Category Archives: Climate Change

A Taxpayer’s Perspective on the Norwich School Board Budget Guidelines

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The Norwich School Board recently took the first step in shaping next year’s budget by adopting its “2025-26 Norwich Budget Guidelines.” As these early discussions begin, many of us in town are already feeling the strain from this year’s nearly 17% increase in school property taxes. Unfortunately, it is not going to get better. While Vermont’s funding system aims to promote a fairer distribution of resources across all schools, the reality is that some of us are left questioning how Continue reading A Taxpayer’s Perspective on the Norwich School Board Budget Guidelines→

From ARPA to Zoning Director: Important matters facing the Selectboard

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As the Norwich Selectboard begins its new term following Town Meeting, here are some matters under consideration by the Board. Overall, addressing these issues will require careful consideration by our officials. \ If I missed something or erred, feel free to comment below or to contact me. * * * Thanks for reading. Contact the Norwich Observer at norwichobserver [at] gmail.com.

Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input

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The Article 36 Task Force is winnowing its list of potential action items as it prepares to make recommendations to the Selectboard in December. From a list of nearly 50 items, the Task Force preliminarily narrowed the list to 13 items at its October 28 meeting. However, the list remains a work-in-progress. The Task Force plans to hold three drafting sessions as it further develops the list and report. The first meeting is at 7 PM on November 4, at Continue reading Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input→

Vermont: a less risky place to weather climate change

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Of the 10 lowest risk counties in the United States to live as the climate warms, seven are in Vermont. One is the Upper Valley’s Orange County. However, nowhere will escape climate change unscathed. Here’s the blurb from the Quartz Daily Brief of September 7, 2021. One in three Americans experienced a weather disaster this summer, and things aren’t getting less extreme from here. So where is a future climate migrant to go?A recent study assessed six factors—heat, wet bulb Continue reading Vermont: a less risky place to weather climate change→

Is it a good idea to have the Town Manager select four members to the Article 36 Task Force?

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The Selectboard gave a first reading approval to the Article 36 Task Force proposed by Selectboard Vice Chair Roger Arnold at its last meeting. Overall, a task force is a good idea. However, one aspect of the proposal troubles me. The Town Manager selects four members to the nine member Task Force. That novel approach seems to lack transparency. Public participation is also lost. To be accurate, the Town Manager “recommends” each person. Then, the Selectboard does the appointing. But, Continue reading Is it a good idea to have the Town Manager select four members to the Article 36 Task Force?→

Green Fleet Working Group: Public not invited

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The Norwich Selectboard created a Green Fleet Working Group in September. Not much, if anything, has been publicized about this group since. As it turns out, the Working Group won’t commit to compliance with the Open Meeting Law. Nor will the public at large have representation on this group. That is the word from Town Manager Herb Durfee who is leading the group. What is it about “working groups” that causes officials to conclude that such groups are magically exempt Continue reading Green Fleet Working Group: Public not invited→

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] TRORC dumps Norwich from Regional Energy Coordinator project

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In the end, the Norwich Selectboard did not see the regional energy coordinator as an important project. That is my impression from the July 22 Selectboard meeting, as viewed on CATV. Dumped from the project by the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC), the Board decided to accept the decision and “move on” from the episode. My original blog post on the topic is here. The decision to move on seems a disservice to Norwich voters who approved a specific Continue reading [Update] TRORC dumps Norwich from Regional Energy Coordinator project→

TRORC dumps Norwich from Regional Energy Coordinator project

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Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) has unilaterally dumped the Town of Norwich from the Regional Energy Coordinator pilot project. That decision is apparent from the series of emails in the Selectboard packet for the July 22 meeting, starting at page 153. Norwich’s sin: asking that the seven towns funding the project have a say in its administration. My imperfect understanding is that seven towns banded together to hire a regional energy coordinator as a one year pilot project. Voters Continue reading TRORC dumps Norwich from Regional Energy Coordinator project→