[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6144309,"mediaKeyId","5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe","parentId",5534308,"title","City audit draft shows $76,852 favorable variance; $325,621 unassigned fund balance reported","audioSeconds",422,"startMs",6362000,"endMs",6784000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe&start=6362&end=6784","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe/thumbnail_6362000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6144309/Newport-City/Orleans-County/Vermont/City-audit-draft-shows-76852-favorable-variance-325621-unassigned-fund-balance-reported","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144309-175326e371cf0f92ebc98f0453973455/orig.mp4?Expires=1773775491&Signature=a9zgr0Yc37nT5anjxrlvjRIe0LSl7Mx4gQdfNh7~KSVfjB5z~owhseHsPg0~fs2HUTHdbPpU1o-luPkjPQFWnddyEqbRI2NIZVmRTtJjLbRj6VUPsbh~ORKuLIZul54ks--iKmuigieLEYqDKBoH4n2~pY6BZVerh5MSx65t5i-iBCMcKRCwVgfwmZ9qA60cYIUz-CLdN5PtYUAbAT~HCtAiy6GEZz4jAOfre9nfpwAMUPpy3kUnNgaWQrtI~a7~dAm9~HiWxXotlPAt9RDQRIAtXyURzS3Q58hyFTTsAH1kyf9YSqargDTB4RYYIn1eWc-rTc9Eq6n5tUf8w2IlEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Newport, VT","date","2025-08-06T04:01:50.737Z","article","Acting Clerk/Treasurer Stacy Terry presented the draft fiscal‑year audit to the Newport City Council on Oct. 17, reporting a favorable budget variance of $76,852 and an unassigned (surplus) fund balance of $325,621 as calculated by the auditors.

Terry said the auditors noted the city may continue to spend certain facility‑maintenance appropriations (about $17,866) and that other capital work planned for the year — including gateway painting and some municipal building projects — was deferred, contributing to the favorable variance. She said the auditors will issue standard notes, including a disclosure (note 17) explaining how the variance was computed.

Terry also told the council that the city attorney would begin sending delinquent tax letters the next day; the letters cover both property taxes and water/sewer delinquencies. She said total outstanding balances subject to that action were roughly $80,000 for property taxes and about $80,000 for water and sewer accounts, and encouraged residents to contact the treasurer’s office to arrange payments.

Councilors asked clarifying questions about specific balances and accounting details; Terry said staff and auditors would provide further detail if council members requested it and that management would sign the audit letter once council reviewed the draft.

No formal vote was recorded at the meeting; the council indicated acceptance of the draft and staff planned to finalize audit signatures and publish the auditor’s report.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Newport City Council 10-17-16","oneSentenceSummary","Acting city finance staff presented the draft audit to the council, which shows the fiscal year ended with a $76,852 favorable variance and $325,621 in unassigned fund balance; staff said some capital projects were deferred and delinquent tax letters are being mailed.","taxTitle","Newport City, Orleans County, Vermont","taxId",73619,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144313,"Council approves Comcast easement to extend service to Rural Edge building through city lot",145,3563000,3708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe&start=3563&end=3708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe/thumbnail_3563000.jpg","/articles/6144313/Newport-City/Orleans-County/Vermont/Council-approves-Comcast-easement-to-extend-service-to-Rural-Edge-building-through-city-lot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144313-3e61e8685833580c7888724a5f4a3f3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773775491&Signature=P~3WapxygrJuXY2RtO7-VXKiGR2tGQN-c9qqul7yAwM9XOdEhKa8vYbRnAnMtcVfEipXu2YDd9zCuW~zF-xElrDowPnZqILbU4OpXLM6yFu8sJQbtqxF9K5Z-e6N69N5DJG2nAjwLI7QvRoJHS3vo9XruTw~EXQ1bJWQXBJOR3MlVzkMdDwYWyiW8BeXHoN9YWmO3yo4MkdNEm4Gmo266rjGMu2bxwzZlEODa0do2tU1kfqf7i09zv0pqXYy-h-gqJvbn6Q54bXAM4Ua24N95hu3usz~SSFsWcarC2xmwqDlT0hdtKmcJSixKhklZMbooxOn4VIsbMbBwyW1tDVQtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newport City Council on Oct. 17 approved an easement allowing Comcast to trench across a city‑owned portion of the parking lot behind Main Street (near the former Sears location) to install cable and high‑speed Internet to the Rural Edge senior housing building.

City staff explained that public works director Tom Burnier reviewed the proposed route and saw no operational issues, and that the city attorney had reviewed the easement language. The work will involve cutting a trench in the pavement and then repaving the surface when the cable is installed.

Council members asked that public works supervise restoration to avoid the settled patch issues the city experienced on prior trenches. The motion to approve the easement passed by voice vote.

No fee or other grant of rights beyond the described trench and repair obligations was recorded in the council discussion; staff said Comcast would replace pavement and that Tom Burnier would approve final restoration standards.","Comcast requested an easement to trench across a city parking lot to serve the Rural Edge senior housing building; public works staff and the city attorney cleared the conveyance and the council approved the easement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144317,"NVDA proposes $35K–$40K Main Street traffic study; council asked to form steering committee",905,2720000,3625000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe&start=2720&end=3625","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe/thumbnail_2720000.jpg","/articles/6144317/Newport-City/Orleans-County/Vermont/NVDA-proposes-35K40K-Main-Street-traffic-study-council-asked-to-form-steering-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144317-da87054775c6bee63c84a82cd46698b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773775491&Signature=MgZcDWor~aQNqT~3RSSMJhcEQ5F5MhvX4d0ODDA-6jJG22tRzOhMrMXvXsDJdepgeVGsdnTc49SLOd-CNT2EJJcqXThH6WjrEf1-zCZAwQyy6~uah9GLX9CtTjByR7uFFxjM6fdzDpyyI4L-g2L7wxpj9sIsuTmiEvpX0kC0JvkREeDRncg-uwx0z0~RCNj5tHeeeDiLazeUckZt6i~1GRX8w-xd7nc~TYTt78oap1AKV-w4bgqGbJlST4MdKUwxJhkqJO1x0GKNzA9sPoI-KzwgKQJcgR~zeWjG0LIMygAakU-wX5OTw1Yh6iknpmcJWsqGJqM6cub6XxvxIe4U9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doug North, a planner with the Northeast Vermont Development Association (NVDA), told the Newport City Council the agency is prepared to fund a targeted traffic and multimodal study of Main Street and related corridors and asked the city to form a steering committee to guide the work.

North said NVDA will hire an engineering/planning consultant and that his office aims to have a consultant on board before the winter holidays and to complete the study by the end of NVDA’s work year (target: September 2017). He estimated a broad scope covering Railroad Square up toward Maple and Gardner Park could cost in the range of $35,000 to $40,000 depending on scope.

The work would include purpose‑and‑need development, public outreach, alternatives analysis for specific intersections and corridor segments, and a final plan report with cost estimates and potential funding sources. North said the project would coordinate with VTrans because state‑numbered routes run through the city and VTrans has ongoing scoping for Railroad Square work.

North provided previously compiled traffic counts as background — citing 2015 average daily traffic counts of roughly 15,000 vehicles between Coventry Street and Railroad Square and about 9,000–10,000 vehicles between Railroad Square and Gardner Park — and said summer sampling and pedestrian counts would be part of the consultant’s work. He asked the city manager and police chief to serve as points of contact and proposed a public meeting chain for community input.

Council members and business owners attending the meeting discussed concerns at specific intersections, pedestrian signal timing at Gardner Park/Third Street, and the possible tradeoffs of signals versus roundabouts for safety and business access. North said NVDA would revisit previous regional studies and not “reinvent the wheel” while developing corridor alternatives.

No binding commitment or appropriation was made at the meeting; North said NVDA would proceed with consultant procurement pending final scope agreement with the city manager and steering committee.","Doug North of the Northeast Vermont Development Association told the council NVDA will fund a corridor study of Main Street pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle movements, with an engineer consultant to be hired and public meetings planned; the timeline aims for completion by fall 2017.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144323,"City council approves higher special‑detail rate, authorizes new cruiser; police training video shown",2100,3636000,5736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe&start=3636&end=5736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe/thumbnail_3636000.jpg","/articles/6144323/Newport-City/Orleans-County/Vermont/City-council-approves-higher-specialdetail-rate-authorizes-new-cruiser-police-training-video-shown","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144323-53da1095b2afdff96478789c6a928214/orig.mp4?Expires=1773775491&Signature=ojX6-34ZSGHqNQMNTgQEySroredVw8jslfXvyvuy7stGYKprDTQGy2jnGAzXSBqdAe8fcyOKIAHeEmrIgjUvAt~RnfWMcAn-FvT3HQDADat1sMtqF-nY6O8vTbdYvmc9FyvPQcCbLS70pyGv3j6O3JeW7xwCdHaGhPNpX8ycgbCfZz~OODf71aa9hELshclG1bAEIy-WwK4XmTES1Ki7skz-S4xcHq-0ApReshPxDRRQRjY8Eo8dTOCBniSC7CEffdZlblzE7MESJ0eRns0TqAQ1IGCtfS9ZgKOupy6x1AAbBcJnFxKqsdm1kWjgC73ZsT8MPOpa2x-EtOFR-qymiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City councilors voted on Oct. 17 to approve a $50‑per‑hour rate for special officer details and authorized the police chief to purchase a new patrol cruiser, after a presentation by police leadership detailing repair costs and staffing considerations.

Chief Cassandra proposed the $50 hourly rate for special details, telling the council it reflected local market comparators and the training required of officers. “With the amount of training that we go through, $50 an hour is not unreasonable,” she said, citing local trade rates and saying residual money would go to the general fund.

Mr. Vincent moved to adopt the rate; Mr. Roberge seconded. The council approved the change by voice vote.

Later in the meeting Chief DeSanto presented vehicle repair histories and financing options and asked permission to replace a high‑mileage cruiser. He cited a Hays Ford repair estimate of $27,774 and discussed vehicle pricing and financing; the council approved the chief’s request to purchase a new cruiser. A motion on disposition of the old cruiser was tabled while staff obtain additional mechanical information and consult the fire chief about potential reuse.

Separately, the council watched excerpts of body‑worn camera footage presented by police leadership that showed officers pursuing and then taking into custody a juvenile who had run from a mother who had asked police for help. The chief played portions of the recording to explain the department’s response and to prompt discussion among councilors and residents about de‑escalation and training. The chief asked the public not to photograph the footage out of respect for the family.

Council exchange covered both praise and concern. One resident and several council members said they wanted assurance that officers have adequate training in de‑escalation and handling youths; the chief said the department already engages in that training and defended the officers’ conduct in the video, saying, “I have watched this video now six times, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with what my officers did or how they treated this person.”

Decisions and next steps: the rate change and cruiser purchase were approved by voice votes; the body‑camera excerpt prompted requests for continued or expanded training and the chief offered to follow up with councilors and the public on training programs and department practice. No formal disciplinary action or policy change was announced at the meeting.","The Newport City Council approved a $50 hourly rate for special police details and authorized purchase of a new cruiser after hearing repair cost data; council members also viewed body‑worn camera footage in a discussion about officer training and handling juveniles.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144328,"State warns starry stonewort established in Lake Memphremagog; containment now focus",1700,168000,1868000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe&start=168&end=1868","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534308-8df9578818df08a1fa16b37956c26bfe/thumbnail_168000.jpg","/articles/6144328/Newport-City/Orleans-County/Vermont/State-warns-starry-stonewort-established-in-Lake-Memphremagog-containment-now-focus","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144328-910592a5f3ee47444e7a858d24e9debe/orig.mp4?Expires=1773775491&Signature=DZuHLPDQBkyeRMLL27icEPzDy8pHOk8Z1M4T17Rm09EpJ6nT4OZ9MqgxVkcoEdMIXYT0UBdo1HK3OFtUokXzurFtbxqsdICnbZZTXC18x5uNEY3bOM1eDp2EirHPN9KcwuY7H2vds9K152wvvXnugN59L32NyYArb7EmchWDVS~DdKNU6Qf~TV44yFRtwLxndvaKV2nOwcSL1X-NhhNuABQzpsRM~knX-rEsPQHe5cMHuGALU~PKze42QvSdyYjc8ftbkwLJcfXs87bBPtZKupaaZpStDlrMApen43YqhAbDvjizT7xUqpZoWKGDo1rTk9~5zdjdo2WSBvF9rWyVLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Annie Bowe, an aquatic invasive‑species coordinator with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s Lakes and Ponds Section, told the Newport City Council on Oct. 17 that starry stonewort (a nonnative algae-like species) was first confirmed in Lake Memphremagog in 2015 and has since been found in additional sites including South Bay and a separate population in Derby Pond. “The Lake Memphremagog population found in 2015 was the first confirmation of this species in Vermont,” Bowe said.

Bowe said the species forms dense mats, produces bulbils that can germinate into new plants and can grow in a wide range of nutrient and depth conditions. She described Scotts Cove as heavily infested, estimating the plant covered most of the cove’s roughly 24 acres. “That wad that I'm passing around is basically just a garden rake full dipped into Scotts Cove,” she said, pointing to bulbils visible on a specimen she circulated.

The council heard that management options are limited. Bowe summarized two approaches used elsewhere: diver‑operated suction harvesting — effective only at very small scales and labor intensive — and chemical treatments, which present public‑health and permitting hurdles. “Chemicals are being used, but effectiveness are very limited,” she said, adding that state health officials must find any chemical mix presents negligible public‑health risk before a permit would issue.

Because eradication appears infeasible at the current densities, Bowe said the state is emphasizing spread prevention and monitoring. She described public‑access greeter and volunteer inspector programs, two portable decontamination units that can provide high‑pressure hot‑water rinses, and local signage and training as near‑term measures. “We now have portable decontamination units. We have two of them that rove around the state,” she said.

Valerie Dillon, identified as a trained Vermont invasive patroller who first alerted DEC staff to the Scotts Cove find, and representatives from the Memphremagog group in Quebec assisted DEC surveys; DEC found the lake’s larger populations at Scotts Cove and in South Bay but did not find starry stonewort in the Quebec portion of the lake during this sampling effort. Bowe said researchers are investigating likely pathways of introduction and spread — mud trapped on anchors and other equipment appears to be the most likely vector — and that genetics work is underway to trace the plant’s origins.

Bowe asked for local cooperation on spread prevention and monitoring, and said she hoped to work with the city on using DEC resources and volunteer programs in 2017. The state also held a temporary 90‑day closure of Scotts Cove in May 2016 to buy time for assessment, she said.

Why it matters: council members and residents asked about recreational and ecological impacts, and whether the species might displace Eurasian watermilfoil or otherwise harm fish spawning habitat. Bowe cautioned that many impacts are not yet fully understood at the site, and emphasized monitoring and public‑education measures while research continues.

The council did not take a formal vote on regulatory measures at the meeting; Bowe repeatedly urged enhanced volunteer greeter staffing, signage and use of decontamination units as the immediate next steps.","Vermont DEC officials told the Newport City Council that starry stonewort, a nonnative algae-like aquatic plant first confirmed in the lake in 2015, now occurs in multiple locations and that immediate containment and spread-prevention — not eradication — are the practical priorities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City audit draft shows $76,852 favorable variance; $325,621 unassigned fund balance reported

Council approves Comcast easement to extend service to Rural Edge building through city lot

NVDA proposes $35K–$40K Main Street traffic study; council asked to form steering committee

City council approves higher special‑detail rate, authorizes new cruiser; police training video shown

State warns starry stonewort established in Lake Memphremagog; containment now focus