The Citizen - 12-28-23

‘You better not cry’

Into the woods

Memories of Christmases past

Generalists, specialists vital to forest health

Page 4

Page 5

December 28, 2023

Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg

Year in Review

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Gymnasts compete

Charlotte faces time of transition in 2023 LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

As Bob Dylan puts it, “The times, they are a-changin’,” and that sure is true for the town of Charlotte this year.

With talks of switching some services over to municipal control, changing governance structures, and updating land use regulations, many aspects of life in Charlotte are under transition or, at the very least, could expect to be in 2024.

As demands on town government intensify, with growing complex municipal issues, some residents can’t help but wonder whether there’s a better way to get things done. Some even felt

so strongly about it that they petitioned more than 180 of their neighbors to consider a vote to switch to a town manager form of government.

While residents remain vehemently vocal about their sometimes-opposing views, the selectboard has been at work to gain more control of several aspects of the town, including Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue, a nonprofit emergency service that has provided services to the town since 1950.

Selectboard members began this year under the assumption See CHARLOTTE on page 2

Year in Review As costs rises, Hinesburg banks on new development COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

There was a lot of sticker shock in Hinesburg this year.

A wastewater treatment facility will cost $15 million — well over what the town’s residents voted to bond for — and repairs to the town hall roof and the fire station could exceed $12 million.

It’s a lot for a town with less than 6,000 residents to shoulder.

For Hinesburg, 2023 was a year of both optimism and anxiety. The town is beginning to see plans 40 years in the making start to materialize: In the next six to 10 years, more than 400 units of residential housing are set either for approval or construction

in the village.

The 40 square miles of land off Route 116, wedged between the LaPlatte River and Patrick Brook, has for decades has been targeted for economic growth in the town.

And shovels could soon be in the ground for at least three of those projects.

“Hinesburg’s going to look a little different in 5 to 10 years,” the town’s planning and zoning director, Alex Weinhagen, said this year.

The development promises to inject badly needed tax revenue into the town’s coffers. More than 80 percent of Hinesburg’s budget See HINESBURG on page 2

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

The Champlain Valley Union High School gymnastics team competed in a meet Dec. 20 against Essex and Burlington high schools at the Green Mountain Training Center. The team poses for a group photo. A gymnast confers with her coach.

Page 2 • December 28, 2023 • The Citizen

Year in Review

Hinesburg, Richmond police collaboration evolves COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Last week, Hinesburg and Richmond town officials met for the first time in a year to discuss an arrangement first floated in the summer of 2022: combining their two police departments into one.

If it comes to fruition, it would be the first arrangement of its kind in Vermont, where a single municipal police department covers more than one town. But while talks have only now restarted, the two departments are already working as one.

In April, the two towns agreed to an inter-municipal agreement that would has Hinesburg police officers provide on-call police services for Richmond at a rate of $50 an hour.

Richmond at the time was in a dire situation, with only two officers on hand and an interim police chief. Five months later, after the departure of Richmond’s interim chief, Benjamin Herrick, the department was left with no one to patrol, take calls or even file paperwork.

That’s when the agreement was ratified to provide administrative services and other “chief services.” Hinesburg police Chief Anthony Cambridge is now, effec-

tively, the police chief for both Hinesburg and Richmond.

“As far as I’m concerned, we’re just trying to, as a police department, help our neighbor as best we can,” Cambridge said at the time.

The development marks a growing recognition among town officials that regional operations and the sharing of services between municipalities could help towns cut costs and save money and spread these expenses out.

“Ultimately, it would provide better coverage for both towns, better services,” Cambridge said in August, when the merger idea was first discussed. “There is money to be saved, and any amount of money to be saved is significant.”

The police departments are not the only way the two towns, and their various organizations, are collaborating for cost savings. In November, Hinesburg finalized a three-year contract with Richmond Rescue to provide ambulance services for Hinesburg.

And it’s not just Richmond and Hinesburg. Earlier this month, Williston asked both Richmond and Hinesburg to provide some funding for the Williston Community Justice Center, which provides regional services for

much of southeastern Chittenden County.

Hinesburg the year before was in a similar, albeit not as drastic, situation as the Richmond Police Department, with a depleted police department following

voters’ rejection of its budget in 2022. It’s now brought on a sixth officer to help cover Richmond.

The inter-municipal agreement will run until at least July.

Until recently, Hinesburg put the full merger talks on hold to give

time for consultants to complete a public safety strategic plan — a roadmap for the town’s overall vision for its fire, police and possible ambulance services.

That is expected to take place in February.

On the planning and zoning side, selectboard members also grappled with a growing cannabis industry. The expansive and rural nature of Charlotte has made it a haven for pot growers, assuming residents won’t run cultivators out of town first.

While the selectboard grappled with state guidelines surrounding growing marijuana, some neighbors took matters into their own hands — a chaotic situation that cultivators have, at times, likened to a new wave of “reefer madness.”

In addition to adopting land use regulations surrounding the cannabis industry, town planner Larry Lewack and the planning commission undertook a massive bylaw overhaul to identify and fix burdensome regulations to streamline and simplify the rules governing development in the town.

Speaking of development, the

town also cut the grand opening ribbon around a brand new 8,650-square-foot, six-bay, $3 million town garage nearly two years in the building.

Charlotte has no municipal highway department. Instead, the town contracts the service with a yearly elected road commissioner, Hugh Lewis Jr., who leases the building for his use.

Although he has no plans to retire, officials have said the day will come when the town will be forced to create its municipal road commission.

“The town will forever own this facility,” John Kerr, the project manager of the new building, said. “That’s why we made the investment we made, so we would always have this infrastructure.

Because when Junior retires, we’ll have a place for the next one to hang their hat.”

increase because of debt payments for the wastewater treatment project.

The town hopes that more residents on the water system — and similarly, more property on the town’s grand list — the easier it will be to spread out expenses.

“The town is growing — we’ve got millions of dollars that we have to spend for this wastewater treatment plant, and if we can have more people carrying that burden, it’s going to help us,”

selectboard Chair Merrily Lovell said in September.

But there remains some uncertainty about whether the village can handle the expected growth, and, in one case, whether the state will sign off on the construction.

The village area is directly adjacent to the LaPlatte River on the east side of town, and south of the Patrick Brook. Data from the state shows that much of the area on the west side of the village is in a Federal Emergency Management Administration special flood hazard area.

Residents have expressed concern that this could have an impact on growth projections.

Those concerns are being realized in the case of the Hinesburg Center II project — a major project in the works since 2015 that is now hung up in Vermont Environmental Court over concerns the project will create an increased risk of flooding near Patrick Brook.

The Act 250 commission is expected to make a final decision on the project in the coming weeks.

CHARLOTTE

continued from page 1 that by summer, the town would at least be that much closer to a townrun fire and rescue service. That is, until summer came and went, and the transition was still as far out of sight as when talks first began. In fact, selectboard chair Jim Faulkner announced in August that the potential switch — one the town spent $20,000 to study — was being put on hold with no clear path forward.

Faulkner said the process had been held up mostly due to a lack of information and, of course, the looming conversation about switching to a town manager form of government.

“When we have the town manager issue pops up in front of us, that made it pretty difficult to make decisions where we’re going forward with because it does have an effect on most everything we do,” he said.

HINESBURG

continued from page 1 revenue comes from property taxes and the town over the past several years has seen less than expected non-tax revenue.

The past two budget years have been an attempt to keep costs down. Over the past several years, the town’s amount raised in taxes has been “artificially low and does not actually reflect the cost of running the town,” town manager Todd Odit said in October.

Residents are also beginning to see their water and sewer rates

Vermont State Police Blotter Dec. 19 at 11:18 a.m., police arrested Joseph Robar, 36, of Hinesburg, for stalking, aggravated assault, negligent operation, unlawful mischief, violation of an abuse prevention order and violating conditions of release in an incident on St. George Road.

Police say a 911 caller reported that someone was attempting to run another person off the road. After locating Robar,

police determined he was under court-ordered conditions not to have any contact with his victim.

Earlier, Williston police say Robar threw a wrench at someone and tried to injury another person by ramming their vehicle with his vehicle head on.

Robar is being held without bail at Northwest State Regional Correctional Facility.

The Citizen • December 28, 2023 • Page 3

Community Notes

Beethoven’s Ninth

Shelburne hosts blood drive; sign up now St. Catherine of Siena Parish is hosting another Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Jan. 23, noon-5 p.m., in its parish hall, 72 Church St., Shelburne.

To give, call 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter Shelburne to schedule an appointment. Appointments are strongly recommended as walksins cannot always be accommodated.

If you are an eligible type O, B - or A - donor, consider making a power red donation. Red blood cells are the most transfused blood component.

Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting the website to complete your rapid pass, pre-donation health history.

Lasagna on the menu at January Age Well meal Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, Jan. 9 The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and are available for anyone 60 or older. Suggested donation is $5.

The menu is baked cheese lasagna rollettes with marinara and beef, spinach, biscuit, pineapple chunks and milk.

To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, Jan. 3. If this is a first-time order, provide your name, address, phone number and date of birth.

If you haven’t yet filled out a congregate meal registration form, bring a completed registration form with you or send one to: Age Well; 875 Roosevelt Highway, Ste. 210, Colchester VT 05446. Forms will be available at meal pick up.

Learn about restaurant tickets to dine at participating restaurants at agewellvt.org.

UVM researchers talks about nature, happiness Does nature make us happier?

That’s the question speaker Taylor Ricketts, director of the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont, will answer at a talk on Thursday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m., at Shelburne’s old town hall.

As people who love the outdoors, being in nature probably makes us happy. But is that

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The Green Mountain Mahler Festival presents its annual performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, at 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester. Daniel Bruce conducts the orchestra and chorus, along with vocal soloists Bailey Hoar, Nessa Rabin, Joshua Collier and Erik Kroncke. Proceeds will benefit the McClure Miller Respite House in honor of Bill Harwood. For more information and to purchase tickets visit vtmahler.org. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, and $20 for students and children.

true for everyone? How big is the effect? What is the actual evidence that time in nature leads to measurable improvements in mental health?

Taylor will talk about what scientists are learning about the relationship between nature and mental health, using everything from social media to wearable technology to trailhead surveys.

Taylor’s research centers on the overarching question: How do we meet the needs of people and nature in an increasingly crowded, changing world? His work has focused on the economic and health benefits provided to people by forests, wetlands, reefs and other natural areas.

Before arriving at UVM, Taylor led World Wildlife Fund’s

CVU Music Fundraiser Christmas Tree Pick-up Want to recycle your Christmas tree AND help support CVU Music Students?

CVU Band students will be picking up Christmas trees in Shelburne and Hinesburg* for a $15 donation

Saturday, January 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

All profits will be used to help defray some of the cost of the Band’s trip to Boston in the Spring. Just write a check to “CVU Band”, put it in an envelope and plastic baggie and attach to your tree. Put your tree by the curb the morning of the 6th and CVU music students will pick up your tree.

(Condos and Apartments - leave at entrance of development) * In Hinesburg, we will be picking up trees only in large neighborhoods or in the town center.

You do not need to call ahead of time, just leave your tree on the curb. If you think we missed you, please call (802) 233-4917 if we haven’t picked up your tree by 2:30.

Conservation Science Program.

Taylor is an elected fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Ecological Society of America.

Cost is $5 for Green Mountain Club members, $8 for others. No registration is necessary.

More information can be found at gmcburlington.org/ events or by calling Ted Albers at 802-557-7009.

97 Falls Road • Shelburne • (802) 985-2830 barkeatersrestaurant.com

Wishing you a safe and joyous holiday season.

Celebrate Sober!

PUBLIC HEARING celebrate sober 2023.indd 27 Hinesburg Development Review Board Tuesday, January 16, 2024 7:00 pm Red Wagon Plants/Julie Rubaud – Conditional use review for an integrated agriculture application that includes a pastry shop, commercial catering, educational classes and events (including food trucks) on a 5.05-acre property, located at 2482 Shelburne Falls Road in the Agricultural Zoning District.

The meeting will be both in person and remote. See meeting agenda on town website with details on how to participate.

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Page 4 • December 28, 2023 • The Citizen

‘You better not cry’: Memories of Christmases past Guest Perspective Walt Amses The windows of the old Buick are fogged over as my father winds his way through suburban New Jersey late on a 1950s Christmas night while I use my itchy wool cap to create a small viewing portal in the back window, praying the misty rain will eventually turn to snow but it never does.

The single-family houses we pass one after the other adorned with multicolored strands of light are a mystery to me having lived in rented apartments for as far back as memory will take me.

Strangers, seemingly better off, were living in houses rather than rental units far more likely to be the setting of a television show like the “Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” which dominated the airwaves for 14 seasons, a template of the nuclear family to which we would unlikely aspire.

Without much competitive media it didn’t seem at all unusual that the Nelson’s son Ricky would become a rock star singing in the family living room at the end of each episode.

The larger issue those long-ago nights as the yuletide waned, on our way back from my grandmother’s house, was that however interminable the wait for Christmas had been, in mere hours it would be suddenly, unequivocally

over. The next one an agonizing year away in as unpredictable and perilous a future as could be imagined by 12-year-olds, with ready-to-launch Russian ICBMs aimed directly at Bayonne, ready at a moment’s notice to obliterate us in cascades of fire.

In the days before weather satellites, predictions were iffy at best, but one recurring meteorological theme seemed to be that white Christmases were limited to department store windows, Hallmark cards and Bing Crosby’s dreams. They mostly didn’t happen; in fact, the first one I remember, I really don’t remember at all, at least not as a personal experience.

It was several years later when a blockbuster nor’easter finally hit our area late on Dec. 25, 1969, dropping well over a foot of snow.

I was in my last few months of military service and missed it other than enviously thumbing through the couple of out-of-focus photos that arrived the following week, illustrating my hometown as an unlikely winter wonderland.

But those shimmering reflections on rain-slicked streets in other neighborhoods trigger a panorama of memory that pings through my consciousness this time of year: being a kid in that monochrome world so many of my boomer cohort recall with warm sentimentality. While I don’t necessarily share that

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perspective, I think I understand cover drills. why people look back on those My Christmas solace was centered on an oddly obsessive years so fondly. predilection for paralyzing snowMost obviously, we were kids storms that never came — at least who never had it so good and, living as we did in post-war boom not around the holidays; and a week’s vacation from school and times when many of our parents nuns fueled by passionate hatred — even apartment dwellers — of both, and were doing pretty sufficient guilt well.

My Christmas solace to render a typiAlthough cally confused time has a way was centered on an boy, looking for of sanding down a path forward the rough edges, oddly obsessive through the on the cusp of minefield of adolescence, I predilection for midcentury remember that contradictions world being paralyzing as the country difficult to negoboomed and tiate, with my life snowstorms that the Cold War revolving around loomed, borderparochial school never came. line insane. and the holidays Why a blizzard would fix any adding another layer of complexof that is somewhat vague, but a ity as commercialism and Catholfair amount of magical thinking icism eyed each other warily. We goes a long way in fleshing out were inundated with subliminal the concept. I still can’t make up messages from Madison Avenue my mind whether my childhood suggesting it was perfectly fine to was happy or miserable — probwant things while the church was more explicit in its blanket denun- ably somewhere in between like everyone else’s — but one thing ciation of enjoyment. stands out: I never liked where we Trying to balance piety and lived and constantly daydreamed greed was an exhausting dance we all did with fears of hell meted of being somewhere else entirely. More trees and less concrete, out by Russian missiles or at the hands of an angry deity populating wildlife other than pigeons, squirrels or rats, and billowing mounds our nightmares. I was certain we of snow that remained white for were doomed to a fiery eternity since even though we might nego- more than a few hours.

More than 30 years later, it’s tiate with the Soviets, the birthday boy was not so easily placated and Christmas Eve and there’s a ring around the moon. I’m middle probably undaunted by duck-and-

aged by now, but I’m as excited as that 12-year-old at the prospect of a heavy snowfall this well timed. It’s as though I’ve waited for this my entire life and while I completely understand how simplistic it is for a grownup to feel this way, I allow myself to be enthralled by the sheer joy of it all.

Early the next morning there’s 6 to 8 inches of dry, fluffy powder on the ground and it’s still snowing heavily. I quietly get dressed, slip out of the house and head down the driveway on cross country skis with a specific objective in mind that would be too risky any other day. I’ve envisioned this and I’m giddy with the anticipation of knowing exactly how it’s going to go.

A couple of hundred yards down the road there’s a long hill with a curve at the bottom around which you cannot see from the top. But the unplowed road is completely mine this morning as I bend my knees slightly and put my skis together, quickly picking up speed, a million tiny snowflakes entangling my beard.

I glance down to find my skis nearly invisible, tips barely protruding from the blanket of snow, each with a distinct rooster tail of powder spraying my knees as I hurtle down the hill, euphoric as my mind wanders, momentarily still the boy in the Buick.

Walt Amses lives and writes from North Calais.

The Citizen • December 28, 2023 • Page 5

Both generalists, specialists vital to forest health

percent of the trees. sums, the gulls and the crows. All maple is projected to be one of the sure that you admire people that By contrast, the closely related these species are sometimes ridi- most successful — largely due to have taken the other road. In our red maple is a generalist, capa- culed for their “trashy” behavior its generalist nature. While it may human communities, both specialEthan Tapper ble of growing in swamps and on — gulls and raccoons have been be that our forests’ future belongs ists and generalists contribute to At one time or another, I expect mountain tops and almost every- nicknamed “dump ducks” and to red maple, we cannot abandon diverse and functional societies. that many of us have wondered if where in between. While you “trash pandas,” respectively — sugar maple entirely. It, and our In forests, both specialists and it is better to be a specialist or a can find some red maple trees in but, looked at another way, these other specialists, are vital and generalists are vital to the health generalist — to try to be great at almost any forest, it will rarely be species’ ability to exploit the abun- irreplaceable, supporting crucial and the future of these incredible one thing or to be passable at many more than a minor component. It dance of resources produced and natural processes and providing ecosystems. different things. Across deep time, is a typical generalist: a jack of all discarded by humans is extremely habitat for entire communities of Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden innovative and adaptive. A crow native species. In this changed and Earth’s millions of species have trades and a master of none.

In forests and other ecosys- feeding on roadkill or a black bear changing world, the specialists County forester for the Vermont “asked” this same question, again tems, we tend eating trash from a dumpster is an are often the species that are most Department of Forests, Parks and and again: if it to celebrate example of a generalist species under threat, which just means Recreation. See what he’s been up is wiser to be an White-tailed deer the specialists that has adapted to exploit an easy that they are those most in need of to, check out his YouTube channel, expert at exploit— the spring and ubiquitous food source. our help. sign up for his eNews and read ing a single, are an example of beauty miner Whether you consider yourself articles he’s written at linktr.ee/ While I hope that the previnarrow ecologbee, which visits ous paragraph helps vindicate a generalist or a specialist, I’m chittendencountyforester. ical niche or to a generalist species only spring and celebrate some of the generbe able to exist beauty flowers; alist species that live, and cause under a wide in Vermont’s forests, the Dutchman’s mischief, among us, creating a range of different breeches, polli- world in which generalists thrive conditions. one expected to nated only by is also problematic for a variBoth specialqueen bumble- ety of reasons. For example, all ization and be increasingly bees. Specialists the generalist species mentioned generalization are often species above, except the gulls, perhaps, are evolutionary well-suited to our with unique are nest predators. Their elevated strategies that can gifts and adap- populations around forest edges, be advantageous environment as our tations, brilliant houses and developed areas leads under different at accessing a to decreased songbird nesting circumstances, climate changes. specific food success. White-tailed deer are and Vermont’s Prekindergarten Lottery is now open for 2024-2025!

Immediate Job Openings one forests are filled with both special- source or utilizing a particular life another generalist species, Prekindergarten Lottery is now open for 2024-2025! strategy. However, as Vermont’s that has been so successful in our ists and generalists.

The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications for Of forest trees, sugar maple is native species face the myriad changing world that deer overpopMaintenance Technician – Skilled a randomProgram prekindergarten lottery drawing applications for the 2024-25 for school The CVSD Early isfornow accepting a random habitat for tensEducation an example of a specialist, grow- threats, stressors, changes and ulations damage Immediate opening a skilled technician withofmechanical, year.

This lottery is for an opportunity to enroll in one our schoolof other species andlottery ing almost exclusively on soils uncertainties of global change — of thousands prekindergarten drawing for the 2024-25 school year.

This lottery plumbing & heating, construction andper electrical knowledge.

Thisis for an opp based classrooms which run 10 hours week. Our school-based health, function and with a relatively high pH and an climate change, non-native inva- impair the to enroll in one of ourprekindergarten school-based classrooms whichlicensed runfor 10Williston hoursCentral per week. Our sc position will include day to day classrooms arebuilding 5 STARs,needs early education abundance of calcium and other sive plants, pests and pathogens, resilience of ecosystems across & Allen Brook School.

Full time, full year 7:00 am 3:30 pm. based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that provide play-based, developmentally appropriate programs minerals — what foresters call deforestation, forest fragmenta- much of the North American developmentally appropriate environments all children in an i for all children in an inclusive setting. Ourfor curriculum enriched sites. While this means tion and more — the generalists, continent. provide play-based, environments willVermont be givenEarly for HVAC, Electrical or Lottery open forcertified/licensed 2024-2025!

InPrekindergarten the case of redOur maple and that sugar maple is not well-suited the species that can adapt, are isPreference based onnow the Learning Standards (VELS). setting. curriculum is is based on the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS).

AC Technician. sugar maple, we expect sugar to many places across our land- better positioned to survive. maple to be one of the tree Among wildlife, we know our scape, on an enriched site it is Our programs follow the CVSD school Children will 3 or older The CVSD Early Education Program is now accepting applications forChildren acalendar. random Our programs follow the CVSD school calendar. who will who be age adversely impacted Forage further information contact Ron Larivee, rlarivee@cvsdvt.org. extremely competitive — often most successful generalists well: species most be 3 or older by September 1, 2024, who are not eligible for lottery drawing for2024, the 2024-25 year. This lottery is for and an opportunity change, whereas red and opos- by climate September 1, who areschool not eligible for kindergarten, live in the communities accounting for more than 75 the raccoons, skunksprekindergarten kindergarten, and live in the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg,

Into the Woods

to enroll in one of our school-based classrooms whichSt. run 10 hours perWilliston week. C.V.U.H.S. Our school- to enter the lo Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, and are Groundskeeper/Maintenance Shelburne, St. George,George, and Williston are eligible– to entereligible the lottery. based prekindergarten classrooms are 5 STARs, licensed early education programs that Assist infor caring the school grounds, while maintaining a their highin a CVSD p Families who are selected the lottery and choose to enroll their child Families who are for selected for the lottery and choose to enroll provide play-based, access developmentally appropriate environments for all children in an inclusive standard of safety.

Mowing, weed whacking, maintaining sports in a CVSD program access their Act 166 for publicly funded their Act 166child publicly funded prekindergarten funds the school-based prog setting. Our curriculum is based on the Vermont Learning (VELS). fields, andEarly winterfunds snowfor removal.

Other duties as assigned. prekindergarten the Standards school-based program.

All applications must Full-time, be received byopening.

February 5, 2024, and are located on the CVSD day shift Experience is 3 helpful for the All applications must be received by February 5,but 2024, andright are Our programs followEducation the CVSDwebsite school calendar.

Children who will be age or older by at:candidate, https://tinyurl.com/CVSDEarlyEd or using this QR code. training be provided. hours: on the CVSDwill Early Education website at: Monday-Friday https://tinyurl.

September 1, 2024, who are not eligible located for kindergarten, and live in theShift communities of Paper applications are available upon request.

6:30 am 3:00 pm. com/CVSDEarlyEd or using QR code.

Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston arethis eligible to enter the lottery.

Families who are selected for the lottery Paper and choose to are enroll their child in a CVSD full program Hourly rate commensurate with experience benefits applications available upon request. orand For additional information, questions about our program, any concerns access their Act 166 publicly funded prekindergarten funds for the school-based included. Benefits: Medical, Dental, a retirementprogram. package, paid about your child’s development, please visitmost ourholidays website or contact For additional information, about our program, Director or any vacation, weekends off and questions paid. concerns about your child’s development, please visit our website Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org.

Our EarlyEarly Education All applications mustofbe received

by February 5, Director 2024, and are locatedErin onGagne the CVSD orFor contact of Early Education, at egagne@ further information contact Tom Mongeon, tmongeon@ team is also available for developmental screenings in the areas of Education website at: https://tinyurl.com/CVSDEarlyEd or using this isQR cvsdvt.

Our Early Education team alsocode. cvsdvt.org. communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, Paper applications are available upon request. available for developmental screenings and cognition. More ininformation an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is al the areas about of communication, socialDistrict HVAC Technician emotional development, motor skills, For additional information, questions about program, or any Services concerns available on the website under the performs Support tab.

Thisour position skilled mechanical maintenance, adaptive development, and cognition.

More about your child’s development, please visit our website or contact Director including inspections, repair, installation of equipment i.e. information about an Early Multi-Tiered heating, ventilation, A/CEarly and refrigeration systems and perform of Early Education, Erin Gagne at egagne@cvsdvt.org.

Education System of SupportsOur is also available on the preventative maintenance for the Champlain Valley School District. team is also available for developmentalwebsite screenings in Support the areas of tab. under the Services communication, social-emotional development, motor skills, adaptive development, For further information contact Chris Giard, cgiard@cvsdvt.org and cognition. More information about an Early Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also available on the website under the Support Services tab. online to www.cvsdvt.org/jobs Please apply COURTESY PHOTO

Deer are among nature’s “generalists,” so capable of adapting to a changing modern world that they change the natural world for other species.

CVSD is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Page 6 • December 28, 2023 • The Citizen

service

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

Acupuncture

H

R

R ELIC

ANTIQUES WANTED

Acupuncture & Massage

Decluttering? Downsizing?

We can help you discover, learn about and sell:

WATCHES • JEWELRY • COINS • SILVER • ARTWORK

Champlainwellness.com 802-989-9031 527 Ferry Road - Charlotte, VT

Felipe Toro, LAc

Empowering people to achieve their best health and wellbeing

Construction

Collectibles

YPE

Antiques

• Basement Waterproofing • Crawl Space Repair • Sump Pump Systems • Foundation Repair • Egress Windows

Buying Sports and Collectible Cards

Brian Bittner • 802-489-5210 • info@bittnerantiques.com Showroom at 2997 Shelburne Rd • Shelburne Open Wed-Fri, with walk-ins to sell every Thursday. www.bittnerantiques.com

Flooring

FLOORING

Flooring Inventory  IN STOCK 

HARDWOOD • LUXURY VINYL LAMINATES • CARPET • CARPET TILE TILE • FLOORING SUPPLIES

Hyper Relic Sports Cards Bob & Jessica Trautwine

Cell/Txt: 802-233-1451 • Office: 802-497-1681 Hyperreliccards@gmail.com • hyperrelic.com

1111-855-DRY-TIME • www.northernbasements.com

Insurance

Knife Sharpening

96 Commerce Street | Williston | www.floortraderwilliston.com | (802) 204-1080

Landscape / Lawncare

The Holidays Are Coming

THE SHARPER BLADE Covering Your Life’s Journey Home • Auto • Motorcycle • Watercraft Business • Contractor 802-862-1600 • info@turnbaughinsurance.com 188 Allen Brook Lane • Suite 1 • Williston, VT 05495

Kitchen Knives Sharpened Fast Turnaround • Convenient Shelburne Drop Box at Village Wine and Coffee For more information contact Bill Lowell (802) 363-2447 • TheSharperBlade109@gmail.com

Metal

Painting

Full Line Steel Service Center

4/29/2019

Renovations

TONY BRICE PAINTING, LLC

Huge inventory of steel,

aluminum and stainless 3.5 x 2 AD for Shelburne News & The Free Citizen Estimates Interior & Exterior in many shapes and sizes from sheets to tubing to angle iron

24 Consecutive Weeks $18.00/week for both802.777.8771 papers $432.00

Serving all your metal needs for over two generations

Cutting, Punching, Drilling and Bending Services

802-864-0326 800-540-4692

We’ll even recycle your ferrous and non-ferrous metal

35 Intervale Rd, Burlington

www.qcsteel.com

Delivery available

Scheduling 2023-2024 Interior Painting

Bath ~ Kitchen ~ Home Renovations

TO ALL OF OUR CLIENTS, THANK YOU!

jeff@aatileandcarpentry.com

Sheds

Siding/Remodeling

Town & Country Sheds, LLC

BEAGLE BUILDERS, LLC Remodeling & Additions

ALL TYPES OF SIDING

2175 N Wolcott Rd Wolcott, VT 05680 (802) 888-7012 FOR RENT 60 FOOT LIFT JLG600S

CALL US TODAY!

Vinyl/Wood/Composite

Windows & Doors • Decks & Porches

Kitchens & Bathrooms Sunrooms & Garages

Monkton, VT

beaglebuilders@gmavt.net

802-453-4340 CALL US! 802-355-0807

802.355.7148

Serving the Shelburne area for 20+ years

The Citizen

Service Directory It does a BIG job for your business for a little price.

Call 985-3091 for details.

The Citizen • December 28, 2023 • Page 7

Horoscope December 28, 2023

ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE

Weekly Puzzles

Page 8 • December 28, 2023 • The Citizen

DIRECT CREMATION SERVICESSERVICES DIRECT CREMATION SERVICES DIRECT CREMATION Our Locally Owned Owned & Operated On Site Crematory Our Locally Owned &isOperated is On Site Our Locally &Crematory Operated Crematory is On Site Your Loved One is always in Our Care Your Loved One is always in Our Care Your Loved One is Always in Our Care Providing Families with Compassionate an Affordable price.

Providing FamiliesCare withat Compassionate Care at an Affordable price.

Providing Families with Compassionate Care at an Affordable Price AAmember of the W.AA.W. Rich Funeral Home member the A. W. Home Rich Funeral Home member of A. the RichofFuneral Family Family Serving families for over 100 years.

Family Serving families for over 100 years.

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No Cremation Society Fees 24 Hours Staff Available No Cremation Society Fees Compare our save Compare our pricesCompare andprices save ourand prices and save $1,065.

Service Charge Service Charge: $1,065.00 Service Charge: $1,065.00 $390.

Crematory Crematory Charge Crematory Charge $390.00 $390.00 $25.

Medical Examiner Medical Examiner Permit $25.00Permit MedicalPermit Examiner $25.00 $10.

Certified DeathDeath Certificate $10.00 Certified Certificate Certified Death Certificate $10.00 Transit Permit $5.00 $5.

Transit Permit $5.00 Transit Permit Total Direct Cremation Charges: Total Direct$1,495.00 Cremation Charges: $1495. $1,495.00 Total Direct Cremation Charges Outside Chittenden, Lamoille, Franklin, Washington, Grand Isle,and Addison Counties, add $500

Also included at no extra charge is a cremation our signature Also included at no extra chargecontainer, is a crematon container, our signature high Also included at no extra charge is a cremation container, our signature high quality “Going Home” urn, newspaper obituary notice assistance andnotice assistance and life quality “Going Home” urn,quality newspaper obituary high “Going Home” urn, newspaper obituary notice assistance and life tribute placement on our website. Price effective January 1, 2020. life tribute placement on our website. Price effective tribute placement on our website. Price effective January 1,January 2021.1, 2020.

(802) 879-4611 (802) 849-6261 www.dcsvt.com • (802) 878-2220• (802) www.dcsvt.com (802) 879-4611 (802)(802) 849-6261 (802) 879-4611 www.dcsvt.com 849-6261 878-2220 57 Main St. 1176 Main St. 57 Main St. 1176 Main 57 Main St. 1176 Main St.St. www.awrfh.com Essex Jct., VT 05452 Essex Jct., VT 05452(802) 878-2220 Fairfax, VT 05454 www.awrfh.com Fairfax, VT 05454 Essex Jct, VT 05452 Fairfax, VT 05452 www.awrfh.com

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STORE WIDE SALE STORE SALE Up to 70%WIDE Select Merchandise STORE *20% OffWIDE The EntireSALE Store STORE WIDE SALE HOMEP STORE WIDERT SALE *Does not Include Kitchen electrics, Services and Gift Cards Sale ends Sunday January14th 2023