Williston Observer 08/17/2023

Second Finney hotel gets green light

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

A planned new hotel in the Finney Crossing neighborhood will be the first construction approved in Williston without review by the Development Review Board (DRB).

Last month, the four story, 115-room hotel received the equivalent of a DRB “Notice of Decision” — a letter the town typically produces after a land use application approval — allowing the Snyder Group to proceed with the project.

The letter came after an administrative review at the Willis -

Application is first under ‘form-based code’

ton Planning and Zoning office. It was the first such review under the town’s “form-based code” regulations for Taft Corners that went into effect last fall. Under the regulations, land developers seek a “certificate of conformity” with the regulations from the planning director, rather than approval from the DRB.

“Thank you for your patience. This is our very first one and we are still developing our process,” Planning Director Matt Boulanger said during a June meeting with developer Chris Snyder. The application was first submitted in April.

After the meeting, the town provided Snyder a letter saying,

in part: “Staff finds that the (application) is in full compliance with the Taft Corners Form Based Code.” The letter gave Snyder the green light to finalize a wastewater allocation purchase and pay water connection fees and impact fees to the town. The “certificate of conformity” required to build will be issued after the fees are paid, according to the town’s planning and zoning department.

On Monday, Senior Planner Emily Heymann said the certificate has not yet been issued.

The hotel is planned at the corner of Holland Lane and Market Street, just a stone’s throw from another hotel that opened in 2021,

and across from the L.L. Bean and Jersey Mike’s restaurant that front Route 2. The vacant 2 acres is “one of the few remaining undeveloped sites within Finney Crossing,” Snyder wrote in the application.

Williston Fire Chief Aaron Collette and Public Works Director Bruce Hoar participated in the administrative review. Collette requested some tweaks to fire hydrant and window locations; Hoar signed off on the plans without reservation.

Hoar did, however, note that the addition of the hotel will necessitate additional traffic control at the Holland Lane-Market Street intersection. Currently, the intersection has stop signs in two di-

rections. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission is studying the possibility of make the intersection a four-way stop.

“One of the things behind that is the proximity of this hotel,” Hoar said.

He said the town originally went with a two-way stop sign not anticipating a hotel at the intersection. The town has received complaints about the current functioning of the intersection, Hoar said.

“I suspect it will come back from the regional planning commission that it meets the criteria to become a four-way intersection, especially with the addition of this hotel,” Hoar said.

The vacant 2-acre parcel where a second Finney Crossing hotel is planned is ‘one of the few remaining undeveloped sites within Finney Crossing,’ according to developers. It is within view of the original Finney Crossing hotel, built in 2021. OBSERVER FILE PHOTO

Right, an artist rendering of a proposed 115-room hotel at the corner of Holland Lane and Market Street in the Finney Crossing neighborhood. COURTESY OF THE WILLISTON PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT

Around Town

Town seeks volunteers for Housing Committee

To advance the goal of providing affordable housing across income levels, the Williston Selectboard recently established a committee to provide advice on Housing Trust Fund use, suggest policies and programs to further housing goals, drive community engagement and outreach on housing issues, and recommend actions to attract external partnerships and funding to support

the development of housing affordable at 50 percent of median income and below.

The town is seeking seven to nine members who reflect the diversity of the Williston community. This includes, but is not limited to, members of historically underrepresented groups such as those who have experienced housing insecurity, as well as members with expertise in the complex issues associated with housing.

For more information or to

apply, visit town.williston.vt.us/ volunteers or email edickinson@willistonvt.org. The application deadline is Aug. 22.

Green Up Vermont schedules flood litter clean up

A Recovery Clean Up is planned for Saturday, Aug. 26 to help clean up towns with flood-related litter. This is not an event for flood damage and construction debris.

If you would like to volunteer, contact Green Up Vermont or download the app and select a team near you. Visit http://greenupvermont.org for full details.

Boy Scouts plan bottle and can drive

Williston Scout BSA Troop

692 is conducting a community-wide bottle/can drive and food drive on Saturday, Aug. 26. All proceeds from the drive will benefit the Williston Community Food Shelf. The scouts will also be collecting non-perishable food items and toiletries. Items currently in need at the food shelf include: bottles of juice, crunchy peanut butter, laundry detergent, personal hygiene products, canned soup, canned pasta sauce and boxed mac and cheese.

Pick-ups will take place in the following areas and neighborhoods: Eastview Circle, Coyote Run, Stirrup Circle, Bittersweet Circle, Hillside Drive, Sharon Drive, River Cove Road, Morgan Parkway, Meadowrun Road, Lamplite Lane, Finney Crossing, Seth Circle, Isham

Circle, Brennan Woods, Ledgewood Drive, Southridge, Pleasant Acres, Turtle Pond Road, Wildflower Circle, Southfield Drive, Village Grove, Lefebvre Lane, Fairway Drive, Creeks Edge Drive, Hillcrest Lane, Michael Lane and Sunrise Drive.

To participate, place empty returnable (for deposit) cans and bottles in a paper or plastic bag curbside (not in the road) by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 26. Food shelf donations should be placed in separate bags or containers.

If you are not in one of the neighborhoods listed above and would like to arrange someone to pick up bottles and/or food, or if you have other questions, reach out to Julia Nesbit at jnesbit938@gmail.com or (802) 3241560.

Yellow Freight trucking shuttered in Williston

BY TED COHEN Special to the Observer

The Yellow Freight trucking terminal at 199 Krupp Drive in Williston is a ghost town now that the company is on the precipice of bankruptcy.

The terminal had all-but-a skele ton crew on a recent Friday finishing up odds and ends as the 99-year-old company nationally wound down business in the face of crippling fi nancial conditions.

Teamsters drivers were told to come in and clean out their lockers at the end of July, according to senior veteran driver Steve Lajeunesse of Colchester.

“They kept a couple drivers on call in case they needed us to finish up handling the last pieces of freight,” Lajeunesse said.

For employees such as Lajeu-

nesse, the ending of a career with one company — in his case spanning nearly 25 years — was bittersweet. As drivers collected their personal effects, they began almost immediately looking for work, in some cases at Teamsters-represented companies, Lajeunesse said.

Company officials had locked the yard gates since no more inbound nightly truckloads were ex-

pected to be arriving. The company stopped making customer pickups and had been delivering the remaining freight in its network ahead of what appears to be a permanent closure. Most of the Yellow’s nonunion employees in areas such as customer service, information technology and sales were laid off.

After months of negotiations with its Teamsters workforce, the

carrier had been unable to reach terms over proposed operational changes it said were required for its survival. In a breach of contract lawsuit filed against Teamsters officials in June, the company said it would soon be out of cash.

Teamsters officials blame the company for irresponsible financing they said led to its demise. Yellow, formerly called YRC Worldwide, did not respond to a request for comment.

“Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions

in bailout funding from the federal government,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. The company was the third-biggest U.S. trucker. Its customers included retailers like Walmart and Home Depot, manufacturers and Uber Freight, some of which paused cargo shipments to the company for fear those goods could be lost or stranded if the carrier went bankrupt.

Freelance journalist Ted Cohen of Burlington was a part-time Yellow Freight driver. Reuters contributed to this report.

Unemployment rate falls under 2 percent

Vermont’s unemployment rate fell to 1.9 percent in June, according to the Vermont Department of Labor. Commissioner Michael Harrington said he expects employment impacts from the July floods to be reflected in next month’s unemployment report.

Eligibility requirements for the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program for anyone who has seen their hours or wages impacted by the flood, including self-employed workers and independent contractors were announced. Visit https://labor.vermont.gov/dua for more information.

Davis & Hodgdon co-founder retires

Williston accountant and financial planner John Davis has announced his retirement from Davis & Hodgdon Advisory group, which he co-founded 30 years ago.

A UVM graduate and native of Pennsylvania, Davis partnered with Bret Hodgdon in 1990 to launch the company in Williston. The company expanded into Rutland in 2015.

Davis served as vice chair of the Vermont Economic Progress Council, was a board member of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center and treasurer and member of the executive committee for Age Well.

THE HUB

Supply chain online tool launches Aug. 22

The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center is partnering with Connex Marketplace to roll out an online marketplace designed to strengthen the local and domestic manufacturing supply chain. The tool creates a manufacturer-supplier database as a no-cost resource for Vermont manufacturers and suppliers, combining Vermont manufacturer and supplier data into a searchable database where buyers, manufacturers and suppliers can quickly post and respond to needs, visualize supply chain risk, search for qualified suppliers and discover new business opportunities.

Dubbed Connex Vermont, the platform is set to launch Aug. 22. More details will be announced at the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center website, www.vmec.org.

Grants available for flood-affected businesses

In a response to the July floods, the Vermont Department of Economic Development has launched a Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program — a $20 million grant program intended to help businesses and nonprofits that sustained property damage in the floods reopen and bring employees back.

“More support will be needed, but this $20 million commitment from the state is a strong first step as we work to help employers impacted by catastrophic July flooding,” Gov. Phil Scott said. “My team and I will continue to do

what we can to help businesses, and work with our congressional delegation to try and secure additional resources that will be needed.”

Most organizations can receive up to $20,000. Visit https://accd.vermont.gov/economic-development/flood-emergency-funding for more information.

VBSR recognizes business leaders

The 21st annual Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility awards ceremony and dinner is set for Oct. 5. Four businesses and leaders will be recognized for their efforts in social equity, environmental responsibility and sustainable economic development.

The award winners are:

• Jed Davis, vice president of strategic engagement and sustainability at Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery Co-operative: Terry Ehrich Award for Lifetime Achievement.

• BETA Technologies: Innovation and Inspiration Award (large organization).

• Bee the Change: Innovation and Inspiration Award (small organization).

• Aly Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids: Young Changemaker Award.

• Rainbow Bridge Community Center: Bridge Award. Email madisonw@vbsr.org for more information about the event.

John Davis

Williston

The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday. In addition, we provide rack distribution to locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex.

Williston

Adams Farm Market

Belle’s Café

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

Fairfield Inn

Gardener’s Supply

Green Mountain Bagel

Hannaford

Healthy Living Williston

Home2Suites

Korner Kwik Stop

Marriott Courtyard

Men At Wok

People’s United Bank

Ramunto’s

Rehab Gym

Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd)

Simon’s Mobil Williston

Simply Divine Café

Sonesta

Sunoco Station

Town of Williston Offices

UPS Store

Williston Coffee Shop

If you would like copies for your location call Rick Cote at (802) 373-2136 or email

Rick@WillistonObserver.com

Essex Junction

Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety

Hannaford (at Essex Shoppes)

Inn at Essex

Mac’s Market

Martone’s Deli

Price Chopper

Quality Bake Shop

River Road Beverage

Richmond

Cumberland Farms

Richmond Free Library

Richmond Market

Richmond Mobil Mart

GUEST COLUMN

Notes from the town manager’s office

BY ERIK WELLS Williston Town Manager

Williston community, I hope your summer is going well. I have some updates from Town Hall to share with each of you.

JULY FLOOD EVENT

I want to thank our outstanding Town of Williston staff for their work in addressing the impact from the July flooding event here locally. We had limited closures and washouts that were able to be addressed and repaired in quick order.

If your home or business was affected, please report your damages online to Vermont 211 at www.vermont211.org or by calling 211. This crucial information will help track statewide damage and support FEMA’s efforts to provide federal funding for Vermont’s recovery. My thoughts are with our fellow Vermonters in working through the recovery.

ARPA OUTREACH

The Town of Williston has $1.8 million remaining in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

distributed in 2021 and 2022 to aid in local recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The town received just over $3 million in total funding, and its uses to date have included projects identified in the town’s capital plan, revenue allocations to the town’s general fund (the operating budget) and launching a feasibility study to assess future spaces for the library and community/recreation center.

The Williston Selectboard must decide how to spend all the remaining ARPA funding by the end of 2024, and the funds must be spent by the end of 2026. There are likely opportunities to leverage ARPA funds for additional state/federal grants in the years ahead.

The town wants to hear from you on how it should consider using the remaining ARPA funding. ARPA funds can be used for most general government operating or capital expenses to deliver services to the community.

I will be holding drop-in listening sessions in August to share ideas. You can reach me via email at ewells@willistonvt.org

or phone in Town Hall at (802) 876-1168. The selectboard will be discussing ARPA funds later this year, and community generated ideas will be included in a report to take under advisement. The selectboard will also hold a public hearing on this topic Sept. 19.

The town’s capital programs for the general, water, sewer and stormwater funds are a good reference for project ideas. Those can be viewed on the town website at the following address: https:// www.town.williston.vt.us/budget.

You can find me at the following locations for drop-in chats coming up:

• Friday, Aug. 18: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library lobby, 12-1 p.m.

• Thursday, Aug. 24: Zoom, 5-6 p.m. (email ewells@willistonvt.org for link).

• Tuesday, Aug. 29: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library lobby, 12-1 p.m.

• Wednesday, Aug. 30: Champion Comics and Coffee, 31 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 106, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

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SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS

Deadline is Monday noon for Thursday issue. News/ story tips are welcomed. Letters to the Editor must be 300 words or fewer and should include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we can verify the letter’s author.

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If you would like me to come to speak with a group or neighborhood on this topic, please reach out to schedule a time.

VERIZON WIRELESS PROPOSAL FOR OLD BRICK CHURCH

Verizon Wireless has approached the town to consider installing an antenna in the tower of the Old Brick Church to improve coverage in the Village. This concept was originally proposed in 2018 and was delayed due to the pandemic. The current proposal would include a small addition to the rear of the church to house equipment.

As a beloved historic building in Town, considering any changes to the Old Brick Church requires a diligent and thoughtful process to be undertaken. The Old Brick Church Trustees are tasked in the Town Charter with overseeing the use and maintenance of the building. As a first step for the town, the Trustees discussed this proposal with Verizon earlier this year and supported the proposal see WELLS page 7

Catamount is a forest, not a research lab

I do not expect the benefits described in the article “Seeing beyond the forest trees” (Aug. 2) of the reimagined forest to ever be realized at Catamount Community Forest.

I am appalled and strongly disagree with the flawed premise of the plan to log 1,200 trees in the healthiest forest and most trafficked trails (85 percent of traffic) at Catamount. The 25 acres of logging is being done

Wells

continued from page 6

upon consideration of three factors:

1. Historic: maintaining the historic integrity of the Old Brick Church within acceptable standards and practices.

2. Public Good: utilizing the Old Brick Church as an asset to provide value and services to the town and the community.

3. Economic: generating sources of income from the Old Brick Church to reduce the Town of Williston’s operating expenses

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

as a study of healthy forests and will be compared to 25 acres in the nearby UVM research forest. The study premise is flawed in many ways.

First, how can you expect to draw comparisons between a heavily trafficked trail network to an untouched forest parcel? Secondly, the invasive buckthorn tree is spreading like wildfire in our area. The openings being created are prime locations for this very-difficult-to-control invasive, which is unhealthy for birds. When I asked about the

and tax burdens.

While considering the proposal, the trustees reviewed preliminary design documents and toured the church exterior, grounds and interior, including the tower where the antennas would be installed, to have a good understanding of the project’s impact on the building and grounds. In considering the historic integrity of the Old Brick Church, the trustees felt that the Verizon project would have an acceptable level of impact on the historic integrity of the building based on their evaluation. This included should the equipment be

invasive control plan, I was told by the forester it has been done by Boy Scouts and volunteers. This is not a reasonable control plan for 25 acres. A third reason is the forest already appears to be what constitutes the targeted healthy forest with the exception of the lack of dead trees on the ground, which could be achieved with much fewer trees being cut. The area has a good variety of birds, has a variety of desired hardwood species mixed in with the tall pines and has a varied canopy height. One

removed in the future.

After the project received support from the trustees, the selectboard received a preliminary overview of the proposal in July. The consensus of the selectboard was to continue exploring the project. The next steps will include further developed design work by Verizon.

At a future meeting, the selectboard will discuss the project further and be asked to decide whether to advance the project to the town’s local permitting process, in which all design review standards to the exterior of a building

will often hear and see birds such as several types of warblers, hermit thrush, wood-pewee, barred-owls and hawks.

Although I have a membership and go to Catamount at least a couple of times a week, I had no warning of this plan until after the selectboard approved the logging contract. Before knowing about this project, when entering this area of the Sandman trail, I would always stop and take a breath in awe of the impressive forest. Now, this area,

in the historical district will be applicable. In addition, should the project advance further, the selectboard would need to establish a lease agreement with Verizon for the building use.

This project is still in a conceptual stage and there will be opportunities for the public to share feedback moving ahead. No final decision has been made. The town welcomes additional public comment and feedback on this proposal. Please send me an email at ewells@willistonvt.org to share any comments with the selectboard.

which is important for walking, biking, skiing and for the mental and physical health of children and adults, is being decimated and will be “ugly,” to use the forester’s word, for a very long time to come.

If the study is done by logging in the UVM research forest, then we would not have the radical impact on the forest we worked so hard to have the town acquire as our park, not as our research facility.

Kevin Batson Williston

LETTER POLICY: We ask that letters run no longer than 300 words. We edit only for length, clarity, style, spelling and grammar. Please include your name, town or city where you live and a daytime phone number (which we won’t print) so we can verify you wrote the letter. The deadline is Monday at noon for letters to be printed in Thursday’s paper. Send to: editor@willistonobserver.com

Williston

Next Week: Our states: South Carolina

Our Best Friends

People love dogs. They have been our best friends longer than any other domesticated animal. A domesticated animal is one that has been changed by humans so it can live in or around the home.

The Mini Page learns more about dogs this week.

Dog fossils

Experts at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and other scientists have taken a closer look at dogs. They have studied wild dog fossils to find out more about their history.

They have researched dogs’ genes and DNA to find out how to prevent certain diseases that can be passed on to their offspring.

The dog family tree

Dogs belong to the Canidae family, also known as canines. By studying dog fossils, experts date the very first dogs back to about 40 million years ago. Many of these dogs are now extinct. The domestic dog can be traced

Mini Fact:

Dog history

Up until about 150 years ago, most dogs worked for a living. Dogs lost their jobs because more machines came into use. Also, people no longer worked at home in rural areas. Workers moved to cities to work in factories, and most dogs turned from workers into companions and pets. However, there are still many dogs working today.

back about 12,000 years. Also included in the canine family are the coyote, jackal, wolf and fox. The gray wolf is the closest relative of the domestic dog.

Words to know

• Pedigree: a record of a dog’s ancestors.

• Species: a group of animals that can mate and reproduce with each other.

• Breed: an animal of a species that has been shaped by human selection.

Natural selection

Canines mate and have offspring in the wild. When this happens without the help of humans, we call it natural selection. There are 35 species of wild canines. These species pass to their young the physical traits that increase their chances of survival.

Artificial selection

In some cases, humans bring dogs together to mate. This is called artificial selection. Today, there are about 400 different breeds of dogs. Dog breeders develop animals that have certain traits, or characteristics. By mating dogs that have special traits, breeders hope to get just the right offspring.

When Europeans came to America, the only domestic animals that Native Americans had were the dog and the turkey. Native Americans on the Plains sometimes used dogs to pull a travois, or type of sled, filled with their belongings.

Airedales were often used in World War I as search-andrescue dogs. They helped find wounded soldiers. They also brought first-aid supplies to the battlefield.

Like dogs, wolves are able to communicate by their body movements, facial expressions and the tone of their barks. The lower the tone, the more threatening the message.

Resources

On the Web:

• bit.ly/MPdogs23

At the library:

• “National Geographic Kids: Everything Dogs” by Becky Baines

• “The Dog Encyclopedia for Kids” by Tammy Gagne

out an unhealthful cloud of yellow dust that

No other animal has so much variety in behavior and shape as the domestic dog.

borders China and Mongolia, sent

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 33, 2023

photo by worldoflard

This little girl and her big dog are all dressed up for the photo. Before poodles became pets, they used to be hunters and retrievers. The word “poodle” comes from a German word meaning “splash in the water.”

collection of Jane Brackman

photo by Matty Sides Newfoundland

photo by Lulu Höller Airedale

million years ago. Many of these dogs are now extinct. The domestic dog can be traced

mating dogs that have special traits, breeders hope to get just the right offspring.

Try ’n’ Find

Words that remind us of dogs are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

AIREDALE, BARK, BREED, CANINE, COYOTE, DOG, DOMESTIC, FOSSIL, FOX, JACKAL, NATURAL, OFFSPRING, PEDIGREE, RELATIVES, SIZE, SPECIES, TRAITS, WOLF.

Cook’s Corner

Sweet Lemon Carrots

You’ll need:

• 1 (16-ounce) package baby carrots

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 3 slices lemon

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

What to do:

1. Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a large nonstick saucepan. Add carrots and return to boil.

2. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 8 to 9 minutes until carrots are tender.

3. Drain carrots well and set aside. Melt butter in same pan.

4. Return carrots to pan; add lemon slices and sprinkle with brown sugar. Stir to coat carrots.

5. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for additional 3 minutes. Serves 4.

Mini Jokes

Derron: What kind of dog likes taking a bath every day?

Danika: A shampoo-dle!

Eco Note

Windstorms raging across the Gobi Desert, which borders China and Mongolia, sent out an unhealthful cloud of yellow dust that brought misery and disruption to life in parts of China, South Korea and Japan. The seasonal haze worsens air pollution and puts people at greater risk of respiratory disease due to the tiny dust particles that are small enough to become lodged deep in lung tissues. Chinese meteorologists say the Gobi sandstorms have occurred more frequently since the 1960s due to increasingly hotter temperatures and lower precipitation in the desert region.

For later:

Look in the newspaper for articles about dogs.

Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

BY DAN THOMPSON

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Dogs” by Becky Baines

by Tammy Gagne

By Jim Miller

Best medical alert systems you don’t have to wear

Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any monitored medical alert devices that you know of that don’t require pushing a wearable help button? My 82-year-old father, who lives alone, has fallen twice during the past year but doesn’t like wearing an SOS pendant button.

Searching Daughter

Dear Searching, Yes, there are actually several monitored medical alert systems and other technologies on the market today that have voice-activated capabilities that let seniors call for help using voice commands, without pushing a wearable help button.

By simply speaking the “wake words,” these devices connect users to a trained dispatcher at a 24/7 monitoring center who will find out what the problem is, and render assistance, whether it’s calling emergency services or contacting a family member or friend.

All of these technologies also

offer family/caregiver smartphone apps to help with monitoring from afar.

HANDS-FREE MEDICAL ALERTS

Some of the best voice-focused medical alert systems available today are GetSafe, Aloe Care Health and HandsFree Health.

Rated by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 medical alert system for 2023, GetSafe (www. GetSafe.com) comes with a cellular base console, voice-activated and push wall buttons, an optional personal help button and fall detection sensors. To call for help, one can say “Call 911” twice and be connected to GetSafe’s

24/7 monitoring service. Prices for GetSafe start at $79 plus a $30 monthly monitoring fee.

Another highly rated system is Aloe Care Health (www.AloeCare.com), which comes with a voice-activated Smart Hub and optional wearable help button with fall detection capabilities. This system connects to the Aloe Care 24/7 monitoring center by the repetition of “Emergency” until connected. It can also make voice-command non-emergency calls to preassigned contacts. Prices start at $150 plus a monthly fee of $30.

The WellBe by HandsFree Health (www.HandsFreeHealth. com) is a third option to consider. The WellBe Medical Alert Speaker calls for help when someone says “OK WellBe Call Emergency.”

WellBe also offers hands-free calling and messaging to contacts, will answer health questions and provide reminders for medications and doctor appointments. It also offers a medical alert watch and pendant (sold separately) with fall detection capabilities. WellBe starts at $100 plus $20 a month.

SMART HOME SOLUTION

Instead of a traditional medical alert system, another terrific hands-free way to call for help is to get an Amazon Echo device (prices range from $50 to $250) and sign up for Alexa Together (www.Amazon.com/AlexaTogether). This is a remote caregiving service that will turn an Echo into a medical alert system. To get help, say “Alexa, call for help” to be connected to their 24/7 Urgent Response center.

Alexa Together, which costs $20 per month, also works with compatible third-party fall detection devices like Vayyar and AltumView. If a fall is detected, Alexa can ask your dad if he needs help, then connect him to the Urgent Response line and alert his emergency contacts.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Almanac

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1863, Union forces began shelling Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

• In 1959, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near Hebgen Lake in Montana, causing a landslide that later formed Earthquake Lake.

• In 1998, President Bill Clinton testified before a grand jury and later apologized on national television for having a “wrong” relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

TODAY’S FACT:

• At the time when he was providing key information on the Watergate scandal to The Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, W. Mark Felt was the acting associate director of the FBI, the bureau’s second-highest ranking official.

2023 Blue Ox Family Games, Inc., Dist. by Andrews McMeel

ANDREWS MCMEEL

Susan Blair

On Aug. 7, Susan (Sue) King Blair of Williston passed away peacefully at the age of 74 at the UVM Medical Center in Burling-

OBITUARIES

ton. Over the course of a few days she had spoken at length to both of her sisters, her two children and her husband, before deciding to let go Monday evening.

Susan was born on Sept. 23, 1948, the first child of Bartow

and Sally Miller King in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her dad had a lengthy career in the Air Force which took the family to many different bases around the country, including four years in the Philippines during Susan’s teens. It was an adventure that she always remembered fondly. She graduated from Annandale High School in Annandale, VA in 1966, and was in the third fouryear degree class to graduate from George Mason College (now George Mason University) with a BA in History in 1970. In 1971 she met a young Navy Lieutenant named Tom Blair in Annapolis, MD, where he was assigned as an instructor at the US Naval Academy, and they were married the following June. His duty assignments took them to St Petersburg, FL in 1973 and then to Newport, RI in 1975. In 1977 Tom and Susan left the active duty Navy and moved back to Tom’s childhood home of Warren, VT, where they lived until 1998. They raised two children there, Michael and Laura. Susan worked briefly for a couple of companies while also serving as the valley’s

Tupperware lady. She ultimately found her true calling at the Warren Public Library.

In January of 1998 she, Laura, and Tom moved to Williston where Susan went to work as the Childrens’ Librarian at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. She remained in that position until her retirement in 2014. Susan and Tom bought a condo in Englewood, FL, and starting in 2014, spent their winters there.

Susan enjoyed the warm weather and the good friends that they made in a small, tight-knit community. Of course, Susan had to be involved, so she volunteered for the social committee, helping to plan and host the monthly pool parties.

The condolence messages from friends in both Vermont and Florida use words like strong, courageous, beautiful, sweet, caring, kind, lovely lady, great friend. All true.

Susan was pre-deceased by her parents Bartow and Sally Miller King. She leaves behind her husband Tom Blair, son Michael Blair, daughter Laura Blair, sisters Linda King Maxwell and Nancy King Barbee, plus brothers-in-law and sistersin-law, cousins, nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand nieces too numerous to mention.

There will be a Celebration of Life ceremony 11 a.m. on Sept. 23 at the Warren United Church in Warren, followed by burial of the ashes at the Warren Village Cemetery. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to one of Susan’s favorite causes: the Vermont Foodbank, and Doberman Rescue Unlimited. The links to make donations to those organizations are: VT Foodbank https://2709.thankyou4caring.org/vtfoodbank/ tributegift?default=60 and https:// www.dru.org/donate-now/

OBITUARIES Alice Brown

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Alice Gertrude Hoyt Brown, 96, of Williston on Aug. 6, 2023.

She was born in Stanford, CT, on Sept. 18, 1926, to Joseph E. and Anna L. (Smith) Hoyt. She married Lester C. Brown, Jr., in Springfield, MA, on Dec. 25, 1947. They celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary just six months before Lester passed away on June 25, 2001.

Alice attended Stanford High School. She worked at the Diamond Match Factory in Springfield, MA. She loved bowling, ice

skating, playing Chinese checkers with family and friends, knitting and crocheting.

Surviving Alice are her three sons, Randy Brown, Bruce Brown and Gary Brown; her grandchildren Kimberly Brown, Jeff Brown, Mark Brown, Jessica Brown, Amanda Brown and Keri Brown

Alice was predeceased by her husband Lester; her sisters Celia F. Hoyt, Hattie Hoyt, Catherine F. Hoyt, Amy Hoyt and Beatrice Hoyt; her brothers George S. Hoyt, John E. Hoyt, Fredrick C. Hoyt and Ernest Hoyt.

Alice will be buried beside her husband at the VT Veterans Cemetery in Randolph, VT. Burial will

be private and at the convenience of her family.

Arrangements are in care of Gifford Funeral Home, 22 Depot Street, Richmond, VT.

OBITUARIES

Jean Murray

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jean Murray of Richmond, VT on Friday, Aug. 4. She was born March 22, 1944 in Jay, VT to Melvin and Lena (Bolio) Ward. On March 31, 1962 she married Russell Murray in Richmond, VT.

Jean was a baker at Harrington’s of Vermont in Richmond and a head cook at IBM

Deborah Noel MacDonough

Deborah Noel MacDonough, 57 years of age, passed away on July 14th, 2023, from an inoperable brain tumor. She was lovingly cared for by the benevolent staff at the

in Essex Jct. She also ran a day care for young children. In her spare time, Jean enjoyed doing puzzles, baking wedding cakes, cooking for family and friends, horses and going to the casino. She will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.

Left to cherish Jean’s memory are her husband, Russell; her children, Russell, Jr., Glen, Peggy, Laura, Sue, Amy, Karen, Joyce and Sissy (Sharon); 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her brothers Raymond, Melvin, and Samuel; her sisters Mildred, Theresa, Dorothy, Betty, Helen, Jody, and Ida; and grandson Adam John Murray.

There was a celebration of Jean’s life on Aug. 11 at the Richmond Congregational Church.

Miller McLure Respite House in Colchester.

Deborah had brain surgery at the age of 16 years. Although the procedure left her diminished, her strength and resilience helped her persevere throughout her life, overcoming many obstacles. Furthermore, she graduated from Essex Educational Center and Trinity College.

She leaves her parents Sandra and David Haseldine and her close friends, Jodi Taylor, Kristi Putnam, and Anthony DeNuccio.

Deborah was very personable and will live on in the hearts of those who loved her.

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT

POSITION OPENING

Town Treasurer, Saint George, VT Part-time (up to 10 hours per week, with occasional additional hours as needed). No required office hours, but work will be performed primarily from the Saint George, VT, Town office with a starting pay of $30.00 per hour and CTO/ETO offered to Town Employees. The Town Treasurer is appointed by the Selectboard, and residency is not required.

The Town Treasurer is responsible for overall management of the town’s accounts, tax records, cash flow and distributing payments in compliance with federal and state statutes and as authorized by the Selectboard. An associate degree in business, Administration, or other relevant discipline, plus two years of bookkeeping or other relevant experience administering financial records or an equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred. The individual in this role must be bondable. An offer of employment will be contingent on passing a criminal and credit background check. For a full job description, please contact Joel Colf, Search Committee Chair and Selectboard Vice-Chair, at jcolfsgselectboard@gmail. com or Justin Mason, Assistant to the Town Boards, at boards@stgeorgevt.com. The position is open until filled. The Town of Saint George is an equal opportunity employer.

LEGAL

Request For Proposals

Accounting Services

Town Audit or Independent Accountant’s Compilation Reports

Town of Saint George, Vermont

The Town of Saint George, Vermont is requesting proposals from qualified firms of Certified Public Accountants to audit its financial statements or provide an Independent Accountant’s Compilation Report for fiscal years ending June 30, 2021; June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, and with the written consent of Selectboard, three additional years ending, June 30, 2024, June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

Proposals will be evaluated by the Town based on technical qualifications and price. During the evaluation process, the Town reserves the right, where it may serve in the Town’s best interest, to request additional information or clarification from proposers. The Town reserves the right to request firms submitting proposals to make oral presentations as part of the evaluation process. The audit shall be performed in accordance with

generally accepted auditing standards as set forth by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; the standards for financial audits set forth in the U.S. General Accounting Office’s Government Auditing Standards. The Town does not anticipate spending more than $750,000 in federal awards and should not require an audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act of 1984. However, this is only an anticipation and proposals should reflect the potential additional fees of an audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act of 1984.

The Town of Saint George has a population of 794 (according to 2020 U.S. Census data), operating budget of approximately $300,000, and is Vermont’s smallest town. The Town Report can be viewed at stgeorgevt.com The Town currently has 3 employees and provides the following municipal services through contracts and has approximately 12 account funds to be audited.

For a full RFP Description or to submit a proposal, please contact Justin Mason, Assistant to the Town Boards by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Proposals are anticipated to be reviewed by the Selectboard on July 20, 2023.

Justin Mason, Assistant to the Town Boards Town of Saint George 21 Barber Road Saint George, Vermont, 05495 stgeorgeboards@gmail.com 802 482 5272

LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 – 7:00 PM

Town Hall Meeting Room (Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656

DP 24-01 Pre-App P&P Septic requests pre-app review of a proposed 14,000 SF commercial building on a ±0.97 ac lot located at 543 Shunpike Rd in the IZDW.

DP 20-18 Pre-App Ethan Allen Homes LLC c/o Chris Senesac requests pre-app review to participate in Growth Management in March 2024 for their proposed residential subdivision “Summer Field” located on a 30± ac parcel located at 1400 Mountain View Rd in the RZD.

DP 20-18.2 Ethan Allen Homes c/o Chris Senesac requests a discretionary permit to designate 2023 Growth Management allocation (15 DUe) on the Summer Field subdivision phasing plan on a 30± ac parcel located at 1400 Mountain View Rd in the RZD.

Project details and site plans are available on the website, town.williston.vt.us, under “Public Records and Documents”, then “Agendas & Minutes”, and “Development Review Board”. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org

Shelburne’s

will also operate trucks

other equipment, in addition to plowing snow.

A high school diploma or equivalent and five years of experience; CDL or the ability to obtain a CDL; Vermont State Vehicle Inspection License; and background check are required. A full job description is available at http://www.shelburnevt.org/237/Human-Resources. Salary range $28-$30/hr., generous benefit package, vacation and sick time, and paid holidays.

Submit resume or application to:

Susan Cannizzaro at scannizzaro@shelburnevt.org. Equal Opportunity Employer

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library hours:

• Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Visit www.damlvt.org to apply for a library card, renew materials, access digital offerings and register for programs. Need help? Call 878-4918 or email daml@damlvt.org.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM

“All Together Now” wrapped up this week. Thank you to the more than 460 people who enrolled in the program, including over 100 adults! Dottie the Bookmobile has been busy around the neighborhoods this

summer. A reminder that Aug. 24 is the last day for summer neighborhood visits.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.

STORYTIME

Tuesday, Aug. 22, 10:3011:30 a.m. Have fun with stories and nature-based play led by Four Winds. In the event of bad weather, Storytime will be a 30-minute session indoors.

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 10:30-11 a.m. Have fun with stories and activities with Bonnie.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC AND PLAYTIME

Thursdays, Aug. 24 and 31, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Enjoy music, then stay to play. On the Town Green, weather permitting.

LEGO TIME

Thursday, Aug. 24, 3-4 p.m. Create with the Library’s LEGO collection. Starting in September we will feature one LEGO Challenge time, and one LEGO free-play time each month.

SATURDAY MUSIC

Saturday, Aug. 26, 10:30-11 a.m. Enjoy music with Linda Bassick the last Saturday of every month. On the Town Green, weather permitting.

KINDERGARTEN KICKOFF

Monday, Aug. 28, 6-7 p.m. Register your kindergartener. Come out to the Town Green to meet others in your ABS class, enjoy snacks and a fun story. Rising kindergarteners are eligible to sign up for their own library card. For quicker library card pick-up, fill out the online form at www.damlvt.org in advance and note that you’d like to pick it up during this event.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS

RUNNING FOR OFFICE GAME NIGHT (GOOD CITIZEN CHALLENGE)

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 5-6 p.m. Do you have questions about being a public figure? Play family-friendly board games and chat with State Representative Angela Arsenault about what it’s like to run for office.

READ TO A DOG (LOLA)

Wednesday, Aug. 30, 3:304:30 p.m. Call the Library to sign up for a time slot to hang out with Lola the therapy dog. Perfect for unwinding after your first day back to school.

ADULT PROGRAMS

ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)

Fridays in August, 12-12:30 p.m. Take time out for an online guided meditation with Maryellen Crangle.

MAH JONGG

Friday, Aug. 18, 1-3 p.m. Drop by to play this popular tile game. All levels welcome.

BROWN BAG BOOK CLUB

Tuesday, Aug. 22, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “Fifty Words for Rain” by Asha Lemmie is about Nori, a half black, half Japanese child

of WWII, who struggles to live life on her own terms. Available from the library in Libby (Overdrive) or in print.

CURRENT EVENTS

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop in to share your views on today’s events with members of the community.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2-3:30 p.m. Join us online to share stories on a variety of topics. Maryellen Crangle will provide a prompt to guide the group in choosing a story to share.

MOVIE ON THE GREEN (PG13)

Friday, Aug. 25, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Gather your bards, warriors and wizards to go on this chosen-family’s quest!

Bring blankets or chairs. We’ll provide the popcorn to enjoy while watching this exciting movie on our inflatable screen on the Town Green. Call or visit www.damlvt.org for movie title and to register.