It’s incredible! The town of Fairlee faces major expenses to replace the failed water tank, now estimated at $3.9 million. The Selectboard is planning to bond for this by next summer. Nevertheless, the Selectboard continues to promote the $850,000 bond to pay for non-essential improvements to the Town Hall.
Ask yourself — what truly matters here? Then ask Selectboard members to exercise some simple common sense and get their priorities right. In my view, the improvements to the Town Hall are not critical. Let’s get the serious water tank issues resolved first — then address the Town Hall improvements.
Please vote no on the Town Hall bond revote.
John K. Wetzel
Fairlee
I grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom during the ’30s and ’40s where, for some folks, trapping was a way of life. Although I never trapped, I did accompany my uncle one time to check his beaver traps. I did spend much time hunting and fishing when I got old enough.
I commend those two young men written about in your recent article (“Carrying on a Vermont Trapping Tradition,” March 26). It was refreshing to see a couple of young people showing some ambition away from the electronic world.
By the way, a few years ago I did start my own trapline — I have two traps set in my basement and occasionally find one or two small critters in them. I do check them every day.
Congratulations on the trapping article. Hope I haven’t offended some of the other letter writers to your paper.
Grant Isham
Stockbridge, Vt.
The Solution Is Right Before Us
Everyone needs a solution, the president, the Republicans, the Democrats, the poor insurance companies, the starving pharmaceutical groups, both here and abroad, certainly lovable Sean Spicer … and, oh yes, the voters and potential patients. But then the solution is right there, hiding in plain sight. All it needs is one clear, simple, easy step to result in a yuuuuuge triumph for everyone.
The answer? Congress should announce that it will abandon its current health care coverage to adopt instead the new Paul Ryan proposals for their own care.
Why not? All parties (almost) declare this is a brilliant plan, far better, with greater coverage yet a remarkably lower cost, and it doesn’t even include anyone’s name: Obama, Trump, Ryan or even Kellyanne. Why, even the president, who I suspect has never read the plan, has pronounced it the best plan he has never seen. It’s what they call a “win-win” approach.
Both major parties should support it and urge members of Congress to get on board (before it’s too late!) It would reduce the current all-too-lavish congressional plan’s cost, and heaven knows, reducing costs is the mantra these days. With some of these savings, Democrats and Republicans could return to having dinners together, maybe occasionally even inviting their “ladies.”
Let’s get this obvious, beautiful proposal on the table ASAP. I would bet the vote will be unanimous … one way or another.
Bruce Macdonald
Quechee
I was appalled to read in the Valley News of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicle’s violation of our own state law (“Vt. Senate Presses DMV On Collusion: Documents: Department Passed Info to ICE Agents,” April 13).
In 2013, a Vermont statute established that a driver’s application for a license required only proof that the applicant is a Vermont resident. This was debated and passed by the Legislature to help immigrants get around on their own. The staff at the DMV then communicated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pass on the names of Vermont residents applying for these permits.
In 2014, in the settlement of a lawsuit by the Vermont Human Rights Commission, the DMV agreed that they would no longer contact ICE concerning these applications. I fail to see why it would take so long for DMV employees to learn that the agency made this agreement several years ago. A memo from the department’s commissioner to all enforcement staff, including the enforcement director, would seem to me to be sufficient notice to end the ICE contacts. Failure to abide by the agreement should result in a staffer’s firing.
Allen Hood
South Royalton
We hear the stories of weapons of mass destruction, dangerous dictators, assorted bogeymen. They’re little more than fairytales. But fairytales are for children, not their parents and grandparents. Wars are never fought over lofty principles of defending freedom, democracy, human rights or the rule of law. Without exception, they’re fought for money, power, control and domination.
In Syria, they want regime change in order to run oil and gas pipelines. As was the case in Kosovo, they’re willing to bomb the place to dust in order to get their way. They don’t give two figs about children. Assad, like Milosevic, Saddam, Gaddafi, Rouhani or Putin, is just another uncooperative leader, unwilling to knuckle under. Washington operates the global war machine. They act as enforcers for the multinational conglomerate. It’s been fully rogue since 9/11.
The American people live in a hijacked country. Divorced from reality, they have just watched in silence.
Neil Meliment
Hanover
The New Hampshire House needs to oppose Senate Bill 3, a Republican-sponsored proposal that modifies requirements for voting.
Unable to find evidence of voter fraud, the New Hampshire GOP is relying on the perception of fraud as an excuse to make it harder to register to vote. This is a slippery slope that endangers our democracy. What an embarrassment that Republican leaders fell for this line of thinking.
SB 3 indicates a basic lack of trust that voters can be honest at the polls. Contact your legislators in Concord to urge a no vote on this mean-spirited legislation. Also plan to attend the SB 3 hearing in Concord on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Representatives Hall.
Katie Lajoie
Charlestown
As I write this, it’s 77 days, that’s it … just 77 days into this new presidency in our United States and already stress reigns supreme. Never in my life have so many things seemed so upside down so quickly and so continually.
Why am I so stressed every single day? Is it because the conscious effort of a thoughtful, progressive nation to preserve its environment is in reverse gear?
Is it because much work that’s been done to improve basic women’s rights that empower us to choose how to live with intention and to claim equal pay for equal jobs is in the process of being undone?
Is it because public education — which taught most of us to read and write, and is paid for by all, through taxes, ensuring mandated schooling for all children without charge — is under serious threat?
Is it because health care, which should be available to every American as a right, not a privilege, is an elusive dream?
Is it because diplomacy is a skill of the past and knee-jerk reactions and warmongering (ego building) have taken its place? Is it the Russian connection? The nepotism? The disrespect for established protocol, the unqualified Cabinet secretaries, the lack of stability at the helm? Is it the daily distractions … the constant stream of lies or the hostile, negative, divisive tweets that have insulted our sense of well-being and boggled our minds? Is it the disrespect for facts and truth, worsened by the speed with which information is thrown out, changed, reversed, twisted and re-reported hundreds of times a day?
It’s hard to catch our collective breath before we are bombarded, distracted and unsettled once again. I can’t answer for anyone else but for me … and I’m pretty sure all of this is what’s been stressing me out every day, all day and most nights for the last 77 days. A cup of hot tea might be the answer. I’m just not sure if I should slowly sip the tea and breathe deeply or smash the cup.
Joan Ecker
Hartford
Democracy is a government in which power is vested in the people.
When you provide less polling sites for voting, democracy suffers.
When voters have to wait for hours to vote, democracy suffers.
When voting districts are gerrymandered for political purposes, democracy suffers.
When changes to New Hampshire voter laws threaten the right to vote, democracy suffers.
When these things happen, “Government of the people, by the people and for the people” is in jeopardy.
What are you afraid of? Votes?
Pat Kinne
Charlestown