C ourier COUNTY Thursday, November 22, 2018
‘MONTGOMERY THRIVES’ MOVES TO MAKE LIFE BETTER By Gregory J. Lamoureux County Courier MONTGOMERY: Paul Costello, the Executive Director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), announced at Town Meeting this year that Montgomery had been chosen as their next target for bettering the community. The state program aims to better communities by gathering the resources needed for adequate
growth from federal, state, local and nongovernmental parties. The community met recently to set goals, including increasing technology in the area through broadband access and cell phone coverage. The hope for better coverage is not just for safety. It’s also needed to improve tourism and to attract new residents who may be looking to reside in the Town but telecommute for
their employment. “In setting their priorities for action, Montgomery residents made some very strategic decisions,” Costello explained, “There is so much good work going on already in the arts, community events, trail development and other areas that residents celebrated and are very proud of, but when it came down to it, they make hard choices about gearing up to develop the hard infrastructure that will be a foundation for future business growth, housing, tourism and all the other great ideas advanced through the Community Visit process.” In addition to broadband a n d cell
phone coverage expansion, the community has expressed a need for a community wastewater program- which has been a sticking point for development in Montgomery Center, including a renovated and remodeled Town Clerk’s office. “Developing this infrastructure will be essential to a healthy future for the community,” Costello wrote in an email to the County Courier this week, “A task force is coming together to develop a plan for a new wastewater treatment system for Montgomery.” That task force is expected to work with the feds as well as state and local officials to develop a plan for a community-wide wastewater plan, then work on grant funding for such a project. The whole project is being called ‘Montgomery Thrives,’ and it aims to improve the community’s day to day living experience. Lastly, the idea of reinventing the pedestrian and traffic infrastructure in the villages is a big goal for the program. With small businesses lining the streets of the villages, it’s become a leading topic that residents want tackled by
see THRIVES page 23
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Montgomery Thrives............................................... 1 News Briefs............................................................ 2 Financial Literacy Education.................................. 3 Opinions................................................................. 4 Harvest Feeds Fairfax Students............................... 6 McAllister wins Supreme Court Case..................... 7 Property Transfers................................................... 8 Coming Events........................................................ 9 Court Calendar...................................................... 10 Service Directory.................................................. 10 Fun & Games........................................................ 12 The Roots of Bobwhites Football . ....................... 14 Franklin County Almanac..................................... 16 Social News.......................................................... 17 Obituaries............................................................. 18 Classifieds............................................................ 22