The Citizen - 6-15-23

Get to the choppa

Charlotte Central School students tour Black Hawk

Page 3

Former Shelburne manager tapped for Charlotte TA search

Officials bristle at residents’ petition for change

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

The Charlotte selectboard has approved a consulting proposal by resident Lee Krohn to aid in the process of determining whether to switch to a town manager form of government — a conversation that some selectboard members said has felt like a “gun-to-the-head” situation.

Krohn retired last month as Shelburne’s town manager. He was first hired in late 2018 and recently wound down his day-today duties there, serving seven months as interim manager. He is a former senior planner at the Chittenden Regional Planning Commission, and previously spent 24 years in Manchester in a variety of roles, including interim town manager, planning director, zoning administrator, tree warden and E911 coordinator.

According to the proposal, Krohn will be tasked with researching applicable statutes regarding town administrators and town managers while also seeking insights, questions, and concerns

Unique Antiques

American Pickers show returning to Vermont

Page 8

from key people involved in the current conversations. He will also do a thorough review of documents while analyzing opportunities, constraints, requirements, or limitations that may flow from statutes regarding town administrators and town managers.

The selectboard will rely heavily on his thoughts and ideas regarding intermediate steps that might be available to address concerns raised, while maintaining the current governance structure, should the selectboard not find a town manager-style of government favorable.

The findings will be summarized for consideration at the July 24 selectboard meeting.

“When transitions occur, it is often appropriate to step back and take time to consider whether current practices still serve us well, or whether change may be warranted,” Krohn said in the proposal. “To date, this current context has generally been framed as a binary choice: maintain a

See KROHN on page 16

Hinesburg rejects wastewater facility bids, citing cost

STAFF WRITER

The Hinesburg selectboard last week rejected the three bids it received to build a state-mandated wastewater treatment facility, citing a ballooning cost that the town is uncertain how to pay for. The project, as currently

proposed in the bids, would have cost the town over $20 million.

The selectboard, during its June 7 meeting, voted unanimously to reject the construction bids, based on a recommendation by Aldrich & Elliot, the engineering firm contracted with the town to design the facility. Engineers from the firm recommended beginning the

process of exploring alternatives.

“We have been discussing some alternatives, some options for what could be done differently down there, (but) all of those things would need to be reviewed and approved by the state,” Jason Booth, the engineering group’s vice president, told the selectboard during their meeting. “No matter

what happens at this point, the state has to provide some concurrence with what, and if any, changes are made down there.”

Hinesburg is one of several towns that are facing multi-million-dollar upgrades, buildouts, or renovations of their wastewater treatment plants. Unique to Hinesburg is the state mandate: In 2018,

the town received a discharge permit from the state that required it to reduce the amount of phosphorus and ammonia in its wastewater discharges to the LaPlatte River — leaving the town on the hook for a new facility to comply with those

PHOTO BY AL FREY

CVU’s Maddie Bunting looks to get by Burr and Burton’s Paige Samuelson during the Redhawks’ D-1 Championship overtime loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon at UVM’s Virtue Field.

LAX on the attack

COREY MCDONALD

Homelessness has tripled since before start of pandemic

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

A report released this month found a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Vermont compared to last year, and an almost 200 percent increase since a pre-pandemic count in 2020.

Across Vermont, 3,295 people said in January that they were experiencing homelessness, an 18.5 percent increase from the 2,780 people counted last year, and a 197 percent increase from the 1,110 people counted in 2020 before the pandemic hit, according to this year’s Point in Time Count.

The count, a federally-mandated census conducted each year by every state in the country, offers a yearly snapshot of the state of homelessness in Vermont — with breakdowns in varying demographics such as household type. The count is conducted by the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance and the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness.

“I’ll confess that I was surprised by the percentage increase … over the prior year. I would not have anticipated that,” Martin Hahn, executive director of the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness, said. “Just based simply on that increase, it’s fair to say that on a per-capita basis, Vermont is very highly impacted by homelessness.”

Racial disparities were found in this year’s data. Black and Indigenous Vermonters disproportionately experienced homelessness in 2023 compared to the general population in both Chittenden County and statewide, according to the report.

The number of households with children experiencing homelessness, meanwhile, increased by 36 percent compared to the prior year.

“The increase in the number of children experiencing homelessness is heartbreaking,” the report states.

This year’s increase, the report’s authors found, is due in part to the termination last year of rent subsidies provided to lower income Vermonters through the Emergency Rental Assistant program, and the end of the eviction moratorium in July 2022; the “extremely low” vacancy rate for apartments in much of Vermont, ranging from 0.5 percent to 3 percent across the state, which allowed landlords “to increase rents and to be highly selective in choosing tenants;”

and the operation of non-congregate emergency and transitional housing opportunities in hotels and motels, “allowing for increased eligibility to emergency housing and creating a more accurate reflection of the community need.”

This year’s count, taken on Jan. 25, comes as Vermont remains behind only California with the second highest per-capita rate of homelessness in the country.

It’s unclear if that is still reflected in this new data. Hahn said the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet aggregated each state’s counts.

Adding clarity to the count’s data is Vermont’s low percentage of unhoused Vermonters who are unsheltered or forced

to live outdoors.

Rural homelessness is often hard to track, as organizers face challenges ensuring an accurate count is taken in some of the state’s more remote areas. The report said that 137 people were counted as unsheltered — or living outside or in a car.

“This population is, by definition, difficult to count and is under-reported. Some people choose to not be included in the Point in Time Count, while others are hidden from sight, and many rural communities do not have the capacity to reach isolated communities,” the report states.

But organizers of this year’s count were able to get a more accurate reading of people experiencing homelessness thanks to the state’s motel-voucher program.

“You’ll see a significant portion of those people who are counted are people who are staying in hotels … being housed there with support through the state of Vermont,” Hahn said. “As a means of finding people, the fact that so many people were in hotels, made the count probably closer to accurate than we might see in years where that’s not true.”

A separate but contingent count specific to Chittenden County, released earlier this month, showed a smaller increase: 758 people were found living on the streets or in a shelter this year, an increase from last year’s count of 668 people, as well as the 700 people counted in 2021.

See HOMELESSNESS on page 11

Black Hawk touchdown at Charlotte Central

Charlotte Central School kids had a visitor drop in last week.

A Black Hawk National Guard helicopter landed behind the school June 6, giving the gathered students a chance to see the landing and take a closer look and ask questions.

Pilots explained the science behind how helicopters work, and shared what they do with the National Guard. The landing was made possible by a connection one of the student’s parents have in the Guard.

Correction

The Champlain Valley Union girls’ lacrosse team has played in the state championship game four times, most recently in 2018. A story last week indicated this year was the first time.

If it’s important to you or your community look for it in The Citizen.

Vermont State Police Blotter

June 8 at 10:42 a.m., Michael Winters, 44, of Middlebury, was arrested for excessive speeding after police pulled Winters over while near the intersection of Route 7 and Lime Kiln Road in Charlotte. Police say radar tracked Winters going 88 in a 50-mph zone, which is 38 mph above the posted speed limit. Winters was also allegedly driving after civil license suspension.

June 10 at 11:13 p.m., Vermont State Police investigated an underage drinking party at a public town beach at 1371 Lake Rd. in Charlotte. Troopers found multiple juveniles on the property, several of whom were intoxicated, and troopers issued diversion paperwork for consumption of alcohol by a minor. Police are still investigating.

Hinesburg Police Blotter

Total incidents: 54

Traffic stops: 34

Arrests: 0

June 7 at 11:53 a.m., police investigated a reported fraud.

June 7 at 5:40 p.m., court paperwork was served to a person on Route 116.

June 8 at 4:00 p.m., a person was assisted with fingerprinting for employment purposes.

June 9 at 4:20 p.m., an officer assisted a person on Timber Pond Road with a lockout.

June 9 at 5:10 p.m., officers

investigated a motor vehicle complaint on Route 116.

June 10 at 4:45 p.m., officers investigated the report of damage to a motor vehicle on Route 116.

June 11 at 8:15 a.m., police investigated suspicious circumstances on Route 116.

June 11 at 7:20 p.m., police investigated reported property damage caused by a motor vehicle on Mechanicsville Road.

June 12 at 11:55 a.m., police investigated a late-reported assault.

Protect grassland birds, don’t mow

Bobolinks, Savannah sparrows and eastern meadowlarks enrich every summer with their songs, but their populations have suffered dramatic, long-term declines due to the loss of their grassland habitat.

“These species have experienced declines across the continent, but on Vermont’s grasslands, especially in larger fields and more open landscapes, there are ways we can help,” Rosalind Renfrew, biologist for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, said.

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Landowners can make a difference by altering the times of year they mow fields. Fish and wildlife encourages landowners to help these beloved species by waiting to mow fields used by grassland

birds, giving them a chance to rear their young.

“People maintain open, grassy fields in Vermont for a variety of reasons, from producing hay to providing pasture for grazing, to simply maintaining scenic beauty,” Renfrew said. “Mowing or brush hogging are the most common ways Vermonters maintain a grass landscape. For those who can afford it, mowing schedules can be timed to allow grassland birds to successfully raise chicks.”

Meadow birds build nests right on the ground, among the grasses and wildflowers. Deer fawns, wild turkey chicks and other animals also take refuge in grass fields.

According to Renfrew, landowners who do not need to mow for animal forage can accommodate nesting birds by cutting late in the summer, preferably after Aug. 1.

People concerned about invasive plants may choose to sometimes mow a section of their field more frequently, to keep invasive plants in check.

“It can mean temporarily sacrificing part of the field,” Renfrew said, “but it can better maintain quality habitat for the birds over the long term.”

Landowners who face a loss of income from delayed mowing can apply for assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service or The Bobolink Project.

PHOTO BY JOHN HALL

Landowners who have fields can help protect grassland birds such as bobolinks by delaying mowing until August.

Legislative session ends, veto session ahead

From the Senate

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

This legislative session came after an election that saw historic margins of victory for both Democrats in the legislature and our Republican governor. Neither branch of government should forget the importance of working together to advance the needs of all Vermonters, especially as a special session looms in late June, largely focused on the state budget that was recently vetoed by Governor Scott.

Here are some highlights from the year and their recent fate or current trajectory.

Budget: Embedded in the budget are critical investments in our children and families — an infusion of much-needed funding of our early education workforce and family supports, as well as school meals as part of the universal benefits of public education.

Overall, the Legislature and the Governor differ by only 3 percent total in our budget proposals, and most of that difference comes from our additional investments in the much-needed mental health and social service workforce. Furthermore, the budget included funds for emergency shelter and further transformation of motels into permanent housing to stem the homelessness crisis. It is anticipated that the Legislature will have the necessary two-thirds majority to override the Governor’s budget veto.

Child Care: The landmark child care investment is being celebrated nationwide as leading the way and was funded with a payroll tax. While no stakeholder group ever shares universally agreed upon sentiments with the legislature, many businesses came forward and urged passage of this bill funded through payroll

because they are having a hard time keeping parents and caregivers employed with virtually no access to affordable child care. This investment is embedded in the budget, which is likely to pass when the legislature returns for its veto session.

Housing: S.100 expands access to affordable housing and homeownership, reducing duplicative and expensive permitting processes at the state and local level. Importantly, it ensures multifamily housing cannot be discriminated against in local zoning. As the main author and chair of the Senate Housing Committee, I am proud this bill received tri-partisan, near-unanimous support and was signed by the Governor.

Gun Safety: As a new mother, creating a future free from gun violence is a personal priority of mine. H.230 requires the safe storage of firearms and institutes a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases. The governor let this bill become law without his signature, meaning he does not celebrate it, but he also does not oppose its implementation.

Health Care: At a time when women’s rights and LGBTQ+ health care are under attack across the country, Vermont protected abortion access and gender-affirming care by passing S.37. This is a “shield law” that

protects Vermont doctors from out-of-state investigation, ensures access to abortion pills, and stops “crisis pregnancy resource centers” from using misleading information about their services. The Governor has signed S.37 and Sen. Ginny Lyons and I are being celebrated for this work in

Stronger regulations needed for those hunting with hounds

To the Editor: Raccoon hounders can run their hounds in the middle of the night during “training” season, which started June 1, but the torment of animals by uncontrolled hounds lasts throughout much of the year.

Summer is also a time when people and dogs are using these woods. Hounds are loud and routinely wake up homeowners who have no control of the dogs or hounders running on their property, often treeing and killing animals with no consequences on other people’s “protected” and “posted” land.

This is also baby season. Raccoon, bear, bobcat, and fox cubs are regularly mauled by hounds since they cannot outrun them. The argument that hounds only surround the animal but don’t kill or maul it to death is fictitious and anyone who

the White House later this month as the first anniversary of the devastating Dobbs decision is marked.

Thank you for the input and kind messages over the session as I juggled being a new committee chair and a new mom. Your feedback is always appreciated.

Letters to the Editor

believes it is naïve.

H. 323, a bill that would ban bear and coyote hounding, will be coming up in 2024. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources catered to the Fish and Wildlife Commissioner on S.281 — to ban coyote hounding — with a closed meeting that continued to allow hounding of coyotes, but mandated ‘shock’ collars be placed on dogs. News flash: GPS collars for hunting dogs already have a shock option.

This accommodation for hounders came after hours of testimony from people who were traumatized and taunted by hounders on their property and from a myriad of biologists, scientists, and homeowners who explained how hounding was a public safety risk, harmful to wildlife, cruel to animals, and irresponsible.

There has been no justice for the couple and their pup who were attacked in Ripton in 2019 by hounds or for the woman whose dog was attacked by

Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a Democrat from Shelburne, serves the towns of South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Milton, Burlington, St. George, Westford, Underhill, Jericho, Richmond, Winooski, Williston, Essex and Bolton in the Legislature.

hounds on a walk (revealed only upon a public records request). This woman and her dog were chased for two miles in Fairlee. Her dog was viciously attacked over ten times and seriously injured. The hounder did not appear until well after the ordeal. The hounder was not fined, nor were there any consequences imposed on him by Fish and Wildlife.

Remarkably, there appear to be no rules, consequences or repercussions when it comes to attacking people and dogs with hunting hounds.When hounding is allowed at night, hounders have even less control. Hounders have no control over multiple dogs, in a frenzy, running off leash and chasing animals in the dark.

Enough. Regulations need to be enacted and there need to be consequences for irresponsible, outrageous behavior.

Alana Stevenson Charlotte

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Wildfire smoke proves need for climate action

Guest Perspective

Mike Yantachka

Anyone who has been outdoors during the past week is well-aware of the wildfires burning in Quebec and Nova Scotia. The smoky haze that inundated Vermont is nothing compared to the thick smog that settled on New York City and other eastern states south of the Champlain Valley. The wildfires burning across Canada today, as well as those that have devastated the western United States in recent years are driven by climate change that is melting ice caps and altering the jet stream. These effects, in turn, dry out major land areas, making them susceptible to drought and wildfires, and increase water content in the atmosphere, driving more extreme storms that flood coastal areas susceptible to higher rainfall.

On the first Saturday in June, I had the opportunity to attend the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network conference at Middlebury College along with my Charlotte Energy Committee colleague, Deirdre Holmes. The

keynote speaker was Bill McKibben, author, climate activist and founder of 350.org and Third Act. In his talk, he said that we continue to face an existential crisis with a changing climate that is already on the cusp of reaching a point of no return. The impacts are being felt around the world as well as here at home: 33 million people displaced by unprecedented flooding in Pakistan; a 20 percent decrease in the great Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which affects marine ecosystems worldwide; and a prediction that we will exceed a 1.5 degree-Celsius increase in global temperature in 2024.

The melting of the polar ice caps at both ends of the earth are reducing the reflectivity of the sun’s rays as well as increasing sea levels, while the melting of permafrost in the arctic releases tons of the highly potent greenhouse gas methane, further increasing global warming.

But McKibben also noted some positive developments over the past decade. Scientists and engineers have done a great job providing us with tools to combat climate change, including cleaner methods of energy production,

better methods of natural resource management to store carbon, and increased understanding of climate science. As a result, the cost of renewable energy has dropped lower than fossil fuel prices. Wind is now the cheapest way to generate electricity, and solar is close behind. The costs of combustion, moreover, far outweigh the benefits in terms of climate change, adverse health effects, and its influence on geopolitics.

McKibben compared renewable energy versus fossil fuels as “getting energy from heaven instead of from hell.”

He is encouraged by the youth movement for the climate. Our young people understand the need to change our habits. NIMBY-ism has to change; we have to look beyond our own backyards. We can no longer ignore the effects of fossil fuel production and consumption on others while we refuse to take responsibility for our own actions or inaction. He then challenged the rest of us to do our job to combat climate change, too, because “once the Arctic is melted, there is no plan to freeze it again.”

The conference provided an opportunity to learn more about the assistance that towns, organizations and individuals can expect as a result of the major federal legislation that passed, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Bonnie Waninger of the Vermont

League of Cities and Towns gave an overview of the programs and gave us links to the information — at the website vlct.org/ federal-funding-assistance-program-ffaarpa.

The League can provide consultants to Vermont municipalities for the various programs including renewable energy grants and low-interest loans, a USDA Loan forgiveness program, and charging and fueling infrastructure grants.

Jan Myers of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity gave us a rundown of the Residential Energy Efficiency tax credit that helps homeowners with weatherization and energy reduction and the Residential Clean Energy tax credit (30 percent) for renewable energy installations. She also referenced low-interest loans for clean energy provided through Vermont Energy Investment Corporation.

The wildfires burning across Canada today, as well as those that have devastated the western United States in recent years are driven by climate change that is melting ice caps and altering the jet stream.

implementing the town plan, there are many opportunities to keep climate change mitigation in mind. The Charlotte Energy Committee is sponsoring the Solarize Charlotte initiative to encourage adoption of residential solar. See CharlotteEnergy. org for details.

The design of the town garage includes geothermal heating and solar-ready roofing. A 5 MW solar facility on Lake Road will help Vermont’s electric grid reach its 100 percent renewable electricity goal and support transitioning our transportation and heating demands to cleaner electricity. We can all take advantage of the assistance from Efficiency Vermont to button up our homes. And, finally, Sustainable Charlotte is currently taking orders for energy conserving window inserts for the coming winter (windowdressers.org).

Following the presentations were a number of breakout sessions for the exchange of ideas among attendees and experts. As Charlotte moves forward with

Mike Yantachka is a former State Representative and a current member of the Charlotte Energy Committee.

PHOTO BY MIKE YANTACHKA

View of the Adirondacks through smoky haze June 6, 2023.

Impeachment investigation closed to protect participants

From the House Rep. Martin LaLonde

On the last day of this year’s legislative session, the House passed House Resolution 11, which created a Special Committee on Impeachment Inquiry. The resolution recognized credible accusations of separate misconduct by Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie and Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore. The Speaker of the House appointed seven representatives to the Special Committee, and I was named as Chair.

The Special Committee is not a typical legislative committee. Its task is to investigate sensitive matters and decide whether its findings should lead to the impeachment of one or both of these elected officials. We have heard calls for the committee to open its work to the public in full, but I am writing to explain that parts of the committee’s work should not be done in public.

Its work is not the equivalent of a civil trial, a criminal trial, or a pre-trial hearing.

It is an investigation. The committee is the equivalent of a prosecutor or a grand jury determining whether to bring an indictment. Such investigations are not done in public.

Investigations such as this one are kept confidential for several good reasons. Most fundamentally, confidentiality is necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation.

While the committee’s investigation is ongoing, premature disclosure of sensitive information could lead to interference, tampering, or manipulation of evidence. By limiting access to information to those directly involved in the investigation, confidentiality reduces the risk of external influences and helps maintain the integrity of the process.

Confidentiality helps to ensure that committee members approach the evidence and facts objectively, without being influenced by external factors or public opinion. When sensitive information remains confidential, the committee can focus on gathering and analyzing evidence impar-

A canary in the coalmine of our morals, economic system

Guest Perspective

Lt. Governor David Zuckerman

Before the pandemic, 1,200 to 1,400 Vermonters experienced houselessness on any given night. As a state, we generally accepted this as “normal.” When the pandemic hit, we used pandemic funding to shelter these individuals and families in motels across the state. We not only sought to protect houseless Vermonters from COVID-19 but also prevent the spread of infection across our communities.

As COVID-19 and the funds to respond to the pandemic recede, Vermont still has a shared benefit in protecting unhoused Vermonters. We can save money, create better long-term outcomes, and fulfill our moral obligation as a society, or we can consciously put people back on the streets, costing us more money in the long run.

More than 2,800 Vermonters — roughly 80 percent of all unhoused people in the state — currently are sheltered in motels thanks to the state’s GA Emergency Housing Program. Vermonters staying in motels include families with children, working individuals and neighbors for whom the cost of housing is no longer in reach, and elderly and disabled Vermonters living on fixed incomes.

An assessment of motel guests, conducted by the Agency of Human Services from October to November 2022, found that the majority of people in motels lost their housing in recent years. Only 37 households lived out of state prior to joining the GA Emergency Housing Program.

Since the start of the pandemic, homelessness has almost tripled, leaving

Vermont to have the second highest rate in the country. Both the budget proposed by the governor and the one passed by the Legislature do not address the scale of this crisis. While many resources have been put into working toward longer term solutions, the budget is short on bridge funding to shelter people while the longer-term solutions are constructed.

As a result, nearly 3,000 people, including 500 to 600 children, Vermonters with very significant medical conditions, and pregnant women will lose their shelter this summer. Exiting these individuals creates a greater cost to taxpayers in the form of emergency room visits, exacerbated mental health needs and much more.

We know that businesses and downtowns suffer when there is a surge of unhoused people in the streets. We know that local government expenses go up when there are more people living on the streets or in encampments.

We know that emergency room costs increase with more people living on the streets. We know that children suffer increased severe long-term health effects from homelessness. We know that people with substance abuse disorders are more likely to die or face emergency services and less likely to get help when they live on the streets. We know that women face greater risk of sexual assault and violence when homeless and all experiencing homelessness are three to four times more likely to be victims of a crime.

Is this what we want?

With his veto, the Governor has forced

tially. This promotes a fair and thorough investigation, preserving its integrity.

Confidentiality is also essential to safeguard the identities and statements of witnesses who provide crucial information to the Committee. For witnesses, testifying about traumatic events can be emotionally challenging, especially for victims or witnesses who have experienced abuse or other forms of harm. Testifying in a public session with numerous spectators can be intimidating and affect a person’s ability to provide an accurate and honest account of events. It can also have significant psychological impacts on individuals involved in sensitive cases such as the ones the committee is investigating, especially when their personal experiences are recorded and available online, subject to possible copying and rebroadcasting outside of their control.

Allowing witnesses to testify behind closed doors in executive session addresses these concerns. Witnesses can share their experiences with the committee without fear of intimidation or retribution. They can express themselves more freely and provide clearer and more reliable testimony. In addition, if assured confidentiality, additional victims or witnesses may be more willing to come forward to offer testimony and evidence. This promotes the flow of accurate and reliable information, enhancing the integrity of the investigation.

The rights of the respondents must also be considered. Preserving confidentiality prevents the unnecessary public exposure of potentially unfounded allegations or unverified information. It safeguards the respondents’ privacy and reputation until a thorough investigation is completed and wrongdoing, if any, is established.

The Special Committee has considered multiple precedents that support going into executive session to conduct parts of its investigation. Other legislative committees with investigatory powers, such as the House Ethics Panel, Sexual Harassment Prevention Panel, and Discrimination Prevention Panel, have even more stringent confidentiality rules and procedures than those for the Special Committee

on Impeachment Inquiry. These panels conduct investigations and hear testimony in nonpublic settings, and rarely are the witnesses or the information gathered during those investigations made public.

Legislatures in Connecticut, South Dakota, and Illinois have recently conducted impeachment investigations. These states as well as the U.S. Congress have procedures requiring confidentiality and have conducted hearings in executive session during their investigations to determine whether to bring articles of impeachment.

Most on point, however, is Vermont’s own impeachment precedent. In 1976, the Vermont House Judiciary Committee held closed-door sessions to hear testimony from witnesses in the investigation that lead to articles of impeachment against Washington County Sheriff Malcolm Mayo.

Chapter 1, Article 6 of the Vermont Constitution provides “that all power being originally inherent in and consequently derived from the people, therefore, all officers of government, whether legislative or executive, are their trustees and servants; and at all times, in a legal way, accountable to them.”

I certainly agree that the committee is accountable to the people of Vermont. The people of Vermont expect us to ensure that elected officials who breach the public trust, who are unfit for office, are held responsible. To determine whether to hold them responsible through impeachment, the committee needs to weigh credible allegations against the investigated officials.

To do so, the committee must conduct a thorough investigation and maintain the integrity of that investigation. And to ensure the integrity of its investigation, the committee will need to, at times, take testimony and deliberate in executive session.

If you have input on this or other issues before the legislature, contact me at 802-863-3086 or mlalonde@leg.state.vt.us.

Martin LaLonde, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-12 House district.

Rep. Martin LaLonde

Interfaith project awards tri-town organizations

The Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg Interfaith Project (SCHIP) has announced its spring 2023 grant awards. Recent funds in the amount of $14,872 were awarded to seven non-profits in the three towns that met the criteria of serving the people of the communities in a variety of ways. The recipients for this cycle included were Charlotte Children’s Center, Charlotte Congregational Church, Color Our World, Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, Shelburne Equity and Diversity Committee, Vermont Garden Network, and Vermont Parks Forever.

These awards are made possible as a result of SCHIP’s mission to raise funds through the sale of donated, gently used clothing, household items, accessories, art, and collectibles at its resale shop in the distinctive yellow building on Route 7, next to the town offices.

Since the first grants given in April 2005, more than $828,500 has been distributed. SCHIP accepts grant applications twice a year. The deadlines are April 15 and Oct. 15 of each year. The maximum grant size is $3,000. Application forms are available on the “Grants” link at: http://TheSCHIP.org/

As a member of our communities, you too are an intimate part of our mission. Come shop, donate, volunteer, and help us continue to meet our objectives for the future. For more information on grant recipients or the organization, please visit our website (http:// TheSCHIP.org/) or our Facebook page (SCHIP’s Treasure Resale Shop) or call the shop for volunteer or donation inquiries at 985-3595.

Our participating faith commu-

nities are: All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne; Charlotte Congregational Church; Hinesburg United Church; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Charlotte; Shelburne United Methodist Church; St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Shelburne; St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Hinesburg; Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne.

Hinesburg librarian applications available

Carpenter-Carse Library director Beth Royer will be leaving her position at the end of June 2023. While we are sad to be losing Beth at the Library, we are excited for the wonderful things she will do in the future, and we are grateful for the tremendous impact she has had on the Library and Hinesburg community.

In her time at the Library, Beth expanded our community’s vision of what a library can and should be. She expanded the “Library of Things,” allowing patrons to borrow everything from bikes to sewing machines to telescopes. In addition to new objects to borrow, she also expanded the physical space of the library, moving programming outdoors, enhancing exterior spaces at the library, and launching nature-based programming. During her tenure, the library increased programming to patrons of all ages, bringing the community together in person and online through reading, music, LEGOs, and pie socials! More than anything, Beth was a steady hand as Carpenter-Carse Library served a vital role for the community during the COVID-19 crisis. The residents of Hinesburg will be forever grateful for the work she accomplished and

her steadfast belief in the power of our community.

Reference Library Jill Andersen will be stepping in as Interim Director while the library undertakes a search for a new Director. Many thanks to Jill for providing her leadership skills during this time of transition.

Applications for the position of Library Director will be accepted through June 24, 2023. The library is seeking a visionary candidate committed to engaging with our community, continuing the library’s vital role in our growing town, and ensuring the library is accessible and inclusive. The full job description and information on applying is here: https://www.carpentercarse. org/were-hiring.

As our community works to recover from the pandemic, Carpenter-Carse Library looks

forward to continuing to be a vital space to gather, learn, recover, and grow with the residents of Hinesburg. Thank you to the Hinesburg community for being part of that vision. If you have any questions, please contact us at Trustees@ CarpenterCarse.org.

American Pickers TV show looking for the new old

The American Pickers are excited to return to Vermont! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout your area in August 2023.

“American Pickers” is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on The History Channel. The hit show follows skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques.

They are always excited to find historically significant or rare items, in addition to unforgettable characters and their collections.

As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with amazing stories and fun items. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way. The Pickers have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them.

The American Pickers TV Show

is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a unique item, story to tell, and is ready to sell please send us your name, phone number, location, and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184.

Notes, the Pickers do not pick stores, flea markets, malls, auction businesses, museums, or anything open to the public.

Hinesburg’s NRG Systems honored for export work

Hinesburg-based NRG Systems, Inc., the global leader in wind and solar resource measurement and intelligence, was honored with the President’s “E” Award for its outstanding contributions to exporting and promoting American-made products in international markets.

NRG Systems is one of only 24 companies selected to receive this accolade and the third Vermont company recognized for this achievement since the award was established by executive order 62 years ago.

The President’s “E” Award is presented annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce to companies that significantly contribute to expanding U.S. exports and increasing American jobs through their exporting activities.

NRG Systems has been designing and manufacturing pioneer-

COURTESY PHOTO

Mike Wolfe from the hit TV show American Pickers will be returning to Vermont this summer, along with his fellow antique hunters.

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 8

ing products for the renewable energy sector for over forty years, with industry-leading solutions deployed in more than 170 countries. Many of the world’s largest clean energy developers utilize their hardware, software, and related services. The company’s sales and support networks span the globe, ensuring customer success and advancing sustainable energy solutions for nations worldwide.

“This recognition is a testament to the NRG Systems team’s relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence that has propelled our company to the forefront of the renewable energy industry,” Evan Vogel, NRG Systems’ President, said, “Exports have been an important component of our sales for decades. As we move ahead, NRG remains committed to bolstering the U.S. economy while driving global sustainability efforts.”

VSO concerts bring swing, jazz, spirituals, marches

The VSO TD Bank Summer Festival Tour is back with a lineup of American favorites to get you dancing and celebrating the most anticipated time of year in Vermont with five stops across the state. Guest trumpeter and jazz legend Ray Vega joins the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Argentinian/Italian conductor Michelle Di Russo in a concert of swing, jazz, spirituals, and marches.

Di Russo, known for her compelling interpretations, passionate musicality, and contemporary music, said, “We have been working hard curating an unfor-

gettable experience for our audiences, including commissioning arrangements for the VSO and classic tunes from Jazz masters like Johnny Mandel and Duke Ellington that have influenced other composers like Bernstein and Gershwin.”

Vega is known as a prolific, state-wide performer and as host of Vermont Public’s Friday Night Jazz program.

“This July marks my 15th anniversary as a resident of the Green Mountain State and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than to play with the VSO,” Vega said. “This is a fantastic ensemble and it’s sure to be a fun-filled series of concerts.”

Relax under balmy summer

skies with feisty, soothing, and unforgettable music by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa, Johnny Mandel and more. Bring your picnic baskets and summer spirit!

This summer’s concerts:

June 30: Saskadena Six, South Pomfret

July 1: Burke Mountain Ski Resort, East Burke

July 2: Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, Stowe July 3: Grafton Ponds, Grafton July 4: Shelburne Museum, Shelburne Fireworks will take place following the performances in Grafton, Stowe, and Burlington.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Champlain Valley School District (formerly Chittenden South Supervisory Union) including the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne, and Williston intends to destroy the special education records of all students who exited from any special education program during the 2017-2018 school year.

A permanent record of the student’s name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record, and year completed is maintained without time limitation.

Any former student, who has reached 18 years of age, may review and/or receive these records upon request. Also, any parent of a student who is 18 years of age or older, who has retained parental rights, may obtain these records.

Please contact the Champlain Valley Union High School Special Services Office at (802) 482-7115 by July 31, 2023. If no student, parent, or guardian responds to this public notice prior to or by July 31, 2023, the school district will assume consent to destroy the entire record specific to the student.

Diamond Island Yacht Club presents chicken BBQ

Join the Diamond Island Yacht Club for its annual Lewis and Field Chicken BBQ, open to the public, Saturday, June 24, at 6 p.m. for the DIYC famous.

It is the yacht club’s longest standing event and a summer tradition. All are welcome.

The BBQ includes half a chicken and an array of sides and desserts. There will be vegetarian

sides for those that want to attend the event but prefer not to eat chicken. Drinks are available, but attendees are welcome to bring a beverage of choice.

The BBQ takes place in the yacht tent at Point Bay Marina, 1401 Thompson’s Point Rd.

The cost for members is $16; non-member guests are $21 and children 5-12 are $10.

Sign up on the club’s website, diamondislandyc.org.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Michelle Di Russo, left, and Ray Vega

‘Hawks handed loss in OT heartbreaker

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

After Saturday’s Division I state championship game was over, the Champlain Valley girls’ lacrosse team joined the ranks of top programs in the state.

But they did not finish the game with the trophy.

Burr and Burton scored in the second overtime period to beat CVU 15-14 in the D-I title game, played Saturday at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field, capping off one of the best lacrosse games of the season.

“It still kind of stings,” CVU coach Tucker Pierson said. “Overall, I know it’s a great sports moment and it’s good for girls’ lacrosse and it’s very exciting and I’m very proud of my team. But yeah, it’s a little tough.”

No. 2 CVU nearly shocked top-seeded Burr and Burton, scoring with 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime.

“I just had them do some breathing exercises, you know. It was a frantic moment. We did some breathing and then we had a game plan,” Pierson said. “Then Marley Cartwright just earned that eight-meter free position, which was phenomenal. And then she buried it. It was just perfect.”

CVU then barely missed on two scoring opportunities in the extra period, as BBA goalie Maizie Rukat stopped the first chance and the Redhawks shot just wide on the second.

“At that point, I think we were probably a little disappointed or we were sort of off our game because we had had two opportunities to score and didn’t,” Pierson said.

The Bulldogs capitalized on their chance with just over a minute remaining in the second overtime period, as Paige Samuelson scored on a great individual effort to lift her team to the program’s first Division I state title.

“We knew when we played them the first time that (Paige) was really hard to stop,” Pierson said. “But she is a really good player, we just weren’t able to stop her.”

Samuelson had five goals and one assist to lead all scorers, while Rukat stopped 10 shots to get the win in goal for BBA.

Cartwright and Stella Dooley each had three goals to pace the Redhawks, while Dicey Manning chipped in with two goals and two assists. Bibi Frechette and Tess Everett each tallied twice, while Amelie Scharf and Emerson Rice scored one for CVU.

CVU goalie Clare Stackpole-McGrath made 13 saves.

“It was inspiring lacrosse, to be honest,” Pierson said. “I like to see just the collective group progressing and playing with more confidence and with the will to win, that’s what I saw on Saturday.”

The Redhawks performance in the final was the next step for a program that has been climbing the ranks of Division I since Pierson took over the program eight years ago.

“I give so much credit to all of my players because they wanted it, they worked for it. They’ve been working in the off season to improve,” Pierson said. “It has been building.”

CVU, which last won a title in

Redhawks near-perfect in Division I baseball bout

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Talk about peaking at the right moment.

The Champlain Valley baseball team put together a near-perfect game at the perfect moment to capture the Division I state championship on Saturday, beating Mount Anthony 6-0 at Centennial Field.

First, the team’s offense went

to work, scoring six runs in the first two innings to grab control of the early momentum.

Then, the Redhawks turned the ball over to pitcher Stephen Rickert, who turned the six-run lead into a stranglehold with a complete game, one-hit performance.

“Our game plan going in and when we were most successful all year was when we kinda got out in front early,” CVU coach Nicky Elderton said. “Our hitting came

together the last handful of games, we finally put a complete game together where we got great pitching, great hitting. Base running was awesome and our fielding was great as well.”

The victory helped CVU grab the program’s third title in four years and Elderton a championship in his first season as head coach of the team.

“At the end of the day, we knew what we had to do and we

executed the game plan,” Elderton said. “We put a full game together and it was pretty amazing to watch them play.”

The Redhawks got things going in the first inning, hitting back-to-back-to-back singles to score two runs and jump out to the quick lead. Robbie Fragola, Travis Stroh and Zach Santos all had hits to get CVU on the board.

Stroh then helped the Redhawks take full control in the

second, hitting a three-run run home run over the left field wall to extend the score to 6-0.

“You wanna be in control when you’re playing baseball and that’s when we’re at our best,” Elderton said. “That second inning really showed kind of who we were as a team, where there’s nobody on and two outs, and we put up four runs

PHOTO BY AL FREY

CVU’s Emerson Rice gets by Burr and Burton’s Paige Samuelson during the Redhawks’ D-1 Championship overtime loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon at UVM’s Virtue Field.

LACROSSE

continued from page 10

2005, has been working to return to those state champion ranks. With only five seniors graduating from this year’s squad, the Redhawks will look to take the final step next season with an experienced group.

“I know that this junior class is fired up and they’re already planning how to get back to this same game, the title game,” Pierson said. “They’re driven.”

Boys’ Ultimate No. 5 Montpelier 12, No. 3 Champlain Valley 10: The Champlain Valley boys’ Ultimate team fell to No. 5 Montpelier in

BASEBALL

continued from page 10

because we get a couple timely two-out hits, and then Travis Stroh got into one and hit a home run.

“But the two-out rallies, we did that a lot this year and it just shows the how much each kid competes.”

When Rickert took over on the mound, he made a six-run lead feel insurmountable. The junior

the Division I state championship on Saturday at South Burlington High School.

DJ Steinman and Victor Colon each had three goals for the Redhawks, who lost only one game during the regular season.

Brendan Fellows and Thomas Garavelli each tallied twice for CVU.

It was the first appearance for CVU in the D-I title game, after bowing out in the semifinals the last two seasons.

Girls’ tennis No. 3 Stowe 4, No. 4 Champlain Valley 3: The Champlain

Valley girls’ tennis dropped three early matches in the Division I state championship on Thursday and could not recover in a loss to Stowe.

The Raiders won the first four singles matches to beat the Redhawks and clinch the program’s third D-I title in a row.

Erin Fina got a 6-0, 6-1 win in No. 5 singles after Stowe had clinched the title, while CVU got wins in both doubles matches.

Addie Maurer and Ariel Toohey got a 6-3, 6-1 win in the No. 1 doubles match, while Eliza Willoughby and Victoria Chyra won 6-3, 7-5 in No. 2 doubles.

ZUCKERMAN

continued from page 7

two options to the table.

The Legislature can override his veto, locking in the displacement of well over 2000 individuals and costing us more money in the long run and causing great harm. Or, the Legislature can sustain his veto, leading to a new budget that either A.) further reduces funding to appease the Governor or B.) raises or shifts funding to fulfill our moral obligation while also being fiscally prudent in the short and long term.

Do we, as a society, claim there is no more money within an $8.5 billion budget? Do we actively choose to cut off spending money on temporary housing while the Agency of Human Services develops a last-minute and inadequate plan to ease the situation in the future? Will we knowingly put people out on the streets again, aware that many will not find housing, while magically believing that there will be minimal community or individual consequences?

The pandemic has accelerated the state’s crisis of housing and homelessness. New data shows that more than 3,000 Vermonters

HOMELESSNESS

continued from page 2

The relatively smaller increase in people experiencing homelessness in Chittenden County “is likely due to the extremely tight market for hotel rooms in the county which required people to relocate to shelters in other counties,” the report reads.

But as the state’s motel-voucher program comes to an end — with roughly 3,000 people expected to be ineligible for shelter in a motel by the end of the month — experts predict that Chittenden County, and Burlington specifically, will see an influx of individuals in need of services.

are now experiencing homelessness, and that homelessness among families with children grew 36 percent in the last year.

At the same time, the pandemic has helped us to understand that we do not need to accept homelessness as our normal. Working together to keep Vermonters safe as we address this crisis benefits us all.

There is a clear choice before the governor and the Legislature. We can invest in solutions that shelter our most vulnerable population and benefit all Vermonters, just as we all benefited from the GA Emergency Housing Program during the pandemic.

We can also invest in more permanent affordable and transition housing to further reduce the long-term costs. As citizens of this great state, now is the time to chime in and let your legislators and the governor know where your priorities lie. I believe it is both morally right and the most fiscally responsible decision to keep people housed while providing better services for kids and those who need support to get back on their feet.

encing homelessness. So, I would anticipate that Burlington will be disproportionately impacted by folks leaving hotels.”

How the state will respond to the crisis remains to be seen. With federal COVID-19 funds drying up, the state has declined to continue the program and has begun winding down its motel program.

pitcher had a no-hitter through five innings and allowed just one hit in the complete game performance.

“We know Steven is going to battle and he is such a competitor,” Elderton said. “That focus he has on the mound, it really shows the rest of the team. Our defense on Saturday was making all the plays

for him because he didn’t strike out many guys, but the defense had his back.”

Stroh was 2-for-3 with four RBIs for the Redhawks. Robbie Fragola added a hit and two runs. Zach Santos, Calvin Steele, Kyle Tivnan and Lewis Kerest all had hits for CVU.

“If somebody’s been housed out of the county because there are no more hotel rooms in Chittenden County and in Burlington, they may seek to return to their home community,” Hahn said. “It’s also fair to say that Burlington has the most robust services available for folks who are experi-

Anne Sosin, a policy fellow at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College who focuses on homelessness, said the Point in Time Count “just adds another data point to what we already know, which is that the crisis of homelessness is outrunning the state’s response.”

“I have yet to see a viable statewide plan emerge. We’re past due for that,” Sosin said. “What we’re seeing is a patchwork response to a statewide problem.”

PHOTO BY AL FREY

CVU’s Tess Everett gets a ground ball during the Redhawks’ D-1 Championship overtime loss to the Burr and Burton Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon at UVM’s Virtue Field.

Red pine monocultures illustrate old-fashioned forestry

Into the Woods

Ethan Tapper

While some people call all evergreen trees pines, pines are actually a distinct group of closely related trees in the pinus genus. While Vermont is home to four species of native pines, the two most common are Eastern white pine (Pinus sylvestris), and red pine (Pinus resinosa). Of these two species, white pine is by far the most common, the most charismatic, the most valuable, the most celebrated.

Red pine is a more idiosyncratic tree, the under-appreciated younger sibling of the pine world.

To me, the foliage of white pines looks soft and cloud-like, comprised of thin, delicate needles in clusters (fascicles) of five. While healthy white pines usually have straight, columnar trunks, many have multiple stems because of damage from the white pine weevil — a native insect that attacks white pine trees growing in the open.

By comparison, red pines look like bottlebrushes, with a single, arrow-straight trunk topped with a tuft of coarse-looking foliage — relatively thick, brittle needles in fascicles of two. Red pine bark is distinctive: an extremely flaky mosaic of pink, red and grey that looks a bit like broken slate.

Like white pines, most of Vermont’s red pines are legacies of historic land use. Whereas most white pines trees are volunteers growing on abandoned agricultural land, nearly all our red pines are planted stands (plantations). Along with white pine, non-native Scotch pine and Norway spruce, red pine was widely planted in the early1900s, with many plantations established by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 1940s.

More red pine was planted in the mid-1900s as white pine blister rust swept across North America and red pine was lauded as a resistant alternative to white pine. As late as the 1960s and 1970s, farmers in Vermont were reportedly incentivized to convert old fields into red pine plantations.

In the early-1900s, plantations were

considered the height of responsible forestry, a way to grow timber quickly and efficiently while stabilizing soils and protecting water supplies. Today, for a variety of reasons, healthy red pine plantations are the exception, not the rule, and plantation forestry is largely seen as an antiquated and ineffective method of growing trees and forests in Vermont.

At a time when the future of forests depends on bolstering resilience and reducing vulnerability, plantations are nearly the opposite of the forests that we need: monocultures that are extremely vulnerable to pests, pathogens, catastrophic natural disturbances and the many effects of climate change and global change. In many cases, the most responsible action with respect to wildlife habitat, biodiversity protection, carbon and climate resilience is to use forest management to transition red pine plantations into diverse, multi-aged forests.

In Vermont, unplanted red pine is somewhat uncommon. It can be found scattered across south-facing slopes and dry sites, often growing with red oak, red maple, red spruce, white pine and beech. Red pine is a component of several uncommon natural communities, such as red pine forest, usually found on thin-soiled ridgetops, like at the top of the Preston Pond Conservation Area’s Libby’s Look Trail and at the Andrews Community Forest; dry oak forest; and pine-oak-heath sandplain forest such as at Sunny Hollow Natural Area in Colchester. While red pine provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, my favorite example is the way that it is used by black bears, which rub on red pines, claw them and bite them, using them as territorial markers. The next time you see an individual red pine tree in the woods, look for bitemarks and clawmarks. In my experience, you will nearly always find them.

Red pine, like most pine species, is fire-adapted — considered an indicator of forests that may have historically burned. Fire creates two conditions that benefit red pine: soil scarification (the removal of the leaf litter, exposing the mineral soil beneath) and large canopy openings (red pine is intol-

erant of shade).

While fire is uncommon on our landscape today, we can create these conditions by managing some forests in the summertime, when dragging trees and the tires of logging equipment can create scarification, and by making some larger openings of greater than one acre. Doing these things will encourage

red pine as well as a whole suite of trees, shrubs and plants that are adapted to these same conditions.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Find out more at linktr.ee/chittendencountyforester.

PHOTO BY ETHAN TAPPER

A diverse forest is a healthy forest, because monocultures are vulnerable to pests and pathogens, like the one on this tree shown here.

Martha Jackson Matthews

On May 30, 2023, Martha Jackson Matthews, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend, died at the age of 74 at her home in Randolph Center, Vermont. She was born Oct. 17, 1948, in Baltimore.

She will be remembered for the easy kindness and genuine care she expressed for everyone who passed through her life, from her longest, dearest friends to the people she met waiting in line at the airport or sitting beside her at an appointment.

Martha saw the best in people and was always intrigued by the reasons people behave the way that they do. A wonderful listener who was even better at asking questions, Martha was able to

make deep connections with people very quickly and made lasting friendships throughout her life with people of all ages and walks of life.

She was also an experienced counselor, and poured her energy and determination into helping people with their deepest struggles, believing in them even when they may not have believed in themselves.

But, more than anything, Martha was an artist, potter and teacher. Her pottery was strong and bold and delicate and unassuming. It changed as she changed and allowed her to express her feelings about the world and the people she shared it with.

She made pots that were meant to be used in the beautiful, everyday moments of life: sharing a meal with loved ones, taking a cold drink of water after a long day in the sun, and showing the flowers that a friend sent just because they were thinking of you.

Martha also took great joy in sharing her gifts with others to help them find their own voices and learn techniques she had spent countless hours methodically practicing. Whether it was at the UVM ceramics studio or her children’s elementary school classes, Martha knew just what to say and how to say it to help

Obituary

people improve and find enjoyment in the process.

Martha’s other great love in life was traveling with her family. Together, they took annual trips to spend the week of the Kentucky Derby with close friends there and spent many beautiful summer days in Deer Isle, Maine, where they would stay in rustic cabins overlooking the ocean, enjoying each other’s company, and canoeing to nearby islands. She also loved camping, visiting friends and family who had moved around the country, and just exploring the world she found so fascinating, including trips later in life to Hawaii, the Philippines and Portugal.

Martha is survived by her husband of 50 years, Allen; children, Adam (Ania) and Alissa (Chris Hunt); granddaughter, Emma; her siblings, Bud, Bob and David Jackson; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, extended family, and friends.

Martha was the daughter of the late Dorothy Jackson and was pre-deceased by her sister-inlaw Liz Jackson and many dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, it was Martha’s wish that donations be made to support the community studio space in Randolph, so it can be used by new potters of

all ages, those unable to afford a place to practice their art, and to host an ongoing Empty Bowls series of events to raise funds for local food pantries. Donations can be made at everloved.com/life-of/ martha-matthews/donate.

A picnic style celebration of Martha’s life will be held at Shelburne Vineyards on July 15, 2023, from 10 a.m.-noon. The family will also be planting a tree and

designing a garden in Martha’s memory and would like to invite anyone interested to bring perennials, sculptures, or other contributions to the memorial if they wish. The family also plans to host a private memorial service near the Matthews Family Farm in Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 9, 2023. More details to come.

Information Technology Director

JOB SUMMARY

The City of South Burlington is looking for an innovative, strategic and dynamic proven leader to be our next IT Director: oversee and lead all aspects of Information Technology for the City; design and develop IT strategies and infrastructure, hardware and software, network operations and security, server maintenance and connectivity, help desk and customer service operations and project management. Administrative functions include budget and resource management. As a Department Head, this position is a member of the City Manager’s Leadership Team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or a related field, plus a minimum of five years’ experience in information technology leadership and administration, equivalency considered. Learn more about the position and see a detailed job description by visiting: southburlingtonvt.gov/jobopportunities

APPLY NOW

Review of applications will begin July 5, 2023. To apply, please email an South Burlington City employment application form, cover letter, resume and three references to sbcityjobs@southburlingtonvt.gov with “IT Director” in the subject line.

To advertise in the service directory email: Advertising@thecitizenvt.com or call 985-3091 Bob

Martha Jackson Matthews

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

service directory

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

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

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

To advertise in the service directory email: Advertising@thecitizenvt.com or call 985-3091

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their nor mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food ven dors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

face burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Aries, despite your best efforts, you cannot seem to get much work done this week. Your head is in the clouds with matters of the heart. Soon enough your focus will return.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

This week you may tire from charging into battle and prefer others to do the ghting for you, mighty Taurus. You can use a rest from always putting yourself out there.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Adopt a more serious tone this week, Gemini. Your actions may be judged without your knowledge, so lay low. Put the most professional foot forward.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

People may respond much better to comforting words and gestures this week, Cancer. Carefully construct your approach to communicating to reach the widest audience.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

You may soon discover that a person who you consider a friend really is your perfect match, Leo. When you look at this person, the realization may suddenly dawn on you.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, others around you are especially sensitive this week, so even the slightest criticism could be mistaken for an insult. Rather than ruf e feathers, hold your tongue.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

These next few days you could present an opportunity to break free from everyday life and the mundane, Libra. If you don’t know how to proceed, follow your gut.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

You don’t always need to be in pursuit of some sort of intellectual betterment, Scorpio. Get outside and take a walk or swim in a lake. Engage in trivial things that bring you joy.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Sagittarius, you are capable of producing impressive results if you set your mind on a plan. This is the week to dabble in a new hobby that will bring forth your creativity.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Some debates may not come to a swift resolution, Capricorn. You may need to accept that you simply disagree with someone on a particular topic and let things lie.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18 Aquarius, you may have been a little worried about your work or studies lately. This week things will lighten up and you’ll feel much more in control of your situation.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

This is likely to be a busy week lled with the potential for travel. Bring along a close friend or a loved one for the adventure.

CLUES ACROSS

1. In a place to sleep

5. Chemical compound (abbr.)

8. A way to sh

11. Classic Linklater lm “__ and Confused”

13. Legume

14. Indonesian island

15. Smooth, creamy substance

16. Arctic

17. Wood sorrels

18. De ed

20. Cattle

21. Tableland

22. Honorably retired and retaining one’s title

25. Repossession

30. Danced

31. Adult males

32. A type of section 33. Type of Japanese animation

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

56. Lique ed natural gas

57. Af icted

59. Electronic countercountermeasures

60. Popular HBO fantasy series (abbr.)

61. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation

62. Large body of water

63. __kosh, near Lake Winnebago

64. Impudence

CLUES DOWN

1. Payroll rm

2. Unit of transmission

3. Rockers Better Than __

4. Bambi is one

5. Highest parts of something

6. Correct behavior

7. Batty

8. Cyprinid shes

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!

38. Satisfaction 41. Fit 43. “Ain’t No Sunshine” singer 45. Failure 47. Israeli city 49. French river 50. Cavalry-sword 55. Nocturnal S. American rodent

9. Expression of sorrow or pity

10. Site of the famous Leaning Tower

12. American rocker Snider

14. W. African language

19. Symbol to mark for removal

23. __ Squad

24. Resident

25. Federal savings bank

ANSWERS

26. Paddle

27. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

28. One point south of due east

29. Winter melon

34. Last or greatest in an inde nitely large series 35. Anger

36. Central European river

37. First responders

39. Spanish noble 40. Persons with absence of skin pigment

41. Defunct airline 42. Small island (British) 44. The extent of something from beginning to end 45. Capital of Bangladesh 46. Dutch cheese 47. Imitates 48. A contest of speed 51. Swiss river 52. Prejudice 53. Actor Idris

We understand the love you have for your pets and the importance they hold in your life. Our compassionate staff is devoted to easing the difficulties at this challenging time.

KROHN continued from page 1

town administrator, or switch to a town manager. However, the questions, issues and concerns may be more subtle than that, and may warrant a more thorough but timely analysis of the underlying reasons that these questions are now asked.”

Krohn will be paid a flat fee of $2,500 with payment due within 30 days of the final presentation.

The ad hoc group of residents who began circulating the petition for the switch in March have more than enough signatures to force a town-wide vote, but have chosen instead to work in conjunction with the selectboard, and have held off submitting the petition to the town clerk.

However, when the group hinted on Monday night that the petition might drop sooner rather than later, selectboard members unanimously expressed their disapproval of the group moving forward without selectboard approval.

“Wouldn’t it be better if the petition wasn’t released and the selectboard called for a special meeting?” board member Lewis Mudge asked. “I think we can all agree that’s the most advantageous outcome. I think some of the issue is that there’s this sort of gun-to-the-head type of interpretation of a petition.”

But petitioners fear that if not submitted soon, their petition could be dead.

“I think the timing is right to release the petition now,” said group member Lane Morrison. “You could actually conduct a town meeting at the end of July. So here you’d have Lee’s work done in a week or two before that. And then the vote at the end of July if you’re going to do that. It’s TA or TM. End of the story. We’re all in sync.”

But selectboard chair Jim Fualkner protested, saying, “I thought we had a plan where we were going to get Lee involved and give us the pros and cons, have that done by the of July, then we’re going to inform the public about that. Now you’re

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regulations.

The facility would meet those limits, as well as meet the future needs of the town as it expands its housing stock in its village growth area.

But last month, the town received three bids for over $15 million — “way above what was estimated,” town manager Todd Odit said at the time. With other costs like construction contracts and construction contingencies, as well as engineering and permitting costs included, the total price tag would have been $21.5 million, project engineers said.

“We can’t go forward with a project if it’s going to require more borrowing than what the voters had approved,” Odit said.

Alternatives or cost-cutting measures have yet to be discussed. The state permit requires a drop-dead date for the town to have the facility operational by Oct. 31, 2026, said Wayne Elliot of Aldrich & Elliot.

The hope, he said, is to put something back out to bid later this year, approve it, and start excavation in the spring.

“All parties continue to explore additional funding sources to reduce the overall costs to the town,” Elliot said. “Alternatives for

not going to inform the public?” he questioned. “That is not what we’ve been talking about. This is like right in the back door at the last minute. We have something that’s going to work, but what you’re suggesting is ‘never mind.’”

Board member Kelly Devine echoed that part of the reason the selectboard came to the point of hiring Krohn was because members felt they needed much more information regarding the potential transition.

“As I’ve said, you’re free to move forward with the petition,” she said. “I definitely won’t be supporting it.”

Town clerk Mary Mead said the suggestions by the group were “a little nasty.”

“You said one thing but you actually meant another and you’re putting the selectboard in a very uncomfortable position,” she said. “They thought that they were working with everyone to come to a decision, but, you’re doing exactly what you planned to do from the beginning and it’s not right. It’s nasty.”

Morrison said the group does want to work together with town officials, but he wants a fair chance for the several hundred people who did sign the petition.

“I have to say, we didn’t just have a clipboard on the table,” he explained. “We sat with all these people and had half-hour discussions on this. You’ve already put five to six hours in selectboard meetings on this. We’ve already delayed it 60 days. This came up March 12. This is the 90th day from when this came up.”

Morrison and other members Peter Joslin and Charlie Russell agreed they would not yet release the petition but would bring it back up in August after the selectboard has fully digested Krohn’s report.

Job postings for the town administrator position — with a disclosure about the potential to move to a town manager government — will begin being advertised this month and remain open until July 14.

reducing the costs are being evaluated over the next few weeks and will be presented to the selectboard so they can make a decision on how to move the project forward.”

Voters in 2020 approved a borrowing capacity of $11.7 million for the new facility on Lagoon Road. Approximately $2.5 million of that has been spent on cleanup and removal of sludge at the site. The town has also received more than $12 million in federal and state grants, project engineers said.

The remaining debt is being financed over a 30-year period. The town will pay $33,333 for the first phase of the loan installments and will then have to pay annual loan payments of $182,033 once the construction of the plant is complete.

Residents are already beginning to see rate increases because of the debt payments for the project.

The town last year approved a 3.7 percent increase in the water and wastewater budget that included annual increases to customers’ wastewater rates of anywhere from $120 to $145 per year, and those are expected to continue increasing over the next several years.

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