On July 17, 2015

KPAA drops proposal to contract with the town

By Cristina Kumka

The Killington Pico Area Association has withdrawn its proposal to manage town events and the budget that funds those events.

The contract, proposed in June, would have put the responsibility for non-winter season event recruitment and sponsorship on the newly-formed Killington Pico Area Association, that took the place of the Killington Regional Chamber of Commerce. The KPAA board consists of select business owners and representatives from the town and Killington Resort.

“Basically, we have been working together and we are making a lot of progress,” said Vince Chiarella, treasurer of the KPAA, at the Killington Select Board’s July 7 meeting. “The town would be protected as much as us, but if people aren’t going to be happy with it (the contract) then we would be happy to continue working with the town,” as they have been doing without a contract.

Killington Town Manager Seth Webb, a member of the KPAA executive board, said the KPAA was pleased with the Select Board’s unanimous support last month of the creation of a contract but the executive board ultimately decided to keep the “status quo.”

Howard Smith, president of the KPAA, had asked the Select Board for a proposal June 2 that would give the KPAA financial and planning control of town events established by the EDT since 2008. KPAA’s proposal was intended to streamline processes as, currently, the town, KPAA and the resort are promoting the same events and, in many cases, duplicating efforts.

Webb said the idea of a formal contract resulted in too much misinformation in the community and, instead, the executive board decided to “focus on getting people here and entertaining them,” said Webb. “With that said, the KPAA has made a standing offer to the town to use its offices as much as needed. There is more we can do to work together to maximize resources,” he added.

According to the 2014 budget, roughly $264,000 was spent on administration, special events and marketing inside the town’s EDT department. That budget is down approximately $16,000 from the prior year’s spending, Webb reported.

Select Board Chairwoman Patty McGrath called the idea of a formal contract something created for “protection.”

McGrath said the contract idea was the result of the resort pushing to get the option tax repealed earlier this year, an initiative the resort has since dropped.

If the option tax is eventually repealed by town vote, the town would no longer be able to do marketing and events, McGrath said. She said under the contract, all town events “were going to transition to the KPAA but that’s not happening now.”

“The citizen committee will continue to be the driver of what we are doing,” McGrath said, referring to the EDT commission.

In response to Killington resident Vito Rasenas’ question, “Was the town going to pay her [Amy Morrion’s] full salary?” Webb said Amy Morrison, the town’s part-time marketing and events coordinator and the director of KPAA, will get benefits paid through the town. Chiarella said Morrison gets paid for 20 hours by the KPAA and 30 hours by the town.

Cristina Kumka is a freelance correspondent for The Mountain Times, [email protected].

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Pride in Rutland: Flags, resistance, and showing up

June 25, 2025
By Emily Pratt Slatin Pride returned to downtown Rutland this June with more color, noise, and purpose than ever before. What began as a joyful celebration quickly became something deeper—something that felt like resistance. And belonging. And a promise that no one in this community has to stand alone. The day kicked off with the…

Plan to manage 72,000 acres of the Telephone Gap project is finalized

June 25, 2025
Staff report The U.S. Forest Service issued its final plan for managing 72,000 acres of public and private land on June 16. The proposed Telephone Gap Integrated Resource Project area is located on the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) within the towns of Brandon, Chittenden, Goshen, Killington, Mendon, Pittsfield, Pittsford, and Stockbridge. “The Telephone Gap project is…

Hot air balloons took flight over Quechee

June 25, 2025
By James Kent This past weekend, June 21-22, people came from all over New England to participate in the 45th annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. Music, food, games, and fun were available for all ages throughout the weekend, but the main attraction was the hot air balloons. And for those looking to see these gigantic,…

Killington residents push for skate park as town reimagines recreation future 

June 25, 2025
By Greta Solsaa/VTDigger As Killington celebrates the 50th anniversary of its recreation center, some residents are pushing to make a skate park a new permanent fixture of the town’s summer offerings.  The town crafted its recreation master plan to holistically determine how to best use its resources to serve residents in the future, Recreation Department Director Emily Hudson…