The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 15

hmi I. Obituaries Poge 16 Comics Poge 22 Sports Pcge 1 8 MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1976 Poge 1 5 St. Albans Council To Tackle 3 Controversial Issues By WALT PLATTEBORZE Ftm Pru Staff Writer ST. ALBANS The City Council is scheduled to tackle three controversial matters water rates, the charter tax ceiling and a proposed antiobscenity ordinance when it meets tonight at 7:30 in City Hall. Mayor Mervin "Ken" Kaye said Sunday he anticipates that two of the issues may be referred to committee for further study while a "further recommendation regarding water rates" is expected from the-Public Works Committee headed by Charles Rich.

Last April the council approved a 53 per cent hike in municipal water rates effective July 1 to wipe out an estimated explicit materials only to persons under 18 years old. However, the attorney general's office has drafted a proposed amendment to the obscenity law that would expand it to adults. Kaye said he has requested City Manager Eugene Schiller to get information on the proposal from the state and said if he feels the proposal is strong enough "I might propose to adopt that now" as a local standard. The mayor pointed out that City Atty. Richard Gadbois has maintained that adoption of a local ordinance may prove costly to the city but that adoption of an already prepared state proposal could eliminate all or part of the expense.

endorsed by a 200-vote margin a proposal directing the City Council to draft a local ordinance banning the display and sale to adults, as well as to minors, of literature, pictures or films judged locally to be obscene. Kaye said he expected the proposal to be directed to a council committee for development of an ordinance. "We've got stuff on the shelves now in St. Albans that any 4-year-old can get his hands on and that any mother would be embarrassed at what she saw," said Kaye, who added he believes "the council wants something (local) on the books and doesn't care if it is compatible with state law, or not" Current state law bans sale of sexually Bills on Pornography Due in Legislature charter the amount residents can be taxed without a vote to 2 from the current $4. In 1974 St.

Albans voters approved lowering the rate 2.75 with a charter amendment. However, the city clerk's office neglected to advise the secretary of state's office of the decision, thus apparently invalidating the decrease. Councilman Guyette has since maintained that the council must put the matter to a popular vote because the petitions, signed by more than 500 residents, are a mandate under initiative procedure. The council and Kaye, while voicing reservations over lowering the ceiling, agreed to place the matter on the June agenda for further discussion. Earlier this month St.

Albans residents Making Time By KATHERINE GREGG Free Press Capitol Bureau MONTPELIER The question of whether obscene material should be sold to adults is bound to reach the legislature next year, according to one legislator who vowed, if reelected, to dust off and reintroduce a previously unsucccessful bill that would have allowed communities to adopt their own antiobscenity ordinances. Rep. Lew Kedroff, R-Springfield, promised Sunday to resurrect his 1973-74 local-option bill that died in the House Judiciary Committee, where protecting adults against pornography "didn't appear a problem at the time," according to House Speaker and former Committee Chairman Timothy O'Connor, D-Brattleboro. Calling for a different approach, House Democratic Leader Thomas Candon of Rutland said he would introduce legislation establishing a statewide standard for banning obscene materials if none of his colleagues does so first. "But I expect any number of these bills will be presented." Meanwhile, none of the candidates for governor or attorney general available for comment was willing to endorse or advocate broadening Vermont's obscenity law.

Presently the law only prohibits the distribution, display or sale of obscene materials to minors, with the exception of a ban on x-rated movies that can be seen outside a drive-in theater. Montpelier High Senior Named Exchange Student Vermont roundup Medical Center Begins Drive A breakfast at the Sheraton Motor Inn this morning at 8 will open a one-week drive designed to focus attention on the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont and its health car role in the area. Burlington Mayor Gordon H. Paquette has proclaimed this week Medical Center Hospital of Vermont Week. All funds during that time will be turned over to the hospital for monitoring and diagnostic devices for open heart surgery, coronary care and labor and delivery care, for support of a Vermont Poison Center and for improvements of helicopter air-rescue landing facilities.

More than 25,000 was raised for the hospital during the one-week period last year. Anyone wishing to make a contribution may send it to the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont in Burlington. The final report meeting will be Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Redwood Motel. Education Board Meets MONTPELIER The State Board of Education, scheduled to meet all day Tuesday in the Pavilion Auditorium, is expected to rule on Essex Town's eligibility for state aid, which would fund 30 per cent of the construction cost of a new high school.

The Essex Town School Board must prove an "urgent need" for the school in order to receive state funds. The state board is also expected to discuss federal programs for secondary and elementary schools when it meets tonight at 8 p.m. in the Waitsfield Elementary School. Tuesday's meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. Approval of secondary schools and discussion of a proposed area vocational school in the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union are also on the agenda.

Youth Conservation Camp MIDDLEBURY An eight-week Youth Conservation Corps camp for persons 15 to 18 years old will start June 28 at the district headquarters of the Green Mountain National Forest. The camp will host 20 local youths. Projects scheduled include construction of a 40-foot bridge and improvement work on the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail, start of a new trail near Moosalamoo Campground, trail and shelter maintenance throughout the district, a community service project and wildlife habitat improvement work. Skating Injury Brings Suit Charles Anderson of Proctor has filed a $275,000 negligence suit in U.S. District Court against the W.T.

Grant Co. and the Bauer Canadian Skate Co. Anderson claims Grants sold him a pair of defective Bauer skates, which resulted in "severe and permanent injuries" to him. While Anderson was using the skates, according to the suit, one of the blades "failed," causing him to fall. He fractured his right elbow and had to undergo surgery, the suit claims.

According to the suit, the injuries were a direct result of both companies' negligence. The suit asks for trial by jury. No hearing date has been set by the court. Government Meetings In Chittenden County Week of June 13 BURLINGTON Library Board Personnel Committee, today, 8:30 a.m., Memorial Auditorium, to consider cutting services. Board of Aldermen, today, noon, City Hall council room, to adopt the fiscal 1977 budget.

Board of Aldermen, today, 7:30 p.m., regular monthly meeting. Aldermanlc Sanitary Landfill Committee, Tuesday, 4 p.m., City Hall council room, to reconsider the time schedule and rate structure. Burlington Housing Authority, Tuesday, 7 Riverside Recreation Center. School Board, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Studio Building, work session.

School Board Negotiations Committee and Administrators, Wednesday, 4 p.m., Studio Building. School Board Curriculum Committee, Wednesday, 4 p.m., Administration Building. Closed-door Session School Board Personnel Committee, Thursday, 4 p.m., Studio Building. CHARLOTTE Selectmen, today, 8 town clerk'i office. Planning Commbikm, Tuesday, 8 p.m., town clerk's office.

CHITTENDEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE COMMITTEE Chittenden County Courthouse Commit-Turn to GOVERNMENT, Page II $110,000 account deficit and make the water delivery program pay for itself. A residents' group headed by newly elected Councilman Roseanna Guyette subsequ-ently objected to the increase and mounted a petition drive aimed at making the council put the question to a vote. Mrs. Guyette also pointed out several alleged instances in which the city was not charging full use rates to some customers. The actions p-rompted a reassessment of the rate hike by Rich 's committee.

Kaye said he is "not so sure" the committee will submit a recommendation that would substantially lower, or raise, the adopted rate. Mrs. Guyette also led a petition drive to lower the municipal tax ceiling allowed by Community concern over the recent opening of a chain of bookstores selling sexually explicit materials prompted the attorney general's office to draft legislation to protectc adults as well minors from "patently offensive materials." The proposal drafted by Asst. Atty. Gen.

Benson Scotch calls for a statewide ban against very specifically defined sexually explicit materials. Although a landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision said standards for judging obscenity could be local or statewide, Scotch opted for a statewide standard to avoid "ending up with 246 editions of the same book." Kedroff, however, believes the Supreme Court intended to tell individual communities they could establish their own standards for abolishing objectionable materials. Predicting the 1977 Legislature will be more receptive to his proposal, Kedroff said he would reintroduce the same bill, if his district returns him to the legislature. Kedroff renewed effort could either be matched or supported by Sen.

Donald Smith, R-Washington, whose district includes one of the Napco Development adult bookstores. "I would just as soon introduce such legislation if no one else does," said Smith, adding, "What kinds of minds can think up some of that stuff. I don't see ow state laws can allow it." Portuguese and to really become friends with Brazilians, learning as much as I can about Brazilian culture," she said. The daughter of Mrs. Barbara M.

Book of Montpelier, and Dr. Robert M. Book Jr. of Middlebury, she graduated on June 1 1 from Montpelier High School, where she has been active in the AFS chapter for four years. participants to get the foodfrom stores with vouchers similar to food stamps.

The vouchers would be picked up at local WIC offices. Robbins said the shift from direct delivery by contracted dairy distributors tothe voucher system could boost administrative costs by $150,000. The grocers' association has pushed for the Emergency Board's decision made in 1974 but deferred until now because of funding uncertainties as a means of increasing vendor participation. Although Goldberg said in a telephone interview he doesn't question the value of the program, he maintained that "what I'm questioning is the way it's been handled here in Vermont." Goldberg said he wonders how the Health Department, which administers the program, spent $440,000 on administrative expenses. Alan Charron, the department's director of local health and WIC budget admin should be a short one, since the aldermen will meet at noon to adopt a proposed budget of SI 4.9 million for fiscal 1977, which suits July I.

The budget is baed on 10.08 tax rate. AS la yar contract with fomer city treasurer and now consultant Raymond Contois will be renewed, but at 88 cents per year to reflect a 12 per cent cutback. (Most city departments were forced to cut their budgets to 12 per cent below their present appropriations) The contract includes a light hearted note that Contois will "provide such assistance to the city as a consultant on the basis of a fair day's pay for a fair day'a work." Chief Librarian Kathleen Geary will ask permission to hire a circulation chief to replace the person who will resign July 1. Traffic Engineer Donald Morley wiJ ask permission to create a full-time general maintenance position from a is MONTPELIER Anne Book, a senior at Montpelier High School, has been selected by the American Field Service organization as an exchange student to spend the summer in Brazil. She leaves from New York City on June 21 for Brazil, where she will live for 10 weeks with a Brazilian family.

"My main goals in Brazil will be to learn A member of the Olympians whizzes down Vermont 108 toward Jefferson-ville during the 86-mile bike race Saturday. City Budget To Be Voted By Aldermen By MARGARET MCCAHILL Free Prtii Staff Writer Few problems are expected at noon today when Burlington's aldermen vote on Mayor Gordon Paquette's proposed budget of $14.9 million, effective July 1, for the operation of city departments and schools. The budget holds the tax rate at 10.08. An informal survey of aldermen Sunday predictably showed the 13 board members may not like the reduction in services that will result from the budget, "But you do the best you can with what you have," said Ward 3 Alderman Richard Hammond. "It's not an optimum budget," said Ward 6 Alderman Patricia Novotny.

The budget cuts the Fire, Police, Street and Parks Department's fiscal 1976 appropriations by 12 per cent; eliminates the seven-man garbage collection service; cuts the Library Departmentbudget by 23 per cent; and requires the dismissal of 14 city employes. "The budget will be rubberstamped, as usual," said Ward 2 Alderman Paul Couture. "1 personally don't like the way nonrevenue-producing departments (such as police, fire and street) were cut and the revenue-producing departments (like water and electric light) were given open checks," he said. The Water and Electric Departments were not forced to make budget cuts. Couture said he would prefer reducing the larger departmental budgets and restoring some funds to the Library Department.

'The library is in bad shape now, and it's going to get worse," Couture said. The personnel committee of the 10-man Library Board will meet today at 8:30 a.m. to consider cutting back services to stay within 117,000 budget, down from this fiscal year's budget of 152,000. Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Desautels said, "I have no big hangups with the budget, except the schools have too much." The budget gives $5.3 million to the School Department with the rest of the approximately 10 million raised in taxes going to other city departments. The School Department's total budget is about $9 million, including federal money.

The 14.9 million total city budget includes money raised through fees and such as well as taxes. It is about $500,000 lower than the fiscal 1976 budget in effect through June 30. Paquette has said many times he did not like recommending cuts, "But we're just doing what the taxpayers asked us to." On March 4, voters defeated requests for a 48-cent increase in the city tax rate and for a 50-cent increase in the school rate. The city's financial woes were worsened by a reduction of approximately $700,000 in the federal revenue-sharing appropriationfor fiscal 1977 which will begin July 1. The city got 1.25 million from the federal program, due to expire Dec.

31, for fiscal 1976. Congressional action by October may extend the program which calls for Burlington to receive as much 1.3 million for a year. Paquette said, 'There is some talk about using revenue sharing for bringing back the people who are dismissed. But that's not true. We've made a commitment to capital improvements." lane series University of Vermont BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.

Guest pianist: Andre Watts. Bicentennial program: (Vet, Gershwin, Mocdowell, Bernstein. Most prestigious concert in the history of the lane Series. Tickets: $10, $8, $6. lane I6J.2JJ1 Office, 234 Watermon.

Tel 656-3418 for reservations. IDWMMtl! xntw tnoou MlMOTON.in. MY 1, 8 P.M. MEMORIAL AUDI, BURL nvestigation Urged of Vermont's WIC Program Free Prett Photo by Tim Riven Goldberg also alleged that Robbins might have accepted federal money for the program before the expenditure was approved by the Emergency Board, which reviewsstate use of federal money when the legislature is not in session. Robbins denied this.

Maintaining the voucher system would cost less than the current home delivery system, Goldberg said Robbins failed to bring out what Goldberg termed the fact that current distribution directly tohomes might be more expensive than buying the foodstuffs at grocery stores. But Robbins said: 'The answer is that dairy products are cheaper at some stores and more expensive at others. It's the delivery service that we now use that raises the cost in some cases higher than what people can buy it at some stores; at some it doesn't. But the overall cost is lower" than it would be under the voucher system. istrator, Sunday countered Goldberg's figures by reporting that approximately 300,000 was spent for administration in 1975.

However, Charron said administrative costs could range around the 440,000 figure this year because of increased funding levels and new program requirements. According to Charron, federal spending guidelines last year for WIC allowed states to budget 10 per cent of the grant for administrative expenses. The entire WIC budget was $3.9 million, he said, which meant the department was roughly $90,000 below the maximum. Vermont's WIC budget this year is expected to be $5.5 million, Charron said, partially due to the mandatory addition of a nutritional education program required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

He said the federal government has boosted allowable administrative spending to 25 per cent to cover nutritionist salaries and other costs. By CARLO WOLFF AND WALT PLATTEBORZE Ftm Prn Staff Writer A former director of the Vermont Retail Grocers Association has called for an investigation of the state's handling of a federally funded program aimed at bringing low-cost food to pregnant women andnursing mothers and children. Ronald Goldberg of Rutland said John Gray, former highway commissioner and now a gubernatorial consultant in charge of investigating and overseeing federally funded state projects, should launch a probe into administration of the system. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program provides dairy products and certain other foodstuffs at reduced rates to low-income mothers and young children. Late last week Health Commissioner Dr.

Anthony Robbins asked the state Emergency Board to recoasider its decision to end home delivery and require Board To Consider Hiring Freeze Extension BURLINGTON CAR WAX "DONl IT HAND" dents of cities named Burlington in 21 states. The Seventh-day Adventist Church will ask permission to hold a tag day Aug. 6. Neil Pankler of Maine will ask for permission to start a sandwich-board advertising business in Burlington. A report from the state Air and Solid Waste Program will give the Burlington landfill a clean bill of health, based on an inspection May 19.

The report also calls for another inspection In 30 days. The Finance Board will report its refusal to give the city Bicentennial Committee free use of Memorial Auditorium as an alternate site for Fourth of July concerts In case of ram. The members decided the committee should pay the aame fees as any other organization seeking to use the auditorium. Groups also must ptovide that one custodian, five policemli and six fire fighters be on duty during concerti. half-time position by applying wages made available by a resignation.

The part-time maintenance worker's salary federally funded. Vincent Naramore will submit his resignation effective Aug 15 from the Library Board, since he will move from Burlington. In his capacity as editor of The South End News, a community newspaper. School Commissioner Henry Frankel will ask for creation of a three-minute parking zone in front of City Hall to allow residents to drop off not only their electric bills in a special chute, but also their property and poll tax payments and their water bills. The selectmen of Burlington, will notify the city of a May 1 1 resolution to grant "honorary citizenship" to residents of their "sister city," Burlington, Vt.

The resolution includes an inviuf on to visit the Bay State city during the Bicentennial and ii extended to resi By MARGARET MCCAHILL hm Stofl Wntr The city Finance Board tonight will recommend Burlington aldermen extend for at least few months a hiring freeze imposed March 5. The Finance Board, composed of Mayor Gordon Paquette, City Treasurer F. Lee Austin, Aldermanic President Paul Fisher and Aldermen Frank Dion and William Blanchard, laid the freeze has not created a hardship in city Paquette ordered the freeze one day after voters defeated a request to raise the 10.08 tax rate by 48 cents. Since then, department heads have had to get aldermanic approval to hire new personnel The aldermen have not turned down any requests, but, as Blanchard laid, "It keeps ui Informed what'a going on In department." The Board of Aldermen which itarta at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, p.m.

txf ifii, COM MhufuM.trr 1 "tMUKlAl AUDI, BURL. I geuei ai maintenance position irom a Bicentennial and is extended to resi- concerts.