December 22, 2016 The Colchester Sun by Colchester Sun

The ColChesTer sun

December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •1

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Vol. 15 No. 51

Prsrt Std ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 266 Burlington, VT 05401 Postal Patron-Residential

State officials : Schools should provide condoms

Big hugs for Santa Claus

Stats show sexually-transmitted diseases on the rise among youth By COLIN FLANDERS

2016 [ [

PHOTO BY AMANDA SCHROTH

At the Colchester Parks & Rec’s Dinner with Santa last Friday, kids run up and hug Santa after he makes his entrance. The event was held at the Colchester Middle School’s cafeteria.

Vermont’s top health and education leaders are recommending districts around the state adopt condom distribution programs to address growing rates of sexually transmitted diseases, according to a memo released last month. Penned by secretary of education Rebecca Holcombe and health commissioner Harry Chen, the recommendations cite statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that show people ages 15 to 24 account for nearly two-thirds of chlamydia and half of all gonorrhea diagnoses in the U.S. Cases of those sexually-transmitted diseases and syphilis all reached

their highest number ever in 2015, the CDC says. Those trends are present in Vermont, where over 80 percent of chlamydia cases diagnosed over the last 15 years represent that demographic. “The data is startling,” said Tom Alosi, who serves on the state’s health and learning team. Locally, schools are just starting to review the recommendations. Colchester doesn’t have a condom distribution program, but administrators plan to “start a conversation,” communications specialist Meghan Baule said, though she wasn’t sure about a timeline. She added the district wouldn’t draft a plan without first consulting both the school board and the community. See CONDOMS, page 10

Year in review

By MICHAELA HALNON

nother year has come to an end, and with 2017 looming, we take this opportunity to review 2016’s defining moments. In this year-ender, The Sun looks back on the biggest headlines in general news, growth and business, budgets, new faces and departing friends, the people we met and the things we did in Colchester and all the good news that was fit to print.

[ BIGGEST HEADLINES ]

rom gas pumps to Raftapalooza, the year’s top stories kept town officials on their toes. A lengthy litigation process appeared to come to an end in August when the Vermont Supreme Court decision allowed Colchester’s Costco to proceed with installing 12 discounted gas pumps and a store expansion. The construction was first proposed nearly a decade ago and was stalled by legal appeals filed by Skip Vallee, owner of the nearby Maplefields gas station and

FILE PHOTO BY KAYLEE SULLIVAN STAFF PICK: Reporter Tom Marble chose this photo of Colchester pilot Shirley Chevalier as his favorite of the year. Chevalier was just one of many interesting people we met in 2016.

store. Costco warehouse manager Chris Stafford said he expects the pumps to make their arrival next spring after improvements are made to Lower and Upper Mountain View drives. Separately, Act 250 approval,

the state’s land use and development permit, was issued this month for an Interstate 89 Exit 16 and Route 7 overhaul in Colchester, a signalized interchange known as the “diverging diamond.” See YEARENDER, page 2

The root of it all

Colchester police Cpl. Jamie Bressler and Officer Michael West display some of the toys they collected for a toy drive for patients in the Vermont Children's Hospital.

Toy donation a success Town completes Operation Fire Cuffs By KAYLEE SULLIVAN

At Glass Roots, husband and wife team upcycle glass By PARKER THOMAS

t started with this,” Kurt Anthony said as he held up a cobalt blue beer bottle. The husband and wife duo, Holly and Kurt Anthony, are owners, operators and creators of Glass Roots, a business that sells handcrafted and upcycled glass and wood items. “Our motto is we take the ordinary and make it into the extraordinary,” Kurt Anthony said. Located in Colchester, the artisan business is melded closely with their home life. Just a quick walk See GLASS, page 12 At right, Holly Anthony prepares a piece of custom made upcycled glass in her Colchester shop earlier this month.

PHOTO BY KAYLEE SULLIVAN

PHOTO BY PARKER THOMAS

Smiles abounded last Thursday at the University of Vermont Medical Center as children gathered with police officers, firefighters, rescue members, Champ and the big man himself – Santa. Officer Michael West and Cpl. Jamie Bressler of Colchester police were among 50 or so emergency personnel from around the state who helped collect toys and gifts for the children’s hospital as part of Operation Fire Cuffs. Last Thursday notched the sixth annual event, initially started by Burlington firefighter Phil Edgerley and Vermont State Police Trooper Christian Hunt to collect toys for the Vermont Children’s Hospital.

While Cpl. David Dewey couldn’t make it to the hospital, he spearheaded CPD’s participation for the third year in a row. Colchester town offices also hopped on board this year. Collecting at least two 30-gallon barrels full of toy donations, town management coordinator Linda Gustainis was thankful to the community, who bought and dropped off the gifts at the town offices. “It’s brightening [the kids’] day – their Christmas,” Gustainis said. “It’s a bummer to be in the hospital for the holiday, so we felt it was a good way to spread the cheer of the season.” BFD, VSP and Morristown police were the first teams to come together and kick off the event six See TOYS, page 11

2• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

LOCAL

YEARENDER from page 1 The permit authorizes the Vermont Agency of Transportation to widen the roadways, improve banking and minimize conflicting crossing traffic movements at the intersection. Vallee’s attorney, Jon Anderson, said he and his client are studying the Exit 16 permit closely. Vallee is currently appealing the project’s stormwater permit. A big crime story also made headlines when former Colchester police detective Tyler Kinney was sentenced to four years in prison in May for stealing guns, money and drugs from the department’s evidence locker in 2013 and 2014. Kinney began serving his sentence in June. He was also fined $5,000 and will have three years of probation after release. “We are a much better, more professional police agency than we were 18 months ago,” Police Chief Jennifer Morrison said in May. “We are glad this portion of CPD history is over with.” Plattsburgh angler Craig Provost pleaded guilty to false pretenses in September after taking home thousands of dollars in prize money for a winning fish that wasn’t his. For almost a year after he participated in the 2015 Lake Champlain International Father’s Day Derby in Colchester, Provost held the record for his winning walleye catch. He later admitted to weighing in his teammate’s fish using “cash extras” he purchased before the derby. Provost had to pay back the prize money plus a fine, serve 3 – 6 months of probation and complete 50 hours of community service. In May, the Colchester School Board decided against partnering with the Winooski Board of School Trustees on a state-funded study of merging their two neighboring school districts. Discussions came after the Vermont Agency of Education announced it would provide incentives for districts to consolidate under Act 46, a school spending

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WE ARE SHOWING THIS TOWN JUST HOW PEACEFUL WE ARE. IMAM ISLAM HASSAN, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF VERMONT law passed by the legislature last year. School board chairman Mike Rodgers later said it was not a good time for a merger study and called it “a dead issue.” Just weeks ago, St. Michael’s College students called on administrators to address a pattern of racially motivated incidents on campus. The protests caught the attention of national media outlets, including conservative sites like Glenn Beck’s The Blaze and Alex Jones’ Prison Planet. Students allege racial slurs were directed at students, migrant worker posters were defaced with swastikas and Presidentelect Donald Trump’s catchphrase “Make America Great Again” was scrawled on a school white board. Raftapalooza, an annual raft and boat party staged on Malletts Bay in July, turned chaotic when a sudden thunderstorm rolled through the region. U.S. Coast Guard personnel tried to evacuate attendees, but word didn’t spread quickly and many couldn’t find shelter in time. A Milton man suffered an apparent heart attack at the storm’s onset and later died. Two boats and dozens of rafts ended up on Thayer Beach, and some people were banged up with “bumps and bruises,” organizers said. Town officials were intent on banishing Raftapalooza even before

ABOVE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAELA HALNON; BELOW PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS STAFF PICKS: Above, reporter Colin Flanders chose this photo of two girls swinging on a nearby playground while waiting for the Eid-al-fitr prayers to begin on the Fort Ethan Allen recreational fields in July. Below, reporter Michaela Halnon picked this picture of Essex’s Allie Rutz tagging out Danielle Whitham at home plate during the Lakers’ game against Essex in May.

the mayhem, citing safety concerns. Morrison praised the organizer’s conscientiousness but wouldn’t commit to collaborating again in 2017. “If the scope and nature of the event would change dramatically, I’d be willing to collaborate with him,” Morrison said before the event. “Right now it is a giant drinking event, and I don’t see how that bodes well for public safety.”

[ Budgets and elections ]

resented with an overall tax rate decrease, Colchester voters overwhelmingly supported town and school district budget proposals and capital plan

authorizations on Town Meeting Day in March. Residents approved a $37.9 million school budget, a 4.1 percent increase from the previous year. But thanks to increased enrollment in the school district’s preschool program, the budget actually lowered tax rates. The approved town budget of $12.1 million brought a 2.4 percent increase and added less than one penny per $100 of assessed property value to the tax rate. In the only contested election position, incumbent school board member Lindsey Cox beat out Mark Houle for a two-year seat on the board.

Voters also authorized the reallocation of $730,000 in unspent funds from a recent high school science lab remodeling to upgrade the high school auditorium. That completed project was formally unveiled at a ceremony early this month. On Election Day in November, Colchester voters crossed party lines, picking Democrat Hillary Clinton for the White House and sending Phil Scott, a Republican, to Montpelier. In Chittenden District 9-1, voters elected two Democrats: Jim Condon and Curt Taylor. Joey Purvis, a Republican incumbent, fell to third place and lost his seat. Republican candidate Pat Liebrecht came in a distant fourth. News that he was charged in a “revenge porn” case broke just days before the election. In Chittenden District 9-2, unopposed candidates Pat Brennan and Maureen P. Dakin secured easy wins, as did incumbent state Sen. Dick Mazza. Outside the polling station, CHS seniors raised money for a trip to Washington D.C. The class will travel to the nation’s capital next month to witness history as Trump is sworn in to office.

[ growth and Business ]

here were audible gasps as visitors walked through Colchester’s new McClure Miller VNA Respite House, debuted to the public in September. The site, dedicated to providing quality end-oflife care to terminally ill patients across Vermont, sits on 25 acres of land on Route 7 and replaced the Williston Respite House, built in 1991. Most notably, the new facility increased patient bed capacity from 13 to 21. It also features a spacious living room with a fireplace, outdoor walking paths, multiple kitchen areas, a children’s play space and several private rooms for families to gather and reflect. Respite House benefactors Holly and Bobby Miller also donated land and provided a black metal fence for the nearby Munson cemetery, making it the latest historic plot to get a makeover. And 12 years after Colchester voters approved a $1.1 million bond for 14 acres across from Bayside Park, a plan emerged to make use of the land. In September, the selectboard OK’d a plan to create a singular recreation destination on the shores of Malletts Bay. The project could cost $39 million and incudes a community pool and recreation center, pedestrian tunnel under West Lakeshore Drive, performance amphitheater at the waterfront, walking trails, dog park and a series of shelters and patios. Town manager Dawn Francis said the town will seek public input as it prioritizes ideas and studies financing plans. Members of Colchester’s elected boards and commissions made the move from the Town Meeting House on Main Street to the new Outer Bay Conference Room on the third floor of town hall. Completed in August, the new construction freed up space for Burnham Memorial Library programming. Colchester’s Green Mountain Power made headlines last month when they entered a partnership for the state’s largest solar project. Embracing the renewable energy revolution, the new facility located on GlobalFoundries’ land in Essex Jct. and leased to GMP, will produce over 8 million kilowatt-hours per year. This energy will power GlobalFoundries, along with 1,100 Williston homes, GMP CEO Mary Powell said in November, and includes just under 20,000 solar panels.

[ hellos and goodByes ]

he Colchester Sun underwent a lot of change in 2016, welcoming several new staff members. For one, the paper is now under the helm of See YEARENDER, page 3

Pet of the Week LEXI

8 Year Old Spayed Female

Reason here: Her owner moved to housing that doesn’t allow pets Staff favorite Lexi has become a fixture at HSCC, and while we love her dearly, this isn’t a good thing. In and out of our care since 2011, Lexi can’t seem to catch a break. Through no fault of her own, Lexi has lost home after home and finds herself homeless yet again for the holidays. Lexi is a lover of many things: stuffed animals (she carries them), peanut butter Kongs (she’s an expert at licking them clean), walks (she’s slow moving with great leash manners), and princess beds (she’s a good sleeper and even respects weekend schedules). Lexi doesn’t ask much of her new family- except to have all of the above (of course!) and she hopes her love is enough to fill the whole house (we promise it is!). Miss Lexi will do best as the only animal in her new home and that’s just the way she likes it. This doesn’t mean Lexi can’t go for walks with other dogs, heck, she’s even lived with them before! But she is particular of the type of four-legged friends she lets into her inner circle. Please help us find Lexi the home we’ve been promising her. Shelter life is supposed to be temporary, not forever. This is HSCC’s holiday wish.

Lexi is a Pronature Pal!

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135

December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •3

local

YEARENDER from page 2 executive editor Courtney Lamdin and associate editor Abby Ledoux, who have been with Lynn Publications for seven and three years, respectively. The duo previously ran the Milton Independent, The Sun’s sister paper, and are thrilled to be in a new community. We also welcomed three new reporters: Michaela Halnon, Kaylee Sullivan and Tom Marble. All three are recent college grads excited to start their journalism careers in Chittenden County. A Milton native, Halnon graduated from Emerson College in Boston. Sullivan grew up in Rhode Island and called St. Michael’s College her home for the previous four years. Marble is from upstate New York and holds a degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. Now, the Sun, Independent and Essex Reporter are all produced out of our Severance Corners office. If you’re ever in the area, stop in and say hello. Early this year, the Colchester School District promoted Amy Minor to superintendent; she officially took her post in July. Minor had worked in the district for 17 years, spending the latter 10 as CHS principal. Heather Baron later became Minor’s successor, promoted from her role as professional development coordinator and instructional coach for the district. The women are cut from the same cloth: Both started their careers as a biology teacher. “It’s like no other school I’ve seen, which is one of the reasons it was important for me to stay here,” she told The Sun in August. Colchester mourned the loss of Dick Paquette, owner of Shadow Cross Farms and longtime member of several local boards. He died last month at age 77 after a battle with bladder cancer. An unmistakably hard worker, Dick Paquette began delivering eggs from his parent’s poultry farm when he was just 15. He worked from sun up to sun down – and then some – nearly every day until he died, his son, Rich Paquette, said. “[He was] very proud of his

FILE PHOTO BY AMANDA SCHROTH STAFF PICKS: Reporter Kaylee Sullivan picked this photo of Green Mountain Iron Dog contestants Tatjana Salcedo and her husky Max, 5, moving through the waterfilled trench that served as the mid-point obstacle of the race in Colchester in October.

family, his business, his town,” Colchester town clerk Karen Richard said. “He’s an inspiration, that’s for sure.” The town also lost Joyce Sweeney, affectionately called Colchester’s “First Lady.” A longtime public servant, she died in October at age 88. “This sweet, petite lady with a twinkle in her eye and a heart of gold will truly be missed,” Inge Schaefer remembered.

[ PeoPle we met, and things we did ]

e launched a series called “Try-Town” earlier this summer, providing first-hand accounts of activities available throughout the region. We went

sailing on Malletts Bay with the International Sailing Center, fly-fishing in Browns River and trekked through Sam Mazza’s corn maze one October evening. We also took a trip to Colchester’s Mead Hall, eating – and drinking – like Vikings. Owners Ricky and Kelly Klein got the go-ahead to serve food in 2016, offering it up alongside an alcoholic brew of honey, water, yeast and patience. We also met Shirley Chevalier, a fiery 74-year-old aerial photographer. Colchester has been Chevalier’s home for more than four decades, but traveling is a breeze in her 1959 Champion plane, a rose red two-seater affectionately called “Champ.”

Reporter Kaylee Sullivan took a trip with Chevalier into the sky, even taking a turn steering as the expert photographer snapped shots of the scenery from above. “I love what I do,” Chevalier told us in July. “It takes a special person to do what I do.” Readers might also remember Sonny Provetto, a police officerturned-licensed therapist who counseled first responders in the wake of 9/11. The Bronx-native now works with almost a dozen Vermont police agencies, including Colchester PD, helping them process PTSD and similar anxieties. In September, said terrorist attacks in New York City altered the way people in emergency services think about handling trauma. In June, we talked to 18-yearold Abe Trabulsy, a CHS senior who broke his own leg every day. With the turn of a screw, Trabulsy creates tiny fractures in his bone, a unique treatment plan to allow cells to regenerate after a rare bone tumor affected his tibia. It was tough for the athletic teen to sit on the sidelines during his senior lacrosse game last May. But together, teammates and the opposing Essex players raised nearly $1,650 for the pediatric orthopedics center at Sloan Kettering, where Trabulsy received treatment. Since we last talked, Trabulsy finished his first semester at the University of Vermont, joined the club lacrosse team as a non-playing member and attended Camp TaKumTa. An appointment to remove the frame around his leg is scheduled for next month. More recently, there was Murray Thompson and his budding Christmas tree crop. The seventhgeneration Colchester dairy farmer traded cows for balsam pines two years ago when the milk market looked unstable. Since then, Thompson has hatched plans for seasonal projects to last the year at his Middle Rd. barn. The 500 pine seedlings were about a foot tall when we met Thompson earlier this month – here’s hoping they’re knee high by this time next year.

[ notables ]

first-year engineering student at St. Michael’s College reeled in two record-setting northern pikes from Lake Champlain this fall, both caught on a fly rod. Lauren Dunn, a California native, added the new awards to her lengthy resume – she holds records for cut throat trout, bull trout and pacific barracudas to name a few. Colchester welcomed over 120 dogs and handlers to the 17th Annual Green Mountain Iron Dog competition in October, testing agility and endurance on a 1.5mile course. The obstacles were nothing new for CPD Cpl. Dave Dewey and 10-year-old police K9 Tazor. The pair quickly completed the race despite cool temperatures. Nearly 1,000 Muslims gathered on the Fort Ethan Allen athletic fields in Colchester on an early July morning to celebrate Eid alFitr, or the festival of the breaking of the fast. It was the first time the Colchester-based Islamic Society of Vermont held the prayer outdoors, rather than renting a private conference space. “We are showing this town just how peaceful we are,” Imam Islam Hassan said to the crowd, thanking nearby police officers for offering their protection. After a contentious presidential election months later, ISVT again thanked the local community for reaching out with messages of love and support. Seventeen stroke survivors found speech through song at the McCarthy Arts Center at St. Michael’s College in June. Members of the group suffer from aphasia, a language impairment caused by brain injury that makes it difficult to talk and process language. Remarkably, many with aphasia find it easier to sing than to speak. Attendees clutched tissues at the packed performance when the local group performed classic songs like “Lean on Me” and “Sing” by the Carpenters. “Sing, sing a song, sing out loud, sing out strong,” the choir resonated. “Sing of good things, not bad; sing of happy not sad.” Merry Christmas, Colchester. We’ll see you in 2017.

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4• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

LOCAL

busy bodies

The first installment in a new series exploring professionals' busiest time or day of the year

UPS delivers in holiday season

By KAYLEE SULLIVAN teenager wearing a Santa hat stood with her mom, quietly chatting at the register of Essex Jct.’s UPS store last Friday evening. “That’ll be $41.48,” associate Mary Gentes said. The two looked at each other, wide-eyed and surprised. After asking a few clarifying questions and coming to terms with the price, the mother sighed and gave in. “All right, let’s do it,” she said. Escalated prices are common the week or so before Christmas, Gentes explained. As December 25 draws closer, prices grow – and so do the number of customers walking through the store’s doors. Behind the mother-daughter duo, a woman stood juggling a small dog in one arm and a large package in the other. A couple walked in soon after, setting three packages down to make a second trip to the car for more. “I debated which would be easier, after work or at lunch today,” a customer commented in line. By 5 p.m., the store helped 767 clients. While the day was busy, it

didn’t quite compare to the nonstop line of 1,200 customers, many with packages in tow, the previous Monday. Among Friday’s crowd were two loyal UPS patrons, Colby and Connie Carpenter. Each year, the pair sends gifts to family in Virginia. “I might be in trouble with my daughter,” Connie Carpenter joked. “We were supposed to send less this year.” Ten days before Christmas, the woman said they made it to the store earlier than usual. Year after year, though, they choose UPS because the company is dependable and has shorter lines and lower fees than the U.S. Postal Service, they said. With Christmas on a Sunday, Gentes said people forget they’re losing a couple essential delivery days. When associates ring up the total price or the estimated ship and arrival dates, Gentes said customers are usually surprised. “Sometimes, they’ll just laugh,” UPS worker Katie Faure said. Lightheartedness is common with workers too, who also try and make light of delivering the bad news. “I remember years ago, I did

PHOTO BY KAYLEE SULLIVAN Two UPS customers wait to find out the total weight and price of a package last Friday evening at the Essex Jct. store.

one [transaction] and the guy said, ‘I wanna make it there by Christmas,’ and I said, ‘Do you wanna leave me next week’s paycheck?’” Gentes reminisced with a grin. Staying positive was essential for the UPS staff earlier Friday when their computers crashed. When a scale didn’t connect to the computer correctly, a line of customers were left waiting. “It pretty much slows it down by like two to four times,” associate Sergio Mendes said. The lull wasn’t something the associates are used to: They couldn’t recall a similar situation occurring in the past. Gentes, who started at UPS about 20 years ago, recognized how technology has changed her position. After taking some time off, she returned to the store in

April and underwent training for the new computer system. Before, customers filled out their own mailing slips. Now, it’s all computerized and performed by associates, saving time by having customer information saved and by not having to deal with poor penmanship, Gentes said. Also new to UPS is the store’s pick-up policy. If a recipient won’t be home during delivery hours, they can have a package held at the Essex Jct. store. This helps with the rising levels of doorstep thefts, Gentes noted. Behind a towering pile of cardboard boxes, a UPS driver lamented about the two falls he endured that day. At the front of the store, a bell jingled as another customer trudged through the door, strug-

gling to keep it open with two sizable packages spanning across his chest. “Christmas is like the season for UPS,” Faure said, nodding behind the counter and extending a helping hand to the store’s newest customer.

Does your profession have a busy day or time of year? Would you mind a reporter tagging along? Let us know! Email news@ colchestersun.com.

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December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •5

OPINION

Letters to the editor Voter fraud is real The Sun ran an article by Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos back before the election. Mr. Condos assured Vermonters they had nothing to worry about when it came to election misdeeds or voter fraud in the state of Vermont. Now that the unthinkable (in the minds of both Democrats and Republicans alike) has actually happened – Mr. Trump's presidential win – the national news is rife with articles about fraudulent election activity. I guess electoral fraud only becomes important depending on who wins. It is interesting Mr. Condos oversaw an election in which he was a candidate.

Perspective

Here are a couple observations about our recent election. I know a man who lives in central Vermont. He cared for an elderly family member for a number of years until the family member died approximately two years ago. The State of Vermont sent the deceased family member an absentee ballot just before the recent election. Of course, the ballot was destroyed.How many other dead people were sent absentee ballots in Vermont, and how many of those absentee ballots were cast? Mr. Condos has a responsibility to keep voter lists current and ensure that ballots are not sent to dead people. A scholarly article about participation of non-citizens in U.S.

voting in the 2008 and 2010 national elections was published in the Dec. 2014 edition of the journal, Electoral Studies (available at http://bit.ly/2g3Zpxd), which stated, "Some non-citizens cast votes in U.S. elections despite legal bans," and "non-citizens favor Democratic candidates over Republican candidates," and "non-citizen voting likely changed 2008 outcomes including Electoral College votes and the composition of Congress." How many dead people and non-citizens voted in the recent election in Vermont? Mr. Condos apparently doesn't know. Tom Wieland Colchester

W e e k ly

TownNews Economic Development Kathi Walker O’Reilly, director Our department has been assisting a Colchester food manufacturer looking to expand and have coordinated other resources needed in the relocation process. We also finalized a sign proposal for family of new signs including welcome, wayfinding, directional, gateway, municipal building, town parks & facilities, etc. We continue with the VTrans Exit 16 landscape and streetscape plans for the upgrades at Exit 16 to ensure they complement existing and proposed Colchester amenities. We are also assisting Colchester business looking for financing options and working with a local bank on financing to fit their needs. Our department is helping a local manufacturer looking to expand their client base within Vermont. We also helped present their product line to a large Vermont business who may be able to partner with them. Finally, we’ve worked on finalizing our communications plan to assist in outreach and education of the proposed 2018 budget. For more information, please visit http:// www.colchestervt.gov/econdev or call 264-5508. Planning and Zoning Sarah Hadd, director The Colchester Development Review Board met on December 14 to review the following applications: 1. Conditional use application, Michele & John Ambrosino and HVL VT, LLC to amend a previously approved enlargement of a residential structure, 2117 Colchester Point Rd. 2. Conditional use application, Brenda Frank, Douglas Knight and Mark Jaffee, to allow for the after-the-fact enlargement of a residential structure, 1067 Marble Island Rd., #2. 3. Site plan application, Brickyard Limited Partnership, 720 Brickyard Rd. 4. Site plan application, Donald Siegriest, Karen Venner and David Bird, 6 Bluff Rd., 24 Bluff Rd. and 262 Whitecap Rd. 5. Sketch plan, Richard Brackenbury, conventional two-lot residential subdivision, Colchester Pond Road. No actions are taken on sketch plans. The rest of the applications were approved excepting portions of the Brickyard Limited Partnership application pertaining to the pump house and gazebo. The board will meet again on January 11. The planning commission met on held a public hearing on Supplement 40 to the Colchester Zoning Regulations on December 6 and voted to

forward the supplement to the selectboard for a first reading on January 24. The supplement includes the following amendments: 1. Amend Section 2.02C Official Map to remove the Lakeshore Drive Bypass and relabel the Circumferential Highway as a future road. Add proposed separated path and emergency access in the vicinity of Malletts Bay Avenue and the Circumferential Highway corridor. 2. Amend Section 2.10B(1) to clarify fence location 3. Amend Section 2.18B to add exemption for construction signs 4. Amend Sections 3.04F, 3.05F, and 6.01F to add additional standards for contractors yard landscape; 5. Amend Table A-1 to add contractors yard landscaping as conditional use in R5, R10, & AGR Districts; 6. Amend Appendix F to rezone the following parcels: A. Portions of Parcel ID #08-021003 AGR to R2; B. 12-022000-0000000 AGR to R5; C. 12-023000-0000000 AGR to R5; D. Portions of Parcel ID#06-005002 AGR to R2. The commission will meet again on January 3 to begin discussion of the subdivision regulations. For more information, visit http://colchestervt.gov/planningz or call 264-5600. Public Works Bryan Osborne, director Our department initiated scoping for the Malletts Bay stormwater system, an upgrade to the Bayside intersection and a separated multiuse path along West Lakeshore Drive from Bayside to Prim Road. The first public input meeting has been scheduled for 1/19/2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the Colchester Town Offices. We participated at the regional and state level in the development of possible revenue sources for the State’s Clean Water Fund. We held public hearing presentations for the town’s capital budget program. The buildings division awarded contracts for janitorial services for all town buildings, heating and ventilating preventive maintenance for the town office and an interior painting project at the police department. The highway division’s main focus this time of year is snow removal, which has included five winter operations events within the past 10 days. Two hundred tons of salt and 280 cubic yards of sand were applied during these five events. For more information, visit http://colchestervt.gov/publicworks or call 264-5620.

To Phil Scott: Ignore this plan By EMERSON LYNN

hen something seems too simple, it most often is. That applies to a Vermont group calling on Gov.-elect Phil Scott to flip all the state’s conventional dairy farms to organic. The group, led by Roger Allbee, Vermont's former Secretary of Agriculture, and Michael Colby, cofounder of Regeneration Vermont, sent an open letter to the governorelect earlier this week [which was printed in Tuesday’s St. Albans Messenger] that labels our conventional farmers as mired in a doomed business model, and the ones responsible for key environmental and social issues bedeviling the state. They say the only way forward is to have all our milk produced organically. They would depend on those who use our milk – like Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot – to pay much higher prices, and they would capitalize on the Vermont brand to justify them. The group’s logic flows like this: Because organic milk commands a much higher price than conventional milk, the profession would become profitable; there would be no GMO products, which would promote better health; the phosphorus spilling into our waterways would end and the humanitarian concerns of forced migrant labor would disappear. It’s a quadruple win. If it were that easy, or that sure, it would have been done long ago. And it’s annoying to see the group falsely charge many of our farmers with sins they don’t commit or for practices for which they are not guilty. As the scientific community has proven time and time again, GMO products are as healthy as non-GMO products. Period. It’s incredible that this group contends otherwise. And suggesting that conventional farmers are guilty of “social and worker justice issues” is such a broad and unfair overstatement that it has the effect of creating division where none need exist. And blithely suggesting that the burden for this conversion should be borne by Ben & Jerry’s, Cabot and other producers is deeply ignorant of the market and consumers. If all Vermont’s dairy farms produce the same product in the same way, how is it that this group can forever guarantee a profitable market? Is Vermont’s milk really so special that consumers will willingly pay double the price for organic? And if the group’s logic applies to Vermont, it applies elsewhere, which invites the obvious conclusion: As the supply of organic milk expands, the price eventually declines, and we’re right back where we were – except much less diversified. It’s also wrong at a fundamental level to conclude that conventional

Burnham memorial liBrarY BooK reVieWS

Challenger Deep By Neil Shusterman – Young Adult Fiction, 2015 Reviewed by Kelsey Psaute, Young Adult Services Anyone who ever questioned reality needs to read this book. It’s cleverly lighthearted, serious and transformative. Picking up a book

knowing it’s about mental illness presents a challenge in itself: Do you dare? And, if one does dare, does the author handle the subject matter appropriately and without judgement? Yes, a million times over! Caden Bosch’s reality reeks of typical teenager despite his slow descent into the darkness of Challenger Deep, his chosen metaphor for the puzzle of his psyche. Interwoven with pirates, beautiful drawings by Caden and his roommate friend “the Navigator,” this book kept me glued. The beginning was just as slow and confusing as Caden’s descent. Ultimately, I cried. Caden is a beautiful and damaged soul, and it’s hard to read about his struggle without leaking a few tears in sympathy for his plight. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

A Most Wanted Man By John le Carré Adult Fiction, 2008 Reviewed by Josh Muse, Adult Services In his most recent novel, le Carré trades Cold War spycraft for the even more morally conflicted world of the modern war on terror. A man named Issa appears

in Germany who appears to be Russian and Muslim. He has been imprisoned and tortured, likely by several different governments, and these traumas have taken a psychological toll. A lawyer for immigrants and refugees named Annabel takes his case, and an old family connection brings in a staid British banker named Brue. A complicated relationship develops, which leads Annabel and Brue to stick out their necks for this man with a tenuous legal standing. When multiple security services with incompatible motivations get involved, the possible outcomes look more and more perilous. As usual, le Carré creates welldeveloped characters who struggle with their choices; combined with a perceptive contemplation of contemporary issues, it makes for a solid all-around read.

dairy farming in Vermont is without hope, that it can’t find its way forward. It’s an industry like many others where economies of scale have to be found and one that new technologies need to be applied. And that is happening. There are a number of tech-enabled practices that are changing the face of the business and making the process more efficient, less dependent on labor and healthier for the animals. It’s wrong to claim there is only one way to do anything, and that applies to the dairy industry as well. It’s also wrong to mislead the public and the industry into believing that organic dairy farming is an easy, highly profitable business. It isn’t. The organic milk business is still a very small percentage of what Vermont produces, and many of our organic farmers are also financially stressed. The ones that are doing well are usually those who have the largest herds. It’s not typically something that is financially rewarding for those with small herds, and it’s just as hard for them to pass the operation on to the next generation as it is for conventional farms. And, yes, there will always be bad actors, those whose practices do not meet acceptable standards. But that applies to organic dairy farming as it does to conventional. Suggesting that one has a moral superiority to the other is not only wrong, but misguided and divisive. No one suggests challenges don’t exist, and king among them – aside from a low-priced market – is the continual effort to reduce the farm-produced phosphorus that pollutes our waters. That challenge needs to be met, which includes the strict regulation of runoff. But to pretend that the answer to our polluted waters depends on switching from conventional farming to organic farming is essentially ignoring the issue, which only makes things worse. That’s ridiculous. Dairy farming in Vermont is a $2 billion a year industry. For anyone who saw the St. Albans Co-op Creamery’s Tractor Parade last Friday, it was easy to see the investments farmers make in their businesses. From a cost perspective, it was like watching a trail of homes being wheeled down Main Street. And that’s only a fraction of what they spend. Organic farming is a small and growing percentage of this total. That’s wonderful. May their tribe increase. But let’s not pretend that organic dairy farming in Vermont is the only way forward, or that it even needs to be. Contrary to the authors’ claims, that’s not a bold plan. No singleminded plan can be. It’s important to push the industry forward and to support what they do. This isn’t the plan. Emerson Lynn is co-publisher of The Colchester Sun.

The ColChesTer sun ExEcutivE Editor Courtney A. Lamdin

AssociAtE Editor Abby Ledoux

sports Editor Colin Flanders

rEportErs

Colin Flanders Michaela Halnon Kaylee Sullivan Tom Marble 42 Severance Green, Unit #108, Colchester, VT 05446 Phone: 878-5282 Fax: 651-9635

co-publishErs

Emerson & Suzanne Lynn

gEnErAl mAnAgEr Suzanne Lynn

AdvErtising mAnAgEr Wendy Ewing

AdvErtising sAlEs Michael Snook

Email: news@colchestersun.com Website: www.colchestersun.com Published Thursdays

Deadlines: News & Advertising – Friday at 5 p.m. Circulation: 8,800

The Colchester Sun is owned by Vermont Publishing Corp Inc. and is a member of the Champlain Valley Newspaper Group

6• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

and mo re

onors hs, H t r i ... s, B ons i id ng t a du a r s, G

Prom oti on

We d

Something to Celebrate?

Calendar Dec. 22

Let Us Know!

news@colchestersun.com

Photo by Kaylee Sullivan

Treat yourself and your loved ones to an amazing Viking feast with traditional fare at Colchester's Mead Hall on Frida, Dec. 23! Ricky the Meadmaker is making a complete Hanukkah meal with all Viking-era ingredients. See listing for more information.

ColChester

Religious Directory Daybreak Community Church 67 Creek Farm Plaza, Colchester 338-9118 / brentdaybreak@gmail.com www.daybreakvermont.org Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m. AWANA, Fridays twice a month Brent Devenney, lead pastor Holy Cross Catholic Church 416 Church Road, Colchester 863-3002 / Fr. Julian Asucan, administrator Mass schedule: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. & Sunday, 8:45 a.m. Confessions: 5-5:20 p.m. or by appointment Daily Mass: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 9 a.m. Holy Day Masses, please contact the church. Malletts Bay Congregational Church UCC 1672 West Lakeshore Dr., Malletts Bay 658-9155 / Rev. Adrianne Carr, bridge pastor standrewscolches@aol.com Worship Service: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Church School: Sunday, 10 a.m. Fellowship time: Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Childcare provided. All are welcome! St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church 1063 Prim Road, Colchester 658-0533 / Rev. Lisette Baxter, rector Sundays: 8 a.m. & 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist Sunday School & Nursery: 10 a.m. Wednesdays: 11:30 a.m. Bible class; 12:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist Facebook: St. Andrew's Church, Colchester VT All are welcome. United Church of Colchester - ABC Rte. 2A-Village Green, Colchester 879-5442 / Rev. Dr. Russell Willis Sunday Worship and Youth Sunday School: 10:30 a.m. Adult Sunday School: 9 a.m. Nursery care available during worship. Christ Centered - Family Oriented.

22 ThurSDAY

1 P.m.

Fill The TrucK For The FooD ShelF

viKing hAnuKKAh Dinner

9 a.m. - noon, RE/MAX North Professionals, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester. Help fill the RE/MAX moving truck with food for Colchester families that need your support to make this holiday season hunger-free. Drop off your nonperishable food items and checks, and we will load and transport all donations to the Colchester Community Food Shelf. Items most needed include pasta sauce, peanut butter, bottled juice, hearty soups, dry pasta and monetary donations – the food shelf’s purchasing power is two to three times more than yours! We will pick up large business donations. For more information, call John at 861-3278 or email john@802agent.com.

lego club

4 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Do you know someone who likes Legos? Stop by the library every Thursday and join us! Each week we’ll be creating a new project.

chilDren'S STorYTime

5 - 8 p.m., Groennfell Meadery, 856 Hercules Dr., Colchester. Treat yourself and your loved ones to an amazing Viking feast with traditional fare at Colchester's Mead Hall! Ricky is making a complete Hanukkah meal with all Viking-era ingredients. Reservations recommended; call 497-2345.

24 SATurDAY burnhAm memoriAl librArY cloSeD. Whole booK APProAch

11 a.m., Phoenix Books, 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Calling all kids! Join us for our weekly "Whole Book Approach" story time, exploring the ways words, pictures and book design work together to tell a complete story. The adult leads the children through the book, rather than reading the book at/to them. We’ll hold story time just about every week. Want to double check on a particular date? Call us at 872-7111.

6 p.m., Rocky's Pizza, 39 Park St., Essex Jct. Mother Goose stories and Aesop's Fables.

25 SunDAY

23 FriDAY

grAnD menorAh lighTing

burnhAm memoriAl librArY cloSeS AT

merrY chriSTmAS! 4:30 p.m., University of Vermont green, corner of Main and South Prospect St., Burlington.

Join the Chabad of Vermont as we celebrate 33 years of sharing the light of Chanukah in Burlington. Enjoy latkes, sufganiyot and Chanukah souvenirs for the kids.

26 monDAY burnhAm memoriAl librArY cloSeD For The holiDAYS. reinDeer uP cloSe

11 a.m., 12:30 & 2 p.m., ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington. Vermont Reindeer Farm will be at ECHO with live reindeer for a special one-day event. Come get an up-close look at these incredible animals and learn more about them and what makes them so well-suited for cold, snowy weather. For all ages; free with ECHO admission.

27 TueSDAY ToDDler STorYTime

10:30 a.m., Burnham Memorial Library. A weekly selection of music, rhymes and stories for ages 18 months - 3 years. Call 264-5660 to sign up.

cASTle builDing Fun

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Brownell Library. Build a castle out of paper tubes. For all ages.

PreSchool muSic 11:30 a.m., Burnham

Memorial Library. Come to the library for music and fun every Tuesday. Best for ages 3-5. Sponsored by the Friends of Burnham Library.

JeWelrY mAKing

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library. Design your own bracelets and necklaces from our awesome collection of strings, beads and more!

vermonT geneAlogY librArY

3 - 9:30 p.m., 377 Hegeman Ave., Fort Ethan Allen, Colchester. The Vt. Genealogy Library has the resources to help you find those elusive ancestors. For more information, visit www. vtgenlib.org.

reAD To WillY WonKA The volunTeer TherAPY Dog

4 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Sign up to read to our new volunteer certified therapy dog. If you’re not yet reading, an adult will read to you while you and Willy Wonka sit back and enjoy the stories. Call 264-5660 to sign up!

28 WeDneSDAY The TrAveling STorYTeller

10 a.m., Milton Public Library. Bring children to enjoy a puppet show by the Traveling Storyteller! No sign-up required.

WAcKY WeDneSDAY

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library. Are you an aspiring juggler? Learn

December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •7

Calendar LocAL MEEtinGs Fri., dEc. 23

Town offices closed at noon

Mon., dEc. 26 Town offices closed

thurs., dEc. 29

Town offices closed at 2:45 p.m.

Fri., dEc. 30

Town offices closed at noon

how to defy gravity and make your own juggling balls to take home!

31 sAturdAy

Kids’ dunGEons And drAGons niGht

burnhAM MEMoriAL LibrAry cLosEd For thE hoLidAys.

6 - 7:45 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Whether you’ve played before or it’s your first time, join us! Players take on invented personas and use cleverness and luck to face challenges, defeat enemies and save the day. Email jmuse@colchestervt.gov for more information.

KnittinG And MorE

6 - 8 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Knitters and needle-workers of all skill levels meet at the library or next door at the Colchester Meeting House. Beginners welcome! This month, learn to make broomstick lace.

29 thursdAy Kids MoviE MAtinEE

1 p.m., Essex Free Library. Kick back, relax and enjoy this animated film about a terrier named Max whose life is turned upside down when his owner takes in a new pet. Popcorn will be served! Rated PG.

nEw yEAr's EvE

whoLE booK ApproAch

AduLt coLorinG

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 21 Library Ln., Williston. Take time to recharge your emotional self with an adult coloring session. Books and colored pencils provided. Free.

First niGht burLinGton

4 - 6 p.m., Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 21 Library Ln., Williston. Stop by anytime during tech hours for one-onone technology help from a teen. Guarantee a time by making a 30-minute appointment by calling 878-4918. Free.

11 a.m. - midnight, downtown Burlington. Now in its 33rd year, this is the longeststanding, private New Year’s Eve celebration of its kind anywhere in the United States. First Night Burlington is Vermont’s largest single-day arts festival, providing a healthy, accessible and affordable New Year’s Eve celebration to thousands of people throughout the day and evening. This year's events include live performances, Circus Smirkus, face painting, a Cartoon Fest, the annual Dancing Dragons Parade down Church Street at 6 p.m. and family fireworks at 6:45 p.m. For more information including a full schedule, visit www. firstnightburlington.com.

chiLdrEn's storytiME

FiRST NiGHT BURLiNGToN PRESENTS

chEss cLub

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Come play! Teen chess players help you discover new moves. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Kids 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Chess sets funded by the Brownell Library Foundation.

tEch tutor

6 p.m., Rocky's Pizza, 39 Park St., Essex Jct. Mother Goose stories and Aesop's Fables.

30 FridAy burnhAM MEMoriAL LibrAry cLosEs At 1 p.M. vAcAtion MoviE

2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Free popcorn and drink. For all ages.

A cELtic cELEbrAtion

7 p.m., Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, 153 Main St., Burlignton. A stellar step-dancing troupe teams up with bagpipe-driven folk-rockers, an awardwinning pipe band and a crack irish traditional and contemporary outfit to ring in the New Year – Celtic-style! $5 for ages 3 and up. Tickets available in-person only at the FlynnTix Box Office; both ticket

and First Night button required for entry – no exceptions.

onGoinG

1 sundAy

Through Jan. 1, 4:30 - 8 p.m., Maple Street Park, Essex Jct. Take a walk through Maple Street Park and enjoy the bright lights and winter tunes. Can you find all of the hidden ornaments in the trees? Pick up a scavenger hunt list on your way into the park! Free.

hAppy nEw yEAr! GrEEn MountAin MaHLer FeSTIVaL: bEEthovEn’s ninth syMphony

3 p.m., Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester. Now in its seventh year, this concert features vocal soloists Stefanie Weigand, Linda Radtke, Kevin Ginter and Erik Kroncke, along with more than 120 members of the Green Mountain Mahler Festival orchestra and Chorus, all under the direction of conductor Daniel Bruce with chorus master Matthew LaRocca. Proceeds will benefit the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.vtmahler.org.

wintEr LiGhts in thE pArK

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coLchEstEr rELiGious christMAs schEduLE SaTurday, dec. 24 4 p.m., children’s Mass & christmas Pageant, St. Michael’s Chapel, 1 Winooski Park, Colchester. 4 p.m., Live Nativity & candlelight Service, Daybreak Community Church, 67 Creek Farm Plaza, Colchester.

Email Michaela! michaela@colchestersun.com

4:30 p.m., christmas eve Mass, Holy Cross Church, 416 Church Rd, Colchester. 5 p.m., child-friendly christmas eve Service, Malletts Bay Congregational Church UCC, 1672 West Lakeshore Dr., Colchester. 5 p.m., Family Service, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1063 Prim Rd., Colchester. 7 p.m., christmas carols, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1063 Prim Rd., Colchester. 7 p.m., christmas eve Worship, Malletts Bay Congregational Church UCC, 1672 West Lakeshore Dr., Colchester. 7:15 p.m., Holy eucharist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1063 Prim Rd., Colchester. 8 p.m., christmas Vigil, Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, 810 Campus Rd., Colchester.

SuNday, dec. 25 8:45 a.m., christmas day Mass, Holy Cross Church, 416 Church Rd, Colchester. 9 a.m., Holy eucharist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1063 Prim Rd., Colchester.

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9:30 a.m., Informal christmas Service & carols, Malletts Bay Congregational Church UCC, 1672 West Lakeshore Dr., Colchester.

11 a.m., christmas day Mass, Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, 810 Campus Rd., Colchester.

sundAy, JAn. 1 9 a.m., Christmas lessons and carols with Holy Communion, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church; 1063 Prim Rd., Colchester.

Kent Booraem Ins Agcy Inc Kent Booraem, Agent 85 Prim Road Colchester, VT 05446 Bus: 802-862-5880

11 a.m., Mass for New Year’s Day, Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, 810 Campus Rd., Colchester.

With your new home comes new responsibilities – like protecting your new investment with the right amount of homeowners insurance. That’s where I can help. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ®

Editor's note: While not an exhaustive list of services in the area, this list reflects information from local churches sent directly to The Colchester Sun. 0907507.1

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8• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC HEARING-COLCHESTER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

Town of Colchester Selectboard Notice of Public Hearing Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 113, Sec. 105(a)(b), the Colchester Selectboard will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Offices at 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT in the Outer Bay Conference Room, 3rd floor, for public comment on an amendment to the Colchester Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12. Traffic, in preparation for completion of Collins Farm Road, a 0.12 mile long Class III highway beginning at an intersection with Roosevelt Highway(US Route 2/7) and extending to a “Y” turnaround at the terminus: • Article II. MOVING VEHICLES, Sec. 12-16. Speed Limits Collins Farm Road: 25 mph • Article III. PARKING, STANDING, AND STOPPING Secs. 12-31 No-parking zones Collins Farm Road: No parking on either side of the street. • Article III. PARKING, STANDING, AND STOPPING Sec, 12-34 Stop signs required. (a) Designation. Stop signs shall be erected at the following locations: Collins Farm Road at Roosevelt Highway If you have questions regarding these amendments contact the Colchester Police Department at (802) 264-5556. For publication on December 22, 2016

EMPLOYMENT

RENTALS

Pursuant to Title 24 VSA, Chapter 117, the Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Office, 781 Blakely Road, to hear the following requests under the Zoning Regulations: a. Conditional Use application of Red Leaf, LLC and Dylan Eastman to extend a deck encroaching in the Shoreland District setback in accordance with Article 7.03(D) of the Zoning Regulations. Subject property is located at 21 Point Red Rock Road, tax map 77, parcel 15.

MERCHANDISE

b. Conditional Use application of Richard and Nancy Pecor under Article VIII, Section 8.10 for an accessory structure exceeding 50% of the ground floor of the primary structure. Subject property is located at 2868 Middle Road, tax map 15, parcel 23. The applications are available for review at the Municipal Offices located on 781 Blakely Road or online at colchestervt. gov.

SERVICES

December 22, 2016

The following positions are excellent opportunities to join a distinctive developmental service provider during a time of growth. Shared Living Providers: Provide residential supports to an individual in your home. Generous stipend, paid time off (respite), comprehensive training and supports are provided. We are currently hiring for a variety of situations. For more information, contact Jennifer Wolcott, jwolcott@ccs-vt.org or 655-0511 ext. 118 Community Inclusion Facilitators: Provide one on one inclusion supports to an individual with an intellectual disability or autism. Help folks lead fulfilling lives, reach their goals and be productive members of their community. We are currently hiring for several positions with comprehensive benefit packages. Send your resume and cover letter to staff@ccs-vt.org

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TOWN OF COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET FOR FY 2018 The Town of Colchester Selectboard will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 7:15 p.m. at the Colchester Town Offices, 781 Blakely Road, Outer Bay Conference Room, 3rd Floor, for public comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2018 Town General Fund Operating Budget. The Budget is available for review at the Clerk’s Office at the Colchester Town Offices at 781 Blakely Road, or on the Town of Colchester website at www.colchestervt.gov. For publication on December 22, 2016

TOWN OF COLCHESTER SELECT BOARD Notice of Public Hearings on Town Charter Amendments January10 and January 24, 2017

Pursuant to Title 17 VSA, Chapter 55, the Colchester Selectboard will hold two public hearings for public comment on proposed Town of Colchester Charter changes, the first on January 10, 2017 at 7:00 PM and the second on January 24, 2017 at 6:30 PM, both to be held at the Colchester Town Offices, 781 Blakely Road, Outer Bay Conference Room, 3rd floor. The proposed changes are summarized per the following: • Subchapter 2. Officers: o Amend Section 202 to eliminate the elected office of grand juror o Amend Section 207 to add the requirement of the Selectboard to publish all policy adoptions electronically • Subchapter 3. Town Meetings: o Amend Section 304 to change the threshold from 2 to 4 percent to allow for emergency appropriations following an opportunity for public comment. (Note: only in the event of an unusual emergency.) • Subchapter 4. Town Manager: o Amend Section 401 to add the statutory reference for appointment of Town Manager o Amend Section 404 to add language that the Town Manager shall keep the Selectboard

Looking to hire?

informed... Including the enforcement of town ordinances o Amend Section 406 to add the language that the Town Manager shall be removed by a majority of the entire Selectboard so voting after a finding of cause for removal • Subchapter 6. Budget: o Amend Section 602, Section 603, and Section 606 to add clarification language o Amend Section 607 to agree with Section 304 regarding emergency appropriations and remove redundant language o Add a new Section 608, Capital budgeting for voter approved funding, to require multiyear capital budgets funded through voter-approved capital plans, agreements, debt or impact fees adopted in accordance with state statutes • Subchapter 9. Miscellaneous Provision to be renamed to Ethical Conduct and Conflict of Interest: o Amend Section 901 to add clarification language to include elected officials, employee or appointee o Add a new Section 902, Conflict of Interest Policy to require the adoption and periodic review of the policy and process • Subchapter 10. Amendment of Charter o Amend Section 1001 to require a review of the Charter every 5 years This concise summary has been posted in five public places; the proposed changes are available for viewing in their entirety on our website (www.colchestervt.gov); and as hard copies available at the Town Clerk’s office and Burnham Library. These Charter amendments may be voted upon by Australian ballot at the upcoming Town Meeting on March 7, 2017, subject to upcoming Selectboard action. Your comments or questions regarding these proposed changes are welcome and may be directed to the Town Clerk at krichard@colchestervt.gov, or 264-5525 or the Town Manager at 264-5509. For publication on Thursday, December 22, 2016

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COLCHESTER POLICE LOG December 13 – 20

11:15 p.m., Accident – property damage, Roosevelt Hwy.

12:18 p.m., Domestic disturbance in Colchester 12:21 p.m., Public speaking on Blakely WRITTEN WARNINGS: 16 Wednesday, Dec. 14 Rd. 1:03 a.m., Public assist on Shannon Rd. 12:40 p.m., Citizen dispute on Blakely TICKETS 10:44 a.m., Threats/harassment on Rd. 5 Winter parking ban Hegeman Ave. 2:07 p.m., Drugs on Laker Ln. 1 Operating after suspension – 1st 11:10 a.m., Public assist on Rathe Rd. 5:37 p.m., Utility problem on E. offense Lakeshore Dr. 1 Possessing marijuana – 1st offense, 12:21 p.m., DARE activity on Porters Point Rd. 8:16 p.m., Suicidal subject in Colchester under 21 12:31 p.m., Disturbance on S. Park Dr. 10:03 p.m., Suspicious on Westward Dr. 1 Stop sign 1 Using portable electronic device – 1st 1:13 p.m., Trespass on S. Park Dr. 2:00 p.m., Vandalism on Greenwood Friday, Dec. 16 offense Dr. 2:38 a.m., Trespass on S. Park Dr. 6:18 p.m., Burglary on Thayer Bay Rd. 8:30 a.m., Larceny on W. Red Rock Rd. ARRESTS 9:31 a.m., Drugs on Valleyfield Dr./ 3 Violation of abuse prevention order 7:04 p.m., Domestic disturbance on 2nd St. Heather Cir. 7:54 p.m., Suicidal subject in Colchester 9:59 a.m., Juvenile problem in Tuesday, Dec. 13 Colchester 9:15 a.m., Public assist on Abigail Dr. 9:37 p.m., Domestic disturbance in Colchester 11:47 a.m., Juvenile problem in 10:31 a.m., Juvenile problem in Colchester Colchester Thursday, Dec. 15 3:06 p.m., Domestic disturbance in 3:22 p.m., Citizen dispute on Hercules 10:08 a.m., SRO activity on Laker Ln. Colchester Dr.

5:44 p.m., Death investigation on Main St. 5:58 p.m., Burglary on Stone Dr. 8:24 p.m., Suspicious on Church Rd. 11:56 p.m., Doemestic disturbance in Colchester 11:18 p.m., Suspicious on College Pkwy. Saturday, Dec. 17 1:44 a.m., Suspicious on Creek Farm Rd. 10:48 a.m., Public assist on Lower Mountain View Dr. 12:28 p.m., Suicidal subject in Colchester 4:47 p.m., Suspicious on Water Tower Hill 7:26 p.m., Threats/harassment on 8th St. 8:52 p.m., Suicidal subject in Colchester 11:49 p.m., Domestic disturbance in Colchester

Sunday, Dec. 18 12:36 p.m., Suspicious on Route 7 12:55 p.m., Public assist on Blakely Rd. 7:11 p.m., Drugs on Roosevelt Hwy. Monday, Dec. 19 1:22 a.m., Disturbance on S. Park Dr. 8:09 a.m., Search warrant on Osgood Hill Rd. 12:54 p.m., Juvenile problem in Colchester 1:00 p.m., Suspicious on Ethan Allen Ave. 2:39 p.m., Suspicious on Rathe Rd. 3:10 p.m., Suspicious on Main St. Tuesday, Dec. 20 1:01 a.m., DUI on Route 2/Raymond Rd. Total Incidents: 240

Log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For more information, call the non-emergency number: 264-5556 | 835 Blakely Rd., Colchester

10• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

local

Conn. woman causes head-on crash on I-89

JACK FroST reTUrnS To bAy

By COLIN FLANDERS A Connecticut woman was arrested after Vermont State Police say she drove the wrong way on Interstate 89 with a 1-year-old in the vehicle and hit another car headon in Colchester early December 16, a news release said. Police say 37-year-old Hawa Aphy was traveling at typical interstate speed while driving northbound in the southbound lane near mile marker 94, where she hit Fairfax resident Paula Poquette, 47. Poquette, Aphy and the child were all transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage, the news release said. I-89 was reduced to onelane traffic for a period of time while police investigated the crash. There’s no indication of alcohol or drug involvement at this time, police said. Police cited Aphy for grossly negligent operation and endangering the welfare of a child. She’s scheduled to appear in Chittenden Superior Court – Criminal Division on February 28, the news release said.

Police: Man stole U-Haul, trailer to take ATM By MICHAELA HALNON A Colchester man used a stolen trailer and U-Haul to burglarize an ATM from Sam Mazza’s Farm Stand earlier this month, according to Colchester police. Police say Brian Leclair, 36, took a trailer from Lucky’s Trailer Sales on Hercules Drive and used it to transport a stand-alone ATM containing several thousand dollars on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Further investigation showed a U-Haul truck stolen from Burlington was also used in the theft, a press release said. Burlington police arrested Leclair last Tuesday on an unrelated charge of violation of court ordered conditions of release, police said. Leclair was arraigned in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division on charges of burglary on Wednesday, Dec. 14, police said. The ATM, U-Haul and trailer were all recovered in Cambridge. Several law enforcement agencies were involved in this investigation, Colchester police said. Officers are continuing to work with Burlington police, Vermont State Police and other agencies in Chittenden, Washington and Franklin counties who are all investigating similar burglaries involving ATMs. Anyone with information is asked to call Colchester police at 264-5555.

Jeff Lefebvre of Colchester snapped this picture of Malletts Bay last week, showing frost is starting to creep outward from the shoreline.

PHOTO BY JEFF LEFEBVRE

Scouts show generosity at holidays

olchester Cub Scouts Pack 655 gathered last Thursday night at Malletts Bay Elementary School for their December meeting. In the giving spirit of the holiday season, the pack collected around 30 gifts to donate to the Toys for Tots program, which provides toys and presents to children during the holiday season who may not receive gifts otherwise. “It’s showing the true meaning of the holiday season,” den leader Heidi Marsano said. “Kids get so wrapped up in the commercialism of everything and they want things for themselves, but it’s nice to see them being willing and ready to give on their own.” The pack also collected canned goods to dropoff at the Colchester Community Food Shelf.

CONDOMS from page 1 In Milton, an independent committee is preparing a recommended wellness policy for the school board’s consideration, superintendent Ann Bradshaw said. She expects the committee will take into account the AOE's advice. It’s unclear if the policy will reference condoms, Bradshaw said, adding the final decision will be up to the board. “I will be interested to see what the committee comes up with and then make a judgment,” she said. Essex High School principal Rob Reardon said the school has no program in place. He called condom distribution programs a “great suggestion,” but noted there’s no such thing as free. “If we were to bill Dr. Chen for 5,000 for condoms, I'm not sure we're going to get a check back,” he said. “So therefore, should the taxpayers of Essex be expected to

PHOTO BY KAYLEE SULLIVAN

pay?” Reardon said the district has no plans to implement any such program, yet noted the memo is still new. Holcombe and Chen’s recommendation also calls for comprehensive sexual education curriculum, which all three schools already use. At EHS, this includes an abstinence-based approach that asserts the longer students wait to engage in sexual activity, the safer they are. Health teacher Leo LaBonte said the program neither tells students they’re wrong for having sex, nor does it suggest a specific time to start. Rather, it provides information to help kids make healthy decisions, he said. One-third of Vermont youth reported sexual activity in the past three months, according to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which surveyed 40,000 students in grades K-12. Among those sexually active, only 58 percent reported using a condom.

The data suggests students are engaging in sexual activity at increasingly younger ages, LaBonte said. That’s why he’s in favor of starting sexual education before high school. He believes middle school students access birth control and contraceptives less often because they’re more likely to be embarrassed. They could still be having sex, and without the necessary precautions, he said. Though he’s not opposed to distributing condoms in schools, LaBonte said any such program would likely come through the nurse’s office. In his 20 years in education, he’s heard parents express conflicting opinions on the issue. LaBonte said he views the discussion through an old adage: If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. By teaching students where to find contraceptives, LaBonte believes educators can address the problem without providing them on campus. He’s just one of many health teachers around the state tasked

with the unique challenge of adapting their curriculum to keep pace with societal change. Similarly, rising obesity and diabetes rates mean instead of just covering the six nutrient groups, EHS students now learn about food marketing, smart shopping and the difference between organic and non-organic food. Sexual education is no different, LaBonte said. To illustrate, he referenced EHS’ consent training. LaBonte used to walk students through consent laws, but he created a more comprehensive lesson plan after seeing “scary” numbers in the YRBS, he said. In 2015 alone, 7 percent of the 40,000 students reported being forced to have sexual intercourse. Of CCSU’s 460 female students who took the survey, about 40 reported such instances. Now, students learn consent is an ongoing conversation, one that can be opted out of at any time, LaBonte said.

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December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •11

local

TOYS from page 1 years ago. During this year’s go-around, a joint effort of 15 departments collected over 2,000 gifts. “It’s actually incredible just to see the amount of people who want to take part in it,” Edgerley said, noting he already has a few verbal commitments for next year. Colchester plans on contributing again next year and encourages others to join the operation. Participation on CPD’s part is a no-brainer, Dewey said. The collection not only spreads cheer to hospitalized kids during the holiday season, but year-round. “As cops, we get involved in some not so positive things,” the corporal said. “So to be involved in something positive and really fun, how could you say no?” As for the hospital, senior administrative coordinator Sue Victory said she was thrilled to see children and officers smiling in the lobby before heading up to the children’s wing to deliver the gifts. “They have done this now for many years, and every year it just gets bigger and bigger,” she said. “We are so appreciative to have the partnership and that they’re thinking of the children this time of year.”

PHOTOS BY KAYLEE SULLIVAN

Clockwise from top left: 1) Jaelyn Huckins, 10, tells Santa what she wants for Christmas last Thursday at the University of Vermont Medical Center. 2) Santa listens to a child's Christmas wishes in the lobby of the University of Vermont Medical Center last Thursday during Operation Fire Cuffs. 3) Two young boys listen in as Santa reads a Christmas book with Champ by his side. 4) Santa hoists his bag of toys as he steps out of a Burlington fire truck and into the lobby of the University of Vermont Medical Center.

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GLASS from page 1 to their basement or out to their garage brings them to their creative, manufacturing and shipping locales. The business had a rather unusual start, and the Anthonys cite one day in June 2013 when Holly’s stepfather brought over a blue beer bottle as the beginning of what would become not only a business but also an obsession. “That’s too beautiful to throw away; there’s gotta be something we can do with that,” Kurt Anthony recalled saying. The business began in 2014 and has transformed over the past two years. All of the product, from the glass to woodwork, is handmade by Kurt and Holly without the use of automated machinery. They take bottles destined for garbage and upcycle it to something new. Reused bottles, ranging from beer to hard liquor, are transformed into awning lights, luminaires and brew bells and are sold on the business’ website. “You’re only limited by your imagination,” Kurt Anthony said. Stepping into the Anthonys’ yard, one might notice the 4,000 bottles they have in inventory, mostly bought back from redemption centers. All beer bottles must be in perfect condition, with no scratches or stains, making the job of finding them quite difficult. “We have become such geeks about glass,” Holly Anthony said. “We ignore the smell, and we go in there and we just get excited about finding new stuff all the time.”

By reusing and repurposing recycled bottles, the couple hopes their business and art will begin a dialogue and promote other states to enact a bottle bill, which requires a refundable deposit on beverage containers to keep glass out of landfills. “Obviously we’re concerned about the environment, and we like the idea of recycling,” Kurt Anthony said. “We don’t waste anything.” The couple does use a lot of water in cutting and polishing their products, so they’ve installed a cascading water supply to reuse it. Kurt Anthony gestured toward the three-barrel system he built, which houses the water used as his wife grinds, smooths and bevels each item. The Anthonys said 20 percent of their products are custom made pieces created from customers’ ideas. And, for a small fee, community members can use their supply of tools, ranging from glass cutting, beveling and general drilling. The Anthonys’ pieces are available for purchase online, but they also frequent craft shows to sell their products and receive feedback on what consumers in the market are interested in buying. “We never had any plan of doing any of this,” Kurt Anthony said as he gestured to a table covered in various products. Switchback, Patron and Magic Hat bottles were just some of the brands covering the table that were recrafted to take the form of votive candle holders, glasses and awning lights. Despite never planning to create their own business,

the Anthonys’ cite their passion and love for their craft as one of the main forces driving their business. “I’m chomping at the bit to do something that’s fun and something that’s ours,” Kurt Anthony said. “Something that we can control in our lives and this is it.” With their business only two years old, the Anthonys are already looking ahead. They want to start working with stained glass, steambent wood, homemade glass and glass etching. The works seems to never stop for the pair, especially with a recent 1,000-item order for the CEO of Patron Tequila. Despite the amount of time it takes to handcraft pieces – particularly during their peak months of April

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through December – both Holly and Kurt maintain day jobs, in hopes that one day, they’ll travel the country and sell their products. “[We] come home from work, dropped our stuff, did whatever and got to work,” Holly Anthony said. “Didn’t eat dinner a lot. Dishes [went] in the sink, [and we] got back to work.” But their love for the craft is just another item they can add onto their list of similarities, one that, according to Kurt Anthony, is now five pages long. “When we met, it was literally love at first sight,” he said. “We both share a lot of the same interests. We share a birthday.” Glass Roots has taken root in Kurt and Holly’s hearts, and their never-ending dedication to their craft is just one way it shows. “We got an order we have to process tonight,” Kurt Anthony said as the clock struck 9 p.m. PHOTOS BY PARKER THOMAS Top: Kurt Anthony cuts a glass bottle to specification at his home studio, Glass Roots, which he runs with his wife, Holly. Above, a tealight candle holder is just one of many products the couple makes out of recycled glass. They have 4,000 bottles at any given time to be turned into a variety of products.

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December 22, 2016 • The Colchester Sun •13

sports

Girls hockey drops tough road contest SeaLakers move to 2-2 overall

By COLIN FLANDERS

he Burlington/Colchester girls hockey team dropped a nailbiting 3-2 contest against host Essex last Saturday. The SeaLakers streaked ahead behind goals from Brooke Barrows and Elise Scoresom, who propelled the squad into the third period with a 2-1 lead. The Hornets wouldn't relent, however, pouncing back for two goals in the final frame, capped by Maddy Young's game winner with just under 10 minutes remaning. Meghan Lehouiller and Madison Chagnon assisted the SeaLakers' goals, while Jenna Blondin turned away an impressive 37 shots. Three days prior, Burlington/Colchester found success against Burr and Burton to the tune of a 5-1 victory.

The SeaLakers scoring was sparked by Lehouiller, who led with two goals followed by Madion Chagnon's goal and pair of assists. Olivia Maher and Mckenna Weston also scored. Sharing duties in front of the net, Blondin tallied 16 saves while Courtney Rocheleau stopped four. The SeaLakers faced off against Rice on Wednesday in a game that concluded after the Sun went to print. They'll then have a weeklong break before meeting BFA-St. Albans at Leddy Arena on December 28. PHOTOS BY KYLE ST. PETER Top: Goalkeeper Jenna Blondin eyes a puck against Essex during the SeaLakers' game last Saturday at the Essex Skating Rink. Right: Lane Sky circles behind the net with an Essex defender in pursuit last Saturday.

Staying safe on ice As the arrival of cold temperature forms earlyseason ice on Vermont ponds, lakes and rivers, Vermont Fish & Wildlife wishes to remind winter enthusiasts that ice should never be considered safe and ice conditions vary. Here are some tips for safe ice fishing. • Leave your car or truck on shore. • Leave information about your plans with someone -- where you intend to fish and when you expect to return. • Wear a personal flotation device, and don’t fish alone. • Always carry an ice spud or chisel to check ice as you proceed. • Be extremely cautious crossing ice near river mouths, points of land, bridges, islands, and

PHOTO BY JOSH KAUFMANN

Lakers split pair to start season

Colchester split its first two games of the season, downing Missisquoi 39-28 before falling to North country at home last Monday. Up next for the Lakers is a home contest against Essex on Thursday. Above: Senior guard Jenny Thompson plays tight defense on a Missisquoi player during the Lakers' game December 14.

• •

•

over reefs and springs. Avoid going onto the ice if it has melted away from shore. Waves from open water can quickly break up large areas of ice. If you can see open water in the lake and the wind picks up, get off! Bring your fully-charged cell phone. Carry a set of hand spikes to help you work your way out onto the surface of the ice if you go through. Carry a safety line that can be thrown to someone who has gone through the ice. Heated fishing shanties must have good ventilation to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

CMS girls remain unbeaten Colchester Middle School girls basketball improved to 4-0 with a 42-27 win over Georgia on December 13. Olivia Moore connected on three triples in the first half to open up a 10 point lead at the break. A strong defensive effort kept Georgia at bay, while a quick 8 points from Emmakate O’Donnell sealed the game. Colchester looks to stay perfect against LC Hunt before the break.

14• The Colchester Sun• December 22, 2016

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