|
The Fletcher Community Newsletter |
| The Resource for Town, School, and Community News and Events - March 2004 |
New Fletcher Town Garage
Informational Meeting - Feb. 25
Please come to the School on Wednesday evening, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. for an informational meeting about the Town Garage project.
During 2003, the Selectboard refined the Town Garage design proposed by the 2002 Selectboard. The 2002 design, a 60 x 120 foot insulated and heated building with 6 garage bays, had an estimated cost of $350,000 a year ago. That price seemed to be prohibitive at the time, and is doubtless higher now.
The new, and recommended, design is 50 x 120 feet, with half of the building insulated and heated, and the remainder enclosed but not heated. The heated half of the building has two, large 20-foot garage doors. The unheated half has two similar openings that can accept garage doors in the future. Each half can hold at least three large Town vehicles (trucks with snow plows, for example). The unheated side of the building is designed so that we can pour a slab, insulate, and heat that half later at minimal additional expense to the Town. Radiant slab heat is proposed as the heating system.
The proposed garage is estimated to cost the Town $200,000 for the building with an additional $30,000 required for site preparation. The total of $230,000 is offset by the $104,000 that the Town has already set aside in the Garage fund. The balance of $126,000 must be paid for by the Town taking out a loan. This loan will be discussed and voted on at Town Meeting in March.
In 2003, the Town spent about $60,000 less than we took in as tax revenues. We propose to apply $40,000 of these funds towards the garage project, reducing the amount that needs to be borrowed considerably, while maintaining last year's tax rate. This would reduce the loan amount to $86,000.
We expect the loan on the $86,000 to be a standard 10 year municipal loan at an estimated interest rate of 2.7%, with monthly payments of $825 ($9,925/year). In previous years, the Town has set aside $15,000 for the Garage Fund each year. If we apply this $15,000 each year toward paying off the garage loan, we should be able to pay the entire loan off early, in 5 or 6 years, with no increase in the Town budget. After that, the $15,000 can be applied to other necessary buildings (such as a salt shed) or the budget item can be discontinued.
Regional Technical Academy Proposal
Informational meeting on Monday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m. at BFA Fairfax (Multi-Purpose
Room)! For more information, contact Franklin West Supervisory Union at 849-2283.
New Fletcher Town Garage Proposal
Informational meeting on Wednesday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. at Fletcher Elementary
School for the Town Garage project.
School Benefits from Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program
The Fletcher Elementary School has a new fundraising program. The School has found a company that will pay cash for empty inkjet printer cartridges. This company remanufactures the cartridges and sells them at significant savings to their customers. In return for shipping inkjet cartridges to this company (shipping is free of charge), the School earns between 25¢ and $5 per cartridge. How you can help: Place your printer cartridge (inkjet only, please) in a plastic bag to prevent leakage and drop it in the collection box at the School. Cartridges can be collected from homes, work, and local businesses. This terrific program earns 100% profit for the School, is safe, simple, quick, and easy, and eliminates thousands of tons of trash in our landfills. Thanks for your help!
Town Meeting Day Food Drive
By Kathy Varney
Franklin Grand Isle Community Action (FGICA) is having its annual Town Meeting Day Food Drive on Tuesday, March 2. The Drive was started two years ago; it appears to be growing. All Town Clerks have allowed us the opportunity to bring a collection box to their voting site again this year. Towns that have Food Shelves will receive half of whatever we get for donations from their respective town. This is a large undertaking for our small staff so it would be helpful to have volunteers to help with delivering and picking up boxes. FGICA's Food Shelf assists more than 400 families every month from Franklin and Grand Isle Counties. We would like to encourage all voters to bring a non-perishable food item with them to the polls on March 2, 2004. Please feel free to call me with any questions at 527-7392.
Solid Waste District Schedule of Events
The Northwest Vermont Solid Waste Management District (NWSWD) would like to remind all Fletcher residents to keep an eye out for the schedule of upcoming District events. Copies of this schedule will be handed out at Town Meeting Day and will be published in local papers. You can also request a copy by email: nwswdps@adelphia.net or see a calendar of events on our website at http://users.adelphia.net/~nwswdps.
North Country ATV Association,
Inc
By Claire Willette
This is an exciting time of year! We at the North Country ATV Association are focusing on trail expansion. We have quite a few new landowners signing on to help us out with making legal ATV trails all over Franklin County. I will be visiting landowner's on the Fairfield end of Fletcher again this year to expand a trail that I am currently working on. Again, please be open to having an ATV trail on your property if any one of our members approaches you. Thank You to the landowners who have already opened their property to having a safe, legal ATV trail!!!
Even though this has been a cold winter, there have been numerous trips to Quebec for winter ATV riding. The trails up there are something for us to try to achieve here in Vermont. We had a ride-in on Lake Carmi with a cookout earlier this month and had a wonderful time on the ice even though it was well below zero that day. The Saint Albans Maple Festival will be coming up in April. We will have a float and members riding ATV's again this year. This is always a fun parade to participate in!
We are approaching a new membership year this April. If anyone is interested in becoming a NCAA, Inc. member, you can either attend any of the meetings at the Abbey Restaurant in Sheldon, which are usually held the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is being held on March 12th. You can also become a member of the NCAA, Inc. by visiting any one of the many ATV dealers in Franklin County.
We need volunteers! Would you like to help set up the Book Fair? Staff the desk and help kids make their purchases? Tidy up and re-stock the shelves? Help with special kid and family events? Pack up the Book Fair? Then we need you! When: Wednesday, April 7 to Wednesday, April 14; Where: Fletcher School Library; Contact: Stephanie Chase, Librologist, 849-6251 or Mary Campbell, Book Fair Coordinator, 849-6555.
Reminder - Declare Your VT Homestead
All resident Vermont homeowners are required to file the new Declaration of Vermont Homestead Form HS-131, which determines which school property tax rate is applied to your property. File the declaration as soon as possible, but no later than April 15, 2004. You must file the form to receive the homestead tax rate, and homeowners who file the form late are subject to penalty and interest charges.
Please note, homesteads are taxed at a base state rate of $1.10 per $100 of property value while non-residential properties are taxed at $1.59. The form should have been mailed to you in December 2003. You can also get a copy of the form from the Town Clerk or by calling 1-866-828-2865 (toll free in Vermont).
Monday, April 26, 2004 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Fletcher Union Meeting House. Come and meet your representatives: Ronald Allard and Richard Howrigan. Sponsored by Fletcher Grange #473. Refreshments will be served.
The Talent Development Institute (TDI) Saturday Program is a new program for gifted students in grades 1-6. This program, which is being sponsored by the newly-formed Green Mountain Center for Gifted Education, will take place on five consecutive Saturdays from March 6 through April 3, 2004, from 8:30 a.m.-noon. The location is the Community College of Vermont, Pearl Street, Burlington. The cost is $225 for the entire institute, including materials and snacks.
This program is an off-shoot of the highly successful TDI offered every summer at Johnson State College. Strands will include offerings in science, writing, improvisation, poetry, math, and chess. Faculty members are experienced in gifted education. TDI is a change for gifted learners to get together for fun and academic stimulation. For more information or to register, please contact Dr. Carol Story at (802) 635-1321 or carol.story@jsc.vsc.edu. You can also visit our web site at www.tdivermont.com.
Fletcher Success By Six will host a Welcome Baby Party on Saturday March 13 from 9-11 a.m. at the Fletcher Elementary School Gymnasium. Families with infants born in 2003 or 2004 are invited to attend this informal gathering/playtime with refreshments. The purpose of the Party is to help new parents meet other local families with similar aged children, to find out more about Fletcher's Success by Six Committee, and to receive a tote bag filled with age appropriate information and goodies. Please contact: Lara Weis at 849-9890 for information about Welcome Infant events; Kris Irish at 849-9352 for information about Playgroup; Pam Farmer at 849-2995 for information about Success By Six.
Fairfax Fiber Arts is a new group formed to support fiber arts folks in the greater Fairfax area. Anyone interested in fiber, fabric, or textile arts is invited to attend to get to know other fiber arts folks, work on current projects, participate in show and tell, and discuss potential opportunities to learn new skills or enhance existing ones. Beginners and experienced folks are welcome. Current participants bring skills in knitting, spinning, weaving, embroidery, basket weaving, tatting, braiding, needlepoint, counted cross stitch, and quilting. Our next gathering is Saturday, March 6 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Fairfax Community Library. For information, call Bonnie at 849-6414 or Joanne at 849-9731.
United Way Surpasses Campaign Goal
The Franklin-Grand Isle United Way announced that the organization has surpassed its campaign goal of $500,000. Outstanding community support, coupled with a last minute $7,500 gift from Northwestern Medical Center (NMC), pushed the campaign over goal in what proved to be a very challenging year for fundraising. In early February, a 15-member panel of community volunteers reviewed all member agency applications to determine how best to achieve the greatest impact in allocating community fund dollars. On April 1, the Franklin-Grand Isle United Way will celebrate 25 years of service to the community at its Annual Meeting. For more information, please contact Jeff Moreau, Executive Director, by calling 527-7418.
Wednesday, March 3, 7-9 P.M. - The Cambridge Coffeehouse presents singer-songwriter Cliff Eberhardt. Steve Hartman opens at the Second Congregational Church in Jeffersonville. No admission; donations appreciated. Questions? Call Fred Brauer at 644-5721.
Wednesday, March 10, 7-9 P.M. - Cambridge Arts Council monthly board meeting at the Second Congregational Church Community Room (downstairs) in Jeffersonville. Public welcome; refreshments served. Questions? Call Carol at 644-2570.
Friday, March 12, 7:30 P.M. - DANCE TO THE BLUES with The Nobby Reed Project at the Cambridge Elementary School auditorium in Jeffersonville. $10 suggested donation; substance-free event. Questions? Call Fred Brauer at 644-5721.
Saturday, March 13, 3:00 P.M. - Book discussion group. Facilitated by Jules Older, discuss Up Above the World by Paul Bowles at the Varnum Library in Jeffersonville. Free. Sponsored by the Varnum Library, Cambridge Arts Council and the Vermont Council on the Humanities. Questions? Call April at 644-6632.
Wednesday, March 17, 7-9 P.M. - The Cambridge Coffeehouse presents OPEN "MIKE-LESS" NIGHT (acoustic) at the Second Congregational Church in Jeffersonville. No admission; donations appreciated. Questions? Call Fred Brauer at 644-5721.
Legislative Update
By Senator Don Collins
Our Senate Transportation Committee has been reviewing the Governor's budget proposals for transportation and is working to make certain that monies for town highway and bridge repairs are adequate. Our members support the Governor's request for funds to pave state highways and construct large projects like the "Circ," Shelburne Road, and Missisquoi Bridge on Route 78, but we will work to make certain that our towns are not shortchanged in the process. We recently received information about improvements being considered for the western rail corridor from Rutland to St. Albans to the border with Quebec. If federal funds become available this work would bring freight and passenger rail to new levels in Franklin County. I had the privilege of reporting a bill on the Senate floor that provides grants to students, who have been in the custody of Social and Rehabilitative Services and would like to enroll in a Vermont college. We recently passed a bill to offer a high school diploma to those veterans who left high school to serve their country in Korea and never completed the requirements for high school. These veterans are now eligible to receive a diploma and may call me at 868-7975 for more information. We are also discussing early education and technical education. I encourage every Fletcher citizen to become informed about the proposed Regional Technical Academy and cast your vote on March 2nd. Contact your schoolboard members for more information. This proposal will have an impact on your future tax bills.
The Principal's Corner
By Jeffrey Teitelbaum
Town Meeting is right around the corner, so naturally many sets of eyes focus
on the elementary school. It's time to tell the community how we have been performing.
Here's a summary; more detail will be provided in the annual school report card.
Fletcher students appear to be doing very well, as measured by both state mandated
and nationally normed tests. Fletcher 4th graders outperformed students in the
district and the state in almost all of the reading, writing, language arts,
and math tests. Fletcher 5th graders far outperformed the state on the state
science assessment. Like icing on the cake, our school is being recognized as
one of the top 15 schools in Vermont that are showing continual positive trends
in mathematics performance by our 4th graders. We're ranked in the top 15 out
of 244 -- not bad at all. On the nationally normed SAT-9 tests, the old fill
in the bubble, multiple choice exam that you might remember from your days as
a student, our students performed above the median score (over 50%) in all areas
tested. So, according to the measurements that we have, it appears that our
students are performing well and our programs are strong.
Does this really mean that we are a high performance school? To determine that,
we need to look at many other factors such as school climate, parent participation,
graduation rates, the number of students who get additional education after
high school, and so on. Like so much in the world today, there are no simple
answers.
Can we expect to perform continually at such a high level? Because we're so small, we expect great variation in performance from year to year. We need to look at multi-year trends in order to determine how effective our programs are. The math scores show a 5-year positive trend; other areas are less clearly defined.
It's funny to be writing this. While we certainly celebrate our current performance, we are nearly certain that it is only a matter of time before our school, and almost every other school in America, will be labeled a "failing school." This will have more to do with the new scoring system developed under the Federal law called "Leave No Child Behind" than in any major decline in our efforts or declines in our actual performance scores. I tell you this now, while we are "sitting pretty" instead of when we are identified as "failing" because hearing this now doesn't sound like someone whining and crying "no fair". But NCLB is a reality that appears to be with us, for some time to come. So, celebrate our successes with us and remember, in the future, that no matter what criteria are used to evaluate the Fletcher Elementary School, the staff will always strive to help children grow and have successful school experiences.
Effective February 1, 2004, the Fletcher Town Office will have new office hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Monday Evenings 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Closed on Fridays
Zoning Administrator Hours:
Mondays 10 a.m. to Noon
Wednesdays 10 a.m. to Noon
Monday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Town Office News
By Elaine Sweet and Gloria Brunette
Hi everyone! Hey…has anybody noticed? The sun seems to be peeking through the clouds a little more often….WOW…I'm getting excited for spring!
The Annual Town and School District Reports are at the printers and will be mailed out to you approximately on 2/19. If you do not receive one please let us know and stop by the office to pick up your copy. I would like to give a great big THANK YOU to our Town Auditors for putting the report together this year AND especially to Mike Farmer for all of the work he did to get it to the printer "camera ready"!!!! I think that you will all like the way it looks this year…we welcome your comments. Mike has made some pie charts for the Town Budget but did not have time to get them to the printer but…will be available at the Annual Meeting.
Speaking of the Annual Town and School District meetings…the Town Meeting is on March 2 and will start at 9:30 a.m. and the School Meeting is at 7:00 p.m. As most of you are aware, 2004 is an election year. It kicks off on March 2 with the Presidential Primary AND the School District is having a ballot vote on whether or not the Town of Fletcher would like to establish the Lake Champlain Regional Technical School District. If anyone would like to vote absentee (and miss all of the fun of the Town and School District meetings…!!), please give the office a call at 849-6616. You may vote by absentee ballot here at the office until 8:30 p.m. on March 1. The ballot booths will be at the School on March 2 and will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Just a few quick reminders:
Office closings: March 2 for Town Meeting/Primary.
Zoning Administrator News
By Maurice Rathbun, Zoning Administrator
Here are a few questions that always are asked:
Q:. What size building can I build without a permit?
A: Up to 50 sq. ft.
Q: Can I finish my basement without a permit?
A: Only if it is less than 50 sq. ft.
These answers came from our Zoning/Subdivision Bylaws: Article VII Definitions, Section 7.2 Definitions, Substantial Improvement: Construction, reconstruction, additions, alteration or replacement of an existing structure which results in new floor space as building area in excess of fifty (50) square feet, or an increase in the generation of wastewater.
You ask the questions, I will come up with answers! Leave any questions you may have at the Town Office. Phone number: 849-6616.
January 12, 2004 (approved)
January 19, 2004 (approved)
January 8, 2004 (approved)
December 18, 2004 (approved)
Newsletter Articles and Advertisements
Articles: If you would like to contribute an article or event announcement to the April edition of the Fletcher Community Newsletter, please send your information by Friday, March 12, 2004. Send to Bonnie Waninger, 791 Shaw Road, Cambridge, VT 05444, Fax & Phone: 849-9869 (press "start" for fax); E-mail Address: redpoll@sover.net.
Advertisements: The Town of Fletcher accepts advertisements for publication in its newsletter. Ads are published as space is available in each edition. All ads will be business card size (3½" x 2") and will cost $10 per ad. Logos can be printed, but the logo must be provided on disk or sent via email to the Town Clerk in a .jpg file format. To submit an ad, please mail your information and payment to the Fletcher Town Office, 215 Cambridge Road, Cambridge, VT 05444. Ads must be received by Thursday, March 11 for publication in April newsletter. Information cannot be returned.
| 19 | Fletcher Rough Riders meeting | 7:30 p.m., Fletcher Union Meeting House |
| 19, 26 | Adult Volleyball | 7:00 p.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 21 | Recycling and trash drop-off | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Town Garage |
| 22, 29 | Adult Basketball (Over 40) | 9:00 a.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 23 | Adult Basketball (All ages) | 7:00 p.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 23 | Regional Technical Academy meeting | 7:00 p.m., BFA Fairfax Multi-Purpose Room |
| 23 | Last day to register to vote | Until noon, Town Office |
| 25 | Town Garage meeting | 7:00 p.m., Fletcher Elementary School |
| 1 | Last day to vote absentee ballot | Until noon, Town Clerk's Office |
| 1, 15 | Select Board meeting | 7:00 p.m., Town Office |
| 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | Adult Basketball (All ages) | 7:00 p.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 2 | Town Office Closed | |
| 2 | Town Meeting Day & Presidential Election; Town Meeting Food Drive | Ballot booths open 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Town Meeting begins at 9:30 a.m., Fletcher Elementary School |
| 2 | Annual School Meeting | 7:00 p.m., Fletcher Elementary School |
| 2, 16 | Playgroup | 9:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m., Fletcher Elementary School Gym |
| 3 | Singer-songwriter Cliff Eberhardt | 7:00-9:00 p.m., Second Congregational Church, Jeffersonville |
| 4, 11, 18, 25 | Adult Volleyball | 7:00 p.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 6, 13, 20, 27 | TDI Saturday Program | 8:30 a.m.-noon, Community College of VT, Burlington |
| 6, 20 | Recycling and trash drop-off | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Town Garage |
| 6 | Fairfax Fiber Arts | 9:30-11:30 a.m., Fairfax Community Library |
| 7, 14, 21, 28 | Adult Basketball (Over 40) | 9:00 a.m., Elementary School Gym |
| 10 | FUMHA monthly meeting | 7:00 p.m., Fletcher Union Meeting House |
| 10 | CAC monthly meeting | 7:00-9:00 p.m., Second Congregational Church, Jeffersonville |
| 11 | Newsletter advertisements due | By 3:30 p.m., Town Clerk's Office |
| 12 | Newsletters articles due | By 3:30 p.m., Town Clerk's Office |
| 12 | No. Country ATV Association meeting | 7:00 p.m., Abbey Restaurant, Sheldon |
| 12 | The Nobby Reed Project | 7:30 p.m., Cambridge Elementary School, Jeffersonville |
| 13 | Welcome Baby Party | 9:00-11:00 a.m., Call Lara Weis for location at 849-9890 |
| 13 | Book discussion group | 3:00 p.m., Varnum Memorial Library, Jeffersonville |
| 17 | Open Mike Night | 7:00 p.m., Second Congregational Church, Jeffersonville |
| 18 | Fletcher Rough Riders meeting | 7:30 p.m., Fletcher Union Meeting House |
| 1 | Last day to renew license or register dog | Until 3:30 p.m., Town Clerk's Office |
| 3 | TDI Saturday Program | 8:30 a.m.-noon, Community College of VT, Burlington |
| 3, 17 | Recycling and trash drop-off | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Town Garage |
| 7-14 | School Book Fair | Fletcher Elementary School |
| 15 | Last day to file Homestead Declaration | |
| 15 | Fletcher Rough Riders meeting | 7:30 p.m., Fletcher Union Meeting House |
| 26 | Legislative Program | 7:00-8:00 p.m., Fletcher Union Meeting House |