Williston Observer 2/23/2023

Candidates vie for vacated seat

The Williston Selectboard has an unexpected opening this Town Meeting Day, as well as two regularly scheduled openings. Mike Isham and Ellie Beckett are both vying for election to the one remaining year of the seat that Gordon St. Hilaire vacated in December. St. Hilaire resigned after being charged with stalking and unlawful mischief in a case that remains pending in Chittenden County Criminal Court.

The Observer asked Isham and Beckett questions to help voters better understand their candidacies. We also have question-and-answer pieces with Terry Macaig and Jeanne Jensen (pages 3-4), who are running uncontested for a two-year and three-year term, respectively.

Town Meeting Day voting takes place Tuesday, March 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the National Guard Armory next to Town Hall, 7846 Williston Road. The town’s Annual Meeting takes place at 7 p.m. in the Williston Central School auditorium on Monday, March 6.

Describe your personal connection to the Town of Williston.

BECKETT: Growing up in Williston, graduating from Williston Central School and CVU, and choosing to live here as an adult, my roots in Williston are strong. My mother’s example of public service as our Town Clerk for 20 years shaped my life and connection to town. Community involvement was the default in our family, and I didn’t realize how special and unique that was until I got older. I’ve lived and traveled across the world but have always been certain of my desire to ultimately return to Williston to serve the community where I was raised.

Williston has its challenges; it is difficult to live here now as a young woman building my life. However, I am even more motivated to do the best I can for Williston — whether it be on the selectboard or through other channels.

Giving back to my community, listening to my fellow Willistonians and working to make the town better is fulfilling to me personally, and is a way I honor what the town and my mother have given me.

ISHAM: I’m a tenth-generation Vermonter, eighth-generation Willistonite. My grandfather was on the selectboard and my uncle Emerson Miles and George Isham Jr. worked for the town for decades.

Past Ishams served the town for decades. The Beckett/McGuire town meeting room was first dedicated to my uncle Emerson

Town Meeting traditions return

Voters to weigh in on budget increases

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Town Meeting Day will return to its pre-pandemic tradition as an in-person gathering of town voters March 6 followed by all-day ballot voting March 7.

Miles for his many years of town service. Why did you choose to run for a seat with one year remaining on it instead of one of the longer-term seats? If elected, how long do you envision serving on the board?

BECKETT: There wasn’t too much behind the decision for the one-year versus the other seats. I knew Terry was running for re-election for the two-year seat. I knew Jeanne was interested in the three-year seat, and at the time, I didn’t know of anyone else interested in the one-year seat.

If elected, I hope I earn the respect and trust of Williston residents, and I have every intention of running for re-election at this time next year for the full three-year term.

ISHAM: The vacant seat was from an incumbent that represented rural Williston, and I believe it’s important that we maintain a rural aspect to the selectboard. I have no aspirations of moving up higher in office. I believe that everyone has the right to run for a local seat in politics, keep the national politics out of it.

This is exciting for me and a new passion, as I believe that my private enterprise spirit is missing in local town politics today.

A new housing needs assessment for Williston suggests easing or eliminating the town’s growth management system to encourage more housing development.

Do you think Williston needs more

affordably priced homes and, if so, what strategies do you support to achieve that?

BECKETT: Yes, Williston needs more affordably priced homes, and I support the aim of the growth management system. We need to ensure the pace of growth doesn’t exceed the ability to manage it.

However, there are unintended consequences resulting from how the growth management system is currently implemented. It creates clear winners and losers, and I’m open to changing components of the calculation.

As it stands, only large developers who can afford to sit on a property for 10-plus years before developing it are the winners. This results in the development of only the large single-family home neighborhoods that we see today, and that’s not the type of housing that our community needs.

The town’s Housing Needs Assessment showed that 61 percent of Williston households have only one or two people, but 66 percent of Williston homes have three or more bedrooms. We need to encourage a variety of housing options so the town’s housing types better match the town’s households.

Of the recommendations in the assessment, I support exploring the following that would have minimal unplanned impact on services: the adaptive reuse of existing office buildings into housing; inclusionary

see BECKETT/ISHAM page 2

The Williston Central School auditorium will host the town’s Annual Meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. March 6, when town officials will conduct an informational presentation on their $13.9 million budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. Earlier that evening (5 p.m. start), the Champlain Valley School District will host its Annual Meeting at CVU High School in Hinesburg with school administrators presenting their $96.1 million annual budget proposal.

The following day, March 7 — for those who have not voted early polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for walk-up voting at the National Guard Armory at 7846 Williston Rd., next to Town Hall.

The town’s nearly $14 million budget would increase spending by 6.3 percent ($830,000) over the current year’s budget, which had its own increase of 14 percent over the previous year. The increase is projected to result in a property tax increase of 3.23 cents, which amounts to an additional $32 for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

The increase is driven by inflation, according to town administrators, and an increase in sidewalk snow plowing capacity and staff hours at the library and in the finance department.

Also on the ballot is a question whether the town should purchase

see TOWN MEETING page 5

Ellie Beckett

Mike Isham

Beckett/Isham

continued from page 1

zoning; a path forward specific to missing-middle housing proposals; and concentration of growth in the form-based code area.

CANDIDATE Q & A

My wife and I visited New York City this winter and went to the Brooklyn Heights area to see where they have successfully done high-density residential housing and have low crime and affordable apartments and homes.

Do you think the town has been effective so far in its efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and what are your thoughts on the importance of this work?

BECKETT: This work is very important. The town, and selectboard, must view everything it does with a diversity, equity and inclusion lens that asks whether a proposed path will have unintended impacts, and on whom.

They’re currently in the process of collecting data on equity issues within the town to see where it can improve from within and where it stands relative to other towns. I think this is a great step in the right direction and I’m curious to see what story the data will tell and what recommendations will be made to continue to make progress.

thing I’ve done professionally since then has been in pursuit of becoming a more equipped public servant.

at IBM and came back to the farm after the cows were sold by my father and built the farm into what it is today.

ISHAM: I love the form-based code for Taft Corners as well as the Official Town Map and believe that the town growth management plan needs to be revised to reflect those important designations. Let’s make change through the many boards and commissions of the town. Let’s respect and work with them and not allow paid lobbyists to dictate town policy.

We need to determine who’s not at the table and have honest conversations about why that may be. To these ends, I support the work of the Williston Community Justice Center and support the town’s racial equity values statement. I know the town is currently working with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and Abundant Sun as a part of the Welcoming and Engaging Communities cohort.

ISHAM: The town has done a great job with the Community Justice board and the Racial Justice board. Town Manager Erik Wells has sent delegates for specialized training. Police Chief Patrick Foley and Officer Eric Shepard of the police department are doing a great job. The Williston Federated Church has had weekly meetings.

The town has done a great job, is working hard to meet 21st-century demands and I believe will continue to grow as the town grows and meet the demand.

What else would you like voters to know about your candidacy?

BECKETT: I’ve been interested in public service since my AP Government and Politics class at CVU when I was 17. Every-

I want to work on the complicated and thorny issues, problem-solve and hopefully move the needle in a positive direction. This is an opportunity to finally start doing the thing I want to do when I grow up. We can steer Williston’s inevitable growth to appropriate areas of town and into forms that are an improvement to the trends we see occurring today. We can maintain the character of the town we all love. But this will require intentional efforts at responsible growth management. This effort will improve Williston’s quality and the quality of life for our residents. Without that effort, our goals of creating a dynamic, economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable Williston will be left to chance. I want to serve, and I want to help address the issues facing Williston and work to find creative solutions. Vote for me to bring a new energy and fresh perspective to the Williston Selectboard. To learn more about me and my candidacy, visit www.beckettforwilliston. com.

ISHAM: I grew up the eldest son on a family dairy farm. I left the farm for four years of military service and 26 years

I watched my ancestors on the farm always being dynamic and growing the farm as times changed. I learned at an early age to have a vision for the future.

I have been in the barn at Taft Corners when the Blairs were still milking cows where the Mobil station is today. I have seen and felt the town change from a sleepy community to the vibrant community it is today.

Today, the challenge is affordable housing. This must be done with higher density residential housing, not more urban sprawl with million-dollar homes. We must keep our youth that wish to remain here. I learned through the military and corporate world that, to make change, you must also remain a team player.

“I believe it’s important that we maintain a rural aspect to the selectboard.”

Mike Isham

“I want to work on the complicated and thorny issues, problem-solve and hopefully move the needle in a positive direction.”

Ellie Beckett

Jeanne Jensen

Three-year seat Selectboard Uncontested

Describe your personal connection to the Town of Williston.

I am lucky enough to be a long-time resident of Williston, having moved here with my husband David in 1995 when our children were preschoolers.

We found Williston to not only be an amazing place to raise our kids but a welcoming and encouraging place to get involved as adults. The small steps of volunteering to be a Cub Scout den mother and Girl Scout troop leader led to an opportunity to help start a local food shelf; which led to my experience as a founding member, treasurer and then president of the Williston Community Food Shelf.

My interest in getting a sidewalk so our neighborhood children could safely walk to school led to volunteering for the Town’s Rec Path Committee and working with the selectboard to pass a bond that made miles of paths

all around town possible.

Volunteering for a Williston Central School parent committee led to my decade-long tenure as a member and chairwoman of the CVU and Supervisory Union school boards. I value a town that is big enough to act as a model for what is possible, while small enough that anyone, even a full-time working parent, can volunteer and make a difference.

Why did you choose to run for a multiyear seat instead of for the seat with one year remaining on its term?

I know from my experience serving on the school board that being the kind of knowledgeable, available and responsive board member I plan to be will take hundreds of hours of work and that it will take more than one year of service to have an impact.

I am very excited to make this three-year commitment to Williston.

A new housing needs assessment for Williston suggests easing or eliminating the town’s growth management system to encourage more housing development. Do you think Williston needs more affordably priced homes and, if so, what strategies do you support to achieve that?

It is clear that there is an acute need for new, affordable housing in Chittenden County, and Williston should continue to be a part of that solution. I find it encouraging that the Housing Needs Assessment report indicates that Williston’s growth management policy is effective at “controlling the location and quality of housing” and points primarily to the pace of construction, which it considers too slow.

I would support a targeted approach to increasing the number of new units being built in the growth center if it can be supported by the town services and funded through sources other than the town’s property tax rate. Do you think the town has been effective

Q & A

so far in its efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and what are your thoughts on the importance of this work?

The town has made some important first steps towards making Williston a community where everyone feels valued through the work

have an obligation to become educated on racial justice matters so we better understand the impact of our actions.

We need to ensure and expand access to town government and civic engagement for all those living in Williston, but especially those who have been historically marginalized. What else would you like voters to know about your candidacy?

of the Williston Community Justice Center and the town’s Racial Equity Values statement.

As chief operations officer for the Champlain Valley School District, I was able to be a part of advancing this work in our schools through staffing, education and administrative focus. As people who serve the town, employees and elected and appointed officials, we

While growth in the Taft Corners area will remain a key topic for the selectboard, there are so many other areas that also affect our quality of life in Williston: land conservation, energy policy, the town forest, town parks and recreation opportunities, just to name a few.

Most importantly, as Williston continues to change, we need to find ways to maintain the sense of community that makes it a great place to live.

I look forward to the challenge and to serving the Town of Williston.

“I am very excited to make this three-year commitment to Williston.”

Erin Henderson

Three-year seat Champlain Valley School Board

Describe your personal connection to the Town of Williston and the Champlain Valley School District.

My husband and I chose to move our family to Williston 10 years ago because of the schools. My two sons went through Williston Central School and graduated from CVU in 2020 and 2022. My daughter has gone through Allen Brook School, Williston Central School and is currently a sophomore at CVU.

I have volunteered within our schools and community as a 4 Winds parent, the parent rep on Williston schools’ Safety Committee, a Girls on the Run coach, not to mention many house field trips and activities. What do you see as the most important issues facing the district?

To keep up with growth in our towns, we need to provide the necessary resources, such as school buildings, staffing and programs. Allen Brook is an example of where we are seeing more students and not enough classrooms to house them.

Spring is just around the corner

CANDIDATE Q & A

A lot of educators left the profession during the pandemic. Even though our district has a strong reputation, we need to continue to attract and retain the best educators and support staff. Finally, in order for students to grow academically, we need to ensure that all of our students are safe and feel as if they belong in our community.

Terry Macaig

Is there anything else voters should know about your candidacy?

I have professional experience with education from both inside, while teaching, and also working outside of schools in agencies that support students, children and families. I was a high school teacher for 15 years, have worked at Vermont’s Agency of Education, and currently work for the Agency of Human Services.

I have enough professional and personal experience to recognize the many things that CVSD does well and the places where we can continue to improve.

Two-year seat (incumbent) Selectboard Uncontested

Describe your personal connection to the Town of Williston.

My commitment to Williston began in 1974 with the family working with Cub, Boy and Girl Scouts followed by Little League and girls’ softball. I’ve spent 20 years on the Williston Historical Society with 13 as president, nine years on the Regional Planning Commission, over 30 years as either Deputy Health Officer or Health Officer and 21 years on the selectboard, seventeen as chair.

Why did you choose to run for a multiyear seat instead of for the seat with one year remaining on its term?

After Jeff Fehrs decided not to run again, I announced my decision to run for another two-year term. It’s very important to have the historical memory on the selectboard with two new members to be elected in March.

While Ted Kenney has many years of service on the board, my input will make a difference.

A new housing needs assessment for Williston suggests easing or eliminating the town’s growth management system to encourage more housing development. Do you think Williston needs more affordably priced homes and, if so, what strategies do you support to achieve that?

Williston absolutely needs more affordably priced homes. With the formbased code in place for the Taft Corners area, we have the opportunity to make that happen while still staying within the growth management bylaws.

The planning commission should take a close look at inclusionary zoning. Do you think the town has been effective so far in its efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and what are your thoughts on the importance of this work?

The town, over the past two years, has made significant progress in its efforts to provide diversity, equity and inclusion. We have worked with the Racial Equity Partnership on these issues.

Williston was recently selected by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns to be a cohort in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion. Our Community Justice Center director received a grant to attend Cornell University remotely to address this.

We have also adopted racial equity value policy statements and will continue to receive input from these resources. What else would you like voters to know about your candidacy?

I look forward to a new experience with selectboard members with new ideas and continuing my service to the town.

Memorial Pet Service

Diane Von Furstenberg Shoshanna Alice & Olivia Shona Joy Trina turk Halston Hutch Julie Vos Monique L huillier Toccin Mac Duggal Ted Baker Joseph ribkoff soia & kyo

“I …recognize the many things that CVSD does well and the places where we can continue to improve.”

‘This is an outrage’

Congressional delegation pressures Postmaster General to improve service

BY KATE O’FARRELL VTDigger

Vermont’s congressional delegation is demanding answers to the postal problems that have been plaguing a number of the state’s residents.

Last Thursday, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch, along with U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, sent letters to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors seeking information about prolonged postal service delays around Vermont.

“These delays are nothing short of life-threatening for Vermonters who rely on the Postal Service for prescription medication delivery,” the delegation wrote in a letter to DeJoy.

“In fact, we have heard from multiple constituents who have been forced to order emergency prescription replacements because their original medication never arrived or arrived in unusable condition. That is an outrage,” the delegation wrote.

Issues with mail delays and understaffing have been especially prevalent in

Chittenden and Windham counties, with the Town of Hinesburg experiencing a backlog of over 1,000 packages, the delegation said in its letters.

Merrily Lovell, chair of the Hinesburg Selectboard, said she started to notice significant issues with the postal service in October, but things really worsened around December.

“I was getting mail once a week, maybe. And other people were getting mail once every other week, so it has been a real hardship for many people in town,” Lovell said.

Earlier this month, four members of the Hinesburg Selectboard sent a letter to the Vermont congressional delegation, outlining their concerns and ongoing difficulties with mail service in the town.

Lovell said she received phone calls from representatives of Balint, Sanders and Welch shortly after sending the letter.

In the Feb. 16 letters, Balint, Sanders and Welch stress that they do not place blame on Vermont’s postal workers, but rather the agency’s administration.

“We know postal workers are working 12 hours or more each day, seven days each week. Their commitment to the work is unwavering, even though they have been entirely let down by Postal Ser-

Town Meeting

continued from page 1

the solar array on the roof of the public works building for $125,000 using bond revenue from the construction of the facility, and a bond question on the funding of a new ambulance that Williston voters previously voted in favor of purchasing.

The $96.1 million school district budget proposal would increase spending by 7.5 percent ($6.7 million) over the current fiscal year and increase per-pupil spending by 8.4 percent to $20,094 per pupil.

The spending increase is mostly attributable to a bump in salaries and benefits in the employment contract approved earlier this year between the school board and the teachers’ union. Inflation in the cost of supplies and energy also factor in, according to school administrators.

A help wanted sign in front of the Williston Post Office one year ago. Mail service in the area has experienced delays and inconsistent service for over a year.

vice leadership,” they said in the letter to DeJoy.

Lovell said she has noticed the strain on Hinesburg’s postal workers.

Care you can count on.

Open Mon-Sat: 8AM - 6PM 62 Merchants Row Williston, VT

The spending increase would cause an estimated property tax rate increase of 3 cents, amounting to roughly an additional $30 for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

School district voters will also be asked to allow the district to use $600,000 in its reserve fund as revenue for the upcoming fiscal year, leaving $1.37 million remaining in the fund; and to allow the district to borrow up to $395,000 to buy three new school buses.

Votes will be tallied the evening of March 7 and results are typically reported by the

Vermont bans TikTok on government devices

BY FRED THYS VTDigger

The executive branch of the Vermont state government has banned the use of the popular social media app TikTok on all state-owned devices, following similar moves by at least 27 other states and the federal government.

The ban, which took effect Monday, applies to all state-issued electronic devices used by executive-branch staff and contractors, according to an email sent to all employees last Friday by Shawn Nailor, Vermont’s chief information officer and secretary of digital services.

“An agency or agency employee shall not download or use the social networking service TikTok, or any successor application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Limited” — the Chinese company that owns TikTok — “or an entity owned by ByteDance Limited (‘TikTok’) on any State-owned electronic device,” Nailor wrote in the new regulation.

“An agency may not sponsor content on TikTok or maintain an agency-branded or agency-sponsored TikTok account,” Nailor wrote. “A person or entity contracted with an agency shall not download or use the TikTok application or visit any TikTok website on any State-owned

electronic device.”

In his email, Nailor also announced Vermont is also ban -

person Jamal Brown said governments’ TikTok bans reflect “nothing more than the hypothetical concerns they’ve heard on the news.”

“We can understand why state officials wouldn’t want state employees to have entertainment apps on their work devices for personal use, but singling out TikTok on all state devices and networks does nothing to improve security,” Brown wrote. “All it does is prevent state universities, health agencies, economic development agencies, and others needing to share information publicly from reaching their constituents on a platform loved by millions of Americans.”

ning the Chinese social media app WeChat on state staff and contractors’ devices.

The two Chinese companies are the latest to be banned from Vermont state government devices. The regulations cite a 2019 worldwide threat assessment of the U.S. intelligence community, expressing concern “about the potential for Chinese intelligence and security services to use Chinese information technology firms as routine and systemic espionage platforms against the United States and allies.”

In an email, TikTok spokes -

Brown said TikTok is working with the federal government on solutions that would address security concerns.

The Vermont State Police is one state agency that has had a TikTok account.

Other states that have banned TikTok on state-owned devices include Texas and New Hampshire. In December, President Joe Biden signed a ban on the use of the social media app on all federal executive branch government devices, with some exceptions for law enforcement and national security purposes. The U.S. House of Representatives has also banned TikTok on all of its devices.

continued from page 5

“We really want to support these postal workers because they are under extreme stress,” she said.

In its letter, the delegation requests that DeJoy answer six inquiries by March 1 and demands that the postmaster general address the issues in Hinesburg and staffing problems throughout Vermont.

The letter also notes the significance of the Postal Reform Act, which Congress passed last April to improve health care coverage and retirement benefits for employees. The legislation also calls for the creation of a public dashboard within the postal agency to track service.

“What efforts have you implemented so far? Do you plan to hire additional staff at locations in Vermont, and if so, how many,” the Vermont delegation asks in the letter.

This is not the first time Sanders has addressed issues with DeJoy, who has held the office of postmaster general since 2020.

In December 2021, Sanders called for DeJoy’s removal, citing his plan to “slow down” mail delivery, cut postal service hours and close processing centers.

“By any objective measure, Louis DeJoy, a top campaign contributor of Donald Trump, has been, by far and away, the worst Postmaster General in the modern history of America,” Sanders said in his December 2021 statement, which outlined

similar mail delays in Vermont.

In this most recent missive, the congressional delegation expressed frustration at a lack of improvement.

“For years, our Vermont Congressional Delegation has engaged with you and regional Postal Service leadership in an attempt to address mail delays and staffing issues, yet no help has come.”

An email to the postmaster general’s public relations director was not immediately re -

Vermont congressional delegation

turned Friday afternoon.

In Hinesburg, mail service appears to be improving, according to Lovell — and at a critical time as Town Meeting Day approaches. Lovell said she was nervous about whether voting materials would be delivered to residents in time, but so far, so good.

“I’m happy to say that everyone I talked to did get the Town Report … and the ballots are available now in fact, so that’s a huge relief,” Lovell said.

“These delays are nothing short of life-threatening for Vermonters who rely on the Postal Service for prescription medication delivery.”

Vermont joins 27 other states and the federal government in banning the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM

Vermont equity organizations seek to retire 8 school mascots

BY PETER D’AURIA VTDigger

Two Vermont nonprofit advocacy groups have filed formal complaints seeking to remove school mascots at eight schools across the state, arguing that they are offensive and harmful to students.

In a letter last week, the Rutland Area NAACP and Gedakina, a nonprofit that supports Indigenous culture and teachings, said that the mascots in question — including the Thunderbirds (Missisquoi Valley Union Middle and High School), the Colonels (Brattleboro Union High School) and the Rebels (Leland and Gray Union Middle and High School) — are “upholding harmful legacies that continue to harm our children.”

The organizations also filed complaints about the Vermont Commons School’s Flying Turtle, Randolph Union High School’s Galloping Ghosts, Green Mountain Union High School’s Chieftains, and the Raiders, which are mascots at Stowe High School and U-32.

“Whether we are white, brown or black and whether we are new immigrants or the original caretakers of this land, we all desire to have safe, happy healthy communities and children free from imagery and names that perpetuate harm,” Gedakina Executive Director Judy Dow and Rutland Area NAACP President Mia Schultz wrote last week. “Isn’t this what you would want for your children and grandchildren?”

The letter outlined various concerns with the schools’ mascots. The Chieftains of Green Mountain Union and the Raiders of Stowe and U-32 evoked Indigenous stereotypes, Dow and Schultz said.

In 2021, the Green Mountain Unified School District’s board voted to remove the school logo, a stylized image of a headdress-wearing man, according to news reports. Last month, the board reportedly voted to drop the name “chieftains” as well — a decision that lasted roughly a month before the board voted Feb. 16 to bring it back.

It’s unclear whether Stowe and U-32’s Raiders originated from Indigenous stereotypes: The schools’ mascots are a pirate and a knight, respectively.

Dow and Schultz also made the case that the Thunderbirds and the Flying Turtles are disrespectful representations of important figures in Indigenous religions.

“This sacred being should not be used as a mascot in a public school,” they wrote of the Thunderbird.

Leland and Gray’s Rebels and the Brattleboro Colonels were symbolic of the Confederate South, the groups argued, while Randolph’s Galloping Ghost evoked a Ku Klux Klan member on horseback.

In 2020, Randolph Union painted over

a mural of the ghost after a series of complaints. But Gedakina and the NAACP argued that the mascot still had to be discarded.

“There is a deep legacy attached to this image, newly painted or not,” the groups wrote in their letter.

The letter also suggested that some school mascots — including the Minutemen, the Marauders and the Patriots — had militaristic and violent overtones, but Schultz said the groups did not file formal complaints about them.

“If we can start by eliminating the images and words that harm other people, we can maybe start eliminating the idea that there’s a hierarchy, that there’s a supremacy,” Schultz said in an interview. “That impacts all of our kids, whether you’re white, black or indigenous.”

Devin Bachelder, the chair of the Missisquoi Valley School District board, said in an interview that he was unaware of previous complaints about the Thunderbird mascot.

Under the district’s mascot policy, complainants are expected to present their case to the board. So far, he said, the groups have not yet set a time to do so.

“So that’s the step we’re at in the complaint process,” Bachelder said. “Just really waiting for the trigger to kick it off.”

Last year, Vermont passed a law, Act 152, with the goal of eliminating offensive school mascots. Act 152 required the secretary of education to draft a model policy on “school branding,” one that prohibited school mascots, logos and slogans from employing racial or national stereotypes.

The legislation was passed amid a pitched battle over the Rutland High School Raiders, a mascot that many believed was offensive toward indigenous people.

The legislation requires school boards to adopt a policy “at least as comprehensive” as the state’s model. Members of the public may submit formal complaints to school boards if they believe a mascot violates the board’s policy.

“An individual may request an opportunity to appear before the Board for purposes of presenting the complaint, relevant facts and further explanations,” according to the state’s policy. “The board shall hear the complaint in a fair and just manner.”

If someone is not satisfied with the board’s decision, they can appeal any decisions to Vermont’s Agency of Education.

Ted Fisher, a spokesperson for the Agency of Education, confirmed in an email that state officials had “received correspondence … citing concerns about a number of school mascots.”

Fisher pointed out that under state law, school boards must review the complaints first. The state “will act on appeals of school board decisions as they come,” he said.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

School budget worthy of support

It is important to understand the significance of the proposed budget for the Champlain Valley School District (CVSD). This year, the district has proposed a budget of $96,119,804, which is an increase of 7.5 percent from the current year.

Despite these increased costs, the CVSD proposed budget is still 1.2 percent below the statewide average for equalized pupils and 1 percent below the state average spending increase. This demonstrates the district’s commitment to being financially responsible while still providing the best possible education for its students.

The budget proposal takes into account various external forces, such as statewide and national healthcare increases, inflation and a tight labor market. Despite these challenges, the Champlain Valley School District remains dedicated to supporting all students and providing a high-quality education.

By voting for the proposed budget, you are supporting the education of the students in the Champlain Valley School District. Investing in our future through ed-

ucation is a vital part of ensuring a strong and thriving community.

Please reach out to the CVSD School Board with any questions by email at cvsdschoolboard@cvsdvt.org and join us at the CVSD annual informational meeting on Monday, March 6 at 5 p.m. at CVU.

We appreciate your generous support.

The Champlain Valley School District Board of Directors

Supporting Allard for school board

I am writing in support of Tim Allard’s write-in campaign for a three-year seat on the Champlain Valley School Board.

Tim would be a great asset to the school board because of his passion for the future of our youth. Tim currently has three children who all attend schools in Williston, and his involvement in their education and growth is unmatched.

Tim is a problem-solver by nature, and he possesses great interpersonal skills. His ability to adapt to changes and still keep the end goal in focus is just one of the many

see LETTER page 9

GUEST COLUMN

Police accountability is a public safety issue

BY JAMES LYALL

The Vermont affiliates of the NAACP and ACLU this month invited to Montpelier five family members whose loved ones were lost to police violence, and who are a part of the Love Not Blood Campaign. Their stories are a powerful reminder that our ongoing work to bring more oversight and accountability to policing is a matter of life and death, particularly in overpoliced communities of color.

They also remind us that Vermont is not an outlier or an exception. Our criminal legal system has some of the worst racial disparities in the country, and police data from across the state confirms what so many Black Vermonters continue to tell us: Year after year, people of color are stopped, searched, ticketed and prosecuted at much higher rates than their white counterparts.

Take Burlington, for example, where black people account for 6 percent of the population, but 21 percent of arrests and 36 percent of those subjected to police use of force. Burlington police last year were twice as likely to keep black people in custody than white peo-

ple, and half as likely to send black people to diversion as an alternative to incarceration. Studies of Vermont police data released in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020 all reached similar conclusions.

Unfortunately, as in years past, law enforcement officials continue to insist that police should be left to police themselves, while denying or downplaying the extent of racial profiling in Vermont communities. Some go so far as to suggest that improving police oversight could deter police recruitment, as if we can’t expect new officers to be held accountable to the laws and values of the communities they serve.

It’s a cynical argument and a false choice, and Vermonters should reject it. The fact is, we can have both safer communities and more accountable police. As the Love Not Blood Campaign reminds us, true public safety — encompassing all community members, including those who are overpoliced and discriminated against — requires more police accountability, not less.

The good news is that Vermonters have ample opportunities this year to win overdue police reforms.

Towns like Bennington and Burl-

ington — both with long histories of biased policing — are considering whether to empower civilian oversight of their police departments.

Related citizen oversight legislation is up for consideration in the Statehouse, along with several other police reform proposals. One would limit police enforcement of minor vehicle infractions that are often used as pretexts for traffic stops and could drastically reduce profiling and racial disparities in traffic enforcement. Another would prevent police from lying to children in interrogations, a practice that is still allowed in Vermont and has been known to contribute to false confessions and wrongful convictions.

As our state considers ways to enhance police accountability and reimagine law enforcement’s role in our communities, it is imperative that we prioritize racial justice and center the voices of those who are impacted by unjust policing practices. Vermont voters and their representatives have some golden opportunities to do that this year.

James Lyall is the executive director of ACLU of Vermont.

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strengths he possesses that would make him the ideal candidate.

Tim is a local business owner, and full-time father to three children under 9. Tim is constantly finding ways to be involved with extracurricular activities, and is always looking

for ways he can be helpful and supportive in these departments.

Tim is a strong advocate for inclusion for all and believes all students should be able to have access to all the resources they need for a bright and healthy future. I know that if he is elected for this position he would be able to make effective change alongside the other members of the board while always keeping the interest of the

children first.

Tim has a way of communicating with courtesy and respect with everyone he encounters. Tim has the ability to first understand before needing to be understood and has outstanding self-awareness.

These qualities make him an ideal candidate and a team player.

Caitlin Flood South Burlington

Using food waste to generate energy

Youth perspectives on food-to-energy future

Students on the Green Mountain Homeschool Robotics Team participated in a question-and-answer session to review what they had learned through their food-to-energy project.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE THE BEST ABOUT THE PROJECT?

BY REED PARKER Williston Energy Committee

What is a banana peel worth? Or potato skins, or coffee grounds?

By themselves, not very much. But when you add up the thousands of tons of food scraps we collectively produce, just here in Chittenden County, they are certainly worth a lot.

For most of us, composting is the first solution we think about when it comes to food scraps. In this article, we’ll hear from an energetic team of fourth- and fifthgrade students from the Green Mountain Homeschool Robotics Team who studied using food waste to generate energy.

Participating in the First Lego League Challenge, which this year focused on energy, the Green Mountain Homeschool Robotics Team chose the topic of converting food waste to energy (methane) using bio -

digesters. They were inspired by the fact that, by law in Vermont, we are no longer allowed to throw food waste into the trash. They saw this as an incredible opportunity to convert food scraps, which in many instances continue to enter the waste stream, into a viable renewable energy source.

But how does the food-to-energy process work? The students learned that it’s not magic, it’s science: A biodigester takes in organic material (food scraps) and combines it with bacteria to start a fermentation process that outputs gas, liquid effluent and residual sludge. The desired product produced by a biodigester is methane, the same as “natural gas.” But the food-to-energy process doesn’t require drilling and fracking to obtain the gas. The gas produced by this process is scrubbed of impurities and can then be used for heating or to run a generator to produce electricity.

see WASTE page 11

“I like that you can get energy from items that we usually just throw away. Plus, we aren’t just reusing food waste, we are reducing CH4 (Methane)* which is a big greenhouse gas and can slow down global warming. As soon as I started learning about the biodigester, I fell in love with it. I loved/love learning about it. There is so much to learn.”

Carter Schoppmann

*Note: Methane created by normal composting is lost to the atmosphere

WHAT DID YOU LEARN BY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT?

“I learned that there are already 30 large-scale biodigesters in Vermont, and that they can power a college!* I also learned that biodigesters work by taking food scraps and breaking them down to

produce methane, which is used for energy.”

Ted Agnew

* Note: Middlebury College utilizes energy generated at a biodigester site in Addison County.

HOW WILL THIS UNUSED ENERGY SOURCE HELP VERMONT AND OUR COMMUNITIES?

“This energy source will help Vermont by providing another source of affordable, renewable energy so we can move away from fossil fuels, which are very bad for our earth.”

Emilyn Lienen

PLEASE GIVE A COMMENT ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

“Vermont is ready for a movement that will take what we have (food scraps) and turn it into energy. An awareness campaign can up the production of energy in Vermont, and when everyone is involved, there is a bigger and greener future for Vermont and thus the nation!”

JJ Garcia-Zeleny

Waste

continued from page 10

Keeping food scraps out of the trash and generating energy from that food waste is a monumental challenge for experts in waste management and engineers involved in alternative energy generation. Undaunted, the students dove into the subject and used the information they gathered to develop a live presentation and supporting video, which was used in

Storm Smart assessments available in Winooski watershed

Chittenden County residents are now able to participate in the Winooski River Valley’s Storm Smart program.

All homeowners and property managers in the county are eligible for the free program. Storm Smart helps people make their homes, driveways and yards better able to soak up stormwater to build flood resilience, protect biodiversity and improve river water quality.

First developed and launched in 2018 by Friends of the Mad River in the Mad River watershed, Storm Smart is expanding into the Winooski River Valley this year through a partnership with Friends of the Winooski River and the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District.

“Storm Smart properties slow down, spread out and sink in rainfall to help keep water on site and stop it from causing damage downhill and downstream,” said Ira Shadis of Friends of the Mad River.

Sign up for a Storm Smart assessment of your property at: https:// winooskinrcd.org/stormsmart/.

During an assessment, a staff person from one of the partner organizations works with the homeowner to trace the paths water takes across their property. After the in-person assessment, the program provides written water management recommendations specific to the

the First Lego League challenge on Jan. 28.

Food waste is a continuing problem here in Vermont despite the requirement to keep it out of the landfill. When asked how to get more people to separate their food scraps so they can be used to create green energy, the students came up with the following ideas that each one of us can help with.

• Keep track of your household food waste. In other words, consciously think about where that banana peel is going. Put-

GREEN BRIEFS

home.

“We’re excited to bring this program from the Mad River Valley to the broader Winooski watershed,” said Michele Braun of Friends of the Winooski River. “We look forward to working with each other and our watershed neighbors to build a broad and connected Storm Smart community.”

For more information, contact the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District at (802) 828.4493 x3178 or email info@winooskinrcd.org.

“Every little bit adds up,” said Corrie Miller of the Friends of the Mad River. “By taking small steps on our own properties, together we reduce flood vulnerability locally and downstream, and we keep our swimming holes clean. Soaking up storms reduces erosion, keeps pollutants out of waterways and minimizes flooding. On top of all that, most of the Storm Smart recommendations, like planting trees, converting lawns to wildflowers, or repairing riparian buffers, help our wildlife neighbors, too.”

Scholarships available for green building conference

Efficiency Vermont is offering scholarships for students to attend a full day of the Better Buildings by Design Conference April 5-6 at the Hilton hotel in South Burlington.

The scholarship is named in honor of Blair Hamilton, the late

ting it in trash is not the correct answer.

• Do more outreach and advocacy, such as this article, to raise awareness.

• Connect with your local school for information and informational programs about food waste and converting it to energy. How are our schools participating to best reduce food waste?

• Develop lobbying initiatives for renewable energy generated from biodigesters to get

co-founder of VEIC, the Vermont-based nonprofit that operates Efficiency Vermont.

“The Blair Hamilton Award seeks to remove financial barriers for students, allowing them to attend informative sessions and network with clean energy professionals,” said Bryn Oakleaf of Efficiency Vermont. “Right now, Vermont is challenged to attract students into skilled trades, including in the clean energy sector. So we are excited to offer this scholarship to students that want to learn more about the career opportunities available.”

Scholarship applications are due by March 1. There are 40 oneday scholarships available to college students, high school students and adult learners in Vermont. Email EEN@efficiencyvermont. com for application information, or visit https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/trade-partners/bbd.

Examples of training sessions and workshops offered at the conference are:

• Smart homes and connected devices

• Conditioning and compartmentalizing high-performance multifamily buildings

• Bringing passive house retrofit solutions to scale

• Shaping equitable decarbonization

• Using natural gas refrigerants to meet decarbonization goals

• Ground source heat pumps

• Hydronics for low-energy net-zero buildings

incentives. Contact both your state and federal legislators.

• Work toward having people receive a financial reward for separating food waste.

• Have commercial trash-haulers collect food scraps alongside trash and recycling pickup.

• Work toward creating commercial biodigesters where people can buy shares similar to solar farms.

Project places first

Congratulations to all the fourth- and fifth-grade students of the Green Mountain Homeschool Robotics Team who took home the statewide first place award at the First Lego League challenge and are moving onto the regional competition. There is a lot that we can all learn from the youth of our community, and we should all start by listening.

Green tips

Composting winter food scraps

In a cold climate such as we have in Vermont, winter composting at home can pose challenges. One way to handle kitchen scraps conveniently during the cold months is to place a large container with a cover, such as an inexpensive garbage can, in an easy to access place outside your home.

Fill the bottom of the container with a foot or two of dry leaves and/or shredded paper and dig a hole in the center of this dry material into which you can dump your food scraps. After each addition, add several more inches of dry material.

This will help prevent odors when temperatures warm. In the spring you can stir and adjust the mix in the container to complete composting or add the contents into a larger compost pile.

Source: Adapted from ‘The Vermont Master Composter Resource Manual,’ State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, September 2017.

Senate committee advances clean heat standard

BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger

State lawmakers in the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee unanimously voted last week to advance legislation that’s been dubbed the “Affordable Heat Act,” which would establish a clean heat standard in Vermont.

Using a credit system, the clean heat standard would incentivize Vermonters to transition to heating and cooling systems that reduce carbon emissions. Weatherization projects, heat pumps, pellet stoves and some biofuels would be eligible for credits.

Meanwhile, entities that sell fossil fuel heat into the state would need to obtain credits over time, and those credits would be funneled into the clean heat marketplace.

The bill, S.5, is headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. If it continues to win support, it would move to the Senate floor, the House and finally the governor’s desk.

Gov. Phil Scott vetoed a similar bill last session, and lawmakers failed to override that veto by one vote. This session,

TOWN MEETING DAY RESULTS

an unprecedented supermajority of Democrats and Progressives in the Legislature gives the bill better odds.

The bill was one of the top recommendations of the Climate Action Plan, which outlines strategies to meet Vermont’s legally binding emissions reduction requirements. It’s projected to drastically reduce emissions that come from heating and cooling Vermont’s buildings.

Committee members have heard from more than 50 witnesses on the bill, according to Sen. Chris Bray, D-Addison, the chair.

As the lawmakers tallied votes, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden-Central, paid a visit to the committee room.

“I just wanted to personally thank the committee,” he said. “This is a huge lift, I understand. I have been amazed at your intensity and your focus, and I am just eternally grateful that you have stuck to the task.”

So far this session, much of the debate has centered around whether the bill would be expensive for Vermonters. Julie Moore, secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, has argued that Vermonters may face a choice between expensive up -

front costs to install clean heat measures and an expected bump in fossil fuel heating prices — though it’s nearly impossible to determine how big that bump might be. Lawmakers have considered Moore’s self-described “back-of-the-envelope” math to be inaccurate.

Cost was among the topics of conversation during a discussion Friday morning with Xusana Davis, executive director of the state’s Office of Racial Equity, who was testifying before the committee. Sen. Becca White, D-Windsor, said the bill is designed to address the high upfront costs of clean heat.

“I kind of see this bill as the response to that. … Vermonters in that situation, myself included, can’t outlay $5,000 for a cold climate heat pump tomorrow,” White said. “But this program creates the marketplace to have incentives so that those upfront costs become far less, and we also have a workforce that develops to lower the costs.”

Environment and climate groups are generally split on their assessment of the bill. Some have expressed concerns that the bill would incentivize Vermonters to adopt biofuels as a form of clean energy, which could increase “(greenhouse gas)

emissions, threaten the health of marginalized communities, and harm crucial ecosystems,” several environmental groups wrote in a press release about the bill. They include Stop VT Biomass, Slingshot and Standing Trees.

Other environmental organizations, such as the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, the Vermont Natural Resources Council and Vermont Sierra Club, along with groups such as Rights and Democracy and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, strongly support the bill.

Davis, whose testimony focused on equity components of the legislation, said her office was pleased with many of the bill’s components. But she encouraged the committee to strengthen and reconsider other parts.

“Are you prepared to sign off on the bill, in terms of its equity, or do you have some recommendations for us?” Sen. Dick McCormack, D-Windsor, asked Davis.

“I don’t think that the bill, in its current version, quite meets the mark on equity,” Davis responded. “Simple things can be done to bring it closer, but at the end of the day, I think that the implementation is really going to be where we’re seeing what the commitment really is.”

Her concerns, among others, included whether the bill includes enough funding, ensures Vermonters who don’t speak English can understand and access the program, properly defines low and moderate incomes and allows policymakers to understand demographic data associated with energy burdens in the state.

Lawmakers engaged in conversation about whether to address Davis’ concerns in the bill before their vote, or whether to address them down the line in the legislative process. Davis warned committee members not to let equity provisions slide.

The committee may propose amendments with new equity recommendations when the bill hits the Senate floor.

Sen. Christopher Bray, D-Addison, chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, speaks on the first day of the legislative biennium at the Statehouse in Montpelier in January.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

Flying Redhawks

Wolves take down ‘Hawks in overtime

CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s Brady Jones and South Burlington’s Lucas Van Mullen race for the puck during the Redhawks’ overtime loss to the Wolves on Feb. 15 at Cairns Arena. Harper Anderson makes his presence known as he pushes the fast break down the rink. CVU’s Zach Vincent and South Burlington’s Andrew Chandler do battle for control of the puck along the boards. CVU’s goalie Jason Douglas makes a save at his chest.

The Williston Recreation and Parks Department is located at the Annex Building at 7878 Williston Rd. For online program registration, visit www.willistonrec.org. For department information, email recreation@willistonvt.org or call 876-1160.

OPEN HOUSE AT THE R.E.C. ZONE

The Rec Department will be having an open house at the new rental space, “The R.E.C. Zone — Recreate, Explore, Create” at 94 Harvest Lane, on Saturday, March 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Come see the space, meet instructors and participate in demonstrations.

SPRING/SUMMER PROGRAMS AND CAMPS

Registration is now open for all spring/summer programs and camps. Be sure to check out offerings at www.willistonrec.org and register. Early registration is encouraged as some programs and camps fill fast. The camp grid is available on the site to help plan your children’s summer of fun.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

REHABGYM 1ST ANNUAL WILLISTON COMMUNITY 5K

Ages 12-plus. Saturday, May 13, 9:30 a.m. The goal for this event is to bring the community together, support local businesses and organizations and enjoy the spring weather. The course is accessible, and adaptive athletes are encouraged to participate. Registration is open at www.willistonrec.org.

BEGINNERS ELECTRONICS AND PROGRAMMING WITH ARDUINO MICROCONTROLLERS

Ages 10-plus. You will be introduced to the world of building small electronic projects that can be controlled by microcontrollers. Basic principles of electronics and programming will be explored.

Registration deadline is March 1. Instructor: Bryan Serinese

DANGEROUS GIRLS

Ages 14-plus. This is a women-only cardio-kickboxing class that combines strength and conditioning with practical combat skills. Learn trips and throws, bounce to Beyoncé, hit hard, laugh a lot. Instructor: ONTA Studio

ACTIVE AGERS

JAZZERCISE CARDIO SCULPT

Ages 18-plus. Low-impact classes incorporate dance cardio with strength training to sculpt and tone your muscles. Whether you’re looking for physical results or a way to relieve stress and feel your best.

Single-, five- and 10-class passes are available. Instructor: Kit Sayers

SENIOR FITNESS

Ages 50-plus. Senior Strength will work your upper and lower body strength as well as your balance and core. Modifications are shown and participants are encouraged to work within their abilities while socializing and having fun. Instructor: Toni Kunker

JUBO

Ages 50-plus. Learn to play the four-hole ocarina the easy way. Jubo is a new music methodology for all who want to learn an instrument quickly. Jubo is a lightweight pendant whistle with four holes that allows one to master music quickly. Instructor: Wayne Hankin

CHAIR YOGA INTRO

Ages 50-plus. This two-class intro is an opportunity to try out the program. If mobility, balance or confidence restrictions are a barrier for movement, a chair is an excellent tool to support therapeutic activity. Instructor: Zach Wilson, Fyzical Williston

ADULT PROGRAMS

ALL LEVELS YOGA INTRO

Ages 18-plus. This two-class intro is an opportunity to try out the program. Yoga postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation are the focus, with emphasis on injury prevention and appropriate progression/modification. Instructor: Zach Wilson, Fyzical Williston

FYZICAL WILLISTON YOGA PASS

The rec department is partnering with Fyzical Williston on a four-visit punch pass offer to try their All Levels and Chair Yoga programs. Register for your pass at www.willistonrec.org and receive your pass at your first visit.

SANGHA STUDIO YOGA PASS

The rec department is collaborating with Sangha Yoga Studio to offer a five-class pass. Use the pass for one or multiple different types of programs within a 30-day period. Visit www.willistonrec.org for more information and to purchase a pass.

PRE-SCHOOL/ YOUTH/TEEN PROGRAMS

KINDERMUSIK

Ages 0-5. Classes provide a playful, supportive environment for children and their caregivers to play together with music, dancing, singing, exploring instruments and more. Different levels are offered for age groups.

Instructor: Rachel Smith

YOUTH LACROSSE

Grades K-8. Registration is now open. Early registration deadline is March 5. Lacrosse is a fast-paced sport that combines the power of football and hockey and the endurance of soccer and basketball. The kindergar-

ten and grades 1-2 programs are coed, and the grades 3-8 programs offer separate boys and girls teams. Volunteer coaches are needed.

FUN WITH CIRCUS SKILLS

Grades 3-8. Join this funfilled and exciting low-risk program focusing on circus skills: juggling (balls, clubs, rings and scarves), low stilt-walking, unicycling, flower sticks, diabolo, balance skills and more. Instructor: Rob Crites

KNITTING

Grades 3-8. This program offers the basics for first-timers, as well as provides early and intermediate knitters with specific how-to and help with projects. All materials are provided.

Instructor: Christine Heavner, Owner Knitting Circle

NINJA KIDS INTRO

Age 4-8 or 7-11. The playbased curriculum increases strength and self-confidence, while moving meditation helps children manage their emotions and develop the connection between mental and physical well-being.

Instructor: ONTA Studio

NINJA TEENS INTRO

Age 9-15. The play-based curriculum increases strength and self-confidence, while moving meditation helps children manage their emotions and develop the connection between mental and physical well-being.

Instructor: ONTA Studio

The American Red Cross helps prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Please consider supporting the Red Cross by making a financial donation, giving blood at a local blood drive, becoming a volunteer or learning a lifesaving skill to keep your home or workplace safe.

Next Week: Phases of the moon

Packed With History

Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 Colonies. The state played an important part in our country’s history.

Ever since the Revolutionary War, it has also been a leader in industry. With so many sites to see, Pennyslvania attracts many tourists. This week, The Mini Page finds out more about this northeastern state.

Where our history began

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of our nation. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were adopted and signed in Philadelphia at Independence Hall.

Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia was a leading statesman, inventor, printer, and signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

At Valley Forge, George Washington and his troops camped in the winter of 1777. York was the site of the Continental Congress from September 1777 through June 1778. Later, during the Civil War, Gettysburg was the site of the bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil. After it was over, the South never regained the lead in the war. Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address there.

People

Most Pennsylvanians live in urban, or

Mini Fact: The Keystone State is Pennsylvania’s nickname because it was in the middle of the 13 original Colonies.

city, areas. Philadelphia is the sixthbiggest city in the nation. With a population of about 13 million, the state ranks fifth in population among the 50 states.

Pittsburgh, the second-largest city in the state, has about 303,000 people. There, two rivers join to form the Ohio River, which helped make the city a center of industry, known for steel and glass.

Harrisburg is the state capital. It is named after the founder, John Harris.

The Amish people, who live as their ancestors did years ago, have strong communities in Lancaster County and elsewhere. They live simply; some do not use modern technology such as electricity.

The Amish are a part of a unique group called the Pennsylvania Dutch. These people have a German background, but got their name from the word “Deutsch,” which means German.

Natural features

Forests cover about 60% of the state. Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods,” named after William Penn, the Colony’s founder.

Mountains such as the Poconos, Appalachians, Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge attract hikers, fishers and skiers. Mountain laurel is the state flower, and the Eastern hemlock is the state tree.

Business

Service industries such as banking, health care and tourism are important in Pennsylvania. The manufacturing of chemicals and food products is big.

Hershey has the biggest chocolate factory in the world there, along with a zoo, the

Hershey Park Hershey Park amusement park and a museum.

Companies such as US Steel, Heinz foods, Alcoa aluminum and Gulf Oil started there. Textile, glass and paper products and medicines are other important industries.

Steel is still an important product, but it is not as big an industry as it once was. Coal mining has been a major business there for many years.

Resources

On the Web: •bit.ly/MPPennsylvania

At the library:

• “Saving the Liberty Bell” by Megan McDonald

Mini Jokes

Penny: What does it mean if you have small pupils?

Paul: You’re a schoolteacher!

Eco

Hungry fish living among reefs that suffer from mass coral bleaching are more frequently getting into fights over

Words that remind us of

Pennsylvania are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 08, 2023

photo by Thomas/GPA Photo Archive

photo by shlashvee

photo by Peter Miller

photo by Melanie

Independence Hall

Philadelphia

photo by Kevin Oliver

An Amish horse-drawn carriage in Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Gettysburg Address there.

People

Most Pennsylvanians live in urban, or

Try ’n’ Find

have a German background, but got their name from the word “Deutsch,” which means German.

Words that remind us of Pennsylvania are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

AMISH, COAL, CONSTITUTION, DECLARATION, DUTCH, FRANKLIN, HARRISBURG, HERSHEY, INDEPENDENCE, MOUNTAINS, PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA, PITTSBURGH, RANK, STATE, STEEL, YORK, ZOO.

Cook’s Corner

Mighty Mushroom Burgers

You’ll need:

•1 pound lean ground beef

•1 can cream of mushroom soup

•1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms, drained

What to do:

1.Make 4 patties from the ground beef. Place in a casserole dish.

2.Pour soup evenly on top.

3.Top with mushrooms.

4. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve burgers on whole-grain hamburger buns with your choice of toppings. 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.in front (5)

2.robot car in the movies (11)

3.they cover a fish (6)

4.give up (4)

5.break (6)

6.armored rider on a horse (6)

7.not sick (7)

Answers: ahead, Transformer, scales, quit, damage, knight, healthy.

At the library: •

the Liberty Bell” by Megan

Mini Jokes

Penny: What does it mean if you have small pupils? Paul: You’re a schoolteacher!

Eco Note

Hungry fish living among reefs that suffer from mass coral bleaching are more frequently getting into fights over food, which could threaten their survival. Researchers from Britain’s Lancaster University made the discovery after observing 38 species of butterflyfish. When a butterflyfish wants to signal to a competitor that a particular bit of coral is theirs, they point their noses down and raise their spiny dorsal fins. But when the confrontation doesn’t resolve the dispute, one fish will chase the other until one gives up.

For later: Look in your newspaper for articles that mention Pennsylvania. How many can you find?

Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

BY DAN THOMPSON

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

What are the symptoms of thyroid disease? I’ve been dealing with a number of health issues over the past few years, and a friend of mine recently suggested I get my thyroid checked because it might be causing my problems.

Almost 66

Dear Almost,

If your thyroid is out of whack, it can cause a number of health issues that can be tricky to detect because the symptoms often resemble other age-related health problems. In fact, as many as 30 million Americans have some form of thyroid disorder, but more than half aren’t aware of it.

Savvy Senior

Could you have a thyroid problem and not know it?

WHAT TO KNOW

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck that has a huge job. It produces hormones (called T3 and T4) that help regulate the rate of many of your body’s activities, from how quickly you burn calories to how fast your heart beats. It also influences the function of the brain, liver, kidneys and skin.

If the gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, it causes body systems to slow down. If it’s overactive, and churns out too much thyroid, it has the opposite effect, speeding up the body’s processes.

The symptoms for an underactive thyroid (also known as hypothyroidism) – the most common thyroid disorder in older adults – will vary but may include fatigue and weakness, unexplained weight gain, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, joint pain, a puffy face, hoarseness, thinning hair, muscle stiffness, dry skin and depression. Some patients may even develop an enlarged thy-

roid (goiter) at the base of the neck. However, in older adults, it can cause other symptoms like memory impairment, loss of appetite, weight loss, falls or even

of developing thyroid disorders are women who have a family history of the disease.

Other factors that can trigger thyroid problems include: autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s or Graves disease; thyroid surgery; radiation treatments to the neck or upper chest; and certain medications including interferon alpha and interleukin-2 cancer medications, amiodarone heart medication and lithium for bipolar disorder.

GET TESTED

incontinence.

The symptoms of an overactive thyroid (or hyperthyroidism) may include a rapid heart rate, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, increased appetite, weight loss, tremors of the hand, frequent bowel movements, sweating, as well as an enlarged thyroid gland. Too much thyroid can also cause atrial fibrillation, affect blood pressure and decrease bone density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Those with the greatest risk

Green Burials

If you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, or if you’ve had previous thyroid problems or notice a lump in the base of your neck, ask your doctor to check your thyroid levels. The TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) blood test is used to diagnosis thyroid disorders but depending on what they find, additional blood tests may be necessary.

TREATMENT

If you are diagnosed with a thyroid problem, it’s easily treated. Standard treatment for hypothyroidism involves daily use of

the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levothroid, Synthroid and others), which is an oral medication that restores adequate hormone levels.

Treatments for hyperthyroidism may include an anti-thyroid medication such as methimazole and propylthioracil, which blocks the production of thyroid hormones. Another option is radioactive iodine, which is taken orally and destroys the overactive thyroid cells and causes the gland to shrink. But this can leave the thyroid unable to produce any hormone and it’s likely that you’ll eventually become hypothyroid and need to start taking thyroid medication.

For more information on thyroid disorders, visit the American Thyroid Association at www.Thyroid.org.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

The practice of natural or “green” burials dates back thousands of years. The principle behind this practice is to follow the natural cycle of life. Green burials provide a reduced environmental impact, as well as the benefits of land preservation and affordability. To learn more, contact us today.

As many as 30 million Americans have some form of thyroid disorder, but more than half aren’t aware of it.

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 21

Almanac

TODAY’S HISTORY:

ANDREWS MCMEEL

• In 1778, Baron von Steuben joined the U.S. encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to help train the Continental Army.

• In 1942, a Japanese submarine fired artillery shells at coastal targets near Santa Barbara, California.

• In 1945, American Marines raised the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima.

• In 1954, the first mass vaccination of children against polio began in Pittsburgh.

• In 1991, President George H.W. Bush announced the beginning of an allied ground offensive in Iraq.

TODAY’S FACT:

• Von Steuben Day is celebrated in mid-September with parades in many U.S. cities. Chicago’s Von Steuben Day parade was featured in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

We’re proud of our smiles! We believe that our state-of-the-art, impeccable skills; cheerful, approachable attitudes and ability to handle all your dental needs under one roof means a visit with us will always leave you with a beautiful smile.

Kenneth N. Morton, Sr. left us Feb. 10, 2023 after a short illness, and after a long and fulfilling life.

Ken was born at home at 15 California Avenue in Hempstead, NY Dec. 22, 1928. His father passed away at a young age, and Ken was raised by his mother and several aunts. He had a typical childhood punctuated by mischief and the beginning of several unique injuries which would follow him through life.

At 12 years old, he was hit by a car which necessitated a summer in Connecticut to help rehabilitate his leg. At 17, he left high school to enlist in the Marines before the end of World War II. He was honorably discharged and returned home to obtain his GED.

Kenneth N. Morton, Sr.

In 1950, he joined Ladder 2 of the Hempstead Fire Department, and served for several years. In 1951, he was appointed to the Hempstead Police Department, where he retired as a Lieutenant in 1972.

During his time as a police officer, he was injured in a motorcycle accident, fractured his skull in a motor vehicle accident while responding to a call, and was shot in the neck, face and chest during a vehicle chase. Retiring from the Police Department at 20 years became an easy decision! After retirement, Ken held a number of part time jobs – most recently as a shuttle driver for South Burlington Chrysler and working at Ken Jr.’s business, Environmental

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This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills. The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required.

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As a foot Patrolman in 1951, he met Barbara Jean Schmidt, whom he married in 1952. Barbara brought her daughter Sharon into the marriage, and the two of them made a life together and raised Sharon and a son, Ken, Jr. After retirement, Ken and Barbara moved to Manchester, Vermont, later to Charlotte, Vermont, then to Williston, Vermont.

Ken and Barbara loved their children, later Grandchildren, then later still, Great Grandchildren. They often attended concerts, sporting events, plays, and ANY activity which included family. When Sharon and Joe were first married, they would gladly drive to Queens, NY to visit, and when Ken and Ginger were first married, they would gladly drive to North Reading, MA to visit. In fact, they would drive almost anywhere – be it Mount Vernon, VA, Albany, NY, Boston, MA, Montreal CN, and many other cities and towns. It was called “meandering”.

Barbara passed away in 2011 after 59 years of marriage. After Barbara passed away, Ken would get the “wanderlust” and set off on day trips across Vermont, upstate New York and occasionally to Long Island, NY to visit with his

sister, Doris and his Hempstead Police PBA friends. These trips continued until 3 months ago!

Ken leaves behind his daughter Sharon (Joseph) Cronin, son Kenneth, Jr. (Ginger) Morton, his grandchildren J. Matthew (Briana) Cronin, Erin (Ashley) Farr, and Emily Morton. He also leaves great grandchildren, fondly called Grandpa’s Girls, Aislynn, Alexis, Annabelle, and Adalie Farr; and Eleanor, Abigail and Emerson Cronin. Ken was predeceased by sisters Elizabeth and Doris, brothers Robert and Donald, and leaves several Nieces and Nephews.

Ken was a 65-year member of the Masonic order, and was a very active and loyal Mason. He was raised as a Mason at the Morton Lodge #63 in Hempstead, NY and later became a member of Washington Lodge #3, and the Valley of Burlington Scottish Rite. He recently attained his 33rd degree as a member of the Scottish Rite.

To say Ken lived life to the fullest would be a huge understatement. In the recent past, his attendance at great-grandchildren’s softball games, basketball games, the Williston 4th of July parades, 9/11 ceremonies, dinners at Sharon and Joe’s, dinners at Ken and Ginger’s, iced coffees at McDonalds, a seat at Mexicali,

sunflower strolls at the Farr Farm, the pumpkin patch at the Farr Farm, Rusty Nails at Deli 126, Denny’s for breakfast, Scottish Rite meetings, sometimes travelling hundreds of miles to obtain additional degrees with Brothers from the Scottish Rite, and pretty much any event he was asked to be a part of, are all a part of the fabric of his life. Watching the F-35’s take off at the airport, “walking on air” after a pedicure, listening to big band CD’s while driving, and his ever present Bounty paper towels are just a few of the memories of his persona. He will be missed by many.

The family will hold a private committal service in the spring. A Memorial reception will be held on March 12, 2023 at the Catamount Country Club, 1400 Mountain View Road, Williston from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. At 2:00, there will be a short ceremony conducted by the local Washington Lodge #3. A significant posthumous award for Ken, from the Scottish Rite, will be presented to the family at that time. All are welcome to attend this ceremony.

Memorial Contributions can be made to the local Scottish Rite Masonic Order; Valley of Burlington, P.O. Box 208, Williston, VT 05495.

OBITUARIES

Alan Lawrence Wilcox

Alan Lawrence Wilcox (Jan. 8, 1940 - Jan. 30, 2023) passed away peacefully on with his wife Claire Lawliss Wilcox by his side.

Alan was born to Bernard and Margaret (Anna Lawrence) Wilcox of Montpelier, VT. Alan graduated from Montpelier High School in 1958. Alan graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelors of science degree in horticulture and joined the US Army as a Second Lieutenant, in artillery.

Alan met Claire Sandra Lawliss of Barre in the summer of 1965 and they were married on April 9, 1966. Their son Craig Alan Wilcox was born in 1966 and their daughter Andrea Lynne Wilcox was born in 1970. They lived in Essex Junction for 53 years, surrounded by family, neighbors, life long friends and lots of dogs, (who enjoyed

SHOP DINE SPEND ENJOY

Alan’s attention).

Alan worked for the State of Vermont for his entire career.

When Alan wasn’t working he was often found outdoors, hunting and fishing, playing golf or skiing with friends

and family. Alan loved taking care of his yard, spending countless hours nurturing his garden, beautiful flower beds and giant blueberry bushes. Alan developed a passion for antique clocks. He collected, repaired, and only on rare occasions sold any of the clocks. Alan was especially proud of the fact that he was able to ski for 75 consecutive years with friends and family.

Alan is survived by his wife of 56 years, Claire, his son Craig Alan Wilcox (Janice Ricci Wilcox) and his daughter Andrea Wilcox Ahern (James Ahern). Alan is also survived by his five grandchildren (Joey, Alissa, Briana, Phillip and Megan), his sister Cindy Wilcox Scoffield and her husband Walter Scoffield of Ocala, FL. A graveside service at Hope Cemetery in Barre, VT will be planned for this spring.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

PUZZLE FOUND ON PAGE 19

OFFICIAL TOWN WARNING

TOWN OF WILLISTON MARCH 6 & 7, 2023

Please note the starting time

Town Meeting Activities (March 6, 2023) 7:00 PM Official Town Meeting

The legal voters of the Town of Williston are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Williston Central School Auditorium in Williston, Vermont at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 6, 2023, for the Annual Town Meeting. Following the meeting, the Articles to be voted by Australian ballot will be reviewed during a public information hearing and there will be an opportunity for questions and comments.

Article 1: To elect a Moderator

Article 2: Shall the voters authorize that current taxes be paid to the Town Treasurer in three equal installments with due dates of August 15, November 15 and February 15 as authorized by 32 V.S.A. § 4871?

Article 3: Shall the voters of the Town of Williston accept the reports of the Town Officials as presented in the Town Report?

Article 4: To transact any other business to be brought before said meeting.

The legal voters of the Town of Williston are hereby warned and notified to meet on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at Vermont Army National Guard Armory located at 7846 Williston Road beginning at 7:00 AM, at which time the polls will open, until 7:00 PM, at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot upon the following articles:

Article 5:

SUDUKO SOLUTION PUZZLE FOUND ON PAGE 19

Article 6:

Shall the voters authorize General Fund Expenditures of $13,977,877 of which $7,217,643 shall be raised by taxes, for the year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024?

Shall the voters of the Town of Williston approve use of One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($125,000.00) of the unexpended principal balance of the 2013 General Obligation Bonds (issued to finance the construction of the Public Works Facility) to purchase the solar array installed on the roof of the Public Works Facility?

Article 7:

Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Williston be issued in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed Two Hundred Eighty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($280,000.00), subject to reduction by available state and federal grants-in-aid and other financial assistance, to fund the purchase, equipping and delivery of a new ambulance?

Article 8: Shall the voters elect to the Selectboard one member to fill an unexpired term of three years that began in March, 2021?

Article 9: Shall the voters elect to the Selectboard one member for a term of two years beginning March, 2023?

Article 10: Shall the voters elect to the Selectboard one member for a term of three years beginning March, 2023?

Article 11: Shall the voters elect a Town Clerk for a term of three years beginning March, 2023?

Article 12: Shall the voters elect to the Board of Listers one member for a term of three years beginning March, 2023?

Article 13: Shall the voters elect to the Library Board of Trustees one member for a term of five years beginning March, 2023?

Article 14: Shall the voters elect one Champlain Water District representative for a term of three years beginning March, 2023?

Article 15: Shall the voters elect to the Champlain Valley School District Board one director for a term of three years beginning March, 2023?

HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE: There is no deadline to register to vote. You will be able to register to vote on the day of the election. You can register prior by visiting the town clerk’s office or going online to www.olvr.vermont.gov

REQUEST EARLY or ABSENTEE BALLOTS: You or a family member can request early or absentee ballots at any time during the year of the election in person, in writing, by telephone, email, or online at www.mvp.vermont.gov

Dated this 17th day of January 2023

Williston Selectboard

CLASSIFIEDS

Why

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a supportive environment by providing case management for individuals either for our Adult Family Care program or our Developmental Services program. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical, organizational & leadership skills and enjoy working in a team-oriented position. $47,000 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Shared Living Provider: Move into someone’s home or have someone live with you to provide residential supports. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements. $1,000 sign on bonus.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

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https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 – 7:00 PM

Town Hall Meeting Room (Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656

DP 18-06.4 VT Hotel Group LLC requests a Master Sign Plan amendment for the hotel at 34 Blair Park

Road in the Business Park Zoning District (BPZD). APP 23-01 Mark Hall, Esq. on behalf of appellants, Kim Butterfield and Ron Bliss, files an appeal of AP 23-0121, an administrative permit issued to Dawna Pederzani for a dog rescue home business (Vermont English Bulldog Rescue) at 170 Lamplite Lane in the Residential Zoning District (RZD).

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: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org.

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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING

MARCH 6 and 7, 2023

RICHMOND, VERMONT

The legal voters of the Town of Richmond, Vermont and the legal voters of the Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District residing in Richmond, Vermont are hereby notified and warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Monday, March 6, 2023, at 6:00 PM to transact the following business from the floor. Must be present, in person, to vote on Articles 1 - 3:

Article 1. To hear and accept reports of Town Officers

Article 2. Shall the voters of the Town of Richmond approve a budget of $4,530,571 to meet the expenses and liabilities of the Town of Richmond?

Article 3. To transact any other Town business that may come legally before this meeting.

The legal voters of the Town of Richmond and the legal voters of Mount Mansfield Unified School District living in Richmond are further warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, where the polls will be open at 7:00 am in the

forenoon and close at 7:00 pm in the afternoon to vote on the following Articles by Australian ballot:

Article 4. Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Richmond in an aggregate amount not to exceed One Million Nine Hundred Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($1,900,000.00), subject to reduction by available state and federal grants-in-aid and other financial assistance, to fund the replacement of waterlines and related appurtenances along Tilden Avenue (approx. 1305 linear feet), along portions of Cochran Road (approx. 1615 linear feet), and along a portion of Bridge Street (approx. 775 linear feet)?

Article 5. Shall the voters to approve

funding the Conservation Reserve Fund by adding one cent to the municipal tax rate in the 2023-2024 fiscal year?

Article 6. To elect town and school officers for terms posted on the ballot.

SPECIAL NOTES

Requests for early voter absentee ballots will be accepted in the Town Clerk’s Office at the Town Center at 203 Bridge St. until NOON on March 3, 2023.

The legal voters of the Town of Richmond are warned and notified that an informational meeting will be held at Richmond Town Center, at 203 Bridge St. in the Town of Richmond on March 4, 2023, commencing at 9:00 AM, for

the purpose of explaining the 2023-2024 proposed budget and Australian ballot items. This meeting may also be attended via Zoom:

Join Zoom Meeting Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87262848235? pwd=enNNZEZJR1h6d0VMVG1DZ1VN VkM4dz09

Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 872 6284 8235

Passcode: 360611

MMUUSD Annual Meeting & budget informational meeting ~ March 2, 2023, at 6:00 PM

ANTIQUES WANTED

State considers wake boat restrictions on VT lakes

BY KATE O’FARRELL VTDigger

Supporters of stricter regulations governing the use of wake boats in Vermont came out in droves last Wednesday night as the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation sought input on a proposed rule in a public meeting in Greensboro and online.

They argued that the boats — used for wakeboarding, surfing and waterskiing — contribute to shoreline erosion, spread invasive species and make waterways less safe.

The department’s draft rule would require that wake sports take place at least 500 feet from shore and on bodies of water that have an area of at least 50 acres and are 20 feet deep. That would limit wake boat use to 31 inland lakes in Vermont.

On Lake Iroquois in Williston, it would create a “wake zone” — a limited area of the lake where wake boats could operate. Wake boats are defined as boats that use extra weight to enhance the size of their wakes for the enjoyment of wakesurfers and wakeboarders.

“I applaud the ruling that is proposed because it is a compromise and I feel that we try to share the lake with everybody,” said Rodney Putnam, a wake boat owner and surfer on Lake Iroquois. “If the lake is busy,

we don’t go out.”

Many of those who spoke Wednesday night said that the proposed rule should go further.

“I have been on Lake Groton for 58 years. I currently live on the lake, and I have never seen erosion the way I have since these boats have been around,” said one participant, Tom Page. “From my experience, 500 feet does not protect our shorelines.”

Over 160 people joined the meeting online, along with those who attended in person at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. That venue sits a mile from Lake Caspian, one of the lakes that would be

affected by the draft rule.

Of those who attended and sought to speak, 60 were chosen at random and given two minutes to make their case.

The Department of Environmental Conservation has been developing the draft rule, holding public meetings and soliciting comments since March 2022, when a citizen group, Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes, petitioned for new regulations. That group initially sought to limit the boats’ use to 1,000 feet from shore — a distance some called for again last Wednesday night.

“The 500 feet is insufficient to protect lakeshores from erosion and release of sed-

iment and phosphate,” said Li Shen, vice chair of the Thetford Selectboard, arguing that scientific studies had called for a buffer closer to 1,000 feet. “The bottom line is the health of our lakes — not making a compromise with a relatively small group of users.”

A few members of the public, including Eric Splatt, called for the state to focus on educating boaters rather than imposing new regulations.

“This proposed petition and rule does not seem like the Vermont I know,” Splatt said. “Why not put educational programs together to help people be aware of best and safe operations?”

Others questioned how effectively the rule would be enforced.

The department plans to consider the feedback offered at the meeting before completing the draft rule and launching the formal rulemaking process, which would include at least one more chance for the public to weigh in.

As the meeting concluded, Oliver Pierson, the department’s lakes and ponds program manager, noted the heightened level of engagement.

“The interest and passion in this issue is really remarkable and noteworthy and commendable,” Pierson said. “You’ve given us a lot to think about tonight.”

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is considering new restrictions on enhanced wake boats that would affect boating on Lake Iroquois in Williston and Hinesburg. OBSERVER FILE PHOTO