We wondered what would be the fate of Waitsfield's municipal sewage and water project. The answer: Septic proposal was voted down at Town Meeting along with water. It took two more votes for the water project to pass. Construction will begin next spring.
We anticipated the Moretown Town Hall being repaired and that is happening. We anticipated the Wheeler Brook affordable housing project getting underway in Warren at the site of the former Blue Tooth and that project is well underway.
We asked if local school buses would operate at full capacity in 2008 and the answer is no. Long lines of cars full of parents dropping off children are visible at every elementary school five mornings a week.
We asked if our transit provider, Green Mountain Transit Authority, would begin providing commuter service from The Valley to Waterbury and beyond. The answer is no. We asked if 2008 would be the year that the Vermont Legislature achieved a real measure of improvement on Act 60/68. A resounding no.
So, 2009 . . . will this be the year that school buses operate at full capacity?
Will this be the year that the town of Waitsfield decides to repair the dam at its town pond with an open spillway? Or will the town take the path of least resistance and replace the earthen berm dam?
Will 2009 be the year that the litigation over the proposed Rivers quarry ends? The final days of trial in Vermont Environmental Court are next week. Will that decision be appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court? We predict yes.
Will 2009 see the Vermont Agency of Transportation make a firm commitment to bike lanes on Route 100 from Waitsfield to Warren? We doubt it. Firm commitment -- no. Vague assurances -- yes.
Stay tuned and send us your predictions. Happy New Year.
--LAL
{loadnavigation}
