The Citizen - 3-21-24

Wastewater bids come in lower

New numbers are $2.5 million less

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Hinesburg has received four bids for a new wastewater treatment facility that town officials say is $2.5 million cheaper than what was first proposed last year.

Selectboard chair Merrily Lovell during the town’s informational meeting before March elections said that after rejecting last year’s bids, the engineering firm Aldrich and Elliot went back to the drawing board last summer to find new ways to cut costs.

Four new bids were returned to the selectboard earlier this month, with the lowest bid at $12,592,222 — nearly $2.5 million less than the lowest bid received in April 2023.

All three bids that the town received and later rejected last year topped $15 million.

The new proposals bring some optimism to the town’s efforts to build a new wastewater treatment facility — “a major concern” for the town in recent years, Lovell said.

Hinesburg since 2018 has faced a mandatory order to rebuild its wastewater treatment facility after a state discharge permit was issued that required the town to reduce the amount of phosphorus and ammonia in its wastewater discharged into

See BIDS on page 13

New school budget plan cuts $4 mil, 42 positions

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

After its first budget failed on Town Meeting Day, the Champlain Valley School District is now moving forward with a $101.8 million budget that would reduce spending by $4 million and cut 42 full-time positions.

The district’s original $105.8 million budget was voted down by nearly 2,000 votes. The new budget eliminates 17 support staff positions, previously funded through federal dollars that board members hoped to fund on their own, as well as $1.5 million in one-time spending for various school infrastructure.

Tax rate hikes expected for the district’s five member towns would be reduced by several points but would still remain in the double digits. A revote is now set for April 16.

Champlain Valley Superintendent Rene Sanchez, during the board’s emergency March 12 meeting, said that the district “took the message to heart about reducing the tax impact that largely led to the March failed vote and the community feedback that we received in town meetings and in town halls and other venues.”

During the meeting, district board

See BUDGET on page 16

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

A walker at Mt. Philo State Park takes her three golden retrievers for a hike last week.

Golden trio

Schoolkids pitch bear’s head tooth as state mushroom

HOLLY SULLIVAN COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

Feeling cooped up after incessant Zoom meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun, D-Westminster, started going on woodland walks with her dog. The more time she spent outside, the more she noticed an evolving cast of characters on her route: mushrooms.

“There would be all these different amazing mushrooms emerging, and the change was really quick and really dramatic,” Bos-Lun said.

“There were so many different colors and styles: some of them edible, some of them poisonous and literally some that had gold sparkles on them,” she later said.

be used as medicine, it can be found locally, it is in the mushroom family Hericium americanum which means ‘hedgehog of the Americas,” Charlie Pelton, Windham Elementary student, told committee members March 12. His brother, George, sat beside him, controlling a set of presentation slides.

Nicholas Duprey, a seventhgrade student at Compass Middle School, further explained the medicinal qualities of the fungus during his testimony.

“Although this mushroom looks similar to some others, none in this group are toxic if you mistake them with each other,” he said.

— Nicholas Duprey

Bos-Lun regularly visits public schools to teach students about the legislative system. In the past, she simulated the process by having kids vote for a Vermont state ice cream.

“I remember thinking when it was done, ‘You know what? I wish that I could actually generate some ideas with the kids and let them see the next part of the process,’” Bos-Lun said. “The first thing that came to mind, because I happen to love mushrooms, is: ‘Do we have a state mushroom?’ I actually didn’t know. When I looked it up and realized that we didn’t, that five other states do, that four other states have them pending, I was like, ‘That’s it.’”

H.664, introduced by Bos-Lun in the House Committee on Agriculture and sponsored by a dozen other lawmakers, nominates Hericium americanum as Vermont’s state mushroom. The spindly Hericium americanum was handpicked by the state’s toughest critics: kids.

Students from two schools

Bos-Lun is familiar with, Windham Elementary School and Compass Middle School, were tasked with selecting the perfect mushroom. After much debate, they landed on Hericium americanum, commonly called bear’s head tooth.

“We think the bear’s head tooth mushroom should be the state mushroom because it can

“Bear’s head tooth is known as a ‘brain food.’ It is also very nutritious,” he said at the same meeting.

“Bear’s head tooth is effective against memory loss, depression, anxiety, dementia, neurological disorders and cancer. As stated above, it also has wound-healing properties. Usually, they are taken as a tincture, which are like eye drops, or a powder.”

Duprey assured committee members bear’s head tooth have no poisonous doppelgängers. Even if a Vermonter foraged the wrong fungus, they wouldn’t be in danger.

“Although this mushroom looks similar to some others, none in this group are toxic if you mistake them with each other,” he said.

One of Duprey’s classmates, Zinth Mae Holder, said the mushroom’s white, spiny appearance makes it a wonderful candidate for another reason.

“(The mushroom) represents the icicles and waterfalls we have here,” they said, explaining that its spiky hanging clusters mimic Vermont’s winter landscape.

The kids picked an excellent nominee — so say mushroom experts.

Meg Madden, a Vermont-based photographer and myco-educator who runs a popular mushroom-focused Instagram, thinks bear’s head tooth is a great representative for the state. She explained the “native Vermonter” is always the showstopper on hikes she guides.

“When I find it and show people, their minds are blown,” she

said. “They can’t believe that, first of all, it’s a mushroom because it breaks the preconceived notion of what a mushroom looks like — it doesn’t have a cap, it doesn’t have a stem, it doesn’t have gills … It looks kind of like a pom-pom having a crazy hair day.”

Madden said the mushroom is not only a beautiful fungus to look at but also one that can be cultivated, cooked and sold locally. She said there’s great economic potential to create and sell local products with the state’s mushroom. And she can confirm its deliciousness.

“My favorite thing to do with it is to make bear’s head tooth crab cakes,” she said. “It’s so much like crab meat, texture-wise and flavor-wise. I think if you served them to someone and they didn’t know it was mushrooms, then they wouldn’t even know.”

Lydia Joy Dutton, a fifth grader from Windham Elementary, is also excited about growing a state mushroom. Feeling shy in front of committee members, Dutton had Bos-Lun read parts of her testimony for her. In her presentation, Dutton wrote that a state mush-

room would be a fun horticultural opportunity for her family.

“My family have farmed in Vermont since the late 1700s,” the student wrote. “We have farm stands in Manchester, Newfane and Brattleboro. We sometimes sell mushrooms. I hope we sell bear’s head tooth one day.”

The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHELLE BUS-LUN/ MEG MADDEN

Above: Students from Windham Elementary School and Compass Middle School point to the bear’s head tooth on the day of their decision. Below: The bear’s head tooth mushroom.

The Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary club hosted Pie for Breakfast March 16 at Shelburne Community School. The annual all-youcan-eat event drew Mina Smith, Miss Northern Vermont Teen.

PHOTOS BY LEE KROHN

Hinesburg Police Blotter: March 12-18

Total incident: 45

March 12 at 7:43 a.m., officers responded to North Road for a citizen dispute.

March 12 at 10:21 a.m., an officer responded to a medical emergency on Hawk Lane.

March 12 at 12:45 p.m., a resident on Kelley’s Field was served court paperwork.

March 12 at 1:15 p.m., police investigated a theft on Richmond Road.

March 12 at 5:45 p.m., officers responded to a two-car motor vehicle crash on Route 116.

March 12 at 7:58 p.m., police investigated suspicious circumstances on Route 116.

March 12 at 10:49 p.m., an alarm activated on Burritt Road.

March 13 at 6:40 p.m., police investigated an animal problem reported on Route 116.

March 14 at 8:25 a.m., an officer

responded to Place Road West for the report of a tractor-trailer unit that was causing a traffic hazard and property damage.

March 14 at 3 p.m., three individuals were assisted with fingerprinting for employment purposes.

March 14 at 7:45 p.m., an individual was trespassed from Lantman’s Market.

March 14 at 7:58 p.m., a traffic hazard on Commerce Street was investigated.

March 15 at 8:11 p.m., officers responded to a medical emergency on Hawk Lane.

March 15 at 9:50 p.m, an officer investigated a motor vehicle complaint on Mechanicsville Road. Riley Winch, 40

See BLOTTER on page 9

Man arrested for alleged theft

Police arrested Josihanna Poirier, 46, of Colchester for aggravated operation of a vehicle without owner’s consent, grand larceny, felony possession of stolen property and driving with a criminally suspended license.

A Charlotte man reported that his vehicle had been stolen from his driveway sometime overnight on Jan. 7. During the investigation, police discovered other

items had been stolen as well.

Shelburne police located the vehicle in Shelburne on Jan. 11, and police identified Poirier as a suspect.

He was subsequently arrested on an outstanding warrant by Burlington police. The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with any information should call 802-878-7111.

The Citizen

Serving the community of Charlotte & Hinesburg A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC thecitizenvt.com

Advertising

Wendy Ewing wendy@shelburnenews.com (802) 985-3091 x12

Advertising Director Judy Kearns judy@otherpapersbvt.com (802) 864-6670 x21

News Editor

Tommy Gardner

Staff Writers

Aaron Calvin Corey McDonald Liberty Darr

Production Manager

Stephanie Manning stephanie@shelburnenews.com

Editor/Publisher

Gregory Popa gpopa@stowereporter.com

The

Billing inquiries Leslie Lafountain leslie@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101

Advertising submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. advertising@thecitizenvt.com classifieds@thecitizenvt.com

Editorial submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. news@thecitizenvt.com

Calendar submission deadline: Friday at 12 p.m. news@thecitizenvt.com

Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 985-3091

House, Senate make crossover

From the House Rep. Chea Waters Evans

With crossover behind us, the calendar is stacked on the House floor with all the bills we voted out of committee last week. Now they need to make it out of the House and into the Senate.

Last week we voted out S.18, which was the ban on flavored tobacco. I’m glad this is out of my hands because it cost me a lot of sleep. I did vote no on it, which I realize isn’t popular with everyone, but not only did I hear from a lot of people who weren’t supportive of a yes vote, but I had some problems with it myself.

Ironically, someone testifying in my committee just this morning said the goal is to create the laws for liquor, tobacco and cannabis in a way that they’re all considered equal. On that level, it makes zero sense for me that we would legalize cannabis to regulate it, but then ban flavored tobacco, thereby making it unregulated and arguably less safe.

We also have, within the Vermont Department of Health, a health equity office that does a lot of things, including to evaluate legislation to make sure the laws are equitable to all Vermonters. Even though both racial and socio-economic inequities were concerns for this bill, those concerns were largely ignored. I’d really like us to walk the walk when it comes to things like this — it shouldn’t be an afterthought.

We’re voting this week on the

transportation bill and on H.289, which accelerates the Renewable Energy Standard program to the year 2030. We’re also voting on two favorite bills — because I did an enormous amount of work on them — H.875, which is a state government and municipal government ethics bill, and H.626, which establishes an animal welfare program.

I’m really excited both of those were voted with great support out of my committee. Obviously, I’m voting for my own bills, and I’m also voting yes on the transporation bill and the renewable energy bill. I know there are concerns about net metering restrictions in the energy bill, but I’ve communicated my concerns to senators and I’m hopeful that they’ll address those issues as they consider the bill.

I’ve heard from a ton of people who are supportive of H.709, which bans a certain kind of pesticide called noeonicotinoids, chemicals used mainly on corn to rid crops of certain pesky creatures. The problem is that they also kill non-pesky creatures, like bees and butterflies, and we need them. There’s also evidence that they have longterm negative health impacts on humans. These chemicals have been banned in Quebec and the European Union, and so far, the impact on farmers hasn’t been significant. It was important to me that there was no economic hit to farmers, and my understanding is that crop yield will not suffer and there are safer

alternatives to that particular chemical.

Finally, I want everyone to know I’m really taking to heart and keeping in mind everyone’s concerns about property taxes and spending. Although we can’t go back in time, we can definitely use our mistakes as an opportunity to do better as we move forward. I see where we’re wasting money, and often those situations arise when, in our haste to fix a problem, we don’t consider the long-term effects of our decisions.

I’m hopeful that a measured, careful approach to reconfiguring the way we fund schools (still equitably!) will keep our taxes low and set up our kids to fly high.

I know I’ve mentioned multiple times how uncomfortable the chairs are on the House floor. I got a seat cushion this year and as I sit in that chair — eight hours today on the floor — I’m thinking occasionally about how I wish I were more comfortable, but mostly what I’m thinking about is making sure that I’m doing my very best to represent all of you. The best way for me to do that is to hear from you.

I’ve received calls and texts on Monday mornings, Friday nights, Sunday afternoons — you name it — and I’m always grateful to receive them. If you don’t tell me what you care about and how you want me to vote, I’m not going to know. My email is cevans@leg.state.vt.us and my phone is 917-887-8231.

Chea Waters Evans, a Democrat, represents Charlotte and Hinesburg in the Chittenden-5 House district.

State funds water, sewer systems for Hinesburg mobile home parks

The state has awarded $13.3 million in Healthy Homes Initiative awards and $2.2 million in Three-acre Stormwater Initiative awards to 46 mobile home parks to repair, replace and upgrade water infrastructure.

“This initiative shows exactly why it was so important to invest American Rescue Plan Act funding in infrastructure that helped families and communities across the state,” said Gov. Phil Scott. “These investments support safe, affordable housing for historically underserved or economically disadvantaged communities, and help residents in manufactured housing communities overcome

barriers to fixing water infrastructure issues. Healthy Homes has been an important part of our housing strategy for years, and I hope the Legislature continues to support it.”

Most of the awards will address problems with inadequate or failing wastewater, drinking water and stormwater systems. Grants were given out to the following local mobile home parks:

• Mountain View Mobile Home Park, Hinesburg, $75,000 for technical assistance and permitting for a wastewater system.

• Sunset Lake Cooperative, Hinesburg, $383,250 for construction for wastewater and drinking

water systems.

• Triple L. Mobile Home Park, Hinesburg, $1.25 million for construction of a wastewater system.

• Chambers Mobile Home Park, St. George, $10,500 for technical assistance and permitting for stormwater system.

• St. George Community Cooperative, $75,000, for technical assistance and permit funding for drinking water and wastewater systems.

• Lakeview Cooperative, Shelburne, $759,633 for technical assistance, permitting and construction for the stormwater and wastewater systems.

Rep. Chea Waters Evans

OPINION

Theocracy’s baby voice for all America to hear

Guest

Walt Amses

The question on many minds following the Republican response to Joe Biden’s State of the Union address was “Where does the GOP find these people?”

In a kitchen straight out of the “Twilight Zone,” Katie Britt, heavily breathing each syllable of a 17-minute rejoinder, went full Bobby Jindal, creeping out everyone within earshot in the most bipartisan moments of the evening, earning a resounding “WTF was that?”

A conservative rising star right up to the moment she was zombified by the glare, Britt’s ... one ... word ... at ... a ... time ... cadence sounded like a firstgrade teacher whose Xanax kicked just as the current events lesson was getting off the ground. As though auditioning for her first speaking part, Britt plowed steadily ahead until suddenly pinging into the lurid narrative of a woman trafficked into sexual slavery at the age of 12, an indictment of Biden’s immigra-

Did CVU school district hear voters’ message?

To the Editor:

I’m delighted to report that Champlain Valley School District administrators have been working hard to fix our budget affordability problem. Somewhat.

On March 5, the $105.8 million consolidated school budget proposal failed by 1,699 votes, a substantial margin. Nearly everyone asked to comment on the defeat, and in most articles reporting about the vote outcome, have agreed it was due to affordability and not the need or quality of education.

This is not a vote about our teachers, administrators and schools. The huge sum of $105.8 million was just a bridge too far. Unfortunately, even though school administrators attempted to bring forward a reasonable new budget proposal, in my opinion it’s still too high and will

tion policies as horrific as it was compelling, particularly for fact checkers.

Turns out it was a manufactured talking point delivered in a wounded voice, coupled with a hundred-yard stare, insinuating this woman’s experiences were perpetrated by drug cartels operating somewhere in the United States on the president’s watch: “We wouldn’t be OK with this happening in a third world country. This is the United States of America, and it is past time, in my opinion, we start acting like it. President Biden’s border policies are a disgrace.”

Except in this case, they were Republican policies.

While the incident did actually happen, it took place over 20 years ago in a Mexican brothel without cartel involvement. If Britt was looking for someone to blame, she could have chosen George Bush. Or if clarification was her aim, it was readily available in the woman’s recorded testimony, offered nine years ago to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

But it wasn’t the clarifica-

Letters to the Editor

likely face defeat as well.

School administrators have reworked the numbers and are proposing a new budget vote for mid-April on a $101.8 million budget, cutting 42 full-time equivalent positions throughout the district and towns. Cuts will be evenly distributed to district and central office positions, paraprofessionals and teachers.

Calculated into the new budget is also $380,000 in non-personnel spending reductions, loss of $1.5 million in school construction money and flipping $1.8 million of fund balance money into this year’s budget.

Assuming the legislative yield number to be around $10,085, the fiscal year 2025 property tax rate should be about $1.96, which is an 18 percent increase in taxes over last year. This would add about $876 of additional taxes on a $300,000 dollar home. I believe I got these numbers right, but the official

tion Republicans sought so they simply embellished the story with the kind of alternative facts they’ve come to rely on since the Trump presidency so unequivocally demonstrated lying had no political consequence in MAGA World. Lying was, in fact, the very foundation of MAGA World, so Britt’s repackaging reality came as no surprise.

Her delivery though was another matter entirely, offering the nation a glimpse of the revolting bless-your-heart demeanor often employed by evangelical women in what’s called the Fundie Baby Voice, which in Britt’s response was clearly a dog whistle, a coded GOP message to Christian nationalists intent on turning America into a theocracy: “We’ve got your back.”

Weirder still, Alabama’s first female senator’s actual voice is quite clear, articulate and normal by any measure.

What we heard last week, however, was just one part of

numbers should be published soon. Hopefully.

The school board was given a choice by school administrators between two budget choices, one with an estimated tax rate of $1.96 or $1.93, and the board voted for the higher tax rate. The vote was 7-5, with one abstention.

The discussion leading up to the vote was lively and included remarks from board members and the community. I got the impression that of the 178 residents online, and 20 who attended in-person, many were teachers who offered strong words in support of less drastic action. But some school board members pointed out to those attending, that most voters sent a clear message that they wanted to see spending reductions and that the board received the message.

John Clifford Hinesburg

Is anyone really surprised we can’t afford Vermont’s school bill

Guest Perspective

Floyd Nease

Not unexpectedly, Vermont has once again hit a brick wall in public education funding. It’s nothing new. In fact, the wall was built and reinforced over decades by legislators, governors and school boards who jointly avoided addressing the root causes of the dilemma.

Simply put, the underlying structural problems in Vermont’s education system are threefold: Vermont has too many school buildings, too much staff and too few students. That the funding is not well spent is evidenced by the fact that despite being second in the country in per-pupil spending ($23,299), pupil performance is in the middle of the pack, below many states spending much less. It’s reasonable to wonder what might be possible if we were to invest that funding more effectively and efficiently in programming for students instead of on redundant infrastructure and staffing.

There have been promising temporary efforts over the years — acts 60 and 68 and, most

recently, Act 46 — that showed real promise toward addressing underlying structural challenges. But every time, when the conjoined specters of closed schools and laid-off staff arose, legislators, governors and school boards, assailed by constituents and special interests, backed off, making exceptions where they shouldn’t — Stowe and Ripton come to mind — and thereby defeated any potential for real reform.

The challenges faced this year come from not addressing underlying problems, not, as has been said, because pay raises and health care costs have exploded. They have, of course, but those costs have exploded everywhere, every year. They are a factor, but not the root cause. Our relative performance continues to be middling at best, and per pupil cost continues to rise far

Summer Camps 2024 GUIDE

Promote your program in our Summer Camps guide for targeted exposure to a local audience of kids and parents as they make plans for the upcoming summer season. This advertising section is a go-to guide for summer camp and recreation seekers, making it the ideal place to outline your offerings and secure more early enrollments.

Publication Date: April 4

Deadline: March 28

Contact: Stowe Reporter/News & Citizen at 802-253-2101, Shelburne News/The Citizen at 802-985-3091 or The Other Paper at 802-864-6670 for information or to advertise your camp (ask about multi-paper, half-price color and Burlington Area Newspaper Group deals).

beyond what payroll and health care inflation require.

The cycle of increased costs and declining results is made worse by postponed maintenance, repair and replacement of too many aging buildings, most often in a misguided effort to forestall staff reductions. The combination of too many staff, too many aging buildings and too few students is a toxic feedback loop. It forces misspending on redundancy and unneeded space instead of investing in excellence.

Vermonters must take a cold-blooded look at what we want Vermont’s education system to accomplish, and how it can be accomplished sustainably, over time.

The response from the Legislature this session is familiar: Tweak the formula (increase the yield, look for any revenue) to get through the immediate funding crisis. Tweaking always fails to address chronic underlying structural problems, and it guarantees the immediate budget crisis will

reappear — with Groundhog Day certainty — next year and year after year after that. Property taxes, which pay for more than 60 percent of school spending, will continue to increase by thousands this year and next — ad infinitum. This makes Vermont even less affordable for the young families we say we want to attract.

Already, postponed decisions to close schools and lay off staff has metastasized into an obstacle that impacts everything we hold dear in Vermont. Every funding decision made by the Legislature or the governor is overshadowed by the unsustainable school funding problem.

Addressing Vermont’s other very real immediate needs — housing, environment, agriculture, municipal, economic development, et al, requires that it be addressed. School spending must become predictable, sustainable and equitable, or the whole economy grinds to a halt.

We’ve been here before. In the 1970s, after much bloodletting and political angst, Vermont consolidated many village high schools into regional union schools, where students gained access to a richer array

It’s Summer Camp Sign-Up Time!

of academic and extra-curricular choices. Cries of “you’re killing our community” faded as communities adjusted to the new realities and learned to take advantage of them.

On the federal level, in 1988 both Congress and the administration recognized that too many aging military bases were not adding value to changing military needs. Predictably, efforts to close redundant bases were stymied by unsurmountable political impediments.

Their solution created Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), described by the U.S. Department of Defense as “the Congressionally authorized process DoD has used to reorganize its base structure to more efficiently and effectively support our forces, increase operational readiness and facilitate new ways of doing business.”

Nearby Plattsburgh Air Force Base was repurposed. BRAC removed most political and emotional considerations by anchoring decisions in objective criteria agreed to by a wide range

See NEASE on page 7

AMSES

continued from page 5

a carefully orchestrated theatrical production that included the kitchen itself — a woman’s implied place; the dangling cross; the whole “I’m just a mom” shtick; and assuring other Christian women that she understands her — and their — role in the culture. Even Britt’s green dress, servant’s attire in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” had the internet losing its mind.

Jess Piper, a former progressive political candidate in Missouri, recalled on Substack having grown up in a conservative Christian household where the baby voice was a familiar “cadence of condescension” as she called it, that ever so sweetly said “I am better than you and here are the ways ... I have children. They are perfect. I have a marriage. It is perfect. I am pretty and well educated. I am Christian — I am God fearing and I prove it by holding hands with my family and praying for the rest of you.”

NEASE

continued from page 6

of interests.

Vermont can no longer wait to realign education spending. We must prioritize educational enrichment and equity for students as well as long-term economic viability for taxpayers, over short-term parochial considerations. By not addressing the triple threat of too many aging schools, too much staff and too few students, the economic impacts of that indecision have grown over time and are crashing over us, drowning other emergent needs in a tsunami of school

Nellie M. Tourville

Nellie May Tourville, 73, of Huntington died on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the University of Vermont Medical Center surrounded by her family following a short illness.

Nellie was born on Jan 9, 1951, in Burlington, the daughter of Leonard and Mildred (Hayden) Kenyon. She was a graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School, Class of 1969. She married her high school sweetheart, Steven R. Smith, in October 1969.

Nellie was self-employed and enjoyed being outdoors, gardening, spending time with her grandchildren and teaching them how to cook.

Although it’s easy to dismiss Britt’s concocted vulnerability at the kitchen counter, the evangelical bent of judging everyone else’s morality, especially coupled with Christian nationalism and the quest for dominion, directly threatens democracy and clearly points to why the founders adamantly insisted on church and state separation. Despite evangelical fabrications to the contrary, John Adams was unequivocal: “The government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”

While Britt’s venture into the spotlight had more heavy breathing than Tommy Tuberville trying to name the three branches of government, it was also the latest incursion of Alabama politics into the national spotlight, perhaps offering a small glimpse of a future with Christian nationalism holding sway. The Heart of Dixie State provided rationale for building tiny playgrounds in

petri dishes through a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos were “children,” going well beyond any constitutional or legal precedent to reach their decision.

The court’s chief justice, Tom

misspending.

Vermonters must take a cold-blooded look at what we want Vermont’s education system to accomplish, and how it can be accomplished sustainably, over time. It’s time to authorize a BRAC-like process for Vermont’s future that would reorganize Vermont’s education system by repurposing schools, reducing staff and investing in excellence to, echoing BRAC, “more efficiently and effectively support our students, increase student readiness for post-secondary education

Nellie is survived by her children, Leonard (Wendy) Smith of Milton, Jesse Smith of Hinesburg,

the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory.”

As sanctimonious as Parker’s ideology might be, he is a near mythical figure in fundamentalist circles, credited with having laid

Britt’s delivery offered the nation a glimpse of the revolting bless-your-heart demeanor often employed by evangelical women in what’s called the Fundie Baby Voice, clearly a dog whistle to Christian nationalists intent on turning America into a theocracy: “We’ve got your back.”

Parker, explained: “Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God,” in a concurring opinion that invoked the Book of Genesis and the prophet Jeremiah, quoting from 16th- and 17th-century theologians.

“Even before birth,” Parker added, “all human beings have

out the legal roadmap Mississippi used to initiate the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, a tear-down-the-goalposts moment for anti-abortion Christians. At least briefly.

SCOTUS’ unprecedented

decision sparked a fierce backlash, upending Republican dreams of a red wave in the 2022 midterm elections with Ohio and Kansas, both considered conservative states, voting overwhelmingly to reinforce reproductive freedom, including abortion.

Fearing these results a harbinger of a disastrous general election with women abandoning the party in droves, the GOP sought to stanch the hemorrhage with Britt, which prompted a backlash of its own.

Apparently, grown women babbling like frightened toddlers isn’t all that appealing. While we’re on the topic, Republicans might consider the implications of having a self-professed, serial sexual predator at the top of the ticket in November.

Walt Amses lives in North Calais.

and training and facilitate new ways of doing business.”

It can be done, but it will take political courage to do it.

Floyd Nease served in the Vermont House from from 20022010, for a time as Democratic Party Majority Leader. Trained as a mental health clinician, Nease led several nonprofit human services agencies in Vermont, including an alternative school for children and adolescents who were unable to thrive in public education settings.

and Chris (Dianna) Fletcher of Charlotte; grandchildren, Brandon, Samantha, Morgan and Dean; siblings Pam, Dayton, Kathy, Priscilla, Ray and Penny; many nieces and nephews; as well as her cherished dog, Chloe. She was predeceased by her husband, Steven; parents, Leonard and Mildred Kenyon; sistersin-law, Irene Kenyon and Kim Kenyon; and brothers-in-law, Dick Martin, Bob Grady and Paul Morse.

A private family celebration of Nellie’s life will be held later.

Arrangements are in the care of the Ready Funeral & Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral. com.

Nellie M. Tourville

Spring sprang

COMMUNITY

Community Notes

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, March 28, is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center features turkey burger with vegetable gravy, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, wheat roll with butter, peach and Craisin crisp and milk.

You must pre-register by the prior Monday at 802-425-6345 or meals@charlotteseniorcentervt. org.

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

Grab and go meal in Shelburne, April 9

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, April 9.

Meals 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 chicken in gravy with mashed cauliflower, diced carrots, southern biscuit with butter, carrot cake with icing and milk.

To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, April 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.

March programs at Charlotte Senior Center

For more details, go to charlotteseniorcentervt.org or call 802-425-6345.

• Ongoing: “Farm & Field” by Margaret McSwain. The series is based on capturing the essence and beauty of Charlotte landscapes, farming spaces and locally grown food. As an oil painter, McSwain is drawn to the pastoral scenes and subtle differences in light and seasonal changes on the land.

• Wednesday, March 27: AARP

free tax preparation. Appointments available between 1-4 p.m. Registration required.

• Thursdays in March, 1-2 p.m.: “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus book discussion. Free, registration required.

Elizabeth Zott is a gifted research chemist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show. Co-sponsored with the Charlotte Library.

• Thursday, March 21, 1 p.m.: Vermont Association Blind & Visually Impaired. Free, registration appreciated.

Dan Norris, director of adult services at the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, will share both hightech and no-tech solutions to help navigate vision loss.

• Thursday, March 21, 1-3:30 p.m.: play reading. Free.

Join Sue Foley and Wally Gates for table-reading fun. No tryouts, no rehearsals, no critical reviews. The group meets monthly and is for people who enjoy reading plays aloud or listening to others perform. Contact Foley at ssnfoley@icloud.com.

• Thursday, March 28, 9 a.m.: walking/gentle hiking group. Registration required, free.

Walk at a gentle pace with other seniors. Group meets each month for a congenial non-strenuous walk. Location to be determined. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the center.

• Thursday, March 28, 1 p.m.: Hiking the Long Trail, Free, registration appreciated.

Can you imagine hiking 280 miles in 19 days? Have you ever been curious about hiking the Long Trail and what’s involved? Join Charlotte resident Carrie Fenn as she talks about her solo adventure hiking the Long Trail.

Charlotte Congregational Easter services

The church is located at Church Hill Road. For more information, go to charlotteucc.org or call 802-425-3176.

Sunday, March 24: Palm and Passion Sunday, 10 a.m., livestreamed service with a dramatic retelling of the Passion of Jesus Christ. No fellowship time after service.

Monday to Friday, March 25-29: Stations of the Cross, daily 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Stations of the Cross

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

This week might have signaled the arrival of spring, but it still seems too early for crocus.

Miscellaneous cannabis bill stirs concern for growers

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

This year’s miscellaneous cannabis bill, H.612, has some local cultivators fearing it could mean the end of their growing businesses.

H. 612, described by Rep. Chea Waters Evans, D-Charlotte, a member of the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as this year’s cannabis “housekeeping bill,” adds language surrounding “preferred districts” for outdoor cultivation and new minimum and maximum setback requirements for grow operations, bringing more control to local selectboards and towns looking to regulate the industry.

The bill moves in the opposite direction of last year’s miscellaneous cannabis bill, H.270, which exempts all outdoor grow operations from municipal permitting in the same way as agriculture.

“In our housekeeping bill last year, we made some changes to make sure that the cannabis growers weren’t being unduly stressed or making it too difficult for them, but I think we went a little far,” Evans said. “So now we’re going back in the other direction or trying to find a medium ground and that’s part of the corrective nature of this. It takes some time to figure out how these things are working.”

The bill, she said, is meant to strike a path forward that doesn’t disadvantage growers, but also doesn’t make municipalities feel like they’re “powerless.”

But like many growers across the state, John Stern, a cultivator in Charlotte, is concerned with the significant financial impact this could have on specifically smallscale, craft growers that make up a large majority of active cultivation in the state.

“The winners will be the large multi-state operators, who obviously have bought a ton of land and have big, big pockets,” he said. “It’s really bad for the industry in Vermont.”

In addition to allowing towns with zoning to create “preferred cultivation districts,” the proposed bill, as it currently stands, says that cultivation within those districts would need a minimum setback of 25 feet between plant canopy and a property boundary. If the cultivation occurs outside of a cannabis cultivation district adopted by a municipality or no cannabis cultivation district has been adopted, the maximum setback is 100 feet.

For towns without zoning, the setback minimum is 10 feet.

“We have licensees basically going out and measuring and seeing if the setbacks hold,” said Geoffrey Pizzutillo, executive

BLOTTER continued from page 4

of Granville, was arrested for driving under the influence.

March 16 at 11:50 a.m., suspicious activity on Birchwood Drive was investigated.

March 17 at 2:35 p.m., police investigated a noise complaint on Texas Hill Road.

March 18 at 9:18 a.m., an officer responded to a medical emergency on Hawk Lane.

March 18 at 11:00 a.m., officers investi-

director and co-founder of the Vermont Growers Association, the largest member-based cannabis non-profit in the state. “We see on paper and from anecdotes of really dozens of licensees reaching out to us, that there’s a growing body of licensed outdoor cultivators who are following the law and they see themselves going out of business, being forced to close, if this policy was to get enacted.”

For Stern, the language mirrors the “predatory” regulations that the town of Charlotte attempted to pass when the planning and zoning office was first drafting new land use regulations around cannabis last year, specifically one aspect that included setback and buffer zone restrictions, which Evans said, was not legal under current statute.

Since his business started in August 2023, his grow has been the recipient of a slew of resident and municipal pushback — a chaotic situation that he has, at times, likened to a new wave of “reefer madness.”

“A lot of the language is exactly what they were trying to pass,” he said, adding that because of H.270, he was protected from Charlotte’s attempted overreach, but now there is cause for concern.

Although he operates his grow on a 3-acre plot of land and technically has the space to move, the financial impact of uprooting his operation could cost almost two times more than what he says he is making in profit. He said most small-scale operations don’t even see a profit until the third year.

“So, you take the first-year investment, which very few people actually did much growing because of the (Cannabis Control Board’s) timeline with regards to verification of applications and whatnot,” he said, adding that because of the weather, year two was relatively unsubstantial. “Now we’re in year three when you expect to maybe break even, and we have to move? Now you’re taking on another two, or three years. Who plans for that? Nobody plans for that.”

He added that the cost to uproot his operation will include deconstruction, redoing security systems, water systems and potentially a large reengineering fee, and that is just to move the operation a few feet from where it currently stands.

“It’s not like people just plant the stuff from the ground in Vermont. That doesn’t work very well because we have clay soil,” he said. “Typically, you’re talking about these planting pots, and you have to put watering systems to those, and you’d have to move all of that.”

For legacy growers that have been operating since the beginning, Evans said there is still legal discussion over whether an applicant

renewing a license — which is done yearly — would need to reapply under the new law or if the application would be reissued under law that was enacted when they began.

“It’s a discussion of the wording,” she said. “Because if we’re renewing them, then it’s one particular process that means the current growers no matter what their setback is, they would be allowed. But if the decision is that those permits are re-issued every year, then that’s really starting fresh every year.”

As the bill continues to move through Legislature, Evans said growers who predate the potential changes to the law might find a little grace from legislators.

Pizzutillo, who works closely with active growers and other advocacy groups lobbying in the Statehouse, said that while they

welcome this conversation, “We do think that the current proposed language is inappropriate and may not even get at the issue at hand and it is overreaching and places that risk on far too many producers in our current market.”

He anticipates more extensive lobbying and testimony as the bill moves to the Senate, where growers say they have more allies.

“Though it is the committee of jurisdiction,” Pizzutillo said, speaking about the House Committee on Governement Operations and Military Affairs. “We take issue with the sort of the tone and the reception that cannabis gets in that committee.”

Matthew Birong, D-Vergennes, and Michael McCarthy, D-St. Albans are sponsors of the bill.

gated a juvenile issue at the Hinesburg Community School.

March 18 at 4:50 p.m., a citizen was assisted with a lockout on Charlotte Road.

March 18 at 6:33 p.m., officers responded to a medical emergency on Hawk Lane.

March 18 at 7:54 p.m., Vergennes police were assisted with an investigation on Buck Hill East.

PHOTO BY TOMMY GARDNER

A proposed bill could affect more than 200 cannabis growing operations, including those in Charlotte.

Changing world

Resilience is our forests’ greatest asset

Into the Woods

Ethan Tapper

Landowners often ask me, “Is my forest healthy?”

While this may seem like a simple question, the more time I spend working with forests, the more difficult it is to answer. While most people picture a healthy” forest as one with lots of healthy trees, when we take a more holistic and expansive view of forest ecology, it’s actually much more complicated than that. More and more, I define forest health in terms of resilience.

The resilience of a forest is essentially its ability to persevere and to bounce back from adversity — to respond to threats, stressors and disturbances while maintaining productive capacity and natural processes over time. It’s important to recognize that some amount of adversity is a normal and natural part of forest ecology; as long as there have been forests, there have been pests, parasites and pathogens, windstorms, ice storms and forest fires. While these disturbances kill trees, they are as normal, and arguably as essential a part of forest ecology as the trees themselves.

Key to their resilience is forests’ ability to regenerate — to grow new generations of trees in place of the old. In Vermont, we are blessed with forests that readily regenerate from all manner of disturbances. Any time light reaches the forest floor, the forest responds with an explosion of new trees, shrubs and plants.

Over time, disturbances of different types, intensities and frequencies can manifest species diversity — different species of trees, which regenerate under different light levels, soil conditions and more — as well as structural diversity, or different generations of trees, both within an individual forest and across our landscape.

Species diversity and structural diversity are both products of, and contributors to, a forest’s resilience. Different species and ages of trees help forests risk-spread. Similar to how we might diversify a business or a stock portfolio, risk-spreading buffers forests from catastrophic and destabilizing events. For instance, if most of the trees in a forest are a single species, a pest or pathogen that attacks that species could stress or kill nearly all the trees in that forest.

Similarly, if all the trees in the forest are the same age, a windstorm may topple virtually all of them at once. Having a diversity of tree species, sizes and ages buffers a forest from these larger-scale, more harmful disturbances.

While resilience has always been a key component of healthy forests, today it is more vital than ever. Modern forests face an unprecedented array of threats and stressors that we refer to, collectively, as global change: the combination of climate change,

non-native invasive plants, animals, pests and pathogens, deer overpopulation, forest fragmentation, deforestation and more.

To make matters worse, because of past land use, especially the agricultural clearing of the 1800s, our forests are generally young and simple, in most cases lacking the diversity so vital to their resilience.

It’s important to recognize that even if we lived in a landscape of diverse, old-growth forests and even if climate change was the only threat that they faced, climate change alone would test the limits of our forests’ resilience. On a landscape of altered and degraded forests, and with all the threats posed by global change, it is unreasonable

to expect forests to summon the resilience needed to survive this moment without our help.

How can we help forests build resilience? Most forests need, or will at least benefit from, some intervention. Even if we do nothing else, it is vital that we protect forests’ ability to regenerate by doing things like controlling non-native invasive plants and protecting young trees from deer browse. We can also use forest management to help forests build resilience: Encouraging the development of species diversity and structural diversity, helping them adapt to a changing climate, and creating habitats that are underrepresented across our landscape

and vital to our waning biodiversity.

As we learn what it means to care for ecosystems at this moment in time, it is critical that we move from a mentality that values stability — a forest’s ability to stay the same — to one that values resilience, forest’s ability to respond to change and adversity when it invariably comes. In a changed and changing world, resilience is, and will likely always be, our forests’ greatest asset.

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

Here’s how to view the solar eclipse safely

Science Talk

Neil Perlin

The eclipse is now less than a month away, so this article repeats and expands on the safe-observing article from last fall.

Think about how hard it is to stare at a 100-watt light bulb. Now imagine staring at millions of 100-watt bulbs. That’s only a fraction of how bright the sun is. Imagine the damage that would do to your eyes. So how can you see an eclipse without hurting your eyes?

You want to reduce the brightness of the sun and the effect of infrared and ultraviolet radiation, both of which can damage your eyes. So how can you observe safely?

By eye

Don’t use sunglasses. They don’t reduce the brightness or block the infrared and ultraviolet rays enough to be safe.

Welder’s mask: You can use one if it meets the specs described at bit.ly/3PeF4Vz and is in good shape with no scratches, but it’s less trouble to just use eclipse glasses.

Eclipse glasses are simple and inexpensive. They usually have a cardboard frame with filters where the lenses would be. For some examples, search for “NASA approved solar eclipse glasses.”

I just bought a 10-pack for $22.95 plus shipping. Ideally, get glasses that are individually wrapped in plastic and keep them in the plastic until the eclipse. You may also find them locally. The Morrisville library has a limited number of glasses to give away. I’ll be giving a presentation on the eclipse at the Morrisville library on Wednesday, March 20, when I’ll have a limited number of glasses to give away.

Be sure to check your glasses for scratches. Elaine Fortin of Lamoille County Star Gazers says “to test any solar viewers

and glasses, hold them up to the sun on a bright day for just a second. If you see any bit of light besides the sun, the glasses are no good. Throw them away and don’t let anyone else use them. They must block out everything except the sun, and even then, no bright spots.”

Binoculars or telescope

Observing through binoculars or a telescope can provide spectacular views of the sun during the eclipse and at other times, when, with the right equipment, you can see sunspots and solar flares. However, observing this way also increases the risk because it concentrates the light that hits your eyes. This concentrated light could also make a telescope or binoculars catch fire. So, a few suggestions:

• Contact the manufacturer of any

PHOTO BY ETHAN TAPPER

A red oak (Quercus rubra) seedling. Forests’ ability to regenerate new trees and plants after a disturbance is key to their resilience.

ECLIPSE

continued from page 10

device you’re using to buy add-on filters that fit over the front of your device and follow the instructions. Make sure that any add-on filters are the proper ones for your device. Third-party filters may not be suitable for your specific device.

• Always keep these devices under your control. The last thing you want is for a child to look through the eyepiece or the finder — the little aiming telescope — and suffer eye damage.

• If you own an old telescope, it may come with a filter marked something like “solar eyepiece” or “sun” that is supposed to screw into the eyepiece. If you do, throw it away. These eyepieces can crack and let in a full blast of sunlight.

Eclipse glasses are simple and inexpensive. They usually have a cardboard frame with filters where the lenses would be. For some examples, search for “NASA approved solar eclipse glasses.”

Smartphone camera

You can take a photo or selfie of the eclipse with a phone. See NASA’s recommendations at bit. ly/3s7z3RQ.

However, other webpages like space.com’s “Can You Photograph the Solar Eclipse with Your Phone or Tablet?” (bit.ly/48NP6nx) note

that safely photographing the eclipse requires adding a solar filter to your phone, remembering when to put it on and take it off, and not inadvertently looking at the sun while aiming the phone. It’s certainly do-able but having to remember all the steps while viewing the eclipse is a risk. In my opinion, it is better to be safe and look at the sun through the eclipse glasses.

Unusual ideas

You can make a pinhole projector by cutting a small square, say 2-inch by 2-inch, out of a piece of cardboard, taping aluminum foil over the square and poking a small hole in the foil with a pin.

You can then hold the projector facing the sun and a piece of cardboard a foot or so behind the pinhole. Do not look through the pinhole! The image of the sun will be very small but visible.

You can face a metal colander, like the one you use to drain spaghetti, at the sun. Each hole acts like a pinhole camera so you’ll see multiple small images of the sun. Sort of a disco ball effect.

Finally, if you’re a do-it-your-

selfer and have an old pair of binoculars, an 8-foot, 2-foot by 2-foot board, and a strong tripod, you can build a techie version of the pinhole projector that gives a larger image. It’s good for group viewing if you’re having an eclipse party. If you’d like to try this, pick up the April issue of Sky and Telescope magazine and see page 72 for instructions on how to create “The Eclipsinator.” Note, however, that there’s a risk of the binocular’s innards melting.

A solar eclipse is a dance between two heavenly bodies 250,000 and 93 million miles away, as Peoples Academy teacher Rita Ciambra described in an article last year. Eclipses happen fairly often, but having one right overhead is rare. Make it memo-

Rotary All-Star Hockey Classic returns

This year’s Rotary All-Star Hockey Classic is Saturday, March 16, at the Essex Skating Facility.

Men and women in their senior years are selected from high schools across Vermont to participate in this event. The women’s game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. and the men’s game will commence at 6 p.m. Tickets for this event are $10 per person and the price includes admission to both games. Tickets can be purchased online at bit. ly/42WrICZ.

Net proceeds are used by the Essex Rotary Club to support local food pantries, provide winter coats for children in need, fund scholarships for local students and support a number of health and environmental initiatives locally and internationally.

Contact Jason Ruwet at 802-876-7147 for more information about this event.

The following girls were named to the Austin Conference

All-Stars:

• Evie Mae Buford, forward, CVU/MMU Cougarhawks

The following girls were named to the Harris Conference

All-Stars:

• Sabrina Brunet, forward, South Burlington High School

• Ava Hershberg, forward, South Burlington High School

• Jordan Larose, forward, South Burlington High School

• Kiley Burke, defense, South Burlington High School

• Cait Bartlett, defense, South Burlington High School

• Taylor Tobrocke, goalie, South Burlington High School

The following boys were named to the Austin Conference

All-Stars, under head coaches J.P. Benoit of Champlain Valley Union High School and Jordan Stearns of Middlebury

High School:

• Nic Menard, forward, Champlain Valley Union High School

• Travis Stroh, forward, Champlain Valley Union High School

• Will Bradley, forward, South Burlington High School

• Alex Zuchowski, defense, Champlain Valley Union High School

• James Bradley, goalie, South Burlington High School

• James Chagnon, goalie, South Burlington High School

• Nicholas Kelly, forward, South Burlington High School, was selected but is unable to play.

The following boys were named to the Harris Conference

All-Stars:

• Colin Banks, forward, Rice Memorial High School

• Joe Rob, defense, Rice Memorial Academy

rable for the experience, not for the eye damage. For further information, go to bit.ly/4452y3Z.

Neil Perlin is a retired

computer consultant, a long-time amateur astronomer, a member of the Lamoille County Star Gazers, and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador.

Wild Hart Distillery shutters its doors

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

After seven years, Wild Hart Distillery, a craft distillery and tasting room in Shelburne, ran its last batch of specialty spirits at the end of February.

Craig Stevens, owner and operator, said that he had let staff know about the decision in December to allow ample time for employees to find their footing.

“My biggest regret is disappointing folks,” he said. “It’s always a mixed bag when you do something that’s good for yourself, but it does impact other people both in terms of having a tasting room where people were able to come and listen to music as well as our products in the liquor stores.”

Since its founding in 2017, Stevens’ product has catered to people who crave a luxury spirit brand but at a price that doesn’t leave too big a dent. His liquor could be bought at just under $30, a price point he has remained committed to keeping since the distillery’s beginning.

“The flavor profiles that we’ve developed have been things that are super approachable, and we’ve really worked hard to keep our prices at below that $30 level,” he said, adding that as the need to increase staffing and prices of everything began to skyrocket, “our margins were getting smaller.”

Community Bankers

Community Bankers

Although products could be found locally at liquor stores and more than 15 farmers markets that Stevens frequented, products were also shipped as far as the mid-Atlantic. To make his vodka, spiced rum and signature gins even more accessible, Stevens opened a tasting room last year that featured live music, specialty cocktails and a cozy vibe.

Community Bankers BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Community Bankers

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

There is no better time to join our Team!

There is no better time to join our Team!

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Community Bankers

There is no better time to join our Team!

There is no better time to join our Team!

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

There is no better time to join our Team!

North eld Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all.

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

Opportunity for Growth

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professionaldevelopment within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a careerin an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

What NSB Can Offer You

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

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

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

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

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

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

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

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

In addition to crafting his own product, Wild Hart Distillery also acted as an incubator space for smaller spirit brands like Linchpin, Rectified Bourbon and Arcana Botanica.

Stevens said that the overhead to open a distillery is incredibly expensive, and finding folks to collaborate with him when he first started was difficult.

“I made a commitment to basically try to help other small makers bring their product to market and the way that I operated that was instead of paying rent, I did commission based,” he said. “So, for every bottle that they sold, I made a commission, and they make money. It was a little easier for them in terms of not bearing that type of overhead and the concept was once they started to feel like they’re paying me too much commission, then they’ve probably grown large enough to start their own distillery.”

All those businesses, Stevens said, are expected to continue, and they have even solidified two new “homes” for the businesses.

“I’ll continue helping them out in terms of transferring over to a new distillery and everything that comes with that,” he said.

Stevens said he still loves the farmers markets and local events he’s frequented through his business but looks forward to returning to the public health care field.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

“I’m really looking forward to having those weekends to actually be on the other side of the table because we’ve just got a huge, amazing community of makers,” he said. “I met so many people

throughout this process and made so many great bonds with other makers and those are things that’ll continue.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

Wild Hart Distillery owner Craig Stevens works on machinery at his business in Shelburne. Stevens recently announced its closure.

BIDS

continued from page 1

the LaPlatte River.

Voters in 2020 approved a borrowing capacity of $11.7 million for the new facility by a vote of 1,810 to 98. At the time of the vote, officials estimated a new facility could be operational by 2025.

The town has already spent $2 million on site work at the Lagoon Road site. The property has since been tiled drained and “has been waiting for the new building,” Lovell said.

The town selectboard rejected the bids it received in May, in part because the town could not move forward with a proposal to borrow more than what voters approved.

Then, in September, a renewal of the state’s discharge permit contained significantly more test-

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 8

up in the sanctuary for all to use for viewing and prayer.

Thursday, March 28: Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m., rich and meaningful Service of Tenebrae in the vestry with music, candlelight readings and a reenactment of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.

Thursday and Friday, March 28-29: Easter vigil, the sanctuary will be open to all while the vigil is held from 8 p.m. on Maundy Thursday until 3 p.m. on Good Friday, when tradition says that Jesus was taken down from the cross. Sign-up in the sanctuary or email Kim at: charlotteucc@gmavt.net.

Saturday, March 30: noon Easter egg hunt for families in the community, hosted by youth group.

Sunday, March 31: Easter services. Sunrise service, 6:15 a.m., on the front lawn of the church. All who wish to hike to the clearing at the top of the hill behind the church are welcome to do that before or after the service. Rev. Hadley Bunting will lead. Worship service, 9 a.m., Rev. Susan Cooke Kittredge will preach (livestreamed). Worship service, 11 a.m. with Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen will preach.

ing and lower limits than what the previous permit carried. Todd Odit, the Hinesburg town manager, moved to challenge the permit conditions in environmental court.

In its updated permit, the state has required that the town have an operational wastewater treatment facility by Oct. 31, 2027.

That appeal remains in court proceedings, Odit said, with both sides hashing out the issues in the permit.

The town previously argued, among other things, that the additional permit stipulations require that the town monitor the river once a month from June 1 through Oct. 31, which attorneys have argued “falls on the agency to obtain the funding and

to train staff to undertake this type of sampling to bolster their programs.”

The town currently has one employee on hand for river sampling and testing. The permit conditions, Odit said, would continue to increase that employee’s workload.

In appealing, Odit hopes that the town could settle to get more favorable operating conditions. The success of the litigation would not necessarily decrease upfront costs to build a new facility, Odit said, but could impact the operating cost of maintaining the facility.

The selectboard will review the four new bids at a meeting Wednesday held after press deadline.

INVITATION FOR BIDS

Seeking Section 3 and WMBE Subcontractors

D.E.W. Construction (DEW), on behalf of Evernorth and Champlain Valley Housing, is seeking interested bidders to participate in the bidding of their new forty eight (48) unit residential building to be located at 108-110 Margaret’s Way, Shelburne, VT. The new building has a lower-level basement & parking garage of approx. 22,566 square feet and two (2) separate three (3) story wood framed residential buildings on a shared podium with and approx. total square footage of 60,265 square feet.

This project is partially funded by State and Federal funds through VHCB, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, VHFA Financing, VT Community Development Program (CDBG funds), EPA Brownfields Funding, Energy Incentives and Investment Tax Credits. There are Davis Bacon Residential wage rate requirements, Build American Buy American requirements and WMBE and Section 3 goals on this project. We are actively seeking the participation of qualified Section 3 and WMBE subcontractors.

D.E.W. Construction Corp. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) that complies with Executive Order 11246 and takes affirmative action to ensure that it employs qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, ancestry, place of birth, age, protected veteran or military status, genetic information, disability, or persons in any other status protected by federal or

Please contact Aimee Plotczyk – aplotczyk@dewconstruction.com at D.E.W. Construction for more information.

TOWN OF HINESBURG

Highway Positions

PLANNING COMMISSION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Highway Foreperson

This is a supervisory position that is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the town’s highway infrastructure. A valid VT issued CDL Class A license is required. Required skills include proficient operation of a road grader, excavator, front-end loader, backhoe, and tandem plow truck. Starting pay is $32.00 - $38.00 an hour depending upon qualifications.

The Hinesburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on April 10, 2024 at 7pm to receive public comment on proposed changes to the Zoning Regulations. The purpose is to comply with recent changes to State law, and to make minor revisions to help enable the creation of more housing, including more affordable housing. The geographic area affected is principally the eight Village Growth Area zoning districts, but some changes will have a townwide effect.

Highway Maintainer

This is a semi-skilled position of moderate complexity in highway maintenance and equipment operation. The Highway Maintainer II performs a wide variety of manual and automotive equipment operation tasks involved in municipal road maintenance. Work extends to responsibility for maintenance and servicing of assigned automotive equipment, requiring strong mechanical and trouble shooting skills. A valid Vermont issued Class B CDL is required. Starting pay is $22.00 - $25.00 an hour depending upon qualifications.

Copies of the proposed revisions, as well as a report on how the proposed changes comply with State Statute and the Town Plan, are available on the Town web site (www.hinesburg.org), and/or by contacting Alex Weinhagen (Director of Planning & Zoning) at the Town Office or aweinhagen@hinesburg.org or 482-4209. Certain terms were updated simply for clarity throughout the entire document – i.e., non-substantive changes. A list of the section headings with substantive changes follows, as required pursuant to Title 24, Chapter 117 V.S.A. Section 4444 (b).

1.4 – Purpose, Authority, etc.

Both positions provide health, dental, vision and disability insurance; paid time off; pension plan; and 13 paid holidays.

2.3 – Special uses

2.4 & Table 1 – Area/dimensional requirements

2.9 – Village growth area density bonus (deleted)

A highway application can be found on the town’s website www. hinesburg.org under “employement.” Applications can be emailed to Todd Odit, Town Manager at todit@hinesburg.org.

2.10 – Rural area development density

3.1 – Village growth area (new, revised/consolidated)

3.2 – Agricultural district

3.3 – Rural residential 1 district

3.4 – Rural residential 2 district

3.5 – Village district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.6 – Village northwest district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.7 – Village northeast district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.8 – Commercial district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.9 – Residential 1 district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.10 – Residential 2 district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.13 – Industrial 3 district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.14 – Industrial 4 district (revised, moved to 3.1)

3.11 – Residential 3 district (new)

3.12 – Residential 4 district (new)

3.15 – Shoreline district

4.5 – Planned unit developments

5.5 – Off-street parking

5.6 – Design standards for commercial/industrial uses

5.8 – Accessory uses and structures

5.9 – Accessory dwelling units

5.14 – Conversion of one-unit dwellings

5.19 – Manufactured homes and mobile home parks

5.21 – Inclusionary zoning (revised, moved to 3.1)

5.22 – Village area design standards (revised, moved to 3.1)

10.1 – Definitions (various new and revised terms)

Notice Date – March 21, 2024

BUDGET continued from page 1

members debated three options. The first option would have retained funding for those 17 support positions, previously funded by the federal government, and would have only cut the $1.5 million in one-time facilities spending from the budget, bringing the total down to $104.3 million. This option was hardly considered by board members.

The second option — which was eventually approved by a 7-4-1 vote — reduced expenditures by $4 million. On top of cutting the $1.5 million, the district also cut an additional $2.5 million in various full-time and part-time positions.

Under the revised budget, 42 full-time positions would be removed, including seven central administration positions, 19 paraprofessional positions — including the 17 positions previously funded through federal COVID-19 funds — and 16 teaching positions.

The district’s chief operating officer, Gary Marckres, said this would result in “no major structural changes to our schools,” meaning schools would not have to completely restructure how it organizes classrooms and student-teacher ratios.

Under options two and three, respectively, Charlotte would see a 17 and 15 percent tax rate hike; Hinesburg would see an 18 and 16 percent hike; and Shelburne would see a 14 and 13 percent hike.

During its meeting, the board motioned to consider the second option and ultimately approved it, with four members voting no and one member abstaining.

Board member Brendan McMahon said he would have considered voting for the third option had the impacts to education been more clearly defined.

But other members, like Keith Roberts from Hinesburg, said that the cuts proposed in the second option were “not enough,” adding it still results in an anticipated 18 percent increase in Hinesburg.

“The system is broken, and it needs to be fixed.”

— Keith Roberts

The former board chair, Angela Arsenault, was among those who felt the board should have considered the third option: “I feel worried, as I did two weeks ago, about what happens if we don’t show voters in the strongest sense that we’ve received their message.”

Cuts would be made according to weighted student counts, Sanchez and Marckres said, and would be equitably distributed across the district’s schools.

Board members and speakers at the meeting urged the district to consider making as little impact to faculty as possible.

“Please remember there are humans behind these decisions,” Peter Langella, CVU’s librarian, said.

A breakdown of the reductions provided by the district show that administrative operations would see $776,000 in cuts and Champlain Valley Union High School would face $612,000 in cuts.

Cuts at Williston Central School total $413,000, while Shelburne Community School would see cuts totaling $317,000, Hinesburg Community School faces $226,000 in cuts and Charlotte Central School will be cut by $144,000.

If the budget is approved by voters, the administration will have to decide which positions to cut. In making those decisions, Sanchez said the district would consider cutting positions that were currently open or unfilled, as well as by taking “advantage of the known retirements and leaves of absence so that that way we could have alternate approaches.”

A third option that was presented to the board would have cut an additional $500,000 from the budget. District officials said they had yet to identify where those cuts would be made but noted that it would likely translate into more cuts to faculty. One board member estimated it would amount to an additional four to six positions.

“When we get to that point, within that $500,000, there will likely have to be structural change either within the district or at campus level,” Sanchez said. “We would have to find different ways to be able to serve the kids at the same level without positions that could be paraprofessionals or teachers or even administrators.”

The district would likely, he said, not be able to provide education at the same level.

One significant factor in the board’s decision was the use of fund balance, or undesignated or surplus funds, in the board’s second and third budget options.

The approved budget used $1 million of the district’s fund balance, while the third option would have used an additional $500,000. Marckres noted that there is a risk of depleting those funds. The board has typically either retained these funds and applied them to future budgets or allocated them to capital reserve funds or other infrastructure funds.

The board’s current fund balance of $3.2 million “has been built over several years, “Marckres said. “We do have risk of unforeseen expense that fund balance must be applied to. I won’t editorialize, but fund balance is an important risk mitigation factor for unforeseen tax impacts for the community.”

The Champlain Valley School District is among the hardest hit by the Legislature’s newest state education formula, and more than a third of the state’s school districts were voted down earlier this month while almost half of the state’s district’s currently do not have a passed budget, board chair Meghan Metzler said.

It reflects a growing concern in the state around education spending, and the hikes in property tax rates needed to pay for it.

“The system is broken,” Roberts said, “and it needs to be fixed.”

Sanchez, at the start of the meeting, said that he and other superintendents across the state are “continuing to lobby the Legislature to make sure that we have a cohesive education financing program that helps our school districts and our students be successful.”