The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 1

furlmgtutt Deaths 2B Wednesday, March 6, 1985 Licenses Reaction Is Mixed Progressives Miss Control 1 zp ing the hotly desired seventh seat on; the 13-member board had been Keith; Pillsbury, who lost in Ward 1 Democrat James Rowell. The coalition's second-best hope of gaining; influence on the board, Judith Kelly- a Democrat sympathetic to the; Progressive cause suffered a nar-; row 15-vote loss in Ward 6 to Repub-i lican Frederick Bailey. The result: Every seat remained; in the hands of the party now holding' it. i i In Ward 2, Progressive Bouricius easily turned back the challenge of Democrat John Bartlett. In Ward 3' Progressive Peter Lackowski held his seat by defeating Democrat Caryl Stewart and independent Loren Senna.

In Ward 4, Republican Alleir Gear was unopposed. And in Ward 5, incumbent Democrat Paul Lafavette4 By DON MELVIN Free Press Staff Writer For the Progressive Coalition, Tuesday was another case of so near, yet so far away. The supporters of independent Mayor Bernard Sanders Tuesday again fell just shy of gaining majority control of the Board of Aldermen. Sanders noted that the Progressives have never had a majority, and said the administration would have to do what it has done in the past: "Sit down issue by issue and try to find a vote here and a vote there." Other members of the coalition were clearly disappointed. "I doubt very much whether the Board of Aldermen is going to be at all cooperative," said aldermanic President Terrill Bouricius.

JKoalition's best hope of gain A 1 Wm- if; I1 i- ft? I'MlllfflllMj dv. Turn to PROGRESSIVES, 7B St. Albans Reaffirms lr in Dog Track Support i i By CHRIS LAVIN Free Press Staff Writer Although history buffs want car owners to recognize Vermont's unique past by replacing front license plates with commemorative plates, they didn't get resounding approval from voters Tuesday. Many towns didn't vote on the issue. And towns that approved using commemorative plates were matched by those that turned thumbs down on a recommendation to the Legislature that Vermont substitute its front license plates with "Republic of Vermont" plates.

Late Tuesday, 16 towns had approved it, and 13 opposed it. In Tinmouth, 80 voters were divided on the idea, and tied 40-40. The plates commemorate Vermont's stint as a republic, from 1777 to 1791, when it joined the 13 colonies to become the 14th state. Faced with the prospect of defeat of the recommendation, Thomas Egan of Rutland expressed profound disappointment Tuesday night. He spent last week telephoning town clerks to lobby for the plates.

"Vermont history is such a unique thing," said Egan, chairman of publicity for the Rutland Historical Society, which spearheaded the vote. "Here is a made-to-order way of proclaiming something people don't know about around the country." The Rutland Historical Society appealed to Vermont's towns too late to get the resolution on the ballot for Town Meeting Day, Egan said. Some towns introduced the motion on the floor, others didn't bother. According to William H. Conway commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, even if every town had voted to replace the plates, legislation would still be required to issue them.

Since 1977, "Republic of Vermont" plates have been available from the Department of Motor Vehicles and historical societies around the state for $5, to cover the cost of printing them. The Legislature has approved use of the plates through 1991, as long as they are installed over the numbered plate on the front, Conway said. Egan attributes Tuesday's defeat to bad publicity. By RICHARD COWPERTHWAIT Free Press Correspondent ST. ALBANS Townspeople Tuesday reaffirmed their support of greyhound dog racing in a vote that focuses attention on an upcoming legal fight in Franklin Superior Court.

Residents approved a proposal for dog racing in the town by 340-258. Sunday racing was supported 341-257. The ballot items were initiated by Green Mountain Racing which is trying to sell its Pownal dogtrack. Green Mountain, which is controlled by the Rooney family of Pittsburgh, has proposed a i million facility that would be located on 60 acres on the west side of U.S. 7 near an Interstate 89 interchange.

The Oneglia family of Connecticut, a large road and building construction firm, is a partner in the St. Albans venture. "We're very elated about it," Green Mountain lawyer Ralph Foote said of Tuesday's vote. "I was concerned about the vote. I think we will just go ahead with our plans and continue with the things that are needed and try to get things in order." Voter approval came one year after Delaware North Companies of Buffalo, N.Y., received strong voter support for a dog track that also would be located west of U.S.

7, about a half mile south of the Green Mountain facility. Turn to ST.A., 7B Rutland Mayor Daley Sweeps to Re-election Free Press Photo by IRENE FERTIK Underbill voters debate town finances Tuesday morning at the Brown's River Middle School during town meeting. The meeting was moved to the school from the town hall year because of new federal requirements on access for the handicapped. 7 "There's a lot of misunderstand ing out about the plates," he nderhill Will Keep an Eye "People started thinking it was to cost a lot of money. Cost ireally and it not a factor in this thing at A 1 a On Ethan Allen Firing Range DALEY WELCH By JOSEPH ZINGALE Free Press Correspondent RUTLAND Incumbent Democratic Mayor John J.

Daley won a fifth two-year term as mayor of Vermont's second largest city by defeating challenger Alderwoman Linda Welch 2,799 to 1,928. With 39 percent of the eligible 12,031 city voters casting ballots in Tuesday's election, Daley took all eight wards. Welch, 35, who has strong ties to the local Republican party, did best in Ward 7 where she lost by only 15 votes. "It was a secure victory, I carried all eight wards in the city and I think the vote is an acknowledgement of my style as mayor and a vindication of the personal charges which were leveled against me during the campaign," Daley said. He spoke seconds after hearing Welch give her concession speech on a local radio station.

Daley credited his campaign committee for his strong showing. He said the 45 or so who worked on the committee did an excellent job. Welch waged an unsuccessful campaign which focused on issues shouldn't be." The Department of Motor Vehicles printed the plates when the Legislature approved their use in 1977, Conway said. Egan and Rutland Historical Society officers Eleanor Elwert and Mary O'Brien still hope Vermont will become the 22nd "one-plate state," with only rear license plates required. They will continue to lobby the Legislature for the change.

"This is not a revolutionary idea we're proposing," Egan said. The plates would also educate some Vermonters on the state's historic past, Egan said. Even the board game Trivial Pursuit could use the information, he said. "There is a question, I have the Card in my game. The question is, 'What state was a republic before it joined the Egan said.

answer is They forgot about Vermont." By MIKE DONOGHUE Free Press Staff Writer UNDERHILL After lengthy wait and debate, Underhill voters agreed late Tuesday afternoon to have the town Planning Commission monitor the Ethan Allen Firing Range this year and to file findings for the next annual report. In other action Tuesday, voters ousted Lawrence W. Burgess, chairman of the selectmen. He was defeated by write-in candidate George H. Bradford, 245-157.

Voters also approved town and school budgets and authorized $30,000 to help relieve crowded conditions at the Underhill Central School. The range, which covers a large tract of land in Underhill, Jericho and Bolton, is maintained by the Vermont National Guard and General Electric. It has been a topic at the annual meetings for several years because some Underhill residents feel the public does not know enough about military activities at the range. This year, a six-member study committee in the town split evenly over the need for further monitoring. Three committee members said GE and the National Guard were doing a good job at the range and didn't need oversight.

Three other members said they found the guard to be less than fully cooperative and argued that a town body needs to keep and eye on what is happening at the range. The two sides filed separate reports in January, then went out of existence. Burgess told the crowd Tuesday the reports were "controversial and conflicting so we didn't publish them (in the town report) for that reason." Voters agreed to spend $200 toward reimbursing taxpayers who contributed $300 to have the two reports printed privately and mailed to residents. In Jericho, the firing range issue got about 10 minutes of attention from voters Tuesday morning, Town Clerk Phyllis Farrell said. Voters heard a report from John Shullenberger, one of five members on its town committee, she said.

Farrell said it will be up to selectmen during their reorganization meeting next week on whether the Jeri-Turn to UNDERHILL, 7B such as, Daley's competence and, leadership abilities. The feisty mayoral challenger; announced her candidacy on Jan. and immediately went after Daley claiming he had done nothing which had benefited the city. She made; repeated claims which suggested-Howard Shortsleeve the presr-' dent of the Board of Aldermen, and others are actually running the city government because Daley lacks the ability to do the job. Shortsleeve, who was re-elected to the board Tuesday, responded to Welch's accusations late in the mayoral campaign and wrote a letter which endorced Daley.

The letter Turn to RUTLAND, 7B PM mm. II. W.M r5 Duxbury Knows Acid Rain If If roles, vegetables and dessert. Then the price went up to "a double dime a dip." This year, they paid a quarter. Money items dominated the agenda.

The longest-running dispute surrounded neighboring Waterbury'i request for funds to run the Water-bury municipal swimming pook About 60 Duxbury families use the; pool regularly, according to a letter-from Waterbury officials. Residents gasped and whistled when Selectman Stephen Lickwar announced Waterbury wanted their) to pay 10 percent of the pool's operating costs or a whopping $2,400. "What would be the effects on the children of Duxbury if we voted against this item?" Tourin asked. "There may be some move to charge everyone who comes to the, pool," said Karen K. Steele, R-Water-bury, the town's representative in the Vermont House.

The discussion widened. Some people maintained the Waterbury was owed the money, simply because Duxburians use so many of the neighboring town's services. Duxbury lacks a pool, a library or extensive recreation programs. "I really think the town of Water-Turn to DUXBURY, 7B By DEBORAH SCHOCH Free Press Staff Writer DUXBURY Camel's Hump was shrouded behind clouds and blowing snow Tuesday when 90 townspeople trudged into the Dillingham Grange Hall, prepared to spend the day making policy. They argued over the quality of their school, the popularity of the Waterbury swimming pool and the number of gears they need in their new town truck.

Seven hours later, the citizens of Duxbury quietly voted "aye" on a measure related to the mountain looming invisibly above the hall. They urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "to pursue with all zeal" its efforts to solve the acid rain problems that may be killing the trees up on Camel's Hump. The vote was unanimous, with no debate. The mountain's peak is located within Duxbury, and many in this small, conservative town of 877 people say they have seen trees dying in once-healthy forests.

Long-time residents Tina and Francis Wilder, both 68, favor stricter controls to prevent acid rain. Tina Wilder was born In 1917 at the old Crouching Lion Farm high up the mountain, and she This is the second of a two-part series on the 1985 Duxbury town meeting. Today's article examines the Washington County community's town meeting. has witnessed changes in the forests. Francis Wilder believes the number of fish Is dwindling in the turbulent mountain streams.

"You go up and you see browned-out evergreens," added Jack Tourin, 68, a former selectman who moved to Duxbury in 1971. The acid-rain vote came at the end of a 25-item warning, or agenda, that will serve to guide the town's selectmen in 1985. But only 35 people stayed until the 4:10 p.m. vote. Others waited only until the $111,000 town budget passed in mid-afternoon before pulling on their coats and heading out into the gusty snowstorm.

They left behind a 1985 town tax rate of about $2.34 per $100 of assessed property value well above the current rate of $2. As in many Vermont towns, the biggest boost came school spending, which went up more than 14 percent Even the midday dish-to-pass meal costs more these days. Once Duxbury residents could fill their plates for "a dime a dip" of casse lr Associated Press Photo by TOBY TALBOT Pressing the Flesh Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin, a Burlington resident, shakes hands with Mayor Bernard -Sanders, a candidate for re-election, outside St.

Anthony's Parish Hall during city voting Tuesday. 1.