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SEPTEMBER 25, 2025
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
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Homeless families to vacate former police barracks New shelter to open in Burlington BY JASON STARR Observer staff The time is coming to a close for the former Vermont State Police barracks in Williston to house homeless families as a shelter under the Vermont Department of Children and Families. Last fall, with the state’s motel housing program contracting and cold weather looming, the department swiftly converted the former police headquarters
The former Vermont State Police barracks in Williston was converted into a homeless family shelter in 2024. That use will end in early 2026. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
into housing for up to seven families. It hired an out-of-state contractor to manage the shelter through the winter, and, in May,
the nonprofit Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity took over. The building is located just
Redhawks sink Seawolves on Saturday
north of the Exit 12 interchange of Interstate 89. It became vacant in 2023 when the state police moved into a new headquarters on the south side of the interchange. According to Lily Sojourner, director of the Department of Children and Families’ Office of Economic Opportunity, the sheltered families will be moving to a Champlain Housing Trust property in Burlington in February. The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity will continue to be the shelter’s managing organization. Champlain Housing Trust
Director of Community Relations Chris Donnelly said the shelter is under construction near downtown Burlington with hopes to have it open shortly after the new year. Families will begin moving out of Williston in January. “We meet as a team every other week to talk about the transition and the logistics of what will need to happen,” Sojourner said. “It’s definitely a significant effort, but we have the time to prepare for it.” The Observer received an anonymous complaint from a see BARRACKS page 11
Spectrum’s car detailing enterprise closes
Detail Works helped at-risk youth gain skills, experience OBSERVER STAFF REPORT
CVU’s Connor Nichols runs for daylight during the Redhawks’ 23 - 14 win over the Burlington-South Burlington Seawolves on Saturday in Hinesburg. More photos on the back page. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
Detail Works closed up shop last week on Avenue C in Williston after nine years as an employment training project of the nonprofit Spectrum Youth and Family Services. The car detailing service was launched to provide employment opportunities, job skills, confidence and experience for teens and young adults who face barriers in traditional workplace settings. Based in Burlington, Spectrum serves people ages 14-24, helping them meet their basic needs, access mental health and substance use disorder services and learn employment and independent living skills. The organization cited “rapidly escalating employee health insurance costs” as the reason it could
Detail Works, an offshoot of Spectrum Youth and Family Services, closed up shop last week. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
no longer sustain the enterprise. “Over the past five years, these costs have more than doubled for the organization, creating unsustainable financial pressures that can no longer be absorbed without compromising other critical youth see SPECTRUM page 7
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