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60 homes approved for golf course redevelopment Two Mountain View Road subdivisions receive housing allocations BY JASON STARR Observer staff The Williston Development Review Board approved about 80 new homes in two separate Mountain View Road subdivisions that are less than a mile apart last Tuesday, during the board’s annual growth management meeting. The board uses the annual

Folino’s, Comcast plan Finney Crossing openings Healthy Living gets new neighbors BY JASON STARR Observer staff Folino’s Wood Fired Pizza is planning to open its third Chittenden County restaurant this fall in Williston’s Finney Crossing neighborhood, according to developer Scott Rieley. The restaurant, with current locations in Shelburne and Burlington, will occupy the west end of the building anchored by Healthy Living Market and Café, which opened in 2020. There will be indoor and outdoor seating. “We are real excited to have them,” Rieley said. “They will be a good draw.” In between Healthy Living and Folino’s, a Comcast/Xfinity retail store is also planning a fall opening, Rieley said. The store will be relocating from its current location on Dorset Street in South Burlington. Folino’s originally planned to open in Williston in a different Finney Crossing location and be co-located with a Fiddlehead Brewery outlet — just as the two are co-located in Shelburne. That plan fell apart amid the pandemic shutdown of 2020. The spot Folino’s will occupy was once planned for a Farmhouse Tap and Grill restaurant, but see NEIGHBORS page 2

meeting to give development proposals that have already received preliminary approval the right to build a limited number of houses. The process is designed to moderate the pace of residential growth so it doesn’t overwhelm town services. When an applicant receives housing allowances at the meeting, it can then proceed to a final development review hearing. About 60 of the homes approved last Tuesday are sited on what is currently the Catamount Country Club golf course. Land developer Chris Senesac of Ethan

Allen Holdings is proposing a 148-home subdivision on the majority of the course. Three of the golf holes will remain, along with a new playground, rec paths and open space on the 30-acre parcel, according to plans submitted to the board. If the proposal is to reach its full 148-home vision, it will require allocations at future growth management meetings. The subdivision’s roads would create a new north-south connection between Williston Village and Mountain View Road via the neighborhoods of Raven Circle

and Southridge Road. Less than a mile to the west, across from Trinity Baptist Church, 19 homes were allocated on 10 acres owned by Scott Michaud. That development would create a new intersection with Meadowrun Road. The Meadowrun and Forrest Run homeowners associations have filed written objections to the proposal on several grounds, including pedestrian safety and increased traffic. “There is no through traffic today,” the homeowners associations wrote in a letter to the board, noting

that their residents are primarily senior citizens. “Motorists using the new connection … will create new dangers to (our) residents.” The 19-home allocation was approved unanimously by the board. Allocations are based on how well a development proposal scores on a list of criteria that includes energy conservation, the number of affordable housing units, housing variety, neighborhood design, and rec paths and trails. The golf course redevelopment received the see HOMES page 3

Local teachers protest pension overhaul OBSERVER STAFF REPORT Williston Central School was the site Monday afternoon of teacher protests against proposed legislation to overhaul public employee pensions. The next morning, Champlain Valley Union teachers picketed outside the high school in Hinesburg. House Speaker Jill Krowinski introduced pension reform legislation last week, saying current program costs are unsustainable. “Our state pensions are in critical need of reform to stabilize the system and get it on track for longterm stability,” she wrote in a letter to Vermont media outlets in March. The current pension program for teachers and state employees is under-funded by $4.5 billion, with another $604 million deficit coming this year, according to Krowinski. “We must all work together to ensure that we guarantee retirement for those who have dedicated their lives to serving Vermont — before it’s too late,” she wrote. The Vermont teachers union came out against the House proposal last week, saying it would extend the retirement age, boost teacher contributions, diminish benefits and cut cost-of-living adjustments while not seeking more funding from wealthy Vermonters or corporations. “We’ve urged state leaders to seek a dedicated source of revenue for the pension’s obligations by raising taxes on those Vermonters who have done exceedingly well both before and during this pandemic,” Vermont teachers union president Don Tinney said

Teacher Joy Peterson holds a sign protesting public employee pension cuts Monday afternoon outside Williston Central School. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY EVA BENWAY

in a press release. “Unfortunately, the speaker seems to prefer taking money out of the pockets of teachers rather than ask the most fortunate among us to pay more. This is a particularly cruel way to thank teachers for their hard work supporting students during a pandemic.” The Vermont School Library Association also strongly rejected the proposal. “We stand in solidarity with the Vermont state employees whose futures would also be negatively impacted by the proposed changes,” the organization said in a press release. “A pension is, indeed, a promise.” In January, State Treasurer Beth Pearce recommended cuts

to the state employee and teacher pension systems. Top lawmakers in the House kept their cards close to the vest for months, working behind the scenes to craft a response, which was released last Wednesday in the House Government Operations committee. Between trimming benefits and asking for higher contributions, the House proposal would cost school workers a cumulative $300 million. For state employees, the cost would be about $200 million. Legislators are offering to pitch in more state dollars, too — an extra $150 million one-time contribution. The proposals in play would not touch benefits for current retirees or those within five years of retirement.

There are many reasons why Vermont finds itself staring down the barrel of billions in unfunded liability in its state employee and teacher pension systems. The funds have consistently fallen short of expected returns, and demographic trends also contribute to the problem. But one of the biggest culprits has been several generations of Vermont’s political leaders, who for decades shorted their contributions to the system. Since the mid-2000s, Vermont has been making the required contributions, and then some, in an effort to begin paying down the system’s ballooning debts. But workers who testified Monday and see PENSION page 3

Page 2 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

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Clockwise from top left: Steam pours from the Comeau Family Sugarhouse last week at the end of Bradley Lane; the white pipes in the foreground bring the sap from trees to tanks at the sugarhouse; sweet success boils in the finishing pan; Ann Comeau draws off the final product; Comeau ‘gauges’ how close the syrup is to being done by the traditional ‘drip’ method; Mark Yandow uses a hydrometer to check the maple syrup’s density; Amy Yandow stokes the fire. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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Neighbors continued from page

the Farmhouse Group backed out of that plan last year. With Fiddlehead and Comcast, and the opening late last year of an H&R Block location, all the retail space in the Healthy Living building is spoken for. Finney Crossing developers now turn their attention to an application that is up for preliminary review by the Development Review Board on April 13 for new construction of a building fronting Route 2 between Union Bank and Healthy Living. The building will have space for three to five commercial tenants. “It’s in the early stages,” Rieley said. “We are working with a couple of interested parties, but we don’t have anything signed yet.”

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April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 3

Girls Who Code club launches at library BY EVA BENWAY Observer staff The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is offering a free, virtual Girls Who Code club on Mondays from 4-5 p.m. until May 17. Despite what the name may suggest, Girls Who Code is for everyone interested in computer coding in sixth through eighth grade, regardless of their gender

Homes continued from page

highest score of any residentially zoned proposal in the history of the town’s growth management system, according to Planning Director Matt Boulanger. Former Williston Planning Director Ken Belliveau prepared and presented the proposal on behalf of Senesac. Belliveau said the proposal should have scored higher, even though its score led to it being given the maximum housing units

Pension continued from page

Friday in the House bristled that this latest overhaul put the burden mostly on workers. “You didn’t play by your own rules. You borrowed Peter to pay Paul. You stole from us. And to add insult to injury, you’re about to mandate that we pay for your losses. Please clean up your own mess,” Susan Oliveira, a school counselor living in Ferrisburgh, told lawmakers. Instead of asking workers to

identity. Though the program started a few weeks ago, there are still six open seats. If you are interested in learning to code, go to www.damlvt.org to register. Girls Who Code was specifically developed to reach girls and historically underrepresented groups who are not prominent in the field of computer science. Mary Hill, the facilitator of the library’s

Girls Who Code club, said: “The tech world is dominated by men, which is alarming because STEM careers are referred to as the jobs of the future.” According to the Girls Who Code website, in 2017, only 24 percent of computer scientists were female, and this number seemed to be decreasing. By offering supportive communities for girls and young women to start coding, Girls

Who Code hopes to increase the number of women in computer science. Hill echoed this, saying that this club was started to “promote coding skills and excitement about tech careers in girls” in our community. Lisa Dion is a computer science lecturer at the University of Vermont. She founded a Girls Who Code club at UVM and was very happy to hear about

the founding of a club in Williston. According to Dion, Girls Who Code offers an opportunity to express creativity and “learn because you want to” not for a grade. She also wants older students to know that Girls Who Code is offering a virtual, twoweek summer program for students entering grades 10-12. Go to www.girlswhocode.com/programs to learn more.

available to it under annual growth management rules. “We’d like to score as high as we can,” Belliveau said. “Even if it doesn’t affect the allocation, it does have meaning for the project and for the applicant.” Among the 60 homes allocated, 13 are proposed to be perpetually price restricted to what is affordable at 120 percent of the area median income, at most. Dave Westman, a resident of the nearby Brennan Woods neighborhood, objected to the proposal’s high score, particularly in the

neighborhood design and paths and trails criteria. He said the density of the neighborhood would be out of place in the residential zone and more akin to what is found inside the state-designated growth center at Taft Corners. “This is a very large parcel with a very dense application,” Westman said. “Fundamentally, it seems out of place in the context of the surrounding area.” He noted that the proposed rec paths through the neighborhood don’t connect with any paths outside the neighborhood.

“This project has exceptionally long paths that don’t go anywhere, so they wouldn’t be used by anyone,” he said. One of the rec paths would connect to Raven Circle. Cyclists and pedestrians could use that road for a brief stretch to connect to a path on Coyote Lane, which currently dead-ends. Another of the paths leads to the former circumferential highway corridor — owned by the State of Vermont — which has been discussed as a future recreation corridor. A third path would connect to Mountain

View Road, where a future bike lane is planned, according to Boulanger. It is the town’s policy to secure rec paths in new subdivisions in the hopes of future connections, board member Scott Rieley said. “We are putting together a big jigsaw puzzle,” he said. Belliveau noted that the paths, even if they don’t initially make connections to other paths, would be used by the residents of the new neighborhood. The board unanimously approved the 60-unit allocation.

contribute more out of their paychecks and ultimately collect fewer benefits, the unions representing state employees and teachers have called for an income tax on Vermont’s one-percenters. Many testifying Friday evening and Monday echoed their calls, but the proposal appears to be a political nonstarter. Roughly 20,000 Vermonters likely would be affected by the proposed changes — a disproportionate share of which are women who make up about three-fourths of the teaching workforce and a slim majority of state employees.

This is also the first major political test of Vermont’s newest legislative leaders, who, for the first time in history, are women as well. “It’s not lost on us that this proposal is being forced through by a speaker who has historically

worked for women and children and now is leading this attack on women and children,” Michelle Salvador, a substance misuse prevention consultant, told lawmakers Monday. The House’s pension proposal

has not yet received a floor vote, and the Senate is waiting to see what the lower chamber votes out before beginning its work.

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Page 4 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

UVM study prompts Shelburne to face racial issues BY LILLY YOUNG Special to the Observer

Shelburne’s town leaders questioned the reliability of a UVM study on traffic reports at a March 9 selectboard meeting, but acknowledged that implicit biases must be addressed in the town. The study was co-authored by UVM professor Stephanie Seguino, data analyst Pat Autilio and Nancy Brooks, a visiting associate professor at Cornell University. The data collected from 2014 to 2019 showed racial disparities statewide, including Shelburne, where black drivers were 4.4 times more likely to be stopped by police, according to the study. Selectboard and community members expressed concern about what the report showed in Shelburne. However, Town Manager

Lee Krohn and police dispatcher Jim Mack questioned the methods of the study. The main concern with the report was that the sample size was too small to prove that black drivers are more likely to be targeted by police officers conducting traffic stops in Shelburne. “Many of the conclusions are based on presumptive sort of language that the reasons for all this may be based on bias, and ... those are pretty serious accusations,” Krohn said. “I’m not sure whether the data offered actually leads to the conclusions that others have claimed this study attempts to prove.” The study focused on traffic stop data submitted to the state by police departments annually. Each traffic stop was broken down into four actions: a warning was given,

‘We’re seeing (disparities) in every single indicator we looked at.’ — Stephanie Seguino UVM professor

a ticket was given, an arrest was made, a search was conducted (and if so, was contraband found). The authors compared these findings between people whose race were white, black, Asian, Hispanic, native American and unknown. Autilio pointed out that drivers in Vermont do not have their

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race printed on their drivers’ license, so officers must assume a person’s race when filing a traffic stop report. “An officer’s perception of that driver’s race is going to influence that officer’s reaction or how they behave or what actions they take as a result of that stop. So, the officer’s perception is actually a pretty good data point for us to be using,” Autilio said. Seguino addressed the concern that the report used a small sample size to show racial disparities. “We look at a variety of indicators because every indicator has its weaknesses, and we look to see if there is a pattern across the data. So, we have various indicators that all tell a similar story,” Seguino said. “Even if there is some mismeasurement in using the accident data ... the disparity is very large,” she continued. “As an analyst, if you had racial disparities in stopped drivers, but none of the other indicators, I would say ‘well this isn’t telling me a consistent story,’ but we’re seeing (disparities) in every single indicator we looked at.” Selectboard members Michael Ashoosh and Jerry Storey both asked Seguino what may cause racial disparities in towns like Shelburne. Seguino’s answer: uncon-

scious bias. “We often are unaware of that behavior and I think it influences how we interact with people,” Seguino said. “I don’t take any joy in presenting these results and in any way insinuating that people have racial animus ... but it is something that we all experience in this country.” Storey said that after reading the study, he views it as a prompt for the town to look inward at the inequity in the community. “We can question the reliability and accuracy, but it’s not going to get us off the hook,” Ashoosh said. “I think it shows we have a problem, and we need to address it.” Members of Shelburne’s newly created Equity and Diversity Task Force — including Erika Lea, Yasamin Gordon, Patricia Fontaine and Cate Cross — were all at the selectboard meeting. The group plans to meet at least once a week to provide a roadmap for the selectboard on how to tackle inclusion, diversity and equity in Shelburne.

BY JOHN ELY Special to the Observer

Zoning administrators manage zoning regulations for both residential and commercial properties, including environmental hazard prevention, public safety and building permits. Previous zoning administrators in each town have divided their duties. Huntington once shared a zoning administrator with St. George, Addison and Sudbury, while Richmond had a 50-50 split with the Hinesburg zoning administrator. The collaboration between Richmond and Huntington allowed the towns to advertise the position as one. Previously, it was often up to applicants to figure out hours on their own. In mid-February, Richmond and Huntington made Keith Oborne of Portsmouth, N.Y., their shared zoning administrator. Previously the director of planning and zoning for the town of Lake George, N.Y., Oborne had also worked as a town planner in Queensbury, N.Y. Oborne said working in Huntington is likely to be the greater challenge at first, as the town is in

Lilly Young is a reporter with the Community News Service, a collaboration with the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.

Richmond, Huntington agree to shared zoning administrator

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At first, the Town of Huntington’s search for a part-time zoning administrator didn’t go well. “We had advertised this as a part-time position of 15 to 20 hours for about three or four months and had very little interest,” said Adam Miller, chair of Huntington’s planning commission. Then, Ravi Venkataraman, Richmond’s town planner, got in touch. Richmond needed a part-time zoning administrator, too. Richmond and Huntington decided to offer the job opportunity together: The employee would work 30 hours for Richmond and 10–16 hours in Huntington. That meant a more attractive, full-time position with health benefits provided by Richmond. It worked. “When we put this together with Richmond, we had lots of applicants … probably half a dozen of them had very relevant experience,” Miller said. “Not only did the quantity of applicants go up, but also the quality.”

see ZONING page 10

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 5

New exhibit celebrates Winooski’s mill heritage BY NATALIE CHARRON Special to the Observer Visitors to the Heritage Winooski Mill Museum can now enjoy detailed drawings of a fictional mill town similar to Winooski. The drawings were created by Caldecott award-winning illustrator David Macaulay, whose original sketches are on display at the museum. They were part of Macaulay’s process for writing his children’s book, “Mill.” Macaulay’s work will be on display into early April. The book “Mill” was inspired by the buildings surrounding Macaulay’s home in Rhode Island. Macaulay developed the story by spending over a year researching mill locations in New England. “The book tells more about the history of New England, not specifically Winooski,” said the museum’s executive director, Miriam Block. “But you can learn a lot, and there’s a lot of similarities between this fictional mill town and what happened in Winooski.” Block thinks that “Mill” is an accurate representation of New England mill towns. “David did a lot of research,” she said. “He went to the Slater Mill and worked with

The view from the window of the Heritage Winooski Mill Museum. PHOTO BY NATALIE CHARRON

historical societies to learn about the overall history.” There are similarities between Macaulay’s mill town and Winooski, Block said.

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For example, Macaulay sketched a wrought iron “H” that resembles the “C” outside of the A sketch of the wrought iron ‘H’ that is part of David Macaulay’s book ‘Mill’, is on display at the Winooski Mill Museum. PHOTO BY NATALIE CHARRON museum. “That is a general design that exists in so many mills,” who are coming because they’re excited to Block said. see the exhibit for him.” The exhibit has been viewed by visitors Essex resident Agatha Lapointe, Willisfrom Winooski and out-of-towners. ton resident Marsha Drake and South Hero “We do have a lot of people coming who resident Mary Kim Lavery all have visited either live in Winooski or they have some the museum recently. Although none have sort of connection,” Block said. “We have read “Mill,” they did enjoy the exhibit. people who have never heard of the muse“I think it’s a great bit of history,” Drake um before and are big David Macaulay fans, said.

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Honoring promises — health care and retirement BY WILLIAM MATHIS It is particularly noteworthy — and problematic — that Vermont, with a low gross state product, allocates a high proportion of its wealth to education. Yet, regardless of how and who is doing the measuring, we can take pride in consistently scoring in the top 10 in educational quality. Realizing the need for strong adult connections, our high spending is due to small class sizes and population sparsity. Vermonters are frugal, and over time an understanding, an agreement, a subtle balance between competing forces was struck. Our teachers are not particularly well-paid. Even after 12 years in the classroom, a teacher with a bachelor’s degree still has not caught up with the state’s median salary, but for the most part, can put food on the table and live in modest but warm houses. After 3040 years in the classroom, a teacher can live out the remainder of their years comfortably, securely but not extravagantly. This is the contract educators strike with society. But this con-

tract is threatened, not just around the edges, but in deep gashes. Two examples show Vermont’s problem. Health care: This massive problem of civilized society is transferred to school employees, school boards and then to taxpayers. They are not the causes of the crisis, they are the victims. No one segment of society can resolve the problem. Yet, having no alternative, the state school boards association formed an insurance trust in 1978 to negotiate for fairer and more equitable coverage. This was a step forward, but the underlying problem was not addressed. Instead, these two victim groups flailed against each other arguing as to who should pay the cost of the smoke, but doing nothing to quench the fire. This became the flash point for major disagreements in the negotiations process. Meanwhile, medical and pharmaceutical costs continue to skyrocket with no effective controls. Even though they are the only group with the legal reach to be effective, lawmakers have not dealt with the problem. At its core, we hold to the implicit but elusive

promise that everyone should have medical coverage. Our political system embraces the ideals, but walks by the reality. Retirement: Promises of the heart have not been fulfilled with the purse. Faced with the inability of small school districts to manage retirement on their own, the Vermont state teachers’ retirement system was formed in 1947. Based on the solid principle of broadening and deepening the financial base, regular scheduled investments are necessary for the program to work. Unfortunately, fulfilling the state’s fiscal obligation proved to be the problem. Advocating for a new and spiffy program is not the same as paying for it. This became the “unfunded mandate;” the glory of the program was prettier than the cost. In turn, the requirements often remained, but the cost was transferred to the local districts. That means, an increase in local taxes. For about the last 30 years, the teachers’ retirement system has been underfunded. Eventually, the Ponzi game collapses. The ways see PROMISES page 7

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Praise for Polli

The future of Taft Corners As I contemplate the future of Taft Corners, I celebrate the chance to renew our community and our commitment to one another. We live in a time of extreme change in our society, our world and our physical environment. Change can be very threatening to everyone. However, an opportunity exists to solicit each person’s dreams and wishes for a better future. I envision a future where Taft Corners feels like home to all our residents and even visitors. As we improve and guide new traffic patterns, we create the security that a well-built home provides. Walking, electric bikes and rollerblades become viable options. New trails and sidewalks will provide relaxing and quick access to our village cultural center, forest uplands and even our

shopping needs. With a consistent look and feel, our community will invite exploration to many shops and entertainment for all ages in a safe, structured environment shielding one from extreme weather events and reducing automobile use. In the last year, my family has experienced the functional ability to be anywhere in an emergency or even on a whim, within 5 to 15 minutes to the hospital, to doctors’ offices, to the dentist, to bury our canine friend and even to grab some fresh fish or healthy foods. Please take this opportunity to join many others in our community in a month-long online discussion of where we are presently and what we as a community of neighbors want to create for future generations. For more information, go to www.mytaftcorners.com. Ron Bomer Williston

Against an untenable pension proposal The Allen Brook summer reading program is off to a good start thanks to a $400 donation from Polli Properties.

I would like to thank Polli Properties for their recent donation to support Allen Brook School’s summer reading program. New books are being purchased to give to students at the end of the school year. Providing students with the opportunity to choose their own books to read empowers and encourages them. We appreciate Polli Properties’ support with this important mission for our students. Justine Benoit ABS Book Committee

Survival of the fittest? Esther Palmer presented a valid perspective on the overall issue of health in our society (“Health is resilience,” March 25). It is true that many people die every year from a variety of causes, some of which are not natural. There is room to discuss the varied roles of personal responsibility, societal responsibility and genetics. However, “let’s get back to life” only works for those not at risk of dying from a very strong communicable disease. There may indeed be a personal and societal obligation for all of us to both stay healthy and to help arrest the spread of communicable diseases that goes beyond being blessed with or having developed a strong immune system. When it comes to medical causes of death, it is not at all appropriate to compare cancer and heart disease to a contagious disease. An oncologist or cardiologist, their support personnel, or our first-responders are never at risk of catching cancer or heart disease from patients. This is why it matters to protect the “innocent bystanders” from communicable diseases. Otherwise we are going straight to survival of the fittest as a health care policy. Stewart Cohen Williston

Vermont teachers have been shocked into action against the House’s solution to the state pension crisis. The state neglected its commitment to the pension fund and now teachers are being asked to burden the repair efforts by contributing more, receiving less and working longer. This proposal would hurt both teachers and our communities. The State of Vermont has chronically underfunded the pension account to the tune of $172 million since 1979, leading us directly to this current crisis. In the meantime, teachers automatically contribute a fixed percentage with each paycheck. I based my personal

financial planning on this contract with the state, one that would allow me to retire after 32 years. This proposal increases the minimum retirement age, requiring me to teach for 41 years instead. Additionally, I would contribute a greater percentage of my income and receive less when I retire. All to make up for funds that the state used elsewhere. With this proposal, Vermont would also have the oldest teacher retirement age in the country, based on data from www.TeacherPensions.org. Looking at Vermont’s aging, shrinking workforce, Gov. Scott “urged all elected officials to make

expanding and strengthening Vermont’s workforce the top priority.” This proposal would have the opposite effect. Keeping the most senior teachers under contract would also increase the property tax burden of our small towns. These compounding issues undermine efforts to recruit and retain young workers. As a teacher, I have always appreciated the support I feel from the Williston community. We are now hoping we can have your ongoing support in fighting this untenable solution to the state’s pension fund issues. Amy Skapof Williston

Promises

see a drop in income. Generally, the retirees’ next largest income source is Social Security, which is also threatened. This conjures up the prospect of an even larger proportion of food insecure elders. Considering that Vermont is surrounded by three states with more fiscally robust circumstances, we harm our ability to entice and keep new teachers. Less wealthy school districts lose their best and brightest to better paying and wealthier schools.

As is obvious in both retirement and health care, the school employee has kept their commitment to abide by the contract, but the state has not. It is the state’s legal and moral obligation to honor their promises.

continued from page

out are limited: 1. Decrease the return on the employees’ investment, and 2. increase the employees’ required co-payment. In any case, the employee has kept his/her obligation, but the state has not. Either way, the contract is broken. The effects of underfunding are manifest in various ways. The most obvious is that the retiree will

W I L L I S T O N

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Senate favors restricting chemicals in consumer products

Page 8 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

BY AMANDA GOKEE VTDigger

With health concerns mounting about PFAS chemicals, the Legislature is moving to restrict the sale of consumer products that contain that class of chemical. The Senate voted in March to approve that step; now, the House will consider the measure. S.20 would restrict PFAS — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl — in consumer products sold in Vermont. It also includes restrictions on phthalates and bisphenols. “We know that the chemicals like PFAS, BPA and phthalates can all seep into the foods we eat. We eat them, and they bio-accumulate,” said Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, a Chittenden County democrat from Williston, who sponsored the bill. “Over time, they can cause some very significant, debilitating diseases,” said Lyons, a college professor with over 30 years of teaching, research and administrative experience in the biological sciences. The chemicals have been linked to ADHD, reproductive disorders and neurodevelopmental problems. They have also caused nightmarish problems with the drinking-water supplies in the Bennington area. PFAS themselves, known as “forever chemicals” because of how long they stick around, have been linked to cancer and other health issues. But the chemicals are common in consumer products

because of their water-resistant quality. They’re used in stain-resistant carpeting and rugs, waterproof jackets and nonstick pans. The bill wouldn’t ban the sale of all products containing the chemical, but it would ban the import and sale of some of the most common items containing the chemical — firefighting foam, food packaging, ski wax, rugs and carpets. Textiles and leathers with stain-resistant and water-resistant treatments containing PFAS would also be banned. The bill is a start, said Lauren Hierl, executive director of Vermont Conservation Voters. “It goes after some of the most common and widespread uses, but it’s not comprehensive. There would be some holes that we would want to continue working on,” Hierl said. Hierl said that the bill’s intent — to stop PFAS chemicals at their source — is a big priority for Vermont Conservation Voters. A similar bill passed the Senate unanimously last year, but was shelved when the COVID pandemic hit. This year’s legislation has added ski wax containing PFAS to the list of banned products. “We can turn off the tap of bringing these chemicals into the state,” Hierl said.

Firefighters support the ban Vermont firefighters support the legislation; they say effective alternatives are available that could

Sen. Ginny Lyons of Williston is sponsoring a bill to restrict the sale of consumer products that contain PFAS chemicals. VTDIGGER FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL

protect firefighters from exposure to the chemicals. Bradley Reed, president of Firefighters of Vermont, said the bill would help to regulate chemicals that are linked to cancer — the leading cause of firefighter mortalities. “We can’t stand by and hope it goes away. We actively have to work to prevent our members from getting cancer,” said Reed, who has been a firefighter for 26 years. Reed said he wasn’t surprised to learn that PFAS chemicals in

firefighting foam could cause cancer, but has been surprised by the pushback on regulating the chemical. In the 23 years that Firefighters of Vermont has been in existence, “we’ve been fighting for the health and safety of our members,” Reed said. “I wish it wasn’t a fight,” he said.

‘We’ve heard it before’ The American Chemistry Council — representing the pro-

ducers of the chemicals — has been one of the bill’s opponents. It says that by banning a whole class of chemicals, the bill would ban some chemicals that are safe. In written testimony, Eileen Conneely, the council’s senior director for chemical products and technology, argued that all chemicals in that class “are not the same,” pointing to “overwhelming evidence of safety when used as components of food packaging.” But Sen. Lyons said those arguments did not sway lawmakers. “We’ve heard it before,” she said. “A lot of it has to do with trying to confuse folks who may not understand the chemical industry or may not understand how the chemicals are used.” “The companies that manufacture these chemicals want to continue being able to make and profit off of them,” Hierl said. Inside the state, opposition has come from Associated Industries of Vermont, a member organization that primarily represents manufacturers. Vice president William Driscoll said the organization does not disclose its membership list. “We don’t support the bill the way it’s written now,” Driscoll said, objecting to the ban on firefighting foams and the definition of packaging that he believes would affect products that have no contact with food. In a letter of opposition, Driscoll argued that the PFAS ban would be overly broad and create see CHEMICALS page 12

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 9

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Page 10 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

LIBRARY The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is open for contact-free porch pickup of materials from Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To place holds, request a bundle of materials or for help deciding what to read next, visit www. damlvt.org or call 878-4918. Visit the website to explore options for downloading e-books, audioBooks, magazines, music and video and to stay up-to-date on all of our programming offerings.

YOUTH PROGRAMS • Preschool to-go craft: garden pots Available starting Monday, April 5. Pick up a preschool craft kit in the vestibule, while supplies last. • Preschool story time: spring Tuesday, April 6, 9-9:30 a.m. Join us for songs and stories. Geared to preschoolers, but all are welcome. Register at www. damlvt.org. • Meditation for kids Wednesdays, April 7 and 14, 1:15-1:45 p.m. Join us via Zoom. Ages 8-14. Email programs@damlvt.org to register. • Preschool music Tuesday, April 13, 10-10:30 a.m. Sing and dance with Linda Bassick. Register at www. damlvt.org for a Zoom link. • Peeps diorama contest Starting Friday, April 16, stop by the vestibule and pick up a kit to enter our Peeps literary-themed diorama contest. Open to kids and teens, while supplies last. All entries must be submitted by Sunday, April 25. Kits include a package of Peeps

and contest instructions. Phoenix Books gift cards awarded to winners in three age categories. • After-school program in a bag: sand art Available starting Monday, April 19. Pick up an optical illusion sand art kit in the vestibule, while supplies last. • Beyond ramen teen cooking: cake vs. lasagna Wednesday, April 21, 3-4 p.m. Join us for hands-on cooking in the kitchen. Grades 6-12. What will it be ... pasta or sweets?! Vote for your preferred dish when you register, and the majority wins! Register at www.damlvt.org. MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS • Spanish conversation Tuesday, April 6, 4-5 p.m. Whether you’re fluent or a beginner, join us for conversation en Español. Teens and adults. Email programs@damlvt.org for a Zoom invitation. PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS Online programs are held via

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Zoom. Email programs@damlvt. org or call 878-4918 for an invitation, unless otherwise specified. • To-go craft kits: garden pots Available starting Thursday, April 1, while supplies last. Pick up a kit from the vestibule to paint a terracotta pot and plant with herbs. • Guided meditation Fridays, April 2 and 9, 12:30-1 p.m. Maryellen Crangle leads a short meditation online. • New perspectives book discussion Tuesday, April 6, 12-1 p.m. Discuss chapters 7-12 of “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. eBook/eAudiobook available in Hoopla. Tuesday April 20, 12-1 p.m. Discuss chapters 1-11 of “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron. eBook/eAudiobook available in LUV(Overdrive). Print copies of both books are available at the library. • SMART program Tuesdays, April 6 and 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m. SMART (Stress Management and Resiliency Training) is a fun and simple approach to managing stress. Attend one or both sessions. Register at www.damlvt.org

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the process of developing new zoning rules and project plans. All the work that will be done must “start from scratch,” he said. Richmond promises to be easier. “I don’t really think there is going to be much difficulty (adjusting) in Richmond,” he said. “The functions are built out and my predecessors were kind enough to leave me fantastic files for tracking planning and zoning projects. I can always lean on Ravi [Venkataraman] too, because he knows the particular processes of the town.” Venkataraman, who filled in as Richmond’s acting zoning administrator, said the future of the arrangement seems rosy for each town. “It’s working out really well for the both of us,” he said.

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• BYOB discussion Tuesday, April 13, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Discuss what you are reading or books you’ve recently enjoyed. • Current events Wednesday, April 14, 10-11:30 a.m. Connect with others for informal conversation about newsworthy topics. • Cooking matters Wednesday, April 14, 12-1 p.m. Registered dietician Joanne Heidkamp returns with practical tips for setting up a healthy daily eating routine. Register at www.damlvt.org. • Brown bag book discussion Tuesday, April 27, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Discuss James Loewen’s “Lies My Teacher Told Me.” Copies available at the library. eBook and eAudiobook formats available in Hoopla. • Film discussion Thursday, April 29, 2 p.m. Watch at home, then join our discussion of “A Man Called Ove” based on Richard Backman’s popular book. Access the film through the Hoopla database or contact the library for a DVD copy. Register at www.damlvt.org.

Send your high resolution digital photos to editor@ willistonobserver.com with a photo caption, photo credit, and your contact information.

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 11

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Page 12 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

Firearm deaths remain steady during pandemic BY JAMES FINN VTDigger

Despite spikes in gun sales and worries from mental health advocates that the COVID-19 pandemic could spur a rise in deaths by suicide, the number of Vermonters to die from gunshots remained relatively steady in 2020 compared to previous years. Preliminary data released by the Department of Health last week show guns killed 75 people in Vermont in 2020. Sixty-seven of those were deaths by suicide, and eight were homicides. In the year prior, 67 Vermonters died by gunshots; 59 of those deaths were suicides, five were homicides and three were police shootings. Firearms killed 82 Vermonters in 2018. While each death represents a tragic loss, mental health experts say, the 2020 numbers indicate what may be a bright spot in Vermont’s response to COVID-19. “When I look at those numbers, I think they show that Vermonters showed a great deal of

Chemicals continued from page

resilience through the pandemic,” said Alison Krompf, director of quality and accountability for the Vermont Department of Mental Health. Krompf leads suicide prevention efforts for the department. In 2018, 125 Vermonters died by suicide, and 70 of them were killed by gunshots, according to Stephanie Busch, injury prevention manager for the health department. Those numbers dropped to 109 and 59, respectively, in 2019 — the first year since 2011 that Vermont’s suicide rate declined, according to Krompf. In 2020, 115 Vermonters lost their lives to suicide in total, Busch said. Nationally, the number of people to take their lives with firearms has ticked upward over the past several years. Vermont’s rurality, elderly population, high rate of gun ownership and substantial number of military veterans are all factors that have contributed to the state having one of the country’s highest — and rising — rates of death-by-suicide during that time. Men have historically been the most likely to take their own

lives with guns in Vermont. That trend appeared to remain true in 2020, when 67 of the 75 Vermonters to die from gunshots were male, according to the preliminary data. Overall, the state’s suicide rate increased by about 30 percent each year from 2011 until 2019. While relieving, officials say that the steady number of suicides by firearms in the pandemic year is thus still part of a grave trend Vermont must keep working to address. “I say ‘steady’ as if steady is good, but we still want (the rate) to go down,” Krompf said. Advocates agree and have been pushing a pair of legislative proposals they say will help those efforts. Those measures would direct funding toward suicide prevention and create a suicide prevention coordinator position at the mental health department. Part of the reason last year’s gun deaths remained steady rather than going up, Krompf believes, is that support systems materialized that hadn’t been in place before.

The circumstances that can drive someone to consider suicide are individual and complex, and often hinge as much on life circumstances as mental health. So steps such as increased housing for homeless people, as well as consistent messaging by officials on the importance of mental health care, may have played key roles in averting more self-inflicted gun deaths, Krompf said. As vaccines roll out and people prepare to return to public life, officials say continuing to offer that support to Vermonters will be key. “From the mental health side of things, it’s often more when the crisis is over and the support kind of goes away when you start to worry about how people are going to manage,” Krompf said. Deaths involving guns remained steady despite a sharp increase in gun sales in Vermont. Background-check data show Vermont’s gun sales shot up twice in 2020 — once when the pandemic began and again ahead of the November presidential election.

According to the federal data, the two sales spikes were part of a steep overall rise in firearms sales in the state compared to previous years. The number of background checks on gun sales in Vermont rose to nearly 58,000 in 2020, the data show — up from 41,000 in 2018 and 36,000 in 2019. The health department urges anyone who has a gun to store it safely — with ammunition and firearms kept in separate locations. In a state where upward of 40 percent of residents have a gun in their home and with a high incidence of gun-related injuries, safe storage is a key public health step for Vermonters, Busch said. “Thinking of injury prevention across public health, firearm injuries aren’t just increasing — they’re also increasing in severity,” Busch said, “so we really have been pushing to encourage people to store their guns safely.” The National Suicide Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 800273-8255 and the Vermont Crisis Text Line is available at 741741.

Support from businesses

they are extremely difficult to get out,” said Wolf. “If we are truly concerned about protecting children and our environment and avoiding the extraordinary cost of cleaning up these chemicals, it’s important to prevent them from being used in the first place,” he said. According to a study by the Stern School of New York University, companies with a clear envi-

ronmental, sustainability or social progress mission are outpacing the growth of conventional companies 5 to 1 on average. According to Wolf, Seventh Generation has been growing at double-digit rates. “Consumers recognize the need for safer, more sustainable products,” he said. Retailers such as Lowes, Home Depot, Ikea, Walmart and

Target have already stopped selling products that contain PFAS. “This is a really significant bill for our state,” said Sen. Lyons. If signed into law, the bill would start going into effect in 2022, with other sections going into effect as late as 2023. Lyons said this timeline would allow the Department of Health to identify alternative, non-harmful chemicals.

“unnecessary uncertainty and unintended consequences for consumers, retailers and other businesses.” Driscoll said that with some amendments, his organization could support the bill. But Lyons said she was not interested in further narrowing the scope of the restrictions. The definition of PFAS has already been narrowed.

Some companies in the state, like Seventh Generation, say the restrictions are a good move for Vermont. Director of Sustainability and Authenticity Martin Wolf said the company wants to see the use of these chemicals stopped. “Once these chemicals get into the environment, as they have with groundwater in Bennington,

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April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 13

SPORTS

CVU boys ousted in semis

CVU head coach Mike Osborne talks to his team during CVU’s semi-final game vs. the Rice Green Knights on March 24.

Redhawk Ethan Czarny grabs the rebound during CVU’s semifinal game vs. the Rice Green Knights on March 24.

Redhawk Alex Provost gets past the Green Knight defender during CVU’s semifinal game at Rice on March 24.

Hockey seasons also end with playoff losses The Champlain Valley boys basketball team suffered a season-ending loss to Rice in the Division I semifinals last Wednesday. The Green Knights, who went on to win the D-I state title later in the week, defeated the Redhawks 72-38. Deng Dau had nine points to pace the CVU offense, while Devin Rogers added seven points. No. 5 CVU trailed 40-19 at halftime before falling behind further in the third and fourth quarters. Sharif Sharif led all scorers with 32 points for Rice, and was the top seed in the tournament. CVU finished the season with an 8-4 record. The CVU girls basketball season ended prematurely when the undefeated Redhawks had to withdraw from the playoffs due to a positive COVID-19 case. CVU withdrew before a quarterfinal matchup with No. 8 South Burlington. In girls hockey, CVU-MMU lost in double overtime 3-2 last week to South Burlington, ending its season in the quarterfinals. Riley Erdman and Hannah Schmid each had a goal for the CougarHawks, who had a 2-1 lead in the third period. Catie Collins scored her second goal midway through the third period to tie it 2-2 and send it to extra time. Then her third goal won the game in overtime. CVU-MMU wrapped up the season with a 3-5-1 record. The CVU boys hockey team lost in the semifinals 1-0 to BFASt. Albans last week. — Lauren Read

Redhawk Devin Rogers rejects the Green Knight lay-up attempt during CVU’s semifinal game at Rice on March 24.

CVU’s Zach Doane pushes the ball up court during the ‘Hawks quarterfinal game vs. Burlington on March 20 in Hinesburg.

CVU's Ethan Czarny drives to the rack during the 'Hawks quarterfinal game vs. Burlington on March 20 in Hinesburg.

CVU’s Alex Provost makes free throws down the stretch, sealing the win, during the ‘Hawks quarterfinal game vs. Burlington on March 20 in Hinesburg.

CVU’s Ethan Murphy gets by a Seahorse defender during the ‘Hawks quarterfinal game vs. Burlington on March 20 in Hinesburg.

CVU’s Logan Vaughan battles for the offensive rebound during the ‘Hawks quarterfinal game vs. Burlington on March 20 in Hinesburg.

Page 14 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

Allen Brook buses go electric

BY JARED KARTSCHOKE Special to the Observer The big yellow school bus is iconic in America, picking up our kids to learn at our schools. While they have proven to be a reliable, trustworthy method of transportation, they are slowly modernizing. Companies such as Blue Bird and The Lion Electric Company have created fully electric school buses. Electric buses produce zero emissions and, when compared conventional, diesel-powered school buses, are cheaper to run, require less maintenance and are much quieter. We will soon be seeing these buses driving around Williston. In the coming months, Allen Brook School will be receiving two fully electric buses, according to Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) Chief Operations Officer Jeanne Jensen. The addition of the buses is possible thanks to the state’s Electric School and Transit Bus Pilot Program. The program’s goal is to test the effectiveness of electric buses on the roads and conditions Vermont presents. On Dec. 19, 2019, three school districts and one transit system were chosen to receive two electric buses each. One of these three

school districts was CVSD. For CVSD to receive the electric buses, it needed to pay the price of a conventional diesel bus (around $100,000), while the state covered the remainder of the roughly $350,000 total cost. The district also had to remove two conventional diesel buses from use. “The state actually came down and watched us drive them to the scrap metal place up on Route 116,” Jensen said. “They all stood around and watched them basically drill a hole through the engine so it can never be used again.” Green Mountain Power helped cover costs and installation of electric charging stations. The pilot program is funded by the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement, better known as the “Dieselgate Settlement.” As many readers might know, Dieselgate was when Volkswagen used electronic sensors known as “Defeat Devices” to cheat on the federal emissions tests in their 2.0 and 3.0-liter diesel-powered cars so they would pass the test. Volkswagen paid a multi-billion dollar settlement to the U.S. government to remove and replace the affected models, and to set up a mitigation trust fund. Vermont received around $19 million in the settlement. The pilot

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Allen Brook School will be putting two electric buses on the road in a pilot program with the Champlain Valley School District and State of Vermont. The buses are manufactured by the Lion Electric Company. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

program is using around $4 million. Allen Brook School will be receiving a 77-passenger bus and a 90-passenger bus. The charging equipment will most likely be level two electric chargers, which will fully charge the buses within 6-8 hours. The buses will average between 120 and 160 miles per charge in ideal conditions. Jensen believes that the buses will not have a set route at Al-

len Brook School, but they will be used frequently for mid-day runs and summer school transportation. The state will work closely with Allen Brook to collect data about these buses. After the pilot program expires, Allen Brook will keep the buses until their service life expires. Diesel exhaust is internationally recognized as a cancer-causing agent. A 2015 study by the California Public Interest Research Group concluded that exposure to diesel

exhaust was linked to higher rates of mortality. Numerous studies have shown that inhaling diesel exhaust can cause respiratory diseases and worsen existing conditions like asthma. All of these problems will be eliminated with the electric buses. While the initial purchase price is much higher than a diesel bus, the limited maintenance and low fuel cost help even out the initial cost over time. Over a 16-year life (the average lifespan of an electric bus), the school district will, on average, save $192,000 over a diesel bus, according to a report from the United States Public Interest Research Group. The report does mention that if the buses utilize vehicle-to-grid technology, it would save around $300,000 more, but Jensen shared that the electric bus setup coming to Allen Brook School does not support this technology. The Biden-Sanders “Unity Task Force” recommends converting all 500,000 school buses being used in the United States to “American-made, zero-emissions alternatives.” Jensen said that CVSD would “love to keep using them. Not only are they better for the environment, they are also much cheaper to run and maintain. I haven’t heard anything about electric buses that makes me think we wouldn’t keep them for their useful life.” Jared Kartschoke is a junior at Champlain Valley Union High School and resident of Williston.

Death in the forest

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 15

The profound process of tree mortality ests’ ability to function. Dead wood is critical habitat for salamanders, the apex predator of the forest floor, which account for the most biomass of any vertebrate predator in the northern forest (meaning that if you weighed all the coyotes and all the salamanders in the forest, the salamanders would weigh more). Dead trees are such a rich habitat that they can contain as much as four times as much living biomass as living trees. Tree death also provides opportunities for forests to become diverse and complex. Openings in the forest canopy are soon filled by regeneration — the abundant growth of young trees and plants. Over time, this cycle of death and regeneration creates forests with a rich mosaic of different sizes, ages and species of trees. Forests like this supporting a diversity of bird and wildlife species, store more carbon and are more resilient and adaptive in a changing climate.

As a forester, my main concern is keeping the forest, as a system, healthy. To this end, tree death, just like tree life, is something to be celebrated, not avoided. It can even be something that we use as a tool in our stewardship of forests, using the cutting of trees to create a more diverse, complex and resilient forest, one that is full of life in a more holistic sense. While it might make us uncomfortable, understanding the profound and important role that tree death plays in forests is a critical part of learning how to take care of them. We should strive not to keep every tree alive, but rather to keep the forest vibrant and whole. Healthy forests not only tolerate death, they require it.

Dead trees are such a rich habitat that they can contain as much as four times the living biomass as living trees.

Dead-standing trees are used by a number of animals as nesting and denning habitat. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

BY ETHAN TAPPER Special to the Observer To understand how to take care of forests, we first need to understand what they are and how they work. While most peoples’ understanding of forests starts and ends with trees, forests are complex, dynamic communities comprised of many different organisms and the processes that affect them. Forests function as systems in many ways, but they are not utopias. Organisms compete with one other, parasitize each other, eat and destroy each other. One of the incredible processes that make forests work — and one that we need to learn to accept — is tree death. When trees die it may seem startling or sad — the end of a decades- or centuries-long life, the loss of a once-beautiful and healthy living thing. To the forest, however, the death of a tree is something much more profound; it supports critical ecological functions and processes and provides habitat for many native organisms. I think of a tree as having a “biological life,” (when it is “alive” in a traditional sense) and also an “ecological life” (the tree’s overall influence on forest ecology, which can persist for decades or centuries after it dies). The death of a tree can happen in a moment — like when they are snapped or

uprooted in a windstorm — but it usually happens over time, the product of numerous interrelated factors called “stacking stressors.” For instance, a tree’s branch is broken by heavy ice and snow. This wound is colonized by fungi, which breaks down and softens the tree’s wood, paving the way for wood-boring beetles and other arthropods (bugs). Searching for these bugs and their larvae, woodpeckers excavate cavities in the tree. Cavities create still more opportunities for fungi, bacteria and arthropods to colonize the tree. As these stressors compound on one another, the stress eventually becomes too much and the tree dies. While it’s tempting to vilify fungi, bacteria and bugs for “killing our trees,” a more holistic understanding of forests reveals that these organisms are actually critical parts of ecosystems. They help break down and recycle dead trees and plants, enriching soils and feeding future generations of trees. In facilitating tree death, they create dead-standing trees and cavity trees, both of which are used by a huge number of animals as nesting and denning habitat. Once a tree falls, its dead wood on the forest floor stores carbon, improves the forest’s ability to absorb water, provides a place for trees like yellow birch and hemlock to take root, and provides habitat for underground fungal networks critical to our for-

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. He can be reached at ethan.tapper@vermont.gov, (802)-585-9099 or at his office at 111 West Street, Essex Junction.

Page 16 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

Green Up Day returns in a big way

Vermonters were simply un- Kate Alberghini. “The judges, Dawilling to let go of the 50-year-old vid Schutz, Hale Ritchie and I, had springtime tradition called Green to work virtually through zoom to Up Day that spruces up our commu- review the art instead our normal nities, even during a global pandem- in-person meeting, and sadly, we ic. It wasn’t the same Green Up Day were missing Mr. Armand Poulin with community celebrations and who passed away this past fall. barbeques in 2020, but volunteers Armand had been a judge since throughout Vermont wanted to do their part for their environment, nonetheless. Vermonters used innovation and ingenuity to get the job done of cleaning hundreds of tons of trash from our roads and waterways and it made all the difference — a job well done, a sense of normalcy and a feeling of being able to do something effective when COVID-19 was making us all feel a little helpless. It’s a new spring and excitement is already growing for Green Up Day 2021, which will This year’s winning Vermont Green Up Day be held with safety protocols, poster, by Jiya Sekar, a third-grader from on its traditional first Saturday Union Elementary School in Montpelier. in May — May 1. A big part of Green Up Day is the art contest, the contest was founded in 1980. and there were record numbers of Fond memories were shared of him submissions from students all over during our review and he was cerVermont. tainly there with us in spirit.” “It is always a huge challenge The 2021 overall poster art choosing a winner and this year was winner is Jiya Sekar, a third-grader bittersweet for a few reasons,” said from Union Elementary in MontGreen Up Day Executive Director pelier. Her art will be used on the

Green Burials

poster and marketing materials promoting this year’s 51st Green Up Day. Her artwork captures a happy and clean landscape that inspires us to keep greening up. Additionally, the writing contest also had a large number of entries and that category winner is fourth-grader Casey Kendall from Ryegate. Each winner receives a cash prize, and their work is shared on the Green Up Vermont website. In addition to the long-standing poster art and writing contests Green Up has expanded to offer a jingle contest, a video contest and a graphic arts contest to reach an array of talent in our youth and get more students to participate on Green Up Day and in community volunteerism. “We love encouraging our youth to get involved, and we can’t wait to share the winners of the other categories,” said Alberghini. “There are some really talented kids here in Vermont, focusing on sending some really great messages about the importance of Green Up Day.” To learn more about Green Up Vermont contests and how to participate in Green Up Day on May 1, go to www.greenupvermont.org.

Green Up, Clean Up!

Green Up means clean up Our pretty state If you are keen to make it green Don’t hesitate, don’t wait! Making Vermont green can be fun Just grab a friend, Put on a mask, It can be a new trend! Meet your friends, All you do is pick up trash It’s an activity That doesn’t cost you cash! Vermont has beautiful mountains And amazing views, There are so many They keep making the news! Foliage, maple syrup, and more Skiing, boating, fishing, and fun Cleaning up Vermont Keeps us number one! Vermont is truly the best place To quarantine. And the best place To make things green! How long has it been? 51 amazing years. Keep up the good work So cheers, cheers, cheers! Casey Kendall, Grade 4 Ryegate, VT

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Efficiency Vermont names new director

Efficiency Vermont has named longtime staff leader and lifelong Vermonter Carol Weston as the energy efficiency utility’s new director. Weston has been with Efficiency Vermont for nearly a decade, most recently serving as Efficiency Vermont’s director of operations. Weston will replace former Efficiency Vermont Director Rebecca Foster. “The business acumen and financial rigor Carol brings to her work have been critical to Efficiency Vermont’s ability to deliver cost-effective programs that help Vermonters save money and support our state’s clean energy goals,” said Foster. “Under Carol’s leadership, and with her strong relationships with key partners, I leave this position with great confidence that Efficiency Vermont is in the most capable hands.” As Director of Operations, Weston was responsible for the management and stewardship of Efficiency Vermont’s budgets and programs. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of my home state,” said Weston. “I’m inheriting an incredibly dedicated and skillful team that’s excited to help Vermont meet its goals to cost-effectively fight climate change and help every Vermonter harness the power of energy efficiency to make living here more affordable and more sustainable.” Prior to joining Efficiency Vermont, Weston served as city engineer and capital improvement program manager for the City of Burlington. A professional civil engineer by training, Weston holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Tufts University.

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 17

State to fund school stormwater mitigation

Roughly $1.9 million will soon be available from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s Green Schools Initiative to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution entering Lake Champlain via public school grounds. The Green Schools Initiative offers funding and technical assistance to help public schools and state colleges meet the Three-Acre General Permit stormwater regulation. The new Three-Acre General Permit requires sites with three or more acres of paved or developed surfaces, including roofs and parking lots, to treat polluted stormwater before it flows into Lake Champlain. This permit is an essential part of Lake Champlain’s restoration plan. The Department of Environmental Conservation is currently accepting applications from contractors to oversee a large block grant program that will complete stormwater design and permitting work on behalf of schools in the Lake Champlain basin. Public schools and colleges that need to get a Three-Acre permit will be able to sign up to receive technical

A stormwater treatment installation near Giorgetti Park in Rutland was funded through the DEC’s Clean Water Initiative Program. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

and financial assistance for stormwater design and get help applying for the permit. Then, the block grant recipient will select subrecipients, such as local partners and environmental engineering consulting firms, to complete these initial steps to reduce runoff on behalf of the enrolled schools.

The Green Stormwater Initiative will also partner with the Lake Champlain Sea Grant to provide stormwater education and outreach to school communities. The Lake Champlain Sea Grant will provide schools with watershed and stormwater lesson plans, as well as training for students and teachers.

In addition, the Lake Champlain Sea Grant will help schools identify ways to maximize the additional benefits of green stormwater projects, such as creating pollinator habitat and outdoor classrooms. “Community-based problem solving is an important aspect of the science curriculum at our

school,” said Vasanthi Meyette, a teacher at Shelburne Community School. “Lessons involving the water cycle, runoff, sources of pollution and water filter design give students hands-on experience in understanding stormwater practices, like our school’s rain garden, and how they help manage water from our impervious spaces.” The state anticipates additional funding opportunities under the Green Schools Initiative to support a second phase to construct stormwater projects for public ThreeAcre schools in the Lake Champlain basin, as well as to extend this initiative to Lake Memphremagog basin. Visit www.dec.vermont.gov for more information.

Page 18 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

OBITUARIES Harry Fredrick Iverson

Harry Fredrick Iverson ascended with the angels to heaven on March 23, 2021 at the age of 84 after a brief illness. Harry was born in New London, Minnesota and placed in the custody of the state along with his four siblings at a young age. When he turned 18, Harry received his GED and enlisted in the Army where he served stateside and then in Germany for three years. After discharge, he found God and also met and married Janice E. Boyd in California. The happy couple relocated to Vermont in 1970 and adopted their only child, Wendee Sue, in 1974. Despite any formal education, Harry went on to own a janitorial business and spent the majority of his career cleaning commercial

buildings. In 1985, he became employed at St. Michael’s College as a custodian and retired in 2003. In the late 1980’s he put an ad in the local town paper where he was born and was able to find all of his siblings after being separated since being placed in state custody. It was a wonderful reunion with all of his siblings and Harry felt more grounded and had a renewed sense of belonging after he found his family. Harry was an active member of Maranatha Christian Church for many years and was a servant of God, always willing to volunteer, pray or help out with whatever the need. Harry and Janice trusted God and became foster parents to many troubled children for six years starting in 1979. Harry enjoyed simple pleasures in life – black coffee, playing his organ, listening to hymns, reading on his kindle and daily devotionals. He loved to visit with friends and reminisce about the past. He was a great listener who never gave unsolicited advice and his quiet presence will be missed by many. Harry is survived by his daughter, Wendee and her husband, Pearse and their children Anna, Ethan, Luke and Jack. He was predeceased by his wife of 35 years, Janice in 1998; his previous son-in-law, Colin Pringle in 2008; and his brothers, John and Oliver.

Despite his hard childhood, Harry lived his life trusting God with a thankful heart. One of his favorite verses was Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of love.” He was a soft spoken, kind and loving husband, dad and friend. Everyone who knew him spoke about his gentleness and steadfastness. He never wavered and rarely gave up, whether it was learning about new technology or working hard at rehab to get back home. To me, my dad was my anchor who tethered me to this world. After my mom died in 1998, it was just the two of us and we developed a bond that would continue to grow until his passing. As a prayer warrior, I know he prayed for me and my family everyday – and I felt those prayers. I will miss his constant, quiet presence and love. Thank you to everyone who supported him in prayer and love and care throughout the years. In lieu of flowers, please take a minute to bestow an act of kindness to a loved one or a stranger, or a donation may be made to Williston Rescue (www.willistonfire. com) who provided him with loving care on multiple occasions. A private burial service will be held at a later date. Friends who wish may make online condolences by visiting www.awrfh.com.

William Roberts

William (Willy) Roberts, 84, formerly of Williston, VT, went to be with our Lord and Savior on Friday, March 12, 2021 following a brief illness and dementia. Willy learned carpentry from his father and worked for several years for Pizzagalli Construction. Upon retirement from construction work, he became a school bus driver for the Williston School District; a job he truly loved. He was a member of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Williston Fire Department in his youth. Willy loved spending time with his family, camping and playing his guitar; he was a huge Johnny Cash fan. He played for many

years at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in their ministry group. He was married to the love of his life, Patti (Bates), and went on to help raise 7 children; along with several neighborhood children who all frequented his house. Willy is survived by six of his children, Mona (Boutin), Kenny, Chipper, Danny, Hank and Jani (Wilson); seventeen grandchildren and several great grandchildren; sisters-inlaw, Nancy St. Amour, Janice Roberts, Joan Bates and Sandy Bates; brother-in-law, Reverend James Bates. He was predeceased by his wife (Patti), his son (Billy), sisters (Lucille Tromblay and Jean Goodrich), brothers (Henry, Jerry, Emile, Leo, Paul, Eddie, Moe and Andre), parents (Henry and Ida Roberts), parents-in-law (Ed and Jane Bates), daughter-in-law (Pattie Lynn) and brothers-in-law (Eddie and George Bates). Willy was the lone survivor of his immediate family. Spring services are being planned. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Dementia Society of America (www. dementiasociety.org/donate). Arrangements are in care of Gifford Funeral Home, 22 Depot Street, Richmond, VT.

Annie & Smoochie

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GOT NEWS?

Email editor@willistonobserver.com

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 19

SENIORS

How to search for senior discounts in 2021

Dear Savvy Senior, I just turned 60 and would like to find out the best way to go about locating senior discounts. Looking to Save

You can also search for discounts by provider. Go to a search engine like Google or Yahoo and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.” If you use a smartphone, there are also apps you can use like the “Senior Discounts & Coupons” app (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play), which categorizes discounts by age and type.

Dear Looking, One of the best, yet underutilized perks of growing older in the United States is the many discounts that are available to older adults. Join a Club There are literally thousands of discounts on Another good avea wide variety of prodnue to senior discounts ucts and services includis through membership ing restaurants, grocery organizations like AARP, stores, travel and lodging, which offers its mementertainment, retail and bers age 50 and older a apparel, health and beauty, wide variety of discounts automotive services and through affiliate businessmuch more. These dises (see www.AARPdiscounts – typically ranging counts.com). between 5 and 25 percent If, however, you don’t off – can add up to save like or agree with AARP, you hundreds of dollars there are other organizaeach year. BY JIM MILLER tions you can join that also So, if you don’t mind provide discounts, like admitting your age, here the American Seniors Asare some tips and tools to help you find the sociation (www.AmericanSeniors.org), the discounts you may be eligible for. American Automobile Association (www. AAA.com), or for retired federal workers, Ask! the National Active and Retired Federal EmThe first thing to know is that most busi- ployees Association (www.NARFE.org). nesses don’t advertise them, but many give Types of Discounts senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy. Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some You also need to know that while some of the different types of discounts you can discounts are available as soon as you turn expect to find. 50, most don’t kick in until you turn 55, 60, Restaurants: Senior discounts are 62 or 65. common at restaurants and fast-food establishments – like Applebee’s, Arby’s, Burger Search Online King, Chili’s, Denny’s and IHOP – ranging Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of the year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them. A good place to start is at www. TheSeniorList.com (click on the “Senior Discounts” tab), which provides a large list of discounts in categories like restaurant dining, grocery stores, retail stores, prescription medications, travel and more.

Savvy Senior

Send your story ideas and photos to editor@ willistonobserver. com

from free/discounted drinks, to discounts off your total order. Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, and certain retailers like TJ Maxx, Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross and Walgreens stores, offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week. Grocery stores: Many locally owned grocery stores and some chains offer senior discount programs. Discounts change on certain days of the week, and can vary by location. Travel: American, United and Southwest airlines provide limited senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while British Airlines offers AARP members discounts of up to $200. Amtrak provides a 15 percent discount to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-

plus customers or those who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 20 percent. Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $80 (see www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm). 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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Page 20 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

POLICE BLOTTER Williston Police Department

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March 14 —20 • •

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• • March 14 at 1:14 a.m. — Officer provided a case number for insurance purposes in response to damage done to a vehicle by a deer. • March 14 at 3:18 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a dispute on North Brownell Road. The officer assisted in settling the dispute. • March 14 at 3:49 a.m. — Officers took an individual into custody who violated their condition of release. • March 14 at 4:11 a.m. — An officer conducted a motor vehicle stop and took the driver into custody on suspicion of DUI. • March 14 at 10:25 a.m. — An

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officer responded to a report of a dispute on Day Lane. March 14 at 11:19 a.m. — Police assisted Williston Rescue with locating an injured person on Tree Hill Road. March 14 at 12 p.m. — Police completed a report for the Williston Fire Department. March 14 at 3:27 p.m. — An officer assisted with trespassing a person from a business on Harvest Lane. March 14 at 6:27 p.m. — Police conducted a welfare check on Williston Woods Road, but did not locate the person. March 15 at 9:13 a.m. — An officer assisted property management on Southview Lane in attempting to contact a person. March 15 at 10:17 a.m. — An officer took custody of lost property on Marshall Avenue and succeeded in returning some of the property to the rightful owner. March 15 at 12:01 p.m. — Police responded to Essex Road to take custody of found property. They attempted contacting the owner, but were unable to. March 15 at 6:32 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision with a deer on Essex Road. They responded with Essex Police Department and were able to locate the an-

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imal, which seemed to bear no sign of injury. March 15 at 7:41 p.m. — Police assisted Williston Fire Department with a medical call on Lamplite Lane. March 15 at 9:46 p.m. — An officer took custody of found property on Wright Avenue. March 16 at 6:58 a.m. — An officer responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision with a tractor-trailer and telephone pole on Industrial Avenue. There were no injuries and the telephone pole was fixed. March 16 at 7:48 a.m. — Police completed a background check for ICE. March 16 at 7:53 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision on Williston Road. The officer took the presented information and filed a crash report. March 16 at 1:07 p.m. — Officers responded to a report of suspicious activity on St. George Road. March 16 at 2:52 p.m. — Police completed a background check for an Army recruitment. March 16 at 6:19 p.m. — An officer advised a person relating to scams. March 16 at 4:26 p.m. — An officer responded to the report of an animal problem on Forest

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Run Road. Upon arrival, the dog was unable to be located. March 16 at 4:51 p.m. — Police assisted a business on Cottonwood Drive, standing by while they ran tests. March 16 at 9:07 p.m. — Police assisted Essex Police Department with a motor vehicle rollover on Fort Parkway. March 16 at 10:45 p.m. — Police assisted with reporting an item stolen. March 17 at 10:49 a.m. — Police assisted in confirming a repair on Engineers Drive. March 17 at 1:24 p.m. — The Comfort Dog team completed foot patrol on a recreational trail. March 17 at 3:21 p.m. — An officer responded to a report of a citizen dispute on Terry Lane. The officer spoke with both parties separately. March 17 at 4:01 p.m. — An officer conducted a VIN inspection for a business on Krupp Drive. March 17 at 4:57 p.m. — Police took custody of a wanted person on Sundown Drive. March 18 at 5:08 a.m. — Police responded to assist a citizen on Eagle Crest. The person felt at ease after the officers responded and checked the premises. March 18 at 10:47 a.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious activity on Trader Lane. Upon arrival, the officers took custody of two individuals. March 18 at 10:55 a.m. — An officer responded to a report of an injury on Dorset Lane. The officer provided first aid and assisted Williston Rescue when they arrived at the scene. March 18 at 12:20 p.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on Williston Road. March 18 at 1:24 p.m. — Police responded to a report of disorderly conduct on Retail Way. Upon arrival, the vehicle and persons were not on the premises. March 18 at 3:04 p.m. — Police assisted Williston Rescue on Primrose Lane. March 18 at 3:07 p.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on St. George Road. There were no injuries. March 18 at 3:30 p.m. — Police assisted Williston Rescue with transporting a patient on Tyler Way. March 18 at 6:01 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on Trader Lane. Upon arrival, the officer trespassed the person from the premises.

• March 18 at 6:40 p.m. — Police provided a case number for a report of theft. • March 19 at 8:50 a.m. — The Comfort Dog team had a visit on Cottonwood Drive. • March 19 at 9:02 a.m. — Police responded to a two-vehicle collision on St. George Road. Upon arrival, there were no reported injuries or hazards. The officer provided a case number for insurance purposes. • March 19 at 9:17 a.m. — Police escorted employees on Market Street. The Comfort Dog team assisted and met the employees afterward. • March 19 at 9:51 a.m. — Police assisted with a report of theft on Marshall Avenue. • March 19 at 1:13 p.m. — Police responded to a report of an animal problem on Van Sicklen road. Upon arrival, the animals were unable to be located. • March 19 at 1:38 p.m. — Police responded to a report of trespassing on Harvest Lane. The officer escorted the person off the premises. • March 19 at 2:57 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a burglary on Bittersweet Circle. • March 19 at 3:21 p.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on Harvest Lane. Upon arrival, the operator was not on the scene. • March 19 at 3:49 p.m. — An officer returned lost property to its rightful owner. • March 19 at 4:10 p.m. — Police responded with the Williston Fire Department to a report of a fire on Holland Lane. The officers assisted with traffic control and vehicle logistics. • March 19 at 9:49 p.m. — Police conducted a motor vehicle stop as well as a commercial vehicle inspection on Maple Tree Place. • March 20 at 10:27 a.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on Oak Hill Road. Upon investigation, the officer passed on information to Essex Police Department. • March 20 at 4:24 p.m. — Police responded to a report of suspicious activity at Taft Corners Shopping Center. Upon arrival, the officer woke the person up and Williston Rescue evaluated them, finding them responsive. • March 20 at 8:13 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision on Harvest Lane. Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards. • March 20 at 11:02 p.m. — Police responded to assist Williston Fire Department on Market Street.

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 21

CULINARY CORNER

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 23

A heart-healthy dinner These bowls have it all: protein, whole grains, fiber, vegetables — even some probiotics from the miso paste. This recipe serves two, but could be scaled up for meal prep. Once you prepare the dressing, shrimp and quinoa, all you have to do is heat it up and add vegetables when it’s time to eat.

Orange Juice Shrimp Quinoa Bowls 2 cups water 1 cup quinoa 1 cup orange Juice 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon white miso 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 bell pepper, diced 1 English cucumber, sliced into half moons 3 scallions, sliced 1 avocado, sliced 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped In pot, bring water to boil. Add quinoa, reduce to simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. In bowl, whisk orange juice, hot sauce, honey, soy sauce, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, lime juice and miso. Remove half and set aside. Add shrimp to remaining half and marinate 15 minutes. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper then add shrimp to wok and sauté, cooking approximately 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Place 1/2 cup quinoa in bowl and top with bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, avocado and shrimp. Drizzle with dressing that was set aside and garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro. — Family Features

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Page 22 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

EMPLOYMENT

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA Tuesday, April 13, 2021 – 7:00 PM Zoom Meeting ID 823 369 798 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656 DP 11-23.4 Mike Isham requests a discretionary permit to expand the parking lot for Fall Festival and amend the hours for amplified music/sound at the banquet facility at Isham Family Farm, 3515 Oak Hill Road in the ARZD. DP 21-11 Senait Kassa of Luckett & Farley, on behalf of UPS, requests a discretionary permit to construct a building addition and expand the parking lot at 454 Harvest Lane in the MUCZD. DP 20-02 Abby Dery of Trudell Consulting Engineers, on behalf of Nick and Aerwen Stagers, requests a discretionary permit to demolish the existing dwelling and construct a 2-story mixed-use building with a dentist office and 3-bedroom dwelling unit with garage, parking, and related appurtenances at 5063 Williston Road in the GZDW.

DP 09-01.22 Snyder FC Commercial Properties LLC and Rieley Properties LLC request pre-application review for a proposed multi-tenant commercial building in Finney Crossing at the corner of Holland Lane and Williston Road in the TCZD. DP 09-01.21 Snyder FC Commercial Properties LLC and Rieley Properties LLC request a Master Sign Plan amendment for commercial portion of Finney Crossing located along Holland Lane, Market Street and Williston Road in the TCZD. APP 21-01 Kevin Brochu appeals the issuance of Certificate of Compliance 21-24 for 7999 Williston Road pertaining to permit AP 20-0025 and DP 15-06 in the VZD. Project details and site plans are available online, go to www.bit.ly/ DRBagendas. Contact Planning & Zoning for more information: 802878-6704

WANTED WANTED TO BUY: Vermont collector will pay cash for all wooden

bird carvings, goose, duck, and shorebird decoys. 802-238-1465.

SERVICES PAINTING - Need a fresh start to 2021? Let Lafayette Painting give your home a beautiful new look. Our painters can do a lot in a day. LafayettePaintingInc.com or call 863-5397 to hear about our winter discount.

HELP WANTED ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - Money Care, LLC, a daily money management company, seeks a highly organized, trustworthy individual, to provide administrative support. The ideal candidate knows how to pay attention to details, and has excellent computer skills, resourcefulness to solve problems, and good interpersonal skills. This is a parttime hourly position (4-5 hrs./week) with flexible hours. To learn more, view the job description and qualifications, and to apply, please visit https://moneycarevt. com/join-us/

To place a classified or service directory ad, email marianne@willistonobserver.com

Want to work in a vital role while helping to support your community? Copley Hospital, Greater Lamoille County’s Exceptional Community Hospital, is hiring for the following positions (various shifts available):

Registered Nurses Licensed Nursing Assistants Medical Lab Scientist (Lab Tech) Scheduler/Registrar Apply online at www.copleyvt.org/careers. Would you be interested in working at Copley and becoming a:

Nursing Assistant

Reach out to Shannen Dando, Recruiter at Copley, at sdando@chsi.org with the subject title: Becoming a Nursing Assistant. Nestled in the mountains, minutes away from ski and hiking trails we are a Critical Access Hospital, where all team members play a critical role. We oﬀer competitive pay and shift diﬀerentials, employee discounts at local businesses, tuition reimbursement, and much more! Exceptional Care. Community Focused. That’s Copley.

MAKE THIS SUMMER COUNT. The numbers are in: 500+ courses, 5 learning formats, 3 start dates, flexible meeting patterns, and a discount of 30% off the standard tuition rate. At Summer University, this all adds up to an incredible opportunity for students to earn transferable credits, and achieve their academic and graduation goals.

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uvm.edu/summer

April 1, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 23

SERVICE DIRECTORY VERMONT MADE

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11 Maple Street, Street, Essex Junction, VT VT 11 Maple Essex Junction, 11Open Maple Street, Junction, VT Mon SatEssex 10-5 Sun 11-4 Open-Mon - Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 Open Mon - Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 5CornersAntiques.com 5CornersAntiques.com 5CornersAntiques.com

www.hounddoghomeinspection.com timjwalker52@gmail.com (802) 876-7878 • (860) 248-9361

CARPENTRY

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Michelle Desautels REALTOR®, PSA (802) 846-9503

BASEMENT SYSTEMS BASEMENT SYSTEMS

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BEAGLE BUILDERS, LLC

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Our experience will get you home. We specialize in service, customer education, and experience in the industry. We are proud to serve you and your family with a phenomenal home loan experience.

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Photos from the Williston Observer

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AlFreyPhotography.com Place your order online or email afrey202@gmail.com

Page 24 • Williston Observer • April 1, 2021

Governor appoints 3-member Cannabis Control Board Panel will regulate retail cannabis

Gov. Phil Scott has appointed James Pepper of Montpelier, Julie Hulburd of Colchester and Kyle Harris of Montpelier to the state’s Cannabis Control Board. The board was created in 2020 by Act 164 for the purpose of implementing and administering the laws and rules regulating the sale and use of cannabis in Vermont. It is responsible for creating a cannabis regulatory system for commercial cannabis cultivators, wholesalers, product manufacturers, retailers and testing laboratories. “The board will play a critical role in ensuring public safety, equity and fairness while implementing this new market,” Scott said. “James, Julie and Kyle bring diverse and relevant experience to the CCB and I’m confident they will hit the ground running when they get to work in the coming days.” The CCB will also take over responsibility for the regulation of medical cannabis dispensaries and the administration of the medical cannabis registry, currently administered by the Vermont Department of Public Safety.

About the appointees JAMES PEPPER, CHAIR

where he worked on cannabis issues. Pepper received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University and a degree from Vermont Law School. He and his wife Aly live in Montpelier with their identical twin boys, Beau and Wesley. JULIE HULBURD

Pepper currently serves as a deputy state’s attorney for the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs. In this role, he has worked on several criminal justice reform initiatives, including bail reform, expungement eligibility, justice reinvestment, use-of-force standards for law enforcement officers and the expansion of juvenile jurisdiction. Pepper also serves on the Racial Disparities in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Advisory Panel. Pepper previously worked for former Gov. Peter Shumlin as director of intergovernmental affairs and senior policy advisor,

State Ethics Commission in 2018 and has served as its chair since 2019. She has also served as a member of her local parks and recreation advisory board, a justice of the peace and on the selectboard. Hulburd has a bachelor’s degree from Northern Vermont University-Johnson. She also holds a Professional in Human Resources Certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and is a certified professional with the Society for Human Resources Management. She regularly volunteers for the Vermont Brain Injury Association’s Walk for Thought, at the local Night to Shine event and the Miss Vermont Scholarship Organization. KYLE HARRIS

Hulburd currently serves as the human resources director at the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation and has over 20 years of human resources experience, including 12 years in municipal government. In her last municipal government role, she worked on diversity, equity and inclusion. Hulburd was appointed to the

Harris has served as an ag-

riculture development specialist at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets since 2019. In this role, he has focused on emerging issues and economic development. His work has focused on dairy innovation, maple initiatives and hemp business development. He has worked closely with the Agency of Commerce and Community Development as a liaison between agencies to facilitate policy and economic discussion throughout Vermont’s agriculture portfolio. Most recently, he aided in development of Vermont’s Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030. Harris previously served as the associate counsel for environmental affairs at the Corn Refiners Association in Washington, D.C., where his work focused on improving the environmental footprint at both ends of the supply chain, from grower relations to growth in plantbased products and 21st century uses for agricultural feedstocks Harris has a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of Charleston, and a Master of Environmental Law & Policy from Vermont Law School. He lives in Montpelier with his wife Cate.

Vermont

Get the facts about the COVID-19 vaccine. AARP has the latest information. AARP is working to protect Americans 50+ by making sure you have the latest information you need about the COVID-19 vaccines and the distribution plans in Vermont. Find out who’s eligible for the vaccine, when and where vaccines will be available and what you need to discuss with your doctor before you decide. Just visit our website to get the most up-to-date information available about your vaccine options.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine availability and distribution in Vermont at aarp.org/VTvaccine facebook.com/aarpVermont | @AARPVT | aarp.org/VT

Paid for by AARP