Thetford Town Newsletter

No. 48  FEBRUARY 2008

 

TOWN CLERK NOTES

For more information about town meeting and articles to be voted on, watch for your town report which will be mailed to you by February 20.

Important Dates:

PRE TOWN MEETING: Feb.25, 7:30pm at Town hall

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Feb. 27, 5pm

TOWN MEETING – Mar.1, 9am at Thetford Academy

VOTING AT TOWN HALL: Mar. 4, 8am-7pm

(Town and School Officers, School Budget, Presidential Primary)

This March there will be a food drive to benefit the Thetford food shelf.  To contribute, you may bring non-perishable food item to town hall when you come to vote on March 4.  Soups are very popular; there is also a demand for personal care items. Monetary donations are also accepted.

 

PLANNING COMMISSION NEWS

There is an opening on the Planning Commission and we are looking for a volunteer to join our team. We meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7:15pm at the Town Offices. The meetings are usually over by 9:15pm. 

If you are interested in planning the future of Thetford, please contact:

Wayne Parks, Chair, Planning Commission at 333-9761

 

RECREATION NOTES

*New this month! Take the bus to see the Vermont Frost Heaves play in Barre on Sun., Feb. 7th! The bus will leave the TES parking lot at 12:30pm for a 2:05 tip-off. It is Bump's (the Moose mascot) birthday, so other Vermont Mascots have been invited to play a mascot scrimmage at halftime. Limited to 50 people, tickets are $15 for kids, $20 for adults which includes your ticket for the game and the bus ride. Limited Space, so get your tickets early!

 

*Dan Grossman will be holding a discussion about Basic Estate Planning on Wed., Feb.13 at 7pm at the Town Hall. Please visit the recreation website for a complete description of this talk. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

*Look for Little League sign ups this month and look for bowling nights and a community dance in the spring!

 

*We are getting together a team for the 9th annual CHAD Ski & Ride in March, contact me for more details.

 

*Ongoing-Sunday ski tours are still meeting at the TES parking lot at 11:30am. Bring your skis and the group will decide where to ski for the day!

 

*Family Game Night! Saturday nights at 6:30pm at Latham Library. All ages welcome - bring a game to share!

 

*Sunday night basketball for adults is still on, 7-8:30pm at TES gym.

 

Recreation information is always available and up-to-date on the website www.thetfordvermont.us/recreation/htm.

Hilary Linehan, Recreation Director, Town of Thetford, Ph: 802-785-2922 ext 6, recreation@thetfordvermont.us

 

SELECTBOARD NOTES

The Selectboard spent most of the past few weeks again on budget matters, although a few other issues came up.

*On the budget, the Recreation Department is looking to increase its budget to flesh out programs developed by the new Recreation Coordinator. The Selectboard also is looking to get estimates for the cost of a generator to be installed at Town Hall to allow for continuous emergency services and, in a pinch, an emergency shelter.

 

*The board signed a letter, along with Strafford's Selectboard and a few other officials, that was sent to the Vermont congressional delegation regarding the need for specific appropriations to allow for the completion of the Elizabeth Mine cleanup.

 

*Jim Masland visited the board during a regular meeting to suggest that a warned item be placed in the Town Report regarding a small town appropriation for a historically-correct pedestrian bridge to be added onto the Thetford Center covered bridge. He indicated that he had initial verbal support from state officials.

 

*The following is a list of some of the warned items that the Selectboard is in the process of drafting for possible placement into the Town Report:

- The standard budget items.

- An advisory vote for support for EC FiberNet, a fiber-optic internet service provider that would provide broadband infrastructure at no cost to the town.

- A measure to provide support for an elderly and low-income housing effort.

- The appropriation of a new fire pumper truck.

- An appropriation for a sum to provide materials for a covered pedestrian walkway attached to the Thetford Center covered bridge.

- A measure to appropriate additional funds to staff an increased police mission for the town.

 

**Pre-Town Meeting will be held at Town Hall on February 25 at 7:30p.m.**

 

Submitted by Tig Tillinghast

 

SCHOOL BOARD NOTES

In December 2007, the Thetford School Board appointed Karen Kaliski to fill the position previously occupied by Kristen Downey who resigned, with regret, in October. Full Board membership has coincided with work this winter focusing on decisions related to the proposed FY2008-2009 Thetford School District Budget. Discussions concerning the proposed budget, which includes Secondary Education Costs, have taken place in December and January with members of the Thetford Budget Committee and Thetford residents. Approval of the proposed budget that will be presented to the Town of Thetford is scheduled for Jan. 22.

 

Information concerning the Thetford School District, which includes Thetford Elementary School and Thetford Academy, and details of the proposed budget are found in the Thetford School District Report which will be mailed to residents prior to Town Meeting. Please consider attending the Town of Thetford / Thetford School District Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 1st at Anderson Hall (Thetford Academy).

 

The Thetford School District Board continues to meet with the public on the second and forth Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the TES art room (unless otherwise noted). An agenda for each meeting is posted in advance outside the TES office, at Post Offices in Thetford, and on the email forum for Thetford, lists.valley.net/lists/info/thetford. Upcoming meetings will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 12th and Tuesday Feb. 26th beginning at 7pm.  Public participation is encouraged and appreciated.

 

The Thetford School Board:Robin Brown, Karen Kaliski, Jennifer Reining, Susan Weider, Andy Boyce

 

SECOND SATURDAY STROLL · FEB 9TH · 2PM
Union Village Dam

We'll stroll on snowshoes with many stops to ponder animal tracks. Along with omni-present deer and turkey tracks, we may see evidence of snowshoe hare, mink, porcupine, shrew, vole, weasel, red fox and the elusive domestic canine.

Directions:  Meet at the parking lot on Buzzell Bridge Road (off Rt 113 near the base of Thetford Hill, just uphill from Thetford Auto). 

Bring: extra layers (we'll alternatively be strolling and tracking), water, snowshoes. Optional gear: poles, binoculars, camera, tracking guides.

Questions:  Li Shen 785-4950

Heather Carlos

Thetford Conservation Commission

 

PEABODY LIBRARY

Community Q & A session with Police Chief Jim Lanctot. Wednesday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.

Please come to this discussion of Thetford's policing issues and Jim's plans for the department.

Submitted by Elise Tillinghast

 

POETRY NIGHTS: Join us Tuesday nights, 7:00pm at Peabody Library, for a poetry discussion group.

This is for simply sharing, understanding and appreciating good poetry. To continue once-weekly, for six weeks, with an option to continue weekly or once-monthly as the group desires. For adults, any era or style of published poem welcome. Hang up your coat and explore. 

Submitted by Lynda Day Martin greenlyndalee@earthlink.net

 

TA NOTES

*Thetford Academy celebrates the 67th annual Founders' Day festivities on Friday, February 8 this year. Join us for games, skits, songs, and friendly competition any time during the morning.  Snow date, if needed, is Thursday, February 7.

*Winter recess will be the week of February 18-22.

*The Winter Sports Awards Assembly will be held on Wednesday, February 27, at 7:00 pm in Anderson Hall.  TA takes this opportunity to celebrate the participation of all our winter athletes and to congratulate them on their accomplishments.

 

Submitted by Wendy Cole

 

LATHAM LIBRARY NEWS:

Monday, Feb. 4 & 18, 7 pm. "Meet the Victorians." The series continues with the final two readings.  See Peter Blodgett for details.

 

Thursday, Feb. 21, 7 pm "Vermont's Recent Veterans: Coming Home from Iraq and Afghanistan."  Dr. Andrew Pomerantz, Chief of Mental Health at the White River Junction VA Medical Center will describe his work developing programs for returning veterans and working with the Vermont Agency of Human Services to enhance community understanding of the special circumstances of military and National Guard Families. A resident of Chelsea, Dr. Pomerantz's approach to understanding combat trauma has led him to be quoted and featured in local, regional and national media coverage of the problems faced by OIF/OEF soldiers and their families.

 

Sunday, Feb. 24, 2 pm "The War on Bugs."  Join Cedar Circle's Will Allen for a reading and discussion of his new book, The War on Bugs.  The book argues that, "advertisers, editors, scientists, large scale farmers, government agencies, and even Dr. Seuss colluded to convince farmers to use deadly chemicals, hormones, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in an effort to pad their wallets and control the American farm enterprise."

 

Book Donations for the Mud Season Sale Welcomed!  The March Mud Season Book Sale at Latham is just around the corner! Please see Peter Blodgett about donating your gently used books for the sale!

 

Submitted by Elise Tillinghast

 

FUNDRAISING AUCTION

The First Congregational Church in Thetford will host their 3rd annual fundraising Auction on Saturday March 15th from noon to 3:30pm. If you have decent furniture to donate and would like us to pick it up for you or you have quality items you'd like to drop off at the church please call Susan at 649-2681.

 

This fun event has both live and silent auctions, delicious food and fun for the whole family!

 

Submitted by Susan Kowalsky, Fundraising Chair -First Congregational Church in Thetford

 

TES MUD SEASON MADNESS

Thetford parents and community members, here is a fabulous opportunity to have fun and share your talents!

 

TES is looking for volunteers to lead or assist in our Mud Season Madness classes, which are 4 week sessions meeting either Mondays or Thursdays after school at TES during March, starting either March 6 or 10. All sessions begin at 3:15 and end no later than 4:30.

 

If you have an interest or hobby that you would like to share with a group of elementary students, please consider this opportunity. Previous offerings have included cooking, foreign language, basketball, knitting, drama, movie making, building and inventions, and more. Ask a friend to join you and have fun sharing your talents with a group of eager elementary kids.

 

You can choose the age group, the number of students, and the length of the class. Any materials needed for your class will be paid for by TES.

 

If you are interested, please contact Wendy Cole at TA or TES, 785-2426 x241, Wendy.Cole@Thet.Net or Darla LaRoche at TES, 785-2426 x383, dlaroche@thetfordschool.org.

 

We need to hear from you by Friday, February 8, if you'd like to join the fun.  Please contact either of us anytime if you have questions or want more information.

 


THETFORD TOWN NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION INFORMATION 

The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month. Send news including contact name and telephone number to Cathee Clement at 785-2668 or turtlepond@netzero.net.

Please list Thetford Town Newsletter in the subject line.