• Dollar General ,Rivendell January 22, 2014--JOURNAL OPINION--Page 17
22 Memorial Drive, St. Johnsbury o 802-748-4208
10 Railroad Street, Wells River, VT • 802-757-2000
www.dads4bytool.com
(continued from page 1) (continued from page 1)
largest in Fairlee, according to a been negotiated and the numbers Many of the larger districts in school board meeting to be held at
survey by zoning administrator presented for allknown salaries and Vermont's more urban areas have Westshire Elementary School in
Chris Brimmer of commercial benefits are finalized, had much greater increases in their West Fairlee at 6:30 p.m.
buildings over 4,000 square feet. Mark Avery of Fairlee was one budgets from year to year, while the The Rivendell Annual Meeting
Only Fogg's Hardware on Lake of the board members, who ex- smaller ones in rural areas have will be held on March 18 in the
Morey Road is larger at 16,400 pressed concern about the budget's largely complied with the mandate gymnasium at Rivendell Academy in
square feet, including the ware- impact on taxes for the district from the state to limit spending to Orfordat 6p.m.
house. Fairlee Marine comes next towns. At the Dec. 10 meeting, he the bare minimum. The state Lillian Gahagan can be
with two buildings totaling 8,105 said he initially wanted to see a education budget has been depleted reachedat news@l'onews.com.
square feet. Fogg's Lumber Yard reduction of about $160,000. to support all education sPending in
covers 7,596 square feet. In a conversation with the the process. : =
Wings Market comes next at Journal Opinion on Jan. 21, Avery This year, for example, the
6,202, followed by Fairlee Feed and said that most of the problem lies Rivendell tax impact for the Ver-
Saddlery (5,100), Chapman's not with Rivendell, but with educa- mont towns is up 18 cents before BVS BOARD
(4,833), Cumberland Farms (4,800 tion spending in more populated calculating the Common Level of BATH-The BathVillage School Board is
total for three retail spaces) and the areas of Vermont, mostly in Appraisal, which varies from town scheduled to meet on Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. at
Sunoco station on Lake Morey Road Chittenden County. After research- to town. According to Avery, 13 the school.
(4,490). ingwhattheimpactwouldbeonthe cents is attributable to the state
Following questions by DRB Rivendell schools of cutting the educationalrate and only five cents
members, abutters were invited to budget, he determined that his is due to the Rivendell budget. That SAU-23 BOARD
speak. Susanne Pacilio andMeredyth original request would only result in is one reason why making drastic NORTH HAVERHILL-The SAU-23
Morley who live across Route 5 shaving just two cents off the tax cuts to the budget would end up School Board Executive Committee is
from the proposed store had rate and damage the educational being counterproductive, scheduledtomeetonJan.29at6:30p.m.
prepared a seven-page document of programs for district students. "The impact is marginal," con- at the SAU-23 conference room at the
"objections and questions," which "Ichangedmytune,"Averysaid. cludedAvery, who said he thought MorrillbuildinginNorthHaverhill.
Pacilio read aloud. Some of these "It'sveryfi'ustrating." that Rivendell has been fiscally
had been addressed in the earlier Avery said that during his tenure responsible in developing their
presentation and others were be- on the board, the Rivendell budget budgetsl He expressed the opinion RIVENDELL BOARD
yond the purview of the DRB or has only risen about one percent per thatthestatealsoneedstofmdaway WEST FAIRLEE-The Rivendell
developer, but Fracht suggested year for the last six years, but the to reward those districts that have Interstate School District will hold a
hammering out the remainder at a "tax rate goes up disproportion- been fiscally responsible in their special board meeting on Jan. 28 at 6:30
p.m. at the Westshire Elementary School.
future meeting, ately" because the formula to fund budgeting process.
In answer to a question by education in Vermont ties together The next step will be when the
Morley, Holman said Dollar Gen.: all districts in the state, regardless full board signsthe warrant for the
eral has approximately 11,000 of how small or large they are. annual meeting on Jan. 28 at their
stores, some leased and others
freestanding. This property would
be owned by Dollar General after
the subdivision goes through and all
state and local permits have been
received. Until then, he said, they
cannot give a completion date for
the project because they don't know
when they will start.
Noel Walker who owns the
house to the south said most of her
questions had been answered, but
she asked for assurance that the tree
line between the store and the
property line will be maintained.
"I would not like to see a fence
there," she said, asking that mainte-
nance of the tree line be stipulated
as a condition of site plan approval.
In a later discussion about other
buffer plantings, Holman said that
perpetual maintenance is part of the
lan. Brimmer added that there will
e language in the permit stating
that, if it is not maintained, that will
be a violation which triggers a per-
diem fine.
Pacilio and Morley reiterated
their suggestion that Dollar General
plant buffers along the west side of
Route 5 or provide a $5,000
allowance per household to neigh-
boring properties to install buffers.
"How do we get exiting headlights
not to beam into our living rooms?"
asked Pacilio. The only answer
would beplanting on their proper-
ties, said I olm , but,,he
developers, "going off property is
no typically done."
A major sticking point for
several residents appeared to be the
color of the store signs--a bright
yellow which they described as
"brash" and not in keeping with the
look ofFairlee. "I understand," said
Holman, "but corporate identity is
critical," and this is Dollar General' s
logo.
Holman said he would tell his
clients that Fairlee residents would
prefer more muted colors, but he did
not hold out much hope for a change.
There was also a lot of discus-
sion about windows. People had
differing views on the size, shapes
and grid patterns, and Holman
offered to prepare several options.
He also said that all Windows except
those in front will be "faux"
windows, so indoor light will not
leak through them. Finally, Holman
offered to meet with abutters to hear
all their concerns to take to his
clients, "then come back saying we
did our best."
The hearing will reconvene on
Jan. 28.
Cicely Richardson can be
reached at
crichardson@jonews, corn.
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Panel proposes changes
to VT current use
MONTPELIER--Last fall, a Sen-
ate special committee on cur-
rent use toured the state, taking
general comments on Vermont' s
current use program as well as
hearing public reaction to House
Bill 329, which would modify
the program. Based on what they
heard during that tour, the
special committee is proposing
amendments to the current use
program and H.329. The Senate
changes can be obtained by
visiting the Vermont Legisla-
ture website, clicking on the
committees page on the link for
"Senate Committee for Status
of Current Use."
On Jan. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.,
the committee will be hosting a
public hearing in room #11 at
the Vermont Statehouse-to hear
comments on the proposed
changes.
The public is invited to
participate in person or to
submit written comments to the
committee. Any comments can
be mailed to Rebecca Ramos, in
care of Senate President's Pro
Tem Office, 115 State Street,
Montpelier, VT 05633-5201, or
emailed to
rramos@leg.state.vt.us. For
more information, call Agatha
Kessler at (802)828-2279.
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