PLYMOUTH, Vt. – A handful of Plymouth parents attended Monday night’s selectboard meeting to ask questions and voice concerns regarding school choice options. This debate has a long, prickly history in Plymouth since the elementary school closed in 2011 and the town became part of the Windsor Central Supervisory Union (WCSU). There are five elementary schools in the union: Barnard Academy, Killington Elementary, Reading Elementary, the Prosper Valley School, and Woodstock Elementary. Per WCSU, the choice of school venue is “guided by the needs of students, parents, and the district, [and will be] limited by transportation feasibility and classroom space availability.”
Selectboard Chair Jay Kullman had invited parents to attend the May 1 meeting along with Plymouth School Board members, who were not present since both boards meet on Monday nights. Kullman had explained, “I think we are all interested in the best outcomes for students and based on what people have come to us with, they might not be the best, or the current structure may not provide that.”
The parents of preschool-age children addressed the board regarding their desire to enroll their children at the Ludlow Elementary School, which is part of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU). They contacted both unions and were told they would need to pay tuition (around $18,000) to attend Ludlow. They asked the board if there were any other options.
Selectboard member and parent of a Killington student Keith Cappellini explained the lengthy process required to allow the town to secede from the union, which, he stated, would require a petition signed by the majority of voters in all towns within the WCSU district. A study on economic impacts for each town would need to be conducted and presented to WCSU, and even then, the union could deny the request. “It is possible,” Cappellini said, “but you have to do a hell of a lot of work and have a game plan.”
One Plymouth resident, Julie Dupont, spoke to the issue, saying she’d been on the school board for 20 years, and warned that leaving WCSU would not be wise. She remarked, “school choice equals no voice.”
Beth Harper, longtime resident of the town, introduced herself and said she’d been involved with the Plymouth school system since her children were young. She stated that her son was in kindergarten at the elementary school the year it closed. “He was one of two kindergarteners, and there was a total of 12 kids at the school,” Harper reported. “There were no first graders, no second graders, no fifth graders. My daughter would have started kindergarten the following year, and she would have been the only student in that grade. Many in the town were resolute to keep the two-room schoolhouse, which was charming, and a wonderful place to have your child go to elementary school.”
Harper talked about the town meeting prior to the closure of the elementary school. “I remember coming into this building, and people were screaming and crying. We were lucky we did not have a riot.” Harper mentioned that, ultimately, the town voted to close the school, and that 10 of the 12 students opted to attend Woodstock Elementary. “Woodstock Elementary has given my children an experience they would never have gotten at the Plymouth school,” Harper expressed. “Not once have my kids complained that they hate school, which I think is very unusual and very fortunate.”
Harper went on to say, “Plymouth has a good seat at the table [now], with two board members out of 18.” The town has had a voice on anti-bullying policy and other important issues, and Harper expressed her gratitude for that representation.
Kullman eventually said the board needed to move on from the discussion, and suggested the parents contact the school board directly. He offered the selectboard’s help if needed.
Selectboard member Rick Kaminski then addressed the topic of short-term-rentals, and the dust-up between the two administrators who had been previously appointed. Kaminski said, “after reviewing the situation, I’ve come to realize that we need a new face in the process, and I talked to Frank [Vetere] about it, and I’d like to nominate Frank as the new STR Administrator. He’s the Town Health Officer, and is responsible for long-term rentals, so it seems to be a good fit. And Frank’s got a civil engineering background.”
Vetere said, “it’s a subject I’m interested in, as a resident, and Airbnb rental owner. I’m familiar with it, the position needs some rational perspective, and I have my ideas, which you may or may not agree with, but I’d like to run the program and make it successful.”
Kaminski and Vetere highlighted some proposed revisions to the ordinance and registration form. They discussed insurance requirements, and how to enforce them. Cappellini suggested putting together a flow-chart type of review, to determine the specific situation, and what insurance the homeowner has in place. Additionally, the board decided that the requirement for homeowners to acquire a Knoxbox would be a strongly suggested recommendation, not a requirement.
As the meeting wound down, the board approved liquor license renewals for the Echo Lake Inn, and the Inn at Water’s Edge. The board also agreed to adopt a broadband plan, using money from the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) to improve broadband services in the underserved, southern portion of town.
The board signed the sheriff’s contract at $60,000 annually, or $5000/month fixed. This will be a one-year contract with quarterly performance reports.
Finally, the Plymouth Emergency Services presented the board with the donation of an AED defibrillator for the town office building, and announced they will be holding an open house on May 13, where they will be giving CPR training demonstrations.
The next selectboard meeting will be Monday, May 15, at 6:00 p.m.