Thursday, March 2, 2017

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Funny man

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Woody Keppel will clown around in Vergennes Saturday. See what makes him tick in Arts + Leisure.

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ADDISON COUNTY Middlebury, Vermont

Index Obituaries................................. 6A Classifieds.......................... 5B-8B Service Directory............... 6B-7B Entertainment.........Arts + Leisure Community Calendar......... 8A-9A Arts Calendar.........Arts + Leisure Sports................................. 1B-4B

Mar ch - May 201 7 • www .exp erie

Spring Activity Guide

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Thursday, March 2, 2017  66 Pages

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Rail bridge repair costs rise; impact report in the works

By JOHN FLOWERS Statement, or EIS, review that could MIDDLEBURY — The estimated delay construction for “several cost of replacing downtown years,” according to Jeff Nelson, Middlebury’s Main Street and Environmental Services Director for Merchants Row rail bridges has VHB. grown 30 percent, from $40 “It depends on the nature of million to $52 million, Vermont issues that get raised and how they Agency of Transportation have to be addressed,” Nelson said (VTrans) officials confirmed on of the duration of the EIS process, Monday. The increase is largely which varies from project to associated with the anticipated project. expenses of detouring Vermont Replacement of Middlebury’s Rail trains during the height of two, 97-year-old rail spans has construction. been in the works for more Meanwhile, workers than a decade. The project with VHB Engineers have — originally slated to begun an Environmental get under way in 2013 Assessment of the rail — calls for replacing the bridges project site to How will the two deteriorating bridges explore potential impacts town fill holes with a 360-foot-long of bridge construction in the bridge? concrete tunnel to be on wildlife, water/ up of 100 pieces of See Page 19A. made air quality and other pre-cast concrete. Work natural resources in the will encompass a total downtown area. of 3,500 feet of the rail line and The Environmental Assessment will include a drainage system that process is expected to result in will result in the undergrounding of a final draft report this coming various utilities near Printer’s Alley. June that will be reviewed by the Then-Vermont Transportation Federal Highway Administration Secretary Chris Cole agreed to (FHWA). If the report raises subject the bridges project to an substantial environmental red flags, Environmental Assessment late the FHWA could require the $52 last year, at the urging of some million project to undergo a more downtown property owners who had complex Environmental Impact (See Rail bridges, Page 19A)

But Midd. youth see effect of federal policy

One local business owner will be swimming with the sharks on April 7. Well, actually Seedsheet founder Cam MacKugler has already done so, but the results will be seen at 9 p.m. on that date on ABC, when MacKugler’s pitch for funding for his three-year-old Middlebury firm to the stars of “Shark Tank” will be aired. MacKugler was seeking capital to expand his Pond Lane company, which markets Vermontproduced, pre-seeded sheets across the nation to home gardeners, especially to those who plant on windowsills, rooftops and decks as (See By the way, Page 20A)

Spring guide

INDEPENDENT

Students get unexpected lessons in generosity

By the way

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Learn about programs, athletics and special events in our Parks & Rec Spring Activity Guide. Parks &

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Mary Hogan Elementary School students Dahlia Harrison and Nell Brayton learned a couple of important lessons during the past month that can’t be taught in the classroom. First, they received proof positive that the Middlebury community’s generosity knows no bounds. Second, they learned about the power of federal officials to derail that generosity from its intended target — in this case, Syrian refugees. The two 6th-graders in early February decided to solicit donations of various cleaning, “I feel we personal could do it hygiene, the whole clothing and year and household still keep items for the anticipated getting (donations).” arrival of up to 100 Syrian — Dahlia refugees in Harrison Rutland. The girls took on the task as part of a community service component of their current events class with grades 5/6 teacher Deb Levesque. All of Levesque’s students were invited to give back to the community — be it their hometown or to fulfill a more global need — following last year’s presidential election. “The class was visibly affected by some of the negative response/ actions that ensued following the election,” Levesque explained. For example, someone drew a swastika symbol on the door of the local Jewish community’s Havurah House on North Pleasant Street. “When evidence of intolerance evidenced itself locally, we

You th and Fam

The MUHS boys’ and girls’ Nordic ski teams swept the D-II championships. See Sports, Page 1B. MIDDLE

Vol. 71 No. 9

for Adu lts,

ANWSD set for vote on first unified budget MARY HOGAN ELEMENTARY School sixth-graders Dahlia Harrison, left, and Nell Brayton recently collected donations of clothing, school supplies, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products for refugees coming to Vermont.

Independent photo/Trent Campbell

decided it was time to take some action,” she said. So they started a “crusade of kindness” at Mary Hogan that included blanketing the school’s halls with messages about kindness,

caring and inclusion. Students also created what they called a “blizzard of appreciation” through which they singled out members of the school community for special accolades. Levesque’s 6th-graders were

given a chance to earn an overnight at the school, including a pizza party, flashlight tag, brownies, popcorn and a movie. In order to qualify, the students had to accept a challenge (See Lessons, Page 20A)

By ANDY KIRKALDY VERGENNES — On Town Meeting Day voters in Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes and Waltham will vote for the first time on a unified Addison Northwest School District budget to cover operations for all four ANWSD schools and their central office, plus the district’s share of Hannaford Career Center costs. The ANWSD board has proposed a roughly $21.1 million unified spending proposal for the 20172018 academic year that if approved would increase spending over the current year’s level by 1.68 percent.

That proposal is slightly less than 2015-2016 district spending of $21,159,752. Superintendent JoAn Canning said the budget maintains existing programs and staffing levels, but even though there are some personnel changes within the district there is no net addition of staff. According to ANWSD estimates, adoption of the budget would mean school tax cuts for homeowners in four of five district communities — although officials acknowledge the Legislature can still tweak numbers late in the session. (See Unified, Page 18A)

Budgets, ballots & debate County towns ready to take part in Vermont democratic tradition Whether you agree with your neighbors on all issues or think they are seriously misguided, we all have to live together. Do your civic duty and share your views with others in your municipality at the upcoming town meetings. This Vermont tradition begins this Saturday in Ferrisburgh, Monkton, Starksboro and Salisbury and culminates when the gavel falls Tuesday night in Whiting or Granville, whichever holds the longest meeting. Prep for your town meeting by reading about the issues that will be discussed and the budgets and questions you will vote on in the following town-bytown preview.

★ Addison ★ ADDISON — In Australian balloting on March 7 Addison residents will decide whether to support municipal and Addison Northwest School District spending proposals. Addison’s town clerk’s office will be open that Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. to accommodate voters.

Town Meeting ★ Preview ★ There are no contested races on Addison’s Town Meeting Day ballot. Incumbent Selectmen Rob Hunt and Peter Briggs both filed for re-election without opposition, as did two listers and one auditor. In addition, auditor Pam Gevry opted not to run again after several years of service. Unless a successful write-in candidate emerges, the selectboard will seek an appointee. There are also three vacancies for Addison school director on boards that will dissolve when the ANWSD takes full control of the newly unified district. No one filed before the deadline to fill two expiring terms on the Addison Central School board or to fill the expiring term of Addison representative Laurie Childers on the Vergennes Union High School board. Childers reportedly has said she would like write-in support to return to the VUHS board. The selectboard can make appointments to the boards if necessary. The selectboard proposed

$322,799 in spending for the town’s general fund/administration budget for 2017, down from $325,260 for 2016. The board is seeking voter approval for $742,565 in road spending, up about $10,000 from last year. Lease payments on a grader make up most of the difference, according to town officials. Also to be decided in March 7 balloting is a total of $56,056 of requests from nonprofits that serve the town and county, up by about $4,500 from 2016. The selectboard is proposing to use $37,253 of a surplus from 2016 to offset taxes. Addison residents will join other ANWSD residents in voting on the proposed first-ever unified union budget of $21,116,289 to support the four ANWSD schools and its central office, plus the district’s share of the Hannaford Career Center budget. That plan calls for a 1.68 percent increase over current district-wide ANWSD spending, but is less than the 2015-2016 district spending total of $21,159,752. Late-spring actions by the (See Addison Page 12A)

ORWELL RESIDENT PAUL Stone makes himself heard at Orwell’s town meeting last year.

Independent file photo/Trent Campbell


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