By Lani Duke
posted
Oct 18, 2012
PRACTICAL EDUCATION
Three new homes will rise on Rutland's River St., all built by
students from Stafford Technical Center. Over the next six years,
about 60 students in Stafford's construction technology,
electrical/plumbing, and forestry/natural resources programs will
gain hands-on experience toward careers they may follow for a
lifetime.
The process begins with the school and its Student Craft
Corporation's appearance for Rutland's Development Review Board,
asking for approval to subdivide the one-acre residential property
at 144 River St. into four lots, one of which already contains a
dwelling. Each of the other three parcels, over time, becomes a
learning lab for Stafford students.
Purchase of the property, owned by Carl Frankiewicz, hinges on
the city's allowing the subdivision. The school also asks that each
of the three projects be able to move directly on to the building
permit process without further subdivision permitting. Each of the
single-family, single-story structures would take two years to
complete, the same length of time that a given student class
receives at Stafford, so each participating class would work on one
project from beginning to end.
Stafford teens have already constructed 10 moderately-priced new
homes in Rutland since 1994. Together, they contributed $1.7
million to the city's grand list
YOUR OPPORTUNITY
PEGTV is looking for volunteers who will help with election
coverage on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Workers meet at the offices in the
Howe Center at 6:15 p.m. in preparation to begin gather voting
results at 7 p.m. Call 747-0151 to volunteer- and you get fed as
you work!
CONFLICT ARISING
Juanita Burch-Clay, former principal at West Rutland School has
filed a lawsuit against the Rutland Central Supervisory Union, the
school board altogether, and Superintendent Debra Taylor, Board
Chair David O'Rourke and Vice-Chair Mike Moser
individually. She is looking for monetary damages, claiming
wrongful firing, defamation of name and reputation, and violation
of the state open meeting law. She also wants her job restored. The
board could not let her go until the two-year contract had reached
its end, her suit states.
The school board's termination hearing summation complains that
she failed to perform teacher evaluations, tell parents about a new
teacher, turn in timely budget reports, and meet federal student
achievement requirements. She allegedly resisted authority, making
plans for the school that differed from those the board
intended.
One school board member, Lisa Garcia, sides with Burch-Clay,
saying the other board members worked against the principal. Garcia
voted against firing Burch-Clay. Her view is that the administrator
was insensitive, the other board members were malicious, and other
factors led to the termination. The outcome still seems
undetermined. For now, West Rutland students receive the leadership
of a temporary principal, three days a week.
RUTLAND FOOD SUPPLY
The Vermont Farmers Food Market will begin its winter season on
Nov. 3 as planned, organizer Greg Cox has been saying all along.
It's still true. Although the money supply seems a little strained,
the number of volunteers and their enthusiasm seems to be making up
the difference, donations of labor and materials are filling in the
gaps.
Thank you, all you wonderful volunteers, for making and keeping
this depth of commitment for locally grown food and supporting your
neighbor farmers and food producers.
Keep it coming. Volunteer work crews are needed each Sunday from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the market opens
BUSINESS TIDBITS
Jason Crowley has applied to the state Agency of Natural Resources
for a salvage yard permit at his 55 Pleasant St. home, so he may
buy totaled motorcycles from insurance companies, store them in his
basement and garage, and sell the parts online.
The city's aldermen recently voted unanimously to ban medical
marijuana dispensaries, using its power to prohibit via zoning.
Rutland is the second Vermont municipality to do so; Stowe has
already done so. Fair Haven's Planning Commission is also
considering the measure.
The Rutland County Parent Child Center is buying the former
Wellspring of Life Christian Center and an adjacent building, both
sited at 16 Chaplin Ave. Together they total 12,000 square feet,
about one-third more than the non-profit's current location on
Pleasant St. The Vermont Community Loan Fund is financing the
$375,000 purchase; the sale is expected to close before the end of
2012, with relocation by springtime.
The Rutland Area Cash Mob plans to converge on Rutland Discount
Food and Liquidation Center, 88 Cleveland Ave, at 2 p.m. Oct. 27,
wearing purple in memory of Carly Ferro. Members are to show up and
spend a minimum of $20 cash in support of locally business. The
organizing principle is that, for every $100 spent in a locally
owned, independent business, $68 stays in the community, used for
taxes, payroll, and other needs, whereas that same money spent at a
chain store only returns $43 locally.
Organized n May, the group has 'mobbed' Mr. Twitters,
Reincarnation Upscale Resale & Fabulous Finds, Shear Heaven
Salon & Day Spa, and Boardman Hill.
Donald Babcock and Ruthellen Weston have opened The Bookmobile
book store in the old Home Loan store front on Merchants Row,
between the Sandwich Shoppe and Fruition. Its selection is
primarily used books but also a few new titles, a bit weighted in
the area of cookbooks and building/architecture. It also carries
greeting cards and some gifts.
Cris Phelps Brown says her Good Dog! Cookies recently started
selling at the The House Of Glass, 11 Evelyn St.
CHANGES
Rutland High School is changing the way it educates students,
helping them catch up if they fall behind, jointly setting goals
with them with the students agreeing to work to meet those goals.
More than 300 of its 1,038 enrollees register for tutorial study
help.
The school is switching toward a multi-disciplinary system, so that
reading, writing, and critical thinking are part of all subject
areas, according to the freshly issued position paper What We
Believe and What We Do that principal Bill Olson recently presented
at a regularly scheduled school board meeting. Teachers work
together in professional development communities, with the intent
of transforming the school "from the roots up."
LANI'S PICKS
Saturday, Oct. 20 - Mill Village Chapel Craft Show and Holiday
Bazaar on Route 7 north of Rutland.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 775-5339.
Saturday, Oct. 20 - Theatre students from Mt. Abraham High School,
Twin Valley High School and Rutland High School present a play
they've created that day, using costumes and other objects that
they've found. See it at Rutland High, 22 Stratton Rd., at 7 p.m.
Call 770-1134 for details.
Sunday, Oct. 21 - Raise funds for the American Cancer Society in a
three-mile walk at Diamond Run Mall. Call 227-2345 for
specifics.
Sunday, Oct. 21 - The best-selling comedy recording artist in
history brings his Apocalypse Tour to the Paramount stage at 7 p.m.
Weird Al Yankovic has amassed more than 12 million album sale, his
own TV show and a number of specials. See this phenomenon for
yourself. Call 775-0903 for tickets.
Tagged:
News Briefs, Rutland Region
