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ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT Vol. 67 No. 3
Middlebury, Vermont
â—†
Thursday, January 17, 2013
â—†
42 Pages
75¢
VUHS  spending  driven  higher  by  special  ed  costs By  ANDY  KIRKALDY SURSRVLQJ D QHZ EXGJHW 7KRVH QHZ VERGENNES  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  A  major  in- FRVWV DUH ODUJHO\ LQ RXW RI GLVWULFW FUHDVH LQ VSHFLDO HGXFDWLRQ FRVWV OHG WXLWLRQ DQG WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ H[SHQVHV the  Vergennes  Union  High  School  over  which  they  have  no  control.  ERDUG RQ 0RQGD\ WR SURSRVH D 7KRVH DGGLWLRQDO H[SHQVHV DORQH EXGJHW WKDW LI ZRXOG ERRVW WKH DSSURYHG E\ $GGL- FXUUHQW EXGJHW RI son  Northwest  Su- URXJKO\ PLO- pervisory  Union  vot- lion  by  3.3  percent,  HUV LQ 0DUFK ZRXOG RIÂżFLDOV VDLG ERRVW 98+6 VSHQG- The  rest  of  higher  ing  by  5.98  percent. SURSRVHG 98+6 7KH ERDUGÂśV Âż- VSHQGLQJ LV WKH GL- nal  proposal  after  a  rect  result  of  con- By  ANDY  KIRKALDY number  of  meetings  WUDFWHG UDLVHV IRU VERGENNES  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  With  LV MXVW VKRUW 98+6 WHDFKHUV DQG 0RQGD\ÂśV DGRSWLRQ RI RI PLOOLRQ DQG other  employees  D SURSRVHG PLOOLRQ FDOOV IRU D VSHQGLQJ DQG IRU WKH FRVWV RI Vergennes  Union  High  increase  of  almost  SURYLGLQJ EHQHÂżWV 6FKRRO EXGJHW HVWLPDWHV most  notably  health  IRU $GGLVRQ 1RUWK- $GRSWLRQ RI WKH insurance. west  Supervisory  Union  EXGJHW DOVR DOORZHG $1Z68 RIÂżFLDOV school  tax  rates  have  also  VFKRRO RIÂżFLDOV WR UH- ZHUH WROG WR H[SHFW EHHQ UHOHDVHG DQG VKRZ D OHDVH ÂżQDO HVWLPDWHV an  increase  in  health  (See  ANwSU,  Page  16A) 6,9$1 &27(/ +($' RI RSHUDWLRQV DQG ÂżQDQFH IRU :KLVWOH3LJ JXLGHV D VLWH YLVLW RI WKH 6KRUHKDP FRPSDQ\ÂśV IDUP DQG ERWWOLQJ RSHUDWLRQ 7XHV- of  the  impact  of  pro- insurance  costs  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  day  morning  as  part  of  a  District  9  Environmental  Commission  review.  The  commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  decision  could  have  an  effect  on  whether  agricultural  SRVHG DOUHDG\ KLJKHU WKDQ operations  need  Act  250  permits. VFKRRO VSHQGLQJ RQ ORFDO SURSHUW\ PLOOLRQ LQ WKH 98+6 EXGJHW ² Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell tax  rates  (see  story). RI EHWZHHQ DQG SHUFHQW DQG 98+6 RIÂżFLDOV VDLG RI DW WKH UHFRPPHQGDWLRQ RI 6XSHULQ- QHZ VSHFLDO HGXFDWLRQ FRVWV LV OHDY- WHQGHQW 7RP 2Âś%ULHQ DOO $1Z68 LQJ WKHLU KDQGV HVVHQWLDOO\ WLHG LQ (See  VUHS,  Page  16A) SHUPLW KH QHHGV WR SURFHHG ZLWK KLV SURSRVHG FRXOG KDYH RQ VWDWH UHYLHZ RI IXWXUH DJULFXOWXUDO RQ VLWH ZKLVNH\ GLVWLOOHU\ 6RPH RI KLV QHLJKERUV projects.  KDYH VHUYHG QRWLFH WKH\ ZLOO FRQWHVW WKH SURMHFW ,Q D UHODWHG SDUDOOHO PDWWHU 'LVWULFW (QYLURQ- EDVHG RQ WKHLU FRQFHUQV DERXW WKH SURSRVHG HQWHU- PHQWDO &RPPLVVLRQ &RRUGLQDWRU *HRIIUH\ *UHHQ By  JOHN  FLOWERS SULVH WKDW LQFOXGH WKH SRWHQWLDO VSUHDG RI D EODFN KDV EHHQ DVNHG WR LVVXH D MXULVGLFWLRQDO RSLQLRQ 0,''/(%85< ² :KLVWOH3LJ RZQHU DQG PROG WKDW WKH\ EHOLHYH ZLOO EH D E\SURGXFW RI RQ ZKDW FRPSRQHQWV RI WKH :KLVWOH3LJ SURMHFW IRXQGHU 5DM %KDWND KDG KRSHG WKLV \HDU WR EHJLQ WKH ZKLVNH\ PDNLQJ SURFHVV ² D PROG WKH\ IHDU VKRXOG EH VXEMHFW WR $FW UHYLHZ 9HUPRQW harvesting  rye  grown  on  his  500-Âacre  farm  off  FRXOG HQYHORS DQG GDPDJH DGMDFHQW IRUHVWODQG D DJULFXOWXUDO RSHUDWLRQV KDYH KLVWRULFDOO\ HQMR\HG 6KRUHKDPÂśV 4XLHW 9DOOH\ 5RDG D FURS KH ZDQWV WR EHUU\ DQG IUXLW IDUP DQG D VXJDUEXVK VXEVWDQWLDO SHUPLWWLQJ H[HPSWLRQV %XW RIÂżFLDOV LQ GLVWLOO DQG VWRUH LQ RDN EDUUHOV WR DJH IRU XS WR It  is  a  case  that  will  feature  testimony  from  a  this  case  will  have  to  sort  out  exactly  what  com- \HDUV WR PDWXUH LQWR KLJK HQG ZKLVNH\ EODFN PROG H[SHUW ZLWQHVV IURP &DQDGD DQG ZLOO SRQHQWV RI WKH :KLVWOH3LJ RSHUDWLRQ VKRXOG MXVWL- %XW QRZ %KDWND LV FRQFHUQHG WKDW KH KLPVHOI EH NHHQO\ PRQLWRUHG E\ IDUPHUV DQG SODQQHUV ÂżDEO\ IDOO XQGHU $FW UHYLHZ 7KDW ZLOO PHDQ ZLOO DJH FRQVLGHUDEO\ EHIRUH JHWWLQJ WKH $FW throughout  the  state  for  the  impact  the  outcome  (See  WhistlePig,  Page  15A)
ANwSU  tax  rates  seen  rising  by  7  to  9.6  cents
Whiskey  proposal  takes  some  shots
Shoreham  case  eyed  for  its bearing  on  farms,  Act  250
Addison County
By the way
Otter  Valley  Union  High  School  Co-ÂPrincipal  Jim  Avery  passed  on  the  Brandon  schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  congratula- tions  to  OV  faculty  member  Pattie  &DQGRQ IRU EHLQJ YRWHG Âł2IÂżFLDO of  the  Yearâ&#x20AC;?  by  the  Vermont  Field  Hockey  Coaches  Association.  We  second  that! Vergennes  Union  High  School  teacher  Sarah  Thompson  has  been  VHOHFWHG DV DQ 8QVXQJ +HUR LQ WKH Saint  Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  College  Teacher  5HFRJQLWLRQ 3URJUDP 7KH &RO- FKHVWHU FROOHJH VDLG LW ZDV KRQRULQJ 7KRPSVRQ DQG RWKHU WHDFKHUV ZKR SURYLGHG VWXGHQWV ZLWK DFDGHPLF VNLOOV DQG PRUDO VXSSRUW 6KH ZDV QRPLQDWHG IRU WKH KRQRU E\ UHFHQW 98+6 JUDG DQG 6W 0LNHÂśV IUHVK- PDQ 1LFN 3DTXLQ +H ZURWH Âł, EH- OLHYH 6DUDK VKRXOG JHW WKLV DZDUG because  she  always  went  out  of  her  ZD\ WR KHOS PH WKURXJK P\ VWXGLHV She  was  there  to  help  me  with  any  SUREOHP , HYHU KDG 6KH ZDV OLNH D UHDOO\ FRRO PRP RU JXDUGLDQ 1RW WR mention  she  is  one  of  the  nicest  peo- SOH ,ÂśYH HYHU PHW 6KH WUXO\ GHVHUYHV WKLV DZDUG ´ (See  By  the  way,  Page  3A)
Broadband access critical to Vermontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s telecommuters Officials says state will be 100 percent connected by end of 2013 By  XIAN  CHIANG-ÂWAREN ADDISON  COUNTY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  While  nearly  all  Vermonters  rely  on  the  Internet  to  stay  on  top  of  business,  schooling  or  their  social  lives,  no  JURXS LV PRUH GHSHQGHQW RQ IDVW reliable  Internet  service  than  tele- commuters. Âł, VSHQG PRVW RI WKH GD\ FRQ- QHFWHG UHPRWHO\ WR D V\VWHP WKDW , GR SHUFHQW RI P\ ZRUN RQ ´ VDLG $GGLVRQ UHVLGHQW %UDG &ODUN +HÂśV WKH ,7 GLUHFWRU IRU 5HWDLO9L- sion,  a  magazine  sales  promotion  FRPSDQ\ WKDW ODVW IDOO FORVHG LWV RI-Â
ÂżFH LQ 0LGGOHEXU\ DQG capability  of  tapping  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I spend most PRYHG RXW RI VWDWH LQWR ZRUN FRPSXW- ³, DOVR QHHG WR EH of the day HUV DQG WHOHFRPPXW- able  to  connect  remote- connected ing  because  of  the  ly  to  other  employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  remotely to a H[SDQGLQJ UHDFK RI systems  to  assist  them  system that I KLJK VSHHG EURDG- with  problems  they  ex- EDQG ,QWHUQHW VHUYLFHV SHULHQFH ´ &ODUN DGG- do 99 percent in  the  Green  Moun- HG Âł6RPHWLPHV WKHLU of my work on.â&#x20AC;? tain  State.  â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Brad Clark GHVFULSWLRQ RYHU WKH *RY 3HWHU 6KXP- phone  of  the  problem  lin  late  last  month  re- LV QRW HQRXJK DQG , QHHG WR VHH LW SRUWHG WKDW 9HUPRQWÂśV KLJK VSHHG ÂżUVWKDQG ´ EURDGEDQG QHWZRUN KDV H[SDQGHG 2YHU WKH SDVW GHFDGH PRUH DQG WR UHDFK DQ HVWLPDWHG OR- PRUH 9HUPRQWHUV KDYH JDLQHG WKH (See  Telecommuting,  Page  13A)
MIDDLEBURY  INTERACTIVE  LANGUAGES  CEO  Jane  Swift  announc- es  the  launch  of  the  companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  international  language  instruction  prod- ucts  Monday  at  company  headquarters  in  Middlebury. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell
2QOLQH ODQJXDJH Ă&#x20AC;UP DLPV WR SUHSDUH NLGV JURZ MREV By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Twenty- two  people  operating  out  of  an  VTXDUH IRRW VSDFH LQ 0LGGOH- EXU\ÂśV LQGXVWULDO SDUN DUH SRLVHG WR GHOLYHU LQWHUQDWLRQDO ODQJXDJH LQ- struction  to  classrooms  throughout  Vermont  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  an  effort  they  hope  will  KHOS EXLOG WKH VNLOOV RI WKH VWDWHÂśV ZRUNIRUFH 7KDW ZDV WKH SURPLVH LVVXHG RQ 0RQGD\ E\ WKH IRXQGHUV RI 0LGGOH- bury  Interactive  Languages  (MIL),  ZKLFK RIIHUV YLUWXDO DQG LQ SHUVRQ ODQJXDJH FRXUVHV IRU NLQGHUJDUWHQ WKURXJK WK JUDGH VWXGHQWV 7KH FRPSDQ\ IRXQGHG LQ LV D FRO- ODERUDWLRQ ZLWK 0LGGOHEXU\ &ROOHJH D QDWLRQDO OHDGHU LQ ODQJXDJH LQVWUXF- WLRQ DQG 9LUJLQLD EDVHG . ,QF
which  is  among  the  nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  largest  GLJLWDO HGXFDWLRQ SURYLGHUV :H\EULGJH (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO which  has  a  successful  Spanish  lan- JXDJH SURJUDP KDV DOUHDG\ EHHQ piloting  MIL  services  with  great  suc- FHVV QRWHG 0,/ &(2 -DQH 6ZLIW $QG RWKHU VWXGHQWV WKURXJKRXW WKH VWDWH ZLOO DOVR JHW D GLVFRXQWHG WDVWH RI WKH IRU SURÂżW EXVLQHVVÂśV Âł9HUPRQW :RUOG /DQJXDJH ,QLWLDWLYH ´ D PLOOLRQ HIIRUW WR SURYLGH 0LGGOHEXU\ Interactive  services  to  30  Vermont  schools  over  the  next  four  years  at  ³GHHSO\ GLVFRXQWHG´ SULFHV Âł0LGGOHEXU\ ,QWHUDFWLYH LV D unique  employer  in  that  it  boosts  the  Vermont  economy  while  help- LQJ SUHSDUH WKH VWDWHÂśV IXWXUH ZRUN- (See  MIL,  Page  16A)
Vergennes,  state  police  bust  three  locals  for  selling  heroin
Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVLÂżHGV  ......................... 5B-Â8B Service  Directory  .............. 6B-Â7B Entertainment  ........................ 12A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ........ 8A-Â9A Sports  ................................ 1B-Â4B 6+$1121 +$**(77 7(/(&20087(6 IURP KLV KRPH RIÂżFH LQ 9HUJHQQHV DQG LV KDSS\ ZLWK WKH ,Q- ternet  access  available  to  him.  Vermont  is  on  track  to  provide  broadband  service  to  100  percent  of  the  state  by  the  end  of  the  year. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell
By  ANDY  KIRKALDY FERRISBURGH  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Vergennes  DQG 9HUPRQW 6WDWH 3ROLFH RQ 0RQ- GD\ DUUHVWHG WZR )HUULVEXUJK PHQ DQG RQH &RUQZDOO PDQ RQ D QXPEHU RI GUXJ FKDUJHV PRVW QRWDEO\ WKH sale  of  heroin.  This  was  the  latest  in  a  string  of  arrests  involving  the  sale  of  heroin  in  $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ $W DERXW S P RQ 0RQGD\ VL[ 9HUJHQQHV RIÂżFHUV DQG IRXU 963 WURRSHUV UDLGHG D )HUULVEXUJK KRPH DW /LWWOH &KLFDJR 5RDG DQG DU-Â
UHVWHG -DPLH *HER DQG -HVVH %HDYHU DIWHU ¿QGLQJ ZKDW WKH\ HVWLPDWHG DV PRUH WKDQ KHURLQ preparations,  13  grams  of  marijuana,  RWKHU QDUFRWLFV LQ FDVK GUXJ SDUDSKHUQDOLD DQG D FDOLEHU VHPL- DXWRPDWLF SLVWRO DQG DPPXQLWLRQ 3ROLFH VDLG WKH KRPH ZDV *HERœV $FFRUGLQJ WR D 9HUJHQQHV 3ROLFH Department  press  release,  Gebo  was  FKDUJHG ZLWK VDOH DQG SRVVHVVLRQ RI heroin,  illegal  possession  of  regulat- HG GUXJV DQG SRVVHVVLRQ RI PDULMXD- (See  Heroin,  Page  13A)