Region’s Newest School Board Sworn In

Vermont Standard
Curt Peterson
Standard Correspondent

After more than two years of hard work, 18 directors were sworn in as part of the new Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District, at a meeting in the Teagle Library at Woodstock Union High School/Middle School on Monday evening.

Most were very optimistic about the opportunities they believe the consolidation will provide for the children.

Vermont Agency of Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe had asked State Senator Alison Clarkson to officiate, as she could not attend. Clarkson’s first job was to swear in the 18 representatives – two from each of Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret and Reading, and six from Woodstock.

Clarkson then assisted in the directors’ election of Perrin Worrell, a director from Bridgewater, as temporary moderator. With Superintendent Mary Beth Banios’ help, Worrell orchestrated the election of Bridgewater’s Justin Shipman as permanent moderator, and Reading’s Tim Bishop as permanent clerk.

The first contested election inspired discussion over the position of permanent treasurer – both Richard Seaman, business manager for the Windsor Central Supervisory Union, and Calista Brennan, Clerk in Reading, were nominated. Discussion ensued over whether Brennan, who was absent from the meeting, or Seaman, who lives in New Hampshire and is not a resident voter in the new consolidated school district, could be elected,


and the vote was tabled until the next Board meeting.

New officers’ compensation brought more discussion. Paige Hiller, a Woodstock director, said historically, the clerk and moderator have not been compensated – only the treasurer is given a stipend as officer. The directors voted to set the moderator’s and clerk’s compensation at “zero,” and to table the Treasurer’s stipend decision until the next meeting.

“The only task for the treasurer before July 1,” Seaman commented, “would be to set up the list of accounts and file for tax identification numbers anyway.”

Compensation as directors was also set at “zero,” as compensation would be part of the 2018-2019 consolidated school budget sent to voters in March.


At left, Superintendent Mary Beth Banios is shown at Monday's meeting. Right, Sen. Alison Clarkson performs the swearing-in of the board members of the new WCMUUSD. Curt Peterson Photos
The group moved on to its first official Board meeting. Paige Hiller was elected chair, Jennifer Iannantuoni was elected vice-chair, and Tim Bishop was elected clerk. Rayna Bishop, Tim’s wife, volunteered to be uncompensated recording secretary until July.

Monthly meetings will take place after the regular WCSU meetings on the second Monday of each month, as most of the WCMUUSD directors also serve on the WCSU Board and would be present anyway.

The Board designated The Vermont Standard and The Mountain Times as their official newspapersof- record. Directors may repost notices anywhere else they think appropriate.

A name change was suggested to make talking about the consolidated district easier. Windsor Central School District, Windsor Central Unified District, and Windsor Central Unified School District were suggested. Everyone agreed a name change is a good idea, but the discussion was tabled for later consideration.

Dan French, professor at St. Michael’s College and a consultant, will make a presentation called, “We’ve Merged – Now What?”


at a special meeting to be arranged. The WCSU has money funding for the program, Banios said.

As for budgets, each local district will produce its individual budget, Hiller explained, and the WCMUUSD Board will combine those budgets into one unified submission for voters in all the participating towns.

A “Special Meeting” was then convened to discuss a proposal made by the Pittsfield School District to the WCSU – they wanted to know if the WCMUUSD would entertain a “3 by 1” arrangement with them. In this arrangement Pittsfield would remain an independent school district, but would cooperate with the WCMUUSD for purchasing and policy.

Iannantuoni pointed out that Pittsfield has no actual school and merely pays tuition wherever students go, and that all but one or two of their students attend Woodstock schools – about 100 in all. But the town does not want to give up “school choice.”

The directors haven’t received a written proposal from Pittsfield, and no one from Pittsfield was present to discuss the issue. They asked Banios to let Pittsfield know the WCMUUSD “would welcome a written proposal and would act on it as quickly as possible to assist in their meeting state deadlines.”

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Killington Voters OK Site Purchase

Vermont Standard
by Curt Peterson
Standard Correspondent


KILLINGTON – Voters at a town of Killington special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 5, approved a $634,000 bond issue to finance purchase of a new site for the Killington Fire and Rescue (KFR) Public Safety Building, by a ballot of 102 to 84.

According to resident Vito Rasenas, who publishes a blog called “As the Ski Turns” about Killington issues, and who serves on the Fire Department Facility Review Committee, the search for a new site has been going on almost three years and involved site visits of 13 properties.

The property chosen by the committee is 4 plus acres on Killington Road, just north of The Woods Resort and Spa at 405 Killington Road, and across from Peppino’s Ristorante Italiano.

“After all was said and done,” Rasenas wrote on August 30 promoting the purchase, “the site we chose was the most cost effective when combined land and development costs were considered.”

Other sites were rejected for various reasons – too much site work required, natural obstacles, steep slopes, not enough land, or, importantly, lacking easy access to either Killington Road or Rte. 4, Rasenas explained. Response time requirements dictated the appropriate location.

“No one can dispute the current firehouse needs to be replaced,” Rasenas wrote, citing Americans with Disabilities Act compliance problems, substandard fire and building code issues, zoning ordinance violations regarding set-backs and insufficient on-site parking.

A feasibility study by engineers Dore and Whittier deemed the building “structurally inadequate,” citing floor loading as a major issue.

According to a PowerPoint presentation used at the August 31 informational meeting, the original part of the firehouse, which is owned by KFR, was built in 1974, with two later additions, on just .68 acres on Killington Road.

“As much as the volunteers have done to keep up the current firehouse, you can only do so much to ‘perfume the pig’,” Rasenas posted.

The PowerPoint says the state has only allowed the facility to continue in use because Killington has been seeking a solution through purchase of a new site.

Not everyone in Killington agrees with Mr. Rasenas, as shown by the strong showing – 45 percent – among voters who wanted to turn down the bond issue proposal.

Rasenas alludes to two major objectors’ issues – site choice and finances. He said people have claimed there are “better deals” that could have been found, but he said no one has produced one when challenged.

As far as finances are concerned, the blogger said, “Analyses have been done which reflect that the current budget projections can absorb the cost of the project with no net effect going forward on budget or taxes.”

Town Manager Deborah Schwartz confirms this is true, as described in the PowerPoint. The bond includes $525,000 for the cost of the land and some pre-sale site work worth $20,000, engineering and design costs of $21,500, and architectural fees of $87,500.

Rasenas says upcoming retirement of significant town debt and growth in tax revenue is a result of the successful four-season destination efforts by Killington Resort and others mean financing the land purchase and the new Public Safety Facility will be accomplished comfortably by taxpayers.

Schwartz said Rasenas’ statement is accurate. “This means no net effect on town capital budget and debt service allocations,” as the PowerPoint says.

A vote on building the actual new Public Services Facility could take place at the 2018 Town Meeting, Schwartz added.

Ken Lee resigns from Killington Select Board

Ken Lee resigned from the Killington Selectboard last night. He cited the sale of his home and moving out of town as the reasons. The Select Board will have to appoint a replacement. Town officials held  a staff meeting to field suggestions from staff for replacement candidates.

The results of the Town of Killington's Special Town Meeting of September 5, 2017 are as follows:

ARTICLE 1. Shall the bonds of the Town of Killington in an amount not to exceed $634,000 be issued for the purpose of purchasing 4+/- acres of land on Killington Road, and obtaining architectural and engineering design for the construction of a new Public Safety Building for the Town of Killington?

102 - Yes
  84 - No

186 - Total Votes Cast 

Article 1 - PASSED

Public Safety Building proposal commentary

Lately much has been made about the cost of the proposed land purchase for the new Public Safety Building. Having been on the Firehouse Committee I can state unequivocally the committee exhausted all possible sites available with the criteria of land cost, development cost, and location along with other more specific criteria within those categories. We physically inspected 13 sites and assessed their suitably for construction of the proposed building. After all was said and done the site we chose was the most cost effective when combined land and development costs were considered. Some parcels were less expensive but required extensive site work and mitigation of natural obstacles such as wetlands, ledge, untenable slopes (a 10 degree slope is the maximum allowable). Other sites were too small, too expensive, did not have viable access to traffic on Killington Road or Route 4.

Some critics even say we don’t need the 4 acres. We on the committee went through several iterations of the building to try and fit it, the required travel lanes, and parking onto the various lot sizes and configurations. Some critics say there are better deals out there yet no one could point to one. I would challenge these critics to offer up a better more cost effective plan, on hopefully a more timely basis than on the eve of the vote. The current site search has run for close to three years. I would think that would have been more than enough time for any armchair real estate experts and town planners to come forward with a better proposal.

Then there are people who are legitimately asking if an appraisal of this property was done. It was not. It's questionable as to how much an appraisal would be worth in this situation. This property was not for sale. It was only through the site assessment of another parcel that the possibility of acquiring this parcel came to the fore. There are no comparable sites or current comparable sales. It is because the site was not for sale that an appraisal would be of limited use as leverage in price negotiations. We have already negotiated the price down from $550k to $525k to include $20,000 of site work (clearing, grading, and rough access road). For an appraisal to have negotiating value we would need to have an alternative to turn to if the seller decided to spurn the appraisal.

Whether you feel the price is too high or not, no one can dispute the current firehouse needs to be replaced. It is well documented it does not meet fire or building codes and is not ADA compliant. It is only through the grace of State and Federal authorities are able to keep it open. I imagine they let us get away with a decrepit structure because of their concern in keeping a functioning firehouse open to serve the public. If the structure was subject to local building ordinances a large part of it would have to be torn down as it is nowhere near setback requirements. Virtually all of the current firehouse’s parking is on a neighbor’s property. 

Our community has been desperately fighting for economic development and to increase its full time population. This proposal is in keeping with that goal. A new building would reflect that interest to potential new businesses, investors and residents. It would reflect the economic vitality spurred by the Resort’s (and Town’s) investments in so called 4 season amenities such as mountain biking trails, zip lines, etc. Our off season business has taken off since the Resort made those investments. A new edifice reflecting our community’s commitment to our town’s safe and secure future would go a long way to attracting new businesses and residents. 

Additionally, ours is a volunteer fire department. These people respond selflessly to medical emergencies, car accidents, search and rescue missions, as well as fires, not only in our town in surrounding towns as well. Oftentimes they put their lives on the line to keep other's lives and property intact. Wouldn’t you think that these selfless people deserve a decent facility to work out of?  Wouldn’t you think that maybe more volunteers would be attracted if they did not have to work in decrepit squalor? As much as the volunteers have done to keep up the current firehouse you can only do so much to “perfume the pig”. There’s no turning this sow’s ear into a silk purse.

I know this is a difficult decision because it does involve a significant expenditure of taxpayer funds. However, analyses have been done which reflect that the current budget projections can absorb the cost of the project with "no net effect going forward on budget or taxes". The town has been budgeting for capital improvements. That combined with significant amounts of debt being retired in the near future, golf course, etc., would allow the town to carry the cost without increases in future budgets.

Finally there are no more parcels, at least that we could find, that would support the Public Safety Building project as well as this parcel.

Please support the future of our community with an affirmative vote on the bond initiative.

Vote scheduled to purchase land for new public safety building – Informational meeting Aug. 31, vote Sept. 5

Courtesy of the town of Killington

Proposed new Killington public safety building on Killington Road.

By Polly Lynn Mikula

KILLINGTON—On Sept. 5 there will be a special town meeting vote asking residents to approve the purchase of land for a new public safety building on Killington Road to house the fire department and first responders, police department and Killington Search and Rescue.

The Fire Department Facility Review Committee and Killington Select Board will be holding a public informational hearing on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Killington Elementary School gym. The session will address why a new public safety building is needed; how co-locating the fire, rescue and police services will enhance public safety; and how the land costs will be covered with no net effect on the town budget or taxes.

Stephen Finneron, Otto Iannantuoni, Vito Rasenas and Andrew Salamon make up the town Fire Department Facility Review Committee.
The proposed land purchase is a four acre lot just southeast of Woods Road. The Woods Spa and Resort shares the site’s western border, and Peppino’s and Mountain Sports Inn are located across Killington Road. A separate road off Killington Road would be built to access the site.

“We need a new fire house on an emergency level,” Chet Hagenbarth, highway and facilities director, has said. “We’re in violation of state mandates. We have a fire department that doesn’t even meet fire code,” he said. “Nor does the fire department own all the land it currently occupies.”

While the committee first considered what it would take to retrofit the fire department at its current location, a lengthy report by architects Dore and Whittier in February 2015 concluded: “The current site is inadequate to meet the current needs and future needs of the Killington fire station and renovating the existing structure is not cost effective.”

Since, the committee has considered 13 potential sites weighing a multitude of criteria from ease of access and distance, to cost of site work, to cost and quantity of land available. The committee eventually concluded that the best site would be a four acre lot just south of Woods Road.

The town has negotiated a purchase price of $525,000 for the four acres of land. Additionally, owner Steve Durkee will provide $20,000 of in kind services to prep the site. Voters will be asked to approve $634,360, which includes the purchase of the land, plus engineering investigation and design ($21,860) and architectural design ($87,500) so that an accurate project cost and scope can be presented to the voters next summer (2018). If approved, construction would likely begin the summer of 2019.

Business warms to Killington’s summer

Rutland Herald | August 01, 2017

By GORDON DRITSCHILO
STAFF WRITER

The parking lot at Killington’s Snowshed lodge is filled with cars last week in the midst of its summer season. ROBERT LAYMAN / STAFF PHOTO

KILLINGTON — Twenty years ago, the Snowshed base area would have been vacant on a Friday afternoon in July.

It hops with activity now, as mountain bikers use the chair lift and families tackle the ropes course in the adventure park. It is visible evidence that talk of the Killington ski area becoming a fourseason resort has become reality.

While the resort tends not to release exact attendance numbers, officials have said lift-ticketed sales during the summer have seen double-digit increases in each of the last few years. Business owners say the effects are being felt away from the slopes as well.

“Things are definitely changing for the better up here,” Liquid Art owner Beth Sarandrea said Friday.

Now in her seventh year on the mountain, Sarandrea said she saw enough potential that she decided to keep the coffee shop open on weekends in June.

“Last year we weren’t even open a single day in June,” she said. “I’m not going to say we’re making money yet, but there’s potential for seeing more. … I want to be consistent and I want to see the town build on being a four-season resort.”

Sarandrea thinks the mountain would be doing even better if not for an unusually rainy summer.

“I feel good about August and September,” she said. “I think it’ll be better than previous years. … I really think it is the way this community needs to move forward. We really can’t just depend on the winter anymore.”

Sarandrea and other said the near-catastrophe of the 2015-16 ski season showed that they did not want to depend on winter weather.

The Inn at Long Trail has long stayed open through the summer, though they would close for much of the spring to make repairs and go on vacation. Co-owner Murray McGrath said their summer business has gone up by about a third in the last few years.

“I always knew summer would be huge if someone got into it and stayed the course,” co-owner Patty McGrath said, adding that previous campaigns to pull in more summer business had fizzled after about a year. “This signified the first persistent effort and it’s really paying off.”

McGrath said the success is due in part to the targeting of multiple demographics. In addition to mountain bikers and through-hikers, she said, the mountain is pulling in families with the adventure center.

“People who like to get away for the weekend know there’s going to be music, Cooler in the Mountains (free concert) going — all those things add up,” she said.

Mary Cohen, CEO of the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce, said the activity is even trickling down the mountain to the city and surrounding towns.

“We certainly have had quite a few people come down and look for trail maps down here,” she said. “ We need the locals to go up there as well in the summer — that would be a good base for them.”

Cohen said the whole region is expected to benefit from Killington’s expansion, and mountain biking is the centerpiece of the first phase of the regional marketing campaign.

“I think it’s safe to say we’ve seen pretty steady growth,” said Sasha Parise, general manager of the Karr Group, which owns Jax, the Foundry and the Pickle Barrel nightclub. “ The last two summers especially, we saw a marked increase in traffic.

This has applied to both the Foundry, which offers fancier dining, and Jax, which offers pub fare, pool tables and arcade games.

However, Parise said the growth stops short of the Pickle Barrel, which remains closed for the summer except for particular weekends with major events. 

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