Saturday, March 26, 2016
Berlin News to Know February 18th
*
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
*
For current news
look for "Berlin , Vermont
For historical
news look for "Berlin , Vermont
***********************
Notes:
Town Reports are back from the printers and
available at the Town Office.
Please be sure to check out the video on Banjo Dan's (Dan Lindner)
project. In a quick five minutes he
touches on a variety of stories that the songs on this album are about which I
think you'll find quite interesting.... and it includes Berlin
Did
you mark your calendar yet for the
annual Pie Breakfast at Rumney Elementary
School
Below you will find:
BANJO
DAN'S SONGS OF VERMONT
“LET’S GO
FISHING” - FREE CLINIC TO TRAIN INSTRUCTORS
INTRODUCTION
TO BEE KEEPING - FREE PRESENTATION
LOCAL CHI
RUNNING CLINIC
BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SIGNUPS
BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SIGNUPS
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
VOTER
INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
SURVEY
REGARDING SCHOOL GOVERNANCE / SCHOOL MANAGEMENT
TOWN
MEETING DAY LUNCH
TATUM'S
TOTES - FOR KIDS GOING INTO FOSTER CARE
BUS STOP
CONVERSATIONS IS ONLINE
CHARTER
CHANGE REVISITS BERLIN
ANNUAL ALL YOU CAN EAT PIE BREAKFAST AT RUMNEY MEMORIAL
SCHOOL
MORE ON
DAN LINDNER
***********************
BANJO DAN'S SONGS OF VERMONT
The
Sleeping Sentinel: Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont #4 - Dan Lindner has a brief
video to tell you about the project he's working on which is a must see.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1081560633/the-sleeping-sentinel-banjo-dans-songs-of-vermont
Note,
support through this Kickstarter campaign is vital for this project to continue
and those who support this effort will receive advance copies of the CD and
potentially other incentives.
If you
missed the previous post on this topic, it's included at the end but really
what you need to know is in the video at the above link.
***
***
“LET’S GO FISHING” - FREE CLINIC TO TRAIN INSTRUCTORS
The
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is seeking volunteers to become “Let’s
Go Fishing” instructors so they can pass on Vermont
Fish
& Wildlife will host a one-day training workshop for new instructors to the
“Let’s Go Fishing” program on March 12 at 190 Junction Road Berlin
Instructors
in the “Let’s Go Fishing,” all volunteers, go on to organize and instruct
clinics in their communities for young people and their families. The
class in informal and it is not necessary to have a high level of fishing expertise
to become an instructor, Hart said.
Participants
in the training workshops will learn how to teach a fishing clinic, in addition
to learning about fishing ethics, aquatic ecology, fisheries management,
habitat conservation, tackle craft and, of course, the basics of casting.
Those
attending the “Let’s Go Fishing” training workshop receive a certificate that
says they passed the course. There is no cost to participate, and lunch is
provided.
The
workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required and
you must be 18 to participate. Register by March 1 by calling 505-5562.
***
***
INTRODUCTION TO BEE KEEPING - FREE PRESENTATION
Sheri
Englert of Vermont Bee Keeping Supply will present an Introduction to Bee
Keeping on Thursday, February 25, from 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm at the Barn at North Branch Nature Center Montpelier 73 Elm St Montpelier
Sheri and
her husband, Marke, have introduced over 200 people to the delights of bee
keeping over the past two years. Sheri’s passion for bees began almost 20 years
ago. Then a couple of years ago, Sheri and Marke decided to combine her love
for bees and Marke’s woodworking skills and opened Vermont Bee Keeping Supply.
This
presentation is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Central VT
Chapter of UVM Extension Master Gardeners
***
***
LOCAL CHI RUNNING CLINIC
Would you like to run efficiently and stay injury free while logging your miles?
The Chi Running Essentials Clinic includes several hours of instruction in a single 1/2 day course. Certified Chi Running Instructor Sarah Richardson will guide you through exercises and drills designed to leave you with a clear sense of what the Chi Running technique feels like in your body. We will not be doing lots of running (contrary to what you might imagine), so no matter what condition you are in, have no fear. We will spend time alternating between demonstrations, fun exercises and technique drills ... the nature of the day will be relaxed, full and inspiring. You will get lots of personal attention and enjoy a rich learning experience packed with good information to help you run injury-free for the rest of your life.
When: Saturday, February 20th
Time:8:45am-1:45pm
Where:Berlin Elementary
School
Cost: $125 per individual or $200 for a pair
Pre-Registration Required
Register at:
https://riseandshine.coachesconsole.com/chi-running.html
Would you like to run efficiently and stay injury free while logging your miles?
The Chi Running Essentials Clinic includes several hours of instruction in a single 1/2 day course. Certified Chi Running Instructor Sarah Richardson will guide you through exercises and drills designed to leave you with a clear sense of what the Chi Running technique feels like in your body. We will not be doing lots of running (contrary to what you might imagine), so no matter what condition you are in, have no fear. We will spend time alternating between demonstrations, fun exercises and technique drills ... the nature of the day will be relaxed, full and inspiring. You will get lots of personal attention and enjoy a rich learning experience packed with good information to help you run injury-free for the rest of your life.
When: Saturday, February 20th
Time:
Where:
Cost: $125 per individual or $200 for a pair
Pre-Registration Required
Register at:
https://riseandshine.coachesconsole.com/chi-running.html
***
***
BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SIGN-UPS
The
baseball and softball season is right around the corner. There will be two sign-up
nights on March 17th 6-7pm and March 21st 6-7pm at the Berlin Elementary School
Library.
The
registration fee for the first child is $35. If you have two or more players it
is $70 for a family rate. Checks can be made payable to the Montpelier Rec
Dept. After April 1st a $5 late fee will be assessed. All registration forms are available on the
school website at www.berlinelementaryschool.org and
will also be available at the sign-up nights.
(Please
Note: when filling in your child’s age on the registration form use the
applicable baseball or softball “age chart form” to determine your child’s
league age. )
We need
coaches!!! Anyone who would like to help coach will need to fill out a
volunteer form. The volunteer form can be picked up in the front office at
school.
If you
have any questions please contact Jason Giroux at Jason.d.giroux.mil@mail.mil or
at 802-505-4014
***
***
UPCOMING
MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Sewer Commission meets Monday, February 22nd 7pm at the Town Office.
Pre Town Meeting is Monday, February 29th 6pm at Berlin Elementary School
Town Meeting is Tuesday, March 1st 10am at Berlin Elementary School 10am – 7pm .
The Development Review Board meeting for March
1st has been
cancelled.
Berlin PTNA (Parent Teacher Neighbor Assoc)
Thursday, March 3, 6:30pm at the school
Berlin Elementary School Board meeting,
Monday, March 14 6:!5pm at the school
Central VT Little League Sign-ups March 17
& 21 6pm at the school
***
***
VOTER INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
You can
also stop by the Town Clerk's office to register.
The
deadline to register to be able to vote on Town Meeting Day, which includes the
Presidential Primary Election, is Wednesday February 24, 2016 at 5pm (the Town
Clerk's office will be open late to accommodate those wishing to register to
vote).
Early /
Absentee Ballots for registered voters can be requested from the Town Clerk.
Please
call 229-9298 with questions.
Note:
Same day voter registration does not become effective in Vermont
Pre Town
Meeting is Monday, February 29th 6pm at Berlin Elementary School
In Berlin 10am at Berlin Elementary School 10am -
7pm .
Join your
friends and neighbors for lunch at the school served by the Berlin Volunteer
Fire Department / Ladies Auxiliary, only $5.00.
***
***
***
Only one of the school board seats is
contested, this is unfortunate as although nobody likes to lose, having a
choice is good. The last time there was
a contested school board seat, it was won by only one vote. Get out and vote as each and every vote
counts!
The folks who are on the ballot running for
seats on the Board of Directors have sent in the following information:
JASON GIROUX
Dear Berlin
My name
is Jason Giroux. In October I was appointed to be on the Berlin Elementary
School Board. The position I took is up for re-election this town meeting day.
My name is on the ballot and I would really like to continue to serve on the
Berlin Elementary School Board.
I have
four children at Berlin Elementary school Berlin
By
continuing to serve on the School Board I will assist the other board members
by setting the vision for our community, make and adhere to policies that keep
our children safe and keep them on track for success in their education,
prepare the budget for the school and assist in setting and achieving various
goals for the school.
What I
have brought to the school board and will continue to bring to the School Board
is hard work, determination, leadership, organization, and dedication. I know
that one board member simply cannot do the job alone, and I look forward to
working as a team with the other board members. I work very hard, and I do not
rest until all issues have been resolved.
On Town
Meeting Day March 1st 2016 I hope I can earn your vote to
continue to serve on the Berlin Elementary School Board.
Sincerely,
*//*
CHRIS WINTERS
My name
is Chris Winters and I am running for re-election to a three year seat on the Berlin
Elementary School (BES) Board. I am an attorney and I work in the
Secretary of State’s Office. I have four children. Two of them attend BES.
I live in West
Berlin
with my wife Sarah, who is very active with the PTNA. We both have coached
soccer and baseball for Berlin Berlin
My first
two years on the BES board have been both rewarding and frustrating. It has
been a pleasure to work with and learn more about the dedicated staff we have
at BES and their passion for doing right by our children. I am glad to be a
part of that and am excited about the future for these kids. At the same time,
the budget process is a difficult one and I have struggled mightily with some
of our funding decisions. I think we have responsibly managed the budget to the
best of our abilities in the face of a decline in enrollment and a difficult
and shifting state funding mechanism.
I hope to
focus more in the coming years on the necessary challenge of upgrading the
deteriorating systems in our school building and achieving the goals we have
set as a board around academic achievement, better communication and community
involvement, making Berlin
*//*
AMY
TUCKER
Hello, my name is Amy Tucker, and I am
running for re-election for the two-year Berlin School Board position.
Two years ago I joined a relatively newly structured Board in the midst of
being faced with many different challenges within the school. We have
worked together to create several different Board goals in order to prioritize
our focuses and I believe that although there has definitely been much
accomplished, there is always more to be done. I am the Berlin
School Board representative on the School Board Negotiations Committee and we
are currently negotiating the next contract.
I would like to be given the opportunity to
continue working on such an enthusiastic Board so I can be part of making
quality decisions for both our community and students! I am a resident of
Berlin Berlin Elementary School
Thank you.
Amy Tucker
*//*
I would like to express my interest
in continuing as a Board Member for the remaining one-year of an
original three-year term. I offer several reasons why I believe I could help
the school board as a fellow board member. I care about public education as a
citizen and a parent. Public education is crucial in our community. I
understand how excellent schools affect civic pride, property values and the
sense of unity in a diverse town as Berlin Berlin Berlin
Thanks for your consideration.
Vera Frazier
*//*
GEORGE GROSS
My name
is George Gross and I am running for a two year seat on the school board
for Berlin Elementary School
I was a
public school teacher for 15 years and hold a Masters in Education and know my
way around schools
I am
interested in being a part of our elementary school board as we transition
through a very interesting time in Vermont
I hope to
be a community member that you can speak to freely and openly to bring
challenges and successes that you see with our school.
***
***
SURVEY REGARDING SCHOOL GOVERNANCE /
SCHOOL MANAGEMENT
Under Act
46, approved by the legislature in 2015, a Washington Central Supervisory Union
study committee (composed of representatives from the five towns) is studying
whether there is a form of school governance-school management-other than our
current system of six separate school boards that would aid us in providing a
better education for all our PreK-12 students at a sustainable cost. The focus
of the law is on the consolidation of school management (school boards); it
does not speak to the issue of consolidating schools - i.e. fewer schools. With
declining school population in the WCSU district and across the state, fewer
schools may, in fact, become the norm; but that is not what is under
consideration in the current study.
The study
committee is charged with producing either a specific recommendation or an
update on its progress by June 30, 2016 . Any recommendation will be voted
on by the citizens of each of our five towns of Berlin Calais East Montpelier , Middlesex, and Worcester
This
survey of the residents of our five towns is a critical piece of the work of
the study committee that will allow the committee members to understand more
deeply the values and ideas of the citizens we represent so that any
recommendation can reflect those aspirations and feelings. The committee has
worked with students from U-32's classes in statistics and journalism on this
survey and will continue to collaborate with the students on the analysis and
presentation of the results to the communities of WCSU.
Please
complete this short questionnaire by March 2, 2016 . It should take no more than 15
minutes. Please click the survey link below:
***
***
TOWN MEETING DAY LUNCH
Tuesday,
March 1st join your friends and neighbors at Berlin Elementary School for lunch
provided by the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary.
Soup -
Vegetable or Corn Chowder
Sandwiches
- Egg Salad, Tuna Salad, or Ham Salad
Dessert -
Tapioca or Chocolate Pudding
Beverage
- Coffee Decaf. or Reg., Tea, Hot Chocolate, or Punch
Only
$5.00
****
***
TATUM'S TOTES - FOR KIDS GOING INTO FOSTER CARE
***
***
BUS STOP CONVERSATIONS IS ONLINE
Current
issue includes:
Creating
a Generation of "Givers" at Calais
Common
Level of Appraisal and other Mysteries of School Funding.
Washington
Central wants to hear from you - take the quick survey to tell the Act 46 Study
Committee what is important to you.
Assembly
on Opiate Addiction at U-32
See
current events, board minutes and pictures of the Latin Dinner Dance in the
current issue of Bus Stop Conversations:
http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/bus_stop/bus_stop2.17.16.pdf
Also, 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.
***
***
Friday,
March 18, 2016 - For students not currently enrolled in Preschool at Berlin
Elementary, who will be 5 years old ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2016.
Please
call Cally Clifton, Administrative Assistant, at 223-2796, Ext. 121, to
schedule an appointment to register your child for next fall’s kindergarten
class. A copy of your child’s birth certificate, current immunization record
and two documents verifying your legal residence must be brought with you on
registration day.
***
***
CHARTER CHANGE REVISITS BERLIN
Pub.
2/18/16 Times Argus by Gina Tron
Residents
will vote for a charter change on the upcoming March 1 Town Meeting Day ballot,
but if it passes it could mean more bad blood between Montpelier Berlin
“I think
it sets a bad precedent giving one municipality control over assets that lie in
another municipality,” said Ture Nelson , Berlin
“I do
want to be a good neighbor to Berlin
Article
14 of Montpelier Montpelier Montpelier
Debate
over how Berlin Pond is used has gone on for years, even playing out in court,
and hasn’t always been pleasant.
“There is
a lot of less-than positive reactions. Montpelier Berlin
She said
the city controlled the pond for more than 100 years. The pond is the capital’s
sole source of drinking water.
In 2009, Barre Town Montpelier Montpelier
The
ruling essentially created “open access” to Berlin Pond for state-sanctioned
recreational purposes, unless and until the state ceded its authority to
regulate the pond to Montpelier
In 2014,
a group called Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond was formed, and it petitioned
the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources to restore the pond to Montpelier
Jed and
Page Guertin, Montpelier Vermont
“Municipalities
should have the right to control their drinking water source,” said Bate. “We
should keep the water as pure as we can so that we use the least amount of
chemicals to make it (potable according to) federal guidelines.”
She
worries about recreation negatively affecting the drinking water, citing human
waste from ice fishermen as an example.
Bate said
she feels sorry that Berlin and Montpelier are butting heads on the issue,
adding that she believes the majority of Berlin Select Board members are
against the charter change.
“Even
though there are about 37 different ponds within a 20-mile radius of Berlin
In a
November 2012 nonbinding vote, Berlin
Barre’s
drinking water comes from Orange Reservoir, and fishing is allowed on certain
areas of that body of water.
Many
people using Berlin Pond for recreation are from other nearby communities, not
just Montpelier Berlin
“Just
from a public policy standpoint, I think it would be a bad idea for this
(charter change) to go through and be approved by the Legislature,” said
Nelson. “To me its just bad public policy to allow one municipality to have
control over another municipality. What would prevent another municipality from
getting a charter change and approval from the Legislature for some other
reason? It’s just the start of a slippery slope.”
***
***
Join our
team of operations supervisors responsible for the daily field support &
supervision of us drivers at Green Mountain Transit (formerly CCTA & GMTA).
Responsibilities
include:
Providing support & assistance to drivers & customers & facilitating customer service.
Participating in training new bus drivers.
Assisting with accident investigations.
Some Saturday work is required. Other responsibilities include conducting on – board driver evaluations, monitoring radio communications, & field / road observation.
Providing support & assistance to drivers & customers & facilitating customer service.
Participating in training new bus drivers.
Assisting with accident investigations.
Some Saturday work is required. Other responsibilities include conducting on – board driver evaluations, monitoring radio communications, & field / road observation.
The ideal
candidate will have a college degree, experience as a driver, & supervisory
experience. Other transportation or similar experience may be substituted. A CDL with passenger endorsement is
required or the ability to obtain one with 90 days of the date of hire.
To apply for this position, please download an application
from cctaride.org.
Submit the application, along with a cover letter & resume in one of the
following ways (no phone calls please): via email to jobs@cctaride.org, via
fax to (802)
864 - 5564, or via mail to: GMT , 15 Industrial Parkway , Burlington , VT 05401
***
***
***
ANNUAL ALL YOU CAN EAT PIE BREAKFAST AT RUMNEY
MEMORIAL SCHOOL
Saturday,
March 19th 9am - 11am Sweet pies, savory pies, gluten free pies, yummy
pies. To be part of this delicious pie eating event costs only $7 per person
or bring your own plate/cup/utensils for $1 off admission, under 3 is free.
This event supports the Rumney School PTO enrichment activities like Flynn
Theatre trips and Artist in Residency programs as well as the Middlesex
Bandstand Summer Concert Series. There will be live music and a 50/50 raffle.
***
***
Previously
posted, but repeating in case you missed it, slightly updated:
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 Vermont Vermont
“I love to dig into these great old Vermont Berlin Green Mount Cemetery
Dan is preparing a new album of Vermont Green Mountain State
Recording of the new Banjo Dan album will
depend upon the success of a Kickstarter campaign which has started and will
run until March 31st, and Dan has asked the Berlin Historical Society to spread
the word around Berlin
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1081560633/the-sleeping-sentinel-banjo-dans-songs-of-vermont
You may enjoy information that can be found at www.banjodan.com.
Dan has asked us to thank the town of Berlin
***
Berlin News to Know February 2nd
*
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
*
For current news
look for "Berlin , Vermont
For historical
news look for "Berlin , Vermont
***********************
Notes:
The Town
Report went to the printers last week and will be ready to distribute about mid
February in time to send a copy home to each of the families who have a child
at Berlin Elementary
School
The next
quarterly tax payment is due Wednesday, February 17th
Kohls is
scheduled to open on February 28th
Below you will find:
DRB ON JUNCTION ROAD PROJECT
DOG
LICENSES 2016
OUTDOOR
JOURNAL - BERLIN
BALLOTS / REGISTER TO VOTE
CHILDREN'S CLOTHING EXCHANGE
BERLIN MALL FEARS WORST FROM OPTIONS TAX
VOTING
ISSUE MAY DERAIL LOCAL OPTION IN BERLIN
***********************
International
Crepe Day - Free crepes all day Tuesday, February 2nd at the Skinny
Pancake. You can ask for a Nutella, pooh
bear, or pure simple crepe. City Center
in Montpelier 8am -
8pm
***
***
***
DRB ON JUNCTION ROAD PROJECT
The Development Review Board
meets today, Tuesday, February 2nd 7pm at
the Town Office. On the agenda is a request for a permit for a project on Junction Road
***
***
DOG LICENSES 2016
Dog
licenses are the law across the state.
The Towns keep a portion of the fee and the state gets the rest for
rabies control and to go toward state subsidies to spay or neuter animals. Having your dog registered can also help
reunite your dog with you.
Animal
license 2016
On or
before April 1st the fee to have your dog licensed is
$9 for
spayed / neutered dogs
$11 for
unspayed / unneutered
Please
make sure we have a current rabies vaccination for your animal.
After
April 1st: $13 for spayed / neutered dogs and $17 for unspayed / unneutered
The
increase this year is due to an increase of the State spay/neuter surcharge
***
***
OUTDOOR JOURNAL - BERLIN
Vermont
PBS, nine minute video on Berlin
***
***
A job
fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 5 at University of Vermont
Health Network-Central Vermont Medical Center, or CVMC.
The job
fair is open to anyone in the community interested in the health care industry.
Recruiters
and managers will be on hand to answer questions about the wide variety of
career opportunities available at the medical center.
Cover
letters and resumes are encouraged.
The event
will be held in conference rooms 1 and 2 on the lower level of the hospital at
CVMC’s main campus located at 130 Fisher Road Berlin
For more
information, visit www.uvmhealth.org/cvmc.
***
***
BALLOTS
/ REGISTER TO VOTE
Please stop by the Town Clerk's Office for an
Early / Absentee Ballot. You can also call 229-9298 and request one be
mailed to you. If you're not yet a registered voter, you can fill out a
form in the Town Clerk's office or ask to have one mailed to you.
It's also now possible to register to vote on line: https://olvr.sec.state.vt.us/
***
***
CHILDREN'S CLOTHING EXCHANGE
The second Saturday of every
month there will be a children's clothing exchange at the Capital City Grange
on Route 12 in Berlin 9:30-11:30am Bring
what you can, take what you need for newborns through a Junior 12. Please bring
clean and gently used items.
***
***
***
Pub
1/23/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
Hadley’s
estimate assumes voters approve the $2.75 million spending plan that was
adopted by the Select Board earlier this week, as well as more than $310,000 in
special funding requests that will join the board’s budget request on this
year’s Town Meeting Day ballot.
Fueled by
construction of a new Kohl’s department store at the Berlin Mall and recent
redevelopment along the Barre-Montpelier Road
If
Hadley’s estimate is in the ballpark, the municipal portion of the local tax
rate would drop from 46.3 cents to 44 cents per $100 in assessed property
value.
Though
Hadley is confident there will be a significant spike in the Grand List, he said
if it were to remain unchanged the spending requests that will be reflected on
the ballot the board will finalize when it meets on Monday would trigger a
1.3-cent rate hike.
That
translates into paying an extra $13 for every $100,000 of taxable value, or a
$26 increase in property taxes for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000.
Most of
that increase can be traced to the $2.75 million general fund budget and an
associated capital fund that were adopted by the board this week. The combined
requests call for spending about $164,000 more than the $2.6 million budget
voters approved a year ago, an increase of 6.3 percent.
The vast
majority of that increase — more than $133,000 — is reflected in a proposed
capital budget that contemplates the acquisition of a new truck for the highway
department.
The
proposed increased in the town’s operating budget is a little less than
$31,000, or about 1.2 percent.
The board
is banking on a $96,000 increase in revenue — including $125,000 in proceeds
from the loan for the $165,000 truck — to largely offset the increased
expenses. Once the revenues are applied, the net increase is roughly $56,000,
or 2.85 percent.
The gap
between the cost of operating the local police department and maintaining and
upgrading town roads continues to narrow, under the budget proposed by the
board. This year’s budget calls for spending approximately $912,000 on the
police department and $996,000 on town highways. However, due largely to a 3
percent pay raise negotiated with the police union, the cost of that department
is expected to climb to $938,500 during the coming fiscal year, while the cost
of running the highway department is projected to drop to $973,000.
Hadley
said payroll savings associated with turnover on the highway crew, coupled with
the shedding of a $45,000 loan payment and projected fuel savings are largely
responsible for what amounts to a $23,000 reduction in the proposed highway
budget.
In
addition to the budget request, voters will be asked to approve more than
$310,000 in special funding requests — the combined requests are more than
$34,000 higher than the amount voters approved a year ago.
Although
the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department’s $245,000 request is responsible for most
of the total, it accounts for only $3,000 of the requested increase. Most of
the increase — more than $28,000 — is tied to the Kellogg-Hubbard Library’s
renewed request for funding from Berlin
***
***
BERLIN MALL FEARS WORST FROM OPTIONS TAX
Pub
1/22/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
Following
a pair of public hearings during which the proposed local options tax was
predictably panned by some from the business community, the board set the stage
for a March 1 vote by agreeing to include the question on this year’s Town
Meeting Day ballot.
Wednesday’s
decision was anything but enthusiastic and capped a brief discussion that saw
the lawyer for the town’s largest taxpayer renew his client’s objection to a
tax he feared might make the Berlin Mall less attractive to both shoppers and
prospective tenants.
“The town
is running the risk of killing the goose that lays the golden egg,” Charles
Storrow said, suggesting that at a time when Vermont malls are competing with
tax-free New Hampshire and shopping on the Internet is becoming increasingly
popular, “one more disincentive” in the form of an optional sales tax wasn’t
helpful.
“We would
respectfully request that you not do this,” he said speaking on behalf of the
mall’s owners.
And then
the board did, though Selectman Brad Towne stressed his support for the ballot
question proposed by board member Jeremy Hansen shouldn’t be viewed as an
endorsement.
“I can’t
say I’m really in favor of it,” Towne said of the proposed tax that would add 1
percent to the state’s 6 percent sales tax.
“I think
if I were going to vote on it (Hansen’s motion) I would vote on it just to get
it before the voters,” he added.
Selectman
Pete Kelley said he felt the same way.
“Let’s
put it out there and let the people decide,” he said. “Technically, that’s sort
of our job isn’t it?”
With the
exception of perhaps a dozen people who spoke at one of two public hearings —
including the one held prior to the board’s regular meeting Monday — Kelley
said he had received surprisingly little feedback involving an alternative tax
that could be a source of new revenue for the town.
According
to Hansen’s conservative estimates, a 1 percent sales tax could net the town
$420,000 in new revenue — money the ballot question that was ultimately
approved by the board suggests would be used to “lower local property taxes.”
There’s
irony there, because both Towne and Kelley openly questioned whether — at least
in the short term — that would be the most prudent use of a revenue windfall.
In a
conversation that was prompted by Chairman Ture Nelson, Towne said his
preference would be to see at least some of the new money dedicated to
infrastructure improvements. Kelley went further, suggesting the board should
consider paying off existing debt, knocking off some paving projects, and
making major equipment purchases before simply “getting the money and giving it
away” in the form of a significant rate reduction.
“I think
to put it to (reduce) property taxes right off the bat is the least efficient
use of the money possible,” he said.
In a
perfect world Kelley said the board would have the flexibility to pay off what
it owes and deal with looming projects and equipment purchases before funneling
new money directly into the General Fund.
“If it’s
my money that’s what I would do with it,” he said.
Nelson
wondered whether there might be a middle ground between the strategy suggested
by Kelley and the ballot language proposed by Hansen.
“The way
it’s worded right now, we’re giving everybody a piece of cake,” he said.
“Instead of giving them a piece of cake could we give them a cookie or a
cracker?”
Nelson said
the idea of using some of the option tax revenue for property tax relief and
some to make targeted improvements might be preferable to the “bring the town
up to snuff” and then share the wealth concept outlined by Kelley.
“The
concern (with that approach) is …we pay down the loans and we do the roads and
then when we’re at the point where we think we’re caught up, we don’t stop,” he
said.
Hansen
said he believed the language he proposed would give the board the flexibility
it needed to make “necessary and reasonable adjustments to the budget” while
using local option tax revenue to lower the municipal portion of the property
tax.
“We’re
not going to go on a shopping spree,” he said.
The
$420,000 revenue estimate that has been used by Hansen is believed to be a
conservative number and should swell with next month’s opening of a Kohl’s
department store at the mall. Even if it doesn’t, in a town where every penny
on the tax rate raises roughly $50,000, the town’s 70 percent share of $600,000
in projected sales tax revenue would trim roughly 8.5 cents from a municipal
tax rate that currently stands at 47.6-cents-per-$100-assessed property value.
That
translates to $85 in annual savings for every $100,000 of assessed property
value and, Nelson noted, a potential $12,000 decrease in the tax bill for the
multi-million-dollar mall.
Storrow
wasn’t swayed.
“Why mess
with a good thing,” he said.
The board
ultimately backed the ballot language proposed by Hansen, though if Kelley is
right it won’t matter much.
“I don’t
think it’s going to pass,” he predicted.
History
is on Kelley’s side because the last time a local option tax was on the ballot
in Berlin Montpelier
The idea
has been revived again and following a soft show of support for a non-binding
question at town meeting last year, Hansen and members of the town’s recently
reconstituted economic development committee have recommended the local tax.
david.delcore
@timesargus.com
***
***
***
VOTING ISSUE MAY DERAIL LOCAL OPTION IN BERLIN
Pub
1/27/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
BERLIN —
An unexpected wrinkle involving the process for approving a local sales tax in
Berlin could prompt the Select Board to abort plans to pop that question on
Town Meeting Day.
The
issue, which surfaced during a special board meeting on Monday, turned what
should have been a formality — approving the warning for the March 1 elections
— into an information-gathering assignment for Town Administrator Dana Hadley.
One of
the questions that Hadley was asked to answer before the board regroups later
today, is whether members’ strong preference to have the tax question decided
by Australian ballot is, for lack of a better term, a local option.
Based on
Hadley’s research, it doesn’t appear to be. At least not if the board wants
voters to decide the matter on March 1.
That’s
the word from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, which, Hadley said,
essentially affirmed Town Clerk Rosemary Morse’s decision to include the local
option tax question on the short list of articles that voters still decide
during what little remains of Berlin
Though Berlin
Some
questions, like bond issues, and amendments to zoning bylaws and to municipal
charters, are required by state law to be decided by Australian ballot, but in
Berlin voters have reserved the right consider all other “public questions” —
even if that only involves electing a moderator or deciding when property tax
payments should be due — on the floor of town meeting.
In 2009, Berlin
That has
been Morse’s understanding, so when she prepared the Town Meeting Day warning
for the board’s approval she included the local option tax question, as well as
the Capital City Grange’s request for a 10-year tax exemption, on the list of
items to be decide by those who attend town meeting this year.
“All
‘public questions’ should be voted from the floor,” Morse explained Tuesday.
“(The local option tax proposal) is a ‘public question.’”
Morse
said she could not explain why a broader package of public option taxes were
rejected, 121-351, during a Town Meeting Day vote that was conducted by
Australian ballot in 2001.
“That was
before my time,” she said, suggesting it was probably fortunate the tax was
rejected because the adoption process was flawed.
The
Select Board had hoped to attract a broader cross section of the community than
typically turns out for what has become a watered down town meeting to weigh in
the renewed request for a 1 percent sales tax.
On
Monday, members asked Hadley to determine whether the Australian ballot was a
possibility either on or after Town Meeting Day before they finalized the
warning.
And
here’s where the board could have a decision to make: While it appears clear
the current proposal would have to be decided on the floor of an open town
meeting, a proposed charter change incorporating the same language must be
warned for an Australian ballot vote.
The board
is already contemplating a package of charter changes, but missed a key
deadline for including them on the Town Meeting Day ballot. While pursuing a
charter change for a local option tax would likely delay implementation of the
tax until next year, it would necessitate an Australian ballot vote.
The
alternative would be to press ahead with a March 1 floor vote on a proposal
that has predictably drawn fire from some in the business community and would
be subject to the whims of a comparatively small sliver of the local
electorate.
“That’s a
choice for the board,” Hadley said, setting the stage for today’s special
meeting, which is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at the town offices on Shed Road
***
***
***
Pub
1/29/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
Unwilling
to roll the dice on how the measure might fare on the floor of what has, in
recent years, been a poorly attended town meeting, and unable to legally
include the article on the lengthy list of questions voters will decide by
Australian ballot, the board agreed to abandon plans for a March 1 vote.
“I feel
that this topic is important enough that as many voters as possible should be
given the opportunity to weigh in on it,” Chairman Ture Nelson said, suggesting
that simply wouldn’t be the case at town meeting.
“While I
still fully support the local option tax in Berlin, and feel it’s a good
direction for the town to go, I think, due to the historically low turnout
we’ve had for the floor vote in past years, that it would be beneficial for us
to take a step back and not act on it at … this time,” he said.
When it
comes to the alternative tax proposal, failure on the floor of an open town
meeting — poorly attended or not — would likely have been fatal for the
foreseeable future. Rather than risk that, Nelson recommended the board pursue
a strategy that sidesteps a belatedly discovered requirement that most “public
questions” — the proposed local option tax among them — be voted on the floor
of an open town meeting.
By
reframing the newly scrapped question involving the local option tax as a
proposed amendment to the town’s charter, Nelson said an Australian ballot vote
could be warned in conjunction with the general election in November. By law,
charter changes must be approved using the day-long voting system Berlin
Though
the board maintained, and still believes, that Berlin
With
other proposed charter changes already in the works, Nelson recommended adding
the 1 percent sales tax to the mix in anticipation of a November vote.
“I think
that would be a good time to act on the option tax as part of the charter
change process,” he said.
According
to Nelson, turnout for the general election in November will likely be even
higher than the town will see on March 1 — a fact he listed as one of the
advantages associated with the board’s change of plans.
Nelson
said the delay would also give the board more time to explain a tax that,
according to its conservative estimates would raise roughly $420,000 a year and
take some of the pressure off of the local property tax.
The
article that was stripped from the warning indicated all proceeds from the
proposed 1 percent tax on sales would be used to “lower property taxes” — a
commitment Nelson said could be written into the proposed charter language.
Nelson
said the strategy, which was ultimately embraced by the board, would also
resolve any lingering doubts about whether a charter change similar to those
being proposed in both Barre and Montpelier Berlin
Board
member Jeremy Hansen, who has been the most vocal proponent of the local sales
tax, said Nelson’s arguments were compelling.
“I think
that makes a lot of sense,” he said of the proposed November vote on a tax that
has generated predictable pushback from some in the business community.
Owners of
the Berlin Mall are on that list and a week after their lawyer tried
unsuccessfully to discourage the board from agreeing to schedule a Town Meeting
Day, one of them — Ken Simon — urged them not to cancel it.
Simon
didn’t have a change of heart about the proposed tax, but Town Administrator
Dana Hadley told the board that he called before Wednesday’s meeting to say
that if the question is going to be asked, he favored an open meeting format
that would give the mall a chance to “plead its case” before voters make their
decision.
Board
members didn’t discount Simon’s request, but their shared desire to put the
question to a town-wide trumped it.
Though
pursuing a charter change guarantees a vote by Australian ballot, Nelson said
it is a more time-consuming process than the one the board initially
anticipated. Regardless of the result, he said it would be worth the wait,
because it would provide the board with the clearest reading of what
townspeople think about what has become an increasingly popular idea.
A
successful vote in November would require waiting for the charter change to
work its way through the Legislature next year and probably postpone
implementation of the new tax until July 1, 2017 .
The
board’s initial plan to bypass the charter change could have led to the tax
being implemented as early as this April.
The only
other option would have been to again ask voters at town meeting to approve all
public questions by Australian ballot and subsequently warning an up-or-down
vote on the proposed tax without changing the charter. That two-step process
could conceivably have expedited things, but would have hinged on voters
agreeing to do something they refused to six years ago when they agreed to
preserve what little is left of their traditional town meeting.
Nelson
said he favored a more direct approach.
“I think
(proposing a) charter (change) would be the cleanest, easiest way to do this,”
he said.
George
Malek, a long-time critic of local option taxes who recently retired as
president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, wasn’t quite sure what to
make of the board’s decision to abandon plans for a Town Meeting Day vote.
“Thank
you, I think?” an uncertain Malek told the board.
“It’s not
really ‘thank you,’” Nelson replied. “It (the tax proposal) is still there, it
(the vote) is just going to be a little bit later.”
The
board’s decision with respect to the option tax doesn’t leave much for voters
to decide on the floor of this year’s town meeting. Other than electing a moderator,
and approving a plan to pay property taxes in quarterly installment, the only
other question on the warning is a 10-year tax exemption the Capital City
Grange has requested for its property on Route 12. In exchange for the
requested exemption the grange is offering Berlin
***
***
***
Pub
1/25/16 Times Argus / Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce
One of
the great events for the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce is our annual
meeting. This is the one opportunity that we have all year to collectively meet
and celebrate all of the successes that we have enjoyed from the previous year.
And what a year it was.
Perhaps
the most significant event was an announcement. George Malek said that “it’s
time to say good-bye.” Following 37 years of dynamic leadership, George told
the board that he planned to retire at the end of the year. The chamber will
never be the same. The Chamber has accomplished so much under George’s
dedicated guidance that it is difficult to know where to begin. The Chamber
today is a reflection of the vision and direction brought by George. The central
Vermont
The
chamber kicked off 2015 at the annual meeting with a presentation on
development, focusing on the risks, rewards and motivation to build, renovate
and own commercial space. That in turn has led to discussions at the Capitol
concerning challenges that developers face. New talks have recently begun
centered on extending the expiration dates in future permits that expire when
an appeal is still pending, thereby requiring the applicant to re-apply.
Our
annual legislative breakfast was a tremendous success as was our annual golf
outing. Between our mixers and educational seminars chamber members had a
variety of opportunities to network and grow their businesses.
This
year’s annual meeting will be on Feb. 11 with a topical focus. We will be
presenting “The 1 Percent Sting: Facts and Impacts of Local Option Taxes.” We
will be exploring who the real “winners” and “losers” are when communities
adopt local option taxes. Among those expressing their thoughts will be Jeff
Blow from Jet Service Envelope Company in Berlin Montpelier Berlin Berlin Montpelier
At the
annual meeting, we will be thanking Leslie Sanborn from R & L Archery who
is completing her second term as board chair and Gary Hass from World
Publications who has completed his term on the board of directors. Lindel James
from the Center for Leadership Skills has been nominated to serves as board
chair. Those nominated to serve on the board include Joe Choquette from Downs , Rachlin, Martin, Cody Patno from
Noyle W. Johnson Insurance and Amy White from Key Bank.
I invite
you all to join us at our annual meeting. It will take place from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier
William
Moore is the president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce.
***
