Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Making the same mistake, again

May 28,2013
 
In reading the article about Oversight of the Health Care System in Sunday’s Herald, I find it inconceivable that the same Legislature that voted for the system, now feels they need additional millions of dollars for another layer of oversight. To quote representative Paul Poirier, “And frankly, I don’t trust the government any more than I trust the insurance companies we have today.”

Was the Legislature that mistrusting of what they did under Act 48? If so, why were they so quick to set up a system that they have little or no control over, nor have they shown any significant interest in establishing costs and more importantly how to fund it?

I do believe that there should be some government oversight to the autonomous Green Mountain Care Board; however, based on the article, it looks like they are looking to set up a well-funded bureaucratic organization to provide “oversight” of another bureaucratic organization, the “GMCB,” sanctioned by the Legislature, again with no definitive idea of costs or funding.

MARTY POST

Killington
 
Article Below
 

Oversight of health care system considered
By PETER HIRSCHFELD VERMONT PRESS BUREAU
   MONTPELIER — As lawmakers embark on a health care reform initiative that will endow state bureaucrats with unprecedented influence over the medical industry, they’re also beefing up independent oversight of the government agents now regulating everything from insurance rates to hospital budgets.    But while the Legislature this year OK’d modest funding increases for the Vermont Office of the Consumer Advocate, watchdogs say that as Vermont progresses toward single-payer health care, lawmakers will need to more closely guard the public interest.    “If we stay on this path we’re on now, then the state will become everyone’s new health insurance company,” says Rep. Paul Poirier, a Barre City independent. “And frankly, I don’t trust government any more than I trust the insurance companies we have today.”    Poirier this year led the charge to install new checks on the Green Mountain Care Board, a five-person panel endowed by lawmakers in 2011 with the power to approve or deny insurance rates and hospital budgets, and set costs for various medical procedures.    The board will also be responsible for deciding what services Vermont’s single-payer health plan covers, and what kinds of out-of-pocket expenses residents will have to absorb.    Vermont has had an Office of Health Care Ombudsman since 1998 to help wronged consumers navigate for solutions in a Byzantine health care industry. A name change this year to the Office of the Consumer Advocate reflects the expanded duties lawmakers have added to the organization’s role.    Rep. Michael Fisher, a Lincoln Democrat and chairman of the House Committee on Health Care, says the office will oversee “pretty much everything going on” at the Green Mountain Care Board.    “As we’re contemplating next steps, I think there is even more of a need to have a well-financed public advocate who is speaking out for Vermonters around these major decisions that have an impact on their pocket books,” Fisher says.    As the Green Mountain Care Board evolves into its new role, Fisher says, it will become increasingly difficult for individual residents to influence the process.    “As we contemplate moving toward a system that is much more publicly financed, I think that individual Vermonters would have a hard time sitting at the table and speaking out for themselves and their individual interests,” Fisher said.    Trinka Kerr, director of the Vermont Office of the Consumer Advocate, says that if her organization is going to be able to fulfill its statutory role, then it will need a larger budget than it’s had in the past. A patchwork of state and federal funding accounts for the approximately $900,000 budget this year at the 10-person operation.    The state uses an RFP process to select a nonprofit organization to perform the duties of the Office of the Consumer Advocate. Vermont Legal Aid has always submitted the successful bid.    “In terms of speaking for the public for hospital budgets and all the cost-control efforts that the (‍GMCB) wants to do, along with pilot projects and certificates of need and all sorts of other things, we just didn’t have the resources to really jump in on those,” Kerr says.    Lawmakers considered a number of funding mechanisms before deciding on a “bill-back” provision that will put insurance companies, hospitals and other entities regulated by the ‍GMCB on the hook for oversight-related costs incurred by the Consumer Advocate.    “And this funding this year hopefully is going to help us beef up our staff to be able to carry out those responsibilities,” Kerr says.    Poirier says the funding mechanism is a faulty one. Ultimate bill-back authority lies in the hands of the ‍GMCB — the same entity over which the Consumer Advocate is supposed to be watching.    “You can’t be giving the financial control to a board that might not like what the Consumer Advocate is doing,” Poirier says.    Poirier says the money needs to come from residents in the form of either a tax or fee.    “This is about protecting the consumer interests, and the only way that’s going to happen is if consumers are the ones paying for the office,” Poirier says.    Poirier also says the office needs far more than $1.5 million. He says that as single-payer ramps up, he envisions something akin to the Department of Public Service, except for health care.    “We’re talking about a $5 billion industry here,” Poirier says. “We need a serious, well-staffed, well-funded department that makes sure consumers interests’ are always the first consideration.”    A provision in legislation passed this year creates a study to evaluate longer-term funding sources for what Fisher says will be a growing arm of public advocacy.    Kerr says the devotion of new resources is the only way to ensure that her organization will be able to keep pace with the rapid rollout of health care reform in Vermont.    “In the past our expertise has been with individual consumers, and state policy that is related to state programs,” Kerr says. “And as we’re developing the expertise to deal with this more system-wide oversight, we need to hire people with the experience and skills to really be able to have an impact on what the Green Mountain Care Board does.”    Kerr says that as the Legislature ponders various models for what that oversight looks like, they should preserve a model that keeps the Consumer Advocate a nonprofit organization operating outside of state government.    “When we talk to consumers, a lot of times they appreciate we’re not part of state government — it gives them some confidence,” Kerr says. “There’s a lot of people that don’t trust the government.”

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Killington village plans advance with RRPC support

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | May 23,2013
Rutland Herald

 














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


The town of Killington and the developer of a proposed $100 million construction project scored a victory during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission.

SP Land Company has applied for an Act 250 state land use permit to build 193 residential units, 32,000 square feet of retail space and 32 subdivision lots on Killington mountain. The state Agency of Natural Resources has granted party status to the Rutland, Southern Windsor County and the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee regional planning commissions.

The three commissions worked together to create a joint letter — addressed to the Agency of Natural Resources — that suggests permit conditions for the project, conditions SP Land finds unacceptable.

Tuesday night, by a near-unanimous vote, the Rutland Regional Planning Commission withdrew its support of the joint letter and decided to write a letter of its own, ostensibly with conditions SP Land will find more agreeable.

The vote followed impassioned pleas from SP Land representatives, as well as elected and appointed officials from the town of Killington.

“It wasn’t the arguments from SP Land,” said Kristen Mark Hughes, executive director of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, of the reversal. “It was a show of support for the town of Killington.”

At the heart of the dispute is a proposed permit condition requiring SP Land to pay as much as $25,000 for a transportation improvement plan for Routes 4, 100 and 103 as they connect Killington Resort to Interstate 89 and Interstate 91. Under the proposal, the plan — which is estimated to cost upwards of $70,000 — would be a public-private project funded by SP Land, the state Agency of Transportation and the three planning commissions.

That plan contains 133 miles of road and 17 major intersections. A completed traffic study has shown the first phase of the project — the only phase for which SP Land has applied for a permit — would not have any major traffic impacts.

SP Land objects to being forced to participate in the traffic improvement plan as a condition to receive an Act 250 permit, as well as being the only private entity required, so far, to participate in the study.

Stephanie Hainley, a consultant working with SP Land, asked the Commission to think about the precedent they would be setting if they made the recommendations to Act 250.

“What happens if we come back for the next phase? Will we need to pay another $25,000?” Hainley asked. “We think this Commission needs to make a decision, independent of the other two planning commissions. We have a hard time having these other two planning commissions involved from here to eternity.”

Richard Horner, town planner and zoning administrator for Killington, asked the commission how involved they were in projects outside the Rutland region.

“I don’t see Okemo approaching the Rutland Regional Planning Commission,” Horner said. “There’s not a fair balance here.”

In the end, only two members of the Commission voted against withdrawing their support of the joint cross-commission letter to Act 250: Annette Smith of Danby and Fred Nicholson of Rutland Town.

The Commission will now work with SP Land to draft a new letter, independent of the other two commissions.

“I’m pleased that we’re all back on the same side,” Hughes said. “We’re all trying to achieve the same thing, which is good, sensible development up on the ski area.”

The vote won’t affect the position of the other two commissions, said Peter Gregory, executive director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission.

“Each individual commission is an independent entity and I respect the decision reached by the Rutland Regional Planning Commission,” Gregory said. “We will just modify the letter to indicate two commissions instead of three.”

Tom Kennedy, executive director of the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Rutland Regional Planning Commission withdraws support for 3 RPC letter to Act 250 Commission

The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) withdrew its support for the three Regional Planning Commissions (RPC) combined letter on their supposedly mutually desired conditions for SP Land's  Act 250 permit for Phase One of the Ski Village. In a stunning reversal the full commission rejected the Regional Issues Subcomittee's nearly unanimous (only Ken Lee, Killington's representative, voted against) recommendation to submit the revised letter to the Act 250 Commission. Impassioned pleas from Dave Rosenblum, Dick Horner and even Chris Bianchi to the full commission seemed to sway the commission into not only not submitting the revised letter but also withdrawing its support for the previous January 15 letter.
The main argument which held sway, and was introduced by our intrepid former Select Board member Jim Haff in the subcomittee, was why is the Rutland Regional Commission inviting stingent  permit conditions on its turf in agreement with other RPC's while those same RPC's are not invitng RRPC to participate in setting conditions on their turf. For example while the South Windsor Regional Planning Commission is involved in submitting a 3 RPC letter to the Act 250 commission on SP Land's application the Rutland Commission was not invited to be involved in Okemo's permit process. In fact he Twin Rivers Commission sidestepped the Act 250 process and made a deal direct with Okemo.
It also helped that our town's leaders showed up en masse to show their support. It was even acknowledged by the RRPC that it made a difference they showed up and supported the project.
Going forward, the RRPC  is going to draft its own letter to the Act 250 commission. This letter will be a combined effort between the commission Executive Director Kris Hughes and Steve Selbo, et al of SP Land.
Thank you for all those who attended the RRPC meetings in support of SP Land.
Vito

Monday, May 20, 2013

Second Homeowner letter regarding Ravine Road

Following is a second home owner's letter regarding the repair (or non-repair) of Ravine Road. 

Dear Seth,
I am writing regarding the reconstruction of Ravine Road.   I was recently informed that the Select Board is contemplating not rebuilding this road either in whole or in part, and is questioning just how many people use this road.  
While I am not sure how many residents use it, I can assure you hundred’s of second home owners regularly use Ravine Road to access the ski area and other businesses on the mountain.  For many of us  it was our primary artery. 
With the recent removal of the light at Dean Hill, Ravine Road became even more imperative. Many times this past winter we experienced extensive waiting due to the high volume of traffic at the Dean Hill/Access Road entrance.  The volume of traffic was so heavy we were forced to access the mountain via Highridge Road.  A highly undesirable scenario for both Highridge residents and the Town if this trend continues.  
I understand the Select Board has the sole authority to decide on repairing Ravine Road.   Moving the repairs to a town-wide vote is not only unnecessary, it is grossly unfair to the second homeowners that cannot vote in this election.  Over 90% of the use of this road is by second homeowners.  A town-wide vote on this repair would be a major slap in the face to second homeowners. Especially in light of a tripling of our property taxes over the last decade.   While I understand that the State is responsible for this tax increase, it still represents a major escalation in annual costs.  The primary benefit of property taxes to second homeowners, if not the only benefit, is road repair and maintenance.   
Out of fairness to the hundreds of second homeowners who have supported this town for decades, I ask that the Select Board consider moving ahead with repairs, even if it is only one lane.  
Sincerely

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Ravine Road Repair (or not)

A number of townspeople have expressed concern about the repair of Ravine Road. Beyond the fact that it is the last Irene related project to be started concern has been raised that the town is considering not restoring it to its original state due to the state's requirement that a bridge be built there instead of the existing culvert.
Under consideration are building a single lane road or a walking trail.
The town has tried to make its case by saying the project cost is $73,656.65 over what was approved in the budget. What should be noted is the presentation was on the combined cost of the Stage Road bridge (which has been completed and actually serves less homes than Ravine Road) and Ravine Road. The Stage Road Project is $16,850 over budget and is complete. The projected overbudget cost for Ravine Road is $51,650. The balance of the over budget amount for both projects of $5,165.65 is in excess engineering costs for both projects.
Chairman Chris Bianchi suggested that to fund the projected $51,650 increase in the cost of repairing Ravine Road a special election be held to approve that amount. This a dubious contention. All other Irene related repairs have been completed.
The town budgeted $445,000 to repair Ravine Road not including engineering. State and federal reimbursement is $10,053.25 and $180,958.50 respectively. So the town has already budgeted approximately $255,000 to repair Ravine Road. While $51,650.65 is nothing to sneeze at, in the larger scheme of things it seems petty to thwart the repair of Ravine Road for that amount while hundreds of thousands are already budgeted and millions spent on repairing the rest of the town.
Maybe the answer to this perplexing dilemma lies in the alternatives set out below from the presentation by Chuck Hogenbarth at the last Select Board meeting.

Alternative Option 3 Budget Detail 
Project Estimate (High) Notes
Ravine Trail            120,000.00 Remove Culvert, regrade, fill, concrete abutments, wooden bridge)
Killington Rd. Projects           283,893.35 Fill annual estimated capital shortfalls on paving for culverts,  sidewalk construction, and/or Dean Hill Traffic Light
Total            403,893.35

Alternative projects receive 90% of eligible funding, so this budget detail has been reduced by 10% of $191k of reimbursement for Ravine





This proposes taking the money slated for Ravine Road and shifting it to other projects on Killington Road while turning Ravine Road into a walking trail. I'm sorry but I believe Ravine Road to be a vital road in the town. To even propose to shut it down when all other roads have been repaired is ludicrous. We spend $40,000 a year for hay bales and we can't find $50,000 to fix Ravine.
1% tax receipts are going to be up at least that amount if not more given the banner ski season we had. It is the town's first and foremost responsibility to take care of its roads. So take care of it!

















AOT hears concerns about Chester roads

By Christian Avard
Staff Writer | May 18,2013
Rutland Herald
CHESTER — The town of Chester made it clear Friday they want the state to look after its roads.

Agency of Transportation officials visited the Chester Select Board and heard a laundry list of concerns pertaining to traffic patterns, road conditions and maintenance schedules. Select Board Chairman John DeBenedetti told Chris Cole and Kevin Marshia of the AOT that development is springing up around Chester and it could have a serious impact on local roads. According to DeBenedetti, a 22-home residency is in the works at Okemo Mountain Resort, Killington Ski Resort is planning to build 2,200 condominium units, 200,000 square feet of retail space and a new base lodge, and Winstanley Enterprises LLC and Weston Solutions is applying for an Act 250 permit for a 35-megawatt, wood chip-fired power plant in North Springfield.

DeBenedetti said it’s uncertain what kind of traffic Chester will experience if the Okemo and Killington plans are approved. But town officials are concerned about the traffic that will be generated if the biomass plant is approved.

According to the Select Board, there may be up to 240 trips (120 round trips) per day at the proposed biomass plant and wood chip facility and trucks will be traveling on Routes 11 and 103 and carrying a maximum load of 30 tons of wood chips from the proposed plant.

Cole and Marshia said they understood the town’s concerns, but they can’t step in until the projects are approved.

“People are looking for the agency to be proactive, but we have money to be reactive and it’s not enough,” Cole said. “We don’t have the ability to differentiate where trucks can operate in terms of the state highways they use. The Section 248 and Act 250 processes do.”

If traffic patterns increase significantly and local roads are compromised, the AOT can ask the District 2 Environmental Commission to allow traffic monitoring. If problems persist, the developer will be required to mitigate unsafe situations.

Select Board member Tom Bock said many residents have lived on Route 103 for many years and they are “very concerned” about the proposed projects and especially the biomass plant facility. Some homes are 20 yards away from the road and they believe daily truck traffic will significantly impact the community. Cole suggested a corridor study by the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning and Development Commission to be paid for by developers.

DeBenedetti also asked when Route 10 was going to be repaired. The town was unsure if it was an AOT priority and Marshia said it was.

The AOT will survey the area this summer and repairs will start in 2015. DeBenedetti said the AOT repaired a section of Route 10 recently and wondered if that would postpone any plans for repairs,

“Will you think, ‘It’s not that bad, we can hold off on it?’” asked DeBenedetti.

“I don’t think it would delay it,” Marshia said.

christian.avard

Comment: So this is where the letter to the Act 250 commission on SP Land's permit application got started. For those of you who don't know, the three local Regional Planning Commissions, Rutland Regional, Two Rivers Ottaqueechee, and South Windsor, have submitted a letter to the Act 250 Commission which recommended, among other stringent requirements, that SP Land pay for correcting existing adverse and unsafe conditions on the US 4/VT 100/VT 103 Corridor consisting of 133 miles of road and 17 major intersections.
It doesn't get anymore unreasonable than this. When I originally read the letter I though these people were out of there minds. Now I see why they demanded this. Did the South Windsor Regional Planning Commission representative instigate the language in the letter. One has to wonder if his interest is in the best interests of his region or the above three regions represented by the signees of the letter or is he representing the interests of the biomass plant whose effect on Chester's roads is obviously substantial. By alluding to other developments whose effects on Chester's roads is uncertain, as stated in the article, the biomass development is spreading the cost among other entities.
In all fairness, the three RPC's are working on a revision of the letter which does not include the above provision, but it took stern objection by SP land and lobbying by concerned citizens in our town to get them to reconsider their letter. But other unreasonable conditions are still proposed. There is a meeting of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission on Tuesday May 21 at their offices in the Opera House on Merchants Row in Rutland. If you are at all interested in making a statement regarding this failure of our Regional Planning Commission in protecting our interests at the urging of outside interests please attend and make your presence felt.

Hemingway’s sold at auction for $55,000

By Lucia Suarez
STAFF WRITER | May 18,2013
 Rutland Herald 


Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo

Bidders line up at the Hemingway's auction on Friday morning.
KILLINGTON — What was once considered the Killington area’s most upscale restaurant has a new owner.

In a lively auction Friday morning, Hemingway’s Restaurant was sold for $55,000.

The buyer declined to identify himself, but auctioneer Thomas Hirchak said he has purchased other properties in previous auctions.

The auction kicked off promptly at 11 a.m. with four interested buyers present and another participating by phone.

“This is a foreclosure sale,” said the auctioneer before starting. “We have no direct knowledge of the condition of the property.”

Hirchak, with a bit of flair, began the bid at $200,000. When nobody jumped he quickly dropped the price to $75,000, then to $50,000.

“You can have a commercial kitchen,” he said, trying to entice buyers to make a bid.

Nobody bit, which forced Hirchak to lower the price more. As he tried to get $40,000, the buyer on the phone offered $25,000.

Representatives for the bank said they would not be bidding and two other bidders bowed out, leaving the phone bidder and one other — who at one point pulled out a harmonica and played a very short tune.

The bids started to climb: $30,000, $32,500, $34,000. The bids quickly approached $48,000.

“I have 48, looking for 49,” Hirchak repeated several times, asking for a bid of $49,000. It did not come because the bidders began raising by $500, and hesitating every time.

Still, the price climbed slowly until it reached $55,000 and Hemingway’s was sold.

“They made me work for it,” Hirchak said after the auction.

After nearly 30 years in business, owners Theodore and Linda Fondulas closed the restaurant two years ago.

The couple owed two loans and interest totaling $295,746, which prompted People’s United Bank, the restaurant’s mortgage holder, to seek a foreclosure judgment from Rutland civil court.

Back taxes totaling $33,813 were also owed to the town of Killington.

Hemingway’s, a four-star restaurant named after writer Ernest Hemingway, was known for its New American cuisine with a French and Italian flair. It was also known for its extensive wine collection.

lucia.suarez

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Tax raising mania unabated

May 15,2013
 Rutland Herald
As the 2013 legislative session crawls to its conclusion, a lot of Vermonters are probably wondering why the main business of that session seems to have been finding and extracting ever more millions of tax dollars.

First, let’s look at transportation taxes. Unlike most taxes that have a percentage rate, the motor fuel taxes have been levied since 1923 as cents per gallon at the pump. As the Federal Reserve depreciates the value of a penny over the years, the cheaper motor fuel tax pennies can’t keep up with the rising costs of bridge and highway maintenance. So the cents-per-gallon rates must periodically be raised.

In 2008 the Legislature bit the bullet and raised the motor fuel taxes from 20 to 25 cents per gallon. (Regrettably, the additional 5 cents was buried in a wholesale tax that motorists can’t see.) Since then, high fuel prices have driven down taxable fuel sales, hybrid vehicles are using far less fuel, and deferred highway and bridge maintenance costs are becoming more serious.

So the Legislature is raising transportation revenues by changing the traditional method. The new schedule is considerably more complicated, but the net effect is projected to raise $22 million in 2014.

Could this have been avoided? Phasing down Amtrak subsidies ($6 million) and restoring the $29 million of motor vehicle purchase and use tax revenues diverted away from the Transportation Fund in 2004 to subsidize the Education Fund would eliminate the present need for increasing motor fuel taxes.

Next, let’s look at the Education Fund. This Legislature has already increased the base residential school property tax rates from 89 to 94 cents per $100 of fair market value, and the nonresidential rates from $1.38 to $1.44. The actual residential school property tax rates are then increased by the ratio of local spending per adjusted pupil to a state-set amount of $9,151 (for school year 2013-14).

The rationale for these property tax increases is that local school districts are (collectively) voting too much money, and that the recession has depressed the grand list values of taxable property.

Both are true, but the fund would be much stronger had the Legislature not endorsed Gov. Peter Shumlin’s 2012 snatch of $27.5 million from the Education Fund to pay for more Medicaid. The more serious problem lies in the structure of the school finance laws. School district voters cannot judge the impact of their own spending decisions, because their districts have been financially merged with all other districts under Acts 60/68.

Finally there are the General Fund taxes. Shumlin has repeatedly said, “This is not the time to raise broad-based taxes (income, sales, rooms and meals).” The compelling reason is the looming challenge of squeezing at least $1.6 billion a year out of Vermont taxpayers to finance Shumlin’s cherished Green Mountain Care single-payer health plan. It’s pretty clear that the governor is resisting broad-based tax increases now, in anticipation of being forced to announce in 2016 that “now is the time to raise them.”

The bottom line here is that given the present liberal ascendance in Montpelier, taxpayers will continually be asked to pay more in taxes to finance ever more ambitious government. As of two weeks ago, new taxes in play included taxes on satellite television, break-open tickets, liquor and tobacco, candy, soft drinks, dietary supplements, bottled water, and vending machine food and beverages.

Last Tuesday the governor and legislative leaders agreed on a deal to scrap all of these proposed new General Fund taxes and balance the budget with $10 million in spending cuts. The agreement featured an amusing announcement by Commissioner of Finance and Management Jim Reardon that the administration would hire consultants to identify the required savings. Let’s hope they don’t hire the expensive consultants that launched “Challenges for Change,” which almost totally failed.

Last Friday the “no tax” deal collapsed when the legislative leaders insisted on jiggering the income tax schedules to squeeze more from the rich. Shumlin enthusiastically seized the opportunity to be the top bracket taxpayers’ friend, saying, “The last thing we should be doing is changing the income tax system on the fly and at the last minute when we don’t need the money.” In a peroration he may soon come to regret, he concluded “We should not raise income taxes, we will not raise income taxes, we must not raise income taxes.”

Despite occasional strategic backsliding like this, the tax raisers are always with us. “Normal” revenue levels produced by “normal” tax rates are simply not enough to pay for the Grand Liberal Vision of the majority in Montpelier. They can’t bear to see their vision fade away for want of money, and they always, urgently, want more.



John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute (www.ethanallen.org).

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Vermont enjoys tourism uptick

Rutland Herald
By Sandi Switzer | May 14,2013


FILE PHOTO Bikers fill the Wobbly Barn parking lot during the Killington Classic, a favorite of area visitors. State tourism officials report that visits to Vermont have increased.
Vermont’s tourism industry hasn’t only survived, but has thrived since the Recession of 2009, with visitor spending up nearly 20 percent following the economic slump.

A benchmark study of the economic impact of visitor spending on the state’s economy during 2011 shows visitor spending was up 19.4 percent to $1.7 billion in 2011 compared to $1.42 billion in 2009. The number of total person trips increased from 13.7 million in 2009 to 13.95 million in 2011, generating $274.5 million in tax revenue for the state. The study, by Chmura Economic and Analytics, Inc., was completed in 2013 for the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM).

“As the national economy has recovered from the 2009 Recession, traveler confidence has returned. Vermont worked during the fiscally challenging years to position itself as an ideal tourism destination, both accessible and affordable,” explained Jen Butson, director of communications at VDTM. “And, the report indicates that we have benefited from not just an increase of travelers, but also an increase in their spending while here.”

The state’s tourism industry supports 37,910 jobs, which accounts for 13.1 percent of all jobs in Vermont, according to the study. Those numbers include 21,362 direct wage and salaried positions, 7,091 proprietors, and 9,457 wage and salary jobs created by ripple effects.

“In 2009, Vermont had 18,569 wage and salaried employees supported by visitor spending, which was down about 5.7 percent from 19,704 employed by the sector in 2007,” Butson said. “A significant note: the employment increase of proprietors of small businesses was 7,091 in 2011 — up more than 13 percent from the low of 2009.”

A closer look at the Chmura Economic and Analytics report breaks down visitor spending for 2011 as follows: $393.8 million on prepared meals and beverages, $366.1 million on lodging, $290.5 million on gasoline, $214.3 million on shopping, $167.4 million on groceries, and $122.7 million on entertainment and recreation.

A comparison of the benchmark studies of 2009 and 2011 shows the importance of tourism on the Vermont economy rose moderately, and further indicates the state relies more heavily on visitor dollars than the national average. The study is conducted during odd-numbered years.

“By most measures, Vermont’s economy is among those states most reliant on the hospitality and recreation sectors, nationally ranking behind just Hawaii and Alaska. While you would expect that lodging and meals impact would be high, it’s significant that visitor spending also has a substantial impact on gasoline sales and employment,” Butson said.

Vermont lodging/taxable room receipts spiked to $381 million in 2011 from approximately $332 million in 2009. It is notable the $381 million figure eclipsed the previous high of $372 million in 2008.

Every county in the state, said Butson, posted increases in room receipts in 2011, compared to 2009. “Statewide betterment in the tourism sector is certainly the intention and goal. That some regions may see varying levels of success is a reality, but that all have grown is a true positive,” Butson said. The “Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing makes an egalitarian effort to market all regions, working toward statewide economic growth.”

A closer look at a county-by-county comparison of total room receipts shows:

Ÿ Orleans County had a 74.3 percent increase from $6,775,589 in 2009 to $11,812,894 in 2011.

Ÿ Chittenden County saw an 18 percent increase from $84,474,702 in 2009 to $99,741,540 in 2011.

Ÿ Rutland County had a 7.8 percent increase from $39,033,854 to $42,063,250.

Ÿ Bennington County’s room receipts increased 12.7 percent from $29,310,683 in 2009, to $33,044,670 in 2011.

Meal receipts rose 6.25 percent from 2009 to 2011, with all Vermont counties experiencing increased totals. Alcohol-sales receipts rose 9.8 percent to $149.9 million during the same time frame.

A county by county comparison shows Lamoille County had the largest increase in meal receipts with a 15.6 percent jump, while Windham County saw the smallest increase of less than 1 percent. Bennington County meal receipts rose 4.8 percent; Rutland County meal receipts increased 4.4 percent; Addison County jumped 9.46 percent, and Chittenden County went up 8.75 percent.

The ripple effect of increased visitor dollars spent in the state goes beyond the tourism industry. “Indeed, these increases enable further funding of state programs and resources vital to our communities. That is, after all, the direct mission of Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing,” Butson said. “Of the $245 million in tax and fee revenue generated for the state by non-resident visitor spending, $132 million goes to the increasingly challenged education fund.”

VDTM works with the chief marketing officer’s office in driving the tourism economy as well as presenting the value of making Vermont home, according to Butson.

“It is a goal that we increase residents as well as second-home owners. Second-home owners account for about 20 percent of the owner-occupied housing units in Vermont; pay more that $125 million in education property taxes; pay more than $50 million in municipal property taxes, and spend $160 million during their visits to Vermont for food and entertainment,” she said.

Visit www.VermontVacation.com for more information. Vermont tourism businesses can submit their information, events, and packages on the site free of charge. Further research and resources can be found at www.VermontPartners.com.

Comment:
So how much of our town's relatively anemic economic/tourism increase was due to our EDT's efforts and how much was due to the economic recovery described in the article above. Rutland County of which we're a part of showed a relatively small increase compared to other counties. Orleans county is where Jay Peak is, and Lamoille is were Stowe is. Both have had significant development at their ski resorts. That is why we need to support SP land's efforts to develop the ski village.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Vito's Economic Development and Tourism Comission Application Letter

Seth,
I am interested in being appointed to the newly reconstituted Economic Development and Tourism Commission to represent a more balanced viewpoint.. 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. As you know I have been active in town issues for a couple of years now and have participated in efforts to promote development in town. Those efforts include meeting with state and local leaders in regards to state support of the town’s development efforts as well as attending the Regional Planning Commission meeting to support the SP Land’s efforts to accelerate it’s development efforts. I have met and conferred with the major players in town. And, as you well know, I forward to you pertinent news relating to our town’s profile in the media as well as possible economic development ideas.  
While I don’t support certain current efforts in total I do believe the town does need to adapt to a changing economic and environmental conditions. I believe the way to develop the town’s economy is to promote private investment in the town and support those efforts in a manner consistent with providing basic municipal services, i.e. roads, water, sewer, police and fire protection.
The town government’s role needs to be providing the proper infrastructure and environment for businesses to function.
I have a degree in Economics and have worked on development projects as a financial analyst so I bring that to the table as well.
Vito Rasenas

Resorts already have an eye on next ski season

By Bruce Edwards
STAFF WRITER | May 12,2013
Rutland Herald
 
Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo

Construction was under way last week for the Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge at the Pico Mountain ski resort in Killington.
The ski season has barely ended but resorts are already planning tens of millions of dollars in capital improvements for the 2013-2014 season.

Projects include everything from new hotels and base lodges to expanded snowmaking and four-season amenities.



Killington, Pico

The parent company of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain is investing $11 million in projects and upgrades at the two ski areas.

Powdr Corp. of Utah is pumping $9.8 million into Killington, with the bulk of that money earmarked for completion of the $5.1 million Peak Lodge. Another $2 million is being spent on upgrading the snowmaking infrastructure, while three new trail groomers will be purchased at a total cost of $1 million.

At nearby Pico, the Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge is being built at a cost of $1.3 million. It will be the headquarters for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports.

Pico will also have a new food and seating venue.

Together, the $11 million in projects is the largest single investment Powdr has made since it purchased the two resorts in 2007.



Jay Peak

Jay Peak Resort is continuing to add to its more than $300 million in improvements. This summer the resort has $25.6 million in projects ready to go.

A new hotel and 80,000- square-foot base lodge with restaurants and rental center is planned for the Stateside area — the oldest part of the resort. The base lodge is expected to open in December.

Jay Peak is also building 84 mountain cottages along the golf course and relocating the resort’s main entrance on Route 242.

In addition, The Barn, a 2,000-square-foot wedding and event center, is already under construction and is set for a July opening.

Jay Peak spokesman J.J. Toland said the “if you build it, they will come” strategy has paid off with a significant increase in business.

This season alone the resort exceeded its revenue projections by an average of 32 percent across all business sectors, Toland said.

“Lodging revenue itself was up 41 percent, against where we hoped it would be,” he said.

During this past ski season, Toland said Jay Peak had an occupancy rate of 94 percent “with every holiday sold out to being over-sold, and every weekend, if not completely sold out, at about 98 percent.”

The resort has financed the bulk of its expansion through the federal government’s EB-5 visa program. The program grants permanent resident status to foreigners who make either a $500,000 or $1 million investment in a commercial enterprise, creating at least 10 full-time jobs.



Burke Mountain

Jay Peak is also investing $108 million over the next three years in its new resort, Burke Mountain in East Burke. New lodging facilities are planned for the Mid-Burke Lodge and Sherburne Base areas.

“It’s a great place to ski but there’s no place to stay,” said Parker Riehle, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association. “The new bed base at that mountain will truly put that resort on the map.”

Tim McGuire, Burke vice president and general manager, called construction of the 116-room hotel a “game changer.”

“Throughout Burke’s history every owner or manager, who has come in here, has had to fight that battle,” McGuire said. “We’re a little too far away to be a day ski area. We’ve got the size of a destination resort but we don’t have the amenities or the bed base that’s needed to really fill the resort.”

The hotel will also include a conference center, restaurant, bar, small pool, fitness center and retail.

Construction is expected to begin in July with completion by December 2014.

Also on the drawing board are several amenity projects, including an Olympic size indoor pool, indoor and outdoor tennis center, ski trail expansion and mountain biking facilities.



Elsewhere

While not as sexy as new hotels and base lodges, a number of resorts continue to make investments in snowmaking, including Burke, Okemo, Magic Mountain and Mount Snow.

With the vagaries of the weather, Riehle said expanding snowmaking is critical to the industry in the state. He said statewide snowmaking covers 80 percent of skiable terrain.

He said anything resorts “can do to improve upon that, all the better to ensure a virtual snow guarantee for our skiers and riders.”

Okemo will spend around $500,000 on upgrades to its snowmaking system,

“We are also planning to build a new challenge course as part of Okemo’s Adventure Zone at Jackson Gore,” Okemo spokeswoman Bonnie MacPherson said in an email. “We will be upgrading the rental department with a new computerized system, replacing seat pads on the Green Ridge chair and constructing a turning lane on Route 103 at the Jackson Gore entrance to the resort.”

The following is a partial list of projects:

Jay Peak Resort: Projects include an 80,000-square-foot base lodge, 84 mountain cottages, and a wedding and event center.

Burke Mountain: Slopeside lodging facilities at both the Mid Burke Lodge and the Sherburne Base area and new services for skiers and riders and additional resort amenities.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort: Splashville, a splash pad water playground designed for youngsters opens this summer as part of three-tiered pool and 140-foot water slide. A bathhouse and picnic pavilion are located close by. Splashville is an addition to the resort’s eight pools and four water slides.

Sugarbush Resort: Construction continues on a slopeside living development, Rice Brook. The residences, which are comprised of 15 townhouses and condominiums, are scheduled to be completed by late fall. This is expected to be the first of three phases, with additional homes and mixed-use space to follow.

Killington Resort: Completion of the $5.1 million Peak Lodge facility, $2 million on pipeline infrastructure, $200,000 on Snowsports uniforms, $240,000 on additions to ski and snowboard rental fleet, and nearly $1 million for the purchase of three new groomers. Also, Glade trail improvements and additions, will add to a 200-plus trail count at both Killington and Pico, all skiable on the same lift ticket. Infrastructure improvements include snowmaking pipe installation, pump rebuilds, additional hydrants; K-1 gondola upgrades, seat pad replacements, lift drives and other lift components.

Pico Mountain: $1.3 million Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge.

Okemo Mountain Resort: The Ludlow resort will upgrade its snowmaking system and open a new wedding garden where the old Ranta Farm’s barn once stood.

Magic Mountain: Continued improvements to the snowmaking system, which resulted in expanded trail coverage last season. The Londonderry ski area will improve its snowmaking capacity and efficiency.

Mount Snow Resort: Upgrades to its snowmaking infrastructure, including the replacement of almost three miles of pipe.

Trapp Family Lodge: Expansion of its mountain bike trail system. The expansion will link up local trails including, Hardy’s Haul, Kimmers, Tapline and Pipline. Once finished, riders will be able to descend or climb nearly 1,500 feet.

Top Notch Resort and Spa: Completion of the multimillion-dollar renovation. The final stage includes a new lobby bar and restaurant, guest reception space, outdoor terrace areas with views of Mount Mansfield, a wedding/event venue, renovated meetings and events facilities and guest rooms.

Board OKs Killington sidewalk extension

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | May 11,2013
Rurland Herald
KILLINGTON — The town is moving forward with a project to extend the sidewalk on the west side of Killington Road.

By a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Select Board approved a plan to extend the existing sidewalk to allow pedestrian traffic between West Hill and Schoolhouse roads.

The stated goal of the project is to create better access to the shopping district on Killington Road and to provide a safe transportation alternative to driving.

Town officials considered several alternatives, including building the sidewalk on the east side of Killington Road. The Board chose the west side of the road for two reasons. First, the preliminary budgets indicate it will be less expensive to build on the west side — $385,000 — than on the east side at an estimated cost of $434,000.

The second reason was safety.

“It’s safer probably if we don’t have people crossing the road,” said Board Chairman Chris Bianchi.

A third alternative — always a bit of a nonstarter — was to reconfigure the road, taking one of the two northbound lanes and creating a wider multi-use path. This path would have included a tree-lined strip of green space that would have served as a buffer between drivers and walkers.

Lucy E. Gibson, project engineer with Dubois & King, told the Select Board that traffic studies have shown Killington Road could be reconfigured to have one lane in each direction and still handle traffic during peak winter weekends. At an estimated cost of between $283,000 and $331,000, it would also be cheaper than the sidewalk, but officials remained cool to the idea.

“To give up highway, I think is a really bad thing to do,” said Selectman Bernard Rome. “We’re trying to grow here.”

The current estimate doesn’t include possible expenses for purchasing right-of-way from property owners along Killington Road. The estimate also exceeds the project budget of $318,900, but Town Manager Seth Webb said it’s too early to say what the project cost will be.

“That’s a very preliminary budget we used when we applied for a grant for the project,” Webb said. “We could go back to the state for additional grant money.”

Town officials hope to break ground on the project in 2014.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Killington to boost police patrols

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | May 09,2013
Rutland Herald
 
KILLINGTON — Increased police presence and the formation of a neighborhood watch program are two responses by the town following a string of burglaries targeting second homeowners.

First Constable Whit Montgomery told town officials and the public of the break-ins during Tuesday night’s Select Board meeting.

“We’ve had seven break-ins since the end of winter and start of spring,” Montgomery said. “Six of the seven victims were second-home owners, and most likely they (the crimes) are related.”

The burglaries have occurred on Thundering Brook Road, River Road, East Mountain Road and Telefon Trail.

Montgomery said it is difficult to pin down when exactly the crimes occurred because they have been discovered by property managers, but Montgomery said he has an idea of the type of people committing the crimes.

“Most of the things being stolen are copper wire and copper piping and that is an indication of drugs, that the perpetrators are selling the stolen property to buy drugs,” he said.

A member of the public asked Montgomery if there are more burglaries than usual. He said there aren’t necessarily more than usual, but that the crimes are happening earlier than usual.

In response, Montgomery has increased his patrols. The town has also reached out to the State Police for more patrols and has signed a contract with the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department to patrol the 44 miles of roads in town.

“We wanted to react as soon as possible and we’ve always had a good relationship with the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department,” Montgomery said.

The funds for the sheriff patrols come from the contracted services portion of the police department budget approved by voters at town meeting in March.

Also at town meeting, voters approved an article changing the constable jobs from elected to appointed positions. The town has received applications to fill a second constable’s position and is “cautiously optimistic” it will hire another police officer in June, said Town Manager Seth Webb.

The town is also holding a neighborhood watch meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Sherburne Memorial Library.

“It’s important for citizens to get involved as much as they can when they can,” Montgomery said. “Eight hundred pairs of eyes are more effective than one pair of eyes.”

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Rash of burglaries prompts meeting in Killington

Rutland Herald
May 08,2013
 
By Josh O'Gorman
Staff Writer

KILLINGTON - The public is invited to attend a neighborhood watch meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sherburne Memorial Library.

“It’s important for citizens to get involved as much as they can, when they can,” said Whit Montgomery, Killington’s first constable.

The town has seen seven burglaries in recent months, with six of the seven happening in second homes. Montgomery said six of the seven appear to be connected and asked the public to attend the meeting and to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

“I just urge people to be vigilant and if they see something strange or out of place to not be afraid to pick up the phone and report it,” Montgomery said.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Skier visit numbers strong in Northeast

Skier visit numbers strong in Northeast
By CLARKE CANFIELD
THE Associated Press | May 07,2013
Rutland Herald
Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo

A skier comes down the Superstar Trail in warm spring temperatures and sunshine last week at Killington Ski Area.
PORTLAND, Maine — Buoyed by plentiful snow and good weather, Northeast ski resorts rebounded this past winter from a lackluster 2012 season that was plagued by lack of snow and high temperatures.

For the 2012-13 ski season, ski areas in New England and New York had an estimated 13.3 million skier and snowboarder visits, according to the National Ski Areas Association. That’s up 20 percent from 11 million skier visits the previous winter.

David Behany of Brewer said it was one of the best ski years he’s seen in his 45 years of skiing.

“I’d say it was in the top seven or eight,” said Behany, 52. Behany, who works at Ski Rack Sports in Bangor, skied nearly 60 days this winter at western Maine’s Sugarloaf resort; his wife went 89 times.

Nationally, U.S. ski areas had an estimated 56.6 million skier and snowboarder visits during the season, an 11 percent increase over the prior winter and the largest year-over-year gain in 30 years, according to the NSAA’s preliminary year-end survey report. All regions of the country saw an increase. State-specific tallies were not available.

The lack of snow and high temperatures made for a dismal 2011-12 ski season for many New England mountains.

By contrast, this past winter was a snowy one, luring skiers and snowboarders back to the slopes. Portland, Maine, had nearly 100 inches this winter, up from 44 inches the year before. Concord, N.H., had 82 inches, up from 49 inches.

And with a cold April, ski mountains in northern New England stayed open longer than last year, when record-high temperatures in March forced many to shut down.

At Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, spokesman Craig Clemmer said the season’s final ticket sales figures are still being tallied, but it looks like the season will stand as one of the top five ever. New snowmaking equipment allowed the resort to open with more terrain than usual, and there were mid-winter conditions consistently from Nov. 15 to April 15, he said.

“Mother Nature smiled upon us and technology backed us up,” Clemmer said.

Some years, “all of a sudden the bottom drops out,” when the weather turns warm and the season ends abruptly, he said. This year, the resort considered staying open even longer. “There was phenomenal snow quality this year,” he said.

Although the season started off tentatively with the first major snowstorm not arriving until late December, New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley ended up being open for 147 days, the longest season in its history, said CEO Chris Sununu. Overall, the resort saw a 23 percent increase in skier visits this winter over last year, he said.

Scott Brandi, who operates West Mountain in Glens Falls, N.Y., and is president of Ski Areas of New York, said the state’s ski mountains were buoyed by good weather and a March that will be the benchmark for all future Marches. Revenue and number of skiers jumped 3 to 5 percent over 2011-12, he said.

“As a rebound season for us in New York coming off the prior year, which was one of the worst in history, New York state did very, very well,” Brandi said.

The season also stretched from 90 to 100 days last year to 120 to 130 days this season, Brandi said.

In Maine, Freeport Ski and Bike shop co-owner Jamie Richardson saw a lot of people get skis tuned that looked like they’d been sitting idle for a while. Beginner ski sales were also up, he said.

“That suggests that people who don’t tend to go skiing were getting out there,” Richardson said. “They’re a big part of it. The hardcore people always find their way to the mountains, no matter how bad the year.”

Sunday River, Maine’s most-visited mountain with more than half a million annual skier visits, had a 7 percent increase this winter, said spokeswoman Darcy Morse.

“Busy is good,” she said.