The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 1

if I if 1 iffitt I Rural FFril Communities GSva McTague Accuses Members of PSB Of Incompetence in Dig cnaorsemenr To Bail Change rlt0t0 Jim 1 56th Year Serving Vermont No. 62 Wednesday, March 3, 1982 Four News Sections25 Cents 111 4 1 29 Towns Back Freeze Of Weapons M-d )7w 1 'A 0 1 was tabled in Goshen. Colchester and Winooski voters left no doubt where they stood. Colchester approved the question, 1,195 to 638. In Winooski, it was supported 586-304.

The tiny Rutland County town of Pit-tsfleld backed it 43-2. The anti-nuclear measure was killed decisively in Franklin, 113-11, and in Danville, 152-73. In Barton, voters decided 56-32 not to vote on the matter. Although Barre Town residents were denied a formal vote the question by their selectmen, an informal survey of voters as they entered the polling booths resulted in 800-200 approval. In the communities where the question passed, legislators are being asked to approve a resolution calling on President Reagan Turn to 1 29, Page 1 OA By TED TEDFORD Free Press Staff Writer Independent-minded Ver-monters voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in favor of a freeze on nuclear weapons.

Town meeting results showed voters in 129 towns backed a proposal calling on the United States and the Soviet Union to halt further development and deployment of nuclear arms. Eighteen towns rejected the freeze question, which was discussed, sometimes at great length, in at least 160 communities. Voters in six towns tabled the motion, effectively killing it for this year. Some towns got a head start by voting on the question Monday night. Eighteen of those towns approved it, two, Dorset and Ludlow, voted against it, and it Sanders' By SCOTT MACKAY Free Press Staff Writer Supporters of Mayor Bernard Sanders and Republicans swept to victory Tuesday in Burlington's aldermanic elections, ending more than 30 years of Democratic domination of City Hall in Vermont's largest city.

Five of the six Democrats running for re-election to aldermanic posts were handily defeated, Underhill voters Tuesday join citizens of 128 other Vermont communities in approving a resolution calling for a freeze on Free Press Photo by STU PERRY nuclear weapons. During debate on the issue, one resident remarked that he would bet they're not voting on it in Russia. Supporters Gain Three Council Vermont's Democrats and the party always has depended on large victories in the city to carry its candidates in statewide elections in Yankee Republican Vermont. "This is bad for Madeleine," said Howard Dean, Chittenden County Democratic chairman, referring to Madeleine Kunin's chances of victory against Gov. Richard Snelling later this year.

Merger Plan Fails In Lyndon Voting Citizens Vote No On Essex Merger "I see the whole style of the. City Council being Sanders said, referring to the voters' purge of board Democrats who frustrated his programs. "I'm going to go hide," Brian Brennan, city Democratic chairman, said as he watched the returns come in at City Hall. The races have statewide implications for the Democrats. Burlington is the ancestral home of The Associated Preu Sanders candidates knocked off Democrats in two of the city's low-income wards and in a ward in the city's Hill section near the University of Vermont.

The seats won by Sanders candidates had been held for two decades by Democrats. The upsets came on a day when more than 10,000 Burlington vot- ers went to the polls, a record for the city. It's His Turn 1 three of them by Sanders-backed candidates and two by Republicans. Another incumbent Democrat was forced into a runoff election, as was an incumbent Republican. For Sanders, a socialist who ran as an independent last year and upset five-term incumbent Democrat Gordon Paquette, the win was a big boost for his year-old administration.

would be an uphill struggle after the question became muddled by. reports that the charter would help gun control supporters establish a gun ban in the village. Because the charter could not be changed after being legally warned, the merger committee agreed to ask the Legislature to add a sentence to say specifically there could be no ordinance adopted that would prohibit possession of firearms. Village President Robert Donahue, a merger supporter, said Tuesday night the gun issue and a misunderstanding on some other sections were the reasons the charter failed. Robert C.

Morse, the other trustee opposed to merger, said, "It's on from here." Morse, who is not seeking re-election next month, agreed with Lynch's assessment that villagers do not want either separation or merger. "I still say it was the right Morse said about the result, which keeps the status quo. "1 never thought there was an advantage to merger." The last separation vote lost in 1978 and the last merger charter Turn to ESSEX, Pago 10A Seats Mrs. Kunin backed all of the losing Democrats and campaigned personally with the Democrat who was forced into a runoff and another Democrat who was soundly defeated. "We had a very hard-working group of people," said William Skelton, GOP city chairman.

The three Sanders-backed winners were Richard Musty, a Uni-Turn to FIVE, Page 10A said a comparison of the figures indicates the plan is not feasible. A. Richard Boera supported the merger because he said it would result in more efficiency. The approximate $40,000 cost of transferring the Lyndonville Electric Department to the town would be a one-time expense, he said. Voters narrowly defeated the nuclear arms freeze moratorium, 118-110.

A motion to halt discussion on the issue carried after a handful of residents voiced their opinions. The school budget was cut by 3 percent, setting it at $1,802,284.25. Voters first defeated a motion to increase the 1981-82 budget by 5 percent instead of the proposed 11.2 percent. Residents then voted down a motion to accept the budget with its 11.2 percent increase. Turn to LYNDON, Pago 1 OA SUNNY TODAY Sunny today with the high around 25 to 30.

Clear and cold tonight with lows 0 to 5 above Pago 2A HOCKEY MONTREAL 3.... EDMONTON 3 BOSTON 2 ST. LOUIS 2 BASKETBALL BOSTON 101 DALLAS 97 CLASSIFIEDS 6C COMICSTV SD 2B LIVING ID LOCALSTATE IB MONEY 6D MOVIES 3D NATION 2A OPINION 8A SPORTS 1C WORLD 6A By MIKE DONOGHUE Free Preit Staff Writer A plan to bring the residents of Essex and the village of Essex Junction under a unified government was rejected Tuesday, 1,677 to 1,513. The rejection came because of a heavy anti-merger turnout in the village. Villagers rejected the charter 1,349 to 576.

Residents outside the village approved the charter 937-328. Town Clerk Jane Yandow said 3,191 voted out of 8,243 registered voters. David E. Lynch, one of two village trustees opposed to the plan, said Tuesday night the defeat can be blamed on a "lousy charter." Lynch said village residents are satisfied with the status quo. "They vote no to separation and they vote no to merger." Trustee William H.

Butler, who was head of the town-village merger committee, said the vote reflected a wish by villagers to retain the identity of Essex Junction even if it means extra costs. Village residents are required to pay taxes to both the village and the town of Essex. Merger supporters admitted it Antitrust By PAUL SERAFINI The Associated Press NEW YORK A federal judge accused the head of the Justice Department'! antitrust division Tuesday of failing to reveal past ties with International Business Machines Inc. before the government dropped litigation against the company. U.S.

District. Court Judge David N. Edelstein, In a conference with government and IBM lawyers, called upon Congress, the Office of Government Ethics, and the Justice Department to Investigate the conduct of the official, William F. Baxter. By ANDREA ZENTZ Free Press Correspondent LYNDON CENTER Residents defeated a plan to merge the town of Lyndon with the village of Lyndonville in a 178-22 decision at the annual town meeting Tuesday.

Moderator Hazen Russell said the 175 voters who supported an article last year asking the town officials to look into the possibility of a merger must have changed their minds. Selectman David Stahler said the board had not had time to investigate the issue thoroughly, but having weighed some of the pros and cons, opposed the action. He said according to figures Provided by Town Clerk Robert Lawrence, there could be a saving of $2, 1 50 by cutting the amount of duplication in his office. Stahler said the merger probably would have resulted in a town manager form of government, meaning an additional $25,000 on the budget each year. He said there would be problems with the holiday schedule because the village work force is unionized, but the town's is not.

Resident William Cummings against IBM there were indications that Baxter had once worked on behalf of IBM. He asked for an explanation. In a reply dated Feb. 1 1, Baxter admitted he had been involved with IBM's defense In the West Coast cases. Baxter wrote, "I was retained briefly by lawyers from the O'Melveny Myers firm to assist them in a limited way in selecting economists to serve as expert witnessees" on behalf of IBM, On Tuesday, Baxter said that In 1976 he was asked by O'Melveny Myers to analyze Turn to SAXTIR, Pago 1 0A Wolcott Selectman Bradley Allen responds to voter's question during Tuesday's town meeting.

Townspeople spent most of the day electing officials and debating budget matters. They also passed a resolution calling for a nuclear arms freeze. Chief Accused of 'Hiding' IBM Ties ernment accused the company of monopolizing the general computer market in 1969 and sought to have IBM broken Into several smaller companies. Edelstein presided over the federal suit, which was dropped Jan. 8 when the government said it had found the case to be without merit.

On Tuesday, Edelstein released copies of letters he had received from Robert L. Erickson, vice president for legal affairs of Memorex Corp. 1 Erickson wrote to Baxter Jan. 11, noting that In the course of a Memorex antitrust suit "We certainly will do what the Judge asked," said J. Jackson Walter, director of the Office of Government Ethics.

Rep. Peter Rodino, said the House Judiciary Committee, which he chairs, "has Interest in whether Mr. Baxter's conduct was appropriate." But he stressed that he had no evidence Baxter's "past relationship with the case in any manner influenced his decision." Edelstein said the Justice Department "may not have acted In the best interest of the public" and called upon Baxter to make a full public disclosure of his ties with IBM. Baxter, in Washington said the charges were "unreasonable and outrageous" and denied any wrongdoing. At a news conference later, Baxter also said the judge should have given him advance notice of Tuesday's session so that he could have answered the charges, The allegations involve! work that Baxter did some years ago for O'Melveny Myers, a Los Angeles legal firm that represented IBM In some private antitrust cases brought by firms on the West Coast.

Numerous private suits were filed against IBM before the gov.