Purchase of Village School: let the voters decide
CASTLETON—Castleton voters will cast ballots May 26 on whether the town should buy the Village School from the Castleton-Hubbardton Union School District, a petition-driven issue.
Moving the students to Castleton Elementary and closing the Village School isn’t just a matter of moving the children to other classrooms.
Even if Castleton voters do approve combining the two schools, with the aim of freeing up the current Castleton Village School to be used for town offices, Hubbardton voters are not going to the polls on this issue, and their school district owns 12 percent of the Village School.
There is yet another wrinkle in the school building’s paper trail. The 1790s-era deed necessitates the building be used for educational purposes.
Even if all else were in order, everyone had approved the change, and all legal complications had been resolved, there really isn’t time enough to close the Village School in the spring of 2015 and become ready for classes to resume at the new location in September. Budgets are already defined.
Castleton State eyes culinary arts
CASTLETON—Castleton State College continues to look for new avenues that will increase its overall enrollment. Somewhat surprising is the frequency with which the desirability of adding a culinary arts program turns up in open discussions. So far, no Vermont state college offers professional culinary arts, but the curriculum is the focus of the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier.
Electric car charging station comes to Fair Haven
FAIR HAVEN—Fair Haven is joining the number of Vermont communities equipped with car charging stations. Its Select Board voted to sign a thee-year contract with Green Mountain Power to install an electric vehicle charge station on May 28.
The dual-port level 2 charging station will be able to service the growing number of electric vehicles in the state, up to 867 as of January this year. Installation will likely be on the park’s south end, close to “things to do,” according to GMP innovation advocate Jenn Cortez. Most likely users for the station are people from out of town, ideally visiting nearby restaurants and shops while charging their vehicles. Town residents who have electric cars are most likely to charge them at home.
The town’s three-year contract with GMP allows Fair Haven to opt out after a year if it gives the power company 60 days’ notice. The company maintains the station, estimated to have a lifespan of eight to ten years; the town pays about $80 a month for the station, a host fee of $69, and a meter fee, expected to average $18. That’s in return for making Fair Haven a destination for electric car owners. Other nearby charging stations are at Castleton State College and Green Mountain College. The state has 60 in all.
