Feedback « P.7 years) and U.S. senator (28 years). In 1968, he was the nominee of both the Republican and Democratic parties. When I heard the senator’s boast, I remarked, “I wonder what got into senator Aiken to make him spend all that money needlessly.” John McClaughry
KIRBY
especially in light of the Trumpian Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal all net neutrality regulations. I’ve since discovered that Schurz has shared a lobbyist with Fox and Rupert Murdoch’s ultra-conservative News Corp. Todd Schurz donated to Republican Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, whose voting record mirrors Trump initiatives 98 percent of the time and whose environmental policies once prompted the Los Angeles
that the city, under the administration of former mayor Bob Kiss, used $17 million in taxpayer funds to keep the company afloat. Regardless of the fact that the sale of the company was made necessary by the 2014 settlement between the city and BT’s biggest creditor, Citibank, both the city charter and Vermont state law mandate that Burlington voters have the final say on its sale, since Burlington voters approved BT’s creation in the first place.
FILE: TIM NEWCOMB
Skeeter Sanders
SHELBURNE
Editor’s note: Burlingtonians did vote in 1997 to amend the city charter to allow a municipal fiber-optic company, but the city council — not the voters — has the authority to direct its sale, according to Burlington City Attorney Eileen Blackwood.
KNEELING ISN’T DISRESPECTFUL
Nick McDougal
LINCOLN
BURLINGTON
PUBLIC SAY ON BT
Commenting on [“Vermont Schools Prepare for More Kneeling Athletes,” November 29], about Saint Michael’s College basketball players taking a knee last month during the national anthem before their game with the University of Vermont: I believe that the people troubled by this display of free speech need a high school civics refresher. So here are a couple of points: 1. The First Amendment guarantee of free speech protects the right of all citizens to demonstrate with a peaceful and respectful gesture of protest. I watched the video of the event and saw no disrespect or hostile gestures from the Steve Merrill players. The hecklers in the crowd, on NORTH TROY the other hand, showed plenty NICE WORK of disrespect to Just a note of appreciathose players, the tion for Cathy Resmer’s kind that in other article about the circumstances Turning Point Center could have easily of Chittenden County morphed into [“The Clean Room,” violence. December 13]. She 2. The playing captured so perfectly of our national The the life-supporting anthem is not a Clean and -changing envi“thank you for your service” sort of ronment that we have worked hard to create gesture toward our MEAT TOO FAKE NEWS veterans. It is a tribfor people in recovery LOONIE BIZ ute to our country’s from alcohol and/or drug addiction. We traditions and all of its citizens of whatever color, creed or see that with understanding; a dynamic offering of workshops, activities and 12-step origin, whether veterans or not. As a retired 22-year Army officer meetings; and unconditional care, lives are and Vietnam veteran, I can say to those saved, new lives are created, and recovery is veterans who are somehow insulted by deepened and sustained. Thank you, Cathy! the kneeling of athletes for the national Gary De Carolis anthem: Perhaps you do not have a grasp BURLINGTON on one of the very basic tenets underlying De Carolis is the executive director of the your service to our country — that is, deTurning Point Center of Chittenden County. fending the Constitution. WINTER ISSUE INSIDE!
Room
Center Burlington’s Turning Point fights addiction with coffee, crafts and community
PAGE 32 BY CATHY RESMER,
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Gov. Scott courts Canadian
cash
Roy Wood Jr. on satire
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Women on the killing
floor
FEEDBACK 21
[Re “How the Burlington Telecom ‘Debacle’ Divided a City Council,” December 6]: As a former resident of Burlington who voted in 1997 to approve the creation of what is now Burlington Telecom, I am dumbfounded by the fact that, in all the hue and cry about the sale of the city-owned cable TV and internet company, no one has brought up the fact that its sale cannot be completed without the approval of Burlington residents in a public vote. BT was created as a result of the 1997 approval by city voters of the creation of the fiber-optic network in the first place. City voters subsequently approved, in 2000, a change in the city charter to allow the issuance of $6.1 million in bonds to finance the network’s construction. That the sale of BT requires voter approval is further underscored by the fact
[Re “Bernt Out: Veteran Sanders Aide Calls It a Career,” December 13]: Congratulations to Phil Fiermonte on his next step and for all the years of service to Vermonters and Bernie Sanders! Having known him for only 15 or so years, I’ve always been amazed at his mental juggling and coordination of events (tents, tables, food, sound systems, etc., etc., etc.) with locals and volunteers like me for pig roasts, dinners, speeches, etc. Only twice did I see him slightly rattled. Once was when a fervent pro-lifer tried barging in on Bernie’s Northeast Kingdom tour in 2006. I saw that same look when a couple of activists grabbed the stage and mic in Seattle 10 years later; there were no Secret Service agents then. Phil never lost his cool. He has always excelled at listening — to everyone, everywhere, from loggers to doctors and everyone in between. He returned every phone call, helped every veteran, and prodded the federal employees into getting records and doing their jobs for constituents. It may have said “Bernie” on the letterhead, yet it’s been Phil who directed the office staff on Bernie’s behalf. Thanks, and good luck, Phil. Your/our “candidate” is changing America. Job well done!
SEVEN DAYS
[Re “How the Burlington Telecom ‘Debacle’ Divided a City Council”]: I am appreciative of Seven Days’ December 6 article on the Burlington Telecom debacle, especially for sharing the video clip of Councilor Dave Hartnett’s bullying of Councilor Joan Shannon (who remained coolheaded throughout his harangues). He has subsequently apologized. I still remain concerned, however, that in his haste to push through a lastminute, backroom deal with Schurz Communications as the lead buyer of Burlington Telecom, he did not respect the concerns of many about Schurz’s unclear commitment to net neutrality,
Charlotte Dennett
BERNIE’S RIGHT-HAND MAN
12.20.17-12.27.17
NOT SURE ABOUT SCHURZ
Times to call him “one of the biggest threats to planet Earth on planet Earth.” In short, Schurz is not a good fit for a “blue” city like Burlington, and to have it imposed on the city at the last minute is a disgrace. Burlingtonians were snookered. The purchase and sale agreement must not go through.
JEFFERSONVILLE
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
[Re Off Message: “Fake Leahy Comment to FCC Decries Net Neutrality,” December 11]: If we are truly concerned about net neutrality with equal and fair access to the internet, why are we failing to address the common practice of local internet service providers, such as Burlington Telecom and Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom: throttling internet speed according to a tiered rate schedule, which slows internet speed to those less able to pay more for unthrottled internet speed?
Gary S. Chicoine
NO.14 SEVENDAYS VT.COM 13-20, 2017 VOL.23 NT VOICE DECEMBER VERMONT’S INDEPENDE
NO ‘NEUTRALITY’ HERE
Let’s all be thoughtful and show peacefulness and respect to others with whom we may disagree.