All Entries in the "Featured" Category
GM board gives 3 principals 2-year contracts coming out of questionable executive session Board member says SU 'ignored' audit committee's request
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC If the Green Mountain Unified School District board didn’t break Vermont’s Open Meeting Law last Thursday evening, they took it to the breaking point. The board entered the first of three executive sessions during the meeting using the exemption for “labor relations agreements with employees,” to discuss […]
Understanding ownership split for Springfield Hospital, clinics 'Working relationship' between the two to continue, CEO says
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The interim CEO of Springfield Hospital says that that organization is not cutting its ties with the network of area clinics, as has been previously reported. Michael Halstead told The Telegraph in an interview last week that the changes that will occur when Springfield Hospital comes out […]
Derry board indicates support for speed limits along Middletown Road
By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC At their Feb. 17 meeting, Londonderry Select Board members Bob Forbes, George Mora and Tom Cavanagh all expressed support for imposing speed limits on Middletown Road. Based on engineering and traffic studies, Town Administrator Shane O’Keefe proposed a 30 mph speed limit from the intersection of VT Route […]
Meet the candidates for board of the Green Mountain Unified School District
Three candidates are vying for two three-year positions on the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District: Incumbent Rick Alexander; Patty Davenport and Jeannie Wade. Marilyn Mahusky decided not to seek re-election this year, leaving that position open. Three weeks ago, The Chester Telegraph sent the candidates a series of questions for them to […]
Chester girl wins Gold Medal at Magic, heads to U14 State Championships
Ava Anderson, 12, of Chester, a member of the Stratton Winter Sports Club team and recent U14 Gold Medal winner at Magic Mountain, will be racing in the Vermont Alpine Racing Association‘s U14 State Championships at Okemo Mountain, competing against young women from throughout Vermont. The U14 category is for those under the age of […]
Meet the candidates for Chester Select Board
Three candidates are vying for two one-year positions on the Chester Select Board: Incumbent Leigh Dakin, who won her seat last year in a write-in campaign; Scott Blair, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign last year; and Water/Sewer Commissioner Jeff Holden. Select Board member Ben Whalen deciding not to seek re-election. Board chair Arne Jonynas […]
Search begins for new Two Rivers schools superintendent
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With less than five months before Two Rivers Supervisory Union Superintendent Meg Powden is scheduled to step down, the TRSU board began discussing how it would conduct its search for her replacement. Powden resigned her position on Jan. 13, just seven months into the first year of […]
Three young local snowboarders to compete in Burton Open Junior Jam
© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Snowboarders Sumner Orr of Weston, Connor Cavanagh of Windham and Tommy Okesson of Connecticut will be representing Southern Vermont as they head to Vail, Colo., next week to participate in the Burton U.S. Open Junior Jam. This is the first time the Junior Jam that three riders from Southern Vermont […]
Two Derry Select Board veterans won’t seek
re-election
By Bruce Frauman © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC During a sparsely attended Candidates’ Night forum held on Monday, Feb. 17, both Londonderry Select Board members who are up for re-election in March said they have chosen not to run again. Bob Forbes said that at this time in his life, he has other things going […]
TRSU staff negotiations may bust legal budgets again
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Despite requests from members of the Green Mountain Unified School District board to see how legal costs could be contained, the teacher bargaining council for the Two Rivers Supervisory Union continues to have a Burlington attorney attend every negotiating meeting at a cost of more than $1,100 […]
Cavendish selects ponder meeting conduct code Tierney Road quarry foes to continue fight
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Stemming from some heated exchanges in regard to the Tierney Road quarry dispute, the Cavendish Select Board on Monday night took up a proposal by member Sandra Russo to institute a code of conduct for the board’s meetings. Russo’s code was less to promote civility and seemed […]
Dale to Derry Selects: School budget to rise 4%
By Bruce Frauman © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Dick Dale, a board member of the Taconic & Green Regional School District, spent considerable time at the Monday, Feb. 3 meeting of the Londonderry Select Board going over details of the school district’s proposed fiscal 2020-21 budget, which is 4 percent higher than in fiscal 2019-20. […]
Weston board agrees to survey to kick off broadband project
By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Weston Select Board agreed to participate in the Windham Regional Commission broadband project. Board member Ann Fuji’i said that the town will participate in the survey but can withdraw from further action at any time. The WRC will be surveying landowners in […]
Derry residents get rundown on feasibility study for water/wastewater systems
By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Monday, Jan. 27, about 20 Londonderry residents gathered at the Twitchell Building for the first of three planned public meetings about a study to be conducted on the feasibility of creating town water and wastewater systems. Planning Commission chair Sharon Crossman told the group, “Every time we […]
GM school board: Good budget despite hikes Directors vow to start early, keep working on budget process
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a little over a month, voters in Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester will be asked to approve a school budget of $14,108,968, which represents an increase of more than 9 percent. During that time, the members of the Green Mountain Unified School District board representing those […]
Two Rivers school districts, admin budgets OK’d In flurry of meetings, boards send proposals for March vote
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last week, in a flurry of meetings, the boards of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union and its two school districts adopted difficult budgets with large increases and some important details still unresolved. Now their task is to convince the voters of Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow and […]
Derry budget holds slight tax hike; cannabis article at Town Meeting
By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Londonderry Select Board on Monday, Jan. 20, passed a budget for fiscal year 2020/21 that will result in an expected total municipal tax rate of $0.40385 that includes the building reserve fund and all appropriations. This will result in about a $25 hike in taxes for a […]
Take a run: Offices open in local governments Petitions to be on the ballot are due Jan. 27
Vermont’s towns are run by community minded folks who step up and serve in local government positions – from town clerks and select board members to Library Trustees, Listers, Constables and more. This is the time of year that residents can take out a petition to get on the ballot for Town Meeting Day elections. […]
TRSU postpones budget while districts continue work on theirs
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC While the surprise resignation of Superintendent Meg Powden took center stage at Monday’s meeting of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union, the work of finalizing the SU’s budget went on. At its meeting of Jan. 2, the board had rejected a 9.54 percent increase and asked the administration […]
Chester board nears final budget version
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last Wednesday, the Chester Select Board took its next-to-last look at its 2020 budget with the goal of limiting an increase in the tax rate. At the time of the meeting it appeared that that the budget was $241,565 greater than last year — equivalent to 6 […]
