Category Archives: Sewer

Hartford: No interest in a Norwich sewer connection

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The Town of Hartford says it is not interested in Norwich joining the Hartford sewer system. That news is a setback to the Norwich School District. It was seriously looking at a hookup to the Hartford sewer system as a possible solution to the Marion Cross School septic problem. The news may also be a setback for further economic development in Norwich.The 2020 Town Plan cites the absence of wastewater infrastructure as a limit to growth in in the Village Continue reading Hartford: No interest in a Norwich sewer connection→

Planning Commission recommends that Town study sewer options

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The Norwich Planning Commission is recommending to the Selectboard that the Town fund a study to examine sewer options for the Town. The resolution passed at the Commission’s meeting last week. The vote was unanimous, with one abstention according to the draft meeting minutes. At the time of this post, the video of the meeting is not yet available on the Town’s YouTube channel. Town efforts to connect with the Hartford sewer system may be at cross-purposes with the School Continue reading Planning Commission recommends that Town study sewer options→

Budget proposal “not for the faint of heart” says Norwich Town Manager

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Give Town Manager Herb Durfee credit. His big budget proposal, calling for a 20% increase in spending, won’t sit well with taxpayers struggling during the pandemic. But, it will force the Selectboard to address long-term infrastructure issues and make decisions about them. That Selectboard discussion is long overdue. In his email transmitting the budget to the Selectboard Town Manager Durfee said the draft budget is “not for the faint of heart.” Further he emphasized, the budget is “not the ‘Town Continue reading Budget proposal “not for the faint of heart” says Norwich Town Manager→

UPDATE: MCS Septic

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A bit of good news regarding the failing septic system at Marion Cross School. Unlike last year, Marion Cross School will not fence off the leach field this winter. Instead, the school plans to pump the storage tanks once a week during the winter, said Tony Daigle, SAU 70 Director of Facilities, at the October 7 Norwich School Board meeting. This pumping should alleviate effluent flowing onto the Green during the colder months. It is not a permanent solution but Continue reading UPDATE: MCS Septic→

Sewer Working Group to dissolve?

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The Wastewater Working Group established by the Planning Commission in June is apparently going to dissolve. That seems to be approach it will take to cure its violation of the Open Meeting Law. The agenda for the meeting, on August 26 at noon, reads in part: 6. Response to OML violation: a. Suggested Motion: The Wastewater Working Group affirms that an ‘action’ taken in any unnoticed meeting is void b. Suggested motion: The Wastewater Working Group recommends that it be Continue reading Sewer Working Group to dissolve?→

Sewer Working Group violates Open Meeting Law

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Whether Norwich constructs a sewer to service the Village and Route 5 South will certainly be a hot button topic, as it has been for years. However, I did not anticipate the first button pushed to be a dispute about the Vermont Open Meeting Law (OML). Sadly, the dispute was easily avoidable, because the Selectboard resolved the same OML question in December 2019. At the end of this post, I think out loud about who decides these public notice issues. Continue reading Sewer Working Group violates Open Meeting Law→

UPDATE: MCS, Septic Or Sewer.

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The Norwich School Board continues to explore options to repair or replace the failing septic system serving Marion Cross School, whose problematic leach field is beneath the Green. The Board is gathering information and hopes to receive recommendations from its engineering firm at the October meeting, indicated School Board Chair Tom Candon at the September 4 meeting, as seen on CATV. The goal is to make a decision in December, but no later than January, so that voters can weigh Continue reading UPDATE: MCS, Septic Or Sewer.→