Williston Observer 12/30/2021 by Williston Observer

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~ Y EA R I N R EV I EW ~

mprobable as it seemed last spring, when Gov. Phil Scott dropped Vermont’s emergency public health order, the overwhelming majority of Vermonters were receiving Covid vaccinations and case counts dropped to a trickle, the pandemic persisted in casting a shadow over 2021. Sweet normalcy was in the air during the warm weather months: the return of Williston’s Fourth of July festivities, for example, and the full reopening of public schools in August. Then surging case counts in the fall wreaked havoc on school attendance, contributed to a crippling labor shortage and supply chain backup, and harkened the return of mandated mask-wearing. We’re going to take the following review of Williston news in 2021 in reverse chronological order, as the news from the fall and early winter is more representative of where we are at heading into 2022 than the false positives of last spring. May the new year bring with it lasting resilience and usher in a post-pandemic era.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, the Black Lives Matter flag was raised at Town Hall in February; Ginger and David Isham starred in a Netflix documentary about relationship longevity; CVU’s Jack Sumner evades an Essex defender in the Redhawks’ snowy championship game loss in November.

— Jason Starr

DECEMBER The Town of Williston joined several other municipalities when the selectboard voted unanimously on Dec. 7 to re-mandate that masks be worn in public indoor settings. While Gov. Scott had rebuffed calls for a statewide mandate, he did sign a bill passed by the Legislature in November that gave municipalities the authority to institute mandates. Williston’s mandate will expire Jan. 21 unless the selectboard votes to keep it in place. The board carved out exceptions for children under age 2, people with disabilities that prevent them from safely wearing a mask, people while eating or drinking in a restaurant, people temporarily removing their masks to communicate with a group of people, and for places of worship.

four members and continued to take applications through December to ﬁll out the committee’s ranks. The committee is tasked with implementing the energy plan, a 2019 document that lays out steps for Williston to reduce fossil fuel use and increase renewable energy production. Residents interested in moving the energy plan forward hailed the decision, but pressured the board to hire a full-time energy coordinator to work with the committee. Rep. Jim McCullough said the committee will be “a ship without a rudder” without an energy coordinator to lead its efforts. “This is a position that is going to really pay off and save money for individuals and for the town,” resident Gerry Davis told the board.

Town Energy Commitee takes shape

NOVEMBER

Mask mandate returns

Williston leaders took the ﬁrst step toward implementing the town’s Energy Plan with the creation of a seven-member Energy Committee. The selectboard appointed

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Fire Department sounds the alarm on stafﬁng shortage

Williston’s Fire Chief Aaron Collette said

his department cannot currently meet the fire protection needs of the community and requested at least nine new firefighters in the next annual town budget.

ed ramping up staff by nearly 40 full-time firefighters over the next five years. The need is precipitated not only by the town’s continued commercial and residential growth — the population has increased by roughly 150 people annually over the past five years — but also by a precipitous decline in on-call fi refighters to augment the fulltime staff. Over the past five years, the department has gone from about 30 oncall fi refighters to eight currently. “I’m not sure we are as prepared or well-equipped as many of our citizens think we are,” Collette said.

CVU football team gets ﬁrst title shot The Williston Fire Department received two new fire trucks this fall but lacks the staff to operate them.

The request is backed by a staffing needs assessment the department contracted out to a California-based consulting company. The assessment said nine new firefighters is the minimum immediate need. It recommend-

For the ﬁrst time in Champlain Valley Union High School history, the Redhawks football team earned a spot in the Division 1 state championship game. Despite a loss Nov. 13 in a snowstorm to Essex, the season marked a remarkable turnaround for the proSEE YEAR IN REVIEW PAGE 2

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Page 2 • Williston Observer • December 30, 2021

Year in Review

CORRECTIONS

continued from page

In the Dec. 16 Redhawks Roundup winter sports preview, co-captain Riley Erdman was mistakenly omitted from the girls hockey “Key Returnees” list. In a Dec. 9 story headlined “Selectboard mandates masks indoors,” it was mistakenly reported that South Burlington had enacted a mask mandate similar to that of Williston’s. South Burlington’s mandate applies only to municipal-owned buildings, while Williston’s applies to public indoor spaces.

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gram in head coach Rahn Fleming’s second year at the helm. CVU used a dramatic, last-minute touchdown pass — quarterback Max Destito to receiver Jack Sumner — on fourth down in the state semifinals against Hartford to advance to the title game. Oliver Pudvar connected on the extra point to give the Redhawks the one-point win. “It is a thrill for our kids,” Fleming said after the semifinal game. ”It’s a memory they’ll get to keep for the rest of their lives.”

OCTOBER Hotel-to-Housing plan approved

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The Champlain Housing Trust won approval from town planners to convert the Marriott TownePlace Suites hotel on Zephyr Road into homeless transition and low-income housing. Renovation efforts are now underway to convert hotel rooms into 72 studio and one-bedroom apartments. About half will be kept perpetually affordable at 80 percent of Chittenden County’s median income and the other half subsidized for people transitioning out of homelessness. The Champlain Housing Trust purchased the property for $13.4 million with help from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

The TownePlace Suites on Zephyr Road is under renovation as a 72-unit lowincome and homeless transitional apartment building.

grants and federal pandemic recovery funds. “We are looking forward to adding new affordable apartments to Williston and Chittenden County in this great location,” said Champlain Housing Trust CEO Michael Monte. “It’s so difficult for so many people to find any available homes, much less those affordable to low-wage workers or those who are unhoused.” The Champlain Housing Trust will staff an on-site property manager.

SEPTEMBER The Edge closes Williston location

The Williston location of the Edge Sports and Fitness — with its indoor swimming pool, fitness

The Edge Sports and Fitness location in Williston closed its doors in September and is on the market as an industrial space.

center and physical therapy services — shut its doors Sept. 30. The business consolidated operations at its other three Chittenden County locations. The 58,000-square-foot facility at 115 Wellness Drive is in the town’s industrial zone and will be converted to another use under

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December 30, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 3 new ownership, according to Edge CEO Michael Feitelberg. He said the impact of the pandemic made operations in Williston unsustainable. The building is listed by VT Commercial real estate as warehouse/industrial space. “Don’t miss out on this opportunity to occupy one of the best located industrial facilities in the greater Chittenden County area,” the listing advertises.

AUGUST

company’s decision to leave the city.

Town history book published

300-home development announced for church parcel L.L. Bean confirmed in August its plan to move its Burlington store into Finney Crossing

JULY

Richard Allen’s photographic history of Williston was published in August.

This 54-acre meadow on the north side of town off Route 2A is slated for development as a 300-home neighborhood and park.

Snyder Homes submitted plans with the town to build 300 homes on the vacant 54acre Essex Alliance Church property off Route 2A. The Essex-based church had previously planned to build a new campus on the property. Snyder Homes has experience building in Williston at Finney Crossing and the Creek’s Edge neighborhood. Plans for the parcel include townhomes, apartments and senior housing; preserved wetland buffers around the Allen Brook; a 4-acre park; and a rec path that would provide a key north-south connection between Taft Corners and Essex Junction. “These home types address a wide spectrum of the market and accommodate a diversity of tenants, from mature families to young singles to independent living seniors,” Snyder Homes wrote in a description of the neighborhood filed with the town.

The Williston Historical Society released a photographic history of the Town of Williston using its own archived photos and submissions from longtime residents. The book, published by Arcadia Publishing, has eight chapters and roughly 200 images reflecting the town in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was compiled by longtime Williston school teacher Richard Allen. The historical society held book signings at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library and Williston Central School in August and September.

Finney Crossing lures L.L. Bean

Finney Crossing developers broke ground on a new commercial building and confirmed that L.L. Bean will be relocating its Burlington store there. The 25,000-square-foot building along Route 2 is expected to be complete next summer. L.L. Bean, the outdoor equipment retailer headquartered in Maine, will anchor the building, which has room for between two and four other commercial tenants. L.L. Bean opened its Burlington store in 2014. Stalled construction of the adjacent Burlington Town Center contributed to the

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Williston receives federal windfall

Williston’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) began to flow into town coffers. The $3 million sum amounts to nearly one-third of the town’s annual budget and gives local officials broad discretion on spending it. The state is due $1.25 billion from the legislation with about $200 million going directly to local municipalities ($32 million in Chittenden County). “This provides the opportunity for municipalities to make their own investments based on the needs of their communities,” Gov. Scott said. Williston town leaders have yet to allocate the funds.

Marshall Avenue bridge reconstruction begins

The Marshall Avenue bridge connecting Williston to South Burlington closed for a five-month rebuild, causing a traffic detour to Route 2. The cost was split between the two municipalities. The bridge, which was damaged by heavy rains in 2017 and 2019, was rebuilt wider for enhanced pedestrian crossings and reopened to traffic in December.

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After a cancellation in 2020, the return of Williston’s annual Fourth of July parade, ice cream social and Town Band concert seemed to signal a post-pandemic return to normalcy. Residents gathered unencumbered by social distancing and face coverings, and the festivities went on as planned. The only hitch was a rainy Friday evening that cancelled the outdoor library book sale. “The town is so ready to be able to socialize, to enjoy an event together,” said Town Band leader Chapin Kaynor. “It was so nice that it could come together.”

JUNE Herbicide clears milfoil from Lake Iroquois

Lake Iroquois gets treated with herbicide in June for invasive milfoil.

The herbicide Procellacor was applied June 28 to the Williston side of Lake Iroquois in the Lake Iroquois Association’s attempt to eradicate invasive Eurasian milfoil. The lake was closed to swimming for the day. Two weeks later, the milfoil had mostly disappeared. “The effect has been profound,” Lake Iroquois Association president Shannon Kelly said. The association is considering applying see YEAR IN REVIEW page 4

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• Williston Observer •

December 30, 2021

Year in Review CONTINUED FROM PAGE

“Our regular customers have never seen my face, so it’s nice to see everyone smile and see their expressions,” said Vermont Meat and Seafood employee Spencer Snipes as he worked his ﬁrst maskless shift. As Covid cases resurged in the fall, Gov. Scott rejected calls from some lawmakers to re-impose statewide restrictions, but he did sign a bill passed by the Legislature in November giving municipalities the authority to re-impose mask mandates. The Town of Williston was among several towns and cities that instituted a mask mandate in indoor public spaces in December.

MAY Employees at Vermont Meat and Seafood enjoy working without masks over the summer.

to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for a permit to use the chemical in other parts of the lake in 2022.

State emergency order lifted

Vermont’s emergency public health order was lifted June 14, ending all statewide pandemic-related restrictions after 15 months. State ofﬁcials touted Vermont’s best-in-the-nation vaccination rate as the reason it was safe to return to normal.

D’Agostino appointed to selectboard The Williston Selectboard chose Greta D’Agostino from a group of 10 applicants to ﬁll the remainder of the selectboard term vacated by Joy Limoge. The seat will be up for election in March. Greta D’Agostino

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D’Agostino is a justice of the peace and serves on the Williston Community Justice Center Board. “It is important that we continue to have female representation on the selectboard,” she said.

APRIL Ishams star in Netﬂix documentary

Netﬂix premiered a documentary series featuring Williston’s own Ginger and David Isham. The series, “My Love,” follows couples in six different countries, exploring relationship longevity. A ﬁlmmaking crew from California followed the Williston couple throughout 2019 to produce the onehour episode. “I said to David ‘we have to do this. We owe it to the future generations of the Isham family to do this,’” Ginger said. “I just thought what fun it would be … We wanted to show our state and our town and the quality of life we have living here.”

CVSD hires new superintendent

The Champlain Valley School District Board of Directors announced the hiring of Rene Sanchez as the district’s next superintendent. S a n c h e z Rene Sanchez began his role on July 1, succeeding Elaine Pinckney, who retired in June. He came to Vermont from South Bend, Ind., where he was an assistant school superintendent. A father of three, Sanchez has a connection to Vermont through his wife, Jean, a Vermont native and graduate of UVM. The district hired a consultant to help ﬁ nd candidates, and Sanchez was among two ﬁ nalists the board interviewed. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, a law degree from Ohio State and a master’s of educational administration from the University of Texas.

Limoge resigns selectboard seat

Joy Limoge resigned her seat on the Williston Selectboard with one year remaining on her term, citing personal and professional reasons. She had been on the board since 2016. “My person- Joy Limoge al and professional workload precludes me from giving the selectboard the time it deserves,” she said. The board received 10 applicants for the position, and chose Greta D’Agostino to ﬁll out the remainder of the term. The seat will be up for election in March.

FEBRUARY BLM ﬂag approved for Town Hall

The Williston Selectboard, in a 3-2 vote, approved the f lying of the Black Lives Matter f lag at Town Hall for a three-month period. In June, the board unanimously extended the action through March 2022. Joy Limoge, who joined board member Gordon St. Hilaire in opposing the original action, said she received hate mail as a result of her no vote. A month later, she resigned her position on the board. Board chairman Terry Macaig said the f lag was raised “to recognize the harm caused by the evils of racism.” Cristalee McSweeney said the f lag will be “a reminder of the obligations we as white people have to our BIPOC (black indigenous, people of color) neighbors and serve as an invitation to live with greater integrity — standing up for what is right, what is fair, for what is just.”

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December 30, 2021 the police officer position at Champlain Valley Union High School at the end of the school year. School officer Matt Collins, a member of the Shelburne Police Department, had served two years in the position. Originally conceived as a safety measure — having an armed officer in the school — the position was cut amid changed thinking about the relationship between police and people of color. “There was a lot of discomfort with the idea of a fi rearm in the building,” CVU Principal Adam Bunting said. “We know what that emotional state does for learning. It’s something all schools need to be conscious of.”

JANUARY

Hall. In-person voting remained an option during election day. About 60 percent of the 1,313 ballots cast were sent in by mail.

Planners tackle Taft Corners rezoning

The town’s planning and zoning department embarked on a yearlong, consultant-led effort to rework the zoning rules in Taft Corners. The “My Taft Corners” project aimed to codify new building standards with input from residents to envision the look of Williston’s commercial core for the coming 20-50 years. The work led to the planning commission’s drafting of a “form-based” zoning code for the area — design stan-

Town Meeting pivots to universal mail-in balloting

The Williston Selectboard approved a plan to mail Town Meeting Day ballots to all Williston voters in a pandemic-related shift in the way Town Meeting Day is typically conducted. The typical meeting in the Williston Central School auditorium was cancelled in March, and voters were encouraged to send their bal- A depiction of the center of Taft Corners under lots in by mail, or by using a newly proposed new zoning rules town planners are installed drop-off box outside Town crafting.

dards that prescribe the look of buildings rather their uses. The new code has yet to be taken up by the selectboard. “The damage has been done a little bit with existing box stores, and we have the opportunity with this plan to figure

•

Williston Observer •

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out what our version of a modern urbanist architectural style will look like and sculpt our own future in that way,” said Emily Morton, a member of the town’s Historic and Architectural Advisory Committee.

We are working hard to do our part. Please, do yours. Across the UVM Health Network, we are doing everything we can to respond to the ever-changing challenges of COVID-19. Today, nearly two years into this pandemic, we continue to fight the impact of this virus. Our emergency rooms are packed. Our Intensive Care Units are nearing capacity. All of our people, providing all types of care throughout our health system, are being pushed to the brink. If you have not received your COVID-19 vaccines, you are putting yourself, your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors and your health care workers at risk. The battle is far from over. Roughly 75% of the patients we treat in our ICUs for COVID-19-related illness are unvaccinated. In some cases, that number is much higher, and the outcomes are not always good. Similar trends prevail across Vermont and Northern New York. What’s frustrating to all of us is that we know our best hope of ending this crisis is vaccination. The vast majority of eligible people living in Vermont (80%) and in New York (75%) have been vaccinated. Yet, if you’ve chosen not to get vaccinated, you’re keeping the virus alive and putting everyone at risk.

Be the sparkle this New Years ' Eve

We know vaccination isn’t a silver bullet against COVID-19 infection, especially with what we are learning about variants. But vaccination is the best protection we have against a severe case, and it’s the best way for you to stay out of the hospital or the ICU. Keeping you out of the hospital means we have more beds available if someone else has a heart attack, gets into a major car accident, or needs emergency surgery. It means reducing the pressure on our regional health care system and giving our workforce the relief they deserve. It also may save your life. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about COVID-19 vaccines. It’s time to set all of that aside and focus squarely on the real-life, hardearned lessons we’ve learned through the pandemic. With those lessons in mind, here’s what we ask of you: • If you are not vaccinated — Get Vaccinated. • If you are vaccinated — Get Your Booster. • If you know someone who is not vaccinated — Help them get a vaccine. • And regardless of your vaccination status, continue to do the things we know make a difference: Wear a mask. Clean your hands. Get tested when necessary. Distance when you are around others. Do not socialize when you feel ill. Please, share this message. Together, we can save lives. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in our region at pharmacies, doctors’ offices and other places. To find a vaccine appointment near you, go to www.vaccines.gov or call 1-800-232-0233.

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• Williston Observer •

December 30, 2021

GUEST COLUMN Williston’s Community Newspaper Since 1985

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Pandemic lessons on college affordability BY BARBARA BENEDICT “I would have moved away from Vermont again if this opportunity did not present itself. I’m hoping this will help me ﬁnd a job that pays a decent wage so I don’t have to move away from my home again.” So said one Vermonter who beneﬁted from easy and affordable access to college and career training at the Community College of Vermont (CCV) amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Enrollment there has surged thanks to a wave of publicly and philanthropically funded free courses and scholarships for folks impacted by the pandemic. At the McClure Foundation, we celebrate these investments in college affordability and all they’ve done to inspire Vermonters about career pathways. Some initiatives were of our own design, including our promise to the high school class of 2020 of one free course of their choosing at CCV. This initiative resulted in recent high school grad enrollment doubling at a time when new student enrollment at community colleges nationally plummeted. Another philanthropic investment was the Vermont Community Foundation’s $350,000 in grant funding for the career training programs we consider “best bets” for landing a good job quickly, part of our ongoing campaign with the Vermont Department of Labor about Vermont’s most promising jobs. Many other initiatives sprout-

ed from the Legislature, some of which took cues from the early success of philanthropic initiatives. All these investments in college affordability have yielded positive impacts, nowhere more visible than at CCV. About 60 percent of the students beneﬁting from public scholarships and free tuition opportunities enrolled there this fall. Those students come from diverse backgrounds. They are working, they are parenting, they are changing careers, they are gaining new skills. And they are succeeding. Students beneﬁting from the free courses and scholarships completed about 80 percent of all courses taken and were 20 percent more likely to continue in their studies than the general student population. Another student said, “I didn’t make enough money to pursue higher education/training, and I couldn’t make more money because I didn’t have higher education/training. This has granted me a break from that cycle.” When we think about all we’ve learned from the success of these investments, we point to three key lessons: — Cost matters. When college and career training is guaranteed to be affordable, people in Vermont will enroll. — Make it simple and hopeful. By structuring supports as easy to understand and to access, and by centering those supports at a state’s community college, where low-income and non-tra-

ditional students are already attending at scale and continuing onto other Vermont institutions, students felt valued. — Vermont can build on the success of these investments. In a high-tuition state like Vermont, where prices deter so many, sustaining a new public perception of the affordability of college and career training will take more than scholarships. It will require institutional investments that lower tuition for everyone. It would take CCV $6 million per year in sustained funding to slash tuition by 25 percent — or $12 million per year to reduce it by 50 percent. The price tags may sound steep. In some ways, it’s simply the cost of playing catch-up. It’s what it will take to bring Vermont’s community college tuition closer to the national median after four decades of extreme underfunding. In other ways, it’s an affordable price for purchasing a future with transformative value for Vermont residents and employers, while improving the purchasing power of other available federal, state and private aid and scholarships. What we do with this information next is essential to the health of Vermont’s economy, the success of Vermont students and the vitality of our brave little state. It’s time to get serious about public policy priorities for higher education. Our recently released SEE BENEDICT PAGE 7

12/29/21 1:50 PM

December 30, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 7

Benedict continued from page

white paper on this topic, with data analysis from Public Assets Institute, overviews the conditions that have led to our current policy and funding framework for higher education and offers several possible paths forward. Read more at www. mcclurevt.org/policy. This next legislative session is a momentous opportunity to set the strategy for the public’s investment in higher education in a way that brings the costs of that education and training into balance with the systemic role it will play in the recovery and what comes after. Vermonters deserve no less, and Vermont can’t afford to lose any more time — or talent. Barbara Benedict is president of the J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation of Middlebury.

State to distribute rapid tests before school reopens BY ERIN PETENKO VTDigger Vermont plans to give out 80,000 rapid Covid tests to parents across the state for them to test their kids before they return to school after the holiday vacation, Gov. Phil Scott announced at a press conference Tuesday. Details about those tests should be available in the next few days, Scott said. The rapid antigen tests can be performed at home and provide results within about 15 minutes. Education Secretary Dan French said the state is planning a shift in the testing strategy it recommends to schools. “Test to stay,” where exposed students can stay in school and get tested each day, will continue — but in the future, the state plans to have schools give parents antigen tests to administer to their children, rather than have the schools run the testing program themselves. However, there is a drawback to parents testing their own kids: It

limits the amount of data Vermont can report on Covid-19 cases in schools. “We saw these data lose some of their currency with a Delta variant,” French said. “And we expect Omicron will further challenge the timeliness of these data.” The shift comes amid concerns about the highly infectious Omicron variant causing staffing shortages across the state, including in schools. French said Vermont may see schools closing because of it. “We know that we have limitations in terms of workforce across all sectors. So we’re watching this not just in the education community but throughout every sector across the state,” Scott said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidance Monday on how people should isolate or quarantine after a positive test or exposure. Under the CDC guidance, people should isolate for at least five days after a positive test but can go out in public with a mask for the five days after that if they are asymp-

tomatic, rather than isolating for a full 10 days. The guidance is similar for unvaccinated people who need to quarantine after an exposure. During Tuesday’s press conference, Levine said the state is adopting the CDC’s new guidance “effective immediately” and would review it further to understand its impact on the health care system and congregate settings. The department changed its website on Tuesday to reflect the new guidance. But later in the press conference, Scott appeared to contradict Levine’s statement, saying the state had been considering its own approach and might still adopt guidance that would be “a little bit different than the CDC.” State officials, he said, had not been able to convene to settle the matter. “We may come up with our own version of the CDC guidance that we think might be more appropriate for Vermont,” Scott said. “We want it to be sensible, we want to be able to use it across different sectors as well, and keep people safe at the same time.”

French said the state also plans to provide LAMP tests to replace PCR tests in schools, which are usually used as surveillance tests on a weekly basis. LAMP tests are similar to PCR tests but provide faster results. Vermont reported 201 Covid-19 cases in K-12 schools in the past week, although those figures may be affected by the holiday break. The state is also providing antigen tests and LAMP tests to Vermonters this week to prepare for holiday gatherings. Scott admitted the testing supply has not lived up to demand as Vermonters have lined up across the state to obtain test kits. “We only have a certain amount of antigen tests we can distribute,” he said, and Vermont is working with the federal government to increase its supply. Just as in schools, the distribution of antigen tests to the general population has the potential to throw off future data collection see RAPID TESTS page 9

SMOOTH HOLIDAY

RETURNS Tip #1

Make stock from your turkey and bring the bones to a CSWD Drop-Off Center for composting.

Tip #2

Recycle burned out string lights as scrap metal but don’t put them in your recycling bin.

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Take your natural Christmas tree to CSWD’s Williston, Essex, or Milton Drop-Off Centers to be chipped for composting.

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Who decides when a pandemic is over?

• Williston Observer •

December 30, 2021

BY MIKE DOUGHERTY VTDigger Of all the experts I’ve interviewed about Covid-19 over the past two years, none has proved to be as prescient as Alex Navarro. A medical historian at the University of Michigan, Navarro is a scholar of the 1918 flu. When we first spoke in May 2020, it was still accurate to say that Covid-19 was the deadliest pandemic since 1918, when the flu claimed more than 600,000 American lives. Now, with more than 800,000 dead from Covid, that ranking has flipped. Still, Navarro said some key lessons held true. His research into “escape communities” — locations such as Fletcher that dodged flu cases and deaths — proved that now-familiar public health measures worked. “Nonpharmaceutical interventions” such as masking, social distancing and targeted closures made all the difference in 1918. But they had to be applied in sometimes unpopular ways.

The University of Vermont gymnasium, converted to a medical clinic, awaits the arrival of patients during the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918. The gym later became the school’s Royall Tyler Theatre. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SILVER SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

“Early, layered and sustained” was how Navarro put it. Policies must be proactive, not reactive. No policy is airtight, so several must

be in place at once. And, crucially, they must be kept in place even after it seems like the danger has passed. When policies were lifted too early, the virus reliably resurged. Navarro pointed to Denver’s experience with the 1918 ﬂu. The city lifted its pandemic restrictions on Nov. 11 that year. Citizens jumped at the chance to gather

once again, and cases quickly shot up. Health ofﬁcials convinced the mayor to issue a new set of restrictions on Nov. 22. The public was caught by surprise. Enraged business owners quickly formed an ad hoc “amusement council” and stormed City Hall. They convinced the mayor to rescind the new policy just hours after it was enacted.

Days later, new cases and deaths in the city hit record highs. “I think it’s important to note that there are sort of two competing definitions of what an epidemic is,” Navarro told me last year. “There’s the epidemiological, scientific definition. But then there’s also the social definition. And if people simply say, ‘This isn’t a big deal anymore, and we just have to live with this,’ the epidemic is, for all intents and purposes, over — at least socially, at least politically.” More than 18 months since we spoke, Navarro’s words seem more relevant than ever. Across the country, and certainly in Vermont, the defining question for much of this year has been: Is this thing over or not? It seemed, in June, that it was. Not only were the three Covid vaccines in the U.S. miraculously protective, but Vermont had actually done the work to utilize them effectively. Our state government got shots in arms more quickly than any other. Gradually, but decisively, rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths dropped to near zero. It was no surprise. Vermont had led the nation in mitigation efforts throughout the pandemic’s first year. “Early, layered and sustained?” We had the first two down pat.

NEW YEAR, The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday. In addition, we provide rack distribution to locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex. Williston Adams Farm Market Belle’s Café Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Fairfield Inn Gardener’s Supply Green Mountain Bagel Hannaford Healthy Living Williston Korner Kwik Stop Marriott Courtyard Men At Wok People’s United Bank Ramunto’s Rehab Gym Shaw’s Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd) Simon’s Mobil Williston Simply Divine Café Sunoco Station Towne Place Suites Town of Williston Offices UPS Store Williston Coffee Shop If you would like copies for your location call Rick Cote at (802) 373-2136 or email Rick@WillistonObserver.com

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December 30, 2021 The concept of maintaining restrictions past the spring vaccination blitz, though, seemed far-fetched. Gov. Phil Scott announced that when 80 percent of adults had begun vaccination, all remaining measures would be lifted — and there was broad agreement that it would be safe to do so. Some experts, though, urged caution. There was no real science behind using 80 percent as a threshold, some noted, and vaccines for children were still several months away. The Covid-19 transmission rate would provide a better benchmark than the vaccination rate, especially if new variants arose. That’s what Aditya Khanna, an epidemiologist and behavioral sciences professor at Brown University, told me in April. “If vaccine deployment is going up, yet transmissions are going up too, then does it really make sense to stick with the original plan just based on vaccine rollout?” Khanna said. “I don’t think so.” In August, that hypothetical scenario became reality. The newly arrived Delta variant was driving a surge in cases and deaths, while vaccinations had slowed to a trickle. Experts ramped up calls for Scott to move beyond a vaccine-only strategy. He resisted, at times mocking those calls, and the virus moved into its deadliest phase yet. Delta stormed Vermont when the state was averaging about ﬁve new cases per day. The even more contagious Omicron variant

is taking hold when our baseline is topping 400. Returning to Navarro’s “competing deﬁnitions” of an epidemic, we’re still in one, scientiﬁcally. What about socially? Scott appears to believe it’s over for most Vermonters, as evidenced by his repeated assertions that there’s no public appetite for reinstating mitigation measures. “I’m not willing to move us backwards,” he said on Nov. 23. The public’s stance is hard to discern. Local opinion surveys from as recently as November signal approval of the governor’s approach, yet national polls also show an openness to masking rules. A controversial essay in The Atlantic earlier this month suggested that, yes, it’s time to call it. “Many, if not most, Americans are leading their lives as if Covid is over, and they have been for a long while,” wrote conservative journalist Matthew Walther. That same week, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, made national news for declaring that the Covid emergency was done. In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, Polis compared people’s choice to not wear masks to not wearing winter coats in freezing weather: “If they get frostbite, it’s their own darn fault.” Public health experts have warned against this kind of fatalism, arguing that there is still a collective obligation to use the tools we have to save lives.

Reached in Michigan last week, Navarro said he believed the public’s waning attention to the pandemic, at least in many regions and communities, was unfortunate but true. Months of whipsawing circumstances have blunted people’s ability to properly assess their own risk. “We are human beings,” he said, “so we’re prone to cognitive dissonance of various sorts. And I also think that as this thing has dragged on, we see more and more people who are just tired of it — including people like me, who are otherwise very safe.” The Omicron variant of Covid-19 may prove to be the most contagious disease in recorded history, Navarro said. For it to arrive when much of the public has tuned out means that a serious wave is inevitable. “We are now at the point where, at least in terms of disease, basically everyone is either going to be sick or get vaccinated before this really starts to die down,” he said. As always, Navarro returns to the lessons of 1918. Skepticism of public health measures became entrenched then, too. The ﬁrst round of restrictions “ﬂattened the curve,” he said, but they didn’t eradicate the disease. The public thought, “ ‘Well, what good was it, doing any of these measures?’ Not fully understanding that, in fact, you’re not going to prevent a pandemic by doing that. But you’re going to help. They thought it was sort of an all-or-nothing.”

•

Williston Observer •

Page 9

Navarro has spent the Covid-19 pandemic trying to promote the simplest takeaways from his research: that nonpharmaceutical interventions work, and that they must be kept in place until the pandemic is over — scientiﬁcally, not socially. “I think we have failed to learn those lessons,” he said last week. “And I don’t foresee us learning them now at this late stage of the game.”

Rapid Tests CONTINUED FROM PAGE

about the pandemic. “We might hope that people who test positive (with an) antigen test will call in and report that. The reality is probably not,” Levine said. The health department website has a link to self-report antigen test results. The positivity rate — the percentage of tests that come back positive for the virus — may increase, he said, as more asymptomatic people opt for antigen tests over PCR tests. He also warned that, with Omicron, the data will likely show a dramatic increase in cases in the coming weeks, but the more important metrics are not cases, rather hospitalizations and deaths. Data from other countries and states so far shows that Omicron is less severe than previous variants, said Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation.

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December 30, 2021

SENIORS

Deciphering senior housing options

Is your home getting to be too much?

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you decipher the different types of housing options available to seniors, and recommend some good resources for locating them? I need to ﬁnd a place for my elderly mother and could use some help. Overwhelmed Daughter

transportation, social activities and medication management. Many facilities also offer special “memory care units” for residents with dementia. Costs for assisted living usually run between $3,000 and $6,000 per month depending on location and services needed. Most residents pay for assisted living from personal funds, while some have long-term care insurance policies. And many Dear Overwhelmed, state Medicaid programs There’s a wide array of today also cover some ashousing options available to sisted living costs for finanseniors, but what’s appropriate cially eligible residents. for your mom will depend on Another similar, but her needs and financial situaless expensive option to tion. Here’s a rundown of the look into is “board and different levels of senior houscare homes.” These offer ing and some resources to help many of the same services you choose one. as assisted living faciliIndependent living: If ties but in a much smaller your mom is in relatively good home setting. health and self-sufficient, “inYour Area Aging dependent living communiAgency is again a good reties” are a top option that can source for finding assisted offer a sense of community. living facilities and board Typically available to people care homes, as is www. over age 55, this type of senior By Jim Miller Caring.com. housing is usually apartments Nursing homes: If or townhomes that are fully your mom needs ongoing medical and personfunctional. In addition, many communities also al care or has very limited mobility, a nursing offer amenities such as meals served in a comhome, which provides 24-hour skilled nursing mon dining area, housekeeping, transportation care, is the next option. To find a good one, use and a variety of social activities. To locate this type of housing, contact your Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at www. Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 to get Medicare.gov/care-compare. This tool will not your local number), or use an online search tool like only help you locate nursing homes in your area, www.Caring.com. Most of these communities are it also provides a five-star rating system on recent private pay only and can vary greatly in cost rang- health inspections, staffing, quality of care and overall rating. ing anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 per month. But be aware that nursing home care is very Assisted living: If your mom needs some expensive, costing anywhere between $4,500 help with daily living chores, she’ll probably need and $13,000 per month for a semi-private room an “assisted living facility.” These facilities prodepending on where you live. Most residents pay vide help with the activities of daily living — like from either personal funds, a long-term care inbathing, dressing, eating, going to the bathroom surance policy or through Medicaid after their — as needed, as well as meals, housekeeping, savings are depleted. Continuing-care retirement communities (CCRC’s): If your mom has the financial resources, a “CCRC” is another option that provides all levels of housing (independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing home care) in one convenient location. But these communities typically require a hefty entrance fee that can range from $20,000 to $500,000 or more, plus ongoing monthly service fees that vary from around $2,000 to over $4,000. To search for CCRC’s visit www.Caring.com.

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If you’re not sure what your mom needs, consider hiring an aging life care expert (www.AgingLifeCare.org) who can assess your mom and ﬁnd her appropriate housing for a fee — usually between $300 and $800. Or you can use a senior care advising service like A Place for Mom (www.APlaceForMom. com) for free. They get paid from the senior living facilities in their network. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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December 30, 2021

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Williston Observer •

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CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 14 1

12 16

29 34

43 49

54 58

Across

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12/29/21 1:50 PM

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Williston Observer

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December 30, 2021

OBITUARIES James P. Prim, Sr. James P. Prim, Sr., 76, peacefully passed away with family near on his birthday, Dec. 16, 2021 at UVM Medical Center, Burlington. He was born in Burlington on Dec. 16, 1945, the son of William P. And Kathleen Erva (Baker) Prim, He had been a School Bus Driver in Winooski for many years and a Volunteer Fire Fighter with the Westford Fire Dept. He had later been employed with Maintenance One in Essex Jct. Jim was an avid NASCAR fan and loved playing his guitar and singing.

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He leaves his children and spouses: Cathy & Earl Peno of Morrisville, Kristy & Mark

Burnett of Williston and James “Jamie” Prim of Williston; four grandchildren: Shelby Peno, Hollis & Wife, Shelby Burnett, Tyrell Burnett and Christopher Peno; his great grandson, Theodore Burnett; his siblings: Bruce Prim, Reid and wife, Deirdre Prim, Laurie and husband, Leo Carrier and Marci and husband Chuck Trayah, his brother-in-law, Marcel Richard and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Along with his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, George Prim and sister Juna. Those wishing may send memorial contributions to Milton Rescue.

Send your letters to editor@willistonobserver.com

Bette Mae Russell Bette Mae Russell, 87, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2021. Bette was born in Burlington, VT to Anson and Dorothy Peet and was a life long resident of St. George, VT. Bette is survived by Wesley and Paully Russell of Charlotte, Mark and Penny Russell of Williston, David and Deborah Russell of Milton, and brother David Peet and his wife Susan of Williston. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Carroll Arthur Russell and brother Anson Peet, Jr. Bette worked at Rocky Ridge Golf Club, Companion Hardware and Brown Animal Hospital. She enjoyed taking trips with Carroll and later bus trips with her friend

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Inez French. Bette was a longtime member of Home Dem and the United Church of Hinesburg. The family will have a private gathering in the spring at the St. George Cemetery. Arrangements are in care of Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant Street, Essex Junction, VT.

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The seventh annual Socks for Seniors drive sponsored by the Williston Observer has been a great success again this year. Over 820 pairs of socks were collected and are being distributed to 10 Vermont nursing homes during the holiday season. Additional socks are being donated to COTS. We are glad to continue this Williston Observer tradition begun by Marianne and Paul Apfelbaum. Our deepest thanks go to our big-hearted readers for donating so many warm, soft socks. We also want to thank the Champlain Valley Roadrunners Club for their donations and member Jim McMillan for his help with delivering socks to recipient organizations. The Williston Coffee Shop and Williston Optometry generously hosted drop-off locations.

12/29/21 1:50 PM

December 30, 2021

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Williston Observer •

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SPORTS

Nic Menard leads the fast break during the Redhawks game vs. the Rice Green Knights on the 22nd at Cairns Arena. Ryan Canty rushes along the boards.

CVU's goal keeper Jason Douglas makes a trapper save.

Redhawk Samara Ashooh puts up a 'three' during their game vs. Thetford Academy on Dec. 23 in Hinesburg.

Redhawk Shelby Companion drives to the hoop.

Redhawk Addi Hunter rips down an offensive rebound.

Redhawk Elise Ayer makes a strond move to the basket.

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Redhawk Tucker Tharpe shoots over MMU's Wyatt Leombruno-Nicholson during their game in Hinesburg on Monday night.

Drop off a donation of new or gently used furniture this December and receive a 20% off coupon! Offer valid at both Habitat ReStore locations until Dec. 31st. Happy holidays! 528 Essex Rd, Williston 414 Route 7 South, Milton Monday-Friday 10-6 | Saturday-Sunday 10-5

Redhawk Patrick Ricca drives the lane on MMU's Adam Weinstein.

Redhawk Ollie Cheer makes a strong move to the hoop as MMU's Aidan Johnston defends.

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December 30, 2021 opportunity to earn the certiﬁcation necessary to legally operate on Vermont’s Statewide Snowmobile Trails System. Course can be taken online at any time. Go to www.willistonrec.org for a link to the course.

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the community for next fiscal year and for the subsequent five years. Projects include, but are not limited to: building, park, and road improvements and bike path extensions. Potential revenue sources include property taxes, host town fees, impact fees, and grants. For next fiscal year, the total proposed expenditure for capital projects and equipment funded from property taxes, host town fees, fund balance, and other revenue sources is $1,161,279.

Town of Williston Notice of Public Hearing Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets January 4, 2022 Notice is hereby given that the Williston Selectboard will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at 8:00 P.M. in the Beckett/McGuire Meeting Room at Williston Town Hall to receive comments on the proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2023 and capital budget and program for fiscal years 2023 to 2028.

Copies of the proposed operating and capital budgets are available for review at the Town Hall. Summaries are also available for review on the Town’s website https://www.town.williston.vt.us/.

A remote option to participate using the online platform zoom is available using the following web address: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/87371587625. The zoom meeting can also be accessed by calling 1-646-5588656 and entering the meeting ID 87371587625.

Dated at the Town of Williston, Vermont this 10th day of December 2021. Erik Wells, Town Manager

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The purpose of the capital budget is to identify major physical improvements needed to serve 1

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The Williston Recreation and Parks Department is located at the Annex Building at 7878 Williston Rd. For online program registration, visit www.willistonrec.org. For department information, email recreation@willistonvt. org or call 876-1160. HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST WINNERS Thank you to the Williston community for judging this year’s contest. The Traditional/Refined winner is 3687 Oak Hill Rd.; the Fun/Festive winner is 258 Fairway Drive; the Business winner is New England Chimney Supply. Thank you to everyone who registered their display, thank you to those of you who went out to view and judge the displays and thank you to the sponsors for helping to make this a great community event: Williston Observer, Healthy Living, Williston Coffee Shop, Adams Farm Market, VT Meat & Seafood and Shaw’s. Photos of some displays can be found at www.willistonrec.org. ICE RINK UPDATE The 60-by-60 foot ice rink with boards and liner has been ﬂooded. The rink is located near the warming hut at Village Community Park. The rink has a temporary fence around it. The entrance to the rink, by the warming hut, will be open when the rink is safe to use and closed off by the fence when the rink is unsafe or when ice is being

made. Opening and closing of the rink will be posted on Facebook and the rec website under “Announcements.” There is a shovel hung up in the warming hut to be used to clear snow from the rink. Be careful of sides when shoveling, and don’t tear the liner. Return shovels to the warming hut for others to use. The rink has lights for nighttime use. A panel with a button is on the pole next to the rink. Push the button for lights. They are on a timer until 9:30 p.m. There is a hockey goal that can be used on the rink. Please remove the goal from the rink when you are done, and put it outside the rink so it won’t freeze to the ice. Please respect the rink, be careful of the liner, clips, boards and brackets. Stay off the rink when it is closed so ice can be formed that is safe to use. Respect the users of the rink and share in the use. No one group has priority or an allocated time. Please share and play together. All are welcome! BASKETBALL REFEREES NEEDED The rec department is looking for referees for the grades 3 and 4 basketball games on Saturday mornings in January and February from 8:30-10:45 a.m. High school students who are you looking for community service credit can apply by contacting the rec department. SNOWMOBILE SAFETY Online course available for ages 12-plus. The course provides the

Now hiring! 15 and over! Flexible scheduling – works great for high school and college students’ schedules.

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Apply online at https://hannaford.careerswithus.com

WILR_2021-12-30.indd 14

YOGA PROGRAMS Age 14-plus. The rec department is partnering with Sangha Studio to bring intro to yoga programs to the Williston community. Register now for programs in January and February. Programs include: Beginner Yoga, Gentle Yoga and Yin Yoga. LOW IMPACT CARDIO WORKOUT Age 14-plus. This low impact workout is suitable for all fitness levels and a great way to build muscular strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness without putting too much stress or strain on your joints. This will be followed by a relaxing mindfulness stretch. No equipment necessary. Instructor: Makeey Shdyak PICKUP VOLLEYBALL Age 18-plus. Adult volleyball begins Jan. 3. Pickup programs are by registration and payment only. Check out registration information at www.willistonrec.org. A NEW APPROACH TO STRESS RELIEF Age 18-plus. Using skills from her 13 years of experiencing relief from stress through movement, Gillian Franks will teach you gentle exercises that will relax you and that you can continue to draw on in the days ahead. BOXING INTRO Age 18-plus. An eight-week introduction to the fundamentals of boxing, for fun, fitness and self-defense. We’ll focus on learning footwork, defense and proper punching mechanics through a variety of safe, fun drills. Instructor: ONTA Studio Staff. TAI CHI INTRO Age 18-plus. Come strengthen your body, regulate and build physical energy, and cultivate your mental concentration and spirit with this gentle and nourishing practice. Instructor: Zachary Stevens, ONTA Studio. MY HEALTHY VT Want to be healthier and feel better? My Healthy VT can help. Find a free course that’s right for you and take it online any time. Go to www. willistonrec.org for a link to the My Healthy VT website.

Make a career making a difference. Check current openings at https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/ ccs-vt.org EOE

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December 30, 2021

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Williston Observer •

Page 15

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WILR_2021-12-30.indd 15

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Williston Observer

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December 30, 2021

Holiday Decorating Contest winners

The citizens have spoken and this year’s Williston Holiday Decorating Contest winners are 3687 Oak Hill Road in the Traditional/ Refined category (pictured top left), 258 Fairway Drive in the Fun/Festive category (pictured bottom right) and New England Chimney Supply in the Business Category (pictured top right). The contest was organized by the Williston Recreation and Parks Department and sponsored by Healthy Living, Williston Coffee Shop, Adam’s Farm Market, VT Meat & Seafood, Shaw’s and the Williston Observer. PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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rick@willistonobserver.com • 802-373-2136 WILR_2021-12-30.indd 16

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