Q&A with mayoral candidate John Hollar at the Savoy

MONTPELIER -- Mayoral candidate John Hollar announced today that he'll be fielding questions from Montpelier voters on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Savoy Theater.

Montpelier blogger John Odum running for city clerk

This story originally ran in the Times Argus on Jan. 25, 2012.

MONTPELIER — Political blogger John Odum announced this week that he intends to run for city clerk.

Odum said he hadn't really considered running for elected office until a couple of people asked him to think about running.

After considering it for a couple of days, he said, he decided to go for it. The incumbent, Charlotte Hoyt, is retiring after having worked in City Hall for 39 years.

Odum has been the publisher of the left-wing Green Mountain Daily blog, which he founded six years ago.

If elected, he said, he plans to leave his role at the blog, as well as his position as news editor for The Bridge.

Even if Odum doesn't win the election, he said, now is a good time for him to step back from the Green Mountain Daily.

The blog, Odum said, makes his life very "dynamic," and now that he's approaching 44 years old, he's looking for things in his life to mellow a bit.

His platform for running for city clerk is based on his database programming skills - namely Microsoft SQL Server.

He said he can bring some efficiency to the city clerk's office and perhaps save taxpayers some money.

The notion of running the city's elections also appeals to him, he said.

Odum is married to Cary Brown. They have two sons, Tucker and Zane.

Hoyt took on the role of city clerk/treasurer on April 24, 1991. Starting this year, however, the city clerk and treasurer positions will be split into two jobs, with the treasurer moving into the finance department.

Last year, the city's charter was changed to make the treasurer an appointed, rather than an elected, position.

Who is that guy Michael Marinelli running for city clerk?

Here's a press release from candidate for Montpelier City Clerk Michael Marinelli.

Contact: Michael Marinelli
(802) 229-0477
mmhs76@hotmail.com

Long time Montpelier resident, Michael Marinelli, announces his intent to run for Montpelier City Clerk.

Mike Marinelli has lived in Montpelier for 47 years and is married to Elise Marinelli with three sons—Joseph Bousquet, Jeffrey Bousquet, and Andrew Marinelli. Mike is also the eldest son of Ronald and Claudette Marinelli, both current residents of the capital city.  Mike and Elise, along with their three children, attended Montpelier public schools and graduated from Montpelier High School.

Mike aims to bring a sense of “family values and community service” to the position, keeping in mind the needs of all of today’s Montpelier residents. Mike truly wants to give back and serve the central Vermont community that has been an integral part of his family’s life through a position in public office.

Mike’s father, Ronald, served the community of central Vermont as food service manager for 30 years at National Life Insurance Group. His mother, Claudette, served the State of Vermont for over 30 years in her position at the State House in Legislative Council. Following his parents’ dedication to public service, Mike himself worked as Manager of the Knights of Columbus and currently serves the faculty and students at Norwich University.

Montpelier is known as a family city where community and commitment to your fellow residents is given top priority. Mike says that his “deep roots in the community, together with his hardworking values, dedication, and commitment to those he serves will benefit the residents of Montpelier in his role as City Clerk.” 

City shut off water on Liberty Street

MONTPELIER — The City reported this morning that the Water Department has shut off the water on Liberty Street because of another leak.

This will impact the areas of Hubbard Street, Liberty Street and Heaton Street.

Department of Public Works Director Todd Law said that the cause of the leak is not yet known. 

"In the past few weeks there have been a few breaks," Law said in an email. "Causes range from split pipe, holes worn in pipe and another was a service saddle (water connection for home) deteriorated."

Once workers can get to the leak, Law said, they'll be able to determine the cause.

Also, the hydrants on Fuller Street, Liberty Street and Graham Terrace will be out of service until the leak is repaired.

UPDATE 5:27 p.m.: The city has restored water service to residents and hydrants are back in service.

 

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Last City Council meeting ever

MONTPELIER — Charlotte Hoyt has been the City Clerk and Treasurer for 21 years. She's worked for the city for 39 years. Yesterday's City Council meeting was the last meeting she'll ever have to attend as City Clerk.

It was also Mayor Mary Hooper's last meeting. Hooper was first elected mayor in 2004.

Former School Board Chairman and lobbyist John Hollar is running unopposed to succeed Hooper as mayor.

Blogger John Odum and Michael Marinelli are both running for the City Clerk job.

NECI on Main Cellar's Express Lunch today

MONTPELIER — Tired of waiting for a chef to cook your lunch on a workday break, only to miss out on that leisurely walk back to the office, especially now that it’s been so warm outside?

Well, wait no more, because in the NECI on Main Cellar you can get Express Lunch.

It’s like a normal lunch, a hot and freshly prepared meal with a salad, drink and a dessert featuring a student-created confection, but it’s fast.

Express Lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday for $12.95 a person.

Today’s lunch includes a carved hot turkey sandwich, smashed potatoes and a winter vegetable.

Local option tax: Proponents look for fairness

MONTPELIER — Proponents of the proposed local option taxes to be included on Montpelier’s Town Meeting Day ballot this year argue that it’s an issue of fairness.

Mayor Mary Hooper has been pushing for local option taxes for several years to no avail. This year will be her final attempt to do so as mayor. 

Hooper is not running for re-election in March. Former school board chairman and Statehouse lobbyist John Hollar is running unopposed for the job.

The business community clearly is not in favor of the idea to add a 1 percent tax on retail sales, rooms, meals and alcohol. But Montpelier isn’t composed of only businesses, and Hooper said someone needs to speak up for the residents.

Over the past 25 years, she said, the portion of the city’s budget paid for by residential property taxes has gone from 53 percent to 66 percent.

The reason for that shift, according to Hooper, is that residential property values have gone up much more quickly than commercial real estate values. Property taxes are based on a property’s value.

That means there’s been a significant shift of the economic burden for the city’s budget onto residential property owners, Hooper said.

Read the rest of this story online in the Times Argus

Community forum on local option taxes Thursday at Capitol Plaza Hotel

MONTPELIER — Todd Bailey will be moderating a panel discussion on local option taxes on Thursday at Capitol Plaza Hotel beginning at 7 p.m.

The panel is to include Ken Jones, Bob Gross, Bill Fraser and Rob Kasow.

Plan for the worst this Thursday

MONTPELIER — On Thursday at City Hall, Dan Whipple of VOSHA, Fire Chief Robert Gowans and Montpelier Building Inspector Glenn Moore are hosting an emergence preparedness workshop from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Business owners, residents and others can register for this free workshop by contacting George Walker at george.walker@state.vt.us or by calling 802-828-2033.

Businesses line up against local option tax ballot items

MONTPELIER — Try to find a business owner who supports implementing a local sales tax in Montpelier; it’s not easy.

The only retailer who seemed to come out in favor of the local sales tax was Knayte Lander, manager at Buch Spieler Music on Langdon Street. 

“I don’t think an increase from 6 (percent) to 7 percent is going to drive people away,” he said.

If someone buys a CD for $6, Lander asked, does it matter if they pay 36 cents or 42 cents in sales tax?

Ultimately, that’s the question for Montpelier voters on March 6 on Town Meeting Day: Shall voters agree to implement two local option taxes by approving two separate ballot items.

One ballot item is a local sales tax of 1 percent added to all retail sales. That’s in addition to the Vermont state sales tax of 6 percent. 

The other ballot item is to create a 1 percent tax on rooms, meals and alcohol. Vermont currently has a state tax on rooms and meals of 9 percent; and on alcohol, it’s 10 percent.

“I’m against the idea of making property taxes higher,” Lander said.

That’s the rationale behind the local option sales tax, spearheaded by outgoing Montpelier Mayor Mary Hooper. 

Her argument has been that it’s unfair to keep taxing Montpelier property owners with ever-increasing property taxes, while the thousands of people who eat, shop and drink in Montpelier every day — but don’t live here — and, thus, don’t pay anything toward the police, fire and other city services.

Lander clearly is the minority of business professionals who support the 1 percent local sales tax.

Up and down Montpelier’s streets on Monday, the drumbeat was the same.

Read the rest of this story online in the Times Argus