News

Town plan should address short-term rentals, planners say

WILMINGTON- The town plan may soon have new language that would urge Wilmington’s home owners not to rent to more people than their properties’ septic systems are permitted for.
The Wilmington Planning Commission is updating the existing town plan, a wide-ranging 2018 document that...

School districts to pursue voluntary mergers under education bill

WHITINGHAM- While Vermont won’t force the consolidation of school districts in response to falling student numbers, it requires them to come up with their own merger plans that must be submitted to the state by September 2027, the board of Windham Southwest Supervisory Union heard last Wednesday...

Windham County Sheriff Mark Anderson

Windham County towns can now join to negotiate regional law enforcement

WINDHAM COUNTY—Towns that don’t have their own police force can now form a group to contract for law-enforcement services with the county sheriff’s department.
A new law that has been under discussion for about four years was finally signed by Gov. Phil Scott in mid-May. It creates a pilot...

Kristin Capezio

A priority for new TVES principal: subject specialists

WILMINGTON—What most excites Kristin Capezio about her new job as principal of Twin Valley Elementary School is that its teachers have special skills in core subjects such as math, science, and language arts, and that sets students up for success.
The school’s policy of having content...

Marlboro School Photo Jon Hurdle

Parents say dwindling student numbers drove vote to close Marlboro School

Bigger schools, more facilities seen as better for kids
MARLBORO—Less than three weeks before Marlboro School closes its doors to students for the last time, Julie Sweethill recalled the vote that decided to shut the school because most residents recognized that dwindling...

Selectboard members Edee Edwards, Lori Marchegiani, and Karen Christofferson discuss town policy over gifts from members of the community to town employees. Christofferson is the town’s road boss. Photo Olga Peters

Halifax Selectboard clarifies policy for community gifts to employees

HALIFAX—After discussions over two meetings and consultation with attorneys, the selectboard clarified its procedure for accepting community donations intended for town employees.
The board voted unanimously to establish a process for accepting cash donations.
On the surface, the...

Water in fuel tank causes damage to police cruisers in Dover

DOVER—At their meeting on Tuesday, May 19, Dover Selectboard members learned that three of the town’s police cruisers had been damaged by water in the town’s fuel tank. In other matters, the board decided to send a letter expressing its opposition to Act 181, legislation that will impact...

River Valleys USD board frustrated over electric bus recall

DOVER—At its meeting on Monday, May 18, the River Valleys Unified School District board expressed frustration about a lack of movement regarding a recall repair for the district’s electric school bus. In other matters, the board heard about a plan to reimplement the International Baccalaureate (...

Laura Sibilia

Sibilia will seek reelection to House

DOVER—On Tuesday, May 12, Rep. Laura Sibilia announced she will seek reelection to represent the Windham-2 district in the Vermont House of Representatives as an independent.
Sibilia has served in the role since 2015. At that time, she was representative for the Windham-Bennington House...

Dover Town Hall

Dover property owners taken aback by new assessments

DOVER—On Wednesday, May 20, nearly 70 Dover property owners packed Dover Town Hall, along with about 90 people online, for an informational meeting with Ryan Silvestri, vice president of New England Municipal Consultants, the firm hired by the town to conduct a townwide property reappraisal....