New Peak Lodge will open today

December 27,2013

Rutland Herald

 

Killington’s new Peak Lodge open

KILLINGTON — Killington Ski Resort will open its new Peak Lodge to the public today.

The ski area held a preview Thursday for holders of season passes.

The 15,000-square-foot Peak Lodge has seating for up to 300 guests, a restaurant, a full-service bar and lounge areas with couches and coffee tables.

Situated atop the 4,100-foot Killington Peak, the lodge offers panoramic views of the Green Mountains, White Mountains and Adirondacks.

The original Peak Lodge was built in 1967 as the summit terminal, the largest support building for Killington’s first gondola.

Plans for the new $7 million lodge began more than two years ago. The 1967 lodge was taken down during the summer of 2011.

The foundation, footings and bottom floor walls of the new building were completed in the fall of 2012.

The lodge was designed by Robert Carl Williams of Pittsfield, The general contractor was Engelberth Construction of Colchester.

The venue participates in Green Mountain Power’s Cow Power Program, using electricity generated from cow manure.

Needed Killington road repairs prompt tax increase

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | December 21,2013

 

KILLINGTON — Road improvements are driving the first proposed increase in the municipal tax rate in three years.

For the past six weeks or so, the Select Board has reviewed the proposed budget for fiscal year 2014. As it stands, the proposed budget of $4,055,447 represents a 9 percent increase in general fund expenses, or $320,000, which equates to an additional 2.3 cents on the tax rate.

Of that increase, 65 percent, or $208,000, is for the town highway department, which has had to defer maintenance in recent years because of the lack of sufficient money on hand to make repairs.

“This budget represents us paying our bills and not putting things off,” said Town Manager Seth Webb, who looked at highway funding levels past and present to make his point that the highway department is underfunded.

Webb said during the 1980s, the town was spending, on average, $339,000 a year for gravel and paving projects. Since 2009, the town has budgeted, on average, $220,000 annually.

While funding has decreased, the costs to repair roads have only increased. In 1986, it cost $117,000 for every mile of paving; in 2013, paving costs $266,000 a mile. In 1986, a mile of gravel road cost $76,000. Today, the cost is $135,000.

To get a jump-start on the work, voters will be asked on Town Meeting Day to approve a 10-year, $1.4 million bond for road repairs, with the cost of the first year’s payment included in the budget proposal.

For a town that has cut funding for road repairs, the roads themselves are in decent shape overall, according to a report created by Chet Hagenbarth, director of highways and facilities for the town.

Using standards provided by the Rutland Regional Planning Commission and Vermont Local Roads — an organization funded by the federal Highway Administration and the state Agency of Transportation, whose mission is to provide road and bridge information to municipalities — the report found that 70 percent of the town’s paved roads are in “excellent” or “good” condition.

Twenty percent of the paved roads received a grade of “fair,” and 17 percent of roads received a “failed” grade.

In addition to funding for road repairs, the budget also includes the following increases:

n $49,000 for operating and capital purchases for Killington Fire and Rescue.

n $27,000 for additional patrol hours and equipment for the Killington Police Department.

n $29,000 in benefit increases from additional police and clerk staff.

Killington has not seen an increase in the municipal tax rate for the past three budget cycles, chiefly because the town has used its savings to stabilize the tax rate. However, the town is not using savings this year to ease the budget increase. For the owner of a house appraised at $300,000, an additional 2 cents on the municipal tax rate equates to an additional $60 a year in taxes.

The Select Board has instructed Webb to cut another half a penny from the tax rate, which will require some combination of $40,000 in revenue increases and budget cuts.

The Select Board will next meet to discuss the budget at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Town Offices on River Road.

josh.ogorman

Comment: The roads did not get attention because the town was busy building and paying the debt off on the golf course as well as building hay bale sculpters and financing other events to help a few businesses in town. Now that strategy has come home to roost.
Its debatable as to the urgency of the need to repair/upgrade the roads. From observing Chet Hagenbarth's presentations in front of the Select Board I would think the spending could be spread out further than it has been.
As to the tax rate being level for the past three years there is one and only one reason, Jim Haff's persistence in holding the budget down so the tax rate would remain stable. The savings alluded to in the article were the so called "undesignated funds" which were uncovered by Jim Haff. These funds by law were supposed to be allocated at the end of the year to offset the next year's budget with a provision to have a reserve equaling three month's of the town's operating budget.
So to say the town used savings is a bit misleading as these savings were a result of ignorance, mismanagement or willful disregard by the town's government in properly allocating these funds as required by law.

Vito

Killington Chamber names Amy Morrison as new director

Mountain Times
Killington posted Dec 13, 2013

KILLINGTON - On Monday, Dec. 9, the Killington Chamber of Commerce announced the appointment of Amy Morrison as the Chamber director beginning immediately. The new part-time position was unanimously approved by the Chamber's Executive Committee to replace the business manager position.
As the director, Morrison will be charged with managing the day-to-day operations of the Chamber and creating a strategic operating plan for the Chamber to ensure long-term viability of the organization.
"I am thrilled with the opportunity and look forward to helping the organization grow and flourish," stated Morrison.
Coming to the Chamber with strong experience in marketing, fundraising and event planning, President Howard Smith stated, "With her background and her experience, we are confident Amy will be a driving force behind the long-term development and growth of the Chamber."  Smith added, "The creation of this position reorganizes the chamber's staffing structure to better fulfill its mission."
Morrison currently serves as the Events and Marketing Coordinator for the Town of Killington. She will continue in that position, working 30 hours per week for the town.
For more info visit www.killingtonchamber.com.

Comment: Well finally the Chamber figured out a way to get their staffing subsidized. To me it would be really hard to distinguish between Ms. Morrision's duties as the town Events and Marketing Coordinator and Chamber Director as many of her duties will overlap. I personally am not OK with this situation - it smacks of conflict of interest - town vs chamber. I suppose if you're sympathetic to a financially struggling Chamber this might be a godsend.
I bet the next town subsidy to the Chamber will be having the town road crew removing snow from the Chamber's parking lot because of the Park and Ride.

Vito

PA woman killed on Killington slopes

By Brent Curtis
staff writer | December 14,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — A Pennsylvania woman was killed Thursday while snowboarding at Killington Ski Resort, according to police.

Jennifer Strohl, 21, of Jim Thorpe, Pa., was snowboarding with friends on the Great Northern Trail late Thursday morning when they became separated, Vermont State Police said.

The friends contacted Killington Ski Patrol in the mid-afternoon and a search that retraced Strohl’s course down the mountain ended at 4:45 p.m. when her body was found about 10 feet off the trail. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Strohl’s death is under investigation, police said, but it doesn’t appear to be suspicious. Strohl, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, suffered head injuries in the crash, police said.

State police Sgt. Thomas Mozzer, who responded to the scene, said it was unclear exactly what the snowboarder crashed into.

“There were contusions and lacerations on her face, but it’s hard to say if she caught an edge and hit her face on the snow or if she struck a tree,” Mozzer said.

Strohl, who was skiing on a beginner slope, was described by her friends as an intermediate-level snowboarder, the sergeant said.

Strohl’s death marks the first time this season that a snowboarder or skier has died at a Vermont resort, according to Sarah Wojcik, director of public affairs at the Vermont Ski Areas Association. Last season, there were no deaths at Vermont’s ski areas, she said.

Wojcik said her organization recommends that all skiers and snowboarders wear helmets rated to withstand impacts of at least 12 mph. Skiers in the Northeast have the best helmet compliance in the country, she added.

“We also recommend skiing in control,” Wojcik said.

Longtime Killington library director to step down in 2014

Ruland Herald

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | December 12,2013

 

KILLINGTON — Filled with more than 22,000 books, magazines and DVDs, the success of Sherburne Memorial Library speaks volumes about Gail Weymouth.

Since 1984, Weymouth has been the town’s library director, but she plans to retire in February, drawing to a close a 30-year tenure during which she led the transformation of the library from musty and rustic to state of the art.

On Thanksgiving Day 1983, Weymouth, now 58, moved with her husband to Stockbridge, into an old farmhouse that she described as “always a work in progress.” She came from Maryland, where she was a librarian in a large state library.

Pregnant with her first child — a daughter who’s now 29 and was married this summer — Weymouth answered an advertisement looking for a part-time librarian in what was then called the town of Sherburne.

“What I took as a part-time job for minimum wage became the most rewarding job of my life,” she said.

While the library is currently firing on all cylinders — it’s one of only 30 libraries in the United States to receive a five-star rating from Library Journal magazine — that wasn’t the case when took the reins in January 1983.

At that time, Sherburne Memorial Library contained approximately 6,000 books and was housed in the roughly 750-square-foot former one-room schoolhouse most recently home to the Killington Teen Center. Also, it wasn’t used nearly as much as the current library, which is the busiest municipal library in the state by population.

“It was this old building with brown siding and it was about the size of the department I managed at my library in Maryland,” Weymouth recalled. “I sat, literally for three weeks, waiting for someone to come in.”

The first step to drumming up community interest in the library was getting books people wanted to read, such as National Book Award winners or bestsellers from the New York Times. More books meant more visitors, but also more problems.

“I had created a monster,” Weymouth said. “The floor started sinking under the weight of the books.”

In 1999, the library moved to its current 7,250-square-foot home on River Road, which includes plenty of computers and wall-to-wall wireless Internet access.

Weybridge paid respect to the support the library has received from Select Board members during the years, as well as from second-home owners who frequent the space in the winter.

“Once we proved we were a valuable resource, the support from the Select Board was just incredible,” she said. “So much of our patron base is second-home owners, and they’re able to say, ‘Here’s something we’re getting for our tax dollars.’”

And what are Weymouth’s plans after Feb. 1, her last day on the job?

“I’ve always put the library first. I’m just hoping to spend time with my family and do some traveling,” she said.

The library is looking for a new director. Job information is available on the library’s website, sherlib.wordpress.com.

Driver told police he didn’t know he hit a person in fatal crash

Rutland Herald

By Brent Curtis
staff writer | December 10,2013

 

Anthony Edwards / Staff Photo

Michael Debellis, 27, of Killington, pleaded innocent Monday in Rutland criminal court to a felony charge in connection with the death of Kyle Wilson, 26, of Enfield, N.H.

A Killington man who police say was the driver in a crash that killed a New Hampshire man told police he and his girlfriend panicked and drove home after striking an unidentified object on Killington Road early Sunday morning.

“I heard a noise and immediately saw something roll over the passenger side of the car,” 27-year-old Michael P. Debellis wrote in a sworn statement. “I slowed down and looked around to see if anything was on the side of the road and did not see anything. (Debellis’ girlfriend) and I were both completely in shock and Emily was crying but OK physically so I continued home and parked the vehicle.”

Debellis wrote in the sworn statement he gave to Vermont State Police investigators that he was travelling at about 30 mph on a darker stretch of Killington Road at about 1:20 a.m. when the crash occurred.

He said he didn’t learn until more than 12 hours later that police had found the body of Kyle Wilson, a 26-year-old Enfield, N.H., man by the side of the road near the spot where Debellis said the crash took place.

Wilson’s friends told police that he had been out for the evening and called at about 1 a.m. to say he was walking home. When he didn’t return, his friends decided to look for him the next day and were the ones who found his body, police said.

Debellis pleaded innocent Monday in Rutland criminal court to a felony charge of leaving the scene of a fatal crash. The Killington snowmaker, who has no prior record, posted bail of $25,000 before he appeared in court and he remains free on that amount, along with court-ordered conditions that include he not operate a motor vehicle or possess or consume alcoholic beverages.

Police say Debellis was driving his girlfriend’s car, a black 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, from the Pickle Barrel bar, where they’d seen a musical performance, to their apartment on Currier Road when the crash occurred. Police said the car had extensive damage to the passenger side front bumper, headlamp, hood, windshield, roof, passenger side door and roof rack.

Debellis told police he’d had three drinks between 10:30 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. — a beer and two mixed drinks — and refrained from drinking for more than an hour before getting behind the wheel to drive home. “There’s no evidence that he was under the influence at all,” Debellis’ defense attorney Mark Furlan said during his arraignment in Rutland criminal court.

Vermont State Police Trooper Steven Gelder also said no alcohol was detected on Debellis’ breath. But the test that police administered was performed more than 12 hours after the time when Debellis said the crash occurred.

The prosecution and the defense also argued over where Wilson was in the road when he was struck.

While the police affidavit filed with the court gives no indication of where Wilson was walking when he was struck, Furlan told the court it “appeared he was in the middle of the road.”

When Deputy Rutland County State’s Attorney Jane O’Neill said she hadn’t seen that detail in any of the court paperwork, Furlan said his reading of the investigation suggested that Wilson must have been in the lane of travel.

There were also arguments in court Monday over contact between Debellis and his girlfriend, Emily Tredtin.

Debellis and his girlfriend gave similar accounts of the crash to police.

But while Debellis told police he believed he hit an animal such as a deer or a bear, or even a construction barrel, Tredtin told police she thought the crash might have involved a pedestrian and that she had told her boyfriend so.

“It was really dark outside, but I thought I might have seen what looked like a human butt or thought maybe it was some type of animal,” Tredtin wrote in a statement given to police. “I was freaking out, we were both freaking out. We didn’t know what to do so we just kept going. We just wanted to get home.”

Tredtin told police that Debellis was still “trying to process what happened” the next day and that he wanted to report it.

At just before 1 p.m., Debellis told police he called an off-duty police officer and asked if he’d heard anything about something being found in the road. That officer contacted state police who were already investigating the crash shortly before noon Sunday. State police had been notified by Wilson’s friends of the crash earlier in the day.

Debellis told police he never saw anything in the road before the impact, and he said he may have been distracted by a blinking light near Schoolhouse Road.

The crash remains under investigation by police, who are awaiting results from a crash reconstruction analysis and an autopsy of Wilson. A police spokeswoman said Monday it’s unclear whether Wilson would have survived the crash if it had been immediately reported and medical responders had been called.

State Police said in Gelder’s affidavit that evidence existed to support a charge of grossly negligent operation with death resulting against Debellis. Rutland County State’s Attorney Marc Brierre, who was not in court during Debellis’ arraignment, could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Park-and-ride plans making leap forward

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | December 05,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — The town is moving forward with plans to build a “park-and-ride” at the Killington Chamber of Commerce.

Tuesday night, the Select Board unanimously approved the plan to reconfigure the parking lot of the building formerly known as Bill’s Country Store, and create a new shared entrance from Route 4 for the parking lot and the abutting business, Base Camp Outfitters.

“I think this is a great project. It will certainly improve safety,” said Board Chairman Chris Bianchi of the plan, which will include a landscaped buffer along the south side of the Chamber building, forcing drivers to enter and exit through a single location.

That location will be directly across from Killington Road.

The project has an estimated price tag of $103,000, with much of the funding coming from grants. In addition to an $80,000 grant from the state Agency of Transportation, the town was recently awarded a second grant for the project from the state Department of Environmental Conservation for as much as $12,430 for “ecosystem restoration.” This grant will address storm water runoff from Route 4 and Killington Road.

Selectman Bernard Rome described the plan as “good” but said that, without a traffic light at the intersection, there “will be one hell of a problem there.”

“This will create a true four corners with people traveling at a high rate of speed,” Rome continued.

Town Manager Seth Webb said the Agency of Transportation — which is the governmental entity to decide if there will be a light on Route 4 — has determined a light is not needed.

Later in the meeting, Rome said he would be in touch with the state to look into getting a traffic signal.

Selectwoman Patty McGrath acknowledged the challenging nature of the intersection, which also includes a turn to take Route 100 north, as she spoke in support of the plan.

“It doesn’t make it the perfect intersection, but it does improve it greatly,” she said.

The parking lot will include 34 spaces, as well as room for two tour buses, and will provide access to Kent Pond and the Appalachian Trail.

The work will be done using “millings,” or leftover pavement, from the reconstruction of Killington Road, a project that will break ground in 2014.

Ballot taking shape

By Josh O’Gorman

Rutland Herald
STAFF WRITER | December 05,2013

KILLINGTON — From energy efficiency and the restoration of the Teen Center to the creation of a five-member Select Board and a change to the option tax, Killington’s March ballot has the potential to be interesting.

During a meeting Tuesday night, the Select Board discussed a pair of topics. These included a request by the Sherburne Historians for $169,000 to restore the building that was previously home to the Killington Teen Center, and voter consent for the town to enter into a program allowing residents to borrow money to make efficiency upgrades to their homes.

The efficiency program — known as PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy — is offered through Efficiency Vermont. It allows a homeowner, including the owner of a condominium but not a condo association, to borrow as much as 15 percent of the value of his or her property — up to $30,000 — to make the home more energy efficient.

Efficiency Vermont would handle the financing and the homeowner would make payments on the loan twice a year, at the same time his or her property taxes are due to the town. And much like property taxes, if a homeowner doesn’t repay the loan, the property can be sold.

Currently, 35 cities and towns have voted to become “PACE districts.” None of the towns are in Rutland County.

Jim Haff raised the question of who would be responsible for the sale: the town, Efficiency Vermont or the bank, the National Bank of Middlebury.

Aside from this question, the town’s only other responsibilities would be providing a description of the property and checking to see if there are any existing liens or back taxes owed.

The proposal received broad support across the board, with Selectman Bernard Rome saying the biggest issue will be coming up with language for the ballot that will make sense to the voters.

A slightly more contentious issue was the request from the Sherburne Historians, who are seeking a home for its historical collection.

“My feeling is, it’s a question that should be put to the public, and the Historians have the right to ask the public for approval,” Rome said. “But, saying all that, I think it’s a terrible idea.”

Rome said he had no idea of the quality of the historical items in question. Selectwoman Patty McGrath said if the board decided not to put the item on the ballot, the town would most likely receive a petition with the needed voter signatures to force the question.

“I think it will be heading toward the ballot irregardless, so we should let it happen,” she said.

Switching gears, Haff asked the board to consider a ballot item to remove the sales tax portion of the 1 percent option tax, but keep the rooms and meals tax.

“I hope you’ll save me the trouble of going out and getting the signatures,” Haff said.

Bianchi also briefly floated the idea of a ballot item to reconfigure the current three-person Select Board so it would have five members.

The Select Board ballot question, and possibly the option tax, will be topics for future meetings. The next Select Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Offices on River Road.

@Tagline:josh.ogorman @rutlandherald.com

Comment: What is not mentioned regarding the historical society's request is that in March, when they approached the Selectboard for a $250 loan, they stated they would not be seeking funds from the town and would seek grants and outside funding to restore the building. Apparently those efforts were either not fruitful or not attempted. Furthermore, the apparently town would be saddled with future operating costs for the building.
I have no problem putting this on the ballot. If there are enough people in town who feel this is important enough to spend that much money on to house the preservation of our town's history then so be it.
However, there are other options for the historical society. The Chamber of Commerce via Bill Mercier, publicly offered space for the society at Bill's Country Store during a Select Board meeting this year. 

With all the budgetary pressures and the tax rate going up 5 cents on the state side and the Selectboard all but committed to a 2 cent increase on the Municipal side on just the roads budget, this large a expenditure seems to me to be unwarranted, especially in light of less costly (if not free) option if Bill Mercier's offer is legitimate.

There are plenty of other increases being currently considered by the Select board. such as hiring a fulltime Recreation Director, ~$15,0000 and redoing all the town signs, $35,000.

Stating the obvious, with Jim Haff not there to stem the spendthrift ways of our town government our tax rate will no longer remain flat. Simply because of the decisions made by the board regarding the road budget our municipal taxes will be going up every year by 2 cents for the next few years for that one budget item alone. At Tuesday's meeting it seemed every agenda item involved increasing the town's spending and increasing our taxes.

Vito

Cell tower plan draws complaints

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | November 26,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — The Select Board will wait to hear about changes in plans for a proposed cell tower before deciding whether to recommend it.

AT&T Wireless is seeking approval to construct a 140-foot-tall tower on a 2-acre parcel just off Brad Mead Drive. The state’s Public Service Board makes the ultimate decision, but town support — or lack thereof — is a factor in the permit process.

The proposal has drawn a negative reaction from some residents, who, in letters to the Select Board, complained of the way the tower would look from the popular lookout on Deer Leap Mountain. They also expressed concerns about the level of radiation emitted and the fact the proposed tower site would not improve reception for year-round AT&T Wireless customers who live north of Route 4.

Town Manager Seth Webb said he received a telephone call from a representative from Killington Resort — whose property abuts the site of the proposed tower — expressing concern the tower would limit the resort’s ability to construct single-family homes in the future, because the tower would lower property values nearby.

On the Select Board, Bernard Rome is the most outspoken critic of the project, which he called “self centered” during a recent meeting.

“We’re looking for a trade-off, and that trade-off has to be coverage for our citizens,” Rome said, referring to residents who live in the area referred to locally as North Sherburne.

The proposed tower would increase cell coverage for residents in the developments of Winterberry and Fox Hollow, but those are not the people Rome represents, he said.

“The people who put us here are the people who live here, not the people who come in in the condominiums,” Rome said. “They’re not the ones with the home businesses.”

Elizabeth Kohler, a lawyer for AT&T Wireless, told the board her client would consider installing a “monopine” tower, which, as it sounds, is a cell tower that resembles a tree.

“If the town is willing to recommend it with the additional aesthetic mitigation, including the use of a monopole, I think that’s appropriate,” Kohler said. “It will be visible to some people. Wherever we put a tower, it will be visible to someone.”

Kohler said her client is considering other tower sites in Killington, although she did not say those sites would improve cell coverage in the north end of the town.

In addressing the safety of residents who live near the tower — Kohler said the nearest residence is within “a couple hundred feet” — AT&T performed a study which shows the radiation levels would be 1 percent of the maximum amount allowed by the Federal Communication Commission, Kohler said.

Kohler also said AT&T Wireless has a study showing cell towers do not negatively affect the values of nearby properties.

The board is expected to take up the issue again at its next meeting in December.

josh.ogorman@ rutlandherald.com

Killington Village must control skier parking

Rutland Herald
By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | November 25,2013

KILLINGTON — One of the developers of the proposed Killington Village must take steps to contain skier parking, according to a recently released decision.

The District 1 Environmental Commission last week denied a motion to alter a permit issued in October to Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners to build a 1,276-space parking lot, reconfigure the parking lot of the Killington Grand Resort and to build a stormwater detention pond and related utilities.

The permit came with a host of conditions, including condition 19, which states “(t)he Permittee shall at all times manage the parking facility in a manner sufficient to prevent intrusion of visitors parking onto adjoining or neighboring condominium owners property.”

The neighboring property in question is Pinnacle Condominium Association, a development located on Old Mill Road that contains 150 units of one to three bedrooms each.

Peter Van Oot, an attorney representing KPSRP, filed a motion with the District 1 Environmental Commission to alter the permit by removing condition 19.

In the motion to alter, Van Oot argued “there is no evidentiary basis for the condition” and that “there is no reasonable basis for a condition preventing the intrusion of visitors parking onto adjoining or neighboring condominium owners’ property” under the Act 250 criteria that addresses traffic congestion and safety.

Van Oot also argued the condition was “vague, ambiguous and unenforceable.”

The commission disagreed.

“Undue encroachment can lead to undue congestion or parking deficiencies in those condominium developments,” the ruling states. “The Commission concludes … that the condition is sufficiently specific to obligate the permittee to prevent such encroachment utilizing such measures as the permittee deems reasonable, and which achieve the required result: prevention of encroachment by Killington visiting skiers upon the parking lots owned by the neighboring condominium associations.”

Van Oot could not be reached for comment, but Jon Readnour, an attorney representing the Pinnacle Condominium Association, expressed satisfaction with the decision.

“I read the commission’s response to the motion to alter and I’m pleased that they agreed with us, in terms of the one point we were concerned about,” Readnour said.

josh.ogorman @rutlandherald.com

Comment: This condition seems reasonable until you start thinking about how to enforce it. The only way I see to do this is to require permits for Pinnacle's parking. Is the village developer supposed to pay for that? What about visitors to Pinnacle, they're more than likely skiers too. 

It's easy for the commission to write up the requirement. Too bad they didn't come up with the solution as well.

Vito

Killington officials consider PACE program

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | November 18,2013

Rutland Herald 

KILLINGTON — Town officials are considering a program that would lend money to homeowners to make energy-efficiency upgrades.

During a recent meeting, the Select Board heard a presentation from Todd Kowalczyk, energy coordinator for the town, about the PACE program.

“PACE” is an acronym standing for “property assessed clean energy.” Under this program, a town can bond for money it then lends to a homeowner for insulation, windows or other upgrades to make the home more energy efficient.

To date, 35 towns or cities have signed on to become PACE districts, an act which requires an affirmative vote from residents. There are no PACE districts in Rutland County, but towns in surrounding counties, from Middlebury to Manchester, have signed on with the program.

PACE is open to residential property owners. During the meeting, a resident asked if PACE was available to a condominium owner such as herself, a question Kowalcyzk didn’t immediately have an answer for but promised to return with that information during a subsequent meeting.

The town would bond for the money and then lend the money to the homeowner at 1 to 2 percent above the prevailing interest rate. Upon taking the money, a lien would be placed on the property and the owner would make payments with his or her tax bill. And like a tax bill, if the property owner fails to make payments, the property can be put up for auction.

Loans are available for periods ranging from 10 years to 20 years, in amounts from $3,500 to a maximum of $30,000. And in the event a homeowner sells his or her property before repayment is complete, the lien stays with the property.

By all accounts, the PACE program requires a fair amount of administrative work, which is why 20 towns have signed on with Efficiency Vermont to administer the program.

“We haven’t had a lot of towns move forward yet, but we’ve had a lot of interest going into 2014,” said Kelly Lucci, spokeswoman for Efficiency Vermont.

If a town chooses to have Efficiency Vermont run the program, they would not have to bond for the money. Instead, Efficiency Vermont would arrange financing through the National Bank of Middlebury.

The Select Board gave Town Manager Seth Webb the go-ahead to talk with Efficiency Vermont, and the issue could come before voters at town meeting in March.

To learn more about the PACE program, visit www.efficiencyvermont.com/pace.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

Killington board asks state for tax reform, tourism promotion

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | November 19,2013

 

KILLINGTON — The Select Board has sent a letter to the state seeking education finance reform and increased spending to promote tourism.

In a Nov. 5 letter to Lisa Gosselin, commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development, the board cites the state’s education funding formula as a drag on the state’s economy.

“We believe Vermont’s current education funding system is inhibiting the growth of tourism communities which are the primary drivers of our state’s economy,” states the letter signed by board members Chris Bianchi, Bernard Rome and Patty McGrath.

Citing a 345 percent increase in property taxes for Killington Resort from 1996 to 2012, the letter asserts the taxes inhibit the ability of a business to spend money on capital improvements or marketing.

In calling for increased spending to promote tourism, the letter states “(w)e understand that Vermont Tourism is getting outpaced by states that represent our biggest competition and compete in the same markets.”

Gosselin declined to address Killington’s call for education funding reform but did discuss tourism.

“When we hear ‘outpaced,’ we’re talking about being outspent, as we are in every aspect of government spending,” Gosselin said.

Vermont is outspent by the states the Killington Select Board identifies in its letter as “our biggest competition”: New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado and Utah.

According to Jen Butson, communications director with the state Department of Tourism and Marketing, this year the state will spend $2.2 million on out-of-state advertising. The majority of that advertising is domestic, with international advertising through Discover New England, a collaborative of the six New England states, focused on international tourism marketing.

These are the 2012-13 tourism budgets of Vermont’s “competition,” according to the U.S. Travel Association:

New York: $19.1 million

New Hampshire: $6.9 million

Maine: $9.8 million

Colorado: $14.7 million

Utah: $14.4 million.

Vermont’s tourism budget was $2.9 million during the 2012-13 fiscal year, ranking it 44th out of the 48 states that responded. Only Delaware, Indiana, Iowa and Rhode Island spent less.

Gosselin suggested the number of tourist visits, not the amount spent to bring them to Vermont, is a better measure of the health of tourism in the state.

“I think if you look at tourism data, you’ll see Vermont is doing very well,” Gosselin said.

According to the Vermont Ski Areas Association, last winter the state had its best ski season in a decade, drawing 4.5 million visitors. It was dramatic upswing from the previous winter of 3.9 million visitors. During the past 10 years, annual ski visits have averaged 4.2 million.

josh.ogorman

@rutlandherald.com

Board to discuss cell tower issue

Rutland Herald

November 19,2013

 

 

KILLINGTON — A proposed cell tower that is drawing negative reactions from the public will be on the agenda for tonight’s Select Board meeting.

On Nov. 5, an attorney representing AT&T Wireless appeared before the Select Board, seeking support for a proposed 140-foot-tall tower on a 2-acre parcel just off Brad Mead Drive.

The proposal has drawn criticism in the form of emails sent to the town.

“AT&T has totally ignored residents of North Killington, not only with cell service, but also with the lack of concern about degraded Honeywell Alarm Net (Fire, Emergency, Burglary, etc.) service from their towers,” wrote Marty Post, who identified himself as a resident of North Killington.

Sandra Deitch, who identified herself as the owner of homes on both Brad Mead Drive and Round Robin Road, said the tower’s immediate proximity to residents would constitute a health risk, as well as a threat to the pristine view from Deer Leap Mountain.

Tonight’s Select Board meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Town Offices on River Road.

Dump installs recycling gear

Rutland Herald

KILLINGTON — Residents will now find recycling to be a bit more convenient.

The town has installed a pair of new compactors at the transfer station, located at 2981 River Road behind the town garage. The first compactor has replaced the previous 20-year-old trash compactor. The second allows residents to engage in “Zero-Sort” recycling.

Zero-Sort recycling is exactly what it sounds like; paper, glass, tin, aluminum, plastics and cardboard all go in the same device, which uses screens, rotating disks and magnets to sort the materials.

The new compactors are leased through a 10-year agreement with Casella Waste Systems in Rutland. The agreement is projected to save the town $1,600 annually.

For more information, visit killingtontown.com and click on the “Solid Waste Transfer Station.”

Killington seeks rec director

Rutland Herald

November 12,2013

 

KILLINGTON — The town is looking for a new recreation director.

After two and a half years, Lyndsay Gang has left her post at the Parks and Recreation Department for a position at Killington Resort. During her time, Gang started a number of new programs, such as this summer’s chili cook-off.

The year-round position is part time for most of the year and full time during the summer. Interested candidates must have bachelor’s degree in recreation, leisure services, park administration or a closely related field. A minimum of three years of executive experience in parks and recreation or a related field is desirable.

Interested candidates can send an email to Town Manager Seth Webb at sethwebb@town.killington.vt.us.

Town mulls cell tower proposal

Rutland Herrald

By Josh O’Gorman
staff writer | November 11,2013

 

KILLINGTON — A proposed cell tower is supposed to improve the signal for callers along the Route 4 corridor, but what will it look like and what good will it do for residents on the north end of town?

The Killington Select Board recently heard from Elizabeth Kohler, a lawyer for AT&T Wireless, which is seeking approval to construct a 140-foot-tall tower on a 2-acre parcel just off Brad Mead Drive.

“We are here looking for town support and a positive recommendation to the Public Service Board,” Kohler said. “The Public Service Board gives great deference to the towns.”

In addition to the tower, the proposed project would include the construction of a fenced-in compound measuring 50 feet by 50 feet. The compound would include a small building with a backup generator.

Kohler said construction would begin “after mud season” in the late spring or early summer of 2014.

It is the state Public Service Board that will decide if AT&T Wireless receives the go-ahead to build the tower. Kohler is also seeking a positive recommendation from the Rutland Regional Planning Commission. The proposed location is near the existing cell tower in town, on top of Killington Mountain. Selectmen Chris Bianchi and Bernard Rome both noted they are AT&T wireless customers who do not get a signal at their homes on the north side of town and asked why the proposed tower would be so close to the existing one.

Kohler said the location of the proposed tower was “based on demand” and AT&T is looking at other sites in town.

The tower would contain 12 satellite dishes, with room for two more in the event additional carriers wanted to enter the Killington market.

Rome asked if there would be any attempt to camouflage the tower. Kohler said AT&T Wireless recently conducted a “balloon test,” in which they floated a 6-foot-diameter balloon at a height of 140 feet and then drove roads between two and four miles away, taking pictures of the balloon to use for a study intended to show how visible the tower would be.

That study is expected to be in the hands of town officials this week.

Bianchi noted the tower’s location would be in visible proximity to what he called a “popular tourist destination,” the lookout on Deer Leap Mountain.

“When you look out, the thing you’ll be looking at is the tower,” Bianchi said.

Rome said there were still questions to be answered before the town gives a recommendation, which Kohler hopes to have by the end of the month or beginning of December.

“There is a question of where it will be and how it will look, because those things can be pretty ugly,” he said.

josh.ogorman

@rutlandherald.com

Bed burglar: Police seek person who broke in, slept in bed

• Rutland Herald

  November 11,2013

   

  KILLINGTON — Police are looking for the person who broke into a residence and slept in one of the beds.
  
  Sunday afternoon, state police responded to the Woods Resort & Spa, where it was discovered someone had broken into one of the condominiums and used one of the beds.
  
  The perpetrator is facing charges of vandalism and unlawful trespass.
  
  Anyone with information is asked to call the Vermont State Police Rutland Barracks at 773-9101.

Police probe Killington burglary

Rutland Herald

November 11,2013

 

Police investigate

Killington burglary

KILLINGTON — State police are investigating a burglary of a Killington Road business.

Around 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning, state police responded to a burglary complaint at the Sunup Bakery, located at 2250 Killington Road.

According to Trooper Michael Tietz, someone entered the shop and stole approximately $50. The crime occurred sometime between 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

“We know it happened before the snowfall because there weren’t any tracks,” Tietz said.

It is unclear how the burglar got into the bakery, although there was no sign of forced entry, Tietz said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Tietz at the Vermont State Police Rutland Barracks at 773-9101.

Killington Village fight moves to E-Court

Rutland Herald

JOSH o’GORMAN
STAFF WRITER | November 08,2013

 

PROVIDED IMAGE

Killington’s proposed ski village is shown at dusk in this architect’s rendering.

The battle over the proposed multi-million-dollar development in Killington is moving to the state Environmental Court.

Thursday was the deadline for parties to file appeals on a pair of permits issued Oct. 7 for the Killington Village, a massive project that includes 2,300 residential units and 200,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

The developer, SP Land Company, received a permit to go forward with the first phase of the project, estimated at around $100 million. That would include 193 residential units, a 32-unit subdivision, 31,622 square feet of commercial and retail space, and a 77,000-square-foot skier services building to replace the Ramshead and Snowshed base lodges.

An attorney for SP Land filed a notice of appeal Oct. 30, with the Environmental Court in Barre. The notice is just that; it contains nothing about what prompted the appeal, but in an interview SP Land President Steven Selbo shared some details.

“We’re working on fine-tuning what that response will be,” said Selbo, whose company has until Nov. 20 to file a statement describing the perceived problems with the permit.

Selbo said a chief point of contention is a permit condition requiring SP Land to pay as much as 50 percent — with a maximum of $25,000 — for a traffic corridor study along Killington Road, Route 4, Route 100 and Route 103 from Killington to Interstates 89 and 91.

The scope of the study is unclear; it refers to studying “traffic impacts from the Phase I development upon the Killington Road/US4/VT103 corridors from Killington to I-91 and I-89.” There is no reference to Route 100.

“That’s not a scenario any developer could live with,” Selbo said. “It’s continued oversight by Act 250 that is not typical of Act 250.”

Selbo said SP Land also objects to a permit condition requiring sprinkler systems for the residential units, as well as other issues he declined to discuss.

“We came to the conclusion that we need to appeal,” Selbo said. “If there were one or two issues, we might have filed a motion to alter, like the resort did with the parking lot permit.”

Related to this project is a permit issued to Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners, or KPSRP, to construct a 1,276-space parking lot, reconfigure the parking lot of the Killington Grand Resort and construct a stormwater detention pond and related utilities.

KPSRP filed a motion with the District 1 Environmental Commission to alter the permit, seeking to strike a condition requiring the resort to manage the parking facility “in a manner sufficient to prevent intrusion of visitors parking onto adjoining or neighboring condominium owners’ property.”

The Pinnacle Condominium Association, whose property is adjacent to the proposed parking lot, filed a response opposing the motion to alter.

There were no appeals filed in Environmental Court related to the parking lot permit, and no other appeals filed in relation to SP Land’s permit.

“We feel we were treated differently than other applicants seeking an Act 250 permit,” Selbo said. “We appreciate that we’ve gotten to this stage in the process, but this is a business and we cannot execute our business with the conditions of this permit.”

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

Killington golf course profits on the rise in 2013

By JOSH O’GORMAN STAFF WRITER

Rutland Herald

 

   ‍KILLINGTON — The Green Mountain National Golf Course is projected to turn a higher-than-expected profit this year.    A report released Monday by the town of Killing-ton shows the town-owned golf course is projected to generate a net profit of $52,609, slightly more than the $52,000 net profit projected in the 2013-14 town budget.    “The goal was to make the golf course self-sustaining when the debt is retired. The last two seasons demonstrate that the plan is working,” said Town Manager Seth Webb. “Course revenues are fully funding the operations and capital needs, and excess revenues are being used to help pay down debt.”    The town is projecting budget revenues of $1,202,850, and expenses    — both capital and operational — of $1,150,241.    David Soucy, general manager of the golf course, noted a number of new events as contributing factors to the golf course turning a profit.    “Through the successful recruitment of a number of new tournaments this year we were able to bring in previously untapped revenue while carefully controlling operating expenses,” Soucy said.    New events at the golf course this year included the Cairo Shriners Tournament, the General Electric Employees Tournament and the Table 24 Golf Tournament, a fundraiser benefiting the Carly Ferro Purple Angels Foundation.    The golf course was also the location of the Killing-ton Junior Golf Championship — hosted by the American Junior Golf Association — and the New England Amateur Championship. These sorts of out-of-state visits contributed an estimated $225,000 to the local economy, according to the report.    The net profit will be transferred into the town’s general fund and will be used for annual debt payments on the golf course. The 2014 debt payment will be $561,244.    In 1993, Sherburne voters approved a $5.5 million bond to purchase 230 acres of land and construct a golf course. josh.ogorman    @ rutlandherald.com  

Comment: The taxpayers are still on the hook for over a half million
(and that's just this year). It's getting pretty old seeing these fluff pieces on the golf course. If this was a normal business at least the interest on the debt payments would come out of reported net income never mind that their cash flow would be totally inadequate to meet its debt obligations. It is only because the taxpayers are footing the bill that the course can even remain open 
Vito 

Word Games

Below is correspondence between Jim Barlow and Seth Webb regarding the setting

aside of undesignated funds last year for the retirement of the golf course debt

balloon payment. If the money was voted to be set aside for this why is a

separate vote needed to set up a restricted fund for this purpose.

The very definition of a sinking fund is that its use is restricted for a

certain purpose. This legal jockeying seems to me is just an attempt to preempt

these funds being set aside. The town administration waited this long to even

address this issue when the money should have been set aside thirty days after

the March vote.

The question is what happens if the vote is against setting up a restricted fund. 

Logically the money would then be fair game to be reassigned.

Vito

From: Jim Barlow [jbarlow@vlct.org]

Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 8:20 AM 

To: sethwebb@town.killington.vt.us 

Subject: RE: budget 

Good Morning Seth,

To make clear, Jim Haff's question of January 22nd asked how to allocate funds to a designated fund for golf course repayment and whether it can be done with a special line vote (i.e., a special article) or through the town budget (i.e., a budget line item). My response was that either method was acceptable. Your question of September 18th was whether a special article was required to create this designated fund for golf course repayment. My recommendation was to ask the voters for specific authorization to create a sinking fund to retire the golf course debt on the ballot at town meeting in 2014. I think that this is the best practice The question of how to create a reserve fund (i.e., your question) is separate and distinct from how to appropriate money to that reserve fund (i.e., Jim Haff's question). My opinion was, and remains to be, that money can be appropriated to a reserve fund by a special article or through the town budget at town meeting. My opinion was, and remains to be, that the best way to create a reserve fund (or sinking fund) is to present the question of creating the fund to the voters at town meeting. There is nothing inconsistent about these opinions.

Jim Barlow

Senior Staff Attorney

VLCT Municipal Assistance Center

Jbarlow@VLCT.org

229-9111 x 1914 229-2211 (Fax) SKYPE - Jim.Barlow9 

Comment: There may be nothing inconsistent about these opinions in and of themselves, however the need for the second opinion seems redundant as stated in my introduction. Its obvious to me, and I would assume most people, that when you vote to appropriate money for a certain purpose, the money will be used for that purpose without the need for another vote to confirm the previous vote. All the legal mumbo jumbo aside, the intent of the voters was clear. Now that we the taxpayers have assumed the responsibility for paying off the golf course debt we do not want further demands on our taxes in the form of interest to rollover this debt or to have funds set aside for the balloon payment raided for some other purpose. This is what this ruse is all about: the hope is to confuse the voters with all this legal monkeying around so they'll vote against a restricted fund and undo last March's vote.

Vito

Chamber has new home in Killington

Rutland Herald

October 17,2013

 

KILLINGTON — The Killington Chamber of Commerce has a new home.

The organization has moved into the Route 4 location previously occupied by Bill’s Country Store and is open for business providing information on dining, lodging and shopping in the area.

The chamber is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, visit killingtonchamber.com.

 

 

Comment: You would think they'd try to be open when most visitors are here on Saturday and Sunday. They're only open 9 am to 1pm on Saturday.

Vito

Killington Village traffic study requirement questioned

By Josh O’Gorman
Staff Writer | October 09,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — Some parties involved in the proposed Killington Village are celebrating that the project received permits, but a town official is questioning a permit requirement for a wide-ranging traffic study.

Killington-based developer SP Land Company received two Act 250 permits Monday from the District 1 Environmental Commission to build 193 residential units, a 32-unit subdivision, 31,622 square feet of commercial and retail space, and a 77,000-square-foot skier services building to replace the Ramshead and Snowshed base lodges.

The permits will also allow for construction of a 1,276-car parking lot and realignment of Killington Road and the parking lot of the Killington Grand Resort Hotel.

SP Land President Steven Selbo said Monday he was excited to receive the permit and was “cautiously optimistic” about the project going forward.

“I called Steve Selbo to congratulate him on getting the permit,” Select Board Chairman Chris Bianchi said Tuesday. “The Select Board has been unanimous in supporting the village project. I will continue to support SP Land on the board as a select person, and I hope the board will continue to support the village, because we need it.”

The Select Board expressed its support for the project in letters to the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, one of the parties in the permit process. Kris Hughes, executive director of the RRPC, also celebrated the issuance of the permit.

“We’re delighted the permit has been issued and it’s moving forward,” Hughes said. “I think good planning is a good idea but I wouldn’t want it to get in the way of the project. We need economic development in this area and it’s important this project goes forward.”

The RRPC made suggestions to the commission. One recommended that, upon completion of the first phase, SP Land conduct a corridor study looking at the traffic impact on Killington Road, and as well as on Route 4 and Route 103 as far as I-89 and I-91, respectively.

The other planning groups with party status — the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission and the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission — suggested to the District 1 Environmental Commission that the corridor study be required. In fact, the corridor study was made a condition of the permit.

Tom Kennedy, executive director of the SWRPC, said the corridor study — which was opposed by SP Land throughout the Act 250 process — has been part of permits for similar projects in the past.

“We have a precedent for this,” he said “We started this back in the 1990s with the expansion of Killington and Okemo. It’s a process where the parties need to sit down and see what needs to be done.”

Kennedy added. “I’m a skier and I ski at Killington and I think everyone wants to see Killington succeed in what they’re trying to do.”

David Rosenblum, chairman of the Killington Planning Commission, expressed satisfaction that the permit was issued, but was less than thrilled by the corridor study requirement.

“I’m very happy to see it was issued, and for the most part it seems workable,” Rosenblum said. “I still don’t think a developer should be burdened with a traffic study.”

Calling a traffic study the “domain” of the state Agency of Transportation, he also suggested the study covers a larger geographical area than is needed.

“How much traffic SP Land’s project creates from Killington Road down to Route 4 seems appropriate, but the scope of this study seems too broad,” he said.

Rosenblum also noted that it took 20 months for the permit to be issued.

“I’m embarrassed it took so long and people should probably look at why it took as long as it did,” he said.

josh.ogorman

Killington Village developer gets Act 250 permit

Killington Village developer gets Act 250 permit

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | October 08,2013

Provided Photo

Killington Village Ski Plaza is shown at dusk in this architect’s rendering in which the contemporary style for the village is featured.

KILLINGTON — A local developer has received a permit to begin a $100 million project, but the permit conditions might prompt the developer to appeal.

On Monday, the District 1 Environmental Commission issued an Act 250 permit to SP Land Company to allow the developer to begin the first phase of Killington Village. The permit has been a long time coming, and SP Land President Steven Selbo expressed a reserved form of celebration Monday night.

“I’m excited to take this step, is the best way to put it,” Selbo said, noting SP Land filed the permit application in February 2012. “I’m happy we’ve gotten to this step.”

SP Land actually received two permits Monday.

The first was to construct a 1,276-car parking lot and to realign Killington Road and the parking lot of the Killington Grand Resort Hotel.

The second permit allows SP Land to construct 193 residential units; a 32-unit subdivision; 31,622 square feet of commercial and retail space; and a 77,000-square-foot skier services building to replace the Ramshead and Snowlodge base lodges.

The proposed conditions surrounding the second permit have proven the most contentious for SP Land and the three organizations with party status including: Rutland Regional Planning Commission, Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission and Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission.

In January, the three commissions sent a letter to the District 1 Environmental Commission, suggesting that after the completion of phase one, SP Land be compelled to conduct a traffic corridor study along Killington Road, Route 4, Route 100 and Route 103 arteries from Killington to Interstate 89 and I-91.

SP Land objected to this condition, asserting in a letter in January the proposed permit conditions “as a whole are well outside the scope of what is permissible under Act 250.”

During hearings in 2012, the Agency of Transportation, SP Land and the three planning commissions agreed with the findings of a traffic study showing no mitigation measures would be required for phase one.

The Rutland Regional Planning Commission withdrew its support of making the condition mandatory, but the other two planning commissions maintained their collective position.

In issuing the permit, the District 1 Environmental Commission decided to make the study mandatory. SP Land would be obligated to pay for as much as 50 percent of the study, with a cap of $25,000. The Agency of Transportation and the three regional planning commissions would fund the balance of the study.

The scope of the study is unclear; it refers to studying “traffic impacts from the Phase I development upon the Killington Road/US4/VT103 corridors from Killington to I-91 and I-89.” There is no reference to Route 100.

Selbo said he has not decided if he will appeal the decision.

“We’re just letting this sink in right now,” Selbo said. “I’m cautiously optimistic we will find a way to work with everyone.”

SP Land has 15 days from the date the permit was issued to file a motion to alter the permit.

A last-minute suggestion from the Rutland Regional Planning Commission to force SP Land to include 495 units of affordable housing was not included as a permit condition.

josh.ogorman

@rutlandherald.com

Comment:

This is good news on the economic development front. Now, as long as a certain party in town does not continue trying to extort millions from SP Land by litigating every imaginable issue and appealing the permit, our town and region can move forward and enjoy the fruits of this development.
It seems certain select board member(s) are sympathetic to this litigating extortionist. When Jim Haff brought up the question as to why the town is supporting, through contract awards, 1.) Someone who sues the town, and 2.) who stifles economic development. And this is someone who was actually on the original Economic Development and Tourism Commission. The hypocrisy and ludicrousness in this town is sometimes unbelievable. Anyway, Patty McGrath, in response to Jim Haff's uery stated, "What are we supposed to do black ball him? Well, no, but who in their right mind does business with somebody who sues them and stifles their efforts for growth and economic well being.

Vito

Killington mulls $1.4M loan for capital improvements

By Josh O’Gorman
Staff Writer | October 04,2013

Rutland Herald

KILLINGTON — Town officials are looking at taking out a loan to pay for bridge, culvert and road repairs.

Chet Hagenbarth, director of the highway department, discussed the need to fund urgent projects during a meeting of the Select Board this week.

Hagenbarth noted that the highway department’s capital budget has dropped over the years, from $339,000 in the 1980s to $261,000 in 2013-14. In addition, he said, his department had to defer some projects in order to complete repairs following Tropical Storm Irene without raising taxes.

In 2014, the town is looking to repave Killington Road, from Route 4 up to West Hill Road, as well as West Hill Road itself. Other projects on the immediate horizon include bridge repairs on River Road, and bridge and culvert work on Thundering Brook Road.

In addition to the work itself, town officials would like more money in reserve funds for future bridge, culvert and road repairs.

Such funding would be difficult to accomplish without “making the tax rate go crazy,” said Town Manager Seth Webb, who suggested taking out a loan in an effort to keep the tax rate stable.

The town could borrow $1.4 million over a 10-year period at an interest rate of 3.25 percent from People’s United Bank, Webb told the Board.

In 2014, the first year of the loan, there would be no impact to the tax rate. During the second year, the loan would add 1.1 cents to the tax rate.

Beginning in 2016, declining annual payments on the debt for the Green Mountain National Golf Course would offset increases to the tax rate.

There is a significant drop in the annual debt payments on the golf course, from $609,298 in 2015 to $394,660 in 2016. From 2016 until 2025, annual debt payments range from $310,000 to $394,000.

Selectman Bernard Rome expressed support for the loan, saying it is common for cities and towns to borrow money for capital improvements such as road and bridge repairs.

Webb told the board he would plan the 2014-15 budget with the loan in mind. The Select Board is expected to receive a preliminary draft budget in November.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

Comment: What  the article doesn't say is that the town  had other priorities like the golf course and hay bales, thus let what should have been it's primary responsibilities, like roads and building maintenance, take a back seat. Now all that neglect needs to be addressed.

The question remains do we need to incur interest charges on a loan versus accumulating the funds over time. 

Vito

Killington votes on fire dept. taxes

• October 03,2013

   

  KILLINGTON — Killington residents will head to the polls next month to vote on a property-tax exemption for the fire department.
  
  Tuesday night, the Select Board unanimously approved a motion to warn a vote to renew the tax-exempt status of Killington Fire and Rescue. The department is currently exempt from paying taxes on the property it occupies, but that exemption expires at the end of the year.
  
  Per state statute, residents must approve the property-tax exemption every five years.
  
  There will be an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Town Offices. Residents will return to the Town Offices to vote Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 to register to vote.

Officials: No need to rush Killington Road decision

• By Josh O’Gorman
  STAFF WRITER | October 03,2013

  KILLINGTON — When it comes to planning for the future of Killington Road, a town official wants to wait for winter.
  
  David Rosenblum, chairman of the Planning Commission, updated the Select Board this week on a recent public forum discussing the changes that could make the road’s commercial district more attractive to visitors.
  
  At last week’s Planning Commission meeting, Patrick Olstad, a landscape architect with LandWorks, shared ideas for how the road — and the road’s surroundings — could be improved.
  
  The commission heard suggestions to plant trees on the grassy knoll near the north end of the road, upgrade the lighting and make zoning changes to encourage clustered development.
  
  But the biggest topic of discussion — both last week and Tuesday night — was the road itself, and whether two downhill, northbound lanes are needed.
  
  Olstad suggested the inner northbound lane be repurposed as a dedicated left-turn lane for traffic coming from each direction. He said traffic studies show one lane in each direction could handle the volume of traffic seen on the road, even in the winter.
  
  It was the second time this year a consultant hired by the town has said both northbound lanes are not needed. In January, Lucy Gibson, project engineer with Dubois & King of Rutland, told the Select Board a traffic study by her firm showed a single lane going downhill from the resort would handle current traffic loads.
  
  “When those consultants say we don’t need both lanes, they may be right,” Rosenblum said, noting recent traffic volume is a third less than it was when the second lane was installed.
  
  Olstad said a dedicated left-turn lane would make the road safer, make it easier for drivers to turn off Killington Road, and be safer for drivers trying to turn onto the road.
  
  Select Board Chairman Chris Bianchi said when the second lane was installed, dedicated left-turn lanes weren’t common or popular, and were referred to at the time as “suicide lanes.” However, he said a left-turn lane could eliminate the need to install traffic signals.
  
  And how would the town keep drivers coming off the mountain from just using the turn lane as a driving lane? Selectwoman Patty McGrath suggested installing islands to break up traffic, while at the same time noting how such a move would make snow plowing more difficult.
  
  And what portion of the road should have the left-turn lane? Bianchi suggested the portion of the road between Dean Hill and West Park roads, while McGrath and Chet Hagenbarth, director of the Highway and Facilities Department, suggested that, in the interest of consistency, having the turn lane for the length of the road.
  
  Bianchi said there was no immediate hurry to make any decisions. The study is being paid for with a planning grant from the state Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development. That grant expires in May, and Bianchi suggested waiting at least until winter to firm up any plans.
  
  josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

Revote on golf course sinking fund money set aside by last town meeting vote?

Well the weasels are at it again. I just read the current correspondence for tonight's (October 1, 2013) Select Board meeting. And guess what, Seth Webb is jockeying to get a revote on the $217,500 that was supposed to be set aside in a restricted sinking fund to pay off the million dollar balloon payment on the loan that refinanced the shortfalls on bond payments for the golf course.
Why was this money not set aside already? It's 9 months since the start of the year and 6 plus since the vote on the budget. Now the town manager decides the vote needs to be clarified. There were other funds allocated to reserve funds such as the fire dept.'s capital fund. One hundred thousand dollars was set aside. Why wasn't the additional $75,000 voted to be set aside not put in a restricted fund? So selected items were funded and others were not. Why, incompetence or scheming to reverse the will of the voters? Why no legal opinion on the fire department hundred grand put in the restricted fund and the 75 k not put in the fund?
This issue came up in a previous Select Board meeting and Chris Bianchi stated the board requested an opinion from Jim Barlow, attorney for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, who stated there was no issue with setting the money aside based upon the budget vote. Now we have a different opinion from the same person.
The 2012 Town Report clearly states what the money is for. On page 3 under the heading "2013 Budget" the last bullet point states, "Setting aside an additional $217,500 of undesignated funds to be used against a future Golf debt liability of $1.1 million, which is due for payment in 2022." On page 27 under the heading "Undesignated Funds Allocation", the last item is Golf Debt Balloon Payment in the amount of $217,000. I think these are pretty unequivocal statements and with the elimination of the Town Meeting forum, the Town Report is where a majority of voters get the information they base their votes on.
So, what the hell is going on?
I'll tell you what's going on, the select board and the town manager are trying to pull the wool over the voters eyes to get them to reverse the funding that they already voted on.
 Below is the correspondence between Webb and Barlow.

From: Jim Barlow [jbarlow@vlct.org]

Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 4:29 PM

To: Seth Webb

Subject: RE: golf debt payment



Seth, 



My recommendation would be to ask the voters for specific authorization to create a sinking fund to 

retire the golf course debt on the ballot at town meeting in 2014.  



As we discussed, with such a vote there will be no question about the use legal status of these funds, 

the town's authority to carry them forward from year to year, or the voters' intent that they be 

applied to the golf course debt.   



If such a vote is not taken, the passage of time will only make the voters' intent in 2012 less clear.



Jim Barlow

Senior Staff Attorney

VLCT Municipal Assistance Center

Jbarlow@VLCT.org

229-9111 x 1914 

229-2211 (Fax)

SKYPE - Jim.Barlow9 



This transmission may contain privileged and confidential information.  It is intended only for the use of the 

person(s) to whom it  is addressed above.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any 

review, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this communication is  prohibited.  If you are not the 

intended recipient, pleaFrom: Seth Webb [mailto:sethwebb@town.killington.vt.us]  

Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 3:53 PM 

To: Jim Barlow 

Subject: golf debt payment



Jim –



Thank you for chatting with me earlier. I’m writing to summarize our question:



- At Town Meeting in 2013, voters passed the budget which included a line item for $217,500 for 

“Golf Debt Balloon Payment”.  



- Due to the structure of the debt (which the appropriation is intended to pay down), we cannot 

make that payment until 2022.  As a result the money needs to roll over and be placed in a 

restricted sinking fund



- Realizing we did not ask the voters for the specific authorization to create the restricted fund, 

the Board was considering placing the question (of creating a restricted fund for the 2013 

appropriation) on the ballot at town meeting in 2014.  



- Our question is: do we need to create a separate ballot initiative, or was the voters’ intent 

understood with the 2013 vote (allowing us to create a the restricted fund now)?



Please let us know your opinion.



Thank you,



Seth





Seth Webb

Town Manager

Town of Killington

2706 River Road

Killington, VT 05751

sethwebb@town.killington.vt.us 

802.422.3241 (office) 

917.693.7216 (cell)


           www.killingtontown.com

 Comment: Jim Barlow's statement "the passage of time will only make the voters' intent in 2012 less clear.",

 says it all. Apparently it took only 6 months for the voters intent to become ill defined. The delay in setting 

aside the money has created this lack of clarity and I believe this is what the 

powers that be are counting on.  

Vito 

Killington hires deputy police chief

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | September 18,2013

 

Provided Photo

Former Senior Trooper Robert Giolito is shown with his canine partner, Mitch, when they were with the Vermont State Police. Giolito is now deputy police chief in Killington.

KILLINGTON — There’s a new deputy in town.

Robert Giolito is bringing his extensive law enforcement experience to the recently formed Killington Police Department, where he will serve as deputy chief.

The 38-year-old served for 10 years as a trooper with the Vermont State Police. He’s also a former member of the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department and — in addition to his 10-hour-a-week, $23-an-hour position at Killington — is currently an inspector with the Department of Motor Vehicles Commercial Enforcement Unit.

“I look forward to using my experience in public safety to assist Chief Whit Montgomery and the town of Killington as we form a police department,” Giolito said. “I live in the community and I want to give back to the community where I live.”

Giolito has already done that, as one of the founders of Killington Search and Rescue, a nonprofit organization specializing in backcountry rescues.

In February, the town transitioned from a constable department to a municipal police department, following a unanimous vote by the Select Board. Montgomery, who was elected as first constable by voters on Town Meeting Day, was appointed the town’s first police chief in June.

Montgomery said he looked forward to having Giolito on the force.

“Bob possesses the skills, knowledge and experience to excel in this position and in this town,” he said. “His law enforcement background and education, as well as wilderness leadership, makes him particularly well-suited to serve our community. This is a great fit.”

Giolito is a graduate of Unity College in Maine and is a full-time police officer certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council. He also spent three years doing ski patrol for Killington Resort.

“The positive relationships and stellar reputation Bob has built with other agencies in our region will be a big plus to our new police department and a valuable asset to the community,” said Town manager Seth Webb. “We are fortunate to have him on our team.”

Giolito has a police dog, Mitch, who works with him in drug detection for DMV enforcement; however, Mitch will not join Giolito on the job in Killington.

Giolito will continue to work Monday through Friday for DMV enforcement and will be on call and on patrol nights, weekends and holidays for Killington.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

 

Comment: So far all chiefs and no indians. I advocated for an increased police budget so we could get increased patrols during the off season when a lot of break ins occur. Hopefully there is more staffing to come.

Vito

Killington Chamber considering financial aid request from Town

At the EDTC meeting last night, member Bill Mercier, who is also a Chamber of Commerce member, related to the rest of the commission that the Chamber will be coming with its hand out to the commission seeking funds to support the conversion of Bill's Country Store to a visitor's center and, I would surmise, to subsidize its operations on a going forward basis. This because Mercier also floated the notion of the town providing staffing for the visitors center.
He explained that the Chamber could not afford to finish the project or staff it.
This is no surprise as I always thought the Bill's five intention was to ram the Bill's Country Store/Visitor's Center down the taxpayer's throats. If they can't afford it now they couldn't afford it a year ago either. They had the best ski season in recent years and should have had some discretionary funds to do the build out. However certain partners were investing and spending elsewhere. Chris Carr took over the Foundry (and rumour has it, is investing in a restaurant in the Boston area) and Steve Durkee is spending tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands in legal fighting the ski village,  the best economic development project the region has seen since the establishment of Killington ski resort.
There also seems to be some question as to whether the Chamber is in fact a tax exempt non profit. When asked by Jim Haff whether the Chamber was in fact non profit Mercier's reply was that it's a 501(c)6 organization. Upon checking the IRS database of registered 501(c) entities no entry was found for the Killington Chamber of Commerce.
When all is said and done, what is the point of  a visitor's center anyway. Beyond providing public bathrooms I can't think of anything. If money is going to be spent on economic development and tourism the point is to bring people to the area. How is a visitor's center going to accomplish that - it
only gets used when the tourists get here, it doesn't draw them here.
With all the looming property tax increases between the state and local funding needs do we really need to add to the tax burden with something as ill conceived as this visitor's center?

Vito

Killington chamber cuts funding for shuttle bus service

By Gordon Dritschilo
Staff Writer | September 07,2013

The Killington Chamber of Commerce has cut funding for the free shuttle on Killington Road, the Marble Valley Regional Transit District confirmed Friday.

Marble Valley runs the shuttle service, which is funded by the chamber and was established to cut down on drunken driving on the road during the ski season. It carries passengers to the road’s various hotels and nightspots.

A call to the chamber was not returned Friday afternoon, and calls to various board members were not immediately returned Friday evening.

Reached late Friday afternoon, Marble Valley Executive Director Minga Dana said she had just learned of the move about a week earlier.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” she said. “We were just starting to put our season together and we haven’t spoken to Killington Resort or anyone else.”

Dana said the shuttle runs Saturday nights from Thanksgiving to Easter, with an additional night on holiday weekends like Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day. She said it provided about 3,000 rides last season.

The shuttle connects to regional bus routes on Route 4.

“You can get back to the transit center,” Dana said. “It mostly facilitates somebody who wants to go bar-hopping and doesn’t want to drive.”

Dana said the shuttle costs $20,000 a year to operate, which Marble Valley receives entirely from the chamber, though she believed the chamber, in turn, got some of the funding through other sources.

The shuttles have operated for a number of years, funded by varying sources. In 2009, the resort and Long Trail Brewery teamed up to donate almost $90,000 to the shuttle.

@Tagline:gordon.dritschilo

@rutlandherald.com

Comment: This is interesting news. Wonder if the business community is going to come with their hand out to the taxpayers. A certain businessman on the Killington road was rumoured to have made $48k per day during the Killington Classic. Wonder if he would deign to pay for the service or at least contribute. 

The Chamber must be spending all it's money on Bill's Country Store. 

I also hear a lot of businesses are not rejoining the Chamber because of the upcoming health insurance changes which will allow individuals to get competitive rates without having to be part of a larger group. Also some businesses just do not like the leadership (of lack of thereof) of the Chamber.

Vito

Golf tournament raked in the cash

September 04,2013

 Rutland Herald

KILLINGTON — The 2013 Killington Junior Golf Tournament contributed an estimated $225,000 to the town economy during a five-day period, according to the American Junior Golf Association.

The AJGA-sanctioned tournament took place June 24-27 at the Green Mountain National Golf Course. The 143-player field featured the top junior golfers from 18 states, Canada and New Zealand.

According to the AJGA report, this year’s tournament brought more than 2,000 people to town, boosting local hotel and restaurant business during a slow tourism period for the town.

The AJGA based its estimates on information received from participants at tournament registration.

Town officials are working on a deal to bring the event back in 2014.

“The tournament has provided a needed boost to rooms, meals and retail revenue during a historically quiet time,” said Town Manager Seth Webb.

Comment: This is good news, however I wonder how much revenue GMNGC gave up to host the event and how much it cost to maintain and staff the course during the tournament. The numbers for the golf course do not look good this year. The town may have to subsidize operating costs in addition to paying the debt.

Vito