Tag Archives: Norwich VT

Zooming Out: Selectboard Meetings Going Fully Online

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Count me among those concerned about the recent terse announcement that the Selectboard has ended in-person meetings in favor of attendance by Board members only via Zoom. The listserv post of May 9 says in full: Please be advised that, until further notice, all Selectboard meetings will be conducted via Zoom (remotely). Since the end of the Covid crisis, the Selectboard has used a hybrid meeting approach, combining in person attendance with participation via Zoom. However, all Board members generally Continue reading Zooming Out: Selectboard Meetings Going Fully Online→

Update on the Upper Loveland Road Solar Project: Developer Objects to PUC Order for Town Review

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Is the controversial Upper Loveland Road solar project coming back to the Town of Norwich for review? The Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently issued an order directing the developer of the solar panel farm, an entity related to Norwich Technologies, to confirm ongoing support from the Town as a “preferred site.” The PUC order in that case (21-3587-NMP) specifies four significant changes to the project, since the developer made its presentation to the Planning Commission in July 2021, including increased Continue reading Update on the Upper Loveland Road Solar Project: Developer Objects to PUC Order for Town Review→

Increase class size at MCS?

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Now that some dust has settled for this year on financing Act 127, I wonder if our School Board should address the difficult question of increasing class size (students per section) at Marion Cross School. Under H.850, which is now law, school boards can delay the vote on their budgets until April 15 in order to rework them. If I am correctly reading the materials from the Norwich Budget Presentation on December 6, 2023, MCS could go from three sections Continue reading Increase class size at MCS?→

Silent Rejection: Article 11 and the Selectboard’s Inaction

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At Town Meeting in March 2023, Norwich residents approved Article 11, advising the Town “to consider” the addition of a fifth full-time officer to the Norwich Police Department (NPD). However, the Selectboard has quietly rejected this vote by finalizing next year’s budget without allocating funds for the additional position and more importantly for this post, without any discussion of Article 11. The Board’s rejection of the voters wish to consider the issue, without any kind of explanation, prompts questions about Continue reading Silent Rejection: Article 11 and the Selectboard’s Inaction→

Public Input Matters: How to Spend a Once-in-a-Generation Surplus

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The Town of Norwich has $1.8 million in surplus cash, of which $1 million came from ARPA but since then washed of its restrictions.  On Wednesday, December 13th, the Selectboard will consider plans to use that money as follows, subject to voter approval at Town Meeting: Selectboard December 13 meeting packet at 17, 35 (Slide 15, 33) Based on the public information available, I am not confident this is a prudent use of this once-in-a-generation surplus. The capital plan is Continue reading Public Input Matters: How to Spend a Once-in-a-Generation Surplus→

Random Notes and Comments: 10-25 Selectboard meeting

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My collection of random comments, notes and thoughts after watching the video recording of the October 25 Norwich Selectboard meeting. Secrecy still shrouds appointment of TM In a prior post, I listed some of the superb questions a resident posed to the Selectboard about the ‘emergency’ appointment of a permanent town manager to a 3-year term. The Selectboard declined to respond to those questions, after asking that they be submitted in writing. Chair Marcia Calloway asked the Board if anyone Continue reading Random Notes and Comments: 10-25 Selectboard meeting→

Questions remain on the ’emergency’ hiring of a permanent Town Manager

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On September 27, the Norwich Selectboard appointed Brennan Duffy as the permanent Town Manager, after an 18 minute executive session. The vote was 3-2. The sudden hiring of the interim Town Manager for the permanent position came without warning. It was preceded by two emergency meetings to discuss the Interim Town Manager’s contract. Emergency meetings do not require public notice. To date, the only additional information explaining the Selectboard’s decision to forego its planned national search for a Town Manager Continue reading Questions remain on the ’emergency’ hiring of a permanent Town Manager→

Chair and Vice Chair of the Planning Commission resign

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The Norwich Planning Commission is experiencing significant upheaval in membership. The latest: Planning Commission Chair Jacqueline Allen and Vice Chair Brian Loeb have resigned “effective immediately,” that is May 18. That brings the turnover in membership to four on the seven member commission since Town Meeting. In March, two members did not seek reappointment when their terms expired The resignation letters are in the amended Selectboard packet for the Board’s meeting on May 24 at pages 13 and 14. Mr. Continue reading Chair and Vice Chair of the Planning Commission resign→

Court: Norwich violated Open Meeting Law

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In a recent decision, a Vermont Superior Court Judge ruled that two working groups of the Norwich Finance Committee violated the Open Meeting Law when they met in 2020. The Town asserted the groups were not subject to the Open Meeting Law because they were not “public bodies”. The Court disagreed, saying to “conclude otherwise would make a mockery of the Open Meeting Law.” Full disclosure: I am the plaintiff in the case, proceeding without the assistance of a lawyer. Continue reading Court: Norwich violated Open Meeting Law→

Norwich Legislators in the General Assembly: VTDigger’s Summary of Their Ethics Disclosure Forms

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As part of its Full Disclosure series, VTDigger summarized the ethics disclosure forms of all legislators currently in office in the Vermont General Assembly. Below is the information regarding those serving Norwich. The full database, as well as an analysis of trends is in Full Disclosure: What lawmakers’ ethics forms reveal about their lives outside the Legislature by Erin Petenko published on VTDigger on April 20, 2023. House Legislator Employer (House Only) Boards or Service Roles Corporate Ownership James “Jim” Continue reading Norwich Legislators in the General Assembly: VTDigger’s Summary of Their Ethics Disclosure Forms→