Jan 2 2014

Page 1

Skiing strong

New planner

Getting gold

Members of the Frost Mountain Nordic Club competed in a major regional event. See Page 3B.

Eric Blair will succeed Fred Dunnington as Middlebury’s town planner. See Page 2A.

Three local wrestlers won titles at Middlebury’s annual Hubie Wagner Invitational. See Page 1B.

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT Vol. 68 No. 1

Middlebury, Vermont

â—†

Thursday, January 2, 2014

â—†

30 Pages

Vergennes solar project receives ÀQDO WRXFKHV before deadline By  ANDY  KIRKALDY 9(5*(11(6 ² :RUNHUV HDUOLHU WKLV ZHHN ZHUH SXWWLQJ WKH ¿QLVK-­ LQJ WRXFKHV RQ D GRXEOH VRODU DUUD\ QHDU WKH 9HUJHQQHV VHZHU SODQW WKDW LV SURMHFWHG WR VDYH WKH FLW\ D \HDU RQ LWV SRZHU ELOO $ERXW KDOI RI WKH QHDUO\ VRODU SDQHOV DUH EHLQJ SODFHG RQ WKH SODQW¶V ODZQ DQG WKH UHVW VLWHG RQ D NQROO EH-­ KLQG WKH QHDUE\ 9HUJHQQHV 3DQWRQ :DWHU 'LVWULFW RI¿FH 7KH FRPELQHG DUUD\ LV UDWHG DW NLORZDWWV DQG LV H[SHFWHG WR SURGXFH NZK D \HDU DOO RI ZKLFK ZLOO EH VHQW GLUHFWO\ LQWR WKH ODUJHU *UHHQ 0RXQWDLQ 3RZHU JULG 9HUJHQQHV &LW\ 0DQDJHU 0HO +DZOH\ VDLG WKH FLW\ ZKLFK SDLG QRWKLQJ WR HUHFW WKH DUUD\ ZLOO UH-­ FHLYH WKH YDOXH RI WKDW SRZHU DV D FUHGLW RQ WKH WUHDWPHQW SODQW¶V *03 ELOO RU 7KH DUUDQJHPHQW ZDV EURNHUHG DQG WKH SURMHFW GHVLJQHG E\ %XUO-­ LQJWRQ¶V (QFRUH 5HGHYHORSPHQW 7KH FLW\ ZLOO SD\ D VHSDUDWH SURMHFW XQGHUZULWHU ZKLFK IXQGHG WKH ZRUN SHUFHQW RI WKH YDOXH RI WKH SRZHU JHQHUDWHG 7KH UHPDLQLQJ FUHGLW WR WKH FLW\ DFFRUGLQJ WR +DZOH\ LQ DQ (See  Solar  array,  Page  7A)

75¢

0LGGOHEXU\ RIÀFLDOV WR KRQH EXGJHW &XUUHQW SODQ UHÀHFWV D SHUFHQW WD[ LQFUHDVH

Toddler  New  Year! LILY  HUGHES,  TWO,  of  Salisbury  celebrates  the  coming  new  year  during  a  Happy  Noon  Year  party  at  the  Ilsley  Library  in  Middlebury  at  noon  on  Dec.  31.  The  Ilsley  staged  the  party  for  kids  who  may  be  fast  asleep  at  midnight. ,QGHSHQGHQW SKRWR 7UHQW &DPSEHOO

By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² 7KH 0LGGOH-­ EXU\ VHOHFWERDUG RQ -DQ ZLOO DW-­ WHPSW WR IXUWKHU UHGXFH D SURSRVHG PXQLFLSDO EXGJHW RI WKDW ZRXOG UHTXLUH LQ SURSHUW\ WD[ UHYHQXH UHÀHFWLQJ D LQFUHDVH SHU-­ FHQW FRPSDUHG WR WKLV \HDU¶V VSHQG-­ ing  plan. 7KH GUDIW EXGJHW DFFRUGLQJ WR 0LGGOHEXU\ 7RZQ 0DQDJHU .DWKOHHQ 5DPVD\ PDLQWDLQV FXUUHQW PXQLFLSDO VHUYLFHV DQG GRHV QRW UHÀHFW DQ\ QHZ SURJUDPV ,W ZRXOG GULYH WKH QHHG IRU DQ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ FHQW ERRVW LQ WKH PXQLFLSDO WD[ UDWH ZKLFK FXUUHQWO\ VWDQGV DW FHQWV SHU LQ SURS-­ HUW\ YDOXH %XW 0LGGOHEXU\ RI¿FLDOV QRWH WKHUH DUH RWKHU H[SHQVHV WKDW ZLOO DIIHFW WKH PXQLFLSDO WD[ UDWH IRU WKH WD[ \HDU WKDW EHJLQV QH[W -XO\ 7KH\ LQFOXGH ‡ $ SHQQ\ RQ WKH UDWH WR SD\ IRU WKH WRZQ¶V VKDUH RI WKH 0LGGOHEXU\ %XVLQHVV 'HYHORSPHQW )XQG %') 7KH WRZQ 0LGGOHEXU\ &ROOHJH DQG WKH ORFDO EXVLQHVV FRPPXQLW\ MRLQWO\ (See  Middlebury,  Page  7A)

Inaction in Congress Lawmakers  size  up  priorities  for  â€™14 Fiscal,  health  care  hurts local farmers issues  to  dominate

Milk prices uncertain after farm bill expires By  ZACH  DESPART ADDISON  COUNTY  â€”  As  a  QHZ \HDU GDZQV DFURVV WKH EOHDN 9HUPRQW ODQGVFDSH GDLU\ IDUPHUV KDYH \HW DQRWKHU ZRUU\ WR FRQWHQG ZLWK $IWHU HQGXULQJ WKH ORVV RI 86'$ UHVRXUFHV GXH WR WKH SDUWLDO IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW VKXWGRZQ LQ 2FWREHU VWDOOHG HIIRUWV WR UHIRUP PLJUDQW ODERUHU YLVD JXLGHOLQHV DQG WKH H[SLUDWLRQ RI WKH JRYHUQ-­ PHQW¶V GDLU\ VXSSRUW SURJUDP WKLV IDOO 9HUPRQW IDUPHUV KDYH DJDLQ

Addison County

By the way

What  was  that  earth-­shaking  ex-­ perience  on  Christmas  morning?  Reports  came  in  of  what  was  ini-­ tially  thought  to  be  a  little  earth-­ quake  in  Addison  County  on  Dec.  25.  Later  analysis  said  it  was  a  cryoseism,  or,  more  simply,  a  frost  quake.  According  to  our  friend  the  Internet,  a  frost  quake  feels  and  sounds  like  an  earthquake,  but  it  is  caused  when  ground  is  suddenly  frozen  during  a  cold  snap.  Wiki-­ pedia  said  some  folks  in  Cornwall,  Middlebury,  Ripton  and  Wey-­ bridge  all  reported  sensing  frost  quakes  last  week.  Toronto,  Can-­ ada,  also  was  the  site  of  several  (See  By  the  way,  Page  3A)

Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVL¿HGV  ......................... 5B-­8B Service  Directory  .............. 6B-­8B $URXQG WRZQ  ......................... 18A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ........ 8A-­9A Sports  ................................ 1B-­4B

EHHQ OHIW RXW LQ WKH 1HZ (QJODQG FROG E\ &RQJUHVV 'XH WR &RQJUHVVLRQDO LQDFWLRQ WKH QDWLRQ¶V DJULFXOWXUH SROLF\ H[SLUHG 'HF WULJJHULQJ WKH IHGHUDO 'HSDUWPHQW RI $JULFXO-­ WXUH WR UHYHUW WR GHFDGHV ROG PLON SULFH VWDQGDUGV DGMXVWHG IRU LQ-­ ÀDWLRQ 7KH DEUXSW FKDQJH FRXOG VLJQL¿FDQWO\ LQFUHDVH PLON SULFHV IRU FRQVXPHUV OHDYLQJ $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ GDLU\ IDUPHUV ZLWK PRUH XQFHUWDLQW\ LQ DQ DOUHDG\ YRODWLOH (See  Farm  bill,  Page  3A)

By  JOHN  FLOWERS ADDISON  COUNTY  â€”  State  DQG ORFDO ODZPDNHUV DUH SUHSDULQJ IRU D OHJLVODWLYH VHVVLRQ WKDW WKH\ VDLG ZLOO LQFOXGH WKH IDPLOLDU WDVN RI GHDOLQJ ZLWK D VL]HDEOH JHQ-­ HUDO IXQG EXGJHW VKRUWIDOO DV ZHOO DV LURQLQJ RXW WKH NLQNV LQ WKH VWDWH¶V WUDQVLWLRQ WR XQLYHUVDO DFFHVV KHDOWK FDUH H[SORULQJ HGXFDWLRQ ¿QDQFH UHIRUP KHOSLQJ FLWL]HQV GHDO ZLWK GUXJ DGGLFWLRQ DQG FRQIURQWLQJ SRO-­ OXWLRQ DQG QXLVDQFH DTXDWLF ZHHGV LQ 9HUPRQW¶V ZDWHUZD\V 7KH *HQHUDO $VVHPEO\ ZLOO UHWXUQ WR WKH 6WDWHKRXVH RQ 7XHVGD\ WR KDQ-­ GOH DQ DJHQGD WKDW DV XVXDO ZLOO EH

ORQJ RQ LGHDV DQG VKRUW VLVWDQFH 3URJUDP /,-­ RQ IXQGV $QG PRQH\ +($3 ZLOO EH D SDUWLFXODUO\ ,W ZLOO EH XS WR 9HU-­ VFDUFH FRPPRGLW\ WKLV PRQW WR EDFN¿OO WKHVH \HDU DFFRUGLQJ WR 9HU-­ FXWV WR UHGXFH WKH LP-­ PRQW +RXVH 6SHDNHU SDFWV RQ FLWL]HQV RU 6KDS 6PLWK GXH WR UH-­ DVN SHRSOH WR JHW E\ GXFHG IHGHUDO IXQGLQJ ZLWK OHVV FRPPLWPHQWV WR WKH $QG WKH VWDWH LV states. QRW ÀXVK ZLWK FDVK WR ,Q 9HUPRQW WKDW¶V SLFN XS DGGLWLRQDO H[-­ H[SHFWHG WR PHDQ DQ SHQVHV 6WDWH ¿QDQFLDO DEVHQFH RI EXGJHW VWD-­ analysts  are  currently  SEN.  CLAIRE  AYER ELOL]LQJ $PHULFDQ 5H-­ SODFLQJ WKH VWDWH¶V ¿V-­ FRYHU\ DQG 5HLQYHVW-­ FDO \HDU JHQHUDO PHQW $FW DVVLVWDQFH DQ HVWLPDWHG IXQG EXGJHW VKRUWIDOO DW PLOOLRQ PLOOLRQ UHGXFWLRQ LQ 0HGLFDLG WR PLOOLRQ UHLPEXUVHPHQW PRQH\ DQG FXWV WR ³,W DOZD\V VWDUWV DQG HQGV ZLWK WKH ZKDW 6PLWK FDOOHG D YDULHW\ RI ³VR-­ EXGJHW ´ 6PLWK VDLG RI WKH ORRPLQJ FLDO VDIHW\ QHW´ SURJUDPV VXFK DV ¿VFDO KXUGOHV GXULQJ D 0RQGD\ WHOH-­ WKH /RZ ,QFRPH +RPH (QHUJ\ $V-­ SKRQH LQWHUYLHZ ZLWK WKH Addison Â

Independent ³:H ZLOO KDYH DQRWKHU FKDOOHQJLQJ \HDU WKLV \HDU ´ ,URQLFDOO\ VRPH RI WKH VWDWH¶V ¿-­ QDQFLDO KHDGDFKHV DUH EHLQJ LQGXFHG E\ LWV RZQ FRPSHWHQF\ LQ KHDOWK FDUH PDQDJHPHQW DFFRUGLQJ WR 6PLWK ³%HFDXVH ZH DUH GRLQJ EHWWHU WKDQ RWKHU VWDWHV IRU D YDULHW\ RI UHDVRQV RXU 0HGLFDLG PDWFK UDWH LV JRLQJ GRZQ ´ 6PLWK VDLG ³7KDW SXWV XV LQ D KROH HYHU\ \HDU 7KLV \HDU LW DPRXQWV WR DURXQG PLOOLRQ ZH DUH JRLQJ WR KDYH WR PDNH XS ´ REVENUE  ISSUES %DODQFLQJ WKH ¿VFDO \HDU EXGJHW HPHUJHG DV RQH RI WKH WRS WKUHH WDVNV IRU WKH VHVVLRQ DV FRPSLOHG E\ D UHFHQW FDXFXV RI WKH 6HQDWH 'HPRFUDWV DFFRUGLQJ WR 6HQ &ODLUH $\HU ' $GGLVRQ $V (See  2014  Legislature,  Page  20A)

Chronology 2013 • A Year In Review •

Pipeline, town buildings, health exchange top news Editor’s  note:  The  change  of  the  year  is  a  good  time  to  look  back  over  the  last  12  months  and  recall  where  we’ve  been  before  diving  into  the  12  months  ahead  of  us.  We  present  this  look  back  at  2013  to  help  you  bring  to  mind  the  big  sto-­ ries  of  the  year  and  also  some  of  the  smaller  ones  that  have  touched  our  lives  in  Addison  County.  Hap-­ py  New  Year!

January -$18$5< ² /RFDO ODZPDN-­ HUV LQ HDUO\ -DQXDU\ WRRN DLP DW VRPH ORIW\ JRDOV DQG FKDOOHQJHV IRU WKH OHJLVODWLYH VHVVLRQ 7KRVH JRDOV LQFOXGHG EULGJLQJ DQ HVWLPDWHG JHQHUDO EXGJHW UHYHQXH VKRUWIDOO RI PLOOLRQ FRQWLQX-­ LQJ ZRUN RQ KHDOWK FDUH UHIRUP ¿QGLQJ ZD\V WR FUHDWH PRUH MREV LQ WKH *UHHQ 0RXQWDLQ 6WDWH DQG EDW-­ WOLQJ GUXJ UHODWHG FULPH DQG DGGLF-­ WLRQ $GGLVRQ &RXQW\¶V GHOHJDWLRQ FRQWLQXHG WR KDYH D ORW RI SXOO LQ WKH +RXVH DQG 6HQDWH ZLWK OHDGHU-­ VKLS SRVLWLRQV KHOG E\ 6HQ &ODLUH $\HU ' $GGLVRQ 6HQDWH PDMRULW\ ZKLS DQG 5HS :LOOHP -HZHWW '

5LSWRQ +RXVH PDMRULW\ OHDGHU ,Q WKH $GGLVRQ +RXVH GLVWULFW 5HSXEOLFDQ OHDGHUV QRPLQDWHG :DU-­ UHQ 9DQ:\FN RI )HUULVEXUJK DQG 0DU\ $QQ &DVWLPRUH RI :DOWKDP DV FDQGLGDWHV WR VHUYH RXW WKH WZR \HDU OHJLVODWLYH WHUP RI WKH ODWH 5HS *UHJ &ODUN 5 9HUJHQQHV &ODUN KDG EHHQ NLOOHG WKH SUHYLRXV 1RYHPEHU LQ D WUDI¿F DFFLGHQW RII 5RXWH 9DQ-­ :\FN ZRXOG XOWLPDWHO\ EH WKH FKRLFH RI *RY 3HWHU 6KXPOLQ &DVWLPRUH ZRXOG ERZ RXW RI FRQWHQWLRQ ,Q 9HUJHQQHV WKH .HQQHG\ %URWK-­ HUV 0DUNHWSODFH ZDV ¿QDOO\ VROG DIWHU KDYLQJ EHHQ IRU VDOH IRU TXLWH VRPH WLPH ,Q D IDPLO\ GHDO WKUHH VLVWHUV ² /LOOLDQ .HQQHG\ -HDQ .HQQHG\ DQG 5XWK *UDQW DQG WZR RI WKHLU KXVEDQGV 5REHUW )HXHUVWHLQ DQG :LQ *UDQW ² VROG WKH EXVLQHVV WR /LOOLDQ .HQQHG\ DQG )HXHUVWHLQ KHU KXVEDQG 7KH &RORUDGR EDVHG FRXSOH QRZ RZQV SHUFHQW RI WKH EXVLQHVV DQG KDV EHHQ ¿OOLQJ WKH FRPPHUFLDO FHQWHU ZLWK WHQDQWV $OVR LQ 9HUJHQQHV WKH %L[E\ )UHH 0HPRULDO /LEUDU\ UHDFKHG RXW WR WKH ¿YH FRPPXQLWLHV LW VHUYHV ZLWK D UHTXHVW WR EXPS XS WKHLU UHVSHFWLYH DQQXDO FRQWULEXWLRQV LQ RUGHU WR SUH-­ serve  services. )DUPHUV ZHUH DEOH WR UHVW D OLWWOH HDV-­

LHU ZLWK QHZV WKDW VHYHUDO SURJUDPV LQ WKH IDUP ELOO KDG EHHQ H[WHQGHG IRU D \HDU 7KLV KHOSHG DYHUW WKH VR FDOOHG ³GDLU\ FOLII ´ D VSLNH LQ GDLU\ SULFHV WKDW KDG EHHQ DQWLFLSDWHG LQ WKH DEVHQFH RI D QHZ IHGHUDO IDUP ELOO ,Q %ULVWRO UHVLGHQWV JRW WKHLU ¿UVW GHWDLOV RI D PDMRU H[SDQVLRQ SODQ IRU WKH WKHLU ORFDO ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW¶V KHDGTXDUWHUV RQ 1RUWK 6WUHHW 7KH SODQ FDOOHG IRU WKH H[SDQVLRQ WR RFFXU DW WKH GHSDUWPHQW¶V 1RUWK 6WUHHW ORFD-­ WLRQ DQG RQWR DQ DGMDFHQW SDUFHO DW *DU¿HOG 6W WKDW ZRXOG EH DFTXLUHG IRU 2UJDQL]HUV SODFHG WKH WRWDO SURMHFW FRVW DW EHWZHHQ PLOOLRQ DQG PLOOLRQ %ULVWRO ¿UH¿JKWHUV DQG WKHLU HTXLSPHQW KDYH RXWJURZQ WKH FXUUHQW KHDGTXDUWHUV $W 3RUWHU +RVSLWDO RI¿FLDOV ZHUH ODPHQWLQJ GHOD\V LQ DXWRPDWLQJ WKH LQVWLWXWLRQ¶V SDSHU EDVHG UHFRUG NHHSLQJ V\VWHP +RVSLWDO RI¿FLDOV VDLG WKH\ XQGHUHVWLPDWHG WKH WHFKQL-­ FDO FRPSOH[LW\ RI UROOLQJ RXW WKH QHZ FRPSXWHU KDUGZDUH DQG VRIWZDUH WR WKH LQVWLWXWLRQ¶V YDULRXV GHSDUWPHQWV DQG SK\VLFLDQV¶ SUDFWLFHV DURXQG WKH FRXQW\ DQG PLVMXGJHG WKH WLPH LW PLJKW WDNH WR EULQJ ZRUNHUV XS WR PORTER  HOSPITAL  IS  implementing  a  new  Health  Information  Sys-­ VSHHG ZLWK WKH VZHHSLQJ FKDQJHV tem.  The  large  screen  in  the  background,  which  tracks  a  variety  of  5HVLGHQWV LQ VHYHUDO DUHD WRZQV health  data  and  integrates  with  electronic  patient  records,  replaces  a  cumbersome  white  board  in  the  emergency  room. (Continued  on  Page  11A) ,QGHSHQGHQW ¿OH SKRWR 7UHQW &DPSEHOO

Jan. Â 10


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.