Valley Futures Network – Notes from 14-Sep-2012
Submitted by Stan Ward and Joshua Schwartz
MRV/UVM Partnership
Speaker: Joshua Schwartz
4th annual partnership with UVM’s Local Community Initiatives (LCI) service-learning course, coordinated by the Mad River Valley Planning District
9/19 kick-off event at the Waitsfield Church
The course allows undergraduate and graduate students to take an active role in local projects addressing a variety of essential community issues in the MRV
The four projects selected for this edition of the LCI course: MRV Economic Development Study, MRV Electric Vehicle Car Share Analysis, MRV Arts Study & MRV Forests for the Future Project
MRV EV
Speaker: Wendy Cox
exploring the concept of a MRV electric car-car share program in conjunction with Norwich University and Middlebury College
slogan: Charging the Valley’s Future
working with UVM’s Local Community Initiatives course to Research similar electric car share systems in existence in the US or abroad;
Research and analyze financing, operation and charging infrastructure options;
Review viability of a MRV all-electric car share system; and
Recommend options to the MRV EV group for best practices and path forward.
had a display at the Bridge Street Party
Wendy has been attending the State’s electric vehicle brown bag events
working with Bruce Bentley at GMP to install one of the Plug’n Go Stations in the MRV
Pain Mound
Speaker: Eric Brattstrom
Eric and Kyle installed a woody biomass composting mound system at their home this summer with the help of Yestermorrow
Located below their chicken coop
Developed in conjunction with Gaelan Brown of Compostpower.org
CITTASLOW
Speaker: Susan Klein, MRV Chamber of Commerce
offshoot of “Slow Food”
means “Slow City” in Italian
only three towns designated in the USA, all in California
could be first on the East Coast
promote travel to the valley because of local focus and programs, marketing of what we do
formed a citizens committee, Susan Klein, Gene Fialkoff, Helen Whybrow, Adam Greshin, Karen W
50 page application, need to meet 50% of criteria, we meet 80% of criteria already
organization is pushing us hard as MRV perfect fit
job creation in Austria with this, 60 new jobs in one town
150 Cittaslow towns in Europe
Cittaslow designation is for communities which have *already* met the criteria, not ones working towards it.
exchange between Cittaslow communities – possible Rotary connection
work on tourism initiatives together to go to other Cittaslow communities around the world
group meeting being
next meeting: Sept 25 @ 1:30pm @ Wait House
FRONT PORCH FORUM
Speaker: Stan Ward, Joshua Schwartz
Front Porch Forum recently launched in Fayston, Waitsfield, Warren. Approaching 100 people in Warren and Waitsfield, around 50 so far in Fayston.
Front Porch Forum (FPF) now available through the the Mad River Valley Watershed and neighboring communities: Warren, Fayston, Waitsfield, Duxbury, Moretown, Middlesex, Waterbury, and more.
FPF in approximately 80 towns in Vermont.
Usual price of one time set-up charge of $2500 for a new community. After that revenue for FPF comes from advertising. Discounted price for the three MRV towns at $5000. Funding to meet obligation: $2500 granted from New England Grass Roots Environmental Fund by MRVPD/VFN, Town of Warren committed $500, Town of Waitsfield committed $500. Town of Fayston meeting scheduled. Rotary meeting scheduled.
Question: Can a non-profit post an event as a regular posting. Answer: Yes. Specific example of posting the Mad Dash coming up this weekend.
Discussion of third party moderation of Forums by Front Porch Forum moderators.
Discussion of connecting across town lines, that is, Mad River Valley wide information. FPF philosophy is to target smallest geographical size that has a clear identity to foster meaningful neighbor-to-neighbor connections, typically not more than 600-800 households.
ways to post across town lines: volunteers who live in different town can cross post, pay to be able to join forums at a cost of $10/month per forum.
Question: What about emergency situations? Answer: In Moretown they were getting new FPF e-newsletters 3-4 times per day during the Irene response. Right now they receive 3-4 per week.
Comment: I live in Waitsfield, but the FPF staff noticed that I live in an area where I am surrounded by Moretown, so I was invited to join the Moretown FPF, too.
MAD RIVER PATH
Speaker: Will Flender, Eexcutive Director of Mad River Path
17th annual Mad Dash this coming weekend: 5K, 10K, kids run
Mad River Path is raffling tickets for SIPtemberFest. This event is sold out.
MRV TRAILS COLLABORATIVE
Speaker: Joshua Schwartz
Projects
Inventory of trails
New Mad River Valley Trail Map. Great new map, last updated in 2004. Purchase at Chamber $5 for paper foldable, $12 for laminated for wall hanging. Benefit: All map data held by MRV Trail sCollaborative. Mad River Glen and Ole’s able to get GPS data from this project and are both now able to create detailed maps. MRG creating hiking trail map, Ole’s detailed ski trail map.
Working with Chamber to update recreation trails on www.madrivervalley.com
Maintenance and improvement of trails. Applied for VYCC to do work: 16 weeks of work done in summer 2012 including projects at Chase Brook Forest, Blueberry Lake, Scrag Town Forest, Catamount Trail, etc. Four weeks of trail work queued up for next summer
EVENTS/INVITATIONS
Susan and Karl Klein have invited people to an Open House at their home to view their Suncommon installation. Refreshments will be served. 10/6, 2-3:30, at 1439 Kew Vasseur Rd, Fayston.
Livingstone Homestead Rebuild – Number Nine Road, MRVAS funding
