Article 7

[dw]

Mummy - I believe Roadkill explained it well.  It may be a grant ("free money") this year but eventually the free wears out.  Upkeep of buildings - normal depreciation - will occur and the free money may not be there after the initial year;  and the reality of vandalism is an added expense. 

[cedarman]

As pointed out previously, the "free money" is NOT guaranteed.  The grant is not awarded already, just applied for.  I too commend all of the efforts of the people working on this project.

I enjoy walking the rec path occassionally.  I think it's a great area that does encourage exercise (I certainly don't want to jog up and down 104 with my daughter in a stroller).   HOWEVER, I don't believe the proposed building itself will encourage even more exercise, and I don't believe it will attract tourist to our town, and it is NOT free.    I would vote in favor of this article IF it had the following conditions:  proposed facility will be built ONLY if the upfront cost does not exceed $10,000 and a reimbursment grant is in place (awarded); and ALL profits from concession sales will be placed in a maintenance fund for the proposed building.


Finally, WHO will be responsible for maintenance?   If there is still debate about whether the town or the school is going to maintain the fields, etc. then this maintenance issue needs to be resolved BEFORE any building is started.

[Terri Santee]

FREE MONEY?? Perhaps it seems that way to our generation but our children will certainly pay for this!

[ohhman]

Kudos to Gary, Terry & others......like I asked way back, I thought I remember voting @ a town meeting we did NOT feel the need for this building? All these things, maintenance, funding, etc., were brought up but yet the idea was still pursued. Sometimes I feel we don't always think longterm, like the upkeep & vandalism in the future.  The port-a-lets seem to work fine; many schools have them when we traveled to soccer & baseball games.  Maybe there are better ways to use grant monies, something that won't require constant upkeep.  Who's going to answer the call when kids are down there trashing the place?  I probably will take heat for this but I have lived here almost 30 years & have seen our town grow alot, some needed changes to keep with the times, but not always the case.  Guess it bugs me that some move here because it's such a nice town, good schools, good location,etc., but then they try to change it & make it like the big cities they've come from....well at least the conveniences of the past.  If you move to a small town, maybe someone should ask if that's what they really want - and not the small town with the perks? of a big city.

[slpott]

I am one of "those" relocators and look at it differently. Not all change is good and I agree with that but new blood and energy can be. I do not think it matters where you come from. If you get involved in your community then you are a good community member. Some people exist and some people live. Facts of life. New blood does not necessarity come from big cities. It can come from the new generations coming from our community. Whether you have been here 30 years or 2 years what matters is what you do with your time here. Some of us try and have the energy to do so and others do not. No one is going to go their whole life without making a wrong decision. I personally would think that it is not asking a lot to have the home owner clear the sidewalks in front of their home. Europeans clean their own streets all the time. I also do not think it is asking a lot to help thy neighbor either. That is a debate in itself. Anyway, I am glad I came to Fairfax and I will offer my time to help in any way I can.

[MR32]

here, here. P.S. I am a native Vermonter, who moved here from a small town, and I don't want to change anything, but every town could benefit from improvements, And regardless, our population is the 5th fasting growing in Vermont, and we have to keep up if we like it or not to accommodate the influx of new residents.

[roadkill]

I stand corrected. After reading the Town Report, I believe Article 7 will not be voted on by Austraiilan ballet but actually at Town Meeting. That explains alot. Last year only 6 percent of the registered voters attended Town meeting. I was hoping to go and support a local boy at the Burke Mountain sledd dog race, Mike and Sam Previs of Previs sled dog racing will be racing. He's also the President of the race. Go Mike. On a much sadder note the State will be closing another rest area shortly to save money, either the one in Waterford or the one in Lyndon, I guess you just pull off the side of the interstate and find a tree. Now thats "old school".

[Mummy]

3plusk might be right.   

I do recall having heard many new folks indicating that Essex had all the perk's like Ice Skating Rinks, Parks, Bike Paths and good schools just to name a few.  The conversation always end the same way ... "but we couldn't afford ANY house in Essex!"  Is it possible these same folk want a Mini Essex at a price they can afford here in Fairfax?  It does make me wonder now, if all these perks are developed here in Fairfax and these folks move away ... gee the longterm residents are stuck with the cost of maintaining these infrastructures.

Something to think about .... begin with the end in site!

[mirjo]

On a much sadder note the State will be closing another rest area shortly to save money, either the one in Waterford or the one in Lyndon, I guess you just pull off the side of the interstate and find a tree. Now thats "old school".

I wonder what the savings will ultimately be once the state starts cleaning the 'sites' from the messes that are left--if in fact they do. Someone just assumes that people will get off the interstate to use the facilities, but I have a fair amount of road trips logged on I89, 91, 93, and beyond and I can say with certainty:
When I gotta go, I gotta go, not all exits have readily available convenience stores with restrooms--some rural exits you have to drive several more miles in the middle of nowhere to get to a small village that may not have an open gas station. Then after you've driven for what seems far too long, you think maybe if you you had turned the other way you would have reached civilization sooner, so you turn back (after driving another 2-3 miles to locate a place to do so) and go the other way, passing the on ramp in search of life that must be ahead...by the time a restroom is located, you're nearly foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, pushing aside small children with grandmothers and knocking over pregnant women  just to get to it. It ain't pretty.

Neither is the paper mess that I have seen left at some rest stops in the woods.

I have noticed that as much as we complain about our roads here, they are (at least I89 anyway) in great shape compared to every interstate I have been on in another state. I90 (a toll road) is awful, but the rest stops are real nice and there is one about every 20-30 miles. I95 was pretty bad when I was on it last.  It seems like the roads aren't tended to, but the rest stops are. It's just an interesting contrast. I suppose sacrifice has to made somewhere, but is there no compromise?

[slpott]

It's nice to hear that "we" relocaters  are carrying our load and became part of the community fairly quickly. Wonder how many old timers participate in keeping up with the demands? What will happen when they are gone? A town is like a barn, You can take care of it or you can let it cave in. Why bring back Fireworks if there is a chance of fire. Why have a new restaurant come to town in fear that no one will go. Why make the school bigger to accompdate Georgia if it is a possibility that  people in Georgia stop having kids. FEAR, FEAR, FEAR. That will hold us back every time. I wish I would have had a little more fear last year when I had to plant my vegetable garden 3 times. Those "relocaters" spent a lot of money in this town trying to live up here and not knowing the hidden secrets. It all comes out in the wash. I would assume that there are a few businesses here in town that are owned by "out of town people" or "relocaters". Maybe it is time to be thankful rather than resentful.

[mrome]

re: "I thought I remember voting @ a town meeting we did NOT feel the need for this building? All these things, maintenance, funding, etc., were brought up but yet the idea was still pursued."

There are many reasons to revisit a topic...we've all decided at one point not to take an action only to make a decision to do so at a later date.

As a member of the Parks and Rec Board, I supported bringing the request back to the voters. The park is being used more and more. Football alone has greatly increased the number of people in the park. Next season, little league will be using the fields. We (the Parks & Rec Board) want to make the park a place that many, many people will use for a wide variety of activities. It's not "just for the kids". We are proposing the facilities (rest rooms, storage, concession) to support the continued and increased use of the park.

We believe there is enough interest and support TO PRESENT THE POSSIBILITY of building the pavilion. That is what Article & does...presents an idea to vote on. There are many questions that need to be answered in order for voters to decide whether or not to support the request. Katrina is working on putting information together.

Margo Rome

[mirjo]

A lot of staid "old-timers" generally do not think outside of the box or will shoot down any possible solution to a perceived problem because that's how it is with everything. The issues of money, maintenance, upkeep, vandalism, etc., are all valid, as are the desires to continue to model the park after something we all have seen and appreciate elsewhere.

NO ONE IS WRONG!!

That's the good part. The issue is being able to come together and make it work: Think about who is involved with the park, what draws the most people there. You might find some answers or at least some ideas to jumpstart the brainstorming process as you're going along.

It's bee said at least a half dozen times a proposal was in the works--send ?? etc to an e-mail address, but it continued to be hashed out with out benefit of any real info...imagine how well we'd do with all the facts/figures and information needed to adequately debate an issue?!

The members of Henry's forum could probably put Montpelier out of business.

[katrinaantonovich]

I guess I have to respond to the last statement -
I'm feeling frustated and really sad at the moment- I feel I give a lot of my time for our community, The park and recreation job is a part time job - 5- 10 hours a week it is budgeted for - I often work at least 20, many volunteer hours, I'm not looking for sympathy or anything, but to explain. I also have another job that requires me to work full time next week and I'm also a full time stay at home mom with a 2 and 4 year old. I will get the information out - I want the correct information, with correct numbers, and it will be presented at town meeting. I will try my hardest to get it out sometime next week. I will have limited access to Henry's website for the next few days so if you want - I've given the information on how to contact me.
Katrina

[mirjo]

Don't give up or lose faith, your efforts are appreciated, but it never seems it in the midst of controversy. Patience is a virtue hard to come by. When it all works out and it eventually will, all will be good. I believe there is some country song out there with a chorus something along these lines: "When you're going through hell, just keep on going..." I'm not a hard-core country fan, so I've never heard the song, other than that line and couldn't say who sings it, but I like the sentiment.