Pownal Selectboard considering possible junk ordinance

This article by Patricia LeBoeuf originally appeared May 28 in the Bennington Banner.

POWNAL — The Select Board is expected to consider implementing a junk ordinance, part of a renewed effort to clean up the community.

At its [May 23] meeting, the board heard from Town Administrator Michael Walker, who drafted the ordinance.

Public domain

“We’ve been getting an awful lot of people coming in complaining about junk, trash,” he said. “They key to this is you have to have the enforcement. Just having the ordinance, in and of itself, doesn’t do anything.”

Walker told the board the town will post for a zoning administrator, as the current term expires this summer.

Nelson Brownell, who was elected to the Bennington, Pownal/Woodford House district seat in November, currently holds the position; he is allowed to re-apply.

The zoning administrator would enforce a junk ordinance, if one is put in place, Walker said.

Read full article at the Bennington Banner.

(Fair use with written permission from the New England Newspapers Inc.)

Image courtesy of Public domain

6 thoughts on “Pownal Selectboard considering possible junk ordinance

  1. Arlington passed a junk ordinance after many of the town’s taxpayers were tired of working their life away to improve their properties only to have welfare neighbors trash their squatted properties with three or more “parts trucks” abandoned bicycles, appliances,an assortment of “collectable lawn ornaments”,tires all while not paying property taxes, no mortgage, not working, but capable and basically living off of the system.
    All of this in plain view, destroying property values and adding to the further degradation of the Grand List.
    The Selectmen’s first duty if the safety of the town’s population, the second is to protect the Grand List to ensure the schools and town coffers are suffice to maintain the status quo at least.
    When all do not pull the wagon and too many are in the wagon. the pullers will leave, the town will spiral downward as has Pownal.
    Vermont has and always will have pockets of poverty.We are stewards of the land and should respect what others and God has loaned us. There is no excuse for this lack of community and respect for others. One of this state’s chief industries is tourism, and so far as I have experienced not many people are interested in visiting , staying, buying a house, or starting a business on an area that is an eyesore.
    I plan on leaving this place a little better than I found it, for the next generation, as did my ancestors.

  2. Typical Select board, some not even listening, others just staring they don’t want
    to hear from any constituents, It’s their way or the highway !!

    You put these fools in power, as the saying goes ” One mans junk is another man’s
    treasure “

  3. Nothing like turning a rural area into a flat lander suburb that will never be what it was or more then it is now. Its time to get rid of this administrator.

    • “Best” part is, the Admiinistrator is a salaried ($65k), appointed position the holder of which is NOT accountable to the voters. Supposedly only makes recommendations and handles day-to-day operations subject to approval of the Selectboard.

      You’re welcome to amuse yourself with SB antics and proceedings here:
      https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdXvmfaqL6tgWEGdAC829ZNi_YB5wUhsf
      The body language alone is worth a view. TA sits closest to the camera, usually back to camera. Reminds me of Ensign Pulver.

      FYI, Jarvis is the lone carryover from a “purge” that has seen one woman resign (after pulling her share of shenanigans), another declined to run for reelection, one went to the big doins ([D] Brownell ) under the gold dome, and another man lost his seat in the election. I expect to see strong opposition for Jarvis when he’s up for reelection, due to the way the four farthest away from the camera came out of the woodwork mere weeks before the ballot, and following some lengthy sessions at the home of a planning board member.

  4. After they raise inspection and registrations you have to have all your cars constantly road legal?

    Car collectors won’t like this. We’ve got way too many government officials with way too much time on their hands and way too much interest in other peoples business.

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