Killington hires deputy police chief

By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | September 18,2013

 

Provided Photo

Former Senior Trooper Robert Giolito is shown with his canine partner, Mitch, when they were with the Vermont State Police. Giolito is now deputy police chief in Killington.

KILLINGTON — There’s a new deputy in town.

Robert Giolito is bringing his extensive law enforcement experience to the recently formed Killington Police Department, where he will serve as deputy chief.

The 38-year-old served for 10 years as a trooper with the Vermont State Police. He’s also a former member of the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department and — in addition to his 10-hour-a-week, $23-an-hour position at Killington — is currently an inspector with the Department of Motor Vehicles Commercial Enforcement Unit.

“I look forward to using my experience in public safety to assist Chief Whit Montgomery and the town of Killington as we form a police department,” Giolito said. “I live in the community and I want to give back to the community where I live.”

Giolito has already done that, as one of the founders of Killington Search and Rescue, a nonprofit organization specializing in backcountry rescues.

In February, the town transitioned from a constable department to a municipal police department, following a unanimous vote by the Select Board. Montgomery, who was elected as first constable by voters on Town Meeting Day, was appointed the town’s first police chief in June.

Montgomery said he looked forward to having Giolito on the force.

“Bob possesses the skills, knowledge and experience to excel in this position and in this town,” he said. “His law enforcement background and education, as well as wilderness leadership, makes him particularly well-suited to serve our community. This is a great fit.”

Giolito is a graduate of Unity College in Maine and is a full-time police officer certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council. He also spent three years doing ski patrol for Killington Resort.

“The positive relationships and stellar reputation Bob has built with other agencies in our region will be a big plus to our new police department and a valuable asset to the community,” said Town manager Seth Webb. “We are fortunate to have him on our team.”

Giolito has a police dog, Mitch, who works with him in drug detection for DMV enforcement; however, Mitch will not join Giolito on the job in Killington.

Giolito will continue to work Monday through Friday for DMV enforcement and will be on call and on patrol nights, weekends and holidays for Killington.

josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com

 

Comment: So far all chiefs and no indians. I advocated for an increased police budget so we could get increased patrols during the off season when a lot of break ins occur. Hopefully there is more staffing to come.

Vito

Killington Chamber considering financial aid request from Town

At the EDTC meeting last night, member Bill Mercier, who is also a Chamber of Commerce member, related to the rest of the commission that the Chamber will be coming with its hand out to the commission seeking funds to support the conversion of Bill's Country Store to a visitor's center and, I would surmise, to subsidize its operations on a going forward basis. This because Mercier also floated the notion of the town providing staffing for the visitors center.
He explained that the Chamber could not afford to finish the project or staff it.
This is no surprise as I always thought the Bill's five intention was to ram the Bill's Country Store/Visitor's Center down the taxpayer's throats. If they can't afford it now they couldn't afford it a year ago either. They had the best ski season in recent years and should have had some discretionary funds to do the build out. However certain partners were investing and spending elsewhere. Chris Carr took over the Foundry (and rumour has it, is investing in a restaurant in the Boston area) and Steve Durkee is spending tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands in legal fighting the ski village,  the best economic development project the region has seen since the establishment of Killington ski resort.
There also seems to be some question as to whether the Chamber is in fact a tax exempt non profit. When asked by Jim Haff whether the Chamber was in fact non profit Mercier's reply was that it's a 501(c)6 organization. Upon checking the IRS database of registered 501(c) entities no entry was found for the Killington Chamber of Commerce.
When all is said and done, what is the point of  a visitor's center anyway. Beyond providing public bathrooms I can't think of anything. If money is going to be spent on economic development and tourism the point is to bring people to the area. How is a visitor's center going to accomplish that - it
only gets used when the tourists get here, it doesn't draw them here.
With all the looming property tax increases between the state and local funding needs do we really need to add to the tax burden with something as ill conceived as this visitor's center?

Vito

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.