Fired man accused of vandalizing employer's pool

Rutland Herald

• By Patrick Mcardle
•  Staff Writer
• Dec 26, 2019

A Bridgewater Corners man is facing a criminal charge after police accused him of vandalizing the pool at the Mountain Green Resort in Killington after being fired from his job there in June.
Paul L. Perry, 31, of Bridgewater Corners, pleaded not guilty earlier this month in Rutland criminal court to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful mischief resulting in $250 or less in damage.
Perry was released without bail. If convicted of the charge, he could be sentenced to up to six months in jail.

The charges are based on an affidavit written by Officer Michael Hoffman, of the Killington Police Department, who said he was assigned to the case Sept. 1. He said when he was given the case, the file included a statement from Michael Moriarty and an email from Perry.
“My review of the email sent by (Perry) indicates a tone of frustration on (Perry’s) part, primarily in regard to his wages versus job requirements. Toward the end of the email, (Perry) writes, ‘Now god forbid anything ever happened to the spa but I feel like I need to remind you not only is everyyyyything in here EXPENSIVE ... ,’ (sic)” Perry wrote in the affidavit.
Hoffman said Moriarty’s statement, from the case file, said Perry worked for him at Mountain Green Resort on East Mountain Road in Killington at the time of the alleged incident on June 4.
Moriarty said he had concerns because Perry was “essentially setting his own work hours” and not meeting the expectations as he would work about five hours a day. Moriarty said Perry had not been reliable about punching in to the company time clock for the last few weeks around the beginning of June.
Because of those issues, Moriarty and another supervisor confronted Perry about his pay and the work that was expected in return. Moriarty said he decided he couldn’t agree with Perry’s terms and told Perry he was being fired.
Moriarty’s statement said Perry then told him he knew what car Moriarty used to get to work, which Moriarty and the supervisor said to each other later sounded like a threat to them.
According to Moriarty, he found his car had been vandalized when he left work June 4. The statement doesn’t include any information that Moriarty had evidence that Perry had vandalized his car.
The repair estimate Moriarty shared with police was for more than $2,000.
Moriarty told police he noticed June 5 that the water level of the pool was about 2 to 3 inches lower than normal.
According to Mountain Green’s website, the resort has an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. The alleged vandalism was to the indoor pool.
Moriarty said staff at Mountain Green found three tears in the liner of the pool which cost $150 to repair.

Moriarty spoke to a man, whom the affidavit does not describe as a guest or employee at the resort, but who allegedly saw Perry “jabbing” at the pool liner with a pole used for cleaning in the area where the tears were found.
The pool technician told Moriarty that the damage appeared to have been done deliberately and that “it appeared to (the technician) that someone took the cleaning head off the pole and just jabbed at the liner with the sharp end of the pole,” the affidavit said.
Hoffman said he and Perry spoke by phone Sept. 20. He said he told Perry about the allegations involving Moriarty’s car and the pool and Perry denied any involvement with either alleged incident.
The affidavit said Hoffman met as well with the alleged witness Sept. 20 who repeated that he recognized Perry and saw him “repeatedly slamming the pole with two hands down into the water where he was squatting.”
Hoffman said he spoke with Perry again Oct. 2. He described Perry as “proactive in cooperating with this investigation” but said he still believed Perry had vandalized the pool.
patrick.mcardle @rutlandherald.co

School board still fleshing out budget for facility needs

Vermont Standard
12/27/19
By Allan Stein
Standard Staff

The Windsor Central Supervisory Union is looking to add extra funds to support next year’s FY21 capital expense budget, which tentatively includes only $50,000 to cover facility needs of the entire district.

“We should be funding $1.2 million to $1.4 million per year,” said James Haff, a Killington member of the Windsor Central Supervisory Union school board, during a meeting on Dec. 16.

“We are underfunding $1 million to $1.2 million per year,” he said.

During the bi-weekly meeting, Director of Finance and Operations Michael Concessi said the projected budget for buildings and grounds maintenance in FY21 is currently pegged at $2.24 million.

This represents an increase of $265,000 over the FY20 budget, he said.

“Snow removal and the mix of custodial/maintenance labor time was under budgeted in the FY20 budget and this has been corrected in FY21. Unfortunately, the projected budget number currently only allows for $50,000 in capital expenses across the district,” Concessi and WCSU Superintendent Mary Beth Banios said in a statement.

“If there is room to add more, we’ll add more,” Concessi said.

While school officials continue putting together the FY21 budget, Banios said $50,000 in capital outlay is a “placeholder amount” until the budget is fully developed.

“If possible we would like to increase the amount available for capital projects. We do have reserve accounts in a number of schools that could be tapped into in the event of an emergency,” Banios said.

Haff said district officials might consider low-interest


rate borrowing of $1 million to $1.5 million to meet districtwide capital needs in FY21.

“We’re trying to do so many great things, but the house we’re trying to do it in is going to hell. We’re a public education system, and you should be taking care of your buildings,” Haff said.

School board discusses budget increases

Mountain Times
December 18, 2019

By Curt Peterson
Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District Superintendent Mary Beth Banios and the finance committee gave board members a taste of challenges faced in creating the FY2021 budget at the Monday night School Board meeting, on Dec. 9.
The current budget, ending June 30, 2020, is about $20.1 million, which, based on enrollment of 909 equalized pupils, is $17,994 per pupil—just below the state mandated maximum cost per pupil.
Exceeding the state mandate incurs a $1 penalty for every $1 in excess spending.
The state allowed the district to average the lower per pupil cost of the elementary schools and the higher middle/high school cost, thus avoiding the penalty.
Vermont’s statewide benchmark per pupil cost won’t be available until January, but Banios expects it will reflect the increases incurred at the state level.
Paige Hiller, board co-chair from Woodstock, said the budget process will be broken down into smaller segments this year, as working on the entire package is “overwhelming.”
Board co-chair Jennifer Iannantuoni from Killington said, “contractual expenses,” such as health benefits, negotiated on a state-wide basis, have risen significantly.
Statewide, the health insurance premium increase is 12.9% — the district’s projected increase is 14.2%.
Salary increases, negotiated between the state and the teachers’ union, are expected to be 3.5%, although bringing salaries in line across the district will mean a bigger local net increase.
Finance and Operations Director Mike Concessi said substitute teachers are a big expense. Kelly Services currently provides substitutes—Banios said staff find arranging subs is difficult and time-consuming.
Banios and Concessi are analyzing whether having two full-time substitutes would be more cost-effective.
Banios outlined desired “additional educational investments,” including curriculum training for department chairs, summer training for educational coaches, a transportation director, costs associated with increased professional development day substitutes and a theater tech associate, at a total cost of $234,000.
Costs of mitigating moisture issues at The Prosper Valley School, which has been closed for a year, will also be considered.
Bob Crean, a resident spectator at the meeting, suggested spending $6,000 to test results from recent drainage work, and $35,000 for a “deep clean” to remove any mold before committing to $100,000 for a new HVAC system.
Killington board member Jim Haff, who serves on the finance committee that will be primarily responsible for the budget, said the budget increases discussed will impact the district’s education tax significantly, possibly raising Killington’s education tax from $1.62 this year to over $2 next year.
“It would increase our cost per pupil $500 just to operate TPVS,” he told the Mountain Times after Monday’s meeting, “without increasing the number of credited pupils in the district – just moving them from Woodstock to Pomfret.”
Haff cited Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth’s recent report to the district board that Killington real estate prices have risen 20%, possibly increasing the town’s common level of appraisal penalty by 15% or more. (CLA adjusts for the difference between a town’s property assessments and actual market values).
On Dec. 9, Concessi alluded to significant efforts invested to bring the district’s books in order. According to Haff, actual revenue received was never accurately recorded and only fiscal year 2018 has been updated so far.
“An outside firm has been brought in to enter revenue figures,” Haff said. “We may find out revenue is actually way off from what the FY2019 budget and the current budget anticipated.”
“We ran out of tax anticipation note funds [money often borrowed against anticipated tax revenues and state disbursements by towns and school districts] in October — the earliest yet,” he said. “The district put payments other than payroll on hold until they had more accurate information.”
The board also unanimously approved raising student and adult meal prices starting in September for the first time in three years.
A vigorous discussion about required capital reserves for campus buildings revealed while there are very modest reserve funds attached to some schools, the district has been significantly under funding maintenance and replacement funding for years.
“The draft budget includes $50,000 for capital reserves,” Haff said, “but industry standards would suggest putting away between $1.2 million and $1.4 million every year. If we don’t address this now, we’ll be having the same conversation next year.”

World Cup in Killington is ‘loud, it’s energetic’

Vermont Standard 

12/5/19

By Neil Allen

Standard Staff

The crowd at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington held last weekend.

John Everett Photo

Mikaela Shiffrin, who trained at Burke Mountain Academy in East Burke, making her way down the mountain during the slalom competition at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington on Sunday.

Dave Young Photo

KILLINGTON — The Killington Resort hosted the Audi FIS Ski World Cup over Thanksgiving weekend, bringing more than 36,000 spectators to the mountain. The ski races and concerts are free and open to the public.

The event, which was broadcast worldwide to more than 60 nations along with national broadcast coverage, has drawn an increasing number of spectators to Killington each year to cheer on racers from around the world. This year, they had 6,000 people at Friday’s opening ceremonies, 19,500 showed up for Saturday’s giant slalom races — setting a single-day record for the event at Killington, and 11,000 people for Sunday’s slalom races.

“It’s loud, it’s energetic,” said Courtney DiFiore, Communications/PR & Social Media Manager at Killington/ Pico Ski Resort Partners. “New Englanders take pride in being the largest crowd for the series. They come out in droves — cheering and being so positive. They’re excited and want everyone to do well.”

This is the fourth year they have hosted the competition featuring the best women skiers from around the world. The 2016 Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington was the first World Cup in the eastern U.S. since 1991, which was held at Waterville Valley, N.H., and the first in Vermont since 1978 at Stratton Mountain.

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup includes women’s giant slalom and slalom races, attracting athletes such as U.S. Ski Team member Mikaela Shiffrin, who trained at Burke Mountain Academy in East Burke and grew up in nearby Lyme, N.H.

“The Killington Cup has long been a highlight of mine on the World Cup tour the last three seasons,” says Mikaela Shiffrin in a press release. “In 2018 we — all of us together — set a new precedent for ski racing internationally, boasting the largest World Cup crowd for women on the entire circuit.

“To get that hat trick slalom victory in front of thousands of screaming fans at home is something I will never, ever forget. I’m looking forward to once again competing on home soil,” she continued.

Shiffrin stretched her three-year “hat trick” win-ning streak in the slalom to four on Sunday. She also came in second in the giant slalom races on Saturday.

DiFiore said the crowds are a barometer of the action on the mountain.

“You can tell what’s happening on the mountain through the sounds the crowd is making,” she said. “You can tell they’re loving it and that makes it more fun for us as we’re working.”

It is great for the skiers as well. Throughout the event, during interviews the competitors often commented on the crowds and how much they appreciate them.

“I’ve heard that in the European races once the higher level racers are done, the crowds start to disperse so those lower on the list don’t have many people cheering for them,” DiFiore said. “This is one of the first times some of them are having the crowds cheering for them. The crowds cheering for them can make or break a run as they push down the mountain.”

The numbers on Sunday were nearly half that of Saturday. DiFiore said she didn’t know for sure why, especially with Shiffrin going for her fourth win in the slalom but overheard people at the event discussing the impending snowstorm.

“Some may have changed their plans and wanted to get on the road early so they could get home safely,” she said. “A lot of the people who come to watch are coming up from Massachusetts and Connecticut, which is where the storm was expected to be worse.”

This year the entertainment included concerts from Recycled Percussion, Grace Potter, DJ Logic and Twiddle.

“This year’s entertainment truly showcases the state of Vermont and our neighbors to the east – New Hampshire,” said Jordan Spear, director of marketing and sales for Killington Resort. “The combination of talented artists and world-class athletes make World Cup weekend a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests.”

Recycled Percussion performed before the bid draw then participated in the bid draw as well, according to DiFiore. DJ Logic performed during runs on Saturday and Grace Potter performed after the second run.

Twiddle, a Vermont jam band that has a dedicated following, performed between runs on Sunday. “They don’t usually perform for free so there was a lot of hype about them,” DiFiore said. “After their performance here, they went to a local night club and performed there.”

With a two year contract in place, the FIS Ski World Cup will be coming to Killington again next year.

“Establishing another multi-year World Cup schedule here at Killington is an incredible opportunity for the resort and the surrounding community. I continue to be blown away by the sheer size of the crowds, and their enthusiasm leads me to believe that we’ll continue to see large numbers of spectators to watch the fastest female ski racers in the world take on the Superstar trail,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort.

“We use every cold period in October and November to build a world-class race venue on Superstar, and getting the job done early in the season showcases Killington’s state-of-the-art snowmaking system as an industryleading powerhouse while also setting us up to offer the longest season in the east. In fact, we skied into June this season for the second time in three years,” he continued.

Killington resident invites people to call him with concerns about new high school

December 4, 2019

Mountain times

By Curt Peterson
Although plans for a new high/middle school complex in Woodstock have been growing for some time, many constituents are becoming aware of it for the first time — perhaps most in the six districts towns outside of Woodstock itself — Pomfret, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Killington and Reading (and Barnard, assuming they vote to join the district at the Dec. 10 vote.)
The Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District (WCUSD) administration hopes its $68 million dollar “new build,” with renovations to existing remote campuses, will stabilize or grow the student population by attracting young families to the area.
On Nov. 25 the WCUSD board approved engaging Lavalee Brensinger Architects to perform a new build feasibility study with an estimated cost of from $425,000 to $450,000. Study financing will include $30,000 from unused ACT 46 grant funds and private donations, some requiring matching donations. Private donations to date total $235,000.
The administration hopes to use a 30-year bond to finance the new complex. The bond amount would reflect the cost of the project less the amount of private and public funding.
At a recent New Build Committee meeting, board co-chair Paige Hiller said she thought the goal should be a maximum education tax rate increase of 15-18%, and suggested the design and financing costs should reflect that goal. Recently the board has been hinting at revisiting the design as regards costs.
Assuming the board goes ahead with putting the project up for a vote (likely sometime after Town Meeting), the bond would need approval by the majority of voters in the district.
Killington resident and businessman Robert Montgomery doesn’t feel an entirely new facility is necessary – and says the resulting cost of the new build will be an undue burden on taxpayers.
“I feel I’m representing the interests of between 500 and 1,000 second-home owners in Killington,” Montgomery told the Mountain Times in a telephone interview. “And I’m getting involved because I’m a local taxpayer myself.”
Commenting on Vito Rasenas’s blog, “As the Ski Turns,” Montgomery invited readers interested in discussing the new build project to call him and register their concerns.
“I got more than a dozen calls before my voicemail box was full,” he said. “And they are still dribbling in.”
He said calls have come from Killington, Reading, Bridgewater and Plymouth.
“Most are learning for the first time about plans to build the new school,” he said, adding he thought the project has been kept “under the radar” until recently when a series of news articles have been published in local papers (and republished on Rasenas’s blog).
Montgomery moved to the area from Boston in the ‘70s. He and his late wife Diane built and ran multiple businesses in Killington. His son Whit is chief of the Killington Police.
Montgomery believes building a new school isn’t the way to improve education, he told the WCUSD board at Killington Elementary School on Nov. 25.
“We are doing a good job on STEM education now,” he said. “The private donations should be invested in those programs rather than bricks and mortar. That’s what will make ours a destination school system.”
WCUSD Facilities Manager Joe Rigoli will be executing tours of the existing campus on Dec. 4, 9 and 19 so interested people can see building conditions for themselves in the 1950s-built structures.
Montgomery is hoping to take one of the upcoming tours. As a former property developer and manager he feels he can lend an educated eye in evaluating what can be done to update and improve the buildings.
“Some of the callers who have taken the tour say it is very prejudiced toward replacement rather than refurbishing,” he said. “I want to see for myself.”
He has not seen the strategic plan, Portrait of a Graduate, published in early 2019, which concludes that remodeling existing buildings unfavorably compares with the new build alternative — based on both cost and outcome — and says he will leave that up to others who, he hopes, will spearhead the movement toward cost moderation.

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Comments on “Killington resident invites people to call him with concerns about new high school”

Vito Rasenas

December 4, 2019 at 2:43 PM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

I heard from someone on the finance committee that it would double Killington’s property taxes and we would be paying the brunt of the expense since we are a “gold town”.