Monday, October 28, 2013
News to Know October 11th
This communication is put together and distributed on a volunteer basis by resident Corinne Stridsberg simply in an effort to share information and build community, it is not from the town of
Please share this with you Berlin
*Check out the
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Included below please find:
ELLIE'S FARM MARKET - NO PUMPKIN SHOW
PHIL SCOTT'S 9TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH TIRE KELLY SERVICES
FROM
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ELLIE'S FARM
MARKET - NO PUMPKIN SHOW
From Ellie's Farm Market:
A decision has been reached...
We will not be doing the "Great Green Mountain Pumpkin Show"
We hope you will re-post to your friends so the word will get out faster.
Thank YOU for all the memories!
We will not be doing the "Great Green Mountain Pumpkin Show"
We hope you will re-post to your friends so the word will get out faster.
Thank YOU for all the memories!
***
Ellie's Farm Market & Gift Shop & Cider Mill
continues to be a great place to stop to get vegetables, pumpkins, a variety of
apples, plants, flowers, cider, seeds, gifts, etc. If you're on facebook be sure to
"like" them https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellies-Farm-Market-Gift-Shop-Cider-Mill/134592046591819
***
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PHIL
SCOTT'S 9TH ANNUAL WHEELS FOR WARMTH TIRE SALE
Help your neighbors - you tires are needed! Snow tires from a previous vehicle or old
tires taking up space in your garage.
Tire drop off and inspection at DuBois Construction, 46
Three Mile Bridge Road , Montpelier 7am - 1pm at DuBois Construction only. Car/truck tires (only) will be accepted at no
charge for resale, if they meet inspection criteria (see website) All tires are accepted for recycling at a
charge of $4/tire.
TIRE SALE 7am - 1pm at
DuBois Construction on Three Mile Bridge Road Montpelier
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Pub. 10/9/13 Times Argus by David
Delcore
BERLIN — Owners of the Berlin Mall will receive a significant property
tax break associated with the planned expansion of the mall to accommodate a
bigger Wal-Mart.
This week the Select Board approved a five-year tax stabilization agreement with the limited liability corporation that acquired the mall in 2010 and has been pursuing expansion of its largest anchor store for nearly two years.
According to Town Administrator Jeff Schulz, Berlin Mall LLC had hoped to start work on the yearlong project late last month but held off in hopes of gaining the tax break. The town’s stabilization policy, which voters approved in 2011, forbids awarding agreements after construction is underway.
Representatives of the mall formally applied for a five-year stabilization agreement Sept. 24. Even though some of the required material — most notably a written estimate of construction costs — hasn’t been submitted, the board approved the request Monday night.
Board member Roberta Haskin, who was sitting in for absent Chairman Brad Towne, had to cast the decisive vote when the dissent of Jeremy Hansen left the board one vote shy of the three required to pass a measure. The final tally was 3-1.
Hansen questioned the wisdom of asking taxpayers to subsidize private development in cases where it appears clear the development would occur anyway.
“Incentivizing something that’s already in the pipeline seems a bit odd,” Hansen said.
Hansen expressed concerns about a plan to add the value of the improvements to the mall’s $13.7 million assessment in annual 20 percent increments over the life of the five-year agreement.
“The rest of the taxpayers of the town are picking up the tab for this graduated introduction of this value to the grand list,” he said.
Yes, and no, according to Schulz, who said that while taxpayers wouldn’t reap the full benefit of an anticipated increase in the mall’s taxable value immediately, the proposed agreement wouldn’t “cost” them any more.
The mall’s lawyer, Charles Storrow, said the two men were essentially saying the same thing in different ways.
“With the tax stabilization agreement the other taxpayers in the town won’t benefit as much as they otherwise would, but they’re not going to pay more taxes as a result,” Storrow said.
For Hansen the issue was less about the value of tax stabilization as an economic development tool and more about using it in circumstances where luring a project to town did not depend on it.
According to Schulz, that issue was debated at the 2011 town meeting during which voters agreed to let the Select Board grant private developers tax breaks in hopes of encouraging investment and luring jobs to town.
“The idea was there may be situations where tax stabilization may be enough of an incentive … to get someone to do a project where they might not have,” Schulz said.
Hansen didn’t dispute the point but said: “I’m skeptical that this is one of those situations.”
Given the heavy investment in permits and design, Schulz said Hansen was probably right.
“I think these folks clearly would have done this project if the (stabilization) program did not exist,” he said.
Selectman Ture Nelson said he didn’t believe what the mall’s owners would or wouldn’t do without stabilization should be a consideration.
“That does not negate the fact that this (stabilization) program does exist and they meet all the requirements,” he said.
Resident Bob Wernecke, who serves as chairman of the town’s Development Review Board, said the Select Board’s decision could influence other potential investors.
“Once you pass a law and you start basically denying everybody, it’s a nonexistent law,” he said, noting voters did approve of tax stabilization when asked.
Hansen countered: “Voters voted to have the mechanism in place, not to say: ‘Approve everything that comes across your desk.” He emphasized that he did not dispute the value of tax stabilization but said he believed it should be used strategically.
So far it has been used sparingly, and the committee that suggested it and is supposed to have a role in reviewing applications is now defunct, according to Schulz. The town has received only one application that was in hand before the policy was adopted. That application by Vermont Mutual Insurance Co. was approved.
Several large projects, including Panera Bread and CVS Pharmacy, haven’t sought stabilization before starting construction, though both projects arguably would have met the criteria in the policy.
Storrow said he was confident a project that Wal-Mart officials have estimated will cost $8.8 million — excluding plans for repaving, refining and re-landscaping the parking lot — met the qualifications. Though Wal-Mart has indicated it expects the expanded store that will include a supermarket will create up to 80 jobs, Storrow told board members they could count on the conservative estimate of 50 new jobs that was used during the Act 250 land-use review process. Either way, he said,Berlin
“The project will be beneficial to the town and will create enhanced economic vitality,” he predicted.
Select Board member Pete Kelly said he was comfortable with incrementally increasing the mall’s assessment until it is finally taxed at full value after the improvements.
“Ten, 20, 40, 60 percent a year is better than nothing,” he said.
Though Hansen assumed an $8.8 million investment would translate into an $8.8 million increase in the grand list, Schulz said Wednesday that based on his conversations with the town’s assessor, the addition might reasonably add about $1.9 million to the mall’s assessed value.
Assuming that number is in the ballpark, the mall’s assessment under the stabilization agreement would increase by about $380,000 a year over five years.
The proposed 18,700-square-foot addition, coupled with plans to expand the Wal-Mart store into 7,500 square feet of existing retail space, would increase the size of the store from just over 67,000 square feet to more than 93,500 square feet.
Construction is expected to start almost immediately, and the added area should be open next fall.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
This week the Select Board approved a five-year tax stabilization agreement with the limited liability corporation that acquired the mall in 2010 and has been pursuing expansion of its largest anchor store for nearly two years.
According to Town Administrator Jeff Schulz, Berlin Mall LLC had hoped to start work on the yearlong project late last month but held off in hopes of gaining the tax break. The town’s stabilization policy, which voters approved in 2011, forbids awarding agreements after construction is underway.
Representatives of the mall formally applied for a five-year stabilization agreement Sept. 24. Even though some of the required material — most notably a written estimate of construction costs — hasn’t been submitted, the board approved the request Monday night.
Board member Roberta Haskin, who was sitting in for absent Chairman Brad Towne, had to cast the decisive vote when the dissent of Jeremy Hansen left the board one vote shy of the three required to pass a measure. The final tally was 3-1.
Hansen questioned the wisdom of asking taxpayers to subsidize private development in cases where it appears clear the development would occur anyway.
“Incentivizing something that’s already in the pipeline seems a bit odd,” Hansen said.
Hansen expressed concerns about a plan to add the value of the improvements to the mall’s $13.7 million assessment in annual 20 percent increments over the life of the five-year agreement.
“The rest of the taxpayers of the town are picking up the tab for this graduated introduction of this value to the grand list,” he said.
Yes, and no, according to Schulz, who said that while taxpayers wouldn’t reap the full benefit of an anticipated increase in the mall’s taxable value immediately, the proposed agreement wouldn’t “cost” them any more.
The mall’s lawyer, Charles Storrow, said the two men were essentially saying the same thing in different ways.
“With the tax stabilization agreement the other taxpayers in the town won’t benefit as much as they otherwise would, but they’re not going to pay more taxes as a result,” Storrow said.
For Hansen the issue was less about the value of tax stabilization as an economic development tool and more about using it in circumstances where luring a project to town did not depend on it.
According to Schulz, that issue was debated at the 2011 town meeting during which voters agreed to let the Select Board grant private developers tax breaks in hopes of encouraging investment and luring jobs to town.
“The idea was there may be situations where tax stabilization may be enough of an incentive … to get someone to do a project where they might not have,” Schulz said.
Hansen didn’t dispute the point but said: “I’m skeptical that this is one of those situations.”
Given the heavy investment in permits and design, Schulz said Hansen was probably right.
“I think these folks clearly would have done this project if the (stabilization) program did not exist,” he said.
Selectman Ture Nelson said he didn’t believe what the mall’s owners would or wouldn’t do without stabilization should be a consideration.
“That does not negate the fact that this (stabilization) program does exist and they meet all the requirements,” he said.
Resident Bob Wernecke, who serves as chairman of the town’s Development Review Board, said the Select Board’s decision could influence other potential investors.
“Once you pass a law and you start basically denying everybody, it’s a nonexistent law,” he said, noting voters did approve of tax stabilization when asked.
Hansen countered: “Voters voted to have the mechanism in place, not to say: ‘Approve everything that comes across your desk.” He emphasized that he did not dispute the value of tax stabilization but said he believed it should be used strategically.
So far it has been used sparingly, and the committee that suggested it and is supposed to have a role in reviewing applications is now defunct, according to Schulz. The town has received only one application that was in hand before the policy was adopted. That application by Vermont Mutual Insurance Co. was approved.
Several large projects, including Panera Bread and CVS Pharmacy, haven’t sought stabilization before starting construction, though both projects arguably would have met the criteria in the policy.
Storrow said he was confident a project that Wal-Mart officials have estimated will cost $8.8 million — excluding plans for repaving, refining and re-landscaping the parking lot — met the qualifications. Though Wal-Mart has indicated it expects the expanded store that will include a supermarket will create up to 80 jobs, Storrow told board members they could count on the conservative estimate of 50 new jobs that was used during the Act 250 land-use review process. Either way, he said,
“The project will be beneficial to the town and will create enhanced economic vitality,” he predicted.
Select Board member Pete Kelly said he was comfortable with incrementally increasing the mall’s assessment until it is finally taxed at full value after the improvements.
“Ten, 20, 40, 60 percent a year is better than nothing,” he said.
Though Hansen assumed an $8.8 million investment would translate into an $8.8 million increase in the grand list, Schulz said Wednesday that based on his conversations with the town’s assessor, the addition might reasonably add about $1.9 million to the mall’s assessed value.
Assuming that number is in the ballpark, the mall’s assessment under the stabilization agreement would increase by about $380,000 a year over five years.
The proposed 18,700-square-foot addition, coupled with plans to expand the Wal-Mart store into 7,500 square feet of existing retail space, would increase the size of the store from just over 67,000 square feet to more than 93,500 square feet.
Construction is expected to start almost immediately, and the added area should be open next fall.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
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***KELLY SERVICES HAS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Good Afternoon,
Your receiving this email because you have reached out to
Kelly Services in the past for employment opportunities. I
don’t know if you are available and are looking for work at this time or know
someone who is but we need your help to spread the word that we have many
open positions with our customers in Vermont
Perhaps one of the below listed opportunities
is just what you have been looking for or you know someone who needs
employment that should reach out to us, please feel free to pass along this
message.
Most of our positions that we have right now are full time
long term, some are temporary to hire opportunities and some are
part-time opportunities both long and short term.
The below open positions are located in the following
areas; Montpelier Rutland Burlington Waterbury
* Administrative Assistant positions; attention to
detail, experience in Microsoft Word and Excel
* Call Center/Customer service representatives; outbound and
or inbound* Payroll Clerks; Microsoft proficient and ADP experience would be helpful
* Human Resource Specialists; payroll and office management
* Assembly, production workers and machine operators
* Shipping and Receiving; fork lift experience a plus
* Electronic Assemblers
To learn more about these employment opportunities send me
an email of intent along with your resume to marie.young@kellyservices.com
and remember to pass along these opportunities to your family friends!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Be well,
Marie Young - Staffing Supervisor
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FROM BERLIN
Below are several recent postings... there have been many
more about a variety of topics, looking for services, garage sales, meeting
announcement, events, etc.
Membership is free - to join go to visit http://frontporchforum.com
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Chris Dodge –
Event starts October 14 at
With the upcoming end of the soccer season, Berlin
Elementary School Athletic Director Travis Paquet will step down from his
position. At their meeting on Monday, October 14th, beginning at 6:15 p.m. , in the school's library, the Berlin
School Board encourages public comment about the future structure of sports at
the school. Should the school continue with the current structure? Should more
community-based options be considered? The Board welcomes and encourages your
input at this meeting.
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Website: Energy Options Explained (FPF #215 10/8/13)Andrea Chandler • Crosstown Road
Posted to:
I want to pass along a website that I, as Berlin Vermont
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Vendor/Craft Fair Oct. 12 (FPF #214 10/6/13)Sherry Anthony • Us Rte 302
Posted to:
Categories: Events
Event:
Please join us on October 12th at the Berlin
Elementary School
Any questions please call 622-0328
# posted by Corinne's blog of Berlin and area happenings @ 9:27 PM 
