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New Haven News In and about Town...

Volume 7 Issue 9

December 2011

Contacts: Selectboard Roger Boise

453 – 2682

Pam Marsh 545 – 2483

Kathleen Ready 453 – 8494

Kathy Barrett 453 – 4232

Charlie Roy 453 – 3054

Town Clerk Pam Kingman

453-3516

Town Treasurer

Barb Torian 453-3516

Town Shed 453-3397

Beeman Elementary 453-2331

Mt. Abe High School 453-2333

Superintendent’s Office 453-3657 New Haven

Community Library

Deborah Lundbech 453-4015

Events Coordinator Suzy Roorda

453-5978

Fire Chief Alan Mayer

453-5129

Cell 377-0475

Burn Permit Dave Heisler, Fire Warden

453-7286

Cell 771-7236

Mike Dykstra 989-0341

Planning Commission

Jim Walsh 453-6450

Development Review Board Tim Bouton

453-4596

Zoning Administrator Dave Wetmore

453 – 3516

Animal Control Officer

Wayne Marcelle 1-802-233-9534

Any non-profit group event that is open to all members of the

community can be listed in the Community calendar.

Contact:

Pam Kingman (453-3516)

Suzy Roorda (453-5978)

Front Porch Forum in New Haven Jeffrey Gangemi of Front Porch Forum came to the 11/15 Selectboard meeting to describe the workings of Front Porch Forum, a Burlington business that hosts online networks of neighborhoods sharing postings on all sorts of topics.

Front Porch Forum (FPF) helps nearby neighbors connect and build community by hosting regional networks of online neighborhood forums. FPF has earned national recognition for attracting and retaining small groups of neighbors in civil and constructive online conversations that often translate into offline real-world actions.

Started in 2006 in Chittenden County, FPF now serves more than 30,000 member households across 60 Vermont towns, with more than 40% of dozens of towns signed up and engaged.

Most people use FPF for the straightforward business of everyday life among neighbors: finding lost pets, borrowing ladders, posting job openings or your own skills for hire, bartering, posting information about neighbors that need help, recommending

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E-911 ALERT As you know, with E-911 services, the 911 operator can identify the location of the caller without the caller giving that information. 911 calls made from Fairpoint, Green Mountain Access and most cell phones allow the operator to identify accurately the location of the caller. It has come to our attention that when persons who use Comcast or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) as their telephone service call 911, the 911 operator cannot necessarily pinpoint their location. These issues are being identified, and will hopefully be addressed by rulemaking or legislation. In the meantime, if you use Comcast or VoIP for your phone service, and you call 911, be sure to give the operator your location.

Highway Dept. Notes Just a few updates on what the crew has been doing and what to look for around the corner!

Road Maintenance Items

The crew has been out cutting brush on Munger Street, River Road and Cobble Road. Our favorite chore!

Line striping is pretty much finished, including stop bars. Roadside mowing is complete.

Help us keep our roads clean! Practically speaking, anyone who deposits material on the road surface is liable in the event of an accident resulting from the debris, mud, grass clippings etc. So whatever you can do to keep material off the road, the safer we will all be.

Nash Bridge Update

No word recently on the Nash Bridge design. The engineers who are working on the reconstruction were planning on mid to late September to hold a public meeting to discuss the alternative layouts and construction approaches. Tropical Storm Irene no doubt changed their priorities, as they were thrown into emergency repair design work. As we get more information, we’ll let you know.

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New Haven Community Library In anticipation of December's celebrations, our "New to the Library" and "Recommendations" shelving has temporarily been taken over by our large and varied holiday collection. From Christmas carols, Christmas crafts and Christmas stories of all kinds, to Hannukah stories, to Solstice and New Year stories, we have something for everyone. In addition to books, we have holiday DVDs, audio CDs, and magazines. Please stop by and browse our holiday shelves for selections that will help you and your family celebrate the season.

On Wednesday, December 14, and Thursday, December 15 from 3 - 5pm, we will have a holiday craft table set up. Glitter, glue, ribbon, paper punchers and serrated scissors will be available for making decorative cards and gift tags, or chose to create little peppermint candy wreaths, or fancy tree ornaments. Fun!

A Joyous and Safe Holiday Season To You All and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!

Deborah Lundbech Town Librarian 453-4015

Beeman Corner for December

Dec.5 B.E.S.T. with Mr. Flint at 8:15 in the Town Hall Dec. 12 B.E.S.T. with the B/C class at 8:15 in the Town Hall Dec. 13 School Board meeting 5:00 Dec. 16 Holiday meal – Call Beeman to make your reservation Dec.19 B.E.S.T. with the Share class at 8:15 in the Town Hall Dec.23-Jan2 Holiday Recess

New Haven Charter 250 Birthday Party Town celebrants cheered together on Saturday, Nov. 5th, marking the 250th anniversary of the Town Charter at a community pot luck supper featuring music by “Old Bones” and home baked, individually themed Birthday cakes.

Celebrating Charter Day, November 2, 1761, were Cake Bakers: Francie and David Caccavo, Jeanette Sherwin, Deborah Lundbech, Beeman School, Tourterelle, Deborah Bessette, Smith Family Farm, Bev Landon and Betsy Curler, treated all to their beautifully designed desserts.

Rep. Harvey Smith read the New Haven 250 Charter Commemorative Proclamation listing all the 2011 events which celebrated the Town Birthday Year.

“Old Bones” members Alan Curler, Dave Henderson, Jack and Linda Malzac, Keith Bagley, Eric Mortensen, Bill Wisell, Sandy Kirby, and Elizabeth Cram stayed the full course, 5 to 8 p.m., delighting all with their band ensemble and singing styles.

The Silent Auction was a nice addition, with donations of hand made crafts, historic maps, and photos of New Haven scenes and more. Thanks to Knits & Bolts, Boyers’ Orchard, Nicholas Clifford,

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Friends of the Library The friends of the library will not be meeting in December. We will meet again on January 18th.We will be sponsoring some speakers thru the Vermont Humanities council. More information to come. Hope everyone has a nice holiday season. Respectfully, Maryann Tricou

Historical Society New Haven Historical Society will meet Wednesday December 14th at 7pm at the New Haven Congregational Church.

Please bring a treat to share as well as something old with a story to share as an added treat.

Deborah Lundbech will be leading us in a sing a long.

Jeanette Sherwin

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Front Porch Forum in New Haven

the Bacon and Roorda Families, Earl Bessette, Lynn Yarrington, and Pam Marsh for generous donations.

The party evening yielded over $450 for the New Haven Community Projects Fund.

There were many displays from our town’s groups and clubs, and historian Eldon Sherwin presented his display of hand made figures in a scene representing a New Haven barn and workshop with tools as it might have been in 1761.

In the works is a Community Memory Book with histories, photos, family stories and town anecdotes. Deborah Lundbech, Town Librarian, is pleased to take in photos for possible inclusion in the Town Memory Book. Phone her at the Town Library, 453-4015, for further information.

Many Thanks from Nina and Suzy to all of the 250 Party Team: Jeanette and Eldon Sherwin, Candy Davidson, Betty Bell, Susan Smiley, Angie and Len Bull, Jean Simmons, the Smith Family, Francie Caccavo, Deborah Lundbech,

Cassidy and Austin Roorda and The Beeman After School Program and many behind the scene helpers, for their many hours of assistance with 250 events throughout the year, culminating with this very special celebration! Thank You, Thank You!

plumbers, reporting car break-ins or other Crime Watch information, sharing bear sightings, debating school budgets, announcing farmers' markets, and more! But it's the indirect results from witnessing a daily flow of mostly civil and constructive postings from clearly identified nearby neighbors over months that carries a big impact.

In a recent, independent survey of Front Porch Forum subscribers who live in Burlington, 90% think FPF improves their neighborhood and 60% feel that FPF makes local government more responsive to neighborhood needs.

Here are a few other findings: > 52% feel that FPF makes the neighborhood safer > 78% feel that FPF makes their neighborhood more neighborly > 77% think FPF is a good place to voice their opinion > 64% have gotten involved in meetings and events due to FPF > 45% have spoken up on public policy debates due to FPF > 93% feel more civically engaged since joining FPF

To become the third town in Addison County to host a

Front Porch Forum network for its residents, New Haven would have to pay a one time fee, then access to the forum is free to anyone in town who signs up. For a town of New Haven's size, it would cost $2,500 to get up and running.

Notices are easy to post and come to individual town subscribers by email once or twice a week, or can be located by accessing the site.

They have live Online Community day Managers who run the forums, and have a strong technology infrastructure supporting it.

The start-up capital covers those two costs, but is a one-time investment to get us up and running. After the first year, they are able to cover their own costs, mostly from selling advertising to local businesses.

The Selectobard is discussing finding a place in the upcoming budget for part of the start up fee, and additional fund raising ideas are being considered. Please go to www.frontporchforum.com for more information on this new community tool, or contact the Town Office if you or your business would be interested in funding this valuable community tool! Suzy Roorda

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Where was it?

The southern end of Dog Team Road where it intersects Route 7. Many of you said only 'Intersection of Dog Team and Rt 7', forgetting that Dog Team intersects Rt 7 at both ends, north and south, but I gave it to you anyway.

Correct Answers: Donna Meacham, Steve, Lisa, Angela and

Collin Dupoise, Russ Reilly, Michael Jackman, Jim Walsh.

Where is it? Tell me what intersevtion this is. E-mail your answers to me at jgallott@gmavt.net, write the answer

down and drop it off at the Town office or hand it to me if you see me around town. Deadline December 15.

New Haven Winterfest Celebration

Saturday, December 17, 2011.

Festivities begin at 5pm with tasty treats and hot drinks at The Congregational Church. The Church is located on Town Hill Road across from the Village Green Market.

Bundle up, get some hot cocoa or coffee (available throughout Winterfest at the Church and on the Green), and come across the street to the Town Green. The Memorial Tree Lighting is at 6pm. Decorate the tree, warm your hands by the fire barrels, sing carols and roast marshmallows and chestnuts with your community while we wait for Santa to arrive at the

bandstand around 6:30pm! Take a ride on a horse drawn sleigh, while you wait to talk with Santa, or after. At 7:30 please join us back over at the Church for the magical sounds of hand bell ringing and caroling with the choir!

FREE hot cocoa, coffee, eggnog, cider and yummy desserts are to follow downstairs in the Church. For more info or directions, please contact Suzy Roorda at 453-5978 or cscasam@gmavt.net.

Pick up a friend or neighbor, and come out for some, or all of the FREE festivities.

Have a Safe & Happy Holiday Season!

Suzy Roorda

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Reserved for Community Calendar

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www.newhavenvt.com

PRSRT STD US Postage Paid

New Haven Vermont Permit No. 1

Postal Patron New Haven, VT 05472

Town of New Haven 78 North Street New Haven, VT 05472

453-3516

Recycling Saturday mornings 8-12 at Town Garage. Trash drop-off at same time for a fee.

E-911 Alert - Page 1

Highway Dept. News - Page 1

Front Porch Forum - Pages 1 and 3

Beeman Corner - Page 2

Historical Society - Page 2

Friends of the Library - Page 2

Community Library News - Page 2

250th Birthday Party - Pages 2-3

Winterfest - Page 4

Where is it? - Page 4

Community Calendar - Page 5

"Please stand and state your name..."

An open forum for anyone to discuss town issues. All submissions will be printed as long as they meet the following criteria: 1) You must be a New Haven resident, and include your name, address and phone #. Only your name will be published. 2) Must concern Town issues. Be civil. Stick to issues. 3) Must be 500 words or less, one piece per month. 4) Submit in electronic form by the 15th to Jim Gallott: jgallott@gmavt.net

Interested in receiving an

email reminder of the

newsletter deadline? Send

your email address to me

jgallott@gmavt.net) and I

will add you to our

reminders list.

Did You Know That You Can Rent The Town Hall?!?

Would you like to use the New Haven Town Hall gym, cafeteria or kitchen for your own private party, concert, classes, event or meeting? As a citizen of New Haven, you can rent the Town Hall rooms at their new, lower rates.

The Town Hall building and town property are smoke and alcohol free environments.

For more information or to check dates of availability, please call Suzy Roorda at 453-5978 or 453-3516 ext.#17.

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