March 13 2014 — a section

Page 1

Livin’ green

Play nice

Tough start

Our special section C is full of ideas for making your home more environmentally friendly.

A Middlebury professor will discuss civil discourse in a small town. See Page 12B.

Panther men’s lacrosse lost a NESCAC game on Saturday to fall to 0-2 in league play. See Page 1B.

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT Vol. 68 No. 11

Middlebury, Vermont â—†

Thursday, March 13, 2014 â—† 42 Pages

Lawmakers  lament  school  tax  hikes Legislators:  Time  for  budget  cuts By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â€”  While  the  9HUPRQW /HJLVODWXUH GLG QRW FRQ-­ YHQH ODVW ZHHN ODZPDNHUV UHFHLYHG D KRPHZRUN DVVLJQPHQW GROHG RXW E\ DUHD YRWHUV RQ 7RZQ 0HHWLQJ 'D\ 'R VRPHWKLQJ DERXW ULVLQJ HG-­ XFDWLRQ SURSHUW\ WD[HV

9HUPRQW UHVLGHQWV YRWHG GRZQ RI DSSUR[LPDWHO\ VFKRRO EXGJHWV WKDW ZHUH RQ FRPPXQLWLHVœ WRZQ PHHWLQJ GRFNHWV RQ 0DUFK DQG ² WKH ODUJHVW QXPEHU RI IDLOHG VSHQGLQJ SODQV VLQFH WKH DGYHQW RI $FW LQ DFFRUGLQJ WR 5HS 'DYLG 6KDUSH ' %ULVWRO ,Q $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ WKH 9HUJHQQHV 8QLRQ +LJK 6FKRRO DQG )HUULVEXUJK &HQWUDO 6FKRRO VSHQGLQJ SODQV ZHQW GRZQ WR GHFLVLYH GHIHDWV -XVW DFURVV

WKH ERUGHU LQ 5XWODQG &RXQW\ %UDQ-­ GRQÂśV 1HVKREH (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO EXGJHW DOVR IDLOHG WR ZLQ DSSURYDO “It  is  a  concern,â€?  Sharpe,  a  vet-­ HUDQ PHPEHU RI WKH +RXVH :D\V DQG 0HDQV &RPPLWWHH WROG SDUWLFLSDQWV DW 0RQGD\ÂśV /HJLVODWLYH %UHDNIDVW LQ %ULVWRO Âł:H FHUWDLQO\ KHDUG HYHQ LQ D ORW RI WRZQV ZKHUH EXGJHWV SDVVHG FRQFHUQ DERXW WKH KLJK FRVW RI HGX-­ cation.â€? 6KDUSH VDLG ODZPDNHUV DUH HQ-­

JDJHG LQ ³VHULRXV FRQYHUVDWLRQV´ DERXW UHVWUXFWXULQJ VFKRRO GLVWULFWV ² VSHFL¿FDOO\ HQODUJLQJ WKHP 5HLW-­ HUDWLQJ D SODQ KH GLVFXVVHG ODVW ZHHN 6KDUSH VDLG WKHUH DSSHDUV WR EH VXS-­ SRUW IRU PDNLQJ D VLQJOH ERDUG ZLWKLQ each  supervisory  union  responsible  IRU EXGJHWLQJ DQG QHJRWLDWLQJ WHDFK-­ HU FRQWUDFWV IRU HDFK VFKRRO GLVWULFW ZLWKLQ WKDW XQLRQ 7KLV ZRXOG IUHH LQGLYLGXDO VFKRRO ERDUGV WR IRFXV RQ (See  Legislature,  Page  17A)

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Residents  offered  chance  to  help  plan  city’s  future By  ANDY  KIRKALDY VERGENNES  â€”  Vergennes-­ DUHD UHVLGHQWV ZLOO KDYH D UDUH chance  to  help  shape  their  com-­ PXQLW\ÂśV IXWXUH RQ 7XHVGD\ ZKHQ the  Vermont  Council  on  Rural  'HYHORSPHQW ZLOO KRVW D GLQQHU DW 6W 3HWHUÂśV &KXUFK DQG QLQH ZRUN-­ VKRSV DW WKH %L[E\ /LEUDU\ DQG

Vergennes  Opera  House.  Among  those  who  will  be  on  KDQG WR KHOS ZLWK WKH SODQQLQJ ZLOO EH DW OHDVW IHGHUDO VWDWH EXVLQHVV DQG QRQSUR¿W OHDGHUV LQ-­ FOXGLQJ WKH WRS RI¿FLDOV LQ VHYHUDO Vermont  state  agencies. 7KH 9HUJHQQHV &RXQFLO RQ 5X-­ (See  Vergennes,  Page  16A)

Monkton  Republican  joins  Addison-­4  race By  JOHN  FLOWERS 9HUPRQWHU DQG PHPEHU RI WKH 0RXQW 021.721 ² :KDW D GLIIHUHQFH Abraham  Union  High  School  class  WZR \HDUV FDQ PDNH LQ SROLWLFV RI 6KH ZDV UDLVHG LQ $GGL-­ In  2012,  incumbent  Reps.  Da-­ VRQ &RXQW\ DQG RQ YDULRXV PLOLWDU\ YLG 6KDUSH ' %ULVWRO DQG 0LFKDHO EDVHV WKURXJKRXW WKH FRXQWU\ D WUHQG )LVKHU ' /LQFROQ ZHUH XQRSSRVHG WKDW FRQWLQXHG SRVW JUDGXDWLRQ 6KH LQ WKHLU VXFFHVVIXO UXQV IRU QHZ WZR DQG KHU WKHQ KXVEDQG DQG WKHLU WZR year  terms  represent-­ VRQV OLYHG IRU VHY-­ LQJ WKH $GGLVRQ eral  years  at  Shaw  Air  +RXVH GLVWULFW Force  Base  in  Sumter,  With  the  2014  leg-­ 6 & 6KH UHWXUQHG WR islative  session  barely  WKH ÂżYH WRZQ DUHD ² KDOI RYHU WZR 5HSXE-­ VSHFLÂżFDOO\ 1HZ +D-­ OLFDQ FDQGLGDWHV KDYH ven  â€”  when  she  was  DOUHDG\ FRQÂżUPHG in  her  late  20s. their  plans  to  oppose  +HU ÂżUVW PDUULDJH 6KDUSH DQG )LVKHU LQ ODWHU GLVVROYHG OHDY-­ WKH WZR VHDW GLVWULFW ing  her  with  the  re-­ WKDW LQFOXGHV %ULVWRO VSRQVLELOLW\ RI EHLQJ D 6WDUNVERUR /LQFROQ SULPDU\ EUHDGZLQQHU DQG 0RQNWRQ Âł,ÂśYH ZRUNHG VHF-­ Earlier  this  winter,  RQG DQG WKLUG VKLIW %ULVWROÂśV )UHG %DVHU IDFWRU\ MREV VR , FHU-­ DQQRXQFHG KH ZRXOG WDLQO\ GR NQRZ ZKDW VALERIE   MULLIN FKDOOHQJHG WKH LQ-­ KDUG ZRUN LV DQG ZKDW FXPEHQWV DQG WKH Independent  in-­ LWÂśV OLNH WR VWUXJJOH ÂżQDQFLDOO\ DORQH WHUYLHZHG KLP DERXW KLV GHFLVLRQ WR ZLWK WKUHH FKLOGUHQ ´ 0XOOLQ VDLG run.  %XW ZKHQ WLPHV ZHUH ORRNLQJ 2Q 0RQGD\ 0RQNWRQÂśV 9DOHULH SDUWLFXODUO\ WRXJK 0XOOLQ UHFHLYHG 0XOOLQ VSRNH ZLWK WKH Addison  In-­ ZKDW VKH FDOOHG ÂłD VPDOO LQKHULWDQFH´ dependent DERXW KHU EXGGLQJ FDP-­ WKDW DOORZHG KHU DQG KHU PRP WR HV-­ SDLJQ LQ $GGLVRQ WDEOLVK Âł1HHGOHZRUNV DQG &UDIWV ´ D Mullin,  55,  is  a  6th-­generation  (See  Mullin,  Page  18A)

Surrender  Dorothy MIDDLEBURY  UNION  HIGH  School  seniors  Seth  Wright,  left,  Jonah  Lefkoe,  Emily  Stone  and  Olivia  Cacciatore  rehearse  a  scene  from  the  school’s  production  of  â€œThe  Wizard  of  Ozâ€?  Tuesday  afternoon.  The  senior  play  opens  Friday  night.  For  more  photos,  see  Page  2A. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell

VUHS  board  seeks  to  draft  new  budget By  ZACH  DESPART 9(5*(11(6 ² 7KH 9HUJHQQHV 8QLRQ +LJK 6FKRRO ERDUG RQ 0RQ-­ GD\ EHJDQ WKH SURFHVV RI GUDIWLQJ D QHZ EXGJHW IRU WKH VFKRRO DIWHU YRW-­ HUV LQ WKH ¿YH $GGLVRQ 1RUWKZHVW 6XSHUYLVRU\ 8QLRQ WRZQV UHMHFWHG WKH RULJLQDO VSHQGLQJ SODQ RQ 7RZQ Meeting  Day.

&RPPHQWV E\ 98+6 ERDUG PHP-­ EHUV DQG $1Z68 RI¿FLDOV WKHUH DQG DIWHUZDUG VKRZHG VRPH GLIIHUHQFHV RQ KRZ PXFK DQG HYHQ ZKHWKHU WR FXW WKH EXGJHW LQFOXGLQJ WKH QHHG IRU VWDII UHGXFWLRQV 7KH VSHQGLQJ SODQ WKDW ZHQW EH-­ IRUH YRWHUV RQ 7RZQ 0HHWLQJ 'D\ WRWDOHG PLOOLRQ D SHUFHQW

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burgh.  9RWHUV LQ )HUULVEXUJK UHMHFW-­ HG WKH 98+6 EXGJHW E\ WKH ODUJHVW PDUJLQ DQG DOVR VDLG ³QR´ WR WKHLU HOHPHQWDU\ VFKRRO VSHQGLQJ plan. 7KH 98+6 HQUROOPHQW LV GHFOLQ-­ LQJ SXVKLQJ XS LWV SHU SXSLO VSHQG-­ LQJ ZKLFK LQ WXUQ SUHVVXUHV WD[ (See  VUHS,  Page  16A)

Shoreham  considers  solar  co-­op By  JOHN  FLOWERS SHOREHAM  â€”  A  Shoreham  couple  is  trying  to  organize  a  local  ³FRPPXQLW\ RZQHG VRODU FRRSHUD-­ WLYH´ WKURXJK ZKLFK UHVLGHQWV FRXOG EHFRPH LQYHVWRUV 7KH SD\RII IRU LQ-­ YHVWRUV WKH\ VD\ ZRXOG EH QHW PH-­ WHULQJ FUHGLWV DSSOLHG DJDLQVW WKHLU monthly  electric  utility  bills. 6KRUHKDP UHVLGHQWV *HRUJH *URVV DQG %DUEDUD :LOVRQ XQYHLOHG WKHLU LGHD DW D FRPPXQLW\ GLVFXVVLRQ RQ Feb.  23  at  Shoreham  Elementary  6FKRRO WKDW GUHZ PRUH WKDQ SHR-­ SOH *URVV VDLG KH DQG :LOVRQ ZLOO VSHQG WKH FRPLQJ ZHHNV SURFHVVLQJ

WKH FRPPXQLW\ IHHGEDFN DQG GHWHU-­ mining  whether  to  pursue  a  â€œcentral-­ L]HG´ VRODU SURMHFW RU RQH WKDW LV GLV-­ WULEXWHG DPRQJ VHYHUDO VLWHV *URVV VDLG LQYHVWRUV FRXOG SXU-­ FKDVH LQGLYLGXDO VRODU SDQHOV WR HQ-­ title  them  to  a  proportional  share  RI WKH VRODU IDUP EHQHÂżWV $V GLUHFW RZQHUV RI WKHLU VRODU SRZHU JHQHUD-­ WLRQ HTXLSPHQW SDUWLFLSDQWV ZRXOG HQMR\ WKH DVVRFLDWHG EHQHÂżWV RI WKH IHGHUDO WD[ FUHGLWV DQG SRWHQWLDOO\ WKH VWDWH RI 9HUPRQW UHQHZDEOH HQHUJ\ incentives. 7KH )HE PHHWLQJ DOVR IRFXVHG (See  Shoreham,  Page  18A)

By the American Legion chief way visits county, protests cuts to military programs When  Vergennes  Police  Chief  and  noted  New  York  Yankee  fan  George  Merkel  led  Vergennes  Rotary  Club  members  on  a  tour  of  his  depart-­ ment’s  new  Main  Street  headquar-­ ters  this  past  Monday,  he  found  a  surprise:  Rotary  Club  members  Scott  Gaines  and  Michael  Donnelly  had  redecorated  the  station’s  meet-­ ing  and  training  room.  A  sign  over  (See  By  the  way,  Page  18A)

Index Obituaries  .......................... 6A-­7A &ODVVL¿HGV  ......................... 5B-­9B Service  Directory  .............. 6B-­7B Entertainment  ........................ 15A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ...... 8A-­10A Sports  ................................ 1B-­3B

By  JOHN  FLOWERS SRVWV DQG VWDWHKRXVHV LQ VWDWHV WR 0,''/(%85< ² 0LGGOHEXU\ JHW IHHGEDFN WR EULQJ WR &DSLWRO +LOO /HJLRQ 3RVW RQ 6DWXUGD\ UROOHG DQG 9HWHUDQV $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ +RV-­ RXW WKH SURYHUELDO UHG FDUSHW IRU D SLWDOV WKDW FDUH IRU SDVW DQG SUHVHQW special  VIP:  None  other  than  Ameri-­ VHUYLFHPHQ DQG ZRPHQ FDQ /HJLRQ 1DWLRQDO &RPPDQGHU 'HOOLQJHU ZDV LQ 9HUPRQW IRU WKUHH Dan  Dellinger,  who  was  GD\V ODVW ZHHN EHJLQ-­ LQ WRZQ DV SDUW RI D OLV-­ “The (American QLQJ 7KXUVGD\ 0DUFK WHQLQJ WRXU WR JHW LQIRU-­ Legion posts) +LV VWRSV LQFOXGHG /H-­ mation  on  how  to  better  gion  posts  in  Barre,  Wa-­ serve  the  country’s  more  in Vermont terbury,  Colchester,  Ver-­ than  21  million  military  have great JHQQHV DQG 0LGGOHEXU\ programs and as  well  as  visits  to  the  VA  veterans. 'HOOLQJHU IURP 9LHQ-­ scholarships.â€? 0HGLFDO &HQWHU LQ :KLWH na,  Va.,  began  his  one-­ — American 5LYHU -XQFWLRQ DQG WKH year  term  as  the  Legion’s  Legion National 9HUPRQW &KLOGUHQÂśV +RV-­ QDWLRQDO FRPPDQGHU RQ Commander pital  at  Fletcher  Allen  Aug.  29,  2013.  He  is  the  Dan Dellinger Health  Care. FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RI WKH +H ZDV LPSUHVVHG organization,  which  has  with  what  he  saw  while  PLOOLRQ PHPEHUV DIÂżOLDWHG ZLWK in  the  Green  Mountain  State. DURXQG SRVWV ZRUOGZLGH Âł7KH /HJLRQ SRVWV LQ 9HUPRQW 'HOOLQJHU URXWLQHO\ OREELHV IHGHUDO KDYH JUHDW SURJUDPV DQG VFKRODU-­ DQG VWDWH ODZPDNHUV WR LPSURYH VKLSV ´ KH VDLG RI WKH RXWUHDFK DQG SURJUDPPLQJ DQG VHUYLFHV IRU WKH SKLODQWKURS\ ORFDO YHWHUDQV H[KLELW QDWLRQÂśV YHWHUDQV DQG IRU WKRVH VWLOO in  their  communities. DFWLYH LQ WKH DUPHG VHUYLFHV 7R WKDW 'HOOLQJHU KDV EHFRPH TXLWH ID-­ HQG KH LV WRXULQJ VFRUHV RI /HJLRQ (See  Legion,  Page  18A)

AMERICAN  LEGION  NATIONAL  Commander  Dan  Dellinger,  center,  stands  with  State  Commander  Rick  Gray,  right,  and  Captain  Richard  Phillips  during  Dellinger’s  visit  to  Vermont  last  weekend.  Dellinger’s  visit  included  stops  at  the  Middlebury  and  Vergennes  Legion  halls. Photo  by  Tom  Scanlon


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