Shumlin Offers To Sell Land Back To Dodge

Governor Shumlin is willing to sell the land back to Jeremey Dodge, if the two can agree to payment plan said Montpelier attorney Jerome Diamond who was retained by Shumlin earlier this week.  Critics say Shumlin toke advantage of a neighbor with a ninth-grade education, when he bought the property for less than fair market value.  “We want the Dodge family to know that the governor has been approaching this in good faith … and that his proposals embrace the very things that Jeremy Dodge and his family have asked for,” Diamond said Wednesday, according to the Rutland Herald.  
Dodge does not yet have a lawyer.  The family says they feel financially out-gunned by the governor, reports WCAX.com.  Vermont Legal Aid turned down their request for help, because the organization does not handle real estate cases.

Related stories
Shumlin offers to sell property back
Shumlin, Dodge lawyering up over land deal

LINKS:
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130606/NEWS03/706069926
http://www.wcax.com/story/22502685/shumlin-dodge-lawyering-up-over-land-deal

Weekly Roundup - Norwich News, for week ending April 27, 2013

Town-Wide Reappraisal Informational Meeting  April 30

from the Town's email distribution list
The reappraisal of all Norwich properties is proceeding on schedule. The property tax bills that will be sent in July will be based on a new Grand List and new values for all Norwich properties. A draft of the new values  will be sent to all property owners on or about May 5, 2013 and this will be followed by an informal process during which you will have an opportunity to meet with the Assessor to review your values. This will be followed by the official notice of Grand List values on or about June 1, 2013 followed by the formal grievance process to the Board of Listers.  For the first time your property record card will be on-line so that you can review your structure and property information and see how your property value was determined. There is an IMPORTANT Public Informational Meeting on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 starting at 7:00 pm in the Multipurpose Room at Tracy Hall with Assessor Bill Krajeski to discuss the reappraisal process and to respond to questions related to the reappraisal.

State Rep Cheney Votes For Tax On Bottled Water

Letter: Key Votes in Montpelier
Valley News  
April 27, 2013 
Based on how legislators have voted on important bills in Montpelier, it would appear that the majority of Vermont voters favor higher taxes and more state spending.
Here are scorecards on a couple of bills:
H.528, to expand the Vermont sales tax of 6 percent to bottled water, clothing (including shoes) over $110, candy, soft drinks and dietary supplements, and to increase the tax on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco by 50 cents (total: $3.12) and 88 cents (total: $3.12) respectively. Also, to increase the rooms and meals tax from 9 percent to 9.5 percent for 2014 and to apply the meals tax to food sold out of vending machines. Voting yes: Reps. John Bartholomew, D-Hartland, Sarah Buxton, D-Tunbridge, Margaret Cheney, D-Norwich, Alice Emmons, D-Springfield, Sandy Haas, Progressive/D-Rochester, Cynthia Martin, D-Springfield, James Masland, D-Thetford, Donna Sweaney, D-Windsor, Sheila Vowinkel, D-Hartford, Teo Zagar, D-Barnard.
House Bill 530, to increase state spending by 4.7 percent, which is nearly 21/2 times the rate of inflation. Voting yes: Bartholomew, Buxton, Cheney, Masland, Martin, Kevin Christie, D-Hartford, Alison Clark, D-Woodstock, Sarah Copeland-Hanzas, D-Bradford, Sweaney, Vowinkel and Zagar.
The Valley News could provide a tremendous service to its readers by printing a weekly summary of key bills in both New Hampshire and Vermont and a roll call of votes when the Legislatures are in session. 
Read the rest of the story. 
http://www.vnews.com/opinion/5834075-95/letter-key-votes-in-montpelier

State Senator McCormack Votes To Ban Corporate Campaign Contributions

According to the Progressive Party web site, only one of the three State Senators from Windsor County voted to ban corporate donations from a major campaign finance reform bill. Dick McCormack (D-Windsor) voted for the ban, while John Campbell (D-Windsor) and Alice Nitka (D-Windsor) voted to allow corporate contributions.
Read the rest of the story.


LINKS:
http://www.vnews.com/opinion/5834075-95/letter-key-votes-in-montpelier
http://progressiveparty.org/blog/2013/roll-call-which-senators-chose-corporate-money-over-real-election-reform

The Norwich Observer. Aggregating news and information about Norwich, Vermont with occasional commentary ... . 

Weekly Roundup - Norwich News, for week ending March 16, 2013

Gala A Success; Fraser Family Says Thank You 

From the listserv

The Fraser family wishes to thank the Norwich Women’s Club and all of the members who worked so hard to organize the Gala event that was held on Friday night, March 15. We were humbled to be honored as this year’s recipient.  It was a wonderful evening that was flawlessly organized and every detail was perfect- Great food, nice drinks, fun neighbors!   For those of you that have not attended before, it is a night of celebration that allows for everyone in town to come together and enjoy what is so special about Norwich.  It should not to be missed.  The money raised is well spent on town projects that the Women’s club undertakes. Previous projects such as the welcome sign, the water fountain on the school green, supporting the school, library, scholarships and all the other things these  incredibly ladies do for the town!! Keeping the money local is what it is all about.  The event was a near sell out, so be sure to buy your tickets next year as soon as they go on sale so you don’t miss the festivities.

More photos at:  http://www.norwichwomensclub.org/
LINKS:
http://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00311.html
http://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00320.html

No Decision On Tower By Selectboard 

The Selectboard made no decisions about the emergency communication tower at its March 13 meeting. Despite the 2-1 vote at Town Meeting in favor of a town-owned tower, the VTel option was not eliminated and discussed in executive session.  Also at the meeting, Town Manager Fulton proposed that the Town build a temporary tower to comply with conditions in two grants and that the Town hold a Special Town Meeting to authorize additional bond authority.

Norwich Board Signals on Tower

By Sarah Brubeck, Valley News Staff Writer

March 14, 2013 

The Selectboard made no firm decisions last night about how it will proceed with the controversial emergency communications tower, but it strongly indicated it was leaning toward backing out of a previous deal with VTel and instead elect to build the structure on its own.

Last week, residents passed an article at Town Meeting that authorized the town to borrow $275,000 to help finance construction of the tower. The vote, which passed 689-341, signaled to the Selectboard that residents were willing to underwrite the cost of the tower rather than accept VTel’s offer to build the tower in exchange for using it for its own commercial purpose.

The town has said it needs the tower to improve impaired radio communication for the police, fire and public works departments. The Selectboard voted 3-2 in August to allow VTel, a Springfield, Vt.-based telecommunications company, to build and own the tower while allowing Norwich to place it’s antennas on top of the structure. But residents have opposed the deal and urged the Selectboard to choose a town-owned option.

Read the rest of the story. 

LINK:

http://www.vnews.com/news/5101890-95/town-tower-selectboard-fulton

7 Make UVM Deans List For Fall 2012 

The Valley News reported on Tuesday that the following student from Norwich, Vermont  earned Dean's List honors at the University of Vermont: Erica C. Andrus, Daniel M. Degan, Daniel F. Elliott, Beryl R. Frishtick, Dylan B. Ness, Eva S. Sachsse,and Emma C. Waters.

LINK: http://www.vnews.com/news/4966397-95/store-center-students-norwich

State Rep Cheney Pushes for Energy Efficiency With Tax On Heating Oil

VPR reports that State Rep. Margaret Cheney, D-Norwich, is pushing one of the few climate change related bills that is likely to see a vote by the Legislature this session. The measure, which comes from a thermal efficiency task force, raises money for Vermonters to insulate their buildings - both commercial and residential - by adding a tax on home heating oil.

As Legislature Reconvenes, Lawmakers Push for Energy Efficiency
Kirk Carapezza, Statehouse Digital Reporter
March 11, 2013 

Lawmakers reconvene for the second half of the legislative session on Tuesday. And, despite budget woes and federal cuts, some of them are hoping to stay focused on a goal set at the beginning of the session: fighting climate change and promoting energy efficiency at the same time.
Given the climate crisis, one of the things legislators agree Vermont must do is to reduce its use of energy. Rep. Margaret Cheney, D-Norwich, is pushing one of the few climate change related bills likely to be voted on. It's a measure that proposes to make it easier for Vermonters to insulate their buildings - both commercial and residential - so they can save money on their heating bills and cut down on their carbon emissions.
"We have done well with electricity - with our efficiency and our ramping up of renewables - but we have not tackled the thermal problem, which is the heat problem, and we haven't tackled the transportation problem," Cheney said. "They're much harder to solve."

Read the rest of the story.
LINK: http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/97751/as-legislature-reconvenes-lawmakers-push-for-energ/

A subscription may be required for access to the Valley News stories. 

The Norwich Observer is in Norwich, Vermont 

Are Legislators Dragging Feet On Gun Control? State Rep Masland Says No

Despite overwhelming support at Town Meeting in six Upper Valley towns for gun control, the Valley News reported on Friday that gun control advocates "have all but given up hope" that any legislation will get enacted this year in Montpelier. A listserv post, 898 to 132, intimated that our local state representatives Jim Masland and Margaret Cheney were not doing enough to ban assault weapons. State Rep Masland disagreed, saying that despite the Valley News report, "a sensible [gun control] bill will emerge from House Judiciary and pass over to the Senate." 

Read the debate: 

Gun Control In Vermont: Not This Year
http://www.vnews.com/news/4933082-95/gun-control-bill-vermont
Letter: Vermonters Have Spoken
http://www.vnews.com/opinion/5101006-95/gun-sensible-enacting-legislation
898 to 132 (and some but not all follow-ups)http://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00291.htmlhttp://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00303.htmlhttp://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00303.htmlhttp://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00293.htmlResponse to Don Kreishttp://lists.valley.net/lists/arc/norwich/2013-03/msg00319.html