28 February 2014

One-act plays begin tonight

Otter Valley Union High School's annual evening of one-act plays begins tonight (Feb. 28) at 7 p.m. and includes performances tomorrow at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is $5. This year's one-act plays are:

  • Tracks
  • Any Body for Tea?
  • Silent Snow, Secret Snow
  • Harry's Hotter at Twilight
  • Aristophanes' 'The Birds'

The plays are presented by Otter Valley's Walking Stick Theatre in the high school auditorium, 2997 Franklin Street, Brandon, VT.

11 February 2014

OVUHS district meeting Feb. 26, 2014

A meeting of the Otter Valley Union High School District No. 8 will be held 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, at the OVUHS auditorium. At the meeting, the Board of School Directors will present an estimate of district expenses for the year beginning July 1, 2014. A budget of $10.52 million has been proposed. That amount is $16,351 less than the current year's budget, but still requires a tax increase over the current year.



In the district's annual report (click here to access the full report), OVUHS Board Chair James Rademacher explained the belt-tightening process, "We felt that a budget that would maintain the status quo would be too much for the voters to accept. Three retiring senior teachers being replaced with new hired much lower on the pay scale was a significant help but not enough. All areas of staffing were carefully reviewed. After consultation with administration, faculty, and students the Board has decided to discontinue the Dean of Students position."

Aside from the staffing adjustments, Mr. Rademacher said, "We are proposing to basically level fund our budget while dealing with the same inflationary pressures you are all facing."

Voting on the budget will be conducted in the usual polling places on Tuesday, March 4.

The agenda for the Feb. 26 meeting includes the following articles:
  1. To elect the following officers: a. A Moderator for one year; b. A Clerk for one year; c. A Treasurer for one year; d. An Auditor for three years.
  2. To act upon the reports of the Union High School District Officers.
  3. To fix the compensation of the District Officers.
  4. To have presented by the Board of School Directors of the Union High School District its estimate of expenses for the ensuing year.
  5. To authorize the Board of School Directors of the Union High School District to borrow money pending the receipt of payments from the member districts by the issuance of its notes or orders payable not later than one year from date of issue for the purpose of paying sums appropriated by the Union High School District.
  6. To transact any other business proper to be done when met.
The meeting will be recessed to March 4 for balloting on the final agenda item:
"Shall the voters of the Otter Valley Union High School District No. 8 adopt a budget of Ten Million Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Seven Hundred Seventeen Dollars ($10,525,717) necessary for the support of its schools for the year beginning July 1, 2014. The amount of such sum to be raised by taxes to be offset by special education revenues, state aid and other incomes."

Under the proposed spending plan, the estimated homestead base tax rate districtwide would increase by almost 7.6% from $1.45 to $1.56. Member towns would experience different tax impacts. All member towns except Leicester would experience tax increases for the year. The towns of Whiting, Goshen and Pittsford would experience increases of 10% or more. The estimated increases for member towns are shown below:

Brandon +04.6% to $0.68
Goshen +10.2% to $0.97
Leicester -02.5% to $0.78
Pittsford +10.0% to $0.77
Sudbury +03.9% to $0.76
Whiting +10.0% to $0.66

06 February 2014

Town Clerk Grace Simonds to retire

Whiting seeks new clerk/treasurer

The Town of Whiting has announced that long-time Town Clerk/Treasurer Grace Simonds will be retiring from her position. A celebration in honor of her service to Whiting will be scheduled for the spring.

A new clerk/treasurer will be elected at the Town Meeting. The selectmen have distributed a flyer containing qualifications, duties, hours, salary and benefits. (The first qualification for the office is "excellent people skills and patience - with people who may be angry when they come in to the office.") The flyer is shown below.