WVTK Local & State News January 27, 2012

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that Middlebury College has been selected to participate in Solar Decathlon 2013, a competition in which 20 collegiate teams from around the world design, build and operate solar-powered houses. The announcement comes on the heels of Team Middlebury’s fourth place finish in Solar Decathlon 2011 last fall. Another Vermont school, Norwich University, will also take part in the 2013 competition. More than 80 students have already pledged to join the nearly two-year effort.

Earlier this week Middlebury officials discovered approximately $1.5 million in surplus funds that will in the short-term assure no rise in the municipal tax rate. The money has sparked an interesting debate among town residents on how the financial windfall should be allocated in the long-term. Middlebury town Treasurer Jackie Sullivan and CPA Thomas Telling confirmed the $1.5 million fund balance at Tuesday evening’s select-board meeting. The surplus money has accrued from various capital improvement projects that had been completed under-budget, but had not been closed out.

Residents in the Addison Central Supervisory Union towns of Bridport, Cornwall, Ripton, Shoreham, Salisbury and Weybridge will soon vote on 2012-2013 elementary school spending plans that in many cases reflect small increases in spending but decreases in education property taxes. According to interim Superintendent Gail Conley the proposed budgets show a commitment by school directors to keep expenses low.

Ferrisburgh selectmen have approved a roughly $1.619 million town budget for fiscal year 2013 and on Town Meeting Day Ferrisburgh voters will have the option of adding up to $79,000 to that figure. The select-board’s spending proposal does not include about $29,000 of charitable donations that Ferrisburgh residents typically back in March, plus two articles that would create capital funds: $30,000 for the town’s fire department and $30,000 for the public works department.

The ID-4 school board is considering a comprehensive makeover of Mary Hogan Elementary School’s recreation areas. This is an initiative boosters will likely complete in phases using grants, donations and volunteer labor. This week the principal of Middlebury-based LandWorks presented the ID-4 board with some ideas for replacing the aging but popular Kidspace apparatus while adding some new amenities and landscaping.

On Town Meeting Day Leicester voters will see a ballot with two open select-board spots. Incumbent Ron Fiske will be running to reclaim his two-year position on the select-board, but longtime board member Robert Oliver will step down once his three-year term has ended, bidding farewell to the board after 19 years. Oliver said he is retiring after more than 40 years of service to the town between the school board and select-board.

Many income surveys, which are the key to grant funding for a $13.8 million water project in Ticonderoga, still have not been returned. The confidential income surveys were sent to water customers in October. Officials had hoped to complete the survey work last fall but to date about 50 percent of the surveys have been returned. To be eligible for the grant funding, 65 percent of the surveys must be completed. That means 350 more surveys are needed. The town is now working with a Ticonderoga High School government class and students will take the surveys door-to-door and wait while they are completed. Information on the project is available on the town website at www.townofticonderoga.com.

The Essex County Ways and Means Committee passed a number of resolutions onto the full board this week. All resolutions passed by the committee will be considered by the full board under the weighted voting system at the regular February Board Meeting, scheduled for Monday, February 6th at 10AM. Among the resolutions, the committee approved a pair of increases to the cost of services provided through the Public Health Department. The board also passed a pair of resolutions concerning the potential sale of the Horace Nye Nursing Home in Elizabethtown. And they passed a resolution to increase the hours of the Finance Deputy in the County Treasurers office from 35 to 40 hours per week.

Registered snowmobilers in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine can roam trails in all three states this weekend. Any snowmobile legally registered in 1 of the participating states is allowed on trails in all three from Friday through Sunday. All other host state regulations apply, including speed limits, youth laws and Vermont's mandatory liability insurance.

A man charged with second-degree murder in a drunken driving crash that killed a woman in 2010 has changed his plea and is expected to serve 10 years in prison. 53-year-old Timothy Dowd of Hinesburg allegedly slammed into a car during a police chase through Burlington on Dec. 26, 2010. The crash killed 43-year-old Kaye Borneman. The Burlington Free Press reports that Dowd changed his plea yesterday to no contest to second-degree murder and pleaded guilty to driving under the influence with death resulting.

The lack of snow could hit one of Vermont's biggest industries: maple syrup. Syrup season is typically just a month away, but Dakin Farm employees say the bare ground could make for a late season. UVM experts in the maple industry say snow provides insulation for the roots, and without it, hard frosts could make it difficult to get the sugar this spring. But maple syrup producers say there's still a lot of time for that to change. The kick-off to maple syrup season usually takes place in the beginning of March.

Vermont's top health officer is telling lawmakers not to be overly worried about a form of radiation emitted by the wireless smart meters some Vermont utilities want to install in customers' homes and businesses. Dr. Harry Chen, the state health commissioner, told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that an international health panel last year found that radio frequency radiation emitted by cell phones is a possible source of brain cancer in heavy cell phone users. Chen said smart meters emit well less than 1% of the radiation emitted by cell phones, and they're not often held right next to the head.

Two Vermont Senators want to gradually raise the legal school drop out age from 16 to 18. The bills says that in 2013, the drop out age would increase to 16 and half, then 17 in 2014, then 17 and a half in 2015, so on so forth. Senator Alice Nitka says it is not because there is a drop out problem in Vermont. In fact, the graduation rate in the Green Mountain State is one of the best in the country. She says there's high unemployment and young people are not getting jobs.

A group of Vermont senators has proposed legislation that would give sales and property transfer tax breaks to help with recovery from Tropical Storm Irene. The measure calls for a holiday from Vermont's 6% sales tax on August 28th. A weeklong sales tax holiday, from August 26th to September 1st, would apply to home weatherization items.

All eyes are now on the Vermont Public Service Board, which could make the final call on Vermont Yankee's future. Last week, a federal judge ruled that lawmakers do not have the authority to make the call. The board is now left with two options. It can decide whether to issue the plant a Certificate of Public Good to continue operation for another 20 years or wait and see if the state appeals the judge's decision. The board is made up of three members that oversee Vermont's utilities.

The Vermont Law School in South Royalton says it has exceeded expectations with its largest fundraising campaign ever and hopes to raise more. The school says the campaign that began without fanfare in 2008 has raised $15.3 million, above the goal of $15 million. It's hoped another $1 million to $2 million can be raised by June 30th when dean and President Jeff Shields retires.

A state lawmaker wants to amend the state's medical marijuana law to allow it to be used to treat people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. State Rep. Jim Masland says he introduced the bill after he was asked to do so by a number of his constituents who were using marijuana to alleviate stress symptoms caused by their military service.

Savvy students-turned-salespeople at Ferrisburgh Central School have earned the school a new array of solar panels. The school participated in a program sponsored by Green Mountain Power that challenged local schools to sell energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs within their community. The school that sold the most light bulbs per student would win a $14,500 solar installation. Ferrisburgh Central sold nearly 600 light bulbs. Their top seller was a fifth-grader who sold 118. The school principal says adding solar is just one step along the school's path of becoming carbon neutral.

A local nonprofit group advocating for local renewable energy projects hopes to motivate residents to consider constructing a small-scale community solar project in Rutland County. Representatives of Energize Vermont held an informational meeting with local residents at Poultney High School on Wednesday about the possibility of building a community solar farm in Rutland County that would be owned by and benefit local residents.

Fort Ticonderoga’s new winter series of programs will continue on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m. with “The Roar of Musketry and Cracking of Rifles: An Introduction to Weapons of the 18th Century” presented by Curator of Collections Chris Fox. The cost is $10 a person and will be collected at the door. It is free for members of the Friends of Fort Ticonderoga. For information just visit www.Fort-Ticonderoga.org.

High school band and choir students from across Vermont will have the opportunity to hone their skills under the direction of two prominent conductors and composers at the second annual Castleton Honors Music Festival today. More than 225 high school musicians from 20 high schools in Vermont will participate in the daylong festival. The day will culminate with a concert at 7:30 p.m. at Castleton State College’s Casella Theater. Area schools participating include Fair Haven Union High School, Middlebury Union High School, Otter Valley Union High School, Poultney High School, Vergennes Union High School and West Rutland High School.