Warmer weather to bring rain and sleet tonight and tomorrow

MONTPELIER — According to the National Weather Service in Burlington, Wednesday's high temperature could be 47 degrees.

Along with that warm front comes rain and sleet beginning tonight at 11 p.m. Expect more rain all day Wednesday with amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. 

Temperatures are expected to drop Wednesday night to around 23. Thursday mostly cloudy with a high of 33 degrees.

Jeff Jacobs knocks $280,300 from his property Grand List values

MONTPELIER — Jeff Jacobs appealed 12 of his 19 Montpelier property assessments. In doing so, Jacobs successfully chipped $280,300 from his property Grand List values.

Here's a list of the properties Jacobs appealed to the state appraiser, as well as the appraiser's decision. Also included are the city assessor's value and the board of civil authority's value. The difference between the city assessor and the state appraiser's decision is $412,600.

Click image for improved readability.

Capital City takes up heating district business plan

MONTPELIER — Here’s what’s happening in the Capital City this week.

On Jan. 23, city and the state officials signed district energy contracts and city officials updated the State Senate Institutions Committee last week, City Manager William Fraser said in his weekly report.

The next steps for the city are to receive the preliminary design of the thermal energy distribution system and cost estimates from the contractor, Hallam-ICS.

Fraser said, they also will begin fleshing out a business plan for how to sell thermal energy to building owners located along the downtown distribution system route who want to tap into the system for heat and hot water.

Read the rest of this story online in The Times Argus

Capitol City Kia expanding and Frank Z is out

MONTPELIER — The Kia auto dealership located on Gallison Hill Road is expanding, and as a result, Frank Z’s auto repair shop has been forced to find a new home.

Kia is owned by L & T Auto Group of St. Johnsbury. They also own Capitol City GMC just down the road from the Kia dealership on Route 2.

Ed Farr, the general manager for both the Kia and GMC dealerships, said they’re increasing the size of the body shop and combining the GMC and Kia reconditioning shops.

But for the owner of Frank Z’s auto repair shop, located in one of the two buildings being taken over, that means he has to move.

Read the rest of this story online in The Times Argus

Business Profile: Three Penny Taproom

MONTPELIER — The Boston Globe called the Three Penny Taproom a “craft-beer Mecca.” It’s been voted the best bar by Seven Days and Times Argus readers.

In fact, it’s hard to imagine Montpelier without the Three Penny Taproom, which turns three in May.

“It’s an absolute success,” co-owner Scott Kerner, 36, said.

Kerner owns the bar with two of his friends, Matt McCarthy, 38, and Wes Hamilton, 33.

Read the rest of this story online in The Times Argus

Mad Taco opening delayed by city's building inspector

MONTPELIER — According to the Planning and Community Development Department, and the city's building inspector, the owners of Mad Taco have had to postpone opening the new location in Montpelier because of an issue installing a kitchen hood at that location where Samosaman used to be located.

But the issue has been apparently resolved.

Here's a note from the city's Planning and Zoning Administrator Clancy DeSmet:

The applicant changed plans and the issue appears to be moot. However, the building inspector and zoning administrator spent significant amounts of time with both parties in order to come to a workable solution all involved.

Mad Taco President Joey Nagy sent a letter to the city on Jan. 26 that said:

Our menu will not consist of any fried items which would produce grease laden vapors. Any item which would contain grease laden vapors will be produced in our restaurant in Waitsfield, Vt.

Schools are closed

MONTPELIER — All public schools in Montpelier are closed today.

Enjoy the slush.

Blogger John Odum to run for city clerk

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.

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20120125/NEWS02/701259946

City Meeting Warning

MONTPELIER — Curious about what you'll be expected to cast a vote come Town Meeting Day?

A draft of the warning is available here.

Carlo's Positive Pie

MONTPELIER — For a city of fewer than 8,000 people, Montpelier is a relatively vibrant place to live, work and hang out. And one of the city’s hot spots is Carlo Rovetto’s Positive Pie 2.

Located on State Street in the heart of Montpelier’s downtown, Positive Pie is more than just a pizza place. There’s a full menu of entrees, a bar and every weekend boasts live music.

Rovetto, originally from Little Falls, N.Y., moved to Vermont in 1999 and opened the first Positive Pie in Plainfield.

Before relocating to the Green Mountain state, Rovetto was living in Colorado. He had been travelling around the world for several years and was looking for a place to put down some roots.

Read the rest of this story online in The Times Argus