Friday, October 10, 2014

 

News to Know October 6, 2014

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW October 6, 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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Notes:

The 30 minutes special is now on line - "Vermont's Own Legacy: 60 Years of WCAX"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQoKNlBAB2k

If you haven't figured out a hands-free cell phone option for your vehicle yet this segment is for you. Gina has Brian from Best Buy in the studio and he reviews several options, including the prices.http://www.wcax.com/category/166239/video-landing-page?clipId=10644958&autostart=true

NO SCHOOL for students in our district on Friday, October 10th & Monday, Oct 13th.

Below you will find:
TOWN OF BERLIN - HOURS, MEETINGS, ABSENTEE BALLOTS
DISNEY CABARET AT U-32
FALL CITRUS FRUIT FUNDRAISER AT U-32
U-32 CONCERTS
POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY
BERLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOARD
BERLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HARVEST LUNCHEON SIGN-UP
NATURAL PLAY AREA  AT HUBBARD PARK
TRANSPORTATION HEARINGS SEEK YOUNG ADULTS' OPINIONS
ANNUAL FALL CLOTHING DROP'N SWAP
KOHL'S STORE PLAN IS SET FOR LOCAL REVIEW

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TOWN OF BERLIN - HOURS, MEETINGS, ABSENTEE BALLOTS
The week of October 6th the Town Clerk’s Office ONLY will have a change in hours as follows:
Monday, October 6th 8:30-3:30
Tues, Wed., and Thurs October 7th, 8th, and 9th 8:30 – noon; Closed Friday, Oct 10th.
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All Berlin Town Offices will be closed on Columbus Day, Monday, October 13th
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The selectboard will meet on Oct 6th, the Development Review Board on Oct. 7th, and the Planning Commission on Oct 8th with each of them meeting at 7pm at the Town Office. 
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The Berlin Emergency Management Team will meet Thursday, October 9th 6:30pm at the Four Corners Fire Station.
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Registered Voters who won't be able to make it to the polls on Tuesday, November 4th may request an absentee ballot. Stop by the town office, call (229-9298), send an email to berlintownclerk@berlinvt.org, or send note to 108 Shed Road, Berlin, VT 05602. 
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Town Office Hours:
The Town Clerk’s Office is usually open Monday through Thursday 8:30am to 3:30pm and is closed on Fridays.
The Treasurer’s office is open five days a week (Monday through Thursday 8am to 4:30pm and on Friday 8am to 4pm).
The Sewer Department is open: Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am to 3pm, and Thursday from 9am to noon.
The Town Administrator and Zoning Office is open five days a week (Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:30pm).
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DISNEY CABARET AT U-32
   On Friday October 24, our very own Disney Cabaret will come to U-32 High School.
   Please join us for an evening of song and good things to eat and drink as the U-32 Theater students perform the songs of Disney and other music close to your heart. There will be a special preview with face-painting, games and singing for those 8 and under from 6:30 to 7:00 pm, with the regular show starting at7:15.
   Come dressed as your favorite Disney character!
   Make sure to bring your voice for the sing-a-long!
   Our concession will include homemade chocolate delights and other treats from our Theater Family.
   The U-32 Theater students are heading to Scotland next summer to perform at the Fringe Festival. The Disney Cabaret and concession are free and open to the public. Any donations will be gratefully received and will go towards our upcoming trip!
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FALL CITRUS FRUIT FUNDRAISER AT U-32
Is there a U-32 Music Student you could support by purchasing oranges or grapefruit? If you're interested in more U-32 news, the current newsletter can be found at: http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/current.pdf
   The music department will be having its annual citrus sale from Oct. 8 - Nov. 8.  Valencia oranges, red grapefruit, and mixed boxes in 10lb, 20lb and 40lb sizes are being sold.  This sale has proven to be a great fundraiser, the product is healthy and returns 35-40% profit per item sold.  Monies raised will be deposited directly into each students' individual student account to benefit their travel and/or festival expenses throughout their years in the music department.  Payments may be made in the form of cash or check.  Checks should be made payable to U-32.  Fruit will be delivered between Dec. 2nd and 5th.  The company will call us 2-3 days before the delivery is made.  At that time students will be told when the pick up day is.
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U-32 CONCERTS
On Wednesday, October 29th the U-32 Middle School Concert will be at 7pm and on Thursday, October 30th the U-32 High School Concert will be at 7pm.  These concerts are always wonderful.  The community is invited to attend and there is no charge.  Note seating is typically more readily available at the high school concerts but both concerts are recommended!
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POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY
Berlin Residents are invited to a meeting about Library Funding:
Interested Berlin residents are invited to attend a meeting at the Berlin Town Offices at 108 Shed Road on Thursday, October 23, at 7pm, to discuss restoring the town’s funding to the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Tom McKone, the library’s interim director, will discuss library services and explain how the library is funded and why it seeks town contributions.

Currently individuals need to pay a fee to use the full services of Kellogg-Hubbard Library (KHL). If registered voters pass an article to share in the funding of KHL then ALL Berlin residents would be able to have a library card. How do you feel about this? Do you have questions? Are you able to attend the upcoming meeting?
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BERLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOARD
The Berlin Elementary School Board meets Monday, October 13th 6:15pm in their Learning Center (library).  The public is welcome.***
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BERLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HARVEST LUNCHEON SIGN-UP
Sign-ups for the annual Harvest Luncheon at the elementary school must be received by November 5th.  The Luncheon will be on Wednesday, November 12th.   A delicious meal (roast turkey, homemade gravy, sage & cranberry stuffing, seasoned green beans, cranberry sauce, baked apple crisp, milk, and coffee) that the community can also enjoy.  Adult price $5.75, children $3.00.  More details are at: http://berlinschool.org/images/stories/pdfs/Current%20Newsletter.pdf
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NATURAL PLAY AREA  AT HUBBARD PARK
The first element of a new natural play area at Hubbard Park was completed thanks to a woodworking class from Yestermorrow Design/Build School.  Photos can be found on the MontpelierParks facebook page.  Currently there is a unique climbing element, large stump table with log benches, a large flat rock, and a beautiful bench.  A large hollow Maple Tree trunk will be added to the area.  To find this area use the Winter Street entrance and park just inside the gate.  Take the path across from the parking.  It's up near a ball field (which is below the old shelter).
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TRANSPORTATION HEARINGS SEEK YOUNG ADULTS' OPINIONS
   The Vermont Transportation Board this fall will gather public comment from the general public, especially young adults 18-34 years old, about transportation-related decisions that factor into the choices they make when deciding where to live and work after graduation.  People who cannot attend a hearing can submit written comment by visiting the board’s website at http://tboard.vermont.gov
     “National studies indicate that young adults drive less than their older counterparts, and that their transportation priories differ from those of previous generations,” said Nick Marro, chairman of the Transportation Board. “The car often is not at the center of a young adult’s transportation universe. As a result, we want to better understand what Vermont can do transportation-wise to remain attractive to young adults as a place to work and raise a family.”
      Topics the board plans to discuss with young adults include:
— Nationally, many young adults are choosing not to purchase cars. Is this true in Vermont?
— If deciding not to own a car, how much of that decision is based on environmental concerns?
— What transportation options do young adults consider when choosing a place to live and work?
— How important are motor-vehicle alternatives such as rideshare, bicycle infrastructure, public transit and Zipcars?
— What technologies, such as car-sharing apps, are important to the mobility of young adults?
— How can we reduce the rate of distracted and impaired driving among youth?
   At each hearing, the board will present background information to set the stage for discussion and comment. Following the hearings, the board will submit a written report to the agency and the Vermont Legislature. The board also will post the report on its website.
   The board will hold public hearings throughout the state with the ones closest to Central Vermont being:
Oct. 14: Norwich University, 6:30 p.m., Milano Ballroom, Crawford & Roberts Halls, Northfield.
 Oct. 22: Vermont Technical College, 6:30 p.m., Room 102 Conant Hall, 81 Judd Drive, Randolph.
 Nov. 6: University of Vermont, 6 p.m., Memorial Lounge, Waterman Building, 85 South Prospect Street, Burlington.
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ANNUAL FALL CLOTHING DROP'N SWAP
   Drop: Saturday, October 18, 9am - 3pm
   Swap: Sunday, October 19: 12-5pm
   Location: Plumley Armory, Norwich University, Northfield, VT
$1 entrance fee on Sunday for all the clothes you want (proceeds will help cover advertising expenses of the event).  Please separate clothing from rags and label bags: "women's," "men's," "children's," or "rags"  No boxes or hangers, please.  Shoes, bags, costumes, and coats are accepted.  Call the Center for Civic Engagement at Norwich University for more information 802-485-2670 or email 4achange@norwich.edu
This event diverts clothing, linens, and rags from the waste stream and redistributes quality items through the community thanks to the Salvation Army of Barre. 
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KOHL'S STORE PLAN IS SET FOR LOCAL REVIEW
Pub. 10/3/14 Times Argus by David Delcore

   BERLIN — The application is complete, the traffic study is in hand, and a local hearing on plans to construct a freestanding Kohl’s department store on the Berlin Mall campus is set for this month.
   The Development Review Board will consider the application for the $3.5 million project Oct. 21.
   The board could conclude its review of the proposal that night, although if an additional hearing is needed it wouldn’t slow the project as it also requires a state land-use permit.
   Owners of the Berlin Mall have simultaneously applied for state and local permits. The District 5 Environmental Commission is still processing the application and hasn’t established a schedule for its own public hearing process.
   The narrative accompanying both applications outlines Berlin Mall LLC’s plans to construct a 55,502-square-foot store for Kohl’s on an undeveloped 6.7-acre section of the 66-acre mall property.
   Located directly across Fisher Road from Central Vermont Medical Center, the lot is currently being used to park the excess inventory of a neighboring car dealership. Permits were once issued for construction of what would have been the state’s largest grocery store, Sun Foods, at the time.
   The mall’s former owners abandoned that project long before selling the shopping complex to Berlin Mall LLC in 2010. The hearing in Berlin will occur on the eve of the “grand opening” promotion for the newly expanded Wal-Mart at the mall, set for Oct. 22 to 26. 
   Although Kohl’s would be part of the mall complex, plans call for a freestanding building that would face Fisher Road and include a 294-car parking lot between the road and the store.
   The mall owners are also seeking permission to replace the signs at both of the mall’s entrances and to install a flagpole at the one off Route 62.
   The signs described in the application would be flashier and more informative than the ones that presently inform motorists of the presence of the Berlin Mall, without identifying tenants. The proposed pylon signs would identify the Berlin Mall and incorporate separate, internally lit signs for up to four tenants. A sample submitted for consideration includes signs for Wal-Mart and J.C. Penney.
   The only other signs referenced in the application would be for the Kohl’s store. An internally lit sign would be mounted on the front, facing Fisher Road, and another at the rear.
   In preparation for state and local permitting, Berlin Mall LLC commissioned a fresh traffic study to address an issue that dogged development of the mall when it was first proposed, as well as the dropped attempt to construct the supermarket on the site now targeted for Kohl’s. 
   According to the study by Vanasse & Associates Inc., the proposed store will generate increased traffic, but not enough to cause problems at any of the intersections on the road network surrounding the mall.
   The Massachusetts consulting firm has projected the Kohl’s would generate 762 new vehicle trips — half entering, half exiting — on a typical weekday and 846 trips on a typical Saturday. Even during peak hours, the study suggests, delays at surrounding intersections would be minimal — one second or less at several intersections with traffic signals, including both mall entrances, and perhaps as much as two seconds at the intersection of Paine Turnpike and Fisher Road, which doesn’t have a stoplight.
   The study factored in improvements the state plans at the intersection of Route 62 and Fisher and Airport roads next year, as well as improvements the mall owner must make under the permit for the Wal-Mart expansion to the Fisher Road intersection the mall shares with Central Vermont Medical Center.
   “The proposed development will provide for safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation on site, result in only a slight increase in traffic on the adjacent street network, and not result in a reduced (level of service) at any intersection adjacent to the mall,” the application says.
   Representatives for Berlin Mall LLC haven’t placed a timeline on their latest project but have said the new store could open next year. Construction is expected to take about seven months.
   david.delcore @timesargus.com

# posted by Corinne's blog of Berlin and area happenings @ 9:24 AM
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