Town Meetings
Taking wing
We recap all the news from every town in Addison County, plus Brandon, on Pages 12A-18A.
The No. 1 Eagle girls grounded the MVU Thunderbirds as the playoffs opened. See Page 1B.
ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT Vol. 67 No. 10
Middlebury, Vermont
â—†
Thursday, March 7, 2013 â—† 38 Pages
75¢
Vergennes,  Bristol  oppose  bonds &LW\ SROLFH VWDWLRQ JRHV GRZQ WR FORVH GHIHDW %ULVWRO UHMHFWV ¿UHKRXVH ERQG E\ ZLGH PDUJLQ By  ANDY  KIRKALDY VERGENNES  —  Vergennes  resi- GHQWV RQ 7XHVGD\ GHDOW WKH million  proposal  for  a  new  North  Main  Street  police  station  a  narrow  GHIHDW D UHVXOW WKDW OHIW FLW\ RI¿FLDOV XS LQ WKH DLU DERXW WKHLU QH[W step.  0D\RU HOHFW %LOO %HQWRQ VDLG DO- GHUPHQ ZRXOG WDNH XS WKH LVVXH DW
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PLJKW EH WKH FDVH EXW WKDW DOGHUPHQ VKRXOG WDNH WKHLU WLPH DQG DQDO\]H D VHWEDFN KH FDOOHG ÂłD VWDWLVWLFDO WLH ´ “Obviously  this  is  an  absolutely  split  vote.  Certainly  when  you  have  292  people  voting  yes,  I  think  there  is  probably  a  short  list  ‌  of  reasons  ZK\ WKH\ YRWHG \HV ´ +DZOH\ VDLG Âł5HODWLYH WR WKH ZKR YRWHG QR , (See  Vergennes,  Page  22A)
By  XIAN  CHIANG-ÂWAREN %5,672/ ² :KHQ IDFHG ZLWK WZR YRWHV IRU H[SDQGHG PXQLFLSDO facilities  on  Town  Meeting  Day,  %ULVWRO YRWHUV VDLG ÂłQR´ WR RQH DQG “yesâ€?  to  the  other.  7KH ÂżUVW IRU DQ H[SDQVLRQ WR WKH ÂżUH GHSDUWPHQWÂśV 1RUWK 6WUHHW IDFLO- LW\ ZDV VRXQGO\ UHMHFWHG E\ D WDOO\ 7KH VHFRQG IRU D SROLFH
GLVWULFW EXGJHW WKDW ZRXOG IXQG UHQ- RYDWLRQV DQG D \HDU OHDVH IRU D new  police  station  at  BristolWorks,  SDVVHG E\ D QDUURZ PDUJLQ ³,œP JODG ZHœUH SDVW WKH HOHF- WLRQ VR ZH FDQ VWDUW WR ¿JXUH RXW QH[W VWHSV RQ ERWK SURMHFWV ´ 7RZQ $GPLQLVWUDWRU %LOO %U\DQW VDLG RQ :HGQHVGD\ PRUQLQJ 7KH ¿UHKRXVH ERQG KDG EHHQ WKH
Middlebury selectmen re-Âelected
0RQNWRQ VD\V QR WR QHZ RIÂżFH IRU UG WLPH By  XIAN  CHIANG-ÂWAREN MONKTON  —  Monkton  voters  RQ 7RZQ 0HHWLQJ 'D\ UHMHFWHG WZR ERQGV UHODWHG WR WKHLU PXQLFLSDO ID- FLOLWLHV ² RQH IRU WKH WKLUG WLPH $ PLOOLRQ ERQG WR IXQG D QHZ WRZQ KDOO DQG OLEUDU\ RQ D SDUFHO WKH WRZQ RZQV RQ 0RQNWRQ 5LGJH ZDV GHIHDWHG E\ D PDUJLQ RI 0RQNWRQ YRWHUV DOVR UHMHFWHG D ERQG IRU DQ H[WHQVLRQ WR WKH ÂżUH IDFLOLW\ RQ 6WDWHV 3ULVRQ +RO- ORZ 5RDG E\ MXVW YRWHV 7KLV LV WKH WKLUG WLPH WKDW 0RQN- WRQ YRWHUV KDYH IDFHG D ERQG IRU D new  town  hall  in  recent  years.  Voters  DOVR UHMHFWHG WKH ÂżUVW WZR SURSRVDOV ZKLFK KDG SULFH WDJV RI PLOOLRQ DQG PLOOLRQ UHVSHFWLYHO\ Âł, WKRXJKW ZH KDG DQVZHUHG WKH ELJ TXHVWLRQV DQG REMHFWLRQV WR SDVW SURSRVDOV ´ VDLG VHOHFWERDUG FKDLU -RKQ 3KLOOLSV ZKR KDG H[SUHVVHG optimism  about  this  incarnation  of  the  proposal.  “I  still  believe  the  town  QHHGV D QHZ WRZQ KDOO VR LWÂśV MXVW D question  of  how  we’re  going  to  get  (See  Monkton,  Page  22A)
Bridport kids take ill; district cancels school
7RZQ SDVVHV DOO LWHPV RQ ZDUQLQJ By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² 0LGGOHEXU\ UHVLGHQWV DW WKHLU WRZQ PHHWLQJ UH- WXUQHG WKUHH RI WKHLU LQFXPEHQW VH- OHFWPHQ WR RI¿FH DQG YRWHG LQ IDYRU of  all  the  money  requests  on  their  ballot. Incumbents  Nick  Artim,  Gary  %DNHU DQG 7UDYLV )RUEHV HDFK ZRQ DQRWKHU WKUHH \HDU WHUP RQ WKH ERDUG $UWLP JDUQHUHG WKH PRVW YRWHV ZLWK IROORZHG E\ %DNHU ZLWK DQG )RUEHV ZLWK )LQLVKLQJ RXW RI WKH UXQQLQJ ZHUH FKDOOHQJHUV 7HG 'DYLV ZLWK WDOOLHV DQG (ULF 0XUUD\ ZKR ORJJHG YRWHV Also  earning  support  at  the  polls  RQ 7XHVGD\ ZHUH D UHTXHVW IRU to  support  a  scholarship  program  for  WKH QRQ SUR¿W 2WWHU &UHHN &KLOG &HQWHU DQG DQ DGYLVRU\ UHIHUHQGXP RSSRVLQJ WKH SURSRVHG WDU VDQGV RLO SLSHOLQH IURP &DQDGD WKURXJK WKH 1RUWKHDVW .LQJGRP RI 9HUPRQW WR 3RUWODQG 0DLQH 7KH FKLOG FHQWHU UHTXHVW SDVVHG ZKLOH WKH WDU VDQGV UHIHUHQ- GXP ² IRUFHG E\ D FLWL]HQVœ SHWLWLRQ ² HDUQHG VXSSRUW 7KH DSSUR[LPDWHO\ DWWHQGHHV DW 0RQGD\œV DQQXDO PHHWLQJ DS- SURYHG D SURSRVHG PX- (See  Middlebury,  Page  19A)
Civic  duty FERRISBURGH  ROAD  COMMISSIONER  John  Bull,  above,  speaks  in  front  of  town  residents  in  the  Ferris- burgh  Central  School  on  Town  Meeting  Day  Tuesday.  George  Gardner,  right,  proposes  a  line  item  amendment  at  the  same  meeting,  and  Weybridge  selectboard  member  Steve  Smith,  below,  visits  with  assistant  town  clerk  Bev- erly  Landon  at  their  town  meeting  Monday  night. Independent  photos/Trent  Campbell
By  JOHN  FLOWERS %5,'3257 ² $GGLVRQ &HQWUDO 6XSHUYLVRU\ 8QLRQ 6XSHULQWHQGHQW *DLO &RQOH\ RQ :HGQHVGD\ FORVHG %ULGSRUW &HQWUDO 6FKRRO IRU WKH UH- PDLQGHU RI WKLV ZHHN DIWHU PRVW RI WKH VWXGHQW ERG\ DQG VHYHUDO DGXOWV FRQWUDFWHG D P\VWHULRXV VWRPDFK DLO- PHQW RQ 7XHVGD\ DQG :HGQHVGD\ &RQOH\ VDLG URXJKO\ SHUFHQW RI WKH VFKRROœV VWXGHQWV GLG QRW show  up  for  class  on  the  morning  of  :HGQHVGD\ 0DUFK DIWHU FRPSODLQ- LQJ RI D VWRPDFK EXJ 0RUH FKLOGUHQ EHFDPH LOO GXULQJ WKH FRXUVH RI WKH GD\ SURPSWLQJ VFKRRO RI¿FLDOV WR VHQG WKRVH VWXGHQWV KRPH %\ HDUO\ DIWHUQRRQ SHUFHQW RI WKH VWXGHQWV ZHUH KRPH VLFN DFFRUGLQJ WR &RQOH\ 7KLV UHVXOWHG LQ &RQOH\ FDQFHOOLQJ classes  for  the  balance  of  the  week  while  contacting  Vermont  Depart- PHQW RI +HDOWK RI¿FLDOV WR FKHFN RXW WKH EXLOGLQJ DQG GHWHUPLQH LI WKH LOO- QHVV PLJKW KDYH EHHQ FDXVHG E\ IRRG RU HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV ZLWKLQ the  school.  0HDQZKLOH KH VDLG VXUIDFHV ZLOO EH ZLSHG GRZQ ZLWK GLVLQIHFWDQWV VR WKDW WKH EXLOGLQJ ZLOO EH UHDG\ IRU VWX- GHQWVœ UHWXUQ RQ 0RQGD\ 0DUFK &RQOH\ VDLG WKH UDVK RI LOOQHVVHV ZDV UHSRUWHG RQO\ DW WKH %ULGSRUW school,  not  at  any  of  the  other  schools  in  the  ACSU
Addison County
By the way
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  an  encouraging  harbinger  of  spring,  but  it  comes  at  a  small  price.  Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  forget  to  set  your  clocks  for- ward  one  hour  be- fore  you  go  to  bed  Saturday  night,  to  UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW WKH DQQXDO switch  to  Daylight  Saving  Time. Speaking  of  spring,  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  almost  WLPH WR Âł3OD\ EDOO ´ 0LGGOHEXU\ Area  Little  League  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  which  in- FOXGHV WKH WRZQV RI %ULGSRUW &RUQZDOO /HLFHVWHU 0LGGOHEXU\ Ripton,  Salisbury,  Shoreham,  Wey- EULGJH DQG :KLWLQJ ² LV QRZ UHJLV- WHULQJ EDVHEDOO DQG VRIWEDOO SOD\HUV ages  4  to  12,  for  the  2013  season.  Contact  your  local  school  for  more  information. (See  By  the  way,  Page  22A)
7UDQVLWLRQ WR KHDOWK EHQHÂżW H[FKDQJH QHDUV By  JOHN  FLOWERS VERGENNES  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  At  a  Legislative  %UHDNIDVW LQ 9HUJHQQHV 0RQGD\ $G- GLVRQ &RXQW\ ODZPDNHUV VHUYHG QR- WLFH WKDW UHVLGHQWV WKLV IDOO ZLOO EHJLQ WR VHH D WUDQVLWLRQ WR D QHZ IHGHUDO KHDOWK FDUH V\VWHP ² DQG SRVVLEO\ D VLQJOH SD\HU V\VWHP IRXU \HDUV GRZQ WKH URDG
VXEMHFW RI LQWHQVH GLVFXVVLRQ LQ UH- cent  weeks.  Though  members  of  the  ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW KDG H[SUHVVHG WKHLU commitment  to  remaining  in  their  historic  location  on  North  Street,  SXEOLF GLVFXVVLRQV DW KHDULQJV DQG PHHWLQJV UDLVHG TXHVWLRQV DERXW WKH SURSRVHG GHVLJQ ZKLFK ZRXOG KDYH XVHG DQ DGMDFHQW ORW ZKHUH WKH KLV- (See  Bristol,  Page  22A)
0DQ\ UHVLGHQWV KDYH EHHQ DQ[LRXV DERXW WKH LPSHQGLQJ WUDQVLWLRQ WR SURYLVLRQV RI WKH IHGHUDO $IIRUGDEOH &DUH $FW $&$ DQG WKHQ SRVVLEO\ WR D VWDWH LQLWLDWHG VLQJOH SD\HU KHDOWK FDUH V\VWHP EHJLQQLQJ LQ $G- GLVRQ &RXQW\ KDV WZR OHJLVODWRUV ZKR ZLOO SOD\ D OHDGLQJ UROH WKLV ELHQQLXP in  shaping  that  health  care  transi-Â
WLRQ 5HS 0LNH )LVKHU ' /LQFROQ who  chairs  the  House  Health  Care  &RPPLWWHH DQG 6HQ &ODLUH $\HU ' $GGLVRQ FKDLUZRPDQ RI WKH 6HQDWH +HDOWK DQG :HOIDUH &RPPLWWHH $\HU DQG )LVKHU H[SODLQHG DW 0RQGD\œV EUHDNIDVW WKDW 9HUPRQW- ers  will  be  able  to  see  how  they  will  ¿W LQWR WKH VWDWHœV QHZ KHDOWK EHQH¿W
H[FKDQJH D PDMRU PDQGDWH RI WKH ACA)  starting  this  fall.  Operating  XQGHU WKH PRQLNHU Âł9HUPRQW +HDOWK &RQQHFW ´ WKH KHDOWK EHQHÂżW H[- change  will  be  a  marketplace  where  LQGLYLGXDOV IDPLOLHV DQG EXVLQHVVHV in  the  state  select  a  health  plan  that  ³¿WV WKHLU QHHGV DQG EXGJHW ´ DFFRUG- LQJ WR D VWDWH Ă&#x20AC;\HU RQ WKH SURJUDP
(YHU\ SODQ RIIHUHG WKURXJK 9HU- mont  Health  Connect  must  offer  basic  services  like  checkups,  emer- gency  care,  mental  health  services  DQG SUHVFULSWLRQV 7KH SURJUDP LV IRU LQGLYLGXDOV IDPLOLHV DQG VPDOO EXVL- QHVVHV LQ 9HUPRQW LQFOXGLQJ WKRVH ZKR DUH DOUHDG\ LQVXUHG XQLQVXUHG (See  Health  care,  Page  22A)
Index Obituaries  .......................... 6A-Â7A &ODVVLÂżHGV  ....................... 9B-Â12B Service  Directory  .......... 10B-Â11B Entertainment  ........................ 20A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ...... 8A-Â10A Sports  ................................ 1B-Â4B