The message below is from President Bob Otty to the members of North Country Sportsmen’s Club in Williston.

Good Evening Everyone,

I am writing tonight to inform you of a Public Hearing tomorrow evening on the Town’s Noise Ordinance that effects NCSC. We hope that this is the final step in the long legal battle that started with the Town issuing citations to the Club during our regular hours in 2015. We went to Superior court and finally to the VT Supreme Court where their ruling significantly limited the Town’s authority to regulate NCSC’s operations. Among other points, the Town’s Noise Ordinance was deemed unenforceable, requiring an amendment.

The proposed amendment should be attached to this email. It is important to note that NCSC supports the amendment in the form presented. We have worked very hard amongst ourselves, and with our attorney, the Williston Selectboard, the NRA, and last but certainly not least the VT Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (among other local groups and clubs) to get to this point.

The public hearing is scheduled for 8:00pm tomorrow 11/19/19 at the Williston Town Hall. Sometimes they run ahead of schedule. Sometimes behind. I plan to arrive around 7:30pm. You may choose to speak or not. Either way, the Selectboard will note the number of people in the audience present to support the club. If you are not able to attend, but would like to support the club, you may email a statement to the Town Manager Rick McGuire at rmcguire@willistonvt.org and ask that it be read into the record at the hearing. This can be as simple as, “As a member of NCSC, I support the Noise Ordinance amendment as presented.”. Opposition from residents to the Club’s position has, frankly, been light to non-existent at previous Selectboard meetings, but this hearing is much better publicized and others may have been keeping their powder dry (pun intended!). We need a good showing.

Please let me know if you have any questions. We hope to see and/or hear from you tomorrow evening. I, for one, look forward to being able to provide an update that this chapter has closed for NCSC!

Thank you,
Bob Otty
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