Home Energy
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If you’re thinking green, then check out the home improvement stories in Section C.
The Compass Center will stage a retrospective of work by fiber artist Judith Reilly. See Page 13A.
Panther women’s hockey worked extra to win the league and host an NCAA game. See Page 1B.
ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT Vol. 70 No. 10
Middlebury, Vermont
◆
Thursday, March 10, 2016 ◆ 46 Pages
Porter responds to public discontent Trustees admit to ‘rushed’ process on providers’ contracts By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Members of Porter Medical Center board on Wednesday conceded what they now believe was too rapid a roll-out of new contract terms for the organization’s 33 physicians, and they vowed to become more inclusive and transparent in communicating what have been some major changes within Porter’s hospital, nursing home and 12 physicians’ practices.
Declaring a “mea culpa,” they said they said they would take the current contract with physicians off the table and start anew. PMC board Chairwoman Maureen McLaughlin and executive board member Patrick Norton made those promises in the wake of growing discontent among hospital physicians, nurses and staff about recent layoffs, funding decisions and a perceived lack of candor by board members and senior administrators on the future direction of the medical center. “The roll-out of the process probably was too quick; there wasn’t enough time to get providers on
“There is some admittance on management’s part that (provider contracts weren’t) rolled out in the way that would have been the best way to roll it out.” — Porter board Chairwoman Maureen McLaughlin board,” Norton said. “We need to now go back and do an old-fashioned do-over on the contract process, and make sure now we start with a fully on-board compensation committee
of providers and administration to iron out what this contract should look like and be educated along the way.” The extent of the public discontent is captured in a letter to the editor in today’s Addison Independent that alleges “a culture of fear, retaliation, and bullying has permeated the ongoing restructuring effort” at Porter Medical Center. Porter officials confirmed the recent departures of eight PMC providers, and the hiring of three new ones. While PMC declined to provide names, they said the departures include three retirements in the area (See Porter, Page 16A)
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Scheu to stress business strengths in Vt. House run By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury Democrat Robin Scheu has spent the past 15 years considering a run for the state Legislature. This is the year she puts her campaign into motion. Scheu, executive director of the Addison County Economic Development Corp. (ACEDC), confirmed on Monday she will run for one of the two seats representing Middlebury in the Vermont House. Her decision was fanned by the recent
announcement by Rep. Betty Nuovo, D-Middlebury, to call it quits this year after three decades in the House. It was another retirement — that of former Sen. Gerry Gossens, D-Salisbury — that prompted Scheu to consider a run for one of Addison County’s two state Senate seats back in 2004. “I wasn’t ready to (run) then in a lot of ways,” Scheu said. “But now, with Betty leaving … that opens up the opportunity.” (See Scheu, Page 14A)
Reen is finalist for ANeSU chief Sole candidate to meet public Monday By GAEN MURPHREE BRISTOL — Middlebury Union Middle School Principal Patrick Reen has emerged as the finalist candidate for superintendent of Addison Northeast Supervisory Union. “The search committee was very impressed with Patrick,” said Robert Stevens, the educational consultant hired by ANeSU to facilitate its search for a superintendent. Reen will visit ANeSU for an allday series of tours and meetings on Monday, March 14, culminating in a formal interview with the 18-member ANeSU board. The final decision
on whether to offer Reen a contract as the district’s new superintendent or to send the whole search process back to the drawing board ultimately rests with the board. The first part of Reen’s day will be spent going around to each of the five ANeSU elementary schools and to Mount Abraham Union Middle/ High School, where time has been set apart for him to meet directly with students. The next part of the day will involve meetings with ANeSU administrators and with central office staff. (See ANeSU, Page 15A)
MUMS leader says building relationships is a strong point By GAEN MURPHREE BRISTOL — Middlebury Union Middle School Principal Patrick Reen says he knew he wanted to work in education when just a youngster — that, or become a forester because of his love of hunting, fishing and being outdoors.
Teaching won out. “I was probably somewhere in the ballpark of 12 years old, and I had a younger niece who was learning to spell,” Reen said. “I helped her on a spelling test and she did really well and it felt so good to (See Reen, Page 15A)
It’ll take a miracle MIDDLEBURY UNION HIGH School seniors Ian McKay, left, and Nick Coe perform a scene as Miracle Max and his wife during Monday’s rehearsal of the school’s senior play, “The Princess Bride.” The show opens Friday night and runs through Sunday afternoon. For more photos from the play, see Page 2A.
Independent photo/Trent Campbell
Lisman talks government accountability Former Wall Street executive believes Vermonters should be treated as ‘clients’
SHELBURNE REPUBLICAN BRUCE Lisman hopes to address Vermonters’ concerns about taxes, the rising cost of living, the sluggish economy and poor infrastructure as the next governor. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
By JOHN FLOWERS can (and Lt. Gov.) Phil Scott and MIDDLEBURY — Retired Wall Democrats Matt Dunne and Sue Street executive Bruce Lisman be- Minter. Dunne is a former state lieves Vermont’s governor should senator and Google executive, run the state more like a business. while Minter is a former Vermont And as a former high-level admin- secretary of transportation. istrator at Bear Stearns, Lisman Lisman said he has been on said he has develthe road “non-stop” oped the necessary since announcing skills to help make “We need a his gubernatorial bid key decisions about government last October. He esVermont’s future and that is more timates he has spoto treat citizens like ken one-on-one with effective; that “valued clients” inaround 3,000 people stead of simply as does what it throughout Vermont, taxpayers. is supposed to soliciting their conLisman, 69, is a do, but better; cerns and sharing his University of Verideas to make the mont graduate who that actually state a better place went on to serve accomplishes in which to live and as chairman of his things; and is work. alma mater’s board remarkably “(Voters) may not of trustees. Upon his vote for a candiretirement in 2009, transparent.” date for their ideas, — Bruce Lisman I’ve determined, but the Shelburne Republican returned to his they need to hear home state and founded Campaign the ideas,” Lisman said. “People for Vermont, which bills itself as want a general idea of what you’re a “nonprofit, nonpartisan advo- thinking.” cacy organization dedicated to the During his travels, Lisman has vision of a more prosperous Ver- found Vermonters concerned by mont.” some common problems: rising It’s an organization that has taxes, the surging cost of living, a provided financial support to con- sluggish economy and crumbling servative political candidates and state infrastructure. These probpositions promoting a more busi- lems, Lisman said, are making it ness-friendly state and transpar- tougher for the state to attract new ency in government. businesses and jobs, thus resulting He is in a gubernatorial race that in the exodus of large numbers of (See Lisman, Page 17A) currently includes fellow Republi-
Ferrisburgh talking deal with developer of power line By ANDY KIRKALDY FERRISBURGH — As higher profile and higher stakes talks have gone on between New Haven and the companies proposing a major new underground power line from New York state to New Haven, quieter negotiations have also been held in Ferrisburgh, another critical link in the planned 60-mile, $600 million project. Massachusetts companies Anbaric Transmission and National Grid, the developers of the 400-megawatt Vermont Green Line, hope to bring hydro and wind power from upstate New York by cable under Lake Champlain and into the New England power grid via New Haven. The Vermont Green Line, VGL for short, would come on shore in Ferrisburgh and run along several back roads to Route 7, and then from there down to New Haven. In November, the Ferrisburgh selectboard appointed a committee to work out project details and payment to the town, a group that included selectboard chairman Steve Gutowski. That committee met on Tuesday night, and Gutowski, reached on Wednesday morning, said he planned to meet with National Grid official Joseph Rossignoli later that day. Gutowski said whether the VGL goes through Ferrisburgh probably hinges on New Haven. At their town meeting last week, New Haven residents overwhelmingly supported a (See Ferrisburgh, Page 16A)
By the way Spring forward! Daylight Savings Time kicks in this Sunday morning at 2 a.m. It’s easiest to make sure your clocks are correct by moving them forward one hour before you go to bed Saturday night. It will cost you an hour of sleep, but you’ll get an extra hour of daylight at the end of each day. Vergennes-area residents can celebrate music in their schools twice next week. A middle school concert, featuring the Jazz Jammers, chorus and concert band, will be performed on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the VUHS auditorium. The next day, Wednesday, March 16, the Vergennes Union High School Music Department will present a high school concert beginning at 7 p.m. The Commodore Jazz Ensemble, Commodore Singers, Concert Choir and Symphonic Band will be featured (See By the way, Page 17A)
Index Obituaries ................................ 6A Classifieds ......................... 5B-9B Service Directory .............. 6B-7B Entertainment ........................ 12A Community Calendar ...... 8A-10A Sports ................................ 1B-3B
PAGE 2A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
The Princess Bride
Senior show THIS YEAR’S SENIOR show at Middlebury Union High School is a theatrical version of the classic 1987 movie “The Princess Bride” written by William Goldman. About 50 seniors are in the show and those featured here include, clockwise from top left, Wilder Perera and Tsering Chophel; Hannah Buttolph and Annina Hare; Chris Grier and Nick Beauchamp; Elijah Hamilton, Jacob Klemmer, Addison Wales and Chophel; Grier and Katina Boise; Alissa Crogan, Wyatt Norris and Wales; members of the brute squad; Lewis Short and Kylie Scheck; and Jon Fitzcharles and Molly Campbell. The show opens Friday night at 7 p.m. and ends its run Sunday at 2 p.m. Ticket sales will benefit the senior class and project graduation.
Independent photos/ Trent Campbell
Carpenter, Artim elected to Middlebury selectboard posts in close votes By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury on Tuesday experienced an additional flurry of election fireworks following the array of local and national electoral pyrotechnics that lit up polling places on March 1. In a series of two 4-3 votes, Middlebury selectboard members selected Brian Carpenter as their new chairman and retained Nick Artim as their vice chairman. Carpenter, who was out of town and participated at the meeting via speakerphone, cast the deciding vote in both contests, which were the first order of business at the debut gathering of Middlebury’s new selecboard. The panel welcomed new members Heather Seeley and Victor Nuovo, who
had previously served on the board. Artim won re-election and former Selectman Gary Baker did not make the cut in the fiveperson race for three selectboard positions. Longtime selectboard Chairman Dean George did not run for re-election. Artim nominated Carpenter as chairman, while Selectwoman Laura Asermily nominated Selectwoman Susan Shashok. Asermily said her nomination of Shashok stemmed from her colleague’s contributions to the board and her stated goal of being a leader. “I believe she would be an excellent chair in managing our agenda going forward,” Asermily said of Shashok, who joined the board in 2011. Carpenter, elected to the panel in 2014,
won the election, earning been doing for the board, she votes from himself, Nuovo, noted both often have to travel Artim and Selectwoman Donfor their respective business na Donahue. Shashok voted interests. Carpenter is owner of for herself, along with earnChamplain Valley Equipment ing support from Asermily and on Exchange Street, while ArSeeley. tim is a licensed fire protection Donahue then nominated engineer and consultant. Artim — a selectman since “I’m thinking of the consis2009 — to remain as vice tency of having people here,” chairman of the board. AsermShashok said. ily nominated Shashok for the Recent state law permits position, while Shashok proelected board members to parposed that Asermily serve in ticipate at, and vote in, public BRIAN CARPENTER that capacity. meetings via speakerphone. Shashok accepted her nomiBut reception can get crackly nation, and said that while she appreciated and disconnections have occurred during the work that Carpenter and Artim have some of the phone sessions.
“I think Susan’s point about traveling is well taken,” Asermily added. Donahue said she did not think travel should be seen as an obstacle to holding a leadership post on the board. “We have people with jobs who serve on the selectboard, and they give up a lot of their personal time,” Donahue said. “So long as they are doing their duties diligently, I don’t believe (travel) is a critical matter for our board.” Carpenter also backed Artim, who won by a 4-3 tally that featured the same voting lines as the referendum for chairman. “I think it’s good to have leadership stability from year to year on the board,” he said. Reporter John Flowers is at johnf@addisonindependent.com.
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 3A
State Newsbriefs Change in solar law eyed By MIKE POLHAMUS, VT Digger.org Public comments were due Wednesday on new rules that developers say will kill independent utilityscale renewable energy growth in Vermont. Utilities say the changes are needed to protect ratepayers from unfavorable energy contracts and avoid expensive infrastructure upgrades that conflict with the state’s goal of encouraging small projects throughout the state. The proposed changes are to Section 4.100 of the Public Service Board rules, titled “Small Power Production and Cogeneration,” through which the state administers a federal incentive program laid out in the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act, known “If this rule is as PURPA. This law was originally conceived to able to happen, force utilities to purchase the competitive hydroelectric power from marketplace independent producers, to is over in decrease reliance on for- Vermont, and eign energy sources. then all Vermont States are forbidden from discriminating against ratepayers are renewable energy firms at the mercy of that qualify under Section Green Mountain 4.100 rules. The rules force Power and utilities to buy energy from their Canadian certain renewable sources, and that would continue to shareholders.” — Adam Cohen, be the case. president Developers say the of Ranger Solar change that would hurt them the most is curtailing the power contracts to five years, instead of the usual 20, since that brevity makes it hard to secure funding. Several other proposed changes are less controversial. Energy developers say the new rules effectively leave to utilities the sole authority to build utilityscale projects, eliminating independent competition. “If this rule is able to happen, the competitive marketplace is over in Vermont, and then all Vermont ratepayers are at the mercy of Green Mountain Power and their Canadian shareholders,” said Adam Cohen, president of Ranger Solar, a Maine-based development company that has proposed six 20-megawatt projects across Vermont. The proposed Section 4.100 rules would leave utilities able to set any price for the energy they generate from their own projects, he said. “The competitive market that’s driving prices down … will go away,” Cohen said. But Green Mountain Power supports the rule changes because they’ll actually protect utilities against being forced into costly long-term energy contracts, said the company’s spokeswoman, Kristin Carlson. For example, one of the projects Ranger Solar has applied for under the existing rules would require Green Mountain Power to buy the electricity at energy prices from last year, Carlson said. Those prices are derived in large part from last year’s fossil fuel prices, she said. Crude oil is selling at a little over half of last year’s annual average and a third of 2014’s. Electricity contracts pegged to today’s energy prices would save money for ratepayers, Carlson said, but the existing Section 4.100 rules don’t adapt contract pricing quickly enough to reflect market changes.
Childcare funding is level By ELIZABETH HEWITT, VT Digger.org A state program that helps low-income families afford childcare is not slated for an increase in the state’s budget for the next fiscal year. That could be a further stress on a program that is already stretched thin due to a number of factors — including the high number of young children in state custody. Gov. Peter Shumlin’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2017 does not include more money for the childcare financial assistance program. The program, operated through the Department for
Conservation group offering tree seedlings MIDDLEBURY — The Otter Creek Natural Resources Conservation District is sponsoring its annual Tree/Seedling Program for area residents and cooperators. This program was developed for the convenience of area residents and to support ongoing conservation projects. Possible uses for the seedlings are home orchards, windbreaks, Christmas trees, ornamental and wildlife habitat. A partial list of trees and seedlings the district is offering are white pine, balsam fir, white cedar, white spruce, basswood, elderberry, lilac, apples and a very hardy peach. Sugar maple, red maple and white oak are also available. This year look for a greater selection of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and asparagus that thrives in heavy clay, and a limited selection of 6- to 8-foot maples. Sale proceeds help support scholarships for Green Mountain Conservation Camp, Conservation Field Day for all Addison County sixth graders, resource information workshops, and planting trees alongside streams. To request an order form detailing selection and cost, call 802-3886746, ext. 126, or e-mail pam.stefanek@vt.nacdnet.net. Orders will be welcome throughout April but those received by April 10 will get priority. The district tree sale pickup will be held in Middlebury on the morning of April 30.
Children and Families’ child development division, provides some degree of financial support for childcare for 8,500 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 13 years. Families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for the childcare subsidy, which also requires that parents be engaged in work or educational activity. Some people involved fear that without a budget increase, the state would start using a waiting list, meaning families that are eligible would need to wait until there is an opening before they can get the subsidy. DCF Deputy Commissioner Reeva Murphy, who oversees the division, said a waiting list would be the last resort. The department likely would seek to move money from other programs or to get an increase under the midyear budget adjustment before implementing a waitlist, she said. “It is not our preference, and we would not do that without making an attempt to fully fund what we needed,” Murphy said. She also said trend lines indicate that the demand for the program may not increase as much in the near future as it has in the past. The department is “guardedly optimistic” that the program will be able to operate within a level-funded budget, she said.
Candidates: No exchange By ERIN MANFIELD, VT Digger.org Vermont’s four candidates for governor agree that something needs to be done about Vermont Health Connect, and now both Republican candidates have made campaign promises to abandon the exchange. Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, who is seeking the Republican nomination against Bruce Lisman, a former Wall Street executive, released an ad last Thursday saying that if he becomes governor he will transition Vermont to the federal health exchange or to a multistate exchange. In 2015, Scott investigated whether Vermont should team up with another state such as Connecticut to build an exchange. On Feb. 19, he stood with Republicans and one Democrat to say that if lawmakers demand an independent review of Vermont’s exchange, the Shumlin administration should not have oversight of it. Lisman called on Shumlin on Feb. 19 to abandon Vermont Health Connect and transition to the federal exchange. Lisman’s recom“It’s not a mendation followed testisimple decision mony from a consultant for Gartner Inc. who said Verto go from mont should not spend new one (health money on Vermont Health exchange) to the Connect technology. In his next.” campaign “kick off” speech — Sue Minter on Oct. 19, Lisman called for repeal of the mandate, the shut down of Vermont Health Connect, and transition to the federal exchange. Sue Minter, who served as transportation secretary, said she would call for an analysis of Vermont Health Connect on day one as governor. However, Minter said she would not go straight to the federal exchange, because she doesn’t want Vermonters to pay more money for their health care. “It’s not a simple decision to go from one (health exchange) to the next,” she said. “Our goal should be to make the one that we have work for everyone and provide excellent customer service. That’s what Vermonters expect from their government.” Matt Dunne, the other Democratic candidate, who recently left his job as a Google executive, said he would leave all options on the table, “but I will say from the outset that I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to turn over our interaction with health insurance to the federal government.” He said audits are “always helpful,” but his main recommendations had to do with management. “Being able to develop a website that people can use predictably and that has a back-end that can work with insurance providers and others should not be that complicated,” Dunne said.
Wanted man caught in Middlebury charged with aiding in the commisBy LEE J. KAHRS sion of a felony. Brandon Reporter Based on their investigation, poBRANDON — A Rutland man wanted in connection with an armed lice say that Johnston, Manfredi and robbery in Leicester has been caught, Ritchie entered the store and that but not before stealing at least one car Ritchie allegedly displayed a handin Brandon, police say, and possibly gun and ordered the clerk to the floor. The three robbers went behind the another. Middlebury police arrested Shawn counter, took money from the register and 11 cartons of cigaMichael Ritchie, 42, on rettes, and fled the store. an active warrant this Police say the three suspast Friday at 4 p.m. on pects ran south across North Pleasant Street. a field, past the LeicesRitchie was charged ter Central School to with assault and roba getaway car where bery, stemming from a Brace and Doviak were Jan. 9 armed robbery allegedly waiting in of the Champlain Bevthe church parking lot erage store on Route 7 off Leicester-Whiting in Leicester, and with Road. The clerk was not felony escape from furinjured during the roblough, from an earlier bery. case. He pleaded innoBrace later identified RITCHIE cent to those charges at Ritchie to police as the his arraignment Monday in Rutland Superior Court, criminal gunman, according to published redivision, and on Tuesday was be- ports. Police alleged that the motive for ing held at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland on the robbery was to obtain money to fund the suspects’ drug habits. $100,000 bail. Ritchie’s exploits did not end Ritchie was the fifth and final suspect to be arrested and charged in with the armed robbery, police said. connection with the Leicester armed He was also charged with operating without owner’s consent after, Branrobbery. On Feb. 25 and 26, Vermont State don police say, he stole a car from the Police arrested four other Rutland Rite Aid parking lot in Brandon two residents in connection with the rob- weeks ago while the owner was in bery: Robert P. Johnston, 29; Tanya church. The Brandon Reporter has learned Brace, 26; William Manfredi, 36; and that Ritchie is also a suspect in the Dawn Doviak, 35. Johnston, Manfredi and Ritchie theft of a 1984 Chevy Camaro from are each charged with assault and the Brandon Hannaford parking lot robbery. Brace and Doviak are each on Feb. 25. The car was found the
next day crashed into the building with the stone façade next to the Congregational Church of Middlebury. Lt. Rod Pulsifer of the Brandon Police Department said in an interview Tuesday that Ritchie confessed to taking a 2006 Subaru Forester from the Brandon Rite Aid parking lot while the owner was attending services at the Brandon Congregational Church next door. The car was found the next day in a field in Benson and returned to the owners. Pulsifer said Ritchie had been on the radar of local police since the Leicester robbery, and had been known to stay with friends in town. Ritchie has an uncle in Benson, Pulsifer said, which is why police believed he took the Subaru. Ritchie also has a relative in Middlebury living near where police found the Camaro, however Ritchie has not admitted to stealing the Chevy. “We’ve sort of suspected him,” Pulsifer said. “I dealt with him when I worked at the Rutland PD. We knew he was in the area and staying with someone in Brandon. We would check that location for him regularly.” Pulsifer said Ritchie confessed to a Vermont State Police detective after his arrest that he took the Subaru in Brandon. Ritchie was already on probation and supervised release for nine previous convictions, including a three-to12-year sentence for burglary. Ritchie is scheduled to appear in Rutland Criminal Court again on April 18 to answer the charge in the Subaru theft.
Supreme Court nixes Monkton gravel pit By GAEN MURPHREE MONKTON — The Vermont Supreme Court called “case closed” on a proposed blasting and gravel crushing operation in Monkton that’s been in dispute since first proposed in early 2012. The court last month ruled in favor of the town of Monkton against Allan and Michael Brisson, of Brisson Stone LLC, and reaffirmed an earlier decision by the Environment Court to deny Brisson Stone’s application. Brisson Stone first approached the Monkton Development Review Board in early 2012, seeking a permit to operate a 36-acre gravel quarry on a portion of a 324-acre plot they owned at 1535 Monkton Road. The proposed site contained no natural gravel deposits. Instead Brisson Stone proposed to drill and blast ledge and crush that into gravel at the site — a distinction that would prove important over the four-yearlong history of the case. The Brissons applied for their permit Jan 2012, making their permit subject to Monkton bylaws that permitted soil, sand, or gravel extraction but not quarrying. New zoning
ordinances passed soon thereafter in February 2012, prohibiting all commercial mining and/or extraction in Monkton. After a series of hearings that begin in April 2012 and ended in January 2013, the Monkton Development Review Board issued a decision denying Brisson Stone’s application to operate the proposed quarry, saying that earlier ordinances permitted extraction of naturally occurring gravel but not the drilling, blasting and crushing of ledge rock to create gravel. Brisson Stone appealed to the state Environmental Court on two grounds: one substantive and one procedural. Brisson Stone asked the Environmental Court to reverse the Development Review Board’s earlier decision on the grounds that their proposed operation did meet the relevant Monkton zoning ordinances. They also asked that the project be approved because, they said, the DRB had failed to issue a written decision within 45 days, thus making their project “deemed approved,” according to Vermont law. The Environmental Court denied Brisson’s
appeal on both counts, and the matter then went before the Vermont Supreme Court. On Feb. 12, the Supreme Court upheld Monkton’s definition of gravel extraction as relating to the extraction of naturally occurring beds of gravel, but not a drilling, blasting and crushing operation, such as the one the Brissons had proposed. The court also ruled both that the Monkton DRB had issued its written decision within the 45-day window and that, regardless, even projects approved by the “deemed approval” mechanism could be opposed on their own merits. Monkton selectboard Chair Stephen Pilcher said that he was pleased that the Supreme Court upheld the Environmental Court’s and the Monkton Development Review Board’s decision, and said the town of Monkton had since February 2012 put a moratorium on gravel extraction until it could comprehensively locate gravel resources and come up with a plan that would benefit the whole town. Reporter Gaen Murphree is at gaenm@addisonindependent.com.
PAGE 4A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
A DDIS ON INDE PE NDEN T
Letters
Editorial
to the Editor
Porter board takes critical steps to address discontent By openly admitting fault in their process and being willing to scrap the existing salary contracts with physicians and other providers and start anew, the Porter board took a critical step to improve what rapidly was becoming a toxic environment at the Middlebury hospital campus. And none too soon. A crisis of mistrust was brewing. A letter to the editor in today’s Addison Independent (see this page) cites a litany of complaints and is signed by 100-plus area residents — testament to the breadth and depth of community concern. Discontent first surfaced a few weeks ago when the nurses union at the hospital protested the announcement of sudden layoffs. Next were rumblings among the medical staff about the details of a newly imposed salary contract that dramatically changed the way in which physicians and other providers would be paid. Then, in the past week, came word of doctors leaving, plummeting morale and rumors of a hospital culture “of fear and intimidation.” To be fair to the Porter Medical Center board, the crisis unfolded quickly. Just in January, the board held a management retreat with the administrative team, board members and members of the medical staff to go over upcoming changes, strategic direction and goals. In a Wednesday morning interview with the Addison Independent, PMC board chairwoman Maureen McLaughlin and board member Patrick Norton recalled the meeting seemed to go smoothly and that most seemed aligned with the overall goals expressed. But the process of getting there was rushed, by the board’s admission, and flawed. As details of the new contracts percolated and providers expressed dissatisfaction, as well as angst with a management style described as “oppressive,” and as community concern heightened, the executive board held successive meetings in the past week to catch up with events and today expressed its “mea culpa” to the public discontent management has engendered (see story Page 1A). ********* What now? First, is replacing rumor with fact. That requires an open dialogue that helps the community understand the hospital’s goals and direction. In today’s front-page story, we start by adding detail to the public perception “that doctors are leaving at an alarming rate,” as quoted in the aforementioned letter to the editor. Indeed, eight physicians are in transition. Three were set to retire; two are moving for “other” reasons and, more recently, three because of dissatisfaction with the proposed contract and management. Lesser known is that Porter has recently hired three new physicians. There are also larger questions to be raised and explained, including: • Why the uproar among the nurses’ union and administration? • What’s the reasoning behind the changes in the providers’ contracts, and why were providers’ not more involved in the process? Are such changes compatible or necessary within this medical community? • Why not work with frontline service providers in designing solutions to critical care issues while hitting financial targets, rather than handing down decrees from on high that, as the community letter suggests, “appear capricious and arbitrary.” • In the process of working with outside hospital consultants to find ways to cut expenses, how are those recommendations being vetted within the Porter community and tweaked to fit Porter’s culture? The good news is the PMC board wants to engage in a more collaborative dialogue, both internally and with the community. Smaller community group sessions are being arranged in the short term, as well as a community-wide conversation to be held at the annual meeting of Porter Medical Center two weeks from now on March 30. ********** As the administration, board, medical staff and community members wrap their arms around the issues confronting Porter, it’s important to recognize the hospital’s strengths and to take care to do no harm: • Foremost, Porter has an excellent medical staff and the diminishment of that staff hurts the viability of the hospital. Creating and maintaining a culture that is enjoyable and allows one to thrive creates a value beyond the amount on a paycheck and can be an equalizer compared to higher-paid positions elsewhere. Lose that quality environment, and the ability to attract and keep quality providers will become more difficult. The process that crafts the providers’ contracts has to take that into account. • In order to thrive, this community and county needs a strong and vibrant hospital. We all agree the hospital must be financially healthy, but it also must have a team of physicians, providers, nurses and staff who embrace the town as their own and love their work. In small, rural towns, it is never just about the bottom line. Culture is an important part of the equation, and for years that has been a strong suit of the Porter community. • The community loves the hospital. Use that to build an engaged and steadfast client base for the challenges of the future: including a move toward ambulatory care and a focus on wellness. • Area residents should trust that the PMC board, and Porter management, shares the community’s goal to have a strong and vibrant hospital. The hospital’s mission and strategic plan are transparent for all to see on its website and in its annual report at www.portermedical.org/Annual%20Report%202015. pdf. Getting there is the challenge, and it is an increasingly difficult health care environment in which to operate. It will take a collaborative effort from all sides to keep Porter strong and healthy for the decades ahead. ********** To these ends, the board has the central role in setting the direction and it was right to move in quickly, take the reins and reset the stage. Next moves are to set up steps to engage with the community, and direct management to craft a new providers’ contract through a more collaborative process. Concurrently, the board has two primary questions to ask and pursue: Do we have the right plan to ensure Porter Medical Center will be financially healthy and served by a top-notch medical community for the foreseeable future, and do we have the right leadership team to carry out that plan? Those questions should be explored with transparency and vigor. Angelo S. Lynn
ADDISON COUNTY
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Many responded in time of need This week was the time of the greatest heartbreak and greatest inspiration of my life. I lost my beloved three dogs and the entire contents of my house to a fire. When I awoke to the smell of smoke at 3 a.m., my phone power was out. I tried running through the house to rescue my three girls, but when I reached them it was too late. Then I ran across the street to a college house that was lit up. I woke a student, Miller Judge, an angel who wrapped me in a blanket, gave me some water and called 911 and two of my friends. The EMTs were so compassionate. David Shaw, the fire chief, gently told me about the damage and what he thought the cause was. My next-door neighbors, Pam Taylor and Robert Keren, took me in, helped me call my family and cared for me until my son arrived. Priscilla Baker, from Middlebury Friends and Hospice, spent hours with me. She took me to Green Mountain Shoe and Apparel. There, Angela Wade, the owner, made a list of what she thought I would need, and with her generous heart helped me select shoes, mittens and other everyday essentials. When I got a new phone from AT&T, the salesman gave me $20, saying, “This is for a new beginning.” That was the beginning of days during which people offered to let me live in their homes, and treated me as if I were part of their family. It is a blessing to live in this town. Faith Lowell Middlebury
Into the void AN OPEN, WORN barn door reveals a dark void inside a Shoreham barn recently.
Independent photo/Trent Campbell
Empty building is full of memories Years ago, long before the plan surfaced to replace 94 Main St. with new downtown Middlebury town offices and a new Creek Road gym and recreation center at a bargain basement price, I wrote a column here about my undying affection for the old municipal gym. In it, I concluded I at least wanted a souvenir brick from that battered old barn when it got torn down. It’s no exaggeration to say that place has been my home away from my several homes in Middlebury over the years — almost a dozen apartments, one condo and two houses since 1978, when I settled here for better or worse. I probably spent more time in that gym than in some of those apartments. Let’s figure two or three times a week for most of those 38 years, at an hour or two a clip, counting pickup basketball, playing in and refereeing in the By Andy basketball league I founded, playing Kirkaldy pickup and league volleyball for several years, and coaching elementary school basketball for four years. Call it about four hours a week for 50 weeks for 38 years. That’s 7,600 hours. A year is 8,760 hours. It could easily be that much time, a year, I have happily spent living within those four walls. When one former town manager closed it in the summer, I snuck in through unlocked windows — I’m pretty sure the statute of limitations has expired. When another manager wanted to close it in the winter to save money, I protested before the selectboard. Other towns would have given an arm and a leg to give their citizens what that gym offered year-round — ask the folks in Bristol. That is the larger point: I am just one of many who en-
joyed that place. I recall some of my story because community recreation gives people like me so many opportunities. The Middlebury gym has hosted aerobics and Zumba classes, teen dances, gymnastics courses, St. Mary’s School recesses, youth football registration and equipment handouts, AAU and adult three-on-three basketball tournaments … the list of fitness, friendship and community goes on and on. A former hockey player, I learned how to play basketball in that gym (and in the Middlebury College gym), just playing pickup. I founded the Middlebury Basketball League there because I wasn’t good enough to get on a team in the Bristol league, which used to have a quota on players living out of the Mount Abraham school district. That meant teams brought in ringers, not short guards with so-so skills. The Middlebury league lasted the better part of three decades, in part because we got sponsors to help pay for officials. We got sponsors because we got publicity. We got publicity because I wrote about the league for this newspaper. I got my job here when there was an opening because of those articles on the league. One could argue the gym helped start me on the right career path. Back before I told anyone I planned to start the league, I asked the best player around, Peter Quinn, if he would play on my team, and he said yes. Other talented, unselfish players who liked to play defense then also signed on, and we won a few titles and had a good time. So did other (See Clippings, Page 7A)
Clippings
The (hand)writing is on the wall One day a few years ago I found myself holding a tattered learned penmanship — the Rhinehart method, specifically piece of paper embellished with mysterious writing. — and we were tested regularly. Though I aspired to masThe words, one or two per line, appeared to be in code. ter the graceful slanted script, I never quite got it. By high English? Perhaps. But I couldn’t make out what they said. school, my cursive letters had grown cartoonishly plump Was this a ransom note? A warning? The secret formula for and perfectly vertical. One glance and you could tell I was a Coca-Cola? Teen Beat subscriber. Well, no, actually. It was my grocery list. My penmanship was never elegant, but it was legible, I had jotted the items down earlier in the week. But none and I relied on it for everything from notes passed in class of the words looked familiar. The lines rambled like the path to pages-long compare-and-contrast essays. What had hapof an inebriated beetle in the throes of a Charley horse. pened over the years to turn my handwriting from a means I squinted at it. of communication into a form of abstract art? Beyond a few easily decoded items, such as “OJ,” I had Sometimes I’m tempted to blame my aging hands. But to make educated guesses based on then I realize that (a) I have friends who parts of words I thought I recognized, can still read their own writing, and (b) cross-referenced with items I vaguely I’m just as adept at fine motor tasks as remembered we had run out of. ever, even if I can no longer see what In cases of confusion I hedged my I’m doing. bets. I threw both Cheerios and cheese, So then I blame disuse. I write nearly for example, into my cart. Then, for ineverything on a computer (or iPhone) surance, I grabbed a package of chorizo. these days. For the past decade, in fact, One item on the list, however, esthe extent of my handwriting has been By Jessie Raymond limited to signing checks and a few lecaped me altogether. Dog crate? Dry cow? Day care? Nope. None of those gal documents and filling out the occawould fit in my pantry. sional greeting card. Finally, out of desperation, I brought my list to the sales I’m sure being out of practice plays a part. But recently, clerk and asked if she had any insight. She furrowed her in a real effort to make my cursive come across less like the brow. She looked for patterns. She sounded out a few things. ramblings of a disturbed orangutan, I hit on the main probThen her eyes lit up and she said, “Dry cat.” lem: Handwriting is just too slow to keep up with my brain. Hallelujah. My mind races constantly. I estimate I generate close to a No, I was not in the market for a dry cat. I already had a hundred thoughts per minute — more if I’ve had too much dry cat. (Who would want a wet cat? They’re so ornery.) It coffee. My keyboard skills aren’t quite that good, but typing was shorthand for “dry cat food.” comes a lot closer than writing longhand. I thanked the woman for her amazing code-breaking No matter how methodically I intend to make a shopping skills, but I went home dejected. The sad truth was I could list, for instance, once I get past M-I-L-K — my God, I’m no longer read my own handwriting. getting bored just thinking about having to articulate four It hadn’t always been so. In elementary school, we (See Raymond, Page 5A)
Around the bend
Leahy urged to support Sanders Dear Sen. Leahy: I encourage you to reconsider your vote as a Democratic super delegate, and offer your support to Bernie. If you take the lead on this, I truly hope other super delegates will follow. I realize you have made a public endorsement of Hillary Clinton, but that was done before Bernie entered the race, and before the people of Vermont overwhelmingly voted for Bernie. Waiting until the convention to decide is really not fair to the 85 percent of Vermont Democrats who want Bernie as our candidate — your constituents would like to see you publicly support him now. Especially in the light of his performance in Michigan, your endorsement at this time could be critical. Jon Crystal Waltham
Porter changes raise concerns To the people of our community: Porter Medical Center, including its associated practices and services, is in trouble. And it’s not for the reasons you might think. Most of us agree that an evolving healthcare landscape has necessitated a realignment of Porter’s services, including budget cuts. But how these changes are taking place is tearing apart the fabric of our community and compromising Porter’s medical care. A culture of fear, retaliation and bullying has permeated the ongoing restructuring effort. If the goal is quality care at less cost, it’s not working. We are losing doctors, nurses and supportive care providers at an alarming rate. How many of us are learning that we no longer have our long-time doctors and nurses? Who will replace them and at what cost? Some practices have been whittled from four or five doctors down to one. Porter administrative leadership is replacing experienced nurses with medical assistants, for whom there’s a lesser standard of education and training. The budget is being hacked at with a blunt instrument, not a surgeon’s scalpel, and the declining quality of medical care will be an inevitable result. However, budget cuts and layoffs are not the sole reason for this loss in providers. A divisive, oppressive, one-size-fits-all template for cost-cutting and restructuring has been thrust upon the Porter community by a new Senior Administrative Leadership team. Providers are choosing to leave in response to hospital leadership failing to recognize that medical care is ultimately about people. Our providers (See Letter, Page 7A)
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 5A
‘Trumpmania’: a media phenomenon, or news? Has the media’s obsession with calling TV news “among Trump’s Donald Trump gone too far? enablers. Their emphasis on horseOn the cable news networks, it’s race coverage and celebrities plays often All Trump, All the Time. That right into Trump’s style. He has has prompted the media’s critics — milked some of these media organiwho are never in short supply — to zations for all they are worth, using question this obsession with the the same techniques as on his reality coarse braggart who is leading the TV shows.” Republican presidential race. The networks have reached the Arthur Brooks of the conservative point where they openly acknowlAmerican Enterprise Institute put edge their complicity. As Les it this way in an online discussion Moonves of CBS said of the Trump with New York Times columnist Gail campaign, “It may not be good for Collins: “Trumpmania is as much a America, but it’s damn good for press phenomenon as a popular phe- CBS … The money’s rolling in and nomenon, and supply is in large part this is fun … Sorry. It’s a terrible creating its own demand.” thing to say. But, bring it on, DonTo which Collins countered: “The ald. Keep going.” press hardly made him up. In fact. At least we can give Moonves speaking on behalf of the political points for honesty. writers of America, I would like to Davis credits the nation’s major point out that 99 percent of us totally newspapers with “more analytical discounted his candidacy until he and critical coverage of Trump. He started to climb in the polls.” notes that some GOP-friendly colSome elements of the media umnists, such as George Will and blame Trump’s rise on David Brooks, have the stupidity of Amerimade the case against can voters. After Trump the candidate. won the South Carolina Indeed, Trumps’ rightprimary, the New York wing critics are among Daily News labeled the the most persuasive. state a “Confederacy of “Some of the most perDunces.” ceptive coverage quesTrump has certainly tioning Trump — in sucked most of the oxyterms of both his suitgen out of the room. ability to be president He’s garnered roughly and his issue positions the same percentages of — has been in conservathe vote as Sen. Bernie tive opinion magazines Sanders, for example, such as ‘The Weekly yet Trump gets much Standard,’ ‘Commenmore coverage. tary’ and ‘National ReSo who’s really to view,’” Davis said. blame? Angelo Lynn, ediby Gregory Dennis The standard response tor and publisher of this of media defenders is paper, puts part of the to say, “Don’t shoot the messenger. blame on the GOP itself, “a party We’re just reporting the news.” that has become based on raucous But when one weighs the coverage sloganeering.” of Trump against what’s been allotHe adds that “Trump is a showted to the over 20 other candidates man and he has dominated the dewho were initially in the race, that bates in minutes talked, in antics, in claim registers high on the BS meter. entertainment value, and, ultimately, “The media covered him like the in the polls.” O.J. trial,” Brooks said. “During one As of this writing, Trump still window last summer, he was given seems well positioned to get the 78 percent of the primetime CNN GOP nomination. coverage of all the Republican canBut he’s come under withering didates. That was seven times the fire in the past couple of weeks from total airtime for the next closest con- what’s left of the Republican estabtender. This amounted to a de facto lishment. press blackout on everyone else.” The party’s base worries that he’s Republicans like Brooks would no not conservative enough. His indoubt prefer that the media glare fall creasingly ugly, authoritarian manon someone other than their embar- ner has offended even political oprassing frontrunner. eratives who are usually happy to do Trump was just getting warmed whatever it takes to get elected. up when he charged that Mexicans The irony is that after months of coming across the border were rap- tolerating and often even enjoying ists, and that Sen. John McCain de- Trump’s dangerous antics, both the served no special notice for his brav- party and the media are now turning ery during years as a captive of the against him. North Vietnamese. His shabby business dealings, his Now the litany of Trump’s increas- “I’d like to punch him in the face” ingly odious statements has grown response to a protester, the smearlong enough to fill several pages of ing of law-abiding immigrants, the this newspaper. cozying up to racists and inflaming But for the media and the most of anti-Muslim sentiment — all that the American public, a candidate as is now dominating the news about outrageous and popular as Trump is Trump. pure catnip. The newly critical coverage is beThe New Yorker won the primary ginning to take its toll — making it even among supposedly moderate that much harder for Trump to ultiRepublican voters in Vermont. mately prevail. Retired Middlebury College ProIt reminds me an old adage: “Live fessor Eric Davis, a regular contribu- by the sword, die by the sword.” tor in this space, is the Vermont’s Gregory Dennis’s column appears media go-to guy for political analy- here every other Thursday and is sis. I asked Davis what he made of archived on his blog: www.gregdenthe media’s role. nis.wordpress.com. Email: gregden“One needs to distinguish between nisvt@yahoo.com; Twitter: @greenvarious types of media,” he said, gregdennis.
Between The Lines
Lucretius: The how and why of things Editor’s note: This is the third in a mere abstraction, an idle pastime, and series of essays on Lucretius, an early higher education to lose its direction philosopher who provides a link to and purpose. It is worth asking how this mod“lost classics” through his epic poem ern question originated. Its origin is “On the Nature of Things.” The German philosopher G.W. Leib- most likely theological. During the niz (1646–1716), in a short discourse later Middle Ages, theologians beon metaphysics, asked the question, came preoccupied with the power of “Why is there something, rather than God, which they endeavored to define. Their motives were nothing?” He considered purely religious. Their this the fundamental queschief desire was to magtion of philosophical innify God and to show his quiry, which was unavoidsupreme greatness. able in the light of what he So they attributed to believed was a self-evident God absolute power and truth and philosophical absolute freedom, and axiom that nothing comes they credited God with to be without a sufficient everything that power reason for its being. could or could be imagFor everything there is a ined to do. They supreason, and therefore there posed that whatever exmust be a reason why there ists and the value of it is is anything at all and not nothing. After all, Leibniz Lucretius: the the product of the omnipotent will and the unremused, being nothing is a nature of things stricted pleasure of God. simpler state, and therefore As the philosopher René requires no explanation, An essay by Descartes would later whereas every something Victor Nuovo observe, if it had pleased is complex, and this complexity requires an expla- Middlebury College God at the time of creprofessor emeritus ation to create mountains nation. without valleys, then it The question has travof philosophy would be so. eled far. For many it defines Leibniz wanted to resphilosophy as a discipline, as a search for the ultimate reasons for cue this notion of divine power from things, even more, an inquiry into the irrationality. His means was the prinmystery of being. It also has a lighter ciple of sufficient reason. A sufficient side; Voltaire mocked it in his novella reason is one that requires no further Candide, which was made a Broad- enquiry; the “why” of a thing is all one way musical with engaging music by needs to know to understand it perLeonard Bernstein. Voltaire may have fectly. He argued that such a reason could been closer to the truth of the matter. Greek philosophers would never not be found anywhere in the world, have thought to ask this question. only above and outside it, in the mind Their concern was about how things of God. He imagined a God endowed came to be, not why a thing is, but with supreme intelligence and a will how it is. For Aristotle, the primary motivated by perfect goodness, a Plametaphysical question is what it is to tonic God. Hence, God was able to be something, to which there is a cor- conceive in an instant the sum of all responding physical question, how all possible worlds and to calculate and sorts of things begin, mature, decay decide which one among them was best, which one combined the greatest and perish. The Pre-Socratic nature philoso- good with the least evil. This best of all possible worlds is phers premised their inquiries on the principle that nothing comes into be- the one that God created, for being ing from nothing, and its counterpart, supremely good and productive, he that things don’t degenerate into noth- wanted only the best. It follows that, ing, rather there is always something since this world is the best, everything that remains throughout all change. in it must be for the best also, even the It seemed evident to them that there bad parts, including things rank, gross, is always something. They wanted to horrific and cruel; hence the maxim know what that something is, and how that everything is for the best in the things originate from it. These were best of all possible worlds. The early Greek philosophers were to them ultimate physical questions, beyond which there was nothing to be not troubled by such theological concerns. It never occurred to them that curious about. Therefore, from its very beginning, there was not always something. They Greek philosophy was conjoined with wanted to know what this something is physics. Even Plato followed suit. The and how everything that we see about divorce of physics and philosophy is us originates from it. They supposed a modern event; it was part of a more that for everything there is an explanaencompassing separation, of the sci- tion of how it came to be because nothences from the humanities, depriving ing comes from nothing. They offered several explanations the former of art and imagination, and the latter of real substance, caus- of how this might work. One was to ing philosophy to become orphaned, a suppose a process, governed by fixed
of an original randomness, so that, whereas materially nothing comes from nothing, yet formally, nature acting randomly produces regularities, as it were, by accident, or, to use Lucretius’ term, covenants that are operative only for a time and under certain circumstances; that is, as long as they were convenient, so that it would appear that Nature “writ large” produces itself, and that by itself, without purpose and through random trials, it creates worlds that display wonderful albeit unintended artistry. In short, Nature produces itself from nothing. The workings of this process remained a sort of mystery until Darwin’s researches resulted in his celebrated theory of the evolution of species. As I wrote in a previous essay, naturalism is a way of viewing the world from the ground up. From that perspective, we witness unanticipated leaps forward and upward that reveal things rivaling and perhaps surpassing Plato’s realm of ideas. Nature is full of surprises.
“I really enjoy teaching people in my own age group!” Professor John Berninghausen, with student Jo Birnbaum
YOU’RE NOT JUST A NUMBER
Raymond (Continued from Page 4A) individual letters by hand — I’ve already forgotten the three ingredients I needed for dinner. Before long, the list looks like I wrote it while running from an enraged rhinoceros. I know it’s difficult for the people who have to read my writing. At work, I use a distinctive green pen for the benefit of my coworkers; although they have no idea what I’ve scribbled in the margins of a page, they at least know who to come to for a verbal
laws, by which the manifold contents of the world were generated from some primal stuff. Another was that the primal stuff contained the seeds of everything, which germinated in their respective seasons. Finally, Democritus fashioned his theory of atomism. The primal stuff of existence is an aggregate of infinite magnitude, consisting of atoms, indivisible bodies variously sized, moving about in infinite space in infinite time. Democritus’ hypothesis, appropriated and modified by Epicurus, and clarified and celebrated by Lucretius, was the theoretical vehicle of the modern scientific revolution. It is the ancestor of modern physics. Now it seems that neither Democritus nor his heirs supposed that there was any rule or set of regulative principles or laws of nature governing the random motions of atoms. Rather the regularities we observe, for example, in the daily motion of the sun, as well as in the generation of things by species, are all inexplicable consequences
YOU’RE OUR NEIGHBOR explanation. Should you ever receive a greeting card from me, assume that my sentiments are appropriate to the occasion. What looks like “Goat sells oars” probably means “Get well soon,” and “Beet withers for goose picture” is likely “Best wishes for your future.” And if I ever write you a whole letter — Never mind. We’ll both save a lot of time and frustration if I just shoot you an email.
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Letters
to the Editor
Porter decisions affecting care Word on the street has it that Porter is axing doctors, nurses and relationships with practices. Jane Lindholm’s “Vermont Edition” articulated the challenges, and it is clear from the word on the street and the radio program’s guests that these challenges are being addressed without transparency to those affected. It appears that the drastic financial measures will gut the hospital practices, thus gutting service to the community. The related tsunami effects will be longer waiting lists for medical services (and I’ve already heard about such situations), reduced quality of medical care, (See Wadsworth letter, Page 7A)
Letters can be found on Pages 4A, 5A, 6A & 7A.
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PAGE 6A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
ADDISON COUNTY
Obituaries
George Phinney Jr., 69, Ripton RIPTON — George Phinney Jr., husband, father, brother, son, coach, mentor, leader and, most of all, loyal and dedicated friend, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly March 1 at his home in Ripton. George was born Dec. 17, 1946, in Middlebury to George Phinney Sr. and Adele (Marshall) Phinney. He was a lifelong resident of Addison County, yet his loss will be felt deeply as near as Middlebury and as far as Australia. As a young man, George excelled as a skier and golfer for both Middlebury Union High School and Middlebury College. In his working years, he built a well-known local business and became a leader in community organizations such as the Friends of Middlebury Hockey. Ironically enough, he saw perhaps his greatest successes in retirement, when he balanced coaching, volunteering in local government, and owning what was reportedly the largest herd of buffalo east of the Mississippi River. George showed unsurprising promise as a budding grandfather, where his childlike wonder in enjoying the small pleasures in life made him an instant hero to his young grandsons. He was most content pulling a sled, piloting a boat or tapping his backyard maples, and he was always eager to share these simple joys with the people he loved. He is survived by friends and family near and far that are too innumerable to count in this brief forum; yet his humility, dedication and irrepressible humor will survive
GEORGE PHINNEY JR. well beyond his passing in the hearts of those who knew him. His passing is felt most immediately by his wife of 42 years, Jane; his sons, Brian and John; his mother, Adele; his brother, Bertram; and his two grandsons, Benjamin and George. A memorial service was held at Kirk Alumni Hall at Middlebury College at 1 p.m. on March 7. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a charitable organization of the donor’s choosing. ◊
Joni Martell, 59, Addison ADDISON — Joni E. Martell, 59, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, surrounded by family. She was born Oct. 31, 1956, in Middlebury, daughter of Howard and Nada Smith. Halloween was always a huge holiday in her household. Joni was a very compassionate person, always the first to help when needed. She was a beautiful soul, inside and out. Joni was employed at UTC, where she had devoted 38 years to her career there. For many, many years she coached soccer and basketball at Addison Elementary, which she truly loved. Being an amazing grandmother was her life. Joni is survived by her mother, Nada Smith; brother Howard Allen; husband Tom Martell; daughters Amanda and Antonia; son Andrew; grandchildren Zander, Alexis and Dylan, as well as aunts/uncles, JONI MARTELL nieces/nephews and many cousins. Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, March 12, at Brown- from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a memoMcClay Funeral Home in Vergennes rial service following at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. ◊
Meril Badger, 68, Vergennes MILTON/VERGENNES — Meril Francis Badger, 68, formerly of Milton, died suddenly on Wednesday, March 2, at his home in Vergennes. He was born Feb. 27, 1948, in Burlington. He is survived by his wife, Brenda, whom he married Aug. 3, 1996; three children; eight grandchildren; six siblings; and extended family.
He was predeceased by his brother Michael Badger in 2013. The family will receive friends to share memories on Monday, March 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Minor Funeral Home, Route 7, Milton. Memorial contributions may be made to the Homeward Bound, 236 Boardman St., Middlebury, VT 05753.
THT to show film on sexual shaming on March 18 MIDDLEBURY — Town Hall Theater, Middlebury College’s Chellis House and the Addison County Council against Domestic and Sexual Violence have teamed up to provide a free screening of “UnSlut: A Documentary Film” for the community on Friday, March 18 at 12:45 p.m., at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. In response to learning about the suicides of several teen girls who had experienced slut-shaming and bullying, filmmaker Emily Lindin, herself a victim of sexual shaming, decided to publish her diaries from age 11 to 14 online. From this, the Unslut Project and documentary evolved. The film includes stories from people of different backgrounds who have experienced sexual shaming. In 2013, 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons took her own life. The Halifax teenager had been gang
immediate and long-term goals for personal, local and institutional solutions. The documentary was screened at Middlebury College in fall 2015, but many of the college students thought that it should be shown to the community as well. More than 10 Middlebury College students have signed up to lead 30-minute small-group discussions after the screening. Journalist Gina Tron, whose story was featured in the documentary, will also be present. The sponsors say they are hoping that this movie will stimulate further discussion about slut shaming and ways to combat the practice. For further information, go to unslutproject.com. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, call the Town Hall Theater box office at 802-382-9222 or visit |townhalltheater.org.
Letters to the Editor Work remains to be done after encouraging ACSU vote for educational unity On the night of the election, as town-by-town results trickled in through the wee hours, it became clear that a profound shift was under way. We have all heard so much this cycle about changing political paradigms, but no one had predicted the way in which this vote would unfold. In town after town on Town Meeting Day, friends, neighbors, parents and grandparents, working folk and retirees, people from all corners of our community came to the polls and overwhelmingly approved a landmark change in the governance of our schools. More than that, in every town, the margins were much larger than anyone had anticipated. As those of us who have been involved in this work for some time watched (in honest surprise) every community spoke clearly
and strongly in favor of something new in our educational system: the opportunity of shared effort. In a time when an “us versus them” story has invaded our national political conversation, our little corner of Vermont did something else, something extraordinary. We voted to work together. And now, it’s time to take that opportunity by the reins and run with it. In the coming weeks, there will be a first meeting of the newly formed Addison Central School District. At this meeting, you, the voters of the district, will elect the officers (clerk, moderator, treasurer, auditor) and the business of the district will formally get under way. The new unified district board, your board, will begin the work of preparing for the
transition over the course of the next year. As this work begins, however, it is critical that we all remain focused on the reason we showed up and spoke so strongly in unison on Town Meeting Day: opportunity, and a commitment to making our schools the best they can be. This work, these conversations that have been going on in every town about our hopes, fears, dreams and concerns for our schools are now only just beginning. To fully realize the opportunities that can flow from working together for our children, we will need everyone to commit to continuing to care, to show up, to speak and to listen. From your many voices and the range of thoughts, opinions and ideas reflected in them, we will find the best path forward. There will
be compromises along the way, and hard choices to be sure. We can also be sure, however, that the decisions we make will be better, and better reflect our shared goals, when we are all doing our part. Come to meetings. Speak up. Write a letter to your local newspaper. Post on social media. Contact your board members and share your thoughts. There is a lot of work to do to turn this opportunity into a reality that we will all be proud of. I encourage everyone to join us in this work so that we can all look back with deep pride at what we have built, and call it great. I, for one, am ready to work for truly great schools. Are you ready? Jason Duquette-Hoffman ACSD Director-Elect Middlebury
Changes at Porter will be for the better Canadian friends invite me to move up I have been a member of Porter Medical Center since April of 1999. I have been a medical speech language pathologist for 26 years and the rehabilitation director at Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center for 16 years. I became the director of Rehabilitation Services for Porter Medical Center 3 years ago. I am proud each day of the work I do as well as my staff. We have provided rehabilitation services to thousands of people and are fortunate that they allow us to do this for them. The feeling of community, respect and well-being that comes with every interaction is what makes us want to come to work. It is tremendously rewarding to work with an individual and assist them with reaching their goals. The sense of family that I experience working at Porter is not the sense that I received at any of the previous employment sites. I have worked in other states and settings and when I came to Porter, I knew this was the place I
New Obituary Guidelines The Addison Independent has adopted new guidelines for publishing obituaries. Starting July 16, the Independent will publish paid obituaries and free notices of passing. Paid obituaries cost 25 cents per word and will be published, as submitted, on the date of the family’s choosing. For those who do not wish to purchase an obituary, the Independent offers a free notice of passing for anyone with a local connection. These notices may be up to 100 words and
raped a year and a half earlier by her 1977; Gina Tron, who wrote about classmates and labeled a “slut” as a her experience being shamed out result. Despite transferring schools of pursuing charges against a serial many times, she could not escape rapist in Brooklyn, N.Y.; N’Jaila constant cyber Rhee, who coped harassment and with her sexual in-person bullying. “UnSlut: A assault and the Parsons’ is not the subsequent loss of only story like this Documentary support from her to make headlines family and church Film” features in recent years. by reclaiming her “UnSlut: A conversations sexuality as a “cam Documentary girl”; and Allyson Film” features with those who Pereira, who was conversations with have experienced ostracized in her those who have New Jersey town experienced sexual sexual shaming. after texting a shaming, includphoto of her breasts ing the family and to an ex-boyfriend. friends of Rehtaeh Parsons. The Through interviews with sexualfilm also interviews Samantha ity experts, advocates and media Gailey Geimer, who was publicly figures, “UnSlut: A Documentary shamed by the media after being Film” explores the causes and sexually assaulted by director manifestations of sexual shamRoman Polanski at the age of 13 in ing in North America and offers
are subject to editing by our news department. Photos (optional) with either paid obituaries or free notices cost $10 per photo. Obituaries may be emailed to obits@addisonindependent.com. Submissions must be received by 11 a.m. on Wednesday for publication in the Thursday paper and 11 a.m. on Friday for Monday’s paper. Email obits@addisonindependent.com or call 802-388-4944 for more information.
wanted to be. I have had my three children at Porter and my family and I continue to receive all our medical care within the Porter family by extremely knowledge, caring and committed staff. In daily interactions, sometimes just by walking down the hallway, you are greeted by fellow workers, patients and volunteers that are supportive, committed and genuinely interested in helping each other. The Rehabilitation Department is growing and changing in response to needs that have been identified within the community, in the hopes that we can provide services that currently local people have to travel outside for. I am very positive about the changes and while acknowledging that change is difficult, know that the department is headed down a path of being stronger than ever. Doreen S. Kadric, M.A., CCC-SLP Director of Rehabilitation Services Porter Medical Center Resident of Ferrisburgh
Canadian friends are inviting me to move to Canada before Trump has a wall built, paid for by Canada. No one has asked how Trump will force Mexico to build a wall. How many bombs will it take before Trump realizes that Mexico can’t afford to restrain its criminals, much
less pay for a wall? Does Trump think before engaging his mouth? I remember when people around the world were laughing with puzzlement when Reagan was elected back in 1980. Peter Grant Bristol
Porter staff provides high-quality care As director of nursing for Helen Porter Health & Rehabilitation Center and a 19-year employee of this organization, I take great pride in the quality of care our staff provides our residents. I am proud and honored to work with a team of health care professionals that strive daily to give excellent and compassionate,
resident-centered care to many of whom have been life-long residents of this community, and who have most recently achieved a deficiency free CMS survey. Michelle Wright RN Director of Nursing Helen Porter Health & Rehabilitation Center Resident of Ticonderoga, N.Y.
A Comment Upon the Political Scene Once upon a dreary time, Those who would be president Tapped the country’s discontent To make a brand new paradigm.
Since when have our fine citizens Made virtue of belligerence? Applauded insult, ignorance, And made us bitter partisans?
Two candidates talked policy, And with each other disagreed. Though each, of course, wants to succeed, Neither descends to lunacy.
We do not make a finer land By cutting other people down. We’ve always tried to win renown By wanting virtue to expand.
Six or eight, though, parody An elementary schoolyard brawl. Except for two, they all look small, And most should be in custody!
We get the leaders we deserve. Do we deserve bombast and hate? If so, then we’ll be lately great; We’ll leave no goodness to preserve. Lawrence A. Jones Bristol
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Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 7A
Letters to the Editor
Clippings (Continued from Page 4A) teams, from Bristol, Orwell, all over the county, with athletes from all over the Champlain Valley. Meanwhile, pickup hoop continued to bring together kids and graybeards, lawyers and carpenters, the skilled and less so. Unlike gyms around the world, winning teams didn’t automatically stay on. Those who sat always had next. Teams were chosen at random (well, at least by those who hit free throws and by what order they showed up that night and wandered up to the free-throw line). It was democracy in action. In later years, I ran the Wednesday night pickup game to make sure it stayed alive. Then there was volleyball, always co-ed, and with one notable exception largely free of gender bias. In pickup the one group of guys who were happy to finally get on a team “with no broads” were thumped several games in a row by a co-ed group I was happy to play on. Those guys didn’t return. For a few years there was also a terrific, competitive co-ed league. I’ve always believed it is remarkable what teams can accomplish when everyone trusts their teammates. That remains one of the great lessons of sports, and the major one that I tried to teach the kids on the Lavender Leopards and Pink Panthers. Those were among the names we coaches let the elementary-school-age girls choose for their basketball teams, based in that old gym that once hosted the Middlebury High School team. The kids have probably all but forgotten those years, but I hope they still remember to have faith in their teammates, treat them well no matter what, and watch both the ball and their girls on defense. Soon the gym — with fiberglass
Porter approach to women’s health beyond reproach
COLUMNIST ANDY KIRKALDY, left, and Peter Quinn played in the last competitive game of basketball at the Middlebury town gym this past weekend; the facility closed to the public and is slated to be torn down in June.
backboards at both ends, two wooden ones on each side wall in front of the towering windows, and the stage at the south end, usually packed with gymnastic mats and equipment — will be filled with stuff to be auctioned off from the old town offices. The bleachers, even the nicer new ones that replaced the old folding ones that took three or four people to move and permanently scratched the floors, are gone. The place stands bare to the walls. Despite my love for the gym, tearing it and the town offices down and replacing them with the new buildings was the smart thing to do. It was not worth the huge investment it would take to fix up the aging, unattractive, inefficient structures, especially with the substantial college support for the new buildings. It closed to the public for the last time this past weekend. I did get to say goodbye. Bryan
Jones, who took over running pickup hoop a couple years back, organized a chance for a few of us to play basketball one last time this past Saturday. I quit the sport about a year ago to protect a balky shoulder. A half-dozen of us, including Peter Quinn and Greg Borah, one of Peter’s and my favorite pickup hoop teammates, played threeon-three. Peter, like me, does not play much basketball any more due to injuries, but came out of retirement for the occasion. We changed the teams every game. In the final one, Peter and Greg and I played together. We set picks, moved the ball, and hit a half-dozen straight shots to end the afternoon. Peter, fittingly, nailed a foul-line jumper that will stand as the last competitive basket sunk in the old gym. I think I’ll skip the auction. Who needs a brick, anyway? All those memories are enough.
process, with public access to the financial information needed to make informed and prudent decisions. • A clear articulation to ALL stakeholders of a broader strategic vision. This is OUR hospital. This is our community. We all deserve better. Al Calzini, Alicia Romero, Alison Zimmer, Amy Graham, Amy Mason, Andy Morter, Angela Cobrin Landis, Ben Balk, Bob Gerlin, Bob Jackman, Brian Mason, Bronwen Kent, Brooke Jette, Bryan Carson, Bryon Emilo, Carl Robinson, Carol Miller, Charlie Biss, Chaz Mraz, Cheryl Cesario, Chris Robbins, Colin McClung, Daniel McIntosh, Darcy Morter, David Kearns, David Disque, David L. Anderson, Deane Rubright, DeeDee Flagg, Dena Greenman, Dick Terk, Don Devost, Donald Glauber, Drey Ward, Elizabeth J. Bartlett, Emily Blistein, Emily Hoyler, Emily Sunderman, Emily Bridges, Dr. François Scarborough Clemmons, Fred Greenman, Gary Margolis, Gene Devlin, Gregor Kent, Gwendolyn Nagy-Benson, Holly Stark, Ilaria Brancoli Busdraghi, Jane Kimble, Janet Greenman, Dr. Janet W. Howard, Ed.D., Jason Newell, Jill Dunn, Joel Miller, John Freidin, Jolene Newton, Judy Wiger-Grohs, Julia Emilo, Julie Barry, Juliet Gerlin, Kathryn Benson, Kathryn Flagg, Laura Wilkinson, Laura Basili, Lilly Devlin, Lisa Condino, Lizbeth Ryan, Lorraine Tobias, Lorri Sperry, Lynn Dunton, Marc Lapin, Marc Cesario, Maria A. Farnsworth, Mariagrazia Weber, Mark Doran, Martha Alexander, Martha Hammond, Marty Lapidus, Mary Martin, Mary Gill, Matt Bonner, Matt Wootten, Matt Mancini, Melissa Hammerle, Merry Lapidus, Michelle Devost, Middlebury Education Association, Molly Robinson, Molly Witters, Monique Bonner, Morgan Devoid, Nadine Canter Barnicle, Natalie Peters, Natasha Causton,
Nicole Wilkerson, Paige Pierson, Pat Dunn, Patricia C. Anderson, Patrick Berry, Peg Martin, Peter Jette, Peter M. Weber, Randy Martin, Sara T. Marshall, Sarah Kearns, Scott Hunsdorfer, Scott Barnicle, Sophie Esser Calvi, Susan Parsons, Tamara Chase, Tess Sneeringer, Thomas Howard, Tracey Mancini, Tracy Winters, Valerie Calzini, Victoria Jette, Wendy Lynch, William Amidon and Willow Wheelock
Letter (Continued from Page 4A) are NOT so easily replaced, and our community as a whole suffers in their absence; these are not just your doctors and nurses — these are your neighbors, friends, community leaders, youth coaches, mentors and volunteers. The administration might have chosen a more inclusive path, one that would have helped the hospital’s key stakeholders understand the reasons for the painful changes that were to come. Instead of offering a thoughtful, detailed explanation of the financial difficulties confronting the hospital, the administration simply acted. Rather than engaging frontline service providers in designing solutions that would work both to attain financial targets and maintain critical levels of care, the administration has worked furtively and forcefully to attain cost cuts that appear to the rest of us to be capricious and arbitrary. And when challenged, the repeated refrain of, “If you want a hospital, then do as we say,” just doesn’t cut it. It’s time for the Porter Medical Center Board of Directors, which holds the ultimate authority for governing the hospital, to take immediate and decisive action. Just as prudent patients seek out second opinions, the community deserves the wisdom that other sets of eyes could bring to Porter’s financial situation. As members of this community who expect the highest level of medical care possible, we seek the following: • An independent review of the tactics and effectiveness of the Senior Administrative Leadership team; and whether their compensation package is aligned with the long-term success of the hospital. • A comprehensive community engagement process that includes both care providers and the broader public. • A thorough explanation of the current budget challenges and a more transparent and open budget
The new Town Offices will be open for business at 77 Main Street on Monday, April 4th. All Town staff contact information will remain the same. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this most important transitional period. Questions? Please contact the Town Manager’s Office, 388-8100 ext 202
is at half of the national average (specifically at 16 percent — most of which were elective repeats, breech babies, or true medical emergencies) and a 100 percent VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section) success rate. I also can speak of the incredible care I received in my pregnancy as a patient of the midwives at Tapestry. I know what a sweet and loving space they created in the Vergennes office and cannot deny the personal loss I feel for that space closing down. I know personally the desire to have a midwife birth, but I also can speak to the care that my partners and I provide to our obstetrical patients. I have never before worked with OB/GYNs with the same commitment to natural childbirth and supporting women with the right to choose the type of birth they seek. As a group, we truly recognize that birth matters. As for my own birth, it was attended by both a midwife and an obstetrician. They both supported and empowered me in my process, and importantly, they supported each other in kind. I am forever grateful to them and to the amazing staff of the birth center at Porter for helping my family and me bring my daughter into the world. So is the loss of two separate practices, midwives and obstetricians, a loss for the community? Of course it is. Yet, I am also hopeful that Porter Women’s Health may be a beautiful gain in our com-
munity — one that showcases how midwives and obstetricians may develop the kind of functional working relationship I have yet to see elsewhere between what are typically considered disparate factions. The practitioners at Porter may even model what it means for such relationships to be so seamless that a patient may not be able to tell the difference between a midwife and doctor. I am so proud and grateful to have both the midwives of Tapestry and the obstetricians of AAOG as colleagues. I hope for those who have reservations or concerns about the care they might receive from either group to please come meet us, ask questions, and get a sense of who we are as people and providers. We understand how important it is to prepare for and create the birth that you desire, especially considering that birth is a major life event not only for babies, but for parents and families as well. If you find, in talking with us, that we are the group that can be with you during your pregnancy and birthing process, we would be honored to care for you and support you in any way we are able. Whether you have an unmedicated birth on hands and knees or request an epidural, whether you have a cesarean or a VBAC, we welcome you and will do our best to support you with a loving embrace. Jodi Brown Vergennes
Wadsworth letter (Continued from Page 5A) reduced student population due to physician relocation, increased real estate for sale, a tectonic shift in the social fabric (sorry for the cliché) of our community, and probably many other waves I cannot imagine. Bottom-line oriented management strategies are certainly effective in addressing financial catastrophe. They are also effective in destroying
work environments, delivery systems and communities. Chainsaw Al was great at turning companies around — at great human cost. Former Middlebury College President Timothy Light had some experience with this strategy as well — and so did the community. My children were born at Porter — a wonderful experience for me. I rely on the presence of an excellent
facility and excellent physicians and staff. I care, and there are many others who care, too. I think the community deserves frank answers, Porter, not generalities. A public hearing might be in order, since your mission, I think, is to serve the public? Christina Wadsworth Weybridge
Letters can be found on Pages 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A.
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Municipal staff will be moving to the new Middlebury Town Offices at 77 Main Street at the end of March. Given the magnitude of this move and to ensure public safety, it will be necessary to close the Municipal Building to members of the public from Wednesday, March 23rd through Friday, st April 1 . If you anticipate needing the services of the Clerk’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, Listers’ Office or the Planning and Zoning Department during this period, please plan accordingly.
I write to address an opinion published on March 3 under the headline “Changes at PMC to affect women” which spoke of the combining of practices of the midwives and the obstetricians at Porter Hospital. I proudly respond as both a patient of Tapestry Midwifery and a provider at the new Porter Women’s Health. I am the most recent physician addition to the former Addison Associates in OB/GYN (AAOG), having started this past August. I also started my new position when I was 26 weeks pregnant. While I came to Porter from a large, academic center that oversaw nearly 7,000 deliveries per year (with an epidural rate in the 90th percentile), I also came in with the experience of having been a doula, a Hypnobirthing childbirth educator, a proponent of natural childbirth, and a supporter of home birth. Although I chose to pursue a career in obstetrics, I am aware that not all obstetricians share my perspective or a similar path to attending births. I started my new job nervous to see what the birth culture in my new setting would be and hoping my style of practice would be compatible with my new OB/GYN partners. I feel I have been especially blessed to join the ranks of the physicians at AAOG in their level of care and compassion for their patients, and their belief in and support of lowintervention birth. Their statistics speak for themselves when you consider their C-section rate, which
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PAGE 8A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
2016 ADDISON COUNTY
RABIES CLINICS A number of rabies vaccination clinics are being sponsored by the Addison County veterinarians during the month of March. Each clinic is open to all residents of all towns. Dogs should be leashed and cats in carriers for the safety of all. To avoid confusion and delay, please bring a copy of the pet’s most recent Rabies Certificate. Payment by CASH only, please no checks.
PLACES, DATES & TIMES GOSHEN • Goshen Town Clerk’s Office . Sat., March 12 . 10AM – Noon . $12 LEICESTER • Leicester Town Office . Tues., March 15 . 5PM – 6PM . $12 VERGENNES • Vergennes Animal Hospital . Tues., Mar 15 . 5:30PM – 7:30PM . $15 SALISBURY• Salisbury Town Office . Tues., March 15 . 6:15PM – 7:15PM . $12 WHITING • Whiting Firehouse . Thurs., March 17 . 6PM – 7PM . $12 LINCOLN • Lincoln Town Offices . Sat., March 19 . 9AM – 10AM . $15 BRANDON • Brandon Fire House . Sat., March 19 . 10AM – Noon . $12 STARKSBORO • Starksboro Town Clerk’s Office . Sat., March 19 . 9AM – 11AM . $15 NEW HAVEN • New Haven Clerk’s Office . Sat., March 19 . 1PM – 2PM . $15 MONKTON • Monkton Town Fire Department . Tues., March 22 . 6PM – 7PM . $15 ORWELL • Orwell Firehouse . Fri., March 25 . 5PM – 7PM . $12 BRIDPORT • Bridport Firehouse . Sat., March 26 . 10AM – Noon . $12 SHOREHAM • Shoreham Firehouse . Tues., March 29 . 6PM – 8 PM . $12
POLICYHOLDERS’ ANNUAL MEETING AND LUNCHEON All policyholders of Co-operative Insurance Companies are invited to the policyholders’ annual meeting and luncheon. The annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., at the home office, 292 Colonial Drive, Middlebury, VT. The luncheon will follow the meeting at 12:00 p.m. at the Middlebury Inn in Middlebury. This year’s speaker is Judy Jackson, past President and current board member of New London County Mutual Insurance Company. Please RSVP to Mary Micklas at (802) 385-1622 or mmicklas@ciui.net by Monday, March 28.
Come to the
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Produce Meat Cheese Bread Maple Syrup Crafts More Saturday, March 19 & April 16, 9:30am - 1pm • Mary Hogan Elementary School www.middleburyfarmersmarket.org • Debit & EBT Accepted
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calendar boxes and candy containers, along with origami book designs. Best suited for ages 10 to adults but younger participants are welcome with an adult partner. Register at 453-4471. Vermont Chili Festival in Middlebury. Saturday, March 12, 1-4 p.m., downtown Middlebury. The eighth annual chili fest, featuring chili, live entertainment and more. Tickets $7 at the gate, $5 in advance, free to kids 8 and younger.
screening in Ferrisburgh. Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m., Ferrisburgh Historical Society. Showing Part 2 of this documentary series, titled “Under the Surface.” Seed Saving Library kick-off program Info: 425-3380. in Salisbury. Thursday, March 10, 6:30 Irish music concert and dancing at Middlebury p.m., Salisbury Public Library. Molly Kennedy, College. Sunday, March 13, 4 p.m., Wilson Hall, founder of the Seed Saving Library in Brandon, and McCullough Social Space. Timothy Cummings, along Emily Millard, master seed-saver/gardener/homewith Pete Sutherland (fiddle and vocals), Dominique steader will present. The wooden catalog will be Dodge (harp, vocals), Jeremiah McLane (accordion, stocked with seed that patrons can piano), Mary Wesley (dance caller) and student take for their home gardens. Plant, guests, invite the audience to join in the singing of harvest and bring back more seed and dancing to traditional tunes from Ireland and at harvest time. Brittany. Free. Info: www.middlebury. Wandering Reel Traveling Film MIDDLEBURY STUDIO SCHOOL — Adult: Thurs PM Draw- edu/arts or 802-443-3168. Festival screening in Middlebury. Free community dinner in Bristol. ing, Mon. PM Oils, Midday Freestyle Acrylics-Janet Fredericks, Thursday, March 10, 7 p.m., Marquis Sunday, March 13, 5-6:30 p.m., St. Thurs AM Oils, Pastels, Weds. Midday Wheel, Weds AM Paint. Ambrose Catholic Parish Hall. This Theatre. Screening of “A Call to Action.” This festival showcases Children: Weds Young Artists & Weds. Clay hand build- month’s menu: macaroni and cheese, compassionate and artful cinema ing, Thurs. Clay hand building, Small World-Art Inspired by garden salad, rolls and dessert. for communities with limited access Family dinner served second Sunday the World, Mon. Wheel. Contact Barb at 247-3702, ewalde- of the month. to such films. Followed by commuwald@aol.com, middleburystudioschool.org nity discussion and Q&A led by festiSyrian refugee crisis talk in Lincoln. val director Michael Harrington. Info: Sunday, March 13, 7 p.m., United www.wanderingreel.org. Church of Lincoln. Mari Cordes, RN, “The Bird Friendly Maple Project” talk in Middlebury. “Wild Tales” screening at Middlebury College. will talk about the work she did with Team Vermont in Saturday, March 12, 3 and 8 p.m., Dana Auditorium. Thursday, March 10, 7 p.m., Ilsley Library. Audubon Lesvos, Greece, to help the refugees. This Argentinean film presents a suddenly shifting Abigail Nessen Bengson and Shaun Bengson in Vermont conservation biologist Steve Hagenbuch reality as the backdrop to a lover’s betrayal, a return talks about the management practices and the concert in Middlebury. Sunday, March 13, 7 p.m., to a repressed past and the violence woven into ecological and financial benefits of harvesting maple Town Hall Theater. The duo brings their blend of everyday life. Its characters are driven to madness sap in a bird-friendly way. Free. Sponsored by Otter blues, world music, captivating melodies and eneras they cede to the undeniable pleasure of losing Creek Audubon Society. getic frenetic rhythms to create one-of-a-kind rock/ control. Free. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or art/theater performances. Tickets $17, available at 802-443-3168. the THT box office, 382-9222, www.townhalltheater. Supermarket Bingo in Ferrisburgh. Saturday, March org or at the door. 12, 4 p.m., Ferrisburgh Central School. A fundraiser “For the Birds” kids’ activity in hosted by the FCS PTO, with the goal of raising Monkton. Friday, March 11, 10 a.m.-noon, $4,500 for student enrichment programs. Prize Russell Memorial Library. Drop-in program contributions welcome; email fcspto@gmail.com. Governor’s lunch in Bristol. Monday, for preschool- and school-age children. Make one or Corned beef and cabbage supper in Vergennes. March 14, noon-1:45 p.m., Bristol American two different bird feeders and a cute bird craft. Info: Saturday, March 12, 5-6:30 p.m., Vergennes United Legion. 453-4471; leave a message if no answer. Methodist Church. Corned beef, cabbage, boiled “Off the Wall” art discussion and luncheon at potatoes, carrots, onions, rolls, dessert and bever- NER Vermont Reading Series in Middlebury. Monday, March 14, 7 p.m., 51 Main at the Bridge. Middlebury College. Friday, March 11, 12:15 p.m., age, served buffet-style. Adults $9, children $5. Poets Jennifer Grotz and Sydney Lea and fiction Mahaney Center for the Arts Room 125 and Lower Takeout available. Info: 877-3150. writer Janice Obuchowski will read from their recent Lobby. Gennifer Weisenfeld, professor of art history Contradance in Cornwall. Saturday, March 12, 7-9:30 work. Light refreshments served. Free. and visual studies at Duke University, presents “Saito p.m., Cornwall Town Hall. David Kaynor calls to live Kazo’s ‘Synthetic Art’: New Designs for Modern music by Red Dog Riley. Cost: $5 per person. Info: “DamNation” documentary screening and panel discussion at Middlebury College. Monday, March Japan.” Further conversation over a light lunch. 462-3722. 14, 7-9 p.m., Dana Auditorium. This award-winning Free to college ID cardholders; $5 suggested dona- “The Princess Bride” on stage in Middlebury. film sheds new light on America’s dams. Screening tion from others. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or Saturday, March 12, 7 p.m., Middlebury Union High followed by panel discussion on Vermont river health. 802-443-3168. School. Presented by the senior class. Tickets availFree. Global food insecurity conference at Middlebury able at 382-9222. Profits benefit Project Graduation. College. Friday, March 11, 12:30-5:45 p.m., Robert Also on March 13. A. Jones ’59 House Conference Room. Day two of “Rock On Film” series in Middlebury. Saturday, a three-day conference titled “Food Insecurity in a March 12, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Theater. “A Hard Globalized World: The Politics and Culture of Food Day’s Night,” the Beatles’ outrageous first movie. Food safety workshop for food Systems.” For specific session times and topics, visit Part of a new THT series of the finest rock-and-roll producers in Middlebury. Tuesday, go.middlebury.edu/foodinsecurity. films ever made. Tickets $10, available at the THT March 15, 9-11:30 a.m., UVM Extension, 23 “Fry-day” night Lenten fish fry with live music in box office, 382-9222, www.townhalltheater.org or at Pond Lane. ACORN hosts this workshop with three Vergennes. Friday, March 11, 5-7 p.m., St. Peter’s the door. guest speakers who will talk about new and updated Parish Hall. Live music, plus battered baked haddock, The Starline Rhythm Boys in concert in Lincoln. food safety and water regulations. Cost $10, includfries, macaroni and cheese, green beans, coleslaw, Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m., Burnham Hall. Part of ing coffee, light refreshments. Pay at the door. RSVP rolls, punch, milk and coffee. Adults $11, children the 2015-2016 Burnham Music Series. Doors open to lindsey@acornvt.org. Space is limited. under 12 $6, immediate family $32. Info: 877-2367. at 7 p.m., concert at 7:30. Admission $8 adults, free Baked Potato Bar in Cornwall. Friday, March 11, for kids and teens. See the Burnham Music Series Free foot care/blood pressure clinic in Middlebury. Tuesday, March 15, 10 a.m.-noon, Russ Sholes 5:30-7 p.m., Cornwall Congregational Church. Fifth Facebook page for full schedule of monthly concerts. Center. Bring your own basin and towel. Offered by annual fundraiser to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Info: 388-6863. ACHHH. Addison County. Potatoes are $5 each, with choice of Vermont Virtuosi chamber concert in Brandon. toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. Blood pressure/foot care clinic in Brandon. Tuesday, March 15, 11 a.m., Conant Square. Foot clinic $10. broccoli, chives, chili, bacon, salsa and more. Fruit The foursome, on flute, clarinet, bassoon and piano Info: 802-775-0568. kebabs and local cider will round out the offerings. plays a concert titled “Once Upon a Time.” Tickets Info: 462-2012. $20. Reservations required: 802-247-4295 or info@ CVAA senior luncheon and program in Middlebury. Tuesday, March 15, 11 a.m., Middlebury Recreation “The Princess Bride” on stage in Middlebury. Friday, brandon-music.net. Center, Creek Road. CVAA invites seniors to the new March 11, 7 p.m., Middlebury Union High School. Pianists Maria João Pires and Julien Brocal in rec center for a presentation by Homeward Bound, Presented by the senior class. Tickets available at concert at Middlebury College. Saturday, March Addison County’s Humane Society, on its Senior382-9222. Profits benefit Project Graduation. Also on 12, 8 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts. Each will to-Senior Adoption Program. A noon lunch follows, March 12 and 13. play two Beethoven sonatas, and together they may featuring chicken parmesan with linguini, Brussels play a work for four hands. Tickets $25/$20/$6. Info: sprouts and apple pie. Suggested donation $4. www.middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168. Reservations required: 1-800-642-5119, ext. 1070. Free transportation with ACTR: 802-388-1946. Green Mountain Club walk in “Ways of Seeing” conversation in Middlebury. Ferrisburgh. Saturday, March 12, Tuesday, March 15, 1:30 p.m., in the library room of Family breakfast in Hancock. Sunday, Kingsland Bay State Park, time TBA. The EastView at Middlebury. Addison Independent “Ways March 13, 8-9:30 a.m., Hancock Town GMC Bread Loaf Section offers an easy 2-hour walk of Seeing” guest writer Laurie Borden, program Hall, 1097 VT Route 100. Hosted by the along the shores of Lake Champlain. Bring boots assistant at Hospice Volunteer Services, will host Community Church of Hancock and Granville. or snowshoes depending on weather conditions, a conversation on overcoming our fear and grief to Donations taken. Repeats on March 20. plus water and snack. Contact David Andrews at care for one another. Info: 989-7500. vtrevda@yahoo.com or 802-388-4894 for meeting Family breakfast in Vergennes. Sunday, March 13, “Hackable Infrastructures” architecture talk at 8-10 a.m., St. Peter’s Parish. Eggs, omelets to order, time. More info: www.gmcbreadloaf.org. Middlebury College. Tuesday, March 15, 4:30 hot cakes, French toast, sausage, bacon and more, Monthly wildlife walk in Middlebury. Saturday, March p.m., Johnson Memorial Building, Room 304. Ersela plus a chance to win a Dakin Farm Easter ham. 12, 8 a.m., Otter View Park and Hurd Grassland. Kripa and Stephen Mueller, founding principals of Adults $8.50, seniors $7.50, kids 6-12 years $6, A monthly OCAS-MALT event inviting community AGENCY Architecture, discuss former and current kids under 6 free, families of five or more $28. Info: members to help survey birds and other wildlife. Meet projects, architectural systems and speculative urban 877-2367. at Otter View Park parking area, corner of Weybridge research. Free. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or Street and Pulp Mill Bridge Road. Birders of all ages Open barn in Weybridge. Sunday, March 13, noon-5 802-443-3168. p.m., Duclos and Thompson Farm, Sheep Farm and abilities welcome. Info: 388-6019 or 388-1007. Rabies clinic in Leicester. Tuesday, March 15, 5-6 Road. Come see over 200 lambs at the farm’s 33rd Global food insecurity conference at Middlebury p.m., town office. Cost $12, plus license fee of $11 annual open barn. College. Saturday, March 12, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Robert for spayed/neutered pet, $15 not spayed/neutered. A. Jones ’59 House Conference Room. Day three of Auditions for old-time radio plays in Brandon. Rabies clinic in Salisbury. Tuesday, March 15, 6:15Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m., Brandon Senior Center, a three-day conference titled “Food Insecurity in a 7:15 p.m., town office. For dogs and cats; dogs must Route 73. Actors with good speaking voices are Globalized World: The Politics and Culture of Food have current rabies certificate to be licensed. Fee encouraged to audition for a June 4 performance of Systems.” For specific session times and topics, visit $12. old-time radio shows such as “Burns & Allen” and go.middlebury.edu/foodinsecurity. “Dick Tracy.” Info: 247-6720. Bread Loaf Citizens’ Race in Ripton. Saturday, March 12, 9 a.m., Rikert Nordic Center. Annual 5K Nordic “The Princess Bride” on stage in Middlebury. Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m., Middlebury Union High race where contestants vie for the traditional loaf Early education developmental School. Presented by the senior class. Tickets availof bread and other prizes. Costumes and spandex screening in Bristol. Wednesday, March able at 382-9222. Profits benefit Project Graduation. encouraged. Lollipop race for kids. Registration at 9, 16, 1-4:30 p.m., Bristol Elementary School. race at 11, barbecue after. Pre-registration and info at “Freedom and Unity: The Vermont Movie” Free one-hour screening www.rikertnordic.com/ for children in the Addison events. Northeast Supervisory Open swim in Bristol. Union who will be 3 years Saturday, March 12, old by Sept. 1, or 4 years 9:30 a.m.-noon, Mount old but not previously Abraham Union High screened. Children can School pool. Music come play in an early and fun for all. Cost $3 childhood classroom while per swimmer. Children parents share information under 10 must be with about their child’s commuan adult. Offered by the nication, social, play and Bristol Rec Department motor skills. Info and on select Saturdays appointment scheduling: through April. Check 453-3674. dates at 388-5885, bris“Walk Down Memory tolrec@gmavt.net or on Lane” discussion in Facebook. Lincoln. Wednesday, Graphic novel workshop March 16, 1 p.m., Lincoln in Orwell. Saturday, Library. Linda Barnard March 12, 10 a.m., invites people to come Orwell Free Library. share stories of a special Marika McCoola, “first” in their life: first author of “Baba Yaga’s car, first job, first time Assistant,” will talk about away from home, etc. how graphic novels are Refreshments served. created. Participants will Info: 453-2665. get a chance to write and MCTV annual meetdraw their own stories. ing and roundtable in All ages. Register online Middlebury. Wednesday, at orwellfreelibrary.org. March 16, 4-5:30 p.m., Info: 802-948-2041. Ilsley Library Community “Origami Boxes and Room. A short business Books” workshop in DINERS LINE UP for what was the first CVAA senior luncheon to be held at Middlebury’s meeting of Middlebury Monkton. Saturday, new recreation center on Creek Road recently. CVAA’s next luncheon at the rec center is on Community Television will March 12, 10 a.m.Tuesday, March 15, at 11 a.m. It will feature a meal of chicken parmesan with linguini, as well be followed by a roundnoon, Monkton Friends as a presentation on Homeward Bound’s Senior-to-Senior pet adoption program. table discussion titled Methodist Church. Independent file photo/Trent Campbell Stop in to make trinket “Archiving Our Community
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community
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in the 21st Century.â€? Sunday, March 20, 3-4 Info: 388-3062 or p.m., Vermont Book dthodal@middleburyShop. Reading of “The communitytv.org. Very Hungry Caterpillar,â€? Art history lecture on El activities and paper puppet Greco at Middlebury giveaways. Info: 802-388College. Wednesday, 2061 or jenny@vermontMarch 16, 4:30 p.m., bookshop.com. Mahaney Center Exhibit opening recepfor the Arts, Room tion in Bristol. Sunday, 125. Ellen Prokop March 20, 4-6 p.m., presents “A Modern WalkOver Gallery. Old Master? Using Celebrating the opening of Historical GIS to Chart “Years of Seasons,â€? works El Greco’s Inuence by Linda Seiffert Reynolds. on the French AvantInfo: 802-453-3188, ext. 2. Garde.â€? Free. Info: “Mustangâ€? screening www.middlebury.edu/ in Middlebury. Sunday, arts or 802-443-3168. March 20, 7 p.m., Town Crock pot dinner in New Hall Theater. “Set in Haven. Wednesday, summer in a small village March 16, 6 p.m., New in northern Turkey, Haven Congregational “Mustangâ€? revolves Church. The New around ďŹ ve free-spirited Haven Ladies Union sisters whose seemingly serves hearty casseinnocent beach play with roles, bread, beverage their male classmates is and dessert. Cost: $8. perceived by elders in the Info: 453-5059. town to be dangerous and Computer help immoral. One of four ďŹ lms session in Lincoln. in the 2016 MNFF Winter Wednesday, March Screening Series. Tickets, 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., $12 each or $40 for all Lincoln Library. The four ďŹ lms in the series, “VERMONT’S OWNâ€? 40TH Army Band will play a concert of traditional patriotic American ďŹ rst session of a new available at the THT box tunes, as well as contemporary musical favorites, on Thursday, March 17, at 7 p.m., at the program. This evening ofďŹ ce, 382-9222 or www. Orwell Town Hall. will focus on using the townhalltheater.org. library’s automated Contact Ginny Heidke at ginnypots@comcast.net for system from home to search for materials and put meeting time. More info: www.gmcbreadloaf.org. them on hold. Other topics as time allows. Info: Addison County Riverwatch Collaborative volun453-2665. teer training in Middlebury. Saturday, March 19, Legislative breakfast in Salisbury. “Scheherazade’s Sisters: Edwidge Danticat and 8:30-11 a.m., ACRPC ofďŹ ce, 14 Seminary St. Annual Monday, March 21, 7-8:45 a.m., Salisbury Julia Alvarez in Conversationâ€? at Middlebury pre-season training for volunteers who will take water Congregational Church. Breakfast at 7, College. Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m., Dana samples from six local rivers from April to September. program at 7:30 a.m. Auditorium. Two internationally acclaimed authors Coffee, bagels and fruit served. address a variety of issues ranging from the art and power of storytelling, human “w/rightingâ€? cross-cultur- Rabies clinic in Lincoln. Saturday, March 19, 9-10 a.m., town ofďŹ ce. ally and transnationally, writing across languages, feminism and collaboration in organizations such as Sugar on snow party in Starksboro. Saturday, March 19, 2-4 p.m., Starksboro Village Meeting Rabies clinic in Monkton. Tuesday, Border of Lights. House Society. Annual event featuring local maple March 22, 6-7 p.m., Monkton Volunteer “What Makes Good Solar?â€? program in Middlebury. syrup on snow, homemade doughnuts, sour pickles Fire Department. Licensing available as well. Wednesday, March 16, 7-8:30 p.m., Ilsley Library. and beverages. Single serving $5, double serving Rabies shots $15 per animal. Bring a copy of the last The Acorn Energy Co-op presents a panel discusfor one $6. Children 12 and younger $3. Proceeds rabies vaccination certiďŹ cate. Animals should be on a sion on the rise in large net-metered solar projects support restoration of the meetinghouse belfry. Info: leash or in a carrier. in Vermont. They will deďŹ ne true “community solarâ€? 453-5227. “She Sings to the Starsâ€? screening in Middlebury. projects and where they might be located. Free. Light “Beyond the Lightsâ€? screening at Middlebury Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m., Marquis Theater. refreshments. Info: 385-1911. College. Saturday, March 19, 3 and 8 p.m., Dana Screening of a new Vermont feature ďŹ lm in which Blues jam in Middlebury. Wednesday, March 16, Auditorium. The pressures of fame have music a Native American grandmother lives alone in the 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Dennis Willmott from Left Eye superstar Noni on the edge, until she meets Kaz, desert, her half-Mexican grandson is lost between Jump will provide lead guitar, bass and drums if you an aspiring politician who has been assigned to worlds, and a down-on-his-luck magician ďŹ nds need backup, or take a break and let you play. Bring her detail. Free. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or himself at her door. Adults $10, seniors $8. Produced your instrument and get ready to jam. Info: www. 802-443-3168. by Jonathan Corcoran, and written and directed by go51main.com. Auditions for “Sunset Boulevardâ€? in Brandon. Jennifer Corcoran. Q&A with the ďŹ lmmakers after the Saturday, March 19, 3:30 p.m., Brandon Town Hall. screening. Info: http://shesingstothestars.com. Also The Vermont Theatre Lab will hold auditions for this on March 23 and 24. Andrew Lloyd Webber production. Looking for actors, singers and dancers 16 years or older. Production Lenten noon recital in Middlebury. dates July 6-10. Contact director/producer Jacob W. Thursday, March 17, 12:15-12:45 p.m., Patorti for audition details: info@merchantshall.com St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Dominique or 802-866-8081. The Bob MacKenzie Band in Middlebury. Friday, Dodge, harp, and Timothy Cummings, pipe, play a March 11, 6 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. program of traditional Celtic music. You may bring a King Pede party in Ferrisburgh. Saturday, March 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Ferrisburgh Community Center Connie & Skip in Bristol. Friday, March 11, 7 p.m., lunch; light refreshments will be served. Part of St. and Town Hall. Sandwich supper followed by an Bristol Bakery and CafĂŠ. Stephen’s annual Lenten recital series. evening of fun and card games. Come planning to The Avant-Garde Dogs in New Haven. Friday, March 40th Army Band in concert in Orwell. Thursday, play King Pede or bring your own favorite card game. 11, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Peak Vineyard. March 17, 7 p.m., Orwell Town Hall. “Vermont’s Requested donation: $2.50. The Blackberry Bushes Duo in Middlebury. Friday, Ownâ€? 40th Army Band will play traditional patriotic March 11, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. American tunes, as well as contemporary musical Boogie BeneďŹ t in Lincoln. Saturday, March 19, 7-11 p.m., Burnham Hall. The Willowell Foundation’s Snake Mountain Bluegrass in Middlebury. Saturday, favorites. Info: 338-3480. annual fundraising concert, featuring BandAnna. March 12, 1 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. “Syria — Remember Meâ€? talk in Bristol. Thursday, Silent auction, light refreshments, dancing. Admission BandAnna in Middlebury. Saturday, March 12, 5-8 March 17, 7 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Library. Writer$10. p.m., 51 Main. photographer Deborah Felmeth speaks about the people of Syria, the fabric of their culture, her photo- The Bombadils in concert in Brandon. Saturday, The Horse Traders in Middlebury. Saturday, March March 19, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. These rising 12, 5 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. graphs and the birth of her recently published book. folk stars enchant audiences around the world with Revibe in Middlebury. Saturday, March 12, 9 p.m., Info: 453-2366 or www.oneworldlibraryproject.org. their unique fusion of traditional, world and progresTwo Brothers Tavern. “Creating a Shelter Beltâ€? gardening presentasive folk. Tickets $20. Reservations recommended: Friends Union Band in Middlebury. Thursday, March tion in New Haven. Thursday, March 17, 7 p.m., 802-247-4295 or info@brandon-music.net. 17, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 51 Main. New Haven Town OfďŹ ce. Meghan Giroux, owner of “Pop-Up Playsâ€? in Middlebury. Saturday, March 19, Longford Row in Middlebury. Friday, March 18, 6 Vermont Edible Landscapes, will talk about “shelter 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Theater. Six new 10-minute plays, p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. belts,â€? plantings that control erosion, protect crops written the night before, are rehearsed all day and The DuPont Brothers in New Haven. Friday, March and livestock, control odor for manure pits, create premiered this evening. All plays will include one line 18, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Peak Vineyard. edible hedges and more. Part of the New Haven (chosen by online voters) and all will be on the theme The Sky Blue Boys in Middlebury. Friday, March 18, Conservation Commission’s Armchair Naturalist “Things on Wheels.â€? Tickets $10, available at the 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Speaker Series. Free. Info: percival@madriver.com. THT box ofďŹ ce, 382-9222, www.townhalltheater.org About Time in Middlebury. Friday, March 18, 9 p.m., or at the door. To vote for your favorite line, visit www. Two Brothers Tavern. townhalltheater.org/pop-up-plays-vote-for-the-line. The Bob Levinson Trio in Middlebury. Saturday, Faculty dance concert at Middlebury College. March 19, 6 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. Saturday, March 19, 8 p.m., Mahaney Center for Special kids’ story time in Lincoln. Cooie DeFrancesco in Middlebury. Saturday, March the Arts. Samples of faculty choreography, featurFriday, March 18, 10:30 a.m., Lincoln 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 51 Main. ing works by Christal Brown, Scotty Hardwig, hi8us in Middlebury. Saturday, March 19, 9 p.m., Two Library. Illustrator Bethany Farrell will visit to Tzveta Kassabova and Katie Martin. Tickets read a book that she illustrated. Also, puppets, snack Brothers Tavern. $12/$10/$6, available at www.middlebury.edu/arts or and craft. Info: 453-2665. Beth Duquette and Richard Ruane in New Haven. 802-443-3168. “UnSlut: A Documentary Screeningâ€? in Middlebury. Friday, March 25, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Peak Vineyard. Friday, March 18, 12:45 p.m., Town Hall Theater. “Songs and Ariasâ€? at Middlebury College. Saturday, Paul Asbell Jazz Group in Middlebury. Friday, March March 19, 8 p.m. Mahaney Center for the Arts, Free screening of a documentary on sexual shaming. 25, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Robison Hall. Students present a variety of songs, Free. Refreshments provided. Info: 802-382-9222 or The Remedy in Middlebury. Friday, March 25, 9 p.m., duets and arias, ranging from the Baroque era to www.townhalltheater.org. Two Brothers Tavern. the present. Accompanied by Cynthia Huard and DuPont Brothers in Middlebury. Saturday, March 26, Caregiver group in Lincoln. Friday, March 18, 1-2 Annemieke Spoelstra McLane on piano. Free. Info: p.m., Lincoln Library. Support group for anyone who 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. www.middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168. is caring for another person, whether long distance or The Grift in Middlebury. Saturday, March 26, 9 p.m., Francesca Blanchard in concert in Bristol. Saturday, close by. Info: 453-2665. Two Brothers Tavern. March 19, 8-10:30 p.m., Walkover Gallery and Caleb Elder and Brett Hughes in New Haven. Friday, Lenten ďŹ sh fry in Bristol. Friday, March 18, 5-7 p.m., Concert Room. Part of the Walkover’s Cabin Fever St. Ambrose Church. Seventeenth annual Lenten April 1, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Peak Vineyard. Series. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Info ďŹ sh fry. All-you-can-eat meal includes fried or baked and reservations: 802-453-3188, ext. 2. haddock, French fries, coleslaw, beverage and
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 9A
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t 'PDVTFE $BSF o 0OF 1BUJFOU BU B 5JNF t (FOUMF 1SFDJTF /VNCJOH XJUI The WandŽ – /0 .03& #*( /&&%-&4 t $SPXOT #SJEHFT $MFBOJOH &YBNT 'JMMJOHT %FOUVSFT &YUSBDUJPOT t *O /FUXPSL GPS $#" #MVF %FMUB %FOUBM Dr. Jim Cossaart & sta
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Board Member Spotlight Steve Smith “I love this connection to an organization that can make a real difference in participants’ lives...especially young lives! Some A.C.P.C.C. Stats: • Addison County has the lowest teen pregnancy rate in VT. • Addison County has the lowest rate of low birth weight babies in VT- 4.8 for Addison vs. 6.9 for VT, and NONE were born to teens in Addison County. • 100% of Addison County pregnant teens received early regular pre-natal care in 2008.
acpcc@sover.net • addisoncountypcc.org • 388-3171
Planning for your death or possible dissability is NOT as hard as you think.
FRIDAY
dessert. Adults $12.50, children 9 and under $6, immediate family of ďŹ ve $37. Info: 453-2488. Exhibit opening and artist talk in Middlebury. Friday, March 18, 5-7 p.m., Vermont Folklife Center. Celebrating the opening of “Life Under the Shadow: Paintings by Hom Pradhan.â€? Pradhan will talk about his art and about being born and raised in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal. Exhibit runs through July 31. Table of Grace free meal in Vergennes. Friday, March 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Vergennes Congregational Church. Meals are held the fourth Friday of the month. This month’s menu: lasagna, salad, bread and dessert. Faculty dance concert at Middlebury College. Friday, March 18, 8 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts. Samples of faculty choreography, featuring works by Christal Brown, Scotty Hardwig, Tzveta Kassabova and Katie Martin. Tickets $12/$10/$6, available at www.middlebury.edu/arts or 802-4433168. Also on March 19.
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SATURDAY
Green Mountain Club hike in Ripton. Saturday, March 19, Watertower Trails, time TBA. The GMC Bread Loaf Section offers a 3- to 4-mile hike, lasting 2 to 3 hours, from the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail area. Moderate difďŹ culty with 500-foot elevation gain. Bring poles, water, snacks and, if needed, crampons or snowshoes.
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All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast in Addison. Sunday, March 20, 7-11 a.m., Addison Fire Station. Plain and blueberry pancakes, sausage, bacon, home fries, coffee, hot chocolate and orange juice. Adults $6, kids under 12 $4. Funds raised will be used to purchase equipment for the Addison Volunteer Fire Department. Info: 759-2237. Family breakfast in Hancock. Sunday, March 20, 8-9:30 a.m., Hancock Town Hall, 1097 VT Route 100. Hosted by the Community Church of Hancock and Granville. Donations taken. “Scouting for Foodâ€? community breakfast in Orwell. Sunday, March 20, 8-10:30 a.m., Orwell Town Hall. Cub Scout Pack 108 of Orwell and Benson will serve an all-you-can-eat breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast, home fries, hash, fresh fruit salad, coffee and orange juice. Please bring two nonperishable food items per person, to be donated to the Whiting Food Shelf. Info: 802-9893760 or jtester22@aol.com. “In Pace, Incomplete: Mozart Requiemâ€? at Middlebury College. Sunday, March 20, 3 p.m., Mead Chapel. The Middlebury College Choir and instrumentalists present the ďŹ rst parts of Mozart’s Requiem in D. Free. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168. Very Hungry Caterpillar Day event in Middlebury.
ONGOINGEVENTS
By category: Farmers’ Markets, Sports, Clubs & Organizations, Government & Politics, Bingo, Fundraising Sales, Dance, Music, Arts & Education, Health & Parenting, Meals, Art Exhibits & Museums, Library Programs. SPORTS Co-ed volleyball in Middlebury. Pick-up games Monday, 7-9 p.m., Middlebury Municipal Gym. Jack Brown, 388-2502; Bruce at Middlebury Recreation Department, 388-8103. CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS ACT (Addison Central Teens). Drop-in hours during the school years: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 3-6 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 3-7 p.m. 94 Main St. (Middlebury Town OfďŹ ce building), below rec. gym. Teen drop-in space for kids. Hang out with friends, play pool, watch movies, and eat great food. Baking: every Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. Info: 388-3910 or www.addisonteens.com. Addison County Amateur Radio Association. Sunday, 8 p.m. On the air on club repeater 147.36/147.96 MHz, 100 Hz access tone. Nonmembers and visitors welcome. Addison County Emergency Planning Committee. Last Wednesday, 5 p.m. State Police Barracks. Public invited. Addison County Republican Party. Third Friday, 7 p.m., Ilsley Library, Middlebury. 897-2744.
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PAGE 10A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
calendar
When it comes to fear, look in both directions
Taking turns PIANIST MARIA JOÃO Pires and her protégé Julien Brocal, performing alternately, will play four Beethoven sonatas at Middlebury College’s Mahaney Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 12 at 8 p.m.
Photo by Milos Popovic
ONGOINGEVENTS
(Continued)
American Legion Auxiliary Post 27. Fourth Monday, 7 p.m. American Legion, Wilson Road, Middlebury. Addison County Council Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Fourth Tuesday, noon-1:30 p.m. Addison County Courthouse in Middlebury. 388-9180.
Brandon Lions Club. First and third Tuesday, 7 p.m., Brandon Senior Center. Brandon Senior Citizen Center. 1591 Forest Dale Road. 247-3121. Bristol Historical Society. Third Thursday, 7 p.m., Howden Hall, 19 West St., Bristol. Champlain Valley Fiddlers’ Club. Middlebury VFW, 530 Exchange Street. Third Sunday (except Easter), noon to 5 p.m. Donation $3. Refreshments available. Looking for fiddlers young and old. Open to public. Info: 342-0079. The Hub Teen Center and Skatepark. 110 Airport Drive, Bristol. Open mike night, first Thursday of the month, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free for all ages; reserve a spot at thehub@gmavt.net. Info: 453-3678 or www.bristolskatepark. com. LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer). Youth support group meets Monday nights, 4-6 p.m., Turningpoint Center, Marble Works, Middlebury. Info: 388-4249. Middlebury Garden Club. Second Tuesday. Location varies. Pat Morrow, 802-462-3741. NEAT (Northeast Addison Television) Channel 16. Fourth Monday, 5-7 p.m. NEAT studio in Bristol. Bruce Duncan, bduncan@madriver.com. Neshobe Sportsman Club. Second Monday, 6 p.m. potluck; 7 p.m. meeting. 97 Frog Hollow Road in Brandon. Otter Creek Poets. Open poetry workshop held Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. Ilsley Library in Middlebury. Poets of all ages are invited to share their poetry for feedback, encouragement and optional weekly assignments. Bring a poem or two to share (plus 20 copies). Led by David Weinstock. Free. Orwell Historical Society. Fourth Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Orwell Free Library. PACT (People of Addison County Together). Third Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Vermont state office building on Exchange St. in Middlebury, Health Department conference room. 989-8141. Salisbury Historical Society. First Saturday, 9:30-10:45 a.m. Salisbury Congregational Church. Samaritan’s Cupboard. Assembly of God Christian Center, 1759 Route 7, Vergennes. Third Thursday through October. Vergennes Lions Club. First and third Wednesday, 6:45 p.m., American Legion. Club address: PO Box 94, Vergennes, VT 05491. Info: President Tim Cowan, 877-2382. Vergennes Rotary Club. Tuesday mornings, 7:15-8:30 a.m., Champlain Valley Christian School, 2 Church St. Breakfast served at 7:15 a.m. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS Addison Peace Coalition. Saturday, 10:30-11 a.m. Triangle Park in Middlebury. Citizens for Constitutional Government in Bridport. Thursday, 7-9 p.m. Bridport Community School. Learn about the U.S. and Vermont constitutions and how to defend our rights. Five-Town Area Vigil for Peace. Friday, 5-5:30 p.m. Bristol green. All welcome to speak out for world peace. Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Mobile Service Van. Second and fourth Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Every Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Addison County Courthouse, in Middlebury. The van offers written exams, customer service and road tests. 828-2000.
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AWOR K
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BINGO American Legion Hall, Middlebury. Wednesday. Doors open 5:30 p.m. with early birds. Jackpot $3,000. Food available. Benefits veterans, scholarships and community programs. 388-9311.
WELLNESS CENTER
A Center for Independent Health Care Practitioners “Wellness is more than the absence of illness.” 50 Court St • Middlebury, Vt 05753 Jim Condon ................... 388-4880 or 475-2349 SomaWork
Brandon Senior Center, Brandon. First and third Mondays. 6 p.m. Refreshments sold. 247-3121. Brandon American Legion. Tuesday, warm-ups 6:15 p.m., regular games 7 p.m. Food available, complimentary hot tea and coffee. Info: 247-5709. VFW Post 7823, Middlebury. Monday. Doors open 5 p.m., quickies 6:15 p.m., regular bingo 7 p.m. 388-9468. FUNDRAISING SALES Bixby Memorial Library Book Sale, Otter Creek Room, 258 Main St., Vergennes. Starting April 18, 2015: Monday-Friday, 2-4:30 p.m. (Thursday, 2-6:45 p.m.); and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Proceeds support library programs and materials. Ilsley Public Library Book Sale. First Saturday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Vermont Room. Ongoing sale in The Last Word during library hours. Info: 388-4095. St. Peter’s Closet in Vergennes. Behind St. Peter’s. Open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two Brothers Tavern’s Charitable Mondays. First Monday. 10 percent of entire day’s proceeds go to designated charity. MEALS Bristol senior luncheon. First Thursday, noon, First Baptist Church of Bristol. Suggested donation $4. 453-5276. Free Community Lunch in Middlebury. Summer: Mondays-Thursdays at the Charter House, 27 North Pleasant St. (just north of the Middlebury Inn). 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Eat in or take out. Supported by area churches. Free Community Supper in Middlebury. Fridays, 5-6:15 p.m. Congregational Church Fellowship Hall. Meals provided by over 35 different groups. Info: 388-7634 or 388-7613. CVAA Senior Meals: Bridport: Grange Hall Community Room. Noon meal on Monday and Wednesday. Evening meals on second and fourth Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Reservations: Michelle Eastman at 1-800-642-5119 x615. Transportation by ACTR: 388-1946. Bristol: American Legion. Noon meal on Wednesday. Barb Prime, 1-800642-5119, ext. 603. Free transportation: ACTR, 388-1946. Middlebury: Russ Sholes Senior Center. Noon meal on Tuesday and Friday, except for the first Friday when a special noon meal is served at the VFW on Exchange Street. Tracy Corbett, 1-800-642-5119 Ext. 634. Free transportation: ACTR, 388-1946. Vergennes: Vergennes Senior Center. Noon meal on Tuesday and Thursday. Michelle Eastman at 1-800-642-5119, ext. 615. Free transportation: ACTR, 388-1946. Bristol Libanus Lodge, F&AM Breakfast. Second Sunday, 7:30-10:30 a.m. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast, home fries, juice, coffee and tea. Buffet. $6. Benefits local charities. Middlebury Congregational Church Community Supper. Friday, 5-6:15 p.m. Free. 388-7634. Starksboro senior luncheon. Fourth Thursday, 11:30 a.m., January-October, Starksboro First Baptist Church. 453-6354 or mtgazette@earthlink.net. Vergennes Masonic Lodge Breakfast. Last Sunday, 7:30-10 a.m. Pancakes, French toast, home fries, eggs, bacon, sausage and beverage. All you can eat. Adults $6; children $3. Benefits the lodge’s charitable donations. VFW Fish Fry in Middlebury. Third Friday, 4-6 p.m., Men’s Auxiliary, VFW Post 7823, Exchange Street. $9 per person. Proceeds to benefit the post’s charitable donations. VFW Fish Fry in Vergennes. Second Friday, 5-7 p.m., Sons of the American Legion, VFW Post 14, Armory Lane. $10 per person. Haddock, fries, coleslaw and cash bar.
Go online to see a full listing of ONGOINGE V E N T S
www.addisonindependent.com
In this political season, I’ve Days will never return. been thinking a lot about fear. The historian in me doubts How it is deployed. How it that the Good Old Days ever is manipulated. How it can existed, while the idealist in squeeze us into being much me indeed wonders whether less than who we really are. our country is going down Some fears are based on a the drain. The worrier in me constellation of facts that is relieved that our television suggests that we really ought barely works and that my radio to be afraid — “I’m here and stays largely tuned to VPR. No that peeved-looking lion is exposure to advertising? No sitting right over there.” More accumulation of fear. often, our fears are hyperbolic But the me that encomconjectures — “I’ve given passes the historian, the idealthis kind of talk hundreds of ist and the worrier can step times, but this time I know back and find it all rather I’m going to forget everyfascinating. What fears should Ways of Seeing we pay attention to and what thing I know, freeze on stage and probably die of a heart should we ignore? What By Rebecca Kneale Gould fears attack.” fears do others seem to want Once the fears kick in, us to have and why? If we can however, it scarcely matters whether they pause to notice our fears and to inquire about are based on fact or fiction because fear itself what fuels them (for me, it is often the phrase feels the same, no matter what the source “What if?”), then we can begin to confront or rationale: a cold tightening of the belly, a and dismantle them. quickening of the heart, dry mouth, sweaty I don’t mean to imply, however, that the palms. Yikes, it makes my blood pressure way to deal with our fears is simply to “look shoot up a bit just writing about what fear within” and deconstruct them. For it is also feels like. So let’s just pause and take a deep the case that we live in a world where a culture breath, shall we? of fear is often used to produce certain results: to garner a vote, to hold sway at a meeting, to There. Good. A little pausstifle workers’ objections to ing and breathing never fails the way a business is being ur bodily to deliver. At least that’s true run. Politicians can and do responses use fear to influence the for me. It helps me to notice what’s actually going on. Is vote. Corporate CEOs can to fear this fear realistic? Has that and do use fear to get their fear become a habit? If I are great to have employees to do more of X created a fear, and invited it on board when and say less about Y. in, how might I ask it kindly In these cases, we don’t we actually to leave? need to question ourselves Now I can certainly think have to run. But as much as we need to of times when my fears raise questions of others. In were undeniably based on when our fears these cases, we are called to real threats. One summer, are less concrete confront the political tradiwhen I was in my 20s, I was tions, economic structures hiking on an open moun- and running and cultural habits that tain ridge when a storm doesn’t help, allow some of us to deploy swept in, seemingly out of fear to manipulate others of that’s when the nowhere. The electricity in us. While it is good to look the air quickly became so ulcers happen. within, it is also crucial to pronounced that the air itself look “out there.” With prachad acquired a flinty taste and smell. The tice, we can discern just where and how we alpine hut I was headed toward stood about should direct our gaze. a half-mile away from me, clearly visible, but When I told a friend that I was going to write doll’s house sized. this month’s column on fear, he instantly got The probability of being struck by light- a twinkle in his eye and asked, “What about ning was likely still mathematically low, but surprise? You know, fear and surprise.” the conditions for lightning were ripe indeed. “Of course,” I replied without missing In this scenario, our evolutionary responses a beat. “Fear. Fear and surprise. Fear and to fear served me very well. Adrenaline? I’ll surprise and …” have a double. I have never hiked so fast. I got By the time we got to the phrase “and to the hut in no time, completely freaked out, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope,” but otherwise unscathed. we were laughing so hard we could barely As Robert Sapolsky explains in “Why breathe, as any pair of Monty Python fans Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers,” our bodily would be (if this isn’t you, don’t worry, but responses to fear are great to have on board consider Netflix). when we actually have to run. But when our The upshot of this little meditation on fear? fears are less concrete and running doesn’t First, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, help, that’s when the ulcers happen. so it’s good to stay on your toes. Second, When I think about American politics right when the fears come knocking at your door, now, I find myself wondering whether our it always helps to laugh. nation is doubled-over from ulcers caused by Rebecca Kneale Gould is a writer, the manufactured fears that political advertis- scholar of religion and Senior Lecturer ing loves to create and exploit. These are often in the Environmental Studies program at fears of people “Not Like Us” who will “Take Middlebury College. She tends — and learns Our Jobs.” Or they are fears that our country a great deal from — a small flock of sheep in is going down the drain and that the Good Old Monkton.
O
wellness
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Caryn Etherington ................... 388-4882 ext. 3 Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Nancy Tellier, CMT ......................... 388-4882 ext. 1 Therapeutic Massage, CranioSacral Therapy, Ortho-Bionomy®, Soul Lightning Acupressure Donna Belcher, M.A. ............................ 388-3362 Licensed Psychologist - Master, Psychotherapy & Hypnosis Charlotte Bishop ....................... 388-4882 ext. 4 Therapeutic Soft & Deep Tissue ...or 247-8106 Neuro Muscular Reprogramming JoAnne Kenyon, NCTMB, LMT(NM)..... 388-0254 Be your best! Energy Balancing: Brennan Healing Science®, Quantum Touch®, Matrix Energetics®. Relaxing Integrative Massage. www.joanne.abmp.com
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Donna Belcher, M.A., psychologist-master, has been in private practice in Vermont for 34 years. She has felt privileged to work with a wide variety of people. She has experience with such challenges as: depression, anxiety, grief, chronic illness, divorce, caregiver burnout, work stress, mid life transitions and developing a deeper connection with creativity and life purpose.
If you’d like to be listed in this Wellness Directory, call Pam at 388-4944.
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Karen Miller-Lane, N.D., L.Ac. .............. 388-6250 Naturopathic Physican, Licensed Acupuncturist, CranioSacral Therapy. Ron Slabaugh, PhD, MSSW, CBP........ 388-9857 The BodyTalk™ System Irene Paquin, CMT 377-5954 or 388-4882 ext.1 Integrative Energy Work & Therapeutic Massage. Ortho-Bionomy® & Reiki Master Robert Rex................................. (802) 865-4770 Certified Rolfer™, Movement Educator
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 11A
ND
AROU
Goings on
TOWN
Something special going on in your send it in! life? Send it in at:
Does your group or organization have something happening that’sAddison appropriateIndependent for the calendar? We want Box 31 please, send to hear about it! If P.O. you have a picture, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 that too. Pictures and text may be emailed to: or email it to: news@addisonindependent.com news@addisonindependent.com
‘Pop-Up’ plays return for third year MIDDLEBURY — Town Hall Theater’s Pop-Up Plays return to Middlebury on Saturday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. with a fresh crop of never-before-seen plays. The process of creating Pop-Up Plays is simple: Six playwrights stay up all night writing a 10-minute play, based on photos of their actors (many of whom they’ve never met) and random instructions called “curveballs.” The next morning, the hot-off-thepress scripts are given to 17 local actors and six courageous directors to rehearse and memorize in 10 hours. Whatever they come up with premieres in front of a live audience that evening. The entire process — from the first playwrights’ meeting to the curtain falling on the final play — takes 24 hours. Last year’s wildly comic plays featured a portal to another universe, a demon, Thomas Pynchon, endof-life care, and a cross-dressing criminal. What will this year bring? No one knows — not even the playwrights.
“My goal here is to get those creative juices flowing by asking everyone to do the impossible,” says Pop-Up creator and producer Haley Rice. “Playwrights might come in with an idea about what play they’re going to write, but because of the curveballs, they have to include something like a hospital gurney and a character who speaks in Farsi, and suddenly the whole equation changes.” Past curveballs have included “give a character an accent then make them lose that accent,” “include five glasses of water,” and “include a slap and a kiss.” This year’s Pop-Up Play participants have been through this madness before, some in different roles. Past playwright Chris Caswell is directing this year. Former director Jordan Gullikson is a playwright. Past playwrights Jessie Raymond, Dana Yeaton and Geeda Searfoorce return. Raymond’s Pop-Up Play from last year was a semifinalist in a recent national 10-minute play competition. In between Pop-Up Plays,
Raymond also wrote a one-act play that premiered at Town Hall Theater last November. “It’s inspiring to know that Pop-Ups have a life past the one day, and that the playwrights continue to write and grow,” Rice said. This year’s theme, “Roll With It” means that each play must incorporate something that rolls. As with last year, the audience will be able to vote on a line that must be included in each play. Last year’s winner was “No you fool, don’t go in there!” “It was great to see how the audience reacted when they heard the line,” Rice said. “It was also fascinating to see how differently each playwright used the line. It became this running joke through the evening and we were all in on it.” To vote for this year’s line, visit www.townhalltheater.org/ pop-up-plays-vote-for-the-line/. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at townhalltheater.org, by calling 802-382-9222 or in person at the THT box office MondaySaturday, noon-5 p.m.
Shoreham nurse sparks relief drive SHOREHAM — Two months ago, the Shoreham Congregational Church met Jade Blodgett, a nurse and Shoreham resident who explained her involvement with a medical mission to Honduras in March. The church took the challenge, titled “Hygiene for Honduras,” of filling a suitcase with basic hygiene supplies like soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, sunscreen and lip balm, as well as old eyeglasses. Suitcases were placed at the church and in the Platt Memorial Library in Shoreham. Blodgett reports that over 600 items were donated. Her mission team will sort and organize all supplies donated to create “hygiene packs,” containing one of each of the basic hygiene supplies. Their goal is to give a hygiene pack to each person in Honduras who comes to their clinic during their JADE BLODGETT OF Shoreham displays some of the 600-plus items colweek-long mission. Their clinic lected in a “Hygiene for Honduras” challenge that was held at the Shoreham will also conduct special dental Congregational Church and Platt Memorial Library recently. Blodgett is part hygiene classes for children. of a team that will bring the items on a mission trip to Honduras this month.
EASTVIEW AT MIDDLEBURY Health and Wellness Committee residents Roberta Coffin, left, Lois Alberts and Betsy Lane (far right) assist volunteer John Klinck in measuring walking distances in and around the EastView campus to encourage local walking in addition to the activities of the Hiking Group. Photo by Sherry Klinck
EastView residents measure walks MIDDLEBURY — By using an old fashioned measuring wheel, new-fangled GPS, and a pedometer, residents at the EastView at Middlebury retirement community last month measured a wide variety of walkways and trails in Middlebury. They started by measuring the long hallways in the part of the facility called the “Inn,” so that residents who cannot get outside in bad weather can still get walking exercise. Then they measured the streets and pathways on the EastView
campus. Then, since so many of the residents walk into town, members of the Health and Wellness Committee measured the distance to the Main Street traffic circle, Ilsley Library, etc. “Part of the Trail Around Middlebury is not very far from EastView, so we measured part of that,” said EastView representative Sherry Klinck. The Health and Wellness Committee has met with very positive response from the facility’s Long Range Planning Landscape
Committee, which has agreed to connect some existing walkways so they will have “loops” where residents can take a pleasant stroll. They will be wheelchair accessible. The committee is unsure how many miles of walkways, sidewalks and trails they have cataloged. “Lots and lots,” Klinck said. “Our goal is to encourage our residents at all levels to get exercise and get it outside as much as possible,” she added. “It is not a competition, just an opportunity, and one in which many residents are involved.”
Nominations sought for environmental award given to wildlife advocates VERMONT — Seeking to recognize a leading Vermont environmentalist and honor the legacy of a legendary wildlife advocate, Green Mountain Power last week put out a call for nominations for the 2016 GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award. Named for the famed osprey advocate Meeri Zetterstrom, the GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award is presented annually to one person, business, group or non-profit to honor a significant contribution to Vermont’s environment. It is accompanied by a $2,500 donation to the winner’s environmental cause. “There are so many Vermonters who make substantial and unique
contributions to Vermont’s environment everyday, many inspired by Meeri,” GMP President and CEO Mary Powell said. “The 2016 award will recognize one of those efforts, and help continue Meeri’s legacy by honoring her amazing and inspiring commitment.” Zetterstrom, a cantankerous and passionate wildlife advocate, began what became a statewide initiative to restore endangered ospreys in Vermont in the late 1980s. Her vision, collaboration and leadership prompted utilities, the state and private landowners to work together, and ultimately lead to the resurgence of ospreys over the next 20 years. In 2005, shortly before she died, ospreys were removed from the
Be sure to check out the fliers in our paper this week!
Great information from:
•Sears •Home: Living Green A special publication of the Addison Independent
endangered species list, and plans for the Zetterstrom Award began. GMP Vice President Steve Costello worked closely with Zetterstrom, who inspired and fed his passion for birds and the environment. “It was impossible to spend any time with Meeri without being affected by her drive and energy,” Costello said. “She was incredibly focused and fervent about osprey recovery. She never accepted defeat, instead facing every obstacle the same way — as a challenge to overcome, a problem to be resolved. Her determination is the single, biggest reason we have ospreys in Vermont today.” Zetterstrom lived in a small cabin
with a bird’s-eye view of Lake Arrowhead, and was among the first to notice when a couple of ospreys returned to fish the lake’s waters after their near extinction in Vermont in the 1940s. Starting at Zetterstrom’s behest in 1988, artificial nesting platforms, buffer zones and educational materials were used to give the birds a fighting chance at recovery. Past Zetterstrom Award recipients include Sally Laughlin, a leading wildlife advocate and scientist whose work was instrumental in restoring three species of endangered birds in Vermont; Michael Smith, the founder of Rutland’s Pine Hill Park; Margaret Fowle, who led Vermont’s
SENDITIN: Free Tax Assistance Sponsored by RSVP, AARP, and The United Way of Addison County
This tax season, RSVP and the United Way of Addison County will be offering two free programs to help you file your taxes! RSVP will have AARP-trained and certified volunteers available to prepare state and federal income tax returns and answer tax questions for low and middle-income residents of Addison County. Special attention will be given to those age 60 and older. Appointments will be available at the Bixby Library in Vergennes, the Bristol Rescue Squad and the Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association. The United Way will have My Free Taxes volunteers available to guide people of all ages through the process of filing their taxes electronically. This service is free for anyone whose income is less than $62,000. My Free Taxes appointments will be available at the United Way of Addison County in Middlebury. For more information, please go to: www.unitedway.org/myfreetaxes
Safe, secure, easy and free!
INDEPENDENT
VERMONT’S TWICE-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middlebury, VT 05753 • (802) 388-4944 • www.AddisonIndependent.com
Nominations may be made by the nominee or by any other entity, and should demonstrate a commitment of the nominee to benefit Vermont, its land, air or water, wildlife, or the enjoyment of the outdoors by others. This may be through educational efforts, environmental stewardship, resource rehabilitation, protection or preservation, or conservation. The award is intended to support environmental protection and inspire individuals to benefit Vermont’s environment. Vermonters of any age may be nominated. For a nomination application and more information, visit www.greenmountainpower.com/community/programs/ gmp-zetterstrom-environmental-award.
news@addisonindependent.com
To learn which program is best for you, or to schedule an appointment –
ADDISON COUNTY
peregrine falcon restoration program; the Lake Champlain Committee, which works to protect and improve Lake Champlain; Kelly Stettner, who founded the Black River Action Team in southern Vermont; and Roy Pilcher, founder of the Rutland County Chapter of Audubon. Nominations for the GMPZetterstrom Environmental Award will be accepted through March 15, and the winner announced in the spring. The winner will be chosen by a panel of GMP employees with responsibilities related to land management, resource protection, community relations and education, and environmental compliance.
Call us at 398-0004
United Way of Addison County 48 Court Street, PO Box 555 Middlebury, VT 05753 unitedwayaddisoncounty.org
PAGE 12A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
Salisbury NEWS
SALISBURY — Tuesday, March 15, the rabies clinic will be held at the town office from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Also that evening at 7 p.m. there will be a public hearing at the town office concerning the replacement of the Maple Street bridge. On Thursday, March 31, from 6 to 6:45 p.m. there will be a meeting at the Salisbury school for parents whose children will be 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 1 to learn about the preschool program in Salisbury. Please RSVP to Donna Simpson at
Have a news tip? Call Mary Burchard at 352-4541
352-4291. You will need to bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate and immunization record. The Salisbury Public Library will hold a seed exchange on Thursday, March 10, at 7 p.m. Molly Kennedy will talk about the Seed Saver program. We have many kinds of heirloom seeds available at the library, all free. The only cost is to collect seeds from your plants at the end of the summer to return to the collection at the library.
Dining
andEntertainment
The 13th Annual North Branch School Hockey Tournament
CHILI LOVERS CONVERGE on Middlebury’s Main Street during a past Vermont Chili Festival. This eighth annual festival — featuring over 50 kinds of chili — is this Saturday, March 12, starting at 1 p.m.
Independent file photo/John S. McCright
The North Branch School of Ripton would like to thank all of the sponsors of this year’s tournament. We could not have done it without them!
Annual chili festival to bring streets alive MIDDLEBURY — This Saturday, March 12, downtown Middlebury will close its streets to welcome thousands of visitors to the eighth annual Vermont Chili Festival. Beginning at 1 p.m., this popular event offers a festive party-like atmosphere with street performers, music, two after-parties and over 50 different kinds of chili to sample and enjoy. The entry fee to the event is $7 at the gate or $5 in advance
online at vtchilifest.com. Children ages 8 and under are admitted for free. A panel of guest judges will determine best and runner-up in each of the six categories: chicken, beef, pork, game, veggie and kitchen sink. The judges will also be deciding the overall third-, second- and firstplace chilies. All winners will receive cash prizes, including $1,000 for the champion.
Festivalgoers will also get to vote for their favorite chili, as well as for the booth they think is most creative. The winners of the “People’s Choice” and “Best Booth” awards will also receive cash prizes. Winners will be announced at the festival stage at 4 p.m. From there, everyone is invited to two different after-parties, happening at 51 Main and Two Brothers Lounge. Both parties are free and will feature
many local drink specials and live music from BandAnna (51 Main) and The Horse Traders (Two Brothers). Proceeds from the Chili Fest will benefit the community-building efforts of the Better Middlebury Partnership. Visit ExperienceMiddlebury.com to learn more about the Better Middlebury Partnership and other events they host throughout the year.
‘Lady in the Van’ is strange and intriguing The Lady in the Van; Running time: 1:44; Rating: PG-13 If “The Lady in the Van” is a strange movie, it is also an intriguing one. Billed in the opening credits by playwright Alan Bennett as “mostly a true story,” the story offered Bennett a rare chance to explore himself by creating two characters (both played beautifully by Alex Jennings). One is the man who lives life, the other is the writer in permanent collusion with his typewriter. Bennett No. 1, who is out in the real world acting in a play in the West End, is suddenly confronted with the arrival of Miss Shepherd who parks
Seedsheet
Hudson River VISUAL
her old wreck of a van in the driveway of his lovely row house on an equally appealing curving lane in a neighborhood of fellow intellectuals. Miss Shepherd is unfailingly curt and completely lacking in the niceties of conventional conversation. Bennett includes all the discomforting details of her daily life but stops short of calling the police to have her removed. The strange standoff between Miss Shepherd and Mr. Bennett lasts for 15 years and ends in a kind of stalemated acceptance — by both the men who are Mr. Bennett as well as by the neighborhood. What makes the story work is Alan Bennett’s own confu-
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TH E AT E R
OWN HALL
Merchants Row Middlebury, VT Tickets: 802-382-9222 www.townhalltheater.org
Sat 3/12 7:30pm $10
March PIES OF THE MONTH THE CATTLE DRIVE
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A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
The Beatles star in their feature film debut, one of the greatest rock-and-roll comedy adventures ever.
THE BENGSONS TOWN HALL THEATER
Abigail and Shaun (of Night Fires fame) Middlebury, Vermont seeks a with light up Town Hall Theater Technical director/ spine-tingling vocals, energetic harmonies and intense creativity. facilities manager
Applicants for this full-time, year round position should have the ability Fri 3/18 12:45pm Free to maintain and operate all theatrical systems (lighting, sound, projection), and have experience with set construction. Other responsibilities A DOCUMENTARY FILM include: facilitate load-ins, runs, strikes and turnarounds; provide This documentary examines the culture tech of for meetings receptions; sexual shaming and in America. Stay for acreate talk internship program and refreshments after in the fitechnical lm. theater; maintain building by making repairs or hiring contractors. A janitorial service will clean the building, but this individual will 3/19 7:30pm make sure that the Sat theater, studio$10 and gallery are ready each day for 3RD public use. This historic theater will ANNUAL re-open in July, 2008, so the position will be filled as soon as possible. Six fresh new 10-minute plays written, Limited benefits. Send cover letter and resume to: directed and performed in a day’s time. Douglas Anderson, Executive Director Town Hall Theater PO Box 128 Middlebury VT 05753 or email materials to danderson@townhalltheater.org
UNSLUT:
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sion about himself, so comically than what we are seeing. We wait for evident in Alex Jenning’s dual por- that, and when it comes in a moving trayal. Bennett once said in his own revelation, we realize how deeply much rewarded real life as we have been touched by playwright, “One obstacle the lady in the van and her always stopped me directreluctant protector. The ing films — namely, havdownside is that we wish ing to say, ‘Action!’ My we had seen it sooner and instinct would be to say, for longer. ‘Er, I think if everybody’s Maggie Smith is so sharp agreeable we might as well that she shows us exactly sort of start now — that is who Miss Shepherd is in if you’re ready.’” Mix that a quarter of the time spent reticence with a small bit dealing with it on-screen. of compassion and there We didn’t need more than stands the Mr. Bennett who an hour to watch Director tolerates — to his own con- By Joan Ellis Nicholas Hytner trying to fusion — the confounding draw humor from the filth Miss Shepherd. of self and surroundings. Surely only Maggie Smith could Smith, of course, hits a home run in have created a woman clinging to the final scenes, but frankly, by then her dignity in an uninterrupted flow we are exhausted. of mighty arrogance while living in The combination of the otherworldthe squalor Mr. Bennett shows us so ly talents of Maggie Smith and Alex clearly. And all the while, the sharp Jennings as they bring Alan Benintelligence peeking out from the nett’s “mostly true story” to bristling cracks tells there is more to this story life couldn’t possibly work in lesser
Movie Review
Refugee camp survivor conveys his life through collection of paintings MIDDLEBURY — Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury will hold an opening reception and artist talk on Friday, March 18, from 5-7 p.m. for “Life Under the Shadow,” a collection of paintings by artist Hom Pradhan, who was born and raised in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal. The exhibit runs through July 31. Through the pairing of acrylic paintings and audio excerpts, the exhibit reflects the young artist’s
experience growing up. As a child, Pradhan experienced challenging conditions among 120,000 refugees expelled from Bhutan. Despite these conditions, Pradhan found the incentive to make art, which helped him find and maintain peace and happiness within himself. Hom Pradhan began to paint and draw at the age of seven. As a teenager, while still in the Bhutanese refugee camp Goldhap, he completed the advanced course at the Institute of Fine Arts and Commercial Arts (IFACA). He then became a student instructor at the IFACA, where he taught fine arts, sculpture and commercial arts to other refugees. In late 2012 Pradhan was relocated to the United States, which presented a whole new set of challenges, including language barriers and cultural differences. His painting, however, has allowed him to navigate past these challenges as a visual, universally understood representation of a difficult time in his life. Pradhan, who lives in Winooski, is currently enrolled in an early college program at Burlington College where he is pursuing a four-year degree in fine arts. He plans to share the peace he has found in himself through his artwork with the communities that surround him. Pradhan says he and his family look forward to meeting guests at the opening. The Vision & Voice Documentary Workspace on the first floor of the Vermont Folklife Center headquarters building at 88 Main St. in Middlebury is ADA accessible. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 13A
Exhibit follows Reilly’s artistic path BRANDON — “The Girl with the Purple Hair: A Retrospective,” an exhibit by Brandon fiber artist Judith Reilly, opens at Compass Music and Arts Center in Brandon on Friday, April 1, with a reception from 5-7:30 p.m. It has been said that the child artist is the only true artist because they have an uncluttered path to their own intuitions. This perfect intuitive mind of a child has been a model that Reilly has tried to follow throughout her life. “The Girl with the Purple Hair,” the title for one of the award-winning artist’s transitional pieces, represents a side road, a turn she was impelled to take. This intuition (literally meaning “inner tutor”) The exhibit has guided her on many presents her such side work as she trips along has seen the way from it develop beginning as through each a traditional quilt maker chapter and side road and to becoming an indepenas it relates dent, whimto the “Twelve sical and Life Lessons sometimes for Creativity,” t h o u g h t which evolved p r o v o k i n g multimedia through artist. reflection Flash forof her own ward and artistic you will find the Brandon journey. artist in her studio creating representational, but not literal work; pieces that express both realistic and fantastic interpretations in a catawampus and quirky style. Making and creating for 50-plus years, Reilly has discovered a great deal about herself, creativity and life in general. As she looks back, she sees her life in stories, chapters, lessons and side roads. To her, it’s not really about the art. “It is about the life that evolves and unfolds that then creates the art. The artwork is just the evidence that you have lived and listened to the intuitions and followed through. The ideas are always developing within us. Life is the muse.” The exhibit at the Compass Music and Arts Center presents her work as she has seen it develop through each chapter and side road and as it relates to the “Twelve Life Lessons for Creativity,” which evolved through reflection of her own artistic journey. If you go back to that “sensitive child,” as she describes her youthful self, you will find a farmer’s child, one who loved the freedom of living in nature and playing alone, and who only ever wanted to make things — paper dolls, clothes for her Barbie, cookies, goofy drawings, and daisy chains — who learned to sew with her grandmother and was like a sponge, soaking up all that 4-H had to teach her, even then needing to create, to construct, to use her hands and fingers, her mind, instincts, and childlike curiosity; to be washed over with color and fiber and textures, to form and to shape, and to ask herself “What would happen if …?” The question “What would happen if …?” was what sparked her into the transitional phase. “I claim that I was a traditional quilt maker for 15 minutes,” she says. This may be a mild exaggeration, but as she explains: “After learning the basics of pattern design and construction, and slogging through yards and yards of uninspired fabric choices, boredom quickly set in. And when after making the first block for a 36- identical-block quilt, I declared, ‘I have already made that. I’m not making that again. What would happen if … ?’” So how do we clear the path and regain the magic of our genuine intuitive self? Reilly found some answers when she was asked 20 years ago to give a talk about her quilts. She was astounded at what she discovered when reviewing images of all her past work. She quickly began to recall all that she learned while creating each piece and discovered the lessons learned were actually the lessons of life. These lessons, which she has dubbed “The Twelve Life Lessons for Creativity,” proclaim that you should keep “what you think they think” out of your creative process; that if you are not having fun, you’re not doing it right; that you will need to kiss a lot of frogs; and that you should determine what is traditional, accepted and expected — and not do it. You may do foolish things, but you must do them with enthusiasm. The move she and her husband George made from Connecticut to Vermont in 2004 is when she officially “left the quilt maker behind,” She found herself in a flourishing arts community that embraced her as an artist. It was here that she reconnected with her inner child and let this intuitive child come out to play. She was inspired by all the artists she worked with and learned from, yet truly found her own voice as an artist. She played,
Bristol BRISTOL — Bristol Federated Church will hold Palm Sunday service on Sunday, March 20, at 10:15 a.m. at the church at 37 North St. across the street from the soon-to-beold fire station. Palms will be passed out to remind us of that first trek leading to Easter. On Thursday, March 24, at 6 p.m., we will share a potluck supper to celebrate Maundy Thursday. Please bring a dish to share. We will worship as we eat and close with Holy Communion. Area churches will gather at noon at St. Ambrose Catholic Church to celebrate Good Friday by carrying the cross around the park, then returning to the church to continue worship. There will be singing, time to reflect and a chance to give thanks as a community that our sin has already been
“THE GIRL WITH the Purple Hair” by fiber artist Judith Reilly lends its name to a new retrospective exhibition of her works at Compass Music and Arts Center in Brandon. The show opens on Friday, April 1, with a reception from 5-7:30 p.m.
doodled, experimented and made mistakes. She created what she wanted to create for herself, not for anyone else, and channeled her inner child by being enthusiastic, silly, timeless, fearless and passionately curious. A child’s approach to creativity is something she is quite familiar with, being a grandmother to four young children. How they know that every finger painting is a masterpiece and that it doesn’t matter what others think because to them it is perfect (because it is), brings things full circle for Reilly. These reflections reinforce that “The Twelve Life Lessons of Creativity” truly are lessons for inspired creating and living.
Reilly’s work has been shown in national and international exhibitions as well as in government offices. Her quilts have been awarded in several competitions internationally and across the U.S., and articles about the artist and images of her work have been published in books and magazines. Visit her website at www.judithreilly.com. Reilly will speak about her life and work at a gallery talk on Sunday, May 1, at 3 p.m. The exhibit runs through May 30. Compass Music and Arts Center is located at Park Village, 333 Jones Drive, in Brandon. For more information, visit www.cmacvt.org.
Rice High School names honor roll
SOUTH BURLINGTON — The following Addison County residents achieved honor roll status for the second quarter of ADDISON COUNTY the 2015-2016 acaSchool News demic year at Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington. First Honors: Caroline Carrara of Cornwall and Beatrice Shlansky of Ferrisburgh. Second Honors: Merle Beach of Vergennes, Sierra Combs of Lincoln, Carolyn Cutting of Ferrisburgh, Kristin DeGraaf of Vergennes, Chani Krech of Monkton, Elizabeth O’Hara of Ferrisburgh, Liam Peterson of North Ferrisburgh and Victoria Peyser of Monkton.
Have a news tip? Call Leslie Leggett at 453-2619. NEWS
paid in full. On Sunday, March 27, Easter sunrise service will be held at our sister church at the Monkton Friends Methodist Church on the Ridge. Worship will begin at 6:30 a.m. followed by breakfast. Bring your friends to the services to share the joys of the season. Have a Heart Food Shelf will offer food distribution at the 11 School St. entrance of the St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Friday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m. Hot soup will be available as well. For more information or to donate or volunteer, contact Rebecca at 453-3187 or Eldon at 453-3189. Bristol Historical Society will begin its spring and summer public events at Howden Hall on West Street across from the St. Ambrose Catholic
Hancock
Church. The meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public, and the building is handicap accessible. On Thursday, May 19, Mike Chesley will speak about the history of the cannon on the park. On Thursday, June 16, we will meet at Howden Hall and then carpool to New Haven to visit the Farnsworth antique collection. If you have never visited the Farnsworth collection and you enjoy antiques, don’t miss this opportunity. On Thursday, July 21, Elise Guyette will speak about the Lincoln Hill black community. The O’Neill property and family will be the topic for the Thursday, Aug. 18, meeting. Thursday, Sept. 15, will bring Jim Ross to speak about the Revolutionary War. The October meeting is yet to be determined.
Have a news tip? Call the Addison Independent at 388-4944. NEWS
HANCOCK — The Community Church of Hancock and Granville will be holding its Family Breakfasts on Sunday, March 13, and Sunday, March 20, at the Hancock Town Hall, 1097 VT Route 100 from 8-9:30 a.m. The public is invited. This is a donation event. The Friends of the Hancock Free Public Library will host a free movie event that is the first-ever documentary series about Vermont. They will screen Part Two of “Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie” at the Hancock Town Hall on Sunday, April 3, from 3-4:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A with one of the filmmakers.
This six-part collaborative documentary produced by several dozen Vermont-based filmmakers uses personal stories, rare footage, compelling interviews, and original reenactments to explore the history and contemporary culture of the Green Mountain State and tell how one small state has made a very big difference. Part Two, “Under the Surface,” explores labor wars, eugenics, the McCarthy era, and progressive Republicanism. The guest speaker will be Nora Jacobson, a critically acclaimed Vermont filmmaker, who led this project. Refreshments will be available.
PAGE 14A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
Scheu (Continued from Page 1A) Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, is rounding out her first term holding Middlebury’s second seat and is expected to run for re-election. An open seat often results in early, heightened interest from prospective candidates. A primary runoff election would be needed this August if three or more Democrats were to enter the race. The Addison-1 House district has failed to attract many Republican candidates of late. Middlebury has shown itself to be one of the “bluestâ€? House districts in the state. Scheu, 59, and her husband, Ted, moved to Middlebury from the Boston area 24 years ago. She arrived in Addison County with a wealth of experience in the world of finance. Scheu was a Bank of Boston executive who led hundreds of employees within the institution’s commercial lending department, which had a loan portfolio of around $130 million at the time. She moved on to the bank’s retail division, running a $3 billion operation with 500 employees and 42 branch locations around Boston. Scheu left Bank of Boston to join what was Bank of Vermont in Burlington, then moved on to jobs leading several Middlebury-based nonprofits. Specifically, her rĂŠsumĂŠ includes stints as manager of the Addison County Solid Waste Management District and interim director of the Middlebury Area Land Trust, before being appointed in 2008 to the job she currently holds: executive
director of the ACEDC. Her role with general. the organization has seen her help “It’s almost like another service I aspiring entrepreneurs secure loans can offer,� Scheu said. and grants to start up businesses. She will not need a map of the Scheu has also worked to woo new Statehouse. Scheu has made multiple businesses to Addison County in an trips to Montpelier during the past effort to expand the region’s tax base two decades to testify for various and workforce. causes, and has served on some If elected in November, Scheu legislative summer study committees, hopes to parlay her business acumen including one that dealt with the issue and experience into of awarding driver a plum committee “My focus is the ID cards to migrant assignment to workers. economy, but serve Middlebury Last year, Scheu residents. Based on the economy is agreed to serve on her background, she broad. Economic Vermont House would appear best development is Speaker Shap Smith’s suited to a spot on the a whole series economic advisory House Commerce & council. She has chaired of actions and Economic Development the Vermont Land Trust Committee. But policies and and the Vermont Smart she noted economic conditions that Growth boards. She development is not improve the serves on the Vermont just about promoting quality of life for Sustainable Jobs Fund and facilitating new the citizens of an Board, and served industries; it’s also for four years on the directly linked to other area.� state’s Working Lands — Robin Scheu Enterprise issues that routinely Board, make headlines under a panel that gives the Golden Dome, including technical assistance and other help to agriculture, health care and education. grow land-dependent businesses. “My focus is the economy, but “It ties into the notion of ‘smart the economy is broad,� Scheu said. growth,’ and sustainable development “Economic development is a whole at an appropriate scale,� Scheu said. series of actions and policies and “To me, the climate change issue conditions that improve the quality and working lands are two examples of life for the citizens of an area.� of how we, in Vermont, are proactive Plans call for Scheu to continue in trying to solve real problems and working as executive director of being creative.� the ACEDC, and she believes her Education, Scheu said, is a presence in Montpelier would be an major contributor to economic asset for the organization and for development. As such, she’s a big economic development interests in supporter of efforts to educate the
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state’s workforce, ranging from pre-K to post-secondary programs. She’s also a fan of Vermont’s vocational-technical centers. “I think the Hannaford Career Center has done a great job with the limited resources that they have,â€? Scheu said. “They created the meat cutters program and have a lot of other adult tech-ed things. “Not every job requires a college degree, and not everybody should got to college,â€? she added. “But everybody wants a good job, and the career center is a place where that can happen for a lot of people.â€? Scheu, a former chairwoman of the Mary Hogan Elementary School (ID-4) board, was pleased to see the school governance unification referenda pass in the Addison Central and Addison Northwest supervisory unions. “People put a lot of work into that,â€? she said. In addition to her service on the ID-4 board, Scheu has served locally as a member of Middlebury’s first conservation commission, and on a panel that during the mid-1990s looked at potential sites for a new municipal building and gym. The finishing touches are being put on those new buildings right now. And coincidentally, the new town offices are being built at the former siting committee’s preferred location (77 Main St.), according to Scheu. Other campaign issues that Scheu will be emphasizing during the coming months include: • Health care reform. “I believe people have a right to
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ROBIN SCHEU have affordable access to health care,â€? Scheu said. “How we do that is another story.â€? She would like to see the current system simplified. Scheu was, for a brief period, a consumer of the Canadian single-payer health care system and reported receiving “wonderful service,â€? and said she “can see the benefits of universal health care.â€? That said, she does not see an easy solution to the state — and nation’s — health care dilemma. “There’s no road map for changing to a new system,â€? Scheu said. “If there was a road map, we would have changed (health care systems) long ago.â€? • Making the upcoming rail
bridges replacement project in downtown Middlebury as painless as possible for local businesses, property owners, residents and shoppers. • The potential for a roundabout at the intersection of Route 7 and Exchange Street. Scheu plans to run a very active campaign and spend a lot of time talking to Middlebury residents about their priorities. “To have an opportunity to be in Montpelier to create, influence, impact policy that can help Middlebury is a pretty exciting thing to think about for me,â€? she said. “I like that a lot. I love this town. I have been here for 24 years. I want do what I can to keep it a great town.â€?
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MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Community Players are throwing a party and you’re invited. Their “Play Date� is happening on Wednesday, March 23, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. The Players want to get together with people interested in community theater. Anyone who has worked with Middlebury Community Players on past shows, or would like to work with them on future productions is encouraged to drop by Town Hall Theater for refreshments, conversation and even some surprise entertainment. Play Date will be a casual gettogether where people who are interested in acting, directing, designing, stage managing, costuming or work-
ing on a crew can come, ask questions, give suggestions, voice ideas, or just have a good time. For people who are curious about local theater, whether they’ve been involved or not, this is a great time to come out and meet people who share their interest. There will be no pressure, no fundraising, and no commitment demanded. The Middlebury Community Players is the oldest all-volunteer theater group in Addison County. They hope you’ll join them on the 23rd. Can’t make the Play Date? Find out about the Players by visiting www. middleburycommunityplayers.org and clicking Get Involved or About Us. If you have questions, email info@middleburycommunityplayers.org.
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Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 15A
ANeSU (Continued from Page 1A) An important part of the day’s proceedings will be a Q&A with ANeSU teachers, parents and other community members, at 4 p.m., at MAUHS. Throughout the day, said Stevens, those who meet with Reen, whether formally or informally, will also have an opportunity to provide written feedback, which Stevens will share later that evening with the ANeSU board. The ANeSU board will interview Reen in executive session at the supervisory union’s conference room, Monday night at 7 p.m., and then make its final decision. “It’s a pretty full day, and everyone will have a good look at who the candidate is and make their own impressions or form their own opinions on his strengths and/or any weaknesses,” said Stevens. SOLE FINALIST Reen was selected as finalist for the ANeSU superintendent position out of a nationwide search, offering a competitive annual salary range of $115,000-$120,000, that brought in a total of 14 applicants. Out of those, the committee had originally selected three semifinalists: Reen, a candidate from out of state, and another in-state candidate. All three had accepted semifinalist interviews with the search committee, but two of them dropped out — one days after being contacted, the other the night before the scheduled March 4 interviews. Still, said Stevens, it was up to the search committee to provide a rigorous interview of the remaining candidate and only elect to send him on as a finalist to the ANeSU board and wider community if they felt he was right for the job. After that interview, said Stevens, the committee unanimously voted to move Reen forward. Stevens noted that it’s not unusual for a single finalist to move ahead in the superintendent selection process. “In this day and age there are not a lot of superintendent candidates,” he said. “So it’s not unusual to go forward with one or two. Matter of fact,
ANeSU has just experienced its own tumultuous year in the leadership department. Prior to hiring former Vermont Secretary of Education Armando Vilaseca as interim superintendent last November, ANeSU came to a separation agreement with Superintendent David Adams, who came to the district in 2012. Stevens noted one factor that has historically made Vermont less attractive to potential superintendent candidates is the large number of boards and committees within supervisory unions, given that most local schools have each functioned as their own districts. At present, for example, there are a total of 14 boards and committees listed on the ANeSU website — and even that listing doesn’t include the numerous PATRICK REEN subcommittees formed last fall to for the last five years that I’ve been continue the work begun at the indoing these searches, it’s been get- tensive weekend of Relationship by ting more and common to have one Objective training done with federal — and two if you’re lucky, and occa- mediators. sionally three. So it’s not unusual to Most superintendents would rathhave one go forward. er put their time into It always feels a little being on the ground at “In this day uncomfortable, I think, schools rather than atand age there for people but the bottending meetings night tom line is the search are not a lot of after night, Stevens committee found him superintendent said. very worthy to go for- candidates. So “If you’re a leader, ward.” you really want to lead it’s not unusual Stevens’ observaa district and move to go forward tions as an educational them forward,” said consultant who’s fa- with one (finalist) Stevens. “It’s not that cilitated leadership … The bottom people don’t want to searches statewide line is the search work hard. People are has been borne out committee found willing to work, and by recent superintenthey get paid well … (Patrick Reen) dent searches at two But they also want to other local supervi- very worthy to go be leaders and not just sory unions. In 2014, forward.” answering questions for example, current — Consultant about minutes and Superintendent JoAn Robert Stevens agendas. So Act 46 will Canning was the sole hopefully minimize the finalist in Addison Northwest Super- number of meetings, the number of visory Union, after the two other nights out, so people can actually semifinalists dropped out. In Addi- work in schools instead of just being son Central Supervisory Union, it out every night.” took four searches over two years He expects the leadership talent before the Middlebury-area district pool to get deeper since the passage was able to hire current Superinten- of Act 46 last year, which is drivdent Peter Burrows, after deciding ing unification of many individual not to renew Lee Sease’s contract in school districts into single, pre-K to 2011. 12 districts. Voters in ANwSU and
ACSU both approved governance consolidation plans this month, which will dramatically reduce the number of board meetings for their superintendents. TRUST & COLLABORATION The ANeSU Superintendent Screening Committee itself brought together representatives from the united yet differing stakeholders: two high school students, three community members, five faculty members, three administrators and two school board members. Committee members worked hard, said Stevens, and were able to voice differences and work toward a common goal. “They asked some very deep questions, they were willing to debate with each other, and this group moved into a real trust level with each other quickly,” he said. “They showed some commonality in the sense of what they really felt Addison Northeast needed, but they also shared their differences and what they wanted and they were willing to speak to it. They were a very cohesive working group. It was easy for me to facilitate the process with them, and it was a good process.” Among its tasks, the committee took time to assess the supervisory union’s strengths, weaknesses and what it most wanted in a new superintendent. Stevens noted that the committee was looking for someone with high qualifications — “skill sets around technology and budgets and curriculum and those kinds of things” — but it also put the goal of finding someone who promoted collaboration and trust high on its list. “They wanted someone who was collaborative and could be a team player,” Stevens said. “They wanted someone who was going to be open and they could develop a high level of trust because of that openness.” All ANeSU teachers, parents and community members are encouraged to attend the 4 p.m. forum on Monday, March 14, in the Mount Abe large cafeteria. To learn more about Reen, you can find his résumé on the Superintendent Search Committee’s Agendas and Minutes page of the ANeSU website.
Reen (Continued from Page 1A) Throughout next Monday, help her that I thought, ‘That’s kind March 14, superintendent of a good feeling; maybe that’s candidate Patrick Reen will something that I want to be thinking about.’” visit ANeSU schools and meet Last Friday, Reen advanced with students, administrators as the sole finalist candidate for and central office staff. Addison Northeast Supervisory Teachers, parents and other Union superintendent. This comcommunity members are ing Monday, March 14, he will encouraged to attend an open visit all six ANeSU schools, hold a forum with Reen at 4 p.m. Q&A forum with teachers, parents that day in the large cafeteria and other community members at Mount Abraham Union at Mount Abe, and go before the Middle/High School in Bristol. ANeSU board for a formal interTo see Patrick Reen’s view. That evening the board will decide whether to offer Reen the résumé, go to the superintendent position or go back Superintendent Search to the drawing board (See story on Committee’s Agendas and Page 1A). Minutes page on the ANeSU For Reen, the desire to help others is part of what has motivated him to move from elementary tary School for a year, replacing school teacher to principal to — a teacher who was on a one-year quite possibly — school superin- leave of absence. Reen taught sixth grade at Bristol Elementary for six tendent. “It’s about helping kids,” he years, team teaching part of that said. “I got into education because time with colleague Andrea Murnane. Each had their own classroom I liked helping people. but walked across the As a classroom teachhall to teach special er, you can help in a “As a classroom really intensive way a teacher, you can subjects, with Murnane covering writing small number of kids. help in a really and Reen science and When you step into math. administration, it’s intensive way In 2008, Reen bea small number less direct with stucame assistant prindents but the number of kids. When cipal at MUMS and of students that you you step into then, with the abrupt can impact grows ex- administration, resignation of MUMS ponentially. So that is it’s less direct Principal Inga Duktig what is exciting to me. in March 2012, was “My influence on with students appointed acting prinmaking things happen but the number cipal for the remaintook a step up, moving of students der of that school year from classroom teach- that you can and interim principal er to assistant prin- impact grows for the next. In Janucipal. It took another ary 2013, Reen comstep moving from as- exponentially.” — Patrick Reen peted against 35 other sistant principal to applicants to win the principal. And I see MUMS principal poit similarly, moving from principal to superintendent. My close-knit sition, where he’s continued for the relationship with kids takes a step past three years. During his time at MUMS, Reen back, but my influence over the number of kids takes a big step for- also acquired a master’s degree in ward, and I can help more people.” The 37-year-old father of two is no stranger to Addison Northeast. Not only is Reen a Bristol resident with a child in fourth grade and a child in sixth grade at Bristol El*Dry Wood is heated in our Kilns ementary School, he taught sixth at 200º until the average moisture grade at Bristol Elementary early is down to 20-25% in his career. Reen came to BES in 2002, after getting his B.A. in Elementary Certified for and Special Education at Castleton Vermont Heat State College in 2001 and teaching Treatment third grade at Castleton Elemen-
Educational Leadership from the made when more voices get heard. University of Vermont. “I know some things, but when Reen recognizes that ANeSU I work with others collectively we has experienced much know a lot more,” contention and dis- “Education is a Reen said. “And I ruption over the past think when we can year and that it boasts people business really put our heads … And the only many stakeholders together and hear difwho have contributed way I know ferences of opinions, much to moving the to work with we can make decidistrict forward. He people is to build sions that are best for says that listening and kids. Sure, there are relationships collaboration are at times when the decithe heart of his leader- first.” sion has to be mine — Patrick Reen because of my posiship style. “Education is a peotional authority, but ple business,” said Reen. “It’s a more often than not I much prefer, business where people are the ser- as messy as it is, to engage in that vice provider, people are the cus- more collaborative decision-maktomer, and people are the product. ing because I think ultimately it It doesn’t get any more people-ori- produces decisions that are more ented than education. And the only durable and that are better for way I know to work with people is kids.” to build relationships first.” Reporter Gaen Murphree is at Reen continued, “That starts gaenm@addisonindependent.com. by listening because I think that what most people really want is to know that they’re being heard — genuinely being heard. And I think when decisions maybe don’t go the way folks wish they had gone but they know the process allowed for them to be heard, they can live with the decision, even when it’s not really what they thought was best. “So if you’ve built that relationship and you’ve made clear what your foundation is — so for me (that’s) what’s best for kids and I don’t mean that just as a cliché, anyone you would speak to here at MUMS would say that that’s really where I’m coming from — then when I make a decision and people know it’s coming from a place where it’s what I think is best for kids and they’ve been listened to and their thoughts have been accounted for, they can live with it” even when they disagree. Reen stressed that not only is he collaborative by nature, but he thinks that better decisions get
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Sunny exit AN ORWELL RESIDENT walks down the sun-filled stairwell in the Orwell Town Hall after voting on Town Meeting Day last week. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
ADDISON COUNTY
School News Briefs
County students on RIT fall dean’s list ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The following local residents made the dean’s list at Rochester Institute of Technology for the fall 2015-2016 semester. Jackson Radler of North Ferrisburgh, who is studying in the biomedical sciences program; Greta Krahn of Vergennes, who is studying
in the graphic design program; Emily Tichonuk of Vergennes, who is studying in the industrial design program; Kayla Weiss of Middlebury, who is studying in the international hospitality and service management program; and Jacob Lawson of Middlebury, who is studying in the mechanical engineering program.
PAGE 16A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016
WalkOver Gallery to exhibit local’s artwork
Ferrisburgh
BRISTOL — Linda Seiffert Reynolds, artist, art teacher and longtime Monkton resident, is exhibiting her paintings at the WalkOver Gallery during the months of February and March in a show titled “Years of Seasons.” There will be a gathering and reception for the artist on Sunday afternoon, March 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. The paintings, all watercolors except for one large pastel, “are meant to offer visual meditation,” through im-
(Continued from Page 1A) request to hold a town-wide Australian ballot on whether to accept the VGL infrastructure — including a new converter station — and compensation, once details of a deal between the VGL companies and the town have been worked out. But Gutowski said his selectboard and committee have not had negative feedback from Ferrisburgh residents, and although many details remain to be ironed out he can foresee the town and the companies reaching a deal. “I don’t see anything at this point that’s telling us that Ferrisburgh won’t be moving forward,” Gutowski said. There is also a key difference between Ferrisburgh and New Haven’s situations, he said. The line in Ferrisburgh would be entirely underground, while New Haven would host the above-ground converter station and already hosts a VELCO substation and more than its fair share of solar arrays, and Vermont Gas Co. is also proposing a facility there. “They have overload. I can understand where they’re coming from with all the things that are going on in their town, with VELCO and the solar panels and then this and Vermont Gas,” Gutowski said. “They’re having a utility overload, for sure. When you get right down to it in Ferrisburgh, once that project’s done, you’re not even going to know it happened.” PROJECT DETAILS If the VGL is built, the electricity would travel from Beekmantown, N.Y., by high-voltage, direct current cable to the converter station in New Haven, which would transform it into alternating current power and plug it into the nearby VELCO substation. The power is destined for markets in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. VGL officials hope that if the project can obtain its Certificate of Public Good and all other needed permits, construction could begin in late 2017 or early 2018 and be completed in about two years. Developers in December pledged to pay New Haven roughly $1 million annually and added a number of other enticements, including a $3 million fire station. At a November meeting in Ferrisburgh, VGL representatives said they would pay Ferrisburgh at least $350,000 a year for 20 years on top of an estimated $150,000 a year in local property taxes the project would generate, and left the door open for further negotiations. Gutowski said town and VGL officials have agreed that the line would not run under the traveled lanes of the roads involved — Kingsland Bay, Sand, Little Chicago and Botsford roads and Tuppers Crossing on the way to Route 7 from Kingsland Bay. Instead, the line would be installed along the shoulder. Two-foot-by-
ages of transient moments in nature. Intrigued by clouds, water, sky, layers of land, trees and mountains — subjects that are “momentary,” “shifting” and “glimpsed,” according to the artist — Reynolds finds daily inspiration in exploring how light affects these subjects and in so doing renders the ultimate subject, that of nature’s changing beauty. These moments shift with the time of day, time of year, and the time of
one’s perception. Reynolds chooses watercolors as the best medium with which to capture this immediacy and changeability. Educated at the Rhode Island School of Design, Reynolds uses, as part of her technique, the transparent quality that can be achieved with watercolors. “Paper, paint, brushes, and light conspire with my hand, eyes, and memory to create,” she says. “Paint-
ing is a way of slowing down and celebrating life reverently; even though watercolor painting itself goes quickly, it requires forethought, deliberation, and can’t easily be corrected.” Visitors are welcome during gallery hours, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The WalkOver Gallery is located at 15 Main St.t in Bristol. More information is at 802-4533188, ext. 2.
Porter (Continued from Page 1A) whether their compensation package of pediatrics and family practice; two is aligned with the long-term success in the hospitalist and family practice of the hospital.” departments who are leaving due to • “A comprehensive community family issues; and three in the fam- engagement process that includes ily practice and internal medicine de- both care-providers and the broader partments who are departing due to public.” an impending transition in the man• “A thorough explanation of the ner in which physicians will be com- current budget challenges and a more pensated. transparent and open budget process, Of the three incoming providers, with public access to financial the inone is joining the hospital and the formation needed to make informed other two are joining family prac- and prudent decisions.” tices. • “A clear articulation to ALL “The administration might have stakeholders of a broader strategic chosen a more inclusive path, one vision.” that would have helped the hospital’s McLaughlin and Norton, durkey stakeholders understand the rea- ing an interview at the Independent sons for the painful changes that were Wednesday morning, said PMC to come,” reads the letter, signed by should be able to fulfill all of the rearound 120 community members. quests except release of compensa“Instead of offering a thoughtful, tion details for the senior administradetailed explanation tive team, including of the financial dif- “We need to now CEO and President ficulties confronting Lynn Boggs, who has go back and do an the hospital, the adpresided over the reold-fashioned doministration simply cent reductions. over on the contract acted.” The two board The letter came on process, and make members voiced conthe heels of a flyer sure now we start trition for what they that the Porter Fed- with a fully onnow believe was, in eration of Nurses retrospect, a hasty and Health Profes- board compensation roll-out of new prosionals circulated at committee of vider contracts that Middlebury town providers and tie compensation to meeting on March administration to state and regional 1, alleging that re- iron out what this benchmarks for procent cuts and layoffs ductivity, quality of contract should look at the local hospital care and patient satare jeopardizing the like.” isfaction measures, — Porter board member quality of patient rather than fixed salaPatrick Norton ries. care. It was about a month ago that PMC McLaughlin said announced the elimination of 17.5 the idea of new contracts was disfull-time equivalent positions — in- cussed at a board retreat this past cluding 8.5 nursing posts — mostly January and distributed to providers within the 12 physician practices soon thereafter. The contracts were owned and operated by the health scheduled to take effect this May. It’s care organization. a compensation shift that has already Signatories of today’s letter to the been made at numerous hospitals in editor have asked the PMC board to Vermont and throughout the country, provide: according to McLaughlin. • “An independent review of the While they said the change gartactics and effectiveness of the Senior nered some positive feedback at the Administrative Leadership team; and retreat — which they said included
providers — it became clear recent- the hospital’s annual meeting in two ly that there was some substantial weeks (March 30) would be an opdiscontent. portunity for such community en“I think there is some admittance gagement. on management’s part that it wasn’t Board members acknowledged rolled out in the way that would have that some in the community have been the best way to roll it out,” been critical of Boggs and the ausMcLaughlin said. “But they knew it terity measures she has begun to was coming. The reimplement at PMC. ality of it was, it was “(Issuing new McLaughlin and just shocking. ‘My Norton said Boggs provider contracts) productivity has to was vetted and apwas a rushed improve and there’s proved by a comgoing to be some of process and a mittee that includes my pay at risk.’” rushed process board members and Norton said he is not a good several providers. believes providers process … We all McLaughlin acare resigned to the knowledged a perwant to see true changes in their conception among some tract, but that they collaboration in members of the pubmight have appreci- this process, so the lic that Boggs was ated more communi- product is something hired to make syscation and more time they can stand tematic changes at to absorb the transiPMC and then leave, behind.” tion. — Porter board member but said that certainThe priority going Patrick Norton ly was not the case. forward, according “We needed someto McLaughlin and one with the frameNorton, is that the administration and work to ‘march you along to where providers work together on the roll- you need to get to be in order to surout of the contracts. vive in this changing environment,’” “It was a rushed process,” Norton McLaughlin said. added, “and a rushed process is not That changing environment, aca good process … We all want to see cording to McLaughlin, includes a true collaboration in this process, so new emphasis on ambulatory (outthe product is something they can patient) care, as opposed to hospital stand behind.” stays. Porter Medical Center board offi“Lynn has great clarity about cials formally made that commitment what operational improvements to providers at a meeting of medical Porter needs to undertake in order executive staff held Wednesday eve- to thrive, to be here to serve that ning. Meanwhile, the PMC board is community,” McLaughlin said in scheduled to meet Thursday, March a follow-up statement to Wednes10, and at a gathering with all PMC day’s interview. “That clarity, that medical staff on Tuesday, March 15, strategic thinking, is what Porter to listen to concerns. needed. What we need to improve “We are also very open to meeting on is the pacing and engagement.” with members of the community,” McLaughlin also confirmed PMC Norton said, describing a possible is working with a consultant to combination of large forums and/ explore potential affiliations with or small groups. “We’ve got to get other medical institutions. She and past this and say, ‘We are going to Norton acknowledged that PMC do certain things over — like the needs to regain better financial contract process — in order to move health before an affiliation could be forward.” Both board members said explored, if that is indeed the route chosen by the hospital community. “We are working with consultants to approach what we think might be potential affiliation partners out there and have a conversation,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just a conversation.”
four-foot concrete junction boxes would be needed along the road about every 2,500 feet to hold line splices. Gutowski said town officials believed the varied materials used over the years and the presence of rock ledge in roadbeds — dirt roads paved over in the course of the decades — created too many uncertainties for the VGL to rely on that approach. “We are not comfortable going down the traveled portion of the road is a good idea,” Gutowski said, adding, “We want them to go down the shoulder of the road.” LOOKING AHEAD According to minutes, at a Feb. 25 meeting with town officials and project abutters, VGL pledged not to use eminent domain to take any property and to pay for the town’s “legal, technical and engineering costs.” Gutowski said those items are being worked on in the latest memorandum of understanding, or MOU. Those are among many issues under consideration. For example, Gutowski said, town officials would also like the companies to pay for fixing culverts along the route as needed, and road foreman John Bull is working on a culvert inventory for that purpose. Other items to be negotiated include locations where the lines will cross roads, construction techniques, restoration of affected land, easement language, and, of course, final compensation for Ferrisburgh. “To say there are lot of details to work out is an understatement. We’re just discussing the MOU now,” Gutowski said. Once a final deal is reached in Ferrisburgh, Gutowski said, the selectboard would listen to residents on whether to hold a vote, even if so far officials have heard questions, but little opposition. “The selectboard is just a board of five people, and it has the potential of coming down to a town vote if the town expresses they want to go in that direction,” he said. “Up to this point I don’t feel we’ve had anything that is negative on the project, and we’ve certainly had light turnouts compared to where New Haven’s at.” Of course, if New Haven says no or even takes too long to make a decision, Gutowski noted Rossignoli is on record in the Independent as saying VGL officials are looking at alternative routes. It could be the Ferrisburgh’s committee’s work will be short-circuited. “Ferrisburgh really isn’t going to go anywhere until we find out if New Haven is going to be moving ahead,” Gutowski said. “I don’t mean we’re not going to be moving ahead with this process, it’s just that whether Ferrisburgh is going to get involved with this on the construction end of it depends on whether New Haven decides if they don’t want it in their town.”
Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016 — PAGE 17A
Lisman
By the way
(Continued from Page 1A) pact on Vermonters. He cited Act 46 young Vermonters. as an example. Act 46, passed into Lisman, during his March 4 inter- law last year, encourages groups of view at the Independent, reported school districts to consolidate their his own daughter had just told him governance into a single school that she would likely be leaving the board, managing a single educastate in the near future. tion budget for all member schools. “People talk about a government The Addison Central and Addison that seems indifferent, that doesn’t Northwest supervisory unions both listen,” Lisman said. passed school governance unificaIn addition to holding a percep- tion referenda this past Town Meettion that state government is tone- ing Day. deaf, Lisman said Vermonters with Lisman is no fan of Act 46. whom he has spoken believe the “I don’t care for Act 46, and one Legislature and current Gov. Peter of the first things I would do when Shumlin have shown incompetence. elected is urge for its repeal, with an He specifically cited the state’s in- alternative in place,” Lisman said. ability to iron out problems in the He stressed, however, that he Vermont Health Connect website, would not stand in the way of designed to link citizens to health school districts that want to merge. insurance plans. He just doesn’t think it should be While he does not consider him- mandatory, and doesn’t believe the self aligned with Republican presi- state will be able to afford the tax dential candidate Donald Trump in rebates and grants that Act 46 has any significant way, Lisman does promised to supervisory unions that believe he can tap into voters’ dis- opt for consolidation. satisfaction with “politics as usual” Act 46 is currently voluntary, and offer them skills and a perspec- but it serves notice that governance tive shaped by decades in the pri- consolidation will become a revate sector. quirement by 2020. Supporters be“The outsider is I think some- lieve the new law will result in more thing people find attractive, but I efficient and cost-effective delivery think it’s better than that. It’s com- of public education at a time when petence,” Lisman said. student enrollment is plunging. For example, Lisman believes the Local communities should be state’s chief executive should look making consolidation decisions, not upon his or her constituents as “cli- Montpelier, Lisman argued. ents” and not “custom“It’s suspiciously ers” or “fellow Verlike, ‘What makes monters.” A “client,” “Let’s have you think Washington Lisman said, is some- not just a knows what Addison, one that the service performanceVt., should do,’” Lisprovider gets to know man said. “The answer and thus can better tai- based budget, is, they’ve never heard which we don’t lor services to fit their of Addison, Vt., and if have now, needs and desires. they did, they wouldn’t “Let’s have a gov- but also an know what to do with ernment that spends outcomes-based it.” people’s money well, Lisman believes Act budget. What and that is charged 46, like Act 60 and with … providing ser- do we want 68 (the state’s school vices exceptionally to accomplish, funding laws), “sepawell,” Lisman said. and did we rated the local voter “Let’s have not just accomplish it?” from the local decision a performance-based — Bruce Lisman making.” budget, which we don’t He also alleged that have now, but also an “bad research” went outcomes-based budget. What do into Act 46. we want to accomplish, and did we “It throws numbers around that accomplish it?” aren’t accurate,” he said. “There’s If elected, Lisman said, he would no ideal size for a school district.” compile “five to 10 super priorities” Act 46, according to Lisman, peand build during the course of five nalizes well-run school districts by or six years a budget that takes care lumping them in with others that of those priorities. might not be as efficient. “It’s not just being a businessRather than prescribing unified man,” Lisman said. “It’s being school districts, Lisman believes someone who understands we’re the state could set a minimum stuhere to take care of people in which- dent-teacher ratio of 12:1 for Verever way they need being taken care mont schools to achieve within a set of.” number of years. This would force Lisman does not think state gov- school districts to make tough perernment has been doing a good job sonnel decisions, but allow them to of taking care of people in recent maintain local control. years, and points to what he be“We leave it to the school board lieves are some flawed new laws and the supervisory union to come that he said will have a negative im- up with (the minimum student-
(Continued from Page 1A) in this concert. Easter Sunday is on March 27 this year. We’re asking area churches to notify us of any upcoming special services by emailing them to calendar@addisonindependent.com. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll publish a listing of Easter Week services as often as space allows. Strap on your skis: Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton is hosting its annual 5K Bread Loaf Citizens’ Race this Saturday, March 12. Contestants — many outfitted in costumes or spandex — will vie for the traditional loaf of bread or other prizes, while kids can take part in the Lollipop Race. Race-day registration starts at 9 a.m., the race starts at 11, and the event winds up with a barbecue. Get more information and pre-register at www.rikertnordic.com/ events. BRUCE LISMAN teacher ratio),” Lisman said. Lisman believes this process would shave $160 million in public school expenses statewide. “Sometimes, ‘simple’ is best,” Lisman said. Vermont’s public education could benefit from expanded school choice, according to Lisman, who would also extend vouchers to private schools (but not religious ones). Lisman called Vermont Health Connect (VHC) health exchange “a failed effort” that has already cost $200 million in taxpayer dollars. The VHC website has been plagued by technological glitches since its inception. “This system is never going to be as good as it needs to be,” Lisman said of VHC. “We will need to spend some money just to make it stable.” After stabilizing the system, Lisman said, Vermont should transition to the federal health care exchange. “I would let (Vermonters) find their health insurance where they want,” he said. “Let’s entice more competitors.” Lisman has also called for an audit of the state’s Medicaid program to uncover possible cases of fraud and determine whether clients are healthier as a result of the benefits they receive. Those who smoke and/or have other unhealthy habits should be charged a premium for insurance, Lisman said. At the same time, those who exercise and live a healthy lifestyle should be rewarded with discounts, he believes. “Eighty to 90 percent of our visits to the doctor relate to how we treat ourselves,” Lisman said. Asked how he would promote economic growth in the state, Lisman said he would:
• Partner more extensively with Vermont businesses and entrepreneurs, to get a better sense of what they need to prosper and grow. “We need a government that is more effective; that does what it is supposed to do, but better; that actually accomplishes things; and is remarkably transparent,” Lisman said. “We need to know where taxes go, but also how well they are spent. We shouldn’t hide things like fees and surcharges. We should tell people.” • Address the economic factors that make it expensive to live and do business in Vermont. That means turning the tide on surging property taxes, streamlining the permitting process and investing in education, according to Lisman. “We need to work on affordability, the cost of living and working here,” he said. “Let’s make an agreement that we don’t want any more employers leaving, or any size. Let’s state that as a core principal.” And the state must do more outreach to find, and nurture, its most successful enterprises, he added. “You have to find them before they’re big enough to leave,” Lisman said. • Introduce college students to Vermont companies in need of
young professionals, thus allowing them to make a career connection early on. “I am a fan of apprenticeships,” he added. Lisman would also support a program that would allow foreign college students to extend their stays in Vermont if they are working on a business start-up. During his travels, Lisman has listened to concerns about the proliferation of large green energy projects. With that in mind, he said, he’s supporting a temporary moratorium on industrial-scale solar and wind projects until the state can come up with a better siting policy. Lisman supports the Addison Natural Gas Project, which will soon be feeding natural gas to parts of Middlebury and Vergennes. Lisman believes he will provide voters with a clear choice. “If you want what we’ve got, there are three candidates for you,” he said, referring to Dunne, Minter and Scott. “They offer basically what we’ve got, with slightly different versions of it. If you want something different … then take a look at me.” Reporter John Flowers is at johnf@addisonindependent.com.
Be on the lookout for a the mascot of Homeward Bound, Addison County’s Humane Society, in Middlebury this weekend. The friendly guy in the dog costume will be assisting volunteers from the shelter with a coin drop this Saturday from noon-2 p.m. on Route 7, just north of Maplefield’s at the north end of the village. The humane society, which currently has 88 animals in residence, relies on the generosity of the community to care for hundreds of lost, abandoned, abused or surrendered animals each year. All proceeds will go toward the care of the shelter animals. The Middlebury Community Players annually awards two $1,000 scholarships to students who have graduated from high school and plan to attend college. In order to be eligible for either of these scholarships in 2016, you must have graduated in either 2014 or 2015 or will graduate in 2016, and worked with the Middlebury Community Players in some regard over the course of high school (either being in or working on a show, or helping out at an MCP-sponsored event, such as the costume sale). The deadline to apply for an MCP scholarship is April 15. Go online to middleburycommunityplayers.org to get an application; email questions to info@middleburycommunityplayers.org.
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PAGE 18A — Addison Independent, Thursday, March 10, 2016