Norwich to receive an additional $660,000 in ARPA money, bringing total to over $1 million

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The Town of Norwich is slated to receive a little over $1 million from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Town Manager Herb Durfee made that announcement as part of his final Town Manager report to the Selectboard at its meeting on Wednesday, August 25, as seen on CATV. That is a significant bump from the approximately $366,000 the Town was expecting. The additional dollars represent Norwich’s share of the money allocated by the feds to Continue reading Norwich to receive an additional $660,000 in ARPA money, bringing total to over $1 million→

ICYMI: Farmer Olympics, Norwich Inn, and Peace Corps

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A brief roundup of news and information regarding Norwich, Vermont that may have escaped your attention. Honey Field Farm to host Farmer Olympics Honey Field Farm on Butternut Road in Norwich is hosting the 6th Annual Farmer Olympics. The event, scheduled for August 31, is sponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, or NOFA-VT. “Farm teams will show off their finely-honed skills in events ranging from physical to cerebral to just plain ridiculous,” says Sunday’s article on vermontbiz.com.The Continue reading ICYMI: Farmer Olympics, Norwich Inn, and Peace Corps→

Norwich Town Manager won’t get new contract

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The Selectboard will not pursue another employment agreement with Town Manager Herb Durfee. As a result, Mr. Durfee’s role as the Town Manager for Norwich will end at the end of August, when his current contract expires. The decision was made at the Selectboard meeting last night, July 28. The video of that meeting is here, with the discussion beginning at about 1:49:25. (Thanks DW.) The vote was unanimous with Mary Layton abstaining. After the vote, Selectboard Chair Roger Arnold Continue reading Norwich Town Manager won’t get new contract→

Should the Selectboard be more forthcoming about the renewal of the Town Manager’s contract?

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Other than the Selectboard, the Town Manager is the most powerful position in Norwich town government. By statute, the manager has “general supervision of the affairs of the town.” The employment agreement with Town Manager Herb Durfee expires in about 40 days. Yet, with so little time left, the Selectboard won’t tell the public what its plans are. Why? Would it put the Town in an adverse position for the Selectboard to tell the public that it is in the Continue reading Should the Selectboard be more forthcoming about the renewal of the Town Manager’s contract?→

Bad news for walkers on Beaver Meadow Road. Town says traffic calming measures are not feasible

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Town staff has concluded that most traffic calming measures for Beaver Meadow Road are not feasible at this time. That news is in the Town Manager’s report in the packet for the June 14, 2021 Selectboard meeting, beginning at page 30. It is likely a disappointment for residents along that stretch of Beaver Meadow Road, who have lobbied for a sidewalk since 2019. The earliest a sidewalk could probably be in place, by my guesstimate, is late 2023, assuming voters Continue reading Bad news for walkers on Beaver Meadow Road. Town says traffic calming measures are not feasible→

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→