GOVERNOR SIGNS WINDSOR LEGISLATION
(A Margo Howland article)
Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, right, signs into law the legislation that amends Windsor’s charter to return the town to a Town Manager form of government, during a ceremony at the American Precision Museum Tuesday afternoon. Looking on, from left, are Interim Town Manager Mike Farrell, Select-board Chairman Bill Harkness, and Rep. Donna Sweaney, D-Windsor, who sponsored the bill. (Margo Howland Photo)
May 14, 2008 at 1:15 pm
(Related story from the Rutland Herald for Margo)
May 14, 2008
By JOSH O’GORMAN Herald Staff
WINDSOR — Gov. James Douglas came to the American Precision Museum Tuesday to sign a pair of bills into law that will change the town’s form of government and change the way museums handle their artifacts.
The first bill, “An Act Related to Property Owned by Museums,” establishes procedures for the handling of materials on loan to museums. The second makes law a motion adopted by Windsor residents at town meeting in March to change the town’s form of government from town administrator to town manager.
“Museums collect things that donors give them and we also have things on loan,” said Ann Lawless, American Precision Museum’s executive director. “Record keeping has improved since the 1970s but before then records can be sparse or nonexistent.”
The problem, Lawless said, is what to do with items that have no record of how they came to museum, items referred to as “found in collection.” Because ownership is not clear, the museum must keep the item and cannot return it, dispose of it, loan it to another museum or restore it in any way.
Lawless said the new law allows museums to place a notice in a newspaper stating they have an item found in collection and asking the owner or owner’s family to come forward and claim it. If after 180 days nobody has come forward to claim the item, the museum is free to give the item to another museum, sell it at public auction or throw it away.
The American Precision Museum has a large number of items in its collection with no clear title of ownership, said Museum Chairman Douglas Loudon.
“This museum began as a private collection more than anything else,” Loudon said, referring to museum founder Edwin A. Battison’s collection of tools from the dawn of the industrial revolution.
Loudon said the new law will allow the museum to lend or give away files, photos and film to archives that are better equipped to preserve them.
Lawless said that over the last three years the museum has been cataloguing all of its items and estimated about 25 percent of them have no record of where they came from.
“As storage fees increase, the costs go up to store things we might not want,” Lawless said.
Prior to signing the bill into law, Douglas spoke of its importance for the state.
“It certainly is a good step and we’re lucky to have so many treasures in Vermont,” Douglas said. “This law will provide guidance for the stewardship of these artifacts.”
Douglas also said the new law would improve museums and attract what he called “cultural tourists” to the state.
“It really does help to drive our economic development,” Douglas said.
Douglas also signed into law a change in the town’s charter to adopt a town manager form of government.
“I think this is a good change for Windsor,” said Interim Town Administrator Michael Farrell. “It will make local government more effective and more efficient.”
After the bill signing, Farrell said his company, Municipal Resources Inc., had received about 30 resumes from those wishing to become Windsor’s town manager. Farrell said the candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the job would be asked to answer five or six essay questions. The top candidates will be invited to interview with the Select Board the last week of June, Farrell said.
Farrell said he was still searching for an interim police department administrator to replace Chief James Cushing, who resigned last week, citing low pay and long hours.
Farrell said he expected to have someone in place sometime next week.
After signing the bill into law to change the town charter, Douglas handed the pen to Select Board Chairman William Harkness.
“Bill, why don’t you put that in the town’s archives,” Douglas said. “I don’t usually give them away because the budget’s so tight.”
Contact Josh O’Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.
May 14, 2008 at 1:18 pm
>>> Farrell said he was still searching for an interim police department administrator to replace Chief James Cushing, who resigned last week, citing low pay and long hours. <<<
It is sad that this is still being under stated even after the the truth was revealed. Are these people not able to admit the truth?
>>> “On more than one occasion Jim expressed that it [his appointment as chief] was pending written agreement. But any time he tried to sit down with Don Howard, or MRI – nobody would talk to him. He expressed to me a while back that the contract was up on the 8th of May and that nobody would talk to him,” Vezina said. Howard, the previous town administrator, resigned abruptly last August and MRI, based in Meredith, NH, has been providing administrative services to the town ever since. <<<
This is turning into a commendy of errors and they’re not Jim’s errors. I have called the Town Offices and expressded concerns to Mr. Farrell and I’ve been told that those matters are in the department’s hands. (Police Department). Can the department respond effectively without adequate help or resourses? I for one, am sick of the run around. I for one do not blame Mr. Cushing. It’s very hard getting at the truth when there is none to be had. It’s time for honor and honesty in Windsor’s government.
Fred