Williston Observer 12/2/2021

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WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

Town energy committee takes shape

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

The Williston Selectboard has taken its first step toward implementing the town’s energy plan with the recent creation of a Williston Energy Committee.

The board appointed four residents to the committee Nov. 16 and is looking to fill up to three more seats. The committee has yet to hold its first meeting. It will report to the town’s Planning Commission.

The establishment of an energy committee is among the first tasks in a comprehensive energy plan created by a selectboard-appointed task force in 2019. The board approved the plan last fall and incorporated it as a chapter into the town’s Comprehensive Plan. The energy plan lays out pathways for the town to reduce fossil fuel use and increase renewable energy generation in line with Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy Plan, which has set a goal of sourcing 90 percent of the state’s energy needs from renewable sources by 2050.

The four energy committee members appointed in November are Kevin Batson, a retired GlobalFoundries engineer and former planning commission member; Kevin Thorley, a member of Sustainable Williston; Reed Parker, a member of the citizen task force that wrote the energy plan; and Samantha Lash, a Shelburne native who moved to Williston this year and has worked with the Nature Conservancy and the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network.

The energy plan directs the town to hire a full-time energy coordinator to guide the work of the committee and drive the implementation of the plan. Discussion of creating the new position will be on the selectboard’s agenda in December.

“An energy committee will be nice, helpful and useful, but it’s not enough,” resident Deborah Miuccio said at an October meeting when

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Williston Energy Committee Kevin Batson Samantha Lash Reed Parker Kevin Thorley The town is seeking up to three more members to fill out the newly created committee. the board created the committee.

“We need a funded energy coordinator position with expertise and the power to put the energy plan into action.”

The founding mission of the committee is to “advise the planning commission concerning energy policy for land use and taking an active lead in delivering community engagement and education regarding energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for residents and businesses,” according to the committee charges approved by the selectboard.

The selectboard will retain authority over energy policy and the town manager over energy-related staffing or consultant decisions, the charge states.

“I’m certainly in favor of getting the energy committee off the ground and running as soon as possible,” selectboard member Greta D’Agostino said. “I just want to reiterate that I do support an energy coordinator for our town as well. I think that is an integral piece of the energy plan.”

Lash said an energy coordinator will help the town find grant opportunities as state and federal governments invest in climate solutions.

Parker said that working toward implementing the energy plan will make Williston “an example to our region, our state and the whole country as a community that is looking to change the way in which it addresses energy problems and the climate crisis.”

A motion-sensing camera mounted near the ground at the entrance to three of Williston’s natural areas in early fall captured photos of trail-users to help the town measure use of its country parks.

Taking a snapshot of trail traffic

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WILLISTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Over a three-week period in early fall, every trail-user and their dog (if present) entering three Williston natural areas was photographed by an unseen motion-sensing camera, their images sent back to the town offices as part of an effort to measure trail traffic.

Town staff downloaded the photos and counted the number of people captured; the cameras were mounted about 2 feet above the ground so as to get shots only from the waist down.

Sucker Brook Hollow Country Park, located off Route 2A, is the most popular of the three parks studied, with daily usage averaging 51 people over a five-day stretch in mid-September and peaking at 80 people on Sunday, Sept. 19. The daily dog count averaged 15 and peaked at 34.

Five Tree Hill Country Park, located off Sunset Hill Road, saw daily usage at about 21 people (and

8 dogs) over five days, peaking at 36 people (and 10 dogs) on Saturday, Sept. 11.

The data will inform the Williston Planning Department’s trail maintainance priorities.

“I thought it would be valuable to get a rough estimate of usage across the country parks and trails,” Williston Conservation Planner Melinda Scott said. “It’s a way to gauge which areas are getting the most use … and guide our allocation of resources. The areas that get the most heavy usage should be of high priority to maintain and fix.”

The town maintains seven country parks. In addition to the three studied, there are the Oak View Hill Trails, Mud Pond Conservation Area, the Allen Brook Nature Trail and the Catamount Community Forest. When hiking season resumes in 2022, Scott plans to continue to count users, with the exception of Catamount, which tallies usage through ticket sales.

The third area studied this fall

was Mud Pond Country Park — the only one of the town’s trail systems — other than Catamount — where bikes are allowed. There, bike use out-paced pedestrian and dog use with a five-day average of nine bikers, compared to an average of five walkers and five dogs over the same period. Bike use peaked on a Sunday with 14. Pedestrian and dog use peaked on a Saturday with 9 walkers and 7 dogs.

Use of Sucker Brook and Five Tree Hill was about as expected, but use of Mud Pond Country Park fell below expectations, Scott said, noting that the data could have been skewed by inclement weather during the three weeks studied.

Overall, the country park trail system is handling the user load well, Scott said.

“What causes the most damage is when people go out after rain,” she said. “Allowing the trails a couple days to recover after rain storms … would go a long way toward enhancing the sustainability of our trail system.”

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Page 2 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

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CORRECTION A property transfer listed in the Nov. 14 edition of the Observer incorrectly spelled the name of the buyer of 3 acres of commercial property on Avenue B. The buyer is Rieley Cohen Partnership LLC. The Rieley Cohen Partnership has since filed an application with the Town of Williston to establish an 800-square-foot outdoor storage area on the property.

A biweekly trip down memory lane with members of the Williston Historical Society

An Irish-American in Williston: Bridget Ward (1858-1900)

BY ELIZABETH A. ALLEN Special to the Observer Bridget Mary Ward was born on March 13, 1858, in Williston, named for her father Barney’s first wife Bridget (1811-1850).

Her parents, Barney, 45, and Rose Sr., 42, left Ireland during the famine (roughly 1845 to 1855).

Caused by a potato blight in the 1840s, the famine was worsened by a system that kept Irish tenant farmers in debt to absentee Brit-

ish landlords. As many as a million people died.

Another million Irish were displaced. If they, like Barney, Rose Sr. and their families, moved to the United States, they traded British persecution for American.

In “Sketches from Memory” (1835), American author Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote about Burlington’s Irish citizens “swarm(ing) in huts and mean dwellings near the lake ... and elbow(ing) the na-

tive citizens entirely out of competition in their own line. Every species of mere bodily labor is the prerogative of these Irish.”

Comparing Irish immigrants to an insect infestation and insinuating that they were a threat to Yankee jobs, Hawthorne voiced common anti-Irish prejudices of the time.

Things went from bad to worse. In April, 1883, Bridget, having been unwell for several months, was taken from the poor farm to the Vermont Insane Asylum …

Bridget had seven older siblings from her father’s first marriage, but she seems to have been closest to Daniel (1856-1911) and

Rose Jr. (1860-1951). Daniel and Rose Jr. were nearest to Bridget in age, and the three of them shared a mother.

Probably weakened after Rose Jr.’s birth, Rose Sr. died six months later, in August 1860.

Within eight months, Barney remarried another Irish-born woman. Bridget’s new stepmother was Margaret Gorman, 27. She was 20 years younger than Rose Sr. at her death.

Amidst all of this, little Bridget and Rose Jr., both named for their father’s dead wives, likely worried about their own identities and mortality. When Bridget saw her mother replaced with Margaret, perhaps she wondered if she was meant to replace Barney’s first wife. Maybe she feared that she too would die like her namesake.

Bridget grew up in a constantly expanding household. The 1870 U.S. Census shows her living with her father and stepmother, Daniel and Rose Jr., and three

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PAST TIMES surviving stepsiblings. The eldest girl in the house at the age of 12, Bridget raised her younger brothers and sisters. She also helped out on the family farm and attended Williston public schools.

As Bridget passed through her teens, Barney and Margaret had another three surviving children. Bridget watched her siblings grow up and thought about her own future. She was expected to marry and start her own family, but her older brother Philip’s path offered an alternative.

He moved out of the parental home, remaining nearby. He supported himself as a farm laborer and did not marry. Ultimately Bridget stayed single as well, perhaps in an attempt to avoid her mother’s fate.

Barney was thrown from his wagon on Nov. 17, 1879, alarming Bridget and family. His resultant head injury was so severe that, expecting to die, he wrote his will.

He left his estate to his wife Margaret, but allowed Bridget and Rose Jr. to live with her until they married. Barney died a year later when Bridget was 22.

Bridget did not take advantage of her father’s housing offer. She struck out on her own. The 1880 U.S. Census shows

Her life vividly illustrates the dangers, challenges, hard work and joy of the Irish-American experience in northern Vermont in the latter nineteenth century. her living alone in a Burlington boarding house, working as a “domestic servant.”

Barred from most white-collar jobs with higher wages, Irish-Americans like Bridget had limited employment options, mostly involving heavy labor and meager pay.

Nevertheless she must have been proud of her accomplishments.

Bridget’s situation worsened in early 1883 when she was 25. She ended up at Williston’s Union Poor Farm, a sort of homeless shelter. Common in the U.S. in the nineteenth century, poor farms offered refuge to people who could no longer support themselves. Williston, Essex, Jericho and Shelburne placed people at Union Poor Farm and paid for their care.

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get was no doubt miserable.

But Bridget recovered. Somehow she got out of the asylum, regaining her independence. A Burlington city directory from 1889 lists her as living in the city once more and working for John E. Peck at a general store.

The next few years brought tragedy to Bridget’s circle. On Sept. 28, 1892, Bridget’s sister, Margaret Ward Jeannotte, died at 24 after giving birth. Her stepmother, Margaret, died at 60 on Nov. 23, 1893. An elder brother, Barney Sr., died less than a year later. Grieving her family members, Bridget may have wondered how long her own life would last.

Bridget died in Colchester on Aug. 13, 1900 at 42. Her death certificate lists “paralysis” as the cause. She may have had a stroke that partly paralyzed her and caused her health to decline.

Bridget’s closest brothers, Daniel and Philip, whose single life gave her a model to follow, were pallbearers, along with younger siblings James and Edward. She was buried with other Wards in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Burlington. Her life vividly illustrates the dangers, challenges, hard work and joy of the Irish-American experience in northern Vermont in the latter nineteenth century.

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At the same time, Union Poor Farm was a working farm, so people earned their keep through farm labor. It supplied everything residents needed, including food, clothing, medical care ... and coffins, for those who never left.

Bridget must have felt humiliated about losing her independence. She was also probably self-conscious about being institutionalized in her hometown, supervised by people who might have known her from childhood.

Then things went from bad to worse. In April 1883, Bridget, having been unwell for several months, was taken from the poor farm to the Vermont Insane Asylum in Brattleboro. The Vermont Insane Asylum (now Brattleboro Retreat) was founded in 1834, the state’s first such facility. As a pioneer of the “moral treatment” model, the facility promoted resident autonomy with a gymnasium, resident-led activity groups and resident-managed enterprises.

Despite its pioneering philosophies, the asylum was not a restorative place. When Bridget arrived, the asylum functioned as a holding pen for chronically needy people, whether mentally ill or not. (It is unknown whether Bridget herself was considered mentally ill.) Bridget and other residents lived in crowded, badly maintained quarters. Isolated from home and family, Brid-

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Page 4 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Village tree lighting on tap The Williston Federated Church will host a community tree lighting Sunday, Dec. 5.

The event will take place from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the gazebo on the Village Green and will include Christmas music and a visit from the SD Ireland holiday truck.

The church asks attendees to bring donations of new hats, mittens, gloves or socks for the

Williston Community Food Shelf.

Masks are recommended.

Christmas Day meals available for seniors For the 18th year, HANDS (Helping and Nurturing Diverse Seniors) is providing a delivered meal on Christmas Day for older adults.

“We know that people are still having a tough time because of Covid,” HANDS Executive Director Megan Humphrey said.

“We’re expecting to distribute 1,000 meals and giftbags all over the county to get healthy food and some holiday cheer delivered.”

To reserve a free hot meal (ham dinner or vegetarian lasagna dinner) delivered to anyone 50 years and older on Christmas Day in Chittenden County, call Age Well at (802) 865-0360 by Dec. 17. For more information or to donate, go to www.handsvt. org.

This community effort is supported by Age Well, Burlington School Food Project, Elks Lodge, HANDS, Penny Cluse Café, Temple Sinai and individual volunteers and businesses.

HANDS will deliver free hot meals to seniors in Chittenden County for Christmas. Reservations are accepted at www.handsvt.org or by calling (802) 865-0360.

Historical society presents the quirks of Jericho-Underhill Learn about the peculiar history of the “Flats” in Underhill and Riverside in Jericho in a Chittenden County Historical

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At the intersection of the Creek and Brown’s rivers in Jericho, there is a large flat area that, as the region was settled, became a prime locale for a village to develop. But when the towns of Underhill and Jericho were laid out, the dividing line between the two towns ran through this plain, and thus through the new village.

The Underhill side of the line became Underhill Flats, or just “the Flats”, while the Jericho side became Riverside. This has led to some interesting situations as the area developed; the village had a robust retail and manufacturing sector.

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What happened to Grace Reapp and her daughter? Was the crime ever solved? Did you hear about the man who had a scheme to adulterate maple syrup? And more. . .

The afternoon event ends with a book signing and sale of Volume 3 of the Jericho Town History (1963-2013).

Masks will be required.

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 5

Shelburne Museum joins in the holiday light fun

Shelburne Museum will light its campus this winter with its inaugural “Winter Lights” display.

The Museum will decorate 12 of its buildings and gardens in multicolored light arrangements for the event, which will run from Thanksgiving weekend through New Year’s Day. That includes the 220-foot Ticonderoga ship as well as the Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building.

Winter Lights will be open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are available at www.store.shelburnemuseum.org.

Shelburne Museum’s inaugural “Winter Lights” show will run through New Year’s Day.

Vt. Tech to host state energy plan hearing

The Vermont Department of Public Service will hold an in-person public hearing to accept comments on the draft 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan on Sunday, Dec. 12 at the Williston Campus of Vermont Technical College (141 Lawrence Place).

The meeting is from 3-5 p.m.

It is one of five public hearings the department will conduct throughout the state in the month of December to take public comment on the plan.

For more information on the public hearings or to download a draft of the plan, visit www.publicservice.vermont.gov.

The Public Service Department will also accept written comments until Dec. 20. ​Submit by email to psd.comprehensiveenergyplan@vermont.gov or by mail to: CEP 2022 Public Comments, c/o Vermont Department of Public Service, 112 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2601.

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Road work in Chittenden County

In Williston, waterline work at the intersection of Industrial Avenue and Route 2 and additional work within the area will cause lane shifts and extended delays during peak commuting hours throughout this week. Vehicular access to all businesses in the area will remain open. Motorists on Route 2 should plan for extra travel time. The project will be ongoing until the fall of 2023.

Also in Williston, waterline work will cause one-lane travel and some delays on Aspen Lane in the Lamplite Acres development.

This project is ongoing, and the completion date is undetermined.

WILLISTON-SO. BURLINGTON

A bridge replacement over Muddy Brook connecting Williston and South Burlington has closed Kimball/Marshall Aves to all through traffic. Detour signs are in place. Alternating one-way travel over the bridge is expected to resume Friday, Dec. 3.

RICHMOND

A waterline replacement project on Bridge Street from Church Street to Volunteers’ Green will cause one-way traffic and delays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. during the week. Traffic entering the work zone from the Round Church side will have longer delays, especially during the evening commute time. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes if possible. The project is expected to be completed in December.

COLCHESTER

Work to construct a new

multi-use bike path along Route 15 between Lime Kiln Road and the Vermont Air National Guard Road will cause lane closures in the work areas from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. during the week.

SHELBURNE-SO. BURLINGTON

Night-time signal work on Route 7 at the intersections of McIntosh Avenue, Baldwin Avenue, Laurel Hill Road, Brewer Parkway, Queen City Park Road and Swift Street will cause lane closures within the work areas during weekday evenings from

7 p.m.-6 a.m. Traffic control will be present. This project is expected to be completed in December.

BURLINGTON

Motorists should be aware of construction work to extend Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express route to Burlington’s Union Station in the waterfront area.

Pedestrians and bicyclists are urged to use the designated detour for the bike path to avoid traveling through the work zone.

This project should be completed by December.

Registration for holiday decorating contest nears Homeowners and business owners should register their holiday displays by the Dec. 5 deadline.

Visit www.willistonrec.org or call the Rec and Parks Department at (802) 876-1160 to register or for more information.

Page 6 • Williston Observer • December 2, 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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Vermont Land Trust leaves lasting legacy

BY DARBY BRADLEY Land conservation has always been about more than simply protecting land.

When Rick Carbin founded the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) in 1977, he was already thinking about housing and economic development as well as the preservation of farm and forest land. The value of building connections between land, people and communities remains at the forefront of the organization today, despite the myriad new challenges that our land, our communities and our state now face.

Conservation is about protecting what matters in communities.

In many communities this has meant ensuring the intergenerational transfer of farms, as it did in the early 1980s with the Hollister Hill Farm in Marshfield. In Addison and Franklin counties, 230 working farms were conserved between 1995 and 2005. Established farmers who sold development rights received payments for protecting their land, which they reinvested in their farms. By first selling development rights, retiring farmers could sell their farm at its agricultural value to a younger generation, who brought new energy, capital and business practices to Vermont’s agricultural economy.

In other regions of Vermont, conservation has meant preserving forestland, which supports the forest products and recreational in-

dustries. The 132,000-acre Champion Lands Project, for example, helped ensure that the Northeast Kingdom’s growing snowmobiling and mountain biking industries, as well as hunters, anglers and hikers, would always have access to this huge section of Essex County. This investment, made decades ago, continues to offer and add value today through the recreational use of the land as well as carbon storage.

At the same time, dozens of community conservation projects — like Hogback Mountain in Marlboro, Casey’s (sledding) Hill in Jericho and the face of Mt. Equinox in Manchester — were completed with the active participation of local residents. In some cases, VLT has been able to donate land for a specific community purpose, including for an assisted living center in East Craftsbury and for affordable housing and expanded public facilities in Hancock Village.

VLT has also worked with communities that have been historically marginalized. In Highgate and Brunswick, VLT helped protect land that was important to the Abenaki Nation’s history and culture. In Fletcher and Reading, it facilitated the creation of residential camps for low-income children.

In Colchester, VLT purchased and then leased out Pine Island Farm for New American immigrants from Africa and Asia.

As new challenges arise — increasing home values, an ever-changing agricultural economy,

the need for greater equity and inclusion for all Vermonters, and climate change — VLT is evolving to confront these issues. To do so, VLT will be focusing on projects with multiple community benefits, such as the conserved Bluffside Farm in Newport, which now hosts a recreation path along the shores of Lake Memphremagog, along with vegetable gardens that serve the local hospital; projects in underserved communities that provide easy access to the outdoors, such as the new outdoor classroom at the Mettowee Community School in Pawlet; and projects that protect precious resources in the face of climate change, such as West Mountain in Shaftsbury and Arlington.

In all of these accomplishments, VLT credits the active support and assistance of many partners, including the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and other land conservation organizations, governmental agencies, funders, community volunteers and, most importantly, landowners.

While challenges change and VLT evolves, it will continue to value, promote and conserve those connections between people, communities and the land that founder Rick Carbin first espoused so many years ago.

Darby Bradley helped found the Vermont Land Trust in 1977 and served in several roles with the organization, including staff attorney and president, until 2013.

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR More information should be delivered

Digging into public sector compensation

Thank you for your article on the Williston Post Office (“A season of discontent,” Nov. 24).

The world has many more vexing problems, but the slow-down and staffing issues at our local office certainly cause problems. Bills come late. Ads come late. Your paper came six days late.

It’s annoying that Steve Doherty, the regional postal communications officer, did not answer your questions. That’s his job!

Another rumor swirling around is that the growth in Williston’s population has meant this post office building is woefully undersized. Shouldn’t Doherty be able to answer that? Or address what specific slow-downs may be resulting from the effort by U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to privatize the postal service?

What efforts is the postal service taking to correct the problem?

Signing bonuses?

Nobody wants to take out the frustration of unreliable service on postal employees. I can attest they are trying to meet citizens’ needs.

Still, more information is always better than none.

Over the past months of pension discussions at the Legislature, we heard claims about the state’s non-competitive wages and we decided to verify those statements. We set out expecting to find that pension benefits were an unquestionable asset to recruiting and retaining our public sector workforce. What we found surprised us. Here are our key findings: • The average public sector employee is in the top 25 percent of income-earners in Vermont, even before you consider health benefits.

• On average, employees make nearly $12,000 per year less in the private sector than the public-sector.

• The average private sector employee makes at least $20,000 less per year in retirement than a public sector employee. This disparity likely grows when health benefits are considered.

• Wages for public sector employees have grown faster over the past 20 years than private sector employees. And over the past 30 years (as far back as we have data), private sector wages have consistently lagged the public sector.

Tricia Knoll Williston

• The problem is going to get worse before it gets better as nearly 20 percent of state workers are approaching retirement.

• The extraordinary benefits offered to public sector retirees may not be necessary to compete for qualified workers.

Campaign for Vermont hopes that having this information will help the Legislative Pension Task Force to ask tough questions about the total compensation of public employees that are necessary as it sets about making the changes necessary to address the state’s current $4.5 billion pension liability situation. We will continue this important work to better understand the value proposition of the state’s above average benefit options. We value our public employees and do not want to break our promises to them, but we do need to make changes that safeguard the long-term stability of our pension funds for future generations.

The report is available at www.campaignforvermont.org/ public_employees.

Pat McDonald, President Campaign for Vermont

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GUEST COLUMN

An opportunity for smarter growth

BY KATI GALLAGHER AND KELLY STODDARD POOR There are many factors that shape how Vermont’s communities plan for the future and manage growth and change. As we face increasingly complex environmental, social and economic challenges, it is crucial now more than ever that our development is guided by decisions that will make communities more livable, connected and inclusive places that meet the needs of residents (and accommodate new ones).

Such decisions include where individuals and families choose to live, work, go to school and shop; where businesses decide to locate; how or whether to regulate land use and development; and how and where to invest public resources in infrastructure, government offices, schools and other insti-

tutions.

The Smart Growth Progress Report, recently published by the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) and AARP Vermont, evaluates the role that state spending plays in shaping how and where development occurs in Vermont and whether these decisions are leading to more vibrant, thriving communities through smart growth patterns — which support Vermont’s historic village centers surrounded by farm and forests — or furthering sprawl.

The spending decisions of state government are critical because, despite still retaining much of Vermont’s historic, compact settlement pattern, many policy decisions in recent decades have prioritized the efficient movement of automobiles over people and have favored the development of single family homes on large lots outside

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of traditional town centers. Such sprawling development has often had unintended consequences, negatively impacting our natural resources and working lands, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions and increasing

strains on household costs, public health and the ability of Vermonters — especially older Vermonters — to live independently.

Instead, state and local decision-makers must respond to the needs of Vermonters by making investments in accessible transportation, diverse housing options, town and village infrastructure and the preservation of farms, forests and natural resources.

These are the types of expenditures that will allow us to respond to current needs and plan for the future.

The 2021 Smart Growth Progress Report looked at spending between 2013 and 2019. Findings show that while some state spending decisions have shown leadership on smart growth and resilience — such as rebuilding in Waterbury Village after Tropical Storm Irene — others leave significant see GALLAGHER page 9

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Federal funds coming into Vermont will present enormous opportunities … to transform infrastructure for walk, bike and public transit, and upgrade antiquated wastewater systems.

5:24 PM

View the current edition anytime at willistonobserver.com/digital-edition

— Public Meeting #2 — Allen Brook Community Park Master Plan Revitalization

Tuesday, December 7 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Old Brick Church Downstairs Meeting Space

Be sure to attend the FINAL PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE ALLEN BROOK COMMUNITY PARK MASTER PLAN. Williston Recreation and Parks and consultant SE Group will provide a summary of prior public feedback on the initial concepts and present the final preferred plan.

The public will have the opportunity to provide comments/question during the presentation as well as during a subsequent online survey.

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 9

Gallagher continued from page

8

room for improvement. Funding dedicated to sustainable transportation options, for example, has remained a small fraction of VTrans’ overall budget. (In 2019, only 2 percent was spent on walking and biking, and 4.8 percent on public transit.) A more significant decline occurred in funds dedicated to water and sewer systems.

Between 2013-2017, about $85.9 million was spent on this essential infrastructure – over $9 million less than the prior study period between 2002-2006, not accounting for inflation. Without adequate investments in water and sewer systems, our communities cannot sustain growth and are further burdened by exacerbated runoff and polluted waterways.

Overall, the percentage of spending on smart growth projects

remained flat or decreased compared to the previous study period, with the exception of spending on state buildings. While the report recommends several key action steps, ensuring incoming federal funds — from Covid relief, the infrastructure bill recently signed into law and potentially the Build Back Better bill – do not enable or support sprawling development must be a critical focus for decision-makers in the near term.

Any new federal funds coming into Vermont will present enormous opportunities for policymakers by leveraging state and local dollars to transform infrastructure for walk, bike and public transit, and upgrade antiquated wastewater systems that stymie compact development and pollute our waterways. These types of investments will not only provide communities with the ability to increase the supply and diversity of

housing, services and transportation options, but will also improve the overall livability, vitality and resilience of our downtowns and village centers.

This is a pivotal time in Vermont. The state is emerging from a public health crisis and facing global challenges that are bringing demographic change, unprecedented public investment and economic shifts. We are being presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest federal funds in long-needed community infrastructure that will better serve all Vermonters — now and into the future. How we respond, through policy and spending decisions, will be critical to providing livable, vibrant communities in the coming years.

The 2020 Smart Growth Progress Report can be found online at www.vnrc.org/smart-growth. To request a paper copy, email Alex

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Page 10 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Supreme Court decision has big implications for Act 250

BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger

A recent decision by the Vermont Supreme Court would change the way Act 250, Vermont’s sweeping land use and development law, functions in towns without zoning and subdivision regulations.

If it stands, the decision related to a proposed stone quarry in Cavendish would exempt certain commercial and industrial projects that Act 250 has historically covered, reversing the way the act has been administered for 50 years.

The ruling by the five justices was unanimous. The court has reopened the decision for reargument, and four parties have opposed the court’s decision.

Opposing groups include two that were originally involved in the case — the appellant and the Natural Resources Board, which administers Act 250 — along with the Vermont Natural Resources Council and seven former Environmental Board and Natural Resources Board chairs.

Currently, in towns with minimal land use laws, commercial and industrial developers need an Act 250 permit when they’re constructing projects on a parcel of land that is, in total, 1 acre or larger.

Under the new interpretation of the law, Act 250 would be triggered only if a developer used — physically disturbed — an acre or more.

“The act does not seek to subject every decision regarding land to government scrutiny or impose restrictions on the alienation of land for their own sake,” said the decision, written by Vermont Supreme Court

Associate Justice William Cohen.

The Vermont Natural Resources Council, which objects to the decision, argues that the interpretation would allow developers to construct any project with a footprint smaller than 1 acre — 43,560 square feet — in towns with few other means of regulating them. A football field, for comparison, is about 1.32 acres.

The decision doesn’t align with the Legislature’s intentions when it created Act 250, says an amicus brief filed by the council.

The legal case around the Cavendish stone quarry has been going on since 2017. A local Act 250 district coordinator decided the quarry needed a permit, then the Environmental Court decided it didn’t. Neighbors appealed the case, which went to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the Environmental Court’s decision.

“If it stands, the new interpretation of (the statute) is an open invitation to design projects that physically disturb less than 1 acre for virtually any type of construction or development — gas stations, convenience stores, shooting ranges, chain restaurants and stores, and anything else a creative developer can imagine,” says a motion to reargue, filed attorney Merrill Bent with the law firm Woolmington, Campbell, Bent & Stasny.

An attorney for Snowstone LLC, the company looking to construct a stone quarry, was not available for comment. A call to the landowners’ attorney was not returned.

‘ON MORE THAN 1 ACRE OF LAND’

Act 250, enacted in 1970, was spearheaded by then-Gov. Deane

Davis, a Republican, when the burgeoning ski industry prompted rapid development, particularly in southern Vermont.

It was intended to curb “unplanned, uncoordinated and uncontrolled” uses of land and “protect and conserve the lands and the environment of the state to (ensure) that these lands and environment are devoted to uses which are not detrimental to the public welfare and interests,” the court decision said.

Developers constructing large projects that come under Act 250 review must work with one of the state’s nine regional district environ-

‘This is a body blow to Act 250. It has very serious implications in the rural areas, which benefit the most from Act 250 review.’

Ed Stanak Former Act 250 district coordinator

mental commissions, which weigh 10 points of criteria.

While critics of the law have expressed concern that it can suppress economic growth in the state, it’s also widely credited with helping to protect the rural and wild qualities of Vermont.

The change stemming from the court ruling hinges on the interpretation of a single clause in the act’s definition of “development.”

Act 250 works differently in

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towns that have existing zoning and subdivision laws — called 10-acre towns — and towns that don’t. In 10-acre towns, developers must apply for a permit if they want to build on a parcel of land that is 10 acres or larger.

The threshold is purposefully lower for towns without land use regulation. There, developers need an Act 250 permit if they’re constructing “improvements for commercial or industrial purposes on more than one acre of land.”

That raises the question: What, exactly, does “on more than one acre of land” mean — and what is the threshold for triggering an Act 250 permit?

“We find the language unambiguous, at least as it applies to the facts presented in this case,” the court decision reads. “‘The construction of improvements for commercial or industrial purposes ‘on more than one acre of land’ refers to the land actually used for the construction of improvements, rather than the size of the parcel on which the construction of improvements will be located.”

Both the Vermont Natural Resources Council’s brief and the appellant’s motion to re-argue the case said the language in the statute is clearly saying the opposite. In effect, they argue that the threshold for triggering a permit should be lower than what the court has found.

Act 250 “does not indicate that the construction or improvements must themselves exceed one acre of land to trigger jurisdiction, but rather states that they must be on more than one acre of land,” the neighbor’s motion to reargue said.

Greg Boulbol, general counsel of the Vermont Natural Resources Board, which administers Act 250, said if that interpretation “were to go into practice, it would change the way that Act 250 jurisdiction is triggered in 1-acre towns.”

Boulbol said that, at the moment, the decision would affect a “relatively small number of cases” currently being processed by the board, but that could change.

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Almost half of Vermont’s towns — 45 percent — are treated as 1-acre towns under Act 250, and those towns cover roughly 2 million of Vermont’s 6 million acres, according to an amicus brief filed by the Vermont Natural Resources Council.

In the Northeast Kingdom, 78 percent of municipalities have minimal or no zoning or subdivision regulations, according to the council’s brief. Nearly two-thirds of the 27 towns that are part of the Windham Regional Commission are considered 1-acre towns.

In those regions, “commercial development that was intended to be covered under Act 250 may receive no environmental review at all,”

according to the neighbor’s brief to reargue.

Cohen’s decision suggests the current interpretation of the law is overly burdensome. The decision gives an example: If a Vermonter owns 1,000 acres of pristine forest and wants to construct a commercial or industrial operation on one of those acres, the landowner would be required to undertake “the burdensome and costly requirements of the act.”

“Every lemonade stand on a parcel larger than an acre could need an Act 250 permit,” Cohen wrote.

However, the Vermont Natural Resources Council wrote that legislators designed more stringent regulation for 1-acre towns, in part, to nudge municipal bodies to enact their own zoning regulations. The decision may “incentivize some towns to do the opposite and rescind regulations in order to reduce state environmental oversight,” it said.

The council’s brief warns that the decision could also invite developers to “deliberately design commercial and industrial projects in 1-acre towns to fall under the 1-acre threshold of disturbance, creating a loophole in Act 250 that never existed.”

David Snedeker, executive director of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association, said he hadn’t previously heard about the decision, but said residents of the Northeast Kingdom might feel one of two ways about it.

“There’s going to be probably many people in the development community that are going to look at this and be quite pleased that they don’t have to get an Act 250 permit,” he said. “But then you’re going to have other communities that sometimes rely on Act 250 as kind of an extra layer of protection, in addition to their local zoning, if they have it or not.”

There could be concerns that the loosened regulation could change the character of the area, Snedeker said.

He’s been living in the area since 2002, and his experience is that it’s a “pretty pro-development region overall.”

“I can see people and communities reacting very differently to this decision,” he said.

‘DO I NEED A PERMIT?’

What puzzles Ed Stanak, a former Act 250 district coordinator who worked in Washington and Lamoille counties, is that the court could have reached the same decision — that the parcel where the project was proposed is smaller than 1 acre, and therefore did not need an Act 250 permit — without introducing the new interpretation of “1-acre towns.”

“For reasons which many of us do not understand, Justice Cohen then went on to open up this very serious problem,” Stanak said. see ACT 250 page 12

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 11

Vermont in the dark about Covid case counts as hospitalizations rise

BY ERIN PETENKO VTDigger

At first glance, Vermont’s data would suggest positive news about the spread of Covid-19 in the state.

Cases have dropped 13 percent over the past week, the most significant drop since the Delta surge began this summer.

But at the same time, testing declined a whopping 32 percent, suggesting that lower case counts are more likely the result of fewer people getting tested. The positivity rate — the percentage of PCR tests that came back positive for Covid — rose 23 percent, according to a presentation Tuesday from Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation.

Pieciak said the people who sought testing on Thanksgiving or the days after were more likely to be symptomatic, raising the positivity rate. Colleges and K-12 schools also did not conduct reg-

ularly scheduled testing because their students were on break.

The Department of Health reported 183 Covid cases among K-12 students and staff in the past week, its lowest weekly total in the past month.

Testing dropped across the region as well, except in Quebec, where cases have continued to steadily rise. (Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October.)

Data on hospitalizations, which are less affected by holiday swings, suggest that Vermont is still hard-hit by the virus. The Vermont Department of Health reported a record-breaking 82 hospitalizations on Tuesday, including 22 people in intensive care units.

Roughly 70 percent of hospital patients and 80 percent of ICU patients are unvaccinated, even though unvaccinated Vermonters form only 25 percent of the population age 5 or older, according to state data.

Pieciak presented new data on

Health Commissioner Mark Levine speaks during a September news conference in Montpelier.

PHOTO BY MIKE DOUGHERTY/VTDIGGER

the effect of boosters on preventing hospitalization. In November, the hospitalization rate for people who were fully vaccinated and had their booster shot was 6 per 100,000 people. For people who were fully vaccinated without a booster, the rate was 18 per

100,000. For not fully vaccinated people — people with one shot or none — the rate was 81 per 100,000, according to the Pieciak presentation.

Pieciak said the high uptake of boosters among the older population — 64 percent of people 65 and older — could be why Vermont reported a decline in fatalities in November despite rising case counts.

Vermont has reported 34 deaths so far in November, down from 46 in October and 50 in September, according to Pieciak’s presentation. That may not be the full monthly total, as the state often adds death data retroactively.

It’s also worth noting that death metrics tend to lag behind cases and hospitalizations as the virus runs its course in severely ill patients.

The state has expanded its booster program to all adults. State officials encouraged Vermonters to get their next shot.

“By protecting yourself, you

protect those around you, including family, community and those who are more vulnerable,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine. “And the more Vermonters that are protected, the less burden on our health care system, which means people who need hospital care for whatever reason can get it.”

Levine also encouraged parents to set up appointments for children 5 to 11 years old to receive their vaccines. About 41 percent of kids in that age group have received their first dose so far.

Gov. Phil Scott also urged Vermonters to wear masks indoors, particularly in public spaces. But he once again defended his decision to not impose a mask order, despite public pressure from the Legislature and health experts.

“The continued debate about whether it should be mandated or whether it should be utilized is just making the problem worse, from my standpoint,” he said.

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Page 12 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Hunting access dispute leads to fatal shooting

A shooting that left two men dead and another man critically injured in Alburgh on Saturday stemmed from a dispute over access to a shared hunting plot in North Hero, police and two people connected to the victims said.

Vermont State Police said David Mohamed, 51, and Larry P. Cameron, 41, were fatally shot in the torso during a struggle Saturday night outside Larry Cameron’s home on Cameron Drive.

Devin Cameron, 27, was shot multiple times and remains hospitalized, state police said in a press release Monday evening.

Devin and Larry Cameron are cousins, said another cousin, Kelly Deyo, who lives in Alburgh near Larry Cameron’s house.

Deyo said Mohamed has been a family friend for years.

Speaking at her house on Monday afternoon, Deyo said Devin Cameron and Mohamed had been arguing for about a week over whether to give Devin Cameron’s girlfriend first dibs on a hunting plot.

But Allana Gerlach, a close friend of the Camerons, said the dispute centered around whether Mohamed could “road hunt” at the same time Devin Cameron’s girlfriend was hunting at the property.

Gerlach said “it shouldn’t have happened and it was taken a step too far. And we can’t take it back at this point.”

Larry Cameron was not a hunter, Deyo said. She called the shooting “ridiculous.”

Police said the dispute prompted a fistfight between Devin Cameron and Mohamed earlier Saturday evening at the Dillenbeck Bay fishing access in Alburgh.

Following the fight, Devin and Larry Cameron traveled to Larry Cameron’s home, police said. Mohamed also drove there shortly after, sometime before 10 p.m. and was accompanied in a separate vehicle by two friends police identified as 23- and 25-yearold men from North Hero. Police did not share their names.

Police said Larry Cameron came out of the garage area of his home and fired multiple shots into the air from a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in an effort to make Mohamed leave. Devin Cameron, who was unarmed, then joined Larry Cameron next to the driver’s-side door of Mohamed’s pickup truck while Mohamed was seated inside.

Mohamed brought out a .308 rifle, police said, and a struggle ensued over the weapon followed by an exchange of gunfire. Mohamed was struck multiple times by rounds from the handgun, police said, and Larry Cameron was struck once by a rifle round.

The house on Cameron Drive in Alburgh where police say two men were killed and another injured in a shooting Saturday. Police have cordoned off the property.

PHOTO BY SHAUN ROBINSON/VTDIGGER

An autopsy conducted Monday at the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined the manner of both men’s deaths to be homicide, police said.

State police continue to investigate the

Act 250 continued from page

10

Stanak expressed concern about the administrative side of the new interpretation.

Most of his work on Act 250 was with smalltime developers who needed only minor applications, he said. The first step, he said, was addressing the question, “Do I need an Act 250 permit?”

“For over 50 years, the threshold question was, ‘How much land do you own? Is it more than an acre in size?’” he said. “If the answer was ‘yes,’ then we could roll up our sleeves and begin to talk with the person about the practical aspects of getting an Act 250 permit.”

Now, he said, the landowner would likely have had to determine the exact size of a project — a process that would likely require an engineer — before a coordinator can discuss next steps with them.

shooting and the circumstances that led up to it. Once it’s complete, police said the investigation will be reviewed by Grand Isle County State’s Attorney Doug DiSabito, who will determine whether to file any charges.

‘There’s going to be probably many people in the development community that are going to look at this and be quite pleased…’

David Snedeker Executive director Northeastern Vermont Development Association

“This will increase the cost for the small person. It increases the cost for them just to find out … if they need to get a permit,” he said.

“From my perspective, this is a body blow to Act 250,” he said. “It has very serious implications in the rural areas, which benefit the most from Act 250 review.”

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December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 13

Winooski’s school-based health center to expand SOFIA MENDEZ Community News Service

Construction will soon start on an expansion of Winooski’s school health clinic to include a dental suite to treat students.

Winooski school nurse Liz Parris started the in-school health clinic in 2017 after a year of planning, community engagement and grant-writing.

For Parris, the clinic was a

way to bridge the barriers many kids face when seeking healthcare. Even before the pandemic problems were added to the mix, kids in need of healthcare would have to lose significant class time in order to get it, she said.

“Kids were leaving school for medical appointments and then not coming back,” Parris said.

The center, as it stands now, has been offering services for kids and their families through

the pandemic. Right now these focus on testing.

“Our providers … are working with the families to Covid test (students) here on-site,” Parris said. “We are getting rid of the middle man.”

Dr. Sherry Larose, a provider from the Community Health Centers of Burlington, works at the Winooski center once a week.

“I was there for a little over

an hour and I was able to test four kids that maybe wouldn’t have been able to get the testing so quickly,” she said.

The clinic increases accessibility for non-English speaking families who sometimes struggle to find health care outside the school system, Larose said.

The expansion promises more space for regular operations plus a new dental suite.

Those working at the center hope for a future in which there is a provider on-site every day rather than the current three times a week. They also will

need a dental health provider to work on-site once the installation opens, Larose and Parris said.

Larose said she was happy that she can personally facilitate primary care for kids that need it. She also hopes the expanded center can eventually open to the general public.

“This project will ensure more young people have access to health care without missing classes and without their parents missing work,” Sanders wrote in a note to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday. In addition, we provide rack distribution to locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex.

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Page 14 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ new Mount Ellen facility is under construction at Sugarbush Resort’s Mount Ellen in Fayston. It is expected to open Dec. 20.

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Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ (VASS) new Mount Ellen facility will open when Mount Ellen at Sugarbush does, Dec. 20.

After three years of planning and construction, this second permanent home of Vermont’s largest adaptive sports program — a 4,000-square-foot addition to Mount Ellen’s base lodge — is in its final stages.

Built in the 1960s, a decade before any disability specific legislation was passed, Mount Ellen’s lodge, like many buildings of its time, had long lacked accessibility. The construction of VASS’s new facility will greatly change this.

Previously having committed 400 square feet of makeshift space on the main floor of the lodge for VASS operations, the lodge provided access to just one straightin entry point enabling wheelchair access, one handicap accessible bathroom and very limited space to accommodate additional needs of participants.

With the completion of the addition, VASS will now operate in an accessible space 10 times as large. It will include gear storage, locker and changing rooms on the bottom floor, offices, programming space and ski-in/ski-out access on the main level, and sensory, service dog and Veteran Ven-

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tures rooms, a Cabot-sponsored kitchen, multipurpose space and access to an expansive deck on the third floor. All three levels will have accessible restrooms.

This project has occurred alongside improvements to the Mount Ellen base lodge itself. The two are growing together, marking the creation of a new, accessible and integrated space.

“Integration was a goal we wanted to keep moving forward,” said Felicia Fowler, the northern coordinator for VASS. “It’s an important part because many people come with friends and family, and they don’t necessarily want to rely on the (VASS) program all the time.”

The finalization of the Mount Ellen VASS facility marks the completion of phase two of three — the first being at Pico and third on the Burlington waterfront — of the permanent establishment of VASS locations across the state.

After experiencing Covid delays, the success of this project speaks to the patience, collaboration and adaptability of VASS and Sugarbush over the last three years, Fowler said.

“It’s been an ongoing process,” said Fowler, “but it’s given us more time to dial everything in.”

VASS is still looking to raise the final $250,000 of the $2.5 million project.

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VASS’s new space at Mount Ellen at Sugarbush ski area will soon have a space to provide access to winter activities for youth and adults with disabilities.

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The care and safety of holiday plants

BY DEBORAH BENOIT Special to the Observer It’s that time of year again when amaryllis, Christmas cactus and poinsettias appear in stores and find their way into our homes.

Whether you receive a new plant as a gift or purchase it, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the plant’s needs and any safety concerns it might present.

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is easily recognized by its tall flower stalk topped with multiple large, trumpet-shaped flowers. It’s available as a bulb ready to plant or already flowering.

This popular holiday plant is easy to care for. Just provide some light and keep the soil moist, but not wet. Turning the plant regularly will help the stalk grow straight rather than lean into the light.

Keep amaryllis out of reach of pets and children. The bulb, leaves and flowers contain toxins that can cause abdominal pain, vomiting and other physical distress.

After the flowers have faded, remove them. Continue to water and enjoy the foliage until the leaves begin to die, and then cut them back.

Store the bulb in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant it again in the fall. For more information on growing amaryllis, go to

www.go.uvm.edu/amaryllis.

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) generally is available to purchase during November and December. It’s an attractive plant with arching branches and colorful flowers.

If you receive or bring home a Christmas cactus, place it in a bright window for the winter season. Water when the soil begins to dry out, but don’t let the soil dry completely or buds may drop.

Likewise, don’t over water. Soggy soil can lead to root rot. With minimal care, those bright blooms should last four to six weeks, plenty of time to enjoy through the holidays and into the new year.

Christmas cactus is an easycare houseplant that can last for many years. Once the flowers have faded, continue to water as needed.

Place in bright, but indirect light during the summer when sunlight will be more intense and could burn the leaves.

You also can move it outdoors while temperatures remain above 50 degrees. Gradually acclimate it to the stronger sunlight as you would seedlings in the spring. Be sure to bring it back indoors before the danger of frost returns.

And if you decide you want more, Christmas cactus roots easily in water. Just remove a section with

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 15

several segments and place in water.

Once roots have grown to at least an inch, the new plant can be potted up using a potting soil or cactus mix.

Christmas cactus is not poisonous to humans or pets, but ingesting the fibrous leaf segments may cause digestive issues.

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) seem to be everywhere during the holiday season. The plant’s showy “flowers” are not really flowers at all but leaves called bracts that have changed color. The real flower is hidden at the center of the bracts.

Perhaps the best thing you can do to keep your poinsettia happy is to remove that pretty foil covering its pot. The foil will capture water and keep the soil too wet. And be sure to provide lots of light.

The poinsettia is not considered poisonous. But its milky white sap may cause skin irritation, and if eaten, result in a mild stomach ache, vomiting or diarrhea.

If you’re interested in keeping your poinsettia after the holidays and coaxing it to bloom again, you’ll find more information at www.go.uvm.edu/poinsettia.

Deborah Benoit is a UVM Extension Master Gardener from North Adams, Mass., who is part of the Bennington County Chapter.

Holiday plants and your pets

• Amaryllis: The beauty of the flowering amaryllis is only matched by its toxicity. If ingested it may cause salivation, gastrointestinal abnormalities, lethargy and tremors.

• Christmas Cactus: The

Christmas cactus is not toxic to dogs or cats.

• Poinsettias: The poinsettia plant’s brightly colored leaves contain a sap that is irritating to the tissues of the mouth and esophagus. If ingested, they will

often cause nausea and vomiting, but it would take a large amount of the plant’s material to cause poisoning, and most animals won’t eat a large enough amount to be deadly.

— www.petmd.com

Amaryllis, top, which has large, bright, trumpet-shaped flowers, is easy to grow making it an attractive plant for holiday gift-giving. The Christmas cactus in the middle is a popular holiday potted plant which produces colorful, tubular flowers. Poinsettias, bottom, are a traditional holiday plant available in a range of colors from the traditional red to pink, white and speckled.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTOS

Page 16 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Nesting loons have record year

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department recorded a state record 109 nesting pairs of loons in 2021, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978.

A total of 125 chicks hatched and 84 survived through August.

“The loon has been the flagship species of our nongame work ever since the nongame tax checkoff and conservation license plate programs have been helping to fund these efforts,” said Fish and Wildlife Department bird biologist Doug Morin.“Vermont’s loon project is

Estate Planning, Elder Law & Medicaid Planning Peace of mind for families and loved ones

A record 109 pairs of loons nested in Vermont in 2021 with 125 chicks hatched and 84 surviving through August, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

a tremendous success story. It’s hard to believe that in 1983 there were only seven nesting pairs.”

Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005 following decades of recovery efforts.

One of the main threats still facing loons as they continue to

recover is human disturbance during the breeding season.

“Many areas where loons are nesting on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” said Morin.

“We ask people to enjoy loons from a distance, whether they are in a motorboat, a canoe or a kayak.”

Morin also reminds people to avoid lead fishing tackle. Loons sometimes swallow stray fishing tackle and suffer the effects of lead poisoning. Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited for fishing in Vermont.

He recommends anglers be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially don’t leave any fishing line behind as fishing tackle can kill loons.

College readiness program extended

COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

A program that annually helps over 1,000 Vermont high-schoolers afford a college education has been funded for the next six years by a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Talent Search program, administered by the Winooski-based Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, helps Vermont students explore career options, research and apply to colleges and choose the right school and courses.

“These students are a critical part of our state efforts to strengthen our workforce and grow our post-pandemic economy,” VSAC president and CEO Scott Giles said. “We are proud to support them on their career and education journey and these funds

make it all possible.”

Giles credits Vermont’s congressional delegation with securing the funding. Vermont’s senators, Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy, along with Rep. Peter Welch hailed the program as key to ensuring young people have a shot at higher education regardless of their background.

VSAC measures the Talent Search’s outcomes each year, and recent data show strong success rates for the students who are part of the program.

In the class of 2020, 78 percent of Talent Search participants enrolled in a postsecondary education program by the following academic year. The state’s overall postsecondary enrollment rate is about 62 percent for graduating seniors.

Time for archery and muzzleloader seasons

What we do: • Protection of assets without spending all down to qualify for Medicaid • Wills & Living Trusts • Assistance with Medicaid Applications

Archery deer hunting continues through Dec. 15 in Vermont, and muzzleloader deer hunting will occur December 4-12.

An archery deer license and a hunting license are required to hunt during archery season. An antlerless deer or a legal buck, if you did not take one earlier, are allowed during this season.

A muzzleloader deer license and a hunting license are required to hunt during muzzleloader season. A legal buck may be taken if you did not take one earlier, and an antlerless deer may be taken in a designated Wildlife Management Unit if you have a muzzleloader antlerless deer permit and you have not already reached your annual limit.

Vermont has an annual limit of four deer during its deer hunting seasons, including only one legal buck annually during those seasons.

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OBITUARIES Harold (H.) Warren Lyon Harold (H.) Warren Lyon died in Shelburne, Vermont on November 21, 2021. He was with loved ones and friends during his last days at his Arbors’ home, where he had been cared for during the last 3 years of his life.

Warren was an only child, born at home in North Hero, Vermont on December 28, 1935 to Harold J. Lyon and Margaret Collins Lyon. He lived most of his early years in Williston, spending his second and third years living on the Lyon Family Farm in East Bethel, while his mother convalesced from tuberculosis. His time at the Lyon farm with his grandparents Fred and Emma Lyon was formative and held cherished memories of spending time with his dear Aunt Dora Lyon and Uncle Cliff Lyon.

At the age of 8, Warren began his primary schooling while boarding at St. John’s Military Academy in upstate New York.

He later finished his formal edu-

cation in Tennessee at Columbia Military Academy. Although he did not speak positively of his schooling, he told many stories of the fun time he spent in Vermont during his summers and school vacations.

He met and married (Liora) Lynn Elcan Goodrich in 1953 and they lived their first 3 years of marriage in Williston, Vermont before moving to South Burlington where Warren lived until 1992. Warren and Lynn divorced in 1981. He moved to Grand Isle after remarrying in the early 1990’s and lived at his beloved lakefront home until he moved to the Arbors in July 2018.

Warren always had a strong work ethic and was highly dedicated to and proud of his service in the Vermont National Guard retiring as a Lt. Col. He was also dedicated to his various entrepreneurial endeavors and the companies he worked for which included Fuller Brush, Vermont

Bottle Gas, General Dynamics and General Electric.

Warren and Lynn, who each had no siblings, were adamant about having a large family.

Warren was father to 5 children.

He also had 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren at the time of his death.

He was predeceased by his parents Harold and Margaret, his Uncle Cliff and Aunt Dora

and his first wife Lynn. He is survived by Teresa Lynn Nielsen and her son Jesse Nielsen.

Elizabeth Ann Oosterman, (Doug) and their children: Melissa Mitchel, (Henry), Michael Oosterman (Jenn), Christine Langston Wilkens (Jim) and their children: Ira Wilkens, Benjamin Wilkens (Alex), Eva Pentenrieder (Brandon). H. Warren Lyon II (Kimberly) and Warren’s children: Joshua Lyon, Jennifer Lyon, Jessica Lyon and their mother Kathy Lyon, as well as, Sarah Dorsen. Rachel Lyon Fritz (Kirk) and their children: Bailey Fritz, Zachary Fritz, Alicia Fritz, Jeremiah Fritz and Ezra Fritz.

While living in Grand Isle, Warren loved watching the lake and hosting 4th of July and Christmas gatherings at his home. He had special times out in his boat with Carol and teaching his grandchildren to water ski. During his marriage to Carol, he spent some winters in

Taos, NM, but always preferred the warmth of Florida. He purchased his winter home on the canal in Boynton Beach, Florida, where he continued to live each winter until 2016.

The family would like to thank the caring Arbor staff and Dad’s medical team that helped us care for Dad as he struggled with several debilitating health conditions and Lewy Body dementia. We would also like to thank Carol Blair, Lisa Holcomb Petrie and Sandy Sargent for their friendship and visits to Dad during this time.

Visitation was held on Wednesday, December 1, followed by a funeral service at the Ready Funeral Home South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington. A graveside service was held at the Vermont Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Randolph.

To send online condolences to his family, please visit www. readyfuneral.com.

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emails. If you’re not sure about your dad’s phone, contact his carrier or check its website for a list of affected devices.

Another way to see if your dad’s phone is 3G is to look up his international mobile equipment identity number which can be found by pressing *#06# on his keypad. Once you have it, go to www.imei.info and type it in the search bar to get the phone’s details. If his phone has a frequency of 900 megahertz (MHz) or 2100 MHz, it’s 3G. You can also look for a “3G” icon at the top corner of his phone, but not all 3G phones have that icon.

Dear Searching, Yes, it’s true! If your dad’s mobile phone is more than a few years old, he will probably need to upgrade it in the very near future.

Why? Because all of the HOW TO UPGRADE major cell phone carIf you find that you riers – AT&T, Verizon do need to upgrade and T-Mobile – are your dad’s cellphone, shutting down their carriers are offering older 3G networks in discounts and special 2022 to free up airpromotions on replacewaves for 5G and othment devices. If you’re er advanced services. worried about your So, if your dad is using dad having to learn his an old 3G phone, like way around a new deBy Jim Miller millions of other older vice, you’ll be happy Americans, he’ll need to know that there are to get a new device if plenty of modern new he wants to make calls, text or reach 911. f lip phones available that work on the But you should also know that it’s not next-generation networks. just older cellphones that will be obsolete.

Or, if your dad decides that he would rather forge ahead without a phone than NOT JUST PHONES upgrade, he will need to cancel the serOlder home security systems, medi- vice. Most carriers will let you cancel cal devices and personal emergency re- your plan without any penalty. Howevsponse systems that still harness 3G will er, if he forgets to cancel his phone plan also be affected. Adding to the confu- and doesn’t upgrade to a working device, sion, older 4G phones that don’t support the company won’t automatically stop modern cellular voice technologies, such charging him just because he isn’t able as Voice Over LTE or HD Voice, are im- to access their network. pacted, too. Those customers may need a software upgrade or a new phone.

HOW TO RECYCLE Here are the timelines for the 3G shutIf your dad does have to replace his downs in 2022: AT&T, February; T-Mo- old cellphone, the best way to dispose of bile, July 1; Verizon, Dec. 31; Sprint it is to recycle it. Large retailers, such (which is owned by T-Mobile), March 31; as Best Buy, offer recycling programs and Sprint LTE, June 30. Other small- for old electronics. Or you can search er carriers like Tracfone, Cricket, Boost for local recycling programs on websites and Straight Talk, will also be affected, like www.Call2Recycle.org and www. because they rely on airwaves from the Earth911.com. big three.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy IS YOUR PHONE AFFECTED? Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK Cellphone carriers say they have been 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim alerting customers who use older phones Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today that services are ending, sending a com- show and author of “The Savvy Senior” bination of texts, letters, phone calls and book.

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Dear Savvy Senior, My 80-year-old father has an old flip phone he carries around with him for emergency purposes, but I’ve heard that these devices will soon be phased out. Is this true? If so, how can we know if his phone will be affected, and where can I find him a simple new one that he can operate.

Searching Daughter

YO U R PAT H O N WA R D A N D U P WA R D

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 19

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Za'atar Spiced Meatballs with Tomato and Yogurt

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Ingredients:

Directions:

1 lb. ground beef

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, and Za'atar. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Use your hands to combine, mixing and folding as if you are kneading bread—the mixture should be evenly distributed. Form into 2” balls and place them on a sheet tray. Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat and add 2 Tbsp. of oil.

Brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches so that the pan does not get crowded (add more oil, as needed). Place cooked meatballs on a separate tray or plate. When all the meatballs are browned, reduce the heat and add the tomato product. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits of meat. Put all the meatballs back into the pot—now you can pack them tightly together. Place lid on the pot and simmer very gently on low heat (or place in a low oven, 300 degrees F) for 30 minutes. To serve, divide meatballs into bowls and spoon some of the tomato sauce over them. Each portion should get a big dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh dill. Serve with roasted eggplant on the side for extra awesomeness!

1 lb. ground veal or lamb 1 lb. ground pork 1 onion, finely minced

ACROSS 1. Knight’s title 4. The I in TGIF 7. Poker pile 10. Maid’s cloth 13. Berg material 14. After expenses 15. “I __ so off to work I go” 16. It might be crude 17. YMCA offering 18. Stuff on a driveway 19. Bed-and-breakfast 20. Toast 22. “Aida” or “Tosca” 24. Dog trainer’s command 25. “When I ___ just a boy, ...”

26. Delivery vehicle 27. Presses clothes 29. Match 31. Arcade-game stopper 32. Group of bad guys on the street 33. Admits, with “up” 34. Something for the books 35. Not outgoing 36. Square __ in a round hole 37. Snug bug’s place 38. Persian, e.g.

39. Mars or Jupiter, e.g.

42. Unit price word 43. Junior partner, perhaps 44. Slate-colored

Across

1. Knight's title

4. The I in TGIF 7. Poker pile

10. Maid's cloth

13. Berg material

14. After expenses

45. Kind of thermometer 47. Teller’s place 48. One in a million 49. Put to paper 50. Word with first or financial 51. Heavy-handed measure 52. Scammed 53. Lower-leg joint 55. Reporting to 58. Wind up 59. Understand 60. Stay-at-home ___ 62. “___ you a man or a mouse?”

63. What candles may signify 64. Order of corn 65. Pile on the rug 66. One feted in June 67. Wallet bill 68. ___ as a bone 69. Atmosphere, from earth DOWN

1. Roadside 15. "I __ so off to work I go" sights

16. It might be crude 17. YMCA offering

2. Aloof 3. Taking away 4. Purpose 5. Speed 6. With no deviations 7. Toxic substance 8. Admitting (with “up”) 9. Canvas shelters

18. Stuff on a driveway

10. Actor/director Reiner 11. “In the ___ Tonight” (Phil Collins song) 12. Like some reviews 21. Campaigns 23. Pasty 28. Blues great and the film about his life 29. Song genre 30. Speechless wonderment 31. Rock band’s travel 35. Submerged 37. Set free 38. Sentences 39. Pop’s pop’s nickname 40. Lever with a blade 41. It could cause highlights 42. Overly smooth 43. Move on the water 44. Mama’s mama 45. Juice source 46. Filled with, as guilt 47. Torte’s place 49. Major U.S. farm export 51. Causing jolts 54. Close 56. Cy Young stat 57. River to the Mississippi 61. Durable hardwood

3 cloves garlic pressed or minced 1 egg

26. Delivery vehicle

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or cooked rice

27. Presses clothes

1 Tbsp. Za'atar spice

29. Match

1 large can diced tomatoes

31. Arcade-game stopper

2 cups whole-fat Greek yogurt

32. Group of bad guys on the street 33. Admits, with "up"

Fresh dill

Vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper 34. Something for the books

35. Not outgoing 36. Square __ in a round holeLove These Great Deals: You’ll 37. Snug bug's place

Bionaturae Organic Diced Tomatoes

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38. Persian, e.g.

19. Bed-and-breakfast

39. Mars or Jupiter, e.g.

20. Toast

42. Unit price word

22. "Aida" or "Tosca"

43. Junior partner, perhaps

24. Dog trainer's command

44. Slate-colored

Goslin andIhis dedicated, 25.r. "When ___ just askilled boy, dental ..." team provide focused

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Page 20 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Family Fun Page

HANUKKAH DREIDEL INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Color the panels of the dreidel.

2. Using a glue stick, paste this page to a stiff piece of paper.

3. Carefully cut out your dreidel along the dotted lines. (You may need an adult to help.)

4. Have an adult help you fold along the bold lines and the gray shapes. Then glue the tabs to make the dreidel shape.

5. You can use it as a decoration or make a hole at the plus sign in the Magen David (Star of David) and slide a pencil in that hole to make the dreidel handle.

December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 21

Nov. 14 at 6:12 p.m. — Police took custody of found property on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 14 at 8:44 p.m. — Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on South Brownell Road.

Nov. 15 at 6:17 a.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on Engineers Drive. Upon arrival, the officer advised that the vehicle had to be towed from the scene.

Nov. 15 at 8:35 a.m. — Police responded to assist Williston Water with a shutoff on North Brownell Road.

Nov. 15 at 12:50 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 15 at 1:30 p.m. — Police assisted a business on Market Street.

Nov. 15 at 2:53 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance on

Mountain View Road. Upon arrival, the officer found no emergency.

Nov. 15 at 5:19 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 16 at 3:44 a.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on River Cove Road.

Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene.

Nov. 16 at 7:54 a.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Essex Road. Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene.

Nov. 16 at 12:37 p.m. — Police conducted a background check for local employment.

Nov. 16 at 12:58 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on St. George Road.

Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene.

Nov. 16 at 3:53 p.m. — Police provided a case

30 YEARS

Seasons Greetings!

The Paw Print team is thankful for all of the friends and customers we have partnered with in 2021.

In this time of giving, we ask you to remember our nonprofit organizations and the essential work they do in our community.

Best wishes from our team for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

number for insurance purposes on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 16 at 10:34 p.m. — Police served a temporary restraining order on Holland Lane.

Nov. 17 at 8:23 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle complaint on Walker Hill Road. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the construction workers onsite to move the truck out of the roadway.

Nov. 17 at 1:34 p.m. — Police assisted a citizen by providing the TRO hotline.

Nov. 17 at 3:10 p.m. — Police responded to a 911 call on Avenue D. Upon arrival, the call was found to be accidental.

Nov. 17 at 4:22 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft at Maple Tree Place. The officer later cited an individual for retail theft.

Nov. 18 at 12:04 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a traffic hazard on Walker Hill Road. Upon arrival, the officer removed a small tree from the roadway.

Nov. 18 at 11:30 a.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 18 at 12:57 a.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on St. George Road.

Nov. 18 at 5:21 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Hawthorne Street.

Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene.

Nov. 19 at 12:08 a.m. — Police observed a vehicle in a ditch on Williston Road. The officer took the operator into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Nov. 19 at 12:35 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior at Maple Tree Place.

Nov. 19 at 12:39 p.m. — Police provided a case number for fraud.

Nov. 20 at 12:17 p.m. — Police took custody of found property on Harvest Lane.

Nov. 20 at 3:31 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Cypress Street.

Nov. 20 at 5:02 p.m. — Police responded to a lockout on Retail Way. Upon arrival, police presence wasn’t needed.

Nov. 20 at 7:16 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on Cypress Street.

The incidents above are not a full recount of police activity, rather a highlight of some of the events that occurred. Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorneys Office and can be amended or dropped.

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rick@willistonobserver.com • 802-373-2136

Page 22 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021 1 10

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FIND WORKERS Reach potential employees in Williston, Stowe, South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Waitsfield and more…

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December 2, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 23

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Housing trust takes ownership of Williston hotel

Page 24 • Williston Observer • December 2, 2021

Affordable housing to be ready for occupants this summer OBSERVER STAFF REPORT

The Champlain Housing Trust has finalized a $13.4 million purchase of TownePlace Suites in Williston and plans to move forward with a conversion of the hotel into 72 affordable and homeless transitional apartments, the non-profit announced Wednesday.

The property, on Zephyr Road, will be renamed Zephyr Place. After renovations and site work, it is expected to be ready for occupancy this summer.

“We are looking forward to adding new affordable apartments to Williston and Chittenden County in this great location,” said Champlain Housing Trust CEO Michael Monte. “It’s so difficult for so many people to find any available homes, much less those affordable to low-wage workers or those who are unhoused.”

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board provided funds

for the purchase with a combination of federal pandemic recovery money and Vermont general funds appropriated by the Legislature.

“We are grateful to the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board for supporting this effort, and for the Legislature and governor for prioritizing housing,” Monte said.

Thirty-eight of the 72 apartments will be designated for people coming out of homelessness, 26 will be affordable to those earning up to 60 percent of the region’s median income, or roughly $20 an hour for a single person household. The remaining eight will be affordable to those earning up to 80 percent of median income (about $26 an hour).

Champlain Housing Trust will have an onsite property manager as well as resident services staff to support residents.

Over half of the apartments will have a rental subsidy tying tenants’ rent to 30 percent of their income. For those that don’t have a direct subsidy, rents for the studio and one-bedroom apartments

The former TownePlace Suites hotel on Zephyr Road will reopen this summer as Zephyr Place, an affordable housing building of the Champlain Housing Trust.

Observer courtesy photo

will range from $850 to $1,050 a month — about 20 percent lower than market value rent for the region. All utilities are included.

Chittenden County’s vacancy rate is sitting at less than 1 percent, and three out of ten renters in the county pay more than

50 percent of their income for rent, according to the Champlain Housing Trust.

The organization now begins renovations and site work at the former hotel, including the addition of a sidewalk along Zephyr Road to Route 2A, where there is

“

access to public transportation.

Gus Seelig, executive director of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, said: “VHCB is proud to invest state and federal funding to help CHT in their effort to expand the supply of permanent housing.”

We found out that help with vaccine registration and a ride to get it is available and free.

”

Learn more about the COVID vaccine and how easy it is to get vaccinated. Call our Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 or visit Vaccine4Vermont.com

Helping older Vermonters age well.

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10/15/21 3:17 PM