Rutland Daily Herald from Rutland, Vermont • A1

ERALD WWW.RUTLANDHERALD.COM THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 VOLUME 157 NUMBER 88 $1.00 City teacher talks are deadlocked High 62 Low A news release from the School Board said the board and teachers have been in negotiations since Jan. 13. With the impasse declared, a mediation process, and possibly a factfinding process, will begin. In Vermont, either a school board or a teachers union can declare an impasse if they don't believe they will be able to reach an agreement through negotiation alone. The REA represents By PATRICK MCARDLE STAFF WRITER The Rutland City School Board declared an impasse in its talks on a new contract with the Rutland Education Association, taking the process from negotiation to mediation.

Dick Courcelle, president of the School Board, said the decision to declare an impasse was "simply a recognition, certainly on the board's part, that the negotiations are not productive at this point." "There have been eight meetings with the REA," he "We did not feel that additional meetings would be productive." Dick Courcelle, City School Board said. "Most of the substantive issues have not been resolved and in many cases, such as with pay and other items like that, they are just not getting addressed." Courcelle said the board voted unanimously Tuesday to declare the impasse. WTO STARINSKAS STAFF FILE PHOTO Students enter the Northeast School in Rutland on the first See Talks, Page A3 day of classes in August 2012. Trash talk Bald Mountain Farm in Rutland Town will host the sixth annual White Trash Bash on June 3-4. INVITE, B1 Goal oriented Brooke Woodard of Rutland is joining one of the top women's soccer programs in the nation.

A9 PROTECT AND SERVE The Dames is an exhibition of oral history, recordings and photographic portraits, featuring 13 members of the Vermont Society of Colonial Dames of America. Opening reception 4-7 p.m., Vermont Folklife Center, 88 Main Middlebury. ROBERT LAYMAN STAFF PHOTO Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen, right, and Sgt. Keith Lorman place shish kebabs on the grill outside City Hall on Wednesday afternoon. The lunch wrapped up a series of cooking classes for city departments, taught by Everyday Chef instructor Rosemary Moser for Rutland Area Farm and Food Link.

Governor vetoes marijuana bill Bob Fredette and Tom Haley talk lacrosse and baseball, highlighting the likelihood of Rutland High's Marina Rotella crossing the 300-point mark in high school lacrosse. bit.lv2qgZf6Q path forward that takes a much more thorough look at what public health, safety and education policies are needed before Vermont moves toward a regulatory and revenue system for an adult-use marijuana market," the governor said. Scott, a first-term Republican, was facing a midnight deadline. His five days of consideration were about See Scott, Page A7 intense lobbying and campaigning in the weeks leading up to the June 21 veto session. It also halts, at least temporarily, the potential for Vermont to become the first state to legalize recreational marijuana use through the legislative process.

Eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana, but all did so through voter referendums. "I am returning this bill to the Legislature. I am, however, offering a By NEAL P. GOSWAMI VERMONT PRESS BUREAU MONTPELIER Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed a marijuana legalization bill, but said Wednesday he will reconsider signing it if lawmakers make changes during a veto session next month.

Scott's announcement at a news conference Wednesday ended days of speculation about the bill's fate, but it opened the door to even more Gov. Phil Scott Scott taps Mullin for health board MAY 25, 2017, DRAWS Midday: 4-2-1 and 1-1-2-8 Evening: 0-1-0 and 6-4-1-5 New York State: 1-8-6 LS15and 1-5-9-9 LS24 Megabucks: 20-23-25-27-35 MB1 SUBSCRIBE: www.RutlandHerald.com 800-498-4296 NEWS TIPS: newsrutlandherald.com 802-747-6133 By NEAL P. GOSWAMI VERMONT PRESS BUREAU MONTPELIER Gov. Phil Scott formally announced the appointment of Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rudand, to serve as chairman of the Green Mountain Care Board, along with Maureen Usifer, who will work alongside Mullin as another new member.

Mullin, 58, is the current chairman of the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee. He said Wednesday he will resign his Senate seat in the coming days to accept the appointment to the board. Mullin was appointed to the Senate in January 2003 and has won re-election every election cycle since then. He previously served three terms in the Vermont House. Scott, a fellow Republican, will need to appoint someone to the Senate from Rutland County to complete Mullin's term, which runs through 2018.

A former member of the Senate Health and Welfare See Mullin, Page A3 STAFF FILE PHOTO annual Winter in to become chair- Sen. Kevin Mullin and fellow Republican Sen. Peg Flory mingle at the August event in Rutland in 2014. Mullin will resign from the state Senate man of the Green Mountain Care Board. Local Republican Party will seek a Senate replacement Weather A2 Editorial A4 Business A8 Sports A9 Obituaries A12 Events B4 Advice B7 Comics B7 Crossword B7 Horoscope B7 Marketplace B8 Television B10 rise of health care costs, but that the state should be able to find ways of containing them even more.

As he starts his newjob, though, state and local officials have to figure out how to fill his old one. Rutland County GOP Chairwoman Terry Burke said the party will caucus to select three names to send to Gov. Phil Scott. Burke said the date of that meeting had not yet been set, and she had no specific candidates lined up. "I had no inclination this was happening," she said.

"I think every county chair keeps in mind if there's a vacancy because you don't know the future. There are people we will be approaching. I expect I'll probably get phone calls in the next couple days from people who are interested." Rep. Peter Fagan, senior member of the Rudand City delegation, said he had no interest in the Senate seat. See Party, Page A3 new job was Wednesday.

"It was a litde overwhelming," he said. "I did learn where to park my car and where the water fountain was all those important things." Kidding aside, Mullin said he has a large task ahead of him. He said he believed the board had done a good job slowing the By GORDON DRITSCHIL0 STAFF WRITER A vacancy just opened up in the Rutland County delegation to the Vermont Senate. Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rut-land, has stepped down to serve as chairman of the Green Mountain Care Board.

His first day in his 54006 05701.