The Citizen - 11-23-22

Small works

Hinesburg gets bids for public safety plan

Proposal costs range from $17K to $80K

Hinesburg received six bids to develop a public safety vision and strategic plan, ranging in cost from $17,000 to nearly $80,000.

The town’s efforts, which began in September, are meant to craft a vision for its police, fire and EMS services as the town’s population is set to grow by more than 15 percent in the coming years, with more than 400 housing units in the works.

The proposals were reviewed and ranked by town manager Todd Odit, assistant town manager Joy Dubin Grossman, police chief Anthony Cambridge, fire chief Nick Baker and selectboard member Dennis Place.

Ultimately, two companies were identified as the highest ranking: Municipal Resources, Inc, which conducted Hinesburg’s 2008 study of its police department, filed its bid at $28,500, while the Center for Governmental Research, based in Rochester, N.Y., filed a bid for $76,500.

“We’re struggling with how to move forward,” Odit said. “Obviously there’s a

CVSD drops plan for new offices

The Champlain Valley School District walked back plans to spend nearly $200,000 to relocate its central administrative offices, saying the district was unsure of the appropriateness or timeliness of the proposal.

Superintendent Rene Sanchez unveiled

DINE-IN

the plan to relocate the district’s central offices to a new location on Hurricane Lane in Williston at the school board meeting on Oct. 18.

The proposal would have increased office space from the “current cramped 7,889 square feet to 17,500 square feet, allowing us to bring all staff into the office and have much needed meeting space,” Sanchez said.

The need for increased office space “was identified as far back as 2006,” reads the presentation, which can be found at bit. ly/3EN2so6.

Currently, the district uses space in the Shelburne Town Offices in the village, said Bonnie Birdsall, the district’s director of

See OFFICES on page 7

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY SARA LOVITZ

Hinesburg Nursery School students fly their airplane while dressed up in their costumes at an afterschool Halloween party in October.

Ready for takeoff

Nursery school expands playground

Hinesburg Nursery School recently expanded its playground, which provides preschool children with more space to run and play outdoors during the school day and also provides a safe fenced-in space for local children up to age five when the nursery school is not in session.

The recent fence expansion was completed in August and financed through years of fundraising efforts from current and former school families through events such as Big Truck Day, Take & Bake Pizza night, silent auctions, waffle breakfasts and more.

So don’t forget the upcoming Take & Bake Fundraiser with Good Times Cafe on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Place pizza orders by Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. at hinesburgnurseryschool.org/ events, as the school continues to fundraise for playground improvements, in addition to the general upkeep of its historic community building.

Hinesburg Nursery School, a parent cooperative, has received a grant from SCHIP (Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg Interfaith Projects) to partially fund new swings and a structure over the sandbox. This will provide shade

and shelter during less pleasant weather as students spend more time outside during the school day.

Playground equipment and toys are specifically designed for kids aged 0-5, and cannot handle the wear and tear from older kids, who can swing higher, jump farther and bend tools more easily.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had some damage recently, so if you have any equipment or outdoor toys in good condition that your children have outgrown, we are happy to put them to good use,” said Sara Lovitz, president of the school’s board.

PHOTO BY SARA LOVITZ

Hinesburg Nursery School students and their families enjoy the expanded playground at an ice cream social in August.

Artists exhibit small works at local gallery

Debut show for Northern Daughters

New works from artists Anne Cady, Charlotte Dworshak, Maria Flores Gallindo, Edward Holland, Julia Jensen and Hannah Sessions will be on view at the Northern Daughters gallery in Shelburne through December.

This small works exhibit is the debut show at Northern Daughters for Maria Flores Gallindo, who trained in fashion design and collage in Madrid before moving to New York eight years ago where she has lived and worked since.

“My work tries to be simple and delicate. I start by mixing different elements on a background and keep working until I feel the work is complete as a whole,” Flores Galindo said.

Cady’s work is characterized by luminous saturated color, simplified forms and strongly contrasting values depicting the open pastures, farms, hills and mountains of the Champlain

valley.

Dworshak grew up close to the art world of Vermont as a daughter of a local artist. She is a Burlington-based painter who paints minimalist landscapes, inspired by the world she sees around her. Viewers often find the icy waters of Lake Champlain and the silhouetted backbones of familiar mountains in her work.

Holland is an abstract artist based in New York City who works in a wide variety of materials including acrylic and oil paint, colored pencil, graphite and collage.

Jensen, a 20-year painting veteran, is a Vermont-based landscape artist working in encaustics, while Sessions’ small works, in oil on panel, depict the Vermont landscape with more natural and muted tones and the loving familiarity of a farmer.

The gallery is located within Village Wine and Coffee.

COURTESY PHOTO

Anne Cady, “Back Again to the Dream,” 20 inches by 20 inches

PUBLIC SAFETY

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pretty big price difference.”

“Some of the benefits of (Municipal Resources Inc.) is that they work in a lot of New England towns that are similarly sized, and obviously the cost — I think that’s why they’re ranked pretty high,” Odit said. “(Center for Governmental Research) really seems to hit a lot of the equity and inclusion aspect ... it doesn’t appear that they have as much experience with communities our size, and obviously there’s the cost.”

Selectboard members had the opportunity to approve a contract, but instead opted to set up interviews with both firms to have further discussions.

“Taking our time is the right thing to do,” selectboard member Phil Pouech said.

Each of the six proposals can be viewed in detail at bit.ly/3XgXIhM.

Whoever ultimately wins would prepare a 10-year strategic plan for achieving specific goals that “reflect the community’s public safety values and vision,”

town officials said previously. Notably, the company would work closely with a task force of residents, chosen by the selectboard, to help shape the plan.

Hinesburg last conducted a study like this in 2008 — when Municipal Resources Inc. focused on appropriate staffing levels based on an average number of annual calls per officer.

This time around, the town hopes to be more inclusive, and include as many residents in the process as possible. Selectboard members asked if Municipal Resources Inc. could expand their community outreach efforts.

“If we’re just reaching out on (social media) and Survey Monkey, really that’s just not going to bring in the kind of comments and get the feedback that we need for this,” said selectboard member Maggie Gordon. The last report in 2008 had “a lot of good information, but what that came down to was basically, X number of calls equals X number of officers. We need more

than that, we need more subtlety than that.”

The efforts were, in part, catalyzed by town voters’ rejection of its police budget in March. The department’s original $815,483 budget was trimmed down by nearly $20,000, cutting an administrative assistant position entirely and reducing the budget for per diem service. By the time the town finalized a revised budget, three of the departments six officers had left for neighboring departments.

Since then, the department has explored merging its police department with Shelburne, and more recently has had extensive conversations about merging its department with Richmond’s department. However, that process could take years.

Hinesburg has also recently inked a three-year contract with Richmond Rescue to provide ambulance services. That contract carries an annual cost of $66,000 and is effective through June 30, 2025.

Hinesburg Police Blotter

Total Incidents: 43

Traffic Stops: 14

Arrests: 0

Nov. 14 at 2:20 p.m., a parking issue on Pond Road was investigated.

Nov.. 14 at 4:30 p.m., officers investigated a 911 hang up on North Road.

Nov. 14 at 6:05 p.m., an officer investigated a singlecar crash involving a deer on Mechanicsville Road.

Nov. 15 at 1:53 p.m., suspicious circumstances on Bear Lane were investigated.

Nov. 15 at 3:20 p.m., officers responded to a two car motor vehicle crash on Charlotte Road.

Nov. 15 at 4:40 p.m., officers responded to a domestic dispute on Farmall Drive.

Nov. 15 at 5:08 p.m., suspicious activity on Baldwin Road was investigated.

Nov. 15 at 9:10 p.m., a welfare check at a residence on Route 116 was conducted.

Nov. 16 at 6:52 a.m., officers responded to a single-car motor vehicle crash on Route 116.

Nov. 16 at 7:06 a.m., officers responded to a two-car motor vehicle crash on

Silver Street.

Nov. 16 at 9:00 a.m., officers responded to a single car motor vehicle crash on Hollow Road.

Nov. 16 at 9:11 a.m., a parking issue on Farmall Drive was investigated.

Nov. 16 at 9:30 a.m., officers responded to a single-car motor vehicle crash on Charlotte Road.

Nov. 16 at 10:30 a.m., officers responded to a singlecar motor vehicle crash on Route 116.

Nov. 16 at 12:45 p.m., a citizen was assisted with a harassment issue.

Nov. 16 at 4:50 p.m., a welfare check at a residence on Jourdan Street was conducted.

Nov. 17 at 2:00 p.m., suspicious activity on Route 116 was reported and investigated.

Nov. 17 at 4:20 p.m., a fraud was reported and investigated.

Nov. 17 at 7:15 p.m., officers investigated an animal problem on Baldwin Road.

Nov. 18 at 8:37 a.m., officers investigated a reported road rage incident on Route 116.

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‘It’s hard to stay in Vermont, so I left’

Guest Perspective

Keith LaFountaine

Years ago, I found a YouTube video where Stephen King espoused 10 pieces of advice to the University of Maine’s graduating class of 2005. The closing piece of this advice was simple: stay in Maine.

I admire this fervent defense of one’s homeland. As a kid, my eyes were always set elsewhere, over these Green Mountains. Maybe I’d visit Los Angeles and bask in the warmth and the city’s hubbub. Maybe I’d live in another country. “The Truman Show” convinced me Fiji was worth the 20-hour flight.

Around the time I graduated college, I had to admit something to myself. I love this little state. I have for a long time.

When I was a kid, I would pop into the Borders in downtown Burlington, where CVS now stands and I’d sit in a big, comfortable chair and read whatever book I had on my person while smelling roasted coffee beans from the café inside. I’d do that while waiting for the CCTA bus that would take me from Cherry Street to the South End, where I’d pass all assortments of sculptures and street art — particularly if Art Hop was approaching.

When I grew up and took that winding road down Politics Ave, I found myself appreciating Vermont’s confident progressivism and its tendency to split tickets. My dad loved Jim Douglas and I have more than an inkling that he’s fond of Phil Scott, even while he helps send Bernie to the Senate.

About a year ago, I stared a harsh truth in the face: it is not easy to stay in Vermont.

The state has bled young people for as long as I can remember. That’s nothing new, but I didn’t fully appreciate the gravity of that migration until I myself was on the move.

Skyrocketing rent, stagnant wages, few long-term career opportunities, landlords’ ironclad grip on the renting market, housing prices that cost about two livers and half a kidney to afford (and that’s just the down payment) and a big old pit sitting in the center of the city, like a pimple that was dug out of a pockmarked face with a rusty tack.

And let’s not forget a state college system that is chronically underfunded and underappreciated, or how Burlington’s mayor loves to tout his Habitat for Humanity

credentials while pursuing plans to add yet another luxury hotel to the map instead of affordable housing. These are not new observations, nor are they are not unique ones. These are issues that have dogged our small state for decades. They are issues I’ve heard grumbled about at the dinner table. They’re issues I’ve groused about with friends. They almost feel like a rite of passage to becoming a Vermonter — to complain about taxes, or to complain about this landlord or that piece of news.

It’s a noxious brew — one I drank greedily, particularly as my rent rose and my paycheck stagnated.

Before moving, we considered buying a house — hence how I came to my astute kidney and liver equation. Yet, even as I got a new job with a beefier salary, I realized our housing costs, coupled with other cost-of-living expenses, made it so that we would always be just above water but never ascendent enough to plan our wedding, or to afford a house, or to grow a family.

We started to look elsewhere and, last week, we made a trek across the country to a new city.

That move was painful for me. My horror-writer mind conjured an image, the morning we left, of me crawling up those Green Mountains, burying a knife in my chest, pulling my steaming heart free and burying it up there, in the dirt, in the trees. I can see the dark

blood and the wet soil under my fingernails. I feel the emptiness in my chest.

All I ever wanted to do was stay in Vermont. Even now, I write stories about our state. The Northeast Kingdom makes frequent appearances, my personal Castle Rock, where ragged strangers come to town, hiding their brimstone odors with headache-inducing aftershave or perfume; where crimson-eyed bears linger outside ramshackle diners; where winter threatens to blacken appendages; where monstrous spiders wait, mandibles dripping, legs writhing. It is not easy to stay in Vermont.

As we moved out of our apartment, I learned that my landlords bumped the price of our old apartment up another $100. Then, they sold it seemingly without issue. Because in Vermont, when an apartment goes on the market, you have about 24 hours to get an application in before it’s going, going, gone.

I don’t know whether we will stay in this new city, or if we will travel around. Remote work has changed the landscape in that regard. I desperately want Vermont to address these gangrenous issues because deep down, I want to be able to feasibly give the following advice. To myself and to others: stay in Vermont.

Replace no hunting signs with a purple paint law

Guest Perspective

Jennifer Lovett

A purple paint law would allow landowners to “post” their property with stripes of purple paint applied according to specific instructions on trees or fence posts.

Most states stipulate the stripes must be vertical and not less than 8 inches long and not less than an inch wide. They are to be placed no lower than 3 feet and no higher than 5 feet above the ground and must be readily visible to anyone approaching the property — no more than 100 feet apart in forested land and 1,000 feet apart in open land.

This system would allow a welcome alternative to the current

yellow posted signs but would not replace the current system. Under a purple paint law, landowners could choose which method they want to use to protect their property. If a property were sold and the new owner wanted to allow access, the stripes could be painted over.

Posting with stripes that are permanent and do not have to be updated every year would be beneficial for many landowners who wish to prohibit hunting on their property.

The present posting regulations are arduous and challenging for many people for a variety of reasons. Signs made of metal or plastic are extremely expensive,

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Keith LaFountaine, a horror writer, grew up in Burlington.

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Will Republicans be poised to lead when left goes too far?

Guest Perspective

Sen. Joe Benning

In the early 1990s I joined the Vermont Republican Party. I did so because the party recognized five core principles: a free market economy; a local and efficient government that kept taxes within reason; an educational system that enabled graduates to compete in a global marketplace; individual liberty; and personal responsibility.

Those five core principles were wrapped together by a glue that bound us together as a society: the Vermont Constitution. Coupled with Vermont’s proud history of rugged individualism, these things defined the party.

There was no application process when I joined. There was no litmus test. I wasn’t asked whether I followed a particular religion or even if I was religious. I wasn’t asked whether I was pro-life or pro-choice. It was never demanded of me that I swear allegiance to any particular candidate or to every plank in the party’s platform.

Nobody in their right mind would have insisted upon blind allegiance to an idealogue. Civility, integrity and an assumption that our election process was trustworthy were orders of the day.

The only reason a political party organization exists is to elect candidates. The Vermont GOP’s sole objective is supposed to be targeted at recruiting and electing those who can get elected. Even George Aiken, perhaps

the most frugal member of the state’s Republican party, recognized one of government’s chief responsibilities is to help those in need. I’ve now participated in nine elections, the last being my first statewide.

Successful in six and unsuccessful in three, I flatter myself in thinking I understand what it takes to get elected.

So where is the Vermont GOP today? A minor contingent still firmly believes the Jan. 6 assault on the nation’s capital was a patriotic event. A few display large flags on their homes and vehicles

LOVETT

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especially for large properties or farms. The less-expensive Tyvek signs degrade over time and must be replaced. They are also easily damaged or removed, which may make property no longer legally posted.

Under the current system, every single sign must be dated annually and must include the name and address of the property owner. Landowners must file annually with their town clerk and pay a small fee. If these conditions are not met every year, your land is not posted legally. People can legally hunt without permission, in some cases at night, for most months of the year on unposted or improperly posted land.

I am 69 years old and have 30 acres surrounded by properties open to hunting and trapping. I have a herd of rescued equines, including five miniature horses

that say “F**CK Biden.”

The loudest voices on social media (thankfully still few in number) spew vitriol and hatred against the highest vote recipients in the Vermont GOP and those who’ve spent the most time trying to hold the party together. They continue a narrative designed to undermine faith in the electoral process, label those legitimately in need as leeches on society, and adhere to every QAnon conspiracy imaginable as if it is established fact.

See BENNING on page 7

about the same size and color as bears or deer. I enjoy walking on my property throughout the year with my dogs, which also resemble bears or deer in size and coloring. I especially enjoy the autumn months, hunting season, when the foliage is so beautiful.

To ensure the safety of my animals and myself, I do not want hunting or trapping on my property. Every year, I must walk the perimeter of my 30 acres and update my posted signs. Due to the regulations about placement, some signs must be in areas that are challenging to access.

This task is time consuming, but I worry about what will happen if I am unable to maintain the posted boundary of the land for which I pay hefty property taxes.

Of additional concern is that Vermont has a high rate of incidents of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Forcing people to traipse through fields of high grass and shrubs — the perfect habitat for ticks — to post their property is unfair and unsafe.

Painting a stripe is clearly more economical, efficient, equitable and physically easier than the current posting system. People who are physically challenged due to age or disability would benefit from this law.

As an alternative option to the present posting regulations, the purple paint law would offer a fair and effective means of posting and protecting private property. If you agree with me and would like Vermont to join the 17 states that have already adopted this law, contact your state legislators and let them know you support the implementation of the purple paint law in Vermont.

Jennifer Lovett lives in Starksboro.

Group helps nonprofits fundraise

Common Good Vermont has launched a fundraising and development certificate program to help participants produce grant proposals, connect with donors, write fundraising appeals, and build meaningful partnerships.

Applications will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 16. The program is designed for leaders, executives and staff members of small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations.

Common Good Vermont works to unite and strengthen mission-driven organizations in the state.

“The certificate program is a must do,

BENNING

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Like it or not, that is an image problem Republican candidates deal with on the campaign trail. Sure, everybody has a right to free speech. But these immature, sometimes dangerous and often bullying techniques will never attract electable candidates or Vermont voters to the party. Nobody marching to this drumbeat has a chance of ever getting elected in Vermont.

Some will argue Donald Trump’s vote tally in the 2020 election (112,704) is something to build upon. Mathematically that is not possible. Vermont’s voting demographic has twice soundly rejected his candidacy, giving Biden 242,820 votes in that same election.

Vermonters want civility, integrity and trust in the people they vote for. The vast majority long ago decided Trump does not provide those things. No argument will change that.

If the Vermont GOP is to survive and

OFFICES

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communication. But the space is “too small for us to carry out work efficiently,” Sanchez said at the October meeting.

“There is no space to fit all of our current staff, much less any new staff,” Sanchez said. “We currently have to share these restricted working spaces, compete for meeting rooms and if we want to host a meeting, we have to hope that there’s space on certain campuses because not all campuses have space for us to hold a meeting and, frequently, we’re unable to have meetings during the day because the spaces are being used by classrooms and by teachers and students.”

The relocation would have allowed the district to “improve operations — the goal, of course, for us to be able to work together (and) to be able to timely collaborate and cooperate,” he said.

The central administration’s original goal was to ask the school board for approval at the Nov. 15 meeting and sign a lease by Dec. 1. But, at its November meeting, Sanchez announced they would be suspending the plan after “approaching a better view of what our budget for next year will look like.”

“Since, at this time we cannot completely project the final budget numbers, we are unsure as to the appropriateness of the time to change locations,” he said.

Sanchez did not immediately respond to an email seeking clarity on the district’s

whether you are just starting out or have been in the development world for years,” said Sharon Lifschutzt. “Through this program I built my confidence, developed a cohort of trusted colleagues and walked away with a plan to help move Lund’s fundraising forward.”

This intensive online program will include live online training, peer-learning sessions, individual assignments and one-on-one coaching with lead trainer Jenn Hayslett, who has more than 25 years of leadership experience in all areas of fundraising and marketing. Find out more at commongoodvt.org.

thrive, we’d best be moving on.

Party leaders must recognize the largest voting bloc in Vermont is not Republican or Democrat or Progressive. It is those who consider themselves independent. If Republican leaders move to rigid rightwing idealogues for comfort, we lose that block.

The Vermont GOP course must remain center-right. As idealogues in the Democratic and Progressive supermajority drive policy that runs counter to Vermont traditions and fiscal capacity, independents will be alienated. This provides an opportunity for our candidates who stay true to, and can articulate, that five core principles and the glue that binds them together.

Joe Benning is a Republican state senator from Caledonia County. He just unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor in the General Election.

budget projections for the following school year.

The site at Hurricane Lane would have cost the district $187,416 more to lease annually. It is unclear how much the district pays currently for its lease — an email seeking details was not returned by press deadline.

Meanwhile, according to the October presentation, the district would have had to spend an additional $100,000 to refurbish the building to make it more suitable.

School board members during the October meeting sounded uneasy about the prospect of moving offices.

Keith Roberts, the school board member from Hinesburg, commented that “in light of the growth of remote work, not to put too fine a point on it, but do we really need this much space?”

School board member Erin Brady of Williston said she worried about public perception.

“If we haven’t addressed classroom space at (Allen Brook Elementary School), but we’re able to double administrative space two minutes away, that feels like a hard thing to justify,” Brady said. “Needing more space for the safety of workers in Covid — we’re a school district, teachers are packed in with kids and kids are packed in with each other all day. I think that’s a challenging thing to be talking about publicly.”

A forest-lover’s reading list for holidays

Into the Woods

I am often asked what books I would recommend to folks interested in learning more about forests and forestry. For my column this month I will recommend a few of my favorite

resources for forest-lovers, each addressing a key theme of forests and forest stewardship.

• “The Hidden Forest: Biography of an Ecosystem” by Jon R. Luoma: For anyone interested in developing a better understanding of how forests work, this book is always my first recommendation. In it, Luoma follows a multi-dis-

ciplinary group of researchers at the Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon as they collaborate to build a more complete vision of the pieces, parts and processes that make forest ecosystems function. The genius of this book is both its easy-to-read, conversational tone, and its clear, accurate, nuanced description of forest ecology.

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I have found that an understanding of healthy forests is not something that any of us are born with, but something that we can develop. Forests are at times unintuitive, messy and complicated. The first step toward earning how to care for and manage forests is learning what makes them tick, and this is a great resource for

doing just that.

• “Reading the Forested Landscape” by Tom Wessells: Understanding the legacies on New England’s historic landscape is a key ingredient in understanding how our modern-day forests came to be. In this book Wessels, an

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Tapper

TAPPER

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ecologist from southern Vermont, discusses how to read the history of our forests using clues like stone walls.

Since the early 1800s, nearly all of Vermont’s forests have been cleared, many of them maintained as pastures for a century or more. While your backyard woods may seem ancient, it is likely that it was a pasture within the last 60 to 100 years, placing it at the very beginning of the process of forest development. This is true for the young forests across our landscape which lack many of the traits of the ancient forests that once defined the region.

• “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold.

Published in 1949, this work is a foundational text in the conservation world. Through a series of essays, Leopold — a forester and conservationist — discusses the nuances of his relationship with the land. Perhaps the most salient contribution of this book, and Leopold’s work in general, is the idea of the land ethic — the concept that we have a moral or ethical responsibility toward the land and its forests, wetlands, wildlife and waters.

Whether we have the privilege of owning our own forest or not, each of us

also affects forests locally and globally through our choices and the resources that we consume. As Leopold details in this poignant book, each of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to define our own land ethic.

• “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: In “Gathering Moss,” Kimmerer, a bryologist (a scientist who studies mosses and other bryophytes), highlights her own land ethic while guiding the reader on an exploration into the enigmatic world of mosses. Kimmerer, the author of the acclaimed “Braiding Sweetgrass,” demonstrates how even the tiniest parts of the forest are rich with life and worthy of our care and attention.

While we often focus on trees, research increasingly shows that the other components of forests — mosses, lichens, plants, animals, insects, fungi — are critical to their health and function.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Sign up for his eNews and read articles he’s written at linktr.ee/chittendencountyforester.

Compassionate Dentistry

Dr. Aerwen Stagers, DMD

Community Notes

Red Cross hosts blood drive in Charlotte

The American Red Cross holds a blood drive on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2-7 p.m., at the Charlotte Senior Center

Call 800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter charlotte to schedule an appointment.

It’s Monday, get munching at senior center lunch

The next Monday Munch at the Charlotte Senior Center is Nov. 28, 212 Ferry Road, 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. The menu Portuguese kale soup, green salad and homemade dessert.

Menus for Dec. 5 and 12 have not been announced as of press time.

A $5 donation is appreciated. Check the website in case of last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Dec. 1, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features beef steak with sauce, baked beans, Italian veggies, wheat bread with butter, oatmeal raisin cookie and milk.

You must have pre-registered by Monday, Nov. 28, with Kerrie Pughe, 802-425-6345 or kpughe@ charlotteseniorcentervt.org

The meal on Thursday, Dec. 8 — register by Dec. 5 — is roast pork with warm sauce, applesauce, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables with lima beans, wheat bread with butter, chocolate chip cookie and milk. The meal on Dec. 15 is the center’s Christmas meal and includes stuffed chicken breast with apple and cranberry stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sliced carrots, wheat dinner roll, pumpkin cake and milk.

Check the website for last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

Senior Center November programs

Join members of the Quinlan Schoolhouse committee to learn more about this historical gem on Thursday, Dec. 1, 1 p.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road.

Watch the video of the story of the historic schoolhouse, followed by a guided tour of the schoolhouse located between the Charlotte Library and town offices.

Co-sponsored with The Charlotte Library. Register by Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Questions or to register, visit charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

St. Mike’s hosts Sing We Now Noel

Sing We Now Noel, a celebration of Christmas carols and seasonal songs, will take place on

Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. in Saint Michael’s College Chapel.

William Tortolano, emeritus professor and college organist, will present the 62nd holiday concert with the classic two-manual, 14-stop Casavant pipe organ in the chapel. The program will cover a variety of musical compositions to encourage the audience to participate.

Among the compositions are carols from Austria, England, France, Portugal and American traditions, including “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Vermont’s Carol” and “We Three Kings.”

Jerry Proulx, a St. Michael’s

graduate, will sing the famous Italian carol “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle.”

Age Well, church offer grab and go meal

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne will provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon. The menu is stuffed chicken breast with apple and cranberry stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sliced carrots, cranberry sauce,

wheat dinner roll with butter, pumpkin cake and milk.

To order a meal, contact Sheryl Oberding at soberding@yahoo. com or 802-825-8546

Deadline to order is Wednesday, Dec. 7.

Marines come together in Chittenden County

Join the Donald G. Cook Detachment on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. for a meeting of active duty, retired and guard of the U.S. Marine Corps.

See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 11 thecitizenvt.com

COURTESY PHOTO

William Tortolano

‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story’

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 10

This is an opportunity to meet other Marines in the Greater Burlington area, share information and learn about the programs offered at the Marine Corps League.

St. Jude’s Catholic Church seeks crafters

St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Hinesburg will be having a craft fair on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The church is looking for crafters. If you are a crafter and are interested in purchasing a space at this craft fair, contact Marie at stjude@vermontcatholic.org and an application form and info will be sent to you.

Seventy-five percent of items sold must be handmade.

Waldorf school hosts artisan market, fair

The Lake Champlain Waldorf School will host a Friday adult shopping experience on Friday, Dec. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., there will be an outdoor festival with lots of activities for children and a family fair and market.

Visit shorturl.at/dyLM9 for further information.

Champlain Valley Union hosts handcrafters’ fair

The Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg will host its handcrafters fair on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

at 369 CVU Road in Hinesburg. The fair features 150 vendors with something special for everyone on your shopping list.

Charlotte Central School hosts holiday market

The Charlotte Central School holiday market will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and still has some booths available. The vendor application can be found at bit.ly/3TOVT8P.

In addition to two gyms filled with exhibitors, there will also be a children’s DIY craft table, a silent auction and several on-site food options. Entry into the market is free and open to the public. Contact ccsholidaymarket@ gmail.com with questions.

COURTESY PHOTO

Yankee storyteller Willem Lange is back, live and on stage at Lost Nation Theater performing his reading of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story” by Charles Dickens on Friday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. Lange uses the cutting of the novel Dickens himself used when performing the tale. Emmy-winner Lange’s tradition of reading Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” began in 1975, and always performs to benefit The Haven in the Upper Valley. Tickets and masking requirements at lostnationtheater.org.

PUBLIC HEARING Hinesburg Development Review Board

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

7:00 pm

Andrea & Allen Lavalette –Conditional use review for a commercial cordwood operation on a 10.1-acre property located at 126 Beaver Pond Road, in the Rural Residential 2 zoning district. The meeting will be both in person and remote. See meeting agenda on town website with details on how to participate.

CHARLOTTE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

Will hold a public hearing on the following application during its regular meeting of Wednesday, December 14, 2022:

7:05 PM 22-251-SD Hinsdale Charlotte Farms – 286 Prindle Rd., 1-lot Planned Residential Development (PRD), convert single-family house to a multi-family dwelling (4-plex)

For more information, contact the Planning & Zoning Office at 802.425.3533 ext. 208, or by email at: pza@townofcharlotte.com.

Coaches announce soccer all-stars

The Vermont Soccer Coaches Association has announced its All-State honors to the following players:

2022 Vermont Soccer Coaches Association

All-State boys

Division I

Eli Marden, CVU, midfield Diego Robinson, CVU, back

Zach Spitznagle, CVU, forward

Ali Hammond, South Burlington, midfield

Andrew Chandler, South Burlington, goalkeeper

Oliver Clifford, South Burlington, back

Nathaniel Hasenecz, South Burlington, midfield

Evan Richardson, South Burlington, midfield

Division II

Cade Bretton, Rice Memorial, midfield

Jackson Strong, Rice Memorial, back

Division III

Sawyer Beck, Peoples Academy, forward

Chandler Follensbee, Peoples Academy, goalkeeper

Rowan McClain, Peoples Academy, forward

Nathan Nolan, Peoples Academy, midfield

Tomforde Guffey, Stowe, back

Carson Matckie, Stowe, back

Ben Nissenbaum, Stowe, midfield

Woody Reichelt, Stowe, midfield

Henry Riley, Stowe, midfield

All-State girls

Division I

Rachel Kelley, South Burlington, midfield

Oakley Machanic, South Burlington, midfield

Ava Barron, CVU, midfield

Stella Dooley, CVU, back

Anna Morton, CVU, midfield

Chloe Pecor, CVU, forward

Division II

Sunshine Clark, Rice Memorial, goalkeeper

Raven Mccray-Fay, Rice Memorial, back

Claire Vincent, Rice Memorial, back

Division III

Hannah Cleary, Peoples Academy, midfield

Josie Simone, Peoples Academy, goalkeeper

Orly Bryan, Stowe, forward Sarah Hailey, Stowe, forward Ellie Zimmerman, Stowe, back

Additionally, the association has selected the following coaches to be recognized as Coach of the Year for 2022:

• Girls, small schools (DII and DIV): Kim Prestridge, White River Valley

• Girls, large schools (DI and DII): Pete Albright, Mt. Mansfield Union

• Boys, small schools: Shane Bufano, Stowe

• Boys, large schools: Adolphe Lumumba, South Burlington

By a vote of the coaches, Victor Vieriu was selected as the Official of the Year.

PHOTO BY AL FREY

Champlain Valley Union’s Stella Dooley battles for possession during a Redhawk game this fall against the St. Johnsbury Hilltoppers. Dooley was named to the All-State girls’ team.

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

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get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

You have an energy to release this week, Aries. But you are not sure if the world is ready for you. Don’t expect the same reaction from everyone when you interact.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Something in your life that seems ordinary on the surface can turn into something that is rather special. Taurus. Keep your eyes peeled for every possibility.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Gemini, all of the fanfare you are about to receive can make it seem like you are the most popular person on the planet. Revel in the attention while you have it.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Sometimes the less traveled path can take you to some pretty special places, Cancer. Don’t be so quick to rule out opportunities that are right in front of you.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Start evaluating personal habits that may be holding you back, Leo. Upon closer examination, you may discover that there are some things you can easily change for the better.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, much to your relief, your hard work could start paying off very soon. It has been a long time coming, so enjoy any rewards that come from your efforts.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Consider a partnership that falls into your lap, Libra. It may provide you with some new social and business connections. There’s a lot of opportunity coming down the pike.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, it is alright to desire some quiet, but too much excitement is surrounding you lately for things to settle down just yet. Ride this wave a little longer.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

A week full of possibilities and positivity lies ahead for you, Sagittarius. The only question is, “what are you going to do with it?” Bring a friend for the ride.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Capricorn, no matter how much work you have on your plate, rest assured that you have all of the resources available to get things done successfully.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

The stars are interested in showering you with plenty of love right now, Aquarius. This could be one of the most enjoyable weeks you’ve had in quite a while.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Romance could bloom this week if you are interested, Pisces. You also may be able to solidify an existing relationship.

CLUES ACROSS

1. India’s “City of Lakes”

7. Large marine mammals

13. Used to carry belongings when traveling

14. Rechristens

16. Equally

17. Heavy plant-eating mammals

19. Millihenry

20. Japanese immigrant to N. America

22. Deep, red-brown sea bream

23. Norse gods

25. Peppermint and pekoe are two

26. Auguste __, founder of positivism

28. Self-immolation by re ritual

29. High-resolution microscope (abbr.)

30. Wide metal vessel used in cooking

31. V-shaped open trough

33. People of southern Benin

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

34. People of southern Ghana

36. It’s a signi cant creed

38. Period between eclipses

40. Furies

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

41. Emerged

43. Philippine Island

44. Where wrestlers battle

45. Unhappy

47. Central European river

48. Language

51. Semitransparent gemstone

53. Forming in a bottom layer

55. Distinct region

56. Broad blades

58. Leavened bread

59. In uential cosmetics exec

60. Exclamation of surprise

61. Era free of war

64. One who helps professors

65. Idealistic

67. Ornamental plants

69. Grouped

70. Kids love this street

CLUES DOWN

1. Beloved hound

2. Equal to 100 grams

3. S-shaped moldings

4. Hawaiian cliff

5. Everyone has one

6. Subatomic particle

7. Ghost

8. Adult female bird

9. Greek temple pillars

10. Emits coherent radiation

11. Measures the width of printed matter

12. Musical interval

13. Tantalizes

ANSWERS

15. Places of worship

18. An unskilled actor who overacts

21. One who volunteers to help

24. Precaution

26. Beverage holder

27. Very long period of time

30. Bull ghting maneuvers

32. More critical

35. Sends packing in a boxing match

37. Taxi

38. Decorative Russian tea

urn

39. North American Great Plains natives

42. Seize

43. A passage with access only at one end

46. Cut a rug

47. Devil rays

49. Bubble up

Veranda 52. Outcast

Car mechanics group

Realm

A place to get off your feet 59. Popular music awards show

Consumed

A way to make cooler

Thus

Indicates it’s been registered

Vermont is facing a public health crisis.

FACT:

Over 50% of people receiving developmental services require direct supports in their homes, communities, or places of employment.

FACT:

Care should be person-centered.

FACT:

Long-term supports provide an inclusive experience for people with disabilities.

O er clinical support to individuals with mental health challenges in residential and community settings.

OUR MISSION: We help people and communities thrive by providing supports and services to address mental health, substance use, and developmental needs.

Minimum hourly rate is $20/hour.