Resident launches petition to overturn library expansion vote
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
David Martel is calling for a do-over.
A $13.9 million bond question to finance an expansion of the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library passed by a slender 47 votes at Town Meeting Day. Martel was among those opposed, and he has until April 2 to gather enough support to force a revote.
In a process laid out in state law, residents can compel their municipality to set a new election on an article if they submit a petition to that effect with the signatures of at least 5 percent of the town’s registered voters. In Williston, that is 435 voters. Nearly three times that many voted no on Town Meeting Day.
If the petition is filed with the Town Clerk within 30 days of the original election, the town must
see MARTEL page 2
Adventures in ICE tourism
Schools reopen after electric bus blaze
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
It will be a while yet before we know what sparked a fire that consumed four electric buses around 10 p.m. last Wednesday evening as they were charging in the Allen Brook School parking lot.
There are several public and private organizations conducting independent investigations.
The bus manufacturer, the leasing agent, insurance adjusters, parts suppliers and state fire safety specialists have all been on scene in recent days, according to Champlain Valley School District Chief Operations Officer Gary Marckres. That’s why, behind temporary fencing, the scene is preserved in front of the school, with the charred, hollowed buses
remaining corpse-like near the school’s main entrance.
“My son, he’s 5, he gets scared looking at them,” ABS parent Derek Olsen said before pickup time Tuesday. “It’s kind of cryptic to see them sitting there.”
Allen Brook school reopened
Monday. It was closed Thursday and Friday for an initial site cleanup and to allow the district to coordinate bus route coverage and procure fill-in buses from Lamoille Valley Transportation of Morrisville. Williston Central School was also closed Thursday.
Marckres expects the burned buses to be removed from the parking lot next week, allowing for a final cleanup.
“Then we’ll get back to more normalcy,” he said Tuesday, while updating the school board on the incident.
Marckres said the fire started in one of the buses and spread to the other three, consuming interior materials like foam, vinyl and fiberglass. A fifth bus sustained exterior heat damage, he said. The district’s two other electric buses were unharmed but will nonetheless be placed out of commission for the time being.
Williston Lead Principal Greg Marino praised “the poise of our faculty and the resilience of our School reopened this week after two days of closures, but remnants of last week’s bus fire remain outside Allen Brook School.
David Martel
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
An outfit called “ICE Tours VT” took its inaugural jaunt through Williston on Tuesday, bringing two vanfuls of participants to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in an artful, performative and informative tour. See Pages 3-4 for more from the event.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
Sugar sweet show and tell
Martel
continued from page 1
hold a new election on the question within 60 days of receiving the petition.
For the bond approval to be overturned, a two-thirds majority would need to vote it down during the revote, according to Town Clerk Sarah Mason.
“We would have to have a revote for just that one article,” Mason said.
Four years ago, Martel attempted something similar. He was interested in forcing a townwide vote on zoning regulations in Taft Corners due to building height concerns. Martel, who lives on Mountain View Road, went door to door seeking support, but the effort fizzled.
This time, he’s asking voters to meet him halfway.
“I don’t want to go door-todoor,” he said. “It’s just not practical. I have a full-time job.”
Instead, Martel plans to have a table set up in his garage at his home at 1586 Mountain View Road with the petition. During
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
EMAIL EVENT LISTINGS TO EDITOR@WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
Sugar Tree Maple Farm on Bradley Lane in Williston is among about 90 maple sugaring operations in Vermont that will welcome visitors this weekend, March 21-22, for the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association’s annual Maple Open House Weekend.
Operators will offer sugar on snow, food, music, free samples, tours and demos of the sugar-making process.
Visit sugartreemaplefarm.com and vermontmaple.org for more information.
OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
weekday evening hours (5-7 p.m.) and weekends 1-5 p.m., he will be available to receive people and show them where to sign. The petition will say something to the effect of: “We, the undersigned residents of Williston, respectfully request a revote on the proposed expansion of Williston Town Library …”
“If you want to sign it, stop by my house, and I’ll be at my garage during those times, and you can pull in and sign it,” Martel said. “I’ve got a big driveway. People can pull in, sign it and — boom — they’re out of here.
“We’ll see if it works.”
Martel said he’s not necessarily opposed to improving and expanding on the library. He’s opposed to the cost, which is currently estimated at $14.5 million — and the associated cost to taxpayers, which town administrators estimate will be $40 for every $100,000 of assessed property value, decreasing over time as the bond is paid off.
“It’s a negotiation thing,” said Martel. “A library addition could be beneficial, but it must remain affordable for taxpayers.”
Education and Enrichment for Everyone lecture. 2-3 p.m. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington. Speaker Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, discusses challenges and opportunities for Vermont agriculture. www.eeevermont.org.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 21-22
Maple Open House Weekend. Local sugarmakers give tours and tastings. www.vermontmaple.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Bill Skiff Story Slam. 6-8 p.m. Williston Central School. Presented by Williston-Richmond Rotary Club. https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1453/ page/bill-skiff-story-slam.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
CVSD Celebrate the Arts Night. 5:30-8:30 p.m. CVU High School. Williston Development Review Board Annual Growth Management meeting. 7 p.m. Town Hall. Agenda at www.town. williston.vt.us.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 27-28
Rummage Sale fundraiser. Fill a 30-gallon trash bag for $5. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday. Williston Federated Church.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28
American Red Cross Blood Drive. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Williston Fire Station, 645 Talcott Rd. To make an appointment, go to redcrossblood. org and search by zip code, or call 800-733-2767.
ICE as a tourist attraction?
ICE Tours VT takes maiden voyage through Williston
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
In the past month, ICE Tours VT has taken out prominently placed ads in Seven Days, published a website, collected contact information from potential customers and procured and branded two vans.
But after Tuesday’s inaugural run through the Burlington
area’s many federal buildings that are involved in immigration enforcement, ICE Tours VT founder Blaine Paxton is unsure of the endeavor’s future.
“We wanted to do an initial run then take a step back and evaluate the effectiveness of the event and decide what we want to do going forward,” said Paxton, a resident of Burlington who was among those who successfully lobbied the Williston Selectboard to pass an anti-ICE resolution earlier this year. “We’ll be debriefing and deciding probably in the next week or so.”
About 20 people participated in Tuesday’s tour — a mix of media professionals, tour guides and volunteer activists. They met on Church Street in Burlington and stopped at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington before arriving at the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center on Harvest Lane in Williston.
Participants stepped off the van and gathered in front of the building about 11 a.m. as mic’d up tour guide Shannon McDermott sarcastically implored ICE
Stern Center teachers are experts who break reading and writing into steps so students gain clarity, confidence, and success. Let’s
The ICE Tours VT route map shows the tour’s route through the greater Burlington area. COURTESY OF ICE TOURS VT
personnel working inside the offices to: “come down here … Have we got some tips for you.”
After a roughly five-minute stay, overseen by an office security guard who seemed to be expecting the group, participants boarded the vans for a drive to Industrial Avenue. There they would visit the ICE National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center. But first, it was trivia time inside the van.
“How many children did ICE deport in 2025” one question asked. “How much did ICE expand their number of field agents in 2025,” asked another.
Upon arrival at the White Cap Business Park, participants exited the vans and stood in front of the ICE offices there. Tour guides gave each a blowup plastic eyeball to display for a photograph, signifying the facility’s role as what the guides called ICE’s “national spy facility.”
“Right here in Williston Vermont in a normal office park is a spy center for ICE,” McDermott said. “Look around with your big eyeballs. Spy on the world.”
“I didn’t know all of this crap that’s going on,” volunteer tour participant Rodney Lowe said. “I knew some of it.” Participants then reloaded
HUB
into the vans, and the tour wound its way back to Church Street.
Brenda Patoine, who has volunteered to provide public relations for ICE Tours VT, explained the tour as “a merging of performance art and micro-actions to send a very serious message about the role these ICE facilities play … Right here in our backyard we have the heart of the ICE surveillance machine.”
About 100 people have expressed interest online in joining a future tour, Paxton said. But it’s unclear whether the ICE Tours VT vans will be making any future runs through Williston.
“We’ve already invested in everything we would need to do this on an ongoing basis,” Paxton said. “The question is, do we do it again, and if so, with what frequency.”
In any case, the venture is not for profit, rather an effort to shine light on ICE activities. Any money made would be donated, Paxton said.
“The goal here is to raise awareness about the existence of these national ICE facilities in Williston and the scope, scale and nature and harm that those facilities cause across the country,” he said. “That would be our continuing mission.”
ABOVE: ICE Tours VT founder Blaine Paxton participates in the outfit’s inaugural tour through Williston on Tuesday. TOP RIGHT: Participant Rodney Lowe exits a tour van at the ICE facility on Harvest Lane. BELOW RIGHT: The ICE Tours VT van arrives at the ICE facility on Harvest Lane.
OBSERVER PHOTOS BY JASON STARR
CSWD victimized by $3 million construction scam
The Chittenden Solid Waste District fell victim to an email scam related to the construction of its new recycling center on Redmond Road, losing $3 million, it reported in a news release last week.
According to Executive Director Sarah Reeves, a fraudulent organization sent emails requesting payment for two invoices totaling $3 million, which staff members of the district paid. When the actual construction company said that payment was still due, the district’s administrators realized the mistake.
“This was a highly sophisticated scam that misled even experienced and trained staff,” Reeves said. “We are taking this very seriously, working with our partners and the appropriate local, state and federal authorities, and strengthening internal safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future. We are also working closely with our construction partner to ensure
they receive their scheduled payments and are thankful for their support and collaboration throughout this process.”
CSWD processes trash and recycling for Chittenden County residents and businesses. County voters approved a $22 million bond in 2022 to construct the new recycling center. The project broke ground last year.
Reeves said the scammers used an official-looking photo and email address to pose as representatives of the legitimate construction company. Attempts to recover the funds through the banks involved were unsuccessful.
“CSWD is conducting a thorough review of the incident and evaluating internal procedures to ensure continued transparency, accountability and responsible stewardship of public resources,” the news release states.
The new recycling center remains on track for completion in January, 2027.
SCAN
Crews construct the interior of what will be the CSWD’s new recycling center at the end of Redmond Road in Williston on Tuesday.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
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The property tax revolt didn’t fade — it got focused
BY PAUL DAME
In 2024, the fact that nearly 30% of school budgets failed sent shockwaves through Vermont’s political landscape. It was one of the clearest tax revolts the state had seen in a generation.
Even wealthier towns with traditions of supporting school spending, like South Burlington, endured multiple setbacks with their school budgets failing not once, but twice.
That fall, when property tax bills arrived, incumbent Democrats had little room to distance themselves from the tax increases produced by three decades of policy decisions and accelerated by a supermajority.
This past Town Meeting Day, about 17% of school budgets failed. At first glance, that
might look like a reversal after the nearly 30% failure rate in 2024. Some commentators have suggested voters are cooling in their opposition to rising school taxes and that things are returning to normal. But that interpretation leaves out important context.
In 2024, many school budgets proposed extremely large spending increases. In South Burlington, for example, the first proposal called for a 23% increase in spending. A revised budget with a 14% increase was also rejected. At the time, it seemed almost unthinkable that voters would reject so many budgets. Yet many of those proposals were far out of step with what taxpayers were willing to pay for. Voters reinforced that message later that year in
statewide elections, when a significant number of incumbent Democratic legislators lost their seats and the party’s supermajority disappeared to give way to a measure of needed balance.
The political and fiscal environment in 2026 looks different largely because voters forced it to change. One notable shift was that several school districts proposed budgets that actually reduced per-pupil spending. Nearly 20 districts responded to voter concerns about rising property taxes by cutting per pupil spending outright. Few school budgets were offering that in 2024.
Not surprisingly, every budget that reduced per-pupil spending passed. Many of those districts are represented by Republicans in areas such as Franklin, Orleans and Essex counties. That result suggests voters are not simply rejecting school budgets across the board. Instead, they appear willing to support budgets that demonstrate fiscal constraint.
The results from districts proposing large increases tell a different story. Among school budgets with recorded votes that increased per-pupil spending by 9% or more, roughly 44% failed. That failure rate is even higher than the statewide rejection rate that drew attention in 2024. Even when looking at districts where per-pupil spending increased by 5.5% or more, about 40% of budgets failed.
Those numbers indicate that voter frustration with rapidly rising school spending has not disappeared. But it has become more focused on rewarding prudent school spending, and punishing larger increases. Vermont voters are well read and among the smartest in the nation. They know that a 10% reduction in per-pupil spending and a 20% increase should not be treated equally.
All of this is happening while Gov. Phil Scott has proposed buying down property tax rates by cutting other areas of state spending and directing those savings to the Education Fund. With Republicans now holding enough seats to sustain a veto, the governor has more leverage to pursue that proposal than he did when facing a larger Democratic supermajority in 2024.
Without that temporary tax relief, even modest spending increases could have translated into significantly larger property tax hikes.
Democrats in the Montpelier majority now face a decision about how to interpret the Town Meeting Day results. Misreading the Town Meeting Day results could tempt them to take the millions of dollars the governor trimmed from the budget for property tax relief and redirect it toward their spending priorities instead. If they take that approach, they will either
Democracy has no kings
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The upcoming No Kings protest on March 28 is more than a rally, it’s a declaration — a declaration that leadership should be accountable, not untouchable. That voices should be heard, not silenced. That no single person should stand above the people whose lives are shaped by their decisions.
Democracy is not a throne to be inherited or a crown to be claimed. It is kept alive when ordinary people stand up and insist on fairness, transparency and shared power.
This movement is not about left or right. It’s about never bowing to the idea that one person should hold all the answers, all the authority or all the control. Leadership should be earned through service not demanded through dominance.
I look forward to seeing many friends and neighbors in attendance. Contact lesleymotr@gmail.com for details.
Lesley Murray Williston
More harm than good
From my perspective, what unfolded (last week) in South Burlington was totally unnecessary. In this difficult national climate, it’s the responsibility of law enforcement officials to do their jobs in a safe and lawful way. The actions of federal law enforcement, from outside the state, further demonstrates a lack of training, coordination, leadership and outdated tactics, which put both peaceful protesters and Vermont law enforcement in a difficult situation.
Vermont State Police, along with the Burlington and Williston police departments responded, at the request of the South Burlington Police Department, to help ensure public safety for protesters, the general public and law enforcement. I want to thank them for their professionalism throughout an incredibly challenging situation.
I want to be clear, how the events concluded, and the tactics deployed by federal officials, as well as actions of those there to agitate, further escalated a situation that was
avoidable from the start. It’s examples like this that further divide communities and law enforcement and result in more harm being done than good.
Gov. Phil Scott
ICE’s actions demand response
Last week’s events in South Burlington show us once again that ICE makes our communities less safe, as a majority of Americans now recognize. Extensive footage demonstrates that federal agents, aided by Vermont’s own law enforcement agencies, turned a peaceful residential area into a war zone. Our thoughts are with our neighbors who have been directly impacted by yet another example of reckless state violence in our communities.
The fact that masked state and local police were involved in this operation is deeply concerning — that fact and contradictory statements by law enforcement leaders warrant close scrutiny by state policymakers. Vermont’s legislature is considering multiple bills that would address these kinds of dangerous attacks on our communities and bring more accountability to lawless federal agencies, and we urge the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Legislature to support their swift passage this year.
Additionally, we continue to call on Congress to rein in ICE and Border Patrol by discontinuing the obscene levels of funding we have witnessed for many years and putting an end to the culture of abuse and impunity that has been tolerated for too long.
Bills under consideration by the Legislature that would address many of the concerning actions seen last week and the harms being caused by the federal campaign of mass deportation include:
H.849, the Constitutional Accountability Act to allow for lawsuits against government officials, including federal agents, for constitutional violations
H.742, an act to require access to legal counsel for people detained for civil
immigration offenses
S.208, an act to require proper identification of law enforcement officers
S.209, an act to limit enforcement of civil immigration offenses in sensitive locations
S.227, an act to improve protections and protocols related to immigration enforcement in schools
from page 6
have to raise property taxes, or raise other taxes. There are already several bills to get revenue from income taxes, sales tax or rooms and meals tax.
James Lyall Executive director ACLU of
Vermont
Letter Policy
A few ground rules: We ask that letters run no longer than 300 words. We edit for length, clarity, style, spelling and grammar. Include your name, town/city where you live and a phone number (which we won’t print) so we can verify you wrote the letter. The deadline is Monday at noon for letters to be printed in Thursday’s paper.
EMAIL: editor@willistonobserver.com or mail to Williston Observer, P.O Box 1401, Williston, Vt. 05495
Vermont Republicans are clear that the path forward is to bring education spending — and the tax rates that follow — back down to reasonable levels. If the governor’s plan succeeds, the statewide average increase might fall to around 5% for this year. Even that is too high — but it’s the best we can do when Democrats control both chambers in the Legislature.
Transformational reform requires a new funding formula so responsible towns are actually rewarded for their fiscal discipline. Schools that refuse to control costs will have to bear the weight of that themselves.
Vermont Republicans are committed to moving toward the allowable growth formula in Act 73 that more closely aligns a community’s spending with its taxes. If that change doesn’t happen, future legislatures may run out of tricks to keep taxes down, and voters may need to send another message to the Democratic majority in Montpelier.
Paul Dame is chairman of the Vermont GOP. He lives in St. George.
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Judge orders South Burlington detainee remain jailed
ICE detained three people in Dorset Street raid last week
BY ALAN J. KEAYS AND EMMA GREEN VTDigger
A man detained in last week’s armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement standoff on Dorset Street in South Burlington will remain in federal custody
following a court hearing Tuesday.
Witness testimony from the proceeding also revealed new details of what occurred when the home was stormed by federal authorities.
Cristian Humberto Jerez Andrade, 31, has been held since a March 11 raid on a home that triggered an hourslong confrontation, street shutdown and forced entry by federal agents. He and two others were detained, but none of them were named on the search warrant.
In a Burlington courtroom filled
with Jerez Andrade’s supporters, a federal judge refused Tuesday to release Jerez Andrade and ordered a bond hearing in immigration court.
His hearing came a day after U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the release of Jisella Johana Patin Patin, 31, one of three people taken into custody in the same operation.
Federal Judge William K. Sessions III, presiding in Jerez Andrade’s case Tuesday, said in court that the situation was too confusing to immediately release him. The judge said he had questions about whether there might be any outstanding warrants for Jerez Andrade’s arrest.
Kaitlin Hazard, the government’s attorney, said during the hearing that she believed there may be warrants for Jerez Andrade’s arrest based on records she reviewed. Hazard had not verified if those warrants were active, she told the judge.
Jerez Andrade, who took the stand Tuesday, said he did not know of any active warrants for his arrest.
Sessions said that instead of releasing Jerez Andrade, he was ordering the immigration court to hold a bond hearing for him within five days. If Jerez Andrade is not released following that bond hearing, Sessions ordered him returned to federal court in Burlington for a
hearing that would address whether his detainment from the home in Dorset Street violated his constitutional rights.
While the officer searched the attic, his foot broke through the ceiling, and his gun accidentally discharged.
The judge said if that hearing takes place, it would be a “major” trial on the ICE operation that resulted in Jerez Andrade’s detainment. The action last week has also led to scrutiny of state and local police and their role in it.
Outside the courthouse Tuesday, dozens of supporters rallied for Jerez Andrade’s release. Organizers from Migrant Justice said they were disappointed by the court’s decision.
“We want to make sure that Cristian gets back to his family,” said Abel Luna of Migrant Justice, which advocates for migrants in Vermont.
In Monday’s hearing, Patin Patin was released after the judge found
she posed no danger to the community and cited “extraordinary circumstances,” following arguments from her attorney that her detention stemmed from an unlawfully executed search warrant.
‘THERE
SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY’
Sessions said he was concerned that if released Tuesday, Jerez Andrade could be taken in custody on an outstanding warrant and moved out of state.
“There seems to be a lot of uncertainty,” Sessions said.
Hazard also said that there may be an active warrant for Jerez Andrade’s arrest stemming from an alleged stalking incident in 2022, though she couldn’t say for sure and didn’t have any details about it. She also said that Jerez Andrade had previously faced charges related to domestic abuse and driving a car with an expired license plate.
Jerez Andrade testified that the arrest in the domestic abuse case in 2020 arose from a verbal altercation he had with his long-term partner. He denied committing physical violence during that incident. He said he ultimately pleaded guilty to a criminal charge, encouraged by his attorney at that time to do so. Jerez Andrade said he wasn’t sure the exact name of that charge.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
Jerez Andrade, during his testimony, said he had no knowledge of a stalking incident or any warrant from it. His attorney, Nathan Virag, said that he didn’t think the information the government’s lawyer provided on Jerez Andrade’s history was “the most up to date or valid.” He said it was the government’s responsibility to verify that information if it wanted to demonstrate that Jerez Andrade should remain in custody.
Virag pressed the judge Tuesday to release Jerez Andrade. Virag said his client does not pose a danger to the community and is not a risk to flee.
Virag said his client looked forward to challenging the removal proceedings in immigration court. Federal authorities started removal proceedings for Jerez Andrade the day after his detention, according to court documents.
Jerez Andrade, Virag told the judge, had served in the military in Honduras. Jerez Andrade left the country due to changing leadership, which led to fears he would be a target for retaliation, his attorney said.
‘I
COULD’VE LOST MY LIFE’
The hearing also brought forward more details about what happened inside the house during the immigration raid.
In testimony in support of Jerez Andrade, his nephew, José Jerez, spoke about witnessing the raid.
Jerez was in the house at the time,
and is a U.S. citizen.
He said that after officers forced their way into the house, one lifted him and threw him to the floor. They handcuffed him and his uncle, he said, before proceeding to search the house.
He said the officers discussed teargassing the house when they
could not find the person for whom they had a warrant.
When they didn’t find the man they were looking for in the main living space, an officer used a stool to climb into the attic, Jerez testified. Jerez said that while the officer searched the attic, the officer’s foot broke through the ceiling, and his
gun accidentally discharged.
“I feel like I could have died that day,” Jerez said. “I could’ve lost my life because of an ICE agent’s stupid decision.”
ICE did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
Jerez, who is 18, said his uncle has been a father figure to him. They have lived together along with other family members since Jerez was a kid, he said.
Jerez Andrade also has a 6-yearold child with his long-term partner. In a letter of support, his partner said the two met in 2019.
“He is a wonderful father and partner, always looking out for us,” she wrote in Spanish. “I beg you, with my heart in my hands, to free him.”
Through an interpreter, Jerez Andrade spoke in court about the impact his detention has had on his family. He said his partner and 6-year-old son are struggling to buy food and pay rent without his financial support.
“I want you to give me an opportunity to show you that I’m a very good person,” he told the judge through an interpreter. “I have a family that needs my support.”
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Cristian Jerez Andrade during his
detained during an ICE raid in South
PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
Lawmakers consider $20 ‘fast food’ minimum wage
BY MONA ABOU Community News Service
Vermont lawmakers have introduced a bill to increase the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour. If approved, the new pay rate would take effect in January, 2027.
H.713 would also create a new state council to study and recommend workplace standards and future wages for those workers.
The higher wage would only apply to employees who work at restaurant chains with more than 60 locations nationwide. Employees of locally owned or smaller establishments would still only qualify for Vermont’s minimum wage, currently $14.42 an hour.
That gap worries some local restaurant workers, who say small businesses would be unable to compete for staff with the larger chains. But lawmakers who support the bill say it would create stronger protections for workers.
“With fast food workers, they’re unique — an important part of our economy,” Rep. William Greer, D-Bennington-2, one of the bill’s three sponsors, said. “And I think that we need to be taking unique, significant steps to protect their
particular part of the industry.”
Greer told the House General and Housing Committee in January that H.713 is based on a similar bill in California that took effect last April. Greer said the $20 pay rate is a placeholder and that lawmakers could make adjustments.
“It may need to be $17, it may need to be $19, it might even need to be higher
chain and local establishments.
“Local businesses are fighting so hard against these big businesses and trying to stay open,” she said. “That’s just going to increase demand for people working at these big businesses instead of local businesses.”
Dana Srsic, who also works at Burlington Bagel, said she thinks the bill is a step in the right direction because of Burlington’s high cost of living.
Jessica Nelson, a store manager at Starbucks’ Williston location, said she supports the bill because higher pay could improve her current staff’s worklife balance and drive more people to apply to work at the store.
than $20,” he said.
Skylar Mihalik, a worker at Burlington Bagel on the Church Street Marketplace, said the proposed wage increase is several dollars higher than her workplace’s starting pay. Mihlalik said she’s happy that food service workers could be paid more but thinks the bill is “slightly unfair” and could widen the gap between
“It’s hard to make a living, especially in Vermont. And so, if you want to get a job in the food industry, you’re probably having more than one job,” she said. “It would be really interesting to see who would be able to apply and who would enjoy it if they were able to make the money.”
Mona Abou is a reporter with the Community News Service, part of the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.
Workers at the Starbucks in Essex, pictured Tuesday, would be up for a $20 minimum wage under a bill currently being discussed in the Vermont Legislature. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
Enjoy lunch in the Conservatory!
A unique dining experience surrounded by lush greenery.
Serving a variety of homemade soups daily, along with our fresh, panini-grilled sandwiches and wraps.
472 Marshall Ave., Williston 802-872-SOUP
Locally owned and operated for 23 years
For daily soup updates See our Facebook page
Meet Your Makers
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.
SCOTT SORRELL — joined Chef’s Corner in 2007 having returned to his native Vermont after living in Hawaii for ten years. Scott grew up in Jericho, attended MMU and graduated from New England Culinary Institute. Culinary internships took him to Key West, FL and later to the Big Island of Hawaii. Here he fell in love with the beauty of the islands and worked in numerous chef capacities at several different 5 star resorts earning recognition and culinary awards. He eventually joined the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui as restaurant chef of their popular signature dining establishment, the Humuhumunukunukuapua (named after the state of Hawaii) and more easily referred to as the Humu Humu. Scott and his family reside in the village of Essex Junction.
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 American 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!
NICK AND VOULA ZONTANOS — Founded in 1990 by Nick and Voula Zontanos, Papa Nick’s Restaurant & Pizza has been serving homemade comfort food and Greek-inspired classics to the Hinesburg, Vermont community for more than 30 years. Nick’s culinary journey began in Greece’s Peloponnesus region, continued through Australia, and eventually led him to Vermont, where he cooked in Greekowned restaurants before opening his own — first the Heritage Inn in Waterbury, and later Papa Nick’s in Hinesburg. From day one, Papa Nick’s has been about family, quality, and community. Locals come for favorites like roast turkey dinners, hand-tossed pizzas, fresh seafood platters, and classic Greek salads — all served in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Nick’s belief still guides us today: good food, made with care, brings people together. Whether you’re here for lunch, dinner, or a special celebration, you’re always family at Papa Nick’s.
The Kismet Building
Suite 101
Williston
Meet Your Makers
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.
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. Locat ed on Cornerstone Drive, it’s no surprise that Williston Coffee Shop has become a Williston cornerstone.
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
BRIAN LEWIS — Brian’s journey to Williston wends from his native Connecticut through Se attle, L.A., Rhode Island, and Waitsfield. After a season as Executive Chef at Sugarbush resort’s main slopeside restaurant, Lewis struck out on his own in Waitsfield, opening Toast and Eggs in 2018. After leading that restaurant through the pandemic, he purchased South Burling ton’s Parkway Diner on Williston Road. He also bought the original Yellow Mustard deli while launching Filibuster Restaurant and Bar, both in Montpelier. Following the floods of 2023 he successfully reopened both restaurants. After opening his second Yellow Mustard Subs and Sandwiches shop in Burlington, Brian is thrilled to join the Williston community with his newest location in the Taft Corners Shopping Center!
SATURDAY-SUNDAY 9 A.M.-1 P.M.
Familiar roadblocks stymie school consolidation effort
Lawmakers at loggerheads over Act 73 proposals
BY COREY MCDONALD VTDigger
Two competing education reform proposals in the House and Senate, representing opposing philosophies on how Vermont’s education system should govern itself, appear bound for a collision course, with lawmakers already halfway through the legislative session.
Everyone appears to be in agreement that some version of reform is needed. House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, recently reiterated her commitment to moving forward with Act 73, which last year laid the groundwork for consolidating schools and moving to a new education finance formula.
That is contingent on first consolidating school districts, and Gov. Phil Scott, who signed Act 73 into law last July, has threatened
to veto the state budget if lawmakers don’t settle on a plan.
But lawmakers have found themselves up against familiar disagreements and roadblocks — be it around school governance, school choice or private school tuition — issues that have clouded public education for years, if not decades.
Those issues are captured in the two diverging proposals floated by Sen. Seth Bongartz, D-Bennington, the Senate Education Committee chair, and Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, the House Education Committee chair.
Bongartz’s proposal would preserve supervisory unions, a governance structure that offers individual school districts some independence while coordinating some services like special education under the supervisory union’s umbrella.
Conlon’s proposal would expand supervisory districts, which, in contrast, offer a more uniform structure for participating school
districts, and offer more regional advantages around facilities planning and other shared services.
But the two committee chairs are in a stalemate. For Conlon, supervisory unions are “not a big departure from what we do already” and preserve inequities in the education system.
For Bongartz, supervisory districts would require total uniformity and would thus strip away local voice and local decision-making.
“That’s a problem,” he said.
For political observers and those working in the public
see CONSOLIDATION page 16
Sen. Seth Bongartz, D-Bennington, left, and Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, right, chairs of the Senate and House education committees respectively, pictured in the Statehouse last year.
Consolidation
from page 15
education system, it marks yet another go around in Vermont’s seemingly perpetual effort to reform its education system, including, most recently, efforts to voluntarily consolidate some school districts during 2015’s Act 46.
“If we’re not able to address the underlying issue (of supervisory unions versus supervisory districts) head on, then we’re unlikely to really move forward with any meaningful work on consolidation,” Neil Odell, a board member of Friends of Vermont Public Education, said during a House Education Committee meeting last month.
Lawmakers will need to find consensus on a singular, declarative vision for a state education system — lest lawmakers spend another June and July in the Statehouse to adhere to Scott’s demand for reform this session.
“I think where there’s a will, there’s a way. I do see a path forward,” Scott said during a press conference last week. “But it’s going to be uncomfortable.”
Progress will mean mending the fundamental tension between two competing plans for reform. Can lawmakers land on some agreement?
“We got right here in Act 46, … and
“As we approach mud season, we are absolutely spinning in the mud. I think that’s something that, really, everybody who’s deeply involved in this feels right now.”
Wendy Baker
Superintendent Addison Central School District
this is where we hit the wall and stopped,” Rep. Emily Long, D-Newfane, said during a House Education Committee meeting last month. “I actually think we can move beyond the wall. I really do.”
“I appreciate your optimism,” Conlon replied. “But it definitely is a wall.”
Conlon’s House proposal would feature a pronounced shift by discarding supervisory unions altogether and instead creating 27 supervisory districts, each with student populations between 2,000 and 4,000.
The proposal is being actively debated in committee and still has a long way to go before a final version. But he said it’s an attempt to create a single, shared governance model for the state’s education system.
“It’s very challenging, in many ways,
to have districts where you have different ways of delivering education coexisting side by side. It creates legal challenges. It creates legal quagmires,” he said. “I was looking for something that would work across the board and across the state.”
Conlon’s proposal also notably tries to set parameters around school choice, and to find a “middle ground” between the state’s reliance on certain private schools (called independent schools under state law) and the need to have “the same rules apply to everybody in terms of how students are assigned to schools.”
Under the changes, school districts would assign designated public or private schools for each grade if there is no “reasonably accessible public school” operated by the district.
The proposal leaves room for school choice in areas that rely on it, Conlon said. But school districts would have to enter into a contract with receiving schools, be they public or private schools.
Under his proposal, public funds for private schools following students in high school grades would be limited to the state’s four historical academies: St. Johnsbury Academy, Lyndon Institute, Burr & Burton Academy and Thetford Academy, Conlon said.
Bongartz in an interview said he “fundamentally disagrees” with Conlon’s proposal, and called it a “top-down, one-sizefits-all” approach.
“That’s just not the way Vermont works,” he said.
A Celebration of Sugaring
He also called the new parameters around independent schools a nonstarter, and said the issue was settled when lawmakers finalized limiting public dollars to 18 schools under Act 73.
Bongartz’s Senate proposal takes the opposite approach by preserving much of how Vermont’s public education system already functions.
His map overlays 11 new supervisory unions over the state’s existing supervisory unions, and seeks to halve the state’s 119 school districts and the 52 governing units that oversee them.
Under his proposal, school districts would be given two years to merge voluntarily before the state’s new education funding formula kicks in in 2030. The state could then force mergers after the end of the two-year period.
Supervisory districts would also be encouraged to merge in areas where they currently exist — mostly in Chittenden, Franklin, Addison and Lamoille counties.
His proposal keeps intact the state’s school choice system, which allows families in districts without a public school for certain grades to use public dollars to send their children to other public schools or private schools.
“The testimony that we have taken from rural Vermont — from the islands to the Kingdom down through parts of Orange County — make it really clear that tuitioning, for the 90 towns that have tuitioning, is
fundamental to them, and of fundamental importance,” Bongartz said in an interview.
Eric Montbriand, the Wells Spring Unified Union School District chair, told the Senate Education Committee last month that supervisory unions were of the utmost importance for his region.
Supervisory unions, he said, “allow small, locally governed districts to collaborate and control costs without surrendering community voice.”
Conlon’s proposal, Montbriand said, “threatens both our long-standing school choice model and the supervisory union structure that allows small districts like ours to function effectively.”
Conlon, in an interview, acknowledged the divide between supervisory unions and supervisory districts, and said it was “the toughest nut to crack” on education reform.
But he is firm on supervisory districts, which he said are better positioned to adapt to declining enrollment, and better equipped to coordinate resources around renovating or building regional school buildings.
“There’s lots of folks who want (supervisory unions) just because they want to maintain as much local control as possible over their schools,” Colon said. “And there are those who want (supervisory unions) because it does allow for certain areas of Vermont to maintain parental choice.”
Under the supervisory union structure, school districts operate their own school buildings, and school boards are responsible for infrastructure repairs or renovations. A school district operating grades K-8 could, hypothetically, bond for repairs to its building, but not for a high school operated by another school district under that supervisory union.
“You can’t solve those problems very well with a (supervisory union) where everybody’s got their own board,” Conlon said.
Wendy Baker, Addison Central School District superintendent, has worked under both systems, and said that supervisory districts allow member districts to better allocate their resources.
“There are things we can do now as a district that help us to maximize everyone’s efforts into an outcome that is greater than the sum of our parts,” she said. “When functioning as a supervisory union, that becomes more difficult.”
But she stopped short of endorsing one or the other, noting that not all supervisory unions and supervisory districts operate the same. She said a larger issue is that neither proposal comes with financial modeling “that would give us a sense as to what the actual impact of either change would be on our kids.”
Nonetheless, the disagreements between the two systems “represents the essential tension that exists in the state.”
“As we approach mud season, we are absolutely spinning in the mud,” she said. “I think that’s something that, really, everybody who’s deeply involved in this feels right now.”
FAMILY PROGRAMS
VOCAL PERCUSSION & IMPROVISATION WORKSHOP
Ages 13-plus. Free. Friday, March 20, 7-9 p.m. at the R.E.C. Zone. Root7, Vermont’s contemporary a cappella group for 18 years, will host sight-reading sing-alongs of winter and holiday music. For beginner, intermediate and experienced vocalists who want to learn and work in groups.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT SELF-DEFENSE WORKSHOP
Ages 14-plus. This beginner workshop utilizes both large and small group instruction. Trauma-informed trainings focus on boundary setting, affirmative consent and sexual assault information, as well as the mental and physical skills of empowering self-defense. Thursday, April 16, 5:30-8 p.m. $67.
ADULT PROGRAMS
WILDERNESS FIRST
AID TRAINING
Ages 18-plus. Wilderness First Aid is ideal for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts. It teaches interventions you can and should do if it’s going to be a while before medical providers reach you. Saturday and Sunday, April 11-12, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., $300.
moderate intensity) — 8:309:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Cardio Sculpt Low/High (low impact, moderate to high intensity) — 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sundays; 4:455:45 p.m. Tuesdays. Cardio Sculpt High/High (high impact, high intensity) — 4:45-5:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
BARN QUILT PAINT PARTY
Ages 18-plus. A hands-on Barn Quilt Paint Party where creativity rules, perfection is optional, and everyone leaves with a stunning barn quilt painted on a board. No barn or
experience required, just show up ready to have fun. Instructor: Kimberly Hess. Saturday, April 4, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $125-$225 (Cost depends on size of board chosen).
R.E.C. ZONE PROGRAMS (94 HARVEST LANE)
The following programs are geared toward adults 50-plus but open to everyone 18-plus.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11 a.m., Free. Instructors: Ann Naumann and Joyce Oughstun.
SENIOR STRENGTH & FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY
Wednesdays and Fridays, 10-10:45 a.m., Free. Instructor: Jazmine Averbuck.
ZUMBA GOLD
Fridays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., $10 per visit. Instructor: Ciara
Gregory.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
SWIM LESSONS
The Recreation Deptartment and The Edge in Essex are teaming up to offer “Learn to Swim” lessons for preschool (ages 2.5-5) and youth (ages 5-plus). The lessons introduce swimming techniques and increase safety skills around the water. Programs are offered on Wednesdays starting April 4. Visit www.willistonrec. org for details.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Grades 3-8. The Livery Horse Farm in Hinesburg is offering “Intro to Horseback Riding.” Lessons are held in a safe, fenced-in, large sand ring. Children learn to ride, groom and work in the barn. This is a hands-on program learning all aspects of working with horses. Instructor: Kim Johansen, owner. Thursdays in April, 3-5 p.m., $200.
LEGO BRICQ MOTION
Grades 3-5. Explore forces and motion using LEGOs. Create an obstacle course and compete in the LEGO Olympics in a relay race, bobsled competition and hockey game. Instructor: Wicked Cool For Kids staff. Thursdays, March 26- April 16, 2:50-4:15 p.m., $117.
BATTLE BOTS
Grades 6-8. In this hands-on program, participants start with RC cars and use the engineering design process to build and customize their own battle bots. They’ll put their creations to the test through exciting challenges, obstacle courses, and friendly robot battles. Instructor: STEAMworks for Kids staff. Thursdays, April 30-May 28, 2:50-4:15 p.m., $120.
Back to the Moon
This spring, four NASA astronauts will venture closer to the moon than humans have been for more than 50 years. This week, The Mini Page learns about the Artemis II mission.
Why go to the moon?
Part of the mission of Artemis II is learning and preparation for Artemis III, during which humans will land on the moon in the next two years.
NASA calls our moon a “4.5-billion-year-old time capsule.” When astronauts walked on the lunar surface five times between 1969 and 1972, they collected 842 pounds of rocks and soil and brought the materials back to Earth for further study. Scientists believe the moon was created when Earth made contact with another astronomical body. Exploration of space and the moon also helped researchers understand other sciences, such as computers, solar energy, semiconductors and navigation.
The Apollo missions also helped people on Earth appreciate the need to protect our planet and work with one another.
This year, NASA will be exploring whether there is water on the moon, which is important
Try ’n’ Find
Next Week: Our states: North Dakota
Mini Fact: NASA’s SLS rocket lifts off during a test flight in 2022.
for future missions. Experts will also study how people can travel to the moon for business reasons or for adventure.
During the mission, Orion will fly by the far side of the moon before heading back toward Earth. The mission is expected to last 10 days.
How will they get there?
Orion is NASA’s newest spacecraft built for humans. It will be launched into space by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The capsule where the crew lives can house four people for up to 21 days. Inside, the crew module has a compact toilet and an exercise machine, along with water storage and equipment for food preparation.
The crew module is the only part of Orion that will return to Earth after each mission.
Words that remind us of Artemis II are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Meet the crew
• Reid Wiseman is the commander of the Artemis II mission. He was born in Baltimore and is a 27-year U.S. Navy veteran. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Johns Hopkins University. Wiseman became an astronaut in 2009. He has two children.
• Pilot Victor Glover Jr. is a naval aviator who was chosen to be an astronaut in 2013. He was born in Pomona, California, and holds several master’s degrees. He and his wife have four children.
• Mission Specialist I Christina Koch also became an astronaut in 2013. She participated in the first all-woman spacewalk. She was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has a master’s degree in electrical engineering.
• Astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be the first Canadian to travel to the moon. He was born in London, Ontario, and has led a NASA astronaut training class. He has a master’s degree in physics. He and his wife have three children.
Mini Jokes
Monroe: Why did the cow go to space?
Miller: To visit the Milky Way!
Martine: How does the moon cut its hair? Monica: Eclipse it!
Founded by Betty Debnam
photo by NASA/Keegan Barber
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969.
The NASA Space Launch System on the launchpad.
The Artemis II flight crew, from left to right: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover Jr. and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
crewmembers train inside the Orion spacecraft. During launch
lying on
backs, as shown here.
photo by NASA/Frank Michaux
Try ’n’ Find
Words that remind us of Artemis II are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Martine: How does the moon cut its hair? Monica: Eclipse it!
Eco Note
1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a 9-by-13-inch, microwave-safe pan. Mix well and spread evenly.
2. Pour oil and water evenly on top.
3. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Stir and spread evenly again.
4. Microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes. Let stand until cool.
5. Add raisins and mix well. Makes about 5 cups of granola.
Wolves killed a record 2,124 reindeer in Finland last year, alarming herders along the country’s long border with Russia. Many herders suspect the surge is linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine, arguing that reduced hunting across the border may be driving more wolves into Finland. Scientists stress that there is not enough evidence to prove a direct connection. Finland’s wolf population has grown to about 430 animals and is part of the same subspecies as Russia’s much larger wolf population.
For later:
Look in your local newspaper for articles about the Artemis II mission.
Moon Rocks
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I’ve put off making a will for years. What actually happens to my money and property if I die without one?
Getting Old
Dear Getting,
If you die without a will, your assets will be distributed according to the laws of your state, known as intestacy laws. These laws determine who inherits your property and financial accounts when there’s no will or trust. Since rules vary from state to state, it’s important to check the specifics where you live.
A helpful starting point is heirbase.com, which offers intestacy evaluators for 37 states.
SAVVY SENIOR
You enter your household information and see how your estate might be distributed. If your state isn’t included, Nolo has a useful state-by-state intestate succession guide at nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/ intestate-succession.
In the meantime, here is a general overview of what can happen, depending on your family situation.
Married with children:
When a married person with
children dies without a will, all property, investments and financial accounts that are “jointly owned” automatically go to the surviving co-owner without going through probate, which is the legal process that distributes a deceased person’s assets.
But for all other separately owned property or individual financial accounts, the laws of most states award one-third to one-half to the surviving spouse, while the rest go to the children.
Married with no children: Some states award the entire estate to the surviving spouse, or everything up to a certain amount (for example the first $100,000). But many other states award only one-third to onehalf of the decedent’s separately owned assets to the surviving spouse, with the remainder generally going to the deceased person’s parents, or if the parents are dead, to brothers and sisters.
Jointly owned property, investments, financial accounts, or community property automatically goes to the surviving co-owner.
Single with children: All state laws provide that the entire estate goes to the children, in equal shares. If an adult child of the decedent has died, then that child’s children (the decedent’s grandchildren) split their parent’s share.
Single with no children or grandchildren: In this situation, most state laws favor the deceased person’s parents. If both parents are deceased, many states divide the property among the brothers and sisters, or if they are not living, their children (your nieces and nephews). If there are none of them, it goes to the next of kin, and if there is no living family, the state takes it.
MAKE A WILL
To ensure your assets go to those you want to receive them, you need to create a will or trust. If you have a simple estate and an uncomplicated family situation, there are do-it-yourself resources that can help you create all these documents for very little money.
Some top-rated options include the Quicken WillMaker & Trust (willmaker.com, $109) and Trust & Will (trustandwill. com, $199). Or, if that’s more than you’re willing to pay, you can make your will for free at freewill.com or doyourownwill. com.
If, however, you want or need assistance, or if you have a complicated financial situation, blended family or have considerable assets, you should hire an
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act, establishing time zones and approving daylight saving time.
• In 1931, the Nevada state legislature voted to legalize gambling.
• In 1953, the 25th Academy Awards were telecast for the first time.
• In 1987, the FDA approved AZT, a drug shown to delay the development of AIDS.
• In 2003, President George W. Bush announced the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
TODAY’S FACT:
• The 70th Academy Awards ceremony, broadcast in 1998, holds the record for the largest Oscars telecast audience, with 55.3 million viewers. The James Cameron blockbuster “Titanic” won 11 awards, including best picture and best director.
SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 22
LEGAL
TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 –7:00 PM at Town Hall Beckett/ McGuire Meeting Room (7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Webinar ID 813 6162 7981 on www.zoom.us/join
DP 26-02.1 Blair Knowles and Matt Parisi request pre-application of a 3-unit development at 7997 Williston Road in the VZD. The existing structure will remain as 1 dwelling unit and a commercial office. Two new dwellings constructed in the rear of the lot. Historic & Design Advisory Committee review scheduled March 17, 2026.
2026 Growth Management Eligible Projects:
DP 26-02, 5 dwelling units at 7997 Williston Road in the VZD: Not participating due to revised project scope (see DP 26-02.1)
DP 19-11. 9 dwelling units at 35 Caroling Court in the RZD: Not participating, applicant plans to proceed to Discretionary Permit as an Inclusionary Zoning project Project details and site plans are available on the website, town. williston.vt.us, under “Public Records and Documents”, then “Agendas & Minutes”, and “Development Review Board”. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-8786704 or email planning@willistonvt. org
LEGAL
TOWN OF ST. GEORGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The St. George Selectboard will hold a public hearing at the Town Hall, located at 21 Barber Road, St. George, VT. on Tuesday April 7, 2026; 6:00 pm.
The public hearing will be held to receive public comment on the proposed town plan (Draft Town Plan 3-4-2026) which has been prepared by the planning commission to replace the current town plan dated February 15, 2018. At the close of the hearing, the selectboard may choose to adopt the plan, reject it or opt for another hearing.
Copies of the proposed Town Plan are
CLASSIFIEDS
available to the public on our town’s website on the documents page at https://stgeorgevt.com or by stopping by the town hall to view a copy of the full text.
The proposed Town Plan affects all of St. George. The section headings that include proposed edits and/or additions are as follows:
1. Introduction
2. Our People
3. Our Community
4. Our Environment
5. Our Town’s Future
For further information, please contact Connie Kendall; planning commission at PC@stgeorgevt.com
LEGAL
TOWN OF WILLISTON Selectboard
Notice of Public Hearing
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 7:05 PM
The Williston Selectboard will hold a public hearing to receive comment on proposed changes to the existing Williston Unified Development Bylaw. The public hearing will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 7:05 PM in the Beckett/McGuire Meeting Room at Williston Town Hall located at 7900 Williston Road, Williston, Vermont with remote participation available on Zoom:
Zoom Webinar Meeting ID: 859 6655 6212
Go to www.zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656
The amendments are summarized as follows:
• Citation corrections and errors or omissions
• In Chapter 14 Off-Street Parking and Loading. Clarify provision for the use of structured parking and solar canopy to increase number of permitted off-street parking spaces
• 15.3 Neighborhood Parks. Proposed bylaw amendments clarify the language about requirements for neighborhood parks.
• Setbacks (multiple chapters)setbacks and average setbacks
found on page 21
throughout all zoning districts to be merged into a table and clarified. Add flexibility for properties with 2 front yards.
• In 4.5.2 –Certificate of Appropriateness -Signs are exempt from COA
• In 6.2.8, 6.2.9 –Preapplication actions –amendments to preapplication procedures.
• 6.5.3.3 –Notifications –amendments to written notification requirements
• 7.1.6.2 Guarantees for Public and Private Improvements –require surety at 110% of all improvements, public or private.
• 11.3.6 –Affordable Housing Income Limits -allows flexibility for affordable home income qualification. Dwellings affordable at 80% AMI can be sold/rented to households earning 80-100% AMI; dwellings affordable at 100% AMI can be sold/rented to households earning 100-120% AMI.
• 11.4 Residential Growth Target
– Language amended to be consistent with Vermont Statutes and the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, with respect to housing targets.
• Table 13.A Driveway Width Standards – table added, for clarity and to allow smaller widths for smaller developments.
• 19.5 Transfer of Development Rights –Allows TDR from lands in ARZD or conservation areas in other zoning districts to lands within any other zoning district that allows residential uses.
If adopted, the amendments to the Bylaw will go into effect 21 days after adoption unless a petition is filed for a popular vote to repeal the amendments within 20 days of the adoption vote as provided for in 24 V.S.A. §4442.
The above is a summary. A complete copy of the proposed amendments are available for review during regular business hours at the Town Hall and or online at https:// town.williston.vt.us by navigating to ‘Public Records and Documents,’ then ‘Legal Notices.’ Members of the public can contact the Williston Planning Department at (802) 878-6704, or at planning@ willistonvt.org with any questions.
OBITUARIES
Charles William “Bill” Tantlinger
Charles William “Bill” Tantlinger, 82, a resident of Williston, passed away on Monday, March 9, 2026, at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington, Vermont.
Born and raised in Bolivar, Penn., Bill was the eldest of seven children of Glenn and Peg Tantlinger. He served his country in the United States Air Force for more than seven years, including a tour in Vietnam.
In 1977, Bill married Ellen
Savvy
continued from page 20
attorney. An experienced attorney can make sure you cover all your bases, which can help avoid family confusion and squabbles after you’re gone.
Costs will vary depending on where you live, but you can
Dahlin, and together they eventually made their home in her native Vermont.
Bill is survived by his wife, Ellen, and their children: Jason Tantlinger of Knoxville, TN; Kim (Patrick) Dacek of Underhill, VT; and Lori Tantlinger of Norfolk, VA. He is also survived by his children from a prior marriage; William Tantlinger of Tucson, AZ, and Terri (Mike) Reynolds of Birmingham, AL; four grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
A dedicated member of his community, Bill belonged to the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Green Mountain Aerie #3210; the American Legion Mount Mansfield Post #35; and VFW Post 7779 in Hyde Park, VT.
A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date in Prospect Cemetery in East Middlebury, VT. Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Vermont Veterans’ Home Business Office, 325 North Street, Bennington, VT 05201. Please indicate in the memo area of the check: “Cardinal Point.”
expect to pay anywhere between $200 and $1,000 for a will.
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (actec. org) are good resources that have directories to help you find someone in your area.
If money is tight, check with your state’s bar association (findlegalhelp.org) to find lowcost legal help in your area. Or call the Eldercare Locater at 800-677-1116 for a referral.
Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
Visit our website for more information: www.vtlandmaintenance.com
Visit our website for more information
www.vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com Brian Washburn 802-434-4533 • 802-373-1755 (cell)
Email: vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com
Brian Washburn: 802-434-5533 • 802-373-1755 (cell)
Buses
students” in a letter to the school community Friday.
“I can’t emphasize enough the gratitude I have for our district leadership team, facilities crew, and community partners who have supported our response to this unexpected situation,” he wrote. “Their collective support, alongside the understanding and flexibility that our parents and caregivers have shown, are a reminder of the strength of our community.”
BACK TO GAS?
The school district began experimenting with electrifying its bus fleet in 2021 when it won a state grant to bring on its first two electric buses. Manufactured by Lion Electric in Canada, those two buses were plagued by maintenance issues and were no longer in service as of this school year.
The four buses that burned last week were part of a crop of six that the school district procured in 2024 and put into the rotation this school year. By October, Marckres reported “a high-rate of maintenance-related downtime” with the new buses. The
buses were procured through an Environmental Protection Agency grant and came with charging infrastructure installed at the ABS parking lot last summer.
The district operates the buses on a lease from a Massachusetts company called Highland, which owns the buses. They were manufactured by Thomas Built Buses.
Thomas Built spokesperson Chris Foster acknowledged that the company’s buses were involved
in the fire but declined to comment on the incident. Highland
Communications Director Chris Orlando said Highland is awaiting the results of the state and manufacturer investigations before “characterizing the incident or drawing broader conclusions.”
“We will follow up and share additional information as it becomes available,” he said.
Marckres said the district has learned of other electric bus fires
that have happened while charging — none that have happened while a bus was in operation. Last winter, four electric school buses were damaged in a fire while charging overnight near Springfield, Mass., according to a report by Reminder Publishing, which covers western Massachusetts.
Champlain Valley School District administrators were originally hoping to convert about half of the district’s 60-bus fleet to
electrics, but, even before the fire, maintenance issues were causing them to rethink the program. The district requested and received voter approval at Town Meeting Day to finance two gas-powered buses for next school year.
RAPID RESPONSE
The Williston Fire Department’s headquarters is less than a mile away from the school, and firefighters were on scene within minutes last Wednesday night after receiving a call from a custodian working inside the school building. No one was injured in the fire. Firefighters estimated the total damage at $2 million.
“Our firefighters responded quickly and worked together to bring the fire under control in a matter of minutes,” Deputy Fire Chief Tim Gerry said. “We are grateful that no one was injured, and we will continue working with our partners as the investigation into the cause of this fire continues.”
Marckres expects insurance to cover all losses, but it’s not yet determined whose insurance policy — Thomas Built, Highland or the school district’s — will cover them.
The charred remains of four electric school buses sit in the parking lot of Allen Brook School late Wednesday night after a fire.
