View E-Edition in Full Screen Mode
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MONDAY EDITION ADDISON COUNTY Vol. 30INDEPENDENT No. 31 Middlebury, Vermont Monday, December 10, 2018 36 Pages $1.00 New sign honors Cornwall’s Slade Vermont history buff spearheads belated tribute to abolitionist By JOHN FLOWERS accomplished historical figures, a Bragg and Cornwall Historical CORNWALL — A new sign has man named William Slade (1786- Society member Roth “T” Tall, gone up in the center of Cornwall 1859). The Middlebury College Slade’s considerable contributions Get to know village. graduate and ardent abolitionist to Vermont and the nation might This particular sign doesn’t order served his state as governor, have remained largely hidden to all Paul Gaugin people to stop, but they should — congressman, and as a passionate except archivists and history buffs to take a moment to read about one advocate for public education. committed to combing through • A bio-pic about the French of the town’s most colorful and Were it not for the efforts of Daniel (See Slade marker, Page 28) Impressionist painter will screen at THT on Wednesday. See Arts Beat Page 10. Pottery show is wrapping up • Work by Marcia Parker and Marshall Eddy are on display at the Studio School. See Page 14. Men’s basketball hosts Skidmore • The Panthers were looking to snap a two-game skid when the Thoroughbreds showed up. See Sports, Page 19. Blankets of snow NOVEMBER SNOWS BLANKETED the Green Mountains, providing for terrific early-season conditions at ski areas around the state, including the Middlebury College Snow Bowl at the top of Middlebury Gap in Hancock. The Snow Bowl got off to its earliest start in decades with the Sheehan lift, and expects to open Worth Mountain Trails this week. Independent photo/Angelo Lynn Bristol to host a seasonal pageant • See young men represent Monkton malt grower is ‘SheFly’ takes flight in balsam, fir and spruce in the Mr. Christmas Tree expanding ... in Charlotte women’s clothing world competition. See Page 16. By CHRISTOPHER ROSS Charlotte, and will move operations By JOHN FLOWERS Apparel are embarking on a big MONKTON — Peterson Quality there early next year. MIDDLEBURY — A business fundraising push and have forged Malt, which opened Vermont’s first Peterson and its new equity born of the ingenuity of three an agreement with a factory that malt house in Monkton five years partner, Hotel Vermont in young women from Middlebury will begin producing their unique ago, has purchased Nordic Farms, Burlington, purchased the 583-acre College is hitting the fast track. line of outdoor recreation pants whose big, red-roofed barn stands at former dairy for $2.4 million. The co-founders of SheFly (See SheFly, Page 7A) a high-profile location off Route 7 in (See Malt, Page 24) PAGE 2 — Addison Independent, Monday, December 10, 2018 Bristol puts new rec center plan on hold Group: Proposed plot has drawbacks By CHRISTOPHER ROSS however, in spite of the steering BRISTOL — After months of committee’s findings. At its Dec. discussion, the Bristol Recreation 3 meeting the Bristol selectboard Community Steering Committee has delayed taking action on the Aug. voted down a plan to develop a new 20 purchase agreement until a future recreation center on the property at date, citing alternative options for the 76 West St., in spite of its desirable property, which include: location and gateway visibility. • Orchestrating a land swap with The steering committee was the Bristol Recreation Club. formed in September after the town • Purchasing 76 West St. now, of Bristol on Aug. 20 then reselling it later, signed an agreement The selectboard if workable plans fail (contingent upon voter to materialize approval) to purchase had hoped to earn The selectboard the 0.59-acre parcel voter approval for had hoped to earn for $166,500, with an the purchase on voter approval for eye toward replacing Town Meeting Day the purchase on the existing house next March but Town Meeting Day with facilities that acknowledged this next March but would consolidate acknowledged this the Recreation past Monday night past Monday night Department in one that developing that developing and location. and publicizing an publicizing an entirely The parcel, which entirely new plan new plan before then is adjacent to property before then would would pose significant owned by the Bristol challenges. Recreation Club, sits pose significant Operations for the 500 feet east of Airport challenges. Bristol Recreation Drive. Department are After hiring Chris fragmented among Huston of Bellwether Architects the Hub Teen Center, Holley Hall to provide conceptual designs for and the Bristol Clay Studio. Of the project, the steering committee particular concern to the department identified four significant downsides (and the Bristol Rec. Club) is the to the property, according to its Nov. Hub building, which is rapidly 9 letter to Bristol Town Administrator approaching the end of its life span. Off leash, on leash CHRIS ZEOLI WALKS his dogs, Souchi, left, and Findeln near his Middlebury home on a chilly De- Valerie Capels: At $166,500, the purchase price cember afternoon last week. • The parcel’s small size (a little of 76 West St. is roughly equivalent Independent photo/John S. McCright more than half an acre) would limit — at today’s rates — to 10 years of the growth of the physical space of rent the Rec. Department would pay Rec. Department programs. to maintain its current programming, Watershed grant application deadline is approaching • Current zoning will not according to steering committee accommodate parking, utilities and estimates. MONTPELIER — The Vermont municipalities, local and regional For 2019, $85,000 is available to some uses of outdoor space. The property was inspected Dec. 4, Watershed Grants Program is now government agencies, sporting clubs, fund three categories of projects. The • Purchasing the property for town but the town has not yet received the accepting applications for projects non-profit organizations, and wa- three categories and the maximum use would remove it from Bristol’s report. that protect, restore and enhance ter-related citizen groups. The range amount for each project type are: tax rolls. While the selectboard weighs its the state’s lakes, streams, rivers and of past projects is just as diverse and education and outreach ($5,000), • Bristol already owns two parcels options, the steering committee will ponds, including Vermonters’ ability has included invasive species educa- planning, assessment, inventory, whose larger size might better continue to meet and explore options to understand and enjoy these trea- tion, shoreline vegetation restoration monitoring ($3,500) and on-the- accommodate future growth. for a new community center, Capels sures. Applications are due no later and the removal of old dams and ground implementation ($10,000). The purchase is still on the table, said. than Friday Feb. 15, 2019. replacement of culverts to improve The Vermont Watershed Grants Program grants are available to fish movement. Program is a joint project of the Fish & Wildlife Department and the Department of Environmental Conservation. It was established by legislature and funded by sales of the Bridport, VT Homeowner Vermont Conservation License Plate. “When Vermonters purchase a Recommends Bristol Electronics Conservation License Plate they’re helping protect healthy streams and lakes as well as conserving wildlife and important habitats for future “We want to thank Dave and everyone at Bristol Electronics generations,” said Fish & Wildlife for our new solar installation. It looks great on the roof. We had talked to Commissioner Louis Porter. “Pro- ceeds from the sale of Conservation your installers at a job they were doing up the road from us. They were License Plates fund the Watershed extremely friendly and very willing to answer our questions. We had been Grants program and help support thinking of solar and our visit with them cinched it. Dave came out to the Fish & Wildlife Department’s see our house, collected the information he needed, and explained how Nongame Wildlife Fund.” everything would work. The installation was so fast. Just love watching The Watershed Grants application the arrow on the meter go the other way! guide and application forms are available on the web at: tinyurl.com/ Thanks again, vtwater-shed-grant. Note that the Leighton & Linda Riley – Bridport application process has changed. 802 . 453 . 2500 Applications for the Vermont Con- BristolElectronicsVT.com servation License Plate are available on the Department of Motor Vehicles FREE SITE EVALUATIONS website: tinyurl.com/VT-conserv- plate. Addison Independent, Monday, December 10, 2018 — PAGE 3 Now’s your chance; join ‘Idol’ contest Brandon-area to field By RUSSELL JONES and blues to sing at a Brandon In November, the Friends of BRANDON — Brandon-area Idol event held at the Town Hall. Brandon Town Hall held an opera level school spending residents are encouraged to step At the finals during the town car- competition and they regularly By RUSSELL JONES Creek Learning Academy (for- up to the microphone and wow nival in June, the contestants will hold concerts there each month. BRANDON — The school merly Leicester Central School) the crowd with their dulcet tones again chose their favorite song to Wright says that it is a natural board for the Rutland Northeast conducted during teacher in-ser- for a chance to win $1,000 as the perform. In addition to the cash extension of the wonderful music Supervisory Union looks to keep vice that focused on what actions first annual Brandon Idol singing prize, the winner will also be the programs that are going on at the a lid on spending in its upcoming to take during an active shooter competition gets underway at opening act for the music festival Neshobe Elementary School and budget. At their Nov. 29 meeting event. The training, known as the start of the new at the carnival.