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BELLOWS FALLS â The elected trustees of the Rockingham Free Public Library have submitted petitions that would increase the boardâs independence from decisions by the Select Board.
The library board has gathered enough signatures on two petitions which request that any future library budget votes be held via Australian ballot and that the budget, as formulated by the library trustees, be presented to the voters without any changes by the Select Board.
The two petitions were turned in late last week, meeting the deadline for petitioned articles to be included on the town warning, according to Library Director Celina Houlne.
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BELLOWS FALLS â Faced with continuing state restrictions on public gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic, Rockingham officials are considering pushing Town Meeting back a month or so.
The Vermont Legislature adopted legislation Thursday that would allow towns to make some one-time changes to accommodate their towns during the pandemic.
Gaetano Putignano, chairman of the Rockingham Select Board, said he isnât in favor of postponing March Town Meeting, but he said the town has the right to consider it.
A traditional floor meeting, like the one Rockingham holds on Monday night before Tuesday Town Meeting, is out of the question, Putignano said, with other board members agreeing.
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BELLOWS FALLS The Windham-Windsor Housing Trust Monday said it was significantly changing its project using the former Bellows Falls Garage because of the high cost of restoring the 1920 concrete structure.
Elizabeth Bridgewater, the executive director of the Brattleboro-based non-profit, said the housing group was facing a $3 million gap in its anticipated costs and the construction bids on the project, which was supposed to start construction in November.
The $3 million would have been on top of the estimated costs of $9.1 million, Bridgewater said in a follow-up interview. The extra costs only became clear after construction bids were received, she said. The new plan is expected to cost $9.9 million for the 27-unit project. Construction is expected to start in April.
BELLOWS FALLS â The future has never been brighter in Bellows Falls, literally.
But despite the bright holiday lights recently installed in the trees on The Square in downtown Bellows Falls, thereâs been plenty of turmoil and change beneath the bright surface, and not all of it because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The French have a proverb that could be an unofficial motto for Rockingham and Bellows Falls:
Plus ca change, plus câest la meme chose: The more things change, the more things stay the same.
Change, if not turmoil, has been a constant for Rockingham and Bellows Falls residents, particularly in the municipal managerâs position.
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BELLOWS FALLS â It may not be long, but itâs steep and âBlack Diamondâ all the way.
The Bellows Falls Community Ski Tow hasnât seen much activity in recent years, due to a lack of consistent snow and equipment problems.
But last weekâs record snowfall of close to 30 inches of powder has inspired some dedicated snow lovers to troubleshoot the towâs problems and get it running for area kids just as their Christmas vacation starts.
The small, lighted and rustic hill will be running Wednesday, from 5 to 8 p.m. It was open on Tuesday afternoon as well, and opened this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with some mechanical difficulties periodically cutting into the ski towâs time.