Hermitage club

Smellytele · Feb 26, 2015

Another article adds more info...

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/ci_27596923/hermitage-club-charged-permit-violations

Jully · Feb 26, 2015

That's some serious allegations right there. Unauthorized construction includes a entire ski lift? Wow.

BenedictGomez · Feb 26, 2015

Ten to One says at least 50% of this is HC simply being targeted by SOV.

ss20 · Feb 26, 2015

BenedictGomez said:
Ten to One says at least 50% of this is HC simply being targeted by SOV.

Uh... maybe, but if everything's true they're in deep shit. Didn't they bring a bulldozer down the Haystack-Mount Snow trail and get in big trouble for it because they had no permit?

twinplanx · Feb 27, 2015

Smellytele said:
Sounds more like a rich person doing what he wants when he wants and knowing that the state will just fold like a cheap suitcase ust like they have done before. erosion near ponds can be an issue with "oh we are just clearing a little by a pond for a rec area." They knew the rules but decided to do what they wanted.

Got a problem? Throw some money at it.

marcski · Feb 27, 2015

ss20 said:
Uh... maybe, but if everything's true they're in deep shit. Didn't they bring a bulldozer down the Haystack-Mount Snow trail and get in big trouble for it because they had no permit?

I think the point is that they merely got a slap in the wrist and threw some money that way and it went away. So, no. No big trouble. Precisely why they took the same route this time. Seems to be their M.O. now.

rocks860 · Feb 27, 2015

twinplanx said:
Got a problem? Throw some money at it.

Isn't that their official motto? Certainly fits with the clientele

Rutecki · Feb 27, 2015

twinplanx said:
Got a problem? Throw some money at it.

"The state is seeking civil penalties of no more than $85,000 for each violation and no more than $42,500 for each day a violation continued."

That's going to be a LOT of money. Sounds like some of those violations were for weeks, months, year?

Domeskier · Feb 27, 2015

Rutecki said:
"The state is seeking civil penalties of no more than $85,000 for each violation and no more than $42,500 for each day a violation continued."

That's going to be a LOT of money. Sounds like some of those violations were for weeks, months, year?

Looks like the cap is $85,000 per violation, no matter how long the violation continued. Which is presumably why there are so many ridiculous allegations such as "disturbing the soil near the bunny slope." This is clearly a money-grab by the state from what they perceive to be deep pockets and they are jumping through hoops to get at every last cent they can.

MMP · Feb 27, 2015

Or an attempt by people whose primary goal is profit, circumventing environmental laws out of some perceived omnipotence. With contempt. Repeatedly.

freeski · Feb 27, 2015

"Kolber says typically such violations are handled by state agencies, but the scope and the duration of the problems warranted the Attorney General’s involvement."

I think he meant to say: " , but the amount of money we can get..."

The mountain did something wrong here most likely. The manager of the construction was trying to skirt the law?

drjeff · Feb 27, 2015

freeski said:
"Kolber says typically such violations are handled by state agencies, but the scope and the duration of the problems warranted the Attorney General’s involvement."

I think he meant to say: " , but the amount of money we can get..."

The mountain did something wrong here most likely. The manager of the construction was trying to skirt the law?

My guess is that the construction manager was going to be looking at some decent "fines" imposed by The Hermitage if they didn't complete the projects they were working on by such and such a date. The Hermitage, as they've done in the past, probably figured that obtaining the Act 250 permits would just be a formality, and that in the end, starting before said permits were in hand wouldn't be an issue. The VT AG right now is likely thinking of the $$'s as mentioned, especially given VT's current economic situation where it's gone from a state that used to have say 10 people pulling the cart for the 1 person that really needed a ride (state assistance) to now a situation where there's more like 3 or 4 people pulling a cart of 7 or 8 people, and 1 or 2 of those doing the pulling is getting real tired and will likely stop pulling in the near future

BenedictGomez · Feb 27, 2015

drjeff said:
VT's current economic situation where it's gone from a state that used to have say 10 people pulling the cart for the 1 person that really needed a ride (state assistance) to now a situation where there's more like 3 or 4 people pulling a cart of 7 or 8 people, and 1 or 2 of those doing the pulling is getting real tired and will likely stop pulling in the near future

Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them. - Margaret Thatcher

mbedle · Mar 4, 2015

Haystack Troubles

Looks like Hermitage Club is going to get nailed pretty hard by Vermont of some permit violations. Got to wonder why they continued to do them for so long.

http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=231

drjeff · Mar 4, 2015

mbedle said:
Looks like Hermitage Club is going to get nailed pretty hard by Vermont of some permit violations. Got to wonder why they continued to do them for so long.

http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=231

The "pressure" to get things done and deliver on promises to the members is my hunch.

I was talking with a member last Sunday (His daughter and my daughter are friends and they both race in the same council, so he was at the race watching his daughter the same as I was). We got talking about this subject, and as he told me (and this was based on what the members have been told) - that they (The Hermitage) aren't too worried about this, as that with now about 500 memberships sold, that they're past the "critical mass" from an operations standpoint that they need to keep the club operating annually on a self sufficient way, and still allow for the planned expansions that they have been told will happen. He expects that the remaining couple of hundred memberships yet to be sold will be done in the next 12 -18 months, and that he also expects his annual dues to be going up to keep the level of services improving (case in point, members have a private concert by Hall and Oates in a few weeks, they had a private comedy show by Kevin Nealon a few weeks ago, and they had Kenny Loggins perform at their base lodge "grand opening" in December - that works for the members, and they are willing to pay for the entire "club" environment there)

These fines, while significant, aren't likely more than just a minor speed bump for the Hermitage

Domeskier · Mar 4, 2015

drjeff said:
(case in point, members have a private concert by Hall and Oates in a few weeks, they had a private comedy show by Kevin Nealon a few weeks ago, and they had Kenny Loggins perform at their base lodge "grand opening" in December - that works for the members, and they are willing to pay for the entire "club" environment there)

I wonder what the going rate for has-beens is... dinner and lodging? :grin:

drjeff · Mar 4, 2015

Domeskier said:
I wonder what the going rate for has-beens is... dinner and lodging? :grin:

Kenny Loggins was on site for 4 days, was completely hooked up with ski equipment from one of the local shops, basically had a private day on the slopes of The Hermitage with one of the local, very personable and GREAT skiing, owners of the ski shop that supplied him with all of his gear, serving as tour guide, some really good food at the Hermitage (The Hermitage Inn is open to the public and serves some GOOD food) and then collected his pay too. What exactly that was??

All i know is that I've heard from 4 or 5 members who went to see him on the opening night of their clubhouse, and they all had a great time and enjoyed his show

Domeskier · Mar 4, 2015

drjeff said:
Kenny Loggins was on site for 4 days, was completely hooked up with ski equipment from one of the local shops, basically had a private day on the slopes of The Hermitage with one of the local, very personable and GREAT skiing, owners of the ski shop that supplied him with all of his gear, serving as tour guide, some really good food at the Hermitage (The Hermitage Inn is open to the public and serves some GOOD food) and then collected his pay too. What exactly that was??

All i know is that I've heard from 4 or 5 members who went to see him on the opening night of their clubhouse, and they all had a great time and enjoyed his show

Nice. Too bad I was never anything or I'd take that deal in an instant!

deadheadskier · Mar 4, 2015

They should have mandated that Kenny single "Danger Zone" at all times while skiing

from_the_NEK · Mar 4, 2015

drjeff said:
The "pressure" to get things done and deliver on promises to the members is my hunch.

That pressure combined with VT's lengthy and often complex permitting process likely led to a "build it first and deal with the consequences later" thought process.

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