The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 14

Manchester Treasurer To Face Arraignment Senate Wants Sharper Teeth In Vt. Drunk Driving Laws Court Roundup j5 Vermont 1 1 1 I 1 1 Le9islature intendents said schools need a more flexible calendar to cope with the skyrocketing cost of busing students. Scott's proposal has come under On Embezzlement Count By JOE MAHONEY Frw Pratt Staff Writer Former Manchester Treasurer Harold Wisell will be arraigned on charges he embezzled town money'in a few weeks," Bennington County State's Attorney Raymond G. Bolton said Tuesday. Manchester selectmen last month removed Wisell, 58, from the job he held for 20 years after he admitted In a newspaper interview that he had pocketed town money.

John Sinclair of the state police fraud unit has investigated the town books and attempted to reconstruct how Wisell allegedly diverted the money to his own use. His affidavit has been reviewed by Bolton. Bolton said of the case: "I see no problems with it." In Rutland, meanwhile, Wisell's lawyer, Hary Ryan III, said he has "a basic problem" with criminal action against his client at the same time he is dealing with a civil lawsuit filed by the town of Manchester. "Until we resolve the criminal matter, my client has Fifth Amendment rights," Ryan said. He said he will oppose attempts by the town to depose Wisell for the civil case.

Manchester Town Attorney Arthur O'Dea also wants to take a deposition from Wisell's wife, Lois Wisell, who has retained Burlington lawyer Jon Egg-leston. Some of the Wisells' assets have been frozen as a result of a preliminary injunction issued in Bennington Superior Court. The injunction expires March 13. Bennington Banner reporter Maggie Paine quoted Wisell as saying he had been dipping into town funds "for years." l- Ryan would not talk about that aspect of the case Tuesday or whether he would attempt to subpoena Ms. Paine.

It is not known whether the news story will be cited in the police affidavit. 1 The prosecution evidence will not be made public until a judge finds probable cause. $300,000 Bail Set In Tax Evasion Case; Quigg Must Stay in N.E. Bail for Roger Quigg, convicted Saturday of two counts of federal income tax evasion, was set Tuesday at $300,000 and included travel restrictions. A resident of Nassau, the Bahamas, Quigg was ordered held without bail after a U.S.

District Court jury in Burlington found him guilty following a five-week trial. He could have been freed on bail until sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome F. O'Neill said Saturday it would not be possible to extradite Quigg from the Bahamas if he went there.

A 20-minute ball hearing was held before U.S. District Court Judge Albert W. Coffrin Tuesday afternoon. He set bail at $300,000 and said Quigg is to surrender his passport if he has one, stay in New. England and report weekly to his attorneys.

Bail had not been posted as of closing time at the court clerk's office Tuesday, a deputy clerk said. Quigg's attorney also indicated the bail conditions will be appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, the deputy clerk said. Quigg is being held at the Chittenden Community Correctional Center in South Burlington. He was convicted of evading more than $250,000 in federal taxes in 1973 and 1974.

He lived in Dover and owned a motel there at the time and was therefore tried in Vermont. A New York City policeman through most of the 1960s, Quigg also has been an entrepreneur. From Staff, Wir Reporti MONTPELIER Drunken drivers whose accidents involve a fatality would face stiffer penalties under legislation granted unanimous preliminary approval Tuesday by the Senate. A motorist convicted of DWI with a death resulting would face a mandatory one-year license suspension under the measure sponsored by Sen. David Gibson, R-Windham.

Present state law calls for a one-year suspension if a person is convicted of careless and negligent driving with a fatality resulting. A person convicted of the more serious offense of DWI can get a license back after three months if he or she attends alcohol counseling, whether or not a fatality occurs. "A quirk in Vermont law," is how Sen. E. Douglas McSweeny, D-Chit-tenden, described the present law.

What has been happening, said McSweeny, is that state's attorneys have been forced to charge those arrested on DWI charges in a fatal accident with careless driving. "The prosecutors have been forced to go for the lesser charge," McSweeny told his colleagues. Under the state's alcohol rehabilitation program for drunk drivers, called the CRASH program, a convicted drunk driver can get a license back after 90 days if he or she successfully completes the rehabilitation course. Shorter Week Urged Educators told a Senate committee Tuesday that a four-day school week would afford school districts substantial savings in fuel and heating costs. The Senate Education Committee is considering a bill sponsored by Sen.

Chester Scott, R-Windsor, that would let schools shorten their week. "All you would have to do is increase the school day by one hour and 23 minutes," Winooski Superintendent Donald Messier testified. "There are school districts in Chittenden County whose budget for gasoline is $100,000. A four-day week would mean a 20 percent savings." Schools still would be required to offer 27 hours a week of instruction. With a four-day week, each school day would have to be an average of six hours and 45 minutes long.

Messier and other super- Man Falls Into Cesspool, Sues Neighbor FREE nanni uaani i priority treatment long enough. Lawmakers will probably support a hike in the ski lift tax because skiing is considered a luxury sport enjoyed mostly by tourists, said Haley. He said Vermont usually assesses luxury items at a higher rate than the normal sales tax. The proposed tax hike would generate about $2.5 million annually, the senator said. Opponents of the bill warn that a tax increase now could hurt many smaller resorts that depend on instate skiers.

Joseph Parkinson, director of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, said the bill would place an additional burden on an industry already struggling to keep prices low. Abuse Bit! Passes House The Vermont House on Tuesday gave final approval on a voice vote to a bill broadening the definition of child abuse. The measure provides greater protection to those children who suffer mental injury and sexual abuse, which are not covered in detail in the present law. The bill's sponsors, Rep. Gretchen Morse, R-Charlotte, and Rep.

Judith Stephany, D-Burling-ton, say the lack of a detailed definition of mental and physical injury has hampered enforcement efforts. The bill also sets up a multi-disciplinary team of professionals and paraprofessionals to help identify and investigate cases of child abuse. The panel would have the authority to read confidential documents concerning cases. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration. Lost Rent Foreseen Transferring the Vermont Energy Office to a government office building could cost the state more than $50,000 a year in rent, according to State Buildings Director Irving Bates.

Bates said the the federally funded program probably would not be required to pay rent to the state. Gov. Richard Snelling suggested moving the office into a government building across from the Statehouse after a December fire destroyed its headquarters in the Cody Block on East State Street. Some Department of Labor and Industry offices would be moved out and consolidated with other parts of that department. Bates said relocating the Labor and Industry offices could cost the state between $50,000 and $60,000 a year in rent.

Snelling's plan was part of an executive order signed Jan. 13. The order will take effect in April unless the Legislature amends or rejects the plan. The Senate Government Operations Committee has approved the order and it is under consideration by another legislative committee. Audits Proposed Legislation to require municipalities and school districts to obtain an audit of their financial records by a certified public accountant at least every three years was introduced Tuesday in the Vermont House.

The bill was cosponsored by Rep. Stanley Hinkley, R-Manchester Center, whose town treasurer re MIDDLEBURY Plunging into a cesspool was not what John Donahue of Bristol had in mind when he went to extend season's greetings to his neighbor Dec. 31, 1979. Just before noon, Donahue en- HANDBOOK of the 1981 VERMONT Day in Court tered the back yard of Harold Dodge to wish him a happy New Year. As he stepped on the cesspool cover, the sod and boards collapsed, according to a lawsuit filed in Addison County Superior Court.

"He was immersed in slime and sludge up to his hips," said the suit, which seeks $28,000 in damages from Dodge and his landlord, Alice Lauritsen, "for the pain, suffering and humiliation occasioned by this action." The suit claims Donahue also injured his back. Because all his clothes a suit, topcoat, hat, underwear, socks, shoes and shirt had to be discarded, Donahue is seeking an additional $250. OISTRICT COURT CHITTINDEN CIRCUIT JwdRM Aim W. CMk ana Edward J. Cattail 17: Mavar, 33, Richmond charged with LEGISLATURE criticism for ignoring the inconvenience caused working parents.

If both parents work, students might have nowhere to go on their extra day off. "I believe the youth in Winooski would find something constructive to do," Messier said. "The working parent would have to make provisions." Messier said studies on shortened school weeks in New Mexico and Colorado showed improved teacher and student attendance. Vermont Education Association spokesman David Bongiolatti said the bill could create problems with teacher contracts that spell out the number of days teachers are required to work in a year. A four-day school week would reduce the number of days in the year.

House Favors 9-Digit Zip The Vermont House endorsed plans Tuesday to move to a nine-digit zip code by refusing to adopt a Senate-passed resolution condemning the longer mail codes. The action on the zip codes came as a surprise to backers of the resolution, who had seen their proposal win the unanimous backing of the House Government Operations Committee. Introduced by Sen. William Doyle, R-Washington, the resolution was designed to put the state on record as opposing the Postal Service's move from five-digit to nine-digit zip codes. The resolution said postal patrons would be "subjected to great costs and inconvenience in converting their existing mail processing equipment" and it condemned "the increased emphasis upon number over people." But House members argued today that the move to the nine-digit codes would be optional and that some businesses favored it.

Rep. Thomas Candon, D-Rut-land, said passage of the resolution would be "bad for business," emphasizing that the new expanded sorting codes would be optional. Rep. Stuart Hunt, R-West Brat-tleboro, said he had received a letter from the publishers of Country Journal, a magazine published in Manchester, saying the changeover would save them a good deal of money. The resolution failed on a voice vote despite the attempts of its backers to convince House members the nine-digit zip codes would be optional at the beginning but that the Postal Service would soon make them mandatory.

Bigger Tax Proposed A Bennington County senator wants to tap skiers for more money so he has drafted a bill that would boost the 3 percent sales tax on ski lift tickets. Sen. Thomas Haley, R-Benning-ton, said his proposal would hike the state tax to 8 percent. Haley said he hopes to introduce the measure this week. The senator, who represents a county that has many ski resorts, said he believes legislators feel the state's ski industry has been given THE NEW telling and dispensing a regulated arug ucf.

21 and 31 In Burlington; pleaded guilty; presentence Investigation ordered. Oarv L. Belle, 30, Underhill charged with driving while Intoxicated and while license suspended Jan. 5 in Underhill; pleaded no contest; fined $300. Richard R.

Meade, 21. Cranford. N.J. charged with DWI Oec. 17 in Colchester; pleaded Innocent; released on $200 ball.

Stafford's Aide Schedules Visits John Holmes of the Burlington office of U.S. Sen. Robert T. Stafford, will be in St. Albans and Newport Thursday and St.

John-sbury Friday. The following schedule has been planned: St. Albans, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., conference room, Federal Building; Newport, room 12, Federal Building, 2 to 4 p.m.; and St. Johnsbury, conference room, post office building, 26 Main 10 a.m. to noon.

Appointments may be made by calling 951-6707 collect. This handy 16-page leaflet con-Ulna information on who' who in Vermont government! State Officers Senators Representatives including listings alphabetical and district, with home addrcuee and political affiliations. Other information coven committees, length of session and compensation. To gt your free copy, stop in of the Free Press switchboard or land a stamped, self-ad-dratd nvalop (ordinary size) to: LEGISLATIVE HANDBOOK BURLINGTON FREE PRESS 191 COLLEGE STREET BURLINGTON, VT. 05401 Bulk quantities available to J' qualified organizations Call 863-344 1 for information on ENGRAVING INC.

(802) 862-3000 1225 AIRPORT PARKWAY SO. BURLINGTON, VERMONT Special Buys through March on BOWLING TROPHIES 60 Off Our Catalogue Items plus 60 10 Off Discontinued Lines On Display at our Showroom now. Trophies, silver and pewter, clocks and plaques. You'll never know the power of Free Press Sanders Opens Campaign Office Mayoral candidate Bernard Sanders has opened a campaign office at 105 Loomis second floor, campaign manager Linda Niedweske said Tuesday. Ms.

Niedweske said offices and chairmen in all six city wards will be announced this week. The telephone numbers for the office are 862-6884 and 864-7061. A citywide organization must be established, Ms. Niedweske said, to match Mayor Gordon Paquette's "well-organized political machine." Capitol Calendar TUESDAY Smats Passed and sent to the House a bill allowing fines ot up to S2S tor motorists who park In areas reserved tor the handicapped. Approved a bill increasing the penalty tor motorists convicted of drunk driving after a fatal accident.

Passed and sent to the House a bill allowing the towns of Rutland and Clarendon to set up a lolnt municipal development authority. House Passed a bill altering child abuse lows. Relected a resolution opposed to nlne-dlgrt zip codes. TODAY Senate Will convene at 8 :30 a.m. (Most senators olon to attend It :30 a.m.

funeral services In Island Pond for former Sen. John Bovlan, R-EssexOrleans. who died Saturday.) 'House Will convene at 8:30 a.m. Classified until you use it. To place an ad call 658-33211 postage required for mailing.

Vermonterj Serving Vermonters signed during an investigation into allegations he embezzled town and school funds. Under current state law an audit by a certified public accountant can only be held if approved by town voters. The proposed legislation would require an audit every three years starting in 1983. The Exciting dllfox (DHJMID) SfflKDW "How dbx Reinvented The Record" WIEDD. IFelbo II iB I I Dental Care Savings! PARTICIPATING BRANDS Check for valuable coupons on these products In February 22nd Sunday newspaper.

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