Farms
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Shelburne came out on top 2-1 in a very close game between Shelburne Community School and Charlotte Central School on Sept. 12. Shelburne sixth grader Theo Galloway scored the tie goal to make it 1-1 in the fourth quarter. “Both teams are off to a great season,” said Hillary Boardman, who captured the action.
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg voters will determine whether to establish a local option tax during this year’s general election.
The local option tax is a proposed 1 percent increase in sales taxes that could also apply to meals, alcoholic beverages and lodging in Hinesburg.
Selectboard chair Merrily Lovell said the tax would generate “much-needed” revenue for the town without raising property taxes.
Both residents and visitors to Hinesburg would pay the tax increase when they shop, purchase a meal or rent a place to stay.
If the option tax passes on Nov. 5, sales taxes in Hinesburg would increase to 7 percent, food and lodging taxes would increase to 10 percent and alcoholic beverage
taxes would increase to 11 percent.
Voters in favor of the tax will then approve or deny each of the three categories on the ballot, meaning they can choose where the tax is applied.
Thirty percent of the revenue generated from the option tax would go to the state, which administers the tax, and the remaining 70 percent would return to Hinesburg’s general fund. Town Manager Todd Odit said the tax could generate more than $175,000 a year.
Odit is unsure when the tax will officially be applied if voters approve it, but he hopes to utilize those funds “as soon as possible.”
“We need this,” Lovell said, referencing costly projects in Hinesburg over the past few years and a lack of revenue for the town
See TAX on page 11
The Charlotte Selectboard has issued a written warning to the chair of the town’s development
review board over complaints of “professional misconduct” and creating a hostile environment at meetings.
The board, in a Sept. 9 letter to Charles Russell, said his behav-
ior had the potential to create an atmosphere of intimidation and limit public input. With the help of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns in its investigation, the board inter-
viewed town staff and the two people who had made written complaints about Russell in June.
The first complaint came from Bill Stuono, a newly appointed member of the town’s planning
commission, who claimed Russell heckled people at meetings, created hostile relationships with
See RUSSELL on page 12
BUSY ANDERSON
In the two years since plans for new construction at the Safe Harbor Shelburne Shipyard drew opposition from residents, it’s unclear if anything has happened at the marina on Shelburne Point.
No obvious construction was underway at the shipyard on a recent afternoon. A manager directed questions to Safe Harbor Marina’s corporate office. A person answering several calls to the company said a representative would reach back out on the status
of construction, but no one did.
The project had been greenlit by town officials in early 2022 and was later cleared to move forward by state leaders last fall.
The demolition of two buildings and repaving of a lot at the shipyard prompted an Act 250 investigation by the Vermont Natural Resources Board in March 2023.
Safe Harbor, a Texas-based company, is the largest marina owner and operator in the U.S., with 131 marinas across 25 U.S. states and territories, according to the company website. Safe Harbor advertises a “waterfront lifestyle”
with a membership that includes boat services and storage. Members can attend national events like horse races and tennis opens hosted by Safe Harbor, with food, drinks and entertainment.
The Natural Resources Board and Agency of Natural Resources visited the shipyard at 4584 Harbor Road last November and found no Act 250 violations, according to Sabina Haskell, chair of the board.
The investigation was closed in June 2023, and officials issued the shipyard an after-the-fact land use permit authorizing the earlier demolition and construction
on the property, Haskell said. The permit also allows the shipyard to proceed with construction on a new boat storage building, an outdoor boat storage rack, an underground stormwater treatment system and an outdoor boat washing facility.
The Shelburne Development Review Board previously held two meetings in April and March of 2022 for public comment on the multimillion-dollar development project. Residents expressed concern about a rise in traffic with expanded car and boat parking and environmental protection during construction.
The development project was approved after the meetings on the condition that Safe Harbor would take steps to mitigate traffic and ensure resident safety.
That would include a traffic speed study, additional road signage, bike racks and short-term loading spaces in partnership with local organizations.
Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Vermont Community Newspaper Group. Charlotte Oliver contributed reported for this story.
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
After a harrowing budget cycle that saw a third of Vermont’s school budgets fail on Town Meeting Day, local and state leaders are sounding the early alarm on the upcoming budget cycle that could be even worse than the last one.
The situation has leaders from the state’s largest school district, Champlain Valley School District, and the South Burlington School District prepping their communities in the earliest weeks of the fall semester for the “extraordinary fiscal headwinds” that lie just around the corner.
Both districts experienced significant repercussions during last year’s budget cycle when the state introduced unprecedented changes in the education funding system. That shift, meant to equalize education across the state, led to significant tax hikes in the Chittenden County towns that make up the two school districts.
While South Burlington residents are seeing a moderate tax increase of 8.1 percent — in comparison, Shelburne’s school taxes went up 16 percent — the district’s projections for this year are alarming and even “quite dire,” South Burlington School District superintendent Violet Nichols wrote in a letter to legislators last month.
The district made out better than some of its neighbors last year by leveraging $3.2 million from its budget surplus to keep the tax increase associated with the resident-adopted $69.5 million budget below 10 percent. That budget only passed after two failed attempts with associated property tax increases of 23 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.
“Even without that surplus, we would have been below the statewide average for per pupil spending, reflecting appropriate fiscal management,” she wrote.
In a letter to local school leaders, Gov. Phil Scott said that while the state is unique in that schools
Voodoo Cheesesteaks and Las Hermosas Tacos will be serving food at the Hinesburg Fall Festival. They were listed incorrectly in a press release.
are required to craft budgets before district leaders know how spending will affect tax bills — which isn’t officially forecasted until the “December 1 letter” by the tax commissioner — his administration is taking steps to engage school officials earlier than usual this year.
He noted that, in addition to rising inflationary and health care costs, the state used $69 million of one-time money to lower property tax rates last fiscal year. This results in a significant budget gap slated at roughly $60 million, he wrote.
Through Act 183, the Legislature formed the Commission on the Future of Public Education, which is tasked with studying and making recommendations on long-term fixes to the state’s educating funding system, but an initial report isn’t anticipated until December 2025.
And for local school leaders, help is needed now.
“I look forward to whatever the outcome of that study is, but in the meantime, that 18 months is so devastating to our community,”
South Burlington School Board chair Chelsea Tillinghast said.
“Last year we said we were in an ‘Armageddon budget situation,’
But it was nothing compared to this year, because last year we had two years of surplus funds to throw at the problem, and this year we
See SCHOOL BUDGET on page 13
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
The Shelburne Farms Coach Barn is closed for renovations to improve the building’s yearround functionality and overall efficiency.
Built in 1901, the barn was one of the last structures to go up on the property when it was occupied by the Vanderbilt-Webb family and is the only building that has not undergone major renovations in the last decade, according to Robin Turnau, chief advancement officer for Shelburne Farms.
Back in the day, the family stored its coach wagons and, eventually, automobiles in the barn, which is located on the
banks of Lake Champlain just south of the Inn at Shelburne Farms. There was even an elevator to store vehicles on the second floor of the building when the main floor was full.
With its large courtyard and spacious halls, today the barn serves as an educational and social gathering space for the Shelburne Farms nonprofit. It is home to the Institute for Sustainable Schools, which serves around 1,500 educators annually through the Farm to School Institute, and events like the Vermont Fresh Network Dinner.
Turnau said the Coach Barn is an important part of Shelburne Farms’ mission to spread knowledge about food and sustainable
farming. However, the building was in desperate need of a facelift.
The renovations officially began in August and are expected to be complete by next fall. Once finished, the Coach Barn will host events year-round, instead of seasonally, and have an extra layer of defense against fire and water damage.
Earlier this week, construction crews were drilling into the ground near the barn to install a new ground-source heat pump system that will keep the building cool in summer and warm in the winter. The system will replace the Coach Barn’s boiler, which
Total incidents: 44
Arrests: 1
Traffic Stops: 18
Sept. 10 at 5:01 p.m., police helped someone with a lockout.
Sept. 11 at 5:15 p.m., police investigated a theft of property on Magee Hill Road.
Sept. 12 at 6:45 a.m., an officer responded to a single-car motor vehicle crash on Richmond Road.
Sept. 12 at 11:35 a.m., someone reported suspicious activity on Ballard’s Corner Road.
Sept. 12 at 2:15 p.m., Michael Mullen, 33, of Richmond, and Marcie Whittemore, 32, of Brandon, were both arrested on active warrants during a traffic stop on Route 116. Mullen was also cited for driving with a criminally suspended driver’s license, violation of conditions, and providing false information
to law enforcement officers. Whittemore was also cited for providing false information to law enforcement officers.
Sept. 13 at 7:40 a.m., officers investigated the theft of an automobile on Fern Road.
Sept. 13 at 6:11 p.m., officers recovered a stolen vehicle from Colchester on North Road.
Sept. 14 at 9:43 a.m., an officer responded to a single car motor vehicle crash on Silver Street.
Sept. 14 at 3:55 p.m., loose dogs were reported on Dynamite Hill.
Sept. 15 at 9:41 a.m., an officer responded to Silver Street for the report of livestock in the road.
Sept. 15 at 11:25 a.m., police conducted a welfare check on Bear Lane.
Sept. 16 at 11:41 a.m., officers responded to a three-car motor vehicle crash on Hollow Road.
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What’s a little murder among friends?
How often do you get to find out who done it before the rest of the world? This fall, join The Shelburne Players for “Murder at Eight,” a world premiere murder mystery written and directed by Shelburne resident Alex Nalbach.
The show will be presented at the Shelburne Town Center, 5420 Shelburne Road, from October 4-12.
“Murder at Eight” is the story of a young widow who invites six close friends to commemorate
the anniversary of her husband’s death. But grief turns to terror when she announces that she has poisoned the guest she believes was responsible for his death, who must confess in front of the other five witnesses by reaching for the antidote before the clock strikes eight.
“What better way to start off crunchy, spicy October leaf time, than with a murder mystery?” Nalbach said. “This is a play that features a lot of wit and style and
an enormous emotional range. We are excited to offer this world premiere.”
Produced by Kym Taylor of St. Albans, the show features eight local actors: Sam O’Shea of South Burlington; Eliza Noxon, Adeline Cota and Christian Acosta of Burlington; Jenna Raynoha of Essex; Glen Wallace of Colchester; Matti Nichols of Vergennes; and Rachel Smith of Middlebury. For tickets and more information, shelburneplayers.com.
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Guest Perspective Jackie Wheel
It’s that time of year again, new outfits picked out, fresh school supplies purchased, lunches packed and the sound of gunshots ringing in the air. The quintessential back to school time of year should be renamed the more accurate Back to School Shootings.
Maybe retailers can start using that in their ads as they push bulletproof backpacks. As a kid, I always had nervous butterflies before the start of a new year. What would this year hold for me? New friends? New crushes? New conflicts?
Now, as a parent, my only nerves are whether my kid will come home to me at the end of the day.
Parenting is hard. One of the trickiest parts is getting your child to school. If they are young like mine, they don’t want to leave mom and dad. They still feel the pull of the parental bond, biologically driven to stay near those who their survival depends upon.
How do we expect them to focus on normal kids’ stuff? To learn? How are we allowing this to become our reality?
Communities are shattered, lives thrown off course, towns forever changed. Their names synonymous with tragedy, quietly whispered across the country and then forgotten as a bad moment in history that’s too hard to look at directly.
As parents and community members we are traumatized, witnessing these horrific moments over and over, identifying with the victims or their families. Wondering when our number will be called. When will we lose the school shooting roulette? Are we really willing to gamble with our children’s lives?
This shouldn’t be a political issue. Any American with a heart should be prioritizing children’s lives over guns.
As parents, we feel guilty. We feel our own bond pulling at our heartstrings and the stress of knowing we’re late for work or other responsibilities. Compounding all these feelings is the reality that this actually may be about our child’s survival. That we may have just left them crying in the arms of a near stranger at dropoff, perhaps calling out “mama,” to be left to the unthinkable fate so many of this country’s children have faced.
Our country, our children, our responsibility.
One child’s life is one too many to have been lost to gun violence. Yet, it is the No. 1 killer of children and teens in this country. Once again, right as we begin a new school year, another community is broken, traumatized by this violence.
America is failing its children. They should not be growing up in fear for their lives at school. They shouldn’t be losing their innocence at an unimaginable age while sitting through active shooter drills, expecting armed intruders to barge in at any moment.
an inconvenient truth that somehow doesn’t apply to you, then you should drop the responsible.
It’s overwhelming, all of it. Sometimes I feel like I’m screaming into a void.
How are we supposed to raise children, build careers, be good parents, partners, friends, siblings? Keep our children safe, fight our fellow countrymen and the politicians capitalizing on the fear, the gun lobby and manufacturers profiting off the deaths of children.
How are we all not standing in the street, screaming? Refusing to work or lift a finger at home until the madness stops. Until children are safe, protected and prioritized. Not because it’s convenient, not because it’s the right political move, but because it is the moral imperative.
This shouldn’t be a political issue. Any American with a heart should be prioritizing children’s lives over guns. Right to bear
arms? What about a child’s right to live?
There’s one simple way to help fight this epidemic, and that’s with your vote in November. If you aren’t helping fix the problem, then you are part of it. Their blood is on all our hands.
And let’s talk about the shooters. These “evil” people. They are often children themselves. Why were they given access to a gun but not other resources? If they survive, we try them like adults, lock them away and never stop to consider that they are another child lost to gun violence. Do you lock up your guns?
Most school shooters obtained their weapons from a friend or family member’s home. Kids unintentionally shoot and kill themselves, siblings, friends or parents by accessing unsecured weapons in homes. Children and teens facing a hard time turn to suicide by gun, a method that gives little hope of a second chance. Unsecured weapons are stolen from homes or vehicles and then used to commit violent crimes.
I’ve met a lot of responsible gun owners. They welcome conversations about this issue, support common sense gun laws like universal background checks and acknowledge the importance of taking steps to ensure their firearms are secure because guns are never safe. They lock up their weapons in a lockbox, separate from ammunition. They never claim to be responsible; they just are.
If you think you’re a responsible gun owner and you won’t lock up your weapons, if you won’t acknowledge the role they play in this issue, if you think it’s
The other day I opened the mobile game Solitaire on my phone and noticed a note at the bottom of the screen. It read, “There is no shame in pressing undo.” My finger froze mid-air, unable to tap “new deal,” as I wondered, “When did my mobile game turn into Yoda?”
This game’s undo button lets a player remove their last move, or multiple moves. It’s akin to a do-over, a chance to try again.
“There is no shame in pressing undo.” Wow, that is some great advice, I thought. Pertinent to all of life. Of course, if Yoda had said it, it would’ve sounded more like, “Pressing undo, no shame, there is.” But I digress.
I find this mobile app aphorism about the wisdom of starting over unexpected advice from a surprising source. In my experience, game apps rarely hold my hand and tell me it’s OK to make mistakes, learn from them and begin anew. Clearly, it’s an endorsement for second chances. All this from a game app?
Even Buddha agrees with my mobile Solitaire’s guidance saying, “You can always begin again.” Some claim Jack Kornfield wrote that Buddha-ism, but, again, I digress. And since I now know there’s no shame in starting over, I’ll proceed in doing so.
My point is I never expected life coaching from a mobile game. It’s one thing if inspiration comes from Sinatra singing, “Dust yourself off and start
all over again” or Henry Ford imparting, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” But it’s quite another when said inspiration comes via my means of escapism. I think it’s the word “shame” in the phrase that caught my attention. I have a complicated relationship with games on my phone. We’ve broken up more than once. Always after I suddenly regain consciousness and realize the passage of time I frittered away bent over my phone.
Really, what had I accomplished? New levels? More points? Index finger dexterity? This is when the capital “S” shame would creep in. A calculation based on that lost time. Certainly, I have more important things to do.
trusted. So, I picked New York Times word games. Their appeal? Only one of each game a day. No endless playing. And at night, before I tuck into the novel I’m reading, I play one game of Boggle. One. Maybe if Boggle shared some words of encouragement, I’d be enticed to play more. I mean, just once, couldn’t it say, “You are worth a mega-powerup?”
Even Buddha agrees with my mobile Solitaire’s guidance
“You can always begin again.”
Even if I only played during a break, after innumerable games, I’d lift my dazed head, feel bad and imagine I could have knitted a sweater in that time. Not that I knit, but couldn’t I at least learn how to knit instead of zoning-out in a biome-themed world collecting rockets?
Needless to say, that’s how Wordscapes got deleted from my phone. I couldn’t quit it. Thus, we had to part. In the divorce, I lost my hard-earned collection of bullseyes and lightbulbs but walked away with better posture. Now, I limit my screen time because, apparently, I’m an ancient toddler and can’t be
The outlier to my mobile game diet is Solitaire. It’s a filler game to play if I have a few extra minutes in the evening. I’m glad I do so because it’s brought me random enlightenment for no knowable reason. I like that. Most days the note in my Solitaire app is oddly a sales pitch for its own game, which I’m already playing. There’s probably a Yoda-esque message in that somewhere. Other days, its note causes me to pause. This morning, I opened the game and was greeted by this wisdom,
“Remember, not all deals are winnable.” I smiled. I know this counsel to be true.
Whether in Solitaire or in life, not all deals are winnable. But I still want to play both anyway — all while keeping myself open to what assistance is offered along the way. No matter if they are hints and undos or lightbulbs and mega-power-ups, the truth is there’s no shame in getting help or, indeed, starting again.
Carole Vasta Folley is an award-winning columnist and playwright. Visit carolevf.com.
from page 3
Turnau described as “embarrassing” for an organization with a net-zero goal by 2028.
The boiler is the last to go on the Shelburne Farm’s property, according to Turnau.
Ground-source heat pumps have a much smaller carbon footprint than boilers but are not considered completely carbon-neutral as they still rely on electricity.
The system includes a 500-foot pipe buried vertically in the ground. In the winter, it absorbs heat from the ground and transfers it indoors through a pump system. In the summer, the system is reversed. Heat from the building is pulled from the indoors and transferred into the ground.
In addition to efficiency updates, installation of a new fire suppression system is underway at the Coach Barn. Turnau said the barn is the last structure on the property not to have a fire suppression system, which is considered particularly important in the wake of the dairy barn fire in 2016.
The new system includes an early automatic fire detection and suppression system, which requires rewiring throughout the barn to install cameras. The cameras will be able to detect smoke and small flames, sometimes earlier than sprinklers can, and emit a warning to the fire department. Similar systems are installed in other buildings at Shelburne Farms.
The Coach Barn’s courtyard will see major updates in appearance and accessibility. Cement pavers will replace uneven gravel on the courtyard floor, resulting in greater accessibility for people with different abilities. The new floor will also prevent water build-up and damage to the sides of the courtyard near the walls. Crews will also improve the gradient of the land surrounding the barn to direct water away from the outside walls.
Scaffolding is currently set up above the
Coach Barn for renovations to the building’s grand chimney, which was crumbling and had a tree growing from it, according to Turnau, who added that the chimney isn’t fully functional but contributes to the overall appearance of the building.
On the inside, the rich southern pine throughout the barn, which has darkened after years of treatment, is being rehabilitated and brightened to its original glory. Turnau said crews are taking painstaking measures to uphold the historic appearance of the building. For example, each board removed for treatment is labeled and returned to its original place.
A new teaching kitchen is being installed in the old boiler room, and it will serve as an educational space where participants can work with food grown on the farm. Cooks can also use the space to prepare freshly made meals for events at the Coach Barn, instead of driving food down from the inn.
The project is expected to cost $10 million, according to Turnau, most of which is made up of donations and grants. Shelburne Farms is currently working to raise $50 million by December. If the nonprofit raises that amount, The Robert W. Wilson Trust will contribute $5 million to finish the Coach Barn.
Turnau said the nonprofit is still $2 million shy of hitting its December goal of $50 million, which is needed for other projects on the property.
“The historic Coach Barn is one of the best-known and loved gathering spaces at Shelburne Farms,” Turnau said. “The architecture and magnificent location overlooking Lake Champlain make it an inspirational space as the home of the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools, and for all sorts of community events.”
As
Hinesburg Stone Soup Supper is Saturday
The Hinesburg Stone Soup tradition began in 2005 as a community celebration upon the completion of the stone wall at Hinesburg Town Hall. It takes place this year on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. at the United Church of Hinesburg as part of the town’s fall festival, which starts at 10 a.m. on the Hinesburg Town Common.
There will be a variety of music, food, vendors, activities and opportunities to connect with community groups and find out what changes are happening in Hinesburg.
The Stone Soup event is an opportunity to meet neighbors and friends to enjoy the bounty of the season while sharing a meal of soups, salads and desserts, organizers say. Tickets can be purchased at hinesburgrec.com and at the festival for $10. Children under 12 eat for free.
Each year the Hinesburg Land
Trust organizes the Stone Soup event in celebration of local food grown in Hinesburg and surrounding towns by farmers and home gardeners. A community harvest meal is a tradition in many cultures and, as in the story of stone soup, a great way to bring newcomers and old-timers together to share gratitude for the land, farmers and each other.
The supper will feature a variety of soups, salads and desserts to suit all diets with local ingredients cooked with a magic stone by talented Hinesburg cooks. Proceeds from the supper benefit Hinesburg Food Shelf.
One of the soups will be cooking in the giant kettle during the festival along with the telling of the traditional stone soup folktale. It is a story told in many cultures around the world of how hungry strangers, with the help of a magic
See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9
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continued from page 8
stone, convince stingy and suspicious villagers to each share some of their recent harvest and make a feast that feeds the entire village.
In the spirit of stone soup, festivalgoers are encouraged to bring a fresh local vegetable or herb to add to the soup.
The United Church of Hinesburg, 10570 Route 116, will hold an outdoor winter clothing sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, the day of the Hinesburg Fall Festival.
Choose from a selection of all new (not used) gloves, jackets, fleece pullovers, long underwear and more, all 50 to 80 percent off retail prices. Get ready for your outdoor winter activities or do some early holiday shopping.
The 46th Vermont Odyssey of the Mind season launches at a statewide open house at Essex Middle School on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5-7 p.m.
At the open house, meet experienced coaches, learn about the program and discover how Odyssey of the Mind can benefit your
child. If you are unable to attend, but are interested in learning more, email Lesley Adams, Vermont Association director, at advtoom@ gmail.com.
This creative problem-solving program is open to students of all ages and backgrounds, offering a unique opportunity to explore imagination and develop critical thinking skills.
Odyssey of the Mind is a global educational program that encourages students to work in teams to solve long-term problems that require creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Participants have the chance to compete at regional, state and national levels, culminating in the world finals.
The ALS Association is hosting a walk to support people with ALS on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Oakledge Park, 11 Flynn Ave., in Burlington, starting at 10 a.m.
ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It gradually robs people of the ability to walk, move, talk, swallow and eventually breathe.
Hundreds of people will rally together at Walk to Defeat ALS.
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The Community Alliance Church, 190 Pond Road, is celebrating the start of the fall with Pie Day on Sunday, Oct. 6, noon-3 p.m. Come for games, lunch, fellowship and a lot of pie. Please bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket and the pie for a pie contest. You get to enjoy the pie contest, lunch, cornhole and a bouncy castle for kids. Learn more at facebook.com/events/478856881645778.
Many who participate have a loved one who is battling ALS while others walk in memory of a loved one who has lost their fight. Some participate simply because they believe in the power of community and want to make a difference.
“Global research, nationwide advocacy efforts and local care services are all critical to making ALS livable until we can find a cure,” Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of the ALS Association, said.
Check-in is at 10 a.m., and the walk starts at 11:30 a.m. Those who raise $100 or more receive a commemorative T-shirt. Learn more at als.org.
Miles for Migraine will host its 7th annual 2-mile Walk, 5K Run and Relax Vermont event on Saturday, Sept. 21, hosted in South Burlington at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
This event is a fundraiser for migraine and headache aware-
ness, treatment and research. But it’s more than a fund walk or run, it’s a time to connect with the local migraine and headache community, listen to speakers and visit sponsors in the festival area.
All walk and run finishers receive a medal, and the 5K run is professionally timed. So, dress up in your best purple flair for a chance at a fun prize.
Funds raised will benefit the University of Vermont Medical Center Headache Clinic to support local migraine research and fellowship training programs and Miles for Migraine programs and services.
Register for free at btv.milesformigraine.org
The Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Road, Huntington, has several upcoming fall events.
• Celebration of Gale Lawrence, Sunday, Sept. 22 2-4 p.m. Take
time to celebrate the life of Gale Lawrence, a naturalist, teacher and writer. Without her support, the Birds of Vermont Museum would not have become what it is today. Please bring a photo or memory to share. Read more about Lawrence at birdsofvermont.org/gale-lawrence.
• Bird monitoring walk, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 a.m. Monthly monitoring walk to record birds on the museum’s property. Bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather.
• Green Mountain Woodcarvers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Green Mountain Woodcarvers will be carving. Stop in to watch a woodcarver at work, ask a question or learn about this carving club.
• The Big Sit, Sunday, Oct. 13, dawn to dusk. How many birds can we identify from a 17-foot diameter circle between sunrise and sunset? This is a great long-running community science project.
To register or to find out more, go to birdsofvermont.org/events.
Barbara B. Hodgdon
Barbara B. Hodgdon, 76, a longtime resident of Colchester, died peacefully Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, after a struggle with dementia.
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She was born in Burlington, the oldest daughter of the late William George Bushey and Alice Margaret (Mack) Bushey. She spent her early years in Charlotte, attending Charlotte Central School, then high school at South Burlington High School, and graduating from the second class at Champlain Valley Union High School in 1966.
Following high school, she attended Johnson State College, transferring to Champlain College, graduating with an associate degree in accounting in 1969.
In 1970, she met her husband, Jeffrey, and after a whirlwind romance, married on April 30, 1971, sharing the anniversary date with her youngest sister’s birthday.
Barbara worked for a time at Garden Way Publishing in Charlotte, enjoying her job a great deal. However, when her husband’s military service required a move to Virginia, she embraced the adventure and happily packed up their new family for the move south. With their little guy, David (DJ), packed in safely among their belongings, they drove their little red VW to Fort Belvoir.
sister for their son, David.
The decision was made to adopt a little girl from El Salvador, and after a time, Christine Emily Hodgdon was brought to the United States, all wrapped up in a blanket and a bow. Barbara decided to take some time off to take care of little Emily.
In March 1986, Barbara joined the University of Vermont as an administrative professional in the payroll and human resources department. In March 2005, she became a subject matter expert on the new human resources software implementation team. In 2008, she joined the business process reengineering team until her retirement in 2011.
She enjoyed crafts, sewing and knitting. It is unknown how many baby blankets she knitted for family and friends, but there seemed to be a work in progress constantly. Her complete stash of yarn was unknown until recently.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jeffrey Charles, and their children, David John Hodgdon and Christine Emily Culver (Jason); grandchildren, Spencer Ethan Culver and Shae Elizabeth Culver; sister, Margaret Whitby; nieces, Jennifer Gagnon (Eric) and Elizabeth Whitby (Scott Hamlin); nephews, Michael Devine (Petra) and Matthew Whitby (Jennifer); and a very special cousin, Katherine Coakley, who Barbara considered her a second daughter.
Barbara will be remembered by her family and friends for her ability to find humor in stressful situations, her kindness, patience and a unique ability to make some coworkers laugh until they cried.
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Once settled, she became the local travel agent of sorts, inviting family, arranging tours, lodging and transportation for them. She was impressed by the available history and sites in the Washington, D.C., area, except for the time her car was towed from the FBI building. She did talk the agent into telling her where the car was temporarily held, and it was retrieved without cost.
While at Fort Belvoir they made a couple of moves, each place made into a home. The last move was a lovely little townhouse in Dogue Creek Village and, while it was her favorite, the U.S. Army decided to send them to Germany.
Barbara enjoyed Germany, doing volunteer work, hosting family members when they visited, traveling to London with her mother, and Berchtesgaden with her sister, Margaret. Barbara also found the time to work as a Department of the Army civilian in the local finance office.
With Jeffrey’s active-duty tour behind them, and a return to Vermont, Barbara found employment with The Lane Press in the accounting department. She enjoyed the day-to-day challenges with each day being different. She and Jeffrey purchased their first home in Burlington, and talked about expanding their family, as Barbara always wanted to have a
In retirement, Barbara and Jeffrey took their travel trailer to interesting places, such as Memphis, where she visited Graceland, Arizona and the Grand Canyon, and Key West, where she visited Hemingway’s home. During the tour, she was trying to think of ways to put one of the cats in her bag, as she really wanted to bring one home. Barbara was especially fond of the Outer Banks.
Barbara loved her children and grandchildren. She was very happy when her son David graduated from Champlain College, as she had years earlier. She traveled to many soccer games to watch her daughter Emily play in high school, college and summer leagues.
Her grandchildren were a special source of pride and pleasure. She was amazed with Spencer’s ability to create things with Legos simply using his imagination. She loved attending Shae’s soccer games, watching her skills develop. Both were very special to her.
Barbara was also a collector. She always loved animals, as there were usually one or more in the household. Or she might be trying to find a home for some wayward creature.
She is also survived by several grand nieces and nephews, Abby and Maddie Gagnon, CJ Hamlin, Nina Devine and Avery and Riley Whitby, all of whom she loved dearly.
Besides her parents, Barbara was predeceased by her sister, Mary Claire (Bushey) Devine in 1998.
The family would like to acknowledge all the staff at the Arbors, who treated her with care, kindness, compassion and love. We also extend our thanks and gratitude to Full Circle Medicine and UVM hospice staff, who provided care and support during her final weeks and days.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Ready Funeral Home, Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Road, Essex Junction. Internment will immediately follow in the Village Cemetery Colchester.
In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution to the humane society of one’s choice.
To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.
A memorial service for Barry Stone of South Burlington, who died on May 24, 2024, will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Davis Center on the campus of the University of Vermont.
Volunteers build interior storm windows to help people save money on their energy costs.
Time is running out to order insulating window inserts for winter.
Recent cool days remind us that we’ll soon be piling on layers of warm clothing and wishing it didn’t cost so much to heat our homes. So, what can you do?
The Shelburne Climate & Energy Committee has partnered with WindowDressers to help. For over 10 years, WindowDressers volunteers have been making polyolefin-wrapped interior storm
continued from page 1
to tackle them. “I think there’s a misconception that this is a brandnew tax. It’s not. We already pay these taxes. The idea is to increase them slightly to solve our revenue issue. This way visitors are also chipping in, instead of us burdening townspeople with more property taxes they can’t handle right now.”
Many surrounding towns already have a local option tax, including Shelburne and Williston.
Odit said Hinesburg has been considering the tax for a few years, but a legislative ruling earlier this year allowed the town to pursue
windows to keep residents of New England warmer, help them save on fuel costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build community by working together.
A community build will be held at Shelburne Town Hall Oct. 31-Nov. 6, but the deadline for ordering new inserts is fast approaching.
Assistance is available for anyone who would find paying full costs a challenge; customers with limited income can receive up to 10
inserts for free or at a reduced price.
Orders for inserts for Shelburne-Charlotte-Hinesburg Community Build must be in by Monday, Sept. 30. Just go to windowdressers.org, click on “order inserts” and fill out the form. You will be assigned to a volunteer window measuring team with no obligation to order.
Questions? Don’t use the internet? Call local coordinator Judy Raven at ravenvt@msn.com or 802-734-0458.
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
Three new employees joined the Hinesburg Highway Department last week as road repairs continue after this summer’s flooding.
“This was probably the worst summer we’ve had in terms of damage from flooding,” said Town Manager Todd Odit, who gave an update on the highway department during a selectboard meeting on Sept. 4.
Odit said the new hires were long awaited. At one point this summer, the department only had one employee to tackle repairs. Fortunately, staff from the water works department, who have commercial driver’s licenses, were able to help.
Hinesburg saw two significant storms this summer in July and early August, resulting in road damage throughout the town. In some places, repair work completed after July’s storm was undone after the smaller storm in early August.
the tax seriously.
Before the ruling, municipalities had to establish a governance charter before voting on the option tax, which is a costly and time-consuming process, according to Odit. However, the ruling did away with that stipulation, making it easier for towns to introduce the tax to voters.
The selectboard has since been scrambling to include the option tax on this year’s general election ballot.
In August, the board held an informal vote on the telephone to approve the tax as a ballot question in the general election just
days before the deadline. If the board had waited, Lovell said, the question would have had to go before voters on a separate local ballot this November, which she said would have been confusing. Even though the option tax is already included on the general election ballot, Lovell said the selectboard will hold a formal vote on the issue during its meeting on Sept. 25. All members of the selectboard are expected to vote in favor of the tax.
According to Town Clerk and Treasurer Heather Roberts, early ballots are expected to go out starting sometime next week.
One such area is Lincoln Hill Road southwest of town, where a culvert washed out, creating an impassable obstacle for school buses and vehicles.
Last week, Lincoln Hill Road was closed to traffic, and the culvert was replaced with a larger 5-foot version. Odit said the town couldn’t wait any longer to replace the culvert, given the bus route interruption and other traffic inconveniences.
Hinesburg used American Rescue Plan Act funds to replace the culvert because the damage done in August falls outside of this summer’s disaster declaration and is therefore not eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement. The town is taking a similar approach to other road repair projects.
As of last week, crews are moving on to other locations west of Hinesburg to replace undersized, clogged culverts and repair damaged roads, including Magee Hill, Sherman Hollow, Texas Hill, Hayden Hill East and Lavigne Hill roads.
Odit is still waiting on the Vermont Agency of Transportation to approve a temporary bridge on Beecher Hill Road, where a 6-foot culvert on the north end of the road has completely washed out.
“We’re taking the time and investing in these repairs instead of slapping a band-aid on them.”
The long-term fix will likely entail a more permanent structure, such as a bridge to replace the culvert, which could cost anywhere between $500,000 and $1 million, according to Odit. Another culvert on Beecher Hill Road may also need replacing. There is currently a 2-mile detour around Beecher Hill Road for residents living in the area.
— Todd Odit
Odit said some paving will occur on Richmond Road before winter, however, the town has already surpassed its $200,000 allotment this year and will likely need to table additional paving until next year. Odit is expecting to receive a paving grant from the state in the next few months, which will help cover the cost of paving next year.
Part of ongoing repairs involves “flood resiliency efforts,” according to Odit, meaning the town is creating defenses against future flooding to mitigate damage. This includes installing bigger culverts and building bridges.
“We’re taking the time and investing in these repairs instead of slapping a band-aid on them,” said Odit. “It’s going to cost us more money in the long run if we don’t do it right this time around, so we’d rather spend the money now if it means a better outcome next summer during flood season.”
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Above: Reid Sadler battles for control of the ball as two Burlington players try to block his shot in a 3-1 win over Burlington on Sept. 11.
Right: Sebastian Bronk sets up his shot in the Redhawks’ 4-2 loss to Mt. Mansfield on Sept. 12. It was the boys’ first loss on the season.
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Champlain Valley 40, Colchester 6: The Champlain Valley football team moved to 3-0 with a win over Colchester on Friday, Sept. 13.
Orion Yates threw three touchdowns for the Redhawks, including two TD passes to Jacob Armstrong. Armstrong added a 49-yard rushing touchdown.
Billy Bates had a 31-yard TD catch, while John Saladino, Daniel Tuiqere and Nolan Walpole each added a rushing touchdown.
The CVU defense had three interceptions to lead to the decisive win.
Girls’ soccer
Champlain Valley 3, St. Johnsbury 1: Rienna Murray tallied twice to pace the girls’ soccer team over St. Johnsbury on Friday.
Reese Kingsbury added a goal and an assist for the Redhawks, while Abby Bunting and Elsa Klein each chipped in an assist.
Anya Johnson made six saves for CVU, who moved to 4-0.
Boys’ volleyball
Champlain Valley 3, Montpelier 0: The Champlain Valley boys’
RUSSELL continued from page 1
volleyball team won its second game in row, beating Montpelier 3-0 on Friday.
The Redhawks moved to 2-1.
Girls’ volleyball
Champlain Valley 3, Mount Anthony 1: The team moved to 4-1 with a win over Mount Anthony on Friday.
CVU needed four sets to down Mount Anthony and wrapped up the win with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set.
Champlain Valley 0, Rice 0: Two of top teams in Division I field hockey battled to a 0-0 tie on Thursday, Sept. 12
Champlain Valley and Rice settled for a scoreless game and the Redhawks moved to 3-0-1.
Sophie Comeau made seven saves in goal to preserve the shutout.
Boys’ soccer
Mount Mansfield 4, Champlain Valley 2: The boys dropped their first game of the season, falling to Mount Mansfield on Thursday.
Miles Bergerson and Ethan Revoir each scored for the Redhawks (2-1). Sebastian Bronk and Gavin Prada each had an assist, while Ziggy Babbott stopped four shots in goal.
the other town commissions and overused both the town’s attorney and other attorneys to justify his points about development review board applications.
Stuono also claimed that Russell displayed his personal biases on a host of issues in public comments at board meetings and at selectboard and other committee meetings, citing Russell’s involvement with a petition last year to change to a town manager form of government.
The second complaint came from Christina Asquith, who served alongside Russell on the review board for two years. She asked selectboard members to take seriously the complaints, saying that Russell created an intimidating atmosphere at meetings by dismissing the opinions of other volunteers and worked behind the scenes to move applications and land use regulations in one way, which was often “pro-development regardless of facts.”
She held similar concerns about the “excessive and unnecessary” use of the town attorney and asked the selectboard to investigate the review
board billing for attorney’s fees.
The selectboard earlier this month responed to each of the eight claims made by Stuono and recommended corrective action where needed. Based on the investigation, selectboard members did not find that Russell overused the services of the town attorney.
“The
“The select board has reviewed the town’s legal bills and found that your use of the town attorney is aligned with your predecessors,” they wrote. “There is not enough evidence to substantiate this claim.”
ioral patterns that could create an unwelcoming environment for committees and members of the public.
“The selectboard has found that you have engaged in behavior that could be deemed improper or hostile to members of the public and other public officials,” they wrote.
select board has reviewed the town’s legal bills and found that your use of the town attorney is aligned with your predecessors.”
— Charlotte Selectboard
The board said his involvement in the town manager petition and his alleged violation of codes of ethics required no remedial response.
But based on interviews with other committee members, the selectboard found that Russell has displayed behav-
“The selectboard believes that behaviors such as interrupting speakers, denying community members the opportunity to speak at appropriate times during public meetings, and representing your interest as DRB chair at non DRB meetings, rather than your interest as a Charlotte resident, may all have the potential to create an atmosphere of intimidating and limit public input. This letter will serve as a written notice of warning. This warning will be retained in your file in the town office.”
won’t have any surplus funds.”
To put it clearly, Nichols wrote that the district, even with a zero percent increase in expenditures and with no change in the city’s common level of appraisal number — another variable in the education funding formula that compares the assessed value of properties to actual property sale prices considered to represent fair market value — South Burlington residents could expect a homestead tax rate increase of 7.2 percent.
However, the CLA proved to be another problem for the two school districts when crafting budgets last year. With South Burlington being one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, with an inadequate housing stock and accelerating real estate prices, the district’s current models project that even with a 5 percent drop in the current common appraisal level, the tax rate increase would be almost 13 percent. For comparison, the city’s CLA dropped 11.2 percent last year.
CLA changes in the Champlain Valley were even more dramatic. Hinesburg’s CLA dropped from 78.23 percent to 67.65 percent, and Shelburne’s from 77.23 to 68.70 percent.
“The question is, why are we having to ask our citizens to make the choice between being able to support their tax bill or support their schools?” Tillinghast said. “I think a large part of our community wants to do both. They want to be able to pay their taxes at a reasonable cost, and they want to support the schools.”
In response, the South Burlington School Board is crafting letters to both local legislators, the Commission on the Future of Public Education, and the governor asking for “some sort of stopgap measure,” Tillinghast said.
The district has also formed a finance committee in anticipation of the pressing challenges ahead. The new committee, chaired by board member Chris Trombly, will act as another means for community members to voice feedback and will also regularly advocate to the Statehouse throughout the budget process.
In a letter to faculty and staff last week, Champlain Valley School District interim superintendent Adam Bunting said the district is still recovering from a year that forced it to reduce the equivalent of 42 positions throughout the district’s five schools. Its $101.8 million budget passed in a revote, one month after Town Meeting Day.
And now, to simply maintain the district’s current level of service, officials estimate they would need to increase the budget by over $5 million.
“Simply put, we may face a $5 million gap between our current programming and our future funding,” Bunting wrote.
More important, he noted that budget discussions will force communities to question “how do we move toward these difficult discussions while holding one another in community?”
Community engagement
For some residents, these budget discussions have been both a call to action and a call to advocacy. Both districts saw resident groups take to the streets in the weeks after Town Meeting Day, setting up signs and encouraging residents to vote on the revised budgets.
For others, the drastic hike in property taxes has been a wakeup call to get more involved in happenings at the Statehouse and local school board meetings.
A Hinesburg resident, John Clifford, has even taken to forming a resident group known as Concerned Citizens for Responsible Education Spending. He said he’s attended the last eight meetings of the Commission on the Future of Public Education.
“Education funding in Vermont is a big subject, huge topic,” he said. “I decided to start looking into it because I really knew nothing up until April. I started to read the articles that were coming out in various papers about what was happening to school spending and
the property tax increases. So, I said, ‘Well, I’m retired with not a whole lot to do, let’s look into it.’”
While the group hasn’t garnered much traction in recent months as the last budget passed, he anticipates the group will continue to meet as budget discussions in the district begin to pick up.
The Champlain Valley School Board is planning a budget primer at its meeting after this paper went to press this week. The South Burlington School District and the city council are also meeting for a steering committee meeting this week
to discuss how the two can better partner in the coming months.
Tillinghast said she and the South Burlington School Board are encouraging residents to write to their legislators and continue to stay involved as budget discussions continue. The board is also still accepting applications to join its newly formed finance committee, which can be accessed on the district’s website.
“Losing resources is painful,” said CVSD’s Bunting. “Sacrificing our integrity while doing so causes even greater harm.”
