Hinesburg sings
Tree traditions
Artist series offers holiday classics, guest cellist
For 50-years, Scouts keep locals in the spirit
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November 30, 2023
Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
Charlotte weighs health care cuts LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
A working group charged with finding a $20,000 cut in employee compensation has recommended that the town of Charlotte not change staff’s health packages, but that doesn’t technically mean employees won’t still see a cut in benefits. Following the rejection of its budget March, the selectboard committed to cutting nearly $20,000 in health benefits in addition to nixing the 2- to 3-percent annual employee salary increase outlined in the town’s salary administration policy. But with no path forward, the board charged a seven-person working group to assess cost savings and report back by December.
thecitizenvt.com
Changing of the guard
See HEALTH BENEFITS on page 13
Ongoing research at Shelburne Farms For researchers, foresters and other experts in the field, the truth is simple: the rate of climate change is accelerating, and trees simply can’t keep up. Assuming, of course, that trees don’t make their way to the dealership to buy an electric vehicle to speed up the commute, which leaves scientists to explore a wide range of options to protect them from the inevitable effects of an earth that’s heating up. These ecological management strategies have been the basis for much of Anthony D’Amato’s
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In a memo read before the selectboard on Nov. 11, the group found that Charlotte had already saved $22,132 in fiscal year 2024 without needing to take any action due to employees who changed their health plans voluntarily. “For example, one employee shifting from a family to a single plan reduces costs by over $15,000 a year,” according to the memo. The working group also recommended no immediate change to the town’s Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) that currently reimburses employees up to 90 percent for out-of-pocket expenses. They found that since this policy’s inception, annual costs have averaged just about $50,000. Although this seemed like good
Scientists, researchers offer trees a new path LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
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research as the director of the forestry program and research forests at the University of Vermont. One approach he, other researchers at UVM and ecologists across the globe have been exploring is assisted forest migration — human-assisted movement of a tree species, either within its current range into places where it is expected to do well in the future, or in some cases, movement beyond the current range into places that are expected to change climatically and make it more favorable location in coming years and decades. See D’AMATO on page 13
PHOTOS BY LEE KROHN
Charlotte gathered Tuesday to honor outgoing town administrator Dean Bloch and welcome Nate Bareham, who takes over the reins next week. Bloch has served the town for over 20 years in various roles.