16

General Discussion / Fire Extinguisher Inspection?

« on: November 22, 2009, 07:59:05 PM »

My wife is starting a daycare at our home in Fletcher at the end of the month and one of the requirements for state registration is a tagged/inspected 2A 10BC Fire Extinguisher. We bought the fire extinguisher this afternoon from Home Depot, now I just need to know how to get it officially inspected. Can we just bring the fire extinguisher to the fire station or does anyone have any idea how to obtain the necessary annual inspection?

Thanks,
Todd

17

General Discussion / Tractor Trailer Stuck in the Notch This Morning

« on: September 14, 2009, 12:55:49 PM »

Got up to the top of the notch this morning at about 10:15am to a line of cars near the main parking lot. A state police car was blocking the road. All the cars in front of me turned around and went back down the mountain so I became first on line. I talked with the trooper and he told me a tractor trailer was stuck in the hairpin turn. I asked him if I could drive down to where he was stuck and the trooper agreed since the wrecker would be coming from the Stowe side and I wouldn't be in the way.

So apparently the fine for getting stuck in the Notch is only $200. A DMV Enforcement vehicle was apparently conducting an inspection on the stuck truck so the fine may end up being more, but it is only $200 for causing a road to be closed (which seems very low to me). The wrecker basically lifts the trailer so they can move it into position so the truck can move. This guy had to back down about 1/2 a mile before he could turn around. He had to be hooked to the wrecker 2 times, becuase he couldn't back down the road he came up. The driver claimed to not have seen the signs that tractor trailers are prohibited.

I think the only way stop trucks from going through would be a sign with a picture of a stuck truck. The signs have been improved in the last year or so, and I think a flashing light might help, but in reality I think even if a trucker sees the sign by the time they are all the way up there, they are not going to take the time to stop and turn around.

My pictures are below:







end

18

Current News & Events / Route 108 Through Smuggler's Notch is now OPEN!!!

« on: May 04, 2009, 01:21:30 PM »

Vermont 108: from State Route 100 to before North Cambridge Road
roadway reopened to traffic — for the next week
Comment: Rte 108 over Smugglers Notch is now open for the season for cars. NO TRACTOR TRAILERS allowed through the Notch.

last updated today at 1:13 PM

http://www.511vt.com/secondary/incidents/vtcars-50157-14.htm

That will shorten up my commute to Stowe by quite a bit. YAHOO!!!

19

Political Issues/Comments / Thoughts on Company Benefit Enrollments

« on: December 10, 2008, 08:10:21 PM »

All,

I've recently experienced a problem for the third or fourth straight year at my company and I wonder if anyone has had the same experience. Every year my wife, who works for one of the big banks in the state, gets her annual benefit packet (health insurance, dental, flexible spending, etc...) in October. Her company's enrollment period is then open until the middle of November. Each year my company provides its benefit information in December and has an enrollment period for about a week. My problem is that my wife and I never get to compare plans. We always have to gamble that one plan will be a better fit for our family. First of all, I think we are both fortunate to have jobs that offer health insurance as I understand not everyone else does, but I think we should be able to make an informed decision on what benefits we are purchasing for our family. I know this same issue was a problem for several of my coworkers in Stowe as well as some of the people that work in my company's Las Vegas office. My guess is that this impacts other families in our state who work for other companies.

One question I have is whether or not anyone else who reads this forum cares about this or has the same problem? My other question is whether something should be done. The reason I am posting this in the Political Issues section of the forum is I think it would be a good idea if the State Legislature passed a law requiring that companies who provide benefits to their employees must do so by a specific date. I think the law should also stipulate that the benefit enrollment period should be open until at least a second specified date. That way all families who have spouses that work at different companies and might get different benefits will have the time to make an informed decision on this important matter. I think companies that failed to comply should be forced to pay a fine or provide the same benefits as the previous year at the same rate to the employee. I think there would need to be some sort of penalty to discourage employers from missing the deadline.

I have written to Franklin County Senators Brock and Kittell and State Representative Dickinson (since I live in Fletcher) about this issue and am awaiting their feedback. I would be interested in everyone else's feedback (especially State Reps Branagan and Gilbert).

Thanks,
Todd

20

Current News & Events / Official Fletcher Voting Results

« on: November 04, 2008, 11:32:14 PM »

Here are the official votes from Fletcher:

663 people voted out of 850 registered voters (78% Turnout).

President
Obama/Biden - 437
McCain/Palin - 211
Nader/Gonzalez - 4
Barr/Root - 4
Hilary Clinton (Write-in) - 1

US Representative
Welch - 529
Trudell - 21
Hermann - 18
Newton - 9

Governor
Douglas - 379
Pollina - 169
Symington - 90
Young - 7
O'Connor - 4
Ericson - 3

Lieutenant Governor
Dubie - 413
Costello - 201
Kemp - 27
Mitchell - 5

Treasurer
Spaulding - 552
Schramm - 51
Ngoima - 11

Secretary of State
Markowitz - 436
Bifano - 148
Power - 26
Marmorale - 6

Auditor of Accounts
Salmon - 503
Abbott - 88
Levy - 16

Attorney General
Sorrell - 442
Kerin - 94
Dennett - 61
Jackowski - 11

State Senator
Kittell - 363
Collins - 326
Brock - 225
Rowell - 160

State Representative
Howrigan - 339
Christie - 271
Higgins - 183
Dickinson - 166
Allard - 115

High Bailiff
Johnson - 516

21

Current News & Events / BFA St. Albans entry on Wikipedia

« on: October 30, 2008, 11:27:24 AM »

I was curious about the history of BFA and I did a quick Google search. I've never tried to edit an entry on Wikipedia, but someone probably needs to correct the entry for BFA St. Albans. I got a kick out of the very well written first sentence of the article which was probably written by a disgruntled student:

Bellows Free Academy, St. Albans (BFA-St. Albans)is one of the worest schools to ever be made it should be burned to the ground drugs are incridible easy to get and the teachers don't care about there students.

Everything else in the article looked legitimate and I am sure someone will correct it soon, but it gave me a laugh when I first read it. The whole article can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellows_Free_Academy,_St._Albans

22

Political Issues/Comments / From Jim Douglas

« on: October 27, 2008, 07:57:07 PM »

Symington “Evolves” in Election Year Change
 
Montpelier, VT – In January 2007, when Republican and Independent representatives proposed a bill to require charged felons to submit to a DNA test, they were following national best-practices for law enforcement agencies and seeking to give Vermont police and prosecutors the tools they need to help prevent sexual predators and other criminals from threatening our families.

But to Gaye Symington, H.181 (An act relating to requiring persons charged with or cited for a felony to submit a DNA sample for the state DNA data bank), sponsored by Republican Representatives Tom Koch and Peg Flory and by Independent Representative Daryl Pillsbury, wasn't worth considering. She sent it to the House Judiciary committee, where it languished for two sessions. Speaker Symington never acted to move the bill forward.

Now in a shameless election year flip-flop, Speaker Symington said that her new support for this measure “reflects some evolution in my [her] thinking.” (WCAX, 8/13/08)

“Vermonters won't buy it," said Douglas Campaign manager Dennise Casey. “It is unbelievable that Ms. Symington would stand up in front of TV cameras and propose a measure that she has blocked for the past two years.”

“As a legislator for twelve years – four as Speaker of the House – Symington has not made safe communities legislation a priority. In fact, she’s been a roadblock. She has resisted calls for longer mandatory minimum sentences, civil confinement for dangerous sexual predators, and is against a more aggressive sex offender registry,” said Casey. “Her campaign conversion isn't serious, and it isn't credible.”

“Now that she’s running for Governor, she hopes that Vermonters will ignore her legislative record. While we appreciate that Gaye Symington has evolved enough to recognize that this is an important issue, it’s clear from her continued resistance to the changes that Vermonters want – tougher penalties, civil confinement and a more comprehensive sex offender registry – Speaker Symington hasn’t evolved far enough,” said Casey.


###

http://www.jimdouglas.com/press-releases/163-symington-evolves-in-election-year-change

For more information goto: www.jimdouglas.com

23

Current News & Events / TP Poll

« on: September 17, 2008, 07:24:01 PM »

Since there are a lot of opinions on Henry's original post, I thought it would be fun to make it official and take a poll.

Link to the original topic: http://www.vtgrandpa.com/forum/index.php?topic=3880.0

I think I know which answer will win, but let's wait for the public to weigh-in.

Thanks,
Todd

24

Political Issues/Comments / 4-year Terms for Statewide Elected Offices

« on: April 16, 2008, 03:22:10 PM »

All,

I read today that the Vermont Senate Government Operations Committee rejected by a 3-2 vote allowing the state senate to vote on whether or not to consider 4-year terms for state offices like Governor, Lt. Governor, etc...

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/NEWS01/804160356/1002/NEWS01

I for one was dissappointed. I think it is kind of silly that all of these people have to run for reelection every other year, when it is so rare for an incumbent in this state to lose their position. I guess that makes me a "policy wonk" according to Senator White.

Anyone know what Gov. Dean and the Democrats' reasoning is for keeping the two year terms? Does anyone else care about this topic?

25

Current News & Events / Who else was without power last night???

« on: January 08, 2008, 11:43:33 AM »

We were without power in Fletcher from about 9:30pm until 2:30am last night. My wife called CVPS and they had a message that there were outages in Milton, Westford, Fairfax, and Fletcher.

Good thing it was a pretty warm night or we would have been really chilly!

Anyone else impacted?

26

Current News & Events / Fairfax FD at home on Fairfax Road in Fletcher on Christmas Day

« on: December 25, 2007, 10:42:22 PM »

It looked like it may not have been a very merry Christmas for a family on Fairfax Road in (Binghamville) Fletcher. I noticed a couple of Fairfax FD Trucks in the driveway this afternoon.

Anyone know what happened?

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Todd