? Why not print it really cheaply, say, on newsprint with a cover?
Maybe we need our own state “golden fleece award.” Apparently we Vermonters
occasionally buy the equivalent of our own $10,000 hammers and gold-plated
toilet seats. Now is the time for the spotlight to switch on – make that
costly seat shine like the State House dome!
How about it Governor, let’s offer a reward for the employee that blows the
whistle on the biggest waste each month that government contemplates? Let’s
catch these poor decisions before they go to press. Let’s reward thrifty
Vermonters who happen to work for state government. I know they are there.
They just aren’t celebrated. For decades spending every penny of the budget
you get has been the function of government employees, because otherwise
your budget gets cut. It is high time for a change.
We don’t have the money for that attitude anymore. We must elevate the penny
pinchers. You know, the guys and gals wearing unstylish clothing. The ones
driving 10 year old Toyotas and Escorts. The ones wearing costume jewelry.
The ones who do their own oil changes and buy turkey after Thanksgiving.
Give them a chance to strut their stuff and this budget problem will go
away.
C’mon Governor-to-be, I’ll bet you grew up in a family just as described
above. Don’t let your charges spend like Rockefellers, when they grew up
Smiths and Jones.
Festival of Light goers enjoyed horse-drawn wagon rides around the
Village
of Morrisville between events and shopping excursions!
Mary Collins photo
he boilers are here! Copley Hospital’s $1.9 million Utility Plant
Expansion
project is nearing completion. The two new boilers arrived last week and
were hoisted into the new 1,500 foot addition. Copley officials said they
expect to be online with the new boilers by late January. Copley has
contracted with construction firm H.P. Cummings and architects Freeman
French Freeman for the project.
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