Shelburne News - 1-5-23

Shelburne residents prepare Crombach development appeal

DARR STAFF WRITER

A controversial development proposed by Shelburne chiropractors Stephen Brandon and Shelley Crombach received long-awaited approval from that town’s development review board in November which was set to end a nearly two-year-long battle against the project.

But residents this week announced they are working with an attorney to file an appeal to the state’s environmental court to block the development, according to nearby homeowner Pete Serisky.

The development project proposes a mixed-use building on Shelburne Road with approximately 4,000 square feet of commercial space on its first floor and a total of eight residential units on the second and third floors. Also proposed are two multi-family buildings with 24 residential units on three floors and a senior housing building with 22 units on three floors — bringing the total to 78 residential units and commercial space to be built over a three-year period.

The developer’s original proposal, submitted in July 2021,

See APPEAL on page 13

Bus agency poised to bring back fares

Transit line needs to stabilize funding

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Bus fares for Green Mountain Transit lines may return this year, potentially ending a pandemic precaution and providing a revenue source to an agency that for years has been searching for alternative ways to fund its operations more equitably.

As part of the transit agency’s fiscal year 2024 budget, fares would be restarted on all the bus lines throughout the county. Green Mountain Transit will hold a public meeting Jan. 10 and will consider approving the final budget Jan. 17.

While yet to be approved,

the prospect of fare collection is renewing questions of how Green Mountain Transit — and transit bus systems throughout the state — should be funded, and whether the current system equitably distributes the costs associated with keeping a county-wide bus system.

“There’s a structural issue with how we fund transit in Vermont,” said Jon Moore, the agency’s acting general manager. “Number one, there’s just an over-reliance on the property tax for everything, and number two, we’re providing a regional service which is funded

Top: Bob Kinzel, a longtime friend of Marshall Webb, eulogizes his friend at a celebration of life at the Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms in October. Above: From left, Mary Donnelly, Rev. Carole Carlson and Rev. Marjorie MacNeill, all of Shelburne, rally for the passage of Prop 5, the Vermont Reproductive Liberty amendment to the Vermont Constitution in front of the Pierson Library. More year in review photos start on page 8.

Photo booth

LIBERTY

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Jan. 5, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features roast pork, apple Craisin gravy, diced potatoes, Harvard beets, wheat roll with butter, pumpkin cookie and milk.

You must have pre-registered by the prior Monday with Kerrie Pughe, 802-425-6345 or kpughe@ charlotteseniorcentervt.org

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Jan. 12, features meatloaf with sauce, vegetable gravy, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, dinner roll with butter, banana Craisin oat cookie and milk.

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Jan. 19, features oven fried chicken breast, diced potatoes with parsley, peas and onions, wheat roll with butter, date Craisin bar and milk.

The suggested donation is $5. Check the website for last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

Lake Iroquois Ice-Out Challenge

Place a bet on when a concrete block will break through the ice on Lake Iroquois and win 50 percent of the pot.

Funds raised by the Ice-Out Challenge are used to improve water quality, protect the lake from invasive species and to support the Lake Iroquois Association Greeter and Boat Wash Program. This program inspects and washes boats entering and leaving the lake.

Tickets are $1 each, with discounts for 20, 30, 40, or 50

Community Notes

tickets. Entries will be accepted from late November through Wednesday, March 1.

Howard Coffin talk explores 1800s, cold snap

Join historian and author Howard Coffin for his talk “1800 and Froze to Death: The Cold Year of 1816” on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Pierson Library in Shelburne.

The historical talk includes anecdotes about the dark year of failed crops, scarce food and religious revival. The horrible weather also came in the aftermath of the War of 1812, which produced shortages and an economic crisis.

Shelburne community Red Cross blood drive

St. Catherine of Siena is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Jan. 17, from noon to 5 p.m. at 72 Church Street in Shelburne.

To give, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter Shelburne.

Music students want your old Christmas tree

The Champlain Valley Union music department is holding a Christmas Tree Pickup on Saturday, jan. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3. p.m.

All profits will be used to defray some of the cost of the department’s trip to New York City in the spring.

The cost is $10. Just write a check to CVU Music, put it in an envelope and and plastic bag and attach to your tree. Put your tree on the curb that morning and a student will pick it up.

If you think we missed you, call 802-233-4917 by 2:30 p.m.

County historical society presents talk on Abenaki

On Sunday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. Ethan Allen Homestead Tavern hosts Vera Longtoe Sheehan, who will speak on “Abenaki Erasure, Eugenics and Ethnocide.”

Longtoe Sheehan is the executive director of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and a citizen of the Elnu Abenaki Tribe. The program is co-sponsored by the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum and the Chittenden County Historical Society.

Age Well offers its holiday meal this month

A grab and go Christmas meal in Shelburne will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. to noon.

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older. The menu includes meatloaf with sauce, vegetable gravy, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, dinner roll with butter, banana Craisin cookie and milk.

To order a meal, contact Sheryl Oberding by Wednesday, Jan. 4, via email at soberding@yahoo. com or by calling 802-825-8546.

Deadline to order is Thursday.

First-time patrons could provide name, address, phone number and date of birth. Bring a completed registration form or send one to: Age Well; 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210; Colchester VT 05446.

Download the registration form at bit.ly/3PUwdHN.

Sarah Thompson of Clean Slatewill walk us through the process of reorganizing and redefining our spaces within our home. By “pruning away the extra” in our lives, we can find and develop a better relationship with our possessions.

Presented by: Sarah Thompson, Clean Slate

Total reported incidents: 61

Traffic stops: 37

Warnings: 37

Tickets: 6

Medical emergencies: 28

Suspicious incidents: 2

Domestic incidents: 1

Welfare check: 5

Automobile incidents: 3

Car crash: 1

Fire: 1

Theft: 4

Fraud: 1

Harassment: 1

Vandalism: 1

Alarms: 6

Pending investigations: 4

Incidents:

Dec. 26 at 7:59 p.m., police responded to a call that a family member was unresponsive. Medhi Zeynali, 70, of Shelburne, was later pronounced dead at a residence on Shelburne Road. Officers determined the death was not suspicious.

Dec. 26 at 9:02 p.m., a broken sprinkler set off a fire alarm at the Commons.

Dec. 27 at 6:46 p.m., a caller reported receiving threatening

letters. A harassment report was taken, and the case is under investigation.

Dec. 27 at 7:33 p.m., a caller requested a welfare check on a family member at Harbor Place. Police found the individual and requested EMS evaluate them. They were later transported to the hospital.

Dec. 27 at 11:39 p.m., state police were called to a residence on Brentwood Drive to mediate a verbal domestic dispute between a husband and wife.

Dec. 28 at 2:35 p.m., a one-car crash was reported at the Village Mobil.

Dec. 29 at 8:36 a.m., police responded to a call of an unresponsive person on Harrington Avenue. Police determined that Dennis Jones, 78, of Shelburne, had died and the death was determined not to be suspicious.

Dec. 30 at 3:21 p.m., a retail theft was reported from Kinney Drugs. Officers found the individuals involved and issued them a trespass notice.

Dec. 31 at 8:44 a.m., police received a fraud complaint.

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Shelburne Police Blotter

The case is under investigation. Dec. 31 at 11:03 a.m., a retail theft was reported at Kinney Drugs, but officers were unable to locate the individual. The case is under investigation. Dec. 31 at 11:35 a.m., anoth-

er retail theft was reported at Kinney Drugs, but officers were able to stop the individual. They were issued a trespass notice and released.

Jan. 1 at 2:06 p.m., a resident on Webster Road told police his

News from the Pierson Library

mailbox was vandalized. Jan. 1 at 3:12 p.m., a retail theft was reported at Kinney Drugs. The individual was issued a trespass notice and a citation for violating release conditions.

MARC VINCENT

Today, the Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) is renowned for his captivating “Birth of Venus.” But for hundreds of years after his death, Botticelli was largely ignored, rediscovered only in the 19th century.

The fall and rise of the artist’s reputation, along with that of the poet he most admired, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), are unveiled in “Botticelli’s Secret,” a fascinating investigation by literature professor Joseph Luzzi. (“Botticelli’s Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance,” W.W. Norton & Company, 2022, 332 pages)

The book opens with a mystery. In 1882, Friedrich Lippman, Director of Berlin’s Museum of Prints and Drawings, entered a London bookshop with a singular purpose: to acquire 85 drawings by Botticelli illustrating Dante’s seminal masterpiece, the “Divine Comedy.” Why should a German collector be in England

to purchase illustrations by an almost forgotten Italian artist?

Luzzi reaches his solution in two parts.

First, Luzzi reminds us of Dante’s contributions to the Western canon, the vagaries of his reputation and Botticelli’s insight into the poet’s work. Luzzi skillfully interweaves the political and artis-

tic intrigues of Renaissance Florence, from the machinations of the powerful Medici family to the intense camaraderie and competition among the city’s artists.

Luzzi then explains Botticelli’s unpopularity after his death, and the efforts, 300 years later, of artists and art historians to rescue him from oblivion. A master storyteller, Luzzi never loses sight of the coveted illustrations of the “Comedy,” which ultimately reveal Botticelli’s secret — one that I will let readers discover for themselves.

Upcoming event

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the library, join Howard Coffin for his talk, “1800 and Froze to Death: The Cold Year of 1816.”

This talk includes scores of anecdotes about the dark year of failed crops, scarce food and religious revival. The horrible weather also came in the aftermath of the War of 1812, which produced shortages and an economic crisis.

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Session begins, legislators head back to Montpelier

From the Statehouse

Warm wishes and a happy new year from your Shelburne legislative delegation. We hope that your holiday season was full of joy and rest.

As we move into the new year and quickly approach the beginning of the legislative session, we would like to reintroduce ourselves and share how you can stay in touch with us.

Here in Shelburne, the House districts formerly known as Chittenden 5-1 and 5-2 are now labeled as Districts 6 and 7 for simplicity. With Kate Webb’s retirement after a distinguished and accomplished 14 years in the Legislature, Kate Lalley will join Jessica Brumsted to serve as House members.

As you may know, the at-large Chittenden County Senate District was also broken up, so Shelburne is represented by three senators instead of six — Ginny Lyons, Kesha Ram Hinsdale and Tom Chittenden. They now represent most of the smaller towns in Chittenden County from Shelburne to Underhill, along with South Burlington and the South End

of Burlington.

As your delegation, we will take turns writing a weekly column once the session commences entitled Statehouse News, which will include updates on prominent developments in the Legislature that matter to you. We hope you will look out for it.

Please also look out for reminders about our monthly delegation meetings in the Pierson Library Fireside Room every fourth Monday of the month from 4 to 6 p.m.

Communication is at the heart of government, and our duty as elected officials is to maintain an open and compassionate dialogue with our constituents. Never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns that come to mind.

It is our pleasure to serve you.

Rep. Jessica Brumsted, jbrumsted@ leg.state.vt.us; Sen. Tom Chittenden, tchittenden@leg.state.vt.us; Rep. Kate Lalley, klalley@leg.state.vt.us; Sen. Ginny Lyons, vlyons@leg.state.vt.us; and Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, kramhinsdale@leg.state.vt.us.

Rep. Jessica Brumsted Sen. Tom Chittenden

Rep. Kate Lalley Sen. Ginny Lyons Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Farm Craft argues for switch to solid products over plastic

LIBERTY DARR  STAFF WRITER

According to local horticulturalist and chemist Rebecca Lindenmeyr, one of the most important New Year’s resolutions one could make this year is switching to solid products instead of liquid-based products packaged in plastic containers.

“The switch to solid is part of a whole nationwide carbon reduction idea that if we stopped shipping products that contain water, then we’ll be reducing a lot of the weight that we’re transporting,” explained Lindenmeyer

Rebecca, along with her husband Tim, own and operate Farm Craft, a one-stop shop that showcases a line of all-natural products manufactured from raw materials that are grown and processed on their 15-acres in Shelburne.

What started as a soap-making passion project during the pandemic has since turned into a booming business that has grown more than 30 percent in the last year. Inside, customers can find a slew of essential goods that are used throughout everyday life: soap, lotion, sponges, dish-soap, laundry detergent, shampoos and more.

“I was like, ‘what’s something we can do on the land that is contributing to our local micro economy?’” said Lindenmeyr. “I started out with just some herbal products and I made my first batch of soap and loved it — it’s chemistry, it’s art and it’s also creating something that helps us reduce our carbon footprint because we are not shipping water.”

The basis for soaps and lotions found at the shop are seed oils and essential oils, both of which are derived from plants and herbs grown directly on their farm. “We planted 3 acres of sunflowers and we bought an antique combine — there’s only a few like that in the state of Vermont— and you press those into oil which is then the base,” said Lindenmeyr. “We’re doing it all by hand.”

The duo grows and processes over 50 varieties of herbs, flowers, fruits and other botanicals used in the products while also

raising bees to harvest honey, beeswax and propolis. “I really got into the chemistry of formulating and this idea of looking at supply chains and figuring out where all of our stuff was coming from because in the very beginning of the pandemic, there was this scare of what do we do if we can’t get stuff from anywhere?” said Lindenmeyr. “My concept was, you would go down to a farm stand to get all of your vegetables and you would come to Farm Craft to get all of your other goods.”

With her background as an environmental scientist doing hazardous nuclear-waste remediation, Lindenmeyr is familiar with the health risks of repeated exposure to toxic chemicals. With skin being the largest organ in the body, humans are absorbing unnecessary ingredients that are in most of the products on store shelves almost every day. Not only that, but these products are then washed into water streams, she said.

“Things are much more persistent than we gave them credit for. They have staying power,” she said. “We’re finding microplastics in our air, our water, in our blood and our hair.”

Farm Craft is committed to ingredients that are free of chemicals like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicone, palm oil, artificial dyes and fragrances and are formulated with excessive amounts of research, study and dermatology testing.

“They’re not just me looking something up on the internet. I refuse to do that,” said Lindenmeyr.

Nearly all the products in the shop are sold in solid form or in plastic-free biodegradable containers, which Lindenmeyer argues is one of the key steps in reducing waste.

“Liquid everything means you have to have a bottle to put that liquid in and be transporting water when you could really be adding your own water on site,” she said. “Anytime you concentrate a product, you’re reducing how much you use, how much packaging it has to go into and if you concentrate it all the way, it actually doesn’t need packaging because it’s really durable.”

Winter Sale

40% off sweaters, coats, pants and select dresses!

PHOTO BY LIBERTY DARR

The Farm Craft store features a line of all-natural products grown and made in Shelburne.

COURTESY PHOTO

At left, Tim and Rebecca Lindenmeyr of Farm Craft in Shelburne, with their daughters.

“It’s chemistry, it’s art and it’s also creating something that helps us reduce our carbon footprint because we are not shipping water.”

— Rebecca Lindenmeyr

Top left: A new sculpture by Chris Sharp was installed on long-term loan in front of Shelburne’s Pierson Library.

Above: Superintendent Rene Sanchez awards diplomas to Champlain Valley Union graduates in June.

Left: Olympian Megan Nick of Shelburne signs an autograph for an adoring fan on Megan Nick Day in March.

Below left: Friends, family and coworkers honored Paul Goodrich for his over five decades of service to the town of Shelburne.

Below right: Joannah Ralston of Shelburne at the Shelburne Craft School clay studio as

the school led a fundraiser this summer to replacing the aging windows.

OPPOSITE PAGE

Top left: Woodland creature Allie McCray of Shelburne is part of Borderlands at Shelburne Farms this October.

Top right: The CVU Robo-Hawks, a robotics team at Champlain Valley Union High School, earned a trip to the 2022 FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Houston in April after finishing first in the state tournament.

Second from top: The Shelburne Fire

Department fights a blaze at a South Ridge Road in January.

Second from bottom: Sean Moran, a candidate for the Shelburne selectboard, campaigned outside of the town gymnasium on Town Meeting Day for the two-year term on the selectboard against Matt Wormser and Susan Bowen. Wormser won the seat vacated by outgoing board member Mary Kehoe.

Bottom left: Shelburne’s Memorial Day program came with a small American flag.

Bottom right: Is there a more delightful sight than a patch of crocus in April?

FILE PHOTOS

Looking back: CVU wins seven state titles in 2022

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

As we get ready to ring in the new year, it is time to take a moment to look back on 2022 and the success it brough Shelburne and Champlain Valley athletes.

Highlights from the year included seven state titles for the Redhawks, saying goodbye to a familiar face and welcoming a new one. But the biggest highlight of all included some Olympic glory.

Here are the highlights from 2022:

Shelburne’s Megan Nick wins bronze medal in Olympic aerials

After qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Megan Nick looked forward to soaking in the experience of her first Olympic games and doing her best on the hill. Instead, she surprised everyone with a performance to remember and some new hardware: an Olympic bronze medal in women’s aerials on Feb. 14, clinching her podium finish with a back full-double full on her final jump, for a score of 93.76.

Nick picked up aerial skiing as a student at Champlain Valley was the first Vermont native to medal in the aerials and the first American to medal in individual aerials since 1998.

Longtime AD retires, CVU welcomes new face

In the summer of 2022, longtime coach, teacher and activities director Dan Shepardson decided to retire after a 37-year career at both Northfield and Champlain Valley Union high schools.

Shepardson, who won nine state titles and nearly 200 games as a boys soccer coach, spent the last seven years as CVU’s activities director and was a mainstay at all Redhawk sporting events.

As Shepardson moved into retirement, a new face took his place: Ricky McCollum, who took the reins this summer and has quickly become a familiar face for CVU athletes, coaches and fans.

CVU beats Middlebury for first Division I football title

The high-powered Redhawk offense helped Champlain Valley Union High School football team to a spot in the Division I state championship game for the second year in a row. However, it was the defensive effort that clinched the 24-19 win over Middlebury and helped capture the program’s first DI state title.

CVU quarterback Ollie Cheer went 23 for 36 for 287 yards and

completed passes to six different receivers. Jack Sumner caught six for 89 yards and Alex Provost ran 69 yards on six catches. CVU went unbeaten in the regular season against Vermont opponents, with a 10-0 record.

CVU girls’ soccer team soars to title game mark

For the last two seasons, the Champlain Valley girls’ soccer team has been on the losing side of the DI state title scoresheet. This fall, the Redhawks snapped the skid and beat Mount Mansfield to win the championship.

Zoe Klein had the lone goal in the 1-0 win to help CVU win its four state championships in the last six years. Champlain Valley finished with a 15-0-1 record and the program’s 20th state championship, the most titles in state history in boys’ and girls’ soccer.

Field hockey team uses OT to win championship

For the first time since 2008, the field hockey team finished the season at the top of DI. The Redhawks scored a late goal in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 1-1 and send the championship game against South Burlington to overtime.

Miranda Oppenheimer netted the game winner in OT to set off a celebration for the CVU field hockey team as it captured the DI title.

Champlain Valley finished with a 15-2 record and the program’s third state championship.

CVU’s Gregory Seraus sets state record

Champlain Valley’s Gregory Seraus dashed into the record books and his team nearly ran its way to a state title.

Seraus set a new state record at the DI state track and field meet in the preliminary run of the 100 meters with a time of 10.76 seconds and then captured the individual state title in the event. The senior also won the 200-meter event.

The Redhawks boys’ track and field team nearly won the overall team title — coming in second overall to St. Johnsbury — after Seraus’ performance.

CVU girls’ cross country team wins again

The girls’ cross country team overwhelmed the rest of the state to capture the title, the program’s 13th crown in 14 years. Champlain Valley placed five runners in the top 10, with Alice Kredell leading the way for CVU, winning the individual state title and finishing nearly two seconds ahead of

the runner up.

Estella Laird came in next, finishing in fourth. Audrey Neilson was seventh, Amelie Scharf came in eighth place and Lydia Donahue was 10th for the Redhawks. CVU saw its 12-year state title run ended last season when Burlington won the girls’ crown but, after just one year, the Redhawks returned to the top of the heap.

CVU boy’s

lacrosse makes

it nine in a row

Champlain Valley continued its dominance of DI boys lacrosse this spring, with another state title.

The Redhawks added to its cache of trophies, beating Burr and Burton 13-11 in the championship game to win its ninth straight title and 12th overall.

Matias Williams scored three times for the Redhawks, while Elliot added two goals and two assists. Nolan Shea, Peter Gilliam and Owen Pierce each tallied twice.

Champlain Valley alpine skiers sweep D-I titles

Last year, the Champlain Valley alpine skiers swept the DI state titles. In 2022, they repeated

the feat.

The Redhawks girls eked past Rice by one point to capture their second straight title, while the boys’ team dominated the competition to win its second in a row.

In the giant slalom, Carolynn Strobeck came in seventh, with Dicey Manning right behind her in 10th. Kate Kogut finished in 18th place and Elizabeth Nostrund rounded out the top four finishers with a 28th-place finish.

In the slalom Manning came in 10th, Strobeck followed in 13th,

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Top: Redhawk Nolan Shea rips a shot on goal during CVU’s game against the BFA St. Albans Bobwhites in April in Hinesburg. The boys won their ninth Division I title in a row. Above: CVU quarterback Ollie Cheer throws a pass during the Redhawks’ DI semifinal game against the Essex Hornets. The team won its first title this fall, beating Middlebury 24-19.

Above left: CVU’s Stella Dooley battles for possession during a Redhawks’ game against St. Johnsbury in October. The girls won the Division I title after losing in their last two seasons

Above: A CVU relay member moves around the track at the meet. The girls won a DI title.

Left: CVU’s fearsome foursome of Gus Serinese, Jackson Sumner, Hayden Berard and Gregory Seraus win the boy’s 4x100 meter relay at the Vermont Division I state track and field championships in June. Seraus set a new state record.

REDHAWKS

continued from page 10

Kogut finished 15th and Ella Lisle came in 20th.

Jake Strobeck was the top finisher in the GS, coming in second, while Ray Hagios was fourth and George Francisco at the ninth spot also finished in the top

10. Kyle Marvin was the fourth finisher for CVU, coming in 13th place.

In the slalom, Francisco was fifth, Hagios came in sixth, Peter Gilliam followed in seventh and Marvin was ninth.

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

locally and that just causes a lot of issues in terms of equity, in terms of making common-sense planning decisions.”

Green Mountain Transit has lines that run through every one of Chittenden County’s towns and cities — as well as commuter lines that run to Montpelier and parts of Lamoille, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties, for example — but collects an assessment fee from only eight municipalities in Chittenden County: Burlington, South Burlington, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Williston, Essex, Winooski and Milton.

Other towns pay minor contributions for service to their towns, like Jericho and Underhill, but GMT does not have the same power of assessment in those towns, so it’s a much lower level of local investment.

Local funds are also partially funded through Green Mountain Transit’s ABA program, which provides door-to-door service for disabled individuals that are unable to use normal bus lines. That is funded by usage and is not a uniform assessment for each town.

These assessment fees range as high as $2 million for Burlington to $50,000 in Hinesburg. The fees are increasing for each of the eight municipalities by 4 percent this year, Moore said, to offset costs such as fuel, labor, health insurance costs and other expenses.

But often, residents from towns that are not charged an assessment

— like Richmond or Charlotte, for example — use the bus system. The Richmond Park and Ride, for example, draws residents from all over the region.

“For a number of years now, we’ve realized the way (GMT) is funded, through the urban assessments, is not really fair,” said Phil Pouech a Hinesburg selectboard member, newly elected state representative, and a commissioner on the GMT board.

Federal funding, meanwhile, provides more than 50 percent of operating costs, according to the preliminary fiscal year 2024 budget, and is disbursed based on population and demographic data. However, that funding requires a local match, putting pressure on the agency to match those funds with state and local funds.

Fares would fund roughly 10 percent of Green Mountain Transit’s budget, Moore said.

“The budget we presented to the board is balanced with about $2 million in revenue from fare collection. We do have some reserve funds, but we would basically exhaust all those for a one-year extension of the zerofare continuation,” Moore said. “Unless additional funds can be identified, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to continue the fare-free service.

“Unless we could identify some legislative funding from the State of Vermont, we are planning on resuming fare collection,” he said.

The transit agency is still feeling the lingering impacts of the pandemic. Transit lines in downtown Burlington are back to pre-pandemic levels, Moore said, but commuter routes like the 116 in Hinesburg are still experiencing as much as a 16 percent decrease in ridership from pre-pandemic numbers.

The reliance on local sources has long been considered ineffective, and efforts to lobby the Legislature for a more equitable distribution have come and gone for years.

“We’ve been thinking about this for 20 years,” Moore said. “There’s been in the last 20 years at least five different studies looking at ways to fund the non-federal portion of transit service. Nothing’s materialized to date.”

But those efforts may be renewed in the coming months, as a new Legislature convenes this week.

Green Mountain Transit board commissioner Austin Davis of Winooski stressed the need to engage with the Legislature and pursue statewide funding during GMT’s leadership committee meeting on Nov. 7, according to minutes from the meeting. Commissioner Catherine Dimitruk of Franklin County asked during the same meeting if there was interest among other transit providers to push the conversation of statewide financing study further, and commissioner Chapin Spencer of Burlington during the Dec. 15 finance committee meeting emphasized the need for continued progress on regional funding.

“Is there a statewide revenue source that could be identified to provide that 50 percent non-federal match to fund transit statewide?” Moore said. “That would alleviate the burden on the property tax. It would allow all transit agencies in the state of Vermont to continue not charging a fare and it would help maximize the leverage of the federal funds and potentially avoid future service reductions — or potentially expand service statewide in the future,” he said.

The agency last year introduced a study authored by the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission to lawmakers and the Senate Committee on Transportation as an introductory overview.

The study, which can be read at bit.ly/3ICxHF1, lays out several funding alternatives, such as a statewide gasoline tax or a tax on vehicles purchased in the state.

“That’s the silver bullet — it would benefit GMT, it would benefit statewide transit agencies and customers, and it would also benefit local municipalities because we wouldn’t be coming for a $51K assessment,” Moore said.

“For a number of years now, we’ve realized that way (GMT) is funded is not really fair.”

— Phil Pouech, Hinesburg

called for a 110-units but was met with resident opposition and a 15-month-long kerfuffle that ultimately led to the reshuffling of town zoning. Responding to the backlash, Brandon and Crombach scaled their project back to the current 78-unit proposal.

At a Nov. 16 hearing regarding the revised proposal, dozens of residents aired their grievances about the project. The greatest point of contention was regarding so-called “ghost-lines” in the site plan. The original revised proposal kept 25 percent of the current woodlands in place with a designation labeled “dedicated open space.” However, concerned residents noted that on another site map, the same area was replaced with a new designation labeled “reserved for future residential development.”

“We object to having ghost lines on any of those projects for obvious reasons; it is not the obligation of the DRB to leave doors open that don’t need to be open,” said resident Rowland Davis. “I think the town is in agreement, when a developer submits a plan and does not include any written mention of ghost lines and he’s merely saying he wants to leave a door open on more friendly terms. I hear the developer talking out of both sides of their mouths on this issue.”

Along with adhering to development review board conditions for their application, developers Crombach and Brandon

have sought wildlife, stormwater and traffic consultants in order to alleviate resident opposition.

“Certainly there are suburban-tolerant wildlife that we expect and know to frequent this property. What we did not find would be federally or state protected wildlife elements or habitats on this property,” said a consultant with Arrowwood Environmental in response to concerns over possible adverse effects on wildlife from the development. “What we have on this property is a very common general habitat we have across our state and patches throughout urban areas similar to here.”

Crombach and Brandon could not be reached for comment regarding this new development proposal, but have remained active participants in development review board meetings.

Although the appeal by residents has not yet been officially filed, it is actively in the works and local residents are not quitting until this project is met with delays, they said.

“It would significantly add to the traffic and noise,” explained Serisky. “There would also be a significant loss of privacy as the one- or two-floor homes directly adjacent to the development would have a three-story Motel-6-like structure towering over them.”

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“I hear the developer talking out of both sides of their mouths on this issue.”

— Rowland Davis

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Sometimes you have to hold some things in to safeguard others from sticky situations. It can be tricky keeping secrets, but this week it is for the best.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, there are a lot of people in your corner right now who are willing to pitch in when you need help. If you encounter an obstacle, just ask for assistance.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Gemini, change your schedule or your scenery, especially if you feel like you are in a rut. All it may take is one modi cation to bring on an entirely new perspective.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

If a person comes to you needing a friend in the next few days, resist the urge to offer advice. Simply listen and provide companionship. This is all the person needs at the moment.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Prioritize getting your nances in order, Leo. Make this one New Year’s resolution that you maintain; otherwise, you may have nancial troubles in the months to come.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

A few opportunities are coming your way in regard to your career, Virgo. Sort through all of the offers and gure out what works best for your situation.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Libra, there is a lot of momentum around you, but for some reason you cannot nd your footing. Sooner than later you’ll nd your path and will be moving along.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Take charge of your priorities, Scorpio. It can be easy to get swept away in other people’s drama. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish and start working.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Sagittarius, people are expecting much of you this week, especially higher-ups at work. You may need to nd the motivation to keep going. The end result will be worth it.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Family time is a hot commodity for you right now, Capricorn. Even after the holidays, you have a few other events on the calendar that will bring relatives together.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

It can be dif cult to let things go and trust other people. However, the free time that you’ll get will enable you to tackle other items on your to-do list, Aquarius.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

If you are thinking about going back to school or learning a new skill, this is the time to do it, Pisces. Start shopping around for programs.

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 ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure 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!

CROSSWORD

THANK YOU to the sponsors who helped make the magic of Winter Lights 2022 at Shelburne Museum!

Photograph of the Ticonderoga by Bob and Carol King.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ICE BAR SPONSORS BARR HILL, BURLINGTON BEER COMPANY, WHISTLEPIG WHISKEY, AND UNION BANK.