The Citizen - 4-11-24

Act 250 denies housing project

An Act 250 commission denied a major housing project in Hinesburg over flooding concerns.

The project, Hinesburg Center II, has been in the works for nearly a decade, and received approval from the town’s development review board in February 2023. Plans call for creating 21 new lots in the town’s village growth area off Route 116 near Patrick Brook

and would include 73 new homes — 15 single family homes, two nine-unit buildings, one six-unit building and one 34-unit building.

Brett Grabowski, a developer with Milot Real Estate in Williston who co-owns the property with the David Lyman Revocable Trust, had proposed using fill to raise the elevation of the property above the current FEMA-based flood eleva-

See HOUSING on page 16

School district sees increase in student behavior problems

overall data collection and refine the process for how and when that data is reported.

Eclipse sisters

Schools in the Champlain Valley School District are seeing a rise in K-8 student referral data, which tracks behavioral problems among students and could indicate when a student is struggling and needs additional support.

But while the increase does indicate a rise in behavior-related issues among students, it also comes as the five-town school district works to centralize its

“We have had a massive increase, for a lot of different reasons,” Evan Sivo, the district’s behavior systems director, said at a recent board meeting.

The data tracks both major and minor referrals in the district.

When a student misbehaves in class, a teacher can file a referral

See STUDENTS on page 10

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

From left, Margie McClennan, Suzie McCoy and her twin sister Eileen Curtis of Charlotte enjoy the eclipse from Hinesburg at McCoy’s home in Orchard Commons where several of the residents had viewing parties to celebrate the day. McClennan made the eclipse cookies along with moon pies, eclipse gum, sun chips and Vermont maple kettle corn. See more eclipse photos on page 11.

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Champlain Valley Union high schoolers win scholars’ bowl

Champlain Valley Union High School won the Vermont-NEA Scholars’ Bowl at Montpelier High School on April 6.

CVU capped a run of four blowout wins in the April playoffs with a 505-245 victory over defending champion Burlington. The Redhawks also swept through the first set of playoffs in January, meaning they secured their third state championship overall and second in the last three years without needing to play of a championship match.

The result capped a dominant season that saw the Redhawks

win every Vermont competition without losing a match. Including the regional round in the fall, the Redhawks finished the state tournaments with a record of 23 wins and no losses. CVU also won the league’s three side tournaments — the Sue Passco Opening Tournament in September, the Academic Tournament in December, and the Vermont National Academic Quiz Tournaments Championship in March — to finish the regular season with a record of 47-0.

Competing members of the CVU team were Elias Leventhal,

Colin Ravlin, Jacob Graham, Frank Fidler, Nolan Sandage and Zoe Mui. The team is coached by John Bennett and Kiran MacCormick.

Mt. Abraham claimed the small-school state championship, taking the small-school title with a 270-120 victory over Montpelier in the championship game. Montpelier, which took home the Medlar Cup as the most improved team compared to the January playoffs, had the best record

Vermont Flannel buys Vermont Teddy Bear

The Vermont Flannel Company has purchased the assets of Vermont Teddy Bear, the largest manufacturer of teddy bears in North America and a massive Shelburne destination hot spot.

Vermont Flannel CEO Joe Van Deman said in a statement Tuesday, “I’ve been a fan of Vermont Teddy Bear for a long time. The experience here in Shelburne, the quality of the bears and the way the company gives back to the community are all truly amazing. It’s a really special place.”

Vermont Teddy Bear was born nearly 45 years ago when John Sortino, the company’s founder, crafted his first-ever Teddy Bear, Bearcho, in 1981. His son enjoyed the new friend so much that Sortino began selling those bears from a cart on Church Street in Burlington. Since then, the bears, many of which are made with love right at the Shelburne facility, have made it into the homes of millions across the globe.

The team plans to open a ninth store in Waterbury this summer. Both companies will continue to operate as separate brands, but partner in a variety of ways, similar to two collaborative projects already launched this past year, including one of Vermont Teddy Bear’s classic 15-inch bears wearing a Vermont Flannel buttondown shirt.

Together, the combined company will employ more than 70 people, with several remote employees in other states.

“I am so thrilled to bring these two iconic Vermont brands together. It makes so much sense for the next chapter of Vermont Teddy Bear.”

— Bill Shouldice

“What is really fun about both of these companies is that they have created such memorable experiences of something that is uniquely Vermont,” Van Deman said. “You can’t come to Vermont without stopping at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory or taking home a piece of Vermont Flannel with you, and you can’t leave either company’s stores without a warm smile on your face.”

The Vermont Flannel Company was founded by Mark and Linda Baker in East Barre in 1991. Since then, the company has built six retail locations across Vermont, two of which operate as production facilities as well, plus two additional retail locations in Maine.

Simultaneously, the ownership group of Vermont Teddy Bear has also sold the assets of its apparel divisions — Pajamagram, Pajamajeans and the One for U — to an affiliate of Lionel Capital.

Bill Shouldice, CEO of Vermont Teddy Bear, added, “I am so thrilled to bring these two iconic Vermont brands together. It makes so much sense for the next chapter of Vermont Teddy Bear.”

PHOTO COURTESY VERMONT-NEA SCHOLARS’ BOWL

Champlain Valley Union High School scholars’ bowl team, from left, Zoe Mui, Nolan Sundage, Frank Fidler, Jacob Graham, Colin Ravlin, Elias Leventhal and head coach John Bennett.

See SCHOLARS’ BOWL on page 3

Kat Wright headlines party to honor Dismas director

When Richard Gagne, then 27, joined an informal committee four decades ago to discuss expanding volunteer opportunities to assist people in prison in Vermont, his rookie career path already indicated a strong interest in helping people.

“Facilitating reconciliation through intentional community spoke to me,” Gagne said about his joining that committee led by Rita Whalen McCaffrey. “I knew I could make it my life’s work.”

Gagne, newly arrived in Burlington after directing a homeless shelter in Manchester, N.H., took a winding path to find his true passion. Intending to become a pilot with the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1979, he found he couldn’t, in good faith, serve in the military.

A grueling decision led him to become a conscientious objector, and he then taught high school math in a poor community in Mississippi and, for a time, was a novice in a Trappist monastery with the goal of becoming a monk.

Now, 40 years later, Gagne is the longest-tenured director of Dismas of Vermont’s two Chittenden County houses in Burlington and Winooski while also raising three children and building a home in Cambridge. He retired April 15.

While he anticipates pursuing his other passion, custom woodworking, he leaves with a sense that much work remains to help

SCHOLARS’ BOWL

continued from page 2

among small-school teams in the April playoffs to force a title game but fell to Mt. Abraham in the title matchup.

A similar situation occurred in the junior varsity tournament as January winner CVU B outlasted Burlington B, 330-240, in the championship game after the Burlington B team’s impressive run to third place overall in the April playoffs

people on the margins of society reintegrate and become contributing members of society.

Dismas of Vermont operates five transitional housing programs across the state. These programs provide newly released prisoners with a chance to live in a structured home setting and reintegrate into the community. Nearly 500 local volunteers are engaged in the houses almost every day, including countless college interns, as well as international Volunteers for Peace.

“I can’t imagine having lived my life any other way,” the white-haired, bearded, soft-spoken Gagne said recently.

A celebration to honor Gagne’s contributions will take place on Saturday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Elley Long Music Center in Colchester as part of the Burlington Dismas 37th annual community celebration. McCaffrey, founder of Dismas of Vermont, will present Gagne with the Jack Hickey Award. Hickey founded the first Dismas House in the nation in Nashville and was integral in bringing Vermont’s first Dismas House to fruition.

This year’s event features musical guest Kat Wright backed by her band. Food and drink trucks will be at the event. All proceeds will benefit the programs of Burlington Dismas House. Tickets are $50 online and $65 at the door. Go to bit.ly/49yrvaU or call 802-658-0381.

sent that division to a deciding match. Scholars’ Bowl is a question-and-answer quiz competition, similar to Jeopardy! but featuring teams of high school students and with a heavier focus on the academic curriculum. The tournament has been held annually since the 198384 school year and is sponsored by the Vermont-National Education Association.

COURTESY PHOTO

Richard Gagne, the long-tenured director of Dismas of Vermont, with volunteers at a fundraising event in the late 1980s.

CRIME & COURTS

Hinesburg Police Blotter: April 2-8

Total incidents: 29

Arrests: 1

April 3 at 8:45 a.m., an officer responded to a single-vehicle crash on Route 116. Jason Sizen, 37 of Grand Isle, was cited for driving with a criminally suspended driver’s license.

April 3 at 8:55 a.m., a stolen vehicle in South Burlington was recovered on Rocky Mountain Lane.

April 4 at 10:17 a.m., an officer assisted another agency by attempting to locate an individual on Jourdan Street.

April 4 at 2:45 p.m., a citizen was assisted with fingerprinting for employment purposes.

April 5 at 12:11 p.m., police

received a 911 hangup call on Charlotte Road.

April 7 at 2:32 p.m., a suspicious vehicle parked on Lewis Creek Road was reported.

April 7 at 3:41 p.m., officers responded to a resident dispute on Route 116.

April 8 at 12:35 p.m., police helped a citizen with a broken-down vehicle on Leavensworth Road.

April 8 at 5:35 p.m., an officer responded to a three-vehicle crash on Mechanicsville Road.

Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.

ATF arrests man in Shelburne for setting fire at Sanders’ office

MICHAEL DONOGHUE CONTRIBUTOR

The suspect in an arson case at the Burlington offices of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders had his travel bags packed and his Shelburne hotel door barricaded when authorities tried to arrest him Sunday, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Records show Shant M. Soghomonian, 35, formerly of Northridge, Calif., had lived for much of February and March at an inn on Williston Road in South Burlington, the ATF said.

Soghomonian did not immediately answer his door at the Quality Inn in Shelburne when police arrived shortly before sunrise, and claimed he was getting dressed, the ATF said.

Investigators heard what sounded like the dragging of heavy items near the door, but the man continued to refuse to open the door, ATF Special Agent Eric Brimo said.

Fearing a barricade, a pass key was used to unlock the door, but it was blocked, forcing officers to push their way in, Brimo reported.

Soghomonian was inside wearing what appeared to be the same white Nike shoes that had been seen on security video during the arson on Friday morning, the ATF said.

After a sweep of the room, police secured a search warrant for the room and the Subaru parked outside, Brimo said. The car was towed to the Burlington Police Department.

Soghomonian, who did not have a wallet or cellphone with him when arrested, was taken to the Williston Police Department, where he waited for legal representation.

Investigators said Soghomonian had been outside Sanders’ office the day before the arson, indicating it was a planned attack and not a spontaneous act, the ATF said.

The new information about the arson case became public after Vermont News First made an emergency petition to federal court Sunday evening to release records about the criminal charge and search warrants.

The petition to Chief Court Clerk Jeff Eaton and Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle was approved by 5:45 Monday morning and the records were subsequently released. The court was closed until Tuesday for the eclipse.

Soghomonian and his phone number.

Williston Police Sgt. Eric Shepard, who is a member of the ATF’s Gun Violence Task Force, was alerted by Shelburne Police that they had found the 2019 blue Subaru Impreza with New York registration plates about 4 a.m.

Investigators said Soghomonian had been outside Sanders’ office the day before the arson, indicating it was a planned attack.

Court records show authorities credit two employees at the former La Quinta Inn on Williston Road next to Al’s French Frys in helping to identify Soghomonian on Saturday as the suspect in the arson.

The two witnesses reported the picture of the suspect released by Burlington Police on Friday afternoon matched Soghomonian, who had been a long-term guest at the motel, now known as the Inn at Burlington, the ATF said.

An inn manager reported Saturday he thought he recognized the suspect as Soghomonian based on a photograph of the suspect near the crime scene, Brimo said in a court affidavit.

Do you have photos you would like to share with the community?

Send them to us: news@thecitizenvt.com

He remains jailed on a federal complaint at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town pending a hearing in federal court this week.

Soghomonian is charged in a federal criminal complaint with setting a fire on Friday at 1 Church St. in Burlington — a building used in interstate commerce. The former Masonic Temple is the home to Sanders, Vermont office, the law firm of Paul Frank & Collins, a Chase Bank branch, and headquarters for Unnecessary Inventions.

Burlington Police Sgt. John Stoughton met with the manager and another co-worker who reported the suspect checked in as “Michael Soghomonian,” according to the court records made public Monday morning.

Soghomonian often wore the same orange or salmon colored hat on the top of his head that was seen on the suspect, they said.

Hutchins said he often chatted with Soghomonian because he would come down to the lobby to renew the room for another day or two, the ATF said.

Stoughton secured screenshots from hotel security video from when Soghomonian was staying there. The inn also shared a description of the car used by

Sunday at the Quality Inn on Shelburne Road, just south of the South Burlington city line, records show.

Shepard confirmed with the staff that Soghomonian was renting a room and was due to leave after daylight.

Brimo said that’s when the decision was made to approach the room and arrest Soghomonian if he was inside.

The Burlington Fire Department reported on Friday that somebody entered 1 Church St. about 10:44 a.m. and went to the third floor. Security video showed a man spraying a liquid on the door at Sanders’ office and setting it afire with a lighter, officials said.

Sanders was not in the office at the time.

Burlington Fire Chief Michael LaChance said the sprinkler system and fire alarms activated and people were evacuated. He said the fire was located between the elevator and the door to Sanders’ office and quickly extinguished.

The video captured clear images of the arsonist at the historic building, officials said.

The motive for the fire remains unclear.

A desk clerk at the Quality said Soghomonian checked in Saturday morning and was due to leave Sunday morning. She said the inn was fully booked for Sunday and Monday nights due to the eclipse.

“He came in quietly,” the clerk said. His room was in the back portion of the inn, not visible from Shelburne Road.

The initial criminal complaint filed by ATF carries a possible penalty of 5 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, upon conviction.

OPINION

Vermont must invest to end housing crisis

Guest Perspective

Rep. Mike Rice

During the two years I’ve served in the Legislature, Vermont’s housing crisis has been constantly top of mind. I’ve heard heart-wrenching stories of Vermonters with disabilities facing homelessness, seen tears in the eyes of constituents on the brink of losing their long-term rental home and unsure of where they would find a new place and learned time and time again about the teachers, nurses, child care workers and others who wanted to move to my community to accept a job, but didn’t, because they couldn’t find a home.

Legislators have worked to address the crisis. We have invested what funds we could, much of them one-time pandemic-era federal funds intended to keep people housed during the emergency, but also to build more housing, to help bring rentals up to code and to enable homeowners to build accessory dwelling units. We’ve also addressed the regulatory barriers to housing, including through the HOME Act of 2023 and H. 687, the major Act 250 modernization bill that recently passed the House. But pandemic-era federal funds have ended, and while regulatory modernization is necessary, it alone won’t fix this crisis. If we intend to ensure that the communities we love remain

— that is, that they remain places where a socioeconomically diverse array of neighbors can live, work and raise their families — we need to commit to making the investments that can truly end this housing crisis. That is why I support the creation of two new revenue streams that would be used to fund a comprehensive, 10-year plan to do so.

The first is an update to the transfer tax, which is a one-time tax paid by the buyer in a real estate transaction. Currently, that tax is levied at 0.5 percent of the purchase price, up to $100,000, and 1.25 percent beyond $100,000. Under the House proposal, it would shift to 0.5 percent on the first $200,000, 1.25 percent on the price between $200,000-$750,000, and 3.65 percent above $750,000.

This would result in a decrease in the transfer tax for homes costing less than $750,000, a direct reduction in cost for most Vermonters purchasing a home. Further, the increased tax on sales over $750,000 is marginal, meaning the higher rate is charged only on the amount of the sale price over that threshold, with the cost up to that threshold taxed at the lower rates.

If implemented, this change would bring in about $17.5 million in additional revenue annually on the sales of properties that cost over $750,000, while reducing taxes for home-

buyers seeking houses priced under $750,000.

The second new revenue stream under consideration comes from the creation of a new tax bracket for households with annual incomes over $500,000.

Currently, every household with an income over $229,550 is taxed at the same rate, whether it’s a household with two earners each earning $115,000/year, or it is a household with an annual income of $1,000,000 or more. This proposal would address that lack of progressivity at the top of our income tax brackets.This tax would also be marginal, meaning annual income up to $500,000 would still be taxed at the existing rate (8.25 percent), with only portions of income above the new threshold being taxed at the new rate (11.25 percent).

In other words, if a family earns $510,000, the first $500,000 would still be taxed at 8.25 percent, and just $10,000 would be taxed at 11.25 percent. This change would raise $75 million

CVSD board chair seeks support

for budget

To the Editor:

I am the new chair of the Champlain Valley School Board.

annually for housing, beginning in the fiscal year 2026.

In Vermont, middle-income earners pay a higher portion of their income in total taxes than higher-income earners.

Our system does a decent job of ensuring that the lowest-income Vermonters don’t pay more than they can afford, but it doesn’t do a good job of ensuring that same progressivity from the middle class up. For instance, a family earning $140,000 per year pays a higher share of their household income in taxes than a family earning $1,000,000 per year. This exacerbates the challenges faced by Vermont’s middle class.

I don’t consider these two tax changes on their own, and I don’t take them lightly. I consider them in the context of Vermont’s housing crisis, and in response to the governor’s recommended budget for the next fiscal year, which proposes a nearly 90 percent cut to housing investments. That’s unacceptable.

Instead of cutting all meaningful investments in ending the housing crisis, the additional revenue from these two tax updates would fund a comprehensive plan to end Vermont’s housing crisis, designed by the statewide experts working to do so every day.

Any tax proposal must come with deep consideration of the impact it will have on all Vermonters, and how it fits in with our broader need for public investment to build stronger communities. As we continue to confront the housing crisis, these changes can help ensure we build a Vermont where everyone can afford to live and thrive. Our communities are depending on it.

Rep. Mike Rice, D-Dorset, represents the Bennington-Rutland district and the towns of Danby, Dorset, Landgrove, Mount Tabor and Peru. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry.

I have two children in CVSD schools — a sophomore at Champlain Valley Union and a sixth grader at Charlotte Central School — and I am in the unenviable position of being a new board chair without a passed budget. There are many reasons why our budget did not pass on Town Meeting Day, including changes in legislation and a statewide education funding system that

Guest Perspective

Rep. Pattie McCoy

Today, the House Republican Caucus is sounding the alarm. The Democratic supermajority is off the rails and out of control.

Vermonters have had enough. Vermonters are struggling. They are stretched thin, trying to make ends meet. They have been stressed for years with Vermont’s already-high cost of living. Inflation has made things even more difficult. This supermajority has made it even worse.

As a reminder to Vermonters, last year, they hiked your Department of Motor Vehicle fees by 20 percent. We know Vermonters are already feeling that. In July, Vermonters will begin to pay the supermajority’s $100 million payroll tax. Residents are facing a historic property tax increase. The governor, along with House and Senate Republicans, have warned this was coming for years.

We have supported solutions. But this supermajority has said no every step of the way, and now Vermonters are facing a property tax fiasco. Last year, they also approved the so-called clean heat standard. When implemented, it could cost families and employers thousands of dollars more

per year to heat their homes and businesses.

They have not stopped there. As Rep. Mark Higley, R-Lowell, said, “We should be considering the cumulative effect of our actions and mandates on Vermonters, such as passing the Global Warming Solutions Act, the so-called Affordable Heat Act, which would add 70 cents or more to a gallon of heating fuel, and the Renewable Energy Standard Bill.

This year, they approved the renewal energy standard, which was written by, and for, the utilities and special interest groups, who stand to gain the most.

It will cost Vermonters hundreds of millions on their electric bills. Rep. Gina Galfetti, R-Barre Town, noted, “The Renewable Energy Standard was passed by the supermajority despite stiff opposition. The bill was written by and for the utilities and special interest groups, the very groups that will benefit most from its passage. Instead of fully vetting a proposal of $164 million by the Public Service Board, we passed a plan that will cost upwards of $450 million more.”

Doing things like this behind closed doors does a disservice to Vermonters. It flies in the face

of transparency, and it is done to hide from press accountability. How else do you explain a committee being hit with an additional $131 million in new taxes and fees on Thursday late morning and voting it out of committee on Thursday afternoon? That’s $131 million, folks.

Rep. Scott Beck, R-St. Johnsbury, said, “Now, we are told by the supermajority that we need to increase taxes another $131 million by increasing personal income, corporate income and property transfer taxes. These taxes will chase even more Vermonters and businesses to other states and make it more expensive to purchase a home for those that remain. We are told that it will only impact a relative few. We need everybody, especially the 1 percent that are paying 35 percent of all Vermont income tax and bring philanthropy and economic vitality to Vermont. Vermont corporate income tax receipts have tripled in the last 10 years due to state tax policy, federal tax policy and corporate profits, and now we are told that we must increase the top tax rate from 8.5 percent to 10 percent, which will make Vermont the highest in the nation. This makes no sense.”

The supermajority is sending a message to businesses: We do not want you or your jobs here. Meanwhile, today, they are moving forward with H.687, a land use bill that will make it more difficult to build homes in most of the state.

As Rep. Ashley Bartley, R-Fairfax, has said, “The House passed House Bill 687, touted as a housing bill, although it is fundamentally not. I would

even argue that it constitutes an anti-housing bill. H.687 seeks to reform Act 250 land use jurisdiction in a manner that disproportionately penalizes rural Vermont, making development nearly impossible in these areas. Any legislation that hinders housing construction and sustainable growth cannot rightfully be classified as a housing bill.”

We have a housing crisis. Vermonters are demanding action. As the governor has said, we need to make it more affordable, and faster, to build housing. This bill does the opposite. Especially for rural communities. I know the leadership of the supermajority is from Burlington. But this bill does great harm to rural Vermont.

Bartley noted that “as committees neglect to prioritize funding requests, beneficial programs like the Vermont Housing Improvement Program suffer reductions in their appropriations. Despite the governor’s initial $6 million budget proposal for the program, the allocation was slashed to $1 million, likely spelling the end of the program by early January next year. The Vermont Housing Improvement Program boasts a commendable track record, having brought 535 affordable housing units online statewide since 2020, with an additional 386 units in progress. It is imperative that the supermajority’s excessive spending does not result in the demise of programs that have effectively addressed the housing crisis.”

Many of my Democratic colleagues represent rural communities that would be harmed by this bill. The question is, will they side with their own constituents? Or will they side

with their political leadership?

Vermonters elected our governor to look out for them. Republicans, Democrats and Independents sent him to Montpelier to offer balance, fiscal discipline and common-sense leadership. He won in every single House district.

Our caucus will continue to support his affordability plans and pro-housing agenda. We’re calling on our moderate colleagues across the aisle to do the right thing and do the same. Put their constituents over politics.

We desperately need a moderate, pragmatic majority in Vermont.

This week, they will pass a bill to make Vermont the highest corporate tax state in the country. They did this with no real testimony, which leads us to ask, who is writing these bills?

In the last 10 years Vermont personal income tax receipts have increased 54 percent, sales tax has increased 65 percent, property taxes have increased 53 percent, and corporate income taxes have tripled.

“All these increases dwarf the economic growth, inflation and wage growth during the same period — by a lot. The only metric they haven’t exceeded is Montpelier’s insatiable appetite for spending increases. Vermont government has all of the revenue that it needs. What we don’t have is spending discipline,” said Beck. “Vermont doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem — a big one.”

Rep. Pattie McCoy, R-Rutland, is the House Republican leader in Montpelier.

We’re

moms:

Guest Perspective

Kristin Clouser, Monica Hutt, Rebecca Kelley, Julie Moore and Kendal Smith

As members of Gov. Phil Scott’s cabinet and senior staff, we were part of the team who interviewed candidates for the next secretary of the Agency of Education. All five of us are also moms of kids currently in, or graduated from, Vermont’s public school system.

Each of us had the chance to interview the three finalists selected by the State Board of Education and provide input to the governor as he made his decision. We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with incoming secretary Zoie Saunders. More than that, we are optimistic and excited to see how she can strengthen education in Vermont, benefiting our own children and communities.

At a time when student test scores are declining and children are still grappling with carry-on impacts of COVID-19-related learning loss, her experience

LETTERS continued from page 5

needs significant attention.

Given all these challenges, why would I choose now to run for election to the school board and become the chair?

The answer to that is easy, as a school board member and parent I have the honor and privilege of seeing the tireless dedication of administrators, teachers and support staff and the work they do every single day to provide opportunities for growth and belonging to all our students. I get to see how our schools meet our students where they are and the amazing things they do when they are provided with the opportunities that a Champlain Valley School District education provides them.

Put simply: I believe in our schools and in the immense power of public education because I see it working every day.

When the community did not support the budget, I understood why, but I was devastated because I knew that the school district would have to make significant reductions in its proposed budget to lower the property tax rate. The board asked the administration to identify reductions that maintained our mission and vision and maintained the Vermont Agency

We helped select Saunders as next ed secretary

developing innovative approaches for student achievement, increasing equity in education, creating successful partnerships and demonstrably improving outcomes is exactly what we want for our own kids.

Notably, these achievements extend to both her time working with traditional public schools and public charter schools, despite the latter currently being used to stoke fear and suspicion here in Vermont.

Years of declining enrollment and the affordability crisis facing Vermont schools, laid bare by the significant number of school budgets voted down on Town Meeting Day, means we have a real and present challenge that is putting learning and enrichment opportunities for kids at risk. As Saunders noted during our interviews, “Parents want to send their kids to schools with the resources to support student success.”

It’s imperative we find a way to ensure the sustainability of our education system.

Her strategic thinking coupled with experience working with K-12 schools across seven other states is an asset for us at this critical juncture for our public

education system. Alongside this background, one of the things that impressed us most about Saunders is the clear value she places on listening to others and considering local factors, values and priorities.

We also see her as a doer, taking in all available information to get the most out of existing resources, and to make smart, and sometimes difficult, decisions that put students’ needs first.

Throughout her career, she’s been committed to building stronger communities, primarily for underserved populations, seeing education, health and safety as critical tools. This approach aligns well with the governor’s community revitalization goals for Vermont. Specifically, she’s led projects to secure community support to turn around underperforming schools; expanded workforce development and training opportunities in poor neighborhoods; secured academic support and career counseling for 2,000 low-income students; and

mobilized resources for students and families experiencing homelessness.

While earning her Master of Education, where she focused on the intersection of education, human service delivery and community development, she also advised education stakeholders on ways to implement President Obama’s Promise Neighborhood initiative to address intergenerational poverty.

This is an important job, and as Saunders said to us herself, “Education is so personal because it is about our kids.”

All of us expect the incoming secretary to face tough questions. She should. But she should have the opportunity to answer questions before assumptions are made and calls to challenge her appointment are levied. She doesn’t even start in the job until April 15 and yet there has already been a significant rush to judgement — and a few misleading email campaigns — by legislators, their party leaders and their political supporters. We should

be setting a better example for our kids, modeling how to keep an open mind and to hear from others before writing them off.

As Scott has said, we believe the people of Vermont will see what we saw, which is a smart, authentic, thoughtful leader who is genuinely excited about helping Vermont kids — our kids and her own — get the best possible education. We all look forward to seeing her prove just that.

Kristin Clouser of Jericho is the secretary of the Agency of Administration. Monica Hutt of Willison is the state’s chief prevention officer and liaison to the Agency of Human Services.

Rebecca Kelley of East Montpelier is the governor’s communications director and liaison to the Agency of Commerce & Community Development. Julie Moore of Middlesex is the secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources. Kendal Smith of Barre is the governor’s policy and legislative affairs director and liaison to the Agency of Education.

of Education’s education quality standards.

I know that there are many people who are disappointed in the reductions. Administrators made very difficult decisions in a very short timeframe that were guided by the request of the board. I understand the deep disappointment behind every single one of these reductions. I feel them too as a board chair, parent and community member.

We could argue over whether or not they were the right reductions — I assure you we have done that — and we could argue whether we need additional change in the state funding system (we do) or if we cut enough (we did), but this latest proposed budget maintains as much of our programming that we can and continues to provide the opportunities for students that will help them to achieve their fullest potential.

I am grateful that I live in a community that supports public education and our schools. I hope that you join me in voting yes on our school budget on or before Tuesday, April 16.

Meghan Metzler Chair Champlain Valley School District School Board

Obituary

Allen Martin

Allen Manley Martin sailed on to calmer seas, departing on Sunday, March 24, 2024. Allen lived a very active life, living his life in the Burlington area for 89 years.

Allen launched his career with his first business, AlMartin Motors. His second business was Point Bay Marina, which he ran for 38 years after bringing it back from bankruptcy.

Allen met his wife of 69 years on a blind date. Together they raised three children, Kathryn, Karin and Peter.

Allen had much joy giving the senior citizens of Charlotte boat rides on his boat, the Nancy Ann.

Martin

Bird is the word

Smooth sailing, Poppy, you will be lovingly missed.

Donations can be made in Allen’s honor to the Charlotte Senior Center.

Allen leaves his wife, Nancy; daughters, Karin Small and Kathryn Martin (deceased); son, Peter Martin (deceased); grandsons, Matthew Small, Justin Small and Brennan Martin (deceased); and great-granddaughters, Sadie Small and Mercy Small.

In every season of the year, birders may stumble upon the unusual: a western flycatcher with misguided migration; an arctic owl wandering south; or a far-flung waterfowl from across an ocean. How do these birds end up in our little state, and what can they tell us about our changing world? At an upcoming Green Mountain Audubon program, take a look back on some of the most spectacular birds to visit Vermont and ponder which avian treasures may come next. The presentation on rare birds of Vermont features Zac Cota, an expert birder, Birds of Vermont Museum board member, Vermont Bird Records committee member, Vermont eBird data expert and teacher and naturalist with North Branch Nature Center. Register for the talk on Thursday, April 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at greenmountainaudubon.org. Seen above is the crested caracara, spotted in Woodstock.

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, April 11, is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center features chicken in gravy with mashed cauliflower, diced carrots, southern biscuit with butter, carrot cake with icing 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.

The meal for Thursday, April 18, features beef with barbecue sauce, baked beans, broccoli florets, wheat bun with butter, pumpkin craisin cookie and milk.

Community Notes

resource mobilization.

She will explain what is meant by food systems research and why the university is privileged to host a Food Systems Research Center. She will also welcome questions about food systems in New England.

More at bgcvt.org.

Charlotte Senior Center hosts April programs

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

SUPPORT

Contact Wendy Ewing at wendy@shelburnenews.com or 985-3091

The meal for Thursday, April 25, features meatloaf with brown sauce, garlic home fries, green beans, pumpkin custard with cream and milk. accounting program.

Food systems researchers talks to garden club

The Burlington Garden Club welcomes speaker Polly Ericksen,

inaugural director of the University of Vermont Food Systems Research Center, to its next monthly meeting, Tuesday, April 23, 1 p.m., Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington.

Ericksen has been recognized as an early pioneer in the field of food systems research and is a seminal scholar who uses interdisciplinary approaches to solve complex food systems issues in the context of global environmental change. She has spent much of her career working across disciplines to link science with development policy and

• Men’s breakfast, Friday, April 12, 7 a.m.

Registration required by Tuesday for the breakfast. Suggested donation: $6.

Men gather for breakfast and conversation. The speaker this month is Robert Caldwell, who will discuss Vermont’s 911 emergency response system. A member of Charlotte Fire and Rescue Services, he also currently serves as a dispatcher for the 911 system. In addition to discussing the EMS system he will also provide a refresher session on

Allen

PHOTO BY CAT ABBOTT

Polly Ericksen

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 8

how to use the Senior Center’s automated external defibrillator. Attending? Email Lane Morrison at lmorrison@gmavt.net before April 9.

• Kirtan, Friday, April 12, 5-6:30 p.m.,

Join Charlie Nardozzi and Heidi Kvasnak for a spring kirtan, heart-centered practices with ancient yogic chants or songs to create a feeling of connection to yourself and others. Suggested donation is $5 to $15.

• Birding expedition with Hank Kaestner, Wednesday, April 17, 9 a.m.

Join Kaestner, an avid bird watcher, and learn to identify various bird species and habitats in Vermont. Limited to 20 participants. Free, registration required.

• Play reading, Thursday, April 18, 1-3:30 p.m.

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.

• Plant sale planning meeting, Friday, April 19, 1 p.m.

Help plan the Friends of the Charlotte Senior Center’s annual plant sale. Sign up at the senior center or email Polly at ppolly62@ymail.com.

• Walking and gentle hiking group, Thursday, April 25, 9 a.m.

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. Questions? Contact Penny Burman at 916-7537279.

• Red Cross blood drive, Thursday, April 25, 1-6 p.m.

At the Charlotte Senior Center. Call 800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood. org to schedule an appointment.

• “The Sky’s The Limit!” watercolor class with Ginny Joyner, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.-noon

If you’ve always wanted to try watercolor but were too intimidated, this is the class for you. Learn the properties of the blue shades and experience the Zen of watching paint dry. Each month, add to your repertoire of subject matter and learn new techniques. Registration required. Cost is $35, plus a $6 supply fee.

• Shape-note singing, Sunday, April 28, 12:30-2:30 p.m.,

Traditional a capella, four-part harmony sung for the joy of singing. Free, no registration required. Introduction to shape notes and scales is recommended and offered 30 minutes before each first Sunday singing. Contact Kerry Cullinan at kclynxvt@gmail.com to schedule.

Shelburne church, Age Well host April luncheon

Age Well is offering a luncheon on Tuesday, April 16, in the St Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St. in Shelburne.

The menu is salisbury beef with barbecue sauce, baked beans, broccoli florets, wheat bun with butter, frosted pound cake with raspberry filling and milk.

Check-in time is 11:30 a.m. and the meal will be served at noon. There is a $5 suggested donation.

Diners must register by April 10 to Kerry Batres, nutrition coordinator, 802-662-5283 or email kbatres@agewellvt.org. Tickets are also available at the Age Well Office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester.

United Church of Hinesburg plant sale returns

United Church of Hinesburg’s 2024 plant sale continues a 50-plus year tradition. The online sale of locally grown perennials and beautifully packaged homemade biscotti runs through Saturday, April 20, with orders ready for pick up on Saturday, May 4.

An in-person sale of annuals and homebaked pies will be held the following Saturday, May 11, just in time for Mother’s Day.

Access the online store from the church website at ucofh.org. Place your order and pay with a credit or debit card. Shop early to ensure the best selection.

Contact the United Church of Hinesburg with any questions at 802-482-3352 or unitedchurch@gmavt.net.

Austen Society speaker at Temple Sinai

What can we learn about Jane Austen if, instead of asking whether she liked the theater, we ask what kind of theater she preferred?

Does Aunt Norris speak for Jane Austen when she opines in Mansfield Park that “there is very little sense in a play without a curtain?” Or did Austen prefer to perform and write plays designed for the curtainless stage that Shakespeare wrote for? How did her encounters with the intense process of planning, rehearsing and performing a family theatrical influence her writing?

Austen Society speaker Lesley Peterson will be on hand to answer those and many other questions, at Temple Sinai, 500 Swift St. on Monday, May 5, from 1-3 p.m.

The presentation will include opportunities for audience participation. The talk is free and light refreshments will be served.

Learn more at janeausteninvermont. blog.

Spring swap offers free kids’ clothes, books

The United Church of Hinesburg hosts a spring swap on Saturday, April 13, 9-11 a.m.

Come look for free kids’ clothing, gently used in sizes from infant to 14, and children’s books, toddler to middle-school level.

Drop off donations, including maternity clothes, on Friday, April 12 from 1-8 p.m. at the church.

No toys or donations on swap day, please.

Sponsored by the Hinesburg Community Resource Center. For more information, call 802-482-4946 or email koncewicz@ hinesburgresource.org.

PHOTO BY JOHN HAMMER Snow-covered geese on Shelburne Point after the last crazy snowstorm.

continued from page 1

that is then collected by school administrators. Minor referrals are generally less extreme, like when a student disrupts the classroom or does something that the teacher can address without the help of additional staff.

Major referrals are more serious, such as when a student is physically aggressive with a teacher or another student or is damaging property.

Those types of referrals have increased by 63 percent from the previous year, Sivo said. Of the 3,551 referrals reported this year, 604, or 17 percent, were referrals for students’ being physically aggressive.

in on last year’s total. The district saw 4,822 referrals during the 2022-23 school year, while the district saw 3,709 in the 2021-22 school year.

On the current trajectory, Sivo said the district could see 7,000 referrals by the end of this school year.

He called it a “stunning” increase.

“Things are hard right now,” Sivo said. “Kids are telling us something is going on.”

“Things are hard right now. Kids are telling us something is going on.”

“These are recurring, highly disruptive, and at times, dangerous behaviors that prevent others from learning and/or feeling safe in the school setting,” a presentation of the data reads.

From August through January of this school year, schools in the district reported 3,551 total major and minor referrals. For comparison, the district saw 2,310 referrals for the same period in the 2022-23 school year, and 1,952 referrals in the 2021-22 school year.

The number of referrals through the first six months of this school year is already closing

— Evan Sivo

There are some caveats to the data. For one, the massive increase follows a dip in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years during the COVID-19 pandemic, when students were taught remotely. Those school years had a total of 2,743 referrals and 1,771 referrals, respectfully.

In the 2018-19 school year, the last full school year before the pandemic, there were 3,213 total referrals.

Some of the increase is also concentrated among a small number of students. Students with only one referral or less made up roughly 82 percent of this year’s data compared to roughly 86 percent from the year before. The number of students with two to five referrals increased from roughly 10 percent to 12 percent

from the previous year, while students with more than six referrals increased from 4.4 percent to 6.5 percent.

In a way, the increase brings the district closer to a starting point. Superintendent Rene Sanchez, who has helped spearhead the district’s more centralized approach to data collection, says he sees this as “a baseline year.”

“The biggest thing is now that we’re tracking it in a way that it’s apples to apples, it makes it easier to understand and to react to the

data,” he said. “Now that we’re able to have a person like Evan who’s really solidifying out work across the district, we can better understand and therefore we can better respond.”

In prior years, different campuses in the district had different systems for how and when to file referrals.

Sivo, formerly a special educator at the Hinesburg Community School, has worked for the past two years to modernize how the district collects data, which informs the school’s system of support staff which students may need additional support.

proposal was scrapped after the district’s first budget was voted down on Town Meeting Day.

To respond to the data, Sivo and the school district applied for a Vermont Act 112 grant. That law, which was passed in May 2022, allocated some $3 million to the Vermont Department of Mental Health and the Vermont Agency of Education for mental health supports within schools.

“This is an opportunity as a district to get much more attuned to having one overall definition of what a referral is, and I think this reflects a lot of the work that Evan’s been doing to try to have a district-wide view of behavior overall,” board Chair Meghan Metzler said.

Still, the increase marks a growing workload for teachers, special educators and interventionists who often don’t have enough support to respond.

“It also underscores what we’ve been saying from a budget perspective,” Metzler said, referring to the district’s push to keep 18 support staff members who previously funded through federal dollars in the general budget. That

With $95,000 in grant funding, the district has contracted with the Vermont Restorative Approach Collaborative, who will help the district establish best practices and implementation of restorative approaches for behavior issues.

Sanchez said the grant will help staff make sure that “when we’re interacting with students when things maybe have gone awry that we’re able to work with them to deescalate or to engage as opposed to coming to them with more of a punitive mindset.”

“The goal is to be proactive, and if a student is acting out, we want to make sure we have a better understanding and get feedback from the student as to why they’re doing what they’re doing,” he said, “so that way the behavior interventionists, the teachers and the schools can respond to it in a proactive way rather than a reactive way in case it happens again.”

COURTESY PHOTO

The new Champlain Valley School District board poses for a photo after Town Meeting Day elections.

Totality cool

From top, eclipse watchers gather atop Mt. Philo in preparation for the total eclipse of the sun. Alexandra Lazar got a bird’s eye view of the event from her backyard in Charlotte. In Charlotte, a post-eclipse “carmegeddon” on Greenbush Road.

From traffic maps the same stop-andgo traffic was happening on Route 7.

Dean Leary said the line extended 4.5 miles from the intersection with Route 7 in Ferrisburgh north past Thompson’s Point Road in Charlotte.

Rental Office space on Shelburne Road in Shelburne in the Paragon Building. 1250 square feet, parking.

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Community Bankers

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Norwich University taps Otley as women’s basketball

coach

There is no better time to join our Team!

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Community Bankers

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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.

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

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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!

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

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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!

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

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

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

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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!

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What NSB Can Offer You

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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

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

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Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Ute Otley, who has led Champlain Valley Union High School to eight state titles has been tapped to lead the Norwich University women’s basketball program.

From 2012-16, her team’s established a new Vermont consecutive wins record as it notched 96 straight victories. In 13 seasons as the CVU head coach, the team reached at least the state semifinals every year other than the COVID19-shortened season when CVU finished the season 9-0.

“I have long been an admirer of Ute as a coach, and as a mentor and role model for young women. She is not only a proven winner, but she has an amazing combination of coaching experience, competitive desire, basketball knowledge and perspective on her role in helping to develop play-

ers on and off the court,” said Ed Hockenbury, director of athletics at Norwich.

The Norwich Cadets will return several key players from last season, including Haley Brewster, already a member of the 1,000-point club. She averaged 19.6 points per game on her way to being named CSC Academic All-District and Great Northeast Athletic Conference Third Team.

Fellow CSC Academic All-District award winner Maren McGinn of Georgia, Vt., averaged 16 points per game, led the team with 10.4 rebounds per game, and currently ranks second all-time in program history with a 55.6 percent field goal percentage.

Another local product, Sage MacAuley of Barre, finished her first year as the second leading

Student Milestones

Christopher Provost of Hinesburg was named to the dean’s list at Endicott College for the fall semester.

Heloise Guyette of Charlotte was named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

rebounder, third leading scorer and fifth on the team in assists.

“Norwich University is a special place that reflects the same characteristics we are looking for in the women’s program —– dedication, hard work, belief in something bigger than yourself and meeting every challenge with determination and confidence,” said Otley. “I can’t wait to get started, meet with the team and jump into recruiting to prepare for the upcoming season.”

Otley has continuously demonstrated success throughout her basketball career. The former Valparaiso High School standout was named first team All-State as a senior. The honors from her high school playing career continued when in 2011 she was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Silver Anniversary Team.

While playing collegiately at Dartmouth College, she was a key member of four Ivy League Championships, from 1987-90, and played in 103 games.

Otley, and her husband Brian, have three children, Sadie, Mason and Cole.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Equal

Emaleigh Hunter of Hinesburg was named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Stuart Robinson of Charlotte was named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Amelia Anair of Charlotte was named to the Champlain College president’s list for the fall 2023 semester. Anair is currently enrolled in the accounting program.

Brennan Murdock of Charlotte was named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

During her coaching career Otley has a 270-17 record (.940); 96 consecutive wins (Vermont record) between 2012-16; 22 players at the collegiate level; eight state championships; six Vermont Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year awards; and four Vermont Gatorade Players of the Year (2013-14, 2015, 2016 and 2021).

PHOTO BY AL FREY CVU head coach Ute Otley talks strategy during a timeout at the Redhawks’ semifinal game against the Mt. Mansfield Union Cougars at Patrick Gym in early 2022.

Jumping steelhead

RABIES BAIT

One of the state’s premier wildlife watching opportunities is taking place in Vermont. The steelhead rainbow trout have started their upstream migration on the Willoughby River to leap up waterfalls in a spectacular display of determination on their way to spawning grounds. Steelhead can be spotted moving up the falls during warmer days in mid-to-late April and sometimes into early May. Willoughby River steelhead also provide an excellent fishing opportunity, attracting anglers from all over the Northeast for Vermont’s trout fishing season that opens April 13.  The section of the river in Orleans from the downstream edge of the Tarbox Hill Road Bridge to the top of the natural falls just upstream is closed to all fishing from April 13 to May 31.

continued from page 2

‘Beneath Our Skin’ exhibit chronicles roll-out of vaccine

“Beneath Our Skin,” a new multimedia storytelling and art exhibit, premieres at South Burlington Public Library and the Root Social Justice Center in Brattleboro in April.

“Beneath Our Skin: COVID-19 Vaccination Storytelling & Art Exhibit” displays the artistic reflections and stories of Black Vermonters and white health care providers about their experiences during the early rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte gathered stories and art from participants who were either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or not vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Through the curation of very personal stories, the exhibit shares the spectrum of emotions experienced by Black Vermonters during the height of the global pandemic, ranging from fear and a deep-rooted mistrust in the medical system, to hope, joy and pride in Vermont’s early leadership in combating the spread of the virus.

The exhibit also features the stories and artwork of three white health care providers who volunteered their time to administer the vaccine in communities throughout Vermont.

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

Some of the original artwork featured in this exhibit showcases nine members of the Vermont African American/African Diaspora Artists Network and includes poems by Djeli (formerly known as William Forchion), Rage Hezekiah and Yanna Marie Orcel; songs by Samirah Evans and Khonsu X; and visual artwork by Celine Davis, Travon Groves, Harlan Mack and William Mwanga.

“Beneath Our Skin” was curated by Yanna Marie Orcel, Clemmons Family Farm’s wellness arts adviser, who is herself a multidisciplinary artist. One of her original poems is included in the exhibit.

“This exhibit feels very personal, since it shares the fears, concerns and hopes associated with the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out for Black people — many of whom carry the intergenerational trauma of exploitation and neglect in United States medical and public health arenas. This perspective is often not brought to light outside of the Black community, which makes this exhibit an urgent representation of a historically underrepresented population,” said Orcel.

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

Most of the participants expressed themselves through narrative storytelling along with poetry, song or visual art, and the exhibit highlights participants’ arts-integrated stories through audio, video and print.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often

The exhibit will be open Sundays at Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte starting May 19 through June 16, and by appointment.

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

It will also be available for viewing at the South Burlington Public Library’s Community Gallery Space, 180 Market St., through Wednesday, May 10.

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

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Above: A steelhead rainbow trout leaps upstream in Willoughby Falls outside Orleans village on its annual migration to spawning grounds.

ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE

HOUSING

continued from page 1

tion to build structures on.

But the Vermont Natural Resources Board said there were still concerns about the project’s location on a floodplain. The project’s use of fill to elevate structures on the property “will cause an increase, and will contribute incrementally to an increase, in the horizontal extent and level of flood waters during peak flows up to and including the base flood discharge.”

“Placing the fill in the floodplain effectively cuts off the existing, lower elevation areas that provide floodwater storage and conveyance while subsequently raising the water surface elevations adjacent to the project during times

Call before you dig

of flooding,” wrote Thomas Little, the chair of the Act 250 District 4 Commission.

The project is the third iteration of continued commercial and residential development in Hinesburg’s village area. The first two phases included the Creekside Project and Hinesburg Center I, which brought Kinney Drugs, the Parkside Cafe and other housing units to town several years ago.

The Act 250 commission took specific concern with future property owners on the property tract. Little in the denial said that “the current owner is accepting increased flood risk for subsequent owners who are not part of this

process, hence the whole development becomes (flood-prone) adjacent landowners.”

Grabowski, the principal developer on the project, disagreed with the ruling, and said that the specific policy by which the project was denied was arbitrary.

“They will argue that they are applying this policy to all applications, but in essence, that is kind of the problem,” he said. “A project that is potentially proposed for a floodplain, say, in the Winooski River is not the same impact as a project proposed for the floodplain of the Patrick Brook.”

He added: “It’s very much, we feel, an apples and oranges type of

situation, but they are applying the same standard to all applications, and which we don’t feel is appropriate.”

Grabowski said they have not made any decisions yet on how they’ll proceed. There is a 30-day window to appeal from the March 27 denial.

While the town of Hinesburg is an interested party and could appeal the decision, Alex Weinhagen, the town’s director of planning and zoning, said there are no plans to do so.

The denial adds some concern for the town. Hinesburg’s village area, 40 square miles of land off Route 116 wedged between the LaPlatte River and Patrick Brook, has for decades been targeted by the town for new housing and commercial growth.

Do you have spring planting or digging projects?

If you plan to do any type of digging on your property, you or your contractor must contact Dig Safe™ at 811at least 48 hours prior to digging.

Dig Safe will notify member utilities, who will locate of buried facilities they own and ensure they are clearly marked. If you plan to work within 18 inches of themarked lines, please make sure it is dug by hand.

How to Detect a Gas Leak

Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. VGS adds an odorant similar to the smell of rotten eggs, so it can be easily recognized.

Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.

Sound: It may result in an unusual noise that replicates the sound of roaring, hissing, or whistling.

Move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-6398081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition. Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

Be safe

Scan the QR Code or visit vgsvt.com/be-safe for more safety information.

have likely been influenced by the damage wrought by July’s flooding in places like Montpelier. Hinesburg was largely spared any major damage, but a portion of the town’s village area was very briefly underwater.

Grabowski said these flooding concerns may have influenced the state in their denial of the project.

“I’ll be really honest with you, yes, it is a very politically charged topic, you can’t deny that,” he said.

“I think that this project is suffering because of it.”

Those plans are quickly coming to fruition, and town officials have banked on the more than 300-unts of housing development, as well as the added commercial development, to inject badly needed tax revenue into town coffers.

Only 8 percent of the town’s tax base comes from commercial and industrial, leaving the rest for residential taxpayers, who have been shouldering an increasing cost for services that other towns Hinesburg’s size do not have.

To try and increase tax revenue, the town has pursued a path of development in its village district. But concerns over this strategy have mounted in recent years, given the village area’s proximity to the Patrick Brook floodplain.

In a recent survey, town residents cited water and flooding issues as one of the top challenges facing the town. Those concerns

Officials with the Natural Resources Board were not immediately available for comment but said previously in documents that the effects of climate change and more intense rainstorms may lead to greater flooding at sites that may not yet be captured in current FEMA hydraulic modeling.

“While we understand the critical need for more housing in our state, it does not seem prudent to be constructing new affordable or (any) housing in an area vulnerable to flooding, putting potentially unknowing members of the public at future risk and displacement,” Kyle Medash, a floodplain manager with Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, said in previous documents.

Previous phases of the development, including Hinesburg Center I, were “pretty thoroughly vetted” at the time, Weinhagen said.

“The developer had some very sophisticated hydrological modeling done by a very reputable firm, that the town has used in the past as well, and the state provided feedback, but they didn’t have the same level of concern that they’ve expressed with this project,” he said.

Green Up Day aims to clean up 100 corridor in an hour

Green Up Vermont’s mission is to keep environmental stewardship exciting and rewarding for all and to pass this knowledge to the next generation of Jedi litterclean-up volunteers. This year’s theme is teamwork.

“We are introducing some special campaigns this year that focus on big teams and working together. In addition to all city and town efforts we are running a special Vermont Top-to- Bottom Green Up campaign that runs from the Canadian border to Massachusetts along the Route 100 scenic byway, and with volunteers placed at every mile, it is essentially a 208-person relay team,” said executive director Kate Alberghini. “Everyone will start at 10 a.m. and have Vermont Route 100 cleaned in about an hour.”

Green Up Day this year is Saturday, May 4.

Green Up Vermont has also announced a Guinness world record attempt for the most pledges received for trash clean up in 24 hours.

“The goal is to include all Vermonters and visitors who want to make the pledge. We have timed it around Green Up Day so that people will act on their pledge and be inspired to clean up some litter,” Alberghini said. Be a part of the world record attempt by visiting greenupvermont.org.

Last year’s Armand Poulin Memorial Poster Art contest winner was a seventh grader from Essex Middle School; the writing contest winners were both from Ryegate, while the jingle winner came from Waterford.