Williston Observer 11/24/2021

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WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

A season of discontent

Mail delivery craters in Williston BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Getting your mail in Williston increasingly means actually going to get your mail, at the post office on Blair Park Road. Delivery in most areas of town has been reduced to an intermittent, unpredictable trickle. The extent of the staffing shortage is the subject of much conjecture among residents, who have corroborated experiences with neighbors, talked with mail carriers and asked employees working the window at the post office. Fran Stoddard began noticing gaps in mail delivery of multiple days in September. Her husband runs a business out of their home and was reliant on home delivery and pickup of packages. When a mail carrier would arrive in recent weeks, Stoddard would question them about the situation. “The crux of the problem is they lost five out of eight carriers in a short period of time. One of them was our carrier,” said Stoddard, who lives on the

southwest side of town. “It is basically, from what I can tell, kind of a perfect storm of a lot of people leaving at once.” Steve Doherty, communications specialist for the Post Office’s Northeast Region, did not return calls seeking verification of the extent of the staffing shortage. On Blair Park Road, the post office is checkered with help wanted signs of all shapes and sizes. Stoddard was there last Friday, picking up her mail along with others who had formed a line and were calling out their addresses to clerks. “There is a real back up and they are scrambling to get it together,” Stoddard said. “Willistonians should know, the mail isn’t going to come some days. It’s going to come when they can handle it.” Fran Hopkins said she and her neighbors went four days without mail delivery at Whitney Hill Homestead in the Village last week. She was anticipating delivery of a package last Tuesday; online tracking showed it had already arrived in Williston. As the days passed without delivery, she called the post office to ask if she could pick up the package, but was told it was in a

pile that had not yet been sorted. It finally arrived in her mailbox on Saturday. “This is a very good post office. They are incredibly hard-working. But they are between a rock and a hard place,” Hopkins said. “When it comes to sorting the mail, getting it into the specific trucks that go to the specific areas, they are having trouble.” Recently, while waiting in line at the post office, she heard a resident ask if a rumor that the post office was down to just one mail carrier for the entire town was true. While that does not appear to be the case, a lack of communication about the situation from postal officials has caused some anger and frustration. “They don’t want to talk about it,” said one patron who wished to remain anonymous outside the post office Saturday morning. “I don’t know what’s going on.” The patron has called Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office to seek a remedy for the situation, and knows several other Williston residents who have done the same. “I’m just very angry,” they

WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM

The Williston Post Office, as seen Saturday morning. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR

said. “The service has been lousy … The attitude of the clerks, which has always been great, has also really gone downhill. Something’s got to be done.” Chris Conant of Williston advises residents recalibrate their expectations of the post office, especially in light of the upcoming holiday rush and the ongoing pandemic. “Please be patient with ev-

eryone in the service industry right now … (They are) stressed to the max, over worked in hours and covering many different tasks or shifts,” he said. “Let’s all try to take a step back and help our neighbors, family and friends navigate this new world we are living in. Let’s have tons of patience and kindness, even toward strangers. We all need it, even those postal workers who are trying very hard to keep up.”

Williston’s comfort dog stars in new book BY JASON STARR Observer staff

The cover of the new book about the Williston Police Department’s comfort dog program. COURTESY OF KAREN STURTEVANT

Local writer Karen Sturtevant has teamed with Williston Police Officer Matt Cohen on a day-in-thelife children’s book featuring the first police comfort dog in Vermont — Duke. Duke has endeared himself to the community since arriving as a cuddly puppy early last year. He has partnered with Cohen on a mission of comforting people through traumatic situations and being the face of the department’s community relations efforts. Sturtevant, a noted local dog-lover, met Duke a few months after his arrival in Williston. An author of two other children’s books, Sturtevant rekindled a relationship with the retriever this past May and

began brainstorming story ideas with Cohen. “Duke is such a bright spot in the community. When he is around, people are smiling and happy,” Sturtevant said. “After talking to Matt, I thought it would be a great idea to share Duke’s story in a children’s book.” The book, titled “K9 Duke The Comfort Dog,” is co-authored by Sturtevant and Cohen and illustrated by Max Bahr. While Duke visits schools and businesses in Williston and appears at community events, his more serious role is comforting people through emergencies and traumas. The book follows Duke through his morning arrival at the police department and a visit to a local school, then it shows his work with people after a minor car accident.

“There are two little kids and they are on the side of the road crying, and Officer (Cohen) and Duke arrive … and Duke comforts them,” Sturtevant said. ”Duke’s presence alleviates tension, if even for a moment. He makes people a little less anxious, a little less stressed.” The book will be available for sale starting in early December at Williston Police headquarters on Williston Road. On Dec. 4, Duke will join Sturtevant and Cohen for a book signing at Guy’s Farm and Yard on Route 2A (Duke will sign with a paw stamp). The cost of the soft cover is $15; and the e-book is $6. They are also available on Amazon. A portion of the proceeds from book sales will help fund the police department’s comfort dog program, Sturtevant said.

Page 2  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

A plow by any other name …

Local students bestow new names on VTrans snowplows

“Really, the only guideline was appropriate names only,” Tatko said. The list of names features luminaries of various cultural realms, from music (Jennifer Snowpez) to literature (William Scrape-speare) to Star Wars (Snowbegone Kenobi). Other plow names are rather enigmatic: Students at Burlington’s Christ the King School decided to name their plow Carl, while Charleston Elementary School students opted for Dorito. “There’s just been a lot of excitement and joy,” Tatko said. “Thank-you notes are pouring in from the schools.” One underrated aspect of the event, she said, was that it helped connect communities with road maintenance and cleaning workers. “Now there are kids and teachers and schools all over the state that know the name of the person who drives the plow to maintain and keep safe the roads that they drive,” she said.

OBSERVER STAFF REPORT Schoolchildren from around Vermont have bestowed 163 Vermont Agency of Transportation snowplows with quirky, funny and strange names. Last week, the trucks made appearances outside the classrooms that named them. Williston Central School was visited by “Powder Pusher,” Allen Brook School by “Salty.” The inspiration for naming snowplows came first from Scotland, according to Amy Tatko, a spokesperson for the Agency of Transportation. Scots vote in public contests to name snowplows. The trend has caught on in Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, South Dakota, Canada — and now Vermont. State officials announced plans for the program in late October. Each school was assigned a snowplow in a maintenance garage close to it and given a blank slate to choose a name.

— Peter D’Auria of VTDigger contributed to this report

Allen Brook students, above, stand with “Salty,” the snowplow last Wednesday. The class named the plow as part of a VTrans program. Students in Karin Ward’s class from Williston Central School, right, get a visit from ”Powder Pusher” — the plow they named — and talk with its driver. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTOS

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November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 3

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Page 4  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Williston holiday decorating contest renewed The Williston Recreation and Parks Department will renew its Holiday Decorating Contest for a second year, with homeowners and business owners encouraged to register their outdoor lighting and holiday displays for drive-by viewing and online judging by members of the community. Winners will receive prizes donated by contest sponsors Healthy Living Market, the Williston Coffee Shop, Adams Farm Market, Shaw’s and Vermont Meat & Seafood. There are three residential categories — traditional/refined, fun/festive and multi-family housing — and one general business category. The displays will be judged on originality, color, creativity and curb appeal. Homeowners and business owners can register their displays by the Dec. 5 deadline for free at www.willistonrec.org or by calling the Parks and Rec Department at (802) 876-1160. Judging will take place from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 17-22 and winners in each category will be announced Dec. 30. Addresses of the homes in the contest will be publicized so community members can view the displays and vote. Last year’s winners were located at 152 Maple St. (traditional/refined), 55 Southfield Drive (fun/ festive), 311 Maple St. (multi-family) and

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Festive lights and decorations like this tree at Maple Tree Place last year are all welcome editions to the Williston Recreation and Park Department’s Holiday Decorating contest.

OBSERVER FILE PHOTO BY AL FREY

238 Fay Lane (business). Last year’s winners can register again this year for viewing, but will not be eligible to win again.

Rotary Club of South Burlington Presents the 5th Annual

Volunteer “shoppers,” above, box up food requests outside the Williston Community Food Shelf during its annual turkey giveaway Saturday. Turkeys are then delivered to customers waiting outside to maintain social distancing. Kristin Lovering (L) and daughter Zoe Zoller, right, hold some of the donated turkeys. Abigail Costello, below, fills out her shopping list which is then selected by volunteer “shoppers” and brought to her car during the Williston Community Food Shelf annual turkey giveaway Saturday. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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Page 6  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

GUEST COLUMN Williston’s Community Newspaper Since 1985

www.willistonobserver.com P.O. Box 1401, Williston, VT 05495 | 802-489-5499 PUBLISHER Susan T. Cote susan@willistonobserver.com 802-489-5499

TO ADVERTISE Submission deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. for next Thursday issue. rick@willistonobserver.com

ADVERTISING Rick Cote Associate Publisher Sales & Marketing rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136

CLASSIFIED ADS Paid Classifieds: There is a fee for business, real estate and help wanted ads. Free Classifieds: Must be 25 words or fewer. Printed on a space-available basis. Submission deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. for next Thursday issue. susan@willistonobserver.com

EDITOR Jason Starr editor@willistonobserver.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN Jan Kenney jan@willistonobserver.com BILLING INQUIRIES Michael McCaffrey office@willistonobserver.com MEMBER:

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SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS Send to editor@willistonobserver.com • Deadline is Monday at noon • News/story tips welcomed • Letters must be 300 words or fewer • Include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we can verify the letter’s author. Phone numbers and street addresses will be kept confidential • Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity • Letters that have been submitted to multiple media outlets may not be printed CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Send to editor@willistonobserver.com Must include • Name of event and organization • Date, time and place of event • Contact information We print submissions for nonprofit groups and organizations only.

The Williston Observer reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions or advertising. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the paper.

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d n a y y g n Wishi happy yyrs a ving! Thanksgi

Recalibrating professional standards and public safety BY CHRIS WINTERS Nationally, nearly 1 in 4 jobs require a government permission slip, often to the detriment of entrepreneurs and job seekers. Licensing began when the public demanded more accountability from the doctors, lawyers and dentists who provided them with important services. Over time, well-meaning people added similar protections for a wide range of other services, sometimes losing sight of that basic public protection mission. Fortunately, Vermont is one of the less regulated states when it comes to professional and occupational licensing, and we have used common-sense to further improve professional regulation over the years at the Secretary of State’s Office. We understand that while licensing is a public protection issue, it is also a workforce and economic development driver. Vermont must continue to streamline professional licensure to meet its workforce needs and to make the state an attractive, competitive and rational place to work and live. Vermont’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), which regulates 50 professions and occupations, has taken several big strides recently to reduce barriers to entry for licensed professionals without sacrificing public protection.

Under the leadership of Secretary Jim Condos, with bipartisan cooperation from the Legislature and governor, and with support of a Federal Department of Labor grant, OPR has crafted and implemented policies making Vermont a national leader in licensing reform: • Fast-track licensing: Our office has implemented one of the most sweeping universal endorsement policies anywhere in the United States. A professional who has been licensed in good standing for three years anywhere in the country can obtain a Vermont license from OPR on that basis — no tests, no uncertainty, no waiting. • Credit for military experience: We recognize military training, making Vermont one of the only states in the country to offer a direct path from certain medic classifications to nursing licensure, for example. Our active-duty service members, veterans and their families deserve adequate runways to the civilian workforce. • Apprenticeship pathways: We have promoted alternative paths to licensure, working with funeral directors, cosmetologists, barbers and pharmacy technicians to offer young Vermonters experience-based access to those professions. Vermonters should be able to train into these professions without having to leave the state or incur student debt —

a huge cost- and time-saver for young Vermonters just getting into the workforce. • Welcoming new Americans and helping them get to work: We allow professionals trained all over the world to have their credentials verified and recognized right here in Vermont, without wasting hard-won skills or repeating an entire degree. • Second-chance determinations: a criminal conviction is not a permanent or automatic barrier to becoming licensed. We allow someone with a conviction to apply, outlining their circumstance and evidence of rehabilitation. This can be done before they invest time or money in training or education. • Compact licensing: in February, Vermont will become a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, an agreement among 38 states that allows a registered nurse or practical nurse with a license from any one state to practice in all of the others. As we confront a national nursing workforce crisis, the compact is a critical tool to make our state a more attractive place for nurses to settle and to free our health care employers to recruit talent as broadly as possible. We are already part of the physician’s compact. • Cutting red tape: Every profession OPR regulates is open for see WINTERS page 7

November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Searching for mail delivery solutions The Observer published an article in August about deteriorating postal delivery in Williston (“Mail service hit by staffing challenges” Aug. 26). I think everyone who relies on the Williston Post Office is acutely aware that service has continued to spiral downward since then. Delivery at my residence is now down to about one time per week and is completely unpredictable. On a recent visit to pick up our mail, several other people on line commented on a similar level of service. I was advised by

an employee that they continue to be severely short-staffed and are behind in sorting mail by about a week, with no light at the end of the tunnel. I have contacted each member of our Congressional delegation to make sure they are aware of how bad things have gotten. I would encourage others to do so as this pretty much seems to be our only recourse. I understand that the factors underlying this situation are multiple and the employees at the post office are clearly doing their best

to deal with a very difficult situation. I doubt there are any simple solutions. However, based on conversations with various acquaintances, the problem seems to be either non-existent or much less severe in neighboring towns. Given this, it’s not at all clear to me why postal service management cannot more efficiently share resources between local offices and at least attempt to equalize the pain. Martin M. LeWinter Williston

Donovan leads Instagram investigation Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan is leading a nationwide investigation along with seven other state attorneys general into Facebook’s promotion of Instagram for use by kids and young adults. The investigation targets, among other things, the techniques used by Facebook to increase the frequency and duration

Winters continued from page

6

application 24/7, from anywhere in the world with internet access, because we have taken the entire licensing process digital. One can apply for a Vermont license without using a single postage stamp or touching a pen. While we work to reduce barriers, we maintain a focus on public protection, understanding that licensing and enforcement of licensing standards benefits both the profession regulated and the consumers they serve. OPR

of engagement by young users. The prosecutors accuse the company of promoting Instagram to youth while knowing that child and young adult use is associated with increased risks of physical and mental health harms, including depression, eating disorders and suicide. They are examining whether the company violated

state consumer protection laws and put the public at risk, according to a news release last Thursday from Donovan’s office. “Parents and caregivers have long been concerned with the negative impact of social media on children,” Donovan said. “Recent revelations have confirmed those concerns, and it’s time to act.”

makes sure licensees in 50 professions and occupations, from accountants to veterinarians, are qualified and safe to practice. We also receive over 800 complaints of unprofessional conduct from the public each year, which we investigate and prosecute if necessary. Licensing itself doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult to protect the public. Regulation must only go as far as is absolutely necessary to achieve that goal. Sometimes that even means eliminating licensing requirements for certain professions where

there is little to no risk of harm to the public, which we do through a sunset process. We’ve made a lot of progress with these initiatives, but there is always more to be done both at OPR and across state government where other licensing programs exist. Vermonters deserve a rightsized approach that works for everyone. Chris Winters is Vermont’s deputy secretary of state and former director of the Office of Professional Regulation.

HOLIDAY SOCK DRIVE The Williston Observer is trying to collect as many pairs of socks as we can by Dec 15. Show our seniors we care. Please donate new socks that are soft and comfortable!

Drop Off New Socks at (By Dec. 15, 2021)

Williston Coffee Shop 400 Cornerstone Drive, Williston

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Page 8  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

‘Mayor of the Waterfront’ wraps up 19th season

Ice Cream Bob mulls retirement from iconic creemee stand BY MEGAN SCHNEIDER Community News Service

Ice Cream Bob’s has wrapped up its 19th, and possibly final, season as the famous creemee stand on the Burlington waterfront, where many regulars and visitors alike stop for an iconic maple creemee. Its namesake is Bob Saffi, and much like in Tracey Pearson’s children’s book “Where Does Joe Go?” about Joe’s Snack Bar in Jericho, one might wonder where does Bob go when creemee season ends? Saffi might not go home to the North Pole, as Joe does in Pearon’s book, he instead goes back to his home in Waterbury. Saffi rents what was previously a ticket booth owned by the Vermont Railroad that he made into an ice cream stand. He said he started off selling Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and then switched to creemees after Ben and Jerry’s sold to Unilever. Saffi originally obtained the stand by making a deal with the railroad. “Nineteen years ago, the railroad had a scenic train. I went down to the railroad and gave them my resume and said ‘I will

run the scenic train for you if you give me that little booth to sell ice cream out of.’ The railroad agreed and that was the start,” Saffi said. Since then, he has been running the stand with the help of staff that has always consisted of students from the University of Vermont, Champlain College and Saint Michael’s College. Using ingredients from St. Albans Creamery that he picks up himself, Bob’s menu is best known for its maple creemees with maple sprinkles.

Bob Saffi, who lives in Waterbury, is “Ice Cream Bob.” PHOTO BY MEGAN SCHNEIDER

A BRIEF RELOCATION

Last year, when construction was beginning on the train tracks to prepare for Amtrak to return to Burlington in the near future, Ice Cream Bob’s was at risk of being displaced. When word got out that the stand might need to close, people from all parts of the community rallied behind him to keep it up and running. Saffi ticks off a list: Mike Shea, the owner of Spirit of Ethan Allen III; Kelly Devine, executive director of the Burlington Business Association; Brian Pine, a Burlingon city councilor; Dave Wilson, owner of the Vermont Railroad; and Jordan Redell, the Burlington mayor’s chief of staff. All played an instrumental role in keeping Ice Cream Bob’s in business. “There were so many people

that really advocated for me between the mayor, politicians, the public, and the business community, that they decided to move me over there,” Saffi said, pointing to a grassy area of Waterfront Park, a stone’s throw from the original trackside location. “I didn’t really do anything, they did it all.” Mary O’Neil, one of Saffi’s closest friends and principal planner in the city’s Development Review and Permitting office, also played a role in making sure Saffi’s summer operation was safe. She connected Saffi with officials, including a city council representative and the director of Parks and Recreation. “Bob had certainly done his legwork searching for a new lo-

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cation. Near his present site made the most sense, but it required special approvals to be relocated to a city-owned parcel,” O’Neil said. Eventually the red tape was cleared and the former-ticketbooth-turned-creemee-stand was settled in its new spot, complete with power that Burlington Electric staff ensured was in place and safe. The city doesn’t typically allow vendors on the green, since it is intended for people to use for recreation, but the temporary relocation was an exception. Next year, the stand will go back to its original spot, Saffi said. “The railroad was really good to me and so was the city. They waived some of the taxes for me, so it kinda worked out,” Saffi said, noting that, given the ongoing pandemic this summer, business was slow and staffing was a challenge. “We just didn’t have any tourists, but we survived.” THE FUTURE OF ICE CREAM BOB’S

Saffi, at age 79, is still debating whether or not 2021 was his last season. Saffi wonders if the railroad will keep it going, while O’Neil is unsure it would be the same without Bob. “Bob’s Ice Cream stand is a quirky, individualized business that is as much about Bob as it is about creemees,” O’Neil said. “His business provides those key factors in successful downtowns: A sense of place, a sense of identity, a sense of ownership, a sense of community. I don’t imagine that another franchised, trademarked commercial operation could offer the same kind of local product and

local color.” Saffi may want to relax from the chaos that can be Ice Cream Bob’s. Living in Waterbury adds a time-consuming commute along with his 12-hour shifts seven days a week. Even so, one can see the joy this small creemee stand by the bustling waterfront brings him. “I really enjoy making the young children happy. That is probably the biggest satisfaction,” the grandfather of four said. The stand is mainly his undertaking, however some of his family members have helped out over the years, including his granddaughter and grandson who worked for him for a few years. Saffi said that over the 19 years he’s been in business he’s met some interesting people and acquired many stories. “We’ve had a lot of celebrities come here, but I don’t treat anyone different. I treat everybody the same no matter who they are. I think that’s why people like coming here,” he said. Some of his customers refer to him as the “mayor of the waterfront.” “Being down here I’ve made a lot of friends and I have a big following of customers and they come from all over,” he said. “We have established ourselves and we have put out a really good product and people like us and they come to see us.” The Community News Service is a partnership between the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program and Vermont community newspapers.

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November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 9

Darn right they expanded

Vermont grown sock maker opens new factory in Waterbury BY RACHEL WEED Community News Service

Officials at Darn Tough Vermont recently cut a sock-lined ribbon to celebrate the company’s addition of a second manufacturing plant, this one in downtown Waterbury. About 30 people gathered to hear company leaders talk about the milestone. “We wanted to continue to grow. Our demand is high. Our customers are loving what we do,” said Ric Cabot, president and chief executive of Darn Tough. The Waterbury location in Pilgrim Park is Darn Tough’s newest facility for manufacturing, offices and warehouse distribution. The company also has a facility in Northfield. The new space is 70,000 square feet and was previously occupied for coffee-roasting by Keurig Dr. Pepper, which had been downsizing its manufacturing operation in Waterbury in recent years and finally vacated its remaining office space in Pilgrim Park in March 2020, when employees shifted to working remotely due to the pandemic. Keurig recently said it would not return employees to in-person offices in Waterbury. “This was all dark and open and smelled like coffee beans,” said Cabot. “Now it smells like socks.” Darn Tough experienced a surge in sales during the pandemic, company officials said. Darn Tough was deemed an essential business during the beginning of the pandemic to fulfill requests from one of its military partners, which allowed them to stay open for operation. The company’s main manufacturing operation is still at its headquarters in Northfield. With both

locations combined, Darn Tough now has 318 knitting machines — 270 in Northfield and 48 in Waterbury. That will continue to grow as 48 more machines have been ordered from Italy. The new facility is expected to be running at capacity by January. Other tenants in the commercial complex that formerly housed the coffee operation include craft beer distributor Vermont Beer Shepherd; Northern Reliability, an energy storage company; and Central Vermont Gymnastics Academy. To make the transition smooth, the Waterbury location is producing the company’s best-selling socks, while the design and development team continues to work in Northfield to create and manufacture new styles. The Waterbury plant is already running five days a week for 24 hours a day. In the coming months, the plan is to increase that to seven days a week. There are three eighthour working shifts: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3-11 p.m., and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., with a starting hourly wage of $16, company officials said. The manufacturing floor is lined with rows of hanging spools of yarn that connect to the machines where the socks are made. Knitters are given a couple of rows to oversee, walking around to ensure everything is in order. “It’s fun. It’s a lot of hands-on learning. You gotta be on your toes, know what you’re doing,” said knitter Conner Premo. For Giving Tuesday (Nov. 30), all the proceeds from Darn Tough website sales will go directly to the Vermont Food Bank. The company hopes to contribute enough to pay for the equivalent of 1 million meals.

Darn Tough knitter Conner Premo, center, operates a knitting machine at the Waterbury factory in October. PHOTO BY GORDON MILLER

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Page 10  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Incoming ARPA grants boost child care staffing BY GRETA CLOSE Community News Service

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants will become available to licensed local child care providers this month with the aim to increase staff pay. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

In October, the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) released much-anticipated applications for a new set of grants aimed at stabilizing the state’s child care industry. Local providers are eager to apply for the funding to improve teacher compensation. Staffing shortages are the most pressing concern for child care providers, according to Let’s Grow Kids Chief Policy Officer Sarah Kenney. At the Waitsfield Children’s Center, Executive Director Jenny Carlson echoed that sentiment. “We had a vacancy for a while, and we just didn’t have any applicants to fill our open spot,” she said. “Getting substitutes is really challenging,” echoed Kira Harris, executive director of Spring Hill School in Waitsfield. “So when we’ve had teachers that have needed to be out, because either their child has a close contact or if they have Covid and can’t come, that’s been a real challenge.” DCF recognizes the strain on child care professionals and it hopes

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to address it by providing avenues for increased compensation in the upcoming American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants. “We have two different options for providers. They can provide recurring bonuses for the life of the grant program or they can increase compensation,” said Miranda Gray, interim deputy commissioner of DCF. Alongside personnel costs, the grants allow spending on rent and other expenses, personal protective equipment/cleaning supplies and mental health support for children, families and employees. The ARPA grant funds for child care in Vermont total $29.3 million. Yet to be distributed, appropriate funds will be allotted to applicants based on calculations that factor in the type of care center — whether they are a family child care home or center-based program — and the amount of care they offer over the course of a week. “Until our early education system works well … then no other industry can thrive, because they can’t find employees because their employees can’t find child care,” said Kenney. The hope is that, with increased teacher compensation, organizations will be able to operate with greater stability, providing consistent access to child care for the families that depend on them. “Spot bonuses for teachers and wages and things like that is really where I think … we’ll use the funding,” said Harris, who is in the process of applying for an ARPA grant. While these grants will provide some relief, it does not mark a sustainable method of support for the crisis facing early childhood education in Vermont. “These emergency ARPA funds are desperately needed. I think this funding will be a lifeline to help them get through the winter, but we also know that, for some programs, the spending won’t be enough to address the current staffing crisis. The bottom line is that this is not a longterm solution,” said Kenney. Plans to establish a sustainable mode of funding to improve Vermonters’ access to equitable and affordable child care are underway, with goals set by the Vermont Legislature to have revenue options starting in 2023. The Community News Service is a partnership between the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program and Vermont community newspapers.

Afghan refugees arrive in Vermont BY FRED THYS VTDigger Vermont is welcoming more Afghan refugees than originally planned. The U.S. Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) Vermont placed a bid with the State Department to resettle 100 refugees. But the refugees are now living on military bases, where conditions are difficult for them. Many are ready to leave, and there is a push to move them to communities more quickly than originally scheduled. Vermont has now agreed to take 130. “Afghan refugees have started coming at a pretty rapid pace,” said Amila Merdzanovic, director of USCRI Vermont. As of Monday, more than 40 refugees had arrived in Vermont, she said. All of them are being placed with host families — partly because of the rush to get people out of bases and partly because finding permanent housing is so daunting in Vermont.

“Our biggest challenge is housing,” Merdzanovic said. She asked property managers and landlords who might have apartments available, especially three- and four-bedroom units, to get in touch with USCRI Vermont. She said every Afghan arriving in Vermont will get a one-time payment of $1,225 from the federal government and can use that money for rent. Larger families could see their rent covered for up to six months. Because the goal is to get people working as quickly as possible, Merdzanovic said many will become self-sufficient quickly. “People are going to work,” she said. “We’re able to place people into employment very quickly after arrival.” Merdzanovic said single refugees, couples and families with children are being placed in Chittenden County, central Vermont and the Rutland region. Arrivals are scheduled every other day. Some refugees speak English. Others do not. USCRI Vermont has Pashto and Dari interpreters

on staff and is continuing to recruit Pashto, Dari and Farsi interpreters. Merdzanovic said USCRI Vermont is accepting donations of gift cards to grocery stores. “Host families are being very generous, but a family of six, seven, eight or nine coming into someone’s home, we want to make sure that they have groceries,” Merdzanovic said. She said USCRI Vermont is also accepting gift cards to department stores. “People are coming with very little, in some cases just a backpack,” Merdzanovic said. She said USCRI Vermont has winter outerwear but has limited storage space and does not have other clothes or shoes. USCRI Vermont is also accepting new infant, toddler and booster car seats. Merdzanovic said her organization is still recruiting host families and volunteers. Another group, to be resettled under a bid from the Ethiopian Development Community Council, is expected to arrive in Brattleboro in December.

November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 11

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Page 12  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Welch launches campaign to replace Leahy in the U.S. Senate

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The long-suspected rumors are true: Vermont’s U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is launching his campaign for the U.S. Senate. The Democrat announced early Monday that after 14 years in the 435-member House of Representatives, he wants to jump to the more senior chamber, vying for the seat soon to be vacated by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat. If he prevails, Welch, 74, would represent Vermont in the 100-member Senate alongside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent. In an interview with VTDigger Monday afternoon, Welch said he was surprised by Leahy’s decision to retire and had hoped the eightterm senator would seek another term. But when Leahy made his call — and in doing so revealed Vermont’s first open Congressional seat in over a decade — Welch said he had his own decision to make. From there, Welch said the question of whether to run “actually was pretty straightforward.” If Republicans successfully flip the Senate, he said, big-ticket Democratic policy priorities such as climate change mitigation, tax reform, voting rights legislation and abortion access are off the table. “All of these things are very much in the balance as to whether or not we have a 50-50 Senate or maintain a progressive Democratic voice in the U.S. Senate for Vermont,” he said. He said he believes democracy would face peril should Republicans take back the Senate, and said he is “absolutely” afraid of the potential ramifications. With Republican-dominated legislatures across the country passing state-level voting restrictions, Welch said, “we are on a knife’s edge” as a country. “The other thing that was searing for me, and I think it was for the entire country, was what happened on Jan. 6,” Welch said. “I was in the Capitol and I was there when the mob was breaking the doors down. I was there when the shot was fired. And that was horrifying. But what was most sad for me, and worrisome for me, was when 147 of my colleagues later voted to disregard the will of the American people at who they had elected to be the president.” Leahy announced last week that he will retire at the conclusion of his current term in 2023 after nearly 50 years of service, triggering the first open seat in Vermont’s three-member congressional delegation since 2007 — when Welch first assumed his current seat in the House. Should he win the Senate seat, Welch would follow in the footsteps of Sanders, who also rose from the

House to the Senate when former Sen. Jim Jeffords retired in 2007. Already on Monday morning, Sanders put his political weight behind Welch, announcing his endorsement of Welch’s Senate run. Pointing to Welch’s 14 years in the House, Sanders said Welch “has the knowledge and experience to hit the ground running” in the Senate. “Peter Welch understands that if we are going to combat the existential threat of climate change, establish universal health care, lower the cost of prescription drugs, create good paying jobs in Vermont and protect American democracy, now is the time to think big, not small,” Sanders said.

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch on Monday announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

Democrats currently hold a razor-thin 50-50 majority in the Senate. Welch stressed in his campaign launch that the result of Vermont’s Senate race “will determine control of the Senate and with it, what we can accomplish for Vermont families.” “Everything — voting rights, Medicare for all, a green new deal, lowering prescription drug costs, reproductive justice, racial and economic justice, everything — gets filibustered and blocked by the Mitch McConnell Republicans in the Senate,” he said in a campaign ad. “They’re fighting for failure.” There is even splintering from within the Senate’s Democratic caucus right now, with moderates such as Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona sparring with progressives such as Sanders to block social spending supported by other Democrats. Asked how he would navigate such division in and out of his own party, Welch said that “every single day, you’ve got to be interacting with your colleagues in good faith.” “Yes, there’s some folks down there that are determined to fight for failure. And you know, you’re not going to get anywhere with them,”

Welch said. “But that’s my approach. It’s what I did when I served in the Vermont Senate, and it’s what I did as a member of Congress, and it’s what I’m going to continue to do if I’m elected to the Senate.” By launching his Senate campaign, Welch opens the door to the role he now holds: the state’s at-large representative in the U.S. House. No one has launched an official campaign, but Democratic rising stars have signaled interest, including Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, D-Windham, Lt. Gov. Molly Gray, and Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden. In a statement Monday morning, Ram Hinsdale said that, with Welch launching his campaign for the Senate, she “will be deeply exploring a run for Congress to give Vermonters a fighter in Washington.” From across the aisle, Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who currently holds the title as America’s most popular governor, has said he has no desire to go to Washington. Meanwhile, Balint, Gray and Ram Hinsdale have shown no appetite to challenge Welch in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat. Welch will have to withstand any challenges from within his party in a primary election before moving on to the general election in November 2022. But the shuffling of Vermont’s political deck offers the state an opportunity to make history: Vermont has never sent a woman to Congress. Two open races in the state’s three-member Congressional delegation could change that. Open seats in Vermont’s Congressional delegation also offer a chance for generational change. Leahy is currently 81 years old, Sanders 80 and Welch 74. Asked by VTDigger what he makes of the notion that Vermont should elect a younger politician to Leahy’s seat, Welch said, “Every Vermonter, whether they’re running for public office, or they’re serving in the local selectboard, has to make a decision: How can I help? How can I help heal our country? How can I help save our democracy? “Everybody’s invited to that and everybody has to make their own individual decision, regardless of who they are, and where they are,” he continued. “I’ve made a decision that’s based on my life circumstances. It’s based on the fact that I’ve been a very effective member of Congress, and it’s also based on the urgency of the moment. … And that is, given my experience, given my success in getting in the hard fights and winning, that I believe I can best serve by being a candidate for U.S. Senate. And I respect the decision that every other Vermonter makes.”

November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 13

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Page 14  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

YOUTH PROGRAMS

The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is open for in-person service during the following hours: • Monday/Wednesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. • Tuesday/Thursday/ Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. • Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The library will be closed

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 25-26, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Visit www.damlvt. org to place holds, apply for a card, renew materials, get updates on programming, and access digital offerings. Public wifi is available 24/7 from the patio. Ages 2 and up must wear a mask inside the building.

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Children in fifth grade and up may use the library unattended, while fourth grade and younger must be supervised by a person over 16 years of age. Register for youth events at www.damlvt.org or by calling 878-4918. Story Time on the Green Tuesdays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 10-10:30 a.m. Enjoy outdoor stories, songs and rhymes with Danielle. After-School Legos and Games Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2-3 p.m. Grades K-4. Play with the library’s collection of Legos and board games. Preschool Music Thursdays, Dec. 2 and 9, 10:30-11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Sing along with musician Linda Bassick in our Community Room, then stay to play. Register

for one session. Indoor Story Times Monday, Dec. 6, 10-10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes. Register for one session. Teen Night: Glitter Jars Monday, Dec. 6, 5-6 p.m. Grades 7 and up. Come make calming glitter jars to quiet busy minds. Meet Duke the Comfort K-9 Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2-3 p.m. Stop by to visit with Duke, Vermont’s first police comfort dog. Lego Time Thursday, Dec. 9, 3-4 p.m. Grades K-4. Enjoy building with the library’s Legos.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS Therapy Dogs at the Library Thursday, Dec. 2, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Visit Lola, certified Therapy Dog. Bring or select a book to read

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Find the Williston Observer When You’re Out and About Here are some of the locations you can pick up the Observer Williston Adams Farm Market Belle’s Café Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Fairfield Inn Gardener’s Supply Green Mountain Bagel Hannaford Healthy Living Williston Korner Kwik Stop Marriott Courtyard Men At Wok People’s United Bank Ramunto’s Rehab Gym Shaw’s Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd) Simon’s Mobil Williston Simply Divine Café Sunoco Station Towne Place Suites Town of Williston Offices UPS Store Williston Coffee Shop

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or just spend time with her. Call 878-4918 to reserve a 10-minute visit. Family Fun Night: Chigiri-e Cards Wednesday, Dec. 8, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Make seasonal cards using the Japanese art of paper tearing. Register at www.damlvt.org. Gingerbread House Decorating Saturday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Make a gingerbread house with graham crackers and tasty decorations. Call 878-4918 to reserve a time slot. Online Book Discussion: The Talk Monday, Dec. 13, 5-6 p.m. Pick up a Brave Book Bag with four family-friendly books, including “The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth.” Register for a Zoom link to join the discussion.

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All online programs are via Zoom. Email programs@damlvt. org or call 878-4918 to receive an invitation, unless otherwise specified. Adult Craft Kit: Chigiri-e Cards Pick up a kit to make a greeting card using the Japanese art of paper tearing. Available starting Dec. 1, while supplies last. Online Guided Meditation Fridays, Dec. 3 and 10, 1212:30 p.m. Maryellen Crangle leads a short Zoom meditation. Mah-Jongg Friday, Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m. Come to the library and play the game with other members of the community. All levels. Cooking Matters: Holiday Cookie Exchange Dec. 7-8. Drop off two dozen of your favorite cookies on Tuesday, Dec. 7, along with a copy of the recipe, then stop back on Wednesday, Dec. 8, to pick up a lovely cookie assortment. Current Events Discussion Wednesday, Dec. 8, 10:30-12 p.m. Connect with others online to talk about newsworthy topics. New Perspectives Book Discussion Tuesday, Dec. 21, 12-1 p.m. Join us online to discuss “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May. Available as an eBook in LUV/OverDrive or in print from the library. Brown Bag Book Discussion Tuesday, Dec. 28, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Join us online to discuss “The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley” by Hannah Tinti. Available as an eBook in LUV/OverDrive or in print from the library.

November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 15

Embracing the complex challenges of forest stewardship

federal lands. We can volunteer on conservation commissions, planning commissions, development review boards and selectboards, the decisions of which have a profound influence on the forests in our communities. We can conserve land and support local land trusts, which helps us protect land for future generations. The next time you take a walk in the woods, when you take a breath of crisp autumn air or a drink of clean water, when you marvel at the beauty of Vermont’s Green Mountains, ask yourself what legacy you will leave behind. Ask yourself how you will fulfill your promise to future generations, how you will give them the gift of living in a Vermont where forests make our world work and make our lives beautiful. In what way will you be a forest steward today?

BY ETHAN TAPPER Special to the Observer

I am currently putting the finishing touches on a forest management plan for the Milton Town Forest, a 485-acre jewel in Milton and Westford. In describing how we will care for this remarkable forest over the next 10 years, this plan ranges from pragmatic to esoteric, from conceptual to logistical. It includes actions that most would recognize as forest management (cutting, or not cutting, trees) but also goes beyond that, prescribing a comprehensive approach to protect the forest’s unique ecology, its wildlife and more. Forests are complex, and safeguarding all of the benefits they provide requires us to think holistically. It requires us to practice not just management, but stewardship. Forest stewardship is the way we take care of our forests. It encompasses many things, from actions as simple as marking and maintaining boundary lines, to those as transformative as harvesting trees. From one day to the next, being a forest steward can mean brush-hogging a pollinator meadow, controlling non-native invasive plants, hunting deer, and simply walking through the woods to see what you see. In my work, I meet some truly special forest stewards. These are people who take their role as landowners, land managers and citizens seriously, and who understand and care for forests deeply. They are selfless in their desire to build a better world and they work hard to make it so. You’ll find these people pulling invasive plants at dusk on a Sunday, shoveling-out waterbars to keep trails stable in the middle of a rainstorm and reading endless books about forests and wildlife at night. Being a forest steward is often challenging, both physically and ideologically. Just like in our societies, in forests we inherit complex legacies. These legacies can be problematic, such as forests that have been degraded and fragmented, that are infested with non-native invasive plants and over-browsed by deer. Being a steward means making tough decisions to fix these problems, regardless of who caused them, and leaving a better legacy for the future. Forest stewardship is a continuous process. It often includes the thoughtful harvesting of trees, which, done well, can be profound

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS.COM

and beautiful, can make forests healthier and more resilient, can support biodiversity across our landscape, and can be regenerative. But harvesting trees is just one tool in a forest steward’s toolkit. Stewards also know when not to manage — that there are times to take action and times to wait and watch. Forests provide us with clean air and water, regulate our climate, provide habitat for wildlife, support our economy and make our world beautiful. In a state that is 75 percent forested, forests define our character and our culture. If you love Vermont, chances are that forests are at least part of the reason why. About 80 percent of our forests are owned by individuals and families. We rely on these people to be stewards of these forests, to care for them on behalf of everyone. Continuity and legacy — that is what truly defines stewardship. Being a steward means recognizing your role as a temporary caretaker, safeguarding something on behalf of future generations. It means working to build a better world for our children and our grandchildren. In the case of forests, it means taking care of them so that future generations can live in a world as beautiful and as functional as we do. While most of us don’t have the privilege of owning forestland, we are all forest stewards. We all coown our public land, our town and community forests, our state and

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. For more, visit www.linktr.ee/ chittendencountyforester.

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Page 16  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Wetlands — nature’s climate change solution

Since the time of European settlement, the Champlain Basin has lost half of its wetlands to development and agriculture — more than a third of wetlands that existed statewide. Wetlands are known by a lot of different names — swamps, marshes, peatlands, sloughs, bogs, fens and potholes, among others — and are a critical part of Vermont’s landscape. They comprise just 4 percent of Vermont’s land area, yet they serve an outsized role. Wetlands have a unique ability to improve water quality and store carbon. In addition, wetlands reduce the impacts of flooding, increase natural water storage through drought periods and provide a critical refuge for fish, birds and wildlife —in-

cluding many rare, threatened and endangered species. In this way, preserving and enhancing wetlands is a vital strategy for increasing resilience to climate change, for both our human and natural communities. 
 We are fortunate to have the healthy wetlands we do in our Green Mountain State, and the opportunity to increase the amount of wetlands in Vermont. As a step in that direction, the state should have a “net gain” policy of protecting our remaining wetlands, while also restoring and enhancing wetlands that were drained or filled in the past. Recently, the Agency of Natural Resources has proposed this approach to wetland management. It should be included in

Wetlands —swamps, marshes, peatlands, sloughs, bogs, fens and potholes— have a unique ability to improve water quality and store carbon. In addition, wetlands reduce the impacts of flooding, increase natural water storage through drought periods and provide a critical refuge for fish, birds and wildlife. PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS.COM

the state’s Climate Action Plan. For years, Vermont experienced a loss of wetlands as they were filled or drained for agriculture and development. Increasingly, however, Vermonters have realized the value of wetlands as a nature-based solution worth protecting. Wetlands offer critical habitat for 35 percent of Vermont’s threatened and endangered plant species and 21 percent of imperiled animals. Restoring wetlands in the Vermont portion of the Lake Champlain Basin could achieve 15 percent of the pollution reduction goals required for the lake by the EPA. A study by The Trust for Public Land found that for every state dollar invested in conservation of our forests and wetlands, $9 worth of natural goods and services is returned to Vermonters. The study also found that wetlands have by far the highest value per acre ($590/ acre) of any land cover type in Vermont for the natural goods and services they provide. Wetlands also provide multiple climate benefits. Due to the quick growth of wetland vegetation and the slow vegetative decay due to their saturated soil, wetlands provide an important “sink” to absorb and store carbon dioxide. Further, wetlands

in floodplains provide dynamic surface water storage to ease in the impacts of flooding from heavy precipitation events. A University of Vermont study found that the Otter Creek wetlands and floodplains prevented $1.8 million in damages to the Town of Middlebury during Tropical Storm Irene. These types of flooding events will only become more common, and it is only a matter of time before Vermont experiences another storm like Irene.
 
 Wetlands are vital natural resources that must be protected and restored for Vermont to address the impacts of climate change, protect wildlife habitat, restore and maintain the quality of our waters, and provide other benefits for people and nature. In light of their significance, we believe the state of Vermont must commit to a “net gain” of wetlands to protect what we have and restore the wetlands of the past. The article was submitted by the Lake Champlain Committee, Audubon Vermont, Connecticut River Conservancy, Conservation Law Foundation, The Nature Conservancy in Vermont, Vermont Conservation Voters and the Vermont Natural Resources Council.

November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 17

Vermont Electric brings on two new solar arrays

Two new solar panel arrays have recently come online on the Town of Jericho’s former gravel pit and its former landfill. The projects, totaling 5.5 megawatts of energy generation, are the result of a partnership between Encore Renewable Energy and Vermont Electric Cooperative. The two projects are expected to produce enough to power approximately 780 homes in the Vermont Electric Company’s service area. The Jericho landfill served the community for decades until 1992, when it was capped. The Jericho gravel pit provided a source of gravel for town roads for decades as well. The National Renewable Energy Labo-

ratory has been prescreening brownfields such as these for future renewable energy generation. “This project marks another step toward our clean energy future,” said Vermont Electric Company Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Towne. “As Vermonters shift toward electricity for things like transportation and heating their homes and businesses, having clean sources like these projects in place is key to achieving our climate goals. By working with partners like Encore, coordinating with towns and focusing on strategic siting and cost-effective projects, local solar development will be an important part of achieving VEC’s clean energy goals.”

State embarks on high-def habitat mapping project The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has won a $106,256 competitive grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help conservation planners protect plants, animals and their habitats in the face of climate change. “With this grant, we are excited to finetune our assessment to better identify lands and waters that contribute to Vermont’s healthy environment with climate change in mind,” said Director of Wildlife Mark Scott. The department will use aircraft-mounted laser scanners and a global positioning system to create a high-definition map of landscape texture, giving researchers a more accurate

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understanding of land cover. “These very detailed land cover maps will help us find the places where wildlife, such as black bears and bobcats, can travel between large patches of forest,” said Jens Hilke, a conservation planner at Vermont Fish and Wildlife. “It is critical that wildlife have the ability to move around the state and beyond, especially as climate change pushes plants and animals into new habitats.” “This grant enables us to enhance and accelerate our work with new science, so that priority species … and rare plants remain healthy and able to adapt to climate change in Vermont and beyond,” Scott added.

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Page 18  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

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ities of daily living like bathing, dressing, getting in or out of a bed or chair, or using the bathroom. • You are able to safely operate, and get on and off, the scooter or wheelchair, or have someone with you who is always available to help you safely use the device. Medicare coverage is dependent on your needing a scooter or wheelchair in your home. If your claim is based on needing it outside your home, it will be denied as not medically necessary. WHERE TO BUY

If your doctor determines you need a power scooter or wheelchair, he or she will fill out a written order or prescription. Once you receive it, you’ll need to take it to a Medicare approved supplier within 45 days. To find Medicare-approved suppliers in your area, visit www.Medicare.gov/ medical-equipment-suppliers or

If you have a Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policy, it may pick up some, or all, of the 20 percent cost that’s not covered by Medicare. If, however, you don’t have supplemental insurance, and can’t afford the 20 percent, you may be able to get help through Medicare savings programs. Call your local Medicaid office for eligibility information. If you’re not eligible for a Medicare covered scooter or wheelchair, and you can’t afford to purchase one, renting can be a cheaper short-term solution. For more information about power mobility devices, call Medicare at 800-633-4227 or visit www.Medicare.gov/coverage/ wheelchairs-scooters. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (like an HMO or PPO), call your plan to find out the specific steps you need to take to get a power-wheelchair or scooter. Many Advantage plans have specific suppliers within the plan’s network they’ll require you to use. 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.

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November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 19

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Try something new with your leftovers this year! This salad is a perfect way to use up your leftovers, while creating a dish that feels totally different from the big Thanksgiving feast. You’ll still get all of the flavors of Thanksgiving, without the heaviness of the full meal. Get creative by adding in other leftovers to make it your own.

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27. Crumpet accompaniment Ingredients: 28. Paraphernalia

For the dressing:

31. Coats a cake

cup leftover cranberry sauce

32. Lucifer's realm

2 Tbsp sherry vinegar

34. Golden in San Francisco 1 tsp Dijon mustard 35. Motion

cup olive oil

38. Put out

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

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For the salad:

1-2 cups shredded 41. One way to make tracks leftover turkey

42. US, Britain e.g. 46. Feminine pronoun

cup chopped pecans and/or walnuts, toasted 1-2 cups chopped leftover roasted squash or sweet potato

19. ___ the knot

51. Surprise attack

20. Picasso made a lot of it

52. Biblical pronoun

21. Tiniest bit

55. "Flower power" musical

23. Dusk

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Page 20  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Lamakers approve town-by-town mask mandate BY LOLA DUFFORT VTDigger

Selectboards and city councils will soon take up the often-polarized debate over mask mandates after state lawmakers greenlit a bill Monday allowing municipal governments to enact their own indoor mask policies. Republican Gov. Phil Scott was expected to sign the bill Tuesday. It would take effect immediately. As daily Covid-19 case counts have shattered previous records and the state’s hospitals have become strained, top Democrats have urged the governor to reinstate a statewide

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mask mandate indoors. Scott has refused — and made explicit that he would veto any effort to create such a policy via legislation. But last week he offered lawmakers what he termed a compromise: a bill allowing municipalities to enact local, time-limited mask requirements of their own. Lawmakers reluctantly returned to Montpelier on Monday for a marathon, one-day session to pass the single measure. A little more than half of the Senate Zoomed in remotely. Because of House rules, members of the 150-person lower chamber attended in person. Masks were required in the building, and the Sergeant-at-Arms purchased 500 rapid antigen tests for lawmakers and the public. But while legislative leaders took Scott up on his offer, they expressed little enthusiasm for the proposal itself and made clear that they resented the assertion that he had met them halfway. “What we got done today was a little less than a compromise to get something done,” said House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington. “A compromise implies that we had come together with a real conversation happening, and that together, we landed here. That’s not what happened,” echoed Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint, D-Windham. The only public health expert to give testimony on the measure, meanwhile, argued that it would achieve little. “‘Local control’ approaches to statewide public health crises are a formula for failure,” Anne Sosin, a public health researcher and policy fellow at Dartmouth College, told the House Government Operations-

Rep. Erin Brady of Williston speaks Monday at a one-day special session of the Legislature in Montpelier. PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

Committee. Sosin has long argued that a mask mandate is necessary to curb the spread of the virus. But burdening local boards with this decision would make it unlikely that mandates will be enacted where they are most needed, she said. “Burlington and Montpelier, municipalities with higher observed levels of community masking, have already expressed their intent to enact mandates,” Sosin wrote to lawmakers. “Towns in Franklin County, where pre-K-12 schools are closed this week in response to an overwhelming number of Covid cases, will be less likely to implement mandates.” The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 17 to 10 and the House 90 to 41. It received nearly unanimous Republican opposition and lost some support on the left as well. Scott did not need the Legisla-

ture to act for local mask mandates to be enacted. With the governor’s approval, local health officers can put such local health measures in place themselves. (Scott slapped down Brattleboro’s attempt to put in place a mask mandate earlier this summer when the Delta variant’s impacts were first being felt in Vermont.) The governor’s office has said it is more democratic for a municipality’s legislative body to pass a local mandate, as opposed to allowing health officers to make the call. But many lawmakers bristled at being called in to do something they argued the governor could achieve with a stroke of his pen. “We’re here today to give towns authority they already have but that the governor fails to recognize,” Sen. Anthony Pollina, P/D-Washington, told his colleagues while on the virtual Senate floor. A patchwork approach to public health is not ideal and would punt a controversial and divisive debate into the laps of local governments, said Pollina, who voted against the bill. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns strongly supports Scott’s proposal and has said it’s particularly concerned about Covid-19 transmission during the upcoming holiday season. But even some town officials who say they are eager to pass mask mandates said they would rather have a statewide approach. “Montpelier will almost certainly enact a local mask requirement,” City Manager William Fraser wrote to the governor last week. “It seems less likely to be helpful, however, if similar requirements are not enacted in neighboring communities.”

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The House also considered — but rejected — a proposed amendment by Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Northfield, that would have made it explicit that municipalities could only enforce these mandates as civil violations. “Silence on this issue,” Donahue told her fellow lawmakers on the House floor, meant that towns and cities could technically enforce these mandates as misdemeanor criminal actions — with a potential sentence of up to a year. “And we might all realize that it would be extraordinarily unlikely that any municipality would do that, or that any prosecutor or judge will impose a sentence, but that’s not how we address changing our laws,” she said. The House Government Operations committee briefly met in the well of the House to discuss Donahue’s proposal but voted against endorsing it. Rep. John Gannon, D-Wilmington, the panel’s vice-chair, told House lawmakers that laws delegating authority to municipalities were typically silent as to whether towns and cities should treat matters in a criminal or civil venue. “This bill is about local control,” he said. “I think it comes down to whether we trust our municipalities to do the right thing.” Donahue’s proposal failed 46 to 86. If approved by a city council or selectboard, a mask mandate will be in effect for an initial period of 45 days and then be subject to renewal every 30 days, according to S.1. All mask policies must sunset by April 30, 2022.

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November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 21

OBITUARIES Gaetane M. Lemieux Gaetane M. Lemieux, 82, of Williston, VT died on November 13, 2021 at McClure Miller Respite House following a brief illness. Born on August 19, 1939 in Mansonville, Quebec, the much loved daughter of Albani and Alice (Vachon) Coutu, she married Andre J. Lemieux in Saint-Cajetan Church in Mansonville in 1964. They moved to Williston, VT in 1967, where together they built their home with their own hands while starting their family. Gaetane cherished her role as a loving wife and mother, raising and nurturing her three children, sharing with them her quiet strength and wisdom. She enjoyed the wonders of nature around her home and spent many days walking in the woods and fields with her children and grandchildren. She was a wonderful homemaker and amazing cook and gardener,

and was always ready to generously offer her hospitality to many family visitors. Gatherings at her home brought forth much laughter, warmth and happiness, and these memories we will hold in our hearts. She is survived by her husband Andre J. Lemieux, her three children Allen A. Lemieux, Nicole Purwin (Lemieux, spouse

of Charles Purwin) and Eric Lemieux (spouse Kim Lemieux (Waterman)) and four grandchildren, Andrew Lemieux (spouse Shelby Lemieux (Couture)), Eliza Lemieux, Aimee Lemieux and Erin Lemieux. There are no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on November 22nd, 11:00 am at Holy Family Church at 30 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, VT. Burial will take place at Holy Family Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please direct donations to the McClure Miller Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Hwy, Colchester, VT 05446. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Ready Funeral Home Mountain View Chapel 68 Pinecrest Dr. Essex Jct. VT. Please visit www.readyfuneral.com to place on-line condolences.

John Edward Froment John Edward Froment was born on March 19, 1953, in Bennington, VT, the son of Virginia A. Carter (Haynes) and the late John E. Froment of Miami, FL. John graduated from Gateway Regional High School and attended Holyoke Community College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, John traveled the world and loved photographing each port of call. John worked for many years in Wilmington, VT and Sunrise, FL, as a counselor for autistic young adults, before

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moving back to Vermont where he worked for the Vermont Department of Employment and Training before retiring. John was a talented artist and enjoyed drawing and photography. John also possessed an ear for music as well as love for it and enjoyed playing the piano or guitar. Always the life of the party, John always had a joyful spirit and loved a good joke. John is survived by his mother, Virginia of Williston; his sister Andrea Tranghese and partner

Neil Julien; his niece Kami Barhight and her husband Dan, his nephews Christopher Tranghese and Daniel Julien; and his great nephew Raylan Barhight. He is predeceased by his father, John Froment and brother Gary (Fred) Froment. A burial will be held at a later date at the Hoosick Rural Cemetery, in Hoosick, NY. The family also invites you to share your memories and condolences by visiting www.awrfh. com.

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Page 22  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021 1

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At CCS you receive a $500 sign-on bonus, comprehensive benefits package that includes affordable health insurance, paid time off, paid holidays, retirement match and more. In addition, CCS has been voted one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for the third year in a row and we want you to be a part it. Our current openings of Direct Support Professionals, Service Coordinator, Senior Manager, Shared Living Provider and Asleep Overnight Supports offer the opportunity to make a positive impact on someone’s life, and in yours. Why not have a job you love? Join us! Visit www.ccs-vt.org to apply today. ccs-vt.org EOE

We are looking for a mechanically inclined person to help with production of machines, handling inventory, packing and shipping, and lots more!

Model S-6 Flexibility and the willingness to pick up a snow shovel and help out is a must. Semi-Automatic Also the possibility to help out with work around the property if interested (but not a requirementjust an Scale User's Manual option for more hours). Interested? We would love to hear from you! (802) 425-2888 or sarah@logicalmachines.com

Change to the Permits and Exemptions standards (UDB Chapter 4) to identify an area of Class IV groundwater around the Commerce Street Superfund Site and to state the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules under which excavation work in this area must comply and that documentation of compliance is required prior to issuance of a local permit. General clean up to correct typographical errors and incorrect citations, as well as provide clarity to existing standards and definitions. The amendments to this bylaw will take effect on December 7, 2021 unless a petition signed by at least five percent of the voters of Williston is filed with the Town Clerk by December 6, 2021 asking for a vote to disapprove the adoption. If a petition is received, the Selectboard will warn a special meeting and the voters may vote on that question pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 4442. Copies of the text of the complete bylaw amendments are available at the Town Clerk’s Office in the Williston Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, Williston, VT. Copies are also available on the Town’s website at http://town.williston.vt.us. (Public Records - Legal Notices). Any questions about these bylaw amendments should be directed to the Planning Office (802-878-6704).

RUG CLEANING

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

brain that infects mammals. It is animals often show a change inmost theiroften norseenbehavior, in raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, mal but you cannot telland whether butanimal unvaccinated pets and livestock also an has rabies simply by looking at November 24, 2021  •  Williston Observer  • can Page 23 getPeople rabies.should The virus is spread through the it. not touch or pick up wild bite of anorinfected or contact with its animals strays –animal even baby animals.

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1/9/14 DEE.PT.bCA 9:12 AM

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LOCAL MEATS Pastured Pork 17 kinds of pork sausage Certified Organic Beef (reg. burger $7lb, lean $5lb) Pastured Lamb • Pastured Chicken, Duck

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Page 24  •  Williston Observer  •  November 24, 2021

Support Your Local Community

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