April 4 2014 a section

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River watch

Petition effort

Dream team

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ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT Vol. 68 No. 14

Middlebury, Vermont

â—†

Thursday, April 3, 2014 â—† 46 Pages

75¢

VUHS  board  OKs  School consolidation: cost vs. benefit reduction  in  staff Superintendents weigh in on pivotal issue District  unsure  where  cuts  will  come  from By  ZACH  DESPART VERGENNES  â€”  The  Vergennes  8QLRQ +LJK 6FKRRO ERDUG RQ 0RQ-­ day  moved  to  adopt  a  new  spending  plan,  which  would  bring  spending  below  the  current  level  and  cut  the  HTXLYDOHQW RI ÂżYH IXOO WLPH VWDII SR-­ VLWLRQV ,W ZDV D PRYH ERDUG PHP-­ bers  said  was  necessary  to  rein  in  FRVWV DIWHU YRWHUV UHMHFWHG WKHLU ÂżUVW proposal  by  more  than  200  votes  on  0DUFK Board  member  Neil  Kamman  said  WKLV EXGJHW LV WKH PRVW GLIÂżFXOW KH has  ever  worked  on,  but  he  supported  FXWWLQJ VWDII Âł,W PDNH PH KHDUWVLFN WR GR WKLV EXW ,ÂśP JRLQJ WR KDYH WR YRWH IRU WKLV ´ .DPPDQ VDLG Âł, WUXO\ EHOLHYH LWÂśV WKH RQO\ ZD\ ZH FDQ JHW SDVW QH[W \HDU DQG JHW RQ HYHQ IRRWLQJ ´ Faculty  at  Monday’s  meeting  of-­ fered  a  different  perspective  on  re-­ GXFLQJ WKH VFKRROÂśV VWDII Âł<RXÂśUH DVNLQJ XV WR WKURZ ÂżYH RI our  colleagues  under  the  bus  to  cut  what  we’re  doing  here  to  make  our Â

jobs  harder,â€?  teacher  Steve  Orzech  VDLG Âł7KH\ÂśUH QRW JRLQJ WR VXSSRUW WKLV DQG , FDQÂśW LQ JRRG FRQVFLHQFH VD\ WKDW WHDFKHUV ZLOO VD\ ÂľWKURZ ÂżYH RI XV RXW ϫ By  a  vote  of  4-­1,  the  board  moved  to  accept  a  proposed  budget  of  7KDW ÂżJXUH LV OHVV WKDQ WKH SURSRVHG budget  voters  shot  down  on  Town  0HHWLQJ 'D\ 7KDW ÂżJXUH LV DOVR DERXW less  than  the  current  budget  of  URXJKO\ PLOOLRQ The  school  board  plans  to  for-­ mally  warn  the  new  budget  proposal  DW WKHLU QH[W PHHWLQJ RQ $SULO LQ order  for  the  public  to  have  time  to  review  the  new  plan  before  a  vote  that  could  be  scheduled  later  in  April  RU HDUO\ 0D\ The  budget  reduction  will  require  WKH OD\RIIV RI ÂżYH IXOO WLPH HTXLYD-­ lent  positions,  Addison  Northwest  6XSHUYLVRU\ 8QLRQ 6XSHULQWHQGHQW 7RP 2Âś%ULHQ FRQÂżUPHG $W 0RQ-­ (See  VUHS,  Page  14A)

College  student  seeks  Addison-­1  House  seat By  JOHN  FLOWERS current  sophomore  at  0 , ' ' / ( % 8 5 < “I believe by Middlebury  College,  â€”  Calvin  McEathron  eliminating the ,ÂśP GHHSO\ DIIHFWHG should  be  pretty  well  cloud computing by  the  issues  facing  set  up  to  pursue  a  career  our  state,â€?  McEathron  as  a  politician  if  he  suc-­ tax as well as VDLG Âł)URP WKH H[RGXV cessfully  earns  a  bache-­ making tax of  our  young  profes-­ lor’s  degree  in  political  credits available sionals  to  our  declin-­ science  and  economics  ing  school  enrollment  for private from  Middlebury  Col-­ and  waning  dairy  in-­ investment in OHJH LQ dustry,  Vermonters  But  McEathron,  a  Vermont, we QHHG VRPHRQH LQ RIÂżFH 20-­year-­old  sopho-­ can see some who  has  grown  up  fac-­ more,  doesn’t  plan  on  LQJ WKHVH FKDOOHQJHV ´ waiting  another  two  changes.â€? And  McEathron  said  years  before  making  â€” Calvin McEathron he  has  been  affected  his  mark  in  the  legisla-­ by  many  of  the  issues  WLYH DUHQD 7KH (DVW 0RQWSHOLHU QD-­ he  hopes  to  tackle  as  an  Addison-­1  WLYH FRQÂżUPHG RQ 7XHVGD\ KH SODQV +RXVH UHSUHVHQWDWLYH +H MRLQV D UDFH to  run  for  one  of  Middlebury’s  two  WKDW RIÂżFLDOO\ LQFOXGHV LQFXPEHQW seats  in  the  Vermont  House,  a  cam-­ 5HS %HWW\ 1XRYR ' 0LGGOHEXU\ paign  he  will  pursue  as  an  indepen-­ and  fellow  Democrat  Donna  Dona-­ GHQW KXH 'HPRFUDW $P\ 6KHOGRQ KDV (See  McEathron,  Page  19A) “As  a  lifelong  Vermonter  and  a Â

By the way Eight  local  youngsters  will  be  among  the  76  bright  students  from  across  Vermont  who  will  compete  on  Friday  in  the  state-­level  compe-­ tition  of  the  26th  annual  National  Geographic  Bee  at  Middlebury  College.  The  winner  here  will  represent  the  state  in  the  national  competition  in  May  in  Washing-­ ton,  D.C.  The  preliminary  rounds  VWDUW DW S P DQG WKH ¿QDOV EHJLQ at  3.  Good  luck  to  Thomas  Carr  of  Bristol  (Mount  Abe  seventh-­grad-­ er),  Danny  Wiles  of  Brandon  (Ne-­ shobe  sixth-­grader),  Fyn  Fernan-­ dez  (MUMS  eighth-­grader),  Colby  (See  By  the  way,  Page  6A)

Index Obituaries $ &ODVVL¿HGV % % Service  Directory % % Entertainment 17A Community  Calendar $ $ Sports 1B-­4B

Editor’s  note:  Vermont  is  going  but  the  educational  needs  of  today  through  a  remarkable  change  in  don’t  meet  the  idyllic  models  from  the  way  it  delivers  education  to  its  WKH SDVW %DURQH VDLG “Most  New  Englanders  would  children,  a  change  that  could  be  on  say  if  it  ain’t  par  with  the  end  of  EURNH GRQÂśW Âż[ one-­room  school  LW ´ KH VDLG Âł2XU houses.  As  law-­ system  is  broken,  makers  in  Mont-­ and  it  needs  to  be  pelier  wrestle  with  ¿[HG DQG ZH QHHG what  this  change  to  keep  in  mind  al-­ will  encompass,  ways  what’s  best  newspapers  in  the  IRU NLGV ´ Champlain  Valley  For  years,  Ver-­ Newspaper  Group  02173(/,(5 ² $ ELOO mont  has  discussed  are  seeking  per-­ working  its  way  through  the  pros  and  cons  spective  on  school  the  Vermont  House  of  Rep-­ of  school  consoli-­ consolidation  from   resentatives  would  dramat-­ dation,  and  now  key  players  in  Ver-­ ically  alter  the  way  primary  the  Legislature  is  mont  education.  and  secondary  schools  in  considering  an-­ This  week,  we’ve  the  Green  Mountain  State  RWKHU ELOO + talked  with  super-­ DUH JRYHUQHG to  eliminate  super-­ intendents,  who  %LOO + Âł$Q $FW 5H-­ visory  unions  in  play  a  pivotal  role  ODWLQJ 7R ([SDQGHG 3UH-­ favor  of  a  number  as  intermediary  kindergarten–Grade  12  of  large  school  dis-­ between  students  School  Districts,â€?  would,  if  WULFWV 7KH JRDO LV and  teachers  on  the  (See  Bill,  Page  12A) to  improve  educa-­ one  hand  and  regu-­ tion  while  address-­ lators  and  policy-­ ing  its  ever-­rising  cost  in  the  face  makers  on  the  other.  of  declining  student  enrollment  (see  By  CHAMPLAIN  VALLEY  VLGHEDU $IWHU EXGJHWV IDLOHG RQ NEWSPAPER  GROUP  STAFF VERMONT  â€”  A  Norman  Rock-­ Town  Meeting  Day,  there  seems  to  well  painting  depicting  children  EH VRPH PRPHQWXP EHKLQG + ,I SDVVHG WKH ELOO ZRXOG UHGXFH playing  in  front  of  a  one-­room  schoolhouse  adorns  Milton  Super-­ by  the  year  2020  the  number  of  mu-­ LQWHQGHQW -RKQ %DURQHÂśV RIÂżFH ,WÂśV QLFLSDO VFKRRO GLVWULFWV IURP WR a  traditional  scene  that  could  have  HOLPLQDWH WKH VWDWHÂśV VXSHU-­ been  modeled  after  many  Vermont  visory  unions  and  require  the  for-­ PDWLRQ RI UHJLRQDO VFKRRO GLVWULFWV WRZQV QRW VR PDQ\ \HDUV DJR School  buildings  are  still  the  7KRVH H[SDQGHG GLVWULFWV ZRXOG RS-­ RUTLAND  NORTHEAST  SUPERINTENDENT  John  Castle  said  the  hubs  of  our  communities  â€”  the  erate  under  one  board,  a  minimum  VFKRROV KH RYHUVHHV WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI DQ\ HIÂżFLHQFLHV WKH\ FDQ EXW sites  of  town  meetings,  concerts,  of  1,200  students  in  pre-­kindergar-­ he  believes  the  current  school  consolidation  plan  on  the  table  would  QRW EHQHÂżW VPDOO VFKRROV DQG FRPPXQLWLHV potlucks  and  other  gatherings  â€”  (See  Consolidation,  Page  12A) Photo  by  Lee  J.  Kahrs/Brandon  Reporter

Bill would cut dramatically the number of districts, boards

Porter  CEO  Jim  Daily  announces  retirement Will  leave  in  2016  following  32  years By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² 7KH SDVW WKUHH decades  have  brought  myriad  changes  to  Vermont’s  health  care  landscape,  but  one  thing  has  remained  constant:  James  Daily  and  his  stewardship  of  3RUWHU 0HGLFDO &HQWHU 30& But  the  sun  must  inevitably  set  on Â

Daily’s  tenure  as  CEO  and  president  RI WKH 0LGGOHEXU\ LQVWLWXWLRQ 'DLO\ last  week  announced  he  will  retire  by  HDUO\ HQGLQJ ZKDW KDV EHHQ D legendary  run  at  the  helm  of  Addison  &RXQW\ÂśV FRPPXQLW\ KRVSLWDO Âł,ÂśYH EHHQ LPPHQVHO\ OXFN\ ´ 'DLO\ VDLG Âł7R EH DEOH WR FRPH WR D SODFH OLNH WKLV DQG VHUYH \HDUV ² E\ WKH WLPH , OHDYH ² \RX FDQÂśW FRPSODLQ 3RUWHU KDV EHHQ JRRG WR PH 0LGGOH-­ EXU\ KDV EHHQ JRRG WR PH 7KLV KDV

EHHQ DQ H[FHOOHQW H[SHULHQFH IRU PH ´ 'DLO\ KDV VSHQW PRUH WKDQ KDOI KLV OLIH DW WKH KHOP RI 30& +H VLJQHG RQ LQ DV SUHVLGHQW DQG FKLHI H[HF-­ XWLYH RIÂżFHU RI ZKDW ZDV WKHQ D VROLG but  very  basic,  community  hospital  with  limited  technology,  few  capital  assets  and  a  limited  capacity  to  take  on  WKH WRXJKHVW FDVHV Âł:KHQ , FDPH WKLV SODFH ZDV UH-­ ally  just  some  clay,â€?  Daily  said  with  a  FKXFNOH Âł:H KDG WR GR D ORW RI ZRUN

on  basic  infrastructure,  for  starters,  be-­ fore  we  could  do  anything  that  people  ZRXOG LGHQWLI\ XV ZLWK , KDG D JUHDW front-­row  seat  to  see  a  place  come  from  a  very  basic  community  hospital  to  a  critical  access  hospital  with  as  so-­ phisticated  an  imaging/X-­ray  depart-­ PHQW DV \RXÂśOO ÂżQG :H KDYH D PRGHUQ birthing  center,  a  surgical  suite  that’s  DV JRRG DV DQ\WKLQJ \RXÂśOO ÂżQG LQ WKLV state,  region  and  probably  in  this  coun-­ (See  Daily,  Page  20A)

Lawmakers  debate  shorelands  protection,  GMO  bills By  ZACH  DESPART %5,'3257 ² 7ZR LVVXHV GRPL-­ nated  the  conversation  at  the  an-­ nual  legislative  luncheon  Monday  in  Bridport:  bills  in  the  Legislature  to  mandate  the  labeling  of  genetically  PRGLÂżHG IRRGV DQG SROOXWLRQ UHJXOD-­ WLRQV DIIHFWLQJ /DNH &KDPSODLQ Farmers,  community  members  and  legislators  packed  the  Bridport  Community  Hall  Monday  for  the  luncheon  devoted  to  agriculture  is-­ VXHV 6WDWH 5HSV +DUYH\ 6PLWK 5 New  Haven,  Diane  Lanpher,  D-­Ver-­ gennes,  Willem  Jewett,  D-­Ripton,  DQG :LOO 6WHYHQV , 6KRUHKDP ZHUH on  hand  to  discuss  agricultural  issues  IDFLQJ $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ IDUPHUV Ed  Payne  of  Bridport  said  he  did  not  think  a  law  that  mandates  label-­ LQJ RI JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGLÂżHG IRRGV RIWHQ FDOOHG JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGLÂżHG organisms,  or  GMOs)  was  necessary,  since  food  producers  can  label  their  SURGXFWV DV RUJDQLF Âł, IHHO ZH KDYH UHDOO\ DGGUHVVHG LW because  people  who  were  interested  LQ IRRGVWXIIV H[FOXGHG RI WKHVH DG-­ ditives  already  have  the  solution,  ZLWK RUJDQLF ODEHOLQJ ´ 3D\QH VDLG “The  Legislature  should  stop  fooling  around  with  all  this  stuff,  and  get  on  ZLWK LW ´ Addison  resident  John  Ball  dis-­ agreed  with  Payne,  and  argued  that  GMOs  were  a  danger  to  both  humans  DQG OLYHVWRFN Âł,ÂśP RQ WKH RSSRVLWH VLGH RI WKH LV-­ REP.  HARVEY  SMITH  responds  to  a  question  during  the  annual  Ag  Lunch  in  the  Bridport  Community  Hall  Monday  afternoon.  Legislators  focused  VXH RQ WKLV RQH ´ %DOO VDLG Âł, ZDQW WR on  the  GMO  and  shoreline  protection  bills  during  the  lunch. (See  Ag  Lunch,  Page  18A) Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell

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