The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page C3

BURLINGTONFREEPRESS.COMSATURDAY,AUGUST2,2014 3C vermont Vermont PBS has paid 15,000 in penalties for violations of federal open eeting requirements, the stationannounced Friday. he station, which recently changed its name from Vermont Public Television, said in a news release that it paid the Corporation for Public Broadcasting fine rom license agreements ith radio and cellular rather han from donations. The board of directors violated open meeting requirements by failing to announce that they held more than two ozen closed-door meetings over the ourse of about two years, members an- ounced earlier this year. The board has maintained that the meetings were closed to the public for legitimate reasons, such as personnel matters. Investigation of the issue began with an anonymous letter in December, which raised allegations about improper meeting practices and put Vermont Public funding at risk with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which requires stations to certify that they comp ly with open meeting requirements.

In the controversy that ensued, some tation staff members called for board eaders to resign. The board of directors completed an i nternal review of the violations, re-certified their compliance with open meeting requirements to restore grant eligibility a nd began new policies to ensure future compliance. Board Chairwoman Pam Mackenzie and Vice Chairman Rob Hofmann remained in their positions. The Corporation for Public Broadcast- i ng Inspector General recommended sanctions against the station in May. $15,000 fine was the conclu- ion of that report.

In its news release Friday, Vermont PBS said it strongly disagreed with the decision. are pleased to put this experience ehind Interim President Charlie Smith said in a statement. When asked in an interview whether onors had withdrawn support as a result of the controversy, Smith said, come and go from the contributor base for avariety of reasons, and I think there was a major I addition to the penalty, Smith said the expenses for lawyers during the open-meeting complaint review were i the six more expensive than the fine. Contact April Burbank at (802) 660-1863 or abur- Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AprilBurbank Vermont Public Television fined $15,000 for open meeting violations GLENN PRESS Thomas Pelletier of the Vermont Public Television Board of Directors, right, answers a question as the board meets to discuss an open-meeting eport from its audit committee in Colchester on Feb. 26.

On the left is board chairwoman Pam Mackenzie. APRIL BURBANK Free Press Staff Writer Vt. Gas: Costs of Phase 2 will rise Less than a month after raising the estimated cost of Phase 1of a pipeline pro- ect by 40 percent, Vermont Gas has an- ounced that the Phase 2 cost is going up a well. hase 1, the Chittenden County-to-Middlebury section of the pipeline is under onstruction now. The company hopes to ollow that up with a Phase 2 from Middlebury to the International Paper plant in Ticonderoga, N.Y.

It says the paper company is paying most of the costs of phase 2, and that that ill apply to the $10 million cost increase as well. he company also is planning a phase 3 which would extend the pipeline system to Rutland. Vermont seeks flood damage a ssessment after storm The state is asking offi- ials from the Federal Emergency Man- a gement Agency to help them determine if repairs to damage from flash flooding in the Chester area would be eligible for disaster assistance. I the damage is judged to be severe nough, affected areas of Windsor and indham could be eligible for federal ublic Assistance disaster funds. The July 28 storm dumped more than 3 i nches of rain on the affected areas.

he state estimates the total damage from the storm will exceed $1million, which would be enough to qualify for assistance. Gov. Peter Shumlin says the state will everything it can to help those affected get back on their feet. encouraging ommunities that suffered damage to rep ort it as soon as possible. Group buys mountain land A144-acre parcel of land that connects two conserved areas near utney Mountain will be preserved for fut ure generations.

he Brattleboro Reformer reports the Putney Mountain Association raised about $424,000 to buy the land, which has been in the Hannum and fam- i lies since the 1920s. he Vermont Land Trust holds the asement on the property and helped the a ssociation with the fundraising. The association plans to add a kiosk a nd develop trails across the area. Gov. Shumlin by hort-term highway plan Gov.

Peter Shumlin ays relieved that Congress has provided a short-term fix to the Highway rust Fund that will keep dozens of road onstruction projects in the state on- track. humlin says the economic de- ends on strong infrastructure. Last month, Vermont officials had warned they would have to delay 38 ridge, rail and road projects if more fed- ral money be found for the trust und. Congress provided $11billion to prevent what would have been a 28 percent reduction in federal highway and mass ransit spending during the peak of the ummer construction season. But the sol ution only provides funding through next pring.

Shumlin says disappointed Cong ress did not address the long-term chal- enge of declining revenues for the Highway Trust Fund. VTC to start up dairy plant Anew dairy processing plant at Vermont Technical College is exp ected to be up and running by next pring. College officials hope revenue from he plant will help balance out the cost of perating the farm in Randolph. Vermont Public Radio reports the farm currently operates at an annual deficit of 150,000. NEWS IN BRIEF.