Total homestead property tax rate to rise by 3.25% in Norwich

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The Norwich Selectboard finalized the property tax rate on Tuesday. The total rate for homestead property will rise 3.25% compared to last year, from $2.3591 to $2.4358. For non residential property, the total rate goes from $2.2696 to $2.3589, about a 3.9% increase. Those numbers are from the Selectboard packet for the July 6, 2021 meeting. See chart below. At that meeting, Selectboard Chair Roger Arnold “thanked the Listers, Town Manager, and school personnel for their work on the tax Continue reading Total homestead property tax rate to rise by 3.25% in Norwich→

Selectboard silent on renewing Town Manager’s contract

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The employment agreement between the Town of Norwich and Town Manager Herb Durfee expires at the end of August. What are the Selectboard’s plans? Unknown. I made two attempts to contact Selectboard Chair Roger Arnold by email on this topic on June 7 and on June 10. No response. Here is what I asked in part: I understand Herb’s employment agreement with the Town expires at the end of August. Hoping you might share something about the process going forward. Continue reading Selectboard silent on renewing Town Manager’s contract→

MLB celebrates its inaugural Lou Gehrig Day

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Today, June 2, is Lou Gehrig Day across Major League Baseball. The day will honor his legacy on the field and raises awareness about ALS throughout the world. As a person living with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s famous Luckiest Man speech is a source of strength and inspiration. “So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.” Why June 2? That is the day in 1925 Gehrig Continue reading MLB celebrates its inaugural Lou Gehrig Day→

ICYMI: Windsor Police Chief Frank, Caleb Zuckerman, Stave Puzzles, Tyler’s AirPods

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A brief roundup of news and information regarding Norwich, Vermont that may have escaped your attention. Windsor Police Chief Frank on community policing “This is an opportunity for a cultural change and to reexamine what we’ve been doing. And I am so excited to be a part of that.” That is what new Police Chief Jennifer Frank recently told the Windsor Selectboard according to an article by Eagle Times reporter Patrick Adrian. (H/T C.M.) In Windsor’s new police chief shares Continue reading ICYMI: Windsor Police Chief Frank, Caleb Zuckerman, Stave Puzzles, Tyler’s AirPods→

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→

MCS student targeted by hateful slur

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The following appeared as a letter to the editor in the Valley News on Sunday. (H/T DF.) Targeted by a hateful slur, and no help from the grown-ups I am 12 years old, a sixth grader at Marion Cross Elementary School, and an out lesbian to my family, friends and the students in my grade. Recently I was outside Dan & Whit’s with my brother, buying ice cream. In front of us in line were two people from my school. They Continue reading MCS student targeted by hateful slur→

DRB says “highly unlikely” that Norwich sign regulations are valid under First Amendment

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In April, the Norwich Development Review Board (DRB) denied an appeal from the determination by the Zoning Administrator regarding the Black Lives Banner on Main Street. The ZA had concluded that the BLM banner is exempt from the Town’s sign regulations.* However, perhaps a more far-reaching aspect of this decision is the conclusion by the DRB that it is “highly unlikely” that the content-based aspects of the Norwich sign regulations are constitutional under the freedom of speech provisions of the Continue reading DRB says “highly unlikely” that Norwich sign regulations are valid under First Amendment→

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→

Selectboard mailbag: Preferred site status for solar

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In the packet for the Selectboard meeting on April 14, 2021, is correspondence to the Selectboard on an issue of concern to me. That issue is the Town Plan’s declaration that essentially all land in Norwich is a preferred site for solar development. At page 1 of the packet is a memorandum from former Selectboard member Steve Flanders. In it, he questions the “advisability of that approach.” The memorandum makes two key points. First, designating specific parcels sends a better Continue reading Selectboard mailbag: Preferred site status for solar→

Delay hiring a new police chief?

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A number of residents are asking that the Town delay hiring a new police chief in order for the Town to revisit what residents want from their police force. Their correspondence is in the packet for the Selectboard meeting for April 14, 2021 at pages 4-25. “Due to the resignation of the Chief, we have an opportunity to take time to rethink what Norwich really needs in view of new understandings of the impact of policing on our communities,” wrote Continue reading Delay hiring a new police chief?→