Williston Observer 2/9/2023

Housing: unaffordable and unavailable

Needs assessment offers prescriptions for Williston’s housing crunch

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Williston needs a “radical change” to the current rate of home construction to achieve a healthy housing market and ensure people who work here can also live here.

That’s one conclusion of a comprehensive housing needs assessment delivered in draft form Tuesday to the planning commission. The report was completed Feb. 2 by the Planning and Zoning Department with the help of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

The assessment quantifies housing deficiencies that make it difficult to impossible for a portion of the town’s workforce

to live locally and recommends policies the town could enact to increase housing availability and affordability.

“It covers a really broad range of challenges, gaps and

potential solutions,” Planning Director Matt Boulanger said.

“It’s daunting but it is optimistic. The solutions are there.”

Williston has the highest ratio of jobs to homes in Chitten -

Bulldog battle escalates

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

In response to protests from neighbors on Lamplite Lane and a zoning violation notice from the Town of Williston, the Vermont English Bulldog Rescue has scaled back its operation and received a town permit to continue saving homeless dogs from out of state.

That has only strengthened the resolve of people living nearby to have it shut down or relocate from the neighborhood.

The town planning and zoning department issued a home business permit to Vermont English Bulldog Rescue founder Dawna Pederzani on Jan. 20. The town imposed operating conditions that would clear up the prior zoning violation and allow the nonprofit to contin -

ue operating near the corner of Lamplite and Pine lanes, the residential area where it has been located since 2010, growing in the number and breed of dogs it

rescues.

A group of neighbors has hired an attorney from the Burlington law firm of Paul Frank and Collins to appeal the permit approval. An appeal hearing is set for 7 p.m. March 14 in front of the Williston Development Review Board (DRB). The neighbors are planning to testify to the negative impact the dog rescue has had on the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Pederzani is appealing to Vermont Environmental Court the DRB’s November decision to deny the operation a home business permit.

Representing the neighbors — 17 in all — attorney Mark Hall argues that Pederzani should not have been allowed to apply for another permit after her November application was denied.

den County and is at least 3,500 homes short of meeting the demands of its current workforce, according to the report. It anticipates that only a fraction of that gap (463 homes) will be built in

“Furthermore, demand for homes is likely to increase … putting additional pressure on affordability,” the report states.

The report delves into the affordability issue, noting that home sale prices and rents have both increased at a faster rate than wages and household incomes. Over the last 10 years, home prices and rents have increased at an average annual pace of 5 percent, with the median home sale price in 2022 at $480,250 and the median rent at $1,647.

When the cost of a home (including utilities, insurance, taxes and homeowners association fees) exceeds 30 percent of monthly income, planners consider it unaffordable. In Williston, about 70 percent of renters and 21 percent of homeowners spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, according to the report.

Williston by 2025.

Homes near Maple Tree Place are among the few in Williston that are deed-restricted as affordable.

“(It) results in smells, noise and traffic, which, in the context of a residential neighborhood, is a nuisance, and this is not expected to change.”

Mark Hall

Attorney for Lamplite Lane area neighbors

Vermont English Bulldog Rescue owner Dawna Pederzani greets a rescue dog in the garage on Lamplite Lane where the nonprofit continues to operate, over the objections of neighbors.

OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR

see HOUSING page 8 see BULLDOG page 9

Around Town

Save your returnables for the WCS Swift House Bottle Drive, Feb. 18

As a fundraiser for their trip to New York City in June, the students of Swift House at Williston Central School will conduct a bottle and can drive on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m.-noon. Curbside pick-up will take place in these neighborhoods: Brennan Woods, Southridge Road, Ledgewood Drive, Wildflower Circle, Lefebvre Lane, Katie Lane, Golf Links, Southfield Drive, Isham

• Emma Clark bought a condominium on Kadence Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $399,673.

• Chelsea Layton bought a mobile home on Porterwood Drive from the Estate of Joyce Boisvine for $194,000.

Circle, Pleasant Acres and Lamplite Acres.

WCS holding Williston Wildcat Virtual Penguin Plunge, Feb. 11

In place of the annual live Penguin Plunge fundraising event for Vermont Special Olympics that was cancelled this year due to the extreme cold last weekend, Williston Central School is holding a team ice bucket dump event on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. in the WCS bus circle.

The Williston Wildcat team has raised over $15,000 and hopes to reach $20,000. Community members are invited to attend and cheer on the group. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served.

Free home repairs, upgrades for older homeowners

Could your home be made safer and more comfortable? Cathedral Square is offering free home assessments and upgrades to older Vermonters so that they can stay safe and independent. Work can address kitchen and bathroom accessibility, improvements to entryways and thresholds for safe walking, lighting to enhance safety and other needs. Quali-

see AROUND TOWN page 3

Legislature recognizes local field hockey team’s success

The Green Mountain Girls Field Hockey Club, founded in Williston in 2019, was recently honored at the Statehouse for its accomplishments in 2022, winning the U14 division at the USA Field Hockey Nationally Ranked Tour-

PROPERTY TRANSFERS — JANUARY 2023

• Wish Rehab LLC bought a home on Essex Road from Lindsay Pigeon for $400,000.

• John Sullivan bought a mobile home on Porterwood Drive from Howard Hubbard for $199,000.

• Gerald Ortego bought a mobile home on Stonehill Road from

Paul Fortin for $265,000.

• Trung Nguyen bought a home on Colton Place from Bruce Bennett for $270,000.

• Margaret Robinson bought a condominium on Timothy Way from Brian Wheel for $398,000.

• Michael Smith bought a home on Chloe Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $784,171.

• Cheryl Hayes bought a condominium on Chelsea Place from Alison Barges for $450,000.

• Bryan Savard bought a home

nament in Florida in November. The program is for girls aged 7-15. Team members and coaches met with Williston Rep. Angela Arsenault to receive a resolution of congratulations from the General Assembly.

on Brookside Drive from Timothy Fortune for $710,000.

Property Transfers sponsored by

Around Town

continued from page 2

fied homeowners must be at least 62 years of age, meet income requirements and reside in the towns of Williston, Richmond, Bolton, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho or Underhill.

To learn more and enroll, contact Carolyn Gipson at gipson@cathedralsquare.org, (802) 488-0734. Note: A previous notice about this opportunity included an incorrect email address.

Town manager ‘chat’ series upcoming

Williston Town Manager Erik Wells will host a series of drop-in “Manager Chats” for residents to discuss the annual town budget proposal or any other aspects of local governance. The schedule is as follows:

• Feb. 13, 5-6 p.m. Town Hall meeting room

• Feb. 15, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

• Feb. 16, 5-6 p.m., virtual (via Zoom*)

• Feb. 22, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

• Feb. 23, 5-6 p.m. Town Hall meeting room

• Feb. 27, 5-6 p.m., virtual (via Zoom*)

• Feb. 28, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

• March 2, 5-6 p.m. Town Hall meeting room

* Email ewells@willistonvt.org for Zoom link.

Development Review Board meeting, Feb. 14, 7 p.m.

The next meeting of the Wil-

liston DRB takes place on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Beckett/McGuire Meeting Room at 7900 Williston Rd. To join virtually, use Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532, call 1-646-558-8656 or go to https://us02web.zoom. us/j/84658633532. For the agenda, see p. 23.

Conservation Commission meeting, Feb. 15, 7-9 a.m.

The Town of Williston’s Conservation Commission meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The commission advises the Planning Commission, Development Review Board and Selectboard on matters relating to the town’s natural resources, including review of proposed development for potential natural resource impacts.

Community members may join in person at the Town Hall Annex at 7878 Williston Rd. or virtually using Zoom Meeting ID: 847 630 320 on zoom.us/join or 1-646-5588656. On the agenda for Feb. 15 is an update from the Winooski Valley Park District.

Williston first-responders perform sub-zero, off-road rescue

Members of the Williston Fire Department worked with Richmond Rescue during sub-zero temperatures Friday afternoon to rescue a person who had lost consciousness in a wooded area.

According to spokesman Prescott Nadeau, the male was first revived by friends doing CPR as directed by an emergency dispatcher from Shelburne. Williston first-responders used an off-road utility vehicle to transport the person out of

the woods and into a waiting Richmond Rescue ambulance.

“These community members were dressed appropriately for the weather, had a charged cell phone which summoned fire and EMS in a timely manner and allowed Shelburne dispatch to provide CPR instructions. Without a doubt, the actions of the members of the patient’s party aided in saving his life,” Nadeau wrote in a news release.

Local robotics team takes title

The Williston-based Green Mountain Homeschool Robotics team of Carter Schoppmann, Ted Agnew, JJ Garcia and Emilyn Leinen was the overall winner of the Jan. 28 First Lego League Robotics State Challenge on Jan. 28 at Norwich University. The team, coached by Luis and Polly Garcia, placed well in three categories — core values, team innovation and robot design and scoring — to win the Champions Cup.

free school meals be saved?

Legislators seek funding sources to sustain program

BY PETER D’AURIA VTDigger

One recent morning, lawmakers in the cafeteria of the Vermont Statehouse were greeted with a small breakfast spread, free of charge: cups of granola parfait, homemade cinnamon rolls and a bowl of apples with individually wrapped pieces of Cabot cheese.

Those offerings, courtesy

of public school officials, were there to illustrate a campaign to make breakfast and lunch in Vermont schools permanently free.

“We’re celebrating universal school meals today,” said Karyl Kent, school nutrition director at the Lamoille North School District, showing a reporter the assorted breakfast options. “And we’re asking legislators to make it permanent.”

Since 2020, Vermont children have had access to free breakfast and lunch at school.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, an infusion of public dollars paid for breakfast and lunch for all Vermont public school students, as well as students attending private schools with public money.

Now, with the latest infusion of funds drying up, advocates are urging lawmakers to fund school meals indefinitely.

“The pandemic has been a horrible, horrible thing in so many ways,” Anore Horton, executive director of the nonprofit Hunger Free Vermont, said in an interview. “And the discovery that it’s possible and desirable to do universal school meals is one silver lining.”

Hunger Free Vermont has been pushing lawmakers to provide free meals to schoolchildren since before the Covid-19 pandemic struck the state.

The nonprofit’s efforts are bolstered by a deep-pocketed donor: Solving Hunger, an initiative of venture capitalist and philanthropist Bradley Tusk, is helping fund Hunger Free Vermont’s 2023 campaign for a permanent program, as well as programs in other states.

The benefits, advocates argue, are immense. For food-insecure families — many of whom are ineligible for federally funded meal benefits — school meals can become a financial lifesaver and cornerstone of children’s diets.

Horton pointed to research showing that free meals improve students’ health, academ -

Meals prepared for Windham Northeast Supervisory Union students.

VTDIGGER COURTESY PHOTO

ic performance and behavior in schools. They also provide an economic benefit to local communities and farms. And, she said, making meals free for all — not just low-income students — removes the stigma around buying lunch or breakfast.

“So there’s pretty dramatic benefits in terms of better student learning, better student health, better student attendance, and overall better campus climate,” she said in an interview.

In March 2020, as the coronavirus shut down swaths of the U.S. economy, Congress passed a sweeping relief bill intended to blunt the economic impact of the virus.

That bill paid for free breakfast and lunch for schoolchildren across the country. In 2021, federal officials announced that the program would be renewed for a second year.

But in the spring of 2022, as those federal funds were scheduled to dry up, state lawmakers tapped an “unprecedented” surplus in the state education fund to pay for the Universal School Meals Act, a $29 million, one-year extension of the free meal program.

In legislation codifying that program, lawmakers noted that it was their intent “to identify the amount of and sources of potential long-term funding for universal school meals in Vermont.”

Between October 2019 and October 2022, participation in Vermont’s school meal programs has risen about 10 percent, according to state data.

Initially, the state’s Joint Fiscal Office estimated that a universal school meals program could cost between $24 million and $40 million a year.

In a report Jan. 16, however, the Vermont Agency of Education estimated that actual costs

would likely be on the lower end of those estimates. Officials said they expected the program to cost about $27 million this year — though they cautioned that those figures could change by the time school lets out.

But that report, and Horton, pointed to a handful of recent or upcoming federal policy changes around school meals, including increased reimbursement rates, better eligibility data, and expanding the number of schools able to participate in a targeted program for low-income areas.

Those changes, Horton said, would make a potential Vermont program cheaper and easier to implement. Now, she and other advocates have been making

to statute. That report was due Feb. 1.

Asked about their positions on a permanent meal program, legislative leaders have preached caution around spending, noting that federal pandemic dollars are drying up.

“We are thankful that Vermont emerged as a leader nationally on food security throughout the pandemic, in part as a result of extending the previously federally-funded school meals program using a surplus in the state education fund,” Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden, said in an emailed statement. “We will be doing our due diligence this session to carefully consider all needs, recognizing that we don’t have the influx of federal funds that enabled this pilot program this past year.”

House Speaker Rep. Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, said in a statement that she is “looking forward to investigating and discussing long-term solutions to all of our food programs.”

“While we will not have the same access to federal funds, I look forward to working with Vermont students, our community partners, and others to find a sustainable path for Universal School Meals,” Krowinski said.

Hunger Free Vermont

their pitch to a series of legislative committees — and to hungry cafeteria visitors.

The question, though, is where money for such a program could come from. Last year, lawmakers commissioned a report from the state’s Joint Fiscal Office “examining possible revenue sources” for a permanent universal meals program.

Those potential sources include expanding the state’s sales tax base, a tax on sugary beverages, and “other sources of revenue not ordinarily used for General Fund purposes,” according

Jason Maulucci, a spokesperson for Gov. Phil Scott, said Scott “has said he is open to having the conversation, and supports efforts to ensure all students who need school meal assistance get it.”

But last year, Scott took a hard stance against tax increases — and in Maulucci’s statement, he reemphasized that position.

“However, he has also been clear that he will not support regressive tax increases that disproportionately harm those who can least afford it as a way to pay for students who come from families with greater means to get free meals,” he said.

“There’s pretty dramatic benefits in terms of better student learning, better student health, better student attendance, and overall better campus climate.”

Anore Horton

RACK LOCATIONS

Williston

Adams Farm Market

Belle’s Café

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

Fairfield Inn

Gardener’s Supply

Green Mountain Bagel

Hannaford

Healthy Living Williston

Home2Suites

Korner Kwik Stop

Marriott Courtyard

Men At Wok

People’s United Bank

Ramunto’s Rehab Gym

Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd)

Simon’s Mobil Williston

Simply Divine Café

Sonesta

Sunoco Station

Town of Williston Offices

UPS Store

Williston Coffee Shop

Essex Junction

Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety

Hannaford (Essex Shoppes)

Inn at Essex

Mac’s Market

Martone’s Deli

Price Chopper

Quality Bake Shop

River Road Beverage

Richmond

Cumberland Farms

Richmond Free Library

Richmond Market

Richmond Mobil Mart

GUEST COLUMN Free school meals help families cope with rising food costs

BY MICHAEL G. LEICHLITER

We’ve all seen the egg story — a dozen eggs is, at its cheapest, more than $5 in Vermont stores currently.

For the two in five people who experience hunger in our state, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The looming end of SNAP emergency allotments from the federal government, one of several Covid-19 pandemic federal nutrition supports that have been withdrawn, means that about $6 million that has sustained so many of our neighbors, and many of my district’s students and their families, will leave an impossible hole to fill.

All this is to say that now is the time to celebrate Vermont’s successes and continue to work toward solidifying the supports we have in place now — like universal free school meals.

This was passed as a sin-

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gle-year program during the 2022 legislative session, and this year, legislators are working to make the program permanent, providing breakfast and lunch to Vermont students at no cost.

ends meet. They have three growing children who are hard-working and caring children in our schools. This was always a sticky point for the relationship between the school and family. It was heart-breaking

This was passed as a single-year program during the 2022 legislative session, and this year, legislators are working to make the program permanent, providing breakfast and lunch to Vermont students at no cost.

As the Superintendent of the Harwood Unified Union School District in Washington County, I see firsthand the very real change universal school meals has made in my students’ lives.

Many families in our district do not meet the federal free and reduced lunch criteria. One such family historically carried a very high lunch debt every year. Both parents work and one of the parents holds multiple jobs to make

for the cafeteria worker who ran the register to tell the child that, “your lunch account is in the negative.” Parents would often speak with their principal and say, “I forgot the check, I’ll bring it next week ...”

The principals simply wanted all of the children to have a healthy and relaxing lunch without feeling badly that their parents were struggling to feed them while at school. This is no longer a worry for chil-

dren, families or principals thanks to universal school meals for Vermont children.

Universal school meals not only benefit our students and their families, but have improved the experience of our school nutrition professionals. Universal school meals, coupled with the local purchasing incentive that has been in place for two years, enables school nutrition experts to deepen and expand relationships with local food producers, cooking with fresh and healthy ingredients while simultaneously supporting our state’s agriculture economy.

Together we can make sure that no child in Vermont ever goes hungry during the school day — and we can give them the opportunity to enjoy delicious and locally-sourced and produced meals.

To join in with this work, visit www.universalschoolmealsvt.org.

Michael G. Leichliter of Duxbury is the superintendent of schools for the Harwood Unified Union School District.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Making land conservation a priority

Are you interested in protecting land from development in Williston? Did you know that our town has a fund dedicated to acquiring parcels of land valuable to residents and the environment? Williston’s Environmental Reserve Fund (ERF) was established in 1989 to protect lands in town with valuable natural resources.

The newly proposed town budget will reduce town contributions to this fund from $70,000 this fiscal year to $50,000 in FY2024 (July 2023 to June 2024). The current balance of the ERF is $418,000. Given the increase in property values and increasing development pressure, $418,000 is not always enough to protect an important parcel from development when a landowner is ready to sell.

To set us on a good path forward, the Williston Conservation Commission has requested the following of the selectboard:

• Designate $100,000 in FY2024 to boost the balance of the ERF and reflect increasing property values;

• Establish a policy to reach

and maintain a working ERF balance of $800,000, and include this policy in the 2024 Town Plan, which would enable the town to work on conserving more than one high priority parcel simultaneously and;

• Establish a plan to fund the ERF at $100,000 annually until the target balance is achieved.

What can you do? Write to the town manager or selectboard members to share your opinion on the town budget allocation for conserving important land in Williston, and visit the Natural Resources section of the town’s website to learn more.

We have a proud history of land conservation. Over 2,200 acres have been conserved with $2.1 million of ERF funds, representing a little over 10 percent of the land area of Williston. For every $1 of ERF funds spent, our town has seen roughly $2 in value thanks to matching funds, gifts and grants.

The ERF has been used to conserve some of our most iconic places, including the Isham, Johnson and Siple farms; the Hill/Boomhower property that became Sucker Brook Hollow Country Park; and Mud Pond. Most recently, the ERF was used to leverage the purchase of

the 400-acre Catamount Community Forest. Without these resources, Williston would be a very different place for our residents.

Eric Howe Chair, Williston Conservation Commission

Ellie Beckett for selectboard

I have known Ellie Beckett and her family for much of Ellie’s life. Knowing her parents (mom, our former Town Clerk; dad, heavily involved in Scouting) it is very clear “the nut didn’t fall far from the tree.”

I picture Ellie at the dinner table with her mom, Deb Beckett, discussing Williston’s town issues and policies while learning the relationships between town planning/zoning, town manager, selectboard and the office of Town Clerk.

I recently worked with Ellie as she laid out her strategy to become an active civil servant for Williston. She hopes to someday equal Deb’s contributions. Our time together convinces me she will succeed. Vermont clearly needs more young professional women to lead us forward in our see LETTERS page 8

Letters

continued from page 7

rapidly changing times … that person is surely Ellie.

Ellie’s professional life includes a bachelor’s degree in government from Claremont McKenna and a master’s in health science and public policy from University of Edinburgh. She has put her education to full use with three years of nonprofit work in D.C., where she advocated for economic justice for Native American tribal governments. Ellie continues to “walk the talk.” She is employed at both the Howard Center in Burlington and the Vermont Department of Economic Development.

Ellie is a member of the 2022 gradu -

ating class from Emerge VT. She serves on Williston’s planning commission. She is enrolled in the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Institute, which consists of 19 full seminar days, preparing students to better understand the human dynamics involved while leading groups to better decisions.

Ellie is an athlete. Her sport is long distance hiking. She completed the Appalachian Trail end to end in one outing! She stays fit hiking the trails at the Catamount Community Forest. She walks when she can instead of driving for health and to save carbon.

Trust me, please, Ellie is very good for Williston. Please vote for her for the selectboard at Town Meeting Day.

Jim McCullough Williston

Housing

continued from page 1

“It’s so nice to have numbers behind an issue that so many of us feel so acutely,” said planning commission member Ellie Beckett, who has publicly described her struggles with local rental housing affordability.

In another illustration of the affordability gap, the report notes that a person earning the average wage in Williston ($60,408) can afford a home price of $208,000 — which is about $270,000 less than the median home sale price in 2022. The average wage-earner in Williston can afford a rent of $1,510 per month about $140 short of the median rent in Williston.

Williston’s stock of deed-restricted, perpetually affordable homes is 206 units, according to the report. About half of them are “senior” housing, restricted to tenants aged 55 and older, or housing for people with disabilities. There are no vacancies among the 206 units.

(the one year seat vacated by

I am the 5th generation owner of the Isham Family Farm on Oak Hill Road.

I grew up milking cows on the farm and have since turned it into a diversified farm with maple sugaring, berries, weekly farmers market, pumpkins, corn maze and Christmas trees. I have restored the 200+ year old cow barn and now do weddings, special events and two years ago my wife, Helen Weston started the First: Earth Project featuring theatre and other fine arts performances. Now we are in the second year of the Williston Community Theatre with the barn being its primary theatre space.

We live and work in the environment every day so appreciate it and take it seriously.

Growing up as a farmer, we learned how to reuse, reduce and recycle in everything that we do. We have heated the 200+ year old farm house with wood since 2008, have used solar primarily for power since 2010, have 3 heat pumps, hybrid hot water heaters and have practiced many organic princi ples since taking over the farm in 2005.

What made up my mind to run for selectboard was the decision by the planning commission to allow the Glaser property to be developed by ignoring the town of Williston’s Growth Management Plan.

This plan has controlled growth in our beautiful town for several years. Vermont has seen serious growth in just the past few years. With the internet, the technology of teleconferencing with programs such as Zoom, the growth of high tech jobs, people have learned how to work from home. When faced at their home with the growing wild fires, higher temperatures, tornadoes, storms and high crime, Vermont has become a pretty special place to live. We all know how special Vermont is as a place to live, specifically Williston. By the planning commission approving the Glaser property this sets a dangerous precedent on future growth.

The result of limiting all growth in the town causes high property values, higher taxes and loss of our youth staying in Vermont. Towns must continue to grow to remain healthy, and like people, if allowed to grow uncontrolled and without reason they become unhealthy. The Growth Manage ment plan must take into effect the town’s infrastructure, police and fire departments, roads, schools and even the remaining open land. People do not visit Vermont to shop at the local box store, they visit Vermont for the open land. It’s important that growth in the open land area is also being done with agri-tourism being a part of that. People move to Williston to vacation and live because of open land and the opportunities of outdoor recreation that it allows. We must also keep our beautiful historic town district without imposing difficulties to people that live and own homes there as well. It must be balanced. Proper balance is an important part of life.

It’s important that when applying for the support of the public on this job that I keep an open mind. I don’t believe that now is the time to have hard opinions on all of the issues. By having an open mind, I can better learn about the short- and long-range responsibilities of the job and under stand the ramifications.

Americans today are living better than we ever have in the history of the United States. In the 1850s the average American worked over 50% of his life. Today with increased productivity, shorter work weeks and longer lives we work 20% of our life. Increases in agriculture have improved drastical ly. For centuries the agriculture production of corn as grain was 20 bushels per acre. Today farms average 180 bushels an acre with some farms over 200 bushels per acre. With less farms, less people involved in farming the farms we have are feeding many more people in the world.

With robots and automation just a few short years ago we thought that this would displace the American worker. Today we are living better lives, more productivity and face a huge worker shortage.

As Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you in trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Paid

built annually in an effort to allow municipal services to keep pace. The town could consider exempting some construction from growth management, such as homes built in the Taft Corners growth center or the repurposing of existing buildings into housing.

“As a further step, consider revising or simply eliminating growth management in favor of policies that are more responsive to market needs,” the report states.

The report recommends increased regulatory flexibility for things like rentable accessory homes and farm worker housing, and implementing “inclusionary zoning,” which requires a portion of new developments be sold or rented at lower than market rates.

More homes need to be built, the report concludes, and more of the homes built need to be affordable for more people.

One policy prescription the report identifies is the easing of Williston’s strict Growth Management caps, which limit the number of homes that can be

The Williston Selectboard, in 2017, set up a housing trust fund for the “promotion, retention and creation of longterm affordable housing for very lowand low-income households.” It has seeded the fund with $60,000. But the board has yet to use the funds or set up the housing trust fund advisory board that was intended to go along with the creation of the fund. The housing needs assessment recommends setting up that advisory board.

Planners intend to finalize the housing needs assessment and bring it before the selectboard for its consideration this spring.

I am Mike Isham and I am asking for your support in my run for a seat on the Williston selectboard

Gordon St. Hilaire.)

Bulldog

continued from page 1

“Two bites at the apple are not allowed,” Hall wrote in a Feb. 2 memo to the town planning and zoning office. “The business has not changed substantially so as to respond to the objections to the original application. Therefore, the application should not have been considered, let alone granted.”

Zoning Administrator Matt Boulanger wrote, in his January approval, that the scaled-back operations were substantially different to allow for a new application. The primary difference is that Pederzani no longer accepts vanloads of dogs at her home on Lamplite lane. She has secured space at the Green Mountain Masonic Center on Bishop Avenue for these events, when dozens of adoptions are typically facilitated on the same day. These are the events that caused the most disturbance in the neighborhood.

Other conditions of the permit approval are the creation of a new parking spot at Pederzani’s home and a plan for the

on-site storage of waste from the dog rescue. Pederzani has also stopped using the kennels in her backyard — the yard is now used only for morning dog walks, one at a time, supervised by a volunteer. Dogs are also walked one at a time through the neighborhood.

“The road and its shoulder are public property,” Pederzani wrote in a home business plan submitted to the zoning office. “Any person can come into any development to walk their dog provided that walker and dog are acting within the law.”

She said Williston police officers recommend calling the police department “if there is any interference with that freedom.”

In his permit approval, Boulanger determined that the use of the backyard for walks does not constitute what would be an impermissible “outdoor workspace” and keeps the operation within the required maximum of 25 percent of the home. The operation is primarily run out of a 290-square-foot, one-car garage.

Boulanger also determined that, with adoption events now happening off-site, the rescue

will not generate any undue traffic in the neighborhood; that the operation will not violate the town’s noise ordinance; and that the application could be approved by him without a DRB hearing because the nonprofit has no employees, only volunteers.

“(DRB) review is not required for this application,” Boulanger wrote. “(It) can be reviewed and approved administratively.”

In their appeal, the neighbors argue that the operation generates enough traffic that the application should have been reviewed by the DRB. They also contend that the use of the backyard violates the zoning prohibition on outdoor workspaces for home businesses and that the operation violates a nuisance clause in the town bylaws.

“The presence of the commercial kennel in a residential neighborhood is a nuisance,” Hall, the neighbors’ attorney, wrote in his Feb. 2 letter to the town. “(It) results in smells, noise and traffic, which, in the context of a residential neighborhood, is a nuisance, and this is not expected to change.”

Apparent hoax threats called in to multiple Vermont schools

BY ETHAN WEINSTEIN VTDigger

Vermont police agencies responded Wednesday to multiple reports of violent threats at schools that appear to be unfounded hoaxes.

“The calls have been reported to originate from VOIP phone numbers” — which originate from the internet — “or potentially spoofed 802 numbers and appear to be associated with ongoing nationwide hoax phone threats of school shootings, bomb threats, and other violent events that have proved to be unfounded,” according to a press release Wednesday morning from the Vermont State Police.

Police said “none of these threats is believed to be credible.”

In a statement Wednesday morning, Gov. Phil Scott called the fake threats “an act of terrorism designed to create chaos and stoke fear that can be exploited.”

“These events are unnerving for everyone — students, teachers, parents and Vermonters,” Scott said. “We can use this energy to come together because unity is the most

powerful way to ensure terrorists do not achieve their goals.”

Police responses were reported at several schools throughout the state, including in Colchester and South Burlington. In the capital Wednesday morning, a small crowd of onlookers stood across the street from Montpelier High School watching as several emergency vehicles flashed red and blue lights in the parking lot.

Barre Deputy Police Chief Larry Eastman, who was on scene, said there was a “report of some kind of shooting” that he understood “was not true.”

Montpelier High senior Bella Wawrzyniak said she was running late when she got to school and saw an ambulance in the parking lot. She called a friend, who said they were in “full lockdown,” Wawrzyniak said.

“Shooting — that was where my mind went,” she said. She said she experienced her first lockdown drill in middle school and now goes through them every few months.

In addition to state and local law enforcement, the Agency of Education was assisting in the response, according to state police.

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

SPRING/SUMMER PROGRAMS AND CAMPS

Registration is now open for Williston residents for all spring and summer programs and camps. Be sure to check out the rec department website (www.willistonrec.org) for offerings and to register. Early registration is encouraged as some programs and camps fill fast. A “camp grid” is available to help plan your children’s summer of fun.

REC

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION GUIDE

Watch for our Department Information Guide coming soon to your mailbox. This three-page guide explains all that the recreation department has to offer the community — programs/camps/special events, community parks, sponsorship and advertising opportunities, donations and financial assistance, employment and volunteer opportunities, instructor and business opportunities, Allen Brook Community Park master planning, and “The R.E.C. Zone” facility that will be opening in March.

THE R.E.C. ZONE — RECREATE, EXPLORE, CREATE

The new rental space, previously named The R.O.C., has gone through a name change. It was discovered that R.O.C. was used locally for another organization/group, and the department doesn’t want to confuse or use a name that already exists. The new name for the space at 94 Harvest Lane will be “The

R.E.C. Zone — Recreate, Explore, Create.”

The department is currently looking for instructors to fill “The Zone” with yearround, one-time and other types of recreation programs for all ages. If you have a talent, craft, fitness or other type of program that you would like to offer, fill out a program proposal form at www.willistonrec.org.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

REHAB GYM 1ST ANNUAL WILLISTON COMMUNITY 5K

Age 12-plus. Saturday, May 13, 9:30 a.m. The goal for this event is to bring the community together, support local businesses and organizations and enjoy the spring weather. The course is accessible, and adaptive athletes are encouraged to participate. Registration opens Feb. 8 at www.willistonrec.org.

NEW ONLINE PROGRAMS

There are a series of new programs now available at www.willistonrec.org under the “Home Programs to Enjoy!” tab. There are programs on national park tours, Vermont State Parks, the Green Mountain Club, the Chittenden Solid Waste District and other fun things. Enjoy the videos in each category from home.

ADULT PROGRAMS

TAI CHI FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS

This program focuses on learning Yang Style Tai Chi, as well as a variety of Chi Kung sets and postures, primarily those from Grandmaster Mantak Chia’s Healing Tao system. Come strengthen your body, regulate and build physical energy, and cultivate your

Very Merry Theatre puts kids center stage

ALICIA WOLFRAM Community News Service

Imagine walking into a rustic barn on a rolling Charlotte hill and, instead of finding animals in stalls and hay strewn about, seeing kids busily rehearsing lines, building sets and assembling costumes. That’s a typical day at Very Merry Theatre’s summer camp.

What started almost two decades ago as simply a camp in a local barn has grown into a theater organization serving about 1,000 youths annually from northwestern Vermont.

Very Merry Theatre introduces young people to the art of theater by immersing them in all aspects of play production — acting, set design, touring and more. Parents can register their kids online for a variety of classes, programs and camps ranging in price and age group. The nonprofit welcomes participants 4

to 19 years old and offers financial aid.

Plays have included “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “King Lear, the Western” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The 40s Musical,” among others.

The group wants kids to “develop a sense of belonging and a safe place to explore all the many theater arts,” said founder Don Wright.

He said the group wants to help kids overcome any obstacles to accessing the program by providing lunch or rides if needed. The organization also partners with schools to stage shows on campuses, rather than at the group’s studio or on the road. That way, Wright said, transportation and program costs do not limit participation.

Every child who wants a role in a play gets one. Wright makes sure of that — he adapts

Reward Checking

From its start in 1994, the Very Merry Theatre now puts on about 40 shows each year.

COURTESY PHOTO BY COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

see REC & PARKS page 11

see VERY MERRY page 12

Rec & Parks

continued from page 10

mental concentration and spirit with this gentle and nourishing practice. Instructor: ONTA Studio Staff

FYZICAL WILLISTON YOGA PASS

The rec department is partnering with Fyzical Williston on a four-visit punch pass offer to try their All Levels and Chair yoga programs. Register for your pass at www.willistonrec.org and receive your pass at your first visit. Registration opens on Feb. 8.

SANGHA STUDIO YOGA PASS

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

MY HEALTHY VT

Want to be healthier and feel better? My Healthy VT can help. Find a free course that’s right for you and take online any time. Go

to www.willistonrec.org for links to the My Healthy VT website.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

YOUTH LACROSSE

Grades K-8. Registration is now open. Early registration deadline is March 5. Lacrosse is a fast-paced sport that combines the power of football and hockey and the endurance of soccer and basketball. The kindergarten and grades 1-2 programs are coed, and the grades 3-8 programs offer separate boys and girls teams. Volunteer coaches are needed.

CHESS WIZARDS CAMP — FEBRUARY BREAK

For ages 6-12. Feb 27-March 5. Join us for tons of challenging chess lessons, exciting games and cool prizes. You’ll improve your chess skills, meet new friends and work out your most powerful muscle — your brain. The programs include fun team chess games (like Corner Chess), recess time, snacks, tournaments and puzzles. Each participant receives a T-shirt, trophy and puzzle folder. We include all the mate -

rials necessary for your child to participate, but full-day kids should bring a lunch. Unleash your brain power and spend part of your vacation with Chess Wizards.

NINJA SCIENCE CAMP — FEBRUARY BREAK

This camp combines all the martial arts, tumbling and parkour that kids love, with environmental science education. We’ll

be doing lots of technique-oriented karate, playing martial arts games, breaking boards, sword fighting, and delving deeper into meditation and the moral and ethical precepts of the martial arts. We’ll also be talking about ants, space and animal tracking, and delve into ONTA’s very own (kid friendly) Kung Fu movie library. Instructor: ONTA Studio staff.

Williston Community Theatre to host inaugural summer camp

Kids going into grade 5-9 are invited to sing and dance to tunes from the big band and hip hop eras while producing a performance at the Isham Family Farm barn at the Williston Community Theatre’s first-ever summer camp.

The camp, directed by experienced music and dance instructors, will run 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday the week of June 26June 30. It is the first of other theater camps planned at the Isham Farm.

The culminating show will be performed the evening of June 30 inside the Isham Barn.

Email camp director Helen Weston at westonforte@gmail.com for registration information, or visit www.willistoncommunitytheatre.com.

Very Merry

continued from page 10

more than half of the plays and creates as many new characters as needed.

From its start in 1994, The Very Merry Theatre has grown to work with kids at local schools, summer camps and at its studio in Burlington to put on more than 40 shows each year.

Wright had been volunteering at his kids’ school when he noticed there wasn’t much opportunity for young people in theater. So, he thought up Very Merry. Parents and teachers liked what he was doing, and he kept building.

“I just kept knocking on the door of more schools over time, and eventually we got our own

“We love the creative, imaginative energy and input from all the age groups. … That’s part of what’s great about art, that discovery.”

space,” he said. Wright held the first camp at a friend’s barn on Mount Philo Road in Charlotte. Eight years later in 2002, under the banner of Very Merry, he moved the camp to Staige Hill Farm Barn on Garen

Road, where it remains.

“The barn itself is just a very magical place to be rehearsing,” said Jessie Heiser, whose 8-yearold twins Maisie and Beatrice attended the camp last summer and plan to return this year.

Heiser said her daughters felt instantly at home, which speaks to the “power of the kindness and openness” of Very Merry. “They really do care and have fun with children and because of that, kids feel welcome and happy,” she said.

Wright feels the same about Charlotte.

“We were fortunate enough to find a barn there that really fit our needs,” he said. “Charlotte’s been a huge presence for us. … It is the genesis of where it started, and we’re there every year.”

The “Wagon Tour,” one of Very Merry’s signature camps, spans two weeks and consists of six practice days and four performance days, the latter spent in a different town each time. The first week takes place at Staige Hill Farm Barn. The second week, the show goes on the road with a mobile stage — the wagon — which trails behind a truck and folds out fully decorated for each performance.

The troupe usually sets up on a lawn and attracts a lively crowd: People pour in with lawn chairs, blankets and snacks. “From toddlers to older folks, you really get quite an array of audience members,” Heiser said.

Behind all the prep and performing, for Wright, is a deep dedication to kids.

“My most fundamental philosophy that drives what I do is to not disappoint kids,” he said. “I want them to feel important and valued in our productions.”

He takes a collaborative approach to directing, and people notice.

“I really like to watch Don work with the students,” Sloan said. “He knows how to bring out the best in all of the kids he works with, and he just gives 110 percent to every production he ever does.”

Wright calls it an ensemble effort.

“We love the creative, imaginative energy and input from all the age groups. Even a 7-year-old still has ideas on how her character, Piglet, should be expressed,” he said.

Don Wright

Very Merry Theatre

What’s the magic of camp?

MICHAEL THOMPSON Special to the Observer

Why are people so loyal to their sleepaway camps? What exactly happens at camp that makes people rhapsodize about the experience 30 or 40 years later? Whenever I tell people that I am curious about their camp experience, the stories start to pour out. “I loved my camp,” they say in a dreamy voice.

What is it about the summer camp experience — just a few weeks away for perhaps two or three seasons — that goes so deep under their skin? As a psychologist, I am curious about the mystery of camp. What’s the magic ingredient?

After a whole summer of sitting in on campfires, cabin chats and dining hall singalongs; after laughing through a lot of silly campfire skits; after watching kids compete in color wars and canoeing contests and stage first-rate productions of Broadway musicals — I’m closer to an answer.

First, it is absolutely magical for kids to be away from their parents. The sweetest, most satisfying moments of childhood (think back to your own life) are almost always when you are away from your parents. Children are suddenly free to face challenges and accomplishments that are theirs

alone — experiences that don’t have to be run through the parental cognitive-ruminative-metabolic-judicial machinery.

Secondly, the relationship between campers and counselors is pure gold. The younger kids love and admire the counselors, and that respect brings out the best in young adults. They are at their most responsible, compassionate and loving when they are put in charge of younger children, and the younger children knock themselves out trying to impress these young demi-gods.

Finally, if camps are successful, they create a private world with its own rules and rituals and magic. Deep down, all children want to have their own adventures with no (apparent) safety net. Suburban life and school don’t provide children with much of an arena for adventure or their imaginations. Camps have the ability to create that world that belongs only to a child and his or her friends. Now that is magic.

Michael Thompson, Ph.D., is the coauthor of Raising Cain. He is presently writing a book about camps and overnight school trips called Homesick and Happy and can be contacted at michaelthompson.phd@gmail. com. Adapted from “What’s the Magic of Camp?” Originally published in the September 2010 issue of Camp e-News. Reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association. ©2010, American Camping Association, Inc.

summer camp for boys, ages 10-14 located in Vermont’s Green Mountains

Honoring Our Presidents

Have you seen pictures of the most popular presidential monuments in Washington, D.C.? Maybe you’ve visited these sites in our nation’s capital.

The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial have long been symbols of America. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is the newest presidential monument, dedicated in 2020.

Presidents Day is on Feb. 20 this year. To celebrate, The Mini Page takes a tour of these famous monuments.

Monument to Washington

When French-American architect Pierre L’Enfant designed Washington, D.C., he included plans for a monument to America’s first president.

The design was chosen through a contest, as were most capital memorials. The winning designer was Robert Mills.

In 1848, workers began building the monument, but money ran out after six years. By the time work began again, 25 years later, workers had to get rock from a different quarry. As a result, the stone is a different color starting about one-third of the way up.

Lincoln Memorial

Abraham Lincoln is one of our most

honored presidents. He took the first big steps toward ending slavery. He held the United States together during the Civil War.

As a result, the memorial to him has become one of the most inspirational sites in the world. Many world-changing events have been held there.

In 1939, a group would not allow singer Marian Anderson to perform in their hall because she was Black. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt helped arrange for her to sing at the Lincoln Memorial instead. Millions heard her concert on the radio.

In 1963, at a march for civil rights, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech there. The speech continues to inspire people throughout the world.

When Lincoln was president in the 1860s, the Potomac River came almost to the Washington Monument, about three-fourths of a mile away.

The Lincoln Memorial is built on former swampland that was filled in by the U.S. Army in the late 1800s. Work began on the memorial in 1914.

The 19-foot-tall statue of Lincoln inside is made up of 28 pieces of marble put together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt first came to Washington, D.C., he was surprised that there was no memorial to his hero, Thomas Jefferson. Roosevelt led the push to build a memorial to honor him.

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. He also nearly doubled the size of America with the Louisiana Purchase.

Workers began building the memorial in 1938. The original statue of Jefferson was made of plaster because metal was needed for weapons in World War II. After the war, a bronze statue replaced the plaster one. Eisenhower Memorial

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial was dedicated in September 2020. According to the National Park Service, this memorial “pays tribute to this remarkable historic figure with heroicsized bronze sculptures, stone bas reliefs, and quotations from his most famous speeches and addresses.”

Resources

On the Web:

• bit.ly/ MPEisenhowerMemorial

At the library:

• “A Kid’s Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President” by Dylanna Press

Mini Fact: Dwight D. Eisenhower served in the U.S. Army and was our nation’s 34th president.

Next Week: World Wildlife Day

The rare “triple-dip” La Niña ocean cooling in the Pacific is now expected to linger into

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 06, 2023

PLASTER, PRESIDENTS, ROOSEVELT, SWAMP,

photo by Amaury Laporte

photo courtesy National Park Service

photoby

SubtlePanda

photo courtesy National Park Service

quarry. As a result, the stone is a different color starting about one-third of the way up.

Lincoln Memorial

Abraham Lincoln is one of our most

Try ’n’ Find

memorial in 1914.

The 19-foot-tall statue of Lincoln inside is made up of 28 pieces of marble put together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

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

ARCHITECT, CAPITAL, EISENHOWER, EVENTS, HONOR, JEFFERSON, LINCOLN, MARBLE, MEMORIAL, MONUMENT, PLASTER, PRESIDENTS, ROOSEVELT, SWAMP, WASHINGTON.

Cook’s Corner

Cottage Cheese Spread

You’ll need:

• 1 cup low-fat (or fat-free) cottage cheese

• 1/4 cup shredded carrot

• 1/4 cup chopped cucumber

• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper

• 1/4 cup chopped celery

What to do:

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic herb spice blend

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium plastic container.

2. Chill for 1 hour to blend flavors.

3. Spread on crackers or sliced cucumbers. Serves 3-4.

7 Little Words for Kids

Use the letters in the boxes to make a word with the same meaning as the clue. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in the solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.

1. youngest in the family (4)

2. food you buy at the store (9)

3. crocodile cousin (9)

4. bee or beetle (6)

5. short test (4)

6. where you save money (4)

7. venomous snake (5)

Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President” by Dylanna Press

Mini Jokes

has four guys who don’t sing? Mount Rushmore!

the Pacific is now expected to linger into February or even March, according to the U.N. weather agency. For three consecutive years, the phenomenon has brought disastrous flooding to southeastern Australia as well as various other weather disasters around the world. “The first ‘triple-dip’ La Niña of the 21st century will continue to affect temperature and precipitation patterns and exacerbate drought and flooding in different parts of the world,” the World Meteorological Organization said in a statement.

Look in the newspaper for articles about Presidents Day.

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

BY DAN THOMPSON

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews

McMeel Syndication

Stephen

How much do you have to make to file taxes?

Dear Savvy Senior, What are the IRS income tax filing requirements for retirees this tax season? My income dropped way down when I retired in 2022, so I’m wondering if I need to even file a tax return this year.

Recently Retired

Dear Recently, Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year will depend on how much you earned last year, as well as the source of the income, your age and filing status.

Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax filing requirement thresholds.

For most people, this is pretty straightforward. If your 2022 gross income – which includes all taxable income, not counting your Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately – was below the threshold for your filing status and age, you may not have to file.

• Single: $12,950 ($14,700 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2022).

• Married filing jointly: $25,900 ($27,300 if you or your spouse is 65 or older; or $28,700 if you’re both over 65).

• Head of household: $19,400 ($21,150 if 65 or older).

• Qualifying widow(er) with de-

pendent child: $25,900 ($27,300 if 65 or older).

To get a detailed breakdown on federal filing requirements, along with information on taxable and nontaxable income, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy of the “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for Tax Year 2022,” or you can see it online at www.IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi. pdf.

CHECK HERE TOO

Be aware that there are other financial situations that can require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirements: for example, if you earned more than $400 from self-employment in 2022, owe any special taxes like an alternative minimum tax, or get premium tax credits because you, your spouse or a dependent is enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan.

You’ll also need to file if you’re receiving Social Security benefits, and one-half of your benefits plus your other gross income and any tax-exempt interest exceeds $25,000, or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly.

To figure all this out, the IRS offers an online tax tool that asks a series of questions that will help you

By Jim Miller

determine if you’re required to file, or if you should file because you’re due a refund. It takes less than 15 minutes to complete.

You can access this tool at www. IRS.gov/Help/ITA – click on “Do I Need to File a Tax Return?” Or you can get assistance over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at 800-8291040.

CHECK YOUR STATE

Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, don’t assume that you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. The see SAVVY page 22

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 23

ANDREWS

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1825, the U.S. House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams as president, a decision that became necessary after no candidate took a majority of the electoral votes in the election of 1824.

• In 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected president of the Confederate States of America.

• In 1950, during a speech in West Virginia, Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin claimed to have a list of more than 200 “known communists” serving in the State Department.

• In 1964, the Beatles made their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

TODAY’S FACT:

• The game of volleyball (then called Mintonette) was created in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on this day in 1895.

We’re proud of our smiles!

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

ON PAGE 23

State track & field

CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s Amelie Scharf, above, starts the girls 4x200 meter relay during the state track and field championships held at UVM on Saturday. CVU’s Grace McNally leads into the final lap of the girls 600 meter run. CVU’s Alice Kredell leads the pack in the girls 1000 meter run, going on to win the race. CVU’s Hayden Berard, center, competes in the boys 55 meter sprint. CVU’s Matthew Servin leads wire to wire to win the boys 1500 meter race.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Twist and shoot

Sports

Why not have a job you love?

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make a career making a difference and join our team today!

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

Champlain Community Services, Inc.

CLOCKWISE (l to r): During the Redhawks’ win against the MMU Cougars on Friday in Hinesburg, CVU’s Alex Provost makes an acrobatic shot. Logan Vaughn’s reverse layup goes over MMU’s Josh Syverson. Russell Willough grabs the rebound, blocking out MMU’s Zev Lerner. Kyle Eaton drives in against MMU’s Josh Syverson. Jack St. Peter works his way into the paint for a basket.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

It is with profound sadness that we say farewell to Evelyn Laura (Cota) St. Peter of Williston, VT.

OBITUARIES

Evelyn Laura (Cota) St. Peter

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend, Evelyn passed into the arms of her Heavenly

Father at the age of 89 following a brief illness.

Evelyn was born Dec. 17, 1933 to Charles and Yvonne

(Mongeon) Cota. Evelyn was the second of 4 children, growing up in Burlington and attending Burlington public schools. She graduated from Burlington High School, Class of ‘51, where she was an accomplished athlete playing on school and city basketball and softball teams. Her talent helped secure several local and state championship titles.

On July 23, 1955, Evelyn married the love of her life, Paul W. St. Peter. With the birth of their first child, Evelyn left her job to become a full-time mother. Paul & Evelyn were blessed with, and raised 5 children.

Many summers Paul and Evelyn would pack up the family RV and head off to the far corners of the country to show their children adventure and fun. As a stay-at-home mom she found countless ways to make life special for her children, and later, grandchildren. Holidays and birthdays were always a time of excitement and Evelyn would keep each one special with traditions and memorable activities.

Once her children were older and independent, Evelyn returned to work joining The Vermont Northeast Board of Realtors Office. Her organizational skills, pleasant demeanor, and friendly presence made her a favorite, and fun member, of the office.

Evelyn was an active parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Williston, Vermont.

Evelyn retired in 1991 to enjoy more time with her ever growing family and pastimes with her husband. Evelyn enjoyed many adventures with Paul and dear friends. Regular card games and cruising with several close friends was a favorite pastime. She and Paul spent the winter months in Florida with lifelong friends Joe and Shirley Lane. While there, they enjoyed golfing, eating out and sunny morning coffees on the lanai.

In her later years Evelyn enjoyed a daily ride in the car to her favorite locations around VT with Paul which always included picnics along the way. She also enjoyed many hours doing puzzles and watching TV.

She is survived by her hus -

band of 67 years, Paul W. St. Peter; daughters Judith and her husband William Sheppard of Virginia, Sally and husband Jason Lewis of Colchester, VT, and Sandra and husband Timothy Donlan of Swanton, VT; Son Michael St. Peter and his wife Rebecca (Bouchard) of Virginia. Evelyn was blessed with 9 Grandchildren - Christopher Sheppard, Lauren (Sheppard) Cates, Gregory Sheppard, Brenden Lewis, Quinten Lewis, Timothy St. Peter, Jessica Waters, Marisa Bachand and Benjamin Bachand. 6 Great Grandchildren - Kavela & Sheppard Cates, Brantley & Declan St. Peter, Colton and Levon Murphy. Evelyn was predeceased by her son Stephen Robert St. Peter in May 2017. Evelyn also leaves many nieces, nephews, kind neighbors and friends.

Evelyn’s Family would like to acknowledge and express with deepest gratitude the devoted hospice nurses and staff of Bayada Home Health Care.

Visiting hours were held Wed. Feb 8 at Ready Funeral Home

Funeral service will be held Thursday, Feb 9, at 11 a.m. at The Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Williston Vt. Internment and burial to follow at Resurrection Park in South Burlington.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to her favorite charity, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Bayada Hospice, 354 Mountain View Drive Colchester, VT, noting Evelyn’s name.

Arrangements are in the care of the Ready Funeral and Cremation Service. To send online condolences to the family, please visit www.readyfuneral. com

On Jan. 20, 2023, Sandra T. Lemire of Williston, passed away at the age of 80 after fighting a courageous month-long battle to overcome injuries she sustained in an accident.

Born in St. Johnsbury Sept. 21, 1942, to Frances and Dorothy Tyler, Sandy attended high school at the St. Johnsbury Academy where she graduated in 1961. She went on to attend Champlain College where she graduated with an Executive Secretarial degree in 1963. In 1966 Sandy married Jean Paul Lemire. Upon the birth of their first child, Sandy decided to become a full-time mother devoting her time to raising her children and helping her husband on the family dairy farm.

In 1981 Sandy decided to return to work and eventually became the secretary at United Christian Assembly in Jericho, Vermont where she attended church and served faithfully as the secretary for 35 years until she retired in 2018.

Sandy was an avid reader who always had a book going. She said, “I love to read because books take me

OBITUARIES

Sandra T. Lemire

to places I’ll never see in real life.” Sandy also collected teddy bears, enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, watching the Hallmark Channel, and spending time with her family and friends.

Sandy’s life was marked by her faith in God. She would say that it was her faith and relationship with God that brought her through life’s trials. Sandy had a strong gift of discernment and always knew when something wasn’t right, making it difficult for her children to hide things from her – even as adults. She also had a large capacity to forgive and love people despite and through their shortcomings. “Well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Lord.” Matthew 25:23.

Sandy is survived by her husband Jean Paul Lemire, her children, Michelle Brannan and husband Tate of Jericho, Vt., Desiree McDonald and husband Wayne of Supply, NC, and her son Johnny Lemire of Colchester, Vt. She is also survived by her grandchildren TJ, Kendra, Mercedes, Anthony, David, Aldin,

Heidi L. Libercent

Heidi L. Libercent, 74, of Williston passed away on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023 at Green Mountain Nursing Home in Colchester.

Heidi was born Oct. 17, 1948 in Barre Town VT. She was a 1966 graduate of Spaulding High School in Barre VT, and a 1970 graduate of the University of Vermont School of Nursing, receiving her RN BSN degree.

In her early years she worked at the Medical Center Hospital in Burlington, later working for 30 years at the Vermont Department of Mental Health, before finishing her career at the Howard Center. Heidi was a great lover of cats, and always had a few at her side throughout her life. She also enjoyed doing jewelry, crafting at home in her retirement years.

Heidi is survived by her husband of 36 years, Douglas Clifton Jr of Williston. She was predeceased by her parents Roland and Loretta (Blanchet) Libercent, and her first husband Richard Aldrich.

Per Heidi’s wishes, there will be no calling hours or services. Inturnment will be private in the summer. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Humane Society of Chittenden County, 142 Kindness Ct, So Burlington, VT 05403. Arrangements are in care of the Cremation Society of Chittenden County. To send online condolences to her family please visit www.cremationsocietycc.com.

Cecil L. Royea, Sr.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Cecil L. Royea, Sr., 96, at his home in Willison on Jan. 25, 2023.

Spring services are being

Sydney, Abbie, and Emma, several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law Monique Lemire, Rita Lemire, and Pauline

Lemire, and her brother, Larry Tyler, and his wife Sharon of Swanton, Vt. A memorial service will be held to remember and celebrate Sandy’s

life on Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. at Catalyst Church on 100 Raceway Rd. in Jericho. Services are in the care of Corbin & Palmer Funeral Home.

planned. A complete obituary will appear at a later date on www.vtfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are in care of Gifford Funeral Home, 22 Depot Street, Richmond, VT.

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Savvy

continued from page 16

rules for your state might be very different.

TAX PREPARATION HELP

If you find that you do need to file a tax return this year, you can file free through the IRS at www.IRS.

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gov/FreeFile if your 2022 adjusted gross income was below $73,000.

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You can also get assistance through the AARP Foundation TaxAide service. Call 888-227-7669 or visit www.AARP.org/findtaxhelp. You don’t have to be an AARP member to use this service.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

EMAILED

Thomas Hirchak Company

FROM: Dakota Ward Phone: 802-888-4662

Email: Advertising2@THCAuction.com

To: Rick & Susan Cote

Paper: Williston Observer Max Length 12.5

TODAY’S DATE: 2/3/2023

NAME OF FILE: 02092023_WO

DATE(S) TO RUN: 2/9/2023

SIZE OF AD: 1/8 page (4” x 5”)

EMAILED TO: Rick@Willistonobserver.com

Publishes in Williston Observer

SECTION: Auctions PO# 1475-1469

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LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW

BOARD AGENDA

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – 7 PM

Police Station Meeting Room (7928 Williston Road) or Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646558-8656

DP 23-08.1 Berlin City Kia c/o

SB Signs request a discretionary permit for a Master Sign Plan at 586 Marshall Avenue in the Industrial Zoning District West (IZDW).

DP 20-18.1 Ethan Allen Homes c/o Chris Senesac requests a discretionary permit to designate 2022 Growth Management allocation (16 DUe) as Phase 2 on the phasing plan and change the overall dwelling unit type and mix (122 DUe as 138 dwellings increasing to 123 DUe as 139 dwellings) at Summer Field subdivision (fka Catamount Country Club) on a 30± parcel located at 1400 Mountain View Road in the Residential Zoning District (RZD).

Project details and site plans are available on the website, town. williston.vt.us, under “Public Records and Documents”, then “Agendas & Minutes”, and “Development Review Board”. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@ willistonvt.org To

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Shelburne Museum creates a curatorship for Native American art

BY MAGGIE REYNOLDS VTDigger

The Shelburne Museum has announced a new curatorship in Native American art, funded by the wellknown Henry Luce Foundation.

The museum appointed Victoria Sunnergren, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Delaware, to hold the position.

“I am delighted to join Shelburne as the first Associate Curator of Native American Art,” Sunnergren wrote in a press release. “I look forward to my role in bringing Indigenous art and material culture to Shelburne’s audiences and amplifying the Indigenous voices represented in the collection.”

According to Thomas Denenberg, director of the museum, the curatorship is an effort to add more cultural diversity and representation of Indigenous art in the museum’s collections.

Sunnergren’s first project — “Built From the Earth: Pueblo Pottery From the Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection” — will feature about 40 pieces of pottery from eight of the Pueblo communities in New Mexico. The pottery will come from

the Acoma, Cochiti, Laguna, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, Zia, and Zuni Pueblo communities.

Sunnergren is collaborating with a group of Indigenous scholars to interpret the pottery for the exhibit, which will be on display from June to October of this year, Denenberg said.

While Sunnergren will be the first curator at the Shelburne Museum specifically focused on Native American art, the museum has been aiming to increase Indigenous representation in its exhibits for some time now, Denenberg said. The museum began four years ago with a Native American advisory committee, and then received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to create a second cultural competency group.

The museum used to have a collection of baskets crafted by Alaskan Indigenous artists, which was acquired by the museum’s founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb, from wellknown artist Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 1940s. Due to concerns that the items were not displayed in a culturally appropriate manner — the baskets from a number of different tribes were grouped as the same in an exhibit with various other cultures —

they were taken down in the 1990s.

“It was just grouping them all together … saying every one of one group is all the same,” Denenberg said of the former exhibit.

Since then, museum curators have worked with Abenaki people on projects over the years, but have never had a formal Abenaki collection on display. Denenberg attributed that to the fact that the art and pottery of Woodlands tribes, such as the Abenaki, have not survived as well over time as that of Southwestern tribes, for climate reasons.

The museum does have a practice, however, of recognizing that it sits on unceded Abenaki land when new collections are installed.

“The Abenaki act as hosts, if you will, when the material from another tribe or another culture comes onto their land,” Denenberg said.

According to Don Stevens, chief of the Nulhegan band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation, the Shelburne’s new curatorship is an exciting way to combine Sunnergren’s knowledge of curation with the Indigenous items that are part of multiple tribes’ cultures.

“I think it’s very exciting to have a curator paying attention specifical-

ly to Indigenous art and their stewardship,” Stevens told VTDigger.

The Henry Luce Foundation is funding the curatorship at the Shelburne Museum for three years. After that, the museum intends to endow the position, as it has done with specific curatorships in the past.

Sunnergren, a graduate of Florida State University and the University of Delaware with degrees in museum

studies and art history, was selected from a national search that the museum conducted. She will join a staff of three other curators at the museum, who focus on design and decorative arts, painting and textiles, and contemporary projects, respectively.

The Shelburne Museum will reopen for the 2023 season in May, and the “Built from the Earth” exhibit will be on display beginning June 24.

Native American baskets from the Shelburne Museum collection. IMAGE COURTESY OF SHELBURNE MUSEUM