Tuesday, May 27, 2014

 

News to Know May 27, 2014

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW  May 27, 2014
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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 friends and neighbors.  If you're not already receiving this news directly by email, send an email to request this to corinnestridsberg@gmail.com.
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Check out the Berlin, Vermont Community News page on facebook to find bits of current news, some not included here:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Berlin-Vermont/205922199452224

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Below you will find:
BERLIN ELEMENTARY CONCERT MAY 29TH
THE HUNGRY HEART SHOWING JUNE 5TH
PTNA END OF YEAR PICNIC AT BERLIN ELEMENTARY
6TH GRADE GRADUATION
PWNIE EXPRESS
A NEW GLEANING INITIATIVE TO BRING MORE LOCAL PRODUCE TO THOSE IN NEED
COMMENTS FROM NEW SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR
SELLERS NEEDED FOR TAILGATE STYLE COMMUNITY YARDSALE
LAWMAKERS QUESTION NEW HOSPITAL'S COST
BERLIN POND - SEVERAL ITEMS INCLUDING HEARING TONIGHT
BERLIN TAX BILLING TIMELINE HITS SNAG
FREE PRET ADOPTIONS - TWO DAYS ONLY
FROM BERLIN FRONT PORCH FORUM
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BERLIN ELEMENTARY CONCERT MAY 29TH
Thursday, May 29th is the final Berlin Elementary School Concert of the year at 6:30pm.
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THE HUNGRY HEART SHOWING JUNE 5TH
Thursday, June 5th the film, The Hungry Heart will be at Berlin Elementary School beginning at 6:30pm.  This event is free and open to the public.  This film takes a look at the hidden world of prescription drug addiction in Vermont.
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PTNA END OF YEAR PICNIC AT BERLIN ELEMENTARY
Wednesday, June 11th is the PTNA End of Year Picnic
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6TH GRADE GRADUATION
Wednesday, June 18th 6th graders will graduate at 6pm at the Berlin Elementary School
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PWNIE EXPRESS
Check out the story on Pwnie Express, a Berlin company that started three years ago. They have a devise used to find security breaches for businesses.  They employ nine people, have 1,500 customers, and are projected to do $2 million in business this year. 
http://www.wcax.com/story/22109372/mivt-high-tech-startup-finds-home-in-central-vt
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A NEW GLEANING INITIATIVE TO BRING MORE LOCAL PRODUCE TO THOSE IN NEED
The Bridge 5/15/14  Berlin resident Allison Levin talks about gleaning.
http://www.montpelierbridge.com/2014/05/a-new-gleaning-initiative-to-bring-more-local-produce-to-those-in-need/
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COMMENTS FROM NEW SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR
   First of all, I want to say thank you to the Berlin voters who elected me to the school board. It is an honor to serve and I take this responsibility very seriously. It has been a steep learning curve and a very busy first few months on the board. We have hired a new principal, met with most of the BES staff, and attended to various personnel, facility, budget and policy issues for the school. With 4 out of 5 members being new to the board, we are still learning a lot about each other and the vision each of us has for the future of our school. We all definitely have one thing in common—to ensure that every Berlin child has access to a high quality education and is given a strong foundation upon which he or she can build a successful and fulfilled life.
   The Board is continuously discussing its core values and vision for the school. The board will be asking for your attendance at upcoming meetings seeking your input about the future of the school. We want to know what you believe is most important for our children to learn. Please consider attending one of our regularly scheduled meetings on the second Monday of each month at 6:15 at the school. You can also see what the board has been up to by viewing agendas and minutes on the school web page here under the “About” tab:  http://www.berlinschool.org/
   I will be posting more frequently to help keep our community more informed about our school. Please note that these views are my own and that I am not authorized to speak for the entire board.
   Berlin has a great school and many highly dedicated and talented educators doing wonderful things for our children every day. We want to build on those successes by encouraging more involvement in the school by our Berlin parents and neighbors, making BES an even more special place for our children to learn. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at a future meeting.
Chris Winters, Berlin School Board Member 
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SELLERS NEEDED FOR TAILGATE STYLE COMMUNITY YARDSALE
This will take place in the VSECU parking lot on Rt 302 in Berlin onSaturday, June 7th. It's $15 a car to reserve a two-spot space. Space is limited so please reserve early. There will also be a bake sale, ice cream and cotton candy for sale, and a gift basket raffle that day. To reserve a spot please call 552-0613 or email us at FriendsofVermontDogs@gmail.com. This is a fund raising event for an all-volunteer non-profit dedicated to providing fences and dog houses for dogs who are chained outside 24/7.

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LAWMAKERS QUESTION NEW HOSPITAL'S COST
Pub. 5/26/14 by Dave Gram  Associated Press
   BERLIN, Vt. — Some lawmakers have been questioning the costs of Vermont’s new state psychiatric hospital.
   The direct-care, staff-to-patient ratio at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital in Berlin will be nearly twice that of the now-closed Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury, said Representative Anne Donahue.
   The old hospital lost its federal certification and funding about eight years before flooding from Tropical Storm Irene forced it to close in 2011.
   The new facility’s first-year operating budget is about $19 million. That’s less than the $22 million spent at the Waterbury hospital the year before it closed, but that facility was more than double the size.
   Jeff Rothenberg, the hospital’s chief executive, said the staffing levels are needed to provide top-notch psychiatric care. It is set to open in July.
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BERLIN POND - SEVERAL ITEMS
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BERLIN POND PUBLIC HEARING
A public hearing on the petition to ban all recreation on Berlin Pond will be held May 27th at the Berlin Elementary school from 6-8pm
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EDITORIAL: Open Letter from Rep. Warren Kitzmiller to Friends and Constituents
http://www.montpelierbridge.com/2014/05/editorial-open-letter-from-rep-warren-kitzmiller-to-friends-and-constituents/
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Berlin Officials Oppose Banning Recreation from Berlin Pond; Seek to Reclaim Land Rights
http://www.montpelierbridge.com/2014/05/berlin-officials-oppose-banning-recreation-from-berlin-pond-seek-to-reclaim-land-rights/
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Letter to Editor 5/22/14

Risking Berlin Pond
   It’s appalling that in the 21st century we still have to struggle to protect our water quality, but that is happening right now, right here. Two years ago, a court case opened Berlin Pond,
Montpelier’s only water supply source, to human recreation, ending 100 years of protection. The governor and the secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources want to keep it open, bowing to the demands for access by boaters and fishermen.
   This raises huge questions: What research has ANR done to establish that human recreation will not impact the quality of
Montpelier’s drinking water? What resources will it provide for such research? What is its plan for follow-up monitoring of the water quality? Will ANR provide funding for the costly upgrades of our water treatment plant that will be required if our water supply is contaminated by petrochemicals, human pathogens or excessive turbidity? These questions must be answered, and research from other water districts that have prohibited all recreation on their water sources must be addressed, before human recreation on Berlin Pond can continue. That’s the only responsible path ANR can take.
   Clean water is the most critical requirement for life. Recreation is allowed on many other water bodies besides Berlin Pond. The human requirement for clean water trumps the right of people for recreation in that one specific place.
   The group Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond has petitioned ANR to prohibit human use on the pond again. ANR is holding a public hearing on this petition May 27 from
6 to 8 p.m. at Berlin Elementary School. Please attend the hearing and lend your voice to those who are advocating for keeping Montpelier’s water free from human pollution. Write/call ANR and insist that it keep Montpelier’s water source clean. Public comment will be accepted until June 3.
   Page Guertin,
Montpelier
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BERLIN TAX BILLING TIMELINE HITS SNAG
Pub. 5/23/14 Times Argus by David Delcore 
   BERLIN — The company hired in February to handle assessing duties for the town will miss a key deadline that could cause a domino effect with this year’s tax bills.
   Town Administrator Jeff Schulz told the Select Board this week that representatives of Vermont Appraisal Company have been working diligently, but won’t wrap up work on this year’s grand list by June 4 as required by state law.
   The company, Schulz said, is asking the town to request a 60-day extension from the state, while hoping the work will be completed in an extra 30 days.
   It better be.
   Acting on Schulz’s recommendation, the board agreed to ask for a 30-day extension instead.
   “Folks are going to have to step it up,” Schulz said, suggesting a 30-day delay, while inconvenient, was not unprecedented. Extending the deadline by 60 days could create cash-flow problems for the town, which can’t set the tax rate or print and mail bills until after the grand list is lodged.
   Typically, the board sets the tax rate in early July after the grand list is lodged in June and a 14-day grievance period is completed. The grand list is the assessed value of all taxable property in town.
   This year — as has occasionally happened in the past — the process will likely be delayed by up to 30 days.
   If all goes well, Schulz said, the grand list will be lodged in early July and, once grievances are heard the board, they could be in a position to set the tax rate in the third week of July. Bills would then be printed and mailed — forcing an adjustment to the first of four voter-approved tax installments.
   The first quarterly installment is due on Aug. 15, though property owners will have 30 days from the date the bills are mailed to make their first payment.
   Based on the time-frame currently being contemplated, Schulz said the first installment would likely be due some time near the end of August, if not in early September. The delay would have no effect on the three remaining tax due dates — Nov. 15 this year, and Feb. 15 and May 15 in 2015.
   In other business this week, the board opened, but did not act on, bids for a new dump truck, dump body and plow, and received a brief update on an ongoing attempt to recruit users for a municipal water system.
   The board went into executive session to discuss a number of zoning violations — most involving junk yards — where the town either has or will take legal action, according to Schulz. Also discussed during the closed door meeting was an easement for the sewer force main on Fisher Road that will serve the office building Northfield Savings Bank plans to build on nearby Paine Turnpike. Schulz said resolving an issue with the easement would likely require some negotiation.
david.delcore@timesargus.com
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 FREE PET ADOPTIONS - TWO DAYS ONLY
Free Pet Adoptions May 31 & June 1st at many locations in Vermont including the Central Vermont Humane Society from 10am - 5pm, check out the details here:http://cvhumane.com/news/maddies-fund-free-pet-adoption-days/
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FROM BERLIN FRONT PORCH FORUM
Below are some recent posts .... there have been many more about a variety of topics, looking for services, garage sales, meeting announcements, events, etc.  Membership is free - to join go to: http://frontporchforum.com
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CMVC Express Care is Now Open - FPF #353 5/22/14

Hionis Hanson, Central Vermont Medical Center Fisher Rd 
Posted to: Berlin, Middlesex
Here are some facts about CVMC's Express Care Clinic:
CVMC Express Care 
1311 Barre-Montpelier Road (next to Burger King) 
Berlin, VT 
802-371-4239 

Open every day and every night 365 days a year 
Hours are 12 noon to 8:00 p.m. 
No appointment is needed 
All insurances will be accepted all Vermonters will be welcome 
Lower cost than an ED visit 
On-site Lab and Xray available. 
For adults and children with minor illnesses or injuries 
Flu Fever NauseaSore Throats CoughsColds--- Infections Earaches Broken Bones Bites Cuts Burns Rashes Sprains Most Non Life-Threatening Conditions
CVMC will staff our clinic with many of the same providers our community currently knows and respects
The CVMC Emergency Department at the Hospital remains open 24/7 every day of the year and remains the place to go for life-threatening conditions
If you have a primary care provider and it's during their regular business hours, we would still ask that you contact them first before going to the Express Care Clinic. They may have an opening for you that same day.
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Seeking Teen for Lawn Mowing & Weedwhacking - FPF #352 5/21/14

Annika Green Rowell Hill Road 
Posted to: Berlin
Berlin Teens - Looking for Extra Money This Summer?... I would love to find a responsible young adult to mow my lawn once a week and do some weedwhacking this summer. If you are interested, please call 249-5606.
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Childcare Available - FPF #352 5/21/14

Kimberly BoydJones Brook Rd 
Posted to: Berlin
I have been providing childcare for young children for the past 16+ years and I am looking to provide care for a few school aged children this summer. I have a 12 year old daughter, 9 year old son and 7 year old son all of whom love to entertain younger children. I provide many fun and structured activities and even provide the occasional field trip from time to time. If you are looking for care for your school aged child (3+) this summer, please feel free to give me a call at 229-9517 or reply to this post.. I'd love to talk to you about the quality of care I can provide you and your child.
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Selecting & Planting a Tree w/ Dave Wilcox - FPF #351 5/20/14

Michelle Champoux • Crosstown Road 
Posted to: Berlin
Event: May 27, 2014, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Tuesday, May 27 6:00-7:30 pm 
Kellogg Hubbard Library,
135 Main Street, Montpelier 
Selecting & Planting a Tree w/ Dave Wilcox, State Lands Forester
A well-selected and well-planted tree is an investment that provides years of enjoyment. Whether you are seeking a tree for shade, privacy, beauty, or all of the above, Dave Wilcox will describe the method for selecting the right tree for the right place. He will then guide us through the steps for planting a tree to ensure a long, healthy life.
This program is sponsored by the Central Vermont Extension Master Gardeners, the Montpelier Tree Board and the Kellogg Hubbard Library. It is free and open to the public and eligible for EMG education hours.No registration required.
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Birdfest at North Branch Nature Center - Middlesex FPF 5/26/14

CHIP DARMSTADT MCCULLOUGH HILL RD
The fields and riverside of the North Branch Nature Center are alive with American Redstarts, Yellow Warblers and Indigo Buntings, all tuning up their singing voices to greet visitors for BirdFest this Saturday, May 31st!
BirdFest features a fun-filled line up of walks, talks, workshops, and activities for the whole family. The fun starts at 7am with an early morning bird walk and a bird banding demonstration at 8am. By 9am, the festivities will be fully underway with live hawks and owls, bird carving demos, and a talk by biologist John Buck on the recovery of Bald Eagles in Vermont. There’s plenty to do for the kids including games, arts & crafts, storytelling, and a giant bald eagle nest that they can help build.

BirdFest will run from 7am to 1:30pm and is free for children and $10 for adults. For more info contact the Nature Center at 229-6206 or visit www.NorthBranchNatureCenter.org/birdfest.html for a complete schedule. The North Branch Nature Center is located at 713 Elm Street (route 12) two miles north of downtown Montpelier.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

 

News to Know May 13, 2014

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW  May 13, 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 friends and neighbors.  If you're not already receiving this news directly by email, send an email to request this to corinnestridsberg@gmail.com.
*
Check out the Berlin, Vermont Community News page on facebook to find bits of current news, some not included here:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Berlin-Vermont/205922199452224

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2004 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON FOR SALE
PERENNIAL PLANT SALE - DONATIONS NEEDED!
CATE FARM IN EAST MONTPELIER
BERLIN POND PUBLIC HEARING
FREE PET ADOPTIONS - TWO DAYS ONLY
VENDORS & BAKERS NEEDED
COMPUTER & CELL PHONE USERS
STUDENT SUMMER MEMBERSHIPS AT FIRST IN FITNESS
VOLUNTEERS LOOK OUT FOR HEALTH OF RIVERS
BERLIN POND DEBATE CREATES NEW RIPPLES
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A friend of mine is helping her mom sell her car -
2004 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON FOR SALE
Dark blue, ten years old with only 32,000 miles, automatic, runs great, no known defects and some rust, with relatively new tires.  $4,500 .  Inspected - good through August.  Owned by senior citizen in Montpelier with all service done by Subaru dealer.     Call 719-534-3074   
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PERENNIAL PLANT SALE  - DONATIONS NEEDED!
Perennial Plant Sale at BES - Donations on May 16th / Sale on May 17th
The Berlin Elementary School PTNA is looking for donations of: perennials, shrubs, berry cane, and seedling donations for their 1st Annual Perennial Sale.  Please label all donations with plant name.   Don't have pots to use?  Use cans, milk/juice containers, quart yogurt/cottage cheese containers, etc.  Donations can be dropped off at the school 5pm - 6:30pm on Friday, May 16th.  If you have items to donate but need help digging them, contact Heather Collins at 802-371-7223 or hcmc@tds.net .  The sale will be on Saturday, May 17th 9am - 12 noon or until plants are gone at the Berlin Elementary School RAIN or SHINE!  Plants from local gardens at great prices!  Perennials, veggie starts, and more.
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CATE FARM IN EAST MONTPELIER
Don’t miss Cate Farm’s 2014 Seedling Sales, the two remaining are on May 18 and 25th 2014 from 9am until 2pm. They are open for retail at Cate Farm on the Seedling Sale days only, come rain, snow, frost or shine!!  Lots of annual and perennial flowers, vegetables galore, culinary and medicinal herbs, something for everyone!!
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BERLIN POND PUBLIC HEARING
A public hearing on the petition to ban all recreation on Berlin Pond will be held May 27th at the Berlin Elementary school from 6-8pm
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FREE PET ADOPTIONS - TWO DAYS ONLY
Free Pet Adoptions May 31 & June 1st at many locations in Vermont including the Central Vermont Humane Society from 10am - 5pm, check out the details here:http://cvhumane.com/news/maddies-fund-free-pet-adoption-days/
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VENDORS & BAKERS NEEDED
Vendors are needed for a tailgate style community yard sale on Saturday, June 7th in the VSECU parking lot on the
Barre-Montpelier Road in Berlin.   $15 a car for a two-spot space, space is limited so please reserve early.  To register please call 522-0613 or email us at FriendsofVermontDogs@gmail.com.  This is a fund-raising event for an all-volunteer non-profit that provides fencing for dogs that are chained outside 24/7.

Bakers also needed for a bake sale that is part of this fund-raiser.  Please call or write the number / email address above to sign up to bake.  Please help us raise funds for the purchase of fencing for these dogs.
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COMPUTER & CELL PHONE USERS
"LOOK UP"  - if you haven't watched this 5-minute video yet, it really is worth the time.
http://blog.petflow.com/a-video-everyone-needs-to-see/
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STUDENT SUMMER MEMBERSHIPS AT FIRST IN FITNESS
Student Summer Memberships at First in Fitness may be purchased from May 1 through August 31. Summer memberships may be purchased for a minimum of 3 months or as many as you wish with no enrollment fee at year round rates. Rates available for individuals, couples, families, students and seniors. Payment in full is required at time of enrollment. College Students pay High School Rate! - $49/month plus tax (if you are interested in swimming it's best to sign up at the Berlin club to have it be your "home" club and you can take classes at both clubs.) http://firstinfitness.com/summer-memberships Student Memberships are available for both High School and College students. Note: In addition to regular membership options College students may purchase a one-month membership during school breaks.
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VOLUNTEERS LOOK OUT FOR HEALTH OF RIVERS
Pub. 5/9/14 Times Argus by Amy Ash Nixon
   MARSHFIELD — Buckets filled with young trees were placed on both sides of the Martin Bridge on Thursday, where dozens of tiny red flags pushed into the ground told volunteers where the plantings should find their new homes in the ready spring earth.
   For the past week, volunteers organized through the Friends of the
Winooski River have been helping the group with work along the riverbanks, to improve everything from erosion control to shading the water, which helps oxygenate it for the health of the species that depend on it.
   Ann Smith, executive director of Friends of the Winooski River, was out along the riverbanks working alongside volunteers and taking breaks when new groups showed up to lend more hardworking hands.
   Students helping with the planting of dogwoods, willows and other trees along the river’s edge Thursday came from
Green Mountain Valley School, the Central Vermont High School Initiative, Websterville Baptist School and Twinfield, said Smith. Several environmental stewardship groups are partners in the effort as well.
   “This is old farmland,” Smith said of the town-owned conservation area, and the Marshfield Conservation Commission works with the volunteers to help maintain and improve the buffer area along the river.
   When Websterville science teacher Virginia Collins and four students arrived Thursday to volunteer, instead of explaining to the students the importance of riverbank riparian buffer restoration, Smith had the four teens explain it to her. 
   The students, Shannon Hannon, of North Randolph, Ashley Sanders, of Barre, Delainey Vorce, of Barre, and Jacob Bartlett, of Brookfield, all ticked off the reasons it is important to restore the buffer, which include filtering of stormwater runoff. Smith was impressed with their quick, accurate responses and talked about how improving the buffer through the addition of woody plants with strong root systems would also help with flood resiliency, slowing waters down and reducing flooding in the immediate area.
   Don Coffey, from the nonprofit Trout Unlimited group, was busy filling two buckets at a time with water from the river to nourish the newly planted trees. He said the organization works to help improve the health of rivers in the
Washington County area to help with spawning and the health of the fish. 
   He said Thursday’s turnout and enthusiasm were good to see. “For one thing, many hands make light work,” he said with a smile.
   Some of the students pitching in Thursday were from the EarthWalk program’s Teen Land Project and were there with their lead mentor, Erik Gillard.
   Clustered around a young maple being planted were three students from the Teen Land Project — Cricket Liebermann, of
East Montpelier, Brendon Lareau, of Barre, and Lucas Boyden, of Duxbury. They all helped hold the tree’s roots in place as earth was patted down around it to stabilize it. 
   “I’m having fun,” Lucas said when asked about the volunteer project.
   Thursday was the last of four days that volunteers have assisted with riverbank work this spring.
   Some 1,800 native trees have been planted along the banks of the Dog and Winooski rivers in
Berlin, Cabot and Marshfield, including alder and elderberry.
   “We really appreciate the help of our volunteers,” Smith said. “It’s a great way to get people outside, get their hands dirty, and learn about local ecology and stream protection.” 
   According to the group, many local riparian areas were damaged by the high waters of Tropical Storm Irene and by annual spring flooding, and all rivers protected in this effort run into
Lake Champlain, so efforts here help there as well.
   Over the past eight years the group has planted 14,000 trees and shrubs on 35 acres in the Winooski watershed, including at sites in Cabot, Marshfield and Plainfield, and on the Stevens Branch in Barre, the North Branch in Worcester, and the Dog River in Northfield and Berlin.
   To learn more about the efforts, visit 
www.winooskiriver.org.
   amy.nixon @timesargus.com
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BERLIN POND DEBATE CREATES NEW RIPPLES
Pub 5/7/14 Times Argus by David Delcore
   BERLIN — The Select Board will publicly oppose a grass-roots group’s effort to persuade the state to restore sweeping restrictions on the recreational use of Berlin Pond and has agreed to remove “No trespassing” signs that have barred access to the pond across a tiny town-owned parcel on Paine Turnpike South.
   On the strength of two tiebreaking votes by Chairman Ture Nelson, the board did what it wouldn’t — and, arguably, couldn’t — two weeks ago due to the absence of two board members and the unspoken opposition of one — Jeremy Hansen. Hansen declined at the time to second two pond-related motions that resurfaced, as promised, Monday night.
   This time the full board was there, and Pete Kelley’s renewed motion that members send a letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation reiterating the town’s interest in continued recreational use of the pond didn’t die for lack of a second.
   Brad Towne, who missed the April 23 meeting, seconded Kelley’s motion, and Nelson kicked off the discussion by suggesting the board take a stand in response to a petition filed with the state by the group Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond.
   “I would like to see us look after our interest in the pond and write comments opposing this petition,” Nelson said, noting a public hearing on the request is set for May 27 at
6 p.m. at Berlin Elementary School and the deadline for submitting written comments is June 3.
   Nelson’s statement rekindled a familiar back-and-forth that featured a few new wrinkles.
   One of them involved Hansen, who was critical of those who he claimed have sought to marginalize participants in what he described as a noble effort to protect a “unique” natural resource.
   First, Hansen, who described himself as the son of a professional fishing guide, sought to establish his outdoorsman credentials.
   “I’m a fisherman, and if it wasn’t awkward and bulky and very fragile I would have brought in my 54-inch muskie mount that I caught about 10 years ago,” he said.
   Hansen said he could understand and appreciate the lure of the pond to many, but he sides with those who believe it should be off limits, as it was for several decades before the Vermont Supreme Court struck down long-standing recreational restrictions two years ago.
   “We used to have something that was virtually unique in
Vermont,” Hansen said. “We had this unspoiled, protected, unused natural water body with the biodiversity and everything else that goes with it, and it would be nice if we could keep it undisturbed and maintain it like it is.”
   That’s when Hansen took aim at those responsible for what he characterized as “the juvenile use of personal attacks against people who are not in favor of increased access” to the pond. He said painting those local residents — a group that includes a “police chief, a nurse and a musician” — as “environmental extremists” and the “fringe element” was unnecessary. And to suggest, as some publicly have, that they would intentionally contaminate the pond in order to blame outdoor enthusiasts was over the top, he said.
   “A lot of people have been respectful, but to the rest of you: ‘Shame on you,’” Hansen said. “I didn’t think that was the way things worked in
Vermont.”
   While Hansen urged the board not to take a petition on the pending petition, a representative of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife sought to dispel the myth that his department is interested in constructing a traditional boat ramp on Berlin Pond.
   “That has never been the intention of the Department of Fish and Wildlife,” said Mike Wichrowski, adding that the state has focused exclusively on creating “carry-on access” where those with kayaks and canoes can park off the road and safely get onto the pond.
   Wichrowski said the department was prepared to continue exploring the potential for developing a modest access area near an existing parking lot on the north end of the pond and is offering to split the cost of a survey needed to determine the boundaries of an old road bed the town owns in that area.
   However, Wichrowski said that while preliminary work can continue, construction of what has been described as a gravel parking area with a path to the pond would have to wait until after the Department of Environmental Conservation rules on the citizens group’s petition.
   “We’re not going to move any dirt until these petitions have been settled,” he said.
   Board members heard from residents of
Berlin and beyond on both sides of the issue. They were urged by some to honor the will of voters who in 2012 voted 790-440 in favor of a nonbinding referendum that has been widely interpreted as supporting public access to the pond. And they were warned by others not to take a public position that some said could undermine Montpelier’s public drinking water supply, which comes from the pond.
   Citing May Pond in Barton and Lake Champlain as examples, Wichrowski said allowing recreational use of public drinking water supplies is “more the norm than not” and said he was confident the pending petition would not produce a decision that barred low-impact recreational use of the pond.
   Though the Montpelier City Council has supported the citizens group’s request, it sought far more modest restrictions — a ban on ice shanties and gas-powered augers — in a separate petition that is now under consideration.
   After listening to both sides, Nelson snapped a 2-2 tie, joining Towne and Kelley in voting to send a letter reiterating the town’s support for public access to the pond. Hansen and Roberta Haskin voted against the motion.
   The second 3-2 vote of the evening capped a discussion over whether to strip down “No trespassing” signs on a town-owned parcel on Paine Turnpike South that has 85 feet of pond frontage.
   The signs were initially posted to prevent a run on the property in the immediate aftermath of the Vermont Supreme Court ruling. Board members were told by some the signs had outlived their usefulness and by others that taking them down without careful consideration would be a mistake.
   Both sides agreed the initial wave of use that accompanied the court’s ruling had subsided and doubted the town parcel would get much use given the easier access on
Mirror Lake Road.
   However, some, like resident Bob Wernecke, questioned why public land was posted; others, like Cathy Hartshorn, argued there was no need to take the signs down.
   Two town residents offered a possible reason.
   Betty Copeland said having a safe place to paddle to without trespassing could be a good thing for those who are out on the pond. And while several suggested it would be far easier to launch a kayak or canoe from Mirror Lake Road, Frank Mier said wandering to the water’s edge, wading in, or perhaps do a little shore fishing might be nice.
   “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a boat access,” he said. “I understand there’s fine fishing along that shore.”
   Nelson joined Kelley and Towne in voting for removing the “No trespassing” signs.
   david.delcore @timesargus.com



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