State Police Asking For Tips After Killington Burglaries

Vermont Standard

April 25, 2013

State police are looking for suspects in a spate of Killington home break-ins this week.
Two side-by-side homes on River Road had copper piping removed and miscellaneous electronics and jewelry stolen. The burglaries were reported to state police Monday and Wednesday.
There was also a similar burglary on Telefon Trail on Tuesday, about five miles away from River Road, where copper piping was stolen.
“They live so close together, it probably happened very close together at the very same time,” Trooper Michael Tietz said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police at Rutland, 802-773-9101. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or text “CRIMES” (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.


Comment:
During the last town budget cycle I requested additional funds for the public safety budget in order to increase off season patrols of our town for this very reason.  Make it known to whoever will listen that this should be one of the town's priorities.
Vito

Killington expands economic board

By Josh O’Gorman
Rutland Herald
STAFF WRITER | April 26,2013

KILLINGTON — The town has restructured the Economic Development and Tourism Commission.

The Select Board this week voted unanimously to expand the commission from four members to five.

There is no change in the commission’s mission to advise the Select Board, Town Manager Seth Webb and the community on issues associated with generating more business, particularly during the late spring, summer and fall when Killington Ski Resort and Pico Mountain see less traffic.

“The Select Board doesn’t have time to take care of all of its business and handle economic development,” Webb said during a 30-minute discussion involving the board and members of the public Tuesday.

In 2011, the Select Board approved the organizational policy for a four-person commission, which is open to residents of Killington, property owners, lease holders and anyone who owns, manages or works at a business in town, is a town employee or works in a professional capacity that would benefit the town.

The commission is advisory only and has no oversight of town employees. Currently, it only has two members: Nicole Levesque and Robert Megnin.

“The commission gives people a way to build plans up and get some steam behind them,” said Selectwoman Patty McGrath. “What we’re trying to do is bring a more diverse group together and think about economic development.”

Audience member Vito Rasenas was unimpressed.

“What I see here is kind of rearranging the furniture,” Rasenas said. “Rather than have all of this advisory and all of these people involved, we have a professional like Seth (Webb) to give direction to the town. For me, it’s going backwards.”

“I think this commission could be helpful in setting policy for the town,” Webb said. “I think it’s creating a place where we can put a framework on the town’s strategic plans and solicit citizen input.”


Comment: Damn right I was unimpressed. My feeling is we came to a decent equilibrium with economic development efforts in the town. Having installed Seth Webb as town manager with the notion that he would imbue the economic development mindset throughout the whole town government as opposed to a single department. He has done that.
Prior to his arrival the EDTC efforts were banal and they were a 7 member commission. The thing I remember most about the EDTC of the past was their penchant for studies (one of which told them their efforts were going to be futile).
This is just fanning the flames of further disruption in the town as we experienced in the fight over the 1% tax going into the general fund, the Fireside Property, Bill's country store, etc. The EDTC was on the wrong side of all those issues. Do we need to revitalize it so we can have more divisiveness in  town? The dust has just settled. Let's keep it that way.
Having said that if the board goes forward I plan to apply for a position on the commission in order to represent a more balanced viewpoint of economic development. I am not against economic development. In fact I fully support the major private development initiative in town, that of the ski village. I have taken concrete steps in that direction by supporting SP Land's permit effort at the town and regional planning commissions and will continue to do so. I believe private investment is the way to develop the town not spending taxpayer dollars in what amount to stimulus plans for a narrow set of interests in the town, i.e. the bars, restaurants and motels. That viewpoint needs to be represented on any Economic Development Commission going forward.

Vito

More discussion of proposed new state taxes

Solons discuss options

By Gordon Dritschilo
Staff Writer | April 16,2013

Rutland Herald

 

Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, said Monday that Vermont probably won’t start taxing candy, but that bottled water’s time may have come.

Mullin joined Rep. Peter Fagan, R-Rutland, at a legislative breakfast Monday to describe the tax package recently sent from the House to the Senate. The event was organized by the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce.

Fagan said the bill, H528, included a cap on itemized deductions of 2½ times the standard deduction and a “bracket pull up” in which everyone who reached the income threshold for the 8.9 percent tax bracket pays 8.9 percent on their entire income rather than just on the income exceeding the threshold.

It included an increase in the cigarette tax of 50 cents a pack and expands the rooms, meals and entertainment tax to cover vending machines and candy. Fagan said the definition of “candy” would include beer nuts and yogurt-covered raisins but nothing that requires refrigeration or contains flour.

“Kit-Kats contain flour,” he said. “If you like Three Musketeers, you’re going to pay a tax. If you like Kit-Kats, you’re not. ... You go in to get some Nestle’s chocolate chips to make chocolate chip cookies, you’re going to pay a tax.”

Mullin predicted the failure of the candy tax “because it would be a nightmare for stores,” but said he expected Vermont would join several of its neighboring states in taxing bottled water. Mullin also said that Montpelier is operating under an assumption — with which he disagrees — that the status quo on spending has to be maintained.

“Until we’re willing to sacrifice some programs, it’s not going to stop,” he said. “I think we need to dig within ourselves and find out what are the core things the state should be doing.”

Mullin said he would support “some type of revenue adjustment” to make sure the state doesn’t miss out of federal road and bridge money. He said there would be more talk on deductions, and that charitable giving was probably safe while real estate was probably on the table.

In the discussion that followed, one audience member directed a question not at either legislator but at Rutland Economic Development Corp. executive director Jamie Stewart, asking if Vermont’s tax burden was an impediment to attracting businesses.

“I’m more concerned, honestly, with the move in electric rates,” Stewart replied. “For a long time, Vermont was the lowest power cost state in New England — New England being the highest power-cost region.”

Stewart said Vermont’s power costs have been relatively steady while other states’ have spiked and dropped, but that they had been steadily rising in the last few years, which he said corresponded with the push for more renewable generation.

“What I haven’t seen anyone do recently is look at New Hampshire,” he said. “Everyone likes to talk about how New Hampshire doesn’t have some of the taxes Vermont does. Well, they still have a government.”

Side-by-side comparisons in the past have shown, according to Stewart, that when all taxes and fees are added together, Vermont and New Hampshire have similar burdens.

“I’ve never had a company tell me they’re not coming to Vermont because of the taxes,” he said. “I have had them say they’re not coming because of the burden of permitting or the cost of power.”


Comment: Mullin seems to be pretty sensible in that he does not agree with "Montpelier's" stance of maintaining the status quo in spending....while tax receipts are down. I whole heartedly agree. This state needs to live within its means. These tax increases are only the beginning. The elephant in the room is the upcoming single payer health care system. The powers that be are unwilling to discuss it because they know they will have to significantly increase taxes pay for it. If you want universal health something else has to be sacrificed. There is not an endless stream of tax money they can tap. People are already leaving this state in droves. Increasing taxes further is not going to stop that trend.
Vito

Town documents available online

 

Rutland Herald 

   ‍KILLINGTON — Residents now have greater access to documents under review by the Select Board.    In recent months, residents have complained they are unable to view the documents being discussed by the board during public meetings. The town is making those documents available on the town website, killingtontown.com  .    Place the computer cursor over “Boards and Commissions” on the left side of the main page. Do not click. A second column will appear. Place the cursor over “Select Board.” Do not click. A third column will appear. Click on “Meeting Handouts.”    Clicking on “Meeting Handouts” will bring the viewer to a new page. Click on “2013 Selectboard Meeting Handouts.” Then, click on the folder with the meeting date and the viewer will have access to documents that the Select Board will discuss during open session. 

Comment: Take advantage of this option to keep yourself informed even if you aren't going to attend the Select Board Meetings.
Vito 

Regional Planning Commission demanding stringent conditions for SP Land's Act 250 permit

The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC), along with the Two Rivers Ottauqueechee  Regional  Commission (TRORC), and the South Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (SWCRPC) are planning to submit a revised letter  on permit conditions they would like to see on SP Land Company’s (SPLC) Act 250 permit .

Among those conditions is a requirement to share in the cost of traffic infrastructure improvements determined to be caused by SPLC activities (or apparently by any other entity) in the Rte 4, Rte 100, and Rte 103 corridors (3 County Corridor) spanning 133.4 miles and 17 intersections.

The three RPC’s are not taking into consideration the historical context of SPLC’s development. Given that 1987 was the height of skier traffic to Killington with 1.4 million skier visits and the current total is 700k one could logically conclude traffic volume is half of what is was at that time. Given that the roads at that time handled that load and those roads have been substantially improved and in great part rebuilt due to tropical storm Irene, one would then conclude there is substantial overcapacity in the 3 County Corridor.

If one takes into account the “baby boom” bubble in the population demographic will not recur in our lifetimes, and likely not for decades if not centuries to come, the corresponding traffic flow will likely not recur. Even with the 2,300 hundred units proposed in the full build out of SP Land’s project its strains credulity that 700k additional skier visits would result from this development. That calculation is 304 skier visits per unit per year.

This brings up another point. If the Resort generated 1.4 million skier visits in 1987 without the ski village (and even the Grand Hotel) how could responsibility be assigned solely to SP land or any other entity for the increased traffic.  The whole “Killington” region absorbed those skiers in the heyday. That includes Rutland, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Pittsfield, Woodstock, Stockbridge and so on.  Is every new motel, hotel, apartment building or land developer in these towns going to be assessed what amounts to a tax when building additional capacity that might house a skier (or any other visitor for that matter)? And not only that, the letter’s language also makes the municipalities liable for traffic infrastructure costs for anything impacting traffic they or the developers might do.

Based on the wording, “how costs for the transportation infrastructure necessary to accommodate growth shall be allocated between land developers, municipalities and the state”, the 3 RPC permit condition letter is trying to legislate a new funding source for the state. The state already has the gas tax in place to fund highway infrastructure improvement and upkeep.  If the assumption is that SPLC’s development will increase traffic wouldn’t there be a corresponding increase in gasoline tax revenues to cover this demand for infrastructure overhaul. Never mind the increases in consumption and real estate taxes which would pour into the state’s coffers. Or the economic boost in construction, property maintenance and hospitality jobs and the taxes that would generate.

Our region has suffered a calamitous loss of population and economic activity. To replace this loss, a viable entity, SPLC has come in with private investment which will enliven our economy by creating needed jobs and increasing state and local tax revenue. Do we really need to be making ill-considered and unreasonable demands of investors willing to bet on our region?

Killington considers its future

Killington considers its future

By Josh O’Gorman

Rutland Herald staff writer | April 11,2013

 

KILLINGTON — The future of the Teen Center and tax reform are just two of the priorities for the town for the upcoming year.

Tuesday night, the Select Board voted unanimously to adopt a strategic operating plan for the next 12 months, which will culminate in a public information meeting on the budget in March 2014.

“This plan articulates our vision, goals and priorities,” said Town Manager Seth Webb during a 50-minute discussion that included a PowerPoint presentation and discussion among Board members and the public. “What this does is say, ‘What kind of town do we want to be, and what sort of actions do we have to take to make that happen?’”

The town’s vision statement, adopted in April 2010, states Killington’s goal to “(b)e Vermont’s premier resort community, offering residents a high quality of life and tourists a memorable mountain adventure.”

While the vision statement puts residents first, the next slide in Webb’s PowerPoint presentation acknowledges “the economy of a resort town is geared almost entirely towards catering to tourists, with most residents of the area working in the tourism or resort industry.”

Board member Bernard Rome asked if the town had ever conducted a survey to learn what percentage of residents work in the tourism trade.

“It’s something I would like to know,” Rome said. “I don’t know if it’s material to know, and it might not mean anything, but it might become material in the future.”

Board member Patty McGrath said she would be interested in learning from residents what it is about Killington that brought them there in the first place.

The Board voted to amend the plan to include a public forum in the future to give the public a chance to communicate to the Select Board their occupations and motivations for moving to the mountain town.

Alice Sciore, vice president of the Killington Arts Guild, asked the Board to take initiatives to bring greater awareness of the town’s art galleries to tourists and travelers. Board Chairman Chris Bianchi asked Sciore to meet with her fellow Guild members to brainstorm ideas regarding how the Board might help them.

Audience member Jim Haff advocated for greater support for Killington Mountain School.

“If you want to bring more people here, KMS is where it’s at,” Haff said. “It’s proven that when those families come to this town to send their kids to this school, they build in this town, they buy in this town, they support this town.”

Other items on the agenda for the coming year include:

May: Killington Road sidewalk extension alternatives presentation

June: Teen Center planning

July: Special meeting to set the tax rate; Fire Department renovations consideration

August: “Buy Local” policy

September: Campaign for Vermont forum on tax reform; 2014 budget goals and priorities

January: Finalize budget.

The Select Board will next meet at 7:30 p.m. April 23 at the town offices.

Comment: Probably the biggest news in the meeting was the grant denial for Bill's Country Store.
I'm not sure why Patty doesn't understand that the ski resort is why most of the people moved to this town.
As far as how many people who live in the town are employed in tourism those jobs do not pay enough for anyone to afford a mortgage in the town and make a reasonable living. The only possible jobs that would pay enough are either with the resort or the town. I guess you could call Seth's job tourism related and he certainly makes enough to live in town, but he chose not to. I would venture to say there are relatively few residents employed in tourism based on the wages paid.
Vito

Bill's Country Store Grant Denied

Some interesting developments were unveiled at last night's Select Board meeting. Given the controversy surrounding the "Transportation Enhancement Grant" that the town had applied for you would have thought its status would have been front and center, yet it took Bernie Rome's request for an update toward the end of the meeting for it to come to light. Seth Webb mumbled something about how he couldn't believe he forgot about it before relating that the grant had been refused. So it's pretty much back to the drawing board on the monetizing of Bill's Country store. Apparently the Park and Ride slated to go into Bill's parking lot will have to be reconsidered as well because it was dependent on work that was going to be done with the Transportation grant. Thank god the town is off the hook for the 40k it was going to match the grant with.
Also last night the board appointed Mark Fiore and Tom Rock as fire wardens while kicking native son Truman Bates to the curb. I can see appointing Mark as he is a resident and a volunteer firefighter but Tom Rock's appointment seems to me to be a little sketchy. Tom Rock's business is headquarterd in Rutland and he lives over the New York border. There is no requirement that the warden live in the town he is responsible for, but I would think you might want him in closer proximity than New York. In a comic aside, during Seth Webb's presentation of the proposed Strategic Operating Plan, he let slip a whopper of a Freudian slip during his discourse on increasing tourism by stating the strategy of "Promoting policies and services that support business growth while protecting the rights of businesses." What he meant to say was "while protecting the rights of residents."  My impression is that he got it right in the first instance. 

Making summer a success

Making summer a success

By Sara Widness | April 09,2013

Rutland Herald

PROVIDED Cyclists of all ages pedal along Killington roads during last year’s Long Trail Century Ride, sponsored by Long Trail Brewing Company to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. The event will be part of this year’s Hills Are Alive Festival, a southern Vermont event that is now being held across the state.

 

 

Competitions, heifers, and the performing arts are just a few of the features in an ambitious season-long and state-wide slate of events in the Green Mountain State this summer.

While some programs have been intact for several years, what’s new for 2013 is a marketing push of approximately $500,000 to promote this summer sizzle to potential visitors from south of New York City, specifically from the greater Washington, D.C. region.

The concept: people coming from such a distance will spend more than three or four nights here to enjoy spectator and cultural fun. The Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing is working with marketing partners Cabot Creamery, Long Trail Brewing Company, and Orbitz Travel on this effort.

This expenditure is a stretch for an always-limited promotional budget that normally just addresses the drive markets of greater New York City; Boston, MA; Albany, NY and Montreal. In fact, some 10 years have passed since the state’s warm-weather marketing efforts extended south of New York, said Steve Cook, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.

The impetus for this effort stems from the greater Manchester, VT region’s 2012 Hills Are Alive Festival of the Arts. New last year and only spanning one week with four presenters, in 2013 this southern Vermont festival plans to encompass five weekends and many days between from June 28 through August 3. In this down-country marketing outreach, it will join the roster of activities in other Vermont communities for a full-blown celebration of a Green Mountain summer.

Another summer event is the second year of Century Ride, which in 2012 drew close to 300 bikers who took on bicycle challenges of 20, 50 and 100 miles. This event — benefitting Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a program that provides recreational opportunities for handicapped individuals — is a program of the Long Trail Brewing Company in Bridgewater. Through the partnership with the state, the beer company plans to enhance its awareness via the down-country marketing mix.

“To work with the mid-Atlantic region is exciting,” said Ryan Chaffin, state manager of Long Trail. “This is a market that is on the newer side for us.”

By sharing outreach expenses with its marketing partners, said Cook, the state will be able to track how many people purchase airline tickets, lodging packages, and rental cars through this promotion. In addition, some event venues will be able to monitor where people are coming from via ticket sales.

The planned outreach will include digital advertising and is designed to encompass cable television, broadcast television, and on-site events and promotions, Cook said.

Other events to be promoted include Burlington’s Discover Jazz Festival; the three-day Wanderlust yoga retreat in southern Vermont; Vermont Challenge, a biking event spanning southern and parts of central Vermont; the sixth annual Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival in Dover; Vermont Festival in Stowe; Mad Marathon in the Mad River Valley; Strolling of the Heifers in Brattleboro, and Grace Potter’s Grand Point North Festival on the Lake Champlain waterfront.

The first-year effort of the Hills Are Alive Festival of the Arts became a model that captured the state’s attention, said Alex Aldrich of the Vermont Arts Council.

“To my way of thinking, it’s a brilliant coup for the state to have someone at the helm of the tourism department who really understands that the arts are the fourth wheel after outdoor recreation, artisanal foods, and spirits.”

By broadening programming and lengthening the festival’s time frame, this can be a successful event for the southern Vermont region, said Megan Smith, state tourism commissioner. Because of this thinking, the state’s sponsorship followed, as did opportunities for lodges in the region to come on board with festival packages.

“Our hope is that by getting into a longer-distance market, people will come and stay longer and take advantage of all that will be offered in the performing arts in that region,” Smith said, adding event ticket sales will be tracked.

“We can’t spend the money without tracking it very closely. This is a very important advertising project to us this summer.”

The region could attract culture mavens in the way that the Charleston, SC Spoleto Festival and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario do, said Berta Maginniss, executive director of Manchester and the Mountains Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We felt this was a great concept last year, [but] it was too short. The fact that it is broadening beyond the initial four arts organizations to now 12 performing arts organizations through Bennington County and into Windham County is a terrific thing,” said Maginniss.

Participants in the region’s festival are the Bennington Center for the Arts, Dorset Theatre Festival, Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning, Manchester and the Mountains Regional Chamber of Commerce, Manchester Music Festival, Northshire Bookstore, Northshire Performing Arts, Oldcastle Theatre Company, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Stratton Mountain, Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Weston Playhouse Theatre Company.

 

Comment: Despite the fact that Killington is mentioned in the caption of the photo none of our town sponsored events are mentioned in this article, which I find curious given the amount we spend on promoting the town.

 

Vito

Sugar tax debate in Rutland Herald

Making tax on soda work

April 05,2013

 

I was intrigued by Monday’s editorial by Rep. Masland regarding the proposed 1 cent per ounce tax on sugar beverages. Although the thrust of his article on the need for such a tax to help parents choose healthier alternatives is right on, the tax must be collected at the point of sale to provide any meaningful benefit. Childhood obesity, if not curbed early enough, will lead to many diseases and significantly higher health care costs. As Vermont moves towards single-payer health care, we need to make every effort possible to promote healthy living habits. Unfortunately, these habits can’t be mandated, but they should be highly encouraged in our children, as well as adults. Thus meaningful taxation will play an important role and should be promoted by our Legislature.

MARTY POST

Killington

 

Sugar tax won’t work

April 01,2013

 

Sugar tax won’t work

There is a growing body of evidence that excess consumption of sugar is responsible for the dramatic increase of obesity in America. Some feel that sugar in highly sweetened beverages, such as soda and some energy drinks, is to blame. So, it is no wonder that there is a move afoot to dramatically tax these beverages. One proposal in the Vermont Statehouse is to impose an excise tax of one cent per ounce of beverage. The hope is that the increased price will cause consumers to buy diet or less sugary drinks.

There are studies showing that Vermonters will change their behavior and that they prefer this tax to others. Studies asked consumers which drinks they would buy based on the assumption that tax would appear in the price on the shelf. But there is not a single study that asks merchants how they will respond.

The problem is that this tax it will not work as planned. Because it is an excise tax it is applied at the wholesale level. The merchant is under no obligation to pass the tax directly to the consumer. Instead, the tax will appear as an overhead expense — part of the cost of doing business — and the tax will be spread over all the products in the store. That will dramatically decrease the likelihood that the consumer will see a significant price difference between sugared and diet sodas. Another significant problem is that very large retailers, the big box stores, have a huge advantage here. They stock thousands of products and can spread the excise tax all around the store, while a small mom and pop store has a much smaller inventory and will have difficulty absorbing the cost. Do we really want to put our small village stores at such a competitive disadvantage? Proponents of the tax say that spreading the tax among other store products is just a threat, but the fact is that merchants already adjust the margins on different products while responding to consumer demand and according to their business plans.

Another argument advanced by sugar tax supporters is to make a comparison with the tax on cigarettes. But this comparison falls short. Cigarettes are known carcinogens and are regulated and taxed differently. The cigarette tax goes directly on the pack of cigarettes and can’t be easily avoided. Further, tobacco taxes have increased so dramatically during the past several decades that the price per pack has skyrocketed. No wonder consumption is down.

Concerning obesity, we should all note that we do not tax salt, a contributor to thirst. The answer — drink more soda or drink more beer in ever larger containers. And we do not tax fat. We do not tax junk food or prepackaged meals that usually contain large portions of salt, fat and sugar. And, we do not tax sedentary behavior, or video games or time in front of the TV. Instead, local producers of fresh local food are overwhelmed by the corporate advantage of huge multi-national corporations. To believe that we can tax sugary beverages in isolation of all other factors and expect a dramatic improvement in obesity and diabetes is quite a stretch.

JIM MASLAND

State representative

Thetford Center

 

Tax frustration is growing

April 03,2013

 

Interestingly, my friend, Rep Jim Masland, D-Thetford, writes in Monday’s Herald an extended piece about the soda tax and all the reasons why it won’t work. I happen to agree with him, but why did he go to all the trouble when this proposal most likely would not get by the governor anyhow?

This whole thing is nothing more than a smokescreen to attempt to bring attention away from all the taxes he supported and voted for:

1) The 5 cent increase in the education tax which will show up in the next property tax bill in towns all across the state.

2) The gas tax increase.

3) The $27 million in new tax money, which includes increases in rooms and meals, clothing,income, and a host of

other sources, including the so-called cloud tax.

So if all of these items were important enough for Rep. Masland and his Democratic brethren to support and vote for, why not talk about same? Truth is, the voters are beginning to dig in their heels. Why is it a fact that Rutland Town School budget proposals have gone down twice? Answer: The voters read the papers and are frustrated that all this stuff is about to hit real soon, unless Gov. Shumlin gets out his veto pen, which he should do. Tax frustration, pure and simple.

The majority party in the Legislature just doesn’t get it.

JAMES B. HALL

Center Rutland

 

 

Fundraiser set for injured snowboarder

Rutland Herald

April 05,2013

Fundraiser set for hurt snowboarder

KILLINGTON — A fundraiser for injured local snowboarder Max Elles will be held 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Foundry at Summit Pond.

Elles — a lifelong Killington resident and two-time silver medalist in USA Snowboarding Association competitions — fell while riding in December and injured his L1 and T12 vertebrae.

Elles has had two surgeries and is undergoing physical rehabilitation, with hopes of returning to the slopes next winter.

Sunday’s benefit will include hors d’oeuvres, live music, a silent auction, a raffle and magic. All proceeds will defray the costs of Elles’ rehabilitation.

For more information, call 422-3025.

Comment: Please support this fundraiser in any way you can. Max is the son of Bill and Coral Elles, owners of the First Stop Ski Shop.
Vito

Killington Chamber leases Bill's Country Store

Below is perhaps a more neutral report of the doings at the property formerly known as Bill's Country Store than I posted yesterday. Note it does state the Chamber, whose officers Chris Carr, Howard Smith and Phil Black, are 3 of the Bill's 5, are looking into financing for Chamber to possibly buy out the Bill's 5.
Vito

Mountain Times

Killington Chamber leases Bill's Country Store

By Cristina Kumka posted Apr 4, 2013

The owners of Bill's Country Store have officially engaged in a lease with the Killington Chamber of Commerce to inhabit the vacant iconic red barn.
Beginning April 1, the lease is for three years, according to Phil Black, KCC board member and one of the five members of the partnership that bought Bill's at auction last year for $355,000.
The partnership consists of Chris Karr, Howard Smith, Steve Durkee, Aris Spanos and Black.
The Chamber board was expected to meet Tuesday, April 2 to determine if looking for financing to purchase the building from the five men would be most beneficial.
Black said in a recent interview that the 13-member Chamber board has to decide if it wants to renovate Bill's and install public restrooms now or save its money for the store's future purchase.
At the Killington Select Board meeting March 26, Sushi Yoshi owner and Bill's partner Howard Smith told the Select Board that the Chamber will call Bill's its new home and he and the other four property owners will continue to search for a flagship partner to also set up shop in the store.
Smith named nationally-known companies including Green Mountain Coffee and the Vermont Country Store as examples.
Black said the discussion of what to do after the Chamber moves in is very preliminary.
He said a key to getting people into the store at the main intersection of Route 4 and Route 100 is a restroom.
That opens up the opportunity to get people through kiosks, aware of marketing and aware of the ski town's rich history.
A day after the announcement at the meeting, Black said he received two phone calls of people interested in the project willing to offer seed money in exchange for possible advertisement space.
Cristina Kumka is a correspondent for The Mountain Times, Cristina can be reached at cristina.kumka@yahoo.com

Bill's 5 update to Select Board

Having been out of town during that time, I finally got to see the Pegtv video of the March 26 Select Board meeting wherein the board was given an update on the Bill's Country Store project.
Howard Smith, Treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce and apparent spokesperson for the Bill's 5, related that the Chamber, just that morning, signed a lease agreement with the Bill's 5. For those of you who are unaware, 3 of the Bill's five, Chris Carr, Howard Smith and Phil Black are also Chamber officers. Its sort of like they're signing an agreement with themselves except they're using the Chamber members dues to repay themselves their investment in the property.
I wonder how the rest of the Chamber members feel about that.
Further, Howard related that they were seeking a "partner" to invest in the property so they could proceed with the build out. The way it was put caused some confusion. What Howard meant was they wanted an anchor tenant who would provide them with cash flow by paying multiple years rent up front in exchange for a discounted lease rate. This as opposed to an equity partner. At least that's what I got out of his explanation.
Howard also stated they would be starting multiple capital fund drives within the community to fund their build out.
This really does not sound like they are the strong financial partner espoused by Bernie Rome during the Bill's 5 first presentation. Bernie stated during that meeting if the town was going to commit its resources to a private enterprise that enterprise should be a strong financial partner. Right now the town has committed an $80,000 grant for a park and ride facility on the property as well as a potential state grant of $174,987 (80%) with town matching funds of $43,747 (20%) for stormwater and invasive plant species mitigation (for details visit http://www.killingtontown.com/vertical/sites/%7BE4345A2E-9636-47A3-9B74-2E6220745729%7D/uploads/Transportation_Alternatives_Grant_Presentation_1-15-13.pdf).
Well, if we get past the rhetoric it sounds like the Bill's 5 are going to be out there panhandling for build out money. Frankly the town should be wary of entering into any agreements with this group. I have tried to get info on what the contract terms would be but apparently it's being done in secret and the public will not know what steps the town is taking to protect its potential investment (of your tax money).
I really have a problem with that and you should too as we have already assumed millions of debt liability from the golf course fiasco and it looks like we're heading for another commitment of our tax dollars without knowing what we are getting ourselves into.