Can Any Killington Locals Explain This Mess To Me?

[JerseyGuy]

Killington appoints former selectman to new panel role

By Cristina Kumka, Staff Writer - Published: March 31, 2009


KILLINGTON — Town officials didn't have to look far to find a replacement for longtime Economic Development & Tourism Commission Chairman Bill Bauer.

On March 23, the three-member Killington Select Board, headed by Jim Blackman, recently ousted Select Board Chairman Norman Holcomb to fill the unexpired term on the commission.

Voters chose to replace Holcomb, a nine-year member of the town's governing body, with Chris Bianchi, a University of Vermont graduate and software developer, in a 102-14 vote on Town Meeting Day.

Holcomb, 64, said Monday he plans to bring another element to the EDTC — knowledge of Select Board concerns and what more town officials may want to boost Killington's economic prosperity.

"I think I can certainly think differently than the other EDTC members about what the Select Board might want," Holcomb said. "The Select Board is interested in making sure the golf course is successful and doesn't dip further in debt."

The EDTC recently tasked the town's $7,500-a-month marketing firm Dillon-Walsh to promote at least three summer golf tournaments at the course in an effort to gather more attendees and more hotel stays, Holcomb said.

The course's expenses are currently outweighing revenue it brings in — as of December 2008, the course had an outstanding debt of $4.7 million and the course's 2009 budget deficit is approximately $348,000, according to the town report.

Promoting the golf course is one of many steps the EDTC has taken in the right direction, according to Holcomb.

The commission, a seven-member group of local business owners and residents, is responsible for the allocation of 1 percent local option tax money — an influx of about $554,000 this year alone — with oversight by the town Select Board, according to the town report.

Holcomb acknowledged that the work done by the EDTC, headed by newly appointed Chairwoman Jeanne Karlhuber, doesn't amount to a quick fix.

More events are needed in the future to keep the local option tax money flowing to support the EDTC and the town's newly formed economic development municipal department, Holcomb said.

"The intent was, once the events producer was hired, then the department would begin trying to attract more business," he said.

The town's Economic Development & Tourism Department is reviewing applications submitted by companies seeking a contract with the town to study the impact of a performing arts center, according to department director Carl Spangler.

The EDTC approved roughly $18,000 March 20 for a triathlon to be held in town July 4 organized by newly hired events producer Dariece Kirby-Kline, and a Web site is currently under development for the annual Killington Classic Motorcycle rally set for Sept. 10.

For next year, the department is planning to bring back the Killington Stage Race and better promotion for the Killington region as a wedding destination, Spangler said.

So lemme get this straight: the voters of the town of Killington, by a margin of 102 TO 14 -- Good God, how much did they not like this guy? -- punted Holcomb from the select board... so, clearly, this is the PERFECT guy to replace Bill Bauer right now?

And lemme get THIS straight:

1. This is a guy who will be sitting on the Economic Development & Tourism Commission...

2. ... replacing another guy who just quit because he needs to devote his time to keeping his businesses from from going under...

3. ... a guy -- Norm Holcomb -- who will be working with the town's Economic Development & Tourism Department...

4. ... yet another governmental organization within the growing Killington bureaucratic empire...

5. ... headed by the former Heap Big Killington Man Carl Spangler, who just hired...

6. ... the state's very first -- and only -- "events producer"...

7. ... meaning that the Town of Killington pays $125,000 to these two people ALONE, to say nothing of the ...

8. ... $90,000 per year "experts" they also hired at "Dillon Walsh" -- yes, that's "Dillon" as in David Dillon, the guy who used to run the VSAA before leaving to elevate the "Haystack Club" to its current level of wild success...

9. ... and don't forget the money these guys are now going to spend on a STUDY of the IMPACT of a performing arts center -- another eventual town expenditure...

10. ... and all of this is paid out of yet ANOTHER tax -- the 1 percent local option tax on meals, rooms and entertainment...

11. ... and in the meanwhile, ol' Norm wrote the following in a letter to the editor in the Herald just over one week ago (no, I'm not making this up):

Much of our economic recovery stimulus could be achieved by private efforts, not public spending if we would provide incentives for people to spend. If we could "dictate" that starting today, with a 10 cent discretionary expenditure, that everyone should double that every succeeding day, we would easily lift ourselves from recession. Obviously, we cannot do that. What we can do is provide other incentives for people to spend.

A few ideas:

Provide an immediate rebate for sales taxes, at the register, with the lost state revenue being replaced by the federal government.

Provide an immediate rebate for rooms meals and lodging taxes, in the same way as sales taxes.

Similar ideas, providing incentives for people to spend, could be offered, relating to car purchases, solar heating, etc. But the idea is to give the power to our citizens to lift ourselves from recession rather than government inserting itself in our lives.

Yeah, that public spending really SUCKS, don't it, Norm? You tell 'em! You tell 'em how we should offer a rebate for state tax-and-spend programs paid for by Federal tax-and-spend programs! (Hey, maybe your idea will apply to the local options tax, too!) Better yet -- you, David Dillon, and Carl Spanger can ALL tell 'em how government shouldn't "insert itself" into our lives! (Just as soon as you finish your workdays deciding exactly how Killington town government will be inserting itself into Killington residents' lives -- all paid for by a shiny new tax!)

Is this all for real? Any locals out there who can offer some simple, sound explanation that I'm clearly missing?

[SnoBrdr]

The whole idea of the Commission is nothing but a scam to get free dollars for the town to waste.

If you remember, the business owners were at first asked to pay for this, of course they said no.

Then they came up with yet another way to grab money out of your pocket. The Killington Tax.

There's no real over sight on how this money is spent. All they have really done so far is pay salaries, buy a few bales of hay and promote the Killington Classic all over the place.

They also have grand plans to build some sort of indoor/outdoor entertainment center, basically yet another playplace for the town paid for by tourists.

The town builds and buys things foolishly, aka the golf course.

And of course you can't vote on any of this as YOU DON"T LIVE HERE. Second homeowners should be allowed to vote on local issues that they have to fund through increases in local taxes.

It's all a scam.

[Bart]

I'm pretty confused too...the article seems like it was written in about 5 min

The way I read it Norm H. stepped out he wasn't voted out, and Chris Bianchi was voted in

I wonder if the 550K option tax money includes the 33% that goes to the state ?

if the 550K is administered by the EDTC what is the EDTD's budget ?

also w/ all that economic development money coming in who pays the 90K/ year for a marketing firm ? i.e. I thought the EDT C&D were largely responsible for marketing ?

the town is putting all this effort into ED, and yet when POWDR came in Norm and cronies got into a massive pissing match w/ KPSRP , maybe they didn't consult w/ the EDT C&D ?

w/ this many similar roles you know its a complete CF

maybe they want Norm in the EDTC to straighten things out...meant as a joke, but likely close to the truth !

[Bubba]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

[purplehaze714]

FYI - the feasibility study for the Performing Arts Center is being paid for by a grant that was applied for and given to the town.

[jimbolla]

FYI - the feasibility study for the Performing Arts Center is being paid for by a grant that was applied for and given to the town.

FYI
It was a matching grant and the town has budgeted 9 grand of edt money for this study

[Bubba]

FYI - the feasibility study for the Performing Arts Center is being paid for by a grant that was applied for and given to the town.

FYI
It was a matching grant and the town has budgeted 9 grand of edt money for this study

Not exactly a huge sum...

[jimbolla]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

Bubba maybe you should read the minutes . The Killington Classic was funded last year thru the EDT which was hosted by the Chamber. They (commission) loved it so much that they took it over this year. The event you are talking about that they did not
support because the promoter wanted too much money and did not give enough detail was the Killington Stage race for this year.
They are still talking about getting that event for 2010. So yes please follow your advice

[jimbolla]

FYI - the feasibility study for the Performing Arts Center is being paid for by a grant that was applied for and given to the town.

FYI
It was a matching grant and the town has budgeted 9 grand of edt money for this study

Not exactly a huge sum...

No not a large sum but the post was incorrect .The post was implying the study was being paid for by a grant .
Lets follow your advise and read minutes before posting so we get it right the first time.

[SnoBrdr]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

The so called Performing Arts Center is nothing more than using a special tax to build something that the town would never pay for with their own funds. I'm sure that they will then have to give some town residents jobs to care for it.

I also noticed that you didn't mention the golf course, never made a profit nor will it ever.

And yes I have read all the minutes.

And don't get me started on why they still have the school when everyone knows that if they closed it and send the kids out of town, like the high school, that they would save money.

[Bubba]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

Bubba maybe you should read the minutes . The Killington Classic was funded last year thru the EDT which was hosted by the Chamber. They (commission) loved it so much that they took it over this year. The event you are talking about that they did not
support because the promoter wanted too much money and did not give enough detail was the Killington Stage race for this year.
They are still talking about getting that event for 2010. So yes please follow your advice

You're right, I confused the two events. My mistake. But, either way, it shows that the EDT is being careful with how they commit the funds.

[aware4444]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

Bubba maybe you should read the minutes . The Killington Classic was funded last year thru the EDT which was hosted by the Chamber. They (commission) loved it so much that they took it over this year. The event you are talking about that they did not
support because the promoter wanted too much money and did not give enough detail was the Killington Stage race for this year.
They are still talking about getting that event for 2010. So yes please follow your advice

You're right, I confused the two events. My mistake. But, either way, it shows that the EDT is being careful with how they commit the funds.

The EDT didn't necessarily love the Killington Classic so much, they lost a bunch of money overall. By the way the select board has the final decision making authority on any spending that the EDT wants or doesn't want. Also, hardly ever mentioned is that Allen Wilson is a part of the Dillon/Walsh group. If not for the fact of being out voted Carl "Heap Big" or just "heap" for short Spangler was pushing to spend about $70,000 for the Stage Race that another Vermont Ski Area pays less than $6,000 (six) for. Oh, don't forget the $60,000+ they paid to increase the office space at the town office so that their would be enough office space for the new employees. Pretty scary, the only thing to blame on POWDR here is that they contribute about 2/3rds of the tax money.

[the Disemboweler]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

Bubba maybe you should read the minutes . The Killington Classic was funded last year thru the EDT which was hosted by the Chamber. They (commission) loved it so much that they took it over this year. The event you are talking about that they did not
support because the promoter wanted too much money and did not give enough detail was the Killington Stage race for this year.
They are still talking about getting that event for 2010. So yes please follow your advice

You're right, I confused the two events. My mistake. But, either way, it shows that the EDT is being careful with how they commit the funds.

The EDT didn't necessarily love the Killington Classic so much, they lost a bunch of money overall. By the way the select board has the final decision making authority on any spending that the EDT wants or doesn't want. Also, hardly ever mentioned is that Allen Wilson is a part of the Dillon/Walsh group. If not for the fact of being out voted Carl "Heap Big" or just "heap" for short Spangler was pushing to spend about $70,000 for the Stage Race that another Vermont Ski Area pays less than $6,000 (six) for. Oh, don't forget the $60,000+ they paid to increase the office space at the town office so that their would be enough office space for the new employees. Pretty scary, the only thing to blame on POWDR here is that they contribute about 2/3rds of the tax money.

ive heard similiar stories about the goings on in k....i guess its just politics/bizness as usual....doesnt this go on in every town/city in america????

[aware4444]

Norm shouldn't have even been on the ballot as he has his house on the market and is planning on moving. Most people know that so they voted for Chris as the replacement.

Sorry, no tax scam. In a tourist town you need attractions to bring in tourists. People voted for the tax for that reason, along with the fact that it is for economic development only and any change to that use must be voted on by the town. The performing arts center has the support of the town and is something people are looking at for the long term. Events are being studied and funded and they're being looked at closely. For example, the Commission didn't (at least initially) support funding the Killington Classic this year because the promoter wanted too much money and didn't give enough detail to satisfy the Commission that the money would be well spent.

Maybe you should read the minutes of the Town Meeting and look at the EDT Commission presentation and also read the minutes of the EDT meetings. I don't expect to support all of their decisions but I do support the general direction they're taking.

Bubba maybe you should read the minutes . The Killington Classic was funded last year thru the EDT which was hosted by the Chamber. They (commission) loved it so much that they took it over this year. The event you are talking about that they did not
support because the promoter wanted too much money and did not give enough detail was the Killington Stage race for this year.
They are still talking about getting that event for 2010. So yes please follow your advice

You're right, I confused the two events. My mistake. But, either way, it shows that the EDT is being careful with how they commit the funds.

The EDT didn't necessarily love the Killington Classic so much, they lost a bunch of money overall. By the way the select board has the final decision making authority on any spending that the EDT wants or doesn't want. Also, hardly ever mentioned is that Allen Wilson is a part of the Dillon/Walsh group. If not for the fact of being out voted Carl "Heap Big" or just "heap" for short Spangler was pushing to spend about $70,000 for the Stage Race that another Vermont Ski Area pays less than $6,000 (six) for. Oh, don't forget the $60,000+ they paid to increase the office space at the town office so that their would be enough office space for the new employees. Pretty scary, the only thing to blame on POWDR here is that they contribute about 2/3rds of the tax money.

ive heard similiar stories about the goings on in k....i guess its just politics/bizness as usual....doesnt this go on in every town/city in america????

I'm sure you're right. I guess that it's just annoys me that even in a small place like K they can pull this off and then claim the moral highground whenever they make their sanctimonious decisions. Just as most, they are looking out for #1 but veil it in what's right for how others get to live.

[VTbound]

K will never draw any people in the summer. They will just continue to raise taxes higher and higher to fund wastes like the Green mtn golf course. What's wrong with letting the mountain run the course they have and collecting sales tax on the rounds? No one from anywhere near any metro area will ever come to K to see a show, or an art exhibit. They have access to the best there is. You come to K. to ski, that's it. Face it.