Williston Observer 06/27/2024

Les champions of lacrosse Saving ‘Big Jim’

Catamount ash trees chosen for protection from invasive beetle

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

In Williston’s nearly decade-long battle against the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, hundreds of ash trees have been preemptively removed, a handful have been selected for saving, and others have been left for destruction by the non-native beetle.

One of the biggest ash trees in Vermont, nicknamed ‘Big Jim’ after former landowner Jim McCullough, was injected with a chemical to prevent emerald ash borer infection on Tuesday in the Catamount Community Forest.

A 10-minute walk to the north from Governor Chittenden Road in the Catamount Community Forest stands one of the chosen: “Big Jim” as it’s known to Catamount’s land managers, named after former state representative and Catamount Outdoor Family Center founder Jim

McCullough. A few yards away is an ash tree given the name “Lucy,” after Jim’s wife Lucy McCullough.

The two trees are part of a grove that was first treated in 2022 with a product called Tree-age R10. The product was developed by a Massachusetts company called Arborjet and uses the chemical emamectin benzoate, injected into the base of the trees to stave off emerald ash borer infection. The beetle is native to Asia and has been found in 36 states, according to the company.

On Tuesday morning, Kevin Brewer of Arborjet returned to Catamount and the Big Jim ash tree grove to provide a second treatment. He was joined by Milton-based arborist Kris Dulmer of Ash Tree Solutions and Catamount Community Forest Management Committee member Terry Marron.

Injections should be repeated every two years, Brewer said.

Arborjet donated the treatment as part of its “Saving America’s Iconic Trees” initiative whose goal is “ensuring the health and longevity of the country’s most beloved trees that live in public parks and other historic sites,” the company explains. Marron nominated Big Jim and the surrounding grove for the program. After circling a tape measure around Big Jim’s trunk, Brewer said it is one of Vermont’s largest ash trees.

“We’re hoping these trees

the Division 1 state title. The Redhawks baseball team and girls lacrosse team also played for state titles, coming up short of victory. See Page 24 for more.

PHOTO BY PAUL LAMONTAGNE/VTSPORTSIMAGES.COM

School district gets federal funding to electrify bus fleet

BY INDIRA BUSH Special to the Observer

The Champlain Valley School District was granted $1.2 million in federal rebates to put toward the purchase of six electric school buses as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus program. The program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, which allotted $5 billion in funding for transitioning school buses in the U.S. from diesel gas to electric or natural gas. This round of funding will go to schools in 47 states and Washington D.C., along with multiple federally recognized tribes and territories.

Five other Vermont school districts were selected, with total funding covering 18 new school buses in

the state.

“Eighteen clean school buses means 18 fewer tailpipes blowing diesel exhaust and particulate matter into our air — cleaner air, healthier environment, fighting the climate crisis, parents not worrying that their kids are breathing in fumes as a diesel bus comes by, clean energy jobs, and school districts saving money,” EPA Regional Administrator David Cash said in a press release. Our Clean School Bus program is making a real difference in the lives of children and families across New England.”

CVSD already has two electric buses. This past year was their third year in operation, making them two clean buses out of CVSD’s 60-bus fleet, according to CVSD Chief Operations Officer Gary Marckres.

“Overall, they’ve performed well,” he said.

However, while one of the buses proved reliable, the other had issues with heating and charging during the winter. Marckres said the issues were mostly ironed out during the school year.

“The drivers like driving them,” he said.

Sen. Peter Welch said in the news release that he “will keep working … to bring these green energy investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law back to our state.”

“Not only will these electric buses reduce carbon emissions, they’ll teach our next generation about the importance of protecting our planet from climate change,” Welch said.

The CVU boys lacrosse team won a thrilling state championship final at UVM on June 16, defeating Middlebury 13-12 to take home

OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR

CVSD names

Charlotte school

assistant principal

Tim O’Leary has been promoted to assistant principal at Charlotte Central School starting July 1, the Champlain Valley School District announced Tuesday.

O’Leary has been an administrator at Shelburne Community School for the past six years, starting as digital learning lead

er, leading the Virtual Learning Academy through the pandemic and most recently as curriculum leader and instructional coach.

O’Leary has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and a master’s from Middlebury College.

He will join Principal Jen Roth on the school’s leadership team.

Expo makes play for more concerts

The Champlain Valley Exposition and Higher Ground are partnering to bring more music and upgraded concert facilities to the Essex Junction landmark. The Expo is asking the Essex Junction City Council for 15 new noise ordinance waivers to host up to three concerts a month from May through September, in addition to the 20 shows currently on the calendar.

With income from these new events, the Expo and Higher Ground plan to revitalize the grandstand, which, while structurally sound, is aesthetically outdated. The new shows will also fund efforts to address impervious surfaces to meet new state stormwater regulations, which come with an estimated $1.5 million price tag.

“This partnership and the work we’re doing is great for the community, it’s great for music lovers and performers, and it ensures the longevity of the Champlain Valley Expo,” said Expo Executive Director Tim Shea.

Tim O’Leary

The Expo currently hosts about 20 concerts a year, including the upcoming Noah Kahan show in September to benefit Kahan’s mental health charity, The Busyhead Project.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Trees

continued from page 1

will last beyond the wave of emerald ash borer and we’ll have some legacy trees to have seeds that can maybe be that next generation,” said Catamount Outdoor Family Center Executive Director John Atkinson.

Back in town, crews from the Department of Public Works recently completed a wholesale removal of ash trees in the Brennan Woods neighborhood, replacing them with a variety of young saplings from elms and oaks to maples and birches. The removal was part of an initiative that dates back to 2015, when the conservation commission recommended removing ash trees along town-owned streets to stop the beetle’s spread.

“The plan was to remove these trees before the bugs got into them,” Public Works Director Bruce Hoar said.

A department inventory identified about 450 town-owned trees, and crews have been removing them at a pace of about 40 a year. After the Brennan Woods removal this year, there are about 100 more to go, putting the completion

date in the spring of 2026.

“We’re trying to (replace them with) a diversified mix,” Hoar said. “We don’t want to get into the same situation as we are with the ash trees, where there were all these ash trees put in and now we’ve got a bug that comes by and wipes them all out.”

The removals have changed streetscapes and caught some homeowners off guard. Not all are aware of where their property ends, and the town’s right-ofway begins.

“Do we have unhappy residents? Sure. They had a nice, big, healthy ash tree in what they perceived to be their front yard and now it’s gone and there is this other smaller tree there,” Hoar said. “Once people understand what’s going on, then they get it.”

According to Hoar, infestations have been seen in ash trees around Maple Tree Place and Wright Avenue in Taft Corners.

The town has selected a handful of its ash trees for treatment in hopes of keeping them from infection — six along the fence line of East Cemetery and six on the Village Green.

Carillon Boat Cruises

Kevin Brewer of Arborjet injects the ash tree known as ‘Big Jim’ with a chemical to prevent emerald ash borer infection on Tuesday in the Catamount Community Forest.

OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR

State preaches vigilance against invasives

Campaign launched to keep new pests out of Vermont

For many Vermonters and out-of-state visitors, summer means camping, hiking and taking part in other outdoor recreational fun. However, these activities can all spread invasive plants, insects and diseases, unless steps are taken to minimize damage to the environment.

University of Vermont (UVM) Extension; the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation; and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets have teamed up to inform and educate outdoor recreationists about what they can do to prevent the introduction, or spread, of these pests through their new “Arrive Clean, Leave Clean” campaign.

The purpose of the campaign, launched this June, is to encourage anyone who spends time outdoors to follow three steps when leaving the woods. These are 1) clean your gear, 2) check your vehicles for egg masses or other life stages of spotted lanternfly and 3) do not move firewood.

“Although the spotted lanternfly has not been reported in Vermont, it has been confirmed in neighboring states, including New York and Massachusetts,” said Ginger

Arrive Clean, Leave Clean campaign

• Clean your outdoor gear

• Check vehicles for spotted lanternfly

• Don’t move firewood (buy it where you burn it)

Nickerson, UVM Extension forest pest education coordinator. “All life stages of this invasive pest can hitchhike long distances on vehicles and infest new locations, thus the need to be vigilant.”

The same is true for other invasive species not yet detected in Vermont; following the same three steps will help prevent their spread. These species include oak wilt, a fungal disease that has killed millions of oak trees nationwide; the Asian longhorned beetle, which attacks maple trees; and the hemlock woolly adelgid, which will decimate entire stands of hemlock, leading to loss of deer habitat and cooling of streams for trout.

“Invasive plants, insects and pathogens

State officials are asking for the public’s help this summer to keep the spotted lanternfly out of Vermont.

US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PHOTO

VT landowners flock to carbon credit program

BY CECILIA LARSON Community News Service

Forged by the American Forest Foundation and the Nature Conservancy, a program that pays people to set aside forest to store carbon has been growing in Vermont over the last two years.

The Family Forest Carbon Program launched in 2020 in Pennsylvania, and after learning from foresters and landowners there, organizers migrated north in the summer of 2022 seeking to benefit Vermont communities.

Since then, close to 500 Vermont landowners have expressed interest in enrolling in the program and being paid close to $300 an acre, dispersed over a 20-year period, for preserving land. People must own at least 30 acres of naturally growing trees to join.

Programs like this have existed nationally for a while, but their focus often has been limited to large plots of land, thousands of acres at a time, and are expensive to operate, said University of Vermont profes-

sor and forest scientist Bill Keeton.

The Family Forest Carbon Program seeks to bring a solution to small forest owners, those who want to play a part in reducing atmospheric carbon and improving biodiversity by encouraging birds and critters to stick around.

In Vermont, some 80 percent of forestland is owned by small landowners. In the past, they have had limited options for carbon storage programs, according to Jim Shallow, director of strategic conservation initiatives for the Vermont branch of the Nature Conservancy, one of the country’s largest environmental nonprofits.

The program is linked to voluntary carbon markets, in which companies and other organizations can pay to offset their emissions by buying what are called carbon credits. Imagine a ticket that represents a certain amount of carbon emissions either kept or removed from the atmosphere — that’s a carbon credit. Those tickets come from places like the forests in the Family Forest Carbon Program. The markets face relatively little regulation — though one federal agency has been looking to change that — and the credits they

About 97,000 acres of Vermont land are in the process of coming under the program.

trade have been criticized as scams and vulnerable to fraud.

Supporters see the potential positive impact of these programs for combating climate change and preserving forests, which are natural guards against excess carbon. About 97,000 acres of Vermont land are in the process of coming under the program, with 38 contracts fully signed so far covering close to 7,500 acres,

Shallow said.

The program has faced challenges of high interest and low capacity, which its leaders are facing head on.

“It’s a good problem to have, in my opinion,” Shallow said.

Fred Pond, a UVM librarian and avid woodsman, enrolled his land early in the program. His property, 140 acres in Tunbridge purchased in 1999, had been forested heavily and unsustainably, he said. After a period of healing, and with help from a state tax break to incentivize undeveloped forests, Pond said his land grew back into a flourishing ecosystem.

Since enrolling his property in the program, Pond said he’s cultivated healthy greenery on his land. With the money he makes from the

program, he hopes to buy an electric tractor.

The success of the program is measured through monitoring plots on enrolled properties. Each year, program workers go out and measure the tree growth happening on a given property and compare it with trends on a similar but unenrolled property.

Many of the landowners enrolled in the program are passionate outdoorspeople, said Tim Stout, who has managed his family’s multigenerational farm for the last 47 years and has land in the program. He said his 175 acres of mostly woods is open to the public for anyone interested in exploring nature.

can be spread unknowingly by people, changing the forest landscape as we know it,” Nickerson said. “Although we can’t do anything about the spread of invasive species by birds, animals and wind, many pathways are under human control, including through outdoor recreation.”

Because invasive plant seeds and insects can lodge in dirt in boot or bike treads, or hide in the folds of clothes or gear, it’s important to clean all gear be -

fore and after heading outdoors to avoid dispersing insects or their eggs to new areas. Consider keeping a brush in your vehicle to brush off boots,

Invasive plant seeds and insects can lodge in dirt in boot or bike treads, or hide in the folds of clothes or gear.

Superior Roofing Solutions

clothing, bicycles and gear, especially any gear that has been stored outdoors, before heading out on a trip, and when returning from the forest.

If you have traveled to a state where spotted lanternfly is established, Nickerson recommends inspecting your vehicle before returning to Vermont. The adults especially like to lay eggs on rusty metal, so carefully examine wheel wells and other areas on vehicles. The egg masses look like patches of dried mud and are not easy to detect.

One of the most common ways invasive pests are spread is by campers moving firewood long distances, whether within Vermont or from outside the state. Most insect eggs or diseases are too small to see, or are hidden inside the log, so campers and hunters can inadvertently introduce a forest pest to a new area. Although it’s convenient to bring firewood from home, to avoid transporting pests, buy or gather firewood close to where it will be burned, or buy certified treated firewood.

To learn more about the campaign and the state’s efforts to control invasives, go to www. vtinvasives.org/arriveclean.

Carbon Credit

continued from page 5

“I love to get kids and older adults, anyone regardless of age, out to enjoy the forest,” Stout said.

Eli Enman of Huntington owns and operates the Sleepy Hollow Inn. He has 700 acres of forest in the program, with tons of bike and ski paths throughout. The first payments have allowed him to help finance an electric snow groomer to tend to ski slopes during the season.

“It really allowed us to kind of make an environmentally good decision,” Enman said.

Keeton, the UVM forest ecosystem scientist, said programs like this one have courted controversy. They’ve been labeled inauthentic by some; skeptics have claimed that carbon credits that come from sequestration programs are not valid, and that the programs put a bad look on all market-based solutions. But Keeton said the Family Forest Carbon Program is one that can back up its claims.

“In some ways, that program has kind of led the way and has kind of shown that this can work and has moved the needle in showing that there can be real climate benefits,” said Keeton.

The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide material for local news outlets at no cost.

Vermont landowners can earn nearly $300 per acre for conserving private forestland.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH.COM

UVM Medical Center nurses vote to allow strike

Negotiations with hospital leadership continue

BY GRAHAM KREWINGHAUS VTDigger

Nurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as they negotiate with hospital administrators for a new contract, union representatives announced Tuesday. The results mean that union members, nearly 2,000 nurses at Vermont’s largest hospital, are prepared to walk off the job if their bargaining team calls for a work stoppage.

The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals’ bargaining team has been negotiating a new contract since early April, asking for significant wage increases.

But with the current contract nearing its July 9 expiration, a union representative said that she and other negotiators are frustrated that the hospital’s counteroffers are still far away from what they believe is fair. The two sides will return to the bargaining table this Wednesday and Thursday.

The nurses union will bring what they hope is a powerful bargaining chip: 84.4 percent voted

to authorize a strike, the union announced Tuesday. The vote took place from June 17-24 and recorded 89 percent turnout: 1,708 of 1,917 eligible union members voted, with 1,442 voting in favor.

The vote required only a majority to pass, but bargaining team member and emergency department nurse Eisha Lichtenstein said in an interview that the 50 percent threshold wasn’t the only consideration.

“The vote is also to get a sense of how the membership feels as a whole,” Lichtenstein said. “If we just got a simple majority, we wouldn’t act on that.”

“But if 80 percent of your nurses feel this way, then that’s something worth listening to,” she added.

Lichtenstein said that a strike remains the last resort, and would only be considered if no agreement is reached by July 9. Even after that point, federal regulations require nurses to give 10 days advance notice when they intend to strike, during which time the hospital can still make concessions to agree on a contract and prevent the work stoppage.

“We fully intend to participate in negotiations until the very last minute,” Lichtenstein said.

A spokesperson for the hos-

pital administration wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon that they are committed to remaining at the bargaining table as well.

“However, in the event of a strike, we are prepared and have contingency plans that ensure we can continue providing care and services to patients across our region,” wrote Annie Mackin, chief spokesperson for the UVM Health Network, which includes the UVM Medical Center and two other Vermont hospitals.

“We are committed to working collaboratively and responsibly to avoid a strike,” she said.

In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, UVM Medical Center president Stephen Leffler said that their contingencies include a strike company to help them keep the hospital staffed. He added that traveling nurses, of which the hospital currently has around 250, would also continue to work through a strike, and that the hospital would likely have to postpone some services.

If a strike were to occur, it could potentially be more disruptive than the last UVM Medical Center strike, in 2018. While that strike lasted two days, this week’s vote authorized the bargaining team to call for up to five days of

Deb Snell, head of the nurses union at the University of Vermont Medical Center, announces that union members have authorized the bargaining committee to call for a strike vote if negotiations with the hospital fail during a press conference in Burlington on Tuesday.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

Notes from the Legislature’s veto session

BY REPS. ANGELA ARSENAULT AND ERIN BRADY

As members of our community have noted recently, the veto and override process is an important part of the checks and balances system within our democracy. We voted to override Gov. Phil Scott’s vetoes because the work in the bills is important for Vermont. Below is the list of veto overrides we supported and a brief explanation.

H.887 — YIELD BILL

The yield bill sets the property and income yield numbers, key figures that school boards and towns use to set education property tax rates. While tax rate increases will vary by district, the average statewide increase, once projected to be over 20 percent has now dropped to 13.8 percent. We were able to bring the increase down by adding new revenue sources (cloud software tax, short term rental property tax) and applying modest one-time funds.

The Legislature did not vote to raise property taxes. The Legisla-

ture must set a tax rate that will raise enough revenue to cover the expenditures approved by each school district. Under our current system and a 1997 landmark legal case (the Brigham decision), each school district’s education spending is determined at a local level, but our resources are pooled in a statewide education fund, and taxes must be levied for all locally approved school budgets.

The state basically receives an invoice from our school districts and must determine the corresponding property tax rate. We are not aware of a single lawmaker who wants to increase your property taxes. Full stop.

If the Legislature did not override the Governor’s veto, the financial situation for local schools and the state would have been even worse, and most importantly, it would have put the education of Vermont’s children in jeopardy. You can read more about this in the Joint Fiscal Office note by visiting www.ljfo. vermont.gov and searching for “yield bill.”

The Yield Bill also includes

the Commission on the Future of Public Education. After robust engagement with the education field and the public, the commission will make recommendations about how Vermont can deliver and fund a high quality education for all Vermont students in our rapidly changing world. It is clear that we must transform our system in Vermont into a rightsized, strong public education system that supports all students and uses our precious statewide resources sustainably and efficiently.

Our system is over 200 years in the making and while many of us might want to move faster, coherent change that truly supports students and schools with a common vision and much-needed financial predictability will take time and extraordinary political will.

Note: The Legislature in-

creased the size of the property tax credit that eligible Vermonters can claim to reduce their property tax rates. The purpose of this credit is to reduce tax bills for people with modest or fixed incomes. Check whether you are eligible for a property tax credit at www.tax.vermont.gov/property/property-tax-credit.

H.687 — ACT 250 MODERNIZATION

We need to do all we can to make sure that Vermonters have access to affordable housing options while balancing the Vermont landscape. We voted to override this veto because there was extensive work done for over a year by environmentalists, developers, regional planners, and others to find consensus on our land-use framework, Act 250.

Now we can accelerate housing development in some areas

while preserving more sensitive areas. Since 1970, Act 250 has preserved Vermont’s rural character, supporting compact development in downtowns and village centers while protecting forests and open lands. It took years to arrive at important compromises in this legislation.

H.706 — PROTECTING POLLINATORS

Vermont has an incredible history of agriculture and working lands, and we support this bill to help preserve this rich history for years to come by banning the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds and most other applications. Extensive research indicates no significant crop yield loss when substituting untreated seeds.

This legislation takes an evidenced-based approach to restrict these highly toxic pesticides, see LEGISLATURE page 9

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but also includes a timeline and waiver process designed to protect Vermont farmers from undue harm. Our timeline also aligns well with our neighbors in New York and Quebec, where similar bans have been enacted.

H.72 — OVERDOSE PREVENTION PILOT PROGRAM

This bill establishes an overdose prevention center pilot program to be located in Burlington, a community that has asked for this important tool to address the growing opioid crisis. Modeled after successful initiatives elsewhere and funded with the Opioid Abatement Settlement Fund (not taxpayer dollars), this is a harm-reduction approach, aiming to prevent overdose deaths and mitigate public drug-related risks.

Primary functions of the overdose prevention center pilot include the provision of harm reduction supplies, emergency medical care, facilitation of access to addiction treatment and vital services, and dissemination of overdose prevention education.

H.645 — EXPANDING OUR APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

H.645 is a vital part of the Legislature’s public safety package.

In his veto message, the Governor asserted that H.645 expands the responsibilities of the Office of the Attorney General without funding, and that the program may not be funded in future years. This argument is a fundamental misunderstanding of how H.645 works and how it is funded. The Attorney General herself, whose office would be responsible for administering this program, supports the bill. She explained that the fact there is not currently a staffed position devoted to this role makes no difference, particularly since the effective date for her office’s administration of the program isn’t until July 1, 2025. She stated that, because of the important policy objectives of the bill, her office determined that they have the bandwidth to get started.

This expansion of restorative justice comes at a critical time for Vermont. With increased community concerns regarding public safety and the challeng-

es of court backlogs, along with mounting financial pressures in all areas of state services, it is essential that we invest in public safety measures that are both effective and timely. Restorative justice is an exemplar of that necessary combination.

H.289 — RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD

Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES), which was established in 2015, has served us well. As Rep. Laura Sibilia of Dover said on the House floor during our veto session, the RES “has steered our utilities toward long-term power purchasing agreements, shielding us from the volatile fossil fuel markets that have burdened other states. Notably, Vermont boasts the lowest average residential and commercial electric rates in New England.”

The updates to the RES contained in H.289 are the result of an inclusive process involving the Department of Public Service and the Legislative Working Group on Renewable Energy Standard Reform. It is tailored to Vermont and Vermont utilities, with specific considerations for rural communities.

Any costs will be spread out over a decade or more and will likely be close to zero in the first year of implementation. By 2030, the rate increase is projected to be between 1 percent and 3.5 percent. There are a number of variables at play here, and you can read all about the models and assumptions in the most recent Fiscal Note from the non-partisan

Joint Fiscal Office (go to www. ljfo.vermont.gov and search for “H.289”).

H.121 — DATA PRIVACY AND VERMONT KIDS CODE

In a most unfortunate and frustrating turn of events, the Senate failed to override Gov. Scott’s veto of the Legislature’s data privacy bill, which also included the Vermont Kids Code. These bills combined would have provided all Vermonters — and especially our kids — with much-needed protection from the predatory practices of an unregulated tech industry.

Vermonters pay a price every day that we do not have these protections in place. We pay with our identities, our sensitive data and with our kids’ mental health. The Legislature will no doubt work again next session to shield Vermonters from the present and future harms of big tech and artificial intelligence. Our attorney general is working on this front, as well. If you’d like to share your thoughts with the her office, visit www.ago.vermont.gov/ form/social-media-public-comments-frm.

As always, we strive to be accessible and are happy to talk in more detail. Please reach out anytime (ebrady@leg.state.vt.us; aarsenault@leg.state.vt.us).

Angela Arsenault and Erin Brady represent Williston in the Vermont House of Representatives.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Veto override impacts and Act 127 consequences

Last week, the Vermont supermajority Legislature overrode most of Gov. Phil Scott’s legislative vetoes. All of Williston’s representatives and senators voted to override the governor, who had pleaded for taxpayer relief and has the support of 75 percent of Vermonters.

Of note was overriding the Property Tax Yield bill, H,887. The bill raises “average” homestead property taxes by 14 percent (non-homestead taxes even more).

Williston taxpayers, after voting down the initial 10 percent Champlain Valley School District budget increase, then approving a new budget with “only” a 5 percent increase, will see a 14.5 percent school property tax increase. This is an immediate result of Act 127, slightly mitigated by the emergency legislation of H.850. A 5 percent school budget increase gets Williston taxpayers a 14.5 percent property tax hike. Let that settle in for a minute.

The Vermont Legislature was warned of an average 19 percent education property tax hike in 2023. Many town property taxes, like Williston’s, would have been higher.

The Legislature did not reduce property taxes by 5 percent. Taxpayers, rejecting budgets, forced some tough cost and tax trimming, despite Legislature inaction and their disregard for the Scott Administration’s proposals. Only local control of school spending moderated some of the increase resulting from Act 127.

The Vermont General Assembly is raising taxes 14 percent thanks to Act 127, H.850 and the H.887 yield bill override. Gov. Scott tried to lower it to single digits.

Vermonters now get the double-digit property tax increase along with a new payroll tax, 20 percent higher DMV fees, and a clear trajectory to higher electric and fuel prices.

With current legislative actions and policy, it’s not difficult to understand why Vermont has the third-highest tax burden in the USA.

Matthew LaFleur, in his June 13 Letter to the Editor (“The wisdom of equitable school funding”), failed to mention the significant statewide average 14 percent tax hike consequence of Act 127/H.850 to Vermont.

Bruce Roy Williston

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Airport adds direct Fort Myers, Fla. flight

Breeze Airways announced Tuesday plans to start nonstop flights between Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Fla.

The inaugural flight is scheduled for Oct. 4. The flights will run on Mondays and Fridays, with a departure time from Burlington at 11:25 a.m.

With Fort Myers added, there will be four options from Breeze for Vermonters to travel to Florida. It already operates flights to Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville.

“This rapid growth in service is a testament to not only demand to destinations throughout Florida, but the market for Floridians to visit Vermont” said Burlington Director of Aviation Nic Longo. “We are thrilled to continue to grow with Breeze Airways and look forward to potentially more announcements in the future.”

Nurses

continued from page 7 work stoppage, Lichtenstein said. She added that if no agreement was reached within that time, they could potentially call for an additional strike after another 10-day notice period.

Nurses staged the strike in 2018 after failing to come to an agreement with the hospital on a new contract. The two days of stoppage cost the hospital an estimated $3 million, and the nurses ultimately did not get nearly the wage increases they sought.

In a press conference Tuesday, union president Deb Snell said the shortcomings of the 2018 strike informed the five-day maximum length of a potential strike this time around.

“We’re stronger this time, more committed,” Snell said.

In 2022, the nurses union again renegotiated its contract, agreeing on a contract just days before the previous one expired. But wages were left off the table in those negotiations, something union president Deb Snell said at the time

ADULT PROGRAMS

SENIOR STRENGTH AND FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY

Ages 50-plus. This fitness program for seniors concentrates on developing upper and lower body strength as well as improving balance and strengthening your

core. In this dementia-friendly class, participants are encouraged to work within their abilities. Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:45-10:45 a.m., $5 per visit, at the R.E.C. Zone, 94 Harvest Lane.

JAZZERCISE CARDIO SCULPT PROGRAMS

Ages 50-plus. These programs are low impact, with different levels of intensity. Classes are offered

she didn’t believe they would do again.

Now, in the latest round of contract negotiations, nurses are asking for significant wage increases over the next three years. Union negotiators argue that the hospital must pay at a more competitive rate in order to retain permanent staff and ultimately cut down on a costly reliance on traveling nurses.

“Vermonters want their community taking care of them,” Lichtenstein said, but added that at current wages, it’s difficult for nurses to take permanent positions and live in the Burlington area.

The union is asking for a 5 percent raise across the board upon ratification of the contract, a 15 percent increase to take effect in October and a 10 percent increase in each of the two years following, a total increase of 40 percent over current expectations. Mackin said the union’s ask is actually 46 percent, factoring in the annual 2 percent raises most nurses already receive.

The hospital’s counteroffers for raises currently total to 17 percent over the next three years, Mackin wrote, a number which she said

year-round. Passes of one, five and 10 visits are available to purchase. Cardio Sculpt Low, Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Cardio Sculpt High, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:45-5:45 p.m. and Sundays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. TAI CHI INTRO

Ages 50-plus. This class will present sequences of movements derived from the “Sun” style, which is slow, smooth and upright in posture. This style is especially accessible to those over 50 or with impaired mobility. Wednesdays 12:15-1:15 p.m. R.E.C. Zone, 94 Harvest Lane. Free. Instructor:

“balances our commitment to our nurses with the needs of our patients, community and thousands of other employees.”

She added Tuesday afternoon that there is not enough room in the budget for the union’s ask, even if the hospital were to drastically cut some of the areas the union has been pointing to.

“If we got rid of every traveling nurse and paid every executive zero, it still wouldn’t pay for everything they’re asking for,” Mackin said.

Hospital officials estimate that the union’s proposal would cost the hospital $300 million, which would require a 10 percent increase in charges to commercial insurers to cover.

“We are listening to our nurses and working hard to address their priorities and concerns,” Mackin wrote. “In addition to wages, we are working with the union to address a number of important issues” such as new per diem positions for nurses, funds for professional development and improving employee health and safety, she said.

Snell said at the nurses union press conference that the two sides have at least two more bargaining

Adina Panitch VOCAL PERCUSSION AND IMPROVISATION WORKSHOP

Ages 13-plus. Root7, Vermont’s contemporary A Cappella group, will host a free workshop introducing participants to vocal percussion, vocal improvisation and creating collaborative songs. For beginner and intermediate vocalists. July 18. Instructors: Root7

DAY CAMPS

There are spots open in the following summer camps. Register at www.willistonrec.org.

R.E.C. Camp, for kids entering grades 1-6. Mondays-Fridays,

FREE FIRST FRIDAY EVE

sessions this week, and that the hospital has expressed that they would like to be done negotiating by Friday.

“We’re alright with that, if they come prepared to truly get to work,” she added.

Leffler said in the hospital’s press conference that the reason they want to get the contract agreed upon by Friday is that they would otherwise have to put a deposit down for the strike staffing company by July 1, as part of their contingency plan.

“We prefer to give those dollars to our nurses in the contract,” Leffler said. He said that’s why the hospital has in their offer a 2 percent raise at the time of ratification, as long as it is by June 28.

Union bargaining team member Lichtenstein said that the strike authorization vote was intended more as a barometer than an indication that nurses intend, or even want, to strike — and she hopes hospital leadership recognizes the results as such.

“I hope they see the majority of nurses are struggling, and frustrated, and wanting to stand up for themselves,” Lichtenstein said. “I hope it helps them rethink where they put their dollars.”

7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. or half days 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. or 12-5:30 p.m.

L.I.T. Camp, for kids entering grades 7-8. Mondays-Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

O.U.R. Camps, for kids entering grades 6-8. Mondays-Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

ENRICHMENT CAMPS

There are spots available in the following Enrichment Camps for the weeks of July 8-12 and July 15-19: Build-a-Thon, Art Camp, Comics Drawing, Space Robot, Multi-Sports, Rocketry and Horse Camp.

Art-based activities, food trucks, lawn games, and community!

Live Music: July 5 – Mal Maiz August 2 – Dwight + Nicole Sponsored by

From end to end

The Lambs have it covered on parade day

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Spectators lining Williston Road for the Fourth of July parade may not give a second thought to the order of floats, marching bands, four-legged animals, politicians and other participants making their way through the Village in this annual Williston tradition.

But there is intention at the starter’s station, and for 44 years, the man lining everyone up has been Tony Lamb.

The longtime town moderator, school board member, justice of the peace and library trustee will be honored for his impact on the parade and the community as the Grand Marshal of this year’s parade. By his side will be his wife, Susan Lamb, longtime town fi-

nance director who has traditionally volunteered on parade day at the end point, handing out creemee coupons to the kids who took part in the parade.

“It’s like painting with floats.”

Tony Lamb

“It’s a nice honor. We are appreciative,” Tony said as the couple wrapped up a trip to Colorado and Arizona this week.

“When you enjoy doing something, you don’t feel like you need to be honored for doing it,” Susan added, “because it’s a pleasure to do it.”

When the Lambs got involved with organizing the parade in 1980,

the event was entirely citizen-led. There was no town parks and recreation department to lean on. Mirroring the town’s population growth, participation in the parade has expanded, with Tony ensuring a smooth order to things. For example, you don’t want horses in front of people on foot; marching bands should be separated; and you should space out the politicians.

“It’s like painting with floats,” Tony said. “There are a whole variety of choices. It’s fun getting the whole thing going and started off down the road.”

Tony, 81, now hands the starting duties to town staff. He and Susan, 78, will experience this year’s parade not at the start and finish like they are used to, but right in the middle of the route, leading the way in the grand marshal’s convertible.

Susan and Tony Lamb, pictured during a trip this week in Arizona, will be honored as Grand Marshals of this year’s July Fourth parade.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Independence Day Celebrations

July 4 Parade

Theme:“Community Is Where You Belong”

Grand Marshals: Tony & Susan Lamb

Registration for the parade is now open. All entries have to pre-register on the Recreation website by June 30. All entries must read and sign off on the parade rules this year. The parade starts at 10 a.m. Judging of the entries starts at 9:30 a.m.

Independence Day Celebrations

Independence Day Celebrations

Schedule of Events

WEDNESDAY ★★ JULY 3

Library Book Sale

4 p.m-6 p.m.

Williston Central School

Sponsored by Friends of the Dorothy Aling Memorial Library

Ice Cream Social

6:30 p.m.

Village Green

Sponsored by the Williston Federated Church

Town Band Concert

6:30 p.m.

Village Green

THURSDAY ★★ JULY 4

Library Book Sale

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Williston Central School

Old Brick Church Open House

9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Old Brick Church

Hosted by Church Trustees

Independence Day Parade

10 a.m.

Rt 2/Williston Road

West from Johnson’s Farm to Old Stage Rd.

Activities on “The Green”

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Village Green

Activities sponsored by Crosspoint Church

Stovepipe Corners

Schoolhouse Open House and Williston Memories

9 a.m.-10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Village Green

Sponsored by the Williston Historical Society Fire Department Open House

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Williston Fire Dept.

645 Talcott Road

Evening Celebration

6-9 p.m.

Village Community Park ACTIVITIES

Sponsored by Crosspoint Church FOOD TRUCKS

Organized by Adams Farm Market

ENTERTAINMENT

Sponsored by Davis Reality Fireworks

9:20 p.m.

Village Community Park Rain date July 5

SATURDAY ★★ JULY 6

Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Run/Walk

Village Community Park

Kids half-mile run: 7:45 a.m.

Kids one-mile run: 8 a.m.

5K Walkers: 8:15 a.m.

5K Runners: 8:45 a.m.

Sponsored by the Williston-Richmond Rotary

Deb Beckett Memorial Run/Walk set for Saturday

Two days after the July Fourth parade has run its course and the evening fireworks have settled, Williston’s Independence Day celebration will continue with one final event — the annual Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Run and Walk on Saturday, July 6.

The event, which honors longtime Town Clerk Deb Beckett, is sponsored by the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club and takes place at Village Community Park. Runners and walkers of all levels are welcome.

This year will include half-mile and one-mile runs for children ages 4-12, with no fees or preregistration required. Children may also participate in the 5K run/

walk if they are registered by an adult. Adults registering children are not required to run with their child. The Parks and Recreation Department has made arrangements for adults to run with and supervise kids. Check in and registration starts at 7 a.m. at the park. Fees are $30 per person ($20 per person for kids ages 16 and younger). Shirts and water bottles will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Walkers will start at 8:15 a.m. and runners at 8:45 a.m. The kids halfmile will start at 7:45 a.m. and the mile will start at 8 a.m. Proceeds from the run/walk support Rotary Club community projects.

Runners participate in the 2023 Deb Beckett Memorial Run last July in Village Community Park. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Independence Day Celebrations

Be more than a spectator

Take part in an oral history of Williston this July Fourth

The Williston Historical Society invites residents to share favorite memories of living in Williston during the town’s Independence Day celebration. Before, during or after the July Fourth parade, visit the Old Schoolhouse next to the gazebo on the Town Green to visit with WHS member Steve Shepard.

He will be recording resident stories, later combining them into a collection for distribution in audio and print. Bring your best memories and recollections — whether funny, silly, scary, poignant or just plain odd — and come prepared to share them with the community.

Seeking book sale volunteers

The Friends of the Library are looking for volunteer help for their annual July Fourth book sale, taking place at Williston Central School in conjunction with the Town of Williston’s Independence Day celebrations.

Help is needed Tuesday, July 2 from 8:30-11 a.m. moving books from the library to the school gymnasium and setting them out on tables.

Help is also needed during the sale on July 4, keeping books organized and answering any questions, from either 9-11 a.m. or 11 a.m.-1 p.m. A third time of volunteer need is the afternoon of July 4 (1-3 p.m.), breaking down the sale and reboxing books that didn’t sell.

Sign up for any of these shifts by calling the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library at 878-4918 or filling out the volunteer signup sheet at the library.

Take the bus to the fireworks show

Two shuttle buses operated by SSTA will run from 6:30-10:30 p.m. on July 4 to transport people to and from the Town of Williston’s Independence Day evening entertainment and fireworks display at Village Community Park. The fireworks show begins at 9:20 p.m.

The buses will make the following stops (look for special signage).

Allen Brook School parking lot

— Corner of Stillwater Lane and Holland Lane in Finney Crossing

Corner of Market Street and Holland Lane

Shaw’s left-side Parking Lot

Williston Central School

Richard Allen

In loving memory of Richard Allen (of Williston, VT and Saint Cloud, FL), a devoted Vermonter, born in Massachusetts in 1931. He graduated from Burlington High School. A proud US Navy photographer on the USS Midway Aircraft carrier, he served with honor and dedication when he enlisted during the Korean War.

After his military career, Dick started working with JCPenney as an associate in downtown Burlington. Once he became a Store Man-

Theresa M. Drouin

Theresa M. Drouin, 88 years old of Essex Jct., previously from Williston Woods, died Thursday, June 13, 2024.

She was born in Burlington, VT on March 9, 1936, the daughter of the late Lucien Richer and Ida (Raymond) Richer. She was a graduate of Burlington High School in 1955. She married Robert Drouin on July 4, 1957, in St. Anthony Church.

She met our dad working at the A&P store in Burlington. They were married 59 years before his death. She was a homemaker raising her

ager, his position took him and his family around the country to many states including Ohio, Michigan, and Massachusetts. He retired with his wife in 1991 to Vermont, which remained his cherished haven.

A passionate angler and hunter, he found solace in the scenic landscapes of his beloved state. His exceptional talent in carving birds earned him a place of honor in the Birds of Vermont Museum, showcasing the beauty he crafted with skill and passion.

Survived by his wife of 65 years, Nancy Allen, his two sons, Brett and Amy Allen, and Scott and Maureen Allen, 7 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren, his legacy lives on through family bonds.

Known for his funny sense of humor and genuine goodness, he leaves behind many memories that will be cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in peace with God in heaven, surrounded by the serenity he found in the Green Mountain State.

His burial will be at the Cutler Cemetery in East Montpelier on June 29, 2024 at 11 a.m.

two children. Theresa and Bob also ran a mom-and-pop store in Winooski, VT.

She loved camping and visiting Maine. When our dad retired from Champlain College, they took a trip across the country by train to both Wyoming and Montana. Mom was an avid reader and loved to knit. Shopping was one of her favorite hobbies — she was always looking for a bargain.

Theresa is survived by her two children, Donna, husband Michael, of Fairfax, VT and Brian, wife Joni, of S. Burlington, VT, five grandchildren Stephen, Aaron, Kylie, Jonathan and Meghan and two great-grandchildren Nathaniel and Isabella and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Robert, her brother Henry, her sister Carol and her nephew David Richer.

A special thank you to Pam and Mary for making her feel so welcome in her new home.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated June 22, 2024 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Richmond. Interment followed at Deer View Cemetery in Williston.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Theresa’s name to the Vermont Cancer Society.

OBITUARIES

Thomas H. Clark

Dr. Thomas H. Clark, age 80, of Colchester, Vt., passed away on June 18, 2024 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston after a month-long struggle to overcome complications from infections after open heart surgery. His wife Anni Kristensen was by his side every day through the month and held him in her arms as he took his last breath. He also was attended by his sister, Virginia “Gini” Dutcher and nephew Mickey Dutcher. During his long stay several beloved family members came to visit.

Tom, born in Glens Falls, N.Y. on July 16, 1944, was the son of the late Harold K. and Margaret (de Ste. Guay) Clark, also of Glens Falls. He was the youngest of four siblings and the only boy. In addition to his sister “Gini”, his other siblings were the late Barbara Carter of South Burlington, VT and the late Elizabeth (Liz) Healy of Glens Falls.

As a Little League player, it was discovered that Tom had a congenital heart defect and at age 14 in 1958 he underwent his first and, at that time, experimental open-heart surgery at Albany, N.Y. Medical Center.

Tom graduated from Glens Falls High School in 1962 and after a year at Adirondack Community College, went on to get his Doctor of Optometry degree, graduating as then the youngest person in his class at the age of 24 from New England College of Optometry in Boston. After getting his degree in 1968, he was drafted into the U.S. Army as a captain. While in the Army he was stationed at Fort Sam Houston Hospital in

San Antonio, Texas.

After finishing his Army service, he returned to Burlington and opened his first optometry office on Pearl Street. His office moved a couple of times to South Burlington and Burlington, but Tom was at his optometry office in Blair Park in Williston for more than 25 years. Many of his patients followed him throughout his 54-year-long career. He enjoyed seeing his patients year-afteryear and continuing the conversation they had started on day one of meeting them. The feeling was mutual and many personal stories and anecdotes and jokes were shared along with a thorough eye exam.

Not only was Tom a gifted optometrist, he was a consummate lifelong learner. Among the highlights of his career was providing innovative visual training to race car drivers, including Michael Andretti. He also worked with minor league players of the Burlington Lake Monsters, then an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

He developed and received patents for two progressive lens measuring tools. This required learning how to create devices electronically and printing them on his 3D printer. In his early 70’s, he decided to learn how to play violin when a violin made by his great-great uncle was gifted to him. At 78, Tom decided that he would learn how to repair pocket watches.

Throughout his life he was an avid fly fisherman and especially loved to take friends fishing for steelhead trout on the Salmon River in Pulaski, N.Y., or go fly fishing for tarpon in Florida with his “boys” from Denmark. During his first trip to Denmark in 1992, Anni took him to a fishing store known as the best in Denmark. Tom quickly became friends with the manager, which led to Tom meeting three other avid fly fishermen who traveled to the U.S. several times to go fishing with Tom.

When he wasn’t fishing, he most likely was building something — bamboo fly rods, classic wooden canoes with hand carved paddles to match, a row boat for his sister, Gini, a secret liquor cabinet for his Danish mother-in-law’s senior apartment.

Tom talked to people and made friends everywhere he went. When the pandemic sent us all home for a couple of months, Tom suggested to six of his high school buddies from Glens Falls that lived elsewhere in New York state, New Hampshire, Virginia and South Carolina, that they meet via Zoom. They all agreed and on a Wednesday at 2 p.m. in late March, 2020 they gathered in front of their computers. This tradition has continued every Wednesday of the four years since.

Tom had an endless supply of jokes and always was sharing them with anybody close enough to hear. His sense of humor and fun were what drew people to him. Everybody who knew him has a funny story to tell about how he joked with them and made them laugh. He was a compassionate and kind person who will be sorely missed by all the people who loved him. Though his energy diminished over the years, his enthusiasm for life never did. Even as he lay struggling in the ICU, he endeared himself to the nurses when he smiled at them or reached for their hand, or rolled his eyes.

Tom is survived by his wife of more than 30 years, Anni Kristensen, sister Virginia Dutcher and brother-in-law William Dutcher, numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends near and far.

A memorial service will take place at Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Dr., Essex Jct, VT on Saturday, June 29 at 2 p.m.

A special thank you goes out to Dr. Antonia Kreso, the staff and all the nurses at Blake 8 ICU for their professional, respectful, kind and compassionate care.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Vermont Foodbank, Trout Unlimited or Doctors Without Borders.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Ready Funeral & Creation Service, Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Drive, Essex Junction, VT. To send online condolences to the family, please visit www.readyfuneral.com.

OBITUARIES

Leonard F. Charland

Leonard F. Charland, age 80, a longtime resident of Richmond and St. Albans Bay, VT, passed away on Friday, June 7, 2024, in the comfort of his lake house on Lake Champlain; one of his favorite places in the world.

Leonard was born Aug. 23, 1943 in Burlington, VT, the 5th child to his loving parents Joseph and Edith (Lawrence) Charland.

Leonard was a self-taught, diligent, and zealous businessman, but also a compassionate, committed and loving family man. During most of his life you could find him hard at work for his HVAC company sunup to sundown, seven days a week. After retirement you could find him in his home shop building furniture (oak beds, hope chests, desks…anything his family asked for – he built it); relaxing

Robert S. Gaskins

Robert S. Gaskins (“Steve”) was born in rural Sullivan County, Indiana Sept.8, 1931. As a boy, he lived briefly in Colorado where

with a cold Coors Light (or Crown Royal on the good days). During the summer days you could find Leonard at his lake house on Lake Champlain, whether it be gardening, napping on the porch, fishing, boating and watching his family partake in various water sports. Leonard loved the summer and being near the water – it was his favorite time of the year.

Leonard met his wife Betty (Champney) Charland in 1962 and they were married on April 25, 1964. They were happily married for 60 years and built a wonderful life together, filled with love, laughter, and adventure and went on to start a beautiful family with their two children, Jerry and Karen.

Leonard was the epitome of success. At the age of fourteen he started working full time on local farms to help support his family. Even from a young age, family was the most important thing to him and not only did he make it his priority, he didn’t think twice about doing whatever it took to help his family. This instilled a strong work ethic and dedication to family that he strongly believed in his entire life and that he passed on to his family.

Leonard enlisted in the U.S. Army and following his honorable discharge he went on to have a very successful career in HVAC, working for Vermont Heating from 1966-1975; New England Air from 1975-1983; and Northeastern from 19831987. From there he partnered with lifelong friend Donald “Jonesy” Jones establishing Sheetmetal Specialist in HVAC,

he caddied at Cherry Hills Country Club and developed a love of golf.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1950 through 1954. Steve joined IBM shortly thereafter and eventually settled in Vermont in 1970 after time in Indiana and New Jersey.

He and his wife Margaret (“Marge”) lived in Essex Junction for over 40 years. In the late 1970s, Marge and Steve bought a camp on Keeler Bay in South Hero where they eventually settled and remained. After his retirement, Steve continued to hunt, fish and travel. Marge passed away in 2021 while living at their winter home in Oriental, NC.

Steve moved to Williston Place and, as he had throughout his life, continued to build new friendships. Steve was passionate about his family, sports and following the stock market. He is survived by his son, Robert Jr., and his grandchildren Adam, Heather and Shannon.

incorporated as “SSI,” in 1987 where he worked until his retirement in 2009. SSI is still thriving today under the ownership of Leonard’s son Jerry Charland and devoted friend David Laurie.

Leonard was an avid hunter; he spent many years of his life traveling the globe with his friend Scott Thomas. He passed on the love of hunting and outdoors to his son Jerry.

Leonard enjoyed long drives, traveling and quality time with his daughter Karen.

Leonard’s entire life was his family, especially his granddaughters and great grandchildren. They were the light of his life and he theirs.

Leonard, was more commonly known to his family and their friends as “Bubba”. He never was “Grandpa”, only “Bubba” and it could not have suited him better. The bond he shared with his granddaughters and great grandchildren is something to be cherished. He was the leader of our family and a hero and idol whom we will always look up to.

Leonard’s daughter-in-law, Kim, once described Leonard as being a “silent leader” and it was the best way to describe him. He didn’t say much, but what he did say was brilliant and words that you listened to and remembered.

Leonard was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Edith; siblings Phyllis (Charland) LaPlant, Lawrence “Bucky” Charland, Walter Charland, and Paul Charland.

Leonard is survived by his wife Bet-

Barbara Sikora Prim

Barbara Sikora Prim, 72, of Williston, VT passed away at the McClure Miller Respite House on June 2, 2024.

Barbara was born in Burlington, VT on

ty (Champney) Charland; daughter Karen Charland; son Jerry Charland and daughter-in-law Kim (Martin) Charland; grandchildren Anna (Charland) and husband RJ Sargent, Emily Charland and husband RJ Moore, Courtney Charland and fiancé John Keen, Katie Charland and fiancé Shawn Careau, and Allison Charland; great grandchildren, Devyn Sargent, Daxton Sargent, Izek Careau, Rosemary Careau, Harlow Careau, Kai Anne Careau and Blake Careau; along with many nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends.

His family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region for all their support in his final care. A special thank you to his granddaughter, Emily Charland, who provided respite care in his final days so that he could remain in the comfort of his own home.

In accordance to Leonard’s wishes, a private family memorial will take place.

To know Leonard was to love him. There will never be enough words to accurately describe who he was or the impact he had on his family and friends. We are forever indebted to him and we will miss and love him for everyday that is to come.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Boston Children’s Hospital (www.BostonChildrensHospital.org), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), or VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region (www. vermontvisitingnurses.org).

Oct.25, 1951.

She was a graduate of Burlington High School in 1969. Barbara worked for Burlington Savings Bank for many years before moving on to start a daycare, and then to Walmart. She married Paul Prim in 1972.

She is survived by her husband Paul of Williston; their two children Jennifer Selden of Colchester, and Chris Prim and wife Jen of Fairfax, VT; her grandchildren Hunter and Madison Prim; her sister Linda Sikora Crete and husband Mike of Winooski; her niece Camie Poplawski of NH; and her nephews Kevin and Kyle Crete also from Winooski.

A memorial service was held June 21 at LaVigne Funeral & Cremation Service, Winooski. Burial followed at Deerview Cemetery in Williston.

For those who wish, donations in Barbara’s memory can be made to McClure Miller Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Hwy., Colchester, VT 05446.

The Bayou State

Louisiana, our 31st-largest state, is bordered by Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. It is known for the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, the Mississippi River, its wetlands and seafood. More than 4.6 million people live in the state.

Robert de LaSalle, a French explorer, claimed the land drained by the Mississippi River for France in 1682, naming it “Louisiane” after King Louis XIV.

The state was a part of the Louisiana Purchase, western territory the U.S. bought from France in 1803 for $15 million.

French history is still strong there today, and French is the main language spoken in some regions of the state. More than 4.5% of the population speaks French.

Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital. Its name means “red stick” in French. The capitol building is 450 feet high, the tallest capitol in the nation.

Working in Louisiana

Louisiana is a top producer in the U.S. of salt, natural gas and petroleum. It is also a leader in crawfish, shrimp and oyster production. The top crop is soybeans.

Sugar is an important crop. The Domino Sugar refinery near New Orleans is the

largest in the country.

Mini Fact: The French Quarter in New Orleans is full of historic buildings, restaurants and jazz clubs.

Tourism is important to the economy of Louisiana, bringing in about $16.8 billion annually to the state.

Living in Louisiana

The Bayou State has vibrant cities, prairies, woodlands and rivers. (“Bayou” comes from a Choctaw word meaning “river.”) The Mississippi River, which continues to the Gulf of Mexico, was a major path of transportation until modern times. Today, the river is still used for moving manufactured and agricultural goods north and south.

New Orleans is the state’s largest city and one of the busiest ports in the world. Its nicknames include “The Big Easy” and the “Cradle of Jazz.”

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” It is a celebration filled with parades and balls. It attracts many visitors. Mardi Gras begins each year on the day before Ash Wednesday.

Sports

The New Orleans Saints of the National Football League and the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association draw many fans. The city has hosted the Super Bowl 10 times. It is scheduled to be played there again in 2025.

Next Week: The Republican Convention

Famous Louisianans

• Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry was born in New Orleans. He is famous for the films he has written about the character Madea, an older Black woman. He’s also written books and plays.

• Louis Armstrong was a famous jazz cornet and trumpet player, singer and entertainer.

Armstrong was born in New Orleans on Aug. 4, 1901. He died in 1971.

Armstrong moved to Chicago in 1922 and recorded his first solo in 1923. In 1926, he popularized a form of rhythmic singing without words called “scat singing.” That was when he switched from playing the cornet to the trumpet.

• Former professional football quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning were born in New Orleans. Peyton played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. Eli played for the New York Giants.

Along with their dad and brother Cooper, the Mannings run a five-day camp every summer to help offensive players improve their skills.

Founded by Betty Debnam

photo by Pedro Szekely

photo courtesy Natural Earth and Portland State University

Louis Armstrong

The Louisiana Purchase is shown in white.

Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.

Try ’n’ Find

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

ARMSTRONG, BATON ROUGE, BAYOU, FRENCH, GULF, JAZZ, LOUISIANA, MANNING, NEW ORLEANS, PERRY, PORT, PURCHASE, QUARTER, RIVER, SEAFOOD, SUPER BOWL, TOURISM, WETLANDS.

Cook’s Corner Fried Shrimp Po-Boys

You’ll need:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages frozen fried popcorn shrimp

• 1 loaf french bread

What to do:

“Po-boys” are a popular type of sandwich in Louisiana. They can be made with any type of meat or fish.

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 tomato, sliced

• 4 lettuce leaves

1. Cook shrimp in oven according to package directions.

2. Slice bread lengthwise and cut four pieces for sandwiches.

Mini Jokes

Lily: What’s the quickest way to make soup taste really bad? Lance: Change the U to an A, and you’ll have soap!

Eco Note

3. Divide 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise between the two sides of each sandwich.

4. Layer each with 1/4 of the shrimp, tomato slices and a lettuce leaf.

5. Fold and eat! Makes 4 po-boys.

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. what a tree is made of (4)

2. striped horselike animal (5)

3. area under a house (6)

4. female child (8)

5. faithful (5)

6. symptom of a cold (5)

7. where sick people get help (8)

cellar, daughter, loyal, cough, hospital.

You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.

Argentina’s typically abundant corn crop is being ravaged by an invasion of leafhopper bugs, which are infesting fields that were once too cool for them to thrive. With climate change bringing less winter frost to curb their numbers and regular summertime heat waves for them to feed in, leafhopper populations in Argentina are now at 10 times the average level, according to agriculture experts. The hungry bugs are currently being found about 1,000 miles south of their traditional habitats.

For later: Look in your newspaper for articles that mention Louisiana.

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

SAVVY SENIOR

Green Burials

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.

E LMWOOD -M EUNIER

FUNERAL & CREMATION CENTER

Burlington - (802) 864-5682 | Elmwoodmeunier.net

Se r ving all faiths & cult ures since 1927

Can you stop and restart Social Security benefits?

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can I stop my Social Security retirement benefits and restart them later to get a bigger payment? I recently got a nice unexpected inheritance, so don’t need the money from Social Security right now. If possible, I would like to suspend my benefits and restart them at age 70.

Do-over Dan

Dear Dan,

Yes, there are actually two different strategies that allow Social Security beneficiaries to undo their claiming decision. Here’s what you should know.

WITHDRAWAL BENEFITS

If you are in your first year of collecting retirement benefits, you can apply to Social Security for a “withdrawal of benefits.” Social Se-

By Jim Miller

curity will let you withdraw your application for retirement benefits, but it must be within 12 months of the date you first claimed your benefits. If you opt for a withdrawal, Social Security will treat it as if you

never applied for benefits in the first place. You will have to repay every dollar you’ve received, including those of any family members who have been collecting benefits on your earnings record, along with any money that was withheld from your Social Security payments — for example, to pay your Medicare premiums.

To withdraw your benefits, fill out Social Security form SSA-521 (see ssa.gov/forms/ssa-521.pdf) and send the completed form to your local Social Security office.

If you change your mind, you have 60 days from the date Social Security approves your withdrawal to cancel the request.

SUSPEND BENEFITS

If, however, you miss the 12-month window, or if repaying

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1829, British chemist James Smithson died, leaving an endowment for “the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”

• In 1844, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder, Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum were murdered by an anti-Latter-day Saints mob at the jail where they were being held in Carthage, Illinois.

• In 1950, President Harry S. Truman sent the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy to fight in the Korean War.

• In 1985, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials decertified Route 66.

TODAY’S FACT:

• Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams flew 39 combat missions during the Korean War. Williams sat out nearly five Major League Baseball seasons due to his military service in World War II and Korea.

1 the official way it’s done (8) 2 timeline of events (10) 3 bitter herb (8)

4 auto body’s bane (9)

5 seasonal Asian wind (7)

6 where Rabat is capital (7)

7 “original copy,” say (8)

Savvy

continued from page 20

vorced spouse).

Prekindergarten

Prekindergarten Lottery is now open for 2024-2025!

Immediate Job Openings

Prekindergarten Lottery is now open for 2024-2025!

CVSD is Hiring!

Maintenance Technician – Skilled

your Social Security benefits is not financially feasible, there is another do-over option, but you’ll need to be full retirement age or older to be eligible.

During the suspension, you will also accrue delayed retirement credits, which will increase your monthly retirement benefit by two-thirds of 1 percent for each suspended month (or 8 percent for each suspended year) up until age 70.

in Medicare, there’s another consequence of withdrawing or suspending your benefits.

Normally, Medicare Part B premiums ($174.70 per month in 2024 for most beneficiaries) are deducted directly from monthly Social Security payments.

Immediate opening for a skilled technician with mechanical, plumbing & heating, construction and electrical knowledge. This position will include day to day building needs for Williston Central & Allen Brook School. Full time, full year - 7:00 am - 3:30 pm.

The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2024-25 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms which run 10 hours per week. Our schoolbased prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS)

• Physical Education Teacher at Williston Schools

Lottery is now open for 2024-2025!

Preference will be given for certified/licensed HVAC, Electrical or AC Technician.

The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2024-25 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one of our schoolbased classrooms which run 10 hours per week. Our school-based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).

• Spanish Teacher at Hinesburg Community School

• Building Substitutes

Groundskeeper/Maintenance – C.V.U.H.S.

For further information contact Ron Larivee, rlarivee@cvsdvt.org.

Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2024, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.

Assist in caring for the school grounds, while maintaining a high standard of safety. Mowing, weed whacking, maintaining sports fields, and winter snow removal. Other duties as assigned.

• Paraeducators

Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2024, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. Families who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.

Full retirement age is 66 and 6 months for those born in 1957, but it rises in two-month increments every birth year to age 67 for those born in 1960 and later. You can find your full retirement age at www. SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/ageincrease.html.

Suspended benefits would automatically resume at 70, or you could choose to resume Social Security benefits earlier, but you’d only receive delayed retirement credits for the period when benefits were suspended.

All applications must be received by February 5, 2024, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website at: https://tinyurl.com/CVSDEarlyEd or using this QR code. Paper applications are available upon request.

All applications must be received by February 5, 2024, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website at: https://tinyurl. com/CVSDEarlyEd or using this QR code.

• Maintenance and Custodial

CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for a random prekindergarten lottery drawing for the 2024-25 school year. This lottery is for an opportunity in one of our school-based classrooms which run 10 hours per week. Our schoolprekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that play-based, developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) programs follow the CVSD school calendar. Children who will be age 3 or older by September 1, 2024, who are not eligible for kindergarten, and live in the communities of Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston are eligible to enter the lottery. who are selected for the lottery and choose to enroll their child in a CVSD program their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based program.

Full-time, day shift opening. Experience is helpful but for the right candidate, training will be provided. Shift hours: Monday-Friday 6:30 am - 3:00 pm.

You can request a Social Security suspension over the phone (800722-1213), in writing or in person at your local Social Security office. The suspension would begin the month after you make the request.

If you withdraw or suspend your benefits and you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B, you’ll start receiving a quarterly bill from Medicare. You’ll have the option of paying electronically or by mail. Or you can sign up for Medicare’s Easy Pay, which automatically deducts your premium payments from your savings or checking account each month.

Visit SavvySenior.org for more infomation.

Hourly rate commensurate with experience and full benefits included. Benefits: Medical, Dental, a retirement package, paid vacation, weekends off and most holidays paid.

applications must be received by February 5, 2024, and are located on the CVSD Early Education website at: https://tinyurl.com/CVSDEarlyEd or using this QR code. applications are available upon request.

Paper applications are available upon request. For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@

For additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website under the Support Services tab.

Visit www.cvsdvt.org/jobs to submit your application

At that point, you can “suspend” your Social Security benefit, and the good news is you don’t have to repay anything. But the bad news is your monthly Social Security benefits stop and so do those of any dependent family members (except a di-

Also note that if you’re enrolled

For further information contact Tom Mongeon, tmongeon@ cvsdvt.org.

cvsdvt. Our Early Education team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, socialemotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website under the Support Services tab.

District HVAC Technician

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Puzzle found on page 21

additional information, questions about our program, or any concerns your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org. Our Early Education also available for developmental screenings in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also on the website under the Support Services tab.

This position performs skilled mechanical maintenance, including inspections, repair, installation of equipment i.e. heating, ventilation, A/C and refrigeration systems and perform preventative maintenance for the Champlain Valley School District.

For further information contact Chris Giard, cgiard@cvsdvt.org

Please apply online to www.cvsdvt.org/jobs

CVSD is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Puzzle found on page 21

May 30 at 12:46 p.m. — Counterfeit money reported at Jolley.

May 30 at 5:47 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Home Depot. Female suspect was issued a citation to appear in court for retail theft.

May 31 at 8:31 a.m. — Report of a suspicious male hanging around Blair Park Road. Male was waiting for the bank to open.

May 31 at 8:24 p.m. — Report of a missing firearm from James Brown Drive. Firearm has not been located at this time.

May 31 at 10:43 p.m. — Suspicious male reported at ReStore. Male was located and issued a trespass notice.

June 1 at 2:24 a.m. — Following a traffic stop, female operator was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.

June 1 at 11:18 a.m. — Suspicious

male and female at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Both parties were moved along.

June 1 at 7:50 p.m. — Female located who had an active arrest warrant. She was transported to the correctional facility.

June 1 at 8:41 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Home Depot. Male suspect had an active arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.

June 2 at 6:46 p.m. — Wallet reported stolen from Hannaford. Female suspect was issued a citation to appear in court for petit larceny.

June 2 at 7:54 p.m. — Noise disturbance reported on White Birch Lane. Music was turned down; no other issues.

June 3 at 4:30 a.m. — Report of a front-end loader crashing into a gate

SEEKING TREATMENT PROVIDERS

on Engineers Drive. Loader was in the process of being stolen when it crashed.

June 3 at 4:16 p.m. — Report of an altercation on Seymour Street. Male suspect was issued a citation to appear in court for simple assault.

June 4 at 11:27 a.m. — Assisted Williston Rescue with male who had an altered mental status. He was transported to the hospital for evaluation. June 4 at 12:03 p.m. — Report of a male threatening to burn things down. Male was issued a notice of trespass.

June 5 at 8:52 a.m. — Assisted Vermont State Police with male who took off on them. Male was located a short time later in Burlington where he was taken into custody.

June 5 at 3:12 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Old Navy. Female suspect was not located. A warrant was issued for her arrest.

Officers also conducted 43 traffic stops and responded to 10 alarm activations and seven motor vehicle crashes during this time frame.

The U.S. Probation Office in the District of Vermont believes that individuals subject to federal pretrial and post-conviction community supervision deserve access to quality, evidence-based treatment in the community. To that end, the District of Vermont will be soliciting for drug and alcohol, mental health, and sex offender specific treatment services, as well as drug testing services, for fiscal years 2025 through 2029. Requests for Proposals in these service categories will be made available on www.vtp.uscourts.gov/solicitations on June 17, 2024. Interested parties should contact Shawna Lapierre at Shawna_Lapierre@vtp.uscourts.gov or 802-951-0625 to be added to the Bidder’s Mailing List.

However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

continued

Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

continued from page 2

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies. The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its RABIES BAIT

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

Shelburne display lead dors from creemees. from

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

Shelburne display lead dors from creemees. from SHELBURNE continued

SPORTS

Redhawks fall to Wolves in championship game

CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s John Deyo slides safely into home during the Redhawks’ 6-2 Dl baseball championship loss to the South Burlington Wolves June 15 at UVM’s Centennial Field. On the mound for CVU was Stephen Rickert. Mitchell Niarchos gets into position to scoop up a ground ball at second. The ball travels off the bat of Travis Stroh into the infield.

CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s Rose Bunting gets by Essex’s Addison Stratton during the Redhawks’ 12-3 Dl girls lacrosse championship loss to the Hornets on June 16 at UVM’s Virtue Field. CVU’s Kate Boehmcke and Essex’s Breya Monague chase down a loose ball. CVU’s Stella Dooley, Essex’s Emily Stempek and CVU’s Emerson Rice all vie for a loose ball. Emerson Rice scoops up a ground ball in front of Essex’s Emily

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL

Foiled on the field

Stempek.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY