Killington chamber cuts funding for shuttle bus service

By Gordon Dritschilo
Staff Writer | September 07,2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

The shuttle connects to regional bus routes on Route 4.

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

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

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

@Tagline:gordon.dritschilo

@rutlandherald.com

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

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

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

Vito

Golf tournament raked in the cash

September 04,2013

 Rutland Herald

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vito

Killington hears options on health coverage

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | August 22,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — With more freedom comes greater responsibility for municipal employees under the upcoming new health care system.

Like many Vermont towns, Killington is facing change in the way its employees receive health insurance. Under the new system — also known as the exchange, or Vermont Health Connect — employees will have a greater say next year in choosing their health insurance, but greater responsibility in choosing their provider and other details.

Tuesday night, town officials heard from an expert on the subject.

The Select Board listened to a presentation from David Sichel, deputy director of risk management services for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. He discussed the changes faced by small employers — such as Killington, and most towns in the state — during the next four months.

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known to both proponents and opponents as Obamacare. Upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012, the law goes into effect Jan. 1, requiring action on the part of both employers and employees, mostly surrounding how they purchase health insurance.

The town of Killington currently insures 10 municipal employees and two employees of the Green Mountain National Golf Course. An additional four employees opt out of the town’s insurance plan, which is provided through Blue Cross Blue Shield, with a $2,500 deductible for individuals and a $5,000 deductible for families.

It is unclear exactly how much the town spends for health insurance. For 2013, the town budgeted $187,008 for insurance, but that figure also includes vision and dental. Town Manager Seth Webb said the majority of the health insurance expense is employer premiums to Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The town currently decides which provider to use and how much it will contribute per employee. Under the new system, the town must decide how much money to contribute, but has the option of designating a provider or leaving that choice up to the employee.

If the town offers employees the option to choose a provider, it will be up to the employee make that choice using Vermont Health Connect, the clearinghouse for insurance providers and — for Killington and other employers with less than 50 workers — what Sichel called “the only game in town.”

Select Board Chairman Chris Bianchi asked about the advantage of designating a provider. Sichel said he could not think of one, but providers would be happy to make a compelling argument for why they should be chosen.

Assuming an employer leaves the choice of provider up to the employee, it will be up to the employee to use Vermont Health Connect to shop for a provider. Sichel compared Vermont Health Connect to the travel website Orbitz, in which a customer can go online, compare prices and services, and make a purchase.

“From the state’s perspective, they want to separate health insurance from employment,” Sichel said.

Vermont Health Connect is scheduled to be up and running Oct. 1 and both employers and employees have until Dec. 15 to register with the exchange and choose a provider, with insurance benefits beginning Jan. 1.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

 

Comment: That's about $15,000 per employee the town pays currently. All indications are that number will rise. Along with proposed budget increases for road maintenance (2 million in expenditures over the next two years), schoolhouse renovation, diminished golf course revenues (and looming capital expenditures such as renewal of the irrigation system anywhere form 1-2 million), proposed new firehouse and the fact we may not have the "undesignated funds" to disburse as we did last year for things like the golf course sinking fund, some say we are going to be looking at a 10 cent or more property tax increase on the municipal side.

Vito

Killington eyes kayak access to river

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | August 10,2013

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — A proposal by the town could offer improved access to a stretch of the Ottauquechee River dubbed “Killington’s Little Amazon.”

During a recent meeting, the Select Board unanimously voted to support a plan for the town to receive two parcels of land from Killington Resort to create put-in anud take-out areas for kayakers who wish to paddle a scenic 2.5-mile stretch of river running parallel to Route 4.

“Compared to other kayak venues, it offers something very different, which is a narrow, winding river with wildlife views, as opposed to just being on an open pond or an open lake,” said Select Board Chairman Chris Bianchi when comparing the river run to other local paddling spots, such as Kent Pond.

Fellow board member Patty McGrath, who owns the Inn at Long Trail, also supported the addition of a summer outdoor activity.

“As a lodge owner, it will be good to be able to say there is a kayak trail,” McGrath said. “It’s a good way to promote the area, plus to say we have other things to do.”

The plan, a collaboration between the town’s Trails Committee and Killington Resort, would include constructing a boat launch and a small parking area on Rabeck Mountain Road, as well as a take-out area on Mission Farm Road.

When taking out, kayakers would park their vehicles in the Skyeship parking lot on Route 4 and carry their boats along a gravel path from Mission Farm Road.

Killington Resort owns both parcels of land where the put-in and take-out areas would be located. Town Manager Seth Webb said the town had discussed the possibility of Killington Resort giving the town an easement to use the property, with the resort expressing reservations because of insurance and potential liability.

Instead, Killington Resort is willing to deed the land to the town at a cost of $1. Removing the property from the tax rolls would result in a total loss of tax revenue of roughly $2,000, Webb said.

The plan also includes a trail along the kayak run, which takes anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours to paddle. The Pasta Pot restaurant has agreed to maintain the trail.

Mark Bragg, owner of Kayak King Kayak Rentals, which operates out of Base Camp Outfitters on Route 4, looked forward to increased access to the river.

“You can’t believe how close you are to Route 4 and you never even know it,” said Bragg. “It’s a beautiful run. You’re sheltered by trees from the road and all you see are mountains on both sides. It’s Killington’s Little Amazon.”

josh.ogorman

@rutlandherald.com

KMS embarks on major fundraiser for new training venue

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | July 30,2013

Rutland Herald

 

Image provided

A conceptual drawing shows Killington Mountain School’s proposed projectto create a space for students to practice racing, moguls, snowboarding and free-skiing.

KILLINGTON — Killington Mountain School has begun an ambitious fundraising campaign to create a world-class competition and training venue.

The accredited school — with alumni who include Olympians and a U.S. National Freestyle champion — is planning a three-phase, $1.25 million project to create a space for students to practice racing, moguls, snowboarding and free-skiing disciplines.

KMS hopes to break ground on the first phase in September, but the clock is ticking for the school to raise the funds.

This month, the school announced it has received a $275,000 gift toward the project from an anonymous donor. The donation represents one-half of the projected $550,000 budget for the first phase.

The donation also represents a challenge to school officials, alumni and supporters: KMS has until Aug. 30 to raise the remaining $275,000.

“We’re about 2 weeks into our pledging period and we’ve received $75,000 in pledges,” said Tao Smith, head of school at KMS. “The largest amount of solicitations have been made and now we’re just waiting to hear back.”

Smith said his school is targeting donors who are capable — and hopefully willing — to give between $5,000 and $25,000.

“We have a lot of people sending in donations of $100 to $200, which we appreciate, but we don’t have enough time to reach our goal with those size donations,” Smith said.

The first phase of the project involves cutting a new, 220-meter mogul course and making improvements to the Highline racing trail. The improvements will include widening the trail to meet modern competition standards.

“The trails our kids are on were cut 40, 50 and 60 years ago, and a lot has changed since then,” Smith said. “A lot of venues have had to modernize their trails to keep up with upgrades in technology and increases in speed.”

The second phase of the project, which is scheduled to open in 2015, will include buildings at the starting and finishing lines, lights and a lift. With the current lift system, students can make three runs an hour. With the new lift, Smith said, they will be able to make five or six runs in an hour.

Phase III — to be completed in 2016 — will make improvements to snowmaking equipment.

For more information about the project, or to make a donation, visit www.killingtonmountainschool.org/trailsinitiative.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

 

Comment: 

It's good to see this effort and the revival of the Trike Rice by Chris Carr. These private efforts are what needs to be done to promote business activity in our town as opposed to using tax dollars. It's nice to see these businesses helping htemselves.

There are major budget considerations coming up in the near future, 3.5 million in road improvements and 1 -2 million for the GMNGC sprinkler system.  Spending taxpayers money on so called economic development schemes that benefit only a handful of businesses is simply not justifiable with these looming expenses.

Killington historians look to create museum

By Josh O’Gorman
STAF WRITER | July 18,2013

Rutland Herald

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KILLINGTON — The Sherburne Historians are looking for support from the town to restore the former teen center and turn it into a museum.

Peggy Mowle, president of the Sherburne Historians, pitched her case to the Select Board during their meeting Monday night.

“We would like to correct the foundation this year, if possible,” Mowle told the Board. “We would like the town to help us with it. We could put it to a town vote next spring and see what the town would like to do.”

The building was built sometime in the 19th century — records are unclear regarding the exact year — in West Bridgewater. At some point during the latter half of the 20th century, the town bought the building for $10 and paid another $40 to move it to its current location, across River Road from the Sherburne Memorial Library.

The building was home to the town library, and later the Killington Teen Center, which has been inactive for at least the last three years. In 2011, flooding from Tropical Storm Irene damaged the building.

The most immediate concern is the state of the foundation, which is cracked and takes on water flowing down the hill behind it. A report from the McKernon Group — a construction company based in Brandon — estimated the cost to repair the foundation at $24,000.

The town has $10,000 left in flood insurance money from Tropical Storm Irene, which must be spent this year. By coincidence, the town has received an estimate of $10,000 to demolish the building, a move not supported by Select Board Chairman Chris Bianchi, who said he would prefer to use the remaining insurance money to repair the structure.

He also supported the idea of putting the issue to voters during town meeting in March.

“I would support putting an article on the ballot asking voters to spend money on the building and see if they want to do it,” Bianchi said.

In the short term, Mowle asked if the town’s maintenance crew could use its personnel and equipment to cut drains into the earth around the building to mitigate flooding.

Chet Hagenbarth, director of the town’s highway and facilities department, said his crew is up to the job.

“Spending a few days putting in a drain would not be a huge issue,” Hagenbarth said.

josh.ogorman

@rutlandherald.com

 

 

Comment: This is very interesting. Earlier in the year the Historical Society stated it would find other means than taxpayer money to fund the rehab of this building. Now the town is going to spend a few days of the road crew (which is already asking for overbudget money for several projects)putting a bandaid on the property and have a referendum on whether the town should take on the additional costs of the rehab.

The historical society has been offered space in Bill's Country Store for their needs yet insists on putting this is front of the voters. 

Is there anyone around who went to this schollhouse. Why is there no more than cursory provenance on this building? What is its claim to fame beyond its decreptitude? What is its historical significance?

If I remember correctly initial estimates of the total rehab was in the hundreds of thousands. Is it really worth it or are political settlements being made from the last election?

 

Vito

Fiber-optic cable to boost Internet speed

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

Rutland Herald

 

KILLINGTON — Residents and business owners will soon receive the same fast Internet as some other nearby towns.

By a unanimous vote this week, the Select Board approved an underground dig permit for the Vermont Telephone Co., or VTel, to bury fiber-optic cable around town.

“The goal is to provide every home and business a fiber connection for telephone, Internet and IP (Internet protocol) television if desired,” said Town Manager Seth Webb.

Bill Hinckley, senior project controls manager for VTel, apprised the board of his company’s plans.

According to Hinckley, VTel will replace existing copper wire with fiber, which allows electricity carrying telephone, Internet and television signals to travel much faster and at a greater volume than through a copper digital subscriber line (DSL).

“DSL, as you know, is very slow compared to fiber-optic service,” Hinckley said.

The utility says fiber optic is about 40 times as fast as DSL. VTel is rolling out the fiber improvements and has so far upgraded connections in Springfield, North Springfield and Middletown Springs. As with the upgrades in those towns, an engineer working for VTEL will — as Hinckley put it — “walk every foot” of the proposed work with the town’s road foreman to identify any conflicts between VTel’s project and road maintenance.

The fiber upgrade will be done at no expense to the town, with the money coming from federal stimulus money and capital investment by VTel. Under the conditions of the permit, VTel will return all roads to their original condition, and should the town decide to widen or relocate a road, VTel will relocate the fiber cable.

Hinckley said the upgraded service won’t raise customers’ rates.

“If you have telephone today, you’ll have telephone tomorrow with no change to your bill,” he said. “If you have a telephone and DSL, you’ll have telephone and fiber optic at no extra charge.”

In addition to telephone and Internet, some VTel customers will also be able to use their Internet connections to watch television. VTel is currently testing its IP television service, which offers more than 500 channels.

“From what I’ve seen so far, it’s a great, clear picture. There’s no delay in changing channels like there is with Comcast,” said Hinckley, who told the Select Board the television service would be priced to compete with cable company Comcast and satellite television providers Dish Network and DIRECTV.

VTel is expected to complete its main line work by the end of October and will make making connections to homes and businesses throughout the winter.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com