The Williston Energy Committee, backed by local environmental advocates under the Sustainable Williston banner, are urging the selectboard to adopt an electric heat mandate for new home construction.
Their pitch echoes a debate in the Statehouse about creating a statewide “Clean Heat Standard.” But with legislative action stalled, local leadership is needed to move home heating away from fossil fuels, advocates said during last Tuesday’s selectboard meeting. The cities of Burlington and South Burlington have already passed their own electric home heating standards.
“We are in a climate emergency,” Sustainable Williston member Deborah Miuccio said. “What can we do? The answer is to take immediate action to control what we can control and influence what we can’t control.
“The clean heat standard can provide a piece of the solution toward the problem of climate change,” she continued. “Williston can provide a leadership role in this and a model for other towns and cities across Vermont, New England and the United States.”
The committee is recommending an ordinance that would mandate new homes be built with a primary heating and hot water source (providing at least 85 percent of a home’s heat) powered by something other than fossil fuels, with the town responsible for verification before allowing occupancy.
“New homes will be in service for 100-plus years. Adding more homes that consume fossil fuels … would be short-sighted and expensive to correct,” advocates wrote in a 2024 petition to
town planners.
The energy committee surveyed local home builders and architects in formulating its recommendation. Their (anonymous) feedback was mostly critical of the effort.
“There are already barriers making Vermont an expensive place to build,” said one developer. “Why introduce another barrier? Additional mandates will only serve to increase costs and reduce the rate of construction.”
“You should not follow South Burlington,” said another. “Vermont has an incredible unmet housing need. Do not drive up the costs to construct new housing.”
The proposal’s potential to increase housing construction costs is concerning also to Williston’s housing committee members, who are focused on increasing housing availability and affordability. But selectboard member Greta D’Agostino said the town should find a way to address both problems simultaneously.
“Housing is one of the things that concerns me most in our state right
now,” she said. “We are in a housing crisis and we need to add more units at all affordability levels, but I don’t think that can be at the exclusion of advancing our environmental and energy standards. I think we need to find a way to marry the two because I really do think we are at a critical point for both of these things.”
Sustainable Williston founder Reed Carr argues that climate change is the more pressing concern.
“The housing crisis is not expected to be permanent, it will pass,” he told the selectboard. “The climate crisis is not going anywhere, and it’s getting worse.”
Williston Energy and Community Development Planner Melinda Scott said the increased cost of installing electric heat pumps and hot water systems — as opposed to continuing to use the natural gas that currently heats about 3,400 homes and businesses in Williston (according to Vermont Gas Systems) — is difficult to quantify.
“I’ve done some research and I’ve gotten conflicting answers,” she said. “There are no consistent and clear
see CLEAN HEAT page 3
Pipeline protesters keep their foot on the gas
Vermont Gas compelled to submit new PUC application
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
It may have seemed that protests about Vermont Gas Systems’ Chittenden-to-Addison-County pipeline were buried in the past. But remnants of the climate activist group that chained themselves to construction equipment in and around Williston nearly 10 years ago in an effort to halt construction of the gas pipeline have forced a new public hearing on elements of the project.
The pipeline has been operational since 2017, extending natural gas energy to homes and businesses in Middlebury and Vergennes. But state regulators, with input from project opponents, found several areas where changes were made during construction in violation of the Vermont Public Utilities Commission’s approval — or “Certificate of Public Good.” Changes included burying the pipeline shallower than planned in certain Addison County areas; laying the pipe directly on buried soil instead of propped up on sandbags; adjusting the location of water barriers to prevent wetland impact in certain Williston locations along Route 2A; and failure to comply with requirements related to pipeline-road crossings, including on Lincoln Road in Williston and other St. see PIPELINE page 3
A heat pump is installed outside a Vermont home, providing electric-powered heating and cooling to the home. PHOTO COURTESY OF EFFICIENCY VERMONT
Protesters hold signs in 2016 along Route 2A in Williston opposing the Vermont Gas pipeline.
Around Town
Williston housing discussion set for Monday
Come to a community discussion about the current landscape of housing in Williston and the broader region. A panel of experts will explore topics including changes in Williston’s grand list, housing affordability and accessibility, and the current economic climate.
Panelists include Williston Housing Committee chair
Charlie Magill, Michael Monte of the Champlain Housing Trust, Maura Collins of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency and Williston Planning Director Matt Boulanger.
The event takes place on Monday, Feb. 17 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. Refreshments will be served.
Story Slam raises thousands for heating assistance
The Second Annual Bill
Skiff Story Slam — an openmic storytelling event on the theme of “Magic” — took place Saturday in the Williston Central School auditorium, raising over $3,000 for home heating fuel assistance.
A dozen storytellers took the stage, competing for bragging rights and prizes provided by Williston Hot Yoga and Chef’s Corner. Top prize went to Bill Torrey. Tied for second place were Ellie Beckett and Lucas Short.
Organized by the WillistonRichmond Rotary Club, the event honors Bill Skiff, a storyteller who was the club’s founder and first president. Matt Cota of the nonprofit Split the Ticket Fund spoke of the longtime collaborative relationship between the club and the charity, which arranges home heating fuel deliveries for neighbors in need throughout Vermont by combining financial donations with donations from local fuel dealers.
Girls on the Run registration opens Registration opens Wednesday,
Feb. 19 for girls in grades 3-5 to participate in the Williston chapter of Girls on the Run. Practices will be held at Williston Central School on Mondays and Fridays from 2:50-4:20 p.m. starting March 17. An end-of-season 5K celebration will take place on May 31 in Essex. Register at gotrvt.org/ programs.
UVM pianist stops in Williston on way to ‘Play Every Town’
UVM music professor David Feurzeig will be performing one of his “Play Every Town” concerts at the Williston Federated Church on Sunday, Feb 23 at 3 p.m. Feurzeig is on a mission to play a concert in each of Vermont’s 252 towns. The Williston show will be his 76th so far. The concert is free, though donations are requested to the environmental organization 350Vermont.
Feurzeig has performed internationally, but has now forsworn traveling via fossil fuels, pledging to tour only by public transit or electric vehicle.
PROPERTY TRANSFERS JANUARY 2025
• Jonathon Reynolds bought a home on Essex Road from Shelia Hammond for $87,437.
• Indigo Eisendra bought a condominium on Cedar Lane from the Guilmette Irrevocable Trust for $359,900.
• Norman Boyden bought a mobile home on Williston Woods Road from Michael Benoit for $266,000.
• Shivprasad Shenoy bought a condominium on Madison Drive from John Woodland for $405,000.
• Andrew Diacou bought a home on Balsam Circle from Craig Alinder for $820,000.
• The Joint Revocable Trust of Michael Ferrari bought a condominium on Michael Lane from Teresa Gade for $715,000.
• Tiffaney Fisher bought a home on Williston Road from the Ellis Craig Hayford Sr. Trust for $360,000.
• Brittany Soules bought a condominium on Westview Circle from Kristin Westphal for $340,000.
• Helen Cline bought a home on 2 acres on Highlands Drive from Lori Kinsley for $640,000.
• Gary Fournier bought a home on 2 acres on St. George Road from Leonard Robear for $390,000.
• Christine Hultgren bought a home on Day Lane from Jin Zhang for $430,000.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR THIS WEEK
EMAIL EVENT LISTINGS TO EDITOR@WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Monday, Feb. 17—Champlain Valley School Board candidate forum: 6:10 p.m. Candidates Steve Francisco and Jean Sanchez. Livestreamed at youtube.com/townmeetingtv
Monday, Feb. 17—Exploring Williston’s Housing Development: 6:30-8 p.m. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. Expert panel discusses housing in town
Tuesday, Feb. 18—Champlain Valley School Board meeting: 6 p.m. at CVU. Agenda at cvsdvt.org
Tuesday, Feb. 18—Williston Selectboard meeting: 7 p.m. Williston Town Hall. Agenda at town.williston.vt.us
Wednesday, Feb. 19—Town Manager budget chat: 12-1 p.m. Healthy Living Market Café. Join Town Manager Erik Wells for a drop-in chat about the town’s proposed annual budget.
Wednesday, Feb. 19—Public input meeting on Catamount Outdoor Family Center trail center: 6:30 p.m. Williston Town Hall.
Thursday, Feb. 20—Rotary breakfast and speaker: 7:15 a.m. Williston Federated Church. Speaker Janet Smith, Vermont Transcendental Meditation Center. RSVP by email at RotaryClubofWillistonVT@gmail.com
Thursday, Feb. 20—Families as Partners presents school counselor Jill Everett speaking on reducing caregiver stress and family routines and rituals: 6-7:30 p.m. Williston Central School. Questions and preregistration at willistonfap@cvsdvt.org
Sunday, Feb. 23—Piano concert by UVM composer David Feurzeig: 3 p.m. Williston Federated Church. Reception to follow.
Bill Torrey takes the stage Saturday at WCS for the annual Bill Skiff Story Slam. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
George and Hinesburg road crossings.
The company was fined $150,000 and required to submit after-the-fact amendments to its approval. It acknowledges that changes were made during construction that weren’t in the original plans, but asserts that they don’t affect public safety.
“The facts about construction of the pipeline are clear: The pipeline was adequately constructed and is safe,” company attorney Mary G. Bouchard wrote in a Public Utilities Commission filing. “It will continue to provide safe, reliable, and affordable service to Vermont customers.”
She acknowledged, however, that “construction involved several unapproved
changes and VGS should have obtained amendments to the CPG (Certificate of Public Good) before making those changes.”
Pipeline opponent Rachel Smolker of Hinesburg noted in a 2023 VTDigger oped that the pipeline carries “highly flammable/explosive fracked gas,” and accused the Canadian-based company of “abominable mismanagement” of the project.
The commission was prepared to consider the amendments administratively in the spring of 2023, but Smolker and other project opponents appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, requesting a more formal hearing about the impact of the changes and how they will be mitigated. The Supreme Court last year ruled in the opponents’ favor. On Jan. 10, Vermont Gas filed a new petition with the commission to amend its Certificate of Public Good. The
petition sets up new opportunities for public participation in the approval process.
Vermont Gas published a webpage with extensive documentation on the violations and remediation plans at https://vgsvt.com/ petition2025/.
The petition highlights “the remedial actions that Vermont Gas must take to ensure that operation of the as-built pipeline will not, in the future, result in any undue impacts and will remain in the public good.”
In the petition, Vermont Gas promises increased inspections of pipeline-road intersections to look for any pipeline-induced heaves or potholes and fix any problems it identifies. The company also plans more frequent inspections to assess corrosion in areas where the pipe was buried directly on soil and with water barriers in previously unapproved locations.
Clean Heat
continued from page 1
answers as to the cost that I can find.”
Vermont Gas Systems Director of Public Affairs Dylan Giambatista urged Williston to hold off on local regulations and instead conform to statewide home heating regulations that may be forthcoming.
“While we recognize that many local officials wish to spur climate action, thermal and building performance policies are complicated and unintended consequences are possible,” he wrote in a December letter to the committee. “Local ordinances that do not fully align with statewide policy could add complexity for utilities, businesses, developers and homeowners. We encourage the energy committee to consult with experts and assess the status of statewide policy prior to taking action.”
Burlington bond items would upgrade water, wastewater infrastructure
Water rates would nearly double in the city
BY COREY MCDONALD VTDigger
Burlington residents in March will vote on two bond items that would upgrade failing water and wastewater infrastructure, but they come with a hefty price tag.
The City Council approved the two bond items last week totaling $172 million. One would fund infrastructure repairs in the city’s drinking water system, and another would renovate and consolidate the wastewater management system at the city’s main treatment plant.
If approved, the bond items could result in an 89 percent increase to residents’ average water bills over a five-year period, according to city documents.
But city officials say the work is necessary to ensure both systems will be able to handle approximately 5,000 housing units that are queued up for construction in Burlington. System upgrades would also help prevent phosphorus runoff and mitigate damaging effects to Lake
Champlain.
“Things get more expensive when you continue to defer maintenance, so it is part of our responsibility as stewards of our city today to make sure we start putting responsible investments back into our city,” Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said at a recent council meeting. “This is how we will thrive, this is how we will flourish as a community.”
First floated by the city’s water resources team in November, initial estimates for the work exceeded $200 million. After elected officials voiced concerns that the price tag could be too much for city residents to stomach, officials whittled that number down by deferring some aspects of the project.
“It’s a really big bite that we’re asking people to take,” said Megan Moir, the city’s water resources director. “I’m okay with pushing things out a little bit further with the hopes that we can keep everybody engaged and plotting ahead on the right path.
Moir and Burlington Department of Public Works Director Chapin Spencer cut $14 million from the bond proposal that would have paid
city’s Riverside Avenue treatment plant into a pump station, as well as upgrades to a third plant in the city’s New North End.
But that work will have to get done eventually, and could lead to more borrowing down the road.
“There’s nothing in the original plan that we’re not going to have to do,” Moir said. “I very much hope that when we get to stage 2, which could come as early as 2027, that that number that we have listed right now, could be smaller.”
critical. Piping in both the water and wastewater system “is truly at significant risk of failure,” she said.
With housing developments like CityPlace soon to come online, city officials say the water system needs to catch up to meet this demand. Moir noted that 20 percent of the project can be attributed to capacity needs.
for the relocation of a sewage pipe underneath the Winooski River that burst during the July 2023 flooding.
That project “is still in the FEMA queue,” said Moir, who is hopeful that the Federal Emergency Management Agency could fund the project. But she noted that “we have heard some murmurings about FEMA not being sure about its eligibility now.”
Public works officials also trimmed millions from the proposal by postponing plans to convert the
For now, $152 million would go towards improving wastewater and stormwater operations by consolidating operations and wastewater flows at the city’s main plant near Perkins Pier, according to city documents.
The bond revenue would allow the city to replace machinery at the plant, and to build backup tanks to keep the system flowing.
The second bond, meanwhile, would invest $20 million in improvements to the city’s drinking water system.
Moir, who is married to Mulvaney-Stanak, said in an interview that the improvements are
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“We need to be able to be ready to plug those people in … to be part of our housing stock here, and we do not have the capacity at this moment to be able to grow to those numbers,” Mulvaney-Stanak said.
A key component of the plan would be ensuring compliance with a state requirement to reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing into Lake Champlain by 2030. Moir said that $30 million would go towards a tertiary system to treat phosphorus at the plant.
Phosphorus has been shown to fuel cyanobacteria blooms, sometimes referred to as blue-green algae, in the lake, which have grown in frequency in recent years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 required the state to come up with a plan for reducing phosphorus.
Burlington Director of Wastewater Facilities Matt Dow walks over aeration tanks at the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Feb.
3. PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
Burlington names S. Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke interim chief
BY ALAN J. KEAYS VTDigger
Burlington has tapped South Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke to serve as the city’s interim police chief, according to press releases from both municipalities Wednesday.
For Burke, the move represents a return to a police department where he worked for more than two decades before joining the South Burlington police force.
Burlington Mayor Emma MulvaneyStanak stated in a press release that she was “exceedingly grateful” Burke would be returning to the city’s police department to serve as its interim chief.
“Chief Burke served most of his career here in the City of Burlington, he knows our Department well, and under his leadership I am confident that we can continue to build a Department that is responsive to our community’s needs,” Mulvaney-Stanak added.
Burke has submitted his resignation as South Burlington police chief, effective
March 21, according to a separate press release from the city of South Burlington.
“I’m proud that we can support our neighbors in the City of Burlington as they focus on their public safety and security practices,” South Burlington City Manager Jessie Baker stated in the release. “A strong and safe Burlington will benefit all of Chittenden County and the State of Vermont. I’m confident that Chief Burke is the leader who can guide them through this change.”
Burke joined the South Burlington Police Department in 2018, becoming chief in 2019 when Police Chief Trevor Whipple retired.
Before joining the South Burlington police force, Burke worked in the Burlington Police Department for 21 years, serving as the deputy chief of operations at the time that he left in 2018, the release stated.
Burlington, in its release, stated that outgoing Police Chief Jon Murad will “assist in the transition” before leaving the department “on or before” April 7.
Murad had announced in November his plans to step down from the post.
In South Burlington, the municipality will conduct a national search for its next police chief, the release stated, and, in the meantime, Deputy Chief Sean Briscoe will serve as acting police chief following Burke’s departure on March 21.
BlueCross BlueShield CEO Don George announces retirement
BY OLIVIA GIEGER VTDigger
Don George
BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont announced Monday that its president and CEO, Don George, plans to retire at the end of 2025 after 16 years in the role.
George’s departure comes as health care costs are soaring across the state. Since 2020, BlueCross BlueShield members’ claims have increased 17 percent a year, according to an email George sent lawmakers and state officials in January.
“Blue Cross VT spent more on healthcare than we brought in, forcing our use of member reserves to bridge the gap,” he wrote in the January letter. “The extreme and lengthy cost surge has resulted in our reserves falling to a concerning level.”
In July 2024, those declining reserves put the insurer in jeopardy of insolvency, and
led it to ask a state oversight board for yet another premium increase.
The company has lost $100 million every year for five of the past six — $13 million of which it lost in October 2024 alone.
That month saw the highest paid claims in the company’s history, George wrote in his January letter.
BlueCross BlueShield insures roughly a third of Vermonters. In 2023, employees in Vermont paid the most for their employer-based health insurance premiums than in any other state in the country, according to the health policy news organization KFF.
George intends to stay on as CEO through the end of 2025, which he told lawmakers would be “a difficult yet critical year for our healthcare system” in his January letter.
“My decision to retire was not an easy one to make, but I know it’s the right time,” he said in a Monday press release from BlueCross BlueShield Vermont.
BlueCross BlueShield Vermont’s board of directors said the organization plans to begin recruiting for someone to fill George’s position immediately in the hopes that there will be ample time through the rest of the year to phase in the new leader.
Shawn Burke
House Ways and Means focuses on education funding reform
BY REP. BRIDGET BURKHARDT
We are more than a month into the legislative session, and the House is hard at work on a number of issues that are critical to the future of our state. I am delighted to be serving on the House Committee on Ways and Means. For those of you who always wondered, the Committee on Appropriations is tasked with refining and approving budgets for state agencies and other organizations that are funded by the state. Ways and Means is the committee that works on changes to the structure of taxes and fees that raise the revenue to fund those budgets.
Ways and Means will spend the vast majority of the next two years focused on education funding reform. The Scott administration’s education reform proposal includes changes to governance, funding and education quality standards. We have seen a broad overview of the total proposal, and details about each segment are being shared each
week.
Notes from the Legislature
The proposal for funding reform centers around a change from our current system to a foundation formula. In the most simplified terms, our current system uses sales and use taxes, a portion of rooms and meals taxes, lottery proceeds, and property taxes to generate revenue for the Education Fund. School districts around the state develop budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Once the budgets are passed by voters in those districts, the state uses the Education Fund to fund the portion of the budgets not covered by federal or other types of funding. Property tax rates are set at a level to provide enough revenue, given estimated proceeds from the other sources of funding, for the Education Fund to meet the obligations under all of those passed budgets.
The administration is proposing a switch to a new version of an old concept — a foundation formula in which every district receives a base amount of funding per pupil plus additional funding based on weights applied to students experiencing poverty, English language learners, and attendees of small schools and
Rick Cote, Associate Publisher rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136
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schools in sparsely populated areas. Vermont once used a foundation formula that was ruled unconstitutional by the Vermont Supreme Court in the 1997 case Brigham et. al. vs. State of Vermont. The court found that the system allowed towns with more property wealth to raise more education funding and provide more opportunities to their students than towns with smaller tax bases. The new proposed formula would be designed to work within the requirements of the Brigham decision.
Last Friday we received the first details of the proposed base per-pupil funding amount. The administration proposes a base amount of $13,200 per pupil plus weights for the categories mentioned above. As an example, an economically disadvantaged student, who would carry an additional weight of 0.75, would generate a total payment to his or her district of $23,100 ($13,200 plus 0.75x13,200 = $23,100). Special
education would continue to be funded by categorical grants based on the number of students needing services in a district. Career and Technical Education (CTE) would be funded by per-pupil payments of $25,000 made to new Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) that would allocate those resources amongst the CTE centers.
The administration proposes that the changes to the funding formula take effect for the fiscal 2028 budget.
The administration’s funding formula proposal can be found on the Ways and Means committee page on the General Assembly website under Documents and Handouts for Jan. 31 under the testimony from the Secretary of Education.
The proposal contains many more details, but there are still many questions yet to be answered. How would revenue be raised to fund the education system? What would be the impact on property taxes? Will
towns or districts be allowed to raise additional funds above those provided through the foundation formula, and if so, how does that fit with the Brigham decision?
We will ask these and many more questions as we continue to hear testimony from the administration over the coming weeks and months. Next week we expect to hear more about the governance portion of the administration’s proposal.
In the short term, the governor has proposed a $77 million one-time transfer from the General Fund to the Education Fund for the coming fiscal year to bring down the statewide average increase in property taxes for next year to 0 percent. The challenge with a one-time transfer is that it delays the problem by a year and creates a potential funding gap as next year’s budgets are being developed.
In addition to education funding, see BURKHARDT page 9
Unbalanced reporting
I found the article “Macaig, Arsenault to step away from local boards” (Jan. 30) to be lacking a balanced reporting on the two candidates for the open seat on the school board. Please do another article with more information and supporting quotes on Steve Francisco’s skills and capabilities. He has gone above and beyond in his support of the students in our community and deserves fair reporting.
Danielle Doucette Williston
A pitch for protected lands
Please vote yes for Article 6 in the Town Meeting Day election.
The article asks: “Shall a tax of one-half of one cent be assessed on the grand list with the proceeds (estimated to be $110,000) to be deposited in the Town’s Environmental Reserve Fund for the purpose of permanent preservation and protection of open space areas and public lands within the town of Williston.”
The Williston Conservation Commission is hoping the public will support the Environmental Reserve Fund (ERF) in this way for
OPEN HOUSE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
one fiscal year as its only source of funding. The commission has a goal of 30 percent of Williston town land conserved by 2050. This is an appropriate and modest goal and supports Vermont’s 30-by-30 legislation that has the goal of protecting 30 percent of Vermont land area by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050.
The hotter summers and frequent flooding we are experiencing are undeniable consequences of climate change. Conserved lands help mitigate these consequences. Protected lands serve important ecological functions, such as providing clean water and clean air, food security, health benefits and preserving biodiversity.
The ERF helped fund the recent acquisition of the Catamount Community Forest, which, in addition to its ecological functions, is well-loved for recreation. The ERF has also been used to conserve working farms such as the Siple Farm off of South Road.
Williston has many ecologically sensitive and important habitats, including a peat bog that Williston protected as the Mud Pond Conservation area. Our northern hardwood forests, floodplain forests, dry oak woodlands and other natural communities support birding
hotspots, large mammals, rare amphibians and more.
We have room for more growth in Williston along with more conserved lands for the benefit of the people living here.
Laura Meyer Williston Conservation Commission
The myth of VT’s hounding tradition
There’s a dangerous myth being perpetuated in Vermont, that uncontrolled hound hunting represents some sacred traditional right. Modern hound hunting — where handlers track unsupervised packs of hounds running at large by GPS from their trucks — bears little resemblance to traditional hunting.
Documented incidents include:
• A couple and their dog attacked and trapped in a culvert for 45 minutes while hiking.
• A coyote brutally killed by hounds beneath a homeowner’s window while children watched.
• A woman and her dog chased and attacked for two miles while mountain biking.
• Multiple pets attacked on their own properties.
• Systematic intimidation of
homeowners through late-night truck brigades and mutilated wildlife, including bullet-ridden fox kits and baby raccoons, dumped on lawns.
Property owners are forced to install security cameras and expensive fencing to protect their animals, while residents carry bear spray just to feel safe in their own yards. Farm animals are chased and unsafe in their pastures. Horse riding camps face constant risks of serious injuries to both riders and horses due to uncontrolled hounds. Vulnerable elderly and disabled homeowners receive no assistance from Fish and Wildlife, despite being required to post and maintain property signage. Hounding would be illegal if it
were not licensed by the Fish and Wildlife Department. Article 1 of the Vermont State Constitution states that citizens have the right to acquire, possess and protect private property. 10 V.S.A. § 5201 of the Vermont Statutes states that property owners have the right to post their land against hunting, fishing and trapping, yet hounding makes a mockery of this law.
The Fish and Wildlife Department’s excuse that “dogs can’t read posted signs” is a deflection of responsibility. The Constitution protects property rights, not the right to terrorize communities with uncontrolled dog packs.
Alana Stevenson Charlotte
Road salt contamination in focus at Statehouse
Legislators examine chloride’s impact on waterways
BY SAM HARTNETT Community News Service
Salt can be found just about everywhere outside in the winter — cars, roads, sidewalks — but where does it all go come spring? The answer often is streams, rivers and lakes, something clean water
advocates and scientists say is getting worse.
Chloride, a chemical that leaches into waterways from road salt, compounds in the environment, particularly in smaller streams and brooks near multiple roadways. Too much chloride can be toxic to aquatic life and corrode pipes and plumbing, among other things.
The citizen committee that advises the state on managing Lake Champlain recently told legislators
that excess chloride in the watershed could soon require state or federal regulations.
“The chloride is really a looming thing that I don’t think most people realize … There’s going to be federal stuff coming down on this,” said Bob Fisher, member of the advisory committee and South Burlington water quality superintendent, before the House Committee on Environment late last month.
State regulators seemed to agree about the problem last year, when they stepped in to address Sunnyside Brook in Colchester routinely exceeding legal limits for chloride levels.
The state developed a plan last winter to reduce the chloride entering the stream and limit how much can be present in the water every
day while still being safe. That limit, called a total maximum daily load, was the first in the state to regulate chloride in particular.
Now, Sen. Anne Watson, D/PWashington, has introduced a bill to create a state program focused on curbing chloride contamination from road salt by better training salt crews.
The program, housed in the state Agency of Natural Resources, would provide education, training and certification for road salting across the state. Watson chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which has been discussing chloride contamination this session. Watson said she hopes the bill, S.29, can help reduce stress on wildlife as well as save contractors and municipalities money on salt expenses.
The Senate committee heard from various environmental organizations that detailed the rising chloride contamination across the state Tuesday.
Over the last 30 years, the Winooski River has seen chloride levels more than double, Lake Champlain Basin Program chief scientist Matthew Vaughn said in the meeting. As more and more waterways upstream of the river become impaired, those chloride levels have risen sharply, Vaughn said.
A speaker from AdkAction, a New York nonprofit that has run projects to reduce salt use in the Adirondack Mountains, described to committee members how it worked with road crews and citizens to tune equipment and prevent using
A plow truck clears away snow from a road in Colchester.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF COLCHESTER
from page 8
more salt than necessary.
The nonprofit recommends public-private cooperation and teaching people ways to conserve salt when treating roads or driveways.
“Anywhere where we deploy these standards, and there’s buy-in, we’re seeing a 50 percent reduction in salt use,” Phill Sexton, technical advisor for the group, told legislators.
Over the last decade, the Adirondacks’ Lake George area has attracted much attention for its road salt reduction work. For many years, about 30,000 tons of salt was used annually around the tourist destination, according to the Lake George Association, and some towns around the lake have reduced their winter salt use by as much as half each year.
Craig Digiammarino, manager of conservation and stewardship efforts at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, said in an email that officials are aware of the impacts road salting has on water quality
and aim to avoid excess salt near impaired waterways. The agency’s snow and ice control plan describes, among other methods, using brine instead of rock salt.
Mixing road salt with water to produce brine can greatly lower the amount of chloride used because it helps melt snow and ice faster.
But much of the chloride entering the environment comes through private salting of parking lots, driveways and other property where there is little regulation, Tim Clear of the state Department of Environmental Conservation said in an interview.
Experts said people and companies salting private property might be using more salt than needed.
According to the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Program at the University of Vermont, a 12-ounce cup of rock salt can effectively cover a 20-footlong driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.
Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship.
Look Forward To Coming Home
Burkhardt
continued from page 6
the Ways and Means Committee has spent the past few weeks reviewing the Budget Adjustment Act, learning about best and current practices for different types of taxes and fees, and hearing testimony on bills that would have an impact on taxes and fees.
The Budget Adjustment Act is an annual bill that is typically passed early in the legislative session. The bill makes changes to the budget that was passed for the current fiscal year (which ends on June 30) based on changes to revenue and expenditures through the first several months of the fiscal year.
Please feel free to reach out to me any time with questions or concerns at bburkhardt@leg.state.vt.us.
Bridget Burkhardt represents the Chittenden-8 District in the Vermont House of Representatives, which covers portions of Williston and South Burlington.
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Hindsight
continued from page
modern stores already located there and more waiting to come in. You can drive off the state’s most popular throughway, I-89, and right into the shopping center without going through a number of streets. In a few years Williston will not be competing against Burlington. It will be the east side of the lake against the west side, for the business from Canada.
At the time Vermont was admitted to the Union, the population of Burlington was 332 and the population of Williston was 471. So Burlington, you had better stop kicking the sleeping giant, or you may wake him up.
Williston is in the most heavily populated part of the state, and with the population increasing each year, people who want to live in a quaint little Vermont town should not move into the most populated place in the state. There are many beautiful quaint little villages through Vermont.
One lady told me, “but there is not work there.”
Sure, that is the way Vermont was in the good old days. I have been through the good old days, and enjoyed them, but today we are living the best times the world has ever seen, so we should stop worrying about the things we do not like and be happy enjoying the good things we have today. We spend time remembering the good old days, and time planning for the future, but the most important time in our life is today, and today is the time you can try to make yourself and those around you happy.
If you have been riding the negative freight train, better get off and get on the “Sunshine Express.”
Williston is the Emerald Town of Chittenden County. We have lots of green fields, and a beautiful stream of delightful green coming from the new stores that helps keep our town refreshed.
Williston is the town that is remembering the past, enjoying the present and planning the future.
Sarita Devi — Growing up in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, Sarita learned to cook family recipes throughout her childhood. Nine years after moving to Vermont with her husband, Yogi Singh, she realized her dream of opening Aromas of India to share the food she loves with others. Her flavorful vegetarian menu (Indian food is so much more than curry!) features complex flavors and textures. Everything she serves, she makes from scratch, with attention to detail that shines in every dish.
Francisco Guzman — Francisco, Carlos and Ricardo Guzman and Eduardo Fuentes have been friends since their grade school days in Jalisco, Mexico. With two other successful Tex-Mex restaurants up and running, the partners seized the opportunity to open their third, under Francisco’s leadership, when space came available in Williston. At Casa Grande, Francisco has created a colorful, lively atmosphere, where he eagerly welcomes guests to enjoy authentic dishes with the vibrant flavors of Mexico.
Craig Anthony — Craig Anthony grew up in Tamworth, New Hampshire. His love for cooking was found as a child hunting and fishing, and grew during high school as a member of the Junior Amer-
ican Culinary Federation. In 2007, he relocated to Vermont, building a distinguished career with Mirabelles Bakery and Waterworks Food and Drink, before becoming Executive Chef at the Kitchen Table. Craig delights in creating a space for family and friends to gather and enjoy delicious home-cooked comfort.
Samantha La Croix
Pastry Chef, Samantha La Croix, was born and raised in Vermont where her passion for baking was sparked at an early age by her late grandmother. Classically trained in Pastry & Baking Arts at The New England Culinary Institute, Sam has delighted diners at Jupiter Island Club in Southern Florida, Hen of the Wood, The Inn at Shelburne Farms, and Mirabelles Bakery. Widely recognized as one of the best dessert bakers in Chittenden County, she loves feeding people food that brings them to a warm, familiar place.
Bobby Seaman
Bobby, Director of Operations at Folino’s Pizza, has worked at the restaurant for 7 years. Bobby was the leader behind opening their Williston location in 2021. Bobby comes from a rich culinary background but has found working with pizza is the most rewarding because of the flexibility of flavors and toppings. Bobby says, “Folino’s stands out because of our attention to high-quality ingredients and naturally rising dough.” His go-to order is the Margarita pizza. “It’s a classic pizza that lets our ingredients do the talking.” With multiple Folino’s locations, Bobby says, “The best thing about working in Vermont is getting to know the communities that we are a part of and bringing a smile to people’s faces.” Visit Bobby and the rest of the Folino’s family at our Williston location!
Marty Bonneau— A long-time resident of Williston with a passion for brewing, Marty earned a professional brewing degree from the American Brewers Guild and in 2016 opened Goodwater Brewery with a taproom on-site at their Marshall Avenue location. After four years of successful brewing and with a firm business in place, the time was right to expand and add a restaurant offering dishes that pair well with their twelve beers on tap. Marty has created a hot-spot for fun-loving beer enthusiasts, offering live music, karaoke and large screen televisions. They warmly welcome regulars, newcomers, beer-tourists and private parties.
Max Fath — Max Fath grew up in Williston, the son of Jon and Lucie Fath who owned and operated the original Toscano Café Bistro on Bridge Street in Richmond. With twenty years of experience in restaurant service and management, Max was eager to launch a new rendition of Toscano when the opportunity became available in Williston. Max built a team of some familiar faces from the original Toscano and some new faces he met along the way and is grateful for the opportunity to serve our community once again, blending nostalgia from the original Toscano with contemporary elegance in his newly renovated space.
Perry & Neil Farr — Perry & Neil Farr met as students at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY then settled in Williston (Neil grew up in Colchester) to raise their family, where they each pursued careers in food service while exploring business ideas. When they discovered Poké on a trip to San Francisco they knew they needed to bring the concept to Vermont. The Scale was born. Perry & Neil take pride in sourcing only the freshest ingredients - mostly local – and offering hungry patrons fast, healthy and delicious food with a Hawaiian flare.
Eric Kelley — Originally from Massachusetts, Eric went to college in Colorado where he began his career in the food service business. After moving to Vermont in 2009, Eric saw an opportunity to create a gathering place in Williston where locals could connect to enjoy excellent coffee, espresso drinks, and fresh baked goods. He opened Williston Coffee Shop to serve the breakfast and lunch crowd. Over a decade later, Eric can be found in the early hours baking bread, croissants, scones and pastries to the delight of his regular customers. He takes pride in his products, the friendly atmosphere of the Shop, and the many employees who have learned from him through the years. Located on Cornerstone Drive, it’s no surprise that Williston Coffee Shop has become a cornerstone in the Williston community.
Bon Appetit!
Wildcats in the fast lane
The Williston Central School Wildcats, above, strategize during their 32-10 girls A-team win over the ADL Chargers in middle school basketball on Monday in Essex. The team effort was evident in the play of Williston’s Addie Thomas who contributes a layup (right); Scout Pierce’s aggressive ball handling, bottom left, and Annika Scott, middle left, look for an opening to the basket.
OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
Presidential Fun
We celebrate Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 17. This holiday began as a tribute to President George Washington and was scheduled near his birthday, Feb. 22. In fact, the official name of the federal holiday is still Washington’s Birthday.
This week, The Mini Page celebrates Presidents Day by getting to know some of our former presidents a little bit better. (The number next to each president’s name shows the order in which he served.)
George Washington (1)
• Washington was the only president to have a state named after him.
• He gave the shortest inauguration speech ever, 133 words, at his second inauguration in 1793.
• Washington did not have wooden teeth. His teeth were made of the best materials available at the time.
John Tyler (10)
• Tyler had more children than any other president. He was the father of 15! He was married twice. He had eight children by his first wife, Letitia, and seven by his second wife, Julia.
Aromas
Chef’s
Theodore Roosevelt (26)
• Roosevelt was our youngest president, taking office at age 42.
• He had six children. The family had pets including a bear, a lizard, guinea pigs, a pig, a onelegged rooster, a barn owl and a rabbit.
Mini Fact: John Adams (2) was the first president to live in the White House.
Next Week: Random Acts of Kindness
Franklin D. Roosevelt (32)
William Henry Taft (27)
• Taft was the biggest president. He weighed more than 300 pounds.
• He later became chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Abraham Lincoln (16)
• Lincoln was the first president to wear a beard. He did not wear it for long, only for the last four years of his life. An 11-year-old girl, Grace Bedell, wrote him a letter suggesting that he grow one.
• Lincoln was the tallest president. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall. He weighed 180 pounds.
• Roosevelt was the only president elected for four terms. He was a distant cousin of Theodore Roosevelt (26). He was the first president to fly in an airplane while in office. He also loved the hobby of stamp collecting.
Ronald
Reagan (40)
• Reagan was the only Hollywood star and the third-oldest man ever elected to the office of president. He was 69 when he was elected to his first term.
• Reagan was also the first president to wear a bulletproof vest, a hearing aid and contact lenses.
Jimmy Carter (39)
• Jimmy Carter was the first president to be born in a hospital.
• He was also the first president to walk from the Capitol to the White House after his inauguration.
Richard Nixon (37)
• Richard Nixon was the first president to make a telephone call to the moon.
Observer rack locations
Goodwater
Words that remind us of presidents are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Island
Korner
Sonesta
Mini Jokes
Quality
Hannaford
Mac’s
Martone’s
George: What was Abraham Lincoln’s nickname when he was an infant? Theodore: Babe Lincoln! Try ’n’ Find
Folino’s
Marriott
M&T
Vermont
Richmond
Founded by Betty Debnam Issue
While Roosevelt was president, a toymaker started making bears, calling
“Teddy.”
twice. He had eight children by his first wife, Letitia, and seven by his second wife, Julia.
Try ’n’ Find
• Lincoln was the tallest president. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall. He weighed 180 pounds.
Words that remind us of presidents are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
George: What was Abraham Lincoln’s nickname when he was an infant?
Theodore: Babe Lincoln!
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1. Heat olive oil and cook onion, carrots and garlic until onion is translucent.
2. Add cumin and chili powder, stirring for 1 minute until mixed.
3. Add stock, pepper and 1 can black beans; heat until boiling. Meanwhile, puree remaining can of beans and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. Add to soup mixture.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Serves 4.
7 Little Words for Kids
Use the letters in the boxes to make a word with the same meaning as the clue. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in the solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
1. little town (7)
2. part of a tree with leaves (6)
3. easy (6)
4. prairie plant (9)
5. center (6)
6. frozen water on roof’s edge (6)
7. buddy (6)
icicle, iend.fr
You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.
The expansion of beaver ranges into a warming Arctic means there are now more beaver ponds across the region, transferring more heat to the surrounding soil and thawing more long-frozen ground, a new report says. Human-caused climate change has already allowed more shrubs and woody plants to grow at high latitudes, making the Arctic region more inviting to the toothy dam-builders. Data show there are more than 850 new beaver ponds on Alaska’s Seward Peninsula, near Nome.
For later:
Look in your newspaper for articles about our president.
Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!
by Dan Thompson
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
When should someone with dementia stop driving? My 83-year-old father has some dementia issues but still drives himself around town pretty well.
Concerned Daughter
Dear Concerned,
Most doctors agree that people with moderate to severe dementia should never get behind the wheel, but in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia, driving performance should be the determining factor of when to stop driving, not the disease itself.
With that said, it’s also important to realize that, as your dad’s driving skills
SAVVY SENIOR
Driving
deteriorate over time from the disease, he might not recognize he has a problem. So, it’s very important that you work closely with his doctor to monitor his driving and help him stop when it is no longer safe for him to drive.
Here are some tips that can help you.
WATCH FOR WARNING SIGNS
The best way to keep tabs on your dad’s driving abilities is to take frequent rides with him and watch out for warning signs. For example: Does he have trouble remembering routes to familiar places? Does he drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate, drift between lanes or fail to observe traffic signs? Does he react slowly or make poor driving decisions? Also, has your dad had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on his vehicle? All of these are red flags.
If you need some assessment help, hire a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s
dementia,
trained to evaluate older drivers. See Myaota.aota.org/driver_search or Aded. net to locate one in your area.
TRANSITION TIPS
Through your assessments, if you believe it’s still safe for your dad to drive, you should start recommending some simple adjustments to ensure his safety, like driving only in daylight and on familiar routes, and avoiding busy roads and bad weather. Also, get him to sign a dementia “driving contract” that designates someone to tell him when it’s no longer safe for him to drive. Go to Alz. org/driving and click on the “Download” button to print one.
You may also want to consider getting a GPS car tracking device (like Bouncie. com or MotoSafety.com) to help you monitor him. These devices will let you track where he’s driving and allow you to set up zones and speed limits that will send you alerts to your smartphone when he exits an area, or if he’s driving too fast or braking harshly.
TIME TO QUIT
When your dad’s driving gets to the point that he can no longer drive safely, you’ll need to talk to him. It’s best to start having these conversations in the early stages of the disease, before he needs to quit driving, so he can prepare himself.
You also need to have a plan for alternative transportation (including a list of
family, friends and local transportation options) that will help him get around after he stops driving.
For tips on how to talk to your dad, the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence offers a helpful guide called “At the Crossroads: Family Conversations About Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and Driving” that you can download at TheHartford.com/Publications-on-Aging.
REFUSES TO QUIT
If your dad refuses to quit, you have several options. First, suggest a visit to his doctor, who can give him a medical evaluation and prescribe that he stops driving. Older people will often listen to their doctor before they will listen to their own family.
If he still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if they can help. Some states will automatically revoke a license when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, while many others require retaking a driving test.
If these fail, consider hiding his keys — or you may need to take them away. You could also disable his vehicle by disconnecting the battery, park it in another location so he can’t see it or have access to it, or sell it.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1542, Catherine Howard, fifth wife of King Henry VIII, was executed on grounds of treason for committing adultery.
• In 1945, Allied aircraft began bombing the German city of Dresden.
In 1960, France successfully detonated its first atomic bomb.
• In 2000, the last of Charles Schulz’s original “Peanuts” comic strips ran in Sunday papers, one day after the cartoonist’s death.
TODAY’S FACT:
• The central event of author Kurt Vonnegut’s celebrated novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” is the Allied bombing of the city of Dresden during World War II. Experts estimate the number of civilian casualties to be 25,000.
SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 22
Rosemarie Ann Benoit
Rosemarie Ann Benoit, 52 of Richmond passed away unexpectedly Jan. 18, 2025 in South Burlington, VT.
Rosemarie was born on Dec. 30, 1972 in Burlington to Darlene Atkins and Dwaine Hood. She grew up in Richmond and graduated from Mount Mansfield Union High School. She later studied Cosmetology at O’Briens Aveda Institute, where she received her cosmetology license.
Rosemarie married Vernocus Shepard Nov. 24,2024 in South Burlington. She worked as a member of the IT help desk at the Howard Center in Burlington.
Rosemarie loved butterflies, roses, bats, and her dogs, Dozer, Stella, Tank, and Bjorn. Passionate about her collection of tattoos, Rosemarie viewed her skin as her personal canvas and her ink as an expression of who she was and what she loved. She was a kind, loving and wild soul. She enjoyed camping, traveling, singing karaoke, and dancing. She most enjoyed preparing home-cooked meals and spending time around her family and friends.
OBITUARIES
Her contagious spirit and witty personality brought joy and happiness to countless lives. She valued the little things and found beauty and solace in the world everywhere she went.
Rosemarie is preceded in death by her best friend Victoria Leveillee and husband Brian, as well as her grandparents Roland and Lorraine Hood, and Lloyd and Mattie Atkins.
Rosemarie is survived by her husband Vernocus Shepard: her three children; David Benoit and wife Kaitlin, son Steven Benoit, and daughter Victoria Benoit; her brother Dwaine Hood Jr.; half brother Robert Wargo; mother Darlene Atkins; father Dwaine Hood; and stepmother Sandra Hood. She is also survived by her six grandchildren: Payton, Cooper, Jaxen, Kally, Brantley, and Walker, as well as many uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews who she loved dearly.
A celebration of life will be held in her memory at a later date.
Holly Ann Kirk
With hearts full of love and sorrow, we share the sudden passing of Holly Ann Kirk on Feb. 1, 2025.
Born Aug 26, 1959, Holly was a light in the lives of everyone who knew her — a woman whose kindness, warmth, and boundless love made the world a brighter place.
Holly shared a lifetime of love with her high school sweetheart and devoted husband, Thomas Kirk. Married on July 8, 1978, they built a beautiful life together filled with love, laughter, and unwavering devotion.
Above all, Holly was a devoted mother. Her children; Greg Manara and his wife Melissa; Jennifer Doyon and her husband Jeremy; and Natalie Kirk, were her greatest pride and joy. She loved them fiercely, celebrating their successes, lifting them up in difficult times, and surrounding them with an unwavering love that will remain in their hearts forever. She had a way of making each of them feel special, always knowing just what to say to bring comfort, encouragement, or laughter.
Holly also adored her granddaughter, Madison, and though she never had the chance to meet them, she leaves behind two grandsons, Brady and Carter, whose lives she would have undoubtedly filled with love.
She is survived by her sister Kerra Desseau and her husband Joe Kushner; her brother Paul Desseau and his wife Paula; and her brother John Desseau.
She was predeceased by her mother Joyce Pitts Desseau and her father Robert Desseau.
She found happiness in life’s simple, beautiful moments. She had a deep love for gardening, where she nurtured flowers with the same care and devotion she showed to the people she loved. She cherished the warmth of the sun on her face, taking in its golden glow as if it were a hug from the universe.
Books were her escape and her adventure, and she could often be found lost in a thrilling story, eager to share her latest favorite. In the summer, she loved spending her days off lounging in the pool, soaking up the sun and enjoying the peacefulness of the water.
Pleasant St in Essex Junction, VT, Feb. 22, 2025. Viewing at 1~p.m. with funeral to follow at 2~p.m..
Holly’s love was a gift, and though she is no longer with us, that love will live on— forever cherished, deeply missed, and never forgotten.
William “Bill” Vincent Nulty
William “Bill” Vincent Nulty, 75, of St. George, passed away peacefully Jan. 27, 2025 at his home with family by his side.
Bill was born July 26, 1949 to the late Walter Joseph Nulty and Pauline Regina Nulty at Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester.
As a young man Bill enjoyed skiing and spending time with family at the family’s Lake Champlain camp.
He was a Vietnam veteran enlisting in the US Army serving from July 27, 1967 until June 10, 1970.
After returning home Bill married Angelina Marie Olio April 28, 1972. They had 3 children, Jennelle, Kimberlee and Corey raising them for the most part at their long time home in St. George.
Bill worked over 40 years for Burlington Electric as a shift supervisor at the power plant, working with many lifelong friends.
Holly had a laugh that could light up a room, a heart big enough to embrace everyone around her, and a spirit so full of love that it touched everyone she met. She lived with kindness, generosity, and a quiet strength that made those around her feel safe and loved.
Though her time with us was far too short, the love she shared will never fade. She will be remembered in every bloom of a flower, every sunlit afternoon, and every page turned in a great book. Her presence will be felt in the love she left behind, in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to know her.
A celebration of Holly’s life will be held at Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home at 9
During Bill’s family years he enjoyed his dogs, scuba diving, hunting, riding his Harley, competitive shooting and the log cabin he and his friends built in Canaan, VT. Bill is survived by his daughter Jennelle Gallagher and her husband Delbert Gallagher of Colchester; his sisters Mary Nulty Antonicci and her husband John of South Hero, and Paula Nulty Fortin of Plainfield, Indiana; his four grandchildren Dakota Persons, Alexis Persons, Gage Nulty and Kali Nulty and his uncle Phillip (Skip) Beaulieu.
Bill is preceded in death by his wife Angelina Marie Nulty his daughter Kimberlee Nulty and his son Corey Nulty. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
Cynthia “Cyndi” Ames Haselton died unexpectedly on Christmas morning at her home in Colchester, VT. She was 69 years old.
Cyndi was born in Morristown, NJ, to John and Patricia Ames. She graduated from Kent Place School and Boston University. In 1975, she married her high school sweetheart, Franklin “Gary” Haselton at the family home on Malletts Bay.
The young couple moved to coastal Maine in 1977, first to Boothbay Harbor and then Edgecomb. They had four children in five years: Hillary (1979), identical twins Dusty and Britt (1981), and Hannah (1984). In addition to raising her children, Cyndi worked as a part-time journalist for the Boothbay Register and volunteered for her community.
In 1990, Cyndi made the bold and courageous decision to pursue her medical degree and become a doctor. The family of six moved to Williston, where she enrolled in medical school at the University of Vermont at the age of 35 with four young children. She continued her residency at UVM and eventually became a beloved family practitioner in Burlington.
Throughout their lifetimes, Cyndi and Gary and the family continued to spend time each summer at the Haselton family’s summer home in Boothbay Harbor. She and Gary moved to her family’s Malletts Bay home in 2005.
After Cyndi retired in 2012,
she dedicated her time to volunteer for causes that were important to her. She took several trips to Nicaragua to volunteer for medical clinics in rural areas. She was passionate about nature, animals, music and most notably land conservation and addiction recovery. Since 2018, she served on the board of The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County, where she generously shared her time and expertise with the organization. Her contributions enriched and expanded recovery resources within the Burlington community.
Cyndi was an exercise enthusiast and had an affinity for the outdoors. Always on the move, she loved biking, walking, hiking, cross country and downhill skiing, swimming, dancing, gardening, and gathering firewood.
To get herself through medical school and her professional life, she studied and worked on custom-made bike desks – either outside in good weather, or inside in bad weather and long into the night.
Exercise was her remedy
for practically everything. She biked everywhere she could for errands and for pleasure. Her favorite days were the ones when she had the time to bike from the family home in Williston to Mount Mansfield or Camel’s Hump, hike to the top, and then bike home. And after a trip to the lap pool, she would hop on her exercise equipment for hours on end.
Most recently, her adventurous spirit led her to Switzerland and France with her daughter Hannah to check off one of her bucket list trips: hiking part of the Tour du Mont Blanc.
She was truly in her element in the Alps, soaking up what she called the “power of the mountains.”
Cyndi was an energizer bunny that had the biggest heart. She would drop anything to give a helping hand, to offer medical advice to someone in need, or to bike to a grandchild’s sports event. Her tenacious spirit will be deeply missed by her family, friends and community.
Cyndi was predeceased by Gary in 2010, Dusty in 2017, and
her parents. She is survived by her children; Hillary Haselton of Centennial, CO; Britt Haselton and his wife Lexie of Bolton, VT; Dusty’s widow, Melinda Haley Haselton of Ghent, NY; Hannah Jackon and her husband Doug of Colchester, VT. She is also survived by her brother, John Ames of Winooski, VT, and seven thriving grandchildren: Lucas, Logan, Wynn, Teddy, Kaia, Kota, and Haley.
A private celebration of life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, go for a hike in her honor, and if you’d like to make a memorial donation in her name, please make them to Turning Point Center of VT (https://turningpointcentervt.org/donate/) or Boothbay Region Land Trust (https:// bbrlt.org/donate/). Choose adventure whenever possible, and keep moving!
Arrangements are in care of Champlain Cremation, So. Burlington. To send condolences to her family please visit www.champlaincremation. com.
found on page 19
• Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
We will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17 in observance of Presidents’ Day. CROSSWORD SOLUTION Puzzle found on page 19 SUDOKU SOLUTION
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.
(1629) Woodworking Shop & Lumber
Visit www.damlvt.org to apply for a library card and register for programs. Or call 878-4918 or email daml@ damlvt.org.
TEENS D&D
Friday, Feb. 14, 4:30-6 p.m. Ages 12-18. Campaigns are currently full.
READING ADVENTURE
Saturday, Feb. 15, 10:3011:30 a.m. Ages 6-plus. While adults attend “Parenting Book Club,” kids meet to explore Italy with stories, facts and crafts.
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME
Tuesdays, Feb. 18 and 25, 10:30-11 a.m. Drop in for stories and fun.
BABY TIME
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 10:3011 a.m. Ages 0-18 months. Gentle activities with your little one.
AFTER SCHOOL CRAFT
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2-3 p.m. Make a 3D collage.
MUSIC AND PLAYTIME
Thursdays, Feb. 20 and 27, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Music with Linda Bassick.
TEEN NIGHT: FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Friday, Feb. 21, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-18. Join our teen advisory board. Plan events and volunteer opportunities. Bring your thoughts and we’ll bring food!
SATURDAY MUSIC
Saturday, Feb. 22, 10:3011 a.m. Start off Saturday with Linda Bassick’s music.
ELEMENTARY D&D
Saturday, Feb. 22, 1-2 p.m. Suggested ages 7-10. Register each child who wants to participate in this mini session of Dungeons & Dragons. No experience needed. Adults, please plan to stay to help your campaigner.
LEGO TIME
Thursday, Feb. 27, 3-4 p.m.
MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS
READ TO A DOG (LOLA)
Thursday, Feb. 20, 3:304:30 p.m. Sign-up for a 10-minute session with Lola the Therapy Dog.
TREE COOKIE DECORATING
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2-3:30 p.m.
Drop in to decorate a cookie. Williston/St. George residents only. All ages welcome. While supplies last.
ADULT PROGRAMS
For online programs or to join a book club, email daml@damlvt.org.
ADULT WINTER READING BOOK BINGO
Turn in your Bingo cards by Feb. 22 for the prize drawings.
ADULT PUZZLE SWAP
All February, bring in gently used puzzles (300+ pieces) and take a few home.
FEBRUARY SPICE CLUB — STAR ANISE
EMAILED ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISING INSERTION ORDER
Pick up this month’s sample with notes, suggestions for use and a few recipes. While supplies last.
Thomas Hirchak Company
MAH JONGG
FROM: Cathy Morneault
Phone: 802-888-4662
Fridays, Feb. 14 and 21, 1-3 p.m. All abilities welcome.
Email: Advertising2@THCAuction.com
PARENTING BOOK CLUB
To: Rick & Susan Cote Paper: Williston Observer Max Length 12.5
TODAY’S DATE: 02/07/2025
NAME OF FILE: 02132025_WO2
DATE(S) TO RUN: 02/13/2025
Saturday, Feb. 15, 10:3011:30 a.m. Whether you’ve read one page or the whole book, join us to discuss “Hunt, Gather, Parent” by Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD. Kids ages 6-plus can join in the Reading Adventure held at the same time. These are made possible by a Winnie Belle Learned Fund grant.
SIZE OF AD: 1/16 page (2” x 5”)
BOOK CLUB BUFFET (ONLINE)
EMAILED TO: Rick@Willistonobserver.com
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick. LIFE STORIES (ONLINE)
Publishes in Williston Observer
SECTION: Auctions or Real Estate PO# 1629
Date change for this month: Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2-3 p.m. Listen to personal stories from people’s lives and share one of your own.
SPANISH CONVERSATION (ONLINE)
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 5-6 p.m. All abilities.
COOK THE BOOK DINNER: MANGIA ITALIA
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 6-7 p.m. “The Italian Farmer’s Table” by Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrine will be highlighted. Come for dinner and games.
ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)
Friday, Feb. 21 and 28, 1212:30 p.m. Reconnect with your peaceful body and breath.
READER’S ROUNDTABLE
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 12:301:30 p.m. “Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” by Clare Pooley.
CURRENT EVENTS
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 10:30 a.m.12 p.m. Discuss timely topics with other community members.
Brian Washburn: 802-434-5533
802-373-1755 (cell)
GEARING UP FOR KINDERGARTEN
Allen Brook School is currently registering for Kindergarten 2025!
All students who will be 5 before September 1, 2025, and live in Williston or Saint George, are eligible for Kindergarten at Allen Brook School in the Fall
Contact us today to enroll your student: 802-871-6240 absfrontoffice@cvsdvt.org
Emergencies seen promptly. We
Revisiting pieces from the archives of our 40-year-old community paper
My Take On The Changes in Williston
Editor’s Note: The following column by Ken Bessette, Sr. first appeared in the August 7, 1997 issue of the Williston Whistle (the previous name for the Williston Observer) as an installment of his regular “I Remember When” column.
BY KEN BESSETTE, SR.
People keep asking me what I think of the changes in Williston. I am a pretty independent person, and not a very good follower, so I probably do not follow any group to the letter.
Back about forty years ago there was a rumor that Montgomery Ward was interested in building a mail-order warehouse on the northeast corner of Johnson’s Corner. The farm on the southwest corner and the farm where the white house is across from the driving range were both owned by the Johnsons, some of the earliest settlers in Williston. So for years it was known as Johnson’s Corner, now Taft Corners.
That rumor got the town fathers thinking of Williston’s future. Because Burlington had expanded to its limit, bottled in by Colchester, Winooski, South Burlington and the lake, the population increase was sure to reach Williston in time. The town leaders wanted to keep the village from changing as much as possible, and the road running north and south at that place went just to farm country. But the east-west road at Johnson’s Corner came from Bristol and other towns, and the north road went to Essex Junction and then to Canada, so they figured that would be the best place to have the future shopping stores.
little change. The main one is that the old school is gone, and the armory is there today, and there are just a few new buildings.
As for making that section around Johnson’s Corner the business section of the town, if I remember right, where they are talking about putting Maple Tree Place was owned by John Deschenes. The town fathers asked him if he would consider running a couple streets from what is now Route 2A east, as they figured that part of town would be where the town would be more apt to grow.
I was here in 1913, when the town celebrated its 150th anniversary, and if you drove down the main street then, and today, you would see very little change.
Howard Lunderville is the only town father that I know of who was around at that time.
The Rowley farm, across the road where the little red house is today, was working farmland and so was the Johnson farm on the corner.
I believe Williston is the most progressive, best-planned, best-organized town in the state.
The old part of the town has been preserved as much as possible. The town has two of the most modern schools, with some of the best teachers in the state.
police department.
Williston’s highway department also does a great job, and anyone who does not think so should live in some of the other towns. You hear a lot lately about traffic. Williston is a growing town, and like a growing boy, his shoes may be giving him a little trouble, and hurting, but it will not do any good to keep crying – he will just have to change to shoes that fit.
Williston has the best industrial park in the state, well laid out streets, good-looking, well-landscaped buildings, easy to get in and out of, and in one section of the town.
Williston has a nice group of town buildings in the center of the old town.
Williston has a library that any town would be proud of, manned by Rickie Emerson and a lot of faithful people, and a new addition was planned and constructed a couple of years ago.
Williston has one of the best little newspapers in the state, but the one who writes the “I Remember When” is not too hot.
Williston also has many goodies in town, too many to mention.
In the past few years Williston has been the whipping boy for the rest of Chittenden County, being accused of sprawl, when the truth is Williston is the only town doing something to check the sprawl. Some people think anything outside of Burlington is sprawl. The population keeps increasing and Burlington is stretched almost to its limit.
Williston has one of the best fire stations, and best equipment, manned by some of the town’s most dedicated people, and was organized by old timer Howard Lunderville many years ago.
I would like to congratulate the town fathers and citizens of Williston for making the town the wonderful place it is. I was here in 1913, when the town celebrated its 150th anniversary, and if you drove down the main street then, and today, you would see very
Williston also has one of the best police departments in the state. Even their cruisers were voted the best-looking in the state. Howard also started the
In the past few years small business people were unable to find locations in Burlington with parking space. They know that people would not park in a parking garage, and carry their goods a number of blocks to their cars, so they settled outside of the city. Williston has been planning for years for a shopping district where people could shop without running all over the country.
Williston has the beginning of the most modern shopping center in the state, with some of the most
