Shelburne News - 2-2-23

Native American art Shelburne Museum adds curatorship

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Shelburne Selectboard sets $10.6 mil budget

Voters asked to OK local option tax

STAFF WRITER LIBERTY DARR

The Shelburne Selectboard

Jan. 24 officially approved a $10,624,271 spending plan along with six other articles for Town Meeting Day.

The board also adopted increases in several fees, including those for zoning, mooring and facility use.

Of that $10.6 million budget, $8,17 million will be paid by taxes.

The nearly $730,000 increase in spending will have the town looking at a tax rate of $0.4955,

a 4.65 percent increase over last year’s rate of $0.4735. That means for every $100,000 in property value, property owners can expect to pay $495.50.

“As always we have tried to maintain a limited, minimal increase, as we all know that in the last two years we’ve really kept it almost flat,” said town manager Lee Krohn at the final budget meeting. “This year with an inflationary environment, I’m actually astounded that we came in at this point. I would have expected we

See BUDGET on page 16

Lawmakers pursue overhaul of state’s child care system

Armed with a report offering definitive paths forward and a Democratic supermajority, legislators are searching for the way forward when it comes to addressing problems with Vermont’s child care system.

As lawmakers contemplate options, workers and advocates in the industry are urging them to look beyond temporary solutions and pursue industry-redefining policy changes.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the unsustainable and inadequate child care options available to Vermont families as many parents and caregivers are increasingly required to spend outsized amounts of their income while workers still go underpaid and without benefits.

Along with housing and climate

When the circus comes to town

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change, child care has been consistently identified as one of the greatest challenges facing Vermonters, with employers from disparate industries consistently citing it as one of the foremost workforce barriers.

Act 45, passed in 2021, called for a financial analysis to determine how much it might cost to reform the child care system so that Vermonters pay no more than 10 percent of their income for child care while also adequately compensating child care workers and potentially expanding the subsidies currently available to low-income families to middle-class earners.

That study, authored by the RAND Corporation, a policy think tank, was provided to lawmakers last week.

Depending on how comprehensive an overhaul legislators decide

See CHILD CARE on page 11

PHOTO BY AL FREY

Colby Morehouse takes a shot during a CVU boys’ basketball game against Mt. Mansfield Union Jan. 27. More sports on page 10.

Taking

AARON CALVIN AND LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITERS

When?

Artist gives viewers permission to ‘use their imaginations’

The South Burlington Public Art Gallery is featuring an exhibition of 40 paintings by Charlotte artist Marvin Fishman.

Curated by Jessica Manley, the solo show represents a broad retrospective of his main series of two-dimensional work from the

“I am a promiscuous art appreciator,” Fishman said. “Figurative, abstract, cubist, impressionist, minimalist, surrealist, expressionist, naive, primitive, mixed media, portraiture, landscape, outsider

— whichever, doesn’t matter. I can love some of all. At its most basic, a piece of art has to awaken in me an emotional response and arouse my curiosity. The art does not have to be ‘beautiful.’ It does not have to be harmonious, but it does have to have impact, evoke emotionality, and impel me to dig deeper into the work.”

The exhibit runs through March 14.

Fishman, who was born in New York City, graduated from Brooklyn College and attend-

ed the both the law and graduate schools at the University of Chicago. He initially worked as a journalist in Chicago and as a freelance writer in Mexico.

Returning to New York, Fishman and his friends established The Third World Film Group, and later he and a partner opened their own studio, M2. Fishman became a founding member of Newsreel, a political activist filmmaking group.

See

Shelburne Museum has established a new curatorship in Native American Art and appointed Victoria Sunnergren as its first leader.

Sunnergren is the museum’s first associate curator of Native American Art, a post funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. In her new position, she will lead the interpretation and exhibition of the museum’s collection of Indigenous art and material culture and organize an exhibition highlighting the Perry Collection of Native American masterworks.

She will guide the museum’s

program in collaboration with an advisory board of Indigenous artists, curators, and community leaders.

“I look forward to my role in bringing Indigenous art and material culture to Shelburne’s audiences and amplifying the Indigenous voices represented in the collection,” Sunnergren said.

Sunnergren’s first project, this summer’s exhibition “Built from the Earth: Pueblo Pottery from the Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection,” highlights important items from the Perry collection. The exhibition focuses on the skill

and artistry of potters from eight of the Pueblo communities in New Mexico: Acoma, Cochiti, Laguna, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, Zia and Zuni.

“Built from the Earth” will introduce visitors to the techniques of creating these works of art, discussing the historic methods rooted in the land and materials of New Mexico.

Sunnergren earned her master’s degree from the University of Delaware, where she is currently a doctoral candidate and Andrew W. Mellon fellow.

COURTESY PHOTO

Marvin Fishman, “Pipe Dreams,” acrylic on canvas, 24 inches by 30 inches

The Black Experience 2023 is a holistic celebration of Vermont’s Black-lived experience

The free event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Flynn Theatre in Burlington.

Presented by nuwave, the Flynn and the city of Burlington, the event features performances from local artists and speakers and culminates in a fireside conversation between iconic activist and scholar Dr. Angela Davis and Dr. Tricia Rose, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown Univer-

sity.

The evening also includes a performance by Philadanco, the celebrated Philadelphia dance company.

The programming focuses on the three pillars of culture, community and education and features performers and participants Rajnii Eddins, Harmony Edosomwan, Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, Mikahely, Craig Mitchell and Afrofuturist Toussaint St. Negritude.

Black-led community organizations will also be highlighted.

“There is great power in repre-

sentation,” said Emiliano Void of nuwave, “and we really felt that Black History Month was the perfect timing for an event that showcased the thriving Black communities present here in Vermont. The Black Experience is our small contribution to building and celebrating, a more diverse and inclusive Vermont.”

Registration is encouraged at flynnvt.org.

For information on sponsorships or how to help, remail Emiliano Void at emiliano@nuwaveco.com. For more information, visit blackexperiencevt.com.

Statehouse screens ‘Backlash,’

Four years after resigning from her seat as a Vermont representative, Kiah Morris returns to tell her story in a new documentary, “Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age.”

The film will have its first U.S. screening at the Vermont Statehouse on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m. The screening will be followed by a special panel with Morris, who is featured in the film. The panel also features co-director Guylaine Maroist, Vermont House Rep. Taylor Small and Xusana Davis, Vermont’s director of racial equity and inclusion.

The screening will be followed by a U.S. tour.

“I’m thrilled that the people of Vermont are finally able to see ‘Backlash.’ My story, as well as all the others, needs to be heard for cyberviolence to end,” said Morris, who now serves as executive director for Rights & Democracy. “Digital misogyny is a threat to women, and particularly women of color, everywhere. If we are going to build a just, equitable, and truly inclusive democracy in the U.S., we have to put a stop to this.”

“Backlash” was directed by award-winning filmmakers Lea Clermont-Dion and Guylaine Maroist. The film, from Montreal’s La Ruelle Films, probes the depths of hatred against women.

“Backlash” has all the elements of a real-life horror movie, as four women on two continents tell their stories: Morris, who resigned from the Vermont state assembly after severe online harassment; Laura Boldrini, the former president of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies and the most harassed politician in Italy; Marion Seclin, a Paris-based actor and YouTuber, who received over 40,000 sexist messages, including rape and death threats; and Laurence Gratton, an elementary school teacher in Montreal

who was anonymously harassed for five years by a man who eventually was discovered to be one of her colleagues.

The film chronicles how all four women were assailed by waves of hate, how fear crept into their private lives and how they gradually lost their sense of security in public spaces.

The screening is co-hosted by the Vermont Network and the Vermont Commission on Women, in collaboration with Rights & Democracy, the Vermont Women’s Fund and Montreal-based La Ruelle Films and is supported in part by the Vermont Humanities. The film will also be shown at Essex Cinema’s T-Rex Theatre on Feb. 9, 10 and 12.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. They have 2 to 3 years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

Shelburne Police Blotter

Total reported incidents: 53

Traffic stops: 28

Warnings: 22

Tickets: 11

Arrests: 1

Medical emergencies: 21

Suspicious incidents: 6

Citizen assists: 7

Automobile incidents: 3

Car crash: 2

Theft: 1

Harassment: 1

Alarms: 4

Pending investigations: 2

Jan. 24 at 9:18 a.m., an unwanted guest was reportedly refusing to leave Harbor Place. Police were dispatched and the man was escorted off the property.

Jan. 24 at 10 a.m., a caller told police that another guest at Harbor Place was creating a disturbance. Police and outreach services were sent to the property and assisted in mediating the dispute.

Jan. 25 at 8:31 a.m., police were dispatched to Harbor Place after a caller said a guest might have a firearm on the premises. Shelburne cops secured the weapon from a man and a woman on the property, and took Kevin Gosgrove, 31, of Milton, into custody for an outstanding warrant.

Jan. 25 at 11:52 a.m., an unwanted guest was refusing to leave the Quality Inn. Police arrived on the scene, but the man had left

When the circus comes to town

prior to their arrival.

Jan. 25 at 2:11 p.m., a woman called police and told them her father was refusing to give her a check that had been mailed to his address. Police helped mediate the dispute.

Jan. 25 at 3:01 p.m., a caller told police that someone was lying on the walking path near Boulder Hill Drive and Webster Road, but on arrival she told police she was just relaxing and enjoying the day.

Jan. 25 at 6:28 p.m., a caller told police he was threatened by another guest at the T-Bird Motel. Officers mediated the dispute.

Jan. 25 at 8:28 p.m., a retail theft was reported at Kinney Drugs. Police could not locate the individual and the incident is under investigation.

Jan. 26 at 3:42 p.m., an unwanted guest refused to leave Harbor Place, a caller told police. Shelburne police and outreach servicers were sent, and the man was escorted off the property.

Jan. 26 at 4:28 p.m., a two-car crash was reported in Shelburne Shopping Park. No injuries were reported.

Jan. 27 at 8:37 p.m., a one-car crash was reported with no injuries on Mount Philo Road.

Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., a caller told police he had been receiving threatening messages. The case is under investigation.

Shelburne News

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Guest Perspective

Walt Amses

Joe Biden remembers when the measure of a man was his relationship with his car and considering the president’s ride is a revered 1967 Corvette he keeps securely under wraps, why would it matter that the trunk contained a sheaf of classified documents?

Here’s the deal: “Shut up and stop with the questions already.”

Watching the president smash through a gauntlet of reporters, as though on a stiff legged, breakthrough sprint to the end zone, fending off questions with a juke step or straight arm does not provide great optics for a commander in chief with a troubling penchant for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

While supporters cringe at Biden having anything more in common with his predecessor than age spots and bad hair, ill-timed missteps, thoroughly blown photo ops and a general tendency to come off like a doofus consistently set him up as an easy target, seemingly happy to oblige Republicans who depict him as a bumbler of the highest order, unable to do anything right.

One problem with the GOP’s giddy assessment is that it’s totally inaccurate. The president can boast accomplishments that have surprised even some of his staunchest constituents. But that’s

not what everyone remembers.

Unscripted moments lie in wait as the White House press corps stalks Biden like hungry leopards on the Serengeti, thirsty for almost any response as aides encircle the president like anxious wildebeests protecting a vulnerable calf. Federal agents scour offices, residences, garages and storerooms, turning up a daily dribble of classified material, some dating back to when the Vette was nearly new. Several times a week, to the horror of West Wing staffers, 46 will stumble upon a vacant podium, unable to resist the temptation to “set the record straight,” which he generally doesn’t, instigating instead a flurry of “What the president meant was ...”

The newly minted Republican congressional majority that will be holding the country hostage for the next two years can’t wait to pounce, vowing to “investigate the investigation(s)” and impeach everyone from attorney general to the homeland security secretary to the president himself.

Having brutally gelded Kevin McCarthy into a speakership with about as much power as the washroom attendant, Matt Gaetz, purveyor of underaged conspiracy theories, will be the ringmaster of this particular big top, a bevy of clowns at the ready.

One of the new stars in the GOP constellation will most assuredly be Long Island’s George Santos, whose refresh-

ing honesty about performing as a drag queen in Brazil before trashing the LGBTQ community during his campaign, provided a breath of fresh air as McCarthy cited his presumed ability to nod like a bobblehead and push the right button at the right time like one of BF Skinner’s pigeons. He will join the whack job caucus as soon as he is cleared of allegations that he defrauded a now deceased dog.

In a country with more gates than a giant slalom course already, house MAGAlites shun fears of redundancy, foisting “Docu-Gate” or “Garage-Gate” or “Whatever-Gate” on an unsuspecting America, unearthing once again the false equivalence — oranges are actually apples — theory, conflating POTUS emeritus’s thievery, perjury and obstruction of justice with Biden’s need to visit Staples. No matter that it defies what used to be considered logic, it’s enough of a bone to toss a perpetually deluded constituency salivating to believe the unbelievable.

Finally, however much the GOP Brahmins would like to rid themselves of the Mar-a-Lago Misanthrope, there are several complexities involved beyond not having the collective cojones to do it themselves. Ideally, slamming the coffin lid would come from somewhere else, like the

See AMSES on page 12

OPINION

Dems top legislative issues could end up costing us all

Guest Perspective

John McClaughry

Two months ago, I published a column titled “Return of the Johnstown Flood.” That was my metaphor for the flood of legislation that was certain to occur once the Democratic Party commanded a veto-proof majority in both the Vermont House and Senate. It now does, and that flood is proceeding at alarming velocity.

Its foremost component is enacting the clean heat standard bill, vetoed last May by Gov. Phil Scott. That bill, now shamelessly renamed the Affordable Heating Act (S.5), is a complex scheme to subsidize heat pumps, advanced wood pellet furnaces and home weatherization. On Jan. 26 Vermont Agency of Natural Resources secretary Julie Moore announced that the best guess of the cost is $1.2 billion over seven years. That cost will be paid for by jacking up the price of fuel paid by 65 percent of Vermont families to stay warm with heating oil — price

increased by 70 cents/gallon — natural gas and propane. That’s a hidden heating fuel tax.

The most notable change in this year’s version is omitting any check-back provision that would require legislators to vote to put this billion-dollar program into effect. Instead, the bill empowers the Public Utility Commission to launch the program after filing reports with legislative committees that aren’t required to take any action. So much for accountability, which today’s Democrats try to avoid like the plague.

New Senate President pro tem Phil Baruth (D-Chittenden) has said that enacting this bill is the Legislature’s top priority, and that a veto by the governor will be overridden.

The next big-ticket item is an all-out push for child care. The long-awaited RAND Corporation report estimated that a feasible program would cost an additional $258 million every year, to start with, on top of the current $125 million spent for that purpose. The lobby group Let’s Grow Kids is

running TV commercials urging early action.

At the same time, the majority will push through paid family and medical leave: 12 weeks a year for new mothers, six weeks for fathers, full-wage replacement up to $1,135 a week, paid for with a payroll tax of 0.58 percent. When asked if both big-ticket programs could be paid for, House Ways and Means Chair Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro) cheerfully offered this remarkable reply: “We don’t have the capacity to not do them both.”

Single-payer health care crashed and burned in 2014 because for three years the Shumlin administration couldn’t find a way to raise over $2 billion a year to pay for it. Now its advocates are back with a new version: universal primary care. It’s not clear how this partial version would work, or cost, but its advocates will be beating on the Statehouse door to get their pet idea onto the action calendar.

The Vermont teacher’s union has long had an iron grip on the Democratic Party. This time it’s allied with the school boards

association and superintendents. The issue will be paying tuition to faith-based independent schools, in compliance with a U.S. Supreme Court decision last June that forbade discriminating against those schools.

Their ally, the American Civil Liberties Union, has recommended the simplest solution: terminate all tuition payments to all independent schools. What the union and its allies will decide to demand is not yet clear, but it may well put parental choice on the road to extinction or force independent schools to yield their independence to become public bodies, which is the same thing.

The Vermont Labor Council AFL-CIO has already come in with its long-yearned-for bill (S.12) to ban the secret ballot in union representation elections. It’s called card check. If the union can convince 50 percent plus one of the employees in the bargaining group to sign cards approving the union representation, the deal is done.

The last time this issue came up, in 2007, I noted that “as

recently as 2001 then-Rep. Bernie Sanders, true to a century of Labor doctrine, wrote, ‘We feel that the secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure that workers are not intimidated into voting for a union they might not otherwise choose.’”

But that was then, and intimidation is back in style.

Finally, Gun Sense Vermont, a favorite ally of Baruth, will work with him to repeal the Sportsmen’s Bill of Rights, the 1988 law that prevents local municipalities from enacting their own, constitutionally questionable gun control laws.

Democratic Gov. Madeleine Kunin and Lt. Gov. Howard Dean strongly supported that act, which passed the House 135-2 and the Senate on a voice vote, but that was then, before progressivism captured the imagination of most Vermont Democrats.

Those are just the seven issues high on the Democratic policy agenda. There are others.

John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute.

Letters to the Editor

Bobcats underscore need for wild spaces

To the Editor: My household thanks you for the spectacular photo of two bobcats on the Jan. 19 cover. A real treat.

It reminded me to also be thankful for the work of Shelburne’s Natural Resources and Conservation Committee, which has worked hard at ensuring the continuation of the town’s open space fund. Those open spaces are part of the habitat that these bobcats inhabit.

It also reminded me that Shelburne is blessed with wild habitats and natural landscapes that are only partially and sporadically protected. We need to help meet the demand for housing, but we also must protect our natural treasures in the face of relentless pressure to develop. That’s going to take leadership from town leaders and involvement by residents.

Jim White Shelburne

Opposes trapping in Vermont

To the Editor:

Thank you, David Kelley, for your informative, compassionate

perspective on animal traps. (“A farewell to arms … and legs, paws, pets, other dear things,” Jan. 26, 2023)

I can’t even imagine anyone needing or using them, never mind liking them. I’m curious, but does anyone ever post videos of their own bare hands, feet or heads caught in these traps, so they can prove how harmless they are? If not, why not? It would be especially informative to see someone so comfortable that they’re falling asleep with one of their body parts clamped in a trap.

If these people get a kick out of seeing animals that way, wouldn’t it even more fun to see one of their own caught in a trap? Something to laugh about over a few beers. If you think I’m being mean, think again. What is mean is believing it’s OK to torture innocent, unsuspecting animals, who are only living their lives the way God intended them to.

Vivian Jordan Shelburne

Trapping op-ed misleads, distorts Vermont data

To the Editors: Cherry-picking data from surveys to make your point is a common distortion tactic. Cher-

ry-picking surveys themselves takes it to another level.

With that in mind, it is ironic that the author of a recent pro-trapping commentary complained that an earlier commentary opposing recreational trapping supposedly distorted the truth (Jerry D’Amico, “Trap-

ping commentaries seldom right, most always distort truth,” Jan. 19, 2023).

The initial commentary claimed that according to the most recent survey on public attitudes on trapping, paid for by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and conducted by Responsive Management, 68 percent of Vermonters oppose recreational trapping.

To refute that claim, the pro-trapping author referred us all to the Responsive Management trapping survey done for the department in 2018. However, the most recent survey the first commentator cited was conducted in 2022. The 2022 survey reports exactly what the first commentator claimed: 68 percent of Vermonters oppose recreational trapping.

Compounding this error, D’Amico then attempts to undercut a second survey that showed 75 percent of Vermonters oppose recreational trapping. That study was conducted in 2017 by the University of Vermont’s Vermont Center for Rural Studies, not the Vermont Center for Rural Development, as D’Amico claimed.

He followed that with two more significant errors. He claimed, contrary to available evidence, that the survey was sent mostly to Chittenden County residents and did not represent Vermont overall. The Vermont Center for Rural Studies has a long track record of professionally conducted surveys of all Vermonters.

D’Amico then asserts that the second survey is suspect because a wildlife advocacy organization

that opposes trapping paid for it. That is a reasonable caution to bear in mind. However, D’Amico totally jettisons this reasonable caution when citing the surveys paid for by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which again, as an organization, supports recreational trapping.

For that reason, it is even more remarkable — and trustworthy — since it goes against bias and interest that the department’s own 2022 survey clearly shows a substantial majority of all Vermonters opposing recreational trapping.

Finally, while there is much else to chew on in D’Amico’s piece, one particular canard stood out — that animals caught in foothold traps don’t suffer but are often found simply sleeping. Exhausted and in deep shock after hours of struggle is more likely. The mortal threat of being caught in a trap is not likely lost on any animal. It beggars the imagination to believe any would decide it is a good time for a nap.

The subject recalls a “gentleman” of Charles Darwin’s acquaintance who was quoted in Darwin’s “Trapping Agony” regarding such traps in 1863. “I know of no sight more sorrowful than that of these unoffending animals as they are seen in the torture grip of these traps,” he writes. “They sit drawn up into a little heap, as if collecting all their force of endurance to support the agony; some sit in a half torpid state induced by intense suffering.”

Rob Mullen

West Bolton

COURTESY PHOTO

From left, Kayla Ouimet, RN, nurse manager, Deborah Beach, RN, and Dr. Emmanuel Saint Jean, all of the Alice Hyde Medical Center’s emergency department, in a patient room with mobility aids. The hospital’s emergency department team earned geriatric accreditation through the American College of Emergency Physicians earlier this month. To earn accreditation, a team of providers led by Saint Jean, Alice Hyde’s lead emergency department physician, and Ouimet, participated in specialized training focused on care of geriatric patients. It’s the first emergency department in the University of Vermont Health Network to achieve a geriatric accreditation.

News from Pierson Library

Join the Pierson Library on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10:30 a.m. for “Taking Things Apart” in the town hall. Learn how everyday things work through the simple act of taking them apart.

The program first teaches safe tool use before turning participants loose to dissect real machines with the help of engineers and volunteers. Enjoy taking things apart

Shelburne Age Well hosts Grab and Go meal

and making a mess at the library without getting in trouble.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m., the Pierson Library Town Hall hosts “Finding Jesse: A Fugitive from Slavery in Vermont” with Jane Williamson. The illustrated talk brings the narrative of one slave out of anonymity and explores his life and pursuit of freedom.

Community Notes

grounds, priorities, reasons for running for office and their point of views about town government process and policy.

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and are available for anyone 60 or older.

The menu includes Swedish meatballs with sauce, rotini noodles, brussels sprouts, French green beans, wheat dinner roll with butter, pineapple tidbits and 1-percent milk

To order a meal contact Sheryl Oberding by Wednesday, Feb. 8 at soberding@yahoo. com or 802-825-8546.

Shelburne holds candidate forum

Ask questions and share concerns with the 2023 candidates for Shelburne Selectboard and district school board on Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. at the Shelburne town offices.

The forum is an opportunity for residents to learn more about candidates’ back-

Questions for the candidates are generated from town residents and voters. Send questions via email to both the forum moderator, Tom Little, littlet@vsac.org, and to the forum coordinator, Nancy Baker, nebakervt@gmail.com, and include your name and Shelburne address.

Questions should be submitted by Monday, Feb. 13. The forum is sponsored by the Shelburne Democratic and Republican committees.

Pianist plays community concerts for cooler climate

On Sunday, Feb. 12, from 2-3:30 p.m., pianist David Feurzeig will play a free concert at the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Road, as part of his project to play a free show in all of Vermont’s 252 towns to spread the joy of music and promote environmentally sustainable touring methods. The choir will sing music of 19th-century Vermont

COURTESY PHOTO

Acoustic jams are held on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Pierson Library in Shelburne.

Champlain Valley Exposition Essex Junction, Vermont

Middlebury Community Players give ‘Being Earnest’ a go

Set in late-19th century England, Oscar Wilde’s play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” pokes fun at the pretentiousness of upperclass Victorian society. That pretentiousness forces two characters, Jack and Algernon, to create fictitious lives to avoid the social repercussions of their less attractive lifestyles. However, their clever tricks become increasingly difficult to maintain when they insist on proposing marriage to the women they love. The Middlebury Community Players presents the classic comedy Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. as well as a matinee on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater. For tickets, visit townhalltheater.org or call 802-382-9222.

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 8

hymnodists, and music director Cameron Brownell will join Feurzeig for a set of songs by Gabriel Fauré. For more information, visit playeverytown.com or contact playevertown@gmail.com.

Special Olympics hosts Vermont Penguin Plunge

The 2023 Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge is coming up on Saturday, Feb. 4, but due to severe weather, the event will now be held remotely.

More than 900 individuals, including students, educators and community members were expected to take an icy dip into Lake Champlain in support of Special Olympics Vermont.

Events include the Cool Schools Penguin Plunge with students and educators, and Burlington Penguin Plunge with community members.To learn how to participate remotely, go to bit.ly/3wIRVWd.

League of Women Voters launches climate series

The League of Women Voters of Vermont, in partnership with Kellogg-Hubbard Library, presents the fourth in its 2022-23 lecture series on the impact of climate change on Vermont.

The series looks at the effects of climate change on personal, economic and ecological levels

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and explores what people and communities can do fight climate change.

The program on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. presents a legislative update. Panel members are Vermont Sen. Andrew Perchlik and Rep. Gabrielle Stebbins.

The program will be hosted on Zoom. Attendance is free, but guests must register at bit. ly/3WRmQuk.

Hinesburg Fire Department hosts hands-only CPR clinic

To help raise awareness that February is Heart Health Month, the Hinesburg Fire Department is hosting a hands-only CPR clinic.

The clinic will be held at the Hinesburg Fire Station, Route 116, Hinesburg, on Saturday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m. to noon. This will be a dropin clinic to teach hands-only CPR. This life-saving technique can be learned in 5 to 10 minutes and be performed by all ages.

This is not a certification class.

If you’re interested in certification, contact fire officials at info@ hinesburgfd.org.

Ethan Allen Museum hosts book discussion

On Sunday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m., the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum will host a book club discussion of “Seven Years of Grace: The Inspired Mission of Ascha W.

Sprague” by Sara Rath. The book is a historical novel based on a true story and steeped in primary source research about Achsa W. Sprague of Plymouth, one of America’s best-known Vermont spiritualists of the 19th century.

In addition to spiritualism, Sprague was active in the abolition of slavery, women’s rights and prison reform. Her muse? Another woman’s husband.

You do not have to read the book to attend. Anyone interested in the general topic is welcome. Due to overwhelming request, this event will be fully remote. To register or buy the book, go to bit. ly/3WD4rkI. Call 802-863-5403 or email jdevino1791@gmail.com for further information.

University hosts faculty scholarship concert

On Sunday, Feb. 12, from 2-3 p.m., the University of Vermont will host its annual faculty scholarship concert at the UVM Recital Hall.

Every year, the music program’s faculty come together for an afternoon of jazz and classical music in support of scholarships. Admission is by donation only and all money raised will go to support private lessons for students in need.

COURTESY PHOTO

Summer Camps

2023 GUIDE

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

Publication Dates: February 9, March 9

and April 6

Deadlines: Thursdays before each issue

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

CVU girls suffer first loss on the court

LAURE READ CORRESPONDENT

Girls’ basketball

Shenendehowa N.Y. 52, Champlain Valley 48: Champlain Valley girls’ basketball staged a comeback in the fourth quarter but fell short in a loss to Shenende-

howa, N.Y., on Saturday.

Addi Hunter had 20 points to pace CVU, which suffered its first loss of the season and dropped to 9-1. Shelby Companion chipped in with 11 points, while Elise Berger added nine.

Boys’ basketball

Champlain Valley 70, St.

The Secret to Your Summer Camp’s Success

Johnsbury 48: Champlain Valley opened the second half with a 15-2 run to pull away from St. Johnsbury on Monday, Jan. 30.

Kyle Eaton led all scorers with 18 points for the Redhawks, who moved to 13-1 with the win.

Alex Provost added 15 points, Tucker Tharpe had 14 points and Sam Sweeney chipped in with 12.

The Redhawks also beat Mount Mansfield on Friday, Jan. 27, 51-31.

Sweeney and Provost each had 12 points for CVU.

Boys’ hockey

Champlain Valley 3, U-32 3: The boys gave up a late goal and had to settle for a tie with U-32 on Monday.

Zach Vincent, Nic Menard and Connor Malaney each had a goal for the Redhawks, while Trevin Keefe stopped 33 shots in goal. With the tie, CVU moves to 5-6-3.

The Redhawks fell to Spaulding on Saturday, Jan. 28, losing 6-2. Malaney and Devon Fay each had a goal. Ellison Fortin made 22 saves.

Girls’ hockey

Spaulding 4, Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield 3: The Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield dropped its second game in a row with a loss to Spaulding on Saturday.

To learn more or reserve your space, talk to us today!

Tess Everett, Hannah Schmid and Samara Tucker each had a goal for the CougarHawks, who move to 10-4-1. Grace Ferguson made 20 saves in goal.

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Elise Berger, at left, head down the court in a recent matchup against South Burlington. Above, battle for the ball.

CHILD CARE continued from page 1

to pursue — and what kind of new taxes they decide to raise — the report estimated the cost of an overhaul of the child care system to be somewhere between $179 million and $279 million per year.

Closing the initial gap would mean spending $179 million to $193 million per year to retain the status quo of limiting subsidies to families making three and a half times the poverty level or less. The 2022 poverty level for a family of four was $27,750.

Going even further and subsidizing health care expenses for Vermonters and expanding child care subsidies to middle-class earners would cost $256 million to $279 million per year.

Covering the lower cost would require just a single new tax revenue stream but raising the higher amount and expanding child care services further would require a bundle of taxes.

New tax options laid out by the RAND study include a near 1 percent payroll tax, a 2-percentage-point increase in the sales tax, a new limited services tax of nearly 10 percent or a new expanded services tax of just over 7 percent, with the payroll tax being the more progressive option and the sales tax option being the most regressive tax.

The study asserted that even instituting a mix of taxes to fund the expansion of child care subsidies to middle class earners, or those whose income is five times the poverty level, would have a “small impact on household well-being,” even while acknowledging that parents with young children make up a relatively small segment of the state’s population.

While expanding child care subsidies would only expand employment by a modest amount, the report said, it could potentially allow a greater number of women, who bear the brunt of inadequate child care options, to join the workforce.

On the ground

Loveworks, located in South Burlington, offers year-round programs for children six weeks old through pre-kindergarten with activities that seek to enhance fine and gross motor skills, language development and social and emotional skills.

Tara Brooks, the school’s director of operations, explained that the greatest need for the school is staffing. The South Burlington location

is currently at the max capacity of 58 students, with a waitlist of 30 families and nearly 100 families for its centers located elsewhere in the state.

“We did a wage increase in December for all of our staff,” said Brooks. “That range depending on the staff was anywhere from 5 to 15 percent and we’re still struggling to attract and keep employees in our programs and finding substitutes.”

Loveworks costs families anywhere from $1,200 to $1,800 a month depending on a child’s age with nearly 25 percent of families in the schools utilizing subsidies. But Brooks explained that those subsidies still won’t cover 100 percent of the costs for care.

“We’re constantly analyzing our tuition versus what we can pay our teachers and trying to balance,” she said “We know that parents can only afford so much but there’s a need to offer higher salaries in order to entice the best people in the field. We’re constantly competing with public schools.”

Enduring the same staffing shortage struggles is the Charlotte Children’s Center. The nonprofit was founded in 1984 by a group of local parents and serves children ages 12 weeks through five years old.

Public education teacher of 16 years and local parent Kelly Bouteiller took on the role of executive director in August after an intense search for the right candidate.

“Despite a fairly intense search, there was no director to be found,” Bouteiller said. “I had a background in education, and I was so compelled by the dedication of the teachers who love the school so much and take their work so seriously.”

The center currently is at max capacity of 56 with nearly 210 families currently on the waitlist.

“We are consistently understaffed, it’s really tight to try to just get through the day and make sure that we have appropriate staffing to meet state ratios and to provide high quality education for the kids,”’ said Bouteiller. “We have been working under shorten hours because we just do not have the bodies right now.”

Although the child care costs families nearly $1,400 to $1,800 a month depending on their child’s age, Bouteiller explained that with the rising cost of everything, there remains a massive disconnect

between what it costs to educate a young child and what it costs to pay their teachers.

Only 7 percent of families utilize child care subsidies, and although this system has been improved Bouteiller said that it still has major flaws.

“Sometimes the amount that the state will pay and what they assign the family’s co-payment to be, when you combine those things, they often still don’t match our tuition rate. So, there’s this gap in funding and no one really tells the families that,” she said.

First Roots - Wild Roots — previously known as Annette’s Preschool — has been serving Hinesburg families for over 40 years.

Owner and operator Andrea Sambrook explained that COVID19 pandemic was a trauma that overlayed many challenges with early childhood. Like the story of many other care centers, Sambrook was forced to raise tuition rates nearly 10 percent in March— something she hasn’t done in over a decade.

“Part of my wish for the new bill is that they have a streamlined birth to age eight system of delivery,” she said “Let’s Grow Kids does a really nice job of helping the community understand that a child’s brain is cognitively on fire from birth to 5 years old. The idea that funding starts at age 5 for public school is really a misalignment with what we know about brain development.”

“I really hope that in the way that they decide to increase the compensation for staff, the way that they look to reduce the cost for families and the way that they are ensuring high quality has a respect for all these diverse learning environments that are unique to what families need.”

Legislative perspective

Despite calls for historic investment in overhauling the state’s child care system, Republican Gov. Phil Scott outlined just $56 million in his initial budget proposal to invest in child care.

This was met with immediate pushback from Let’s Grow Kids, the Vermont child care reform advocacy organization that’s currently pushing legislators to make a substantial investment through lobbying, messaging and advertising.

Aly Richards, the organization’s CEO, called the RAND study the “final piece of the puzzle” in the effort her advocacy group has been working toward for a decade and sees this legislative session as the pivotal moment when real child care policy reform can be enacted.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a historic transformation of a sector that will help kids in Vermont in a way that

they absolutely need,” Richards said. “The research is in, the testimonials of Vermont families are in. This is what our youngest children need.”

Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Williston, who represents the towns of Shelburne, Hinesburg, Charlotte and South Burlington, among others, sits on both the health and welfare and appropriations committees in the Senate, and she’s currently drafting an initial bill with other House and Senate members to put forward the Democrats’ plan for child care reform based on recommendations in the RAND study.

While she said she recognized that this was the historic moment to invest in child care reform, she also said she favored the more conservative recommendation of a single tax such as a 1 percent payroll tax rather than an expansion of child care subsidies.

“We’re looking to improve access and quality for folks while

keeping our costs as low as we can, so that they can meet their needs,” Lyons said. “If we start down that road, we want to ensure that we’re not going to be taking away from this investment in the future.”

Shelburne Rep. Jessica Brumsted, Chittenden-5-2, co-chair of the House Committee on Human Services, spoke to three things that the bill will be looking to address: affordability for families, compensation for our early educators and systems oversight and leadership.

“We really are going to make some changes inside of the Agency of Education and the Department of Children and Families. We want to expand capacity and reduce bureaucracy within the childcare system while maintaining parental choice and a mixed delivery system of home-based, community-based and school-based programs, and refocus the role and funding for public and private entities,” she said.

How

How

“We know that parents can only afford so much but there’s a need to offer higher salaries in order to entice the best people in the field.”

— Tara Brooks

Community Bankers Chittenden County

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS

There is no better time to join our Team!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Are you looking to start or continue a career in the finance industry? Consider joining our team as a Community Banker! To see all our available positions, please visit www.NSBVT.com/careers/open-positions.

Job Responsibilities & Requirements

This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills. The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required.

If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

Opportunity for Growth

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

What NSB Can Offer You

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

We understand the importance of having evenings and weekends with our friends, families, and the communities we serve!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com or Northfield Savings Bank Human Resources | PO Box 7180, Barre, VT 05641

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

AMSES

continued from page 4

Justice Department or the state of Georgia providing Republicans with a sigh of relief as well as another opportunity for fake outrage at the indignity of it all. The other, perhaps greater obstacle is that he’s still as popular with conservative voters as pornography in Utah.

Another improbable wrinkle is that recent polls found his popularity still strong in the worst possible way for the GOP: Not strong enough to win in 2024 but plenty strong enough to screw his party over as he’s done in every election since winning the presidency six years ago as

FISHMAN continued from page 2

After moving to Vermont in the 1970s, Fishman headed the University of Vermont’s media facilities and returned to independent media work and journalism, among other endeavors.

Desiring more physical contact with materials in his creative pursuits, he turned away from film to the more “primitive” and equipment-free medium of painting.

Now in his eighties, Fishman has enjoyed working in his Charlotte studio for the last several decades. His work spans a multi-

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 9

The performance lineup includes Jiwon Lee, cello; Bethany Blake, piano; Andrea Maas and Stefanie Weigand, vocals; Tom Cleary, piano; Matt La Rocca, viola; Tom Toner, percussion; Timothy Sessions, trombone; Geoff Kim, guitar; Ray Vega, trumpet; and Tom Cleary, piano.

American Legion Post 91 hosts Marine Corps meeting

A meeting for active duty, retired and guard of the U.S. Marine Corps will be held on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 7 to 8 p.m. at American Legion Post 91 in Colchester.

Meet other Marines in the Burlington area, share information and learn about the programs offered at the league.

Brian McCarthy Jazz Orchestra features Vega

On Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the University of

he grifts his way kicking and screaming into obscurity, raging to no one on his oxymoronic “Truth” Social with “ungrateful” evangelicals looking elsewhere for help imposing their favorite superstitions on the rest of us.

Even his family — except for Melania, who’s under contract — skipped his “very big announcement” at the asylum by the sea launching one more election long con.

All of which leaves Speaker McCarthy in a situation even more precarious than the one he negotiated himself into by striking bargain after bargain with the

hostage takers who still refused to release him, further diminishing his already paltry options, and weakening his position to the point a single house member can initiate a no confidence vote. Since it’s far too late to grow a spinal cord, which wouldn’t matter anyway at this point, McCarthy finds himself on the shortest of leashes with his next two years pretty much limited to being an errand boy who won’t even get to decide which way to crawl.

tude of genres primarily rendered in acrylic paints and on a variety of media, such as canvas, wood, stones and even dead tree roots. He often works in the wet-onwet method (alla prima), pouring paint into other wet layers then manipulating it to shape and blend the colors.

“My subjects are imaginary — imaginary faces, landscapes and abstracts. Degas said, ‘Art is not what you see but what you make others see.’ Often enough, the viewer sees figurative images in my abstractions where no such

images were purposely made,” Fishman said. “In most of my work, my concerns are density, texture, contrast, movement, design and balance.”

“My aim is to give viewers free rein to use their imagination.”

For more information, contact gallery@southburlingtonvt.gov.

The gallery, located at 180 Market St., is free and available to the public whenever the public library, city hall or senior center are open: Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Vermont Recital Hall, saxophonist and composer Brian McCarthy directs the 17-piece jazz orchestra, combining new works and musicianship.

The orchestra will showcase Latin jazz originals and classic standards arranged by McCarthy and Ray Vega. The event is free.

Enjoy Age Well meals at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Feb. 2, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features sliced pot roast with au jus, ranch mashed potatoes, carrots and cabbage, wheat roll with butter, apple pie and milk.

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

The meal on Thursday, Feb. 9, features stuffed chicken with ham and cheese, mashed potatoes, baby beets, potato dinner roll with

butter, applesauce birthday cake and milk.

The meal on Thursday, Feb. 16, features Swedish meatballs with sauce, rotini noodles, Brussel sprouts, French green beans, wheat dinner roll with butter, pineapple tidbits and milk.

The meal on Thursday, Feb. 23, features oven fried chicken, red mashed potatoes with sour cream, Capri blend vegetables with lentils, wheat bread and butter, pumpkin custard with cream, and milk.

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

FOR SALE:

WOMAN’S SHINOLA WATCH: Excellent condition, retailed $800. Silver with gold lettering. Asking $450. Contact Rich 802-497-7437.

Walt Amses is a writer who lives in North Calais.

Valentine dance

Me & My Special Person Valentine

Dance tickets are on sale. This popular annual event is for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade and their special adult person (dad, mom, grandpa, grandma, etc.).

Photo booth, disco lights and great music by Top Hat entertainment. Treats, snacks and drinks will be served, and each child will get a memento to take home.

The dance is Friday, Feb. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Through Feb. 9, the cost is $25 per couple, $5 per additional person (additional sibling or adult).

Tickets can be purchased at the recreation office during business hours. Get them early so as not to miss out on this special night at the Shelburne Town gym.

The cost is $30 for tickets sold day of event and at the door.

Youth lacrosse

Shelburne youth lacrosse registration is now open. This program is offered to Shelburne kids in kindergarten to grade eight. Registration is $55 though the deadline of March 6.

Kids in grades three to eight are required

to get a U.S. Lacrosse membership to play in the league, which is separate from the registration fee. Players must provide their own equipment.

Kids in kindergarten and grades one and two will have coed programs and are not required to get a membership. Registration for this age group includes a mini lacrosse stick.

See shelburnevt.org/160/parks-recreation for full details.

Baseball and softball

The registration deadline for Champlain Valley Little League Baseball and Softball, formerly Shelburne Little League, is March 1. Go to champlainvalleylittleleague.org for program details and registration.

Novice Yang 24 tai chi

Yang 24 class dates in the town center gym are Mondays, Feb. 6 to May 8, 11 a.m.-noon.

Yang 24 refresher essions are Wednesdays, Feb. 8 to May 10, 11 a.m.-noon. Bring indoor shoes. Free, but donations accepted.

Why not have a job you love?

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a supportive environment by providing case management for individuals either for our Adult Family Care program or our Developmental Services program. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical, organizational & leadership skills and enjoy working in a team-oriented position. $47,000 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Shared Living Provider: Move into someone’s home or have someone live with you to provide residential supports. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements. $1,000 sign on bonus.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Make a career making a difference and join our team today!

https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Champlain

Community Services, Inc.

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”.

Buying Sports and Collectible

802-233-1451 • Office: 802-497-1681 Hyperreliccards@gmail.com • hyperrelic.com

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Aries, it’s important to focus on progress and not necessarily on money that can be made. See what you can learn along the path you choose.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

You have high hopes that your efforts will be well received this week, Taurus. Before you move full speed ahead, run your ideas by a trusted group of con dantes.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

You don’t learn by getting things right all of the time, Gemini. A few mistakes along the way provide an opportunity to grow and gure out new ways to do the job.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, distractions seemingly abound this week and your head isn’t in the game. While you can get away with a few oversights here and there, too many can be problematic.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, someone in your life is looking for a pep talk and you are just the person to provide one. Listen to the problem at hand and offer this person some solid solutions.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, you could be at a crossroads in your life. You are pondering many different scenarios, and now is the time to solidify plans for the next few weeks.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

If you made a career change recently, you may be discovering that the payoff isn’t quite what you expected. Ful llment is essential, so give some thought to new pursuits.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, it is not like you to feel adrift, but that could be the situation right now. Latch on to one activity or person that brings you joy. Focus on the positives in life.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Sagittarius, family members want to spend more time with you, so plan for the extra company. Have a few extra snacks on hand and make sure the house is orderly.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Your tendency to want to tackle things all on your own could have you pushing others away, Capricorn. Accept others’ willingness to pitch in.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

Aquarius, there has been a lot on your plate and many thoughts swimming through your mind. A quick getaway could be what is needed this month.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Pisces, you have a few offers on the table, but could be having trouble narrowing down your preference. Bring in a third party to help.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Shed tears

5. Luxury jewelry designer

10. Goddess of wisdom

12. Convert into a particular form

14. Working-class people

16. It borders Canada (abbr.)

18. A princess can detect its presence

19. Red-brown sea bream

20. Defunct retail empire

22. Vase

23. Demeter’s equivalent

25. Monetary unit of the Maldives

26. French and Belgian river

27. Small amount

28. High schoolers’ test

30. Animal’s foot

31. Some is red

33. Per __: each

35. Swedish jazz pop duo

37. Plate for Eucharist

38. Train line

40. Russian pop duo

41. Stake

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

42. Plant by scattering

44. Female sibling

45. City of Angels hoopsters (abbr.)

48. Popular cookie brand

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!

50. Group of Niger-Congo languages

52. A team’s best pitcher

53. Vomits

55. 19th letter of Greek alphabet

56. Men’s fashion accessory

57. Its capital is Pierre (abbr.)

58. Expensive cut of steak

63. Popular James Cameron lm

65. A __: relating to knowledge gleaned from deduction

66. Kids’ snow toys

67. Flip side to yin

CLUES DOWN

1. Global public health agency

2. Snake-like sh

3. Midway between northeast and east

4. Dabbed

5. TV show

6. Folk singer DiFranco

7. Canadian yers

8. Of the dowry

9. Commercial

10. The act of imitating

11. Equipment used to broadcast radio or TV signals

13. Lands of an emir

15. Swiss river

17. Island

ANSWERS

18. Monetary unit of Afghanistan

21. One who surrenders under agreed conditions

23. Gar eld is one

24. A baglike structure in a plant or animal

27. Small boats used in the Black Sea

29. Small savory Spanish dishes

32. Body part

34. Touch lightly

35. Popular grilled foods on a stick

36. __ Hess: oil company

39. Antelope with a reddish coat

40. Pharaoh of Lower Egypt

43. Pink Floyd’s Roger 44. Short and thick 46. Small, sac-like cavities 47. Performer __-Lo 49. Entrails of animal used as food 51. __ King Cole, musician

Where construction is done 59. Chap 60. Investment vehicle 61. Often mixed with tonic

Holiday beverage egg __

would have landed somewhere higher.”

Krohn noted that the municiipal tax rate is just an estimate at this point, and the final rate will be determined in the spring and set by the selectboard after the grand list is finalized.

Cost drivers

One of the biggest issues this year was staffing shortages. In response, the selectboard conduct ed a system-wide staffing analysis in August to gather an overview of how the town has approached staffing in the past and gather recommendations for moving forward.

“As the budget season is unfolding, I think the entire board is thinking about our staffing needs. Every department has asked for additional help,” selectboard chair Mike Ashooh told the Shelburne News in November. “The staffing report confirmed what a lot of us suspected.”

Based on the report, regardless of Shelburne’s significant growth in population in recent years, current staffing levels have remained constant over those years, town officials noted. This results in “each department working long hours, including overtime

in some departments,” making many departments “unable to complete certain projects or be proactive at times,” according to the report.

One of the major recommendations of the staffing audit was to hire a human resources person to manage hiring, performance evaluation and employee retention.

Heeding the advice, the town has budgeted nearly $50,000 to hire a consultant.

“Clearly there are those that believe strongly that we need a full-time person in house, but it hasn’t felt like we are ready to commit to that yet,” Krohn said.

“But we are proposing to commit to a part time person who would be on call and ideally be present in this town office on a certain irregular basis to be available to employees and to speak to needs.”

In addition to inflation-related staffing benefit increases, nearly $167,000 has been budgeted for updating computer software and hardware. Krohn explained that the town needs to replace its aging server, the backbone of the entire computing system. He is hoping for an American Rescue Plan Act allocation of $50,000 to help with the cost.

Following a Zoom-bomb-

ing incident that had a Shelburne selectboard meeting flooded with a number of unwanted guests displaying pornographic materials, officials have been exploring alternative methods to online meetings and making cyber security a number one priority.

“Software and cybersecurity systems all need ever increasing upgrades to protect systems, limit risk and ensure cyber insurance coverage by demonstrating we’ve taken prudent steps in this regard,” Krohn said.

Although not all the kinks have been ironed out, it seems that a $189,000 increase in administrative services, including the software and hardware updates, will be a major part of the solution.

The police budget also increased by $90,000 with $20,000 being allocated specifically to a recruitment and retention program.

Some of the additional cost drivers were salaries, stipends and equipment increases within the fire, public safety and dispatch, and highway departments. All three saw an increase of more than $100,000 over last year’s budget.

Town meeting articles

In addition to budget items, voters will be asked to authorize

six additional articles, including the election of town officers.

Voters will be asked to approve $50,000 for acquiring land or rights in land to preserve natural resources and open space.

Two questions would authorize the purchase of portable and mobile radios for the fire department — not to exceed $97,000 — and to authorize bonds or notes in an amount not to exceed $1,150,514 for the purpose of financing the second and final stage of a water meter replacement project.

The major question before voters, however, is an amendment to the town charter to implement a 1 percent local option tax. Under such a plan, state tax rates for alcoholic beverages (10 percent), meals (9 percent) and sales (6 percent) would all increase by 1 percent.

The levy is administered by the state, which keeps 30 percent of taxes collected, remitting 70 percent to the town. If adopted for

Feel the Warmth of a Winter Stay

the 2024 fiscal year, the town’s finance committee has projected it could generate $939,961 in local option tax revenues.

Prior to the vote, the selectboard held two public hearings where community members voiced concerns and opinions over the levy.

“This is a question that came up roughly a year ago at this point,” Krohn said.

“The foundational question being are there other ways the town can diversify its revenues besides its heavy reliance on the property tax.”

After nearly five months of decision making, the selectboard expressed its overwhelming support of the finalized budget.

“I was dreading this about four months ago, particularly when inflation started skyrocketing,” said Ashooh.

“We really appreciate the flexibility and willingness to make tough decisions,” said board member Kate Lalley.

“I was dreading this about four months ago, particularly when inflation started skyrocketing.”

— Mike Ashooh