Driving the ball off the 6th tee at Green Mountain National Golf Course. 

In the "be careful what you wish for" category, summer has finally arrived in Killington.

The fierce weather which brought the tragic tornadoes to the mid-west has finally made it to the Green Mountain State. While we have had some very significant periods of thunderstorms with heavy downpours, we also have had a few days where the weather was sunny and warm, if not down right hot and humid. The weather has improved so much, in fact, that we were able to get in 2 full rounds of golf at Green Mountain National Golf Course this week for the first time this golf season.

On Wednesday, Mary and I had the opportunity to play in the "Jeff Hadley Day" charity tournament to raise funds for ALS research. Jeff was the first golf pro at Green Mountain National who sadly succumbed to ALS in 2006.

In addition to Mary and I, our group for the Jeff Hadley Day tournament included former innkeeper Nina Tasi, Steve Selbo of SP Land and Phil Davis, VT PGA pro at Manchester Country Club. We came in at 9 under for the tournament. Given that none of us other than the pro had played a full round of golf this year, our score was quite respectable. We were well out of the money, however, as the winning team of the tournament came in at 17 under.

On Friday, Mary and I had a chance to play a regular round of golf. Green Mountain National is in great shape. With luck, this week should be the start of a nice golf season in Killington.

Where ever you may be this Memorial Day weekend, keep it in the fairway, and don't forget your sun screen!

Daffodils in bloom in Killington 

Although Edgar Allen Poe wrote his iconic poem about a bleak December, he could have easily been commenting about the weather we have been having all over the Northeast this May. While we watch with angst the television reports of the Mississippi River overrunning it's banks, many in Vermont and New York along Lake Champlain are facing the same problems. In Killington, aside from the local pond or two that is beyond it's normal high water point, the primary disease afflicting those of us calling Killington home this May is probably some form of Vitamin D deficiency, caused by lack of sunshine striking the area.

While there is still a patch of snow on Superstar, the ski season is quickly receding into long term memory. The immediate tasks of cleaning up from a very snowy winter are foremost on many of our minds, as we prepare for the summer months in the Green Mountains.

Around the inn, there are a number of projects that have been completed this spring; with an equal number still to go. Mary had begun her annual battle to get the gardens around the inn in shape. It will be several months before the results are truly visible. But a little work now, brings a lot of results when the warm sun of July hits the gardens.

Much of the immediate work around the inn was repairing damage sustained during the winter from all the ice and snow. The slate roofs on the restaurant and Great Room aframes are particularly susceptible to damage. The beautiful snow bridges that form between the aframe roofs and the ground when we have multiple feet of snow on the ground raises havoc with the bottom courses of slate shingles on each roof.

Slate roof repair is an art. Click to enlarge..

Of course, many buildings in the area are slate covered. As long as they are maintained properly to repair any weather damage, their lifetime is virtually unlimited. We made out trek this year over to Poultney to acquire reclaimed slate shingles for the repairs. It is a work of art, matching repaired sections to the existing roof. We are very fortunate to have skilled craftsmen in the area who understand how to do it.

In the realm of "you've got to be kidding", we also had a very large sink hole open up in the parking lot in front of the inn. We have had a couple of small sink holes in the past. The asphalt section of the parking lot dates back to the early 1970's. Every time we get a sink hole, we discover rotten wood as the culprit. It appears that when the parking lot was originally created, a lot of fill with tree stumps and other organic products was used. As the organic material decays over time, voids are created. In the winter months, the voids get filled with water ice, which is a good thing because we don't want the parking lot swallowing guests cars during the dark of night.

Sink hole being repaired Click to enlarge..

But as soon spring hits and warmer temperatures greet Killington, the ice filling any voids melts setting the stage for a surprise. This years surprise was created by a propane truck making a u-turn in the parking lot. The good news is that the truck did not get stuck. The great news is that it happened when the parking lot was empty.

Our excavator was able to clear the hole and pack in some fresh soil. It will take a month of so for the soil he used to settle, before a top coat of hard pack is applied to level out the driveway. It is just one of those things that make running your own business never a dull moment.

The web site for Birch Ridge, birchridge.com has been updated to our summer colors. If you are planning a trip this way, our golf package calculator has been updated with rate information from both the Killington and Green Mountain National Golf Courses.

Keep in mind.....Summer is just around the corner at Killington. The rain will stop. The sun will shine, and the Green Mountains will turn a luscious shade green. Now if I can get all my work down around the inn so I can go out and enjoy it...that would be great too!

Wherever you may be, hopefully you don't need a raft, and you need some sun screen!

Sign at town hall at Killington. 

History was made last night in Killington. It is up to the residents of the town to use the results responsibly. Only time will tell.

The legal reason for last nights meeting was to revote on the budget that was voted down at the Town Meeting held in March. With little discussion, the residents in attendance voted approval for the budget by voice vote from the floor. A couple of brief housekeeping issues followed, before the controversial issues on the meetings agenda broke the meeting wide open.

The first series of articles discussed were on Australian Ballot voting. Diane Rosenblum and myself co-sponsored the original petition to place this issue before the town meeting. My partner, Mary, gave the introductory remarks to those assembled to begin the discussion.

Having studied history as a hobby, it never ceases to amaze me how people who perceive they are in power attempt to limit the rights of other people to vote. Words were spoken about the history of the town, about the honor of the process, and about maintaining town traditions. While they were all worthy arguments deserving respect, the turning point occurred when a person against the initiatives spoke about uneducated bartenders and waitresses and housekeepers and ski instructors being allowed to vote in town elections. Since I employ all of the above, I understand that this group is a lot of things, but uneducated is not one of them. Since most of the restaurants and bars in Killington were closed, and since skiing has ended at Killington for the year, there were many bartenders, waiters/waitresses, housekeepers and ski instructors at the meeting. The crowd, realizing the faux pas, went silent.

By far, the proudest moment of the night for Mary and I occurred at this point when our assistant (bartender, waitress, innsitter...she does everything for us) Merisa got up and addressed the crowd. She eloquently told people that she was "a bartender, a waitress, a ski instructor. That she could read. That she was educated. That she worked for a living, and that she was demanding her constitutional right to vote!" It was the turning point of the debate. The audience cheered. It was literally history being made at Killington.

After Merisa's statement, all three Australian Ballot questions passed by comfortable margins. The first article, to adopt future Killington town budgets by Australian Ballot passed 163 to 128. The second article, to vote on all public questions by Australian Ballot passed by 168 to 111. And the third to vote for all Killington elected officers by Australian Ballot passed by 161 to 125.

The last set of articles on the special town meeting agenda were related to changing the number of sitting members of the towns select board from 3 to 5 people. Co-author of these articles, Eileen Godfrey, was invited by the moderator to begin the discussion by presenting the articles and why she sought to place them before this town meeting.

As has been said, "politics ain't bean bag". Supporters of the current 3 member board structure launched a series of speeches designed to sway the crowd, followed by personal attacks on supporters of the article, myself included. Several members of the community got up to the microphone and decried the personal attacks. I am very proud that supporters of the change to the 5 member board did not respond to the personal attacks in like kind. There is no place for that in a small town where we all need to live and work together.

Unfortunately, at last nights meeting, the move to expand the towns select board was voted no by the majority of those in attendance. There were 133 yes votes to 150 no votes to defeat the article.... So it goes..

Later in the evening after the proceedings ended, it was clear while I was out having a beer that the younger generation of Killington voters had been positively energized after participating in the meeting. As an aging baby boomer, I know that the energy and passion displayed later in the evening needs to translate into future action. If it does, then history was truly made in Killington last night. And that will keep Killington being a great town to call home and to visit for many years to come.

Sign at town hall at Killington. 

Below is a letter I have written to the Citizens of Killington as published in the Mountain Times, May 4th, 2011:

Dear Citizens of Killington

On the evening of May 9th, when we gather for the special Killington town meeting, the time has come to make some thoughtful changes to how our town is governed. As residents, we are lucky that there are clear choices. Continued complacency with "the way things have been" is not the solution. Some of the political structures of the towns past are placing impediments to reinvigorating our town, and they should be changed.

During the town meeting, citizen initiatives to change the way voters are included in important town decisions will be decided. Initiatives to change voting to Australian Balloting and to increase the size of the Select Board from 3 to 5 members deserve careful consideration and a "Yes" vote by Killington residents.

Adopting an Australian ballot voting format is long overdue. While it is a wonderful concept that all residents should attend town meeting, the reality is that too many of our citizens are left out due to the structure of life in the 21st century. If Killington is to move forward, more citizens need to take ownership of town governance. Voting by Australian ballot enfranchises everyone, and we need every resident of Killington to participate if our town is to thrive. Please attend town meeting and vote "Yes" on the Australian ballot initiatives.

Expanding the select board to 5 members also is critical to Killington's future. While a 3-member board has "historically worked" for Killington, the challenges facing our town today have rendered the current board structure chaotically dysfunctional. Multiple issues requiring immediate select board focus can no longer be ignored. Maximizing available resources is critical if we are to address economic development, re-examining the town's zoning plan, fixing the financial problems of the Green Mountain National Golf course, and attracting visitors back to our town as the economy recovers. How the select board manages these and other issues will have a direct impact on our local taxes, and the quality of life of all Killington residents.

Moving to a 5-member select board would allow the board to operate more effectively. It would allow for the creation of focused, issue oriented, sub-committees within the board. It would promote broader representation by making select board members more accessible to the community. It would provide greater select board stability for our residents and businesses, as 3 members would carry over each year from the prior years board. At town meeting, please vote "Yes" on the initiative to expand the select board to 5 members.

On a personal note, if the residents of Killington decide to expand the size of the select board, I ask your consideration to fill one of the newly created board seats.

In 1997, after many years of visiting Killington first as "weekenders" then as second homeowners, Mary and I decided to pursue the American Dream and open our own small business. We chose Killington as the place to start the Birch Ridge Inn. We have established strong roots in Killington, both through our business and by volunteering our time and resources to many community organizations. It has not been easy. The political turmoil in both Vermont and Killington has constantly changed the rules on being successful. But that has not dampened our spirit. Killington, at its core, is a beautiful place. We are blessed to be able to call Killington our home.

Please attend the special Killington town meeting on May 9th. Vote "Yes" to increase citizen participation in town government by supporting the Australian ballot initiatives and the change in size of the select board. And if the 5-member select board initiative passes, please give me the honor of your vote for one of the newly created select board seats.

Respectfully
Bill Vines

Sign at town hall at Killington. 

David Rosenblum, an attorney practicing law in the town of Killington, wrote a "Letter to the Editor" which the Mountain Times published on April 27th in support of expanding the Killington Select Board from 3 to 5 members. The text of David's letter, is below:

To the editor

At The Town of Killington Special Town Meeting warned for May 9th, 2011, the expansion of the selectboard to five members should take place for the following reasons. The need for the Special Town Meeting infers that a three member selectboard cannot formulate an acceptable town budget in time for a regular town meeting. The current financial situation surrounding the Green Mountain National Golf Course, which evaded scrutiny by such a board for the last several years, is, by itself, reason to question the sufficiency of a three man board. In addition the selectboard must now also take on overseeing revenues from the 1% option tax, the fate of economic development commission, consideration of development of a municipal water system and review of the town's zoning regulations. Thus the time has come to expand the selectboard to five members.

By expanding to five members the selectboard could split into committees of two members to examine key issues and make a recommendation to the full selectboard for formal action. This would allow a more thorough and quicker examination of the issues by providing an opportunity to raise questions and secure answers prior to the full selectboard hearing. Such committee meetings would be open to the public. The public would also not have to sit through an entire selectboard meeting to face an issue they are concerned about. Thus public participation would be enhanced.

Congress, state legislatures and many organizations operate in this manner. Most towns in Vermont have a five member selectboard. In considering the towns that have a three member board one should compare the issues and budgets facing these towns as compared to the town of Killington.

Furthermore the town Planning Commission has 7 members, Zoning Board of Adjustment has 5 members, the Recreation Commission has 5 members, Sherburne Fire District #1 has 5 members and the Library Board of Trustees has 5 members. Considering the scope of issues the selectboard must deal with in comparison to what the above organizations face, expanding the selectboard to five members appears to be the most reasonable, prudent and necessary course of action.

Accordingly, in order to best insure an acceptable budget and that the aforementioned issues are most appropriately addressed for the 2012 town meeting, the expansion of the selectboard to five members must be accomplished at the May 9th, 2011 meeting.

Sincerely,
David A. Rosenblum

Sign at town hall at Killington. 

With the ski season coming to a close, many residents of Killington are thinking about the future. A day does not go by without a conversation about "what are you doing this summer?" or "are you getting away in the spring?" But before we get there, there is some town business that needs attention.

Unfinished business from the Killington Town Meeting held in early March will result in town residents getting together for the evening on May 9th (7:30PM - Killington Elementary School on River Road) to discuss and vote on many town issues. The town budget failed in March, requiring the town to get together in late spring to discuss the new proposal from the select board and vote the budget up or down. In addition, as there is a meeting scheduled, a number of citizen initiatives are also on the agenda to be acted upon.

One citizen initiative is switching town voting practice from an open floor vote at town meeting to an "Australian Ballot". An "Australian Ballot", for those who are not familiar with the term, is also referred to as a "Secret Ballot", where voters go to a polling place and vote on election day.

Mary wrote a "Letter to the Editor" which the Mountain Times published this week. The text of the letter, which discusses the "Australian Ballot" initiatives, is below:

Australian Ballot and why should you should vote for it!

Australian ballot is a secret ballot. Polls are open from at least 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and voters can show up any time to vote by marking a printed ballot. The Australian ballot allows people to vote quickly and at a time that is convenient for them. This system also allows a person who is sick or out of town or prefers not to come to the polls on election day to vote early or vote by mail using an absentee ballot.

Town Meetings still occur with Australian ballot voting and the community would still have the opportunity to discuss issues and hear from candidates. Town Meeting would also serve as an educational session to inform voters about the issues they would be voting on.

Towns that use the Australian ballot generally have much higher voter participation rates than those that do not. The Vermont Secretary of State web site states that in 2008 towns that held traditional town meetings and Australian ballot had a 47.8% turn out for Australian ballots and in towns that held only a traditional town meeting the turn out was 21.1%.

If you want all registered voters in town to have access to voting please vote YES on the Australian ballot Articles. These Articles are part of a Special Town Meeting to be held on May 9th at 7:30 PM in the Sherburne Elementary School Gymnasium.

The three Australian Ballot Articles read as follows:

Article 4 - "Shall the Town of Killington adopt its budget article or articles by Australian ballot?"

Article 5 - " Shall the Town of Killington vote on all public questions by Australian ballot?"

Article 6 - "Shall the Town of Killington elect officers by Australian ballot?"

If you feel that the right to vote should be as accessible as possible to the most people as possible this is the right thing to do. Supporting the Australian ballot Articles will greatly improve access to voting in the Town of Killington......Mary Furlong

Commentary on plans for the new lodge on Killington Peak 

Late last week, Killington-Pico Ski Resort Partners, better known as the Killington Ski Resort, announced a long overdue project to completely rebuild the guest lodge at the top of Killington Mountain. The condition of the lodge at Killington Peak has been the "elephant in the room" at the resort for the last several years. The resort has big plans to change that picture.

The building was originally constructed in the late 60's as the terminal to the Killington Gondola, which ran from Route 4 to Killington Peak by way of Sky Peak. Because the original use of the building was as a gondola terminal, a significant portion of the building is both hollow and open to the elements. Anyone who has gone hiking to Killington Peak in the summer has had a clear view of the decaying guts of the building from the gondola piers facing Skye Peak at the base of the lodge. In recent years, high winds on Killington Peak have quite literally ripped the side curtain walls off the building, exposing the steel girders, floor trusses, and other building components to the elements. It was just such a storm in early December of this ski season that tore 2 exterior walls off of the structure. Instead of once again patching up the building and making due, the resort is taking the bull by the horns and replacing the whole structure.

Killington Peak Lodge Pictures of the current structure in desperate need of repair and the Architects concept of the new lodge. Click image to stop rotation. Click again to resume rotation.

Replacing the Killington Peak Lodge will be an ambitious project. The architectural firm of Robert Carl Williams Associates in Pittsfield, Vt. has been retained for design and planning. Estimated construction costs announced by the resort will approach $7 million. Once permitting is in place, expected early this summer if all goes well, the project will span multiple years. This summer, the resort is planning to remove the old structure and complete the necessary infrastructure and foundation work for the new building. Next summer (2012), the resort would complete construction of the building and outfit it for public use. If all goes according to plan, the new facility will be completed for the Christmas Holidays in 2012.

Those of us who live in the area and spend a significant time on the mountain know that the environment on Killington Peak is very demanding. The weather can be the roughest found on the planet. One only needs to look a little east of Killington to Mount Washington Weather Observatory to get a listing of the weather events that happen on mountain peaks in the Eastern US.

Mary and I are excited about the project. Undertaking this project makes a statement by KSRP and their parent companies that they are investing in the future of Killington, and that they are in it for the long haul.

The new peak lodge is long overdue and, when it is completed, will be a welcomed addition to the Killington Resort community.