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WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

Wrestlers return to the mat

WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM

Town looks to double plowing capacity Blair Park sidewalk may tip the scales for new equipment BY JASON STARR Observer staff

After a season canceled last winter, high school wrestling returned last week with CVU taking on Essex at Essex High School. At top, CVU’s Ethan Varricchism (in black) defends against a single leg takedown by Essex’s Noah Powell. Center, CVU’s Tom Murphy (in black) works from the back of Essex’s Jacob Sunderland. At the bottom, CVU’s Jacob Underhill (in black) works to get the advantage over Essex’s Christian Stygles. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Construction of a sidewalk along Blair Park Road last summer may finally spur the Williston Public Works Department to increase its sidewalk snowplowing capacity, after years of rebuffing requests from homeowners. Public Works Director Bruce Hoar is recommending the selectboard add a second sidewalk plow to the town’s fleet, and a staff position to operate it, into the town budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The plow would add about 10 miles of sidewalk plowing capacity. With one plow, the department currently clears about 10 miles of sidewalks after snowstorms of 2 inches or more. It also uses a truck to clear about 5 miles of paved rec paths. “We are at our limit for what this machine is able to do in a reasonable amount of time,” Hoar told the board Tuesday. He estimates a new sidewalk plow would cost $135,000. The selectboard plans to consider purchasing the plow and creating an additional public works position during budget deliberations in January. The annual budget will be up for voter approval at Town Meeting Day in March. The new Blair Park sidewalk creates a continuous loop around the neighborhood, connecting senior housing with the post office and bus stop along Route 2. Several residents at the Williston Place senior apartment building requested the town start plowing the sidewalk. “The new sidewalks are beautiful,” Williston Place resident Winnie McCormick wrote in a December letter to the town. “We really appreciate the town’s construction.

The Williston Public Works Department is requesting a new sidewalk plow for next season that would allow it to clear up to 10 more miles of sidewalks. COURTESY PHOTO BY PAUL APFELBAUM

As many of us like to walk summer, fall, winter and spring, it would be so good if you could clear the sidewalks in the winter — at the crosswalks if nothing else.” Jennifer Olson, the director of marketing at Williston Place, added: “Our community members have benefited greatly from the new sidewalks and having safe walkways is incredibly important to their health and wellbeing.” Similar requests have been made annually by residents of Taft Corners neighborhoods The Hamlet and Chelsea Commons, but the town has repeatedly declined to add them to the plowing plan. Chelsea Commons resident Don Mersereau said construction in recent years of new roads, apartments and business at Taft Corners has increased traffic through the neighborhood and made winter walking more dangerous. “Our road is literally not safe to walk on,” he said Tuesday. “We have a ton of people who come through here to get somewhere else.” The Hamlet Homeowners Association also submitted a formal request: “We believe budgeting shall account for the need to acquire additional equipment over time to build the capacity to plow new sidewalk see PLOWING page 7

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As Vermonters, we often hear of Ethan Allen as the most famous man in Vermont history. But one of the most important and influential figures in shaping this state in its early years was Thomas Chittenden. In recent decades, his name has been overlooked or outright forgotten. But if not for Chittenden, Vermont would not be the state it is today. Among his many pursuits and accomplishments, he was the first governor of Vermont, and made his residence here in Williston. Thomas Chittenden was born in Guilford, Conn. in 1730. His father was a farmer, and Thomas followed suit, with a brief foray as a common sailor during the Anglo-French War in the mid 1700’s. Afterwards he settled in Salisbury, Conn., with his wife Eleanor. There he farmed and engaged in town affairs, serving in many offices, the local militia, and in the Connecticut Legislature for six years.

Williston was first chartered in the year 1763 as one of many land grants issued by New Hampshire Gov. Benning Wentworth. At that time, it was unsettled wilderness with few inhabitants. Chittenden first came to the area in 1764 on a military rescue mission pursuing captives held by Native Americans on their way north along the Winooski River. Upon the return trip after rescuing the people from the natives, he first visited the site that would become his home. The event is described in the book “A History of the Town of Williston, 1763-1913.” “He camped upon a bench of land where ... in the morning there was a scene of singular beauty … ‘It is a paradise’ he thought ‘if the time comes when I can get title, this upland and interval shall be mine. Here I will build my home’...” Nearly 10 years later he purchased the land that comprised that scene of beauty. In the spring of 1773 he cleared the land and built a log cabin for his family, returning in 1774 with his wife and 10 children in tow. He was forced to leave for a time in 1776 see CHITTENDEN page 14

CVU artists win statewide awards, cash

Champlain Valley Union High School ninth-grader Shakeh Hagopian won first place and $1,000 in the Vermont Wildlife Education Fund’s statewide “Give Wildlife a Voice” student art contest, it was announced last week. CVU tenth-grader Aren Eisenman won third place and $500. Their work will be displayed along with the work of 30 other student-artists who entered the contest at the Vermont Statehouse after the start of the legislative session in January. The contest is meant to celebrate Vermont’s wildlife species and give students an incentive to hone their art skills. “With the increase in online learning keeping young people tied to their screens even more than usual, our board thought it was important to take a step back from the digital world and celebrate the richness and diversity of

wildlife in Vermont,” said Claudia Mucklow, a Vermont Wildlife Coalition board member. Three acclaimed wildlife artists — Rob Mullen, Adelaide Tyrol and John Pitcher — served as judges. Entries were judged on a combination of composition, technical skill, creativity, originality, story and unique focus on Vermont wildlife and wildlife habitat. Hagopian’s depiction of a red eft is titled “Jewel of the Forest.” “The red eft played a huge role in my childhood. Its magnificent orange hue, its luminous transparent skin and its large glassy eyes were and are a magical jewel in the forests of Vermont,” Hagopian wrote of the painting. Eisenmen’s painting is of a rabbit sitting on a Vermont road. “While driving home from babysitting, I narrowly avoided hitting a small rabbit,” Eisenman explained. “I was surprised but

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 3

not too worried about it. Later in that same drive, another bunny leaped in front of the car and froze. I slowed down but it was too late and I heard a thud and felt a small impact. I brought the car to a stop, got out and checked for the bunny. I did not see it, but I am pretty sure it did not survive the incident. I made this drawing to honor and remember that innocent bunny.” Mullen, one of the judges, congratulated the students for “a job well done.” “The future of wildlife art is in good hands in Vermont,” he said. “I hope many people will get to see these wonderful pieces that our talented young artists have created. I wish we could have selected more. As an artist myself, who has been involved in many art competitions, I want to tell all the students who submitted to keep at it. Just keep creating and developing your own unique art.”

“Jewel of the Forest” by Shakeh Hagopian

A roadside bunny, left, by Aren Eisenman

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Be the sparkle at all your holiday parties

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Richmond’s Gillett Pond preservation fund hits goal after federal boost

Page 4 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

BY DOUG PHINNEY Community News Service

This past summer, the Richmond Land Trust learned it would receive $250,000 to move forward with its work of constructing a new dam at Gillett Pond. The funding comes from a congressionally-directed spending request — otherwise known as an earmark — from Sen. Patrick Leahy. This is the latest step in a years-long effort by the Richmond and Huntington commu-

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nities to preserve and protect the much-loved Gillett Pond. With the federal money and past fundraising, the project has the $750,000 necessary to start construction. The pond, located just off of Wes White Hill in Richmond, likely started as a small body of water — the result of a dam built by the Gillett family sometime in the 1830s. The current dam was built in 1903 by the Richmond Light and Power Company, which subsequently left the pond sometime in 1910, according to the Richmond Land Trust. Starting in the 1950s, the pond was owned by a local Girl Scout troop. Following a 2013 state inspection of the dam, which indicated a possibility of dam failure, the troop was considering removing the dam and draining the pond. This would have been a blow to local community members, who see Gillett Pond as an important natural resource, said Richmond Land Trust board member Fritz Martin. “There aren’t a lot of stillwater features in Chittenden County, or actually the western slopes of the Green Mountains,” he said. “So it provides habitat and a natural resource feature that there isn’t a lot of, and it supports a lot of wildlife that otherwise wouldn’t be there. “It’s (also) one of the most accessible quiet water resources around, so people can canoe, they can ski, they can ice skate, all just right off the road.”

The community support, along with a public campaign, ambitious fundraising and generous private donations, resulted in the

County Forester Ethan Tapper wrote in a letter supporting the dam. Replacing the at-risk dam has

A rendering of a new Gillett Dam, which creates Gillett Pond in Richmond. Construction on the new dam is set for this summer. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

eventual purchase of the pond and most of the surrounding shoreline by the Richmond Land Trust in 2014. While land trusts and other conservation groups are typically in the business of removing dams, Gillett Pond represents a unique situation where the existence of a dam is seen as beneficial to the surrounding area. “While in general our goal as natural resource managers is to remove dams; to support the movement of aquatic organisms and to lessen risks of downstream impacts from dam failure, because of the unique placement of Gillette Pond, the restoration of the dam does not appear to pose significant risks in either of these respects,” Chittenden

become the top priority of the Richmond Land Trust. In 2014, the trust, along with the Friends of Gillett Pond ad-hoc committee, began gathering some information on the cost of the project. “We estimated — at the time we were doing kind of a ‘shoot from the hip’ (estimate) — that it would cost about $350,000 to replace the dam ... and so we thought that was doable,” Martin said. After consulting an engineering company — and completing a more in-depth examination of the type of dam needed, and the work needed to get there — the Richmond Land Trust discovered that the cost of the project would be about $750,000, more than the Land Trust had ever raised. Martin credits the communities

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able fundraising goals — where many projects can be completed with the aid of bake sales, silent auctions or raff les — raising $750,000 is a daunting task. “We all went through a period of a couple of years of sticker shock. And we’re scratching our heads, saying can we do this? Do our towns have the capacity?” said Martin. The first major break for the project came when the Richmond and Huntington town conservation funds contributed a combined $225,000 — $150,000 from Richmond and $75,000 from Huntington. But the group was still worried that the gap to the remaining funding might prove insurmountable. see GILLETT POND page 5

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GILLETT POND continued from page

So, the Richmond Land Trust made the decision to bring in some outside help. It hired Christine Graham of CPG Enterprises, a company specializing in non-profit fundraising support, as a consultant for the project. “(Graham) brought in a level of organization and discipline to doing fundraising that we hadn’t had before. And that was a tremendous help. It was still a huge goal and even with that help, we were wondering whether we could do it or not,” Martin said. The following two years, 2018 and 2019, the trust raised about $250,000 for the project, putting it in the ballpark of $500,000 — the initial goal before going all-in on a public campaign for the remaining $250,000. “We had $250,000 left to go, and it was a stretch to do a public campaign with that,” said Martin. This was around the time when the land trust became aware of the opportunity to apply for funding through congressionally directed spending — an opportunity that had only become possible last April, when Leahy, chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the restoration of the practice. According to Martin, the dam replacement seemed like a perfect candidate to receive funding, which usually seeks to assist projects that are close to breaking ground. “We already had $250,000 in community funding, $250,000 from town conservation funds, permits in hand, and we had an ecological study of the pond completed by the University of Vermont. We had a historical evaluation, all the

materials in place — the application pretty much wrote itself,” said Martin. A few months later, over the summer, the Richmond Land Trust learned that the dam had been one of 11 projects approved for funding, and it would be receiving the needed $250,000.

While land trusts and other conservation groups are typically in the business of removing dams, Gillett Pond represents a unique situation where the existence of a dam is seen as beneficial to the surrounding area. “It was a period of just a few months that our fortunes basically turned around completely,” Martin said. Now the group is ready to move forward with construction. It is putting a bid package together through a local engineering company with plans for dam construction to begin this upcoming summer and be completed sometime the following fall. Work on the site will involve the temporary installation of a cofferdam — a structure that allows a small section of pond to be drained in order for crews to access the ground beneath — followed by the construction of the full replacement dam. The construction of the new dam will likely cause an increased water level in Gillett

Pond. According to an ecological study of the pond, completed by Maria Dunlavey of UVM, the water level should rise by approximately 1 foot. The report, which describes Gillett Pond as an “ecological treasure,” estimates that this rise will impact the extent of the pond’s current northern and southern arms. It estimates that some of the area that is now shallow, emergent marsh in the northern arm of the pond will be incorporated into the pond, with the area beyond that, now part of an alder swamp, eventually becoming shallow, emergent marshland itself — and that the natural wetland communities on the southern arm of the pond will likely move slightly southward. Dunlavey’s report states that while there will be some changes that occur, waterlines on the rocks surrounding the pond show evidence of a water level 1 foot higher than it currently is. Altogether, it should be a fairly minor change. The project will also bring additional parking to the area in an attempt to increase the accessibility of the pond. “We have to thank Sen. Leahy’s office for being extremely helpful, extremely professional and helping us out with this. Then the other thing is, of course, the (town) conservation funds. This wouldn’t have happened without (funds) from both towns — Huntington and Richmond,” Martin said.

Feds sending help to strained VT hospitals

BY MIKE DOUGHERTY VTDigger

Dozens of federal medical personnel are being deployed to Vermont to help alleviate hospital capacity issues caused by Covid-19, according to the White House. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a series of emergency measures to address the current coronavirus surge and prepare for the spread of the more contagious Omicron variant. Among those measures is the deployment of “emergency response teams” to six states experiencing surges. Doctors, nurses and paramedics will immediately deploy to Vermont, according to a White House fact sheet, as well as New Hampshire, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Arizona. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending 30 paramedics to Vermont to help transport patients that cannot be accommodated at local hospitals. Biden also plans to announce national measures to respond to the anticipated Omicron surge, including expanding access to vaccination clinics and purchasing 500 million

rapid tests to distribute to Americans at no cost. “Today’s actions will mitigate the impact unvaccinated individuals have on our health care system, while increasing access to free testing and getting more shots in arms to keep people safe and our schools and economy open,” the White House statement says. Vermont hospital leaders have been raising alarms for several weeks that surging patient volumes, driven in part by Covid patients who are largely unvaccinated, are impeding their ability to provide care. Emergency departments are full, larger hospitals have been unable to accept transfers of patients needing specialized care, and many providers have suspended elective procedures. FEMA teams were scheduled to arrive in Vermont late last week to help deliver monoclonal antibody treatments, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said at Gov. Phil Scott’s Covid-19 press conference last Tuesday. Those teams were scheduled to deploy first to Rutland Regional Medical Center and Northwestern Medical Center, Smith said.

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Page 6 • Williston Observer • December 23, 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

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It’s time to end qualified immunity in Vermont BY JAMES LYALL

Vermonters agree that when police violate someone’s civil rights, they should be held accountable for their actions and victims should get the justice they deserve. The legal doctrine of qualified immunity prevents those things from happening, effectively closing the courthouse doors to victims of police misconduct and making it harder to hold abusive officers accountable. That’s why it is heartening news that Vermont legislators will be considering a bill to end qualified immunity for police in the coming year. When they do, they should know that Vermonters are firmly behind them. Recent polling shows nearly three in four Vermonters support eliminating qualified immunity in Vermont. That support extends across the political spectrum, including 85 percent of Vermont Democrats — more than half of whom say they “strongly” support ending qualified immunity — and 51 percent of Republicans. It also extends statewide, from two thirds of Northeast Kingdom residents to four out of five central Vermonters who say they support ending qualified immunity. The U.S. Supreme Court created the doctrine of qualified immunity in 1967 and it was later adopted in Vermont’s courts. It requires a victim of police misconduct pursuing a civil lawsuit to show there is already “clearly established law” where

someone else’s rights were violated in the same way. Unless the victim can point to another case with nearly identical circumstances, their case can’t go forward — even when police abuse resulted in serious injury or death. The upshot is that when police abuse their power, their victims are unable to access justice and compensation for any injuries they may have suffered, and police are not held accountable for even the most serious misconduct. Numerous examples of cases that have been thrown out due to qualified immunity include a 10-year-old boy who was shot while lying on the ground by an officer aiming at the child’s non-threatening dog; a teenager shot by officers after he dropped his BB gun and raised his hands; and an officer who stole $225,000 while executing a search warrant. Qualified immunity fosters an environment where some police may feel empowered to violate people’s rights, knowing they will face few if any consequences. This legal barrier erodes relationships with the community and diminishes the legal system’s credibility. Legal experts from across the political spectrum agree that qualified immunity is extreme, unnecessary and incompatible with civil rights. The libertarian Cato Institute has said, “Qualified immunity is one of the most obviously unjustified legal doctrines in our nation’s history … (It) has failed utterly as a matter of

law, doctrine and public policy.” Law enforcement leaders agree. In a letter to Congress earlier this year, members of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) wrote, “(W)e believe it is crucial to end a legal doctrine that has contributed to the erosion of public trust in the justice system and made all of us less safe: qualified immunity.” Qualified immunity is also a major barrier in the fight for racial justice. As with almost every aspect of our legal system, a lack of meaningful police accountability in Vermont has a disproportionate impact on black people, who are stopped, searched, cited, arrested and subjected to police violence at far greater rates than white people. Qualified immunity is yet another inexcusable feature of a legal system virtually defined by systemic racism. With Vermont’s legislative leaders considering a bill to eliminate qualified immunity in the coming legislative session, Vermont can better ensure that police who violate civil rights are held accountable and victims of police misconduct can access justice. A growing number of states have passed or are considering legislation to eliminate qualified immunity — Vermont should be next. James Lyall is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Vermont.

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 7

Plowing

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Hats off to post office staff I want to take this moment and give thanks to our local Williston United States Postal Service Staff. Our small U.S. Postal Service staff has been under intense pressure with the growth of new businesses, new rental housings, new homes in our town, online shopping, plus the Covid-19 pandemic. Williston has grown tremendously. Therefore, I take off my hat to the staff of our local U.S. Postal Service. I have witnessed for the past three weeks delivery of residential mail at 7:15 a.m. until 9 p.m. There is an unbelievable amount of mail being delivered at all hours. I am used to seeing private parcel companies putting in these hours, but not our USPS. Thank you to the USPS staff in Williston. It would be wonderful if we flood the staff with thank you cards and letters, not by mail, but by stopping by. Thank you for your hard work. And thank you to the FedEx and UPS staffs, too. Ramona Guadalupe Williston

Legalized animal cruelty In 2019, an experienced hiking couple and their dog were attacked for 45 minutes by bear hunting hounds — an excruciatingly long amount of time — until the owner of the hounds finally appeared, physically removed the hounds (there was no verbal control) and punched one of the dogs in the face. Sadly, despite serious medical injuries to the couple and their dog, there were no laws violated in Vermont. As it stands now, “hound hunters,” who have zero control of their dogs, by any rational or objective definition, can come from out of state, release packs of dogs onto publicly owned and privately owned land, unsupervised and without restraint, to chase whatever targets the dogs fixate

continued from page

upon. The hounds are usually kenneled in cages outdoors 24-7 unless they are “hounding” or being “trained.” These dogs are in a state of frenzy when hounding. And the dog owners have no verbal, visual or physical control, because their dogs are off-leash. These dogs trespass on other people’s property, as do the hounders themselves. This sometimes occurs late at night in the dark, which is horrific for home owners and animals alike. These hounds kill and attack cats, livestock, deer and wild animals — non-target species — on a regular basis. There is no oversight and there are no laws restricting or monitoring this “activity.” “Training” means using other animals, sometimes cats, as bait. These baited animals are often caged (which is technically illegal in Vermont, but is a primary way hound dogs are trained). Hounders post these activities, with glee, and regularly on social media without consequence. Hound dogs are often killed after they are no longer useful as they are a means to an end. It’s legalized dog fighting and animal cruelty. No humane, civilized person is going to send their dogs out to maul another animal knowingly and purposefully subject their dog to physical harm. Hound dogs are eviscerated, bloodied and bitten. It is a minimum and sane requirement that all hunters who use dogs should be in visual and verbal control of them. This means that hounders need to be within visual sight and hearing distance of their dogs, and vice versa. It’s time Vermont legislators start enacting rational laws and push for legislation that protects wildlife, animals and the public. Please enact a bill to control hunting dogs and ban hounding.

segments,” it said in a letter to the board. Plowing of any segments that are added to the town’s plowing plan this winter would not begin until next winter, Town Manager Erik Wells said. In addition to proposing additional sidewalk plowing capacity, Hoar presented a $500,000 plan to repave 11 streets next construction season. They are Brennan Woods Drive, Charles Road, Lamplite Lane, White Birch Road, Aspen Lane, Maple Tree Place, Pine Lane, Avenue D, Park Avenue, Knight Lane and Chelsea Place. MASKLESS GYMS NOT IN THE CARDS

In other business Tuesday, the board declined to take up requests to add an exception to the mask mandate it passed earlier this month to allow people to exercise without masks in indoor gyms. Mask mandates in both Burlington and Essex allow for unmasked people inside gyms. “We are encouraging our members to follow the rules, but I think the majority of the community here would like to see an exception made,” said Chris Darrah, a trainer at Synergy Fitness on Industrial Avenue. “People would prefer to have the option, especially people that have gotten vaccinated and gotten

their boosters. It seems a bit much to expect that, on top of that, we’re also wearing masks while exercising. Owners of Wellfound Physical Therapy and Fitness and Sangha Yoga Studio asked the town for the amendment. In a show of hands, only board member Ted Kenney showed interest in amending the mandate. The mandate is in place until at least Jan. 18, when the board will decide whether to let it expire or extend it another 30 days. COMMUNITY CENTER-LIBRARY COMBO?

Town administrators are planning to use a portion of Williston’s $3 million allotment under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to study the possibility of expanding the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library and building a community center. The study will consider whether the two projects can be combined. “There is potential for overlap,” Town Manager Erik Wells said. “That might not be the right path, but it seemed like a good option to (explore).” Expansion is envisioned under the library’s current strategic plan, and the idea of a new community center — perhaps with a pool — has been a recurring topic of discussion among citizens for years. “We are feeling the daily pressures of the lack of space,” Library Director Jane Kearns said. “It’s hard to offer what we want to offer.”

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Green tips Keep foodware out of the compost stream Starting Jan. 1, the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) will no longer accept compostable foodware — utensils, plates and cups made from compostable materials — at its drop-off centers or at its Green Mountain Compost operation in Williston. The CSWD advises residents who employ a foodscrap hauler to ask where the scraps are being taken and what can be included. Many of the area’s private foodscrap hauling companies drop off at the CSWD’s composting operation. The CSWD will continue to accept food scraps for composting, as well as coffee filters, tea bags, newspapers, paper bags, paper towels, napkins, wooden stirrers, toothpicks and chopsticks. The decision to stop accepting compostable foodware was made because too many “look-alike” cups, utensils and plates made from plastic are getting thrown into the mix. Also, according to the CSWD, some compostable foodware products don’t break down adequately and some contain chemicals linked to negative health risks.

Handling the holiday aftermath responsibly BY ALISE CERTA Special to the Observer

Once the presents have been unwrapped, the food has been eaten, the decorations have been taken down and life slowly starts returning to normal, the holiday season inevitably leaves us with a lot of … stuff. Here is your guide to responsibly shedding all that holiday waste in the most eco-friendly and affordable way. COMPOST CHRISTMAS TREES

Bring your tree to a Chittenden Solid Waste District Drop-Off Center to be turned into wood chips and/or compost. The Williston, Essex and Milton drop-off centers accept trees up to 8 feet high. You can also bring your tree to the McNeil Wood & Yard Waste Depot in Burlington to be used as fuel to produce electricity. Remove all ornaments, tinsel and other decorations before bringing your tree to any facility. The Williston Scout troop is offering curbside Christmas tree pickup for composting on Jan. 8 in many Williston neighborhoods. For more information, contact Brent at 310-2931.

ed for recycling in your regular blue recycling bin. If wrapping paper has any type of foil, Mylar or plastic coating, it belongs in the trash. You can tell if your wrapping paper is coated with any of these by pi n ch i ng t h e edge of the paper and pulling it apart slightly. If you see a plastic or foil layer appear, then it’s trash. Remove ribbons and bows for re-use, and recycle the wrapping p a p e r along with other mixed p a p e r. Tape is OK to leave on. For cardboard, flatten it and place it in your blue bin with the rest of your curbside recycling, or bring it to a CSWD Drop-Off Center. Cut pieces to less than 4 feet per side. Plastic packaging can go in the recycling bin if it’s rigid and

is larger than 2 inches. Remove paper inserts and recycle them separately. Styrofoam of any kind — including packing peanuts — is not recyclable in Chittenden County. A number of local shipping and packaging businesses will take bubble wrap and packing peanuts for re-use. Other wise, all f ilmy plastic and Styrofoam belong in the trash. DECORATIVE STRING LIGHTS

If your holiday lights burn out, or you’re replacing them with newer, energy-efficient LEDs, br ing them to a CSW D D rop - Of f Center in Essex, Milton, South Burlington or Williston and drop them in the scrap metal bin for recycling at no charge. If you r st r i ng has la rger, old-fashioned bulbs, remove the bulbs before recycling the rest of the string in the scrap metal bin. You can throw the bulbs away with your regular trash.

Bring batteries of all types to any CSWD Drop-Off Center (except Burlington) for special battery recycling at no charge (quantity limits apply to certain battery types). Find more battery recycling options at www.Call2Recycle.org. Better yet, consider buying rechargeable batteries and a charger to reduce your overall energy footprint. Some rechargeable batteries can be reused hundreds of times before they stop holding a charge. OLD CLOTHES, FURNITURE, TOYS, ETC.

Dozens of local organizations accept unwanted clothes, furniture and toys that are still in good shape — visit www.cswd. net/reduce-and-reuse/reuse-options/ for a list. There are also local nonprofits that take almost anything, from automotive parts to clothing, books to computers, and toys to dishwashers. Call or check their websites f irst to make sure they will accept your item. Alise Certa is the communications manager at the Chittenden Solid Waste District.

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Embracing the messiness of a resilient forest BY ETHAN TAPPER Special to the Observer

Chittenden County has settled into winter. As December progresses, you might start to hear the buzzing of chainsaws and the thrum of skidders in the woods, and to see logs piling up by the side of your road. You might see a forest that you know and love change, the forest floor dotted with brighttopped stumps and scattered with the tops and branches of trees. Good forest management is more than just cutting valuable trees. It seeks to be regenerative, to improve conditions for wildlife, to make forests more resilient in a changing climate, to protect biodiversity and to benefit our communities and future generations. The ability to tell healthy forests from unhealthy forests — and responsible forest management from irresponsible forest management — is not intuitive for most people. It’s not something we’re born with, it’s something we need to develop. As such, we sometimes evaluate the health of our forests and the quality of forest management based on misconceptions. One common misconception is that forests should look neat and tidy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Forests that are resilient and adaptive in a changing climate, that provide diverse habitat for wildlife, that clean our air and our water and sequester and store carbon often defy our sense of order and aesthetics. Features that look “messy” to most people — like dead wood on the forest floor, dead-standing trees, big, old declining trees, an irregular gap-filled canopy and pockets of young trees and shrubs — fundamentally support the expansive web of life that is a forest. This doesn’t mean that any messy forest is good (a forest that has been poorly-managed will probably also look messy) but it does mean that a forest isn’t unhealthy because it looks messy. The second misconception about forests is that they never change. Because trees grow so slowly and live such a long time, it’s tempting to think that forests are defined by their stability, their ability to resist change. In reality, forests are dynamic, always

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

changing, and they are defined by their resilience — their ability to stay healthy while they change. As much as the death of trees may seem sad and scary, it is a normal, natural and even beautiful part of how forests work. When I manage forests, I embrace the messiness and the dynamism, telling loggers to leave treetops and limbs unlopped, to leave dead trees in the woods, to create gaps of different shapes and sizes to encourage the development of different sizes, ages and species of trees. The result

can be jarring: a tidy forest turned untidy, a familiar forest made different. Even if you know that healthy forests are messy and dynamic, as you walk through a freshly managed forest next spring, it may be hard to understand how this could ever be part of something beautiful. The ecological benefits of forest management take time to reveal themselves. Forest managers in Vermont rely on natural regeneration rather than planting trees, and so — as in a forest following a windstorm — there is a lag be-

tween the disturbance and when its benefits are realized. This lag can be a stressful time. So in the years following management, we need to remind ourselves to be patient, to let the forest’s natural resilience work. This summer, I walked through an area managed three winters ago at the Hinesburg Town Forest. In July, the area was exploding with life, green filling every space. Raspberry and blackberry canes looped around young trees, goldenrods and asters blooming in yellow and purple. Birds nested in the thick understory and dove through canopy gaps, catching insects on the wing. Salamanders wriggled into rotting wood as the trees above them reached their limbs up into the blue sky. Of the many lessons that forests can teach us, cultivating patience and equanimity are perhaps two of the most important. Like many of the best things in life, forests and forest management are complex and nuanced, and learning to appreciate them takes time. Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. See what he’s been up to at at https://linktree/ ChittendenCountyForester.

Scout Christmas tree pickup planned for Jan. 8 The annual Williston Scout Troop 692 Christmas tree pickup is set for Jan. 8. Tree pickups are planned in the following neighborhoods: Eastview Circle, Stirr up Circle, Bittersweet Circle, Hillside Drive, Sharon Drive, Meadowrun Road, Lamplite Lane, Finney Crossing, Isham Circle, Brennan Woods, Ledgewood Drive, Southridge, Pleasant Acres, Wildf lower Ci rcle, Southf ield Drive, Village Grove, Lefebvre Lane, Fairway Drive, Creek’s Edge Drive, Keystone Drive, Hillcrest Lane, Michael Lane and Sunrise Drive. Those interested should place their tree curbside by 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8. A $10 donation placed in an envelope tied to the tree to support troop activities is requested. Make checks payable to “Williston Troop 692.” Trees are recycled for fuel or composted. To schedule a pickup in another location, call Brent at 310-2931.

Page 10 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

Landowners allege farm is polluting lake, property BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger

In Addison County Superior Court last week, a family that lives part time on the shore of Lake Champlain said runoff from a neighboring farm is sending rivers of brown water through their property and into the lake. Vicki and Dennis Hopper have brought a lawsuit against Vorsteveld Farm, alleging that the farmers have made changes to the land in recent years that have caused much more runoff than they have ever seen. The dairy farm — one of the largest in the state, according to its website — is located uphill from the Hopper’s property in Panton, northwest of Middlebury. On about 2,400 acres, the farmers grow crops, milk 1,400 cows, and keep between 800 and 1,000

young stock, according to court documents and testimony from Jans Vorsteveld last Friday.

A trial for the civil suit was scheduled to end Friday, but due to testimony that ran long, it will resume in the beginning of January. The Hoppers, represented by Rob Woolmington and Merrill Bent of the Manchester-based firm Woolmington, Campbell, Bent & Stasny, rested their case Friday. James Foley and John Mazzuchi, attorneys representing the Vorstevelds from the Middlebury-based firm Lynch & Foley, began calling witnesses Friday afternoon. Judge Mary Teachout is presiding over the case. The trial is playing out as environmental groups urge the Agency of Agriculture to strengthen Required Agricultural Practices, a set of rules designed to ensure

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A photo, included in a complaint filed on behalf of Vicki and Dennis Hopper, shows sediment runoff into Lake Champlain in Panton.

that farm management does not contribute to pollution in Lake Champlain and other water bodies. Climate change, the groups say, means heavier precipitation may cause more runoff, and measures should be taken to prevent it. Farmers have said they are already strapped and need financial support if they’re going to make additional changes to their operations. Meanwhile, state Sen. Chris Pearson, D/P-Chittenden, plans to introduce legislation during the upcoming session that would direct the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to update the practices due to climate change. In an email, he said he intends for the bill to be a conversation starter with the agency. “I can’t say I am dedicated to pushing this, but I do think it’s important we have this discussion,” he said in an email to VTDigger. The Hoppers are asking the court to declare that the changes on the Vorsteveld farm have created a “continuing trespass and/or private nuisance,” according to a complaint filed in the case. Asking for a preliminary and permanent injunction, the family wants the court to mandate a new management plan for the Vorsteveld farm. Those changes would “restore the volume, location, duration, velocity and quality of water flowing onto the Hopper Properties” to its state prior to changes made by the farmers. The request for an injunction is

unusual, Foley said. Farm management typically is regulated through various state and federal agencies not by lawsuits between neighbors, and he said the case could set precedent in that way if the farmers lose. “There’s no concession here that anything the Vorstevelds are doing is improper,” Foley said in an interview with VTDigger. The Hoppers’ objections come from several alleged changes the Vorstevelds have made on their property: the installation of tile drainage and the removal of vegetation from their farm. Removal of the vegetation “reduced the capacity of the fields to retain sediments and increased erosion on the Hopper Properties,” according to the complaint. Tile drains remove water from fields using a collection of underground pipes. The system “changed the natural and preexisting flow by conveying large volumes of water through the pipe network directly to road ditches and to new drainage outlet points,” the complaint said. Approximately 15 million gallons of “liquid waste from farm operations, including manure,” are applied to the land each year, the complaint said. Attorneys for the Hoppers — who are from Texas but live in Vermont from May until November — presented the courtroom with a series of drone photos showing large plumes of brown sediment splaying into Arnold Bay, located just south of the Ferrisburgh town

line on Lake Champlain, and White Bay, the next bay to the south. Rainstorms cause the plumes, several members of the Hopper family said during testimony. The Vorstevelds have a nutrient management plan with which they comply, Foley said, and are beholden to regulation from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets as well as the Agency of Natural Resources. In forthcoming testimony, the courtroom should hear from “lots of people who are going to testify that these guys are extremely good at what they do. They’re on the leading edge of innovation,” he said. Jans Vorsteveld testified Friday that some of the suggested management strategies, such as letting a corn field go to pasture, “wouldn’t pay the bills.” “Farming is not a pretty undertaking, nor is any real business,” Foley said. “There’s a difficult side of every business to watch or endure or become aware of.” However, according to the complaint filed by the Hoppers, water running through the property and into the lake contains “high concentrations of nitrate, phosphorus, total suspended solids and other pollutants” and “very high levels of e-coli — at times close to levels found in sewage before treatment.” “It’s rare that I find a case where the facts presented are so diametrically opposed, so black and white, so different on either side,” Foley said.

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 11

SPORTS

Cougarhawk Riley Erdman dekes around BFA’s Bri Jarvis during their game Saturday evening at Cairns Arena.

OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Girls hockey team falls to St. Albans LAUREN READ Observer Correspondent

The BFA-St. Albans girls hockey team opened up a 3-0 lead and held off the Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield co-op team for a 3-1 win on Saturday. Hannah Schmid had the lone goal for the CougarHawks, scoring in the third period. Rosie Brien added an assist on the play. It was the first loss for CVUMMU (2-1) of the season. The CougarHawks beat The Kingdon Blades co-op team 2-0 last Wednesday. In that game, Karina Bushweller had a goal and an assist, while Tess Everett also scored. Grace Ferguson stopped 31 shots to earn the win in goal. BOYS HOCKEY

Colchester 3, Champlain Valley 2: Colchester scored with under a minute remaining in regulation to beat CVU in boys hockey last Wednesday. Angelos Carrol and Trevin Keere each had a goal for the Redhawks, while Jason Douglas stopped 52 shots in a losing effort

in net. Nick Menard, Alex Zuchowski, Haper Anderson and Devon Fay each had an assist. BOYS BASKETBALL

Rutland 67, Champlain Valley 44: Rutland outscored visiting CVU 17-4 in the third quarter to pull away for a win Saturday in the North-South Classic in boys basketball. Alex Provost led all CVU scorers with 13 points. The Redhawks fell to 1-1 with the loss.

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Champlain Valley 39, Rutland 27: Shelby Companion scored 15 points and the CVU girls basketball team edged Rutland on Saturday in the NorthSouth Classic. Addi Hunter chipped in with six points, six rebounds and four assists for the Redhawks, who had a 32-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter. CVU moves to 2-0 with the win.

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Page 12 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

SPORTS

Ice moves

The Cougarhawks go on a rush during their game vs. the BFA Comets on Saturday evening at Cairns Arena. Above, Cougarhawk Karina Bushweller gets by BFA’s Maddie Montagne. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

The flying Redhawks CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Redhawk Cadence Haggerty begins her dismount from the beam during CVU’s tri-meet with Burlington/Colchester and South Burlington at Green Mountain Training Center Dec..13. Redhawk Warner Babic flies to the vault. Redhawk Ruby Opton somersaults during her floor routine. Redhawk Sally Wahl works the high bar OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Vermont forecasts Christmas Covid surge BY ERIN PETENKO VTDigger

So far, only a handful of Vermonters have tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid-19, according to state health officials. But that won’t be true for long. “Omicron is here and likely has been for several weeks,” Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at the governor’s weekly press conference Tuesday. Three Vermont cases have already been confirmed by genomic sequencing. But only positive PCR tests are checked for the variant, and that sequencing can take a week to perform. That means Omicron has probably been circulating in Vermont since early December, officials said. In only a week, Omicron has gone from composing 13 percent of cases nationally to 73 percent, and it’s now the dominant strain in Vermont, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New England lagged behind that rate as of Tuesday, with Omicron representing 37 percent of cases, said Mike Pieciak, the state financial regulation commissioner. But the nearby mid-Atlantic region, which includes New York, has already hit 92 percent. With those states included, regional cases are up 41 percent in a single week, contributing to “the highest number of cases that the region has reported since the beginning of the pandemic,” Pieciak said. And Vermont officials are nearly certain that the Omicron surge seen nationally is coming to Vermont. “The holiday season is likely going to drive a spike in Covid cases. That’s just the reality,” said Mike Smith, secretary of the Agency of Human Services. Pieciak said that if Christmas and New Year’s cause a surge similar to Christmas 2020, cases could rise 50 percent. That could translate to roughly 600 new cases per

day with some bad days of more than 1,000 cases, he said. After huge spikes, Vermont Covid cases and hospitalizations have fallen in recent weeks. On Tuesday, the Vermont Department of Health reported 240 Covid-19 cases, for a seven-day average of 407 cases per day.

‘We don’t want the lasting memory of 2021 to be regret that our holiday gathering could have been done more safely … make your arrangements in a way that the most vulnerable person in your life will be protected.’ Mark Levine Vt. Health Commissioner

Fifty-six Vermonters are hospitalized, including 17 in intensive care units. No new deaths were reported. In total, 37 people have died of Covid so far in December and 455 have died throughout the entire pandemic. The availability of hospital beds has risen, both because fewer Covid-19 patients need hospitalization, and because of efforts to increase staffing and beds. Is Vermont’s health system ready for the surge? “We’re prepared,” Gov. Phil Scott said. “But I think it depends on the intensity of the storm.” Omicron has thus far caused far more cases, but often less severe illnesses, than other Covid-19 variants in other countries reporting their experiences. But Levine cautioned that “a larger number of cases will mean greater stress on our health care systems.” In nearby New Hampshire, with the second-highest Covid-19 rate in the country, fewer than 1 percent of intensive care

unit beds are available and doctors are reporting significant difficulties in providing proper care for their patients. Vermont K-12 schools reported 278 Covid-19 cases among students and staff who were infectious in school buildings, up from 258 cases last week. In preparation for another Covid surge, Vermont is providing additional opportunities for people to get tested, including take-home test options. Across 16 holiday testing sites, the state will offer 10,000 LAMP tests for registered appointments, and 50,000 antigen tests for walk-ins, Smith said. Partner organizations plan to distribute take-home tests to certain groups, including people of color and people experiencing food insecurity, economic hardship or homelessness. The state also plans to offer 26 additional pop-up vaccination clinics targeted at holiday shopping locations, Smith said. Just more than half of adults in Vermont have received a Covid-19 booster shot. In total, 92 percent of Vermonters ages 5 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 53 percent of 5-to-11-year olds. About 200,000 Vermonters are eligible for booster shots, but haven’t taken them. Scott said experts have recommended that people follow a three-pronged strategy for holiday gatherings, accomplishing at least two of these three: Get vaccinated and boosted, get tested and wear masks. “We don’t want the lasting memory of 2021 to be regret that our holiday gathering could have been done more safely,” Levine said. With vaccines, testing and masking, “make your arrangements in a way that the most vulnerable person in your life will be protected,” he said.

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 13

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Page 14 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

Chittenden continued from page

after the American army retreated from Canada and the area was left defenseless. He settled in southern Vermont for a while, during which time he started to advocate for independent statehood for Vermont amidst the ongoing dispute between New Hampshire and New York for the rights to the land between them. Chittenden was chosen as a delegate for Williston to the convention that crafted the petition to the Continental Congress declaring Vermont an independent state, and later, in 1777, the first Constitution of Vermont. The first general election was held in March 1778 and Chittenden was elected the state’s first governor. Subsequent years required many a diplomatic wrangling between New Hampshire, New York and

the Continental Congress of the newly formed United States. Chittenden was at the center of it all and conducted the affairs of the young state, resulting in it finally being recognized and admitted into the union in 1791. Chittenden was able to return to his estate in Williston in 1787, where he built a stately brick mansion in 1790. The home was three stories with a ballroom on the third floor and two unique inverted Y chimneys on the north and south sides with fireplaces in each room. Sadly, the house burned in 1926, but a few pictures remain that illustrate its grandness. Despite his stature at the state and national level, Chittenden continued the pursuits of farming and participating in local town affairs. He was one of the largest landholders in Williston, and true to his dreams when first coming upon the land, his four sons set-

The stately brick house built by Thomas Chittenden in 1790 in Williston was burned in 1926. OBSERVER CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

tled on land around him, two in Williston and two in Jericho across the Winooski River. His sons went

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on to participate in local and state government as well. A story from that time, as recalled in “A History of the Town of Williston, 1763-1913,” tells of how Chittenden was a down-to-earth man despite his many accomplishments: “The Governor was a working man, laboring with his men in the field ... One day a British officer rode into the yard and asked if the governor was home. Being answered in the affirmative, the Governor was told to hold his horse while he (the British officer) went to the house to speak to him. He asked of Mrs. Chittenden if he might speak to the governor, to which she replied she had seen him speaking to him but a moment before and using him as a hitching post ... The officer was mortified and apologized profusely to which

the Governor only laughed and did not blame him in the least for mistaking him for a hitching post.” Thomas Chittenden died in 1797 and was buried in what is now the Chittenden Cemetery just east of Williston Village on Route 2. A large monument was erected in 1896 in the cemetery honoring his memory and accomplishments, and a statue of his likeness was placed on the village green in 1998. The land that he called home exists today almost quite like it did over 200 years ago and is still used for farming. It is now known as Riverhill Farm and has been in the Clark family for eight generations. Cameron Clark is an eighthgeneration Williston resident and farmer.

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Postal problems continue to plague state BY FRED THYS VTDigger Postal customers across Vermont are complaining about erratic delivery as Christmas approaches. Joel Thompson’s business in Bennington depends on him being able to get mail on Monument Avenue, the busy street where he lives. “Sometimes we get mail,” Thompson said. “We go through long periods of time when there’s no mail being delivered.” Thompson is a reinsurance intermediary. He advises insurance companies on how to buy insurance themselves so they can cover all the claims of the people and businesses they insure. A few weeks ago, Thompson went to the post office to find out what was causing the delivery problem. He said he was told that his mail carrier had quit and they were looking for a replacement. “So all the mail was in the post office,” Thompson said. He said he offered to deliver the mail himself, but was turned down. “Meanwhile, I was waiting for a check from a client,” he said. As a recent transplant to Ver-

mont, he also was waiting for tax documents, unemployment compensation and ID cards for health insurance. “November was kind of a nightmare in terms of receiving mail,” Thompson said. He said mail has been coming in bunches — 20 letters one day, four packages the next. “The post office here is definitely stressed,” he said. Statewide, the Postal Service has openings for 87 positions, according to Stephen Doherty, a Boston-based spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service. He said open positions include city and rural letter carriers; local window and distribution clerks; mail handlers; and mail processing clerks who work in distribution facilities. During a recent Monday morning trip to the Montpelier Post Office, Johanna Nichols saw the problem firsthand, she told VTDigger. Although the post office opens at 8 a.m. on Mondays, no one was attending the counter when she was in line at 8:30, she said. John Poulin, who lives in Shelburne, has also been seeing the problem first hand. He has been getting erratic mail delivery: none for a few days, then all at once.

Earlier this month, he called the post office to find out why he was not getting mail. He said he was told that management had given instructions to deliver only packages. Doherty told VTDigger that it’s not unusual during the holiday season for carriers to be sent out on “dedicated package runs” during the early mornings and Sundays because of a “large swell” in such deliveries. “But this is done in addition to, and not in place of, regular mail delivery,” Doherty said. After getting no mail at home for several days, Poulin said he went to the post office and was told regular delivery had resumed. He found mail at home late that day, he said. Poulin asked if there was a postmaster to talk to and was told there is none. When VTDigger called the Shelburne Post Office, a person answering the phone confirmed that there is no postmaster and said the supervisor was out delivering mail. Doherty said that, as the Postal Service moves past what he called “short-term employee availability issues,” it will continue to use all of the tools at its disposal to ensure that Vermont customers receive their firstclass mail.

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 15

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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. 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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FOLD FOLD

FOLD

Color these ginger-people any way you like. Have an adult help you cut the page in half. Fold each half back and forth accordian-style. With the page still folded, cut around the top ginger-person. Unfold the paper and you’ll have a string of ginger-friends holding hands!

Make some ginger joy!

Page 16 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

Family Fun Page

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 17

join Danielle on the Green for stories, rhymes and songs. Register once for all sessions.

The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is open during the following hours: • Mon./Wed., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. • Tue./Thu./Fri.10 a.m.-6 p.m. • Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The library will be closed Dec. 24-25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. 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. Consider supporting the library through a Giving Tree donation. The trees in our lobby and youth area are adorned with gift tags that represent our wish list. Donate in person or online at www. damlvt.org.

YOUTH PROGRAMS Children in fifth grade and up may use the library unattended, while fourth-graders 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.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME Monday indoor story times have been postponed until further notice. KIDS IN THE KITCHEN (ZOOM PROGRAM) Monday, Dec. 27, 3-4 p.m. Make something yummy with a Hannaford Dietitian. Grades 1-5 with a caregiver. Register for the recipe and a Zoom invitation. OUTDOOR STORY TIME Tuesdays, Dec. 28 and Jan. 4, 10-10:30 a.m. Bundle up and

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AFTER-SCHOOL STEAM: LEGOS AND GAMES Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2-3 p.m. Kindergarten and up. Play with the library’s LEGOs and board games. PRESCHOOL MUSIC Thursday music with Linda Bassick has been postponed until further notice.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS CRAFT KITS TO GO Starting Jan. 3, take home a craft kit. Adult kits: macramé feather key chains. Youth kits: hot chocolate stirrers. While supplies last. THERAPY DOGS AT THE LIBRARY Thursday, Jan. 6, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Visit Lola, certified therapy dog. Read a favorite story or just spend time with her. Call 878-4918 to reserve a 10-minute visit.

Online programs are held via Zoom, unless specified. Email programs@damlvt.org or call 878-4918 to receive an invitation.

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. COOKING MATTERS TEA PARTY Wednesday, Jan. 5, 12-1 p.m. Join us online for a tea party and napkin folding demonstration. Stop by the library to copy a recipe to share at our virtual gathering. AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB (HYBRID EVENT) Wednesday, Jan. 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Join us in person or by Zoom to discuss “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann. Available as an eBook in LUV/OverDrive or in print from the library. Email programs@damlvt.org for a Zoom invitation if joining the conversation online.

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PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

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ADULT WINTER ONLINE READING CHALLENGE Starting Jan. 7, register on Beanstack for our genre-oriented reading challenge and earn virtual chances to win raffle prizes. Runs through March 25. SPANISH CONVERSATION MEETUP (IN-PERSON) Wednesday, Jan. 12, 4-5 p.m. Whether you’re a fluent or beginner speaker, join us in the library for conversation en Español, led by Spanish teacher Elliot Lafferty. FROM THE PARLOR TO THE POLLING PLACE (IN-PERSON) Wednesday, Jan. 12, 6-7 p.m. Join singer/historian Linda Radke at the Old Brick Church to celebrate the history of Vermont suffragists through story and song. This is a Vermont Humanities Council (VHC) program hosted by DAML, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the NEH or VHC. Masks and social distancing required.

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The Media Factory is proud to be your community media center. It's been an honor to help you stay informed and connected this year. See more of our story -- use your camera to capture this code:

Page 18 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

SENIORS Green Burials

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Dear Savvy Senior, Can you provide any tips to help seniors reduce their auto insurance premiums? I just got hit with a 15 percent increase on my car insurance and am looking for ways to save. Fixed Income Frank

Dear Frank, There are plenty of ways to cut your premium. To find out what discounts may be available to you, contact your auto insurer and inquire about these options, and any others that may benefit you. Low mileage discount: Most insurers offer discounts to customers who drive limited miles each year, which is usually beneficial to retirees who drive less because they don’t commute to work every day. These discounts usually kick in when your annual mileage drops below 7,000 or 7,500, which is significantly less than the typical 12,000 miles most Americans drive a year. Drivers Ed discount: Many states require insurance companies to offer defensive driving discounts — between 5 and 15 percent — to drivers who take a refresher course to brush up on their safety skills. These courses, offered by AAA (www.aaadriver. online/register/ roadwise) and AARP (www. aarpdriversafety. org), cost $20 to $30 and can be taken online.

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Monitored driving discount: Many insurance providers offer discounts based on how and when you use your car. To get this, the insurer would provide a small monitoring device that you would place

Savvy Senior By Jim Miller

in your car to track things like your acceleration, braking habits, driving speeds, phone use and when you drive. Drivers are rewarded between 10 and 50 percent for safe driving and for not driving late at night. In addition, many insurance providers also offer discounts to drivers who do not have any violations or accidents for three or more years. Membership discounts: Organizations that you belong to can also lower your insurance premium. Insurers offer discounts through professional associations, workers’ unions, large employers or membership organizations such as AAA, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, AARP, etc. You could even qualify for savings based on the college you attended or the fraternity or sorority you be-

longed to decades ago. Bundle policies: If your auto policy is issued by a different company from the one insuring your life or home, call and ask if bundling the policies would be cheaper. Improve your credit: You may be able to lower your car insurance premium by paying your bills on time and reducing the amount of debt you carry. Insurers look at how their customers manage credit to get an idea of risk and to price policies. Better rates are given to those with good credit scores. Increase your deductible: While it’s not right for everyone, paying a higher deductible could save you big on premiums. For example, raising your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce the cost of your collision and comprehensive coverage by 15 to 30 percent. Going to a $1,000 deductible could save you 40 percent or more. Consider your car model: If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, call for an insurance quote before you decide what to buy. Some vehicles are safer and cost less to repair than others. Comparison shop: To find out if your current premium is competitive, or to help you look for a different provider, you should comparison shop. Online brokerages such as www.CarInsurance.com, www.TheZebra.com and www.QuoteWizard. com let you plug in basic details, such as your age and your car’s make, model and year, to compare rates from insurance companies. 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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December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 19

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 21 1 10

16 20

7 15

10. Hanging item 13. Forest hooter 14. Hair retainer

15. Uranium, e.g. 16. Row

DOWN 1. It may get a crown without being king 2. “To thine ___ self be true” 3. Particle within an atom 4. Tell 5. Iced, green 6. Emphasized 7. Deli meat offering 8. In the vicinity

17. "___ man's meat. . . " 18. A long way (off)

45. Sound comeback 47. Slant 48. Expanse 49. Calorie counting requirement 50. Customary practice 51. Prevail 52. Pink lady liquor 53. Sounds from pounds 55. March marchers 58. Chowed down on 59. Pump or grill 60. More than miffed 62. Meet with 63. Tattoo letters often 64. Say what isn’t so 65. Short word after long 66. Easter entree 67. Napoleonic, for one 68. Stretched out 69. Mint

1. Gymnast's pointed part 7. Name

4. Part of T.G.I.F.

Across

ACROSS 1. Gymnast’s pointed part 4. Part of T.G.I.F. 7. Name 10. Hanging item 13. Forest hooter 14. Hair retainer 15. Uranium, e.g. 16. Row 17. “___ man’s meat. . . “ 18. A long way (off) 19. “. . . a borrower ___ a lender be” 20. Cutthroat or brown 22. Actress Glenn 24. It is chewed all the time.... 25. Embers 26. It’s in the pits 27. Formed yarn 29. Diamond complement 31. Harsh 32. Apple contents 33. Cold summer treats 34. Shower curtain suspender 35. Dewy 36. __ and breakfast 37. One of the faithful 38. Gloomy 39. Heavyset 42. Step follower 43. Was in a derby 44. Twenty-four carat

A whole roasted chicken is such a cozy and wonderful thing to pull out of your oven on a cold evening. By roasting a chicken that’s been spatchcocked, you’ll be rewarded with more even cooking and the crispiest skin ever. If you don’t want to spatchcock yourself our friendly meat dept staff are happy to do it for you for a very small fee.

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9. Origin, as of an idea 10. Pool 11. Aural device 12. Moaned 21. Purposes 23. Placed 28. Sulky state 29. Pen part 30. Seal, e.g. the deal (slang) 31. Mama’s mama 35. Desire 37. Pigskin 38. Pitcher 39. Supply 40. Queen’s ‘’We ___ the Champions’’ 41. Leaves in a bag 42. Girl 43. Classic board game 44. Match 45. Mag man 46. Hollywood industry 47. Holiday roast 51. Word with black or merry 52. Safari sighting 54. Next to Europe 56. Sinbad’s milieu 57. Haw’s partner 61. Historic time

26. It's in the pits 27. Formed yarn

1 whole chicken, spatchcocked

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

8 shallots, peeled and quartered

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, and thyme. Add the shallots and potatoes and mix everything well.

3 medium gold potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch coins

Lay the chicken on a flat surface and slather it with some of the garlic-thyme oil. Season everything generously with salt and pepper.

1/4 cup olive oil

31. Harsh

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, picked and chopped

32. Apple contents

Salt and pepper

33. Cold summer treats

Get a cast iron pan or heavy bottomed baking dish and lay all the shallots and potatoes in the bottom. Place the chicken right on top of everything with the skin side up. Place the pan into the oven and roast for 40-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes.

34. Shower curtain suspender

During that time return the potatoes and shallots to the oven to let the tops brown (they should be cooked). Cut the chicken into portions and place it back on top of the shallots and potatoes to serve.

35. Dewy

36. __ and breakfast 37. One of the faithful 38. Gloomy

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39. Heavyset

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Page 20 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

OBITUARIES Commander Joseph F. Huber, Jr. USNR, Retired, passed away July 24, 2021, at the age of 102 in Manhattan, Montana, where he had lived for the past two years. Before that, Joe had divided his time between Coronado, California, and Hingham, Massachusetts. Joe was born December 6, 1918, in Haverstraw, New York, to Joseph F. and Jean Gurnee Huber. He graduated from Northampton High School in Massachusetts, the president of his senior class. During his high school years, he also became an Eagle Scout, receiving the award from the former First Lady, Grace Coolidge. He went on to Dartmouth College, where his membership in their glee club began his lifelong enjoyment of singing in harmony with others. This was a valuable skill to have when he and his friends had to sing for their supper in the south of France during a European motorbike trip in the summer of 1938. While at Dartmouth, he learned to ski and became quite proficient, traveling with his classmates to Stowe, Vermont, where they would hike up to ski the Nose Dive, and to Mt. Washington for trips down Tuckerman’s Ravine. After graduating in 1940, he

began his career in Washington, DC, working closely with the federal government. The beginning of World War II saw him enter the U.S. Navy, where he became a Naval Aviator. Joe served two combat tours in the Pacific, the first as pilot of a PBY ‘Catalina’ flying boat for VP/VPB-23. The activities of his squadron are featured in the book “On Hell’s Perimeters”. A second tour followed as pilot of the PB4Y2 Privateer – the Navy version of the B-24 bomber. His orders took him to Tinian, Palawan, Iwo Jima, and other islands throughout the South Pacific. While he very much enjoyed reunions with his surviving squadron members in his later years, he remained somewhat reserved about his experiences. At one squadron reunion, he was presented with a piece of his plane that one of his crew had saved when Joe made a forced landing in the stricken aircraft after taking enemy fire on Iwo Jima. When asked about it he simply smiled and commented that the experience had been ‘pretty exciting.’ For his service during the war, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Joe had called Coronado, California, home briefly during the

Joseph F. Huber, Jr.

war, being one of the fortunate naval officers housed at the Hotel del Coronado. After a brief return to civilian life, Joe was recalled to service in 1950. He was stationed in Coronado again from 19531958 as Intelligence Officer for the 7th Fleet. It was during that time that he could be seen driving around town in his yellow MG-T or scuba diving for abalone off the coast of Point Loma. In 1957 he met his first wife, Genevieve Diehl Hermanson, and they were married in 1958 at NAS North Island. Genevieve was a Coronado widow with two daughters, and Joe embarked on his most challenging assignment to date: father to two young teenage girls. He continued his tours with the Navy, including serving as the U.S. Naval Attaché (Malaysia) stationed in Singapore and in

various intelligence positions at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Joe retired from active duty in 1966. Informed by Genevieve that he was much too young to retire, Joe began a second career with General Electric Armament Systems in Burlington, Vermont, in the aircraft division. Living in Williston, they and their son, Joseph ‘Seph’, enjoyed an idyllic life in the New England countryside. In his spare time, Joe became a gentleman farmer. He and Genevieve raised numerous goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, a herd of Holsteins, and Charlotte, the Charolais. Joe loved to spend summer days on his tractor mowing the hay in the meadow at his farm in Starksboro, and to spend the autumn laying in a healthy supply of firewood for the winter. Winter nights often saw him plowing the long drive or helping a neighbor out of a ditch. He also continued to enjoy skiing the resorts of Vermont on the wooden skis that had served so well decades before. Life was wonderful in Vermont, but after retirement from GE he and Genevieve returned to Coronado in 1986 and the house they had left 28 years before. For years Joe was active in the Coronado Optimists and enjoyed being one of the announcers in

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the 4th of July parade. He was a member of the Round Table and would never miss Monday lunch at the Brigantine with the ‘Unconcerned Citizens of Coronado’. He loved singing barbershop harmony with the Sun Harbor Chorus in San Diego, and tennis was always on his weekly schedule. He took great pride in the roses that bordered the wall around the house, hoping to receive a coveted blue ribbon during the annual Coronado Flower Show. Several years after Genevieve’s death in 1991, Joe met Priscilla Wescott of Hingham, Massachusetts, on a trip to Malta. Their mutual love of music, travel, and New England made them an ideal match. They married at age 80 and enjoyed a bi-coastal life for many years before Priscilla’s passing in 2019, at the age of 100. Together they traveled the world, sailed along the eastern seaboard, and attended the opera. Although gifted with remarkable health and longevity, Joe did exhibit signs of fragility in his later years, most notably severely pulling a hamstring while waterskiing at age 88. A very talented dancer, he had learned tap dancing when young and throughout his life loved to dance, whether a foxtrot in the kitchen or the twist with his daughter at a reception for the Prime Minister of Singapore. Joe was known for his great kindness and unfailing good nature. He was not capable of malice and was never heard to complain, regardless of the circumstances. He lived in the moment, and the moment was usually pretty good as far as he was concerned. Though made weak by time and fate, the bright blue eyes full of cheer and decency never dimmed, and whatever the problems of the day, time spent with him invariably left the visitor with a more hopeful outlook on life. It is said that “a gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” Joe was a true gentleman. Joe is survived by his three children, Joseph ‘Seph’ (Barbie) Huber of Bozeman, Montana, Susan (Tuck) Vosburg, formerly of Great Falls, Montana and currently living in Reno, Nevada, and Sally (Lowell) Bilsborough of Littleton, Colorado. He leaves six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews. A private memorial was held. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service in Bozeman, MT. www.dokkennelson.com.

December 23, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 21

OBITUARIES

Beverly A. Clark

and her siblings Raymond Foote Jr., Charles Foote Richardson, and Audrey Foote. Beverly was a dear friend who enjoyed the Boston Red Sox, taking photos of her family, doing puzzles with her husband, scootering around town looking at flowers, crocheting, art, and all her other hobbies. She will be missed by many. An hour of visitation took place on December 22, 2021 at the Ready Funeral Home South Chapel 261 Shelburne Rd in Burlington with a service following. Please visit www.readyfuneral.com to place on-line condolences.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Beverly A. Clark, 76, of Falcon Manor in Williston, died on Friday, December 10, 2021, at UVM Medical Center after a long illness. She was born on October 20, 1945, in Cambridge, Vermont, where she graduated high school. Beverly had a full career helping others as a hair stylist, and a school bus driver for Johnson and Williston schools. She also worked at IBM. Beverly’s most enjoyable days were the ones she spent with her husband, Herbert Clark. Whether they were going to a ball game, looking for garage sales, or just going out to eat in matching outfits, they were always together and very much in love. Beverly is survived by her husband, Herbert Clark of Williston. She is also survived by her sons Ernest Ferland and his wife, Valerie of North Carolina, and Danny Ferland of Jeffersonville, her stepson David Clark and his wife, Tha No of Essex, and her stepdaughter, Penny Clark, and partner Rick Tyler of Richmond. Beverly is also survived by her brother-in-law Ken Clark and his wife Bonny of Hinesburg, along with many nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Newton Foote, and Alice M (Fullington) Foote,

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Page 22 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

Dec. 5 at 4:56 a.m. — Williston Police responded to Fox Run Lane to assist South Burlington Police. Dec. 5 at 2:10 p.m. — Police took custody of found property on Essex Road. Dispatch contacted the owner and they came to claim their property. Dec. 5 at 2:56 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a theft on Cypress Street. Dec. 5 at 5:33 p.m. — Police assisted a citizen on Seth Circle. Dec. 5 at 5:56 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Boxwood Street. There were no injuries on the scene. Dec. 6 at 12:04 a.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Isham Circle. Dec. 6 at 11:25 a.m. — Police took custody of found property at Maple Tree Place. Dec. 6 at 12:01 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Simons Plaza. Dec. 6 at 2:34 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage at Maple Tree Place. Dec. 6 at 2:52 p.m. — Police assisted a business with a vehicle on James Brown Drive. Dec. 6 at 4:10 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Engineers Drive. Dec. 6 at 4:13 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on Harvest Lane. Dec. 6 at 4:27 p.m. — Police responded to a lockout on Lawrence Place. The officer was able to gain access to the vehicle for the operator. Dec. 6 at 5:26 p.m. — Police responded to a request for a welfare check at Maple Tree Place. Dec. 7 at 10:42 a.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on St. George Road.

Dec. 7 at 12:34 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on St. George Road. Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene. Dec. 7 at 12:51 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Harvest Lane. Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards on the scene. Dec. 7 at 12:59 p.m. — K9 Duke and Officer Cohen responded to Hurricane Lane to visit with employees. Dec. 7 at 6:01 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Industrial Avenue. Dec. 7 at 7:12 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Harvest Lane. Dec. 8 at 2:33 a.m. — Police responded to a report of an animal problem on South Brownell Road. Upon arrival, the officer could not locate the animal. Dec. 8 at 9:01 a.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on St. George Road. There were no injuries or hazards on the scene. Dec. 8 at 10:32 a.m. — Police responded to a report of disorderly conduct on Cypress Street. The officer issued a trespass notice to the citizen at the business’ request. Dec. 8 at 10:54 a.m. — Police responded to a report of an ordinance violation on Cypress Street. Dec. 8 at 1:12 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on North Williston Road. Dec. 8 at 1:52 p.m. — K9 Duke met with students on Library Lane. Dec. 8 at 3:18 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Williston Road. There were no hazards or injuries on the scene.

Dec. 8 at 3:25 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a disabled vehicle on French Hill. The officer provided emergency lights while the vehicle was towed. Dec. 8 at 3:39 p.m. — Williston Police responded to Interstate 89 to assist Vermont State Police. Dec. 9 at 12:23 a.m. — Police located an unsecured premise on Retail Way. The officer cleared the building before securing the scene. Dec. 9 at 10:55 a.m. — Police responded to a lockout on Whitney Hill. The officer was able to gain access to the vehicle for the operator. Dec. 9 at 12:55 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Marshall Avenue. Dec. 9 at 1:06 p.m. — Police completed an escort on Market Street. Dec. 9 at 1:31 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Essex Road. Dec. 9 at 4:52 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on St. George Road. There were no hazards or injuries on the scene. Dec. 10 at 10:13 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance on Marshall Avenue. Dec. 10 at 11:00 a.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Williston Road. There were no injuries on the scene. Dec. 10 at 11:02 a.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Harvest Lane. Dec. 10 at 12:15 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Merchant’s Row. The officers took an individual into custody. Dec. 10 at 3:44 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on St. George Road. There were no injuries on the scene. Dec. 10 at 4:18 p.m. — Williston Police responded to Horseshoe Drive to assist Williston Fire Department. Dec. 10 at 5:56 p.m. — Police re-

sponded to a vehicle collision on Cypress Street. There were no injuries or hazards on the scene. Dec. 10 at 6:16 p.m. — Williston Police responded to Retail Way to assist Williston Fire Department with a medical call. Dec. 11 at 2:22 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Marshall Avenue. Dec. 11 at 2:32 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a traffic hazard on Marshall Avenue. Upon arrival, the officer did not observe a hazard. Dec. 11 at 4:05 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Boxwood Street. Dec. 11 at 10:29 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Essex Road. Upon arrival, the individual agreed to leave the premises. Dec. 12 at 10:38 a.m. — Police provided education regarding the mask ordinance on Harvest Lane. Dec. 12 at 11:33 a.m. — K9 Duke and Officer Cohen met with citizens on Old Stage Road. Dec. 12 at 3:08 p.m. — Police responded to Interstate 89 to assist Williston Fire Department. Dec. 12 at 3:26 p.m. — Police conducted a motor vehicle stop for speeding on Interstate 89. Dec. 12 at 3:29 p.m. — Police provided education regarding the mask ordinance on Harvest Lane. Dec. 12 at 3:30 p.m. — Police provided education regarding the mask ordinance on Boxwood Street. Dec. 12 at 6:14 p.m. — Police responded to assist a citizen on Cornerstone Drive. 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 Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA Tuesday, January 11, 2022 – 7:00 PM Police Station Meeting Room (7928 Williston Road) or Zoom Meeting ID 823 369 798 on zoom. us/join or call 1-646-558-8656 Due to COVID-19, virtual participation on Zoom is strongly encouraged. Masks required indoors. DP 21-20 Taft Corners Associates, Inc. c/o JL Davis requests pre-application review of a proposed mixed-use development on a 2.34 acre project tract. This includes a 19,230 SF grocery store at the corner of Wright Ave and Merchants Row, extension of Wright Avenue, a future multi-household residential building, and an urban park located in the TCZD. DP 22-04 Chittenden Solid Waste District c/o Josh Tyler (Director of Operations) requests pre-application review of a proposed 10,000 SF administrative building, parking lot, utilities, stormwater systems, and on-site wastewater and a drilled water well at 694 Redmond Road located in the IZDE. Project details and site plans are available online, go to bit.ly/DRBagendas. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org

LEGAL TOWN OF RICHMOND, VERMONT On December 20, 2021 the Town of Richmond Selectboard adopted the following Rule RULE REQUIRING WEARING FACE COVERINGS INDOORS IN PUBLIC SPACES Section 1. Authority Section 2. Purpose Section 3. Requirement to Wear Face Coverings Section 4. Exceptions Section 5. Other Laws Section 6. Severability Section 7. Effective Period The full text of the rule may be viewed at the Richmond Town Clerks Office located at 203 Bridge St. Richmond, VT 05477 and online at richmondvt.gov Questions and comments may be directed to Town Manager Josh Arneson at 802434-5170, 203 Bridge St. (PO Box 285 mailing) Richmond, VT 05477.

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Page 24 • Williston Observer • December 23, 2021

County leaders target 5,000 new homes

Campaign seeks to boost affordable housing options

The Building Homes Together campaign last week announced targets for making Chittenden County’s housing market healthier, more equitable and more affordable. The campaign, led by the Champlain Housing Trust, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and Evernoth, is working to create 5,000 new homes — one quarter of them permanently affordable in Vermont over the next five years. The new homes would include a combination of new rental and homeownership development. “For the communities and economy of Chittenden County to truly succeed, we need housing of all types to be developed,” said Michael Monte, CEO of the Champlain Housing Trust “But we heard loud and clear from our conversations that affordable options for lower and middle income

households are virtually non-existent and we need to do all we can to double-down on ensuring everyone has housing they can afford.” The campaign makes a series of policy and financing recommendations, including: • Local and state regulatory reforms • Investing in existing homes and infrastructure • Taking advantage of this historic moment with the availability of federal and state resources • Supporting local housing trust funds, and fully funding the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board • Connecting philanthropy, social investment, businesses and families to create housing for the workforce “We are thankful for the support of all the community leaders getting behind this bold new goal,” said Nancy Owens, co-president of Evernorth, which helps finance affordable housing in Vermont. “Pulling together and addressing

barriers, securing and directing once-in-a-generation resources smartly, and undoing systemic barriers to housing for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, all combine to provide us with a transformational opportunity right now.” The campaign’s first five-year initiative met its target of developing about 3,500 homes, but failed to keep pace on affordable housing targets. “Our communities are seeking answers and are looking to be part of the solution to our housing challenges,” said Charlie Baker, executive director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. “This is going to take a historic investment and policy changes to see success both in the short term and to make a lasting impact.” For more information and the full set of recommendations, visit www.ecosproject.com/buildinghomes-together.

Memoir focuses on lessons from Williston church Author Emily Thayer Guziak has released a memoir focusing on her time as a member of the Williston Federated Church. “Just Ask: A Memoir of Forgiveness” was released last week in paperback on Amazon and as an e-book on Kindle. Guziak was a member of the Williston Federated Church in the 1980s, an experience she credits with helping her forgive her “Greatest Generation” father through spirituality and acceptance. Guziak writes about the late Reverend William Cotant, a minister at the Williston Federated Church, with cultivating her ability to forgive. Guziak moved to Williston in 1986 and now resides in Essex. She is a former reporter for the Burlington Free Press, an

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