The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 7

Ije furltngton Deaths 2B Classified 10B Wednesday, March 7, 1984 Sfowe Says No to Police Pay By TIM CALLAHAN set at $1,718,539. Both budget pro posed in the town report to increase the department's budget from $261,501 to $290,286. Police officers wanted nearly $30,000. The controversy continued at the town meeting as 300 people participated in, or listened to, arguments for and against raising the pay level. Police Chief Kenneth Libby, who said he has "stayed out of it (the dispute)" until last week, spoke strongly in favor of salary increas es.

"My goal is to maintain my staff," he said. "We have 15-year officers who risk their lives on the street everyday who get $18,000 a year. Some kind of adjustment is justified." He cited statistics from a phone survey he conducted to emphasize the need for "rewarding my officers." Based on Stowe's population, he said, the town should have 15 men. Special to the Free Press STOWE Town meeting voters rejected, 214-151, authorizing an additional $28,954 in salaries for the Stowe Police Department Tuesday. At the annual meeting, the proposed town school district budget of $2,310,000 was approved and the town budget after voters agreed to some additional expenditures requested in the town report was It now has seven.

The average Vermont officer, he said, handles 50 major cases a year. He said Stowe officers average 64 per man per year. "We have to consider some kind of reward for the tough, good job they are doing," he said. Selectman Herbert O'Brien urged the voters to "vote down the proposed increases." "Across the board, the town budget increase is 5Vi percent," he said. "The police are asking for a 35 percent pay increase for senior officers and 37 percent for junior officers.

That is totally irresponsible. Vote it down." The almost five-hour meeting threatened to become longer when Leigh ton Detora, a lawyer who has helped the Stowe Police Officers Association, tried to tack a $13,500 salary increase to another article. "People approached me after Turn to VOTERS, 10B posals caused some debate, but were overwhelmingly approved. Most of the meeting was dominated by the Police Department salary increase proposal. The issue has been a subject of debate in Stowe for months.

The Stowe Police Officers Association submitted a petition to have the question on the warning, after selectmen declined their request for higher wages. The board had pro Sanders Fails To Get Control Balanced Budget Amendment Gets Limited Support 1 "1 By DEBORAH SLINE Free Press Staff Writer DUXBURY It took voters in this central Vermont town eight hours Tuesday to cope with local money matters, but less than a minute to table a proposed call for a balanced federal budget. About 150 Duxbury residents stayed willingly all day at the Grange Hall to vote on town officers and school spending, but their enthusiasm waned when it came to the federal government's money troubles. Residents voted overwhelmingly to table a proposal urging the Legislature to demand a constitutional convention on a federal balanced budget amendment. One voter claimed a convention would "open a can of worms," and the rest seemed to agree.

"I'd like to encourage people to vote even though we all do support a balanced budget," John Shane told fellow voters. "It frightens me that we could potentially change the Constitution of the United States by doing this." Other Duxbury residents agreed, and the issue was passed over with objections from only a handful of the voters. "I feel the vote to table was, in effect, a 'no' vote," former Selectman jack Tourin said later. "The intent was the same." Duxbury's decision was repeated in several of the 40-odd Vermont communities which had the issue up for debate at town meetings. In Dorset the resolution was rejected after a speech by Sen.

Madeline Harwood, R-Bennington, suggesting there are better ways to balance the budget than by convening a constitutional convention. It also was defeated in Ryegate, 48-34, and by a voice votes in Barnet, Sheffield and Cornwall, where the issue was raised from the floor. It also went down in Dorset, Barnet, Marlboro, Sutton, Bradford and Peacham In Lyndon" the resolution was tabled. Troy decided a constitutional convention might not be confined to the one issue of balancing the budget and so decided not to consider the resolution. Glover also voted, 62-38, to pass over the balanced budget amendment, as did voters in Troy.

It also was tabled in Rochester, Duxbury and Danville. Grand Isle residents heartily endorsed the idea Monday night, voting 69-16 in favor of directing local legislators to support the resolution. Shoreham passed it by voice vote from the floor. The lukewarm reaction in Duxbury and other towns will do little to help those who want Vermont to become the 33rd state to push for a constitutional convention on the issue. Thirty-two states have passed resolutions urging Congress to call a convention, and only two more states are needed to force it.

Vermont's resolution on the subject is sitting in the Legislature, where disinterest makes its passage seem unlikely. Like other Vermont towns, Duxbury has never, been reluctant to Turn to BALANCE, 10B V- voted to tax themselves 16 cents per $100 of assessed property value to be dedicated exclusively to resurfacing the city's crumbling streets. With not all votes in, that splinter tax item was leading 61.7 percent to 38.3 percent. A 36-cent increase in the school tax rate also appeared headed for passage, although by a much smaller margin. Early tallies showed that issue passing by 53.9 percent to 46.1 percent.

A charter change under which the School Department and the city will split all payments in lieu of taxes and each will assume its own debt service was passing 64.4 percent to 35.6 percent. The dream of Rick Sharp of the Citizens Waterfront Group to create a nine-mile bicycle path and promenade from one end of the city to the other along the waterfront seemed doomed at least to be delayed. Residents were voting in favor of a $2 million bond issue to create the pathway, but by only 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent, far short of the two-thirds majority needed. Sanders had opposed the plan on grounds that the cost of the path was unknown and might in fact be much cheaper. An advisory question designed by city officials to present the state Public Service Board with convincing evidence that winter electric rates are unpopular seemed to have been successful.

Voters said the city should oppose any increase beyond the current 1.37 to 1 winter-summer rate differential by a vote of about 68.1 percent to 31.9 percent, according to the preliminary returns. In the Ward 1 aldermanic race, Musty defeated his Democratic challenger, James Rowell, by 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent, according to a tally that did not include absentee ballots. In Ward 2, Breiner crushed Democrat Alan Dalton by 72.5 percent to 27.5 percent. Dalton, who is blind, had faced charges of financial impropriety during the final week of the campaign. In Ward 3, DeCarolis squelched the bid of Francis Palm to move from the School Board to the Board of Aldermen.

DeCarolis won about 60.1 percent of the vote to Palm's 39.9 percent. In Ward 4, the race for seat was won by incumbent Republican William Skelton. Early returns showed Skelton winning about 48 Turn to SANDERS, 10B By DON MELVIN Free Press Stoff Writer Mayor Bernard Sanders and his Progressive Coalition inched forward Tuesday in their effort to alter the political landscape of Burlington, but majority control of the Board of Aldermen eluded their grasp. The coalition's three incumbents who were running for re-election Richard Musty in Ward 1, Zoe Breiner in Ward 2 and Gary DeCa-rolis in Ward 3 all held their seats. In addition, in Ward 5, political newcomer George Thabault, a Sanders supporter, defeated incumbent Democrat James Burns, perhaps Sanders' most vociferous critic on the board.

It was a dark night for the Democrats, who once dominated politics in Burlington. They ran seven aldermanic candidates, and all seven lost. Two years ago, the party controlled eight of the Board of Aldermen's 13 seats. Now, with Burns' loss, the party's representation on the board is down to two. Tuesday night's election results tips the balance on the board just slightly.

The membership had been five progressives, five Republicans and three Democrats. The new board will have six progressives, five Republicans and two Democrats. Sanders supporters on the board will still be able to sustain his vetoes, but he will still be unable to pass his initiatives, such as alternatives to the property tax, without help from another political faction. The difference will be that instead of having to persuade two opposing members of the board he will need to pick up only one vote to put together a majority on any particular issue. At a victory celebration Tuesday night, the mayor said he was pleased.

"I think what has happened in Burlington tonight continues to be unique in the entire United States," he said. Thanking voters for their support, he said, "We hope we will live up to their faith." The Progressive Coalition made its first inroads on the School Board as well. Democrats had held 11 of the 13 seats with the remaining two being held by Republicans. Tuesday evening the Progressives were leading for two Democratic seats in early returns. Voters also seemed to be in a generous mood.

According to preliminary unofficial returns, they Free Press Photo by JYM WIISON Ralph Davis, left, Jack Tourin, George Welch and Wayne Lewis count votes after balloting for town offices in Duxbury. Towns Vote to Ship Trash to Rutland found themselves in the position of having few alternatives. So they formed a committee to come up with proposals," said Michael Preziose, executive director of the Addison County Regional Planning and Development Commission. He said the committee was interested in the Vicon proposal for a number of reasons. "It was a combination of things the landfill filling up, wanting an environmentally sound way to dispose of solid waste, and the chance for a 20-year contract," he said.

Vicon is planning to build the trash incinerator on a five-acre site near the waste treatment plant in Rutland. The plant would burn trash from Rutland, Bennington and Addison counties and generate four megawatts of electricity, which would be sold to the Central Vermont Public Service Corp. for the towns. All but one of the towns, Ripton, now truck their trash to a regional landfill in Bristol, under contract with Vicon Recovery Systems of Butler, N.J. Starting in 1986, Vicon would truck the waste to its Rutland plant instead, for an initial charge of $25 a ton.

The cost would go up each year at 70 percent of the inflation rate. The contract is not dependent on unanimous approval by the towns; towns that vote in favor of the contract can ship their trash to Vicon even if other towns choose not to. A regional solid waste committee was established in the county in 1979, when the towns were negotiating a contract with Ted Hubbard, who then operated the regional landfill in Bristol. "When they were negotiating, (the towns) By CANDACE PAGE Free Press Staff Writer Voters in at least 10 Addison County towns voted Tuesday to begin shipping their trash to Rutland in 1986, to have it burned in an electrical generating plant The proposal was approved in Ripton, Addison, New Haven, Monkton, Panton, Middlebury, Cornwall, Ferrisburg, Weybridge and Vergennes. The town of Waltham, the only other town in the county voting on the issue, had not reported.

In a typical report Tuesday night, Monkton Town Clerk Carmelita Burritt said the proposal generated little debate at the meeting. "We don't have much choice, I guess," she said. "We've got to go somewhere with it." The new system is not supposed to mean a substantial increase in the cost of trash disposal Mendon, Rutland Reject State's Plan for Bypass If place it either directly through or very close to two housing developments in Mendon. According to Carsones, Vermont law regarding such a vote says if residents of a town who would be affected by the state's project vote against a proposal within a year of the highway corridor hearing, the project is to be suspended by the Transportation Agency. The agency has not announced its final route selection and land acquisitions are not expected to occur until after 1988.

Mendon residents also voted 239-163 against amending their town plan to allow ski area development by the Sherburne Corp. which operates the Killington Ski Area. Specifically, town residents said "no" to eliminating existing restrictions which prohibit development at elevations above 2.500 feet or on slopes which have a grade of more than 25 percent. Uinciais oi Hie Sherburne Cui p. cauipdigueu iioiu for the amendment.

Corporation officials sent out informational material to all town voters in addition to attending special town meetings in order to press their case. The ski area developers sought a "yes" vote on the item so they could begin Act 250 proceedings in order to build ski trails, lifts and housing units in the Parkers Gore East area in the town. The town plan, which prohibits such development in the Parkers Gore East area, is to expire in 1985. At the Rutland town meeting, Selectman Clifford Young defeated Harold Billings, former Rutland representative, 749-451, for another three-year term. First Constable Anthony J.

Flori defeated challenger Andrew Lampiasi, 823-384, and Road Commissioner Marshall B. Fish defeated David S. 'freed, 709-523. By JOSEPH ZINGALE Free Press Correspondent Voters in the Rutland County towns of Mendon and Rutland both voted "no" at town meetings Tuesday on a state Transportation Agency proposal for a southeast bypass which could route traffic from U.S. 4 and 7 through the two small towns.

The Mendon vote was 350-81 and the Rutland vote 941-305. Rutland town officials attached a clarification to their ballot which stated the vote was informational and will not be binding on the town. However, Mendon Town Attorney Theodore Corsones has said a "no" vote on the proposed corridor would be binding. The proposed southeast bypass, which is not included in the Transportation Agency's five-year construction budget, is part of its long-range plan to remedy anticipated traffic problems in Rutland City. Construction is set to begin this spring on a long- wilwt htmi vrKih will IlivArt A9tfwlinH traffic from U.S.

4 in West Rutland, through Rutland Town, and connect with U.S. 7 just south of Rutland City near the Holiday Inn. A number of the proposed routes for the southeast bypass would begin across the street from the Holiday Inn and would run directly through choice commercialindustrial land as well as residential property in Rutland Town. It would run mainly through residential areas in Mendon. Mendon Selectman Frank Ellis has said the town could lose a significant amount of its southern population and a considerable portion of its tax base if the bypass is built.

As much as 25 percent of the town's $40 million tax base could be eliminated by the construction of the bypass, according to Mendon Selectman Leo Lawrence. He said thcee of the proposed routes would iiwnrwuwiiii Wfirr "JIPJ! WM1I "I 'U jfflll I I "iir vtwiWS mil timmmmn VOTED BALLOTS Td Be I Lr Free Press Photo by IRENE FERTIK This Way, Please M. Doran Pierce, a ballot box attendant in Lincoln, shows voters the way out after they've cast their ballots Tuesday at the annual town meeting. Under his left elbow is a sample, presidential primary ballot. i.