Sunday, October 28, 2012
News to Know Sandy approaching
A few additional tips are included so please look over carefully. While reading this, please be thinking about who your friends & neighbors are that may need this information... and please get it to them!
Sunday, October 28, 2012 - Remnants of Hurricane Sandy are expected to impact Berlin with high winds from 2pm Monday through 11am Tuesday and therefore there is the possibility of downed trees and power outages. Rain is expected throughout the week through Friday. Rivers are expected to rise gradually to the flood stage. Localized flooding can be expected. Flash floods are still a possibility. Please plan and prepare accordingly.
•Vermont Emergency Management has an informative website http://vem.vermont.gov/. Their Family Emergency Preparedness Workbook is posted there and their facebook page is currently streaming onto their website for your convenience
•Listen to WDEV (AM 550, FM 96.1) for information, they also plan to have the broadcast available from their website (http://www.wdevradio.com/)
•Call 2-1-1 if you need information or resources and also to report damage, visit http://www.511vt.com/ or call 5-1-1 for road closure information
•Please work with your friends & neighbors, especially the elderly and others needing special assistance to help each other become prepared and stay safe
•The Berlin Emergency Management Team has an email group to keep you informed on emergency situations and dangers facing the town. To join this list click on http://groups.google.com/group
Preparations to make -
•Stock up on non-perishable groceries,
•Outside items should be picked up so the winds won't take them (including political lawn signs)
•Leaves should be cleaned up (especially if they might get blown to where they would clog storm drains),
•Draw some water (buckets or tub full for flushing toilets & jugs for drinking),
•Have flashlights with extra batteries,
•Charge your phone batteries (have a car charger available to recharge)
•Fill car with gas,
•Have cash on hand.
•Put together items you would want if you need to evacuate, don't forget any medications.
•Know a safe route (and perhaps an alternate one) if you need to evacuate to higher ground.
•Bring your pets in (also prepare for possibly evacuating them - if they're small do they have carriers, also gather leashes, vaccination papers, and food.
•If you're in an area prone to flooding, having photos for documentation is good - ones before the storm, then to show damage, and including repairs being made.
•If you lose power, be sure to report it to the utility company.
•Be sure to inform the utility people and local officials if power is critical for any medical needs - local officials do NOT know who has those needs.
•If you need to evacuate, shelters will be opening
•If you are asked to evacuate, please do so.
•If there are any flood waters, do your best to stay out of them, they're not healthy.
•Stay away from all downed power lines, they could be live or have generators back-feeding into them. There could be lines tangled in trees that come down.
BE SAFE!
Sunday, October 28, 2012 - Remnants of Hurricane Sandy are expected to impact Berlin with high winds from 2pm Monday through 11am Tuesday and therefore there is the possibility of downed trees and power outages. Rain is expected throughout the week through Friday. Rivers are expected to rise gradually to the flood stage. Localized flooding can be expected. Flash floods are still a possibility. Please plan and prepare accordingly.
•Vermont Emergency Management has an informative website http://vem.vermont.gov/. Their Family Emergency Preparedness Workbook is posted there and their facebook page is currently streaming onto their website for your convenience
•Listen to WDEV (AM 550, FM 96.1) for information, they also plan to have the broadcast available from their website (http://www.wdevradio.com/)
•Call 2-1-1 if you need information or resources and also to report damage, visit http://www.511vt.com/ or call 5-1-1 for road closure information
•Please work with your friends & neighbors, especially the elderly and others needing special assistance to help each other become prepared and stay safe
•The Berlin Emergency Management Team has an email group to keep you informed on emergency situations and dangers facing the town. To join this list click on http://groups.google.com/group
Preparations to make -
•Stock up on non-perishable groceries,
•Outside items should be picked up so the winds won't take them (including political lawn signs)
•Leaves should be cleaned up (especially if they might get blown to where they would clog storm drains),
•Draw some water (buckets or tub full for flushing toilets & jugs for drinking),
•Have flashlights with extra batteries,
•Charge your phone batteries (have a car charger available to recharge)
•Fill car with gas,
•Have cash on hand.
•Put together items you would want if you need to evacuate, don't forget any medications.
•Know a safe route (and perhaps an alternate one) if you need to evacuate to higher ground.
•Bring your pets in (also prepare for possibly evacuating them - if they're small do they have carriers, also gather leashes, vaccination papers, and food.
•If you're in an area prone to flooding, having photos for documentation is good - ones before the storm, then to show damage, and including repairs being made.
•If you lose power, be sure to report it to the utility company.
•Be sure to inform the utility people and local officials if power is critical for any medical needs - local officials do NOT know who has those needs.
•If you need to evacuate, shelters will be opening
•If you are asked to evacuate, please do so.
•If there are any flood waters, do your best to stay out of them, they're not healthy.
•Stay away from all downed power lines, they could be live or have generators back-feeding into them. There could be lines tangled in trees that come down.
BE SAFE!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Preparing for Possible Storm
Please take a moment to read through the following press release from Vermont Emergency Management regarding the potential storm next week which includes a few basic tips on how you can prepare. Please don't forget checking in with your neighbors, especially the elderly who may need some assistance.
If you're a facebook user - a few pages of note that will be updating with information regarding this and other potential storms include the Vermont Emergency Management, the US National Weather Service Burlington VT, and WCAX-TV.
Date:
|
10.25.12
|
Contact:
|
Mark Bosma, Public Information Officer
| |
Time:
|
Vermonters Encouraged to Prepare for Possible Storm
Track of Hurricane Sandy
The National Weather Service reports that where the storm will make landfall, and what exact effects may be felt in Vermont Vermont
“We won’t know until this weekend exactly what we can expect from this storm, so we are preparing for anything,” Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn said. “My staff will continue to follow the storm throughout the weekend and we are preparing our possible response as if the worst-case scenario will occur.”
Vermont Emergency Management has been working with the National Weather Service this week to track the possible scenarios for the storm. VEM has also reached out to other state agencies, local Emergency Management Directors, and other emergency response partners to keep them abreast of the possibility of an emergency response early next week.
Individuals are encouraged to stay tuned to local media to track the progress of the storm.
“Vermonters should always be prepared for anything,” Vermont Emergency Management Director Joe Flynn said. “With this storm we are fortunate that we have time to get ourselves ready. This weekend would be an ideal time to do things like clear leaves from storm drains and remove anything from lawns that could blow around and do some damage. Those simple steps alone could prevent significant damage if the storm is severe.”
Other suggested preparedness actions:
- Make sure your family emergency supply kit is stocked with fresh water, batteries, flashlights, and other basic necessities. Every home should have such a kit whether or not a storm is approaching.
- Review you family’s emergency plan.
- Know a safe route out in case you need to evacuate to higher ground
- Establish an out of state contact in case your family is separated
- If you lose power and run a generator, make sure it is always run outside and that exhaust is NOT entering the home. Every home should have a carbon monoxide detector.
###
The "More Tips" link at the bottom of the press release bring you to a "Disaster Preparedness" page which includes emergency preparedness workbooks and more.
Simple Preparation Tips brings you to "Preparing for Hazards"
- Prepare your home and yourself "All Hazards Preparedness"
- Evacuation
- Floods
- Power Outages
- Driving in Difficult Conditions
- Fires
Saturday, October 20, 2012
BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW OCTOBER 14, 2012
10/19 note: The way to receive "News to Know" on the day it is sent out is to be on the email list. Posts to this blog will no longer be made on the same day.
Sent by Corinne Stridsberg and also posted at http://socialenergy.blogspot.
If you're not already receiving this news by email, send an email to request this to corinnestridsberg@gmail.com
Check out the Berlin, Vermont Community News page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/
Sign up for Berlin's Front Porch Form to connect and interact with your neighbors http://FrontPorchForum.com
NOTES:
The Candy Cane Making Demonstration mentioned below is something our family has attended and participated in - fun, awesome smells and tasty too!
Did any of you watch Felix Baumgartner in his attempt to set world records today? Incredible and insane. He was 24 miles up. I watched it live - search for it on line.
Hats off to Nick Garbacik and the team he assembled who made the Capital Fire Mutual Aid Emergency Responder training possible last weekend along with the folks who participated one or both days. Story below under "Tough Training"
***
Included below please find:
BERLIN NEIGHBORS FIGHT PLAN TO HOUSE FORMER INMATES
BERLIN SELECT BOARD MEETINGS
VOTES TO SUPPORT THE BERLIN BOBCAT TRAIL
TOWN OF BERLIN VOTING INFORMATION AND DEADLINE
DEBATE LINKS
BERLIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING - BERLIN POND
SALLY’S SECOND ACT THRIFT SHOP
ANNUAL SKI AND SKATE SALE IN MONTPELIER OCT 20
8TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH
CANDY CANE MAKING DEMONSTRATION
FRONT PORCH FORUM
TOUGH TRAINING
NEIGHBORS OPPOSE HOUSING PLAN FOR EX-INMATES
***
BERLIN NEIGHBORS FIGHT PLAN TO HOUSE FORMER INMATES
http://www.wcax.com/story/
***
BERLIN SELECT BOARD MEETINGS
Select Board meetings continue to be the first and third Monday of each month. The next meeting is on Monday, October 15th at 6:30pm. Agendas and Minutes are posted on the town website. You can also ask to be on the email list to have agendas emailed to you. As we draw closer to the end of the calendar year the select board typically has additional meetings to work on the budget.
Videos of meetings can also be found at: http://www.orcamedia.net/node/
***
VOTES TO SUPPORT THE BERLIN BOBCAT TRAIL
Have you started casting your votes yet for Cindy Gauthier as the MVP Ultimate Game Changer? People can vote once per entry per day October 7–October 22, 2012 by visiting this link: http://www.mvpgamechanger.com/
Please spread the word to as many people as you can and vote often!!!!!!
***
TOWN OF BERLIN VOTING INFORMATION AND DEADLINE
Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerks office for the November 6 General Election. Call the Town Clerks Office to request one. 229-9298
Voter Registration is until 5PM on Wednesday October 31. If someone, not already a registered voter in Berlin, wants to be able to vote on November 6 , they MUST register by this date and time..
On the ballot along with the Federal and State Offices is the Berlin Pond question.
It reads: Article 1. Shall the Town of Berlin allow public access to the Town owned land along Berlin Pond for recreational uses?
Voting is at the Municipal Offices on Tuesday November 6, 2012 from 8AM to 7PM.
Need more information regarding voting in Vermont? Check out: - http://vermont-elections.org/
***
DEBATE LINKS
In case you've been too busy to watch them live... here are the links for the recent debates:
Vermont Gubernatorial election Peter Shumlin vs. Randy Brock - WCAX had this live on October 13th http://www.wcax.com/story/
Vice Presidential debate Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan October 11th http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Presidential debate Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama October 3rd http://www.youtube.com/watch?
***
BERLIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING - BERLIN POND
The October 17th meeting of the Berlin Historical Society will be held at 7pm at the Berlin Town Office. Our program this month will be “Berlin Pond” presented by Richard Turner and touch on the mills, camps and farms that used to be on or next to the pond, the history of Montpelier’s using the pond as a water source as well as fishing, swimming, ice cutting and tragedies that were associated with the pond. Lots of great information can be found on the Berlin Historical Society page of the town website: http://www.berlinvt.org/
***
SALLY’S SECOND ACT THRIFT SHOP
Have you stopped by Sally’s Second Act located across from the Camp Meade Complex on Rt 2 in Middlesex? You never know what you’ll find! Two sisters, Fran Duckworth and Monica Martinet own the store which offers clothing, furniture, art, jewelry, household items, music, books and more.
***
ANNUAL SKI AND SKATE SALE IN MONTPELIER OCT 20
If you are looking to buy or sell equipment, consider this sale on October 20, 2012 from
9am - 2pm at the Montpelier High School Gym. Bring items to sell on Thursday, October 18, and Friday, October 19, before the sale. On Thursday items can be dropped off fro 4–7pm and Friday from 9am – 7pm. The Montpelier Recreation Department reserves the right to refuse any equipment. Pick – up for any items not sold will be from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. after the sale. Volunteers will be needed for this event. If interested, please call the Montpelier Recreation Department at 225- 8699. Volunteers may shop Friday Evening from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
***
8TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH http://www.wheelsforwarmth.com
Last weekend of October. This year will be the 8th Annual Wheels for Warmth aid program for Central Vermont residents on fixed incomes and with limited resources for home heating fuel. This program, created by Lt. Governor Phil Scott, has generated nearly $100,000 in six years, and continues to grow. All proceeds from this unique program go to the fuel assistance program. With heating costs on the rise many of our neighbors, including young families and seniors, face real health, safety, and financial survival concerns this winter. They truly need our help.
Here's how it works: Folks who wish to help out can donate tires they no longer need after meeting state inspection standards. These tires are sold based on the size of the tire. 13 inch tires are free, 14 inch tires are $10 per tire, 15 inch tires are $15 per tire, 16 inch tires are $20 per tire and 17 inch and up are going to be $25 per tire. It's a life saver for many families needing tires that can't put together the money for new tires. All sale proceeds support the Central Vermont Community Action Council's emergency and supplemental fuel assistance program.
Tires that don't meet state inspection standards come off our highways and for $4.00 each go in the Casella Waste Management tire collection units on sight. Casella will turn over 100% of this money to the home heating program.
More details on their website. Now at three locations including DuBois Construction on Three Mile Bridge Road in Montpelier.
***
CANDY CANE MAKING DEMONSTRATION
During the holiday season at Laughing Moon Chocolates at 78 South Main Street in Stowe http://www.
Candy Cane Making Demonstrations begin promptly at 11am each Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between November 21st and December 23rd. Plus, Laughing Moon has added a 2pm demonstration on Saturdays.
Here is how it works: Space at Laughing Moon is limited so if you want to attend a demonstration and make your own candy cane it is best to call ahead and make reservations. They will reserve space for about 15 people at each demonstration. Admission is free to watch and $6.00 per person to make your own Candy Cane. You can register for a demonstration by calling (802)253-9591. The folks at Laughing Moon do their best to accommodate everyone but be prepared, it does get crowded. Laughing Moon Chocolates is open daily from 9-6 on South Main Street in Stowe Village, next to Mac's Supermarket. For more information contact Leigh Williams at (802)253-9591 or visit the website: http://www.
***
FRONT PORCH FORUM CONTINUES TO GROW
Be sure to take a moment to check out Front Porch Forum http://FrontPorchForum.com and consider becoming a member. Already there are 93 members. A couple of notes: There is not an option to only see posts on the FPF site, the only option is to have posts come as an email. You certainly have the option of canceling your account if you're not happy with how it works. Also, you're not able to edit or delete posts but of course can add another post. It's great to have a variety of options for keeping folks connected here in Berlin.
***
TOUGH TRAINING
by Stefan Hard, Times Argus, pub. 10/8/12
It's not every day you see firefighters jump into a swimming pool in full gear, including air tank and breathing mask.
But, that's what they were doing Sunday at First in Fitness in Berlin, and it wasn't fun and games.
The exercise was part of a series of eight workshops held over the weekend in Berlin nad East Montpelier, designed to give firefighters hands-on experience they might not get at their usual department trainings.
Volunteer firefighters from about 30 departments around central Vermont that are members of the Capital Fire Mutual Aid System brushed up on their sills over the weekend in a series of workshops hosted by the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department.
Mutual aid systems are set up to facilitate departments, usually within a geographical area, to help each other out when an incident overtaxes the resources of one department.
It was a chance for volunteer firefighters to meet others like themselves in a setting other than an actual fire or rescue scene, and learn from each other.
The pool exercise at First in Fitness was intended to help firefighters help others in trouble in the water, and help themselves if they got into trouble in water.
Berlin Capt. Nick Garbacik, who wears the hat of training officer for both the Berlin department and the Capital Fire district, said the workshops haven't been staged since 1995, when they were held in Hardwick.
"It's quite a task to get these organized," Garbacik said Sunday.
He was watching about three dozen firefighters practice their skills at using rural water supplies by drawing water into portable tanks and tanker trucks from a stream next to the state highway garage in Berlin.
U-32 High School in East Montpelier and LaGue Quarry in Berlin were also used as training sites.
Earlier, Garbacik was up the hill at First in Fitness watching the water-rescue training. Volunteers pretended to be potential drowning victims as other firefighters learned how to keep them afloat and bring them to safety, even when panicked victims might be aggressive and unpredictable.
You don't usually connect firefighters with water rescue, but it happens, and as many Vermonters came to realize with Irene, sometimes it happens in a big way.
Garbacik said fire departments have been driving home the message that firefighters should shed their heavy gear - sometimes weighing as much as 70 pounds - before they enter the water to attempt a rescue. Wet gear gets even heavier.
Sometimes, it's firefighters that find themselves suddenly underwater, say, in a home with a flooding basement. Father-and-son team Devin and Dick St. George of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department demonstrated techniques Sunday to stay afloat in tricky situations, including using a firefighter helmet or boots to trap air as makeshift flotation devices.
"This kind of training is really valuable, and we'd like to do it every year," said Garbacik. "We were asked to put on 14 workshops, but we were able to do eight by combining some, but more would be better."
One workshop held at the Berlin fire station concentrated on firefighter rehab, a term that refers to the need for firefighters to keep tabs on their fellow firefighters' health conditions on the scene. Fatigue, heat and exhaustion, muscle strain, dehydration and smoke inhalation are among many health issues that can degrade performance and put firefighters at risk.
Departments were also taught about setting up evaluation areas, stocking adequate supplies of food and liquids, and spotting the warning signs of firefighters in trouble.
Over the weekend, there were also workshops held for rookie firefighters, methamphetamine-lab awareness, flashover fires, and backwoods search and rescue.
(photos that Stefan Hard took can be found under Daily Staff photos http://timesargus.mycapture.
***
NEIGHBORS OPPOSE HOUSING PLAN FOR EX-INMATES
by David Delcore, Times Argust posted on 10/14/12
BERLIN — Posters are up, petitions are circulating and residents of a rural road in Riverton are “up in arms” over a plan to move at least two sex offenders out of jail and into their neighborhood.
Though most folks who live on and around Chandler Road are still operating on second-, third-, and, in some cases, fourth-hand information, they say that's not their fault and it only adds insult to injury.
“We should have been notified,” complained Linda Fordham, who lives on nearby Lovers Lane, about quarter-mile from the four-bedroom house that the Community Justice Centers of Washington County — those located in Montpelier and Barre — have agreed to lease from Berlin's former police chief, Bill Jennings.
The plan, which has been widely panned by Fordham and others, involves moving four men — two of them convicted of child sex offenses — out of jail and into a house that has been for sale for some time and remains on the market.
“We're up in arms about it,” said Fordham. “We just don't need this going on in the neighborhood. It's not what we want around here.”
It would be difficult to find anyone in a neighborhood, which is a mix of farms and mobile homes and single-family residences, to disagree with Fordham, and not just because most of them are related in some way.
Delbert Haskins said he considers Jennings “a good man” and “a close friend,” but calls it “a very bad idea” for the Community Justice Centers' plans to create transitional housing for criminals across the road from the house that his father built back in 1956.
“We don't like it,” Haskins said Saturday morning before heading out to collect signatures on a petition that he and others plan to dump in the Select Board's lap on Monday night.
“We've had a nice community, not that we don't have our problems, but we don't need other people's problems,” he added.
Haskins was one of a handful of residents — his sister, Margaret Williams, was another — who found notices taped to their doors last week inviting them to swing by Jennings' house the following evening to learn about plans “… to establish a residence for some people participating in one of our programs.”
Haskins said he wasn't particularly alarmed by the vague language or the information he gleaned by Googling the Justice Center, and didn't bother to go over.
Brian and Becky Divelbliss did.
The young couple who live right next door to Jennings' now-vacant house may have been the first to learn the details of the “program” mentioned in the notice that was authored by Yvonne Byrd, executive director of the Montpelier Community Justice Center.
According to Brian Divelbliss, he and his wife, who have an 11-year-old daughter, didn't like what they heard.
“It didn't sit well with us,” Brian Divelbliss said Saturday.
Like many of his neighbors, Divelbliss said he was troubled by a plan to create an unsupervised residence for four people who are just getting out of jail — including two who were convicted of molesting children, one a boy and the other a girl.
“I'd have a concern even if I didn't have a child,” he said.
According to Divelbliss, assurances that all four of the program's participants will be required to wear GPS ankle bracelets that will trigger text messages to their parole officers if they unexpectedly stray from the property was cold comfort, given projections that it might take up to 20 minutes for corrections personnel to respond.
“You can get a lot of things done in 15 to 20 minutes,” said Divelbliss, who will be joined by Ron Tucker to represent a group of concerned residents who plan to crash Monday night's Select Board meeting.
They won't come empty-handed.
Ellen Matheson, who lives on nearby West Hill Road, said the neighbors will come armed with a petition outlining their concerns and expressing their belief that the unusual landlord-tenant relationship should require review and approval under the town's zoning regulations.
“Having these individuals in our neighborhood would alter the manner in which our families are allowed to enjoy the use of our homes, as well as the sense of safety for our families,” the petition states.
According to Matheson, the road is heavily used by young children on bikes, teenagers jogging and walking their dogs. She said there is a day care facility “three doors down” from Jennings' property and more than 20 children living in reasonably close proximity.
Although Matheson's land abuts Jennings' property, she said she received no notice of a meeting she eventually heard about from Haskins, her uncle.
“It just makes it a little harder to swallow,” she said, noting the group has asked Town Administrator Jeff Schulz to determine whether the proposal requires a zoning permit.
Schulz, who doubles as the town's zoning officer, was exploring that question Friday and had not come up with a definitive answer. He said the matter might turn on whether he concludes that a home leased by the Justice Centers for use by four people on probation should be considered a “state facility.”
Byrd said the Justice Center staff had reviewed the town's regulations and were confident the planned housing arrangement would not require any local permits or review. She said the Justice Centers were signing the lease at Jennings' request, but that the four tenants would be required to come up with their share of the monthly rent.
“I don't believe there is a zoning argument,” she said.
According to Byrd, the Justice Centers have leased a house before and said the shared arrangement was an economical response to a tightening housing market in the wake of last year's flooding.
“We're not really in the housing business; we're in the restorative-justice business,” she said, noting the restorative reentry program is specifically designed to assist offenders with the often tricky transition from jail to the community.
“Our program makes re-entry more successful and safer for everyone,” she said.
Byrd said only the four nearest neighbors received notices, as a courtesy. She said there was no requirement to reach out to the neighbors at all.
According to Byrd, the lease hasn't yet been signed and the four individuals who will live in the house haven't yet been identified, though two who have agreed to participate in the voluntary program were convicted of sex offenses involving children with whom they were familiar. Byrd said both men had successfully competed treatment while incarcerated and were deemed ready to transition back into the community.
“These guys don't pose risk to their next-door neighbors, or (are) not a known risk,” she said.
Becky Divelbliss said that caveat concerns her.
“As a parent I'm not willing to take that chance with my daughter,” she said.
Byrd said she understood safety-related concerns, and stressed the Justice Centers and the state Department of Corrections shared them.
“It would be unacceptable to any of us for anyone in the neighborhood to be hurt.”
However, Haskins, worried there aren't any do-overs if something unexpected happens.
“How do you back up once something has already happened?” he asked.
Byrd deferred questions about the program's rigid rules and restrictions to the state Department of Corrections. Attempts to reach department personnel were unsuccessful Friday.
Byrd said she had received a number of calls — some of them almost threatening — from angry residents and was troubled that her cellphone number was posted on telephone polls in the neighborhood.
“I'm concerned about my own safety,” she said, suggesting she had no plans to attend Monday night's Select Board meeting.
According to Byrd, the lease will be signed this week and program participants will move in by the end of the month.
“That is our plan,” she said.
david.delcore@timesargus.com
10/19 note: The way to receive "News to Know" on the day it is sent out is to be on the email list. Posts to this blog will no longer be made on the same day.
Sent by Corinne Stridsberg and also posted at http://socialenergy.blogspot.
If you're not already receiving this news by email, send an email to request this to corinnestridsberg@gmail.com
Check out the Berlin, Vermont Community News page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/
Sign up for Berlin's Front Porch Form to connect and interact with your neighbors http://FrontPorchForum.com
NOTES:
The Candy Cane Making Demonstration mentioned below is something our family has attended and participated in - fun, awesome smells and tasty too!
Did any of you watch Felix Baumgartner in his attempt to set world records today? Incredible and insane. He was 24 miles up. I watched it live - search for it on line.
Hats off to Nick Garbacik and the team he assembled who made the Capital Fire Mutual Aid Emergency Responder training possible last weekend along with the folks who participated one or both days. Story below under "Tough Training"
***
Included below please find:
BERLIN NEIGHBORS FIGHT PLAN TO HOUSE FORMER INMATES
BERLIN SELECT BOARD MEETINGS
VOTES TO SUPPORT THE BERLIN BOBCAT TRAIL
TOWN OF BERLIN VOTING INFORMATION AND DEADLINE
DEBATE LINKS
BERLIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING - BERLIN POND
SALLY’S SECOND ACT THRIFT SHOP
ANNUAL SKI AND SKATE SALE IN MONTPELIER OCT 20
8TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH
CANDY CANE MAKING DEMONSTRATION
FRONT PORCH FORUM
TOUGH TRAINING
NEIGHBORS OPPOSE HOUSING PLAN FOR EX-INMATES
***
BERLIN NEIGHBORS FIGHT PLAN TO HOUSE FORMER INMATES
http://www.wcax.com/story/
***
BERLIN SELECT BOARD MEETINGS
Select Board meetings continue to be the first and third Monday of each month. The next meeting is on Monday, October 15th at 6:30pm. Agendas and Minutes are posted on the town website. You can also ask to be on the email list to have agendas emailed to you. As we draw closer to the end of the calendar year the select board typically has additional meetings to work on the budget.
Videos of meetings can also be found at: http://www.orcamedia.net/node/
***
VOTES TO SUPPORT THE BERLIN BOBCAT TRAIL
Have you started casting your votes yet for Cindy Gauthier as the MVP Ultimate Game Changer? People can vote once per entry per day October 7–October 22, 2012 by visiting this link: http://www.mvpgamechanger.com/
Please spread the word to as many people as you can and vote often!!!!!!
***
TOWN OF BERLIN VOTING INFORMATION AND DEADLINE
Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerks office for the November 6 General Election. Call the Town Clerks Office to request one. 229-9298
Voter Registration is until 5PM on Wednesday October 31. If someone, not already a registered voter in Berlin, wants to be able to vote on November 6 , they MUST register by this date and time..
On the ballot along with the Federal and State Offices is the Berlin Pond question.
It reads: Article 1. Shall the Town of Berlin allow public access to the Town owned land along Berlin Pond for recreational uses?
Voting is at the Municipal Offices on Tuesday November 6, 2012 from 8AM to 7PM.
Need more information regarding voting in Vermont? Check out: - http://vermont-elections.org/
***
DEBATE LINKS
In case you've been too busy to watch them live... here are the links for the recent debates:
Vermont Gubernatorial election Peter Shumlin vs. Randy Brock - WCAX had this live on October 13th http://www.wcax.com/story/
Vice Presidential debate Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan October 11th http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Presidential debate Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama October 3rd http://www.youtube.com/watch?
***
BERLIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING - BERLIN POND
The October 17th meeting of the Berlin Historical Society will be held at 7pm at the Berlin Town Office. Our program this month will be “Berlin Pond” presented by Richard Turner and touch on the mills, camps and farms that used to be on or next to the pond, the history of Montpelier’s using the pond as a water source as well as fishing, swimming, ice cutting and tragedies that were associated with the pond. Lots of great information can be found on the Berlin Historical Society page of the town website: http://www.berlinvt.org/
***
SALLY’S SECOND ACT THRIFT SHOP
Have you stopped by Sally’s Second Act located across from the Camp Meade Complex on Rt 2 in Middlesex? You never know what you’ll find! Two sisters, Fran Duckworth and Monica Martinet own the store which offers clothing, furniture, art, jewelry, household items, music, books and more.
***
ANNUAL SKI AND SKATE SALE IN MONTPELIER OCT 20
If you are looking to buy or sell equipment, consider this sale on October 20, 2012 from
9am - 2pm at the Montpelier High School Gym. Bring items to sell on Thursday, October 18, and Friday, October 19, before the sale. On Thursday items can be dropped off fro 4–7pm and Friday from 9am – 7pm. The Montpelier Recreation Department reserves the right to refuse any equipment. Pick – up for any items not sold will be from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. after the sale. Volunteers will be needed for this event. If interested, please call the Montpelier Recreation Department at 225- 8699. Volunteers may shop Friday Evening from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
***
8TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH http://www.wheelsforwarmth.com
Last weekend of October. This year will be the 8th Annual Wheels for Warmth aid program for Central Vermont residents on fixed incomes and with limited resources for home heating fuel. This program, created by Lt. Governor Phil Scott, has generated nearly $100,000 in six years, and continues to grow. All proceeds from this unique program go to the fuel assistance program. With heating costs on the rise many of our neighbors, including young families and seniors, face real health, safety, and financial survival concerns this winter. They truly need our help.
Here's how it works: Folks who wish to help out can donate tires they no longer need after meeting state inspection standards. These tires are sold based on the size of the tire. 13 inch tires are free, 14 inch tires are $10 per tire, 15 inch tires are $15 per tire, 16 inch tires are $20 per tire and 17 inch and up are going to be $25 per tire. It's a life saver for many families needing tires that can't put together the money for new tires. All sale proceeds support the Central Vermont Community Action Council's emergency and supplemental fuel assistance program.
Tires that don't meet state inspection standards come off our highways and for $4.00 each go in the Casella Waste Management tire collection units on sight. Casella will turn over 100% of this money to the home heating program.
More details on their website. Now at three locations including DuBois Construction on Three Mile Bridge Road in Montpelier.
***
CANDY CANE MAKING DEMONSTRATION
During the holiday season at Laughing Moon Chocolates at 78 South Main Street in Stowe http://www.
Candy Cane Making Demonstrations begin promptly at 11am each Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between November 21st and December 23rd. Plus, Laughing Moon has added a 2pm demonstration on Saturdays.
Here is how it works: Space at Laughing Moon is limited so if you want to attend a demonstration and make your own candy cane it is best to call ahead and make reservations. They will reserve space for about 15 people at each demonstration. Admission is free to watch and $6.00 per person to make your own Candy Cane. You can register for a demonstration by calling (802)253-9591. The folks at Laughing Moon do their best to accommodate everyone but be prepared, it does get crowded. Laughing Moon Chocolates is open daily from 9-6 on South Main Street in Stowe Village, next to Mac's Supermarket. For more information contact Leigh Williams at (802)253-9591 or visit the website: http://www.
***
FRONT PORCH FORUM CONTINUES TO GROW
Be sure to take a moment to check out Front Porch Forum http://FrontPorchForum.com and consider becoming a member. Already there are 93 members. A couple of notes: There is not an option to only see posts on the FPF site, the only option is to have posts come as an email. You certainly have the option of canceling your account if you're not happy with how it works. Also, you're not able to edit or delete posts but of course can add another post. It's great to have a variety of options for keeping folks connected here in Berlin.
***
TOUGH TRAINING
by Stefan Hard, Times Argus, pub. 10/8/12
It's not every day you see firefighters jump into a swimming pool in full gear, including air tank and breathing mask.
But, that's what they were doing Sunday at First in Fitness in Berlin, and it wasn't fun and games.
The exercise was part of a series of eight workshops held over the weekend in Berlin nad East Montpelier, designed to give firefighters hands-on experience they might not get at their usual department trainings.
Volunteer firefighters from about 30 departments around central Vermont that are members of the Capital Fire Mutual Aid System brushed up on their sills over the weekend in a series of workshops hosted by the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department.
Mutual aid systems are set up to facilitate departments, usually within a geographical area, to help each other out when an incident overtaxes the resources of one department.
It was a chance for volunteer firefighters to meet others like themselves in a setting other than an actual fire or rescue scene, and learn from each other.
The pool exercise at First in Fitness was intended to help firefighters help others in trouble in the water, and help themselves if they got into trouble in water.
Berlin Capt. Nick Garbacik, who wears the hat of training officer for both the Berlin department and the Capital Fire district, said the workshops haven't been staged since 1995, when they were held in Hardwick.
"It's quite a task to get these organized," Garbacik said Sunday.
He was watching about three dozen firefighters practice their skills at using rural water supplies by drawing water into portable tanks and tanker trucks from a stream next to the state highway garage in Berlin.
U-32 High School in East Montpelier and LaGue Quarry in Berlin were also used as training sites.
Earlier, Garbacik was up the hill at First in Fitness watching the water-rescue training. Volunteers pretended to be potential drowning victims as other firefighters learned how to keep them afloat and bring them to safety, even when panicked victims might be aggressive and unpredictable.
You don't usually connect firefighters with water rescue, but it happens, and as many Vermonters came to realize with Irene, sometimes it happens in a big way.
Garbacik said fire departments have been driving home the message that firefighters should shed their heavy gear - sometimes weighing as much as 70 pounds - before they enter the water to attempt a rescue. Wet gear gets even heavier.
Sometimes, it's firefighters that find themselves suddenly underwater, say, in a home with a flooding basement. Father-and-son team Devin and Dick St. George of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department demonstrated techniques Sunday to stay afloat in tricky situations, including using a firefighter helmet or boots to trap air as makeshift flotation devices.
"This kind of training is really valuable, and we'd like to do it every year," said Garbacik. "We were asked to put on 14 workshops, but we were able to do eight by combining some, but more would be better."
One workshop held at the Berlin fire station concentrated on firefighter rehab, a term that refers to the need for firefighters to keep tabs on their fellow firefighters' health conditions on the scene. Fatigue, heat and exhaustion, muscle strain, dehydration and smoke inhalation are among many health issues that can degrade performance and put firefighters at risk.
Departments were also taught about setting up evaluation areas, stocking adequate supplies of food and liquids, and spotting the warning signs of firefighters in trouble.
Over the weekend, there were also workshops held for rookie firefighters, methamphetamine-lab awareness, flashover fires, and backwoods search and rescue.
(photos that Stefan Hard took can be found under Daily Staff photos http://timesargus.mycapture.
***
NEIGHBORS OPPOSE HOUSING PLAN FOR EX-INMATES
by David Delcore, Times Argust posted on 10/14/12
BERLIN — Posters are up, petitions are circulating and residents of a rural road in Riverton are “up in arms” over a plan to move at least two sex offenders out of jail and into their neighborhood.
Though most folks who live on and around Chandler Road are still operating on second-, third-, and, in some cases, fourth-hand information, they say that's not their fault and it only adds insult to injury.
“We should have been notified,” complained Linda Fordham, who lives on nearby Lovers Lane, about quarter-mile from the four-bedroom house that the Community Justice Centers of Washington County — those located in Montpelier and Barre — have agreed to lease from Berlin's former police chief, Bill Jennings.
The plan, which has been widely panned by Fordham and others, involves moving four men — two of them convicted of child sex offenses — out of jail and into a house that has been for sale for some time and remains on the market.
“We're up in arms about it,” said Fordham. “We just don't need this going on in the neighborhood. It's not what we want around here.”
It would be difficult to find anyone in a neighborhood, which is a mix of farms and mobile homes and single-family residences, to disagree with Fordham, and not just because most of them are related in some way.
Delbert Haskins said he considers Jennings “a good man” and “a close friend,” but calls it “a very bad idea” for the Community Justice Centers' plans to create transitional housing for criminals across the road from the house that his father built back in 1956.
“We don't like it,” Haskins said Saturday morning before heading out to collect signatures on a petition that he and others plan to dump in the Select Board's lap on Monday night.
“We've had a nice community, not that we don't have our problems, but we don't need other people's problems,” he added.
Haskins was one of a handful of residents — his sister, Margaret Williams, was another — who found notices taped to their doors last week inviting them to swing by Jennings' house the following evening to learn about plans “… to establish a residence for some people participating in one of our programs.”
Haskins said he wasn't particularly alarmed by the vague language or the information he gleaned by Googling the Justice Center, and didn't bother to go over.
Brian and Becky Divelbliss did.
The young couple who live right next door to Jennings' now-vacant house may have been the first to learn the details of the “program” mentioned in the notice that was authored by Yvonne Byrd, executive director of the Montpelier Community Justice Center.
According to Brian Divelbliss, he and his wife, who have an 11-year-old daughter, didn't like what they heard.
“It didn't sit well with us,” Brian Divelbliss said Saturday.
Like many of his neighbors, Divelbliss said he was troubled by a plan to create an unsupervised residence for four people who are just getting out of jail — including two who were convicted of molesting children, one a boy and the other a girl.
“I'd have a concern even if I didn't have a child,” he said.
According to Divelbliss, assurances that all four of the program's participants will be required to wear GPS ankle bracelets that will trigger text messages to their parole officers if they unexpectedly stray from the property was cold comfort, given projections that it might take up to 20 minutes for corrections personnel to respond.
“You can get a lot of things done in 15 to 20 minutes,” said Divelbliss, who will be joined by Ron Tucker to represent a group of concerned residents who plan to crash Monday night's Select Board meeting.
They won't come empty-handed.
Ellen Matheson, who lives on nearby West Hill Road, said the neighbors will come armed with a petition outlining their concerns and expressing their belief that the unusual landlord-tenant relationship should require review and approval under the town's zoning regulations.
“Having these individuals in our neighborhood would alter the manner in which our families are allowed to enjoy the use of our homes, as well as the sense of safety for our families,” the petition states.
According to Matheson, the road is heavily used by young children on bikes, teenagers jogging and walking their dogs. She said there is a day care facility “three doors down” from Jennings' property and more than 20 children living in reasonably close proximity.
Although Matheson's land abuts Jennings' property, she said she received no notice of a meeting she eventually heard about from Haskins, her uncle.
“It just makes it a little harder to swallow,” she said, noting the group has asked Town Administrator Jeff Schulz to determine whether the proposal requires a zoning permit.
Schulz, who doubles as the town's zoning officer, was exploring that question Friday and had not come up with a definitive answer. He said the matter might turn on whether he concludes that a home leased by the Justice Centers for use by four people on probation should be considered a “state facility.”
Byrd said the Justice Center staff had reviewed the town's regulations and were confident the planned housing arrangement would not require any local permits or review. She said the Justice Centers were signing the lease at Jennings' request, but that the four tenants would be required to come up with their share of the monthly rent.
“I don't believe there is a zoning argument,” she said.
According to Byrd, the Justice Centers have leased a house before and said the shared arrangement was an economical response to a tightening housing market in the wake of last year's flooding.
“We're not really in the housing business; we're in the restorative-justice business,” she said, noting the restorative reentry program is specifically designed to assist offenders with the often tricky transition from jail to the community.
“Our program makes re-entry more successful and safer for everyone,” she said.
Byrd said only the four nearest neighbors received notices, as a courtesy. She said there was no requirement to reach out to the neighbors at all.
According to Byrd, the lease hasn't yet been signed and the four individuals who will live in the house haven't yet been identified, though two who have agreed to participate in the voluntary program were convicted of sex offenses involving children with whom they were familiar. Byrd said both men had successfully competed treatment while incarcerated and were deemed ready to transition back into the community.
“These guys don't pose risk to their next-door neighbors, or (are) not a known risk,” she said.
Becky Divelbliss said that caveat concerns her.
“As a parent I'm not willing to take that chance with my daughter,” she said.
Byrd said she understood safety-related concerns, and stressed the Justice Centers and the state Department of Corrections shared them.
“It would be unacceptable to any of us for anyone in the neighborhood to be hurt.”
However, Haskins, worried there aren't any do-overs if something unexpected happens.
“How do you back up once something has already happened?” he asked.
Byrd deferred questions about the program's rigid rules and restrictions to the state Department of Corrections. Attempts to reach department personnel were unsuccessful Friday.
Byrd said she had received a number of calls — some of them almost threatening — from angry residents and was troubled that her cellphone number was posted on telephone polls in the neighborhood.
“I'm concerned about my own safety,” she said, suggesting she had no plans to attend Monday night's Select Board meeting.
According to Byrd, the lease will be signed this week and program participants will move in by the end of the month.
“That is our plan,” she said.
david.delcore@timesargus.com
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Berlin News to Know Oct 3, 2012
Check
out the Berlin , Vermont
Sign
up for Berlin
***
Be
sure to take a moment yet to check out FRONT PORCH FORUM http://FrontPorchForum.com . Already there are 59 members including
several who don't (yet) subscribe to "News to Know". I've posts
several events on there just to help it gain some momentum but my focus will
still be on this "News to Know".
Included
below please find:
EXTEND
THE GROWING SEASON IN YOUR HOME GARDEN
BAKED BEADS 20TH
FASHION ACCESSORY CLEARANCE – THIS WEEKEND! STORYWALK FESTIVAL OCTOBER 6TH AT
KHL RENAISSANCE FAIRE OCTOBER 6TH
HERRING FAMILY
VOTING FOR POTENTIAL FUNDS FOR THE
PRESCHOOL MUSIC PLAYGROUP TUESDAYS AT
TUESDAY EVENING AT
MIDDLESEX HISTORY BUS RETURNS OCT. 13TH !
U-32 PARENT GROUP MEETING OCT 18TH
BOBCAT TRAIL NEWS UPDATE
U-32 FALL CONCERTS
U-32 BOOSTER CLUB IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS
MALLOWEEN
USE RESTRICTIONS LIKELY LIMITED AT
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - ANGLERS
MIDDLESEX EYED
***
EXTEND
THE GROWING SEASON IN YOUR Charlie Nardozzi, horticulturist, garden consultant, and author Will speak on "Extend the Growing Season in Your Home Garden!"
***
BAKED BEADS 20TH
FASHION ACCESSORY CLEARANCE – THIS WEEKEND!
October 5th
– 7th (Friday – Sunday) 10am – 5pm cash / checks / MC / Visa Under
the tent on Route 100 at 46 Carroll Road, Waitsfield (Next to the Big Picture
Theater & Café)
Jewelry $1 - $5,
Scarves 3/$20, Jelly Watches, Sunglasses, Pashminas, Key Chains, Reading
Glasses, Pouches, Hair Accessories, Beads & More. Send your receipt into Berlin Elementary School
***
STORYWALK
FESTIVAL OCTOBER 6 AT Don't miss the StoryWalk Festival at
***
KHL
RENAISSANCE FAIRE OCTOBER 6 The Children's Renaissance Faire is sponsored by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library children's department. This new event will be on Saturday, October 6th from
http://strathorn.wix.com/khlrenaissancefaire#!about/cjg9
***
HERRING
FAMILY The Herring family farm on Route 12 south of
***
VOTING
FOR POTENTIAL FUNDS FOR THE Hello
MVP healthcare has initiated a contest called the Ultimate Game Changer Contest. This is a GREAT
I have nominated Cindy Gauthier as
How you can help:
Rally support among your family and friends to rack up as many votes as possible.
People can vote once per entry per day October 7–
http://www.mvpgamechanger.com/detail.cfm?id=157
Please spread the word to as many people as you can and vote often!!!!!!
Thank you for supporting
- Hilary Paquet, 3/4 Classroom Teacher,
The next work
day on the Bobcat Trail is Oct 20th and your help would be appreciated.
Donations are also welcome.
***
PRESCHOOL
MUSIC PLAYGROUP TUESDAYS AT Marcia Clark is once again offering a Music Playgroup at
***
The next monthly meeting of the Berlin Emergency Management Team is Thursday, October 11th at
***
TUESDAY
EVENING AT BEAR POND WITH ARCHER MAYOR OCT 9TH
Bear
Pond Books "Even in beautiful
Find
out more about what's happening at Bear Pond Books but visiting their store or
go to their website and consider signing up for their email news http://www.bearpondbooks.com
***
MIDDLESEX HISTORY BUS
RETURNS OCT. 13! Come join David Newhall and the Middlesex Historical Society on our historical bus tour of the
For those of you who
took the tour back in April, it is essentially the same tour, although we will
make an additional stop at the pull-out by the old train depot to talk about
that area of the Village.
Saturday, October 13,
two tours at 1:00
p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Meet no later than 12:45 p.m. and
2:45 p.m. at Middlesex town hall, corner of U.S. Route 2 and Church Street
Reservations required.
Suggested donation: $5.00. We are using a school bus, which is
wheelchair-accessible. There are no seat belts on the bus. Rest room available
at town hall.
There will be photos
and map displays to look at before or after your tour. In addition, we will be
selling copies of our town history, "Middlesex in the Making: History and
Memories of a Small Vermont Town
***
Work is in progress indexing each of the
cemeteries in Berlin Berlin
There are also still copies of "A
Place Berlin ,
Vermont
A new book is available "The Story of a Small
Airport Berlin ,
Vermont
***
U-32
PARENT GROUP MEETING OCT 18
The
next Parent Group meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 18 at
***
BOBCAT
TRAIL NEWS UPDATE AND WORK DAY SCHEDULED OCT 20TH
Did
you know that
During
the past few months several community and staff members have been volunteering
their time to rejuvenate our Berlin Nature Trail, also known as the Bobcat
Trail. The trail runs from the south end
of the parking lot to the east side of the side of the soccer field. This summer we cleared and marked the trail,
removed rotten wood from the board walk that goes through the wettest section
of the path and removed unsafe obstacles.
The principal, Mr. Dodge, was able to procure a grant to purchase
materials so that we can now begin the process of rebuilding the boardwalks,
making one bridge safer and building a second bridge. This is where we really need more help. Beginning at 9am on Saturday, October 20th we will have a
work day. Please come prepared to work
with your hammers, cordless drills, gloves, shovels, etc. and strong backs to help us get this job
done. With your help the students,
families and teachers of our school can once again take advantage of all that
can be learned by taking a walk through the wetlands and woods of Berlin
***
U-32
FALL CONCERTS
Middle
School concert is Wednesday, October 24th at High School concert is Thursday, October 25th at
Both are free and open to the public.
***
U-32
BOOSTER CLUB IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS
The U‐32 Boosters is
a volunteer organization dedicated to the purpose of raising funds through
various activities for the overall enrichment of U‐32. You can
find our fall concession schedule on the Booster page at http://www.u32.org under "Athletics". Please
consider contacting a Booster Club representative to volunteer to help out at a
game or two! Your help at the concession stand this fall would be greatly
appreciated! Contact Sheila James, at 279‐8882 or sportzjames@msn.com.
***
MALLOWEEN
Berlin
Mall will hold its annual MALLOWEEN event on Sunday, Oct. 28th 2-4 PM. FREE trick-or-treating at all the stores in
the mall, as well as fun Halloween activities - costume contests and a costume
parade, the bouncy house and much, much more! Come join all the fun and it's FREE !
The
Berlin Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) will once again hold their annual
coin-drop at this event and would greatly appreciate your donations. BVFD will
also be selling paracord bracelets.
***
The 10th Annual Berlin Fall Scholastic Open Chess Tournament will be held at
***
USE RESTRICTIONS LIKELY LIMITED AT
By David Delcore Times Argus pub 9/19/12
BERLIN — The commissioner of the state
Department of Fish and Wildlife believes that people fishing for reasons to
restrict recreational use of Berlin Pond are going to come up empty.
“You’re talking about dispersed, low-impact, non-motorized recreational use,” Commissioner Patrick Berry told members of the Berlin Select Board this week. “Frankly, if folks are looking for a problem with those potential uses, or a reason to keep people off the pond, from a biological and ecological and water quality perspective, they just don’t exist.”
Berry
“This has been a fairly frustrating thing for me to follow because there’s been a heck of a lot of assumptions and ... misconceptions about what the impacts (on the pond) would be,” he said.
In Berry’s view, duck crap literally poses more of a threat to the pond that serves as Montpelier’s drinking water supply than the low-impact uses that are specifically allowed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Biological waste from waterfowl on the pond is something that would be a bigger concern than someone floating around in a plastic kayak, and certainly... (Montpelier
Berry acknowledged the controversy that the Supreme Court’s ruling has generated — one that recently resulted in the formation of the grassroots group “Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond” and prompted Clint Gray, president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, to attend Monday’s meeting.
“This is a special place to a lot of people,”Berry
However, Berry stressed his department is more than capable of managing the pond, as it does thousands of miles of rivers and streams and nearly 300 other lakes and ponds around the state.
Berry spent a fair amount of his time preaching tolerance and stressing there is no reason Berlin Pond can’t be safely shared by everyone from hikers, bikers and birdwatchers to canoeists, kayakers, and anglers.
“It’s certainly worth a shot to allow people to share that resource,” he said.
AlthoughBerry
“People generally find a way to open their hearts to other users and get along and appreciate the fact that these are your neighbors and friends,” he said.
Berry, who was accompanied by the state’s chief game warden, Col. David Lecours, said he appreciated the board asking what he characterized as “perfectly legitimate... perfectly fair” questions involving duck hunting and ice fishing.
Town Administrator Jeff Schulz said some residents who live around the pond, including at least one who attended Monday’s session, had expressed concerns about duck hunting given the proximity of some homes to the pond. Schulz said the board was also interested in determining whether ice fishing could be regulated.
According toBerry
“Because hunting, fishing and trapping are in the (state) Constitution as a right of all Vermonters, the municipalities are necessarily prohibited from regulating those activities on their own,” he said, notingVermont
Berry
“Frankly, with Berlin Pond those issues just don’t exist right now,” he said, admitting safety-related concerns could pose something of a jurisdictional challenge for the board, given constitutional guarantees and the department’s vast experience with similar bodies of water.
According to Berry, waterfowl hunting occurs without incident on lakes and ponds around Vermont — including those that have significantly more camps and homes even closer to the water than is the case on Berlin Pond.
“We don’t have safety problems generally speaking,”Berry
Resident Robert Green, who said his home is located about 300 feet from the pond, behind a small stand of trees, said that didn’t make him feel any safer, and a woman who said she regularly walks around the pond claimed she too was worried.
“How are you going to prevent people from being hurt if you’ve got guns firing in every direction?” she asked.
Berry
“We just haven’t seen those kinds of problems with waterfowl hunting even with houses that are closer than that,” he said.
Berry
“There’s a social carrying capacity to places where people hunt... which limit the number of folks you generally find hunting at a given place at a given time,” he said.
When it comes to ice fishing,Berry
“That would probably be something that would be open to regulation,” he said, noting the auger issue might require a rule change from Environmental Conservation Commissioner David Mears.
Current regulations prohibit boats with gas-powered motors from using the pond, but the regulations are silent on snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and gas-powered augers.
Berry
“I would recommend giving it a chance,” he said. “It’s smart to get out ahead of problems you know are coming, but in our experience you may be looking for solutions in search of problems.”
Berry
“If there are issues after the fact we can always address them,” he said.
Berry Berlin
david.delcore@ timesargus.com
“You’re talking about dispersed, low-impact, non-motorized recreational use,” Commissioner Patrick Berry told members of the Berlin Select Board this week. “Frankly, if folks are looking for a problem with those potential uses, or a reason to keep people off the pond, from a biological and ecological and water quality perspective, they just don’t exist.”
“This has been a fairly frustrating thing for me to follow because there’s been a heck of a lot of assumptions and ... misconceptions about what the impacts (on the pond) would be,” he said.
In Berry’s view, duck crap literally poses more of a threat to the pond that serves as Montpelier’s drinking water supply than the low-impact uses that are specifically allowed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Biological waste from waterfowl on the pond is something that would be a bigger concern than someone floating around in a plastic kayak, and certainly... (
Berry acknowledged the controversy that the Supreme Court’s ruling has generated — one that recently resulted in the formation of the grassroots group “Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond” and prompted Clint Gray, president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, to attend Monday’s meeting.
“This is a special place to a lot of people,”
However, Berry stressed his department is more than capable of managing the pond, as it does thousands of miles of rivers and streams and nearly 300 other lakes and ponds around the state.
Berry spent a fair amount of his time preaching tolerance and stressing there is no reason Berlin Pond can’t be safely shared by everyone from hikers, bikers and birdwatchers to canoeists, kayakers, and anglers.
“It’s certainly worth a shot to allow people to share that resource,” he said.
Although
“People generally find a way to open their hearts to other users and get along and appreciate the fact that these are your neighbors and friends,” he said.
Berry, who was accompanied by the state’s chief game warden, Col. David Lecours, said he appreciated the board asking what he characterized as “perfectly legitimate... perfectly fair” questions involving duck hunting and ice fishing.
Town Administrator Jeff Schulz said some residents who live around the pond, including at least one who attended Monday’s session, had expressed concerns about duck hunting given the proximity of some homes to the pond. Schulz said the board was also interested in determining whether ice fishing could be regulated.
According to
“Because hunting, fishing and trapping are in the (state) Constitution as a right of all Vermonters, the municipalities are necessarily prohibited from regulating those activities on their own,” he said, noting
“Frankly, with Berlin Pond those issues just don’t exist right now,” he said, admitting safety-related concerns could pose something of a jurisdictional challenge for the board, given constitutional guarantees and the department’s vast experience with similar bodies of water.
According to Berry, waterfowl hunting occurs without incident on lakes and ponds around Vermont — including those that have significantly more camps and homes even closer to the water than is the case on Berlin Pond.
“We don’t have safety problems generally speaking,”
Resident Robert Green, who said his home is located about 300 feet from the pond, behind a small stand of trees, said that didn’t make him feel any safer, and a woman who said she regularly walks around the pond claimed she too was worried.
“How are you going to prevent people from being hurt if you’ve got guns firing in every direction?” she asked.
“We just haven’t seen those kinds of problems with waterfowl hunting even with houses that are closer than that,” he said.
“There’s a social carrying capacity to places where people hunt... which limit the number of folks you generally find hunting at a given place at a given time,” he said.
When it comes to ice fishing,
“That would probably be something that would be open to regulation,” he said, noting the auger issue might require a rule change from Environmental Conservation Commissioner David Mears.
Current regulations prohibit boats with gas-powered motors from using the pond, but the regulations are silent on snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and gas-powered augers.
“I would recommend giving it a chance,” he said. “It’s smart to get out ahead of problems you know are coming, but in our experience you may be looking for solutions in search of problems.”
“If there are issues after the fact we can always address them,” he said.
david.delcore@ timesargus.com
***
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ANGLERS CARE
FOR BERLIN
Over the last few months I have seen a lot of
people write in against the opening of Berlin Pond for recreational use. I’ve
been to the pond and haven’t seen any increase in trash or decrease in wildlife
in the area. I have seen letters from the Department of Environmental
Conservation and the Department of Fish and Wildlife that say that light
recreational use of the pond will not cause any damage to When I go fishing I almost always go with my 8-year-old son. I teach him to respect nature and what we have so when he grows up he will do the same for his children. Seeing the smile on his face when he gets a big fish on his line and reels it in is something I can’t really describe.
The times I have been fishing at Berlin Pond I saw maybe three or four other people there out on the water enjoying the scenery and peace of being out on the pond. There was nobody making noise other than maybe the splash of a lure or paddles pushing the small canoes or kayaks through the water. There were never more than two other vehicles parked anywhere near where boats are allowed to launch. Some anglers are
- Marc Covey, Williamstown
***
MIDDLESEX EYED FOR
TEMPORARY PSYCH HOSPITAL
Times Argus published State officials had been looking for locations for such a facility in central
Now the plan — if the state can get local zoning approval — is to build a secure modular structure on what is now a softball field on state property next to the state police station and general services buildings in Middlesex, Obuchowski said.
“This location is ideal from several perspectives,” said a statement issued by Obuchowski’s office. They include “immediate proximity and access to I-89 ... existing state-owned property, easily developed site with existing access to U.S. Route 2, zoned for industrial development with few residences in proximity to the site, and little impact to the community.”
The seven beds would be one piece of a puzzle the state has been working to piece together since
The statement from Obuchowski’s office said the Middlesex site also would be less disruptive for former
Obuchowski said he could not provide a precise cost estimate but that getting the facility up and running likely would cost “around $1 million.”
Obuchowski said the state would like to use as the contractor on the Middlesex project the St. Johnsbury-based firm Mobile Medical International Corp., which specializes in rapid construction of medical facilities with military deployments and at disaster sites. But he said the state would have to put the work out to bid to be eligible for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Groundbreaking on the
