The Citizen - 3-30-23

Charlotte’s cannabis commission approves local growing permit

Charlotte’s local cannabis control commission Monday walked back an earlier decision when it improperly denied a cannabis application with some members going so far as to deny that a vote at a previous meeting had even happened, an assertion contradicted by a video recording of the meeting.

The cannabis application from Vermont Cultivars LLC was denied at the March 13 selectboard meeting in defiance of state guidance, with members objecting to former town zoning administrator Keith Oborne’s issuance of the local permit for the growing operation.

The commission approved the applica-

See APPLICATION on page 16

Dispute over firewood operation goes to court

to operate a commercial cordwood business at their home.

A years-long neighborly dispute over a commercial woodcutting operation on a residential road in Hinesburg is heading back to court.

Andrea and Allen Lavalette, residents of a 10.1-acre property on Beaver Pond Road, have appealed to the Vermont Superior Court’s Environmental Division after the town development review board last month voted down a conditional use permit

Neighbors abutting the Lavalette’s property have written nine letters to the board, calling attention to what they say is unnecessary noise, and an increasing amount of traffic through the area, causing wear and tear on the road.

According to documents, the Lavalettes say they process 100 cords of wood per

See LAVALETTE on page 11

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN Miss Vermont, Kelsey Golonka, visits Palmer’s Sugarhouse on open house weekend in Shelburne.

Lewis Creek Association

Volunteer shortage puts crucial cleanups at risk

RACHEL ELLIOTT COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

The pair of volunteers reach Lewis Creek just after sunrise in the summer, plastic bottles in hand. While one takes notes and plays lifeguard, the other wades out into the water, turns upstream and fills the bottles.

The one wading passes the bottles up to their buddy before scrambling back up the bank, careful to avoid slippery rocks and poison parsnip. Packing the bottles into a cooler, the team then heads home.

That’s how it usually goes for members of the Lewis Creek Association, a local environmental group that has been working to protect and restore Vermont waterways since 1990. It does a mix of policy advocacy and on-the-ground restoration in and around streams — replanting riparian buffers, removing invasive species — especially along its namesake, which stretches 33 miles through Addison and Chittenden counties.

The state says the work of groups like the Lewis Creek Association fills crucial gaps. Towns along the creek greenlight funding for the organization every year. However, the association says it is struggling to maintain and grow its network of volunteers for some of its initiatives, putting its future at risk.

“Without our programs and general work, things would look quite different,” said Kate Kelley, the association’s program manag-

er. Waterways would be choked with invasive species, riverbanks would be eroding into the creek and the state wouldn’t be able to track water quality throughout local watersheds, Kelley said.

Ten years ago, about 40 community members spent 300 hours volunteering in one of the group’s key programs to pull invasive plants out of a local bay, Kelley said.

Last year, she said, only eight showed up, and the group instead relied mostly on seasonal workers from a government program. Even then, the workers and volunteers combined could only muster 172 hours of work.

The consequences of that trend could be felt on a much broader plane than the immediate area of the creek. Will Eldridge, an aquatic habitat biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, says the association and its work has given his agency vital support.

“In general, we … don’t really have a lot of staff support, the capacity to do a lot of work,” Eldridge said. “So, we rely heavily on Lewis Creek Association to do that ... they’re in the watershed. They are landowners. They live there, (and) that’s important for credibility and connections.”

The dynamic between neighbors is easier to navigate than that between locals and the state, he said.

“We’re at a different level so we rely heavily on watershed groups and partners to be that local voice in the community,”

he added.

Those volunteers taking water samples with plastic bottles end up providing data that tells state scientists key information about how rivers look and move and the kind of habitat they provide for wildlife. The association and the state work together to identify restoration projects and decide which ones are most important.

The association does a lot more than just collect data and decide on priorities. Take the invasive plant program that’s been losing volunteers, for example. It’s focused on freeing up waterways choked by the invasive European frogbit, a lily pad-like plant.

Before the program started 14 years ago, almost half of Charlotte’s Town Farm Bay was covered with the plants, the group says. Volunteers pulled nearly 50 tons of the invasive species out of the bay in just the first three years of the program. Now, frogbit only covers about five percent

of the bay’s surface. That makes recreation better for people and habitat better for other plants and animals.

“Definitely the frogbit stewardship has been a wildly successful program and has significantly increased the water quality in the bays of Charlotte,” said longtime Charlotte Selectboard member Matthew Krasnow. “It’s just an incredible work. The general advocacy for clean waters and the LaPlatte River watershed and the Holmes Creek and the Lewis Creek watersheds is almost entirely credited to the work that (the Lewis Creek Association) has been doing over these many years.”

That explains why Charlotte and Shelburne have both been regularly giving between $2,600 and $2,700 each year to the group since 2012 to support its work in the area, according to Kelley.

However, that money can only do so much to bolster a group

strained by an aging and shrinking circle of volunteers.

The core group of volunteers is getting older and less able to take on the grunt work that keeps the association’s programs going. The association is also struggling to recruit new volunteers, especially young ones.

“Just speaking for myself, I’m just not that into technology. I just don’t use Facebook. I don’t have an Instagram account. I don’t understand what Twitter is — and yet that’s how we need to connect with younger people,” said Andrea Morgante, the association’s founder and board president. “Younger people are, I’m sure, just as concerned about the environment ... I don’t doubt that there’s volunteers out there and there’s people — it’s just like there’s this split between us old fogies and young people.”

One recent way association leaders have tried to mend that divide is by launching an account on Instagram with the support of UVM students. That’s on top of its more traditional recruitment methods: a website and accompanying newsletter and, of course, word of mouth.

Anyone can get involved, even if they don’t have the time or interest to get waist-deep in the creek.

“It’s a nice antidote to a feeling of powerlessness that I think (as) citizens, we all have at various points,” said Louis DuPont, a longtime volunteer and association board member. “You look at the news and hear the news — it can be fairly overwhelming ... it’s a way to salvage a productive relationship to the world.”

Rachel Elliot is a reporter with the Community News Service, a program where University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.

FILE PHOTO

Volunteers paddle around to remove European frogbit plants in Town Farm Bay in Charlotte.

Charlotte selectboard to vote on $2.7 million town budget

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

The Charlotte Selectboard has knocked more than 5 percent off its $2.9 million budget that was narrowly shot down on Town Meeting Day.

The new budget of $2,780,713 represents a decrease of $151,112 in spending, mostly represented by employee benefits and salaries.

The board plans to finalize the vote at a special meeting on Thursday, March 6.

In addition to a slew of other cuts, including the senior center, planning and zoning, traffic calming measures, donations and more, members of the selectboard also voted to nix the 2- to 3-percent annual employee salary increase outlined in the town’s Salary Administration Policy.

During the Tuesday night meeting, members also discussed the health insurance benefits package — available to employees who work more than 20 hours a week — with some town employees voicing concerns over some of the proposed changes.

“We appreciate all that the selectboard has done to adjust our wages to fair and equitable ones within our profession,” tech librarian Susanna Kahn said. “We

also appreciate the benefits package that makes it possible for us to work in the town we live in. We are concerned about budget reduction efforts at the expense of town employees’ benefits that will make a minimal difference on homeowners’ tax bills.”

Others took to social media to say that some of those who are now vocal about the budget actually represent a minority as the budget was voted down by only 35 votes.

“One would think that there was an overwhelming outcry about the town budget. I suspect that this is what the selectboard hears too,” Steven Hill said in a social media post last week. “The close vote suggests that only modest changes in the budget are warranted. Much attention has focused on the salaries. A two percent raise, plus an inflation adjustment does not at all seem out of line to me. Especially in this town where the residents have so much wealth.”

“I have never once felt like the town had an excess of services or wished that the town did less,” he continued.

Although some residents at previous meetings have pointed fingers at a market analysis done by Gallagher, Flynn & Company, which the town hired to look

at how salaries for Charlotte’s municipal emmployees stacked up against other Vermont towns, another library employee made the correction that these salary adjustments do not reflect improper raises to town employees.

“It is also continually and much more frequently stated even in these meetings that town employees got raises,” Maria Wicker from the Charlotte library said. “My question is, do the people who voted against the budget hold a misconception based on misinformation that employees were given large raises rather than employees, for the benefit of the town to attract and maintain and retain good staff, received wage adjustments so that we could have good staff people?”

The board proposed a $20,000 cut from the $233,000 budgeted for health insurance, but members explained that they don’t yet have a specific roadmap outlining where those cost cuts will come from.

The idea of forming a task force made up of town employees, selectboard members and other committee members found support at the meeting.

Findings would be presented before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

Justice initiative finishes first phase of domestic violence assessment

The first phase of a statewide project designed to improve Vermont’s response to domestic violence and to benefit people who experience gender-based violence is complete.

The Justice Reinvestment Initiative examines experiences of gender-based violence in the state, with special emphasis on domestic and sexual violence, and includes responses by the criminal-legal system, state agencies and community-based programs. The initiative also builds on decades of domestic violence work in Vermont, including supporting victims and survivors as well as holding people who cause harm accountable.

“By meeting with local leaders, we have learned more about what is working well in domestic violence responses as well as gaps in services both within and outside of the criminal justice system,” said Karen Tronsgard-Scott, executive director

of the Vermont Network, which worked on the initiative in partnership with the Department of Public Safety and The Council of State Governments Justice Center.

“We have also identified resources that exist and are needed for members of our community.”

Vermont’s approach is a three-phase effort encompassing the voices of more than 400 individuals who work in social service agency settings, including mental health and substance use agencies; law enforcement; state bureaus including the departments for children and families and corrections; justice agents, including attorneys and judges; and victims and survivors.

The first phase focused on the assessment of Vermont’s current responses to domestic violence.

Since August 2021, project partners have conducted interviews and focus group discussions with experts about their experiences,

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including victim advocacy, local law enforcement, community support services and attorneys.

“Over the past year and a half, we have partnered with the Vermont Network and the Department of Public Safety to engage voices who are impacted by domestic violence in their work as well as in their lived experiences,” David D’Amora, senior policy advisor at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, said.

The final phases, implementation and measurement, will result in statewide changes based on qualitative and quantitative data.

The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance through a statewide competitive grant awarded in 2020.

There will be an in-person briefing following a presentation this spring. To attend email Emily O’Hara at emily@vtnetwork.org.

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Hinesburg Police Blotter

Total incidents: 41

Traffic Stops: 22

Arrests: 2

March 21 at 8:40 a.m., officers responded to an alarm on Commerce Street.

March 21 at 12:05 p.m., a singlecar crash on Richmond Road was investigated.

March 21 at 3:38 p.m., a person was assisted with an issue stemming from a restraining order.

March 21 ar 4:55 p.m., an officer responded to Route 116 to assist community outreach with an individual having a mental health issue.

March 21 at 5:17 p.m., the report of a dog attack on Baldwin Road was investigated.

March 22 at 5:46 a.m., an officer was dispatched for an alarm on Beecher Hill Road.

March 22 at 3:15 p.m., a person was assisted with fingerprinting for employment purposes.

March 22 ar 4 p.m., a 911 hang-up on Gilman Road was investigated.

March 22 at 6 p.m., an officer investigated a case of ille-

Harbinger of spring

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gal dumping on Lincoln Hill Road.

March 23 at 8:41 a.m., an officer responded to Dorset Street in Charlotte to assist with a report of a suspicious vehicle.

Chase Gallison, 31 of South Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence.

March 23 ar 6:45 p.m., officers responded to Lantman’s Market where an individual was trespassed for suspicion of shoplifting.

March 24 at 10:30 a.m., officers investigated a disabled vehicle on CVU Road. The operator, Tegan Ross, 21, of Hinesburg, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and cited for driving with a criminally suspended driver’s license.

March 24 at 11:17 a.m., an agency was assisted with the service of a court-issued subpoena on Hillview Terrace.

March 24 at 5:25 p.m., officers responded to Kenyon Road in Richmond to assist Richmond police with a domestic dispute.

March 25 at 2:12 p.m., officers responded to Silver Street to investigate a reported assault.

Seems a bit early, but

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PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

these pussywillows are already budding in the Champlain Valley.

Senate eyes improvements to state’s child care system

From the Senate

Sen. Ginny Lyons

Recently the Senate and House completed work on many bills to meet crossover deadlines. Any bill missing crossover will wait for action next year. In the coming week Senate bills will be acted on and sent to House committees for further consideration.

Many constituents from Chittenden and other districts provided input when legislation was developed. Some bills being considered by the full Senate during coming days or already passed to the House are described here.

Health care professionals, nurses, doctors and other providers continue to be targets of violence in emergency departments and other facilities. The Violence in Health Care Facilities bill, S.36, better defines violent activities, clarifies authority of public safety officials to deal with violence, and asks for updates on how better to deescalate violence in health care environments. The bill is now in the House.

Vermont’s mental health care continues to mature from an institutional to a community based system of care, crisis response and support. Trained public safety officers may work collaboratively with qualified mental health professionals in response to community mental health crisis situations.

S.47 updates an older 1967 statute about transport of mental health patients. The bill provides guidelines for when and how public safety and mental health professionals can transport mental health patients who may be in crisis. Use of the least restrictive means to deescalate patients and then transport them to safety is included in the bill. If restraints are used, soft restraints must be the first option. This is especially important for youth who may experience trauma or feel stigmatized when a mental health crisis intervention takes place.

Other bills that touch both judiciary and health and welfare committees deal with competency to stand trial, insanity as a defense, ending child marriage, community justice centers, diversion and expungement and setting limits on hospital liens. Some of these bills may ease wait times for people caught in a backlog of judicial cases.

The COVID-19 epidemic highlighted the importance of access to child care for working parents and businesses. It also highlighted the need for financial stability of child care businesses and their workers, who are among the lowest paid professionals in the state.

The child care bill, S.56, was voted out of Senate health and welfare, finance and appropriations committees last week. Goals of the legislation are to expand access to child care for families with kids up to age 5, stabilize child care centers and their workers and provide assurance for businesses that workers will have places for their kids during the work week. Among other significant policies, the bill includes expansion of family, Child Care Financial Assistance Program payments; incentives for child care workers; readiness grants for improvements to child care centers; and 12 weeks of parental leave for a parent with a birth or adoption.

The bill also includes reports regarding the agencies of education and human services governance and administration of child care and early education. These sections of the bill provide for continued work on both child care and pre-kindergarten. The bill as amended will be considered by the full Senate during this week.

Housing and other bills

The omnibus housing bill, S.100 will have wide-ranging effects on town zoning regulations, Act 250 processes, public and private creation of rental apartments and homes for purchase, fair housing, fire codes and new and existing state-sponsored programs. The Senate committees on economic development and natural resources worked together to find compromises on some of the more controversial parts of the bill. S.100 is to be considered by the full Senate this week.

S.25 focuses on the elimination of PFAS and toxic chemicals from personal care products, some textiles and athletic turf. Banning toxic chemicals like PFAS in consumer goods is critical for human health and the environment. The bill unanimously passed Senate committee on health and welfare and finance. It will be considered by the full Senate.

A related bill already passed to the House, S.73, provides protection to both career and volunteer firefighters who are exposed to toxic chemicals through their work. When passed, the bill extends worker compensation and financial support for firefighters.

Other bills passed for full Senate consideration include: the Energy Efficiency Modernization Act, which provides further flexibility for programs at statewide efficiency utilities; proposals to strengthen environmental protection; and an update to a 25-year-old animal welfare

Sen. Ginny Lyons

Labarge is way off on climate analysis

To the Editor:

In his guest perspective, John LaBarge writes that Vermont only emits five tons of carbon dioxide a year. What if people read that and believe it? Maybe it was a typo? (“Is the new Affordable Heat Act really about saving the planet?”, March 23, 2023 )

A closer estimate is nine million metric tons. A little different than five.

And what if we project that

LYONS continued from page 5

law to improve response times to complaints of animal cruelty.

H.411 has passed both the House and Senate and was sent to the governor for his signature. This extends flexibility in health care regulations and licensing so important during the pandemic. The law will continue important changes to oversight and administration of nursing, physician and other professions that helped us through COVID19. Telehealth programs are being refined. Until long-term care, hospitals and others return to a semblance of pre-pandem-

logic to the world? Nothing will get done. India is saying the U.S. got to grow unencumbered, and the U.S. says China emits more than us. The bottom line is we are all in a rapidly sinking ship and the most we can do is fix the holes in front of us. Should we choose not to because others aren’t? It probably won’t get fixed, but it might sink a little slower and when it does sink, we can say to our children that we tried.

Gregory Ranallo

Charlotte

Delights of taking a trip: Dad, are we there yet?

Guest Perspective

Walt Amses

When people say they love traveling, they think they mean it but I’m sure they don’t. I’m certain they like going different places, but actually getting there? Not a chance, especially if you’re flying, particularly in economy, where, as I’ve suggested before, you’re treated like an inconvenient sack of meat.

with two frazzled counter jockeys who’ve been working for 36 hours since the snowstorm canceled every flight the day before. I find them empathy-deprived but try not to be the next in a line of angry (almost) travelers anxious for their pound of flesh. I also know that any maladaptive behavior at an airport might land the offending near-passenger on a no-fly list.

I stop myself from musing how wonderful that would be and plead my case.

anticipation of sleep.

The desk clerk stares at our voucher for too long. As his lips begin to move, I can’t make out what he’s saying but I know it’s bad. I resist reaching over and covering his mouth with my hand. He grimly speaks words like “wrong” and “hotel” as though we should know you can’t throw a rock in Atlanta without hitting a Holiday Inn.

ic status, these flexibilities are needed. Altogether this should help stabilize health care moving forward.

Legislators are busy. In addition to the bills in this update, other legislation is being considered. Please stay in touch with your senators and representatives about your interests.

Ginny Lyons, a Democrat from Williston, represents South Burlington, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and several other towns in the Chittenden-Southeast Senate district.

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I tried to begin this piece as I sat on a runway at Albany International Airport but there wasn’t room enough for my laptop unless it was standing on end.

But no matter, there’s plenty of room back in the terminal, where we were disgorged when the flight suffered a failure to launch for a variety of incomprehensible reasons, one of which was something amiss with the co-pilot’s shoulder harness. Really. On the brink of takeoff, after taxiing out onto the runway, we waited 45 minutes for a truck to deliver “a part” but when flying machine Triple-A didn’t show, the pilot — the one safely fastened — announced we needed to deplane to a chorus of moans worthy of the delta blues.

When we of the malfunctioning shoulder harness finally get to Atlanta, we’re immediately struck by how huge the airport is — like two time zones huge, enough to have scattered over 93 million across the globe last year.

When we of the malfunctioning shoulder harness finally get to Atlanta, we’re immediately struck by how huge the airport is — like two time zones huge, enough to have scattered over 93 million across the globe last year.

During the delay, which eventually lasted eight hours, we traversed the terminal with the rest of the losers, placated by a $60 food voucher and a complimentary hotel room in Atlanta, at a time when our long-gone connecting flight will have landed south of the border without us. Considering the day began well before dawn in a blinding nor’easter, we were pretty wired before getting out of Vermont, which took three hours.

But we figured vanquishing travel challenges early in the trip meant smooth sailing from then on. Hysterical, right? The airline demons of course had other plans.

Perhaps to quell any disturbances before they begin (See Spirit Air), when a flight is cancelled — or “delayed” indefinitely — the disenfranchised immediately cue up for two hours awaiting a momentary audience

The baggage carousel is the size of Thunder Road and when we retrieve our single checked bag it’s somehow put on weight. Like the great herds we wander a bit, looking for the one exit among hundreds leading to the shuttle area, and since the airport staff is majestically indifferent, we fight with each other regarding whether to pick door number one or door number two.

Moving like Walking Dead extras we inadvertently stumble on the shuttle area to find 100 other marooned and three, eight-passenger vans. For the first time, we get lucky. Just as we’re mounting the curb a van emblazoned with “Holiday Inn,” where we’re destined to spend the night, pulls up and opens the door right next to us and in we go. After the day we’ve had, this simple stroke of karma feels off-the-charts wonderful.

There’s a long line at the hotel counter. We don’t care. The packaged sandwiches are yellow. We don’t care; we pick bananas. Clorox Central smells like a freshly decontaminated slaughterhouse. We don’t care. I imagine Temple Grandin around the corner with one of those pneumatic bolts, the last thing a beef cow sees before winding up on a Styrofoam tray. I still don’t care. It’s almost midnight and as we approach the front desk, I’m giddy with the

So, after another van ride, we find ourselves in the right hotel, with another dour staff, specifically reserved for people who don’t want to be there. I can honestly say I don’t remember a single thing about it.

We eventually, as Siri might say, “arrived.” Our hotel is a block from the Plaza de la Constitucion — better known as the Zocalo — the central plaza of Mexico City, and according to some, the entire country, frequently the site of important cultural and political events. So, when Mexican President Andres Manuel Obrador calls for a political rally ahead of next year’s election, we decided to stroll over and have a look, knowing the opposition would be there as well.

The crowd is colossal, as breathtaking as the city’s altitude, which at 7,400 feet requires several days acclimation. Although the traffic here is legendary, routinely gridlocked as you’d expect in a metro area with over 22 million residents, nothing prepared us for what we see. Hundreds of thousands, from every state in the country, inundated the plaza, representing every political party, social justice movement and ideology under the sun.

The plaza is full of people. Streets in every direction are a sea of humanity with giant video screens providing access to the overflow crowd many, many blocks removed from the plaza. Amid the chants, drums, Mariachi music and extraordinary Indigenous dancing, enveloped by clouds of ritual incense, we’re overwhelmed and awed.

Whatever particular river of people we find ourselves in, that’s the way we go, like pieces of driftwood on an outgoing tide.

Political differences aside, we see no animosity toward other people no matter how they roll. Against all odds we feel pretty safe. In fact, it’s about as safe as we’ve felt since we left Vermont, which seems like months ago.

Walt Amses is a writer who lives in Central Vermont.

Charlotte unveils draft regulations for cannabis

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

In the heat of the cannabis controversy in Charlotte, the planning commission held its first public hearing for draft cannabis land use regulations March 23 that are expected to make decisions surrounding cannabis applications a much smoother process.

“We’ve spent a fair amount of time as a planning commission going through and doing the due diligence to figure out where we thought things should be to try to make cannabis business operation that can happen in Charlotte equal with other businesses to keep everything fair to everybody,” commission chair Charlie Pughe said.

In conjunction with the town’s planning and zoning staff, the commission has spent nearly four months drafting regulations. In addition to legal guidance, town planner Larry Lewack said in January that he also sought counsel from colleagues and other towns’ regulations regarding cannabis.

The town’s current land use regulations are silent on the topic so the group had to start from scratch in drafting the new zoning bylaws.

“The goal of this was to make it so that somebody that was coming before the (development review board) for a permit for their cannabis operation would understand what they needed to meet in the end to be successful in the operation and understand everything ahead,” Pughe said at the meeting.

The first section of the drafted regulations, which are available on the town’s website, shows where cannabis cultivations would be allowed and under what sort of review cannabis operations would need to undergo.

According to the draft, in the commercial/industrial district, the listed permitted cannabis uses are cannabis cultivation, indoor tier 1, 2 and 3 only — 1,000, 2,500 and 5,000 square feet of plant canopy,

respectively; cannabis manufacturing, 10,000 to 20,000 square feet; cannabis testing, 10,000 to 20,000 square feet; and cannabis wholesale.

These listed cannabis uses would be allowed to open with only administrative approval and without conditional use approval by the developmental review board.

“Listed cannabis uses are consistent with the purpose statement for this district, and similar in function to other permitted uses there (e.g. Warehouse, Light Industry),” read the regulations.

“Several types of cannabis business can locate in this district without a public review and board approval.”

In turn, the drafts require conditional use review and approval for cannabis cultivation and manufacturing in the rural district.

The listed allowed uses are cannabis cultivation, indoor tier 1, 2 and 3 only; cannabis cultivation, outdoor tier 1 only; cannabis manufacturing as adaptive reuse only.

“While listed uses may be found compatible with residential and other uses in the Rural District, each would require a public hearing and Board approval to earn a permit. The process allows public input & limits on operations per conditions,” reads the regulations.

Allowed uses for adaptive reuse of an existing structure that are also required to go through conditional use approval are cannabis cultivation, indoor, tier 1, 2 and 3 only; cannabis testing, 10,000 to 20,000 square feet; and cannabis manufacturing.

The draft rules also note that small outdoor, tier 1 cultivations are exempt from permitting process per Act 158, the state’s cannabis control statute.

In addition, businesses are subject to a series of additional review standards that monitor buffer zones and performance standards that include odor control, outdoor lighting, fencing, screening, security plans and water

capacity and supply.

Multiple residents showed overwhelming support for the commission’s efforts at the hearing, most citing issues they have with the lack of control given to municipalities by the state.

“It’s become very apparent to me that the state’s (Cannabis Control Board) main function is to support growers and pave the way for them to have as easy a time as possible in their experience,” Jen Banbury said. “Yet it really in my mind comes at the cost of residents and that’s why to me it’s so important that the town gets involved. It also strikes me that the state is trying very hard to dictate extremely narrowly, what the town can do.”

Peter Johnson, another resident, said “I think what’s critical to remember and understand is that cannabis cultivation is not (agriculture), it’s a business and should be treated as such ... and should follow all of the performance standards that any commercial business in town is required to do.”

Cannabis grower and owner of Red Clover Canopies, John Stern disagreed with many of the sentiments offered by residents, specifically calling the “200-foot buffer from the cultivator operator’s property line” that is proposed in the regulations an “excessive regulation. I think this is a highly emotional issue for several people. I also think that perpetuating challenges for the growth of cannabis stands in the way of the social and benefit and cultural benefits that we stand to achieve by supporting cannabis in Charlotte,” he said.

“I would not have placed my business (in Charlotte) had Charlotte not initially invited us in and gave us direction that cannabis is regulated as agriculture,” said Stern. “Once I made the investment, Charlotte flipped on the complaints of fear mongers. This is not acceptable in the least.”

Planning commission members anticipate their drafts rules will be changed and finalized at the April 20 meeting before being brought before the selectboard for possible adoption.

“I expect we’ll be submitting the revised draft to the town attorney for review at the same time as we message it over to the selectboard,” Lewack said. “Counsel may suggest further changes to the selectboard for their consideration.”

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“It’s become very apparent to me that the state’s main function is to support growers and pave the way for them to have as easy a time as possible in their experience.”

— Jen Banbury

Song and dance

South Burlington-based pianist Claire Black, above, performs a fresh combination of rarely performed solo piano works by Franz Schubert, Clara Schumann, Béla Bartók, John Field and Isaac Albéniz in a series of concerts around the state. From intimate Irish nocturnes to earthy Hungarian peasant songs and virtuosic variations on Italian opera, this program savors the paradise that is bel canto on the piano and celebrates movement through dance music. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated, with suggested amounts of $25 for adults and $5 for children. More at pianistclaireblack.com. Concerts will be held April 1, Charlotte Congregational Church; April 2, Richmond Free Library; April 28, Unitarian Church of Montpelier; and April 29, First Baptist Church, Burlington.

Hinesburg Fire Association

The Hinesburg Firefighters Association will be holding a food drive to benefit the Hinesburg Resource Center and Little Free Pantry on Saturday, April 1, 9 a.m.-noon. Donations may be dropped off at the Hinesburg Fire Station or at Lantman’s grocery

Needed items include hearty soups, snack bars and personal care products such as shampoo, body wash and bars of soap.

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, March 30, is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Charlotte Senior

Community Notes

Center features turkey burger with vegetable gravy, mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, wheat roll with butter, peach Craisin crisp and milk.

You must pre-register by the prior Monday with Carol Pepin, 802-425-6345 or meals@charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

The meal on Thursday, April 6 features sweet-and-sour pork with vegetable sauce, brown rice with lentils and vegetables, green beans, wheat bread with butter, Easter cake with icing and milk.

The meal on Thursday, April 13 features baked ham with raisin sauce, sweet potatoes, Capri blend vegetables, wheat roll with butter, congo bar and milk.

The meal on Thursday, April 20 beef with barbecue sauce, baked beans, broccoli florets, wheat roll

with butter, pumpkin cookie and milk.

The suggested donation is $5. Check the website for last-minute cancellations at bit.ly/3FfyLMb.

Shelburne Age Well hosts

Grab and Go meal

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, April 11.

The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and is available for anyone 60 or older.

The menu features baked ham

PHOTO BY OLIVER PARINI

Obituaries

Donald “Peanut” Albert Bean, died peacefully at the age of 98 on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Donald was born in Burlington on Nov. 28, 1924, to parents Victor Bean and Aurea Angers. He was one of eight children with five brothers and two sisters. He is survived by William and Margaret Therrien and Eleanor Francis).

Donald served in World War II in Europe as part of the U.S. Army’s Company B 1258th Engineer Combat Battalion.

After the war, he married Jean Fraser and together they had three children, Richard, Douglas and Patricia (Pat) and her husband, Dean Laforce; three grandchildren, Katelyn, Lauren, Dillon; and two great-grandchildren, Evangeline and Grayson.

Donald worked for the Shelburne Museum, where he helped move the Ticonderoga. He was a member of the Shelburne Fire Department.

Donald was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be remembered for his loyalty and devotion to his family, his patriotism and his service to his community. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

There will be a service for Donald on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 9 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena in Shelburne. Burial will be announced at a later date.

David A. Waller

David Austin Waller died peacefully on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at The Arbors in Shelburne, where he had lived for the past two years following the progression of his dementia.

David was born on July 13, 1944, to Denison and Mary Waller in Charlotte,

where he resided for most of his life.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, of more than 50 years; his two daughters and their husbands, Amy and Jason Bodie and Jody and Peter Sunna; grandchildren, Charlotte Bodie, Owen Bodie and Stella Sunna; siblings, Constance “Connie” Waller, Peggy Jones and her husband, Terry, and Linda Waller; and his nephews and nieces.

He was predeceased by his parents, Denison and Mary; and brother, Arnold “Arnie” Waller.

A builder, David owned and operated David Waller & Company for several decades. The homes he built in and around Charlotte are a lasting reminder of his talent and skill as a craftsman.

David was also a life-long skier, boater and outdoorsman. He was a long-time member of the Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol in Stowe. He and Dorothy met, raised their family on the slopes and developed lifelong friendships there.

During the summer months, David could be found on Lake Champlain, spending weekends on the family’s 1914 Elco wooden boat, Folley, in St. Albans Bay where they spent countless years, together with close friends, raising their collective families, or at their summer camp on Garden Island, then Long Point.

David lived a long and full life, entertaining and bringing joy to many. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and loved ones.

A service will be held at the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Road in Charlotte on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to The Arbors at Shelburne Holiday Associate Fund, 687 Harbor Road, Shelburne VT 05482, who the family thanks for their generous care and support over the past few years.

Donald A. Bean

Donald A. Bean

David A. Waller

Vermont Symphony picks music director

Andrew Crust is the new music director for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.

Crust was selected out of a pool of seven finalist candidates and succeeds Jaime Laredo, who stepped down in 2021 after a 20-year tenure leading the orchestra.

Crust’s first concert as the orchestra’s music director will take place on Sept. 30 at the Flynn Theater in Burlington.

“I want to also recognize the immense impact of outgoing music director Jamie Laredo, whose artistic vision shaped this orchestra over two decades and paved the way for exciting new growth in the future,” Crust said in a statement.

Crust has developed a versatile international career as a conductor of orchestral, opera, ballet, film, pops and choral programs.

In his recent and upcoming seasons, Crust conducts the Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, San Diego, Arkansas, Elgin, Rockford, Chattanooga, Memphis, Hartford, Billings, Vancouver Island, Laval, Nova Scotia and Bozeman symphonies.

He has collaborated with numerous soloists including Rufus Wainwright, Michael Bolton, Tony DeSare and Dee Daniels, and is currently in his third year as music director of the Lima Symphony where he conducts grand series, pops and education programs.

Say you saw it in The Citizen !

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COMMUNITY NOTES

continued

from page 8

with raison sauce, sweet potatoes, Capri blend vegetables, wheat roll with butter, Congo bar and milk.

To order contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or call 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, April 5. More information at agewellvt.org.

Valley Players hold ‘Willy Wonka’ auditions

The Valley Players hold auditions for the family-friendly musical “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” on Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, at 1 p.m., 4254 Main St., in Waitsfield.

Roles are available for 12 children and 12 adults. Actors of any gender identity are encouraged to audition for any role, but all roles will be performed as the gender indicated in the script. Auditions will consist of learning a short, easy stage movement routine, singing and reading from the script.

For more information, go to valleyplayers.com or email Ruth Ann Pattee at ruthann@valleyplayers.com.

Spring kids clothing and book swap

A community clothing swap will be held at The United Church of Hinesburg’s Osborne Parish

Hall on Saturday, April 1 from 9-11 a.m. Free and open to anyone seeking children’s clothing and books.

• To ensure another successful swap please note that we accept all gently-used children’s clothing, sized infant to 14 and children’s books, toddler to middle-school level.

• Drop off clothing and books on Friday, March 31 from noon to 8 p.m.

• Donations can also be dropped off at Carpenter-Carse Library through March 31.

• No drop-offs on the day of the swap.

For information, call 802482-4946 or email or koncewicz@hinesburgresource.org.

Charlotte Congregational holds Holy Week services

From Sunday, April 2 through Saturday, April 8, the Charlotte Congregational Church will reenact the story of the final week of Jesus Christ during what is often referred to as Holy Week.

On Easter Sunday, April 9, the congregation will remember the story of Jesus’s resurrection. Holy Week schedule is as follows:

• April 2: Palm/Passion Sunday,10 a.m.: A dramatic reading of the passion of Jesus Christ.

Jane Kittredge, Carl Recchia and the choir will provide music. No

fellowship time after service.

• April 6: Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m.: Service of Tenebrae in the church vestry including music, candlelight readings and a reenactment of the Last Supper.

• April 7: Good Friday, 4 p.m.: Stations of the Cross with a prayer station walk behind church.

• April 8: Holy Saturday, noon: Easter egg hunt for families in the community.

• April 9: Easter sunrise service at 5:45 a.m.: Meet in parking lot for walk up to clearing behind church. Worship at 9 a.m. with Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen. Worship service at 11 a.m. with Rev. Susan Cooke Kittredge. Child care available for both services.

More at charlotteucc.org.

Student milestones

Sean Gilliam of Charlotte was named to the dean’s list at Bates College for the fall semester. Gilliam, the son of Raymond and Marybeth Gilliam, is a graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School.

Olivia St. Peter of Hinesburg made the fall dean’s list at Seton Hall University.

Frederick Marshall of Hinesburg was named to the University of Hartford’s president’s honors list for the fall semester.

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

The behind-the-scenes crew at Palmer’s Sugarhouse in Shelburne, which welcomed a crowd at its open house last weekend.

PHOTO BY RICHIE LUBATON Andrew Crust

LAVALETTE

continued from page 1

year and have logs delivered to the property in the summer and fall to cut for firewood for the winter to then be delivered.

Beaver Pond Road is a private road and provides access to 10 other properties, with access to Texas Hill Road.

Continued operation, Peter and Phyllis Modely of Spencer Hill Road said, would “degrade the quiet and peaceful environment of our private residential roads” and the “unsightly activity would lower neighboring residential property values, create a noise nuisance, and place unfair additional road maintenance costs on all the other owners of properties served by these roads.”

“We want to make clear that we do not relish objecting to our neighbors’ use of their property to generate income,” reads a letter submitted by Michael and Doreen Patterson, property owners on Beaver Pond Road. “If they proposed to build a barn-like structure to confine noise and place it somewhere on their 10-acre property where it isn’t visible to the neighborhood and help with road maintenance necessitated by the traffic they generate, we would probably not object. But that is not the case. We don’t believe we and our neighbors should have to lose some of the enjoyment of our properties so that the Lavalettes can run this operation.”

Development review board members made a site visit in February and had mixed opinions about noise generated from a hydraulic wood processor, but also cited zoning bylaws that say the premises could not be used if it caused disturbance to any of the surrounding properties or residents.

“We have a bunch of evidence from the neighbors that said they’re disturbed by this home occupation that has been running without a permit, and I don’t see how we can get over that in the face of that evidence,” Ted Bloomhardt, a member of the board, said.

“As long as you’re disturbing

the neighbors, it’s a problem,” he said at a January meeting.

“Us just living there disturbs the neighbors,” Allen Lavalette replied.

The Lavalette’s have since filed an appeal with the environmental court and are representing themselves in the case. A conference is scheduled for April 10.

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do on my own property. That’s exactly what it’s all about,”

Andrea Lavalette said in a phone call with The Citizen, indicating that they felt singled out by

neighbors when other residents had run firewood businesses from their homes that weren’t zoned for commercial use.

The Lavalettes first started their commercial business in 2019 “without any permits,” according to development review board documents.

The town sent violation notices to them in June and July of 2021 and, later that year, took the case to environmental court, which was settled through mediation. They later stopped their commercial operation.

The Lavalettes then made an application to the review board in November, asking for a conditional use permit to operate their home cordwood operation. Members denied it in a 5-2 vote.

Board member Dennis Place, who also sits on the Hinesburg Selectboard, voted in favor of the Lavalettes, saying he “wasn’t concerned with the noise” when he toured the property for a site visit. We try to support small businesses so I think we can have a compromise with it.”

Others seemed to agree.

“You could hear sounds from the machine, but not by any means excessive from what I’ve observed,” John Lyman said.

But ultimately the development review board stuck to the direction laid out in zoning bylaws that “home occupations are not supposed to impact the neighbors,” Bloomhardt said.

“The way I see it, they’re not supposed to impact the neighbors at all, and we have a bunch of evidence that it impacts the neighbors, and I can’t get past that,” he said.

Rotary hosts All-Star Hockey Classic

The 37th Rotary All-Star Hockey Classic was held Saturday, March 18, at the Essex Skating Facility in Essex. Men and women in their senior years were selected from high schools across Vermont to participate in this event. All net proceeds from this event will go to the Essex Rotary Club to support local food pantries, provide winter coats for children in need, fund scholarships for local students and to support health and environmental initiatives.

37th Annual Rotary Women’s All-Star Hockey Classic

Austin Conference All-stars

Head Coach: Jason Fielder

from U32 High School

Hannah Schmid, #3 from Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

Megan Rexford, #5 from Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

Riley Erdman, #7 from Champlain Valley Union High School/ Mount Mansfield Union High School

Samara Tucker, #9 from Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

Tess Everett, #11 from Champlain Valley Union High School/ Mount Mansfield Union High School

Alyssa Benson, #27 from

Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

Karina Bushweller, #29 from Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

Grace Nigolian, #37 from Rice Memorial High School

Grace Ferguson, #31 from Champlain Valley Union High School/Mount Mansfield Union High School

37th Annual Rotary Men’s All-Star Hockey Classic

Austin Conference

All-stars

Head Coach: Ben Roberts from Bellows Free Academy, St. Albans Forwards

Will Hershberg, #16 from South Burlington High School

Harris Conference All-stars

Head Coach: J.P. Benoit from Champlain Valley Union High School

Forwards

Devon Fay, #8 from Champlain Valley Union High School

Matt Senesac, #20 from Rice Memorial High School

Caden Fischer, #22 from Rice Memorial High School

Defense

Jack Strong, #40 Rice Memorial High School

Goalies

Andrew Libby, #31 from Rice Memorial High School

Jason Douglas, #30 from Champlain Valley Union High School

CVU athletes picked for D-I all-state teams

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Girls’ basketball

The Champlain Valley girls’ basketball team added some extra hardware after coming home with the Division I state championship trophy this season.

Addi Hunter was named to the Metro Division first team and Elise Berger earned a spot on the second team.

Hunter was also named to the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association all-star roster for the North-South Senior All-Star Classic. Teammates Shelby Companion and Elise Ayer were also named to the team.

The team fell to the North 78-72. Companion had nine points and Ayer added eight points in the loss.

Boys’ basketball

DuBrul gets All-Conference nod

JoeJoe DuBrul of Shelburne, who attends Norwich University, has been named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference’s All-Conference team.

He joined his Norwich teammate, Donovan Lewis Jr. of Savannah, Ga., on the team.

DuBrul’s second semester tenure with the Cadets saw him land on the conference’s All-Rookie Team.

Norwich also received the conference’s Team Sportsmanship Award, voted on by coaches from around the league.

DuBrul joined the Cadets in the second semester and made an immediate impact. The Shelburne native averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 boards, tallying double-digits

in 11 games. The 6-foot, 5-inch DuBrul poured in a career-high 23 points

in a late January showdown against Rivier University, going 7-12 from the floor with a 5-8 mark from beyond the arc. He registered a pair of double-doubles on the season, as well, including a 10-point, 12-rebound performance in Norwich’s season-ending blowout win over Anna Maria College.

DuBrul was a member of the 2020 Vermont Division I basketball championship at Rice Memorial High School.

Lewis Jr., the sixth all-time leading scorer in program history, finished his final campaign at Norwich at 12th in points per game with 13.5, while also ranking 12th in field goal percentage with 49.8 percent.

Three Champlain Valley players suited up one more time as part of the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association all-star roster for the North-South Senior All-Star Classic.

Alex Provost, Sam Sweeney and Logan Vaughn were all named to the North roster. In the Division I/II matchup, North fell to the South 92-85 with Provost chipping in eight points.

CVU coach Mike Osborne, who led the Redhawks to the program’s first DI state title, was named the DI coach of the year.

Girls’ ice hockey

Two Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield girls’ ice hockey players have been named to the Vermont Girls Ice Hockey Coaches Association’s all-star team.

Tess Everett was named as a forward to the second team, Karina

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Bushweller was named to the second team as a defenseman and Grace Ferguson was named second team goalie.

Bushweller, Everett, Riley Erdman and Sasha Miller were all named to the Academic All-Star team, made up seniors with a minimum cumulative 3.5 grade-point average.

Boys’ ice hockey

The Vermont Boys Hockey Coaches Association recently announced its all-league teams and Champlain Valley was well represented.

Alex Zuchowski was named to the third team as a defenseman and Jason Douglas earned a spot as the third-team goalie.

Alpine skiing

CVU’s boys’ alpine ski team won its third straight DI state title and then brought home some extra honors after the all-state teams were announced.

Sebastian Bronk, Ari Diamond, George Francisco, Ray Hagios and Jake Strobeck were all named to the team. Alden Endres earned an honorable mention.

For the girls, Addison Bartley, Rachel Bialowoz, Ella Lisle, Dicey Manning and Carly Strobeck were all named to the all-state team. Elizabeth Nostrand was named an honorable mention.

Nordic skiing

Champlain Valley earned multiple spots on the DI Nordic All-State teams after a successful year on the slopes.

Stella Laird was named to the girls’ team, while Corinna Hobbs was named an honorable mention.

Matthew Servin was named to the boys’ team, while Jack Crum, Owen Deale and Anders Johnson all earned an honorable mention.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWICH UNIVERSITY

Shelburne’s JoeJoe DuBrul goes up for a shot.

JoeJoe DuBrul

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 10

Family vets town hall held

in Colchester

Community members are invited to a Family Vets Town Hall on Sunday, April 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the McCarthy Arts Center in Colchester.

Family members of veterans are invited to speak about their experiences. This event is non-political and all perspectives are valued. There will be no debate on American foreign policy.

Free and open to all. RSVPs at bit.ly/42L3NGc. Learn more at vtvetstownhall.org.

All Souls holds hosts community Easter egg hunt

Preparations are underway for the All Souls Interfaith Gathering annual Easter egg hunt on Sunday, April 9, at noon.

During the festivities, candyfilled Easter eggs are hidden for children to find.

Easter activities will begin with a sunrise meditation at 6 a.m. on the sledding hill east of All Souls, followed by Sunday morning meditation at 9 a.m.

A community brunch will be held in the gathering hall at 10 a.m. with seasonal dishes. The Easter music and spirit service will take place at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. Festivities culminate with the Easter egg hunt at noon on the west lawn.

Community members are welcome for all or part of the day’s festivities. For more information, call 802-985-3819 or visit allsoulsinterfaith.org.

Child Care for Vermont hosts Statehouse rally

On April 12, Vermonters from across the state will meet on the Statehouse lawn to rally for accessible and affordable child care.

Join the Courage to Care Rally to let lawmakers know they have your support. Free and family-friendly; 1 to 3 p.m. Transportation assistance available. RSVP at bit.ly/3ZerHXy.

Active Amputee support group meets monthly

The Vermont Active Amputees support group now meets on the first Wednesday of the month, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in South Burlington.

Email vtactiveamputees@ gmail.com or call 802-582-6750 for location and further info.

Howard Center series addresses racial trauma

Howard Center’s spring community education series continues Thursday, May 18, from 7 to 8 p.m. with a presentation on racial trauma and generational healing by Catarina Campbell, the Howard Center’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The talk will be followed by a Q&A period. Find the link to the free virtual webinar at howardcenter.org.

Richmond Church offers Red Cross blood drive

The Richmond Congregational Church will host a blood drive on April 5 from noon to 6 p.m. Appointments are required. Call 800-733-2767 or go online to rcblood.org/3JPiLC5 for more information or to make an appointment. Email dthomas@gmavt.net for assistance. There are plenty of slots between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.

Hinesburg Food Shelf needs volunteers

The Hinesburg Food Shelf is seeking several new volunteers for Friday mornings and Tuesday evenings for one to two times per month.

Friday hours are from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and Tuesday from 5-7:30 p.m. Light lifting is required. Only non-food shelf recipients may participate as volunteers. Email njdvt@netzero.net for more information.

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TOWN OF HINESBURG SELECT BOARD

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

We are hiring for the 2023 season!

JOIN OUR TEAM

Chef/Pub Manager • Grounds Crew Golf Shop Assistant

Full- and part-time positions available. Must be 18 years of age.

Human Resources Benefits & Payroll Administrator

There is no better time to join our team! Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Our Human Resources team is GROWING,and we are looking for a professional to join our exceptional HR team in our Berlin Operations Center.

Job Responsibilities & Requirements

The Benefits & Payroll Administrator will be responsible for processing bi-weekly payroll, handing employee benefits information updates, maintaining employee files and reports, and will act as the primary contact for internal questions and requests related to benefits and payroll.

PUBLIC HEARING

Hinesburg Development

Review Board

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

7:00 pm

Jessica Guillemette & William Jurgen – Conditional use review for integrated agriculture that includes event hosting in a barn, located at 8472 VT Route 116 in the Agricultural Zoning District. The meeting will be both in person and remote. See meeting agenda on town website with details on how to participate.

The Hinesburg Select Board will hold a public hearing on April 19, 2023 at 6pm to receive public comment on proposed changes to the Zoning Regulations and Subdivision Regulations. The purpose is to remove outdated building energy requirements, reference State building energy standards, and strengthen energy conservation design standards in new subdivisions – lot layout and building design. The geographic area affected is townwide.

Copies of the proposed revisions, as well as a summary explaining the process and rationale, are available on the Town web site (www. hinesburg.org), and/or by contacting Alex Weinhagen (Director of Planning & Zoning) at the Town Office or aweinhagen@hinesburg. org or 482-4209. A list of the affected section headings follows, as required pursuant to Title 24, Chapter 117 V.S.A. Section 4444(b).

Zoning Regulation Sections:

5.23 – Energy Standards

5.26.2(5) – Rural Area Design Standards, Energy & Solar Aspect

Subdivision Regulation Sections:

5.1.12 – Energy Conservation

6.12.4(5) – Design Standards for Rural Areas, General Standards

Notice Date – March 30, 2023

The successful candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, be highly organized, and have a high attention to detail. This position will support the HR team in many capacities, while supporting the organization and maintaining confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED) or equivalent is required.

Prior Human Resources, Office Management, or Accounting experience is welcomed.

Opportunity for Growth

Our team will encourage and help you develop within Human Resources, providing guidance on how to obtain appropriate HR certifications. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking to start or continue your HR career, join us!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Well-rounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. 401(k) matching retirement program. Professional development. Positive work environment supported by a team culture. Work/Life Balance!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com or mail to:

Northfield Savings Bank Human Resources

PO Box 7180, Barre, VT 05641

A stunning 18-hole golf course nestled in Shelburne, Vermont!

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Requests from friends, associates and family this week can have your nerves on end, Aries. You may have to escape the crowds to recharge. Plan a getaway in the next few days.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

You are awesome at staying on track when you need to be, Taurus. That is what makes you a potentially ideal tness guide. Try to inspire others to be regimented as well.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

There is nothing wrong with putting rose-colored glasses on from time to time and looking at the world in a more positive way. A more positive outlook can be helpful, Gemini.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, be sure that your generous nature does not come at the expense of your own well-being. You tend to put other people’s needs before your own quite often.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, for some reason you are having problems nding balance in your life right now. You may have to experiment a little bit to see if new strategies might work.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Let others in on some of your secrets, Virgo. You can’t hold everything in all of the time, and you have been shouldering a lot of responsibility for some time.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Libra, the personalized touches you put on any project will showcase your personality and passion. Think about embracing a crafty task to really showcase your talents.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, friends are lining up to be quite helpful of late. When you gure out how much you’re getting done with the assistance of others, you may be more welcoming of it in the future.

SUDOKU

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!

CROSSWORD

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Overcome resistance to listening to another person’s side of the story, Sagittarius. Embrace this person’s desire take the lead on something at work or in your home life.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

A changing environment has you guring out how to adapt your schedule and your skills, Capricorn. With a support team in your corner, you can achieve quite a bit.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

Spending is a tad out of control this week, Aquarius. Money is ying out of your wallet at a rapid rate. You may need to be a bit more choosy with your spending moving forward.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Wait a few more days before making major decisions as your emotions are high right now, Pisces. You want a level head to prevail.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Millisecond

5. Narcotic drug

11. Accident

14. Formal submissions

15. Popular 70s rock band

18. Discourage from doing

19. More socially elite

21. Arid

23. A way to look

24. Heroes

28. A surfer rides it

29. Potato state

30. Insect repellent

32. Cool!

33. Have already done

35. Collegiate women’s fraternity

36. To the __ degree

39. Gasteyer and de Armas are two 41. Blood type 42. Looked over 44. Language of Cameroon and Chad

46. Species of armadillo

47. Touch softly

49. Part of your upper body

52. Large, stocky lizards

56. Lack of social or ethical standards

58. Congressman

60. Unof cial force

62. As a result of this utterance

63. A main branch of Islam

CLUES DOWN

1. Woman (French)

2. Province of Pakistan

3. This (Spanish)

4. Transportation device

5. Greater in importance or priority

6. The human foot

7. Within

8. Consumed

9. Respectful Malaysian term

10. Therefore

12. Ceased to exist

13. Type of macaroni

16. English composer

17. Wooded tract

20. Tall, slender-leaved

ANSWERS

plant

22. 36 inches

25. Take too much (abbr.)

26. Allow

27. Individually

29. Journalist Tarbell

31. Bar bill

34. Hong Kong food stall:__ pai dong 36. Not messy 37. Species that includes reedmace 38. Former MLB catcher Ed 40. Northern U.S. state

Wilt

Commercial

Bolivian river

Nursemaid 51. A car needs four

Guns (slang)

state

fern

THECITY OFBURLINGTON

Job & Internship Fair

Wednesday, April 12th 12-4PM City Hall, 149 Church Street

Contois Auditorium (2nd oor)

INAUGURAL EVENT! This is your opportunity to meet with our City department representatives and apply for any of our open positions. Explore career opportunities for full-time and part-time, temporary, seasonal roles and internships.

We offer a competitive and comprehensive benet package, including health, dental, life insurance, retirement plan, FSA and much more!

We believe in promoting a culture that reveres diversity and equity. The City of Burlington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are strongly committed to creating a dynamic and equitable work force.

No advanced registration required; register upon arrival.

www.burlingtonvt.gov/HR/jobfair

APPLICATION

continued from page 1

tion this week on a 3-2 vote.

Now, commission member and selectboard vice chair Frank Tenney is claiming that the motion to approve the application was never seconded and no vote was taken.

“It didn’t get seconded, so it got tabled,” he said at Monday’s meeting. “No, nobody seconded. It was moved by Kelly, and nobody seconded it … We did not vote. I did not vote no, I did not vote yes, so if you had a vote, you had it without me.”

But commission members Lewis Mudge and Kelly Devine disagreed with that assertion.

“There was a vote, Kelly put her hand up. I was sitting right next to her,” Mudge said. “I’ll look at the tape and one of us is going to buy the other one a Coke.”

“There was a vote,” agreed Devine.

Resident Peggy Sharpe also voiced a concern: “I just want to say that I was on that meeting and I read the minutes and I would concur with Kelly there was a 4-1 vote. She was the only one in favor now. Frank, if you didn’t vote, you didn’t vote, I don’t know that. I just know what the record says.”

Tenney’s denial contradicts a video recording by Media Factory, which records the town’s meetings, that shows him seconding the motion to approve the application — after some deliberation — followed by a 4-1 vote denying the application.

Tenney can clearly be heard on the video seconding the motion to vote on the cannabis application on March 13. Watch at the video at bit.ly/40mStOI, at 1:06:52.

“As much as I hate the process that’s happened, I don’t believe it’s right to hold this (application) up … I second the motion,” he said March 13.

Tenney later said he contacted The Charlotte News to prod a change to its initial report published on March 16. The Charlotte News eventually changed its story, including adding an editorial note explaining that the story had “been changed to correct that (the) motion to approve ‘the application for a mixed cultivator Tier 1 license by Vermont Cultivars’ was not defeated. The motion was not seconded, so it was tabled to be decided at a later meeting.”

“I called Scooter (MacMillan) because I read that in (The Charlotte News). I was correcting him saying that it wasn’t seconded,” Tenney said. “I hope people will actually listen to the tape closely.”

MacMillan is the editor of the Charlotte News. His first story reported that the motion was defeated. No one from the commission contacted The Citizen to make a similar change to its reporting.

Town administrator Dean Bloch leaned on semantics when asked if the defeated motion was equivalent to a denial of the application.

“There was a motion to approve that

didn’t pass. Whether that was actually a denial or not, I’m not sure,” Bloch said at this week’s meeting.

Jim Faulkner, chair of the selectboard and a commission member, also said after the March 13 vote that “we haven’t accepted (the application) ... so, we’re going to be just moving on.”

Per state statute, towns must also notify the state if they deny an application, but a records request revealed that no written documentation of the denial was sent to the state.

Dean Bloch said in an email, “My sense was that the decision on March 13 wasn’t final” so the application was put back on the agenda to “give (Vermont Cultivars LLC) another go at it.”

He declined to answer any further questions.

Cultivator gets permit

On Monday, the cannabis control commission approved the application 3-2, with Mudge and Louise McCarren voting against it. Tenney, Faulkner and Devine voted in favor.

Mudge made his disapproval of the state-guided process clear.

“This is Kafkaesque and represents everything that’s wrong, in my opinion, with some of the things coming out of Montpelier,” he said. “So go ahead and vote, see what happens but I’ll be voting against it.”

McCarren did not say what motivated her no vote.

“What I’m trying to do is avoid litigation for the town itself,” Faulkner said.

Although Bloch didn’t specify what makes this vote more legitimate than the one taken on March 13, he did confirm that the town notified the state of the approval of the application.

The town first received Vermont Cultivars’ application for the mixed tier 1 cultivation site on Feb. 1 and initially tabled making a decision. When the topic was revisited March 13, members cited a slew of issues with the permit issued by their zoning administrator — such as the lack of a site plan review — and denied the application despite the lapsing of the permit’s appeal period.

Nellie Marvel, the outreach and education manager for the state’s Cannabis Control Board, explained in an email that a town only has the authority to approve or deny an application based on the three areas it has the authority to regulate: zoning, public nuisance and signage. If an application meets those requirements and has the required permits for the town they’re operating in, then the town doesn’t have the grounds to deny a license.

Bloch confirmed that the town sought counsel from the town’s attorney and attorney notes were included in packets given to the selectboard.

See related story on Charlotte’s draft cannabis regulations on page 7.

“What I’m trying to do is avoid litigation for the town itself.”

— Jim Faulkner