Wastewater requests approved
PUTNEY — PUTNEY-The Selectboard on Feb. 12 approved a pair of water and wastewater allocation requests permitting the owners at two properties to boost their capacity for new uses.
• William Arnold, 118 Main St. - A store has moved out and the owner is proposing to put in a restaurant (breakfast, lunch, and dinner; 35 seats). The allocation for water rises from 117 gallons of water a day to 1,499; the allocation for wastewater surges from 104 gallons to 1,332.
• Ward Upton, 71 Main St. - Here the property is changing from a residence and retail shop to two rental units: a dwelling and a medical office.
Selectboard members said they had been assured the town could handle the increases with ease, and approved the requests unanimously.
$300K transportation alternatives grant approved
PUTNEY- On Feb. 12, Town Manager Cynthia Stoddard reported to the Selectboard that the town's bid for a $300,000 Agency of Transportation Transportation Alternatives Program grant was approved.
Stoddard said the town still needs to sign a commitment form acknowledging that it is responsible for covering its local share for the grant, 20 percent.
At Representative Town Meeting in March, voters will be asked to say whether the town should borrow up to $137,500, for Putney's portion of matching funds for the grant to construct a sidewalk from the Putney General Store to Landmark College, to be repaid over a period of not more than five years.
As a condition of accepting the grant, the town must assign a project manager within two months, Stoddard said. She added that bid documents would be ready in May, likely too late for this year's bidding season.
Preparing for Town Meeting
PUTNEY- On Feb. 12, the Selectboard took up a summary of the next year's spending plan in advance of Representative Town and School District Meeting, set for Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at Putney Central School. Polls are open until 7 p.m.
A pre-town meeting is set for Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
Among items warned for the meeting:
• An article to see if the Town will vote to exempt Landmark College from municipal and educational taxation, beginning April 1, on the 3.13 acres of undeveloped land, River Road South.
• An article asking whether voters want to exempt the Yellow Barn Music School from municipal and educational taxation, on the improvements and appurtenances (music studios) on land owned by the Greenwood School, for a period of five years.
• An article to see if the Town will vote to exempt from property tax assessment alternative energy sources allowed under 32 V.S.A. §3845.
• An article to see if the Town will vote to accept the Putney Public Library as a municipal library, with the Library Board of Trustees acting as the governing body.
• An article to see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectboard to borrow an amount not to exceed $40,000 for the replacement of the Fire Station roof, to be repaid over a period of not more than five years.
The full warnings are posted at bit.ly/1e4WNmq.