by Rep Jim Harrison While waiting in the State House lobby, an influential state senator happened by and kiddingly called me a “troublemaker.” He was referencing my quote on the House floor the prior afternoon picked up by one of the media outlets in which I said, “Do we really need a study committee to…

Eight months after a law went into effect requiring Vermont schools to test their drinking water taps for lead, most are finding at least one tap with elevated lead levels – results that health officials say are in line with expectations. Of the 168 schools that have received their water test results to date, 79%…

Staff report Voters in Rochester are being asked to approve a declaration that would require town officials to consider climate change when making decisions. The declaration, which will be presented to voters at Town Meeting on Monday, March 2, says climate change should be an “integral” part of town planning, policy and decision making. “Global…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger Since the state put a moratorium on school construction aid a decade ago, Vermont’s preK-12 districts have bonded on their own for local projects to the tune of about $350 million. But that number could more than double in the next couple years as schools begin addressing long-deferred capital needs. An ad-hoc group…

On Saturday morning, Feb 22, Republican delegates from all around Rutland County filled the Fox Room of Rutland Free Library to nominate candidates for appointment to fill two vacated county offices. Assistant Judge David Lewis, having served since 2011, recently resigned effective March 1, 2020. Also, Sheriff Stephen Benard submitted his letter of resignation to…

When voters receive their ballots on Town Meeting Day one of the questions they will be asked is whether or not to accept the Barnard school district into the Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District. This past December, the townspeople of Barnard voted to voluntarily merge their elementary school district with the unified district.…

By Virginia Dean Local residents at the March 3 Town Meeting this year will be asked to vote to appropriate a proposed general fund budget of $2,854,000 of which $1,415,066 shall be raised in taxes for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Select Board Administrative Assistant Bill Sweet said the budget represents a 3.93% increase from last…

By Virginia Dean At Town Meeting on March 3, The Board of Aldermen is asking voters to approve a proposed municipal general fund budget of $22,054,009 for the fiscal year 2020-2021. According to Board of Aldermen President Sharon Davis, this sum is an increase of approximately 3%. “At the end of the fiscal year, we’ll…

Residents of the town of Killington head to the polls Tuesday to vote on several town officers (all uncontested), as well as general fund expenditures of $4,788,644 for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Also on the ballot are property tax due dates and community assistance funding for the BROC. On Monday, March 2 at…

Editor’s note: This 2020 candidate questionnaire was developed and submitted to the Mountain Times by local members of the League of Women Voters of Vermont. Questions were sent to every candidate on the Castleton ballot. Their responses follow. Castleton voting will take place Tuesday, March 3, at the Castleton Fire Station (a.k.a. Public Safety Building)…

By Curt Peterson Bridgewater voters are being asked to approve a municipal budget of  $1,267,766 (of which $763,546 is to be raised by taxes). This is an 8.1% increase over the current budget. The estimated combined town and school tax rate is up 2.15%, to $2.14 per $100 of assessed property value. For example, the…

By Xander Landen/VTDigger The Vermont House on Tuesday, Feb. 25, voted to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a bill that would raise the minimum wage from $10.96 to $12.55 by 2022. In a 100-49 vote, Democrats were able to just meet the two-thirds majority needed to counteract Scott’s veto pen. The Senate successfully voted to…

By Noreen McGill For a moment, I knew. I was graceful. I was all beauty in movement, at last, a ballerina, light transcendent. The 50 years slipped away when I pulled on my pink tights. The spider veins, bumps and sunspots from my legs and the grand bunion disappeared as my foot slipped daintily into the…

By Curt Peterson The proposed budget in Woodstock is $59 million, 2.3 percent less than the current year’s budget. The amount to be raised by taxes ($4,075,518) is 3.96 percent over FY2020. Voters are being asked for a $4.5 million bond for an emergency services building reconstruction. The town will seek grants and other revenue…

Staff report Some towns are postponing their town meetings due to conflicts with the primary election on March 3. Voters in Pittsfield will meet at the scheduled Town Meeting time on Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m. only to adjourn the meeting until Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. Pittsfield Assistant Town Clerk Sarah Gallagher…