Sunday, January 17, 2016

 

Berlin News to Know January 17th

BERLIN NEWS TO KNOW January 17, 2016
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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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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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For those who like an early heads up for events, Saturday, March 19th is the date of the annual Pie Breakfast at Rumney Elementary School.  More details to come.

I haven't seen the details for it yet but usually the ice harvest in Brookfield is the last Saturday of January at 10:30am, Floating Bridge,Sunset Lake.

Below you will find:

TOWN OFFICE UPDATES
FINDING HOME: VERMONT'S HISTORIC AND GROWING DIVERSITY
CENTRAL VERMONT WOODCARVING GROUP
SKATING RINK IS OPEN
SHOWING OF THE HUNGRY HEART
SCHOOL BUDGETS SET
FARMERS NIGHT AT STATEHOUSE - FREE
VERMONT'S NATIVE WILDLIFE POPULATION CHANGES
FAMILY FUN DAY AT CAPITAL CITY GRANGE HALL
BATTLE OF BULL RUN: THE PAINTING & THE STORY
U-32'S LATIN DINNER DANCE
BERLIN ELEMENTARY PTNA
ADDITIONAL RECYCLABLES COLLECTION CENTER
CIVIL AIR PATROL
INFANT & CHILD CAR SEAT INSPECTIONS
VERMONT MODELERS CLUB
ONION RIVER EXCHANGE TOOL LIBRARY
U-32 TRAIL EXTENSION
CVMC & FOODBANK TEAM UP TO PROVIDE MOBILE FOOD SHELF
VOTE FOR VERMONT
JOSH FITZHUGH INTERVIEW ON "BILL DOYLE ON VERMONT ISSUES"
SONGWRITER DAN LINDNER RETELLS THE BIG BANG OF BERLIN
BERLIN BOARD TO HOLD SECOND HEARING ON OPTION TAX
MALEK: NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT ARRIVES
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TOWN OFFICE UPDATES
On Monday, January 18th, the Town Clerk's Office will be closed while the rest of the Town offices will be open. The 6pm Public Hearing on the potential 1% Local Option Tax will be held at Berlin Elementary School (this is a change), the regular Selectboard meeting will follow at 7pm. On Tuesday, January 19th, the Selectboard will meet at 5:30pm to finalize the budget, at 7pm the Development Review Board will meet.
If you’re interested in running for a position in Town such as Selectboard or School Board, please stop in at the Town Clerk’s office to pick up a petition, you will need to submit the petition with at least 25 valid Berlin voter signatures by January 25th. 
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FINDING HOME: VERMONT'S HISTORIC AND GROWING DIVERSITY
Vermont History Museum 109 State Street 12-4pm Free  In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., young and old are invited to write or draw about what it means to be a Vermonter.  At 1:30pm there will be an illustrated lecture by Vermont Folklife Center Co-Director Gregory Sharrow exploring the vital cultures of Vermont's immigrant communities and highlights foodways, religious culture and traditional arts in our state's evolving cultural landscape.  Lively conversation follows.  Co-sponsored by Rubin, Kidney, Myer, & Vincent and the Vermont Council on the Humanities.  479-8519 julie.nelson@vermonthistory.org
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CENTRAL VERMONT WOODCARVING GROUP
Monday, January 18th 1-4pm Free woodcarving instruction and projects for all abilities.  Contact Don for additional information.  Barre Congregational Church, 35 Church Street.  479-9563 lkdhvt@aol.com
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SKATING RINK IS OPEN
The Town’s ice skating rink, adjacent to the Berlin Town Office, has opened. 
There is a warm-up hut, port-o-let and lights for night skating. The switch to turn the lights on is located on the light pole located at the "elbow" of the "L" shaped rink. Part of the rink is utilized for hockey and part is reserved for recreational skating.  The rink is free to use for everyone. Volunteers snowblow and flood.  Many thanks especially to Tom Willard for his work on this.  If you are able to help out it would be most appreciated. Email Andrea Chandler at andreachandler@ymail.com if you can fill in now and again.
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The Hungry Heart, an award-winning documentary by Vermont filmmaker Bess O’Brien, will be shown on Tuesday, January 19th at 6:30 pm at Montpelier High School auditorium. This event is free and will be followed by a panel discussion including Dr. Fred Holmes, Raina, and mother Sally Greeno from the film. Parents, community, and students 12 and older are welcome. Any questions, please call Central Vermont New Directions Coalition at 223-4949 
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SCHOOL BUDGETS SET
The U-32 budget of just over $15.3 million has been adopted to go before the voters as well as the Berlin Elementary budget of just under $3.4 million was approved. 
http://berlinschool.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=130&Itemid=137 - look for January 11th minutes which were not yet posted when this was sent out
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WCSU Budget - total 2016-2017 Final Budget of $7,068,933, which consists of $1,455,519 for operations, $700,000 for state placed students, and $329,554 for shared special services, to include all Special Education Support Services budgets of $3,455,265 (excluding para-educators) and $1,128,595 for student transportation was approved on December 3rd.  It was then divided up and included in the school budgets - U-32, BerlinEast Montpelier, Rumney, Calais, and Doty.
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FARMERS NIGHT AT STATEHOUSE - FREE
“Farmers Night” – FREE weekly entertainment events at the State House begin Wednesday, January 20th 7:30pm.  With the exception of March 2nd these continue through April 13th.  
(Link to listing of Farmers Night events:
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VERMONT'S NATIVE WILDLIFE POPULATION CHANGES
Thursday, January 21 • 12:00 to 1:00 pmVermont History Museum109 State St.
Bring your bag lunch! Kim Royar, from the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife will share how 
Vermont’s native wildlife population has been changed significantly by the humans living here. Kim will show how settlers in Vermont influenced wildlife and how that relationship continues today. She will also talk about Vermont’s land use history from the Woodland Indians through modern times. Learn more about our Third Thursday lunch series
On the Third Thursday of each month—from January through April or May, the Vermont Historical Society hosts brown bag lunches at the 
Vermont History Museum in Montpelier. These talks feature new, updated research into Vermont history as well as deeper explorations of themes found in our core exhibit, Freedom and Unity.
Join us! Third Thursday talks take place from 
12:00 to 1:00 pm and are free and open to the public.
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FAMILY FUN DAY AT CAPITAL CITY GRANGE HALL
Family Fun Day at the Capital City Grange Hall, Sunday, January 24th 3-6pm $5 per person / $20 per family.  Call 477-3951 with questions.
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BATTLE OF BULL RUN: THE PAINTING & THE STORY
January 25, 3:30 pm, Vermont State House, MontpelierVT
Featuring historian Howard Coffin, who recently donated the 19th century painting The Battle of Bull Run by James Hope, telling the story behind this critical Civil War battle and important work of art. More information at
http://www.vtstatehousefriends.org/…/the-battle-of-bull-run…
Awesome photo of the State House with people gathered out front :vtstatehousefriends.org

U-32'S LATIN DINNER DANCE
This annual and always enjoyed event takes place Saturday, January 30 with dinner at 6pm and music and dancing at 7pm.  Students $7, Adults $15, Family (immediate) $35.
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BERLIN ELEMENTARY PTNA
The next Berlin Elementary Parents-Teachers & Neighbors Association meeting is Thursday, February 4th 6:30pm in the LearningCenter (library). https://sites.google.com/a/wcsu32.org/berlin-ptna/
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ADDITIONAL RECYCLABLES COLLECTION CENTER
Open for collection Monday, Wednesday, Friday noon - 6pm, 3rd Saturdays 9am-1pm.  540 N. Main St., Barre.  Visit www.cvswmd.orgfor a list of acceptable items.
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CIVIL AIR PATROL
The Civil Air Patrol meets at the Edward F Knapp airport in Berlin on Tuesdays, 6-8:30pm at the blue hangar.  Info at 229-5193.
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INFANT & CHILD CAR SEAT INSPECTIONS
Is your child's car seat being correctly installed to keep them safe?
Free, first Friday of the month 12pm-4pm, appointments required, location Berlin Fire Station.  Call 371-4198 to schedule.
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VERMONT MODELERS CLUB
Building and flying model airplanes year-round, visitors welcome  Info 485-7144.
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ONION RIVER EXCHANGE TOOL LIBRARY
Another great reason to become part of the Onion River Exchange (ORE)
80 Tools both power and manual.  Wednesday 4-6pm, Saturday 9-11am.  46 Barre StreetMontpelier.  661-8959info@orexchange.com
All ORE members will be able to borrow tools after signing a waiver.  There will be no fee other than ORE membership.  There will be a 20% deposit to be returned when the tools are brought back and of course a small overdue fee if tools are late.
ORE is a time bank in which members exchange skills, talents, and services using time instead of money.  Members post offers and requests and log time earned or spent using an online system to be used for future exchanges with any member.  Every hour is equal. http://www.orexchange.org
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U-32 TRAIL EXTENSION
A bridge was built across a stream that has extended the trails available at U-32.  These trails are used for hiking, running, and skiing by U-32 and the community.  Read more about it in the January 13th Bus Stop Conversations.
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CVMC & FOODBANK TEAM UP TO PROVIDE MOBILE FOOD SHELF
JAN. 13, 2016  Press Release
Berlin, Vt. –The Vermont Foodbank’s Veggie VanGo, a mobile food pantry, will deliver its first round of healthy groceries to the University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center in partnership with Hunger Mountain Coop on Friday, Jan. 22. All families and individuals in need are invited to pick up free, fresh produce and other groceries from 
9 to 11 a.m. in Conference Rooms 1 and 2 on the lower level of the hospital in BerlinVt.
Veggie VanGo will distribute food at the hospital on six Fridays throughout the winter and spring: Jan. 22, Feb. 26, April 1, April 29, May 27 and June 24. In addition to the Veggie VanGo distribution, Hunger Mountain Coop representatives will be available to provide nutritional information and sign people up for their Coop Cares program, a 10% discount supplemental program for patients receiving 3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps) or who participate in WIC. The Vermont Foodbank will also have representatives available to help patients apply for 3SquaresVT.
“We believe that all members of our community should have access to healthy food,” said CVMC Chief Operating Officer Nancy Lothian. “If we collaborate with our local partners to support the nutritional needs of the people in our community, it makes a real difference in their ability to stay healthy.”
The partnership is an extension of the medical center’s Health Care Share (HCS) program, a farm fresh food assistance collaboration with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) farm, created to bring healthy food and nutrition education to those in need. During the summer “food shares” are distributed weekly and provide more than 10 pounds of freshly harvested vegetables to food insecure families for three months.
The Vermont Foodbank’s Veggie VanGo will allow the HCS program to expand during the non-growing season to fill the gap for families when the VYCC farm is closed. Last year more than 150 families and nearly 600 people were helped by the program.
The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center is part of a four-hospital system established to deliver high quality academic medicine to every community we serve. Our partners are: The University of Vermont Medical Center, The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, The University of Vermont Health Network –Elizabethtown Community Hospital. For more information and to connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and our blog, visit UVMHealth.org/CVMC.
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VOTE FOR VERMONT
ORCA is moving Vote for Vermont to run on Thursday evenings at 8 pm, Fridays at 10 am and Sunday at 5:30 pm..  Of course programs can also still be found on www.orcamedia.net
Vote For Vermont has been on the air since last January 2014. You may have noticed some reruns this month as the host, Pat McDonald, has been taking a few weeks off. Starting in February there are several great shows planned which you won’t want to miss. For example, Tom Pelham, former state finance commissioner and co-founder of Campaign for Vermont will be talking about the budget adjustment, revenue shortfall, education financing and the 2016 proposed budget; next will be Ed Paquin, Executive Director of Disability Rights Vermont Inc.; followed by Kevus Ellis who will talk about lobbying in Montpelier; and last but not least Senator Joe Benning so the Senator and Pat can continue their discussion on the legalization and commercialization of marijuana.
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JOSH FITZHUGH INTERVIEW ON "BILL DOYLE ON VERMONT ISSUES"
Berlin's Josh Fitzhugh was recently interviewed on "Bill Doyle on Vermont Issues".  It's an enjoyable half hour program. www.orcamedia.net/show/josh-fitzhugh
If you search on ORCA using "Bill Doyle" you may find other interviews of interest
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SONGWRITER DAN LINDNER RETELLS THE BIG BANG OF BERLIN
Songwriter Dan Lindner is preparing to record a new volume in his series “Banjo Dan’s Songs of Vermont.” Dan’s original Vermontsongs have earned him the reputation of one of our state’s top chroniclers of Vermont history, legend and lore and his albums have been praised in reviews nation-wide. 
“I love to dig into these great old Vermont stories and turn them into music,” says Lindner.  “It makes them accessible and memorable to so many more people.”  In fact, one of his most popular tunes, “Song for Margaret,” has a direct connection to Berlin, as the monument of the little girl in Green Mount Cemetery was carved by a granite sculptor here in our town
Dan is preparing a new album of Vermont songs whose centerpiece will be a suite of songs and tunes based on the Green MountainState’s role in the Civil War.  It will also include several songs based on stories coming out of other towns.  Our own history will be celebrated in “The Big Bang of Berlin,” a song he wrote last year at the request of Maudean Neill.  Most folks in our town will be familiar with this incident from 1932 and this song will take them down memory lane to the time of that awful explosion.  And now music lovers from all over will have a chance to learn about the event that rocked our town.
Recording of the new Banjo Dan album will depend upon the success of a Kickstarter campaign which will run from March 1st - 31st, and Dan has asked the Berlin Historical Society to spread the word around Berlin.  Interested parties have the opportunity to pledge at various levels and if the fundraising goal is met by the deadline those pledges are called in and the project goes forward.  Everyone entering a pledge will receive an advance autographed copy of the new CD, and the rewards add up with higher pledges – right up to a concert in your very own home!  If the goal is not met, no pledges are collected, the project is canceled, and you haven’t lost a dime.
This information will be shared again on March 1st (or soon after) when the link for Dan's Kickstarter page is available with further details for those of you interested in seeing this project come to life.  Meanwhile you may enjoy information that can be found atwww.banjodan.com
Dan has asked us to thank the town of Berlin for the inspiration behind one of his new songs, and for the opportunity to tell you about his new recording project and how you can participate.
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BERLIN BOARD TO HOLD SECOND HEARING ON OPTION TAX
Pub 1/8/16 Times Argus by David Delcore 
Note: after this article went to print, the decision was made to hold the public hearing at the Berlin Elementary School.  The date and time remain the same Jan. 18th 6pm
BERLIN — Hoping to hear what residents think of a new tax that it believes could take some of the pressure off of a very old one, the Select Board agreed this week to hold another public hearing before deciding whether to schedule a Town Meeting Day vote on the proposed creation of a 1 percent sales tax in Berlin.
As was the case in neighboring Barre this week, discussion of the local option tax wasn’t on the board’s warned agenda. However, it was added at the request of Town Administrator Dana Hadley moments after Monday’s meeting was called to order by Chairman Ture Nelson.
On a night when the board got a ceremonial taste of water now being generated by a municipal system that recently began serving its first three customers, Nelson posed the simplest of questions involving a proposed local option tax.
“What do we want to do with this?” he asked.
The answer, board members agreed, should wait until after a promised second public hearing on a proposal that has been advocated by their economic development committee and was predictably criticized by members of the local business community during the first hearing last month.
Selectman Pete Kelley said he doubts those who own businesses in Berlin will experience a change of heart with respect to the proposal to tack 1 percent on to the state’s 6 percent sales tax in order for the town to claim 70 percent of the proceeds — an estimated $420,000 — as revenue.
“I guess the businesses are going to be adamantly opposed,” he lamented.
Getting a fix on where Berlin voters stand on an idea they haven’t formally considered since resoundingly rejecting it 15 years ago has been far trickier. Board members believe that will require another public vote, but they chose not to get ahead of themselves by scheduling a public hearing for Jan. 18 at 6 p.m.
The board, which held last month’s public hearing at Berlin Elementary School, has dialed down expectations for turnout for the hourlong hearing. Instead of the school library, it will be held in the comparatively cramped meeting room at the town offices on Shed Road where the board’s regular meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
With the deadline for finalizing the Town Meeting Day warning looming, board members appear intent on including the local option tax question on the ballot — a move some view as a favorable alternative to the property tax, it only because it would be paid by many people who don’t own property or even live in Berlin.
“The question is: ‘Who pays?’” said Selectman Jeremy Hansen, who serves as chairman of the economic development committee and has been the most vocal proponent of a 1 percent sales tax.
Kelley is among those sold on an idea that he believes is tailor-made for Berlin — one that isn’t nearly as novel as it was when voters rejected it by nearly a 3-to-1 margin in 2001.
The appeal, according to Kelley, Hansen and others, is that the local tax would be paid in many cases by out-of-town shoppers, the same as it is in Williston and a dozen other Vermont communities that have enacted a local option sales tax.
“It’s the only tax we have like that and it’s unique to Berlin,” Kelley said.
A 1 percent sales tax in Berlin would generate less than half of what it would in either Barre or Montpelier, but it in any case much of that money would be paid by people who live elsewhere. That’s one of the reasons why Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon brought the idea up again this week and officials there are expected to formally discuss it when they meet on Jan. 19.
As is the case in Barre, the Berlin board is exploring ways to cover the mounting cost of municipal services without relying exclusively on the property tax.
Though the municipal portion of Berlin’s property tax rate has remained relatively stable in recent years, board member Roberta Haskin said roads need attention and the police department isn’t getting any less expensive.
“Eventually, we’re going to have to raise (property) taxes,” she said.
“We are going down this path of charging more,” Kelley agreed.
With the cost of education climbing at what he characterized as “a rate that’s unsustainable,” Kelley said considering alternatives to the property tax was a must.
The sole focus of the discussion thus far in Berlin has been the possibility of creating a local sales tax. Neither the committee, nor the board, has expressed interest in creating a 1 percent tax on rooms, meals or alcohol.
Based on 2014 tax receipts for Berlin, a 1 percent sales tax alone would generate an estimated $420,000 — a figure that equates to roughly 16 percent of this year’s $2.6 million municipal budget.
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MALEK: NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT ARRIVES
Pub. 1/11/16 
Board Chairwoman Leslie Sanborn has announced the hiring of William D. “Bill” Moore as the new president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Moore began his duties this morning, just days after he and his wife Maureen completed the move from Rhode Island to Vermont.
As president and chief executive officer, Moore is responsible for managing Chamber programs, staff, and its Berlin office complex at Beaulieu Place.
Moore was selected from more than 60 candidates through a search process that spanned four months,” Sanborn said. Although not a resident, he is no stranger to the state. Moore is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College as are four of his five daughters.
“Other than college, I haven’t lived here, but I’ve had a close relationship with the state for decades and enjoyed a lot of great times here,” Moore said. “I’m excited to be part of its future.”
Moore has spent his entire career in association work, both as a manager and a consultant. A principal in Organizational Dynamics, a firm serving chambers, trade associations, and other nonprofits, Moore has served as a consultant on governmental and media relations, marketing, member development, and strategic planning. He has been chief executive of several New England associations.
“We are excited to have someone with Bill’s expertise and experience as we move forward,” Sanborn said. She expressed thanks and appreciation for the success the organization has enjoyed during the tenure of retiring President George Malek, who has served the Chamber for more than 35 years and will be assisting in the transition.
“We have great members and strong programs, we’re financially sound at a time when many associations are struggling, and I think we’ve found the right person to build on that foundation,” Sanborn said enthusiastically.
The board chair commended the search committee that reviewed every resume received, conducted eight initial interviews and four second interviews before the committee and board members interviewed two finalists. Moore was the overwhelming favorite.
A critical element in the Chamber’s financial strength is its ownership of Beaulieu Place, a “home of its own” first envisioned in 1983 by Board Chair Marion Milne and pursued faithfully by Chamber boards through 2008. The building was purchased in 1991, expanded in 2000, and became debt-free in 2008. At that time, the board adopted a strategic financial plan for dealing with the possible future loss of the Chamber’s group medical program. That loss came to pass five years later, but the organization was prepared.
The office site was named “Beaulieu Place” when it was purchased. It honors Lorraine Beaulieu, an employee for more than 40 years who carried the Chamber during very difficult financial times in the 1970s and never met a member or visitor she didn’t like and look to help.
“Hundreds of members, staff and volunteers made vital contributions to where we are today,” said incoming Board Chair Lindel James. “We look forward to the coming chapters in our organization’s legacy of business advocacy and community promotion,” she added.
“We are delighted to have Bill with us that effort,” she concluded.

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