It’s almost May 1, which means it’s almost Green Up Day—that tradition when Vermonters grab a big bag and fill it with trash collected from roadways, waterways, and around communities throughout the state.
Green Up Vermont relies on the help of volunteers and town coordinators to help pick up trash—and the evidence speaks for its success. Kate Alberghini, executive director of Green Up Vermont, said 14,000 volunteers participated statewide last year, picking up 241 tons of trash and 900 discarded tires.

BRADFORD—A commercial real estate developer has formally submitted an application to build a Tractor Supply store in Bradford.
Matthew Darling of New England Retail Properties submitted an application for building and zoning permits last week. The proposed store would be located on a hayfield off of Route 5 on the Lower Plain. The parcel is located just north of Bradford Evangelical Free Church and across from Lake Morey Road.
According to the application, the proposed 150-by-120 building is a single story. It is 21 feet in height except for a 30-foot entrance gable. There are over 80 parking spaces currently planned for the site.

HAVERHILL—Town officials have set a public hearing for next month on a proposal to open town roads in Mountain Lakes to ATV and UTV use.
The hearing comes as a petition from Mountain Lakes after voters there approved an article on the 2021 annual meeting warrant authorizing the request. On March 27, Mountain Lakes residents voted 42-39 at their district meeting to petition town officials to open all roads in Mountain Lakes to ATV and UTV use.
Mountain Lakes resident Dave Long participated in Monday’s meeting to advocate on behalf of the article. Board members had very little debate on the substance of the request, only indicating a public hearing was needed on the petition.

HAVERHILL—David Appleby, a 22-year veteran of the New Hampshire State Police, has been hired as the new chief of police in Haverhill.
Haverhill Town Manager Brigitte Codling made the announcement last week, just a few days after telling selectmen that she was negotiating contract details with a final candidate.
“Appleby has been selected following an in-depth search and interview process,” Codling stated in the announcement. “He was selected based on his extensive law enforcement experience and education that focused on leadership and criminal justice.”

NEWBURY—Now that public forums on plans for a privately run juvenile detention facility in Newbury are finished, what’s next?
And as one resident asked the state, “What can the community of Newbury do to stop you?”
Sean Brown, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Families and Children, which will oversee the Covered Bridges Treatment Center, seemed determined last week to push ahead despite local concerns around safety, traffic, and emergency response capacity.
At the start of the community consultation process, he said the state wanted to secure community support before moving forward. In an interview last week, Brown suggested that box had been checked.