Town News News: State Rep Candidates Express Views on Education, Property Taxes and Maintaining our Rural Character by Kaya Yurieff, July 15, 2010, pg 6....The five candidates running for State Representative from Charlotte gathered at the Old Brick Store on June 30.     - Submitted: Thursday, July 15th [more ...] TownBites by Edd Merritt, Dorrice Hammer and Nancy Wood, June 17, 2010, pages 4 and 5..... East Charlotte Work Groups, Should Cafes be Allowed?, Flood Hazard Regs, Mobile Drop-off Center     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 15th [more ...] Two More for State Rep: Robin Reid and Mike Kurt by Nancy Wood June 3, 2010, page 1..... Robin Reid is running as an Independent and Mike Kurt as a Democrat for State Representative     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 1st [more ...] Break-In by Nancy Wood June 3, 2010, page 6..... Locks were broken and doors forced open to several offices during a break-in at Ferry Road Business Park Wednesday night, May 9.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 1st [more ...] Fire & Rescue April Emergency Responses, and Summer Safety Tips by Kay Gault, June 3, 2010, page 6.....     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 1st [more ...] School Budget Passes by a Wide Margin by Nancy Wood, May 20, 2010, page 1..... On a vote of 718 (63%) to 421 (37%), the CCS school budget finally passed on Tuesday, May 18.     - Submitted: Wednesday, May 19th [more ...] Scott Orr Steps Down – Three Step Up by Edd Merritt and Nancy Wood, May 20, 2010, page 1..... Charles Russell and Mike Yantachka are seeking the Democratic nomination for the open House seat; Ed Stone is running as a Republican.     - Submitted: Wednesday, May 19th [more ...] RFP May 20, 2010, page 21..... The Town of Charlotte is seeking proposals for energy efficiency improvements at the Town Hall.     - Submitted: Wednesday, May 19th [more ...] FYI UPDATE: School Tax Rates Lowered; Scott Orr Steps Down By Nancy Wood, Editor, May 13, 2010 Two items of interest:     - Submitted: Thursday, May 13th [more ...] Raven Ridge Preserved by Nancy Wood Wednesday, May 5, 2010... The Nature Conservancy announced today the completion of the purchase of the Raven Ridge Preserve.     - Submitted: Wednesday, May 5th [more ...] School Board Finds More Cuts, Budget Re-vote Set for May 18 by Nancy Wood, May 6, 2010, page 1..... The School Board is listening. At the May 4 meeting they found an additional $60,000 to cut, and voted to warn a revised budget of $7,002,271.     - Submitted: Wednesday, May 5th [more ...] School Board Sets May 18 for Budget Re-Vote, May 13 for public hearing by Nancy Wood, April 22, 2010, page 1..... As CCS students acted out their parts in a dress rehearsal of Alice in Wonderland in the multi-purpose room, the adults performed in equally dramatic roles in the Library     - Submitted: Tuesday, April 20th [more ...] School Budget Tax Impact by Nancy Wood April 22, 2010, page 5..... Is it the budget, or the tax increase?     - Submitted: Tuesday, April 20th [more ...] School Budget Work Session and Community Forum on Construction Scheduled by Nancy Wood, April 11, 2010..... At the April 6 meeting, the CCS School Board scheduled a work session for Monday, April 19, on the defeated budget. There is also a Community Forum the next night, April 20, on the construction project.     - Submitted: Sunday, April 11th [more ...] Voters Say “No” Again to the CCS Budget by Nancy Wood, April 8, 2010, page 1..... The CCS revised school budget failed by a wide margin on April 6, with 270 (44%) in favor and 347 (56%) opposed. The earlier proposal was defeated on Town Meeting day by a vote of 524-568.     - Submitted: Tuesday, April 6th [more ...] CCS and Town Awarded Energy Efficiency Grants by Nancy Wood, April 8, 2010, page 1..... CCS will receive a $50,000 energy efficiency retrofit grant, and the Town of Charlotte, a grant of $25,546     - Submitted: Tuesday, April 6th [more ...] TownBites by Edd Merritt and Nancy Wood, April 8, 2010, pages 4 & 5..... Spear's Corner Store, The Old Lantern, Plouffe Lane and Dogs     - Submitted: Tuesday, April 6th [more ...] CCS Board Warns Revote for April 6, Reduces Budget by $57,312 by Rowan Beck, March 25, 2010, page 1..... The CCS School Board has cut an additional $57,312 from the proposed budget for 2010-2011, resulting in a number that is 2.4% less than both the current and prior year budgets. Public Hearing on the revised b     - Submitted: Tuesday, March 23rd [more ...] CCS School Board Approves a Revised Budget with $57,312 Additional Cuts March 18, 2010..... The School Board voted at a special meeting this morning for a revised budget that includes additional cuts of $57,312 from the original budget defeated on Town Meeting Day.     - Submitted: Thursday, March 18th [more ...] CCS School Board Will Vote March 18 on Revised Budget March 17, 2010..... The School Board will vote at a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 18, on a revised budget that is expected to include additional cuts of $57,312 from the original budget voted on Town Meeting Day.     - Submitted: Wednesday, March 17th [more ...] Voters Say “NO” at Town Meeting by Nancy Wood, March 10, 2010, page 1, 4-5..... Contentious, emotional, frustrated, conservative, worried, combative, vocal, testy, compassionate and ornery are some of the words used by observers and participants to describe the mood of this year’s     - Submitted: Thursday, March 11th [more ...] School Board Sets April 6 for Budget Revote and Approves New Principal March 10,2010..... The School Board held a special meeting Tuesday night, March 9, to discuss the defeated budget, and to hear comments from the public.     - Submitted: Wednesday, March 10th [more ...] Selectboard and CCS School Board Begin the Budget Revision Process March 7, 2010..... Discussions of revisions to their respective budgets will begin at the Selectboard and CCS School Board meetings this week.     - Submitted: Sunday, March 7th [more ...] Town Meeting Voters Say "NO" March 2, 2010..... Charlotte voters said a resounding "no" to the purchase of the LeBoeuf property with a vote of 187-912; and with a much smaller margin of 524-568 they also nixed the CCS budget.     - Submitted: Tuesday, March 2nd [more ...] Town Budget Reduced by $71, 661, Trails Unfunded, Affordable Housing and Fire & Rescue Supported March 2, 2010..... In one of the longest Town Meetings in recent memory, voters directed the Selectboard to make the hard decisions and took the School Board to task for decisions already made.     - Submitted: Tuesday, March 2nd [more ...] Town Meeting Preview February 25, 2010, page 5..... by Nancy Wood Do you have questions about town activities that are not specifically related to the budget or another article on the warning?     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 23rd [more ...] Legislative Update: Current Use February 25, 2010, page 6..... by Representative Scott Orr I was asked to give an update on the status of the Use Value Appraisal program, better known as Current Use, in this year’s session.     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 23rd [more ...] Cleaning up the Town Beach Well February 25, 2010, page 10 by Nancy Wood The well at the Town Beach has a history of contamination, publicized with “do not drink the water” signs in the beach house.     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 23rd [more ...] Fire and Rescue Volunteers Have Busy Sunday February 25,2010 by Nancy Wood February 21 was a busy day for the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue crews.     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 23rd [more ...] Warning Town of Charlotte Annual Town Meeting 2010 February 11, 2010, page 3..... Text of the Warning for Town Meeting     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] The Bottom Line: Voters Will Make Choices that Determine Taxes for 2010 - 2011 February 11, 2010, page 5..... The Selectboard and School Boards have completed their work, fine-tuning budgets for 2010 -2011. It is now up to the voters to decide whether or not to accept them.     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] Meet the Candidates February 11, 2010, pages 6 and 7.... Here are brief profiles of the 16 Charlotters who are running for town offices this year.     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] The Charlotte Recreation Path by Laurie Thompson, Member, Charlotte Trails Committee February 11, 2010, page 8..... How many times have you heard, “We’re so lucky to live in Vermont.”     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] Fire & Rescue News by Kay Gault February 11, 2010, page 16     - Submitted: Wednesday, February 10th [more ...] CCS Rink Nearly Frozen Letter from Carlie Krolick, Tuesday February 2, 2010..... I stopped by the rink today at about 3 pm. It has been newly flooded and is not quite ready for skating. I would imagine that it would be frozen hard for your enjoyment by tomorrow.     - Submitted: Tuesday, February 2nd [more ...] Charlotte-Essex Ferry Service Ceases as Chimney Point Service Begins February 2, 2010, Update ..... Ferry service between Chimney Point, Vermont, and Crown Point, New York, begins as of 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, 2010.     - Submitted: Sunday, January 31st [more ...] Town Meeting 2010 Countdown The Final Rundown of Candidates 1/28/2010, page 3.....     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 26th [more ...] Property Taxes May Go UP - No Matter What by Nancy Wood 1/14/10, Page 1..... Despite the best efforts of Selectboard and School Board, Charlotters will most likely see property tax increases next year.     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Who's Running, Who's Not Town Meeting 2010 Countdown 1/14/10, Page 3..... There is a need for interested citizens to step forward to run for town offices. As of today, there are no candidates running for Cemetery Commissioner, and there is only one contested position up for     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Volunteer Training to be Held January 20 for Home Energy Program 1/14/10, Page5 by the Charlotte Energy Committee..... Charlotte is partnering with Efficiency Vermont to bring a new energy-saving program to local households. The joint project between Transition Town and Charlotte’s Energy Committee is designed to     - Submitted: Tuesday, January 12th [more ...] Bridge Demolished, Ti Ferry Closing - Expect more traffic through Charlotte The closing of the Lake Champlain Bridge became permanent when it was imploded on December 29. Commuters suffer another blow on January 3 when the Ticonderoga Ferry will also cease service due to the lack of insurance coverage.     - Submitted: Saturday, January 2nd [more ...] Charlotte Ice Rink Vandalized Skaters were greeted with broken windows in the warming hut on Christmas Day, and large holes in the ice the day after Christmas at the rink by the Charlotte Central School.     - Submitted: Sunday, December 27th [more ...] Residents Complain About Speeding Lake Road resident Gordon Troy has asked the Selectboard to do something about speeding and increased ferry traffic on Ferry and Lake Roads.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] 24-Hour Ferry Service Begins December 28 The Charlotte-Essex ferry service will expand to 24 hours starting December 28, according to Lake Champlain Transportation (LCT) spokesperson Heather Stewart.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] Mt. Philo State Park Expands Vermont’s oldest state park is about to get bigger. Charles and Gwen Allmon are donating 69 acres of forest and meadow adjacent to Mt. Philo to the state.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 15th [more ...] East Charlotte Village Planning Report Ready for Planning Commission David Raphael and his firm LandWorks of Middlebury has drafted a review of issues that came out of three public workshops in East Charlotte.     - Submitted: Tuesday, December 1st [more ...] New Mt. Philo Break-Ins Reported ...The most recent incidents occurred on Monday, November 16 between 10:00 am. and 10:30 a.m. at Mount Philo State Park and again at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the Demeter property on Greenbush Road.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 17th [more ...] Constable Proposes More Town Presence Charlotte Constable Josh Flore surprised the Selectboard at the November 9 meeting by presenting not the flat budget that the board is asking from its various groups, but by requesting an increase to $10,000.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 17th [more ...] TownBites During the public comment period of the November 9 Selectboard meeting, Jennifer Adsit questioned the board’s decision to appropriate only $15,000 from the town’s Conservation Fund and use it toward Charlotte’s portion of the closing costs of the Raven Ri     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 17th [more ...] Raven Ridge Backers Disappointed The attempt by the Charlotte Land Trust to obtain $35,700 from the town’s Conservation Fund to go toward the Raven Ridge Preserve concluded by the Selectboard agreeing to procure $15,000 instead.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Charlotte H1N1 Flu Scene Remains Quiet So far Charlotte schools have been hit relatively lightly by the H1N1 (“swine”) flu virus.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Town Bites The Charlotte-Essex Ferry is free for the taking.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Artisans Sale Returns for Eighth Year On November 21 beginning at 10 a.m., 25 artists, the majority of whom live in Charlotte, will display and sell their wares in the Charlotte Senior Center on Ferry Road.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] Town Monument Plans Progress The Monument Committee met October 27 to review its progress and map out its next project.     - Submitted: Tuesday, November 3rd [more ...] State Police Issue Warning of Parking Lots Thefts Vermont State Police are investigating numerous incidents of vandalism and theft from vehicles in the parking lots of Mt. Philo State Park and Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge.     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Selectboard Asks for Yet Another Meeting on Raven Ridge The Selectboard faced an audience of 30 people for three hours Monday night listening to the pros and cons of using town Conservation Funds to help conserve a large parcel of land that falls in sections of Hinesburg and Monkton as well as southeastern Cha     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Tractor Parade Revs Up for Its Tenth Anniversary With number nine successfully behind her, Carrie Spear is already looking ahead to “Big Number 10.”     - Submitted: Tuesday, October 13th [more ...] Charlotte’s Biggest Weekend of the Year The 9th Annual East Charlotte Tractor Parade is again being held at Baptist Corner in East Charlotte – this year on Sunday, October 11, rain or shine.     - Submitted: Friday, October 2nd [more ...] Crowded Selectboard Meeting Hears a Request for Conservation Funds Standing room was required for the 55 people who came to hear and comment on the request from the Charlotte Land Trust that the Selectboard authorize $60,000 from the Town of Charlotte’s Conservation Fund to help preserve an area in the southeastern quadr     - Submitted: Friday, October 2nd [more ...] Charlotte Democrats Reorganize Charlotte Democrats held their biannual reorganization meeting at the Town Hall on September 16 to elect a Town Committee, officers of the Town Committee and delegates to the Chittenden County Democratic Committee.     - Submitted: Friday, October 2nd [more ...] Town Bites Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity will build three affordably priced houses on the Burns property in Charlotte next year     - Submitted: Friday, October 2nd [more ...] Upcoming Fall Events     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 15th [more ...] Workshop Furthers East Charlotte Plans Jim Donovan, Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, kicked off the September 10 workshop, the second of three sponsored by the Charlotte Planning Commission.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 15th [more ...] Town Bites compiled by Edd Merritt     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 15th [more ...] Meeting Addresses Greenbush Road Speeding A heads up to town drivers: drivers would do well to keep their speeds in check on Greenbush and other town roads. The Selectboard approved an increased police presence after hearing from several Greenbush Road residents at the September 14 meeting.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 15th [more ...] Additional Lane Planned for Ferry Road Pedestrians, Bicyclists Good news for bicyclists and walkers in town - the single bike/pedestrian lane on the south side of Ferry Road between Greenbush and the railroad tracks will be divided into two lanes, one on each side of the road.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 15th [more ...] Town Bites Selectboard and Planning Commission hold a joint work session.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Charlotte Dems Invited to Reorganization Meeting All Charlotte voters who support the Democratic Party are invited to attend the biennial reorganization meeting of the Charlotte Democratic Party. This meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Tree Warden Addresses Seasonal Concerns Several tree problems are surfacing currently on some of Charlotte’s trees, and your friendly Tree Warden offers a few tips.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Covered Bridge Needs Repairs Quinlan Bridge, one of the town’s three historic covered bridges, is in need of major restoration.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Champlain’s 400th Celebrated in Song Well known musicians Robert Resnick and Marty Morrissey will bring voices and a variety of musical instruments to the Charlotte Historical Society’s September 1 program.     - Submitted: Tuesday, September 1st [more ...] Selectboard Approves Proposed Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 2010 At the July 27 Selectboard meeting, Town Auditor Nancy Wood presented a comparative analysis of the proposed tax rates for the current and previous fiscal years.     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Pubs to Playgrounds: East Charlotters Seek More Social Spaces David Raphael of LandWorks, who guides the planning process for development of East Charlotte Village, presented the Planning Commission with a review of the results of the meeting with residents held earlier this summer.     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Town Undertakes Groundwater Study Some readers may have noticed a small group of people walking around town looking at rocks. Some readers may have been contacted by members of this group, who asked to see their rocks.     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Task Force Meets with Habitat Reps Representatives from Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity, including architect Eric Morrow and construction manager Charley Magill, met with eight members of a Charlotte task force to review further plans for three affordable houses in the southwest sectio     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Charlotte Land Trust List Encourages Buying Local The following list was compiled by the Charlotte Land Trust in an effort to encourage residents to buy local agricultural products.     - Submitted: Tuesday, August 4th [more ...] Town Party Celebrates 15th Year on the Green The Town Party, Charlotte’s biggest summer event, will take place on Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m. to 2.p.m. on the Town Green     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 30th [more ...] Planning Proceeds at Both Ends of Town Seven people met on June 19 to review and critique plans for affordable housing near the southwest end of the Burns property in Charlotte’s West Village.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 30th [more ...] Conservation Groups Join Burleighs in Celebrating Easement Thirty-six friends, neighbors and representatives from several conservation groups joined Arthur Burleigh and his family at a vantage point on the 72.5 acres of Burleigh farm property recently conserved.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 30th [more ...] West Village to Try New Look Ferry Road between Route 7 and Greenbush Road in the West Village will be sporting newly painted lines to create a pedestrian lane and to try out a new strategy for protecting the corners of the World War I monument.     - Submitted: Wednesday, June 17th [more ...] Utilities Force Town Plan Test How much do we want underground utility wires? Are we willing to pay the price?     - Submitted: Wednesday, June 17th [more ...] The Affordable Housing Trust Fund Accepting Grant Applications For the second year, the Town of Charlotte is offering an Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) grant program.     - Submitted: Wednesday, June 17th [more ...] The List: Which Ancient Roads Will Be Kept? Residents affected by ancient roads turned out at the June 15 Selectboard meeting to give feedback about whether roads should be discontinued by the town or evaluated by the town and possibly mapped.     - Submitted: Wednesday, June 17th [more ...] Historic Church Reaches Out to Community for Repairs The money raised will be used to replace the slate roof over the sanctuary, to repair the steeple and columns and to shore up the bell tower.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 2nd [more ...] Habitat for Humanity Is Often Families Helping Families In Vermont’s scheme for budgeting public education, the state has sending towns and it has receiving towns. For a number of years, Charlotte has been a sending town     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 2nd [more ...] Mt. Philo will Host Farmer’s Market Every Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. beginning this Friday, June 5, local growers (within ten miles of the park) will offer their goods for sale at the base of the mountain.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 2nd [more ...] New Roadside Trees are Thriving in Charlotte Friends, your hard-working Rutter Family Fund Charlotte Roadside Beautification Committee has been at work and is pleased to report on this spring’s tree planting.     - Submitted: Tuesday, June 2nd [more ...] What’s Fair? Town Grapples with Assets vs. Landowners’ Rights The Selectboard outlined its latest plan for dealing with the town’s Class IV, or ancient, roads and then listened as landowners expressed their opinions.     - Submitted: Sunday, May 24th [more ...] East Villagers Gather to Ponder the Future “We ought to make this planning meeting a regular event,” someone was heard to say. “It’s a great opportunity to gather and talk with neighbors, something we too seldom take time to do.”     - Submitted: Sunday, May 24th [more ...] Charlotte Greens Up on Beautiful Spring Weekend aturday, May 2, started out cold, gray and threatening rain. But by the time the 37th annual Green Up Day events got under way around 9:00 in the morning, it was warm and sunny and Charlotters came out in good numbers.     - Submitted: Saturday, May 9th [more ...] P.C. Walks the East Village At its April 16 meeting, the Charlotte Planning Commission members decided to conduct a site visit of the town’s East Village, the area around Baptist Corners (Spear Street and Hinesburg Road intersection) at 5:30 p.m. on May 14.     - Submitted: Saturday, May 9th [more ...] Town Constable Rides for Fallen Officers Charlotter Josh Flore is a police officer and a firefighter, and this weekend he will add long-distance cyclist to his impressive roster of achievements.     - Submitted: Saturday, May 9th [more ...] Report from the Legislature As we enter into the final weeks of the legislative session, the pace quickens as more and more bills come out of committees and the House spends more time meeting to debate these bills, passing them over to the Senate, or on to the Governor if a bill ori     - Submitted: Saturday, May 9th [more ...] CSAs Offer Exceptional Food at Great Value Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is an innovative model in which farmers offer a share of their harvest to community members who sign up in advance for weekly pickups.     - Submitted: Saturday, May 9th [more ...] Charlotte Ferry Captain and Crew Member Related to Captain of the Maersk Alabama A longtime captain of the Charlotte to Essex Ferry, Lea Coggio, is the sister-in-law of Richard Phillips of Underhill, the recently rescued captain of the highjacked cargo ship, Maersk Alabama.     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] East Charlotte Planning to be Discussed April 16 The kickoff meeting is Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. The purpose of this meeting is to meet with the consultant, LandWorks of Middlebury     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] Legislative Update: Marriage Equality Bill Passed by Cordial Legislature By the time this column is read it will be almost two weeks since the Marriage Equality bill, S.115, passed both the House and Senate.     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] Green Up Day Activities Schedule     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] Green Up Day Offers Activities for All Mark your calendars for Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, for Green Up Day in Charlotte. We have three kinds of activities planned for this year.     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] Charlotte Historical Society Plans Exciting Projects for Year After the winter months, when the Charlotte Museum is closed, board members look forward to springtime energies to launch our “open season.” Not wild turkey, not trout, but those summer months when the museum is open on Sunday afternoons.     - Submitted: Wednesday, April 15th [more ...] [Post News...]

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