All Entries in the "Latest News" Category
Whiting Library, biomass plant dominate Select Board meeting
By Karen Zuppinger Whiting Library chairman Bruce Parks and several members of the Library Board of Trustees voiced their concerns during the Select Board meeting of Wednesday, Sept. 19, about a memorandum of understanding that the Select Board wants the trustees to sign. The main issue stems from the most recent outside audit that called […]
Hazard Mitigation Plan adopted; sidewalk grants sought
By Karen Zuppinger An updated Hazard Mitigation Plan, which FEMA requires of cities and towns if they are to receive federal aid, was adopted in a special meeting by the Select Board Monday, Aug. 20, delayed almost a week because the board had failed to read the document by last Wednesday, Aug. 15. During last […]
Public offers suggestions on zoning regs; 2nd hearing set
By Cynthia Prairie Concerns about enlarged minimum property size, noise limits, property uses and the enforceability of zoning language drew about 30 Chester residents out on Monday night, Aug. 20, for the first of four public hearings to be held to take comment on proposed changes to the town’s zoning regulations. The hearing was held […]
Primary Election races and a chance to support the Family Center
With three major parties on the ballot, few candidates running opposed and no Chester races – state Rep. Leigh Dakin of Chester is unopposed in the Primary and the General Election — there’s a good chance that poll workers at Town Hall will have a quiet day on Primary Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 28. At […]
Proposed zoning changes to get public hearing Aug. 20
By Shawn Cunningham After nearly two years of work, the Chester Planning Commission has released the proposed new zoning regulations ahead of a Monday, Aug. 20 hearing when the public can ask questions and comment on major changes to the town’s land-use laws including new districts, minimum lot sizes, new setbacks, fewer conditional uses and […]
More brain drain at the Chester Development Review Board
By Cynthia Prairie For the fourth time in five months, an experienced member of the Development Review Board is gone. Bruce McEnaney resigned two weeks ago, after he took a job at the Jeld-Wen plant in Ludlow. This once again leaves two vacancies on the five-member board and only one person – Harry Goodell – […]
Biomass plant switches to air-cooled; fiber optic coming on line
By Shawn Cunningham In a remarkably short meeting on Wednesday, July 18, the Chester Select Board covered a wide variety of topics in just under 90 minutes, including updates on the Springfield biomass plant and VTel’s federally funded project to replace existing telephone wires with fiber optic cable. Board members had a number of questions […]
Chester detective part of Windsor team that focuses on child sex abuse cases
ON THE COVER: From left, Det. Matt Wilson, SIU head Julie Gaudette, Victim’s Advocate Pam Weigel, SIU coordinator Katie Ouelette, Springfield Det. Allison Novasel, SAAPC liaison Cindy Morancy and Deputy State’s Attorney David Cahill. by Stephen Seitz Sex abuse is a crime that carries emotional damage that can go well beyond the physical crime. And […]
E. coli levels drop at Chester sites; two remain above acceptable levels
The latest water tests taken on July 11 by volunteers of the Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance have found that E. coli levels have dropped at all six Chester area Williams River testing sites and are at acceptable levels at four — including two that were 10 times higher than acceptable levels. Click here for the […]
Select Board meeting: Hudkins resigns DRB, Biomass concerns voiced, tax rates set
By Shawn Cunningham On a sticky early July evening when electric fans on the second floor of Town Hall had to be shut off for the gathering to hear, the Select Board’s special meeting was meant to set the town’s tax rate but included the resignation of Development Review Board chair Peter Hudkins. Just before […]
E. coli at two Williams River spots 10 times above acceptable level
By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie E. coli levels at two spots in the Williams River in and near Chester were 10 times higher than acceptable levels for swimming, according to samples taken at those sites Wednesday morning, June 27. Those spots are below the Waste Water Treatment Plant and at the Bartonsville Bridge. “The […]
Family Center gets DRB OK for move to larger digs
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester-Andover Family Center has been approved for a conditional use permit by the Development Review Board so that it can move into the former Curtis’ Bar-B-Q restaurant building at 908 VT Rt. 103 S. to set up its thrift shop and first-floor food pantry. The permit still needs to be formalized […]
Alumni Parade draws Super Heroes to Chester
Chester was filled with Super Heroes under warm blue skies on Saturday, June 9, as the annual Alumni Day Parade made its way through town, up from Town Hall, past the Jiffy Mart and the Green, which was filled four-deep with onlookers. An estimated 2,000 people enjoyed the 30-minute parade, filled with floats, music from […]
Wunderle out at DRB; O’Neil, Westine to fill openings
By Cynthia Prairie As many expected, the Chester Select Board did not reappoint long-time Development Review Board member Scott Wunderle to another three-year term. Instead, the board on Wednesday, June 6 appointed Amy O’Neil and Carla Westine to three-year terms. The board also declined to fill a second alternate position, after Select Board member Derek […]
Rotary seeks families to host Thai student
The Rotary Club of Chester will be sponsoring a young woman from Thailand as the Rotary International Inbound Exchange Student for the school year 2012/2013, and is looking for host families for her. Host families will enjoy the benefits of having a teenage daughter to share their household with, together with an opportunity to learn […]
Select Board awaits legal opinion before filling DRB slots
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester Select Board may have intended to appoint two members and one alternate to the Development Review Board at its Wednesday, May 2, regular meeting, but a filing by attorneys for the Zaremba Group, which wants to build a Dollar General on Main Street, thwarted the plan. Zaremba, through attorney David […]
Connecting the Dots at the Bartonsville Bridge
Author and activist Bill McKibben, center, in red T-shirt, joined a group of 35 people at the Bartonsville Bridge on Saturday April 28th to kick off a week of worldwide “Connect the Dots” activities. The idea is to connect extreme weather events such as the tropical storm that destroyed the historic covered bridge with global […]
Select Board appointment error throws Dollar General OK into question
By Cynthia Prairie Confusion on the part of the Select Board over when appointments to the Development Review Board are made could throw into question the DRB’s recent decision to allow a Dollar General store to be built, as well as other actions it may have taken since the beginning of March. (You can read […]
Bourque leaving GM School Board after 7 years
By Rebecca Salem After seven years serving as chair of the Green Mountain Union High School Board, Bill Bourque will be stepping down in July. He and his family are moving west – from Andover to Manchester, VT. Bourque became chairman of the school board shortly after joining in 2005. At that time, he was […]
