At the Town of Killington annual Town Meeting held on March 2 the voters approved the school budget and the municipal budget. The school budget was up just 2% over last year’s amount and the municipal budget was just about level funded from the previous year. The Sherburne Elementary School Principal, Lauren Pepe, gave an overview of the past and present school year, noting that the school’s NECAP testing results for math and reading were the number one top scores in the entire State of Vermont. Mrs. Pepe also advised that 37% of the families whose children are students at SES qualify for the free lunch program. Mrs. Pepe then advised that SES Individual Assistant Dale Pfeifenberger was honored with an “Every Day Hero” award by the Vermont Association for the Blind, and classroom teacher Lisa Laird was awarded with the  2009 University of Vermont Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

In the election to fill the seat of Selectman, Jim Haff received 140 votes to incumbent Jim Blackman’s 101 votes. In the election for Lister, Butch Findeisen was elected to a three year term.

The Article 10 which was to finance, purchase, secure permits and improve the Fireside property and related real estate interests in land for use as an events/tourist/community venue was defeated.

The Town of Killington Recreation Department awarded the Ken Krantz Volunteer of the Year to Andy Reid.

Congratulations to Killington resident and Woodstock Union High School senior Colton Blackman, who was named one of the two top youth volunteers in Vermont for 2010 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program is in its 15th year and conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Colton was nominated by Woodstock Union High School. As a State honoree, Colton will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all expense paid trip in May to Washington, D.C. where he will join the top two honorees from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2010 at that time. Colton has been very active in the Vermont Special Olympics, and Zack’s Place which is a special needs center located in Woodstock. Colton organized the unified snowshoe Special Olympics team, and  is the assistant coach for the team, which has competed in the last two Special Olympics. Colton also participates in fundraisers for the Vermont Special Olympics and Zack’s Place. Colton is the son of Jim and Anne Marie Blackman of Killington and brother of Austin Blackman.

Please be aware that the vent for your heating system must be free of snow in order for your heating systems to work properly and to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure that your carbon monoxide detectors are in perfect working order. Also, if you have fire hydrants in your neighborhood, please shovel them out if they are under snow.