Spring, Walking and Maps

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont has a spot on their web site that lists walking route maps for various towns around Vermont, including Barre and Montpelier. To get to the site, go to https://secure.bcbsvt.com/walking-supplies.php. This link information is provided by Vermont Safe Routes. Happy walking!

Announcing the Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force

AKA 2009 Dry Hydrant Grant Program

The Vermont Rural Fire and Protection Task Force is offering funding to enable towns to improve fire suppression capabilities and implement their water supply plans. This maybe the last year that the money is offered so please apply.

Applications must be received in the Northern Vermont Resource Conservation & Development Council Office by May 1, 2009.

The maximum funding available to any individual installation will be $2,500.

A 25% local match is required. The match can be met through pre-owned material as well as in-kind services such as volunteer time and equipment usage.

All work must be completed as soon as possible.

It is the town and or fire departments responsibility to collect all permits.

Go to this website for my information on the Dry Hydrant Grant Program:
www.vt.nrcs.usda.gov/rc&d/NoVT/Projects/Rural_Fire_Protection/RuralFireTaskForce.html

Or
Please call anyone listed below for more information:
Troy Dare, Engineering Technician, (802) 828-4582, dryhydrantguy@yahoo.com
Jarrod Becker, Grant Administrator, (802) 828-4583, rcdbizmanager@yahoo.com
Beth Ann Finlay, Coordinator, Northern VT RC&D, (802) 828-4595
Ken Hafner, Coordinator, George D. Aiken RC&D (802) 728-9526

Summit on the Future of Vermont

The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VRCD) invites you to join them, and hundreds of Vermonters, at the Summit on the Future of Vermont. The Summit will unveil the findings of the Council on the Future of Vermont's statewide conversation on the values, goals, and priorities of Vermonters as they look to address the challenges and opportunities ahead.
When: Monday, May 11, 2009
Time: 9 AM to 5 PM
Where: Dudley Davis Center
UVM Campus, Burlington
Fee: $40 - includes registration and lunch
RSVP: Registration deadline is April 20, 2009
To register: www.vtrural.org or call 802-223-6091

VT Agency of Transportation Stimulus Website

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has published a website dedicated to the Federal Stimulus Package, also known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act:
www.aot.state.vt.us/stimulus.
The website includes a summary of the funds available to transportation projects in Vermont, the types of projects that are available and the federal requirements attached to these funds. The site also includes a list of projects that VTrans has recommended using the first phase of stimulus funds. The website will be updated as new information becomes available.

Pre Disaster Mitigation Update

The following Central Vermont towns are in the process of completing their local Pre Disaster Mitigation Plans: Middlesex, Williamstown and Warren. Pre Disaster Mitigation Plans identify hazards and outline strategies to minimize their impacts. Once Plans are approved by FEMA and adopted locally, towns are eligible to apply for funding to assist with mitigation projects.

This year the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission will be updating the Central Vermont Regional Pre Disaster Mitigation Plan. The process will entail reviewing past occurrences, analyzing their impacts, incorporating local information and recommending mitigation strategies. The Plan will also include a list of possible funding sources for recommending mitigation projects.

Pre Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Plans should be updated at least every 5 years. A handful of towns in our region adopted local PDM plans (otherwise referred to a an Annex) as early as 2004. The Regional Planning Commission will be working with towns to update local plans.

Does your town have a PDM Plan? Are you interested in adjacent towns identified hazards? Contact Clare Rock at clarerock@cvregion.com or call 229.0389.

New wastewater listserve

The Vermont Sewage Solutions listserve is ready to go! If you are interested in continuing the discussion of wastewater treatment solutions for Vermont's communities, please sign up for the
list on the web at http://list.uvm.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=vt_sewagesolutions

If you have questions or concerns contact Scott Mapes (smmapes@aol.com) or Amy Macrellis (amacrellis@stone-env.com), the co-owners and caretakers of this listserve.

Committee hosts "Warming Center" discussion

This past summer when heating oil prices were high and availability for those most in need was in question due to increased demand, the Central Vermont Food, Fuel, & Transportation Coalition was formed to address this and other critical issues facing our communities. You can go to http://www.gmunitedway.org/fuel-food.shtml and learn more about the coalition, and its activities and achievements.

One of ideas we’d like to talk more about is the idea of “warming centers”. A warming center is a place where people can come together to share a meal, stay warm during our coldest days, and socialize with one another, while keeping their home thermostats lower than usual saving themselves heating fuel.

Please consider joining us for a discussion about warming centers on Monday, March 16, 2009 from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce Conference Room in Berlin (near the Berlin National Guard Armory).


For additional information or questions contact:

Don Mandelkorn
Agency of Human Services
McFarland State Office Building
5 Perry Street, Suite 10
Barre, Vermont 05641

802-479-7594 (office)
don.mandelkorn@ahs.state.vt.us

NEWS! Upcoming VIT Hearing on Economic Stimulus!

Vermont's regional planning commissions and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns are sponsoring a workshop for local officials on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Please see details and registration information below.

Disposition of Dollars and Resources Available to Local Governments
Friday, March 20, 2009
5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at all VIT sites*
A workshop regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Sponsored by VLCT and VT Association of Planning and Development Agencies (VAPDA).
Learn how federal economic recovery dollars are being distributed, how they may be accessed by local governments, and where assistance is available.
We will be joined by representatives of the Vermont Agencies of Transportation and Natural Resources, the Department of Public Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vermont Emergency Management, and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
There is no charge for this informative session.

Please register at http://www.vlct.org/eventscalendar/ or email jhill@vlct.org. *For directions to VIT sites, go to www.vitlink.org and click on "Locations."

Economic Development; VCDA

The Vermont Community Development Association will present a workshop March 25, 2009 on "Economic Development; what is our blueprint" to be held at the Pavilion Building in Montpelier. Scheduled presenters include: Jay Kenlan, Chair of the VT Commission on the Future of Economic Development; Representative Bill Botzow of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, and Senator Vince Illuzzi, chair of the Senate Economic Development, Housing and Military Affairs Committee. Following this first panel will be a round table discussion with Betsy Bishop, Commissioner of Economic Development; Jo Bradley, VT Economic Development Authority; Bob Flint, Springfield Regional Development Corp; Sarah Carpenter, VT Housing Finance Agency; Eileen Peltier, Central VT Land Trust; and Karen Horn, VT League of Cities and Towns. This half day workshop (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) requires reservations by March 19 to amoshinskie@vlct.org. The fee for VDCA members is $12,00 and for all others it's $15 per person.

Transportation Priorities

The CVRPC Transportation Advisory Committee has approved the Regions top transportation project priorities. The criteria for setting these priorities is based on land use and transportation characteristics. Below, I have identified our top two or three priorities from each category. Generally projects in our cities, villages, and major highways rise to the top. For State Bridges our priority is US 2 between Moretown & Middlesex, and the US 2 "Carpet Barn Bridge" in East Montpelier. For Town Bridges they were Prospect St. in Barre City, and Taylor St. in Montpelier. All four bridges should start construction this year.

For Paving, our priorities are US 2 and US 302 in Montpelier, which will start construction this year. The top Roadway projects are Main St. reconstruction in Barre City and Waterbury. For Safety & Traffic Operations the priorities are the US 2/VT 14 intersection in East Montpelier Village, VT 14/Bridge St. intersection in South Barre Village. The East Montpelier project should start construction next year.

We have only one Park & Ride Project in East Montpelier Village. The top Bicycle & Pedestrian projects are sidewalks on VT 14 in Williamstown Village & VT 100 between Irasville & Waitsfield Village, and a bike path between Montpelier & Berlin. Both sidewalk projects should start construction next year. We feel our priorities matched well with VTrans, because many of our top projects are near construction. To see the full list go to: http://www.centralvtplanning.com/Publications.html