Sports bras, sisters, sultanas
Rock on
Hinda Miller named to inventors’ hall of fame
The Rough Suspects kick off summer concert series in Shelburne
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Volume 51 Number 27
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Shelburne option tax could net $1 mil a year
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On duty
Committee makes presentation to selectboard COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
The Shelburne finance committee made its first presentation to the selectboard on a potential local option tax, which officials say could generate upwards of $1 million a year in revenue for the town. During a selectboard meeting June 28, the finance committee, which was tasked by the board to investigate the potential for the tax, used a number of data sources to show revenue projections and other markers “to make a determination whether the concept merits further investigation and community discussion,” Don Porter, chair of the finance committee, said. “Nobody likes taxes,” he said.
“But we have to look at the reality, taxes are the only resources we have to fund all of the improvements we make to our town, to run our services and to continue to move forward.” A local option tax essentially allows the town to tack on an additional 1 percent tax on Vermont’s retail sales, meals, rooms and alcohol beverage taxes — including online sales. The town could individually adopt any one of those options, or any combination of those, town manager Lee Krohn said. “Anything that is taxable at the state level is subject to a local option tax,” Porter said. There are some exemptions: clothing, over-the-counter mediSee OPTION TAX on page 12
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Members of the Shelburne Fire Department provide waterfront support at the Burlington fireworks June 3.
After 130 years: Union Bank still local, still growing TOMMY GARDNER STAFF WRITER
The brick building on Morrisville’s Main Street has one of those oval historical society plaques attached to it adorned with the date 1892. One-hundred thirty years later, the company that constructed that building is still growing. In a landscape full of lending institutions and credit unions with headquarters far removed from the
people they serve, Union Bank is part of a dying breed: a community bank that still serves the community. In this case, several communities. Union Bank, founded in July 1891 a year before it hung its shingle in the still-standing Main Street edifice, most recently opened its 18th full-service branch in the town of Shelburne. The company now employs roughly
200 full-time employees and tends to staff the local branches with local people. President and CEO David Silverman said when he first started with Union Bank in the 1980s, there were 35-40 independent banks in Vermont. Now, he said, there are seven. “Some of that has happened during recessionary times where, in the industry, when you have a difficult time and if a bank is not
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as capitalized as it should be, it is a natural thing for those banks to essentially get merged into somebody else,” Silverman said. “Our strategy has always been that we take pride in being who we are and our independence, and as long as we can take care of our shareholders well, take care of our customers well and take care of our communities well, we’re better for all three of those groups by staying independent.”
A foot in three centuries The Union Savings Bank & Trust Co. was established in 1891 and built its headquarters in the heart of Morrisville’s downtown — it has expanded numerous times in that spot, but still controls much of the expanse of ruddy brick façade that makes up the corner of Lower Main and Portland streets. See BANK on page 4
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Page 2 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
Sports bras, sisters, sultanas: Hinda Miller makes hall of fame AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER
History won’t remember if it was a dark and stormy night in Burlington, 1971, when a few young women Frankenstein’d together a pair of jockstraps to create the world’s first sports bra. Hinda Miller remembers it as one of the most exciting times in her life. She was 27, single, a college grad with a master’s degree in theater design and a runner without support — for the ladies. So, when she, Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith set out to create a bra for jogging, the goal was to fix a problem that they experienced in their own lives and knew other athletes felt. They had no idea that their invention would become the sports bra, turn into its own category of athletic wear, and change the game for not only the sports industry, but for women’s empowerment and representation across the world. Neither could they have predicted that about 50 years later, all three co-founders of the sports bra would be officially inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. While they were part of the class of 2020 inductees, the coronavirus pandemic put celebrations on hold until this year. “You can say that it was a product of the right time, in the right place, with the right two women who were strong enough to survive each other and keep going, do the work. We just were very hard workers and we believed in our running, and we believed in our sisters. There was a lot of belief and passion and love that drove us,” Miller said, speaking of her and Lindahl who co-founded their company, Jogbra Inc. (later renamed JBI) in 1977 and patented the sports bra design
in 1979. Smith, a childhood friend of Lindahl’s, helped design and sew the initial prototype but later moved on to become a designer with the Jim Henson Company. Playtex Apparel bought JBI in 1990 and Sara Lee, owner of Champion Products, later bought out Playtex and formed a division dedicated to sports bras, now a household name in ready-to-wear clothing and a must-have for many athletes who need the support. Let’s be candid — running hurts — as any athlete with boobs can tell you. A Montreal native who lived and worked in Chittenden County for many years, Miller now lives in Stowe.
Business champion Since selling JBI, where she served in various roles from president to CEO to vice president of communications at Champion Jogbra, Miller has led a varied career: mentoring young entrepreneurs, serving as a Chittenden County state senator from 20022013, writing books, backing small business start-ups and more. She even ran for mayor of Burlington in 2006, a bid she lost to Bob Kiss. She won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 at the Sports Business Innovation Awards and was named a legislator of the year in 2010 by Vermont Business for Social Responsibility. In her time as a state senator, Miller championed small businesses and economic development, bringing a fresh entrepreneurial perspective to Montpelier — and some Statehouse yoga sessions. Matt Dunne, who is executive director at Center on Rural Innovation in Hartland, worked with Miller in the Statehouse, starting as freshman senators together. They
COURTESY PHOTO
Inventors of the sports bra Polly Smith, Hinda Miller and Lisa Lindahl were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020, with celebrations held earlier this year.
came from very different parts of the state, but Dunne said they realized a shared passion for rethinking how to support economic development. “We connected right away,” Dunne recalled. “This was at a time when the economy in Vermont was struggling and we weren’t really interested in the same old, same old. The future of jobs in Vermont needed to look different.” Cardio Equipment Spin Studio
Before they were sworn in, Miller and Dunne were proposing creating a new committee in the Senate for economic development dedicated specifically to help create jobs in Vermont, he recalled, and the committee has been game-changer in catalyzing economic growth in the state ever since. “Hinda is incredibly focused. It is inspiring to see her when she
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gets something in her line of sight, she pursues it ferociously,” Dunne said. “She has deep, deep expertise of what it’s like to be an entrepreneur and bring an idea to market, go through the trial and tribulations. That kind of lived experience is incredibly powerful.” Miller is proud to have supported the legalization of medical marijuana and the recognition of the Abenaki nation in Vermont. She’s proud of her work to incorporate chiropractic care under Medicare and in garnering recognition for naturopathic doctors as primary caregivers, as well as her strides in promoting small businesses, workforce training and women’s and human rights. But her proudest accomplishment, the through line in all her endeavors, has been all the jobs she’s created, Miller said. “I love what business does for people, especially women who own it. You have to grow in areas you never wanted to grow in, you See MILLER on page 3
Correction
We misspelled the name of Jeanne Jensen, the Champlain Valley School District’s chief operations officer last week.
Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 3
The Keelan Company has purchased a mixed use commercial space on Shelburne Road for nearly $5 million.
Shelburne Square changes hands The Keelan Company, a commercial real estate developer, has bought the Shelburne Square property in South Burlington for $4.9 million. The 2.4-acre site contains a 33,000 square foot mixed use retail and office building built in 1989. “The building has a nice mix of tenants, including retail, medical, wellness, financial, insurance
and other service companies,” Pete Keelan, owner of The Keelan Company, said. The location at 41 IDX Drive also includes Glowaesthetics Medical Spa, which is owned his wife, Christine. Keelan said the climate in Burlington was a factor in his purchase. “I’ve talked to a lot of folks who said that going into Burling-
ton for services these days is a hassle — parking is hard to find, and you have to pay for it and the city is becoming increasingly unsafe due to its unsupportive posture toward the police,” Keelan said. “I think many businesses in Burlington will be looking to move to surrounding towns in the next few years; it’s really already started. Getting your COVID-19 booster is a simple and effective way of protecting you and your loved ones from COVID.
MILLER
continued from page 2 have got to trust people, create relationships, create ecosystems that work. I love that part. That’s what Jogbra allowed me to do,” Miller said. “Seeing women run and seeing women in sports, just knowing that we had a part in that — it changed everything.” David Bradbury, president of Vermont Center of Emerging Technologies and a Stowe resident, has known Miller for a couple decades, give or take, he said. They first met when she was serving as a state senator on the economic development committee. “I love Hinda. I don’t always understand or agree with her, but I know it comes from a place of positivity, creativity and a feeling of, ‘Let’s do this and figure it out.’ People like that change the world,” Bradbury said. As an entrepreneur, he admired her perspective and her drive to bring that voice into the Statehouse, Bradbury said, arguing that much of Vermont’s economic growth and ecosystem of support for small businesses can be traced back to resources that Miller supported. “Hinda had built and grown and sold a very successful company. She created a category,” he said. After the sports bra, she continued to be an inspiration, not only as a successful woman in business but
as a leader, he said. “I think people who are able to accomplish something like that have the smarts, the empathy, the intelligence and the grit or determination to create opportunities where resources are scarce.” Did she feel she was treated differently because of her gender? This question seemed to bother Miller, perhaps not because the answer is unclear but because she gets it a lot. She’s sure gender discrimination existed in the startup world in the 1970s, when second-wave feminism that began a decade earlier was still on fire, but Miller said it felt like nothing could bar their way. “It didn’t matter because we were in it. ‘In it to win it,’ as the woman who runs our company says. We just had too many important practical, live or die things we had to do, and we just found the people that could do it with us,” Miller said. “I’m sure it all existed, but you have to understand we were part of a new industry. There was no gender discrimination. People were starting new businesses, Nike, Reebok, Marathon, Her, Moving Comfort. There were other women-owned businesses, and we were runners and we saw an opportunity.” She and Lindahl found them-
selves learning on their feet, talking with sales reps on the phone for hours learning how to sell sports apparel, pitching their plans to local stakeholders and setting up a 10-foot by 10-foot booth at the first sporting good show in Chicago, next to Nike. “We started from nothing,” Miller recalled. “We were waiting physically for checks to come into the mailbox and put them in the bank so we could meet our payroll.” Now she’s found passion in being a “sultana,” as she describes herself: coaching, mentoring and acting as a sage to young people through her work at The Venture Mentoring Team in Florida and her YouTube channel, Old Butterfly Sultanas. As a sultana, a term Miller has loved ever since visiting Turkey and hearing the story of Ottoman queen mother of Suleiman the Magnificent, Miller’s next goal is to pass on her experience, her stories and the lessons she’s learned over her more than 50-year career. She knows exactly what it feels like to be a young 20-something with no experience in business, spurred on by support from her sisters and a groundbreaking idea burning a hole in her soul.
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Call our Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 or visit Vaccine4Vermont.com Helping older Vermonters age well.
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Page 4 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
Shelburne, town manager Lee Krohn to part ways in November 2023 (Editor’s note: Just before press, the Shelburne News received word that Shelburne town manager Lee Krohn will leave his job by November 2023. Here’s the complete statement Krohn sent to several dozen town employees and others.) “There’s no easy way to handle these matters, so I’ll simply let the statement below speak for itself: “As required by July 1 under the terms of the Town Manager’s contract, it has been determined by mutual agreement that Lee Krohn will not continue as Shelburne’s Town Manager beyond the November 2023 expiration date. There is no intent for an immediate change; and a mutually respectful transition plan that serves everyone’s best interests will be formu-
lated. In the meantime, the Selectboard and Town Manager are committed to continuing to work together to serve our community as effectively and productively as possible. “Thank you all for your dedication and hard work. It has been an honor to serve, and to work with you all on our Shelburne Town team. I will continue to do my Lee Krohn best to support you all for as long as I am here. “Have a safe and joyful 4th.” — Lee Krohn was hired in December 2018 as Shelburne’s town manager after a stint a 7-month stint as interim manager when former
manager Joe Colangelo left for a job in Hanover, Mass. Formerly a senior planner at the Chittenden Regional Planning Commission, Krohn previously spent 24 years in Manchester in a variety of roles including interim town manager, planning director, zoning administrator, tree warden and E911 coordinator. Krohn is a volunteer firefighter with the Shelburne Fire Department and a professional photographer in his spare time who frequently contributes photos to both Shelburne News and The Citizen. Read more about Krohn here: bit.ly/3At5tbF.
For the birds
PHOTO BY JOHN HALL
Experts ask that landowners with fields delay mowing until August to protect grassland birds such as the bobolink. The male is shown here.
BANK
continued from page 1 In 1974, it formally took on The Union Bank moniker, which people had long informally been calling it. For the first 82 years of its existence, it was pretty much the only game in town, and it weathered two world wars, the Great Depression and the 1918 flu pandemic. Anna Louise Mower, in her
1935 book “History of Morristown, Vermont,” noted the bank’s resilience: “The stability of this institution is shown by the fact that in the crisis of March, 1933, when supposedly solid banks all over the country were closed for months, if not permanently, the Union Savings Bank & Trust Co. was ready to carry on business in a
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normal way … and local business was but little hampered by this financial emergency.” Bob Hagerman’s de facto sequel “More About Morristown, 1935-1980,” at the time of its 1980 publication, notes that 1971 was a “major milestone for the bank,” as it added its first two branches — one in Jeffersonville and one in Stowe — and built a two-story addition and a drive-thru window onto the original Main Street headquarters. Silverman said at one point the Stowe bank shared space with the town clerk’s office in the Akeley Memorial building on Main Street. “Kermit Spaulding, who
worked here for many years, tells Lamoille County Bank of Hyde stories of taking deposits from the Park built a drive-through branch Mountain Company, and back in in the Morrisville Plaza on the the day before far north village credit cards and outskirts in “He’d have to lock everything else, 1973. That bank it was all great would within the doors just to big bags of cash,” a few years Silverman said. merge with the count the cash.” “He’d have to Franklin Bank lock the doors of St. Albans to — David Silverman become Frankjust to count the cash.” lin-Lamoille. recalling earlier days The history “Responding book also notes to this competiat Union Bank tion in its backthat while there were other banks yard,” Union operating in Lamoille County, Bank opened its second MorrisUnion Bank was the only bank ville branch in 1979, a drivein Morristown. That is until the through and walk-in operation at Northgate Plaza, which is still in operation today. The Franklin-Lamoille? That’s no longer in business, although banking in the northern sector is more competitive than ever — a TD Bank has filled the Franklin-Lamoille spot, just 200 feet from a Peoples United Bank, 400 feet from the Union Bank in Northgate Plaza, and 800 feet in either direction from North Country Federal Credit Union and Community National Bank. Growth into Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom followed in the 1990s and then into Littleton, Sign by July 31st and N.H., followed by other places in the Granite State, like Conway stay the entire month of and Woodstock, close to White November free. Mountain ski resorts. It turns out Union Bank has proximity to a lot of resorts. CALL TODAY “We tend to be sort of a ski 802-872-7775 town bank,” Silverman said. Discover the Maple Ridge Difference
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Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 5
OPINION Let’s bring Vermont’s recycling into the 21st century Guest Perspective Sarah Reeves Nearly 30 years ago, the Chittenden Solid Waste District built Vermont’s first recycling sorting facility, known as a materials recovery facility, where blue-bin recyclables are sorted. In this same year — 1993 — “Jurassic Park” was the big movie hit, a gallon of gas cost $1.68, and Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey dominated the music charts. In other words, it was a long time ago. Just like people’s taste in music has changed, people’s recycling needs have evolved. The current materials recovery facility can no longer keep up with modern packaging and the recycling needs of Vermonters today. The facility is inefficient and outdated. Employees are still hand sorting some materials, and the facility is at capacity. To address these challenges, the waste district proposed to build a new materials recovery facility that will be more efficient and effective, providing affordable, in-state processing for Vermonters’ recycling for years to come. It will be built with enough capacity and flexibility to adapt to
changes in volume and types of recyclables over the next 30 years. The new facility will be better equipped to deal with the vastly diversified packaging formats that didn’t exist in the 20th century. Chittenden Solid Waste District functions much like a school or water district, only it manages solid waste. As a municipally owned district, it serves the public without profit as a driver. Because it’s a municipality, the district needs voter approval for long-term borrowing so that it can finance the new project. Chittenden Solid Waste District will be seeking voter approval in this year’s general election to borrow no more than $22 million to build the new facility. In 1993, it’s doubtful that anyone could have imagined the variety of packaging that exists in our modern world. Because packaging has changed significantly since then, we are not able to process all the types of packaging that we would like to. The new materials recovery facility, however, will allow waste district to have the flexibility to adapt to future packaging innovations. And where markets are available, we will also be able to add things like packaging and containers made
from black plastic to our list of recyclable items. The new facility will allow us to grow for the next 30 years, with 40 percent more capacity. Vermonters know that recycling has immense benefits for the environment, the climate and economy. Chittenden Solid Waste District’s new materials recovery facility will be able to process up to 70,000 tons (140 million pounds) of recyclables every year. Recycling these materials has significant greenhouse gas reduction benefits, the equivalent of removing 52,500 passenger vehicles from the road and conserving nearly 28 million gallons of gas annually. Recycling these materials saves 634,000 trees from being cut down, every year. Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, conserves natural resources,
reduces carbon emissions and creates jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries. For all these reasons, Vermonters want to recycle, and they want to recycle more. Building a new facility will allow Vermont to recycle more volume and types of packaging, which means removing more materials from the waste stream and sending less trash to Vermont’s one and only landfill. The benefits of a new materials recovery facility go beyond protecting the environment and extend to the economy. It will replace repetitive hand sorting jobs with more diverse, skilled jobs. It will also provide a cleaner facility and improved working conditions. While the new materials recovery facility is an exciting prospect, what is perhaps even more appealing is the fact that this new, high-
tech facility will be built at no cost to taxpayers. This bond will not increase taxes and Chittenden Solid Waste District will pay back the loan over 25-30 years through its operational revenue. The waste district does its best, but the current facility keeps it stuck in the past. It is long past time to move into the 21st century and help the next two generations of Vermonters recycle more. The benefits are clear. It is a win for Vermonters, the environment and the economy. Please join the Chittenden Solid Waste District in realizing its vision by supporting the new materials recovery facility and voting for the bond in the November general election. Sarah Reeves is executive director of the Chittenden Solid Waste District.
Letters to the Editor Court takes giant leap backward To the Editor: The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has devastating effects on anyone who can get pregnant. Plain and simple, this ruling is a clear effort to assert control over women’s bodies and therefore our agency, our autonomy, and our freedom. Vermont has codified the right to reproductive health care in statute and will vote on a constitutional amendment to reinforce that in November. The governor issued a statement in support of that right and the amendment, but none of that means that Vermonters are shielded from the consequences of this decision. Many have made the case that this ruling is wrong, that it sets us back 50 years and that it subjugates those who can get pregnant to the whims of the state they live in. Others have pointed out that the history of systemic racism in this country means that Black, Indigenous and other people of
color will pay a disproportionate price for this ruling. Low-income people will struggle to access health care that better-off individuals can seek across state lines. The lack of access to reproductive health care has severe long-term economic consequences for women and their families. These are all true, and yet this is even bigger than any of that. This is about the human right to determine for ourselves what we can do with our own bodies. A Supreme Court that strips basic human rights from millions of Americans is dangerous for us all. Our friends and loved ones across the country saw their ability to make their own choices about their own bodies vanish overnight. It’s also about making sure that the voices most affected by this ruling — families, especially those of color, those forced into low-wage jobs or otherwise struggling, those with limited access to health care — are heard. If those See LETTERS on page 6
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Page 6 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
Evangelical big lie: Welcome to Christian America Guest Perspective Walter Amses The first full weekend of summer finds temperatures a little too warm and the water a little too cold but I chalk it up as an impasse, like flipping a coin that lands on its edge, and goes in anyway. While my no-hesitation entry is impressive to the couple of people on shore, they have no idea I actually tripped over an unseen rock and my first couple of strokes aim to keep it that way. As the sweat from an earlier walk dissolves and the gardening grit succumbs to the crystal water of the isolated pond, I’m in a familiar zone, one that for decades has allowed me to transcend most everything the world has to offer. Not this day. Like most everyone else in the country, I’m ruminating over a series of small “what ifs” that coalesced into last week’s thunderbolt, setting back a century of American intellectual and scientific progress, empowering a Christian theocracy bent on its superstitions dictating the rule of law. What if Merrick Garland? What if Hillary? What if RBG? What if Bernie Bros? The chilling message in this decision is that what voters want is fast becoming immaterial to the U.S. Supreme court, and why not? Five of the justices in the majority were appointed by presidents who
entered the White House after losing the popular vote. Patiently waiting three decades for his day to come, Clarence Thomas made clear immediately that he wasn’t yet satisfied. He wanted more. In a concurring opinion, stunning in its implications, Thomas took aim at the heart of a nation already riven by the court’s overturning Roe v. Wade, intimating that the rights to marriage equality, intimate LGBTQ relationships and even contraception could eventually be heading for the SCOTUS chopping block. Joined by one credibly accused of sexual misconduct — as was Thomas — and three who perjured themselves onto the court, the justices capped off an extraordinary week of far-right fever dreams, elevating fetuses over women, concealed weapons over public safety, rogue cops over Miranda rights and religious schooling at public expense over church-state separation. As all this was being imposed on a public overwhelmingly wanting no part of it, Thomas rubbed salt in the wound, all but inviting challenges to a wide spectrum of gay rights, contraception and the right to privacy itself. Turning back after a couple of hundred yards, I begin to forget how cold the water is but can’t tear my focus from the self-mythologizing of the Christian right, and its sanctimonious recall of how Roe galvanized the movement in 1973, jumpstarting a half-century
of activism leading to last week’s big SCOTUS victory. Unfortunately, as former Trump administration attorney general William Barr might say, their recollection is total bullshit. Randall Balmer, the Mandel family professor of arts and sciences at Dartmouth, eviscerated what he termed a “durable myth” several years ago in Politico magazine. “It wasn’t until a full six years after Roe that evangelical leaders seized on abortion, not for moral reasons but as a rallying cry to deny Jimmy Carter a second term. Why? Because the anti-abortion crusade was more palatable than the religious right’s real motive: protecting segregated schools.” Largely conceived by the late Paul Weyrich, co-founder of the Heritage Foundation, the new coalition’s long-term objective was political power, which, according to Weyrich, once achieved would “give the Moral Majority the opportunity to re-create this great nation.” But Balmer reports a catalyst around which to rally was elusive: “Weyrich by his own account had tried out different issues to pique evangelical interest, including pornography, school prayer, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment and even abortion,” but couldn’t get “those people” interested, admitting at a 1990 conference that he had “failed utterly.” Contradicting the carefully manufactured mythology, we find the Christian response to Roe v.
Wade was hardly a response at all, certainly not angry. It was mostly silence or even outright approval. Baptists thought the decision was “an appropriate articulation of the division between church and state, between personal morality and state regulation of individual behavior.” W. Barry Garrett, writing in the Baptist Press at that time, suggested “religious liberty, human equality and justice are advanced by the Supreme Court abortion decision.” But issues around money, power and racism proved too difficult to ignore and losing the federal tax exemption of their racially discriminatory private schools was a bridge too far and the religious right was born through no connection whatsoever to abortion. Another concern for evangelicals was that if their “segregation academies” lost their status; gifts and donations to such institutions would no longer provide charitable tax deductions. Although abortion, writes Balmer, “emerged as a rallying cry by 1980, the real roots of the religious right lie not in the defense of a fetus but in the defense of racial segregation.” The next afternoon, after a longer swim on a bigger, even colder lake, I’m lying on a dock in
bright, warm sunshine, staring at a string of cumulus clouds vaguely reminiscent of Hubble telescope photographs: towering columns of dust and gas purported to show the birth of stars from interstellar gasses, nicknamed “the pillars of creation.” As the magnificence of those amazing images — 6,500 light years from earth and 7,000 years into the past — come back to me, I find it inconceivable that the nation capable of such wonder would imply threats to women’s access to contraception, subsequently forcing them to give birth against their will. Misogynistic to the extreme, Draconian beyond measure, and so primitive Justice Samuel Alito justifies the decision by citing, several times, Sir Matthew Hale, a 17th-century English legal authority who thought there was no such thing as marital rape, believing “I do” was retroactive consent, and presided over witch trials. The very idea this character would convey even a shred of credibility in the victimization of women is simply loathsome. Welcome to Christian America. Walt Amses is a writer who lives in North Calais.
LETTERS
continued from page 5 in power won’t listen, it’s about taking that power and giving it to those who will. So even if Vermonters approve Proposal 5 in November, we need to be a part of this struggle. The fact is that we need to fight for the basic human rights of everyone in this country. Vermont is not safe from the consequences of this
decision, and neither are Vermonters. Steph Yu Montpelier Steph Yu is the deputy director of Public Assets Institute, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization in Montpelier.
Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 7
Supreme Court ignores gravity of its actions “Every hour, 1,692 acres of productive dry land become desert. We are using up Guest Perspective 50 percent more natural resources than Elayne Clift the Earth can provide.” What’s more, “We have a garbage island floating in our ocean, It was like standing alone on a nuclemostly comprised of plastics — the size of ar landscape. Like being in the center of India, Europe and Mexico combined!” a dystopian nightmare. Like being on a Further, “The effects of human-caused sinking ship without a life vest. At least that’s how it felt to me as the U.S. Supreme global warming are happening now, are irreversible on the timescale of people alive Court’s decisions were handed down, one today, and will worsen in the decades to after the other in their recent session. come,” according to NASA. “Glaciers have Stunned and frightened like so many shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking others were, I wondered whether the faux Christian, conservative justices on the court up earlier, plant and animal ranges have had any idea what the consequences of their shifted, and trees are flowering sooner,” hideous decisions would be as they ended a while “effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate term in which civil rights in America were change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, systematically ended. Did they willfully accelerated sea level rise and longer, more ignore what would happen because of their intense heat waves.” Draconian decisions, did they not have a Against these chilling facts, six clue, or did they simply not care? Supreme Court justices Was this the legacy saw to it that the Envithey wanted to leave their ronmental Protection This much we know children and grandchilAgency would now have dren, let alone the rest of about the court’s limited ability to regulate us? Did they have any carbon emissions from sense of the consequencdecision to end power plants “making it es, intended or otherwise, nearly impossible to cut for American citizens, and Roe v. Wade: Many greenhouse as emissions the planet? Do they grasp any time soon.” In their the context of our Constiwomen will die. dissenting opinion three tution, or the concept justices said the majoriof democracy? Do they ty had stripped the EPA of “the power to really hate women and others unlike them respond to the most pressing environmental this much? challenge of our time.” As these questions roiled in my head, When it comes to separation of church I thought about some of the consequences and state the conservative majority outdid the justices’ right-wing agenda presented, themselves. Recent decisions included a beginning with what would befall women ruling in favor of a Christian group’s plea and girls who no longer have agency over to allow a flag with a cross on it to fly their bodies and lives, or access to reproover Boston’s city hall. Another decision ductive health care. allowed for taxpayer money to cover Among them is a 10-year old child tuition for students attending religious high pregnant by paternal rape being denied schools, while the six Supremes decided in an abortion in Ohio, women with pre-ecfavor of a high school football coach who lampsia — high blood pressure that can led Christian prayers on the playing field be fatal to mother and baby when not after games. treated urgently, women with gestational Then there’s states’ rights. Again, the diabetes, a condition that can be harmful SCOTUS-6 opined against New York to mother and baby, women with ectopic State’s concealed carry law requiring state pregnancies where a fertilized egg attaches residents to have a permit to carry a gun to the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, in public. That law’s requirements for an emergency situation requiring immedia permit were specific and in the public ate care to prevent a fatal rupture, women interest but when two guys who wanted to whose lives are at risk because of drastic carry guns publicly were denied permits, fetal anomalies. they appealed to the Supreme Court, which Now women with these urgent or other ruled the state law violated the 14th and reproductive health care needs will be too Second amendments. frightened to seek timely reproductive The decision proffered that the Second care while providers will be increasingly Amendment protects the public carry of unwilling to offer it, both for fear of being firearms and set up a new test for courts prosecuted. These examples offer a small to determine whether a law violates the glimpse into what will happen to women Second Amendment. New York’s law was and girls because of the court’s decision to struck down, and similar laws are likely to end Roe v. Wade, but this much we know: Many of them will die. So will women who be struck down now. Is it any wonder these frightening, elect to have an illegal or self-induced abortip-of-the-iceberg rulings made me feel like tion for any reason. we’re approaching nuclear winter? Bundle I also thought about the death knell up. The Supreme Court is just getting being sounded for the fragile, struggling started. planet on which we live due to environmental degradation and the global warmElayne Clift is a Vermont-based writer. ing crisis. Just these staggering statistics More at elayne-clift.com. are enough to send chills down my spine:
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Page 8 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
COMMUNITY Community Notes Grab and go meal set for July in Shelburne Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish teams up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, July 12. The meal will be available for pick up at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m.-noon that day. The menu is spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce, green beans, garlic roll with butter, Father’s Day cake and milk. To order a meal: email Ann Cousins at: ascousins@me.com or call 802-343-8180 by July 7. Meal registration forms are available at bit.ly/3bddE1c. More information at the Age Well site, agewellvt.org.
Antiterrorism expert gives talk on risks, vulnerabilities Victor Vella, retired director of the antiterrorism service program at the U.S. Department of Defense, offers “Understanding Terrorist Ideologies” at the next Charlotte Senior Center Wednesday lecture on July 13. In the past decades the news highlights an increasing level of criminal activity and
Summer concert series kicks off
terrorism, both internationally and domestically on U.S. soil. What are the common ideologies of criminals and terrorists and what risks and vulnerabilities allow for the rise in these criminal attacks? Vella will share his experience in federal law enforcement as a security director for the U.S. Navy in the United Kingdom and northern Europe, and as the director of the antiterrorism program. Register by July 12. The free, in-person lectures start at 1 p.m. Questions? Leave a message at (802) 425-6345 or visit charlotteseniorcentervt.org.
Register ahead for Age Well meals The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, July 14, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features spaghetti and mealballs with mariana sauce, grean beans and cannellini beans, garlic roll with butter, Father’s Day cake and milk. You must have pre-registered by Monday, July 11, with Lori York, 802-4256371 or lyork@charlotteseniorcentervt.org The meal on Thursday, July 21 — register by July 18 — is beef steak with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, broccoli florets, wheat bread with butter, pumpkin
COURTESY PHOTO
Shelburne Parks and Recreation’s 25th Summer Concert Series is back at Shelburne Farms. There’s another great lineup of artists at the farm barn. The series kicks off July 13 with the rock country band The Rough Suspects. So, set up your lawn chair and blanket, bring a picnic dinner or enjoy pizza from the Pizza 44. The kids will love visiting with the animals or dancing on the lawn, and everyone enjoys the music. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.; concerts begin at 6:30 p.m.
cookie and milk. The meal on Thursday, July 28 — register by July 25 — is breaded chicken breast with tarragon sauce, mashed cauliflower, spinach, dinner roll with butter, craisin and date cookies and milk. Check the website for last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.
Need a boost? Free vax clinics in June There is a free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic with Garnet Healthcare at the Charlotte Senior Center Tuesday, July 12, and Tuesday, July 26, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Vaccines and boosters are available for pediatric Pfizer (ages 5-11), and adult Pfizer (12 and up) and Moderna (18 and up). The newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 years will also be available.
Shelburne church holds piano, organ concert Pianist Sohyun Ahn will play in concert Saturday, July 16, 1:30 p.m. at the Shelburne United Methodist Church, 30 Church St. The suggested donation is $10, and no reservations are needed. Ahn will be joined in concert by Eun Hee Park, organist and music director at Shelburne United Methodist.
Farm, food organizations host Congressional forum A group of 10 food and agricultural organizations based in Vermont will hold a Congressional candidate forum on food and agriculture Monday, July 18, 7 p.m., on Zoom.
Candidates planning to attend include Becca Balint, Sianay Chase-Clifford, Molly Gray, Liam Madden and Ericka Redic. The goal of the forum is to provide a venue for farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, land managers, educators, students, producers, policymakers and other food system advocates to hear about candidates’ visions and priorities for the future of Vermont food and agriculture. Attendees can submit questions for the candidates. The forum is being organized by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Vermont Farm to Plate, Rural Vermont, Addison County Relocalization Network Windham County Conservation District, 350 Vermont, Vermont Grass Farmers, Northwest Vermont Healthy Roots Collaborative, Center for an Agricultural Economy, and Vital Communities. See full event details at nofavt.org/ forum.
Shelburne history program features Excelsior Printing Betty and Dick Stone will review printing operations and products of the family-owned Shelburne business, Excelsior Printing, in a Shelburne Historical Society program, Tuesday, July 19, 7 p.m., at the Shelburne Town Hall. The business was first started by Stanton C. Muzzy. Of interest are Excelsior’s varied products: town reports, booklets, stationery, note cards and small steel plates called “cuts” from which prints of local buildings and signs were printed. A collection of photographs and products will be on display. See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9
Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 9
COMMUNITY NOTES
News from Pierson Library
continued from page 8
For more information: 802-985-3761 or shelburne1763@ gmail.com.
Take part in Pierson Library’s summer reading program. Summer is the busiest season at the Pierson when the library hosts a myriad of free children’s programs courtesy of the Friends of the Pierson Library. This year’s summer reading theme is “Passport to Shelburne.” Take part in explosive science with Rebecca Rupp, join a book discussion with Author Lindsey Stoddard, see Annie Jr. performed by the Very Merry Theatre, tour the Mesozoic Era with Dinoman,
New York Life agent earns highest honors Scott Hadley of Hadley Financial Group recently attended New York Life’s chairman’s council conference, its highest council membership. Hadley has been an agent with the company since 1998, a financial adviser with Eagle Strategies since 2009 and is associated with the Vermont office in Colchester. Scott has also earned lifetime council membership, having qualified for 22 consecutive years. He and his wife, Tammy, reside in Shelburne.
Champlain Valley schools offer free summer meals The Champlain Valley School District is once again offering free meals to kids 18 and younger from July 11 through Aug. 12. Home delivery is available. Meals will be provided Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, delivered to your home or for pickup at Williston Central School from 10:30-11 a.m. The summer menu is as follows: Week one: Monday, turkey sandwich; Tuesday, cheese and cracker lunchbox; Wednesday, chicken patty sandwich; Thursday, ham sandwich; Friday,
and learn a trick or two from magician Tom Verner of Magic Without Borders. Check the website for a full listing of events including a new Saturday morning, “Caregiver and Me” yoga sessions with Suzanne Brubaker. For the “Find it Friday” program, each Friday at 10 a.m., a pin with Google map coordinates will be posted on Facebook telling viewers where to find the prize for the day. (Note the library will not hide prizes near poison ivy, poison
oak or wild parsnip.) Got a reader in the family? Stop in to the library to pick up a summer reading log. Kids who record the titles they read this summer can exchange their completed reading log for a prize in August and qualify for a ribbon that grants free admission to the Champlain Valley Fair. To register for programs, call 802-985-5124 or e-mail circulation@shelburnevt.org. When you call or e-mail please specify which programs you are interested in and the number of children.
Obituary Scott Hadley
cheese pizza; Saturday, Sunbutter and jelly sandwich; and Sunday, grilled cheese sandwich. Week two: Monday, han sandwich; Tuesday, chicken nuggets; Wednesday, nacho meal; Thursday, turkey sandwich; Friday, cheese pizza; Saturday, Sunbutter and jelly sandwich; and Sunday, grilled cheese sandwich. All items are cold with reheating instructions if needed. Please order meals in advance using the following links: • Williston and St. George: /bit. ly/WillistonRemoteMeals • Shelburne: bit.ly/ShelburneRemoteMeals • Charlotte: bit.ly/CharlotteRemoteMeals • Hinesburg: bit.ly/HinesburgRemoteMeals
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Cullen H. Bullard Sr. Cullen H. Bullard Sr., of Shelburne, died Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at the age of 84. He died in his home of 36 years, to join his wife Edith M. Bullard in heaven. He was born on March 20, 1938, to the late Homer and Dorothy (Hallock) Bullard in New Haven. Living in a farming family, he learned the value of hard work, which he never forgot. After leaving the farm, he joined the U.S. Army where he served as a combat engineer for two years. His active service was in West Germany followed by several years in the National Guard. He worked 38 years for Hulbert Supply of Burlington. Cullen was a dedicated member of the Shel-
Cullen H. Bullard Sr.
burne Volunteer Fire Department for 50 years. He was also a longtime member of the St. Catherine of
Siena parish in Shelburne. Cullen was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Marion Crane and Gloria Rathbun; and Edith, his beloved wife of 49 years. He is survived by his brother, Dewey and wife, Pearl; sister Margery Treadway; daughters, Linda Oltjenbruns and husband, Allen and Rosemary Bullard of Junction City, Kan.; his beloved son, Cullen Bullard Jr. and his wife, Melissa of Essex; seven grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. A Catholic Mass will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at noon, followed by a celebration of life in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne or the Shelburne Vermont Volunteer Fire Department.
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Page 10 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
GORDON MILLER
Knotweed is beautiful, yet invasive, and grows rampantly throughout Vermont, particularly along streambanks.
‘So, what’s wrong with invasive plants?’ Into the Woods Ethan Tapper A big part of my job has become dealing with non-native invasive plants, also called invasive exotic plants or invasives, in the woods. While many of the plant species found in Vermont are non-native, only a small portion of these is invasive, meaning they outcompete native species and negatively impact natural communities. So, what’s wrong with invasive plants? We find ourselves in a strange and important moment in the history of our planet. We’re in the midst of a mass extinction event, the sixth such event in history but the first caused by a single species. Today, an estimated 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction, including more than 40 percent of amphibians, one-third of reef-forming corals and more than one-third of marine mammals. About 700 vertebrate species and at least 100,000 species of invertebrates have gone extinct since the 16th century and, according to the World Wildlife Fund, global animal populations have declined an average of 68 percent since 1970. The consensus in the scientific community is that the main contributors to this
biodiversity crisis are all human-caused: climate change, deforestation and habitat loss, pollution and biological invasions. Non-native invasive plants, pests, pathogens and animals are considered the main culprits. According to the National Wildlife Federation, 42 percent of endangered species are primarily threatened by invasives, and invasive organisms account for about half of extinctions of which the cause is known. Why are invasives such a problem? Within their native environments, each species occupies a unique niche, constrained by habitat limitations and by the other species that have adapted to prey on them, parasitize them and compete with them over thousands of years. They form communities: groups of species that share a complex evolutionary history. Species are not adapted to every other species on Earth — only to those with which they co-occur — and so ecosystems can harbor vast open niches. For example, New Zealand’s ecosystems have no native terrestrial mammals and have been decimated by the introduction of rats and other mammals. Guam’s native birds are all functionally extinct due to the introduction of a single species of snake. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Sixth Extinction,” Elizabeth Kolbert describes
invasives as species released from the constraints of evolution, introduced into communities that are completely unprepared for them in an evolutionary sense. While the gravity of non-native invasive pests and pathogens like emerald ash borer, chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease is relatively easy to understand, the way that invasive plants negatively impact ecosystems is much less obvious. The influence of non-native invasive plants can be just as disruptive — it’s just harder to visualize. In forests and other ecosystems, invasives like common and glossy buckthorn, shrub honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, Asiatic bittersweet and multiflora rose outcompete native plants and trees, preventing regeneration and often forming dense monocultures. As they do so, invasives can displace and disrupt entire communities of organisms that have co-evolved with native trees and plants for millennia. As forests and wildlife respond to our changed and changing world, invasives threaten their resilience, their ability to adapt, to regenerate and to stay healthy in a trying and stressful time. While eradicating invasive plants across our landscape is not possible, invasive plants are actually much easier to deal with than most invasive animals, pests and pathogens. In most cases it is completely
possible to control them, to lower populations of invasives to a level that minimizes the negative impacts they cause to a forest or other ecosystem. Controlling invasives is challenging and requires an ongoing commitment, but with the right tools it is fully achievable. Protecting ecosystems is as much an act of self-preservation as environmentalism. Our forests clean our air and water, regulate climate, underpin the biological and geochemical processes that make life on Earth possible, support local communities and economies and safeguard our lives and quality of life in countless ways. Controlling invasives and protecting the integrity of ecosystems in general is part of how we take responsibility for our ecosystems, for each other, and for future generations. It’s how we build a better world for our children and grandchildren to inhabit. Learn more about invasive plants and how to control them on my YouTube channel at tinyurl.com/mkbnm4jd or at vtinvasives.org. Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. See what he’s been up to, check him out on YouTube, sign up for eNews and read his articles linktr.ee/chittendencountyforester.
Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 11
COURTESY PHOTO
The Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary Club underwrites the cost of a tent at Shelburne Farmers Market every week. It sets up Rotary-related displays one Saturday each month and welcomes local non-profits to use the tent for outreach messages the other Saturdays. Left to right, Rene Sanchez, superintendent of Champlain Valley School District, outgoing president Susan Grimes, past president Chris Davis, vice president Dan York, incoming president Carrie Fenn and Shelburne town clerk Diana Vachon.
Local Rotary celebrates 50 years of service, outreach to community ROSALYN GRAHAM CONTRIBUTOR
The annual passing of the leadership role to the new president is always a time for a celebration for the Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary. This year was an occasion for a very special celebration: the club’s 50th anniversary. A large crowd of Rotarians and friends and family filled the halls of All Souls Interfaith Gathering to enjoy the views of the lake and mountains, to meet and greet old and new friends, to share a fine meal, and to look back on the accomplishments of the past year and salute those who have embodied Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.” Rotarian Linda Gilbert detailed the list of the club’s accomplishments to demonstrate a theme of “people in action.” Among the projects during 2021-2022 were the Charlotte tractor parade, Shelburne Halloween parade — now in its 40th year — planting 1,000 crocuses at both the Shelburne Town Office and Charlotte Library, coordinating toy collection barrels in all three towns to collect toys for less fortunate kids, collecting rubbish in all three towns on Green Up Day, raising funds for fire and
rescue departments in Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg and also funding automated external defibrillators for the towns. The club has also installed bicycle repair stations in its three towns, helped Race Vermont with races throughout the year, helped prepare school lunches in Shelburne and Charlotte and helped to prepare and deliver food bags to children in Shelburne and Charlotte. They organized and coordinated a drive for winter clothing for local children as well as adults in need, collected socks to be delivered to the homeless, provided turkeys to Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg food shelves, and filled holiday gift boxes to deliver to Harbor Place and local motels. On an international scene, the Rotary Club collected supplies for newly arrived Afghan refugees, packed backpacks for children arriving in Poland from Ukraine and continued its many Hands to Honduras Tela projects, despite the pandemic. A small group spent three weeks in Tela, Honduras, working on projects for maternal-child health, education, community needs, medical assistance and completed work on two medical buildings at Tela Hospital.
COURTESY PHOTO
Rotarian Bill Deming, a member of the Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary for 50 years, was honored with a Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of his years of service to the club and the community.
Incoming president Carrie Fenn of Charlotte, who is succeeding Susan Grimes of Shelburne, said, “I’m looking forward to continuing the wonderful work of the Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary. Our club stayed strong and supported many community efforts during COVID-19 and I think we’ve come out on the other side stronger than ever. I am excited to welcome folks who are new to town, or perhaps just new to Rotary. Rotarians are incredibly open-hearted and inclusive, so I encourage anyone who lives or works in Charlotte, Shelburne or Hinesburg to join us for a meeting.” The club meets every Wednesday at Shelburne United Methodist Church on Church Street in Shelburne. Meetings open at 7 a.m. for breakfast and 7:30 a.m. for programs. More at rotaryclubofcsh.org.
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Page 12 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
OPTION TAX
continued from page 1 cation, non-alcoholic beverages, gas, electricity, motor vehicle purchases or rentals, for example, would not be taxed. The committee projected the town would receive $939,961 in local option tax revenues, if adopted for the 2023 fiscal year, based on fiscal year 2021 retail sales, and “the non-COVID-19 impacted” meals, rooms and alcohol sales in 2019, said Jeff Carr, an economist at Economic & Policy Resources Inc. and the newest member of Shelburne’s Finance Committee. “We think this is a conservative figure,” Lee Suskin, another member of the finance committee, said. The committee used data from state tax returns, and Shelburne actual tax collection data reported to the Department of Taxes from fiscal years 2018 to 2021. Retail merchandise ordered
online, via Amazon for example, would also be subject to the tax. Those online sales alone would bring in $320,000, based on the same figures. No definitive visitor or tourist data is currently collected, but officials pointed to Shelburne Farms, Shelburne Museum and Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, which they say attract large numbers of visitors from both out-of-state and non-residents. Commuter visitor patterns for Shelburne, the committee said, are “dynamic.” Nearly 3,000 visitors commute into Shelburne each day to work, and a “large volume” of vehicles pass through Shelburne’s Route 7 commercial corridor. If adopted, 70 percent of revenue would go to the town and 30 percent would be retained by the state through its payment in lieu of taxes program, finance
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committee members said. Committee members pointed to the 25 other municipalities in Vermont that have adopted a local option tax, including neighboring Williston, South Burlington and Burlington. Seventeen towns have a local option tax within a 60-mile radius of Shelburne. The complete presentation can be viewed here bit.ly/3nrTUcL. Selectboard members were generally favorable of the proposal. “Any organization is wise to diversify its sources of revenue,” selectboard member Matt Wormser said. “Those of us who are property tax owners in particular, would welcome a diversification of revenue sources.” “Having paid this in other towns, it just seems like a great idea,” selectboard member Luce Hillman said. The finance committee sent a survey to 24 members of the Shelburne Business and Professionals
Association, and most respons- any vote is taken. es were favorable. Some were “Education is crucial,” Suskin cautious, however, of an addition- said. “How and when that educaal tax given fears over increasing tion takes place is a major deciinflation and other supply chain sion point. But that’s crucial.” issues. The selectboard will address “‘Slight increase in taxation’ when to set a vote — either during sets the alarm bells ringing,” one the general election in November respondent said. or March Town “We are not for this Meeting — at “It’s very hard to added local tax, its next meetespecially as small ing in July. dismiss almost $1 business owners They suggestwho already carry ed they would million in additional a significant tax try to get it burden.” on the Elecrevenue. I think we “I don’t like the tion Day ballot timing because I because of should continue the don’t know where higher particiour reappraispation rates. conversation.” al will end up,” “It’s very another responhard to dismiss — Mike Ashooh almost dent said. “I would $1 like to know what million in addithe ‘significant benefits’ to the tional revenue,” said selectboard community are.” chair Mike Ashooh. “I think we Shelburne would need to hold should continue this conversaat least two public hearings before tion.”
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Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 13
Shelburne Parks & Rec News available if needed. The camp is held at the Harbor Road fields July 11-15 from 8:3011:30 a.m. under the direction of Megan Maynard-Jacob. Cost is $110.
on a variety of age-appropriate technical skills. The number one Shelburne Beach is now open emphasis of the camp, however, for the season. is fostering a love of the game of Shelburne residents can soccer. purchase season passes at the Campers will be divided by beach with proof of residency. age groups (grades four through saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost alHave your ID and car registration nine) and all participants will with youfatal alongin with check orand cash animals. ways humans However, Redhawk soccer camp receive a ball and a T-shirt. payment. The camp will be held July Join Champlain Valley Union treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly More information about cost, varsity coach Stan Williams and 11-15 on the outdoor athletic 100 percent effective whenother given soon after SHELBURNE hours, guests, groups and more The cost is school soccer coaches and fields 9 a.m.-noon. DAY can be found at shelburnevt. a person is bitten by a rabid animal. players for a fun week continued focused $185. from page 4 org/182/beach-information.
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Notice of Public Hearing The Town of Shelburne will consider an application to the State
eraof Vermont for a 2022 Implementation Grant from the Vermont face painting. U.S. Community Development Program. The Selectboard will hold a Towards end, the Charlotte-Shelpublic hearing as a part of itsthe regular meeting that begins at 7:00 ces So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont P.M. on July burne-Hinesburg 26, 2022 at 5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, Vermontto Rotary invites folks atal Basketball have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of or via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81609478685?pwd= camp Shelburne Historical Society will have a head to the Little League field next to those have WDNGN0gybWRWNjYrMzNqOHlGYkE0QT09 to obtain the views Campers willbeen learn raccoons. and pracdisplay and president Dorothea Penar Fire Station for thefurnish annual Rotary of will citizens the on community development, information skills day. the tice fundamental According toeach wildlife officials, rabid the amount of funds andtothe range of lead a cemetery ven- Golf Ball Drop andavailable a chance win prizes session only, for ages Home Security & Management Co tour at 1 p.m. Foodconcerning ten Afternoon animals often community development activities that may be undertaken 11-to-14 years old. show a change in their nordors round out the event with everything depending on where the numbered balls ats, mal Friendly games and behavior, butcompetiyou cannot tell whether under this program, the impact to any historic and archaeological from coffee and lemonade to burgers and that land. sales helpandfund tions with an emphasis on teamresources mayProceeds be affected from by the ticket proposed project, to ACCOUNTING also work an animal has rabies simply by looking at and general knowledge of give affected citizens the opportunity to examine thethe proposed creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals Rotary’s many projects through year. the the it.game, People should notEldertouch or pick up wild MANAGER directed by Nick statement from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and of projected use of these funds. The proposal is to apply ton. Participants will receive h its animals or strays – evena baby animals. for up to $1,000,000 in VCDP funds which will be used to accomplish T-shirt.
HSMC
Camp dates are July 18-22, 1-4 p.m. on the outdoor courts at Davis Park. Cost is $125
Field hockey camp This camp is open to girls ages 7-14 years old and is the perfect summer introduction to field hockey for beginners or a chance to practice skills for those who already play. Players must provide mouth guard, shin guards and a full water bottle. Sticks are
e directory
C.
ES
the following activities:
Established family owned Alarm Monitoring Company, Home Security & Management, in Stowe is hiring. A Self-driven candidate with relevant qualifications and minimum of 5 years’ experience in accounting and office administration is preferred. Applicants must have an Associate’s degree in accounting. Duties include: Payroll, AR, AP, Benefits Administration and some HR. Benefits include 401k, shared Healthcare Insurance, Dental, Vision, and Profit sharing. Signing bonus. Send resume & letter of interest to acct@hsmc-ul.com.
shelburne Healthnews
service directory to advertise call 985-3091 or email advertising@shelburnenews.com
Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth plan to construct 48 new affordable apartments at 3164 Shelburne Road in two buildings. The buildings will be three-stories high with parking underneath. The proposed application will be available for public review by July 11th, 2022 at the Shelburne Town Offices, 5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT during regular business hours, or upon request via email to lkrohn@shelburnevt.org. If you require any special accommodations, please contact Executive Assistant Nini Anger at 802.264.5031 to ensure appropriate accommodations are made. call 985-3091 For the hearing impaired please call (TTY) #1-800-253-0191.
for rates: or email advertising@shelburnenews.com
Antiques
Bottle Redemption
Health
ANTIQUES WANTED
Spring Cleaning?Nancy Downsizing? Marconi Settling an Estate? Certified Massage Therapist We can help you discover, learn about and sell:
WATCHES • JEWELRY • COINS SILVER • ARTWORK 64•Steeplebush Road We can field questions, review photos and coordinate estate work.
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802-985-8984 Deep Tissue, Hot Stones Contact Brian Bittner • 802-489-5210 • info@bittnerantiques.com cell 338-7001 & Swedish www.bittnerantiques.com Massage
Landscape / Lawncare
Tenney’s Bottle Redemption bulk bottle returns & bottle drives
Snack Bar • Creamee Window Maple & Vanilla Creamees 10 Flavors of Milkshakes
Propane Fill Station Mon.-Sat. 9am-6pm • Closed Sun. Bottle redemption closes at 4pm
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76 Jackson Hill Road • Charlotte
Intro Offer for New Clients Collectibles
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Buying Sports and Collectible Cards Baseball, Football, Basketball, Since 1988 ‘ Hockey, Soccer, Pokemon, Wrestling ...
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Concrete Work
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Insured Concrete Floor Finishing and Repair Work 50 Years Experience Satisfaction Guaranteed
PT, MS, DPT
Hyper Relic Sports Cards South Burlington Contact BobShelburne Trautwine 802-497-1681 23 San Remo Drive 166 Athletic Drive tel 865.0010hyperreliccards@gmail.com tel 985.4440
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4281 Office:LLT 985-2453 MShelburne & B Rd Concrete, PO Box 476, Shelburne Cell: 363-0590 (802) 503-2087 titus@titusinsurance.net Fax: 985-8620 meddiegingras@comcast.net
Contracting
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PLEASANT VALLEY, INC.
Spring/Fall Siding & Trim Clean Work Up Carpentry Repairs Lawn Care Painting & Staining Landscape Design Decks & Porches Stone Work Outdoor Structures
802-343-4820 802-343-4820
www.pleasantvalleyvt.com www.pleasantvalleyvt.com
get rabies. The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its
Page 14 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News Construction
Deck & Porch Staining
Construction
802-343-2102
service Insurance for: Home • Auto • Business • Motorcycle • Renters • Condo Farm • Boat • Recreational Vehicles
davidcone23@comcast.net www.builtbydc.com
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Will rototill your garden or brush hog your fields. Call Frenchy 324-5796 or 985-5379 Land Maintenance
M
VLM
A
IN
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Vermont Land Maintenance
O NT L A
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Visit our website for more information Brian Washburn Owner
(802) 434-4533 • (802) 373-1755 cell vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com PO Box 899 • Richmond, VT www.vtlandmaintenance.com
(802) 434-4533 Phone (802) 373-1755 Cell vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com PO Box 899, Richmond, VT www.vtlandmaintenance.com
Painting
Full Line Steel Service Center
Serving all your metal needs for over two generations
Huge inventory of steel, aluminum and stainless in many shapes and sizes from sheets to tubing to angle iron Cutting, Punching, Drilling and Bending Services
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Insurance 4281 Shelburne Rd. Shelburne, VT 05482 Office: 985-2453 titus@titusinsurance.net www. titusinsurance.net
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We’ll even recycle your ferrous and non-ferrous metal Delivery available
CORBIN & PALMER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES SHELBURNE FUNERAL CHAPEL
Family owned and operated since 1921 LetPre-planning us give your home a beautiful, fresh look. services available Visit us online or call for more information. 209 FallsLafayettePaintingInc.com Road, Shelburne, VT 863-5397 (802) 985-3370 Paul & Dan Lafayette • Burlington
Power Washing
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Does your home need a fresh coat of paint or maybe a new color?
Lupine Painting
• Interior/Exterior Painting • Stress-Free Painting for over 25 years • For your free estimate call 802-598-9940 Rug Cleaning
Homes / Decks / Fences Commercial Buildings / Window Cleaning Graffiti Removal / Heavy Equipment
Rug cleaning vermontrugcleaning.com | 802.985.1178
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Owner operated - Call Greg Mack
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Customer-driven solutions designed engineered and built in Vermont, with over 3,000 installations in the state. allearthrenewables.com CALL 802.872.9600 x122
Early Quality Clothing. Women’s, Men’s, Children’s. Doll Clothing and Accessories. Hats and Shoes. Quilts, Hooked and Braided Rugs. Fine Linens and Other Quality Textiles.
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it. an
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Before You Throw Away Old Textiles, Contact Me! Goodwin’s Antiques • Janice Goodwin 802-777-5707 • jtgoodwin@gmavt.net
Shelburne News • July 7, 2022 • Page 15
CROSSWORD
ARIES
LEO
March 21 - April 20 Aries, you can expect anything to happen this week, which makes it an ideal time to fall in love or fall back in love. Throw caution to the wind and welcome romance.
TAURUS April 21 - May 21 Taurus, don’t be surprised if a former romantic partner or close friend reconnects with you this week. It may be possible to rekindle this connection if you so desire.
GEMINI May 22 - June 21 Don’t hesitate to try something new this week, Gemini. You’ll likely be surprised at what you discover you enjoy. You may even meet some interesting people.
CANCER June 22 - July 22 Spiritual matters are on your mind, Cancer. You are increasingly drawn to them as you get older. Do not hesitate to ask questions in your pursuit of enlightenment.
July 23 - Aug. 23 Optimism about life is in full force for you, Leo. Others will notice you are smiling more and moving about with a spring in your step. Channel that energy into a fun project.
VIRGO Aug. 24 - Sept. 22 Virgo, this week is full of possibilities. You may strike up a new friendship or decide to try a unique hobby. Travel may be the name of the game as well.
LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 Libra, even though you may be feeling positive and looking well, you’re simply not drawing that special attention you desire. Don’t be too hard on yourself; it will come.
SCORPIO Oct. 24 - Nov. 22 Scorpio, communication channels have been blocked lately, so you have been facing challenges getting your point across. Employ a little more patience.
SUDOKU Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 23 - Dec. 21 Sagittarius, there have been days you have felt better. Don’t let a minor illness derail your plans. Before you know it, you will be back on your feet.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Try an activity that strays from your usual routine, Capricorn. Change the time or the location to get a fresh perspective on your experiences. It can be the boost you need right now.
AQUARIUS Jan. 21 - Feb. 18 Don’t be surprised if you have a desire to redecorate or change up your living space in some way, Aquarius. A new look can refresh your mindset as well.
PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 Some interesting news is likely to come your way, Pisces. It’s important to answer your phone, read your texts and check your emails.
CLUES ACROSS 1. Ancient Greek sophist 5. Genus of insects 11. Culinary herb 12. Neutralizing antibody 16. Plan 17. Pa’s partner 18. A city in S Louisiana 19. TNT sportscaster 24. Atomic #25 (abbr.) 25. Well-known bug 26. Body parts 27. Monetary unit of Albania 28. Kids’ play things 29. Coastal city in Malaysia 30. Famed French physician 31. Flourishing 33. Excessively overweight 34. Pampered 38. Emerged 39. Order of tailless amphibians 40. Indian term of respect 43. Shift sails (Brit.) 44. Beloved Mexican dish 45. Scottish tax 49. Health insurance 50. Monetary unit of Samoa
51. Move about 53. Execute or perform 54. Taste property 56. Unit of dry measure 58. Blood group 59. Something you can up 60. In great need 63. Breezes through 64. Spoke 65. Become acquainted with CLUES DOWN 1. A particular part 2. Spanish neighborhood 3. Business 4. Reddish browns 5. Extinct Hawaiian bird 6. Disney town 7. Part of the Bible (abbr.) 8. Atomic #22 (abbr.) 9. The distinctive spirit of a people or an era 10. In a moment 13. Monetary unit of Vietnam 14. Submerge in a liquid 15. Yellowish cotton cloth 20. -__, denotes past 21. Hoopster Morant 22. Not
ANSWERS
23. Indian title of respect 27. Horsley and Marvin are two 29. One thousandth of a liter (abbr.) 30. Hoover’s organization 31. Round globular seed 32. University official 33. Spherical body 34. Iraq’s capital 35. To any further extent 36. Swollen lymph node 37. Anger 38. Technological marvel 40. Peruvian district 41. Salt of acetic acid 42. What Santa says 44. Israeli city __ Aviv 45. Late Heisman winner 46. Reveal the presence of 47. Long upholstered seat 48. Most wily 50. Sword 51. Respiratory disease 52. The Ocean State 54. Fleshy watery fruit 55. Lying down 57. Superheavy metal 61. The ancient Egyptian sun god 62. Indicates position
Page 16 • July 7, 2022 • Shelburne News
COURTESY PHOTO
The new Union Bank branch in Shelburne.
BANK
continued from page 4 “None of our offices is much more than a half an hour away from a ski resort.”
Growth during crises
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When Silverman started with the bank in 1986, it had $70 million in assets. Now, it’s a $1.2 billion company, and much of that growth came just in the past decade. A turning point for the bank came in 2010 when it brought on a Burlington-based mortgage lender — the person who was heading that up still works for the company. The company became a Federal Housing Administration and Rural Development lender, giving it access to more capital outside Vermont so it could provide home and commercial loans to a wider variety of people. Previously, Silverman said, the bank was mostly involved in Freddie Mac loans and in-house loans. “It really was a milestone for us in that it changed us from a very traditional mortgage lender to one that had a much broader palette of product offerings,” he said. The USDA noticed, too, naming Union Bank the Rural Development Vermont lender of the year multiple times since the bank came on board. Note that date. Many may look at the words Freddie Mac and see the year 2010 and shudder, thoughts of the Great Recession flashing through their brains. But Silverman said Union Bank came
David Silverman
through the nationwide mortgage crisis just fine. Part of that, he said, was regionality — Vermont had one of the lowest foreclosure rates in the country during the Great Recession that occurred between 2008 and 2010. Part of that, he said, was being a community bank that knows its customers and could work with them during the rough patches and keep them out of foreclosure. Compare that to how Vermont and other New England states got walloped during the recession that occurred in the early 1990s, which was caused by the Federal Reserve steadily increasing interest rates in the last few years of the 1980s. “That was a recession that hit New England very, very, very hard, especially in commercial real estate,” he said. “That was when I was cutting my teeth in the industry. We learned a lot of things, but the kinds of things you
don’t really want to learn, like how you handle a challenged loan portfolio. Although, those are good things to have learned.” He’s optimistic that, with talk of another coming recession as the Fed tries to combat inflation, Vermont’s low unemployment rates might cushion things and make for a mild recession. “But, you know, if the Fed can’t get control of inflation, it could be much more difficult,” he said. Union Bank has also seen growth during the last couple years of coping with COVID-19, because of the “pandemic liquidity injected into the national monetary system,” Silverman said — it went from $800 million in assets to that current $1.2 billion. Part of the bank’s resiliency comes from its independence and size, and where it operates. That proximity to ski resorts in Vermont and New Hampshire? It means a lot of loans the bank has out are with restaurants and other service-based businesses, which Silverman said “some of our much larger brethren in the industry” won’t touch. “In the Great Recession, we had some experiences where the really big guys said, ‘No more hospitality business, no more resort business.’ Literally, regardless of how well the customers were doing, they kicked them out,” he said. “We’re very lucky. I mean, we get to live in a place where people go to vacation, right?”