Category Archives: Killington

Killington to vote on fire department tax status Nov. 5

KILLINGTON — Killington residents will vote on whether to renew the tax-exempt status of Killington Fire and Rescue on Nov. 5. The department is currently exempt from paying taxes on the property it occupies, but that exemption expires at the end of the year.
Per state statute, residents must approve the property-tax exemption every five years.
There will be an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Town Offices. Residents will return to the Town Offices to vote Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 to register to vote.

New wrinkle creates new barrier for Killington development

A suggestion from the Rutland Regional Planning Commission would — if supported by Act 250 officials — force the designers of a proposed $125 million development on Killington Mountain to return to their drawing boards.
The commission has sent a letter to the District 1 Environmental Commission suggesting that S.P. Land Co. incorporate 495 units of affordable workforce housing into its planned development, a suggestion that caught the president of the company by surprise.
“It’s not going to happen,” said Steven P. Selbo, president of S.P. Land. “This came out of nowhere. We’ve spent millions on this. We have architectural designs, sewer designs and engineering designs. This came as a shock and a real disappointment.”
S.P. Land has applied for an Act 250 permit to build 198 residential units, 32,000 square feet of retail space and 32 subdivision lots on Killington Mountain. The Agency of Natural Resources has granted party status to the Rutland, Southern Windsor County and Two Rivers-Ottauquechee regional planning commissions. The three commissions wrote a joint letter on the project to the Environmental Commission, but Rutland withdrew and has written a new one with the request for affordable housing requirement in it.

- Josh O’Gorman

-For the full story, see Tuesday’s Rutland Herald.

Sun and fun on May Day at Killington

The snow was sweet and the sun was out on May Day at Killington resort.

Killington pond skimming contest rocks the mountain

Some Killington residents to see surprise in bill

By Josh O’Gorman
Staff Writer

KILLINGTON - Some sewer customers will see their bills rise $50 this year.

Tuesday night, the Select Board unanimously approved a measure to raise sewer rates for customers along the Route 4 corridor from $1,250 a year to $1,300 a year.

The rate increase will not affect customers along Alpine Drive, whose rates will remain $1,250 a year.

In 1999, town residents approved a 20-year, $2.6- million bond to build the sewer system. More money was collected than was needed, and the surplus has been used to defray customers’ rates, said Town Manager Seth Webb.

However, that fund has been decreasing quickly in recent years. In 2010, there was a $157,000 balance. In 2011, that amount dropped to $68,000 and in 2012 it fell to $26,525. The increase in rates will stabilize the quickly disappearing fund, which with fund expected to stand at around $23,000, Webb said.

There is still $1.3 million left in payments on the bond, which will reach maturity in 2019.

Stage Race will return to Killington - for at least 3 years

KILLINGTON — The town has signed a three-year contract to sponsor the return of an internationally renowned cycling event.
The Killington Stage Race will return for the fourth straight year Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27. Killington — along with fellow sponsors Long Trail Brewing and athletic apparel manufacturer Champion System — has paved the way for individual races, time trials and a grueling 60-mile run that concludes with a climb up East Mountain Road.
“It turns a ghost town into a destination,” said Town Manager Seth Webb, who in 2010 brought the race back to the area after a 10-year hiatus. “Events like the stage race, the concert series, the junior golf tournament, these are all efforts by the town to make this a four-season resort.”
This year, the town will spend $25,000 to sponsor the race, down from $32,000 in 2012. Since 2010, the Killington Stage Race has brought a combined $1.1 million to the local economy, according to a press release Webb issued.
The race originally ran from 1987 to 2000 and attracted more than 1,000 racers from across the United States, as well as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
“To bring the event back to Killington the race has proven itself as a great investment for the town. Each year we’ve spent less and attracted over 500 to 600 riders. We look forward to continuing this tradition in 2013 through 2015,” Webb said.
For more information or to register for the race, visit www.killingtonstagerace.com.

VIDEO: Rails to Riches rail jam at Killington

Rails to Riches rail jam

Killingtonblog: Snow, glorious snow

There’s snow up on Killington, according to innkeepers Bill Vines and Mary Furlong, who took in some turns on Wednesday:

A constant light snow fall, combined with round the clock snow making operations, has left Killington Resort in great shape for early season skiing and riding. While light conditions this morning were flat with a snow falling continuously, all of the trails we skied this morning were fairly soft and covered with several inches of freshly fallen fluff.

See the snow and read the full post at Killingtonblog.com.

Killington reduces fire department expenses

The Killington Select Board Tuesday reduced a $91,800 budgeted increase for the town volunteer fire department down to $6,800 after moving expenses into the General Fund and on to the ballot for town voter approval.
Selectman Jim Haff orchestrated moving $10,000 out of the new equipment line item for the replacement of dry hydrants destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene into the town’s “Flood” recovery expenses that were not reimbursed by the federal government.
That would mean the expense would be paid out of the General Fund, reducing the increase in the fire department’s divided budget.
Also, Haff suggested, and the remaining two members of the Board and fire representatives agreed, that voters should decide if they wanted to add $75,000 to the department capital reserve fund for the replacement of fire trucks and the item is expected to be put on the March ballot in a seperate article.
The town has committed to adding the usual $100,000 into the fund next year but the department was asking for more.

Killington constable asks for two more officers

Killington Second Constable Whit Montgomery got a round of applause from residents in a packed town office Tuesday night after introducing a town police budget that calls for the addition of two new officers for a price tag of $5,050 more, or 8 percent, over the prior year’s budget.
Montgomery’s plan adds two seasonal, yet experienced, officers to work hours during the resort town’s peak season when there’s a current ratio of 15,000 out-of-towners per officer.
Currently, Montgomery is the only constable in town following the retirement of First Constable Scott Bigelow and the resignation this summer of special officer Ryan Soos. Continue reading