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RECIPE INSIDE! SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
Powering up the town energy plan
WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
‘The cost of delay is too great’
energy committee, and fund them both rapidly and with urgency.” A proposal drawn up by Town BY JASON STARR Manager Erik Wells for a citizen Observer staff energy committee structures it as an advisory panel of the planning comA year ago, the Williston Select- mission. The committee would work board approved a town energy plan with existing town administrators to and incorporated it into the larg- implement the plan, along with super Town Comprehensive Plan that port from the Chittenden County guides town government. Regional Planning Commission’s The plan is the town’s response new energy project manager and to global warming and contribution possibly an Americorps intern. to the state’s Comprehensive Energy But plan proponents say hiring Plan, with its goal of sourcing 90 a full-time energy coordinator on percent of Vermont’s energy needs town staff to work with the commitfrom renewables by 2050. Created tee is critical to the plan’s implemenby a selectboard-appointed citizen tation. task force, the plan lays out specif“There are hard problems and ic actions for the hard decisions town to take to that need to be ‘There are hard weatherize homes made in order problems and hard and businesses, to follow (the reduce fossil fuel plan),” said Thordecisions that need consumption and ley, a member of to be made … We are increase renewthe local environpast the point where able energy genermental advocacy ation. an advisory committee group SustainProponents able Williston. “It is all that we need.’ of the plan have requires an enKevin Thorley ramped up presergy coordinator Sustainable Williston sure on the select— a professional board throughout in this field. We this year to put it into action. As a are past the point where an advisory first step, the board is considering committee is all that we need.” hiring a full-time energy coordinaThe energy committee would tor and empaneling a citizen energy have 5-7 members, according to committee, as the plan advises. Wells’ outline. Resident Caylin Mc“We need to move ahead today,” Camp, who works at the UVM Ofresident Kevin Thorley told the fice of Sustainability, advised that at board at its meeting last week. “The least one position on the committee cost of delay is too great.” should be reserved for a low-income The board discussed the param- resident and compensated with a stieters of a citizen energy committee pend. That would bring a perspeclast Tuesday, but took no action to tive that is different from the affluent create one. Board chair Terry Ma- residents who typically volunteer for caig said discussion about hiring a town committees, she said, and infull-time energy coordinator would clude, for example, someone who be on an upcoming selectboard rides a bus for transportation or is agenda. enrolled in home heating assistance. Brian Forrest, who led the writWhile implementing the town ing of the energy plan in 2019 as energy plan has the potential to rethe town’s volunteer energy coor- duce home heating costs through dinator, noted that the town is set to weatherization, and energy use receive an unsolicited $3 million in costs through renewable generation, federal coronavirus relief this year it also comes with an estimated $3 that could be used to fund the ener- million cost to the town. That would gy coordinator position. equate to about $160 per year in ad“We need to stop treating the ditional property taxes for the averclimate crisis as a minor annoyance age Williston homeowner. … rather than the public safety crisis “It is a reasonable plan that will that it is,” he told the board. “For our advance Williston into the expandchildren and grandchildren to have ing group of Vermont towns with viany chance to survive the effects of sion and foresight regarding climate our heating planet, I ask you to hire related issues,” resident Margaret an energy coordinator and create an Laughlin wrote in a letter to Wells.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
PRECIOUS AUTUMN
Getting the most out of fall in Williston OBSERVER STAFF REPORT Many a writer and philosopher has waxed poetic about fall. “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” said Albert Camus. “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house,” said Nathaniel Hawthorne. William Cullen Bryant called autumn “The year’s last, loveliest smile.” Nowhere is fall more enchanting than in Vermont, and Williston, with its conserved lands and parks, community events and hillside vistas, wears autumn so well. Let this inaugural guide to fall activities in and around Williston entice you to enjoy “the year’s last, loveliest smile” to the fullest and waste none of that “precious autumnal sunshine.”
Trail walks Thanks to the Town of Williston’s foresight over decades in acquiring and conserving public lands, there are several great options for fall trail walks around town. Visit the Allen Brook Nature Trail that begins behind Williston Central School for a novice streamside walk right in Williston Village. Five Tree Hill Coun-
try Park off Sunset Hill Road is a more advanced walking option with hilly terrain and a vast view as a reward. Oak View Hill Trail is located opposite the Isham Fami-
For time immemorial, fall has been a time to celebrate the harvest… and, of course, Halloween. And sometimes, those two things coincide, like at the Isham Farm Market Halloween celebration on Tuesday, where most of the vendors were in costume. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
ly Farm, allowing folks to make a day of walking the trail and visiting the farmstand for pumpkins, corn maze and other classic fall fare. Maps and access points to all
of Williston’s conserved public lands are listed at www.town.williston.vt.us.
Autumn events Healthy Living Market and Café is relatively new to the community, having opened last year, but it is making its mark this fall with a first-year “Hometown Harvest” event. The Saturday Oct. 9 event will be a celebration of all things autumn with live music, food tastings, kids activities and more. The event takes place at the store at 129 Market St. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Another upcoming event for those interested in the future of public lands is Wednesday, Oct. 6 — a public meeting on the future of Allen Brook Community Park. The park is located next to Allen Brook School on Talcott Road and currently has a recreation path and two all-purpose athletic fields. The town is seeking input on a master plan for the park to hash out ideas that include tennis and basketball courts, a playground and a pavilion. The meeting will be from 5:307:30 p.m. at the park, 497 Talcott Rd. Another, far-more-broad opportunity for public input is the statewide Vermont Climate Counsee AUTUMN page 4