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Generational
School district rethinks flag, policy
Dixon family creates legacy at Shelburne Farms
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December 7, 2023
School district projects 10 percent increase
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COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
The Champlain Valley School District’s spending for fiscal year 2025 will increase by nearly 10 percent, according to preliminary budget projections for the 2024-25 school year. The 9.9 percent increase brings the district’s projected expenditures to just over $105 million. The spending increase, district officials say, is driven primarily by contractually negotiated increases and a nearly 20 percent increase in health insurance. Gary Marckres, the district’s chief operations officer, said that an increase to health insurance came in at 16.4 percent. Officials originally estimated those costs would increase by 10 percent. The district’s fiscal year 2024 budget, which totaled just over $96 million, was at the time a 7.5 percent increase in expenditures from the previous fiscal year, driven by similar factors like salary increase obligations and health insurance costs. “Every year I’m struck by how little actual wiggle room there is in our budget,” school board chair Angela Arsenault said. “These are contractual obligations that are really driving the increase.” While the district’s budget is months away from being finalized — the district still needs revenue projections and its final weighted student count from the state — officials are feeling pressure to tighten spending with the impending effects of Act 127, a new education formula signed See BUDGET on page 11
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Charlotte road commissioner Junior Lewis stands in front of the town’s new plow truck at a ribbon cutting at the new, energy efficient highway garage. See more photos, page 10.
Hinesburg students find gun, drugs Brooklyn man arrested; police, school offer conflicting timelines COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg Community School students found a gun and bags of drugs outside of the school on Friday following a motor vehicle crash and a police chase the night before, according to police. At around 10 a.m. on Friday, a student outside of the school at recess discovered a handgun near the school’s playground and
brought it to a teacher, school officials said. Hinesburg Community School employees brought students inside and called police. Police canvassed the area and school officials turned over a .22 caliber Phoenix Arms handgun. “School counselors and Howard (Center) clinicians will be available to provide support,” Hinesburg Community School co-principals Suzan Locke and Tim
Trevithick said in a letter sent to families on Sunday. “As with any incident in our district, we will do a formal review of our practices, policies, and expectations.” They said in their letter that school employees “notified the family” of the student who found the weapon “and supported the student and family.” See GUN on page 11
Page 2 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
Champlain school district questions BLM flag COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
School board members with the Champlain Valley School District are questioning whether to keep a Black Lives Matter flag raised at its schools and instead raise an “original CVSD inclu-
sive flag.” Since the summer of 2020 — in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis — each of the district’s schools in Williston, Hinesburg, Charlotte and Shelburne have kept a Black Lives Matter flag raised to show “support and love for our Black
students and caregivers and employees,” board chair Angela Arsenault, of Williston, said. The district at the time received a signed letter from dozens of employees in the district asking the board to raise the flag at all schools. When the board voted to raise
Charlotte officials make no health care cuts this year LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
At a special meeting last week, the selectboard decided not to make any cuts to employee health care next year after promising taxpayers they’d cut $20,000 in employee benefits after voters shot down the town’s budget at last year’s annual meeting. The board charged a seven-person working group to look at options and report back to the selectboard by December. The group found that Charlotte had already saved $22,132 in fiscal year 2024 because some employees voluntarily changed their health plans. Last week, selectboard chair Jim Faulkner said since then the town has added a new employee and now employee benefits had increased. The total now for health care for fiscal year 2024 will go up to $249,797 compared to $225,721 last year. “We didn’t get the 20,000,” Faulkner said. “I lay it on the selectboard, I really do. We had a committee that gave this a shot, and I don’t think they were focused on the fact that we had to lose the $20,000 on a structural issue. That didn’t happen and
we relied on an insurance change. At a selectboard meeting earliWell meanwhile back at the ranch, er this month former town adminwhat happened is we brought istrator Dean Bloch made two another person on the health care initial recommendations to the and that brought it up.” selectboard on changes that are Kelly Devine, the selectboard possible within the town’s current liaison on the working group, salary administration policy. said that it was difficult to find a The first would cover employmiddle ground among committee ees’ health insurance premiums members, who all at 100 percent had strong opinbut only pay 50 “If we vote one way ions on the issue. percent family “If we vote members while the employees are one way the making no employees are change to the going to be happy. If going to be HRA. The town happy. If we vote we vote another way currently covers another way the 90 percent of the taxpayers will be the premium taxpayers will be happy,” she costs, and 90 happy.” said. “The hope percent of the of the working deductible costs group was that — Kelly Devine for employees we could find and their spoussome compromise, but I found es and families. that same dynamic playing out in The second would reduce the that group.” town’s funding of the HRA from With a December deadline 90 percent of the out-of-pocklooming for employees to claim et maximum to 80 percent. The health benefits for the new year, move would lower the town’s the selectboard decided to make liability from $101,520 to no changes to health care bene- $90,240, according to the memo. fit premiums for employees next Devine said out-of-pocket year. But employees should expenses are now covered until expect a substantial cut — possibly up to $40,000 — to benefits in See HEALTH CARE on page 11 calendar year 2025.
BLM flags, “we knew that we were lifting up support for one specific marginalized community with very good reason,” Arsensault said. “Has much changed as a result of that racial reckoning? I would argue not really,” she said. “So, the circumstances under which the flags were raised remain. We want to continue to show support and love for our Black students and caregivers and employees.” Since the flag’s raising, however, the district “knew that we did not know how or when or why we would ever then take those flags down,” Arsenault said. “I think this is one idea ... that we might pursue in order to lift up that same community as well as others at the same time.” But, she added, it is “something that that needs to be addressed with great care, and through an inclusive process.” While Arsenault noted the suggestion was raised earlier this year in smaller committee conversations, recent public comment at recent board meetings has spurred the question. Shelburne resident Nicole Koopman, speaking at an October meeting, questioned how chapters of the Black Lives Matter groups have responded to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. Koopman and others “questioned whether we should endorse a group that might be seen as offending and suppressing another minority within our community,” they said at recent meetings. Since the Oct. 7 attacks and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip, some Black Lives Matter chapters have expressed support for both Hamas and civilians under bombardment in the area. “It stemmed from recent geopolitical activities that have been going out and surround-
ing Black Lives Matter,” Koopman added. “That’s what kind of stemmed and started it.” The board, after voting to raise the flag in 2020, later enacted a flag policy allowing students or employees to request flags be displayed at school. Most of the school board voted to have the administration come up with alternatives or recommendations on what flag, if any, should be flown at the schools. But board members said they wanted to make sure students’ voices were recognized in the process, so it’s likely to be the first of many discussions on the subject. “I think before we have the administration make a flag or decide what flag we’re going to fly, we need to have a sense of the climate and the tolerance from our students and staff and everybody,” board member Brendan McMahon of Williston said. “We need a recommendation from the administration of how to move forward.” Hinesburg board member Keith Roberts agreed, saying it was time “to revisit this decision” but noted that he would “like to hear input from our students and our communities.” Board member Barbra Marden of Shelburne — the board’s lone person of color — questioned whether it should be a priority, given the district’s budget work, but did say she felt the Black Lives Matter flag should come down. “I would ask that maybe they come down at this point,” she said of the flags. “I see where we could get concerns from the community, but it’s something that should be on the table for the board to consider for discussion.” “I am a person of color. I supported the flag going up, but I feel at this time, we need to take a pause,” she said. “That is my ask.”
The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 3
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
With recent snowfall, state wildlife officials say it’s time to feed the birds again.
Snow marks return to bird feeding “Winter bird feeding is a great way to observe and learn about our year-round bird residents such as black capped chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays. It’s also a great time to learn about winter visitors such as evening and pine grosbeaks,” Jillian Kilborn, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s bird project leader, said. Kilborn offers some basic bird feeding tips: • Make your own feeding mixture to maximize the number of species visiting your yard. Black oil sunflower seed is a favorite of many birds, but when mixed with thistle (nyjer) or cracked corn you will be sure to attract a wide variety of species. Don’t forget the suet to attract woodpeckers and even chickadees. • Mix up the type of feeders you use. Hopper feeders are great for large birds such as blue jays, while tube feeders are best for smaller birds. Elevated tray feeders will attract birds that usually feed on the ground including juncos and larger bodied winter visitors such as evening grosbeaks. • Place your feeders near natural habitat, or even add a habitat for birds to hide. A Christmas tree is a great addition to a snowbank next to your feeder to provide quick cover. • Keep your feeders clean. Only put out enough food for
a day, and wash feeders every couple of weeks in a 10 percent bleach solution and let dry to prevent the spread of bacteria and disease. If you decide to feed birds, remember: • Feeding can expose birds to hazards they might otherwise avoid. The risks of predation are higher close to people, especially from domestic cats — the leading cause of bird deaths in North America. Keep cats inside and take feeders down if predators become frequent visitors. • Don’t feed birds when bears are active. Most bears are in dens from Dec. 1 to April 1, but some will delay hibernation or re-emerge to feed during periods of warmer weather. Remove bird feeders immediately if you see signs of bears or know a bear is active in your community. Bears that learn to associate food with a house will continue to return, potentially leading to property damage and dangerous encounters with people. Further, it is illegal to feed bears in Vermont. • Once you’ve started feeding the birds, keep your feeders stocked. Although wild birds are not entirely dependent on bird feeders, they can become accustomed to this easy food source. If you wish to stop feeding during winter months, gradually taper off the amount of food you provide rather than stopping abruptly,
giving the birds a chance to find other food sources. This is especially important when food is scarce in late winter or during periods of extreme weather. • Finally, report your observations. While watching your bird feeders, you can participate in one or more bird monitoring projects by looking up the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, the Great Backyard Bird Count and Project Feeder Watch and eBird. All collect important information for understanding bird populations. As winter sets in, find a comfortable spot inside where you can watch the birds visiting your feeders. Figure out what birds they are, observe how they interact with each other and see what they prefer to eat. It’s a perfect way to get to know the birds around you better.
Correction
The menorah lighting on the Shelburne town green is at 5:30 p.m., not 5 p.m., on Monday, Dec. 11. The holiday bazaar at Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne will be held only on Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and not also on Sunday as reported last week.
Page 4 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
Hinesburg Police Blotter: Nov. 28- Dec. 4 Total incidents: 41 Arrests: 2 Traffic stops: 7 Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m., police helped a person with a lockout. Nov. 28 at 7 p.m., an officer served court paperwork to a citizen on Bear Lane. Nov. 29 at 7:10 a.m., officers responded to a single-car crash on Richmond Road. Jennifer Kohler-Long, 45 of Hinesburg, was arrested for driving under the influence. Nov. 30 at 8:53 a.m., police conducted a welfare check on Silver Street. Nov. 30 at 12:17 p.m., an officer responded to a single-car motor vehicle crash on Shelburne Falls Road. Nov. 30 at 10:48 p.m., officers responded to a two-car motor vehicle crash on Silver Street. Jermaine Rushing, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an
accident. (See related, page 1) Dec. 1 at 10:14 a.m., officers responded to the Hinesburg Community School for the report of suspicious property found on the premises. (See related, page 1) Dec. 1 at 2:26 p.m., suspicious activity on Commerce Street was investigated. Dec. 1 at 4:04 p.m., police investigated a report of fraud. Dec. 2 at 6:19 a.m., an officer investigated a single car motor vehicle crash on Route 116. Dec. 2 at 4:15 p.m., an officer investigated the report of loose dogs on Catchapaw Road. Dec. 4 at 8:31 a.m., an officer assisted someone with a lockout. Dec. 4 at 7:16 p.m., police investigated suspicious activity on Hillview Terrace. Dec. 4 at 7:48 p.m., officers investigated the report of larceny from a motor vehicle on Kailey’s Way.
Wishing All A Safe and Happy Holiday Season! OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, AND MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
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United Way, other nonprofits look to put volunteers to work OLIVIA WILSON COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
With the holiday season underway, many Vermonters are asking themselves what they can do to give back to their communities. Sonja Paulson with United Way Northwest Vermont is herding volunteers in the Chittenden, Grand Isle and Franklin counties. “Vermonters really care about each other — there is such a large sense of community, and everyone just wants to be a team and help each other,” Paulson said. She said she’s received an influx of inquiries asking about opportunities to give back. “Let’s find something that fits your needs as well as helps out whatever nonprofit you want to work with,” she said. Whether you’d prefer to sell raffle tickets, cook holiday dinners or bring kids some holiday cheer, there are opportunities everywhere, she said.
Santa might be a little busy this year — that’s why they need as many elves possible at the station when the Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation’s Polar Express arrives at the Wing building at the bottom of King Street. Volunteers can dress as elves and cheer the kids on as they ride by. Burlington Dismas House is a community made up of people transitioning from incarceration. The organization provides housing and a “family-like” structure, according to its website, and this season the team there is looking for volunteers to help cook Christmas dinners and join house residents for a meal. The relationships created during times like those are just as important as the donations, the group says. Feeding Chittenden, founded in 1974, fights against food insecurity in the county by supplying groceries to families in need. Located on North Winooski Avenue in Burlington, the nonprofit serves
Vermont State Police Blotter Nov. 30 at 10 p.m., Heather Abele, 54, of Charlotte was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, after she was stopped for speeding on Route 7 near Church Hill Road in Charlotte. State police do not provide
blood alcohol concentrations. Dec. 2 at 7:42 p.m., Tony Larock, 32, of South Burlington, was arrested on a warrant after police were called to the Hinesburg Jolly on Shelburne Farms Road in Hinesburg.
hot meals on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteering is sign-up only. If you don’t have the time this year, there are other ways to help. The United Way of Northwest Vermont, Common Good Vermont and other organizations lay out ways to give year-round. Anyone can donate money, food or other essentials to local charities and nonprofits around Vermont. According to Common Good Vermont, one in seven Vermont workers are employed by nonprofits, and nonprofits add “$334 million in federal tax revenues.” Paulson said United Way is committed to bringing local people together with businesses, policymakers and organizations to help meet community needs based on areas served. “There’s a lot more behind the scenes work that gets done,” said Paulson proudly, regarding nonprofits cultivating a space where community members’ voices mean more. When approaching the topic of volunteering, Paulson said it’s OK to think selfishly sometimes. “Volunteering can help your mental health and well-being,” said Paulson, “and just kind of help in feeling a better sense See UNITED WAY on page 7
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The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 5
OPINION
Missing in action: Scott administration on housing Guest Perspective Rep. Tiffany Bluemle In a recent op-ed, Scott administration officials pledged to lead on housing in the upcoming legislative session and characterized the Legislature as having “nibbled around the edges” of the issue and being fearful of new ideas. While House Democrats welcome this commitment to addressing Vermont’s housing needs, it is frankly overdue. As January is right around the corner, it is important to clarify what real leadership on housing looks like — and what it does not. In the late 1980s, during circumstances not unlike those today, when population growth and development were sending property values soaring past the means of average Vermonters, the Legislature instituted the property transfer tax, half of which was intended to support affordable housing and land conservation. By statute, housing built through the tax is to remain “permanently affordable” from one owner to the next to preserve the value of the state’s investment. Vermont’s vision and commitment to housing was bold and pioneering; indeed, it has influenced housing policy nationally and abroad ever since. The additional magic of the
property transfer tax, if fully initiatives at the expense of projrealized, is that every dollar ects that will produce perpetually appropriated from the transfer tax affordable housing for low-into housing has historically attract- come residents of our state. Each ed an additional $2 of outside year, the Legislature has found a investment, making it the best way to do both. and highest use Twice we of our tax dollars. have passed Every year since By not using this legislation to money for the create a rental he took office, purposes stated in registry to statute, we have develop an Scott’s budget short-changed accurate picture low-income of the scope of has recommended Vermonters who Vermont’s rental have desperately significant reductions housing stock. needed housing. The governor This was avoidto affordable housing vetoed the first able. bill and threatand conservation’s Yet, every ened to veto the year since he second unless share of the property the registry took office, Scott’s budget was stripped transfer tax. has recommendout. Finally, the ed significant administration reductions to affordable housing has repeatedly failed to develop and conservation’s share of the a long-term plan for Vermont’s property transfer tax — last year homeless citizens. From the outset by two-thirds. The Legislature of the pandemic the Legislature doesn’t fear bold policy. Indeed, it asked the administration to develhas embraced a full range of new op a plan for sheltering Vermonthousing initiatives in recent years ers housed in motels. Year after such as a program to rehabilitate year, we received no such plan. rentals that are offline or not up The Legislature called upon the to code, development subsidies governor to negotiate lower rates to create missing middle housing with motels to stretch out federal and grants for first-generation money; he said he could not. homebuyers. What the General Assembly has opposed is funding such See BLUEMLE on page 7
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GET INTO THE LITTLE CITY SPIRIT! Magic On Main Wednesday, Dec. 13 Can’t fit it all into the day? Make it a night out in Vergennes as the shops keep their lights on until 8:00 pm. Special activities, holiday cheer, make your list, check it twice and head straight to Vergennes! Wrap it up at Rockers! Make your downtown purchases and bring them to Rockers Pizzeria. We’ll wrap your gifts for FREE, courtesy of Vergennes Partnership.
Gift List Got You Puzzled? A 500-piece Little City puzzle will please any lover of Vergennes! Replicated from the mural inside One Credit Union, Erin Daigle’s artwork depicts a bird’s eye view of Green Street and a bit beyond. Available for sale at One Credit Union (48 Green Street), at just $25, proceeds benefit Vergennes Partnership.
Still Undecided? Go Green! Vergennes Green Gift Certificates are available in various denominations at One Credit Union — this just might be your one-size-fits-all solution. Accepted at over 50 businesses — from shops to services and dining — up, down and all around Main Street, Vergennes. Keep it local this holiday season with the gift of Vergennes Green. Info: www.VergennesDowntown.org.
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Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman reads from “And Tango Makes Three” at Northshire Bookstore in Norwich.
A vocal few responsible for national book bans Guest Perspective David Zuckerman In high school, I recall reading a profoundly moving book about a formerly enslaved family who is haunted by what they believe to be the ghost of their dead child. It was a Pulitzer Prize-winning book that engaged in many difficult topics — slavery and race relations, sexual assault, violence — but for me, it put into perspective the brutal realities of the lives that enslaved and emancipated people lived. This book, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, has also been the subject of dozens of challenges and bans around the country. Over the past few years in the U.S., we’ve seen a massive proliferation in the number of challenges and bans on books. According to data from the American Library Association, a record 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship in 2022, a 38 percent increase from the previous year, and 2023 is already on track to beat that record. These bans and challenges overwhelmingly target books about race and racism, books that have LGBTQ characters, books about difficult topics such as grief and death, books that contain any violent or sexual themes and books by people of color and LGBTQ authors. Last winter, I spoke with a friend about how disturbing it was to watch this rise in censorship and book bans around the country. Controlling what people can and cannot read or learn about by removing their access to certain materials is contrary to these beliefs. What’s even
more disturbing to me is that this national trend seems to be the result of a relatively small group of people, with an agenda, who do not represent the opinion of the majority of Americans or Vermonters. In the 2021-2022 school year, just 11 adults were responsible for approximately 60 percent of all challenges nationwide. Meanwhile, a large majority of voters oppose efforts to have books removed from their public schools and libraries. Because of this, I decided to host the Banned Books are Books Worth Reading tour this summer and fall. Over the past few months, I have been to over a dozen communities and spoken with hundreds of Vermonters about their thoughts on book bans. Many impassioned people came to share their support for free speech and to tell stories about the important things they learned from challenged and banned books. Of course, not everyone who has come to these events has been on the same page. I welcomed people with differing views in civil discussion. Of course, we are not a free society if people are not allowed to have differing opinions. I would like to express appreciation that we were able to have public conversations regarding difficult topics without the yelling and intimidation — from any side — that we have sometimes seen in other settings across the country. However, it was clear that a vast majority of Vermonters agree that we should continue to allow public libraries and schools, with their trained profes-
See ZUCKERMAN on page 7
The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 7
BLUEMLE
ZUCKERMAN
continued from page 5 Last January, the governor presented a budget that made no provision for sheltering Vermonters without housing beyond March 2023; extending vouchers beyond that deadline necessitated legislative action. The Legislature’s approach to housing is anything but hesitant. The final fiscal year 2024 budget authorized an historic investment of $159 million in housing-related initiatives. We passed a series of permitting and zoning reforms that raise the threshold to trigger an Act 250 review in designated areas and require towns to allow duplexes to be built in areas zoned for single family homes. In anticipation of the coming session, committees have teed up bills to help keep people in their homes by offering assistance in paying off rental arrears, boosting rental subsidies and reducing the number and impact of evictions through an out-of-court diversion pilot modeled on successful programs in other states. Since 2019, with the help of federal COVID-19-relief funding, the Legislature has invested nearly $1 billion to build, house and expand supportive services to Vermonters in all 14 counties, including over $170 million in direct payments to property
continued from page 6 owners and landlords to maintain tenancies. In many cases, we’ve worked together with the Scott administration to advance these policies. Other times, we’ve had to overcome the governor’s opposition — including his June 2023 veto of the state budget, which included critical, time-sensitive funding for this work. Like many states across the country, Vermont is facing a housing crisis that’s been decades in the making. There’s no simple solution: addressing it will require innovative programs and policies, hard conversations about land use and NIMBYism, and a sustained, substantial investment. House Democrats have been — and remain — fully committed to this work. This January, we look forward to working with the administration to invest the time and resources needed to deliver the housing and supportive services that Vermonters deserve. Rep. Tiffany Bluemle focuses on housing funding and policy as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. Prior to being elected to the House, she served as director of Change the Story VT and as executive director of Vermont Works for Women.
UNITED WAY
continued from page 4 of community.” Not only can it help reduce stress, but volunteering can also create a sense of meaning that people might need around the holiday season. Paulson, an Iowa native, is new to the Vermont scene but said she can already sense
things are done a little differently in the Green Mountains. Olivia Wilson is a reporter with the Community News Service, a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
sionals, to maintain their collections free from governmental restrictions. It was also clear that parents should, and do, have the right to ask for different books for their children if they wish. Thankfully, while this trend of a few parents censoring what other families have access to in public schools and libraries has taken off around the country, we haven’t yet seen it succeed in Vermont. Although public schools and libraries in our state have not seen well organized efforts to ban books, I have heard from dozens of librarians,
teachers and bookstore workers that there has been increasing pressure from some groups and individuals to restrict access to, or remove, certain books from their shelves. In pockets of Vermont, we’ve also seen some school board candidates run on platforms that include censorship of certain books and materials from classrooms and school libraries. We are not immune from these national trends that are developing due to misinformation that is repeated on some news sources. It’s been extraordinary to
see Vermonters’ passion for free speech, and against the path towards authoritarianism, these past few months. If you agree that access to history and diversity in our libraries and schools is important, I hope that you will go out and support your local bookstores and libraries and consider serving on local boards. If you have any questions or would like any more information on banned books, you can always feel free to contact my office. David Zuckerman is lieutenant governor of Vermont.
Winter Safety Tips How to Detect a Gas Leak Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. VGS adds an odorant similar to the smell of rotten eggs, so it can be easily recognized. Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying. Sound: You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.
Protect Meters and Vents from Ice and Snow Don’t push or pile deep snow around meters and ensure whoever removes snow from your property knows meter and appliance vent locations. Use extreme caution when clearing snow and large icicles near meters and vents. If your meter gets encased in thick ice, please call us.
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Have a happy and safe holiday season!
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Page 8 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
COMMUNITY Community Notes
Keeping us fed
Guest tenor joins Hinesburg Artist Series Tenor Alex Schneider will now perform at the Hinesburg Artist Series’ annual holiday concert Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 and 4:30 p.m., St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Schneider trained in Vienna, Austria, and now studies voice with Metropolitan Opera baritone Kim Josephson at the Frost School of Music, where he has performed in works by such composers as Mozart, Puccini and Lehár. His upcoming performances include Kaplan in Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene.” He will be singing with his cousin Amy Patrick, at the concert, which also features guest cellist Jiwon Lee. Free, but donations are welcome, and attendees are encouraged to bring something for the food shelf. More at hinesburgartistseries.org.
Central School market features 60-plus vendors Buy local and come to the Charlotte Central School holiday market on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 408 Hinesburg Road in Charlotte. There will be more than 60 vendors, kid crafts, a silent auction and delicious food. Proceeds help support the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization programs like teacher grants and an emergency fund for school families.
Solaris Ensemble rejoices with holiday favorites Solaris Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Dawn Willis, presents “Rejoice!”, a holiday concert featuring choral classics, including Herbert Howells’ Magnificat for
Alex Schneider
mixed voices and organ, Francis Poulenc’s timeless “O Magnum Mysterium,” along with a variety of festive holiday favorites. Evolution Brass Quintet joins the ensemble as guest artists. Concerts will be held Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m., College Street Congregational Church, 265 College St., Burlington; and Sunday, Dec. 17, 3-5 p.m., at Waterbury Congregational Church, 8 North Main St. Tickets are $20. More at solarisensemble.org.
Learn about restoration of East Monitor Barn The Chittenden County Historical Society presents “Working & Learning with the Land: Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and the East Monitor Barn” on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 p.m. in the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, 235 College St., Burlington. Join Breck Knauft, executive director of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, and Eliot Lothrop, principal at Building Heritage for a talk on the history of this organization, as well as an in depth look at the restoration
COURTESY PHOTO
Feeding Chittenden, which provides local families and individuals facing hunger with groceries and nutritious meals, recently received a $1,000 donation from SeaComm. From left, the credit union’s assistant vice president of retail operations and regional manager Yvonne Alterie and Feeding Chittenden associate director Anna McMahon.
of the East Monitor Barn. Since its founding in 1985, Corps has enrolled over 6,500 youth and young adults in paid service experiences that focus on outdoor projects that benefit all Vermonters. They’ll also give us an inside look at the current restoration of the East Monitor Barn in Richmond. Earlier this year, Building Heritage, in partnership with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, began restoration of this historic structure that was built in 1901. Lothrop and Knauft will offer a slide show of Corps over the years, as well as restoration progress.
The talk is free, and refreshments will be served. More at cchsvt.org.
‘A Christmas Chaos’ spoofs Dicken’s classic Essex Community Players presents “A Christmas Chaos” Friday to Sunday, Dec. 8-10, Memorial Hall, Essex. The comedy is a takeoff on “A Christmas Carol,” and the cast of 16 includes local performers from seven Chittenden County towns. A world-renowned traveling
theater company hasn’t arrived as promised to perform its stirring rendition of “A Christmas Carol,” so an intrepid band of hapless actors and technicians must put together their own production in only seven hours. The play focuses on these poor but dedicated thespians doing their best while chaos is all around them. This fast-paced, backstage comedy pokes fun at the classic novel and everything that can go wrong with a theatrical production. See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9
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The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 9
COMMUNITY NOTES continued from page 8
Local cast members include Ben Certa, Lori Valburn, Valerie Logrippo, all of South Burlington. More at essexplayers.com.
Trinity Episcopal Church holiday bazaar returns After a long and arduous four years, Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne, 5171 Shelburne Road, will open its doors wide once again for its traditional holiday bazaar. Everyone is invited on Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and enjoy the colors and music of the holidays, food and handmade crafts. (Please note that the sale will NOT be held on Sunday as noted in the Shelburne News.)
Birds of Vermont Museum holds winter outing Birds of Vermont Museum offers its winter outing on Saturday, Dec. 9, 1:30 p.m., Sherman Hollow Road, Huntington, which features its collection of wood
bird carvings. This gathering will be primarily indoors, with the opportunity to do some birding in the immediate vicinity of the museum. Masks are required and social distancing is encouraged. A suggested $10 donation benefits Feeding Chittenden. Space is very limited. Sign up here: bit.ly/4a4OETx.
Cookie Walk returns to Hinesburg’s United Church No time to bake? The United Church in Hinesburg is here to help. On Sunday, Dec. 17, 1-3 p.m., in the parish hall, the cookie walk returns. There will be a large display of cookies from which to make your selections. The church provides a box, plastic glove, some mulled cider and you take a walk among the cookies and selected the ones you one. Cookies will be $10 per pound. There will also be a surprise table with some stocking stuffers for sale as well.
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Area in Lyman Meadows that may in the future support a gravel wetland to slow the water down, spread it out, and allow it to sink into the ground in November 2021.
Hinesburg’s Lyman Meadows sees water improvements KATE KELLY LEWIS CREEK ASSOCIATION
Lewis Creek Association and the Lyman Meadows Homeowners Association have partnered to plan for improvements in water quality. Runoff from this compact residential neighborhood and road network is currently collected in two ditches and takes an unnatural path to the LaPlatte River. The untreated stormwater from existing impervious surfaces of homes, roads and parking lots flows offsite to the river, which drains into Lake Champlain at Shelburne Bay. By capturing and treating the runoff onsite, it will reduce the volume and improve the quality of runoff reaching downstream waters. Lewis Creek Association hopes to help keep the river from becoming impaired due to phosphorus, which contributes to harmful algal blooms and fish die-offs in Lake Champlain. Learn more about the problem and what landowners can do to improve
water quality in a 17-minute presentation at the association’s website. These include things like slowing water down, spreading it out and sinking it into the ground. Jessica Louisos and Alex Marcucci of SLR designed two gravel wetlands for the area around Lyman Meadows — one in the central green and one in the western green. These gravel wetlands will collect runoff from the roads and roofs, then will clean it and allow it to filter through natural vegetation, slowing the velocity, and soaking it into the ground to improve water quality, habitat and flood resiliency. In addition, it will allow native wetland plants to grow. A meeting for residents was held Dec. 4, and as part of the grant-funded project, the association made two visits to the Hinesburg Community School to introduce students to the concepts of stormwater management, and to participate in a site visit to the Lyman Meadows area where they mapped stormwater flow paths and tested the soils.
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Page 10 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
PHOTOS BY LEE KROHN
Charlotte unveils new energy efficient town highway garage Clockwise from top: Selectboard chair James Faulkner addresses fellow residents and others in the new Charlotte town garage, which is fossil-fuel free and powered by solar and geothermal. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held Nov. 29. Charlotte road commissioner Junior Lewis drives the town’s new plow truck. Residents get an explanation of the geothermal heating system. Rebecca Foster of the Charlotte Energy Committee, with Faulkner, speaks about the building’s energy efficiency and how the town will derive cost savings for years thanks to solar panels that will offset the cost of electricity for most municipal buildings in town.
The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 11
BUDGET
continued from page 1 into law last year that adjusted the state’s education funding formula. The new law is expected to have a major impact on districts like Champlain Valley, as well as South Burlington and the Mount Mansfield Unified School District, among others. The legislation allows for a 5 percent cap in tax rate increases from fiscal years 2025 through 2029. Because of this, the Champlain Valley School District this year will require offsetting reductions for any new proposed expenses. The end of federal COVID-19 relief funds, meanwhile, means that the district will have to try and absorb some of the 15 positions “that the administration, principals and directors’ thought were critical to keep and make a recommendation of what we could retain as an addition to the general fund for the fiscal year 2025 budget,” Marckres said.
The district’s first pass at its budget does include some added expenses, including a new early education teaching position. District officials are also floating the creation of a new administrative position. The district’s director of digital learning and communication, held by Bonnie Birdsall, would be split into two separate roles. “We determined over the last several years that having a halftime communications coordinator and a half-time director of digital learning really were two jobs, not one job,” Marckres said. “It’s too much for one person, so we’re proposing to add a communications coordinator position.” To offset this and other new expenses, the district pointed to “tech department efficiencies,” a “summer school redesign,” the elimination of the district’s innovation fund, as well as savings from a change in benefits to
management contracts. But the offsets also include a reduction of four para education positions within the district, as well as a reduction of two kindergarten positions and three middle school teaching positions due to a lack of enrollment, Marckres said. One board member, Keith Roberts of Hinesburg, asked to see “a comparison of our administrative staff to the administrative staff of comparable districts,” before deciding on additions to the administrative staff. “One of the concerns that we had in connection with the consolidation of the district, when we heard from our constituents, was the ballooning of administration staff,” he said. “I just want to make sure that we’re still on the right page with the staffing that we have in central office versus student-facing teachers that it looks like you’re reducing.”
be a connection between the firearm and the crash. But Labonte reported that a school administrator wouldn’t let police search an outdoor classroom area because a class was in session, according to police Chief Anthony Cambridge. “Officer Labonte voiced concern that the kindergarten class was still outside after a loaded firearm was found,” the chief’s timeline reads. Cambridge said Labonte asked the school administrator, “Can we search where the kids are?” but “she didn’t want to disturb or scare the kindergarteners.” Police returned to the school later that morning after Trevithick, one of the co-principals at the school, said another student found several small baggies in the outdoor classroom area that hadn’t been searched, according to the police. “Chief Cambridge called Principal Trevithick and asked why the officers were originally unable to complete a search,” the
police timeline reads. “Trevithick stated that wasn’t exactly how it happened.” Cambridge told the principal to take the kids inside right away, and Trevithick agreed, the chief said. “That probably should have happened earlier,” Cambridge said. “When the officers came back from the search and they said that while they were searching there were kids outside, I was surprised at that.” After the children were taken inside, Trevithick met three officers outside of the school. Officers collected 35.3 grams of suspected crack cocaine in the outside classroom, Cambridge said. The investigation is ongoing, the chief said, but said there are “facts and circumstances that lead us to believe” the drugs and gun are connected to Rushing. Hinesburg police have notified the Chittenden County State’s Attorney, using the gun’s serial number to see if the firearm was stolen and see if it was connected to Rushing.
GUN
continued from page 1 While an investigation is still underway, police have suggested the gun and drugs were tied to an incident the previous night. Just before 11 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30, police arrested Jermaine Rushing, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for driving under the influence, excessive speed, negligent operation and leaving the scene of an accident. Rushing, police said, was speeding down Route 116 and led police on a brief chase before crashing into a tree at the intersection of Route 116 and Silver Street. He fled the scene and wandered around the area, at one point trying to enter a home near Orchard Hill and Friendship Lane, police said in a timeline of the incident, before finding him and taking him into custody less than 30 minutes after the crash. The next morning, Hinesburg police officers Andrew Thomas and Nick Labonte arrived on school property after being called about the handgun. Officers notified school staff that there could
HEALTH CARE
continued from page 2 they reach a maximum and employees are responsible for the remaining 10 percent. “We’re talking about trying to figure out whether there’s a way throughout the year the town could reduce its cost by having those reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses shared in some ratio between the employee and employer,” she said. Although no changes were made to premiums, the selectboard did say that it would begin the process of reconfiguring the HRA, potentially with the help of an outside consultant. But thoughts on the issue from residents and employees were not unanimous. “In my view, to the claim that it’s too late, the employees knew that we had to cut $20,000. I’m not buying that,” committee member and resident Tana Kelton said. Some employees, who said they were “blindsided” by the initial proposal to cut
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premium costs, said they had never even been approached to find a compromise in the first place. “Nobody’s asked us what our compromises are. Never,” Cheryl Sloan, a town employee, said. “Some ideas have come up in the working group meeting, a lot of that meeting has been stifled. Some of that information is not going up to the public. We were lambasted on Front Porch Forum all of March, all of April and all of May.” No final decisions were made on changes to the annual cost-of-living adjustments outlined in the town’s salary administration policy, which last year were 7.5 percent, and a redlined version of possible changes will be discussed at a meeting next week. “This is a highly emotional issue. Working group meetings were highly emotional. Every one of these meetings has been highly emotional,” Devine said.
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Page 12 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
Dixon family legacy thrives at Shelburne Farms LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Shelburne Farms holds a special place in the hearts of many, but for the Dixon family, the farm has been an integral part of the family’s legacy for two generations. The story begins over four decades ago in Dummerston with two brothers, Peter and Sam Dixon, whose knack for craftsmanship and love for cows coalesced under a small family-owned business specializing in artisan cheesemaking. “It was funny because Sam liked to milk the cows and I would help my mom make cheese in the kitchen,” Peter said. “The commercial cheesemaking began in 1983 when my family started a cheese business on our dairy farm that was called the Guilford Cheese Company.” The family business was relatively shortlived and in 1991 Peter attended the University of Vermont to pursue a degree in dairy food science where he quickly learned about Shelburne Farms. He took a job as the farm’s first assistant cheesemaker and discovered that the farm’s raw milk cheddar operation was much different than the pasteurized milk operation he mastered on his family’s farm. Nonetheless, the work was fulfilling and confirmed something he already knew deep down: He’d never stop working with cheese. “From the perspective of a cheesemaker I would say it was much more exciting and interesting to work with milk that way and be part of that operation,” he said. Since 1980, Shelburne Farms has made an artisanal cheddar. Every day beginning at 8 a.m., the cheesemakers turn fresh milk into raw milk cheddar using just four ingredients: the milk from the pasture-raised herd of Brown Swiss cows, starter culture, rennet and salt. Knowing the farmer behind the dairy operation helps a cheesemaker know exactly the milk they’re starting with, too. Conveniently, the head of dairy operations at the farm is Peter’s brother, Sam, and turns out his love of cows also took him down a similar lifelong path. While not always on a dairy, Sam has an extensive career working on farms — one he said he just “stumbled into.” “I always tell my kids if you just find out what you want to do, then you’ll be successful,” he said, a gleaming smile spreading across his face as he looked out over 120 acres of pasture. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in English — and a few Cs and Ds later, he jokingly noted — he started working at the Foster Brothers Farm in Middlebury, partially knowing that academic work wasn’t where he wanted to land and because they offered free housing.
PHOTOS BY LIBERTY DARR / HOLLY BROUGH
Above: Sam Dixon sports a wide smile while reminiscing on his years at Shelburne Farms in “his dream job.” Below: Dairy manager Sam Dixon, his nephew Gus, who is a Shelburne Farms cheesemaker, and Sam’s brother Peter (Gus’s dad), a former cheesemaker at the farms.
“I didn’t want to go back home for the summer so I thought, ‘Well, I’ll go to work on a farm because they usually have housing,’” he recalled. He noted earnestly that that was when the lightbulb went off. “I realized it was the only thing that I was really interested in doing.” His work at Shelburne Farms began years later in 1996, an opportunity he described as his “dream job.” He’s been overseeing the milk production for the farm’s cheesemaking operations — in addition to doing just about everything else — ever since. August Slater-Dixon — his friends call him “Gus” — followed in the footsteps of his dad and uncle a generation later, also graduating from the University of Vermont. But when the pandemic hit, and life was more uncertain than ever, he thought to himself, “I’ll take this moment to do some skill building. It’d be good to hang out with my dad See SHELBURNE FARMS on page 13
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The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 13
Time to dig out your ugly sweaters for a good cause
Menorah lighting
Don’t own a ugly sweater with a holiday theme? Well, there’s still time to buy one. The Rotary Club of South Burlington Ugly Sweater Fun Run/ Walk isn’t until Sunday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Fredrick H. Tuttle Middle School in South Burlington. The beneficiaries of this annual fundraiser are the Rotary Club of South Burlington’s local charity initiatives, including the Rotary bandshell at Veterans Park, South Burlington Food Shelf, little libraries in recreation parks, annual distribution of dictionaries to all 4th grade students, as well as many worldwide and national efforts by Rotary International. The Rotary partners in the fun run with the South Burlington Academic Boosters Fund, which supports both students and teach-
ers who seek to engage in extended learning opportunities and for the first time this year, Champlain Housing Trust, which supports the people of northwest Vermont and strengthens communities through the development and stewardship of permanently affordable homes and related community assets. So come on out for a day filled with fun and exercise while proudly wearing your tackiest, craziest and ugliest sweaters. Oh, and bring the whole family. Participants enjoy complimentary food and beverages, a snapshot from the photo booth, face painting and a commemorative gift. As always, prizes will be awarded to the ugliest of the ugly sweaters. The entrance fee is $25 for adults, and free for all under 18. To register, visit southburlingtonrotary.org.
COURTESY PHOTO
Chabad Vermont hosts a menorah lighting on the Shelburne town green, corner of Falls and Shelburne roads, on Monday, Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m., with latkes, doughnuts and fun for all. (Please note the new time)
SHELBURNE FARMS continued from page 12
more anyways.” He turned to cheesemaking through an apprenticeship program at Peter’s business, Parish Hill Creamery, and learning from his father, someone he dubs a master at his craft, changed the course of his life. “Talk about skills,” he said. “My dad’s a prime example. So, I went back home for six months, and I learned how to make cheese, pretty much whole batches from start to finish,” he said. While Gus’ fascination with food and different aspects of farming seemingly runs through his blood, he said in school he gravitated toward learning about the intersection of food production and history and culture. “It’s important to engage in the practice and the production of something that you’re deeply intellectually interested in, so it’s cool to have that crossover,” he said. The connection to Shelburne Farms was a natural next step, and Gus became one of the farm’s cheesemakers in 2021, the same role his father held nearly a decade before. “My dad always jokes in an, ‘It’s funny because it’s true kind of way,’ that if you want to be a Vermont cheesemaker, you have to make cheddar first, and where better to make cheddar than Shelburne Farms?” he said. The uncle and nephew duo also share a special connection because, every morning like clockwork, Gus will make his way down to the
dairy to do the milk haul, where he is sure to run into Sam. “It’s the same role that we had back at the Guilford Cheese Company. Except the person making the cheese isn’t my brother. It’s my nephew,” Sam said proudly. Peter recalled a moment last summer when he visited Shelburne Farms and once again found himself behind the cheesemaking window, a déjà vu moment except this time as the assistant to his son. “We made cheese together that day,” said Peter. “It was really
exciting for me.” For the trio, cheesemaking and dairy farming is more than just a trade, it is a craft and a bond that has brought so many aspects of their lives closer together, taking the phrase, “Made with love,” to an entirely new level. “Sam ran the farm, and I made the cheese, that’s how it was,” said Peter. “But once I started making cheese and seeing that amazing and sometimes mysterious transformation of milk into this wonderful food, I was hooked.”
Copy Editor The Valley Reporter is seeking a copy editor. You will be a meticulous reader with welldeveloped AP Style skills and the ability to work under deadlines. Remote work is fine and hours can be made flexible around weekly production schedule.
SHELBURNE Human Resources Coordinator $24 - $28 hourly DOQ Full-time with a great Town Office team and excellent local government benefits. The Town of Shelburne team has grown to require a dedicated human resources professional. Help all our staff achieve their best, and cultivate the spirit of public service in our town. This coordinator will support all of our departments in the full suite of HR routines and special projects. The ideal candidate has related education and experience in human resources work, including recruiting, benefits administration, training, and problem solving. We are excited to shape this position to the skills and interests of the right candidate. Visit www.shelburnevt.org/jobs to see the full job description and application. To apply, email scannizzaro@shelburnevt.org. Review of applications begins immediately. The Town of Shelburne is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Page 14 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
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The Citizen • December 7, 2023 • Page 15
Horoscope December 7, 2023
ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE
Weekly Puzzles
Page 16 • December 7, 2023 • The Citizen
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