Monday, August 04, 2014
News to Know August 4, 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
*
Check out the "Berlin , Vermont
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Note: A friend of mine
called Tom at "T&T Truck for
Hire in Montpelier
Below you will find:
TAX BILLS
DRB CHANGE IN AGENDA FOR
AUGUST 5TH
NO STRINGS MARIONETTES
FROM BERLIN
- certified organic
chicken;
- opportunities to meet
the new U-32 principal;
- notes from the 7/21
selectboard meeting;
- GMTA seeking volunteer
drivers; and
- Harpoon fundraiser bike
ride to support the VT Foodbank
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TAX BILLS
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DRB CHANGE IN AGENDA FOR
AUGUST 5TH
DRB Change in Agenda for August 5th 7pm meeting at the Town Office
The applicant for
Application 14-034 has asked to postpone "Continuation of Site Plan
Review, Permitted Use and Conditional Use Review, Special Flood Hazard Area of
an application by Malone Properties for demolition of existing structures and
construction of three new buildings with associated parking and
utilities".
Remaining on the agenda is
Application 14-040 "Continuation of Site Plan Review, Permitted Use and
Conditional Use Review of an application by Maplewood Limited of Montpelier
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NO
STRINGS MARIONETTES
Mark your calendars for August 30th to
enjoy the No Strings production of "Field of Faeries" at 1:00 p.m. as part of Northfield Vermont Northfield , Vermont
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FROM BERLIN
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
Support Your
Vermont Organic Farmer and Starve the Doctor Peter Burmei (FPF issue #397 8/4/14)
PETER
BURMEISTER, PETER@BURELLIFARM.COM,
Muzzy Road
We
have the only Vermont State Central Vermont . Check the label on the chicken you've
been buying. Is it inspected? Is it certified organic? Probably not. Our birds
are fed on certified organic Vermont Vermont State Montpelier Vermont
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U-32 Principal Community
Message and Invite (FPF issue #397 8/4/14)
Dear
U-32 School Community,
I
am excited about the upcoming school year as I begin my role as the principal
of U-32. The enthusiasm and commitment of this community surrounding education
has come across in every encounter I have had. As soon as I mention that I am
the new principal of U-32, I hear how wonderful this school is. I am happy to
bring my 18 years as an educator, the last 7 of which I was a principal and
high school supervisor, to this great school. My family and I are slowly
integrating into the community; we bought a house in Berlin
What
I have seen so far is a school and a community that cultivates passionate,
creative, and empowered learners who contribute to their local and global
community. As I learn about all the programs, curricular and co-curricular, it
is evident that education at U-32 is really about the whole child. During my
first days in the office, I have seen kids arriving for Jazz Camp, Athletic
camps, summer programs, and teachers working on curriculum, instruction and
professional development. It is wonderful how well the U-32 facility is used in
the summer even as the building and grounds, maintenance and custodial staff
work diligently to get the building ready for the new school year.
My
next goal is to meet more members of the community. I want to provide
opportunities for parents, students, staff, and the greater community to meet
me, so that I can learn more about the hopes, goals, dreams and desires that
everyone has for our students. I am going to set aside time in August for the
community to come to U-32 to meet me. I will also be looking for some of the
local gathering places to meet the community closer to their homes, so if you
have a favorite location and time that might work, just give me a call or send
me an email. And finally, I will schedule some time to meet students so they
have an opportunity to speak for themselves about goals and dreams.
Dates and Times to meet me at U-32:
Dates and Times to meet me at U-32:
August 6th 3:00-5:00 PM / August 7th 11:30 AM-1:00 PM / August 8th 7:30-9:00 AM
August 25th Meet your TA Night 5:00 PM / September 4th is Open House at U-32 6:00 PM
I
hope you will take one of these opportunities to come and meet me. I will
strive to have regular communication with the entire U-32 community throughout
the year so everyone knows about the great work that our students are doing. I
expect U-32 to be the leader in education for Vermont
Sincerely,
Steven Dellinger-Pate
sdpate@u32.org
Principal U-32 Junior/Senior High School
Steven Dellinger-Pate
sdpate@u32.org
Principal U-32 Junior/Senior High School
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Notes from July 21
Selectboard Meeting (FPF issue #395
8/2/14)
Posted
to: Berlin
This was our first
meeting without Town Administrator Jeff Schulz and the information he brings to
the table, so things went fairly quickly. We appointed Assistant Town
Administrator Tom Badowski to the position of interim Town Administrator and
increased his hourly rate to $25/hour while he serves in this capacity.
1) Solar grant
As I've mentioned
before, and has been recently in the news, Berlin
There was a brief
discussion of using the property on Muzzy Road
2) Vacancies
Longtime Berlin
3) Town
Administrator interviewing
We're in the
process of interviewing a new Town Administrator, and have begun the phone
interviews. We hope to do in-person interviews soon, and are still shooting for
making an offer by the end of August.
Our next meeting
is Monday, August 4th at 7pm - I'll be posting
the agenda as soon as I get it. As always, get a hold of me if you have any
questions or concerns.
Jeremy
279-6054
279-6054
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Volunteer Drivers Needed (FPF issue #394 7/30/14)
Tawnya Kristen • Community Relations Mngr., GMTA
The Green Mountain Transit Agency (GMTA)
is currently in need of volunteer drivers to provide rides for those in your
community needing access to health care, meal site, senior center and daily
needs. GMTA Volunteer Drivers are able to design their own schedule based on
availability, are reimbursed for the miles they drive and provide a vital
service for those in their community. Whether you can volunteer just a few
hours or each day of the week, you will be providing your neighbor an essential
connection to independence and well-being. Please contact GMTA to learn more at
802.223-7287 orinfo@gmtaride.org.
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This fundraiser bike ride to support the VT Foodbank takes place
on August 9th.
Harpoon Point to Point Bike
Ride (FPF issue #391
7/23/14)
Jonathan Goddard • Hill Street
My wife Becky and I are riding this year's
Harpoon Point to Point bike ride to benefit the Vermont Foodbank. She will be
riding the 25 mile route, while I will be riding the 100 mile route; my first
century ride! The ride includes hundreds of cyclists from all over NE, and I
will be riding with my brother-in-law from Quebec
Unfortunately,
there are many Vermonters who struggle with getting enough to eat and the
summer months can be especially challenging for families with school aged children.
Please help us
help the Foodbank reach their fundraising goals by going to our fundraising
pages. Donations can be made anonymously if you so choose.
Thanks,
Jonathan Goddard
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News to Know July 28, 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
***********************
NOTE: "The Latest on Parking" in Montpelier
What type of community events would you like to have happen
in Berlin
Below you will find:
FAMILIES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE MEET IN MONTPELIER
STATE'S ATTORNEY - BERLIN
TIME TO VOTE
WILD TURKEY SIGHTINGS... please take note
RED CROSS DISASTER ACTIONTEAM
RED CROSS DISASTER ACTION
THE LATEST ON PARKING - Letter to the Editor 7/15/14
TALK OF THE TOWN - WEB HELP
EXIT 7 TRAVEL CENTER STILL SHAPING UP
INTEREST HIGH IN BERLIN TOWN JOB
GUN PURCHASES ARE PUT ON HOLD
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FAMILIES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
MEET IN MONTPELIER
Posted 7/26/14 WCAX by Logan
video - http://www.wcax.com/story/26121544/families-from-across-the-globe-meet-in-montpelier
"We're celebrating our 'Family Reunion' that we have every 3 years for the 9P Minus chromosome deletion, which our son Nicholas who's 18 happens to be the only one in
9P Minus is similar to Down's Syndrome. But with Down's Syndrome patients having an extra chromosome, those with 9P Minus are missing a chromosome. The condition comes with severe developmental issues.
"It has a lot of symptoms that come along with it, depending on how much is missing. A lot of them have certain symptoms in common like the low muscle tone - they're very floppy. Behavior issues also come into it," says Jacqueline Bair, of
The Chromosome 9P Minus Network has been together for 30 years, families affected by this genetic disorder providing support for each other. This year's host family invited a special guest: a genetics counselor to discuss advances in treatment for 9P Minus.
"As we go forward and learn more about the genes that are in the deletions that the children - the patients - have, we can have a better understanding of what's going on for them biologically and that will help tailor treatments better in the future," says Stephanie Gandomi, of Ambry Genetics.
The weekend-long conference is a chance for kids with 9P Minus to socialize with each other, with activities like cookie decorating. Zecchinelli says the Family Reunion is therapeutic for all, but especially for her son Nicholas.
"He has had a host of problems but it's been nice to have a family of 9P parents that you can talk to and find out what's expected down the road for you, and what other parents are going through and how they've helped the situation with their kids," says Zecchinelli.
Zechinelli says 36 families are attending the Family Reunion this year for support, education, and fun.
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STATE'S ATTORNEY - BERLIN
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TIME TO VOTE
Primary election day for Vermont 8am
- 7pm . Early voting/absentee ballots are now available
from the Town Clerk's Office. Call to arrange mail delivery of a ballot -
229-9298. You can stop in to early/absentee vote Monday through Thursday 8:30am to 3:30pm .
If you're not yet a registered voter, stop in to fill out the form to get on
the check list. Note that on Wednesday, August 20th, the Town Clerk's office is
open until 5pm
for voter registration, this is the final day to register to be able to vote in
the primary. Please come out and vote!
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WILD
TURKEY SIGHTINGS... please take note
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is again asking the public for help in the annual turkey brood survey starting Aug. 1, 2014
If you see a group of young turkeys in Vermont during August, the department wants you to go to the turkey brood survey at www.vermontfishandwildlife.com, where you can record where and when you observed the young turkeys, or poults.
According to the department, over-abundant turkey populations can damage crops and food stored for livestock in bunker silos.
Hunters killed more than 5,100 wild turkeys inVermont
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is again asking the public for help in the annual turkey brood survey starting Aug. 1, 2014
If you see a group of young turkeys in Vermont during August, the department wants you to go to the turkey brood survey at www.vermontfishandwildlife.com, where you can record where and when you observed the young turkeys, or poults.
According to the department, over-abundant turkey populations can damage crops and food stored for livestock in bunker silos.
Hunters killed more than 5,100 wild turkeys in
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RED CROSS DISASTER
ACTION TEAM
You never know what community or family will next need help
from Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers. If you're interested in
becoming a Red Cross volunteer in Central Vermont ,
please call 802-223-3701. https://www.facebook.com/redcrossvtnhuv
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THE LATEST ON PARKING - Letter
to the Editor 7/15/14
Montpelier
Why not take a page fromMontpellier , France
Opponents of such a plan say it would “hurt business,” but that hasn’t been the case inMontpellier
Strat Douthat,Plainfield
Why not take a page from
Opponents of such a plan say it would “hurt business,” but that hasn’t been the case in
Strat Douthat,
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July 24, 2014 Times Argus BERLIN — The town’s website could be in for an extreme
makeover courtesy of funding being funneled through the Snelling Center for
Government.
That funding is scheduled to run out in October. Local officials eager to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a free update and upgrade the town’s website have formed a committee to work on the content that will be incorporated into a template being used by many other towns that experienced flood damage during Tropical Storm Irene.
The municipal website was one tool for getting information to residents in the midst of the storm, and the new template will include an emergency notification feature. It will also open the door to the potential for residents to make online payments in the future.
Select Board Chairman Ture Nelson, board member Jeremy Hansen, Town Treasurer Diane Isabelle and the town’s current webmaster, Norbert Rhinerson, will be working with theSnelling Center
That funding is scheduled to run out in October. Local officials eager to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a free update and upgrade the town’s website have formed a committee to work on the content that will be incorporated into a template being used by many other towns that experienced flood damage during Tropical Storm Irene.
The municipal website was one tool for getting information to residents in the midst of the storm, and the new template will include an emergency notification feature. It will also open the door to the potential for residents to make online payments in the future.
Select Board Chairman Ture Nelson, board member Jeremy Hansen, Town Treasurer Diane Isabelle and the town’s current webmaster, Norbert Rhinerson, will be working with the
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EXIT 7 TRAVEL CENTER STILL SHAPING
UP
Pub. 7/15/14 Times Argus by David Delcore
Tonight the board was scheduled to hold its first hearing on the 9,000-square-foot development proposed for Paine Turnpike and to resume its review of the $2.2 million redevelopment plan for what’s known as Hooker’s Plaza on the
Officials said one of the applicants, Patrick Malone, of Malone Properties LLC, needed more time to gather supplemental information that the board requested earlier this month when it opened its review of his plans to raze and redevelop the aging plaza that is currently anchored by Newhouse Furniture and Barre Electric & Lighting Supply.
The other, Wayne Lamberton, of Superior Development LLC, is still submitting information to support his application to construct a huge new convenience store that would include a state-sanctioned welcome center on the undeveloped field next to Comfort Inn, they said.
Among the most recent additions to a growing file are a 60-page traffic study and the requisite sign-offs from the local police and fire chiefs.
Materials submitted so far outline plans to create a rest area at a location that already includes the Comfort Inn, an Applebee’s restaurant and the Maplewood Convenience Store.
According to plans filed with the town, the 3,000-square-foot convenience store would be demolished as part of a project to build a much larger structure on the vacant lot next door. The new building would have a footprint of 8,000 square feet and would include a 1,000-square-foot mezzanine thanks to its 30-foot-high roofline.
In addition to a convenience store — complete with a 16-seat delicatessen — plans call for restrooms and a visitors center area featuring local products and information.
Parking for more than 60 commuter cars and five tractor-trailers is planned on the 6-acre property that would include 22 new fueling stations — most of them on four regular gasoline islands on the back of the proposed building.
An existing curb cut directly across Paine Turnpike from Shaw’s supermarket would become the entrance to the complex, while traffic exiting the property would use a separate curb cut about 560 feet farther up Paine Turnpike and away from the intersection of Route 62.
Although plans call for big rigs and personal vehicles to enter and exit the property at the same locations, the two types of vehicles would be segregated on site to improve internal traffic flow.
The site would be heavily landscaped along Paine Turnpike, as well as along the entrance on the Comfort Inn side of the property and the exit, which would run much closer to some residential properties near
Documents filed with the town suggest the proposed convenience store — like the one it would replace — would be open around the clock, as would the rest area component of the $1.75 million project.
@Tagline:david.delcore @timesargus.com
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INTEREST HIGH INBERLIN TOWN JOB
INTEREST HIGH IN
Pub. 7/23/14 Times Argus
by David Delcore
Though he accepted a job offer in neighboring
After huddling in executive session to review newly submitted applications Monday night, Nelson said he’s hoping the board will be in a position to make a job offer by mid-August and that a permanent replacement for Schulz will be on the job by Labor Day.
It is entirely possible he already is.
Among those who applied for the job is Tom Badowski, who was hired as Schulz’s assistant last October and on Monday night was appointed as his interim replacement until the search is complete.
Nelson, who said the board has settled on a “short list” of five candidates, described Badowski as a viable option, though he stressed he would be “treated equally” with the other four semifinalists.
According to Nelson, the job opening attracted candidates from
“Some of the candidates have more ‘town’ experience than Tom (Badowski), but Tom has Berlin-specific experience,” he said. “That’s what this whole process is about … deciding who will be the best fit for
A school board member in Moretown, Badowski is relatively new to municipal government, having spent the bulk of his career working in the private sector. Before taking the assistant administrator’s job in
Although Badowski is something of a known commodity, Nelson said he was pleasantly surprised by the caliber of many of those who applied for a position that wasn’t even available a month ago.
“I was extremely happy with the candidates we got,” he said, suggesting the board has what appears on paper to be five solid options and won’t waste any time drilling deeper.
Board members Jeremy Hansen and Roberta Haskin have been tasked with conducting an initial round of interviews, Nelson said. That process will likely start later this week and continue through next week.
If all goes well, Nelson said, Hansen and Haskin will recommend the full board bring back one or more of the finalists for a second interview next month. He said he was hopeful that recommendation would be ready for the board when it meets Aug. 4.
Though there is no rush, Nelson said he is optimistic the board would be in a position to make a job offer next month.
@Tagline:david.delcore@timesargus.com
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GUN PURCHASES ARE PUT ON HOLD
Pub 7/23/14 Times Argus by
David Delcore
Before auditors book the money as part of an anticipated surplus for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, Police Chief William Wolfe has asked the board to reserve it so that he can buy a new computer and acquire new “duty firearms” for his soon-to-be-expanding department.
Though the item was on the agenda for their Monday night meeting, board members balked at Wolfe’s request, agreeing to take it up during a yet-to-be-scheduled special meeting when they will belatedly set the tax rate for the fiscal year that started July 1.
It is unclear whether Wolfe’s department, which is scheduled to add an officer midway through the current fiscal year, actually finished the last fiscal year under budget. However, Town Treasurer Diane Isabelle said the department didn’t spend as much as planned on several line items. Wolfe, she said, has asked the board to reserve $3,200 of that money to cover the purchases he has proposed.
According to a memo dated Monday, Wolfe would like to use $1,600 to purchase and install a new computer and the remaining $1,600 to facilitate a gun “swap” that will equip his officers with firearms he indicated were “safer” and had “increased ammunition capacity.”
“The weapons will cost nothing as the vendor will do a ‘one-for-one’ swap,” Wolfe wrote. “The $1,600 is needed to replace holsters and magazine carriers and purchase additional ammunition.”
According to Wolfe, the extra ammunition will be needed so that officers can familiarize themselves with their new firearms.
The memo raised more questions than it answered during a discussion that was quickly curtailed in favor of taking it up on another night.
“It doesn’t say what he (Wolfe) is buying,” Selectman Pete Kelley said.
“What’s wrong with the old guns, are they worn out?” Selectman Brad Towne asked.
Acting on the recommendation of Chairman Ture Nelson, the board agreed to postpone action on Wolfe’s request and add it to the agenda for the special meeting that must be held to set the tax rate.
On Monday night the board mistakenly assumed that meeting would be scheduled sometime next week. However, Town Clerk Rosemary Morse said Tuesday that was overly optimistic.
According to Morse, while Vermont Appraisal Co. is expected to finally lodge the Grand List this week — an annual event that typically occurs in June — the board won’t be able to set the tax rate until the 14-day grievance period has expired.
Morse said the board is tentatively planning to set the tax rate during a special meeting on Aug. 11. That, she said, presumes the Grand List is lodged as expected this week. Once the rate is set, tax bills must be printed and mailed and taxpayers given 30 days to make their first quarterly payment.
Typically the rate is set in early July and the first installment is due on Aug. 15. However, due to delays in lodging this year’s Grand List — a figure equal to 1 percent of the value of all property in town — it now appears the first installment won’t be due until mid-September. Early payments will be accepted and are encouraged and the delay in setting this year’s tax rate won’t affect the three remaining voter-approved tax due dates —
While the delay in setting the tax rate is much longer than board members had hoped when Vermont Appraisal Co. first requested an extension back in May, they were told a voter-approved water project is progressing nicely and is about to enter a key phase.
Tom Badowski, who was formally elevated from assistant to interim town administrator early on in Monday night’s meeting, said the town has received a permit to work in state rights-of-way and is in the process of procuring seven easements needed to accommodate the project.
With plans virtually complete and federal financing already in place, Badowski said the town is perhaps three weeks away from soliciting competitive bids for construction of a municipal water system that will serve the Berlin Four Corners area.
“The project is going full steam ahead,” Badowski said.
The proposed municipal water system contemplates the installation of five miles of distribution line for water from three town-owned wells that have already been drilled, tested and permitted on
The service area include portions of Airport, Crosstown, Fisher, Granger, Scott Hill, and Shed roads, as well as the full length of Industrial Lane and a significant section of Paine Turnpike North. Though
Barring any unanticipated delays, construction of the proposed system could start before winter, though much of the work will likely be done next year.
@Tagline:david.delcore@timesargus.com
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