Reprinted with permission from The Vermont Standard

2/16/20

So many people have come to our area for this Holiday weekend and vacation week that navigating Ludlow has not been easy. The Shaw’s parking lot was full by 11 AM on Friday and 4 registers were open – all with lines. Good for local businesses, however, those of us who live here know to shop early, then get out of town!

There were 10 of us at the Book Club meeting last week and I think that might be a new record. The discussion of A Gentleman in Moscow was animated, with everyone having enjoyed it and making interesting observations. It really enhances a book when others add their perspective. The next book is Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Reviews indicate it has “a great combo of dialogue and description”, as well as “wonderful development of characters”. The discussion will take place on 3/12.

I do not see snow listed for the day of the Community Luncheon, 2/20, although it is forecast to be cold. So, the fact that there will be two different kinds of soup bespeaks of wonderful planning – on somebody’s part! Feel free to join us at 11:30 AM in the downstairs room at Tyson Church via the Echo Lake Inn parking lot.

Get ready for the Annual Town Meeting on Monday, 3/2, at 7:00 PM at the Town Hall, I believe that Town Reports will be mailed shortly or you can pick one up. Voting by Australian ballot happens on Tuesday, 3/3, at the Town Hall, from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Absentee ballots are available by contacting the Town Clerk prior to voting day.

Sample presidential primary ballots are posted on the Plymouth Website, under Bulletin Board and also at Town Hall. You need to select either the Democrat or Republican ballot. Although there are 13 names on the Democrat one, many have since closed their campaigns. I believe there are still 3 names on the Republican ballot. You can also check out the Town ballot and it should be noted that there are no contested races for local elected officials.

Now that we are part of the Windsor Central Modified Unified School District, (whew!) we no longer have a local school budget meeting either before or after Town Meeting. The District will be holding an informational meeting on Thursday, 2/27 at 6 PM at the Woodstock Union Middle School library to review the 2020-2021 budget, which will be voted by Australian ballot on 3/3. Per the insert in the VT Standard, voters will be asked to approve the $21,783,948 proposed budget (of which $16,896,833 is to be funded with taxes), in addition to several other articles. Also on the ballot will be to re-elect Jen Flaster for a 3 year term as School Director!

More property changing hands….

1) Rte 100 (LAND – 12 ACRES) $36,000 Ross Family Trust to Farm and Wilderness Foundation

2) 63 Lakeview Rd, Birch Landing $286,000 Kathleen Kraez Trust to James Slaminki and Marybeth Schanz

3) 368 Crimson Hawk Rd $212,500 Kevin Brill to Shawn McLaughlin and Katherine Blye

4) 916 Salt Ash Rd $238,800 Jay Nisberg and Alicia Boylan to Sparrow Trading, LLC