Lawyers submit final arguments in Swanson demotion hearing

The Woodstock Village Trustees are expected to rule within a week on whether they will reject the proposed demotion of Police Chief Joe Swanson or will side with municipal manager Eric Duffy to make him an entry level patrol officer.  The trustees heard nearly 14 hours of testimony and legal arguments on March 2 and 3 and gave both sides …

Officials mount lobbying effort following passage of $111.9M bond to rebuild school

Buoyed by the passage of a $111.9 million bond for a school rebuild on Town Meeting Day, officials of the Mountain Views School District (MVSD) are moving forward with an intensive advocacy and lobbying effort targeting state lawmakers engaged in an ongoing debate over education transformation in Vermont. Voters in Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, and Woodstock on March …

Weyant and King announce for Windsor County Sherif

Two high-ranking members of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department say they are planning to make a run for the top spot this fall.  Capt. Claude Weyant of Windsor, a longtime Chief Deputy for the department, said this week he plans to seek the nomination for county sheriff from the Democratic Party at its Aug. 11 primary election.  Lt. Richard King …

Woodstock is implementing penalty for residents who misfile Homestead declaration

Last week, the Town of Woodstock announced that beginning in April, a 3% penalty will be applied to full-time residents’ total education tax if they fail to declare homestead status. In Vermont, all property is subject to education property tax to pay for the state’s schools. For this purpose, a property is categorized as either homestead or nonhomestead. A homestead …

$111.9 million bond for school rebuild passes

The prospect of an all-new Woodstock Union High School and Middle School (WUHS/MS) serving as a “hub” facility for the region following anticipated statewide redistricting has taken a big step towards reality. Voters in the seven-town Mountain Views School District (MVSD) handed MVSD administrators, teachers, families, and students a significant gift in Town Meeting balloting on Tuesday. They okayed a …

Local option tax on meals and rooms passed in West Windsor

Story Memorial Hall was packed to the brim at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning, as 162 West Windsor residents gathered to vote on 11 articles.  All but one of the articles passed.  Notably, town residents voted to approve a 1% option tax on rooms, meals, and alcoholic beverages, but article 7, which asked voters to allow the town to assess …

Woodstock voters approve $35 million bond for Wastewater Treatment Facility upgrades

Town Meeting voters in Woodstock on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a $35 million bond issue to finance the cost of maintaining and substantially upgrading the Woodstock Main Wastewater Treatment Facility. Weighing in on the bond issue via Australian ballot, voters gave it their assent by a 808-to-209 margin. The state-mandated renovation and upgrade of the wastewater facility will include the construction …

Pomfret passes 1% local option tax

At its annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, 363 Pomfret residents voted to pass a 1% local option tax, and — by a narrow margin — voted to allow non-resident eligibility for appointment or election to particular local offices. Article 5 proposed a 1% local option tax on certain goods and services, with the goal of reducing property taxes. The tax will be a …