Sunday, May 29, 2016

Star Lake dam "leak"

To Town Residents:

I’ve had several calls about the two “leaks” coming through the steel sheet piling on the back side of the Star Lake dam.
These have been present ever since the dam was completed in October.
Here’s what our engineering firm, Dubois & King, told me.

1.  this is not a safety issue; this type of seepage is not uncommon and will not cause a dam failure.

2.  seepage like this generally slows over time as silt plugs the soil pores.
FYI, Jeff Teter and I have timed the flow and over the past several months it appears to be slowing.
3.  When the Vermont Dam Safety Department comes for their annual safety inspection this summer they will review this.

AND enjoy the beach… the raft went in today :)

Ron Unterman

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Minutes of Advisory Council Meeting May 23, 2016

Minutes of Advisory Council Meeting May 23, 2016

Ed Bove called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.  Committee members present: Ed Bove, Peter Berger, Alyson Blodgett, Tom Veysey and Don Eatmon.  Community members who signed in for the meeting: Ted Crawford, Bill McGrath, Don Richardson, Rhonda Rivers,Candace Neary,Lester Lampert, David Johnson, Minga Dana and Peter Smith.
Ed Bove presented a summary of the topics discussed and how they related to land use.  It was noted that the existing Town Plan does a good job of capturing what the  citizens of Mount Holly want.
The largest land use in Mount Holly is residential properties.  Others properties discussed included the Green in Belmont, the former Town Garage site, Transfer Station, Star Lake and Lake Ninevah.
It was noted that Mount Holly had a Flood Hazard plan, a Hazard Mitigation plan, Subdivision Regulations but no zoning.  Are these plans sufficient to protect what we have?  There was a consensus that the Town does not want zoning.   There was a brief discussion of “posting” of land versus “current use”.

At 6:35 the meeting was open to any questions or comments.  There was discussion about the procedure for completing the Town Plan.  Ed Bove circulated a document depicting this process.

The meeting adjourned at 6:45.


Ted Crawford  

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Open Greenhouse Day in Shrewsbury and Plant Sale!

Open Greenhouse Day in Shrewsbury and Plant Sale!

This Sunday, May 29th come visit the many greenhouses of Shrewsbury vegetable farms from 11:30am to 2pm (Alchemy Gardens starts at 10am). Alchemy Gardens, Caravan Gardens, and Evening Song Farm will have open greenhouse hours to meet the farmers, see what's growing, and buy some plants. Come see the bounty of produce being started right here in Shrewsbury!

Alchemy Gardens 10am-2pm
224 Frank Lord Road

Caravan Gardens 11:30am-2pm
Right on Route 103, north of the Ford dealership

Evening Song Farm 11:30am-2pm
680 Shunpike Road


Ryan Wood-Beauchamp
Kara Fitzgerald
Evening Song Farm
48 Nice Road   (If you're driving, use 680 Shunpike road to look up directions)
Cuttingsville VT
(802) 585-7045

Monday, May 23, 2016

Sports Odyssey in Ludlow




Kathleen Leber


Sports Odyssey should be ashamed for their lack of support for the Farmers’ Market.  Exactly how many customers do they usually get between 4-7 pm on fridays???  Actually, if people were allowed to park in their lot for a half hour, they would be much more inclined to stop in Sports Odyssey after visiting the Marked, as they are already parked next to Odyssey’s entrance.  Sports Odyssey:  How about posting signs saying:  Thanks for your support of the Ludlow Farmers’ Market and our local farmers.  Please stop in and see our great sales!    (I’m sure the Farmers’ market would gladly pay for these!)
Frankly, they would get more customers that way!!!!

I would encourage like minded individuals to copy this, and/or send their own thoughts to Sports Odyssey.

As for me, further lack of cooperation on Sports Odyssey’s part will result in my boycotting it, and strongly encouraging others NOT to shop there!! 
Kathy Leber  

Town of Mount Holly Planning Commission Clerk

Town of Mount Holly
Planning Commission Clerk

The Town of Mount Holly seeks to hire a Clerk to assist the Planning Commission to carry out their duties and responsibilities.  This is a part time position, up to approximately 20 hours per month, some evening hours required.  Job duties for the position include:  prepare and post agendas for all Planning Commission meetings as required by the Open Meeting Law; attend and take minutes at all Planning Commission meetings; post minutes as required by the Open Meeting Law; prepare and publish legal notices in the Town’s paper of record and special notices/information in the Chit Chat or other publications as determined by the Planning Commission; review all Planning Commission mail/email; respond to general inquires that do not require Planning Commission attention and forward all other correspondence to the Planning Commission for their action; maintain a filing system for all correspondence, articles, documents, etc. that pertain to the Planning Commission; perform other duties as requested by the Planning Commission.  Pay range is $10-$15 per hour, commensurate with experience.  Interested parties should contact Bill McGrath, Planning Commission Chair, at 802-259-2724 or email at twigg16@vermontel.net.  A resume may be sent to the email address, or the town office at Town of Mount Holly, PO Box 248, Mount Holly, VT   05758.  Equal Opportunity Employer.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

ADVISORY COUNCIL’S LAST MEETING ON MONDAY, MAY 23 AT 6 PM IN SCHOOL CAFETERIA

ADVISORY COUNCIL’S LAST MEETING ON MONDAY, MAY 23 AT 6 PM IN SCHOOL CAFETERIA Where are we in updating the Town Plan? On January 31, 2016, the Town of Mount Holly signed a contract with the Rutland Regional Planning Council (RRPC) for the RRPC to “assist the Town in updating the municipal plan”. Mount Holly’s Select Board and Planning Commission formed a four person volunteer committee – known as the Advisory Council, or Advisory Committee, or the Advisory Planning Council - to work with the RRPC. The contract lists the tasks (Scope of Work) to be performed by the RRPC. Each of these tasks should result in a product which, under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law, should be available to citizens. I maintain that the Advisory Council/Committee, as a committee of the Mount Holly Planning Commission (MHPC), is subject to the Open Meeting Law (a conclusion supported by the office of the Vermont Secretary of State - especially as the Advisory Council was formed to assist the MHPC perform its statutory duties). I have organized the process of updating our Current Town Plan (CTP) according to the tasks to be performed by RRPC, as listed in the contract between the Town and the RRPC: Contract Task # 1 4 hours Completion date: probably February 2016. Description of Task: RRPC to “assist the Advisory Planning Council in establishing the objectives of the Town Plan”. Product: Objectives of the Town Plan. Notes: Such a list would throw a light on the position of each member of the Advisory Council and how that might color their summaries of meetings. Contract Task # 2 10 hours Completion date: May 23, 2016 Description of Task: RRPC to “Facilitate Public Meetings” Product: Individual Meeting Reports Each member of the Advisory Council wrote a summary or report of each meeting and submitted it to the Select Board, the MHPC, and to RRPC. Notes: The subjects of the seven public meetings: Organization of meetings; emergency services; community organizations and education; business and economic development; transportation and recreation; housing and natural resources; and on May 23 the last meeting will be on land use and then public input and questions. Contract Task # 3 6 hours Completion date: ? Description of Task: RRPC to make a “Summary of Meetings” Product: Summary of Meetings Compilation of Individual Meeting Reports Notes: Presumably this summary of the meetings includes the Individual Meeting Reports (and as stated by Mr. Crawford, a Compilation of Individual Meeting Reports sent to RRPC from either the Select Board or MHPC) and the observations and notes of each meeting taken by Mr. Bove of the RRPC. Contract Task # 4 5 hours Completion date: ? Description of Task: RRPC to “Incorporate edits into Draft Town Plan and assist with the adoption process”. Product: Draft Town Plan Edits Agendas and Minutes of MHPC specifying the sections of the CTP to be discussed, public input and the resulting edits. Notes: This part of the process is a bit more difficult to follow as the terms ”edits” and “Draft Town Plan” appear without any definition. Based on information from Mr. Ted Crawford at the Advisory Council meetings and in his article in the Flash, it appears that the process is as follows: the MHPC will, at its regular monthly meetings, use the Summary of Meetings from the RRPC to make recommendations for edits or changes to the Current Town Plan. RRPC will take the edits and incorporate them into the Current Town Plan to produce a Draft Town Plan. Presumably, the Draft Town Plan then goes to a public hearing, and after any changes made at the public hearing, goes to Select Board for adoption Under the terms of the contract the Town agreed to pay the RRPC the second 50% of the total fee of $1,875 “on acceptance of the draft Plan by the Town”. (Does this occur before or after the adoption of the new Town Plan by the Select Board?) Annette Lynch

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

GOT BEES?

From: Jim 

I’m looking for honeybee swarms in the Mount Holly area.  If you see a cluster of honeybees in a tree, bush, or anywhere they aren’t normally that is probably a swarm of honeybees.  They are not dangerous and will not bother you unless disturbed.  Please call me and I’ll come to remove them safely to a bee hive.

Jim Corven
259-2311

Monday, May 16, 2016

personal attack

I feel as though I should apologize to the readers of the Mount Holly News Flash for preciptiating the personal attack with which Mr. Ted Crawford, the chair of our Select Board, answered my understanding of the facts of the Advisory Council’s adherence to the Open Meeting Law. My immediate impulse was to withdraw and cease making public observations on the Town’s approach to revising the Town Plan. However, I recalled a previous encounter with Mr. Crawford in the school gym at the March 7th meeting of the Advisory Council. As I was setting up LPCTV equipment to video - for the first time - a meeting of the Advisory Council, Mr. Crawford rushed across the gym and about 4 inches from my face began yelling about the videoing and then launched into a personal attack similar to his “answer” to me in the Flash. The worst part of this experience was my genuine fear that Mr. Crawford was so close to losing control that he might become physical aggressive. This fear was shared by other male members of the audience who intervened to end the confrontation. I can only interpret Mr. Crawford’s behavior as an attempt to stop me doing something he opposed – on that occasion, making a public video recording of a public meeting. Similarly, I feel that Mr. Crawford’s personal attack in the Mount Holly Flash - when all he needed to do was refute my facts - was completely uncalled for. It feels to me - especially with the vague threat of legal action - like an attempt at intimidation; in this instance, to cease pointing out where the town government headed by Mr. Crawford may be falling short of abiding by the Open Meeting Law. Despite feeling a certain apprehension about future attacks, I am choosing to continue to use my experience in municipal government and in planning, to make whatever contribution I can to the affairs of my home town. I will write to inform, and I will write when I see that the citizens of the town are not being included in on-going decision making about town affairs - as the law requires. I can accept being wrong. I can accept being corrected. I do not need to be bullied. Annette Lynch

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

The Springfield Community Players

From: Scott Stearns [The Book Nook] 

SPRINGFIELD, VT - The Springfield Community Players continue their efforts to foster the arts in the Springfield community with the first play of their 2016 season – THE ALIENS by Annie Baker.  Performances will take place Friday May 27, Saturday May 28, Friday June 3, and Saturday June 4.  Each night the Studio will open its doors at 7 p.m. and the performances will start 7.30 p.m.

THE ALIENS takes place in July in the small town of Shirley, Vermont. It centers on a couple of young men who hang out behind a coffee house and who befriend a young high schooler who works at the coffee house.  In the haltingly awkward voices of young men trying to figure out their paths in life, they discuss girlfriends, art, the name of their would be band, as well as singing songs and celebrating the 4th of July.  The play combines poetry, music, comedy and drama to explore friendship, art, love and death. The Springfield Community Players production of THE ALIENS will be directed by Scott Stearns, produced by John MacDonald and the cast consists of Wilson Church, Greg Villone, and Tuckerman Wunderle.

Wilson Church is a student at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester. He enjoys spending time outdoors as much as possible and time with friends and family. He would like to thank his beautiful mother for exposing him to the fun in theater.  His other performances include “The Lion in Winter”, “The Body in the Trunk,” and “Gypsy”. Greg Villone, a 27 year old actor/writer from Springfield, studied film production and cinema studies at Burlington College.  Greg has been in many Springfield Community Players’ productions and plays by other local companies.  Currently, Greg works at Jeld-Wen and spends his leisure time writing scripts he hopes one day to see on screen. Tuckerman Wunderle is a junior at Green Mountain Union High School. He got his start in theater a year ago with his school's production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” He has since played John in “The Lion in Winter,” Captain Hook in “Peter Pan and Wendy,” and Albert Peterson in “Bye Bye Birdie.” In addition to theater, Tuck plays piano and clarinet in the school band and works in an actual, real-life Vermont coffee house. He would like to thank all of his friends and family, especially his parents and his girlfriend, for all the support they've given him this past year.

THE ALIENS was written by Pulitzer Prize winning dramatist Annie Baker, who grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts. In addition to THE ALIENS, her full-length plays include JOHN, THE FLICK , which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, BODY AWARENESS, and an adaptation of Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA for which she also designed the costumes.  Productions of both THE ALIENS and UNCLE VANYA were performed by the Weston Playhouse. 

You can call to make reservations for performance by calling the Players Studio at 802-885-4098 or by visiting the Players website atwww.springfieldcommunityplayers.org/reserve-seat-today/. Tickets cost $15 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors Curtain time for all performances is 7:30 p.m. Note that THE ALIENS includes strong language and mature themes, so it will not be suitable for all members of the community. The Players would like to thank all of our corporate sponsors, who have made it possible to produce our 2016 season. 

Scott
The Book Nook
An independent bookstore in Ludlow, Vermont
http://www.thebooknookvt.com
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Monday, May 9, 2016

Green up day

Linda McGrath


While picking up trash along the southern part of Shunpike rd. yesterday my husband and I found numerous cans (20) of whipped cream. They were all full but had no pressure left in them. What came to mind was huffing. As you all know this is an extremely dangerous activity. A young woman was run down and killed in Rutland several years ago by someone who had been huffing and driving wildly. As someone who drives this road frequently, I would caution you all to be aware of any suspicious activity around Mt. Holly antis area in particular. If anyone has comments on this, please respond to the mhnewsflash. Thank you and Namaste