July 5, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 1
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{ Thursday, July 5, 2018 }
Town responds to Wrenner’s lawsuit By COLIN FLANDERS The town of Essex says documents from its sexual harassment investigation are exempt from public disclosure because the town doesn’t possess them – its attorney does. And even if they were on file at 81 Main St., the town would still deny selectwoman Irene Wrenner access because publicizing her “baseless” claims against a town employee could harm his “reputation and good name.” Those arguments were detailed in a recent court filing from a Rutland-based lawyer the town retained to defend itself
against Wrenner's public records lawsuit. “The use of the Public Records Act and the taxpayers’ resources in this way is not consistent with the legislative intent,” wrote attorney Kaveh S. Shahi, of Cleary, Shahi & Aicher, P.C., in a June 20 response. Wrenner believes the town is improperly withholding those documents and said the response shows more of the same. “Obviously they’re still stonewalling, and that’s unfortunate,” she said. Wrenner’s complaint, which the Reporter broke news of last month, asks for billing records and reports from a 2017 internal inquiry that began after she alleged “gender-based unprofessional conduct” by a
high-level town employee. She’s represented by attorney Pietro Lynn. Vermont law defines public records as “any written or recorded information, regardless of physical form or characteristics” produced or acquired during a public agency’s business. The law includes a breadth of exemptions, however, two of which the town says trump Wrenner’s request. The town characterizes the report as an “attorney-work product,” explaining that a lawyer at a private practice hired the investigator. But it says the report is also shielded by an exemption protecting the privacy of the accused. The town cited both those
exemptions when The Reporter requested the documents, too. Wrenner doesn’t buy it. She said she purposely left out the accused’s name in her complaint despite no longer being bound to the town’s confidentiality policies. And she doesn’t even want the report made public: “I’m not looking to out anyone or have my notes splattered across the front page" of this newspaper, she said. But she felt the town’s denial of private requests left her no option. She added that it’s “curious” to see the investigative process handled so differently within the same town; her allegations See LAWSUIT, page 2
Selectboard impressed by impact of tax sale policy By COLIN FLANDERS Twenty of the 34 accounts that received demand letters last month under the town’s newly revised tax sale policy avoided having their homes sold out from under them, at least for now. Assistant finance director Sarah Macy said of those 20 accounts, one applied for abatement, seven paid in full and 12 entered a payment plan while making at least one payment, all of which has reduced the town’s total delinquencies by about $141,000, or 15 percent. Macy said accounts with active payment plans are expected to bring in about $32,000 more this month. “This is working better than any of us would have guessed,” selectmen Michael Plageman said after Macy updated the selectboard June 18.
"This is working better than any of us would have guessed." Selectman Michael Plageman Macy initially requested the new policy in March after the town’s audit showed the total of taxes more than 60 days overdue exceeded $550,000. She said the goal was to initiate a conversation with delinquent taxpayers. Three months later, the response to the demand letters has been more positive than expected, she said, with some people thanking her for informing them they were behind. In one case, someone didn’t know they owned the land anymore. In another, a homeowner was paying an escrow company that hadn’t forwarded tax payments. A conference call with the two parties cleared that up, Macy said. The 14 remaining accounts were forwarded to the town attorney. They must now pay 50 percent of their balance and get on a monthly payment plan, or else their properties will be sold in an auction-style sale that allows towns to recover owed property taxes. Tax payments are due twice a year and the town sends out quarterly delinquent notices. Late tax payments prompt a one-time 8 See TAX SALE, page 2
Demonstrators fill the sidewalks surrounding Five Corners last Saturday in solidarity with nationwide 'Famlies Belong Together' protests.
PHOTO BY KELLY ADAMS
Demonstrators: 'Families Belong Together' By COLIN FLANDERS
N
early 200 demonstrators surrounded the Five Corners last Saturday in solidarity with nationwide 'Families Belong Together' marches protesting President Donald Trump's immigration policies. The Trump administration faced recent backlash over its "zero-tolerance" immigration stance that resulted in the seperation of thousands of children from their families at the U.S. border. In response, Trump signed an executive order June 20 that said families and children would be housed together, indefinitely. But the order said nothing about what to do with more than 2,3000 children already seperated from their parents, and activists are calling for the government to reunite those families and show
more compassion to migrant families crossing the border illegally. Organizers on the national level anticipated more than 700 protests in all 50 states, including Vermont, where protestors arrived in Burlington and Montepleier, as well. The Essex Jct. demonstration was organized by Essex Resists, a group started after last year's Women’s March that encourages members to engage in social action. Organizer Kelly Adams said she hoped to create a visual presence that there is "something taking place in our country that should be very alarming to all of us." The group has led similar protests in the Five Corners aimed at Trump's immigration policies, but Adams said this weekend's demostration was the largest she's seen in the village. "That gives me hope about our ability to do the right thing,” she said.
Running a new squad Local paramedic opens new dog-centric business in Essex BY MADELINE CLARK On any given weekday, Amy Akerlind can be found walking along rural roads with a pack of energetic dogs – including her albino Doberman, Sheldon – in tow. Akerlind runs her own dog camp, training, and leash-walking business, Squad Dogs, and is living her dream. “The name was the most challenging thing to come up with,” she reflected. It’s a play on her 13 years as a rescue chief for Colchester Rescue, her prior experience as a veterinarian technician and the “squad” of dogs she now
cares for at the camp. Akerlind started as a volunteer in 2001 and became Colchester’s first paid rescue chief in 2005. But she always knew she wanted to get back to working with animals. “I just knew it was time for me to do something else,” Akerlind said of her decision to step down earlier this year. “It was time for someone new to be in that role [of rescue chief], too.” She now works shorter hours for Colchester and intends to continue work as a paramedic on nights and weeks as her business grows. Dog camp is an off-leash program in which Akerlind picks up her clients’ dogs, takes them on a group walk and brings them back home, exercised and ready to relax. See SQUAD, page 2
COURTESY PHOTO
Two campers explore. Akerlind walks the dogs on private property in Colchester and Essex.
Join John and Jennifer Churchman for an Alpaca Lunch book launch party! TUESDAY JULY 10TH 6pm at Phoenix Books
Phoenix Books Essex | 2 Carmichael Street Essex, VT 05452 | www.phoenixbooks.biz | 872-7111