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AUGUST 13, 2020
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Teachers file remote working requests
Voter turnout record reached
trict, 10 percent have requested working fully remotely, school district Human Resources Director Mark McDermott said. By Jason Starr “We can’t make any promises,� Observer staff school district communication director Bonnie Birdsall said about The teachers’ choices are in. the teachers’ choices. “We are not Just like parents and students, obligated to honor a request to teachers in the Champlain Valwork fully remotely.� ley School District have chosen According to Williston Central whether to School special start the school educator Lisa year remotely Bisbee, the or in person. lead contract School district negotiator for administrators the Champlain now undertake Valley School the complex —  - Bonnie Birdsall, CVSD District teachtask of synthecommunications director ers union, sizing student many teachers choices with are consulting teacher prefwith doctors to document undererences to create workable class lying health conditions in order to schedules for a Sept. 8 start. bolster work-from-home requests. But unlike students, teacher The Vermont teachers union choices whether to work remoteseized on a statement Gov. Phil ly in response to the coronavirus Scott made during a press conferpandemic are being treated as ence last Friday that teachers are requests. Teachers were given a being given the choice whether survey to complete by last Friday to work remotely — just as state with three choices: teach fully reemployees have been given that motely, partially remotely or fully choice through the end of the year. in school. Students were given two The teachers union would like choices, learn partially remotely or that to be true statewide, but is fully remotely, and their deadline finding that each school district is to choose was this Wednesday. setting its own policy on honorOf the roughly 400 teachers in ing remote work requests, union the Champlain Valley School Disspokesman Darren Allen said.
Union seeks standardized statewide policy
Observer photo by Al Frey
A total of 3,454 voters cast ballots, according to the Williston Town Clerk’s office, out of roughly 8,000 registered voters. Turnout for a primary had never before topped 2,000, Town Clerk Sarah Mason said.
vote-getter with 1,802. Her Democratic running mate, incumbent Jim McCullough received 1,765 votes. They won the party’s nomBy Jason Starr ination for the two seats and will Observer staff be on the general election ballot in The Town of Williston saw re- November. There were no candidates on the cord voter turnout for Tuesday’s party primary elections, aided by Republican ballot for Williston’s an enhanced vote-by-mail pro- House seats, but Republican Tony gram led by the Vermont Secretary O’Rourke ran a successful write-in of State and a traditional vote-at- campaign. He received 105 writethe-polls option held Tuesday at in votes, putting him over the 25the Vermont National Guard Ar- vote minimum to move onto the general election ballot. mory. O’Rourke will run against McA total of 3,454 voters cast ballots, according to the Williston Cullough and Brady for one of Town Clerk’s office, out of rough- the two available Williston House ly 8,000 registered voters. Turnout seats. It was a crowded field for the for a primary had never before topped 2,000, Town Clerk Sarah Democratic nominations for the six state Senate seats representing Mason said. The majority of Williston voters Chittenden County. According to (2,336) chose to vote in the Demo- the Vermont Secretary of State’s cratic primary; 1,104 people voted Office, the winners are: Ginny the Republican ballot; and 14 vot- Lyons, Kesha Ram, Michael Sirotkin, Phil Baruth, Thomas Chittened the Progressive ballot. In the nomination contest for den and Chris Pearson. Two ReWilliston’s representation in the publicans were nominated: Tom Ericka Redic. ScrapFoodWaste-10-25x3-Hv2-snap.pdf 3:40 PM Vermont CSWD House of Represen- Chastenay 1and7/29/20 In Williston, Lyons was the top tatives, Erin Brady was the top
Party nominations set for November
vote-getter (1,771) and Chittenden was second (1,219). Statewide, Gov. Phil Scott won the Republican nomination for governor. Williston voters favored him with 930 votes compared to 130 for John Klar, the top Republican runner-up. Democrats nominated David Zuckerman over Rebecca Holcombe, both statewide and among Williston voters. For Lieutenant governor, Scott Milne won the Republican nomination and Molly Gray won the Democratic nomination. Milne was also the top vote-getter in Williston. But Williston voters favored Tim Ashe (874 votes) over Gray (737 votes) for the Democratic nomination. Williston’s Deb Ingram received 574 votes in Williston and was fourth for the statewide Democratic nomination. Registered voters can expect ballots to be mailed to them by the Vermont Secretary of State this fall ahead of the November general election. Election Day voting will also be available Nov. 3 at the Vermont National Guard Armory on Williston Road.
‘We are not obligated to honor a request to work fully remotely.’
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