The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 9

GteXJuTiingtcnjfrtt Press utility esil But McCarren, Gov. Richard Soelling's choice to represent the public in utility matters as Public Service commissioner, said she will only disqualify herself from matters in which she might have gained confidential information by representing Green Mountain Power. That decision leaves a host of McCARREN other cases on which McCarren and the firm represented the state's second larg- fl If mZ, SECTION Thursday, January 24, 1991 Metro Editor, Rob Bey Phone: 660-1862 State notes Democrats won't field mayoral candidate The Burlington Democratic Party voted Wednesday night not to field a candidate in this year's mayoral election. The motion was made by Ion Laska-ris, who said the Democrats couldnt nominate a candidate with a good chance to defeat incumbent Mayor Peter Clavelle. "From our discussions in previous months, it didnt make sense to run a I candidate unless the candidate had a good chance of winning," he said.

The Democrats declined to endorse Clavelle "Itjnade no sense to endorse the mayor in our role of opposition to the incumbent mayor," Laskaris said. Meanwhile, the Ward 6 Republican Caucus declined Wednesday night to endorse candidates for either the City Council or the School Board vacancies. Community Foundation awards latest grants The Vermont Community Foundation awarded $41,800 in grants to eight nonprofit organizations. The Lewis Creek Conservation Committee was given $1,000 for planning a conservation corridor along the creek. The Nature Conservancy was awarded $5,000 to conduct research on ecologically important forests in the Northeast Kingdom.

The Orange County Safeline received $2,800 to support expansion of the Child Assault Prevention Project Rochester Community Care received $4,500 for a career exploration and mentoring program at the high school. The Rutland Visiting Nurse Association received $5,000 for the Hospice Certification and Educational Project in Rutland and Bennington counties. The Vermont Land Trust received $6,000 for support of effective land conservation efforts. The Women's Rape Crisis Center in Burlington received $7,500 for training programs. The Vermont Ethics Network was awarded $10,000 for a program of public education on medical-ethical issues.

The 4-year-old foundation seeks to increase charitable resources and to make them more efficient The next deadline to apply grants is April 1. For more information contact the foundation at Box 30, Middlebury, 05753. Its phone number is 388-9955. Free eyesight tests for low-income families People in need of eye care but unable to afford it may qualify for free examinations and low-cost eyeglasses in a program sponsored by the Vermont Op-tometric Association. The association is participating in VISION USA, a nationwide program that provides examinations to low-income families who are not covered by health insurance.

Families are eligible if at least one member of the household is employed, -the family is not covered by health insurance, and family members have not had eye exams in the past year. To determine eligibility, call (800) 7664466. Workers and their families will be matched with a local participat-ineptometrist will receive a examination in March. Eyeglasses those, in need will be est utility that she will handle in her state job. "It's outrageous," said Lesley Becker, a Plainfield resident involved in energy issues.

"These are important matters, and she clearly does not have the independence necessary to investigate these utilities. I would say she has a bias already. We need an advocate for ratepayers, not someone who has protected the interests of utilities." McCarren said her critics are confusing ethical issues with the issue of whether she will be biased in representing the public in utility cases. "I am not going to work on cases in which Green Mountain holds an attorney- lb in the agency's $458 million budget. The situation is very real to Marti Andersen.

She runs the Burlington College Parenting Center, which serves 16 children younger than 3. All but three children receive complete funding through the state. Most parents are in school; a few are on welfare. Without continued support, Andersen board to deflect attention away from the issues at hand," Myers said. Burlington lawyer Dennis Wells, chief negotiator for the school boards, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Myers referred to an accusation in the complaint that the union had increased salary demands for teachers in Hinesburg after negotiations began. Myers said that movement was the result of bargaining as a supervisory union consortium not moving away from a negotiated settlement, as the complaint stated. He said the total money on the table decreased. The teachers' union and the school boards last met Dec. 12, with the school boards offering a 5.8 percent increase in salaries that average $29,632.

The teach smimi Official's possible bias concerns some By Kevin Ems Free Press Staff Writer MONTPELIER V. Louise McCar-ren and a Burlington law firm represented Green Mountain Power Corp. on dozens of utility cases in 1989 and 1990, earning more than a half million dollars. To consumer advocates, environmentalists and some power producers, that affiliation constitutes a conflict of interest that should disqualify her from dozens of cases that will come before her in her new Job. Day care subsidies face cuts Program may drop over 100 children By Betty Liley Free Press Staff Writer MONTPELIER More people could be forced onto skyrocketing welfare rolls if Vermont limits its child-care subsidies, lawmakers and advocates said Wednesday.

Social Services Commissioner William Young on Friday announced that the child-care program would be capped at 3,700 children. But he said none of the children served by the program would be affected. The program serves 4,130 youngsters. Wednesday he returned to the House Appropriations Committee with more bad news: More than 100 children could be cut from the program to achieve the target. Young said further study had revealed that the cap might have been based on too high an attrition rate.

He estimated it would cost about $500,000 to avoid cutting children from the program. The 11-member committee split over that possibility, four said they would oppose the idea. "It's counterproductive. Those people are not just taking a handout They're using it to work and do other things," Rep. Harold Weidman, R-Wallingford, said.

The state's day-care program has increased dramatically since 1985. The number of children served has almost quadrupled. State spending has grown by 445 percent, from $2 million to $10.5 million this year. Vermonters spend about $72 million on child care each year. That high growth rate led Human Chittenden By Anne (toggle Free Press Staff Writer School boards in the Chittenden South Supervisory Union have filed an unfair labor practices charge against the area teachers union with the Vermont Labor Relations Board.

The action comes one week before the Labor Relations Board was scheduled to hear a Chittenden South Education Association complaint filed Nov. 12 against the school boards. The supervisory union encompasses schools in Charlotte, Hines-burg, St George, Shelburne and Williston. The school boards have charged that the union: Refused to bargain in good faith. i ipjwmwa VAtfl JYM WILSON, Fra Prm Tiffany Alexander, right, eyes a photographer while care-giver Teresa Hahn holds Ezekiel Shepard and feeds Justin Purvis at the Burlington Community College Day Care.

The infants are children of students. client relationship, where my legal obligation is in any way compromised," McCarren said Wednesday. McCarren would be disqualified from deciding whether the Public Service Department should appeal a recent rate increase for Green Mountain. However, McCarren might work on the billion Hydro-Quebec power purchase, which was approved this year, even though she worked on the case for Green Mountain. "I dont know," she said.

"I will have to take a look at that." McCarren was chairwoman of the state Public Service Board from 1981 to 1987. She worked at Chittenden Bank for Turn to PUBLIC, 6B predicts dire consequences for her clients and herself. "There's no way that they could go back to school. I dont have a single family that, I feel could pay all of their, day-care subsidy," she said. "If the subsidies were cut, there would be a very good chance that (the center) would not last more than a couple of months." Turn to CHILDREN, 4B ers' union was asking for 3 percent increases added to the cost of living, which is 7 percent.

The two sides are scheduled to meet Feb. 4 to continue negotiations. The 18 months of negotiations have been characterized by bitterness between the two sides. The Vermont-NEA Today magazine, for example, showed a cartoon lampooning the "Dennis Wells School of Non-Negotiation." Myers said he is not discouraged by the complaint and is hopeful negotiations will go well when the two sides meet again. "We are going in with the idea we are going to find a way to get a settlement," Myers said.

Governor seeks Vermonters, aid By David Gram The Associated Press MONTPELIER Gov. Richard Snelling went on statewide television Wednesday night to lay the state's fiscal woes before Vermonters and to ask for suggestions for solving the problem. Snelling said if current spending trends continue and no new taxes are raised, the state will face a $150 million deficit in fiscal 1992, which begins July 1. The gap equals nearly a quarter of the budget. Snelling, a Republican, said he was hoping for a "special kind of (legislative) session down in Mont-pelier, one in which people put aside politics and their local Interests and their special interests" to solve the budget problem.

His speech came one day after a Turn to GOVERNOR, 5B Services Secretary Cornelius Hogan to propose limiting the program. The state faces a budget deficit that could top $150 million next year and a depressed economy. "All I'm looking for is an opportunity to slow this program down," Hogan testified before a crowded Senate Appropriations Committee audience. He said the proposal is one of the most controversial South teachers face labor charge 'TJ Snelling establishes code of ethics for aides Refused to sign an agreement regarding matters that are no longer in dispute. Insisted that the school boards bargain over issues which, by law, are not required subjects of bargaining.

Attempted to restrain and coerce the school boards in the selection of their negotiators. Attempted to avoid dealing with the negotiators designated by the school boards. Alan Myers, chief negotiator for the 250 teachers in the district, dismissed the charge as an attempt to blur the real issues. "This is another ploy on the part of the -NO AO AM RIESNER, fr Pru urn I provided tor a minimal tee. Medicare up mammogram costsu.

Medicare medical insurance will pay up to $55 of the cost of mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. Women 65 or older and covered by medical insurance are eligible for mammogram screenings once every two years. Medicare beneficiaries at high risk or who are disabled nd younger than 65 may be eligible for more frequent screenings. -t The American Cancer Society said breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and that mammograms are the best way to detect it at its earliest most curable stage. For more information, contact a Medicare carrier listed in the Medicare handbook.

Vermont Guard to use live ammunition JERICHO The Vermont National Guard will use live ammunition at the Ethan Allen Firing Range from Saturday to Thursday. Firing will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end by 10 p.m. Live ammunition normally is fired only during daylight hours. The range is off limits to non-military By Susan Allen The Associated Press MONTPELIER Many appointees of the Snelling administration will not be allowed to lobby in Vermont for up to one year after leaving office, according to a code of ethics approved by the governor Wednesday.

The code, similar to one implemented in 1988 by the administration of former Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin and one implemented by the federal government, would bar appointees from using their offices to gain special privileges or from being financially involved in any corporations subject to their supervision. "It really does prevent abuse of information," Gov. Richard Snelling said.

"It categorically makes it a violation to use any information that you have received as an employee of state government for private gain after leaving state government." Snelling said his Cabinet-level appointees would be required to sign the code, but he was uncertain what other appointees would be covered under the guidelines. Turn to SNELLING, SB Fairfax firo A firefighter, walks through the ruins of Fairfax Salvage on River Road to douse burning embers Wednesday. 'The structure is a total Fire Chief James Fields said..