| | Today's Forecast: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Southeast wind around 8 mph.
| | | | | There will be a service for Lee Hillberg on June 9th at 2:00 P.M. at Lake Ninevah. A sign on Lake Ninevah Road will direct you to the service. Any questions call Paul Nevin at 259-2443.
| | | | | School Committee Budget Meeting 6 PM Monday, May 6, Mount Holly School Zoom link: https://trsu.zoom.us/j/81776410689 After voters rejected the initial budget, the school committee worked with the administration to find savings that would not significantly reduce benefits for our students. We found about 2.5% in savings that would have minimal impact on students. The budget we proposed would have resulted in property tax increases of about 3% in Ludlow and 5.5% in Mount Holly, with the exact figure depending on actions of the State Legislature. Last week voters rejected that budget by 27 votes. On Monday evening the School Committee will meet in Mount Holly to discuss what to do next. State law requires us to continue submitting budgets to the voters until one is approved. Most of our expenses cannot be reduced for the next school year. The biggest increases in the budget are for tuition for our middle and high school students and for special education costs that are mandated by federal law. Teacher and staff salaries were negotiated two years ago and cannot be changed now. The only capital cost included is for the Mount Holly boiler – if it fails next winter school would have to be cancelled until it is repaired or a replacement could be installed. None of the other projects that were in the bond proposal are now being budgeted. Though we will continue seeking savings in other than personnel costs, it appears that the only significant savings possible are likely to come by eliminating teaching and support positions. This would mean larger classes and less support for students who need extra help. I hope many members of the Mount Holly and Ludlow communities will attend the meeting on Monday, either in person or by Zoom. I would also appreciate hearing your ideas about how we should move forward. Thank you, Dave Martin
david@davidsmartin.net | | |
| | Today's Forecast: A chance of rain showers before 7am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7am and 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 2 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
| | | | | 66th Annual Penny Sale Big Success in Ludlow The 66th annual Penny Sale, sponsored by the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC), was a tremendous success as over $30 thousand in prizes were awarded to over 350 winning ticket holders this past Saturday at the Ludlow High School Gym. Prizes awarded ranged from skis, TV's, gas grilles, ski passes (including several seasonal passes), to cash awards. If winners were not happy with their prizes, they even had a "swap table" available to exchange prizes with other winners. The event represented a major fund-raising effort for the LRC. Much of this amount will be devoted to the annual scholarship awards the club gives to area graduating students, this year estimated to be $9,000. The remainder goes into the funds used to support area community projects. Winners of this year's raffle ticket prizes this year, pictured above, were, from left to right, Patty Rumrill ($50), Alicia Hammond ($275), Barb Duquette ($175), and Gabby Donna ($525). Astrid Hoyt, not pictured, was the 4th place winner of $100). Kim Lampert, LRC Treasurer, echoed the attitude of all attending Rotarians, noting, "A big thank you to all our patrons, businesses who donated these wonderful gifts, making this Penny Sale such a wonderful event". She also expressed her gratitude to Brewfest and the Ludlow Police Department for the special role they played in supporting the event. Jim Rumrill, co-chair of the Penny Sale, indicated that this fund-raiser was very important to the LRC's continuing efforts to support its scholarship program as well as other community activities sponsored by LRC such as literacy, youth exchange programs, and many community projects.
Pictured beloware the winners of the 66th annual Penny Sale raffle ticket contest. From left to right, they are Patty Rumrill ($50), Alicia Hammond ($275), Barb Duquette ($175), Gabby Donna ($525); not in photo - Astrid Hoyt was the 4th place winner $100 winner. The audience, and some of the prizes offered, are shown above from the 66th annual Penny Sale sponsored by the Ludlow Rotary Club.
| | | | | Noah Schmidt Updates Ludlow Rotary Club with Ludlow News and Plans Noah Schmidt, a member of the Ludlow Select Board, spoke to the recent meeting of the Ludlow Rotary Club about the status of recent actions and considerations by that legislative body. He indicated that the town has about $330,000 and the village around $230,000 in America Rescue Act (ARPA) Funds, but came with "a lot of restrictions". Schmidt added that one of the primary considerations of its use was for recreation in the town. Responding to a LRC Rotarian's question, he noted that the bike path, long a matter before the Select Board, had already been established by LAST (Ludlow Area Sports Trails). Current planning will continue the path behind the high school building and run through Fletcher Farm properties. Calling it a "great way to increase the town's revenue", Schmidt said that the local option sales tax was something that should be considered for the town. Local option taxes must be approved by the State legislature, unless previously allowed by charter, and involve a series of 1% increases over the state's sales tax. Such a tax requires an approval vote by local voters. He added that the Select Board is still evaluating the future use of the Black River High School building, which is now owned by the town. Schmidt likes the idea of it being used for educational purposes but thought that the town needed a long-range plan on its use. As an aside, Schmidt indicated that he planned to take the 10-mile run up Mt. Washington, adding it was "only for the up-hill portion". In addition to his work as a member of the Ludlow Select Board, he runs the Open Door Vacations Rental Company, which he founded. He is part of the team that initiated the "Unofficial Okemo" website. The LRC meets every Tuesday for lunch in Ludlow. The LRC is small and is always looking to welcome new members. If you would like to attend a meeting and learn how you may 'Serve Humanity' while enjoying the fun and fellowship of others, please contact any Rotarian or drop a note to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow Vermont.
Pictured below are Tom Ray, LRC President, and Noah Schmidt, LRC speaker, following Schmidt's remarks to the Ludlow Rotary Club.
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| | Today's Forecast: Patchy fog and a slight chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 58. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
| | | | | Vermont Home Gardener No Mow May… let the pollinators play The idea is very simple and it makes sense. Avoid mowing your lawn in the month of May so that those early wildflowers (dandelions, clover, violets, etc.) can blossom and provide early nectar for pollinators. It will even help if you just don't mow areas that have lots of dandelions and clover blossoming. These flowers are the first available major food for many wild pollinators, honeybees and bumblebees, and gives them a spring boost. It also gives you a valid excuse to delay mowing! If you like this idea, you can extend the benefits by mowing less lawn all summer and converting some areas into pollinator gardens. Also, planting extra pollinator friendly flowers (sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, basil, catnip, thyme, etc.) in your gardens will provide ongoing support of pollinators. After May when I find a patch of later flowering wild plants in the lawn I avoid mowing there until they have finished blossoming. At the very least, raise your mower blades to 4-5 inches to mow higher. That results in healthier grass with deeper roots and lets the grass outcompete many weeds. More information is available at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture website. | | | | | Greetings, Reinbow Riding Center, a therapeutic horseback riding program located in Belmont, is hosting their annual Volunteer Orientation Clinic at their riding facility on Saturday May 11, 2024 beginning at 10am. Attached is a press release, flyer and some
photos. Regards, Diane
ps here is also a link to the Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2057339498000583
Diane Stockton-Breese
Development Director
giving@reinbowridingcenter.com
www.reinbowridingcenter.com | | |
| | Today's Forecast: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 7am. Cloudy, with a high near 54. Southeast wind around 12 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
| | | | | April 30, 2024
Select Board Meeting Town Office April 30, 2024 4:00 pm
AGENDA
- Call to Order
- Transfer Station Employee Interviews
- Adjourn
| | | | | I'm in search of a free used baseball glove for my new hobby of playing
catch with a kindergartner. I throw with my right hand, so the glove is
for my left. Tballs to go with it would be a bonus.
Thanks, Dianne Johnson email:diannej27@gmail.com text: 802-999-4297 | | |
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