Sire/IIAMPSNIIN
tyme
Odord
Ptermonl
HQverhi|l
Woodsvdle
Both
VelMOeIT
Thotford
Foot|to
Wost Forlee
Brodford
Corinth
Topshom
Nowbury
Wells R,ver
Ryegote
Groton
Number 23
secures reappraisal;
to 14
The Town of Piermont Selectmen
a contract Monday with a private appraisal
assure the first reappraisal in the town in
according to Piermont Selectmen's
.F. Green Company of Keene, N.H., said
is the company the town has settled with.
voters at ,their annual Town Meeting in
an article that called for an ap-
,000 to go for the reappraisal.
had been sought by petition the
said Stevens.
said property in the town is currently ap-
roughly 34 percent of the town's grand list.
E.F. Green Company would begin the
on Monday, June 14, with a completion
31.
woman appointed
Fish and Game Board
Joyce Wark,
wildlife artist
has been
replace Gary
the remainder of
Vermont
e first
rathe history of the .
sit on the board, as
)pointment. Joyce Wark
resigned from his position on the board last
to become Deputy Commissioner of the
and Game Department. Wark will serve
of Moore's term, which will expire in
and mother of four, Wark is an
who enjoys both hunting and fishing.
that among the issues currently facing the
is in favor of a new fish hatchery for the
loans still available;
urged to hurry
Student loans may be harder to
but they are still available, ac-
state college president.
Dr. Janet Murphy, president of Lyndon
issued a press release urging all
Who to need a federal guaranteed
to apply as soon as Murphy said
in would reduce
clear how far Congress will go in reducing
said Murphy. Federally subsidized Pell
not effected by the last wave of legislative
are still eligible for Guaranteed Student
family income level is under $30,000. A
a family of four with an income of $15,000
could under current guidelines, still be
to $5,100 in assistance from a corn-
Guaranteed
Supplemental Educational Oppor-
and college work-study programs.
teacher 00r/evances
by school board
Two disputes over the elimination of
and two aid positions at Oxbow are
arbitration.
grievances from the Oxbow Teachers
the school board is expected to see the
decided by a third party, or arbitrator,
. th disputes.
chopping block this year were a
humanities department and two
study hall aide positions. In another
School board recently denied grievances
teachers fighting to retain their jobs
officials maintain were to have been
Positions.
were filed by social studies teachers
and John MacKenzie who had taken the
teachers who had left on leaves of absence
/ begun teaching
not actually specify in writing that
would be temporary, but maintain a
board meeting, Chairman Arolino
the board felt "the only issue is the
temporary contracts . . . (and) the
violated the law."
t.iob: Orford police chief
the hot seat.., again
job of police chief for the Town of
to be a tough, if not controversial'
L May.
has come under
of town residents recently who
way he has been handling his duties.
' and Sandra Wood, have
circulating a petition they hope to
selectmen and possibly state law
m said to include a call for May's
Wood's complaints against May's
from allegedly failing to follow
of incidents occurring at their
possibly over-reacting in his
criticism in April for his haw
that resulted in his shooting a dog
and Loretta Pmhae. The ,town's
had stood behind May in his
Will meet Wy night, June 9,
where the petition and the
'4
USP
598340
Serving Over 48 Communities in Northern New Hampshire and Vermont
. June 9, 1982
Two outside buyers seeking rairlee
okays
to control Bradford National Bank budget
BRADFORD--Two separate Chittenden Corporation of Haverhill, are the two 8O percent of BNB's 25,000 largest commercial bank) never presented with Chit-
parties last week announced Burlington, Vt. The separate parties now actively shares at $75 per share, would hurt his bank's ability tenden's offer."
they are considering plans to acquisition of a majority
purchase a majority share of share of BNB stock by sale or
stock at the Bradford National tender offer would upset
Bank (BNB) in attempts to current plans by BNB officials
take over control of the bank. for a joint affiliation with The
These announcements First National Bank of Ver-
followed the rejection of an mont, of Springfield.
acquisition offer to BNB's Chittenden Corporation and
board of directors from the Edward Patten, of N.
considering tender offers for a
majority share of BNB stock.
A tender offer is made when
a buyer bypasses a company's
management going directly to
the shareholders, offering to
purchase their shares.
Chittenden Corporation last
week had offered to purchase
BMU to seek grants .for
special project .funding
by MARGARET BURKE Geared to grade levels five school for specific projects
WELLS RIVER-- The Blue through 12, this program will be developed."
Mountain Union District 21 would provide 4 micro- "Pre-School Program" --
School Board has authorized computers and software to he To serve all District 21 pre-
Superintendent A. Keith Ober housed in the library. Ober's kindergarten children, the
to seek up to $38,400 in Federal report to the board states, plan states, "A part-time
funds, funnelled through the "Computer assisted in- person (early education
state department of struction and increased teacher) will he contracted to
education, for six specific computer literacy will be the provide information for pre-
projects, focus, including staff training school parents,- screen
These include a program in the instrlltonal use of students, and provide
titled "Prevention of computers." Cost of the orientation to Kindergarten."
Delinquency" designed, in the project is listed in the report It calls for "Parent in-
words of a memo from Ober to as $7,610. volvement, using the 'Parent-
the board, "to reduce the "Parent-Community Community lnvolvement Data
likelihood of delinquency, Involvement Data Base" -- Base.' " Cost of the project is
substance abuse, truancy, and Designed to take into account $2,050.
other disruptive behaviors by all children in the district, "Professional Develop-
juveniles prior to their contact from infancy through grade ment" -- Designed to improve
with law enforcement 12, this program, according to educational practices con-
agencies or other Ober's plan, would use cerning all BMU gradelevels,
authorities." Up to $16,000 can "census data ' to develop "a this program would provide
be applied for to implement permanent record system... "mini-grants" of up to $100 to
the project, for every pre-K student (pre- I0 staff members, "for the
This program, if state of- school age) in the district," improvement of their specific
ficials agree to fund it, would and "a parent list, composed teaching skills or program.
provide training for of in-school and pre-school Half of the funds will be
elementary school staff to children." The plan further reserved for readlng-language
help them "t identify early, states, ,'Using a phone survey, arts. Eligible expenses in-
kids who may be headed for with written follow-up, a list of clude materials, tuition,
trouble," Ober told the board, community members willing substitutes, conference
It calls for a high degree of to volunteer services to the (please turn to page 3)
community involvement, with
QUEST program training of
Bradford National Bank stock
has a book value of $80 per
share, but is currently selling
at about $62 per share.
Patten told the Journal
Opinion last Friday that he is
prepared to purchase 12,501
shares (51 percent) of BNB
stock, matching Chittenden's
offer of $75 per share through
a tender offer. Chittenden
President Hilton Wick, said
following rejection of his
company's acquisition offer
last week, that he would also
be considering going to BNB's
stockholders with Chit-
tenden's offer.
Patten said his
decision to come into the
picture last week was
prompted by BNB's rejection
of Chittenden's acquisition
offer. "There is no question,"
said Patten, "that Chit-
tenden's offer is much fairer
to the stockholders than the
Springfield bank's."
Patten is a N. Haverhill
businessman and a former
BNB director who resigned in
1980 over disagreements with
the bank's management
policies.
Small Businesses
Bradford National Bank
President Paul Gallerani said
in announcing the rejection of
Chittenden's offer, "The
directors believe that to
pursue negotiations with
Chittenden Corp. would
jeopardize the bank's con-
tinuing ability to fully meet
the business priorities which
the directors have previously
established."
Gallerani said he feels an
affiliation with a bank the size
of Chittenden (Vermont's
to continue serving small
businesses and communities
in the Bradford area as it has
in the past.
He said BNB's planned
affiliation with The First
National Bank of Vermont
would enable the bank to
preserve its local policies
while increasing its base by
forming a partnership with a
similar bank. Plans for the
affiliation were announced
last month in the Journal
Opinion.
Bradford National Bank
recorded assets of $30 million
in December of 1981; The
First National Bank of Ver-
mont recorded assets of $67
million in December. Brad-
ford National Bank has
branch offices in Newbury,
Fairlee, and E. Tbetford, in
addition to its main office in
BracKord Village. The First
National Bank has branch
offices in Fair Haven, Nor-
thfield, Windsor, and St.
Johnsbury, with its main
offices in Springfield.
But Patten said under the
present terms of the BNB --
First National affiliation
shareholders are expected to
receive about 3.5 shares of a
joint BNB -- First National
holding company for every
one BNB share. Both Chit-
tenden's Wick and Patten say
The First National Bank of
Vermont stock is worth about
$15 per share.
"This would leave Bradford
shareholders with stock worth
about $52 per share," said
Patten, "which is nowhere
near what Chittenden or we're
now offering... I just think its
too bad the shareholders were
Disputed Figures
Gallerani disputes both the
figures on the price of First
National stock and the 3.5
share agreement but is
declining to offer specifics.
However, he says a
prospectus will be available to
BNB shareholders within the
next two months.
Chittenden Corporation is a
holding company that includes
among its subsidiaries the
Chittenden Trust Company,
the state's largest commercial
bank, and Mountain Trust, in
Stowe. The corporation has
reportedly recorded assets of
$422 million.
Wick claims Chittenden only
wants to own the Bradford
bank and has no present plans
to change its board of direc-
tors.
Patten, who says his offer is
there "in case the Chittenden
offer doesn't go through," has
different plans. He said, if his
tender offer was successful,
he would change the entire
board of directors and the
bank's top management.
"I'd install directors who
reflected my business
philosophy," he said, "but I'd
stay out of the picture."
Patten said he was not in-
terested in running a bank, but
instead regards his tender
offer as an "investment." He
confirmed reports that said
his various business en-
terprises would allow him to
come up with the $937,000
needed for the tender offer
without having to borrow
money.
Gallerani said he would not
comment on Patten's tender
(please turn to page I0)
community volunteers and the have overstepped their
esO00,,s00men00o00a"O00e00,oo Trustees may
board," among other
provisions.
o, vo,00n00r00 thwarted anyway
"would work with some first authority; bar plan
offenders who haven't hurt
anyone." Ober said, adding,
"A community-based
diversion board would make Other bar proposa/s/n the works
the program self-replacing." BRADFORD-- When Brad- received a letter from the
Plans call for the funding and ford's Village Trustees used a trustees that said the two
operation of the program for newly re-enforced village Randolph men could now
one year only. entertainment ordinance to receive the entertainment
"We're addressing a need block the plans of two Ran- permit they had been denied
you know too well," Ober told dolph men seekingtoestablish earlier if they agreed to a
the board prior to their a nightclub on Main Street number of rules and
passage, with one disenting here, they were successful, guidelines under which the
vote, of a motion approving But the end may not have nightclub wouldoperate.
the funding application at the justified the means. Clements is not happy with
June 2 BMU school board After seeking an opinion the trustee's timing, among
meeting, from an attorney to find out if other things. Robert Niebling
At the board's previous denying thepermitwaslegal, and Richard Storm, the
meeting, May 26, it expelled a the trustees found out that it initiators of the Bradford
student who had been a was not. What they found was nightclub proposal and owners
disciplinary problem, and that, according to their of Ashley's nightclub in
"had failed to comply with lawyer, they are required by Randolph, say their plans for
conditions for re-entry," as law to provide sufficient a nightclub in Bradford are
that meeting's minutes state, grounds or reasons for history.
BlecGrant denying entertainment per- The two have decided to
The five other projects for mits, according to village take their nightclub elsewhere
which funding will be sought
come under the category of
Federal funding known as
"Chapter two and as "bloc
grants." This means that
school districts are given wide
latitude in how they use the
money.
Five Programs
The five programs are the
District 21 administration's
attempt to meet objectives for
BMU that were identified in
officials, and are looking at a site in
Last week, Allan Clements, White River Junction, ac-
owner of the Main Street cording toStorm.
building in which the bar After the trustees flatly
would have been located, denied them an entertainment
permit at a regular trustees
meeting last month, Niebling
had not been optimistic. Asked
if he and his partners could
effectively proceed with their
plans in Bradford without an
entertainment permit,
Niebling had said, "No . . .
that's all we are, a nightclub
with entertainment."
The trustees had just
recently adopted (or re-
enforced) the old 1890 or-
dinance in the village's bylaws
that requires trustee approval
in the form of a permit for
entertainment in the village.
The move. initiated by trustee
Larry Drew, was aimed at
village control over future
nightspots and dances at
which alcohol would be con-
sumed.
Selectmen Approval
The town's selectmen had
approved Niebling and
Storm's proposal in April,
saying they were satisfied that
the two seemed willing to
cooperate with a number of
regulations the selectmen, as
the town's local liquor cOntrol
board, could set down. The
would-be bar owners had
come prepared with a number
of voluntary regulations the
selectmen also were pleased
with.
Niebling and Storm took the
same proposal to the trustees
but did not get very far. They
found the trustees steadfast in
their desire to avoid another
nightclub situation like that
which had involved the now
defunct King Arthur's Disco.
King Arthur's had lost its
liquor license for a number of
violations and had allegedly
been the source of a number of
incidents that kept area police
busy until it closed for
financial reasons last year,
according to state police
Corporal Robert Haradon.
Contacted early this week,
Village Administrator Susan
Spaulding said that she had
not actually seen any legal
advice on paper but had been
assured of its authenticity by
trustee chairman K. Donald
Welch.
Clements told the Journal
Opinion that he had originally
pressured the trustees into
checking the legality of the
situation following their
permit decision in May.
"The original decision was
badly handled," said
Clements. "The taxpayers are
fortunate that those two
(Niebling and Storm) don't
take legal action for saying
'no' without chocking into it
first."
However, Clements would
not say whether he was
considering some kind of legal
action against the trustees.
"Nine out of ten kids in this
town are good kids," said
(please turn to page 10)
Dr. DouKlas Harris iob July 1
order of priority by the
school's staff, board, and WELLS RIVER-- The search sylvania native holds degrees
parents over a period of for, a principal for Blue in Secondary Education,
Mountain Union School Library and Media Science,
several months. The culminated Saturday, May 29 and recently wa awarded a
programs are: with the selection of Douglas Ph.D. from Kent State
"Computer Instruction" -- Harris of Bentleyville, Pa. University in Special
The 31 year old Penn-EducationAdministration.
BMU school finds a new principal
IT'S A HIT-- Little League aetiea In Weedsvllle between the American Legion
and Coach and Paddock teams last week.
His previous experiences
include teaching high school
English, serving as a district
director of library and media
services, teaching un-
dergraduate and graduate
courses in education, and
serving as a curriculum
consultant to over 70 school
districts in Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, and West Virginia.
Active professionally, Dr.
Harris has made presen-
tations to the American
Theater Association and the
Ohio Association for Gifted
Children; is a life member of
the National Education
Association; member of the
National education honor
fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa;
and is an active participant in
the National Association for
Gifted Children. He also was
honored by receiving op-
portunities to study two
summers at York University,
England, a part of an ex-
change program for
educators.
Harris will take over the Harris has multiple decision was based on Harris'
principal's position from
William Randall, who had
been the school's principal for
the past eight years.
Randall is expected to stay
on at BMU in the newly
created position of Special
Services Coordinator-
Instructor. He is also
scheduled to teach dramatics
at the school next year.
Working at the school since
it first opened in 1970, Randall
began as a junior high English
teacher. He will oversee
special education programs,
academic counseling, special
education programs, and
coordinate special services at
the school in his new role in
addition to a number of ex-
tracurricular duties. Randall
holds a Masters degree in
special education.
Harris will take over as
principal on July 1, said a
school spokesman.
In addition to an interest in
talented and gifted education,
professional certifications,
including K through 12
principal, K through 12 library
science, and seven through 12
English, and Driver
Education.
Personal interests have
included an active par-
ticipation in religious
education, local fire depar-
tments, Lions International,
Fraternal Order of Eagles,
and community sports. Once
drafted by the Kansas City
Royals, he continues to stay in
shape by running, officiating
sports events, hiking,
bicycling, and playing "slow-
pitch" softball. Other in-
terests include reading and
writing.
The search process covered
over two months, and resulted
in nearly 70 applicants. The
final selection, made May 29,
involved over 30 student,
staff, and community par-
ticipants, in addition to the full
School Board. The final
qualifications, in addition to
his attitude toward the
potential of education at BMU
said a school spokesman.
When asked why he wanted
to come to Vermont, Harris
said, "I would come to Blue
Mountain Union if it were
located in Utah, or Florida.
Being in Vermont, is an added
bonus. I am excited about the
potential for K through 12
education under one principal,
in one building. It is a rare
opportunity."
Commenting on the quality
of candidates, Board Chair-
man Stephen Allen noted: "It
is a pleasure to have to deal
with the 'problem' of so many
competent candidates. We
have high hopes for the tenure
of Dr. Harris at Blue Mt.
Union School,"
Dr. and Mrs. Harris,
together with their infant son,
will be moving into the Blue
Mt. community in the near
future.
FAIRLEE-- About 40 voters
turned up at last week's
Annual Town of Fairlee School
Meeting where they approved
a budget that was a little
higher than the present one of
1981-82, but also an amount to
be raised in taxes that will
save taxpayers in the town
over $22,000.
The new 1982-83 budget
recommended by the Fairlee
School Board and Orange East
District Administration asked
for $335,786. Voters approved
the budget with no amend-
ments.
The new budget is 5.8 per-
cent or $18,423 higher than this
year's budget.
However, according to
Orange East District
Superintendent John Fontana,
Fairlee school taxes will be
dropping this year by about 7.4
percent.
Fontana attributed the
expected dr@ in the amount
to be raised in Fairlee school
taxes to basic differences in
the way the money was spent
this year. "Last year we
ended up the year with a
deficit of about $20,000," he
said, "this year we ended up
with a surplus of around
$20,000."
"That's a difference of
about $40,000 and that's where
the difference in taxes is
coming from," said Fontana.
Another factor contributing to
the expected school tax
decrease is a jump in the
amount of state aid to
education the Town of Fairlee
is expected to receive this
year.
According to figures
released by the state, the
Town of Fairlee is expected to
receive $12,656 this year under
the new state aid to education
formula passed by Vermont's
legislature during its last
session. Fairlee would have
received $9,177 under the old
state education plan.
The projected amount to he
raised in school taxes for the
Town of Fairlee now stands at
$285,553 or $22,970 lower than
the current fiscal year.
This would drop the school
portion of the town's tax rate
to $11.06 from $11.50 per $1000
of assessed property
valuation, according to
Fontana.
Voters at the meeting were
also told that the school board
has shelved their plans to seek
better insulation of the roof at
the Fairlee Elementary
School. Initial estimates for
the project called for an ex-
penditure of up to $50,000.
School officials say they are
still looking for a more
economical solution to the
problem.
Toward the end of the
meeting, some voters
questioned whether the
meeting was in fact binding or
legal because the warning for
the meeting may not have
been posted by the deadline.
Fontana told the group he
would look into the legality of
the situation.
..... :i:': =' ....
Sire/IIAMPSNIIN
tyme
Odord
Ptermonl
HQverhi|l
Woodsvdle
Both
VelMOeIT
Thotford
Foot|to
Wost Forlee
Brodford
Corinth
Topshom
Nowbury
Wells R,ver
Ryegote
Groton
Number 23
secures reappraisal;
to 14
The Town of Piermont Selectmen
a contract Monday with a private appraisal
assure the first reappraisal in the town in
according to Piermont Selectmen's
.F. Green Company of Keene, N.H., said
is the company the town has settled with.
voters at ,their annual Town Meeting in
an article that called for an ap-
,000 to go for the reappraisal.
had been sought by petition the
said Stevens.
said property in the town is currently ap-
roughly 34 percent of the town's grand list.
E.F. Green Company would begin the
on Monday, June 14, with a completion
31.
woman appointed
Fish and Game Board
Joyce Wark,
wildlife artist
has been
replace Gary
the remainder of
Vermont
e first
rathe history of the .
sit on the board, as
)pointment. Joyce Wark
resigned from his position on the board last
to become Deputy Commissioner of the
and Game Department. Wark will serve
of Moore's term, which will expire in
and mother of four, Wark is an
who enjoys both hunting and fishing.
that among the issues currently facing the
is in favor of a new fish hatchery for the
loans still available;
urged to hurry
Student loans may be harder to
but they are still available, ac-
state college president.
Dr. Janet Murphy, president of Lyndon
issued a press release urging all
Who to need a federal guaranteed
to apply as soon as Murphy said
in would reduce
clear how far Congress will go in reducing
said Murphy. Federally subsidized Pell
not effected by the last wave of legislative
are still eligible for Guaranteed Student
family income level is under $30,000. A
a family of four with an income of $15,000
could under current guidelines, still be
to $5,100 in assistance from a corn-
Guaranteed
Supplemental Educational Oppor-
and college work-study programs.
teacher 00r/evances
by school board
Two disputes over the elimination of
and two aid positions at Oxbow are
arbitration.
grievances from the Oxbow Teachers
the school board is expected to see the
decided by a third party, or arbitrator,
. th disputes.
chopping block this year were a
humanities department and two
study hall aide positions. In another
School board recently denied grievances
teachers fighting to retain their jobs
officials maintain were to have been
Positions.
were filed by social studies teachers
and John MacKenzie who had taken the
teachers who had left on leaves of absence
/ begun teaching
not actually specify in writing that
would be temporary, but maintain a
board meeting, Chairman Arolino
the board felt "the only issue is the
temporary contracts . . . (and) the
violated the law."
t.iob: Orford police chief
the hot seat.., again
job of police chief for the Town of
to be a tough, if not controversial'
L May.
has come under
of town residents recently who
way he has been handling his duties.
' and Sandra Wood, have
circulating a petition they hope to
selectmen and possibly state law
m said to include a call for May's
Wood's complaints against May's
from allegedly failing to follow
of incidents occurring at their
possibly over-reacting in his
criticism in April for his haw
that resulted in his shooting a dog
and Loretta Pmhae. The ,town's
had stood behind May in his
Will meet Wy night, June 9,
where the petition and the
'4
USP
598340
Serving Over 48 Communities in Northern New Hampshire and Vermont
. June 9, 1982
Two outside buyers seeking rairlee
okays
to control Bradford National Bank budget
BRADFORD--Two separate Chittenden Corporation of Haverhill, are the two 8O percent of BNB's 25,000 largest commercial bank) never presented with Chit-
parties last week announced Burlington, Vt. The separate parties now actively shares at $75 per share, would hurt his bank's ability tenden's offer."
they are considering plans to acquisition of a majority
purchase a majority share of share of BNB stock by sale or
stock at the Bradford National tender offer would upset
Bank (BNB) in attempts to current plans by BNB officials
take over control of the bank. for a joint affiliation with The
These announcements First National Bank of Ver-
followed the rejection of an mont, of Springfield.
acquisition offer to BNB's Chittenden Corporation and
board of directors from the Edward Patten, of N.
considering tender offers for a
majority share of BNB stock.
A tender offer is made when
a buyer bypasses a company's
management going directly to
the shareholders, offering to
purchase their shares.
Chittenden Corporation last
week had offered to purchase
BMU to seek grants .for
special project .funding
by MARGARET BURKE Geared to grade levels five school for specific projects
WELLS RIVER-- The Blue through 12, this program will be developed."
Mountain Union District 21 would provide 4 micro- "Pre-School Program" --
School Board has authorized computers and software to he To serve all District 21 pre-
Superintendent A. Keith Ober housed in the library. Ober's kindergarten children, the
to seek up to $38,400 in Federal report to the board states, plan states, "A part-time
funds, funnelled through the "Computer assisted in- person (early education
state department of struction and increased teacher) will he contracted to
education, for six specific computer literacy will be the provide information for pre-
projects, focus, including staff training school parents,- screen
These include a program in the instrlltonal use of students, and provide
titled "Prevention of computers." Cost of the orientation to Kindergarten."
Delinquency" designed, in the project is listed in the report It calls for "Parent in-
words of a memo from Ober to as $7,610. volvement, using the 'Parent-
the board, "to reduce the "Parent-Community Community lnvolvement Data
likelihood of delinquency, Involvement Data Base" -- Base.' " Cost of the project is
substance abuse, truancy, and Designed to take into account $2,050.
other disruptive behaviors by all children in the district, "Professional Develop-
juveniles prior to their contact from infancy through grade ment" -- Designed to improve
with law enforcement 12, this program, according to educational practices con-
agencies or other Ober's plan, would use cerning all BMU gradelevels,
authorities." Up to $16,000 can "census data ' to develop "a this program would provide
be applied for to implement permanent record system... "mini-grants" of up to $100 to
the project, for every pre-K student (pre- I0 staff members, "for the
This program, if state of- school age) in the district," improvement of their specific
ficials agree to fund it, would and "a parent list, composed teaching skills or program.
provide training for of in-school and pre-school Half of the funds will be
elementary school staff to children." The plan further reserved for readlng-language
help them "t identify early, states, ,'Using a phone survey, arts. Eligible expenses in-
kids who may be headed for with written follow-up, a list of clude materials, tuition,
trouble," Ober told the board, community members willing substitutes, conference
It calls for a high degree of to volunteer services to the (please turn to page 3)
community involvement, with
QUEST program training of
Bradford National Bank stock
has a book value of $80 per
share, but is currently selling
at about $62 per share.
Patten told the Journal
Opinion last Friday that he is
prepared to purchase 12,501
shares (51 percent) of BNB
stock, matching Chittenden's
offer of $75 per share through
a tender offer. Chittenden
President Hilton Wick, said
following rejection of his
company's acquisition offer
last week, that he would also
be considering going to BNB's
stockholders with Chit-
tenden's offer.
Patten said his
decision to come into the
picture last week was
prompted by BNB's rejection
of Chittenden's acquisition
offer. "There is no question,"
said Patten, "that Chit-
tenden's offer is much fairer
to the stockholders than the
Springfield bank's."
Patten is a N. Haverhill
businessman and a former
BNB director who resigned in
1980 over disagreements with
the bank's management
policies.
Small Businesses
Bradford National Bank
President Paul Gallerani said
in announcing the rejection of
Chittenden's offer, "The
directors believe that to
pursue negotiations with
Chittenden Corp. would
jeopardize the bank's con-
tinuing ability to fully meet
the business priorities which
the directors have previously
established."
Gallerani said he feels an
affiliation with a bank the size
of Chittenden (Vermont's
to continue serving small
businesses and communities
in the Bradford area as it has
in the past.
He said BNB's planned
affiliation with The First
National Bank of Vermont
would enable the bank to
preserve its local policies
while increasing its base by
forming a partnership with a
similar bank. Plans for the
affiliation were announced
last month in the Journal
Opinion.
Bradford National Bank
recorded assets of $30 million
in December of 1981; The
First National Bank of Ver-
mont recorded assets of $67
million in December. Brad-
ford National Bank has
branch offices in Newbury,
Fairlee, and E. Tbetford, in
addition to its main office in
BracKord Village. The First
National Bank has branch
offices in Fair Haven, Nor-
thfield, Windsor, and St.
Johnsbury, with its main
offices in Springfield.
But Patten said under the
present terms of the BNB --
First National affiliation
shareholders are expected to
receive about 3.5 shares of a
joint BNB -- First National
holding company for every
one BNB share. Both Chit-
tenden's Wick and Patten say
The First National Bank of
Vermont stock is worth about
$15 per share.
"This would leave Bradford
shareholders with stock worth
about $52 per share," said
Patten, "which is nowhere
near what Chittenden or we're
now offering... I just think its
too bad the shareholders were
Disputed Figures
Gallerani disputes both the
figures on the price of First
National stock and the 3.5
share agreement but is
declining to offer specifics.
However, he says a
prospectus will be available to
BNB shareholders within the
next two months.
Chittenden Corporation is a
holding company that includes
among its subsidiaries the
Chittenden Trust Company,
the state's largest commercial
bank, and Mountain Trust, in
Stowe. The corporation has
reportedly recorded assets of
$422 million.
Wick claims Chittenden only
wants to own the Bradford
bank and has no present plans
to change its board of direc-
tors.
Patten, who says his offer is
there "in case the Chittenden
offer doesn't go through," has
different plans. He said, if his
tender offer was successful,
he would change the entire
board of directors and the
bank's top management.
"I'd install directors who
reflected my business
philosophy," he said, "but I'd
stay out of the picture."
Patten said he was not in-
terested in running a bank, but
instead regards his tender
offer as an "investment." He
confirmed reports that said
his various business en-
terprises would allow him to
come up with the $937,000
needed for the tender offer
without having to borrow
money.
Gallerani said he would not
comment on Patten's tender
(please turn to page I0)
community volunteers and the have overstepped their
esO00,,s00men00o00a"O00e00,oo Trustees may
board," among other
provisions.
o, vo,00n00r00 thwarted anyway
"would work with some first authority; bar plan
offenders who haven't hurt
anyone." Ober said, adding,
"A community-based
diversion board would make Other bar proposa/s/n the works
the program self-replacing." BRADFORD-- When Brad- received a letter from the
Plans call for the funding and ford's Village Trustees used a trustees that said the two
operation of the program for newly re-enforced village Randolph men could now
one year only. entertainment ordinance to receive the entertainment
"We're addressing a need block the plans of two Ran- permit they had been denied
you know too well," Ober told dolph men seekingtoestablish earlier if they agreed to a
the board prior to their a nightclub on Main Street number of rules and
passage, with one disenting here, they were successful, guidelines under which the
vote, of a motion approving But the end may not have nightclub wouldoperate.
the funding application at the justified the means. Clements is not happy with
June 2 BMU school board After seeking an opinion the trustee's timing, among
meeting, from an attorney to find out if other things. Robert Niebling
At the board's previous denying thepermitwaslegal, and Richard Storm, the
meeting, May 26, it expelled a the trustees found out that it initiators of the Bradford
student who had been a was not. What they found was nightclub proposal and owners
disciplinary problem, and that, according to their of Ashley's nightclub in
"had failed to comply with lawyer, they are required by Randolph, say their plans for
conditions for re-entry," as law to provide sufficient a nightclub in Bradford are
that meeting's minutes state, grounds or reasons for history.
BlecGrant denying entertainment per- The two have decided to
The five other projects for mits, according to village take their nightclub elsewhere
which funding will be sought
come under the category of
Federal funding known as
"Chapter two and as "bloc
grants." This means that
school districts are given wide
latitude in how they use the
money.
Five Programs
The five programs are the
District 21 administration's
attempt to meet objectives for
BMU that were identified in
officials, and are looking at a site in
Last week, Allan Clements, White River Junction, ac-
owner of the Main Street cording toStorm.
building in which the bar After the trustees flatly
would have been located, denied them an entertainment
permit at a regular trustees
meeting last month, Niebling
had not been optimistic. Asked
if he and his partners could
effectively proceed with their
plans in Bradford without an
entertainment permit,
Niebling had said, "No . . .
that's all we are, a nightclub
with entertainment."
The trustees had just
recently adopted (or re-
enforced) the old 1890 or-
dinance in the village's bylaws
that requires trustee approval
in the form of a permit for
entertainment in the village.
The move. initiated by trustee
Larry Drew, was aimed at
village control over future
nightspots and dances at
which alcohol would be con-
sumed.
Selectmen Approval
The town's selectmen had
approved Niebling and
Storm's proposal in April,
saying they were satisfied that
the two seemed willing to
cooperate with a number of
regulations the selectmen, as
the town's local liquor cOntrol
board, could set down. The
would-be bar owners had
come prepared with a number
of voluntary regulations the
selectmen also were pleased
with.
Niebling and Storm took the
same proposal to the trustees
but did not get very far. They
found the trustees steadfast in
their desire to avoid another
nightclub situation like that
which had involved the now
defunct King Arthur's Disco.
King Arthur's had lost its
liquor license for a number of
violations and had allegedly
been the source of a number of
incidents that kept area police
busy until it closed for
financial reasons last year,
according to state police
Corporal Robert Haradon.
Contacted early this week,
Village Administrator Susan
Spaulding said that she had
not actually seen any legal
advice on paper but had been
assured of its authenticity by
trustee chairman K. Donald
Welch.
Clements told the Journal
Opinion that he had originally
pressured the trustees into
checking the legality of the
situation following their
permit decision in May.
"The original decision was
badly handled," said
Clements. "The taxpayers are
fortunate that those two
(Niebling and Storm) don't
take legal action for saying
'no' without chocking into it
first."
However, Clements would
not say whether he was
considering some kind of legal
action against the trustees.
"Nine out of ten kids in this
town are good kids," said
(please turn to page 10)
Dr. DouKlas Harris iob July 1
order of priority by the
school's staff, board, and WELLS RIVER-- The search sylvania native holds degrees
parents over a period of for, a principal for Blue in Secondary Education,
Mountain Union School Library and Media Science,
several months. The culminated Saturday, May 29 and recently wa awarded a
programs are: with the selection of Douglas Ph.D. from Kent State
"Computer Instruction" -- Harris of Bentleyville, Pa. University in Special
The 31 year old Penn-EducationAdministration.
BMU school finds a new principal
IT'S A HIT-- Little League aetiea In Weedsvllle between the American Legion
and Coach and Paddock teams last week.
His previous experiences
include teaching high school
English, serving as a district
director of library and media
services, teaching un-
dergraduate and graduate
courses in education, and
serving as a curriculum
consultant to over 70 school
districts in Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, and West Virginia.
Active professionally, Dr.
Harris has made presen-
tations to the American
Theater Association and the
Ohio Association for Gifted
Children; is a life member of
the National Education
Association; member of the
National education honor
fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa;
and is an active participant in
the National Association for
Gifted Children. He also was
honored by receiving op-
portunities to study two
summers at York University,
England, a part of an ex-
change program for
educators.
Harris will take over the Harris has multiple decision was based on Harris'
principal's position from
William Randall, who had
been the school's principal for
the past eight years.
Randall is expected to stay
on at BMU in the newly
created position of Special
Services Coordinator-
Instructor. He is also
scheduled to teach dramatics
at the school next year.
Working at the school since
it first opened in 1970, Randall
began as a junior high English
teacher. He will oversee
special education programs,
academic counseling, special
education programs, and
coordinate special services at
the school in his new role in
addition to a number of ex-
tracurricular duties. Randall
holds a Masters degree in
special education.
Harris will take over as
principal on July 1, said a
school spokesman.
In addition to an interest in
talented and gifted education,
professional certifications,
including K through 12
principal, K through 12 library
science, and seven through 12
English, and Driver
Education.
Personal interests have
included an active par-
ticipation in religious
education, local fire depar-
tments, Lions International,
Fraternal Order of Eagles,
and community sports. Once
drafted by the Kansas City
Royals, he continues to stay in
shape by running, officiating
sports events, hiking,
bicycling, and playing "slow-
pitch" softball. Other in-
terests include reading and
writing.
The search process covered
over two months, and resulted
in nearly 70 applicants. The
final selection, made May 29,
involved over 30 student,
staff, and community par-
ticipants, in addition to the full
School Board. The final
qualifications, in addition to
his attitude toward the
potential of education at BMU
said a school spokesman.
When asked why he wanted
to come to Vermont, Harris
said, "I would come to Blue
Mountain Union if it were
located in Utah, or Florida.
Being in Vermont, is an added
bonus. I am excited about the
potential for K through 12
education under one principal,
in one building. It is a rare
opportunity."
Commenting on the quality
of candidates, Board Chair-
man Stephen Allen noted: "It
is a pleasure to have to deal
with the 'problem' of so many
competent candidates. We
have high hopes for the tenure
of Dr. Harris at Blue Mt.
Union School,"
Dr. and Mrs. Harris,
together with their infant son,
will be moving into the Blue
Mt. community in the near
future.
FAIRLEE-- About 40 voters
turned up at last week's
Annual Town of Fairlee School
Meeting where they approved
a budget that was a little
higher than the present one of
1981-82, but also an amount to
be raised in taxes that will
save taxpayers in the town
over $22,000.
The new 1982-83 budget
recommended by the Fairlee
School Board and Orange East
District Administration asked
for $335,786. Voters approved
the budget with no amend-
ments.
The new budget is 5.8 per-
cent or $18,423 higher than this
year's budget.
However, according to
Orange East District
Superintendent John Fontana,
Fairlee school taxes will be
dropping this year by about 7.4
percent.
Fontana attributed the
expected dr@ in the amount
to be raised in Fairlee school
taxes to basic differences in
the way the money was spent
this year. "Last year we
ended up the year with a
deficit of about $20,000," he
said, "this year we ended up
with a surplus of around
$20,000."
"That's a difference of
about $40,000 and that's where
the difference in taxes is
coming from," said Fontana.
Another factor contributing to
the expected school tax
decrease is a jump in the
amount of state aid to
education the Town of Fairlee
is expected to receive this
year.
According to figures
released by the state, the
Town of Fairlee is expected to
receive $12,656 this year under
the new state aid to education
formula passed by Vermont's
legislature during its last
session. Fairlee would have
received $9,177 under the old
state education plan.
The projected amount to he
raised in school taxes for the
Town of Fairlee now stands at
$285,553 or $22,970 lower than
the current fiscal year.
This would drop the school
portion of the town's tax rate
to $11.06 from $11.50 per $1000
of assessed property
valuation, according to
Fontana.
Voters at the meeting were
also told that the school board
has shelved their plans to seek
better insulation of the roof at
the Fairlee Elementary
School. Initial estimates for
the project called for an ex-
penditure of up to $50,000.
School officials say they are
still looking for a more
economical solution to the
problem.
Toward the end of the
meeting, some voters
questioned whether the
meeting was in fact binding or
legal because the warning for
the meeting may not have
been posted by the deadline.
Fontana told the group he
would look into the legality of
the situation.
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