Friday, July 17, 2015

 

News to Know July 4, 2015

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW  July 3, 2015
*
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.
*
For current news look for "BerlinVermont" on facebook for a constant flow of information.  You don't need to be a facebook user to access it, but if you do use facebook, be sure to "Like" it:

For historical news look for "BerlinVermont Memories" on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerlinVermontMemories
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NOTE: Be sure to check out the paving plans in the last article

Below you will find:

FREE SWIM AT MONTPELIER POOL TODAY (7/3/15)
MONTPELIER 3RD OF JULY ACTIVITIES
PARADE IN PERSON OR VIA ORCA
U-32 2015 GRADUATION ON LINE!
QUARRYWORKS PERFORMANCES ARE FREE!
BERLIN HIGHWAY DEPT. POSITION OPEN
PUBLIC HEARING RE US 302 BICYCLE / PEDESTRIAN STUDY 7/6/15
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
JULY 1ST CHANGE
DO GOOD FESTIVAL INCLUDES O.A.R.
BARRE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
TIMELY TAX BILLS, NEW PAVING ON TAP FOR BERLIN

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FREE SWIM AT MONTPELIER POOL TODAY (7/3/15)
Today from 1pm - 4pm admission is free at the Montpelier Pool out on Elm Street.
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MONTPELIER 3RD OF JULY ACTIVITIES
3-6 pm Family Activities on the State House Lawn
6 pm PARADE on State & Main
7:15 pm DAVE KELLER CONCERT on the State House Lawn
9:30 pm FIREWORKS SHOW!
There will 40 food and craft vendors too! Bring your family downtown for this fun community festival celebrating our Nation’s 
Independence
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PARADE IN PERSON OR VIA ORCA
Waterbury's 2015 Not Quite Independence Day Parade from last weekend was recorded by ORCA! If you can't make it to the Montpelier parade on the 3rd at 6pm you'll be able to watch it on TV or streamed on-line. Thank you ORCA Media!
http://orcamedia.net - for the parade scroll through their list to "Misc"
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U-32 2015 GRADUATION ON LINE!
ORCA Media also captured the U-32 graduation
http://orcamedia.net - "2015 Graduations"
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QUARRYWORKS PERFORMANCES ARE FREE!
Have you been to a QuarryWorks performance out in Adamant?  It's time to call and reserve your complimentary tickets! Always a fun time. This year they present:
"Baker Street" - The Sherlock Holmes Musical,
"Rapunzel" - Children's Production of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale
"The Trip to Bountiful" - Horton Foote's Classic Drama
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BERLIN HIGHWAY DEPT. POSITION OPEN
The Berlin Highway Department has a position open with an application deadline of July 10th.  Details and application: http://www.berlinvt.org/postion-opening-highway-department/
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PUBLIC HEARING RE US 302 BICYCLE / PEDESTRIAN STUDY 7/6/15
There will be a public hearing on the Draft Final Report of the US 302 Bicycle/Pedestrian Study on Monday, July 6 at 7:00 PM at the Berlin Elementary School.  The public is urged to attend.
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EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Berlin Emergency Management Team meets on Thursday, July 9th at the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department at 6:30pm.  Are you interested in joining this team as they plan and prepare for emergencies in our town?
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JULY 1ST CHANGE
In addition to hands free only use of phones while operating motor vehicles, there is now no use of phones at stop lights .... it is okay to pull off the travel portion of the road (except not on the interstate) or to be stopped in a parking lot to use it though.
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DO GOOD FESTIVAL INCLUDES O.A.R.
The Do Good Fest has come back for a second year at National Life.  This event is sponsored by National Life, The Point, Seven Days, Montpelier Alive and the National Life Group Foundation.  This is a family friendly event but please leave your dogs at home.  Gates open at 2:30 and the festival gets under way at 3pm with children's activities.  Music on the main stage starts at 4pm.  There will be food trucks, a beer tent, and a nonprofit village for area charitable organizations to share their messages.  The parking fee is the only admission charge which is $10 per car before 5pm and $20 per vehicle after 5pm.  All parking proceeds will benefit the Branches of Hope Cancer Patient Fund.  There is parking for 2,000 cars at National Life but you're certainly welcome to park elsewhere and walk in.
On Stage
4-4:30 - Patti Casey and Colin McCaffrey
4:45-5:15 - Panama Wedding
5:30-6:30 - The Alternate Routes
7:30-9pm - O.A.R
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BARRE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
The Barre Heritage Festival has a variety of events taking place from July 22nd through July 26th.  Saturday, July 25th is when the parade kicks off at2pm and the fireworks are at 9:15pm.  Lots of great musical entertainment including Native Tongue with a street dance on Saturday night from 8pm - 11pm (they'll take a break during the fireworks).  Don't miss the Bathtub Race, Fiddle Show, and Car Show.  Take the time to check out the VermontGranite Museum and the Rock of Ages.  On Saturday morning 7:30-10 is the annual Barre Rotary Breakfast and Saturday afternoon is a chili eating competition.  Much, much more... so take a moment to look at the website.  http://barreheritagefestival.org/
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TIMELY TAX BILLS, NEW PAVING ON TAP FOR BERLIN
Times Argus Pub. 7/1/15 by David Delcore
   BERLIN — There will be no protracted delay in the issue of tax bills to property owners in Berlin this year.
   The Select Board, which was unable to set the tax rate until the end of August last year, took care of that bit of business during a special meeting this week, putting the town on track to return to a familiar quarterly billing schedule that was abandoned out of necessity a year ago.

   A backlog inherited by the company that now handles assessing duties for the town prevented the board from setting the tax rate until after the first installment would have been due on Aug. 15 last year. That one-time problem has been resolved and the town’s growing Grand List was lodged in time for the board to set the tax rate when it met on Monday for the fiscal year that starts today.
   Though the town is still awaiting school tax information from the state, bills are expected to be in the mail well before July 15.
   Thanks to growth in the Grand List — a figure equal to 1 percent of the value of all the property in town — the municipal portion of the tax rate will actually drop slightly, from 47.06 cents to 46.295 cents per $100 assessed property value.
   The Grand List increased from $4,751,687 to $4,841,761. That $90,074 bump reflects the addition of more than $9 million in assessed property value in the past year.
   In addition to setting the tax rate, board members opened and awarded recently solicited bids for paving.
   S.T. Paving Inc. of 
Waterbury submitted the low bid of $94 a ton for asphalt, and was selected to complete a series of long-overdue paving projects.
   All or parts of six roads — most of them in Riverton — will be paved as part of a project estimated to cost roughly $57,000. 
Pine Hill Drive, School Street, Lovers Lane, Chandler Road and Crosstown Road in Riverton will all be resurfaced for the first time in 30 years, as will a section of Scott Hill Road.
   Due to the favorable bids, Road Commissioner Tim Davis said he would recommend the board consider adding all or parts of three streets — Evergreen Drive, Highland Avenue and Partridge Farm Road — off the Barre-Montpelier Road, to the newly awarded contract. 
Davis said those roads need attention and could comfortably be added while remaining under the $140,000 budgeted for paving this year.
   
Davis said he plans to use a portion of that money sealing cracks in areas where the municipal water system now under construction crosses the road. Though the contractor is paving over those areas, Davis said sealing those areas will keep moisture from getting beneath the pavement and undermining the affected roadways.
   @Tagline:
david.delcore@timesargus.com



 

News to Know June 11, 2015

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW  June 11, 2015
*
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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Nothing is as constant as change - to keep on top of it, check out "BerlinVermont" on facebook for  information.  You don't need to be a facebook user to access it, but if you do use facebook, be sure to "Like" it:    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Berlin-Vermont/205922199452224

For historical news look for "Berlin, Vermont Memories" on facebook.  Perhaps you can help identify folks from photos and newspaper clippings or you would just enjoy a stroll back in time: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerlinVermontMemories
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Below you will find:

ROAD CLOSURE RESCHEDULED
VERMONT FREE DAYS JUNE 13-14 (no license fishing is just Saturday)
TOUCH A TRUCK AT MHS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 13
BUS STOP ARTICLE ON STEVE BARROWS (long time U-32 Teacher)
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ROAD CLOSURE RESCHEDULED
The rain has delayed the Scott Hill Road closure from Thursday, June 11 to Friday, June 12th.  Scott Hill Road will be closed to through traffic on Thursday, June 11 to install a water line to the Town's wells. 
The Road will be closed starting at 7am and will be open to through traffic by 5pm. Work will be concentrated at Dodge Farm Road.
Traffic will be able to access 
Scott Hill Road / East Road residences via Paine Turnpike North.
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VERMONT FREE DAYS JUNE 13-14 (no license fishing is just Saturday)
Look for the details on FREE access this weekend to fishing, state parks, and historic culture including the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier and the Vermont History Center in Barre - some of this is limited to just Saturday, June 13th!
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TOUCH A TRUCK AT MHS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 13
If you like trucks and cars, come to Montpelier High School (MHS) on Saturday. It’s time for their annual Touch a Truck Day where kids young and old can touch, honk, and climb on the many vehicles they will have on display. Examples of some vehicles that may be there are a fire truck, ambulance, backhoe, snow plow, dump truck, garbage truck, and semi.  Concessions and other activities will be available. Along with your entry fee, you will get a free day pass to the Montpelier Recreation Department Pool.   $8 per family or $3 adult, $2 child.
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BUS STOP ARTICLE ON STEVE BARROWS (long time U-32 Teacher)
Bus Stop Conversations is online!
U-32 Journalism teacher Steve Barrows is retiring from his full-time position after 38 years. Read about that and view pictures of the recent physics museum at U-32 and seventh grade reading buddies in the current issue of Bus Stop. Also you can see pictures of Doty fifth and sixth graders placing flags on  the graves of veterans  at the Worcester Cemetery in honor of Memorial Day. http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/bus_stop/bus_stop_june.10.15.pdf
If you’d like to subscribe to Bus Stop Conversations and receive it in your in box every two weeks during the school year, please send us an email. Send to: dwolf@u32.org with “subscribe Bus Stop” in the subject.
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News to Know June 9, 2015

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW  June 9, 2015
*
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.
*
For current news look for "BerlinVermont" on facebook for a constant flow of information.  You don't need to be a facebook user to access it, but if you do use facebook, be sure to "Like" it:

For historical news look for "BerlinVermont Memories" on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerlinVermontMemories
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NOTE: Deadline to sign up for the "Forest Pest First Detector Training" to be held on Saturday (6/13/15) is TODAY (6/9/15).

Be sure to check out what was said at a recent Selectboard meeting regarding a Community Garden (last part of this email)

Below you will find:

ROAD CLOSURE
FORREND 50TH!
BACK IN TIME
BURELLI FARM
FARM FRESH EGGS FOR SALE
STRAWBERRIES
FINAL DAYS OF SCHOOL
JOB OPPORTUNITY / HAIR STYLIST RECOMMENDATION
PLANNING COMMISSION / ZONING REGULATIONS UPDATE
HIKING OPPORTUNITIES
VENTURE VERMONT CHALLENGE
SWEET POTATO SLIPS SALE (and burlap coffee bags too)
ATTORNEY: PANHANDLING PERMIT BAD IDEA
BERLIN BOARD PRESSES FOR KOHL'S PERMIT
WELCOME, KOHL'S?
FROM BERLIN FRONT PORCH FORUM

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ROAD CLOSURE
Scott Hill Road will be closed to through traffic on Thursday, June 11 to install a water line to the Town's wells. 
The Road will be closed starting at 7am and will be open to through traffic by 5pm. Work will be concentrated at Dodge Farm Road. 
Traffic will be able to access 
Scott Hill Road / East Road residences via Paine Turnpike North.
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FORREND 50TH!
Card Shower this month for Berlin residents Toni & Bob Forrend to celebrate their 50th anniversary June 19th! Going into their Yankee Paperback book shop on Langdon Street was just part of the routine when the kids were growing up. I love catching up with them whenever I get the chance. The mailing address their kids (Lori, Jamie, & Chris) have set up for this is: Bob & Toni Forrend, 32 Main Street #172, Montpelier, VT 05602
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BACK IN TIME
I've been having a fascinating time looking back at the general history of Berlin, Vermont and specifically my family and a business they operated.  Whether you have a general interest in Berlin History, are curious about a particular topic, your family roots are in Berlin, you like to research, or you're trying to find your niche of how to help out in the community, the Berlin Historical Society might be the perfect place.  Do you have any old photos to share of Berlin - houses, barns, businesses / products, schools, people, cars, etc.  The Berlin Historical Society is able to scan the photos into their computer right at the Town office. Meetings are once a month when some local history is usually shared, updates are made, and potential projects are discussed.  The next meeting of the Historical Society will be Wednesday, June 24th at 7pm at the Town office.  All are welcome.   Feel free to ask to be on the email list to be notified of upcoming meetings and other events. 
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BURELLI FARM
The Burelli Farm address has officially changed from Muzzy Road to Burelli Farm Drive. 269 for Peter and Katherine along with the Farm business, 204 is their WorkShare Home. They still have a room available for one person over 21 who would like to live on the farm and work 10 hours/week helping with chores and gardening. Please contact: katherine@burellifarm.com!   Website: www.burellifarm.com
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FARM FRESH EGGS FOR SALE
Large & extra large eggs available at the Wicked Bines Farm on Marvin Road in Berlin for $3 / doz. No hormones, no antibiotics in these free range birds. Call 223-7931 or visit  www.wickedbinesfarm.com.
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STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries start being available at Dog River Farm on 6/9/15.  There will be limited Pick Your Own strawberries this year.
Best place to check for updates is:  www.facebook.com/pages/Berlin-Vermont/205922199452224
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FINAL DAYS OF SCHOOL
June 11th 6:30 p.m. Berlin Elementary School 6th Grade Graduation - Gym 
June 12th 
6:30 p.m. U32 Graduation 
June 16th Last day of school for the year
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JOB OPPORTUNITY / HAIR STYLIST RECOMMENDATION
From Berlin resident Angela Johnson - Booth rental opening at Yvonne's Riverside Salon, 37 Elm Street, Montpelier.  Call 223-7611.
Note from Corinne: If you're looking for a hair stylist, I certainly recommend Angie.  She has appointment times available both during the week and on Saturdays.  
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PLANNING COMMISSION / ZONING REGULATIONS UPDATE UNDERWAY
At the Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday June 10th there will be discussion of the Comprehensive Revision and Unification of Town of Berlin Zoning and Subdivision Regulations.  The meeting is scheduled for 7pm at the Berlin Town office. 
Any questions or comments regarding the Zoning Regulations can be submitted to zoning@berlinvt.org
Visit http://placesense.com/current/berlin for the project timeline and you can also sign up to receive regular progress reports and announcements.
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HIKING OPPORTUNITIES
The Green Mountain Club has some great hiking opportunities, check out their website or facebook page. They also have their annual meeting June 13th. This "will be a lively weekend for hikers, paddlers, families and friends. The weekend will include the long awaited opening celebration of the Winooski Valley Long Trail Relocation and its centerpiece, our new 224-foot hiker footbridge!"http://www.greenmountainclub.org/
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VENTURE VERMONT CHALLENGE
Have you participated in Venture Vermont Challenge yet? A brand new season has started for this Vermont State Parks program. What a fabulous way to spend some time between now and this fall. Awesome incentive (see #5)
How to Do the Challenge:
1. Download a score sheet
2. Do fun outdoor activities listed on the score sheet between 
April 01, 2015 - October 15, 2015.
3. Take photos of your activities
4. When you reach 250 points, submit your score sheet and photos to us
5. Receive a 
VIP gold coin, good for free state park entry for rest of this year and all of next!
6. Have a blast!
If you are doing the challenge as a family, you can take group photos, but each family member needs their own score sheet.http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/venturevt.htm
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SWEET POTATO SLIPS SALE (and burlap coffee bags too)
Perhaps some Berlin folks will want to get together to place an order?
Sweet potatoes are ideal for gardeners with sandy, silty, or loam soil. Each slip can produce up to five pounds of delicious Orleans sweet potato.  The slips come from Jones Family Farms in Bailey, North Carolina, and are approved for use in certified organic production by Vermont Organic Farmers, LLC.  One pot of three slips costs $6.  Pre-order your slips today and pick up at Red Wagon Plants on June 13 or 14.    The sale is at 2408 Shelburne Falls Road in Hinesburg. Details including directions, planting instructions, recipes, and quantity pricing can be found at:  http://vcgn.org/sweet-potato-slip-sale  They will also be selling 20-bag bundles of burlap coffee bags for $20 a bundle.
(I've never seen sweet potato slips available, if you know of a source in central Vermont please let me know!)
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ATTORNEY: PANHANDLING PERMIT BAD IDEA
Pub. 6/3/15 Times Argus by David Delcore
   BERLIN — Some beggars may appear shady, but have rights like everyone else, and requiring permits for panhandling and imposing sweeping restrictions on those who engage in the activity probably wouldn’t be prudent, according to Town Attorney Rob Halpert.
   Town Administrator Dana Hadley delivered that message to the Berlin Select Board this week, along with Halpert’s heavily edited version of the draft ordinance it proposed amid concerns over “aggressive panhandling” earlier this year.
   Though complaints continue to trickle in, board members were told that proposed regulations on “public soliciting” that aren’t unconstitutional are largely redundant in Halpert’s view.
   “There’s a very fine line of what we can do without infringing on people’s rights,” Hadley said, providing the board with an executive summary of the suggestions made by Halpert and indicating there were probably more where that came from.
   “This was by no means the end of his (Halpert’s) suggestions,” Hadley told board members who agreed to “proceed cautiously.”
   “We should tread lightly,” Selectman Pete Kelly said after listening to Hadley and reviewing Halpert’s revisions and some of the issues he raised.
   Among other things, the proposed ordinance would have required “all solicitors” to obtain and display permits from the town’s police department that would be valid for 15 days. Halpert suggested that entire provision be deleted.
   “Provisions requiring a permit here are vague, and don’t set forth any required procedures to obtain the permit, much less a purpose for obtaining a permit,” he wrote, noting that a comparable ordinance in Burlington only requires permits for those selling goods or services in public.
   “(That) is quite different from requiring permits for the simple act of soliciting/begging for funds, which is recognized by the courts as a protected form of free speech under the First Amendment,” he added.
   
Berlin already requires permits for those who sell goods and services in public under a separate ordinance, so Halpert suggested the permit provision be deleted.
   Halpert also proposed other changes to a proposed ordinance that board members have been careful to say was drafted to address complaints that some who routinely ask for cash from passing motorists are more forceful than they should be.
   The complaints have ranged from threats and intimidation to property damage, and prompted the board to craft an ordinance that would give police the ability to crack down on that bad behavior.
   However, Halpert hinted police already have the power to regulate “aggressive” behavior through criminal statutes that cover everything from harassment and disorderly conduct to trespassing.
   “As a general comment to all the activities sought to be prohibited by this ordinance, we should be asking the question: ‘Is this conduct otherwise prohibited by existing statutes or ordinances?’” Halpert wrote, adding: “If so, we should not seek to regulate/prohibit this conduct by this ordinance.”
   A simple tap on the shoulder, or a knock on a window or door might be unwelcome, but Halpert indicated prohibiting those acts probably isn’t legal. He recommended language to the contrary be dropped.
   What remains is a draft that is arguably redundant and needs work, because among other things, it puzzlingly contains a prohibition on soliciting and converting funds for “private use.”
   “I do not understand the meaning or what conduct is sought to be prohibited,” Halpert wrote, also singling out a separate element of the proposal prohibiting any form of soliciting within 15 feet of any vehicle or the entrance of any business without the owner’s consent.
   “Without aggressive behavior the provision likely infringes on the constitutionally protected right to beg/panhandle in a public place,” he wrote.
   Hadley suggested it might be useful to invite Police Chief Bill Wolfe in to discuss the issue from a law enforcement perspective given Halpert’s opinion that the behavior most troubling to the board could already be dealt with through criminal citations. The difference, he said, is that those affected would have to provide police with sworn statements of the alleged offenses.
   @Tagline:david.delcore @timesargus.com
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BERLIN BOARD PRESSES FOR KOHL'S PERMIT
Pub 5/29/15 Times Argus by David Delcore
   BERLIN — Frustrated by what it perceives as the District 5 Environmental Commission’s too-time-consuming review of a proposal to build a freestanding Kohl’s department store at the Berlin Mall, the Select Board is offering its full support for the project.
   During a special meeting Wednesday, four of the board’s five members — Jeremy Hansen was absent — unanimously authorized Town Administrator Dana Hadley to send a letter to the commission endorsing plans to build a 55,000-square-foot Kohl’s.
   Though the brief letter may not sway the quasi-judicial commission, the mere suggestion that it be drafted and sent gave board members an opportunity to vent about everything from the Act 250 review process to what some lamented are limited shopping options in central Vermont.
   The board covered a lot of ground during a 10-minute meeting that was hastily arranged despite the fact the members are scheduled to meet again Monday.
   This one couldn’t wait, according to Chairman Ture Nelson, who noted the mall’s lawyer, Charles Storrow, has indicated that if the commission doesn’t issue a state land use permit for the Kohl’s project soon, plans to open the store next spring will be set back six months.
   Nelson told board members he had spoken with Storrow and concluded that although a letter of support from the town might not expedite matters, it couldn’t hurt.
   Due to the quasi-judicial nature of the review process, it is unclear how far along the commission is in its deliberations, but Nelson and others suggested a permit should have been issued by now.
   “It shouldn’t take this long,” Nelson said of a process that technically began when the application was filed in August.
   A prehearing conference was held in November, and the application was deemed complete in January, setting the stage for the one — and probably only — hearing on the project, which was held Feb. 3.
   Nearly four months later, the commission is said to be deliberating. That private process could end abruptly even though the three-member panel hasn’t yet taken the procedural step — formally adjourning the hearing — that would require it to render a decision in 20 days.
   The commission did add more than a month to the process by accepting its former coordinator’s unsolicited assistance. The commission’s mid-March decision to treat Ed Stanak as a “friend of the commission” came over the objection of the mall’s owners and was a source of consternation for officials in Berlin, who viewed it as an attempt to delay if not derail the Kohl’s project.
   That sentiment was expressed again Wednesday as board members scoffed at the notion that an intersection that is in the process of being upgraded can’t handle the traffic generated by an area the town has specifically targeted for development.
   “That intersection is not that challenging,” said Pete Kelly, referring to the intersection of Route 62 and Fisher and Airport roads.
   Board member Roberta Haskin, who drives through the intersection as part of her daily commute, agreed.
   “That intersection is busy twice a day and that’s it,” she said.
   Haskin predicted the improvements that are now underway — including the creation of a designated left turn lane on 
Airport Road — will improve a situation that, in her view, isn’t all that bad even when it’s at its worst.
   Haskin went on to give voice to folks who are, she said, “frustrated with shopping options in central Vermont” and frequently travel to Chittenden County for choice.
   Kelly said he was concerned 
Berlin’s business-friendly reputation could suffer due to a permit process that is beyond the town’s control.
   Kelly noted past projects — including two proposed on the same spot where Kohl’s would be built — were abandoned due to a regulatory process he claimed was unpredictable, time-consuming and costly.
   “Over the years we’ve seen people come, (eventually) throw up their hands and walk away,” Kelly said. “We can’t have that as a town.”
   In an era when online shopping is increasingly popular, Kelly said a store that will create local jobs, both during and after construction, deserved support.
   “If someone is knocking on our door to put a brick-and-mortar store in our town, that’s a good thing,” he said, struggling to understand why the commission hasn’t already issued a permit.
   “It’s a department store, not a nuclear plant,” he said.
   Hadley, who drafted a letter that reflected the board’s support for the Kohl’s project, noted the town’s Development Review Board has approved what he viewed as a sensible application.
   “It seems like an excellent place to put a store,” Hadley said with more than a hint of sarcasm. “In a shopping center.”
   A fully developed mall complex would add to the town’s tax base and is consistent with a long-range plan to encourage development in the Berlin Four Corners area. The town is constructing a municipal water system in that area to eliminate what has been viewed as an impediment to future development, while resolving a long-standing problem with water quality produced by private wells.
   david.delcore @timesargus.com
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WELCOME, KOHL'S?
Pub. 5/25/15 Times Argus
   Welcome, Kohl’s!?
   Not so fast.
   The assembly welcoming Kohl’s may have been scheduled immediately following “home room,” but it has been postponed until sometime after “recess.”
   Kohl’s Act 250 hearing was held in February. Rather than being “closed” at the end of the hearing, it was “recessed,” and it has been in “recess” ever since.
   Ironically, it was a week after Kohl’s hearing that area developers addressed the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce annual meeting to discuss the motivation and challenges of creating space to do business in central 
Vermont. “Uncertainty” was identified as the leading challenge, and the key issues cited were the Legislature’s ever-changing tax policies and the vagaries of the permit process.
   Kohl’s has been in the permit abyss ever since.
   Since Kohl’s’ last hearing, the plastic wrap has come off the new Northfield Savings Bank building, windows have been installed, and the façade has been completed. In another 30 to 60 days, bank personnel will begin the transition to their new home, and the end of the construction season will loom on the horizon.
   Will Kohl’s have broken ground? Will it have a permit? Will recess have ended?
   Since Kohl’s last hearing, the Vermont Legislature has appropriated funds to lure employers from 
Canada. Vermonters will head north to pitch the state as a location for expansion by Canadian firms.
   Will Kohl’s have a permit before they leave?
   Closing the hearing is the trigger for a decision from the Act 250 commission. A component of the law requires the commission to act expeditiously on permit applications. Decisions must flow in a timely manner from the close of the hearing.
   But hearings are closed by the Act 250 commission. So much for “expeditious.”
   Perhaps the 
Vermont delegation to Canada will pledge to fast-track permitting for any projects from north of the border.
   They certainly won’t tell them that Kohl’s’ February hearing for an uncontested permit on an out lot of an existing mall remains in recess.
   When the commission took the unusual action of allowing late-arriving input from a local citizen without party status, the applicant quickly announced the willingness to pay an additional $21,000 toward highway improvements that the agency of transportation had not requested at the February hearing.
   Getting construction underway this season was critical to opening in 2016. It may be key to opening, period.
   Area residents would like employment. The town of 
Berlin would like to grow the grand list. Mall tenants would like another magnet store. Shoppers would like additional choices.
   Everyone would like to see less retail leakage and less fossil fuel consumed by area shoppers going elsewhere.
   It’s well past time for the district commission to join the rest of central 
Vermont in welcoming Kohl’s.
   Ending the recess, closing the hearing, and rendering a decision should have taken about six weeks, not six months.

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FROM BERLIN FRONT PORCH FORUM
Below are a few recent postings .... 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

FOREST PEST FIRST DETECTOR TRAINING
Forest Pest First Detector Training - POSTED FPF #626 5/24/15
Saturday, June 13th, 
9:30am - 4:15pm, Montpelier
Enjoy spending time outdoors? Concerned about the health of Vermonts forests? Then we need YOUR help!
First Detector volunteers are our front-line defense against invasive tree pest infestations. The Vermont Forest Pest First Detector Program is hosting a FREE volunteer training session on Saturday June 13th, 2015.
We are training volunteers to (1) inform the public about the tangible threat Vermonts primary pests pose (namely the Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, and hemlock woolly adelgid), (2) prepare their communities for a response in the event of an infestation, and (3) screen potential pest sightings. Early detection of invasive pests mitigates the economic and ecological impact to forests and prevents pest populations from becoming established in the state. Come volunteer with us! YOU can help protect Vermont's forests! Learn more about Vermont's First Detector Program. For more information, visitvtinvasives.org/first-detectors.
Questions or to register, contact Gwen Kozlowski at gwen.kozlowski@uvm.edu or 802-656-6646 by June 9.

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A Correction and Notes from June 1 Selectboard Meeting - posted FPF #635 6/3/15

Jeremy Hansen • Selectboard Member, Berlin 
Posted to: Berlin
I need to correct something I posted in my last "notes": the water system "loop" on Comstock Road was not formally approved by us, but we asked for the design to continue and expect to approve it when that's done. Also, the additional cost wasn't $10,000, it was $250,000, which pushes up the annual cost per residence a few dollars. (Again, with the benefits of redundancy in the event of a break in the line and increased pressure.)
Here are my notes from Monday's meeting:
1) Berlin Volunteer Fire Department
Fire Chief Miles Silk introduced Shawn Silk (his brother) as the new President of the BVFD Corporation and Jean Pratt as the new Treasurer. The Chief also reported that Berlin's fire protection (Public Protection Classification or PPC) was ISO rated as a 4/4X. The "split" classification is due to Riverton being far enough away from the primary fire station and having slightly slower response times. It's conceivable that after the construction of the water system, Berlin may have enough "points" to achieve a rating of 3.
In other news, the Riverton station is being renovated to be used as a training facility, and the Department will be receiving their new air packs in July or August to replace those that are currently expired.
There is a spot on the BVFD Board of Directors open to any resident of Berlin, which is currently held by Nicole Daniels. As we have to re-appoint these Directors every year, if you're interested, please send me an email. If nobody responds, I expect that we'll re-appoint Nicole.
2) Panhandling Ordinance
We discussed some revised language from the Town Attorney, who still seems wary of Constitutional challenges to the Town regulating behavior that has been found by courts to be protected speech under the First Amendment. This means that panhandling cannot itself be prohibited, but aggressive behavior can. We were advised that the best bet right now is for people who feel harassed or otherwise on the receiving end of aggressive behavior to submit a formal, signed complaint (it cannot be anonymous) to the Berlin Police Department. This gives the Police Department the ability to pursue enforcement actions in the event an officer doesn't witness the behavior.
3) Water Project
The water project is still working on Airport Road, and recently worked on the connection at Berlin Health & Rehab. It seems like some semi trailer traffic may be detouring around Airport Road to Scott Hill Road, which has weight restrictions and is unsuitable for these trucks. Our Town Administrator will be reaching out to the truckers to ensure that they do not continue driving on the posted roads.
4) Route 62 Project
Crews have started (and are still as of Wednesday) milling the existing pavement. All this week, expect delays due to lane closures on Fisher Road, Airport Road, Route 62, and Berlin State Highway.
It was a record-short regular meeting for me--we were adjourned by 8PM! Have a great week and enjoy the clearing weather!
Jeremy
279-6054
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Notes from May 18 Selectboard Meeting (posted FPF #633 5/13/15)

Jeremy Hansen • Selectboard Member, Berlin 
Posted to: Berlin
Here are my notes from the last Selectboard meeting:
1) VT Alert
We met with Randy Bronson, who works for the Department of Public Safety and manages a program called VT Alert. VT Alert lets Vermonters get notifications via phone, email, or text message about important events like weather advisories, road closures, amber alerts, natural disasters, and the like. These can be broadcasts to the public or they can be used to notify smaller groups of people. Randy told us that the Emergency Management Director for the town of Pawlet collected every resident's phone number and uses that for alerts affecting their town. The Town of Berlin expects to start using this service (there's no cost to us) shortly for important town-related alerts. You can sign up for State alerts right now at vtalert.gov -- I've done this and the text message and phone notifications are really good, and I don't get too many of them.
2) Route 62 project
Patti Colburn from VTrans explained to us what's happening with Route 62. She said that the majority of the earth work would be done by August, and during the construction, there would be at most one lane closed at a time on only one side of the road. The project will proceed roughly according to this sequence:
a) Extend the westbound left turn lane from Berlin State Highway (BSH) onto Airport Road.
b) Add a left-turn-only lane to 
Airport Road
c) Rebuild the roadway where 
BSH merges with Route 62 westbound. (This doesn't really change how things work right now, it just moves the merging back a bit to the east.)
d) Rework how the traffic signal works at the intersection by the hospital
e) Change the signs on the eastbound approach to the intersection to indicate earlier that the left lane is for Barre and the right lane is for 
Montpelier.
f) Repaving of the whole stretch, from the Interstate to Barre.
3) Water system update
The water system is under construction. The project has been modified somewhat (with an increase in price of about $10,000) to add a loop within the system along Comstock Road. This gives the water system some redundancy in the event of a break and will improve the pressure of the water throughout the system.
4) Community garden
We have been awarded a grant to develop a community garden/park/trails/green space on the property that the Town acquired through a FEMA buyout on Muzzy Road. We talked about some ideas for the space: fruit trees, perennial bushes, and so on. I'd love to hear from anybody interested in being a part of this project--we'll have resources to make it a valuable community resource, and it's important to me and the rest of the Selectboard that residents have a say in what goes on there.
5) Bike lane/sidewalk study
While the "road diet" won't have its trial until next year, the study that was presented at the Elementary School last year has been modified to incorporate changes, and the updates will be presented on July 6th.
Our next meeting is on Monday the 1st, and I'll be posting the agenda for it soon.
Jeremy
279-6054
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