Friday, April 18, 2014
News to Know April 18, 2014
BERLIN April 18, 2014
*
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 Berlin
Please share
this with your Berlin
*
Check out
the Berlin , Vermont
***********************
Below you will find:
RIVERTON FIRE STATION
SELECTBOARD
MEETING APRIL 21ST
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AT THE CO-OP TUESDAY, APRIL 22ND
GARDEN SHED CONSTRUCTION WORK
DAY APRIL 23RD
2014-2015 SCHOOL CALENDAR
U-32 GREEN FESTIVAL THURSDAY, MAY 15TH
HOW THE LAW MADE VERMONT
NATIONAL POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY
- APRIL 24
DOG
RIVER FARM - MONTPELIER
BOOK SALE
GREEN UP DAY
VENTURE VERMONT HAS
BEGUN
3-SQUARE VT / COMMUNITY MEALS / FOOD
SHELVES
VT-ALERT - FREE
SIGN-UP FOR WARNINGS AND
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY AUTHORITY - READ THE CHARTER
Note: you can look at previous issues by visiting:
http://socialenergy.blogspot.com
***
***
RIVERTON FIRE
STATION
From the Berlin
***
***
SELECTBOARD MEETING APRIL 21ST
The Selectboard next meets on Monday, April 21st
at the town office at 7pm . The agenda can be found on the town website
or by following this link: http://berlinvt.org/Select%20Board%20Agenda%204-21-14-04182014160548.pdf
***
***
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AT
THE CO-OP TUESDAY, APRIL 22ND
Tuesday, April
22nd from 10am
- 5pm at the
Hunger Mountain Coop you're invited to join in the fun. Take home free samples and enter to win great
prizes; bring books for the 4th Annual Community Book Swap (bring books / take
books, no charge) under the tent; bring the kids for free face painting from
10am - 1pm, kids can plant their own seedlings or make an Earth Day Flag at the
kids table; learn how to reduce your environmental impact from local
organizations; recycle cell phones and rechargeable batteries at the recycling
station, use alternative transportation (bike, walk, carpool) to get to the
Coop on Earth Day and win a prize! Meet
vendors and sample their goods (VT Cheeseless 11-2pm ; Runa Tea 11-3pm ; Vermont Soap Co. 2-5pm ; Ariel's Infused Hone 3-6pm )
***
***
GARDEN SHED CONSTRUCTION
WORK DAY
Wednesday, April 23rd (during school
vacation) is a garden shed construction work day at Berlin
Elementary School
***
***
2014-2015 SCHOOL
CALENDAR
The school calendar has been finalized for our district
and can be found at:
***
***
U-32
GREEN FESTIVAL THURSDAY, MAY 15TH
The U-32 Green Team is seeking
businesses, organizations, and others with a stake in a greener world to have
informational tables at the U-32 Green Festival on May 15th from 9am – 3pm . The festival celebrates all that can be done to improve U-32
and the five towns in the supervisory union for the benefit of the environment. To be part of the festival or for more information Michael Horowitz at
mhorowitz@u32.org or call 498-8210.
***
***
News Release —
Rep. Tony Klein 802-793-6032 twk@tonyklein.com
EVENT DATE: April
23, 2014 TIME: 6-8pm
WHERE: Room 11, State House
Representatives
and Senators from the Montpelier
***
***
HOW THE LAW MADE VERMONT
***
***
***
NATIONAL POEM IN
YOUR POCKET DAY - APRIL 24
Thursday, April 24th is National Poem In Your Pocket Day
when everyone is encouraged to carry a favorite poem and share it with friends
and neighbors.
A personal favorite:
IT
COULDN'T BE DONE by Edgar Albert Guest (1881 - 1959)
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it
***
***
DOG RIVER FARM - MONTPELIER
May
1st is the deadline for receiving bonus bucks on the Dog River Farm cards...
it's a great deal and supports a local farm family... read more about it in the
Montpelier Bridge article http://www.montpelierbridge.com/2014/04/dog-river-farm-dollars-a-new-tech-twist-on-the-old-csa-concept-proves-a-win-win-for-both-farmer-and-consumer/ or check out their website. Looking forward to shopping at the new farm
stand.
***
***
***
BOOK SALE
Friends of the Aldrich Public Library Spring Book Sale 10am - 3pm . Plenty of gently used books and other items
for all ages at rock bottom prices.
Milne Community Room. 6
Washington Street
***
***
GREEN UP DAY
Plans are still being finalized for Green Up Day. Officially it's on Saturday, May 3rd. More information to come as to where you can
pick up Green Up Bags. The elementary school may do a school-wide Green-Up
effort on Friday, the 2nd. You can
contact the principal, Chris Dodge 223-2796 if you're interested in helping
out.
***
***
The annual FREE
Comic Book Day is always the first Saturday in May. You can get your FREE
COMIC at Wonder Cards & Comics on the Barre/Montpelier
Road 12-5pm .
A special food shelf drive incentive - bring in a vegetarian item, get 1
extra free comic. Also, consider helping
to clean up the banks of the Stevens Branch of the Winooski behind the store in
the morning on May 3rd. 476-4706.
***
***
The
Annual Bike Swap will take place Saturday, May 3rd from 9am until noon in the parking lot at Onion River
Sports. If you have a bike to sell, they'll be accepting equipment
Monday, April 28th - Friday, May 2nd. See www.onionriver.com for
details. Good used bikes at great prices will be available Saturday
morning, a line forms early to enter!
***
***
VENTURE VERMONT HAS BEGUN
The Vermont State Parks 2014 Venture Vermont Outdoor
Challenge has begun.
Do fun outdoor activities listed on the score sheet
between April 15 and October
15, 2014 (bonus activities posted to their facebook page) and be
sure to take photos of your activities.
When you reach 250 points you submit your score sheet and photos (score sheet needed for each
member of family but photos can be group ones) you'll receive a VIP
gold coin which is good for free state park entry for the rest of this year and
all of next! Download a scorecard and
start your adventure today: http://vtstateparks.com/htm/venturevt.htm
***
***
3-SQUARE VT / COMMUNITY
MEALS / FOOD
SHELVES
3-Square Vermont is there to help -
"Vermonters are a hardworking people, but the high costs of food, fuel and
other necessities make it tough to get by," said Jen Evans of the Central
Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC). CVCAC wants to remind Vermonters that
federally funded programs like 3-Square VT are there to help. According to
Evans, "A family of four earning up to $3,632 a month may be able to get
benefits." For more information and to find out if you qualify, please
contact 1-800-639-1053.
*
Community Meals in Montpelier FREE :
Monday, Unitarian
Church 130 Main Street
Tuesday, Bethany Church, 115
Main Street 11:30 - 1pm
Wednesday, Christ
Church 64 State Street 11am - 12:30pm
Thursday, Trinity
Church 137 Main Street 11:30 - 1pm
Friday, St. Augustine
Church 18 Barre Street 11am - 12:30pm
Sunday - Last Sunday only, Bethany Church, 115
Main Street 4:30-5:30pm .
Meal Site Brochure: http://www.gmunitedway.org/content/pdf/CommunityMealSiteBrochure.pdf
*
Washington County Guide to Food
Shelves includes a map
Updated:
*
Open Summer Food Sites for Children 18 and Under in Vermont
Interested in finding out about kids and food in Vermont FREE "
videos.
***
***
VT-ALERT - FREE SIGN-UP FOR WARNINGS AND EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Are you signed up for VT-Alert? By doing so you
can receive warnings and emergency information via the web, your cell phone,
email and other technologies. Signing up for VT Alert is free. Your
information is protected and never shared with any one else. You can
modify what type of information you receive or unsubscribe at any time.
It is a tool to provide you with critical information when you may need it
most. If you are not able to sign up on line at vtalert.gov, you can call the
Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security in Waterbury
***
***
REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY AUTHORITY
- READ THE CHARTER
In the coming weeks a petition
will likely be circulating requesting Berlin Berlin Berlin Berlin EMS Barre City Montpelier Berlin
Public safety expenditures in Berlin
Right now Berlin
Compared to Berlin Montpelier Berlin Montpelier
Barre and Montpelier Berlin Berlin
Basic business practices and common sense thinking
say, don’t sign anything you haven’t read and thoroughly understand. If
you have not read the charter, that proponents are so anxious to have us sign
first and understand later, do not sign a petition. I have read the charter
several times; it is complex, lengthy, and unfavorable to Berlin
If you don’t have time to read the charter, I am confident that every
select board member has Berlin Berlin
- Pete Kelley , Berlin
***
***
***
Pub. 4/13/14 Times
Argus by David Delcore
In a move it hopes will prompt property owners in the Berlin Four Corners area to commit now to connecting to the water system once it is constructed, the board has agreed to waive any future hookup fees for those who sign and return soon-to-be-mailed legal agreements in the next six weeks.
The board’s Memorial Day deadline is designed to create a sense of urgency among potential users of the water system by offering a window of opportunity for them to avoid having to pay for the privilege of hooking on to the system down the line.
It’s a carrot that could go a long way toward quickly converting what for many have been informal expressions of interest in the municipal water system into the sort of binding agreements that the board wants in-hand before soliciting bids and authorizing construction of the $5.5 million infrastructure project.
Though copies of the proposed agreements aren’t yet ready for public review, barring some unanticipated delay, they are expected to be mailed out this week. Board members agreed last week they should be time-sensitive, because their offer to waive a yet-to-be-set connection fee shouldn’t be open-ended.
Though the connection fee hasn’t been formally established the number suggested to the board for its consideration is $1,500 per “equivalent residential unit.”
That could add up for high-users like the Comfort Inn and the Berlin Mall, which use many times the amount of water consumed by a typical single family home.
After months of outreach aimed at coaxing property owners to verbally commit to the project, board members agreed six weeks should be more than enough time to review, sign and return legal agreements committing to buy water from the town once the proposed system is built.
The town started actively recruiting potential water customers last October and has made slow, but steady progress toward cobbling together the critical mass of users needed to guarantee the affordable rates that were floated in the run-up to a 14-month-old special election.
At that mid-February special election voters narrowly approved a bond issue for a project that will be financed with favorable federal funding that was subsequently obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program.
The financing package includes a $1.5 million grant with the balance of the project being financed through a $4 million low-interest loan that will be repaid by ratepayers over 40 years.
In order to keep rates affordable the board needs up-front commitments from enough users to comfortably proceed with construction.
The magic number, based on latest calculations, is said to be the equivalent of roughly 350 single-family homes. That number that finally appeared to be within reach a month ago in an area that includes a mix of commercial and residential users, as well as a good bit of undeveloped land just off Exit 7 of Interstate 89.
Town officials have been tight-lipped about who has expressed interest in the water system and who hasn’t, though as contracts are signed and returned in coming weeks that should become clear.
One of the challenges faced during the recruitment phase involved properties that have invested relatively recently in expensive upgrades to private water systems, another stumbling block involved high-volume users holding out for a more favorable rate.
The town has not proposed a two-tiered rate structure and done its best to persuade potential customers of the long-term advantages of hooking on to the municipal system.
That system contemplates the construction of a 400,000-gallon storage tank, a pumping station and, perhaps most importantly, five miles of distribution line for water from three wells town-owned wells that have already been drilled, tested and permitted on
Once constructed, the proposed water system would instantly cure a chronic problem with salt contamination experienced by several private water supplies — including the one that serves the town offices. Officials hope it also will serve as a catalyst for development in a strategically located section of town that is saddled with water quality issues.
Though the project is now running a couple of months behind schedule, officials haven’t publicly written off the potential for starting construction later this year. First they need agreements with customers and the proposed deadline should help determine in the next few weeks whether the pool of committed users is big enough to proceed.
Meanwhile, the board is facing a deadline of its own. The town’s option to acquire the privately owned Berlin Water Co. is scheduled to expire in June, and while an extension is a possibility, getting the deal done is a priority.
The private system, which serves a section of the
Town Administrator Jeff Schulz told board members last week that town representatives were actively working on the planned acquisition.
“They fully understand the need to make this happen,” he said.
With some important decisions looming for the board, Schulz said members likely will start seeing more of the town’s consultant, Mark Youngstrom of Otter Creek Engineering. Youngstrom is currently working on the final design of the proposed water system and will be asked to meet at least monthly with the board over the next few months.
Youngstrom has been working primarily with the town’s water supply committee, while meeting occasionally with the Select Board, during a process that started with a study back in 2007 and has progressed to the point where it will soon be time to decide whether to solicit bids. That decision will almost certainly be influenced by the response to the agreements that are scheduled to go out in the mail this week.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
Pub 4/12/14 Times
Argus by Amy Nixon
Petitions include the city’s effort to ban motorized watercraft and a request by Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond to ban all human activity at the pond, which is
The council agreed to have the city manager write a letter to the agency requesting a moratorium on the use of the pond until a decision is reached on the two petitions.
At the meeting, the citizens group handed out buttons featuring an image of water and wildlife. State Rep. Warren Kitzmiller told the council he has heard back from several ranking state officials since sending a letter last week to bring the issue to their attention and expressing his alarm that a boat ramp may be under consideration at the pond.
A challenge from residents to a century-old ban on recreational activity at the pond — which is also the water source for part of Berlin, including Central Vermont Medical Center — led to the state’s highest court determining that Montpelier does not wield that degree of power over the pond, and would need to seek such authority at the state level.
Kitzmiller said he has been assured “that they would not do anything until things got decided, and I understand that (ANR Secretary) Deb Markowitz has also responded. I think that we’re in pretty good shape on that.”
He said he had not heard from the governor. “I think it’s safe to assume that they very much understand it would be a travesty to do something like (a boat ramp) until a decision has been made (on the two petitions).”
Kitzmiller said of the petitions, “Those are going to be considered sooner than we could possibly consider legislation” to control activities on the pond.
Councilor Dona Bate first asked council members to seek a moratorium from the state until the petitions are heard.
To that, Kitzmiller said, “Even though I believe we’re safe, one more nail in the coffin never hurts.”
Mayor John Hollar said he had spoken to the president of the Senate, who is supportive of the issue.
Councilor Thierry Guerlain proposed constructing a covered bridge at a spot where a road crosses over a culvert from city-owned property to city-owned property, saying doing so would prohibit people from putting in kayaks at the culvert. It would be a “faux covered bridge,” he said, to prevent access to the water.
To that point, Maxine Leary, a resident handing out the “Protect Berlin Pond” buttons, said, “Only in
City Manager William Fraser noted there are actually two pieces of land that are not in
Fraser said, “The land issues are not 100 percent yet” and the city is working with its attorney on the issue.
Fraser said that while Kitzmiller has been assured the process for a possible boat ramp will not advance, he has been told that “they’re moving ahead fairly steadily,” looking at a ramp in “the area that is in question.”
The council will hear again from Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond at its meeting Wednesday. Several councilors gave their support.
“It’s so straightforward,” said Bate. “It’s about our drinking water, our tap water.”
Guerlain said there are so many ponds and lakes for recreational use in
According to Leslie Welts, staff attorney at the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Agency of Natural Resources will consider each Berlin Pond petition on its own merits under the
amy.nixon @timesargus.com
# posted by Corinne's blog of Berlin and area happenings @ 2:30 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
It amazes me how people like Rep. Kitzmiller find it their duty to comment on Berlin Pond, when they haven't taken the time to learn the facts. Kitzmiller obviously has not been paying attention to the issues. There has NEVER been any talk of a BOAT RAMP. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!! Berlin Pond is Class A waters. Gas powered boats are not allowed on Class A waters. The access will be carry on....meaning that it's for canoes and kayaks.....NOT MOTORBOATS. Check your facts Mr. Kitzmiller!!
Post a Comment
<< Home
