City Hall Reporter's Notebook
Kudos received for downtown program
Toolbox
By STEPHANIE M. PETERS Staff Writer - Published: November 23, 2009
The Downtown Rutland Partnership program that brought the Catamount Crafters Cooperative to Center Street this year through a rent break received statewide recognition earlier this month.
The "Free Rent For a Year" initiative earned the honor of "Best Economic Restructuring Story" at the Vermont Downtown Program's Downtown Conference, held in Middlebury.
Michael Coppinger, executive director of the DRP, said he was asked by a colleague in the state, who thought it was "a very ambitious and worthwhile economic development program," to submit it for award consideration.
"We're certainly flattered by the award … economic development is a tough beast to tackle right now and it's just one step along the way," he said.
Coppinger said the DRP is in the process of preparing its calendar-year budget and contemplating how to fund a similar program again this year.
Gobble local
With Thanksgiving only a few days away, if you're like me, you're already thinking about turkey with all the fixings and pumpkin pie.
But where's your food coming from this year?
Sustainable Rutland's once again encouraging folks to think local as it gears up for its second-annual Thanksgiving Localvore Challenge.
Last year, they had about 50 families undertake to put together a Thanksgiving feast entirely comprising foods grown and produced within 100 miles of where they live.
Need some helpful tips? Sustainable Rutland put together an entire list of ingredients that can be found locally, as well as some suggestions as to where to shop.
Head to their Web site for more information: www.sustainablerutland.org.
Cosponsors of this year's challenge include the Rutland Area Food and Farm Link, the Rutland Food Co-op, the Rutland Area Localvores and the Rutland Winter Farmers' Market.
Holiday hours
City Hall is closed Thursday and Friday for the holiday, but there are still a couple of meetings scheduled for this week.
On Monday, the Public Works Committee will discuss both the fiscal year 2011 Public Works Department budget and the timeline for the water and sewer budgets, which have not been prepared for review now because they do not fall under the general fund.
Tuesday, Alderman Dave Dress' form of government subcommittee will continue its discussion about the value of a city manager versus the current strong mayor system of management.
Street request
A Rutland resident is requesting that the city assign the honorary street name "Via Cristoforo Colombo" to a portion of Grove Street and northern Merchants Row.
The resident pointed out that with the Italian American Club and the Knights of Columbus along that stretch of road, the honorary name would make sense. He also told the Board of Aldermen last week that he'd pay for the cost of the street marker, which members of the board estimated at about $20.
The Board of Aldermen was not quite sure what to do with the request. City Attorney Andrew Costello said it was the first time he knows of that such a request has been brought directly to City Hall. The group decided to review the request — which they agreed was fairly simple — in Public Works Committee to make sure it is allowable.
stephanie.peters@rutlandherald.com
38