Dear Editor, I am Andrew Gieda and I am running for Select Board. Most people know me as a builder, I’ve built homes and condos. I know how to repair almost anything. I’ve been fixing things for a long time. That is why I am asking you to vote for me. We have lots of…

Dear Editor, The Mountain Views Supervisory Union has recently been holding meetings with local communities asking for voter support to build a new middle and high school building on the site of the current complex in Woodstock. Having attended the recent meeting in Killington, I would first like to compliment the MVSU for their nerve in…

By Marc B. Schauber Editor’s note: Marc B. Schauber, of Dover, is the executive director for the Coalition for Vermont Student Equity. Act 127 of 2022, the law that corrected 25 years of injustice in our education funding system, is a good law. It allows all children in Vermont to receive an excellent education regardless of…

Dear Editor, On March 5, Killington voters will face a crucial decision: whether to approve a $99 million bond for a new school building that will replace the aging and deteriorating middle school/high school. This is not a decision to take lightly, as it will have significant implications for the town’s future, both in terms…

Submitted   By Julia Purdy, North Clarendon No doubt about it, Governor Scott has his finger on the pulse of everyday Vermonters. He is one of us. Governor Scott’s budget address to the Vermont Legislature Jan. 25 continued where his State of the State speech left off, continuing the theme of “affordability, public safety, and at…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: this letter was written Monday, Jan. 29, and originally posted on the Barnard listserv. It is published here with permissions. I’ve been reluctant to post anything because of my role on the School Board, but after seeing a number of posts on our, and other area listservs, I’ve gotten quite concerned with…

Dear Editor, “Spoiler Alert; It doesn’t matter what Killington wants” was the title of the recent Jan. 24, 2024 Editorial by Polly Mikula in the Mountain Times.  In the context of criticizing the Killington Select Board’s motion “to add an article [Article 5] to the Town Meeting Day ballot asking voters if they want to study the…

Submitted By Ryan Heraty Editor’s note: This commentary is by Ryan Heraty, superintendent of Lamoille South Supervisory Union. In 2004, the town of Killington overwhelmingly voted to pursue secession to New Hampshire. It was a time of great turmoil as Vermonters navigated the impact of Act 60. Although extreme, it was a reflection of the…

Dear Editor, I just read the result that the judge ruled against the snowboarding coach. What world do we live in? Boys cannot be girls and girls cannot be boys. They can pretend, change clothes and mutilate their bodies but that’s it. This is mental illness disguised as compassion. You don’t humor an anorexic by…

Dear Editor, I am concerned about the upcoming community decision on the proposed new middle and high school. The plan is based on a model that is out-of-sync with recent enrollment trends and future projections. Since education funding in Vermont is based on enrollment, it is a critical element of any funding plan. Indeed, the…

Select Board leaders choose to divert voter attention to a known dead-end instead of addressing hard choices for school facilities By Polly Mikula The Select Board meeting Monday night, Jan. 22, meant to inform voters about the proposed $99 million bond for a new middle school/high school, but instead sowed confusion. Instead of focusing on…

Select Board leaders chose to divert voter attention to a known dead-end instead of addressing hard choices for school facilities By Polly Mikula The Select Board meeting Monday night, Jan. 22, meant to inform voters about the proposed $99 million bond for a new middle school/high school, but instead sowed confusion. Instead of focusing on…

  By James Lyall Editor’s note: James Lyall is the executive director of the ACLU of Vermont. The Fair Share for Vermont campaign is calling for Vermont’s wealthiest residents to pay their fair share in taxes so we can build a better state for all of us.     As part of this campaign, the ACLU…

By State Auditor Doug Hoffer  Evidence-based. Evidence-informed. Data-driven. Results Based Accountability. PIVOT. Vermont policymakers frequently use these terms to indicate that new policies and spending decisions are the result of rigorous, fully-informed analysis. Too often, though, the promise of these terms is undercut by bad data, incomplete information, and misleading representations from officials. When state…

Dear Editor, With decades of effort toward raising public awareness on the plight of pollinators, we the beekeepers of Vermont are deeply concerned about recent communications from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets (VAAFM), and we would like to set the record straight. The VAAFM’s claim of record honey bee numbers in Vermont…