Author Archive for Shawn Cunningham
TRSU boards split on curing transparency violations; only one follows the law
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Three boards of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union last week admitted to “errors” resulting in multiple violations of Vermont’s Open Meeting Law, but only one “cured” the violation according to state statute and to the satisfaction of the complainant. On May 7, The Chester Telegraph sent a […]
Ceremony celebrates 54 GM seniors graduating
©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Friday night was chilly for an outdoor graduation ceremony, but the rains had ended early enough and the 54 Green Mountain Union High seniors and their families seemed game to take on the unusually cool evening with grace. To launch the photo gallery, by Shawn Cunningham, please click any photo. The […]
TRSU boards apparently kept in dark about suits
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The overspending of a line item for legal expenses by nearly 500 percent led to the revelation by The Chester Telegraph Thursday night that the Two Rivers Supervisory Union is facing at least two lawsuits that virtually no board members of Green Mountain Unified School District nor […]
Chester board OKs gravel studies, source for Act 250 funds
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Town of Chester, through its attorney Jim Goss, is preparing to file applications for an ACT 250 permit and a zoning permit to extract gravel from a site on the 139-acre parcel it purchased in 2016 for siting a water tank as part of a system […]
Questionable executive session concerned Powden contract, evaluation
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC In the five weeks since Superintendent Meg Powden told The Telegraph that the executive session of the May 2 TRSU board meeting was “cited properly” and said she didn’t have to give any more information than that, the board of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union has admitted […]
Springfield walks back Transfer Station changes To study options to accommodate smaller amounts of trash
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC The Town of Springfield recently announced a major change in the way its transfer station would be doing business, but on Tuesday afternoon, June 11 – after hearing public concerns the night before – the town put a hold on rolling out all the changes until Sept. […]
Truck wreck sends diesel into Williams River Route 103 expected to be closed til 11 p.m. Tuesday
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC A Ryder tractor unit hit a guardrail on 103 North in Chester Tuesday evening, narrowly avoiding a roll into the Williams River. But damage to the truck sent gallons and gallons of diesel fuel into the water. At around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, while the Chester […]
TRSU displays pattern of Open Meeting Law violations Powden's question reveals boards go into executive session without knowing why
By Shawn Cunningham ©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC A Chester Telegraph analysis of the meetings of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union Board of Directors and of those of its school district boards reveals eight recent instances of lax observance of the laws that protect the public’s access to public meetings. A May 2 revelation that TRSU […]
Telegraph rejects TRSU account, remedy of Open Meeting violation Suggests informing members early, in detail about prospective executive sessions
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Telegraph has rejected the account and remedy of the Open Meeting Law violation given by Paul Orzechowski, chairman of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union board, contending that he did not fully address the violation and that the complaint remains unresolved. On May 7, Cynthia Prairie, […]
Sweeping changes proposed to Chester zoning Information meetings set for June
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC The Town of Chester is undergoing the most comprehensive overhaul of its zoning regulations and zoning districts since they were first enacted more than 40 years ago. The Unified Development Bylaws – as they are known – have been completely revamped and, if approved by the Select […]
Firefighters find missing Chester boy after 3-hour search
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Firefighters and police searched the woods of Smokeshire for nearly three hours this afternoon before finding a 9-year-old boy who had gone missing from his home earlier in the day. The Chester Fire Department was called out around 2:30 p.m. to search for the boy. The boy’s […]
Mt. Holly woman arrested after chase, manhunt Led troopers on high speed pursuit through five towns in stolen car
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC A Mount Holly woman has been arrested after Vermont State Police say she lead them on a high speed chase through Weathersfield, North Springfield, Chester, Cavendish and Ludlow Wednesday morning in a stolen car. According to radio transmissions, troopers eventually broke off the pursuit for the sake […]
Stocker trials move closer, prosecution suggests this summer
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC WHITE RIVER JUNCTION Ryan Stocker, 20 of Chester appeared in Windsor Superior Court Criminal Division in White River Junction on Tuesday for a status conference on the eight felony and two misdemeanor charges he faces in six cases. Deputy State’s Attorney Heidi Remick told the court that […]
AOT maps route to lower speed limit at GMHS
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Representatives of Vermont’s Agency of Transportation came to Chester on Monday to look at Rt. 103 around Green Mountain High School and hear from the public on why the speed limit should be lowered from 40 mph to 30 mph there. Marcos Miller, Tyler Guazzoni and Mario […]
TRSU chair Orzechowski: ‘We violated open meeting law’ Orzechowski apologizes, Powden does not attend, Prairie unconvinced
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC With Two Rivers Supervisory Union Superintendent Meg Powden not in attendance, board chair Paul Orzechowski admitted that the TRSU board had violated Vermont’s Open Meeting Law and apologized at a May 16 special meeting held by video conference with members attending from Chester-Andover Elementary, TRSU in Ludlow […]
Chester loses bid for Tomasso land, eyes gravel extraction at water tank property
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Town properties – current and potential – took up the majority of the Wednesday, May 15 Chester Select Board meeting as Chairman Arne Jonynas told the meeting that he had asked that the Tomasso property be put on the agenda to keep the public abreast of what […]
TRSU board to answer open meeting claim in special session
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC The board of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union will meet on Thursday night to discuss and take action on The Chester Telegraph’s claim that the closed door session at its May 2 was a violation of Vermont’s Open Meeting Law. The agenda for the special session says […]
GMUSD board OKs contract, appoints new member, seeks safety upgrades in Cavendish
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The board of directors of the Green Mountain Unified School District ratified its agreement with its support staff at a special meeting last Thursday, but not without questions about the timing of the work. The agreement, which covers para-educators, personal care assistants, food service workers, bus drivers […]
Chester sets Special Town Meeting over loader purchase for June 10
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Friday May 10, the Chester Select Board approved a warning for a Special Town Meeting to vote on the purchase of a new loader for the town garage. According to board chair Arne Jonynas, the funding for the loader was included in the town’s capital plan […]
Hearing on Rt. 103 speed limit at GM High School
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Agency of Transportation will hold a hearing next week to take public testimony on lowering the speed limit on Rt. 103 around the Green Mountain High School in Chester. VTrans officials will hear public comment on the current speed limits and how they might be changed […]
