Castleton town plans for future
CASTLETON—The Castleton Select Board voted to adopt a “Capital Budget and Capital Program Policy” that outlines a general schedule for the creation, completion and adoption of the capital budget. Town Manager Mark Shea presented the plan to the Board as a better way of tracking expenses larger than $10,000 and evaluating their financial impacts, thereby setting a more consistent tax rate. Part of the plan’s language observes that large investments often seem too expensive if they are included in an operating budget, but capital budget planning enables evaluating costs and benefits over a project’s lifetime. The town plan drives the town’s major investments including large equipment purchases. See the entire plan, created in 2010 and due for an update this year, on the town website. The Castleton Select Board has also voted to continue with the building of a new police station, although there is a pending court case challenging the town-wide vote that allocated the money. The contract with McClure Construction is contingent on the project not exceeding the agreed-upon $300,420 appropriation.
Fair Haven studies water rates
FAIR HAVEN—The Fair Haven Select Board held a special board meeting Nov. 3 to look at the town’s water and wastewater rate structure. If the town uses too little water, there may be stagnation and resultant water boil notices, and usage has lessened “considerably” in the last five years, the Board heard. Selectman Sean Galvin said the town needs to change its rate structure in a way that covers fixed costs better, increasing usage to combat stagnation and lets residents run water to avoid winter freeze-up without excessive cost, with more stable revenue coming into the town treasury. Town ordinances make landlords responsible for water bills, regardless of whether a water meter covers a single apartment or multiple apartments.
The price of school lunch
All Addison-Rutland Supervisory Union school lunch prices will increase to $2.50 on Jan. 4 when students return to school after Christmas break. The price increase comes as the result of an Agency of Education letter saying that the U.S. Department of Agriculture sets a base price for fully paid school lunches, an amount higher than that currently being paid in ARSU lunchrooms.
Thank you…
to the Fair Haven Police Department for hosting its first food drive in partnership with Fair Haven Concerned and Shaw’s supermarket. Officers were asking the community help collect food to fill the “largest police car (they) could find” to make the holidays easier on those in need.
to Stafford Technical Center Forestry and Natural Resource Management students who recently finished a pair of major projects for the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District and the Nature Conservancy, working with students from the construction technology program.
to William Leavenworth on donating an authentic Civil War sword to Castleton University. His ancestor Abel Leavenworth fought in the Civil War before buying what would become the college, becoming its principal in 1881. The sword will be on display in the Calvin Coolidge Library.
