Saturday, October 01, 2016
Berlin News to Know July 12, 2016
BERLIN NEWS TO
KNOW July 12, 2016
*
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 "Berlin, Vermont" 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 "Berlin, Vermont Memories" on facebook.
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Below you will find:
BERLIN HISTORICAL
SOCIETY MEETING NOTICE
NATIVE TONGUE AT
CURRIER PARK THEN AT HIGHER GROUND
BEN & JERRY’S FREE
MOVIES
BURKE CD AVAILABLE
TAX RATE / TAX BILLS
VENTURE VERMONT ARTICLE
TAIKO DRUMMING CLASSES
DO GOOD FEST AT NATIONAL
LIFE
BARRE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
BERLIN SCHOOL RENOVATION
PROJECT MEETING
LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS
YOUR VOTE COUNTS AUGUST
9TH
CAPITAL CITY GRANGE –
FREE RENTALS AVAILABLE
CHARTER REVISIONS
INCLUDE ONE REGARDING A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX
BCBSVT GIVES NEARLY
$200K
MIDDLESEX
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
REALLY ‘BIG ART’ AT
BERLIN MALL
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
REIMBURSEMENT SOUGHT
SMALL CROWD RAPS BERLIN SALES TAX PITCH
SMALL CROWD RAPS BERLIN SALES TAX PITCH
BERLIN MULLS POSSIBLE
SCHOOL BOND
***********************
BERLIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING NOTICE
The July meeting of the Berlin Historical Society will be held
at the Berlin Town office building on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 7:00 PM. We
will show historical Berlin photos and/or videos starting at 6:30 for anyone
wishing to come early.
Some items on the agenda will be:
- Follow up on Vermont History Expo – including further display possibilities of “Water, Water Everywhere”.
- Election of officers (previously postponed)
- Update project listing – is there a project you could assist with or maybe one you’re already working on?
- Review of Chapters 14 and 17 (Adeline Turner Crandall’s and Georgia Winslow’s diaries) in A Place to Pass Through: Berlin, Vermont
At our August 30 meeting David Perrin will speak on the Perrin family in Berlin.
Richard Turner, Secretary
Some items on the agenda will be:
- Follow up on Vermont History Expo – including further display possibilities of “Water, Water Everywhere”.
- Election of officers (previously postponed)
- Update project listing – is there a project you could assist with or maybe one you’re already working on?
- Review of Chapters 14 and 17 (Adeline Turner Crandall’s and Georgia Winslow’s diaries) in A Place to Pass Through: Berlin, Vermont
At our August 30 meeting David Perrin will speak on the Perrin family in Berlin.
Richard Turner, Secretary
***
***
NATIVE
TONGUE AT CURRIER PARK THEN AT HIGHER GROUND
Whether you’re already
a Native Tongue fan or just wanting to check this band out:
Native Tongue:
Wednesday night July 13th at Currier Park in Barre, show time 7:00 pm. This is
a free, all ages show, outdoors so bring a blanket or chair to sit on!
Saturday night July 16th Native Tongue is proud to be part of the first ever Cover Band Showcase at Higher Ground! Show starts at 8:00 pm and is also an all ages event. Tickets are $10 ahead of time or $12.00 at the door. Four great bands playing all your favorite music!
***
***
BEN
& JERRY’S FREE MOVIES
Ben and Jerry 36th
annual FREE outdoor movie festival. Saturday nights in Waterbury at the Ben
& Jerry's Factory. All shows start at dusk. Bring your own
chair.
July 16 Finding Nemo -rated G
July 23 Star Wars: The Force Awakens -rated PG-13
July 30 The Good Dinosaur -rated PG
August 6 Goosebumps -rated PG
August 13 Inside Out -rated PG
***
***
BURKE CD AVAILABLE
Berlin's Kelly Burke
has a new CD out called "The Last Crop". Enjoying mine - stop by
Harvest Hill Farm to pick up one for yourself - just $5.00.
***
***
TAX
RATE / TAX BILLS
It is anticipated that
the tax rate will be set at the next Selectboard meeting, Monday, July 18th and
then the tax bills will be in the mail a couple days later.
On the tax bills it will
clearly state the date that the first quarterly payment will be due - I believe
it will be August 22nd.
Note, the other three
installments will be due on or before the 16th of November, February, and May.
***
***
VENTURE
VERMONT ARTICLE
Here is a good article
regarding the Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge that has been mentioned
previously, it’s not too late to get started! www.kidsvt.com/vermont/taking-the-venture-vermont-outdoor-challenge
***
***
TAIKO
DRUMMING CLASSES
Heard about this and
thought some Berlin folks might be interested:
Stuart Paton, co-founder of Burlington Taiko Drumming is
bringing taiko and djembe drumming classes for kids and families to the grange here in Berlin. Thursdays, starting July 14. Classes
for adults happen in the evening. Earlier, Parent-Child sessions for 3-5
year-olds at 3:30, and then for 6+ year-olds at 4:30. Come for a three week
mini-session to check it out! Total fun in the summer with sticks, big drums
and deep tradition! For details go tohttp://www.burlingtontaiko.org/classes/taiko.php
***
***
DO
GOOD FEST AT NATIONAL LIFE
The Do Good Fest this
year features Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Brett Dennen Steady Betty, and
the Dave Keller Band, plus family activities, food trucks and beer. FREE
admission. $20 parking fee benefits Branches of Hope cancer patients. July
16, 3-9 pm, at National Life, Montpelier. Last year this was loads of fun
– come by yourself or bring your friends and/or family, chairs and snacks
(although food is available!) and enjoy seeing friends and hearing some awesome
music! https://dogoodfest.com/
***
***
BARRE
HERITAGE FESTIVAL
The Barre Heritage
Festival is July 27 – 30, full details can be found at: http://barreheritagefestival.org/
***
***
BERLIN
SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT MEETING
The next Berlin School
Renovation Project meeting will be on Tuesday, July 19th 7pm at
the school. The committee is reviewing failing systems, building
safety, energy efficiency, code compliance and student needs working toward
proposing a bond vote in November. Contact Chris Winters at 223-8101
with questions. They will continue to meet this summer every other
Tuesday.
***
***
LOCAL
ACCOMMODATIONS
Another option when
looking for local accommodations is the Burelli Farm here in Berlin:
***
***
YOUR
VOTE COUNTS AUGUST 9TH
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
State Primary Election
Day
Polls open 8am – 7pm at
the Berlin Town Offices
Early or absentee
ballots available now
(Last day to register to
vote, Wednesday, August 3rd at the Town office or on the
Secretary of State’s website)
In addition to the
ballots for the state offices, there is a ballot for revisions to the Berlin
Charter.
Go to www.berlinvt.org for
details or stop by the Town office.
Call the Town Clerk’s
office with questions. 802-229-9298
***
***
CAPITAL
CITY GRANGE – FREE RENTALS AVAILABLE
At Town Meeting this
year, a 5-year exemption from property taxes was given to the Capital City
Grange at 6612 VT Route 12 here in Berlin and they are offering free rentals to
residents and organizations from Berlin. The Capital City Grange policy
includes -
Free rentals will be standard
for Berlin residents as long as they meet the following criteria:
1. No previous reservation for the time period requested exists (they
don’t want to jeopardize their existing rentals).
2. The rental is for a Berlin resident, or an organization based in
Berlin (not just that a single member is a Berlin resident)
3. The event is for less than approximately 50 people (larger events
imply larger costs on the Grange Hall)
4. The event does not include alcohol being served (we have a
pre-existing specific policy about required insurance and liability
requirements for alcohol-serving events)
The Capital City Grange
can be found at www.capitalcitygrange.org or on
facebook at:www.facebook.com/ccghall. Contact Merry
Shernock regarding rentals rentals@capitalcitygrange.org or
call 225-9425
***
***
CHARTER
REVISIONS INCLUDE ONE REGARDING A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX
Proposed Town Charter
revisions to be voted on August 9th, 2016 include four charter
change articles as follows:
1. Proposed Charter changes authorizing the Selectboard to establish and maintain an Administrative Code which will define operational and administrative standards, processes, and procedures for the Town as well as changes to the Charter that move Town procedures to the Administrative Code.
2. Proposed Charter changes to allow the Selectboard to enact a local option sales tax.
3. Proposed Charter changes to allow for the adoption and enforcement of Ordinances for the purpose of regulating, licensing, and fixing license fees and fines.
4. Proposed Charter changes to allow the Selectboard to forgive delinquent property taxes, sewer use charges , and water use charges, when the amount due is less than five dollars ($5).
1. Proposed Charter changes authorizing the Selectboard to establish and maintain an Administrative Code which will define operational and administrative standards, processes, and procedures for the Town as well as changes to the Charter that move Town procedures to the Administrative Code.
2. Proposed Charter changes to allow the Selectboard to enact a local option sales tax.
3. Proposed Charter changes to allow for the adoption and enforcement of Ordinances for the purpose of regulating, licensing, and fixing license fees and fines.
4. Proposed Charter changes to allow the Selectboard to forgive delinquent property taxes, sewer use charges , and water use charges, when the amount due is less than five dollars ($5).
***
***
BCBSVT
GIVES NEARLY $200K
Pub. 6/29/16 Times Argus
BERLIN — In the
past year, employees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont worked more than
2,000 hours at community events and BCBSVT devoted nearly $200,000 to community
health and wellness initiatives.
The company’s efforts included statewide sponsorship of the “Girls on the Run” program, which recently wrapped up its season with a 5K run in Rutland.
Nationally, BCBS companies and their foundations contributed nearly 400,000 volunteer hours and nearly $350 million to community initiatives.
The company’s efforts included statewide sponsorship of the “Girls on the Run” program, which recently wrapped up its season with a 5K run in Rutland.
Nationally, BCBS companies and their foundations contributed nearly 400,000 volunteer hours and nearly $350 million to community initiatives.
NOTE: When I saw
this is the newspaper, I reached out to BCBS and asked how much of that time
was right here in Berlin or in Central Vermont. Here is the response I
received:
“Thank
you for your message. Included in the overall number of 2,000 hours worked
statewide is about 300 hours worked in Central Vermont. A few events closest to
home include the Health and Fitness Expo at the Berlin Mall, National
Walk@Lunch Day, Central Vermont Humane Society Walk for Animals, AHA Heart Walk,
and March of Dimes Walk for Babies. We are also the statewide sponsor of Girls
on the Run which has programs in several schools in Central Vermont, and we
support an after-school program for boys called Velocity which is also in a
school in Central Vermont. Also, we had a recent Blue Crew Day work day to
benefit Our House and the Sexual Assault Crisis Team with the Green Mountain
United Way of Central Vermont, we give support to the Vermont Food Bank in
Central Vermont, we have 200+ people run in the Corporate Cup, and in May we
sponsored the first annual Yoga on Sate Street, which raised funds for Prevent
Child Abuse VT. And please note – we are always open to suggestions.”
***
***
MIDDLESEX
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Get
ready for the 11th annual summer concert series at the Middlesex Bandstand,
which starts next Wednesday, July 6, with the Bollywood swing sound of the Big
Bang Bhangra Brass Band!
All
concerts take place on Wednesday, start at 6:30 p.m., and are free to the
public. Meals are available onsite from Mediterranean Mix and gelato from
Chill. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the best summer music experience
ever!
Here's
the rest of the season's schedule:
*July
13—RED HOT JUBA *(hot countrified jazz and Green Mountain swing)
*July
20—STILL KICKIN’ *(classic rock, jazz, country and R&B)
*July
27—DANA & SUSAN ROBINSON *(contemporary originals and traditional
Appalachian music)
Appalachian music)
*August
3—Rain date.*
*August
10—JON GAILMOR *(opening by guitarist Ron Sweet)
*August
17—APRIL CASPARI* (pop, soul, jazz)
The
Bandstand is located next to the Rumney School on Shady Rill in Middlesex, off
Route 12 north of Montpelier. There is construction ongoing on Shady Rill, so
follow the detour signs right onto Wood Road; left fork onto Macey Road to the
end; left onto West Hill; and left onto Story Road to the Bandstand.
For
more information, call Elliot at 272-4920 or John at 272-7578.
***
***
REALLY
‘BIG ART’ AT BERLIN MALL
Pub. 6/30/16 Times Argus
by
BERLIN —
Beginning July 8 and running through fall, the “Big Art — Bold Vision” exhibit
featuring the stunning works of 16 fine artists will adorn Berlin Mall’s
sizeable windows, offering an arresting indoor/outdoor art gallery experience
for shoppers and visitors of all ages.
“This is a high quality group of artists, and it’s a delight to bring their wonderful work to the people,” says Janet Van Fleet, the exhibit’s curator and one of the founders of Studio Place Arts in Barre. “The big idea of using the mall’s windows to exhibit great art was a challenge I couldn’t resist.”
The participating artists are Rosalind Daniels, Anna Dibble, Janet Fredericks, Jessa Gilbert, Steven P. Goodman, Wendy James, Mark Lorah, Mickey Myers, Maggie Neale, Elizabeth Nelson, Adelaide Murphy Tyrol, Arthur Schaller, Jayne Shoup, David Smith, Kathy Stark and Frank Woods.
The owners of the Berlin Mall have big plans for the mall. “Our vision for Berlin Mall is to create a vibrant town center where people of all ages live, work and play in a way that embraces community and celebrates life in central Vermont,” said Michael Rushman, a resident of Cabot and consultant to the mall.
In conjunction with the “Big Art — Bold Vision” exhibit, the Berlin Mall is home to the “Little Art — Big Fun” kids art project, a hands-on instructional experience led by art educators Tina and Todd Logan, every Saturday from July 16-Sept. 3, at 10 and 11 a.m., and 2 and 3 p.m.
For more information, contact Janet Van Fleet atjanetvanfleet@fairpoint.net.
“This is a high quality group of artists, and it’s a delight to bring their wonderful work to the people,” says Janet Van Fleet, the exhibit’s curator and one of the founders of Studio Place Arts in Barre. “The big idea of using the mall’s windows to exhibit great art was a challenge I couldn’t resist.”
The participating artists are Rosalind Daniels, Anna Dibble, Janet Fredericks, Jessa Gilbert, Steven P. Goodman, Wendy James, Mark Lorah, Mickey Myers, Maggie Neale, Elizabeth Nelson, Adelaide Murphy Tyrol, Arthur Schaller, Jayne Shoup, David Smith, Kathy Stark and Frank Woods.
The owners of the Berlin Mall have big plans for the mall. “Our vision for Berlin Mall is to create a vibrant town center where people of all ages live, work and play in a way that embraces community and celebrates life in central Vermont,” said Michael Rushman, a resident of Cabot and consultant to the mall.
In conjunction with the “Big Art — Bold Vision” exhibit, the Berlin Mall is home to the “Little Art — Big Fun” kids art project, a hands-on instructional experience led by art educators Tina and Todd Logan, every Saturday from July 16-Sept. 3, at 10 and 11 a.m., and 2 and 3 p.m.
For more information, contact Janet Van Fleet atjanetvanfleet@fairpoint.net.
***
***
PSYCHIATRIC
HOSPITAL REIMBURSEMENT SOUGHT
Pub. 6/24/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
Pub. 6/24/16 Times Argus by David Delcore
BERLIN — Town
officials are trying to prod the state to honor the terms of a three-year-old
agreement that was negotiated in exchange for Berlin hosting the 25-bed Vermont
Psychiatric Care Hospital.
The 53,000-square-foot hospital opened in July 2014, arguably triggering the provisions of a memorandum of understanding that was signed the previous year.
At the time, the agreement was widely viewed as a sweet deal for the town. In addition to securing a promise of an annual $25,000 municipal impact payment, the agreement included a projected $58,000 spike in the state’s PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payment to the town.
As an added sweetener, the state agreed to continue providing the town with free emergency dispatching for its police department for 20 years.
For reasons town officials are struggling to understand, the monetary provisions of the agreement haven’t yielded the expected results. That has prompted them to enlist the assistance of Town Attorney Rob Halpert in order to resolve the issue.
Although the state has continued to provide emergency dispatching for the Berlin Police Department at no charge, Town Administrator Dana Hadley said other aspects of the agreement have been neglected.
The town did receive its first $25,000 payment to offset the costs associated with police having to respond to the acute-care facility last year. However, Hadley said no payment was received by the April 14 date spelled out in the agreement, and with days remaining in the fiscal year it has still yet to arrive.
“Maybe it was a glitch in the system,” Hadley said.
Honest mistake or not, he said, the Select Board was banking on what it viewed as a predictable source of revenue.
The $25,000 payment was built into to the budget for the current fiscal year, just as it was for the one that will start July 1. It is money the town is clearly owed, and Hadley said the hope is by calling attention to the oversight it can quickly be corrected and the payment schedule adhered to going forward.
The town’s PILOT argument, while a bit more nuanced, appears easier to explain and on the verge of correcting itself.
Since 2014, the Select Board has been budgeting for the promised $58,000 increase in the town’s PILOT payment once the psychiatric hospital was “complete.”
It wasn’t “complete” during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, but it was during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015. Still, the town’s PILOT payment has remained flat and unless Halpert has better luck than Hadley has had, that won’t change for the fiscal year that’s almost over.
It will next year.
Notwithstanding what was arguably implied in the agreement, the process for calculating PILOT payments for communities that host state-owned facilities has a built-in time lag that explains why the town is still waiting to see an increase in its PILOT payment.
PILOT payments for the current fiscal year — the one that will end June 30 — were calculated based on the value of state-owned properties as of April 1, 2014. The Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital was still a massive construction project on that key date and the facility wasn’t factored in to Berlin’s $31,060 PILOT payment this year.
However, PILOT payments for the coming fiscal year will be based on the value of state-owned property as of April 1, 2015, and the psychiatric hospital, which was fully functional at that time, is a $20 million part of that calculation.
Though town officials may view it as at least a year overdue, the town is scheduled to receive a PILOT payment of nearly $99,000 in October. That’s an increase of nearly $68,000, most of which can be attributed to the state hospital finally becoming part of the calculation.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
The 53,000-square-foot hospital opened in July 2014, arguably triggering the provisions of a memorandum of understanding that was signed the previous year.
At the time, the agreement was widely viewed as a sweet deal for the town. In addition to securing a promise of an annual $25,000 municipal impact payment, the agreement included a projected $58,000 spike in the state’s PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payment to the town.
As an added sweetener, the state agreed to continue providing the town with free emergency dispatching for its police department for 20 years.
For reasons town officials are struggling to understand, the monetary provisions of the agreement haven’t yielded the expected results. That has prompted them to enlist the assistance of Town Attorney Rob Halpert in order to resolve the issue.
Although the state has continued to provide emergency dispatching for the Berlin Police Department at no charge, Town Administrator Dana Hadley said other aspects of the agreement have been neglected.
The town did receive its first $25,000 payment to offset the costs associated with police having to respond to the acute-care facility last year. However, Hadley said no payment was received by the April 14 date spelled out in the agreement, and with days remaining in the fiscal year it has still yet to arrive.
“Maybe it was a glitch in the system,” Hadley said.
Honest mistake or not, he said, the Select Board was banking on what it viewed as a predictable source of revenue.
The $25,000 payment was built into to the budget for the current fiscal year, just as it was for the one that will start July 1. It is money the town is clearly owed, and Hadley said the hope is by calling attention to the oversight it can quickly be corrected and the payment schedule adhered to going forward.
The town’s PILOT argument, while a bit more nuanced, appears easier to explain and on the verge of correcting itself.
Since 2014, the Select Board has been budgeting for the promised $58,000 increase in the town’s PILOT payment once the psychiatric hospital was “complete.”
It wasn’t “complete” during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, but it was during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015. Still, the town’s PILOT payment has remained flat and unless Halpert has better luck than Hadley has had, that won’t change for the fiscal year that’s almost over.
It will next year.
Notwithstanding what was arguably implied in the agreement, the process for calculating PILOT payments for communities that host state-owned facilities has a built-in time lag that explains why the town is still waiting to see an increase in its PILOT payment.
PILOT payments for the current fiscal year — the one that will end June 30 — were calculated based on the value of state-owned properties as of April 1, 2014. The Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital was still a massive construction project on that key date and the facility wasn’t factored in to Berlin’s $31,060 PILOT payment this year.
However, PILOT payments for the coming fiscal year will be based on the value of state-owned property as of April 1, 2015, and the psychiatric hospital, which was fully functional at that time, is a $20 million part of that calculation.
Though town officials may view it as at least a year overdue, the town is scheduled to receive a PILOT payment of nearly $99,000 in October. That’s an increase of nearly $68,000, most of which can be attributed to the state hospital finally becoming part of the calculation.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
SMALL
CROWD RAPS BERLIN SALES TAX PITCH
Pub. 6/29/16 Times Argus
by David Delcore
BERLIN — When it
comes to the 1 percent local sales tax proposed for Berlin, it is now
officially all over but the voting.
The Select Board this week held the second and final required public hearing on the controversial tax question that it plans to present to voters during the Aug. 9 primary elections. Those who attended the latest hearing to speak against the local options tax were told if their goal was to keep voters from having a say, they were too late.
Ballots have been ordered, printed and delivered and some absentee ballots are already in the mail, Town Clerk Rosemary Morse told a small but critical audience who gathered in the gymnasium of Berlin Elementary School for Monday’s public hearing.
Though several spoke, only one — Rep. Patti Lewis, R-Berlin — was actually a town resident. Lewis said she was skeptical of the proposed tax and concerned the board hadn’t specified how the money, an estimated $420,000, would be used.
Lewis said she believed the money should be dedicated to future capital improvements if voters approve a charter change, which she hopes they don’t.
“I’m not really in favor of the option tax,” Lewis said.
If the proposed charter change, one of four that will appear on the ballot, is approved by voters and the Select Board exercises its authority to implement the new tax, Lewis said members should strongly consider abolishing an old one.
Berlin is one of the few towns that still charges a business personal property tax. That tax, Lewis said, should be eliminated to remove of the sting local businesses fear will accompany forcing them to add an extra 1 percent on the state’s 6 percent sales tax.
Representatives of the Berlin Mall, the town’s largest taxpayer, sought to persuade the board to give up seeking voter approval of the proposed tax before learning it was too late to derail the Aug. 9 vote.
Charles Storrow, the mall’s Montpelier lawyer, told board members his client’s position hadn’t changed since before the board abruptly abandoned plans for a Town Meeting Day vote on an essentially identical proposal earlier this year.
“The Berlin Mall is opposed to the idea of there being a local sales tax,” Storrow said, describing the proposed tax as “an additional disincentive” for people to shop at retail establishments in Berlin.
“The lifeblood for the mall is to have people come and shop there,” he said, suggesting that is already an increasing challenge given the growing popularity of online retailers. Storrow said introducing a new 1 percent sales tax could make it more difficult for the mall to attract and retain tenants, thereby eroding the value of the shopping complex and its ability to generate property taxes for the town.
Storrow said the mall’s local property tax bill is close to $290,000.
“It’s in the town’s interest to keep that viable,” he said.
Mall Manager Gerry Hanifin agreed. He told the board traditional retailers are being tested as never before by online competitors.
Hanifin said “traffic is down, sales have been sluggish and everybody’s (shopping) on the internet.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time and you couldn’t have picked a worse time in retail to do a 1 percent sales tax increase,” he said.
Also, board members heard from Greg Isabelle, owner of Barre Electric and Lighting Supply.
Isabelle said he, too, is opposed to the proposed tax, while noting there is a reason shoppers respond to a sales tax holiday.
“I just don’t think anybody really wants to pay more for goods,” he said.
William Moore, president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, renewed his organization’s “unqualified opposition” to the proposed tax.
Moore raised many of the same concerns and made many of the same arguments that he did during the first of the two public hearings last week. He was critical of what he described as vague ballot language, concerned by the effect the tax could have on local retailers, and puzzled by the board’s apparent willingness to allow the state to pocket roughly $250,000 of the money generated by the tax.
“Why would you pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars to the state for administering a tax that the town could administer on its own?” he asked. “It doesn’t sound like a very wise investment.”
Moore described the ballot language as “somewhat less than transparent” with respect to how the money raised would be spent.
“It doesn’t say anything about ‘reducing property taxes,’” he said.
Moore said while the property tax is arguably “regressive,” the sales tax certainly is.
“A local options tax is extremely regressive, and it hurts those who can least afford it,” he said.
Selectman Jeremy Hansen was able to answer a question the rest of the board couldn’t in his absence last week. The proposed tax, Hansen confirmed, would be levied on items ranging from online purchases to building materials for renovation projects that are delivered to local homes and businesses. In most cases, Hansen noted, it would be incumbent on residents to account for the tax when preparing tax returns each year.
With the hearings now out of the way, voters — who have been largely silent — will get a second chance to approve a 1 percent sales tax they soundly rejected 15 years ago.
On Town Meeting Day in 2001, voters rejected an identical tax by nearly a three-to-one margin, 121-351, amid objections from the local business community.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
The Select Board this week held the second and final required public hearing on the controversial tax question that it plans to present to voters during the Aug. 9 primary elections. Those who attended the latest hearing to speak against the local options tax were told if their goal was to keep voters from having a say, they were too late.
Ballots have been ordered, printed and delivered and some absentee ballots are already in the mail, Town Clerk Rosemary Morse told a small but critical audience who gathered in the gymnasium of Berlin Elementary School for Monday’s public hearing.
Though several spoke, only one — Rep. Patti Lewis, R-Berlin — was actually a town resident. Lewis said she was skeptical of the proposed tax and concerned the board hadn’t specified how the money, an estimated $420,000, would be used.
Lewis said she believed the money should be dedicated to future capital improvements if voters approve a charter change, which she hopes they don’t.
“I’m not really in favor of the option tax,” Lewis said.
If the proposed charter change, one of four that will appear on the ballot, is approved by voters and the Select Board exercises its authority to implement the new tax, Lewis said members should strongly consider abolishing an old one.
Berlin is one of the few towns that still charges a business personal property tax. That tax, Lewis said, should be eliminated to remove of the sting local businesses fear will accompany forcing them to add an extra 1 percent on the state’s 6 percent sales tax.
Representatives of the Berlin Mall, the town’s largest taxpayer, sought to persuade the board to give up seeking voter approval of the proposed tax before learning it was too late to derail the Aug. 9 vote.
Charles Storrow, the mall’s Montpelier lawyer, told board members his client’s position hadn’t changed since before the board abruptly abandoned plans for a Town Meeting Day vote on an essentially identical proposal earlier this year.
“The Berlin Mall is opposed to the idea of there being a local sales tax,” Storrow said, describing the proposed tax as “an additional disincentive” for people to shop at retail establishments in Berlin.
“The lifeblood for the mall is to have people come and shop there,” he said, suggesting that is already an increasing challenge given the growing popularity of online retailers. Storrow said introducing a new 1 percent sales tax could make it more difficult for the mall to attract and retain tenants, thereby eroding the value of the shopping complex and its ability to generate property taxes for the town.
Storrow said the mall’s local property tax bill is close to $290,000.
“It’s in the town’s interest to keep that viable,” he said.
Mall Manager Gerry Hanifin agreed. He told the board traditional retailers are being tested as never before by online competitors.
Hanifin said “traffic is down, sales have been sluggish and everybody’s (shopping) on the internet.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time and you couldn’t have picked a worse time in retail to do a 1 percent sales tax increase,” he said.
Also, board members heard from Greg Isabelle, owner of Barre Electric and Lighting Supply.
Isabelle said he, too, is opposed to the proposed tax, while noting there is a reason shoppers respond to a sales tax holiday.
“I just don’t think anybody really wants to pay more for goods,” he said.
William Moore, president of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, renewed his organization’s “unqualified opposition” to the proposed tax.
Moore raised many of the same concerns and made many of the same arguments that he did during the first of the two public hearings last week. He was critical of what he described as vague ballot language, concerned by the effect the tax could have on local retailers, and puzzled by the board’s apparent willingness to allow the state to pocket roughly $250,000 of the money generated by the tax.
“Why would you pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars to the state for administering a tax that the town could administer on its own?” he asked. “It doesn’t sound like a very wise investment.”
Moore described the ballot language as “somewhat less than transparent” with respect to how the money raised would be spent.
“It doesn’t say anything about ‘reducing property taxes,’” he said.
Moore said while the property tax is arguably “regressive,” the sales tax certainly is.
“A local options tax is extremely regressive, and it hurts those who can least afford it,” he said.
Selectman Jeremy Hansen was able to answer a question the rest of the board couldn’t in his absence last week. The proposed tax, Hansen confirmed, would be levied on items ranging from online purchases to building materials for renovation projects that are delivered to local homes and businesses. In most cases, Hansen noted, it would be incumbent on residents to account for the tax when preparing tax returns each year.
With the hearings now out of the way, voters — who have been largely silent — will get a second chance to approve a 1 percent sales tax they soundly rejected 15 years ago.
On Town Meeting Day in 2001, voters rejected an identical tax by nearly a three-to-one margin, 121-351, amid objections from the local business community.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
BERLIN
MULLS POSSIBLE SCHOOL BOND
Times Argus pub
7/11/16 by David Delcore
BERLIN
— The research is underway, the outreach is coming soon, the price tag is very
much up in the air, but a multimillion-dollar bond issue that would finance
what officials claim are overdue improvements to Berlin Elementary School will
likely be on the local ballot in November.
“That’s
the plan,” said School Director Chris Winters, who is heading up a newly formed
renovation committee that started meeting informally more than a month ago and
was officially appointed by the School Board at its June 22 meeting.
Winters
and fellow board member Carl Parton are both serving on the
seven-member committee, which met officially for the first time last week and
includes residents Peter Chevalier, John LaRosa, Robert McCaffrey, Craig
Pearson and Corinne Stridsberg.
According
to Winters that group will spend the rest of the summer refining a recommendation
for renovations to a school that opened in 1969 and was
starting to show signs of age more than a decade ago when voters rejected a $3
million fix proposed by a committee that was co-chaired at the time by LaRosa.
Since
the Town Meeting Day 2005 vote, many of the previously identified problems have
either been patched at mounting expense, or deferred by a
School Board engaged in an annual struggle to limit the tax
increase associated with its budget requests.
Given
the advancing age of the pre-K-8 school, Winters said board members are
convinced the patch-and-punt pattern is not sustainable and are looking to the
committee to provide them with a reasonable recommendation that can be
presented to voters in November.
“That’s
how urgent we think this is,” he said. “Things are failing, there are safety
issues that need to be addressed and we have to do something.”
Hoping
to build broad-based support for a still-evolving
project that Winters said will likely be somewhere
in the $2 million to $5 million range, the board has retained an architect to
work with a committee to develop a proposal that considers the needs of the
school and the tolerance of taxpayers.
It’s
why, Winters said, the committee is looking to engage residents — not just
parents, teachers and school boosters — and is encouraging them to attend a
series of every-other-Tuesday meetings at the elementary school that will
resume July 19.
“We
want a school to be proud of: one that attracts more families to Berlin, boosts
our property values and expands our tax base,” he said. “At the same time, we
are mindful that we must put something in front of the voters that is fiscally
responsible. It’s a tough balancing act and our chances of striking the proper
balance go up when more perspectives are at the table.”
Winters
noted there is at least one key difference between the bond issue that failed
in 2005 and the one the committee is now working on with
architect John Hemmelgarn of Black River Design.
According
to Winters, the committee is not considering any addition to existing building,
as was the case 11 years ago when a key feature of failed bond proposal
involved plans to construct a 5,600-square-foot addition that would have included
space for a full-time cafeteria and freed the school’s gymnasium from
functioning in that dual capacity.
“We
aren’t considering an addition,” Winters said, noting the committee is solely
focused on renovations and isn’t entertaining an expansion that would trigger
the need to install a school-wide sprinkler system that was part of the 2005
proposal.
With
the new municipal water system now up and running, the committee hasn’t ruled
out recommending installation of a sprinkler system, but because it isn’t
mandatory and the Berlin Volunteer Fire Station is right next door to school it
isn’t viewed as a high priority.
Three
issues — handicapped accessibility, fire code compliance and school security —
that were in the mix in 2005 are part of the committee’s ongoing
conversation.
A
proposal to relocate the school office to provide tighter control of the main
entrance is seriously being considered for security reasons that are more
pronounced today than they were in 2005. Meanwhile, the committee is considering
a list of accessibility issues that range from the need to widen doorways
throughout the school and replace many existing door knobs, to raising the
sinks in 17 classrooms to meet standards spelled out in the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
The
committee has discussed fire code issues and could consider recommending the
installation of a sprinkler system in the school’s corridors to address one of
them.
According
to Winters, removing asbestos under floor tiles and on pipe fittings also is
being discussed, as is the need to deal with the school’s aging electrical,
plumbing and ventilation systems.
Aided
by the committee, the School Board hopes to propose a bond issue that would
finance a yet-to-be finalized list of renovations, which — if approved by
voters — could be completed next summer.
Replacing
the school’s aging boiler won’t be on that list because the board, which had
budgeted for the expense, awarded the $180,082 contract for work that can’t
wait to Thomas Mechanical of South Burlington.
Winters
said the boiler needs to be replaced now in order to ensure the school has a
reliable heating system this winter and waiting for favorable vote in November
wasn’t an option. The board has a little more flexibility with the projects now
being prioritized by the committee, but there is still a sense of urgency.
“The
bottom for us is we have to do some of these things one way or the other,”
Winters said. “We just can’t wait any longer.”
Two
other school boards in the five-town, six-school Washington Central Supervisory
Union had luck with November bond votes — East Montpelier in 2012 and Middlesex
in 2013 — and Winters said officials in Berlin are hoping a large turnout and
reasonable proposal will yield a favorable result. david.delcore
@timesargus.com
***
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