RESIDENCE ON CLASS 4 ROAD IN FOREST ZONE
Brian Jowett has a contract to purchase 1818 County Road. The property is about a half mile past the beginning of the Class 4 section. He would like to build a full time residence. He attended the Planning Commission and spoke with Jim Stimpson, the Administrative Officer, and both support his request. The Road Commissioner, David Tatro, was not at the meeting to provide input due to the weather. Mike Denault said if Brian Jowett was willing to obtain the $1 million bond to protect the town, he was fine with it. Dan Potvin felt the board should discuss the bond amount. Bill Levine thought the board should consider extending the Class 3 section that the town currently plows further down the road. It would cost a lot of money to upgrade all of County Road and Klondike Road because the state will require that the road meet their standards. Nancy Bushika would like to review the decision about an insurance bond and would like to talk to Dave Tatro. Mike Denault said they would send Brian Jowett a letter stating what the town would need from him if they decided he could plow the road.
HIGH SPEED INTERNET
Aaron Malachuk spoke with a Consolidated Communications technician. The town of Chesterfield, NH hired a consultant and Consolidated Communications to run fiber network to every house in their town. The project cost the town $1.8 million and provides 1 gigabyte per second. The town obtained a 20 year bond to cover the cost. Instead of everyone in town contributing to the cost, only the households that sign up for the high speed internet pay. Consolidated charges an extra $10.00/month which it later turns over to the town. The town uses this money to pay back the bond. Aaron Malachuk felt if lines come down during an ice storm, a small internet company might take a long time for repairs. Consolidated Communications has the manpower to fix the lines immediately. Chris Warren felt it was great to have information from more than one group. Aaron Malachuk will see if he can have someone come to a future Selectboard meeting. Anyone interested in serving on a high speed internet research committee should contact the town office or Chris Warren directly.
SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY TOWN
Douglas Wright read the proposed resolution to declare Stamford an “Article 16, Constitutional Gun Owner Town and a Second Amendment Sanctuary Town”. He said Title 24 gives the Selectboard the authority to make this resolution. The legislature continues to write bills that infringe on our rights, governing how we live and what we do. These are inherent rights and not privileges. This is a symbolic way to send a message to the government. The resolution is non-binding. Several towns and counties in Virginia, Maine and Vermont have already done it. Dan Potvin commented that it was great to see so many young people present. Visitors felt that the government keeps chipping away at our rights and if they succeed at one thing, what will be next. Mike Denault confirmed that this resolution does not give anyone the right to break the law. He said until a year or two ago, the State of Vermont had no gun laws, other than accepting the federal laws, and our state has been one of the top three safest states in over 100 years. He said there is no supporting evidence that any of the proposed gun laws will deter crime. Chris Warren asked why the resolution targeted only the Second Amendment and not the whole Constitution. Mike Denault responded that the Vermont legislature has been creating bills that target Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution and the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. If the government began to make laws restricting freedom of speech or freedom of religion, there would be a resolution for that. Mike Denault noted that the Stamford Sportsmens Club is a place where people can go and exercise their rights to carry and use firearms. More gun laws could put the club out of business. Nancy Bushika said it didn’t seem like Stamford or Readsboro would be against the resolution. She suggested that the topic could be discussed at town meeting. Helen Fields did not think it should be brought up at town meeting and said it could get ugly.
MOTION by Mike Denault to adopt the resolution to declare Stamford an “Article 16, Constitutional Gun Owner Town and a Second Amendment Sanctuary Town” as written. SECONDED by Dan Potvin. 4 in favor. 1 opposed (Chris Warren). Motion APPROVED. The resolution will be sent to Senator Dick Sears, Senator Brian Campion, Governor Scott and Representative Laura Sibilia. Cindy Lamore thanked the board for doing it.
Text of the resolution was not provided
Vermont Article 16
Vermont Title 24
