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MONDAY EDITION ADDISON COUNTY Vol.INDEPENDENT 31 No. 26 Middlebury, Vermont Monday, January 27, 2020 40 Pages $1.00 Career Center budget Superintendent Soule At long last, a features 11.4% hike resigns from ANWSD win for VUHS By JOHN FLOWERS time are the major reasons for a School board also seeing turnover • The Commodore girls MIDDLEBURY — A proposed 2020-2021 Patricia A. used tough defense to defeat $171,500 rise in employee Hannaford Career Center budget By CHRISTOPHER ROSS Superintendent Sheila Soule health insurance costs, the that’s 11.42% higher than this VERGENNES — last week resigned, effective Mt. Abe for the first time in re-offering of a construction year’s spending plan. Addison Northwest School June 30. seven years. See Page 26. technology program and a “The budget has been District is looking for a “My decision to resign came commitment to once again make prepared with a lot of care, effort new top administrator as (See Soule, Page 39) the assistant director’s job full- (See Health costs, Page 38) Builder to close shop • Connor Mill Built Homes is leaving its Industrial Park space; Silver Maple is moving in. See Page 2. School board chair harassed • Police investigated a vulgar phone call to the head of the ANWSD board. See story on Page 3. Political wrap DURING REP. PETER WELCH’S tour of the Bee’s Wrap factory in Middlebury this past Thursday, Kate Mansfield of New Haven shows the Congressman how she cuts the waxed fabric into food wrapping. Welch regularly makes the rounds of Vermont businesses to take the pulse of the economy and of the community at large. Independent photo/Steve James Vt. Composer Charles Murray is given voice MAUSD weighs $31.4 million budget returning to • A guitar quartet and FY 2021 spending set to increase 1.45% The central question for board choir will premiere a new members this week is how By ANDY KIRKALDY but tax rates by possibly more they will handle a $750,000 college campus arrangement in Middlebury. BRISTOL — The Mount than twice that percentage. projected fund balance. The By CHRISTOPHER ROSS See Arts Beat on Page 10. Abraham Unified School The board and MAUSD answer will help determine the MIDDLEBURY — District (MAUSD) board is Superintendent Patrick Reen on budget’s tax impact in Bristol, Controversial right-wing poised this Tuesday to adopt a this past Wednesday unveiled Lincoln, Monkton, New Haven author Charles Murray’s roughly $31.4 million spending that all-but-final budget draft to and Starksboro. 2017 speaking event at plan for the 2020-2021 school about 20 residents at a meeting That impact already will Middlebury College drew year that would increase 5-Town at Mount Abraham Union High vary because the towns have (See Speakers, Page 30) district expenditures by 1.45%, School. (See Bristol, Page 25) PAGE 2 — Addison Independent, Monday, January 27, 2020 Search begins for new Midd. builder closes shop independent consulting company Looking ahead, Mike and Lin- But Silver Maple to the (CMBH) management da Connor will work alone out Bixby Library director last summer, and felt the typical of their home, though they aren’t By ANDY KIRKALDY new director will be action- is taking its place slower winter months was a good closing the door to bringing on VERGENNES — The oriented and ready to make a By JOHN FLOWERS time for us to execute that plan.” help at some point. They will Bixby Memorial Library difference. While a master’s MIDDLEBURY — Silver Good Point Recycling will subcontract mill work to former board of trustees on Tuesday degree in library science Maple Construction is moving continue its status as a tenant at employees, according to Mike decided to move forward is preferred, the board is into around 20,000 square feet of 227 Pond Lane. The building is Connor. with a search for the most interested in finding a manufacturing space that’s being owned by North by East Property Silver Maple has signed a one- Vergennes landmark’s next candidate with managerial vacated by Connor Mill Built LLC, which in turn is owned by year lease for he 227 Pond Lane director. experience who has worked Homes (CMBH) at 227 Pond Gregor Kent. space, though Flynn said he might Bixby Board Chairwoman either in a library or a Lane, in Middlebury’s industrial It was last summer that inves- ask for an extension depending Paula Moore on Tuesday nonprofit.” park. tors representing on the company’s future needs. said that advertising for a The board waited until Silver Maple, a CMBH purchased In the short-term, the 20,000 new library director will now to begin the search to growing construc- the property for square feet will come in very begin Feb. 1, with a four- give members an opportunity tion company based $1,840,000. handy, Flynn noted. Silver Maple month timetable. to discuss the qualities in New Haven, is Connor said 11 recently took on an ambitious “Depending on the they wished to see in a new also purchasing CMBH workers project involving construction of candidate pool, the board director. When Harris left, CMBH’s manufac- were laid off as a large residence for an out-of- expects to have a new Moore said the board would turing equipment. a result of the state client. director starting by June 1,” not act hastily. Mike Connor, company’s exodus. “It requires the ability to Moore wrote in an email. “It’s the board’s intention founder of CMBH, But Silver Maple panelize the entire project here in The new director will to take a little time to confirmed the co-owner Sean Vermont,” he said. “We have to replace interim Maddy thoughtfully put together our news through a Flynn confirmed pre-build the walls. So we were Willwerth, who took over thoughts about a job search,” press release issued plans to employ at looking for a facility anyway, in October. That’s when she said in October. “It will following repeated least some of those and the timing was right for us Director Masha Harris be on our agenda to really inquiries by the Ad- MIKE CONNOR who lost their jobs. to be able to lease this space that parted ways with the library think about what the library dison Independent. “In general, we Gregor has.” for reasons that remain is looking for and what “After a 50-year run it was a are not wholesale hiring the It was far more convenient for unclear. Willwerth has said strategy we want to use to do difficult decision, but one that entirety of CMBH, but we are Silver Maple and its workers to she will not be a candidate this search.” (my wife) Linda and I had been hiring who we can to fit our mis- labor under cover at 227 Pond for the permanent position. The board chose a search looking into and contemplating sion,” Flynn said during a phone Lane than having to travel out of Moore in her email to the committee that will consist since last summer,” Connor said interview. “We’re interviewing state and work in the elements. Independent described what of trustees Nial Rele, Laura through an email responding quite a few of them and are in the “For us, it’s more about being the Bixby will seek in a new Mack and Pat Mayo, plus to the Independent’s follow-up process of hiring who we can.” able to build with the people that leader. Willwerth, with Rele serving questions. “The company took CMBH was Mike Connor’s we know are our crew, here, and We view this as a as its chairman. new directions under new man- re-boot of his once-booming not sending them a long distance tremendous opportunity for “It’s anticipated that agement and Linda and I were “Connor Homes,” which in 2017 to another job,” Flynn said. “We a leader who can develop community members will looking to find a way we could get closed its doors at 1741 Route 7 will continue using it in the warm partnerships, market the be involved in meeting the back to our roots and to what we South due to financial reasons. months, staging this big job.” library and advocate for the finalists this spring,” Moore love, which is the design of his- Like its predecessor, CMBH spe- It was indeed a serendipitous Bixby,” she wrote. “Our added. toric architecture. We proposed cialized in the design and manu- confluence of events that resulted the idea of our operating in an facture of colonial reproduction in Silver Maple connecting with “kit” homes. North by East Property and Connor said CMBH will executing a deal that will fill an Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! complete work on “a number” important industrial park vacancy th of existing projects in the next and minimize local job losses. *7 Annual Free Brakes for Food* month before completely ceasing “It’s great,” Flynn said. “I think We are collecting food for Addison County Hope and are willing to bribe you! manufacturing operations. it’s a win for those guys, too.” FOOD FOR FREE BRAKES Yes, we start off with a Free Brake Inspection and All you have to do for your Free Brake diagnosis. If you need brakes, we FREE BRAKE INSPECTION is bring a bag of provide FREE Premium Brake Pads and $34.50 12 non-perishable food items off the Labor to Install the Pads. for this fine organization! Is the Brake Job Going To Be Absolutely Free? Of course not - BUT - this is the Best Deal you will get anywhere! You get Free Premium Brake Pads and part of the labor to install them, then you pay for any other brake parts and other work needed with County Tire Center’s quality work and service, and you help out Hope of Addison County.