Author Archives: David Taube

Moretown Landfill, Inc. could still expand

Posted on December 21, 2012 | Comments Off

MORETOWN — One of only two landfills that still accepts municipal waste is slated to close.

The state released a draft decision Friday that indicated a last-ditch effort by Moretown Landfill, Inc. to drastically re-do its approach to addressing operational problems failed on every count. If the draft decision stands, a final decision would be issued March 8, immediately forcing the facility to begin a closure process.

According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, the draft denial was issued because of the company’s inability to prove it had gained control over off-site odor issues. Neighboring residents reportedly complained that the odors had become increasingly worse over the last year and a half.

The decision pertains to the existing landfill but not to a proposed expansion of the facility. The state noted the proposed expansion faces the same technical issues, but said that the company could still pursue an application to open a proposed fourth “cell.”

The landfill’s general manager, Tom Badowski, indicated Friday the company hasn’t ruled that out.

“We believe we have a good application in,” Badowski said. “We have to have this conversation in-house.”

See the full story in The Times Argus and Rutland Herald in Saturday’s paper.

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Moretown landfill won’t be recertified

Posted on December 21, 2012 | 1 Comment

MORETOWN — The state released a letter to the management of the Moretown landfill Friday morning, indicating it will not recertify the landfill’s operating certificate.

The draft decision affects Cell 2 and 3, not the Cell 4 expansion, but the state has noted the expansion shares similar issues.

The state intends to open a 30‐day public comment period beginning today. Comments should be
focused on whether the facility’s design and operations are sufficient to prevent nuisance odor conditions. The comment period will end on Jan. 21.

All comments should be sent electronically to Ben Gauthier at Benjamin.Gauthier@state.vt.us. The state will take 45 days to consider all public comments and issue its final decision on March 8.

Read the letter here. Check vermontpressbureau.com later today and the Saturday editions of The Times Argus and Rutland Herald for more details.

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Waterbury state office complex project plugging along

Posted on November 15, 2012 | Comments Off

Updates from the Legislative Joint Fiscal Committee on Thursday:

-WATERBURY – The Legislative Joint Fiscal Committee signed off on the Modified Option B plan for the Waterbury state office complex Thursday. The current project cost presented Thursday was $124,655,000, and it will provide space for 974 occupants.

-REIMBURSEMENT – The state learned last week that the Brooks Building and an annex at the Waterbury state office complex is eligible for repairs by the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the 500-year floodplain level, not just the 100-year floodplain, Agency of Administration Deputy Secretary Michael Clasen said.

The state plans to demolish both buildings, but the increased threshold means more money for the state.

-COMMISSIONER – Department of Mental Health Commissioner Patrick Flood, who plans to pursue other options, will have his last day Friday. He plans to take two weeks of vacation. His deputy will fill in as acting commissioner.

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Posted in State Government

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State budget talks: Input wanted

Posted on November 12, 2012 | Comments Off

State budget talks begin tomorrow, and the state wants your input. A draft copy of the presentation is available here, and an edited press release follows:

The first of two public forums occurs tonight to discuss the state budget process, revenues and expenditures.

As required by state legislation, public participation is required in the development of budget goals and general prioritizing and evaluation of spending and revenue initiatives.

“We hope to engage the public in a discussion about the goals, opportunities and complexities of putting together the State budget,” Finance & Management Commissioner Jim Reardon said in a statement. “We’ll discuss revenues and expenditures and conduct a budget exercise about priorities for how state funds might be directed.”

The meetings will be held from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today, at various sites around Vermont, through Vermont Interactive Technologies (VIT), including Montpelier and Rutland.

Another session will occur from 4:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday.
For more information on Vermont Interactive Technologies, a list of all the sites, and directions, go to www.vitlink.org/.

Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding will moderate the forums.

Reardon will begin each forum with a 15- to 20-minute presentation about funding sources, revenues and how funds are currently spent. He will also analyze budget challenges.

The public’s comments will be considered as the governor prepares the upcoming budget recommendations, which will be submitted to the General Assembly in January.

Both meetings will have live streaming. The link will be posted on the Department of Finance and Management’s main webpage, finance.vermont.gov/.

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Middlesex couple resists state psychiatric home

Posted on November 11, 2012 | Comments Off

MIDDLESEX — State officials trying to resolve the psychiatric patient housing shortage have come into conflict with a Middlesex couple seeking to protect their children and avoid depreciation of their property.

The state is seeking to construct a seven-bed secure residential facility near a State Police barracks and state archives and records offices on Route 2, but a neighboring couple has turned to the state’s environmental court to intervene.

The state has gone so far as to consider buying the couple’s property in order to move the project forward, but legislators rejected the proposal.

The state believes it will prevail, but the court could take months to resolve the issue.

The state is trying to expedite the matter, citing the emergency need of housing for patients after Tropical Storm Irene flooded the Vermont State Hospital. Following the storm, the state dispersed VSH patients to facilities across the state, which has overtaxed emergency rooms at hospitals.

Two conference calls with legislators and state officials have sought to address the situation, but representatives said buying the property was an unfavorable solution, a stance led by Sen. Dick Mazza, D-Colchester, and Sen. Bob Hartwell, D-Dorset.

Read today’s paper for a full report.

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Long-term disaster recovery funds move forward, but some projects rejected

Posted on November 8, 2012 | Comments Off

State officials and the Vermont Community Development Board, which have more than $21 million in federal money to distribute, recommended approval of four projects across the state Wednesday and denied two Waterbury projects.

The unsuccessful projects included a plan to study reusing the flood-damaged heating plant at the Waterbury state office complex, which board member Sarah Carpenter questioned due to the delayed rebuilding there, and a local development corporation the town has been seeking to create.

A $100,000 grant to study options for building a new municipal complex in Waterbury and to help with pre-building site work was recommended for approval, though.
Another $100,000 grant to study rebuilding or renovating options that could affect three Brattleboro Housing Authority sites that involve elderly tenants or tenants with disabilities.

One housing site there, Melrose Terrace, is located in a severe flooding area that normally wouldn’t be eligible for rebuilding funds, but the federal government has given a special exemption.

Up to $509,000 was targeted for re-developing a supermarket in Johnson, which has been without one since May 2011 flooding.

The largest grant, $1 million, was for three regional business development corporations to help with business assistance.

The recommendations become final when the state’s Agency of Commerce and Community Development secretary, Lawrence Miller, signs off on the measures.

State officials soon expect 10 to 15 more applications. Nearly $10 million is already being transferred for home-related projects, such as commercial and residential buyouts of properties damaged by natural disasters.

See Thursday’s paper for a full report.

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Scott retains the key Republican stronghold seat

Posted on November 6, 2012 | Comments Off

Shortly after 11 p.m., Lt. Gov. Phil Scott said he accepted Gekas’ concession in the race.
“We were a well-oiled machine,” he said, calling his campaign creative, positive and issues-driven.
He said although he was successful and other Republican candidates weren’t, they should hold their heads high as they left the building.

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Brock ends his campaign for governor

Posted on November 6, 2012 | Comments Off

Republican Randy Brock conceded the race just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Before the speech, he had been unable to reach Gov. Peter Shumlin, but he said he planned to wish him success as governor.
“This is the final chapter in the greatest experience that I’ve had in my entire life,” he said.
He plans to remain in public policy in Vermont.

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Waterbury police will stay

Posted on November 6, 2012 | Comments Off

WATERBURY — Village residents voted 536-254 to keep the village police department, according to unofficial results.
See The Times Argus on Wednesday for a full report.

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Local lawyer and candidate bring up electronic voting issues

Posted on November 5, 2012 | Comments Off

MONTPELIER — A retired lawyer from Plainfield and a Norwich University faculty member who is a Washington County State Senate candidate expressed their concerns Friday and Saturday, in emails to Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, over the possibility of electronic voting problems on Election Day.

Alexandra Thayer, the Plainfield lawyer, and Norwich technology professor Jeremy Hansen both sent emails to the Secretary of State’s office, offering recommendations to ensure that checks and balances are in place for any issues with optical scanner memory cards and Accu-Vote tabulators.

Condos said he thought most of the recommendations were already being implemented by the state. He also said the concerns were brought to his attention with fewer than two business days remaining before the election, and he questioned why the issue wasn’t addressed sooner.

“This is not rocket science in terms of how you want to run things,” said Thayer. “If it were your own business and you had branches all over the state … you would want to know if different branches were having some kind of problem. You would want to know in real-time. You wouldn’t want them just calling the vendor.”
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State treasurer race drama picks up again

Posted on October 22, 2012 | 1 Comment

MONTPELIER — State Treasurer Beth Pearce held a press conference Monday afternoon in the Statehouse after a radio show debate, calling certain portions of her opponent’s campaign “just plain wrong.”
Pearce also called into question a campaign issue by challenger Wendy Wilton over transparency, suggesting the city of Rutland’s electronic reports don’t show the detail of her state office. Pearce also said Wilton flip-flopped on health care stances and was politicizing an office that should be nonpartisan.
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Republican AG endorsements

Posted on October 1, 2012 | Comments Off

Republican candidate for attorney general, Jack McMullen, announced Monday the following elected officials have endorsed him for the office:
- Gov. Jim Douglas
- Auditor Tom Salmon
- Senator Peg Flory
- Senator Kevin Mullin
- Minority Leader Don Turner
- Assistant Minority Leader Brian Savage
- Rep. Lynn Dickinson
- Rep. Janice Peaslee
- Rep. Bill Johnson

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Governor says funding for Bennington veterans’ home will continue

Posted on September 26, 2012 | Comments Off

The governor announced Wednesday that CMS has concluded that the state made the corrections that were necessary, and the funding will continue.

The state could have lost $10 million a year from the federal government, Gov. Peter Shumlin said Wednesday at a press conference.

As part of the reform efforts, several employees including an administrator were fired, Shumlin said.

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New TV ad for Republican AG candidate

Posted on September 25, 2012 | Comments Off

Attorney general candidate Jack McMullen launched an ad campaign Saturday, which showed his ties to the U.S. Navy and Ivy League institutions as part of a “Do you know Jack?” question.

A press release says future ads will deal with how he could deal with drug-related crime and how he plans to introduce modern business practices to the state office.

The 30-second video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R66__GPE_vA or through the YouTube video player in this post.

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Early payments available again to towns affected by Irene

Posted on September 24, 2012 | Comments Off

The State Treasurer’s Office issued a news release Monday, indicating how municipalities affected by Tropical Storm Irene can receive accelerated payments of state funds to assist with issues related to cash flow . Here’s a shortened version of the details:

Payments that are eligible to be released early are state aid to town highways and payment-in-lieu-of taxes, normally dispersed to towns in October; current use payments, typically disbursed in November; and state aid to education payments, which normally are released in December.

The state has estimated that the amount of accelerated payments could total approximately $21.4 million.

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