Welcome to The Plymouth Press Online

 Long-time Plymouth Memory Tree president, Al Poirier, has stepped down from his role on the board after his recent move out of Plymouth. Over the past nearly 15 years, he has been a great leader, helping the Plymouth Memory Tree connect Plymouth residents in need with resources to help them. The board has appreciated his insights as a member of the emergency services team and his thoughtfulness in dealing with the challenges that Plymouth residents have faced during his tenure. He will be missed and the board wishes him and Sue the best of luck in their new community.

The Plymouth Memory Tree Community Fund is a grant program for individuals and families in need who reside full-time in the Town of Plymouth, Vermont. Grants are available to both homeowners and renters. All funding decisions are made by the Plymouth Memory Tree Community Fund Board.

Grants are typically provided to cover rent, utilities, loss of income, or costs for transportation, heating fuel, or garbage disposal. We also offer scholarship grants to graduating high school seniors and light an annual memory tree by the town offices.

The Plymouth Memory Tree board plans to fill this new vacancy as soon as possible. The board meets on an as-needed basis, generally 4-6 times per year. All board discussions and grant decisions are confidential, so discretion is a required quality for board members.

We invite Plymouth residents who may be interested in serving on the board to submit a brief bio and statement about why you would be interested to Jen Flaster (jenflaster@me.com).

Thanks from the Plymouth Memory Tree board:

Anne Brown, Karen Bruyn, Robert Fishman, and Jen Flaster, for your interest.

10/7/24

Back in business with my upgraded computer that is working so well. Thanks Scott and Calif! Colors are changing quickly now. Last week I marveled at the beauty on the Tyson Reading Rd. Then while visiting with Alice at Maple Leaf on Sunday, the view was just as spectacular.There will be a Select Board meeting tonight. Please note there will be a candidate forum at the Grange at 6:30 PM on 10/18.

No animal visitors to report this week, but I was honored to participate in the Blessing of the Animals at Lucy MacKenzie ((802) 484-5829) on Sunday.  Thanks to Christian Huebner for leading the liturgy from which Ian Montgomery and I also read. Quite an array of dogs and one sweet cat were gathered outside to receive a blessing.  We also blessed each animal inside the building. Mostly adorable cats, some dogs, one cute bunny and four small furry creatures called degus, that are akin to chinchillas & guinea pigs. This is such an incredible, no-kill facility that provides loving care while these animals await homes. A vet on staff assists with medical care, too. Perhaps there is a special animal there waiting to receive and to provide you with love.

We had a rather raucous time and delicious food when 13 of us gathered at the Echo Lake Inn on 10/3 to bid farewell to Mobile resident Tim Downy, who spent the summer here on Dublin Rd. The mid-week “locals” menu that anyone can utilize is available Tues – Thurs. but you need to hurry because the Inn (802-228-8602) will be closing for a much-needed break on 10/17. Tom assures me they will be open again for Thanksgiving dinner. Still many visitors to our area who are focussing on the leaves, so be careful as you drive around!

Plymouth Fire & EMS will be having their annual chicken barbecue on Saturday, October 5th starting at noon until their sold out. They will be located at the Plymouth Notch Antique Applefest: Coolidge Historic Site. The cost is $15.00 for chicken, beans, coleslaw and a rol1. They will also have burgers and hot dogs.

Topic: Plymouth Select Board Meeting

Time: October 7, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82110580307?pwd=4rtPxr8ZbHbbcYCSnCmiRTiMF9zsIc.1

Meeting ID: 821 1058 0307 Passcode: 689453

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Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Consideration of Any Changes, Additions or Removals to Agenda:
3. Approve Meeting Minutes:
4. Citizen Comments:
5. Select Board to Review and Approve Errors and Omissions:
6. Open Discussion on Short-Term-Rental:
7. Conversation About Bethany Birches Camp:
8. Board to Review and Possibly Approve Opting out of Homestead Declaration Late Fee:
9. Review and Possibly Approve Bid for Demolition & Site Stabilization of 4283 Route 100:
10. Review and Possibly Approve Bid for Bridge Embankment Reinforcement and Rock Removal at Dublin Bridge:
11. Review and Possibly Approve Contract with Tech Impact:
12. Begin Finance/Budget Discussion:
13. ARPA Funds:
14. Other Business:
15. Sign Warrants and Review Mail:
16. Next Select Board Meeting Date:
17. Agenda Items for Next Meeting:
18. Possible Executive Session:
19. Adjourn:

The Town Offices now have a secure mail drop box. This box is located to the right of the building. You can use this to drop off items after hours or on weekends.

9/30/24

We are coming to the end of September and still no frost. The rain last week helped to perk everything up and bring out more color. I was walking on scout camp road with a friend the day of the rain and we needed to be careful not to step on the dozens of newts that were all over the dirt road. They weren’t orange, more greenish brown, but they seemed to be everywhere.

I also noticed a huge toad, about the size of a large grapefruit in the entranceway to my basement. He seemed trapped there, so I used a dustpan to put him back in the grass. I understand there was a moose on Dublin Road last Thursday, but my house is up on a hill so I missed him. From the video my neighbor took, it looked like a young male. Lastly, I received a text from another neighbor today who said she counted 27 turkeys in her yard this morning! The wonders of living in Vermont.

If you are looking for some fun this weekend, don’t forget the fall festival at the Calvin Coolidge historic site on Saturday, 10/5. You can also enjoy the chicken barbecue by the fire department. On the other hand, if you are looking for turkey, the Pomfret School PTO is having a Harvest supper with 2 seatings starting at 5 PM. For reservations go to https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showRSVPSignUp/10C0B4EAAAB2BA6FDC07-51399987-reserve

Just to let you know, I checked with Angela and there are HS-122 forms at the Town Office needed to apply for VT property tax credit.

Bethany Birches Auction Day Schedule – 9/28/24

9 am – Fresh made donuts, coffee and breakfast (Free!)
9 am – 10am – Viewing time. Stroll the tables and view the items for sale, while you reconnect and meet people that love the camp
9:50 – Children’s programming begins (at the bell). BBC Staff will lead activities for your children during the auction including crafts, critter catching, and the playground.
10 am – The auction begins! Bid or just watch & listen to the talented and humorous auctioneer.
12 pm – The auction wraps up. BBC will provide lunch for everyone (Granie Air Center and Jesse’s BBQ and staff and volunteers) to sit, talk and enjoy being together in a lovely place
Dessert

Post Lunch Fellowship and activities – enjoy spending time with one another. For the kids there will be tractor drawn hay rides, lawn games, gaga, among other things. You are welcome to explore camp and even hike to the treehouses.

From Ottauquechee Health Foundation.

We provide grants to individuals in need of health care they otherwise can’t afford. Perhaps you need home care following surgery, require dental work with no insurance coverage or are in need of new eyeglasses. These are common requests of OHF. To see if you are eligible, email info@ohfvt.org, visit our website ohfvt.org or call (802)457-4188. OHF serves the following towns: Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartford, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Quechee, Reading and Woodstock.

Lana Reuss, volunteer, Woodstock. OHF Communications Committee

Scout Camp Road will be closed Wednesday thru Friday. The work will be done in the area of 1135 Scout Camp Road. Thank you.

In order to file a Vermont Property Tax Credit Claim, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Your property qualifies as a homestead, and you have filed a Homestead Declaration before the October 15, 2024, filing deadline.

• You were *domiciled in Vermont for the entire 2023 calendar year.

• You were not claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer for 2023.

• You occupy the property as your homestead as of April 1, 2024.

• Your Household Income did not exceed $128,000 in 2023. 

* Domicile is a legal concept that has implications for Vermont income tax, the statewide education tax, and property tax credit. You need the following two forms to file a claim:

• Form HS-122: Section A: Homestead Declaration and Section B: Property Tax Credit Claim and Schedule HI-144: Household Income

9/23/24

Definitely becoming cooler these days. Wondering if the leaves are falling quickly because everything is so dry. Seems like ages since we have had any rain. The brook under my driveway is currently waterless. It is a wonder that these cosmos are still blooming so nicely. The latest visitor to deck was a fisher that could be seen on my blink camera creeping up and down the railing. Wondering why all of these various creatures are coming up my deck lately!

I was unable to attend the 9/16 Select Board meeting, but the minutes are on the town website. There were relatively few holdups during work on the bridge on Dublin Rd this past week and according to Larry Lynds, they will be finishing the edge work today (Monday)

The Fall Festival at the Historic Site will take place on Saturday, 10/5, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. You can enjoy a hayride with Farmer Fred, taste many varieties of VT heritage apples, and see cider being made. Also, the Plymouth Fire Department will have a chicken BBQ.

I no longer know the names of our students, but I did notice that Schuyler Hagge is part of the school biking team and Colton Kowolski is on the football team. I believe that many students participate in wonderful activities and I would love to include them.

Most people have been stunned by the recent property tax increases. I am including some information from the State website that might be helpful. Please note the 10/15 deadline.

In order to file a Vermont Property Tax Credit Claim, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Your property qualifies as a homestead, and you have filed a Homestead Declaration before the October 15, 2024, filing deadline.

• You were *domiciled in Vermont for the entire 2023 calendar year.

• You were not claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer for 2023.

• You occupy the property as your homestead as of April 1, 2024.