Growing pains
Reader feedback
Author’s new book tackles grief and growth
Low-income housing vital to Vermont economy
Page 2
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Volume 53 Number 2
Library seeks $100K increase
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January 11, 2024
On the boards
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Coming out of an age of isolation, libraries are more than places to check out books. They offer access to a plethora of information and, more important, a place to find community and connections. The Pierson Library in Shelburne has seen its visits double post-pandemic, and this year is asking for a nearly $100,000 increase to its operating budget, mostly to cover the cost of bringing employee pay up to current market value for the area. Over the past four years, annual library budget requests have remained relatively steady but the increase in programming also highlights the need to pay some full-time employees nearly 20 percent more, according to library director Michael Hibben. Hibben said that not only is the Shelburne staff the lowest paid he has ever worked with, but also the smallest number of staff to operate such a facility on a daily basis. In some cases, Hibben said employees could go to several other area libraries and make more than they’re making in Shelburne after working nearly 15 years. “Part of it is when we built a new building, which was about four years ago, so much of it went into the capital expense of the building,” Lisa Merrill, chair of the library board of trustees, said. “We were asked to hold our costs steady, which we did, but to really invest in this new building, we need to pay our staff and keep offering more programs.” While the dramatic increase in visiSee LIBRARY BUDGET on page 9
PHOTO BY AL FREY
CVU’s Ted Connery fights for possession of the puck in Saturday’s tie against Spaulding High School. See roundup, page 11.
Planners align bylaws with HOMES Act LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
While still in the thick of regulatory reform, Shelburne’s planning commission has also begun work aligning the town’s zoning bylaws with the new HOMES Act passed by the Legislature last year that reforms local and state land use regulations to spur more diverse housing development. “Our regulations do not conform to the 2019 Shelburne Town Plan or statute in many areas, not just changes required by the HOMES Act,” wrote the town’s director of planning and zoning Aaron DeNamur, noting that applicants, developers and review boards have been vocal about the complexities of current regulations. “The HOMES Act is a key component of the project, but not the only thing we are focusing on.” Shelburne’s bylaw project is funded in
part through a state bylaw modernization grant to bring regulations into compliance with state statute around the town’s supply of housing. The HOMES Act specifically mandates that any land with municipal water and sewer infrastructure can have five dwelling units per acre while also allowing duplexes anywhere single-family homes are allowed. Additionally, the act requires that three and four-unit buildings be a permitted use on land serviced by water and sewer. “Previously such proposals would have been treated as ‘conditional use’ applications before the development review board, adding expense and delay and allowing for community opposition to influence the outcome,” DeNamur wrote. “Now proposals for two units will receive a permit from the zoning administrator, and three and four-unit applications will be subject to site
plan review before the development review board.” The goal of the act, DeNamur said, is to increase overall housing supply while also minimizing sprawl. In Shelburne, this kind of density was already possible in the Shelburne Road form-based overlay district and the village district. Now it will be available in any zoning district serviced by sewer and water. According to the 2019 Shelburne Town Plan, those areas are Growth Area 1 and Growth Area 2. “Roughly speaking these combined growth areas can be described as starting in the north Shelburne Road, to Spear Street in the east, the lake to the west and south of the village roughly to Bostwick Road,” he See ZONING on page 6
Page 2 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
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Author’s new book explores addiction, grief and growth LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
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“The whole of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon has its roots in Vermont,” said Zoe Fowler, motioning to the book sitting on her lap, her voice steady, offering a peaceful presence amid the sounds of the bustling cafe. “I was just reading this lovely thing about how it can only come from Vermont because of these Vermont characteristics like reliability, generosity, trusting and not just being trustworthy.” Fowler, a South Burlington resident, moved to Vermont from the United Kingdom nearly a decade ago and has formed a strong bond with the Green Mountain State that goes far beyond just a typical love for the outdoors. It’s here that she began to heal with the unsuspecting help of a woman who has been dead for almost 40 years: Lois Wilson, the founder of Al-Anon and partner of Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. “I fell in love with her a little bit. She’s extraordinary,” she said. “She walked the Long Trail in 1920, one of the first women to walk the Long Trail, one of the first women to wear hiking pants to walk the Long Trail. That just spoke to me. So, I began researching her life at the same time as writing about the end of my marriage.” Both Lois and Bill Wilson had deep roots in Vermont — Bill was born in East Dorset and Lois visited Manchester often throughout her childhood. As Bill’s addic-
tion intensified in their marriage, parts of the Long Trail. he founded the 12-step program “I realized that I was looking to known as Alcoholics Anony- her for guidance as this very strong mous, and just a few years later female character,” she said, adding Lois started Al-Anon, a support that the societal expectations of group for families and friends of “being a good wife” are also very alchoholics, which at the time- similar to those seen in a co-dewas attended by the many wives pendent relationship. “I began to whose husbands recognize those were part of Bill’s qualities in “Dealing with program. myself that I’d “How (Lois) addiction is crippling gone from being would tell it, Bill a good wife to was hosting AA somebody who and awful and meetings in their enabled and who house in Brookrequires unbelievable took on guilt.” lyn in the late In addition to 1930s,” she said, amounts of strength. being published speaking of Lois in a slew of But so does loving like an old friend. online journals, “The wives were she’s found somebody who’s sitting outside in recent fame their cars, waiting after publishing an addict, so does for their husbands an essay last to finish the meetmonth in the raising children with ings. She decided New York Times the sensible thing titled, “First My somebody who is an was to invite Husband Left, the wives into Then My Stuff,” addict.” the kitchen and which recounts for them to bear the story of — Zoe Fowler emptying a storwitness to one another.” age locker full of As a creative writer, grief and items from her past life, the gray isolation created room for a new New England landscape mirroring kind of self-discovery for Fowler, the difficult emotions that would and in her newest book — part settle the moment she opened the memoir, part biography — she locker door, or as she puts it, the pens many of the difficult reali- door to a whole new purpose in ties of loving an addict. While she life. journeyed metaphorically through The feedback from the essay the twists and turns of a new life, she was also literally walking in See FOWLER on page 6 the footsteps of Wilson by hiking
Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 3
Page 4 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
CRIME & COURTS Drug dealer who made millions in Vermont, elsewhere sentenced MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT
A part-time Vermont resident who masterminded coast-to-coast conspiracies to distribute heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack and powder cocaine and to launder drug money, was sentenced to 12 years in prison during a recent federal court hearing in Burlington. DaJuan A. Williams, 31, developed a Chittenden County drug trafficking business that also had additional distribution points in North Dakota, Montana and California that generated him a million-dollar annual enterprise, according to court records. He boasted on a video played in court that he was a “$6 million man.” Williams also supervised the laundering of drug money into various bank accounts, officials said, later transferring the proceeds using a variety of methods, including mobile payment services such as Venmo, Cash App and Zelle. In addition, Williams also bought numerous luxury vehicles, including an Audi, BMW and
Maserati and clothes, jewelry and houses with proceeds from the sale of drugs. Williams also maintained stash houses in several towns, including Shelburne, Winooski and Burlington. One co-defendant estimated that Williams shipped drugs in suitcases between 35 and 50 times and in one case, another co-defendant took at least 10 outbound trips from California. The profits were up to “tens of thousands of dollars per day,” records noted. Chief Federal Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered more than $600,000 in forfeitures from bank accounts and other property generated from the drug trafficking. Williams will be under supervised release for four years once discharged from prison. A 12-month investigation led by U.S. Homeland Security in Vermont led to an initial 16-count indictment of eight defendants. Another handful of people were added in a subsequent indictment. Crawford noted in court on Jan. 4 that the drug distribution caused significant devastation in the community, noting some people
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lost lives or overdosed and others lost homes because of the drugs distributed. One Shelburne apartment was used to store and package drugs for resale with four co-defendants working there, records show. The renter of the apartment was given drugs for allowing Williams’ associates to operate there, but he would later die from an overdose, court records showed. “The business relied on a complicated network of logistics to obtain drugs from suppliers, transport them across the country, and distribute them to customers,” former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Boscia said in court papers. “On the financial side, Williams micro-managed on-the-ground distribution, checking in with his workers and frequently demanding the ‘count’ — an accounting of drugs sold, and money earned. Earnings of over a million dollars were returned to bank accounts controlled by Williams. The business even had a slogan: working in ‘perfect harmony,’” records showed. Defense lawyer Chandler
Shelburne Police Blotter: Jan. 1-7 Total reported incidents: 64 Traffic stops: 24 Warnings: 25 Tickets: 2 Medical emergencies: 24 Suspicious incidents: 6 Domestic incidents: 2 Agency assists: 8 Motor vehicle complaints: 4 Car crash: 1 Animal problem: 1 Theft: 1 Harassment: 1 Alarms: 5 False alarms: 4 Pending investigations: 2 Jan. 1 at 9:47 a.m., a caller told police they had been receiving threatening messages. Jan. 3 at 12:01 p.m., an animal bite was reported on Falls Road. Matson of Stowe argued that Williams came from a broken home in Detroit and had been living on the street since he was about 8 years old. He said Williams has turned his life around since being in prison in pre-trial detention for almost three years. Matson said Williams earned
Jan. 3 at 4:14 p.m., police helped to mediate a verbal dispute between a woman and her boyfriend on Henry Street. Jan. 3 at 9:08 p.m., police helped a woman who told them she was concerned her ex-husband may show up at her residence. Jan. 5 at 6:42 p.m., a retail theft was reported at Tractor Supply. Jan. 6 at 6:47 a.m., a two-car crash with no injuries was reported on Shelburne Road. Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped. his high school degree and 70 other certificates for programs offered at the Northwest State Correctional Facility. Matson maintained that Williams did not need a See WILLIAMS on page 5
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Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 5
WILLIAMS
continued from page 4 long sentence. degree of victimization that he imposed in Boscia argued in court for an 18-year Vermont,” Burke said. sentence, which a plea agreement suggestBurke said Williams said it was clear ed as a maximum penalty. Under federal Williams was involved in organizing various sentencing guidelines Williams could have criminal activities and at a significant level. faced 60 years in prison. Williams was arrested Jan. 13, 2021, Making a rare appearance with Boscia in California at a mansion — his $15,000 at the prosecutor’s table was U.S. Attorney a month rental — perched high in the hills Nikolas Kerest, who reportof Los Angeles under the edly has applied to fill a Hollywood landFormer Assistant U.S. famous vacancy by Crawford’s mark sign, court records upcoming retirement. He Attorney John Boscia showed. On the same day, offered no comment during law enforcement agents the hearing. executed search warrants argued in court for In court, Boscia played at a second residence in a video showing a woman Los Angeles and a storan 18-year sentence, shooting up in the backage locker associated with seat of a car with Williams, Williams’s drug traffickwhich a plea and a sometimes-inaudible ing organization. During recording of Williams and agreement suggested the searches, agents his now estranged wife. found a stolen assault rifle as a maximum During the December and approximately two 2019 phone call, Williams pounds of methamphetpenalty. threatened his wife and her amine. family, Boscia said. During a simultane“DaJuan Williams jeopardized the lives ous raid on that day, law enforcement also and safety of the Vermont public during arrested a second defendant in Los Angeles, his time as one of the area’s most prolific two more in Vermont, and one each in Gary, criminals,” Homeland Security agent Alex Ind., Owl’s Head, Maine, and Grand Rapids, Zuchman said. “He wrought havoc on the Mich. region and led a drug and money laundering Williams is well-known to federal, state conspiracy that spanned coast-to-coast and and local law enforcement in the Chittenden included the trafficking of deadly fentanyl,” County region. he said. Williams, while living in Burlington Williams went to Mexico in January in September 2018, was charged with two 2020 to obtain a source of supply for drugs. counts of unlawful restraint of a pair of He was accompanied by a few associates, women and two counts of simple assault for including his now estranged wife, records an incident while visiting a Charlotte house showed. on Greenbush Road known for drug traffickSouth Burlington Police Chief Shawn ing, state police said. Burke, whose department played a signifiAlso assisting in the investigation were cant role in the investigation along with the members of the Internal Revenue Service Vermont Drug Task Force, was pleased with Criminal Division, Bureau of Alcohol, the prison sentence. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug “The court recognized the criminal acts Enforcement Administration and Burlington of DaJuan for both the severity and the Police.
CVU student recognized for innovative app design Clay Nicholson, a 10th grader from Williston, was selected by U.S. Rep. Becca Balint’s office as this year’s Vermont winner of the Congressional App Challenge. Nicholson submitted a video as part of his application. In the video, he outlined his app called Lexiscan, not only conceptualizing the idea but also bringing it to life. In his video, he shares that his motivation stemmed from observing the challenges faced by a friend with dyslexia while reading. This is the third year in a row that a CVU student has been recognized for this contest. The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school
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Page 6 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
ZONING
continued from page 1 wrote. “The Museum and Wake Robin are both serviced. This area takes in most of the existing, more densely settled residential neighborhoods.” There are some areas of conserved land that lie within the serviced area like the LaPlatte River area, but their status remains unchanged by HOMES Act or the overall bylaw modernization project. Most of the land with higher natural resource values lies outside the serviced area, he said. “Our understanding is that the municipality can continue to have standards that apply to natural resource protection. It doesn’t mean that all the other provisions that you might have in your regulations are thrown out,” said Brandy Saxton, the engineer with
PlaceSense who is working with the planning commission on the bylaw project. Additionally, the law provides various bonuses to developers of affordable housing and restricts the grounds on which neighbors can appeal building permits. “Many affordable housing developers have been frustrated by building height limits making proposed projects unviable in terms of their funding sources,” DeNamur said. Act 47 offers a density bonus of 40 percent more units than otherwise allowed, and a bonus floor when 20 percent of the units in the project qualify as affordable. One of the unusual aspects of Act 47, which took effect on July 1, is the way it mandated specific requirements for towns to
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adopt while granting no discretion for plan- the document. ning commissions, a move that DeNamur According to a presentation given last says reflects the severity of the state’s hous- year by the Vermont Futures Project, an indeing crisis. pendent nonprofit pursuing a way to use data “I want the public to to support the evolution understand just how severe “ We have townhomes of Vermont’s economy, the housing crisis has Shelburne makes up just a become, in fact the word little more than 1 percent in Shelburne selling crisis no longer seems to do of Vermont’s population. justice,” he said. “We have To reach state’s population for $800,000. These townhomes in Shelburne needs by 2035, Shelburne selling for $800,000. These would need to increase are supposed to are supposed to be missits population of 7,700 by be missing middle ing middle housing’ starter nearly 1,900. This adds homes for young profesup to an average of 150 housing’ starter sionals like myself.” people per year, along with According to a housing 80 new houses per year. homes for young booklet published by the The commission, with town’s housing committee the help of its consultant, professionals like last year, Shelburne has is working now to draft a only three affordable rental map of the new proposed myself.” housing neighborhoods that zoning districts. comprise only 98 units, A series of neighbor— Aaron DeNamur hood meetings will be held most of which have no availability or a growing in January and February to waitlist. inform each district of the proposed changDuring pandemic years, the median price es and to get community feedback. The first for primary residences in Shelburne grew 21 meeting to explore changes to the Shelburne percent per year, a huge jump over the previ- Road and neighborhood district is scheduled ous period and much higher than in Chitten- for Saturday, Jan. 27, at 9 a.m. at the Shelden County and Vermont as a whole, reads burne Town Hall.
FOWLER
continued from page 2 was something she never expected. Thousands of people from all over the globe were quick to fill her inbox with stories of their own loss and grief, sensing her thoughtfulness. But through the success, she has also been learning how to tread the ethical balance between telling one’s own story without “outing” another person — something she says is the central tension with loving somebody who is struggling with addiction. “There is no shame in being an addict,” she said. “Dealing with addiction is crippling and awful and requires unbelievable amounts of strength. But so does loving somebody who’s an addict, so does raising children with somebody who is an addict.” Although not yet published, the manuscript is nearly three years in the making and began first as a part of her master’s
program at Oxford University. Through its evolution, she began to realize that the true purpose of the book was to reach a different demographic of people, one she related most with. “To write this story became something I very much wanted to do so that other people could tell their stories,” she said. “It’s like they’ve needed permission to be able to talk about their own experiences of grief and despair.” The stifling stigma around addiction in society, she said, pressures many to suffer in silence, including those who find themselves in partnership with an addict. “That’s the bit I want to break,” she added. “That, in a way, is what I’ve tried to do through writing my book. I’d love to be able to provide that space where people can talk about what’s really going on for the first time.”
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Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 7
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS Virtual Q&A Session 1 Thursday, Jan 18 at 6:30 pm Zoom link on the project webpage Shelburne Road & Neighborhoods Saturday, Jan 27 at 9 am Shelburne Town Hall Shelburne Village & Neighborhoods Wednesday, Jan 31 at 7 pm Shelburne Museum Auditorium
DORSET ST
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RE: SHELBURNE project website www.placesense.com/shelburne
The Shelburne Planning Commission is working on a comprehensive revision to the Zoning Bylaw and Subdivision Regulations. New regulations must implement the policies of the 2019 Shelburne Town Plan, which call for balancing:
Virtual Q&A Session 2 Saturday, Feb 10 at 3:30 pm Zoom link on the project webpage
1. growth
2. conservation
3. stewardship
4. integration
residential & economic
culture, history & land
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Page 8 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
OPINION Low-income housing is vital to Vermont’s economy Guest Perspective Patience Merriman I would like to provide some context to Andrew K. Gentile’s guest perspective, “High cost of low-income housing in Vermont.” (Dec. 28, 2023). In his essay, Gentile criticizes Vermont’s efforts to build modern, low-income housing, using a cost-benefit analysis to prove such investments are wasteful. Gentile is correct when he states that homelessness is a serious problem in Vermont, but he somehow misses the point of constructing affordable apartment buildings. According to him, instead of building 24 modern apartments, “it would have been cheaper to have purchased 24 existing single-family homes.” Well, yes it would have — if
you go by initial investment alone. But it also would have been a disaster. Imagine 24 houses scattered across Vermont, all in varying degrees of disrepair. Given Vermont housing stock, most homes selling for under $400,000 today are older or modular units. Many are 60-plus years old and in need of repairs or renovations: a new roof, updated plumbing and electrical systems, radon mitigation, new insulation, mold abatement, lead paint removal, basement waterproofing, septic systems, termite and vermin extermination. Now imagine the headache of overseeing clients at 24 separate housing sites. Also consider that many of these homes will be poorly heated and not energy-efficient, to say nothing of needing new refrigerators, stoves and laundry facilities.
By constructing one efficient building that meets all codes, Vermont avoids the inevitable catastrophe of trying to keep up with dozens of old homes that will need constant repairs just to stay habitable. Then there is the matter of tenant supervision. It is much easier to manage one building — and be available to its tenants — than to keep tabs on 24 separate houses. These are the hidden costs to Gentile’s idea that he may not have considered. Gentile also scoffs at claims that Vermont is building apartments for low-income families, pointing out the majority of units in Morrisville’s Village Center Apartments are studios or one-bedroom apartments. These units, he writes, “are for single people.” Is he suggesting that single people are less deserving of housing assistance than larger households?
If so, he may want to look at our state demographics. Over 30 percent of Vermonters are single or widowed. Many of these are seniors living on fixed or modest incomes. Vermont also has thousands of older couples who are also living on fixed incomes. Which begs the question: Might some of these widows and couples need an affordable studio or one-bedroom apartment? Might they deserve to live in safety, dignity and community? I’ve seen some of these rental units. They are small, modern and comfortable — just what we might wish for our elderly parents, or handicapped brother, or daughter who may be working at the local supermarket and raising a child on her own. Finally, owning “a nice condo in Boston,” which Gentile equates cost-wise with renting a Vermont apartment, comes with many expenses that Vermont housing clients may not incur. Parking fees, property taxes, school taxes, homeowner’s insurance, condo association fees, and water, power and sewer fees. In all fairness, it can cost more to live in Vermont than in other states, such as Texas. But having spent 50 years visiting Texas regularly, I can say that for clean air, natural beauty, communi-
ty cohesion, public health, education levels, economic fairness, equal rights and decent, humane politics, Vermont puts Texas to shame. We live in a world of brutal economic inequality. Even at $17 an hour, a worker’s take-home pay is barely enough to cover the costs of housing, food, transportation and utilities. This is why most low-to-middle income families today require two breadwinners. Affordable or subsidized housing is one way Vermont can retain a base of workers for its service sector. Supermarket employees, waiters, fast-food cooks, maintenance workers, nursing home aides, convenience store cashiers and day care employees — these workers pay critical roles in our daily lives, yet their pay is often insufficient to afford safe, decent housing. This is why affordable housing is a sound investment in Vermont’s economic health and why we need more of it. The burden to taxpayers must be weighed in the context of how such investments provide vital support both to Vermont’s service sector workers and to those living on fixed incomes. Patience Merriman is a writer living in Shelburne.
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Vermont Futures Project numbers don’t add up To the Editor: One odd note in the Shelburne News’ sketchy year in review article was the plug for the Barre-based Vermont Futures Project. This purported independent nonprofit, which is heavily subsidized by the Department of Commerce and a selection of large Vermont corporations, advocates for a very substantial increase in Vermont’s population to create a “economically thriving state.” (Dec. 28, 2023) I guess part of that promised prosperity would be due to the increased population also serving to increase the corporations’ pool of customers. Whether the corporate prosperity will actually trickle down to the rest of us is a question to be considered. There are big holes in Newport and Burlington that argue against the idea. Not everyone buys into the Vermont Futures Project package.
A guest perspective in the News & Citizen in 2023 pointed out the group doesn’t talk about how an additional 105,000 residents “are going to fit into Vermont’s unique and carefully curated culture. There is a very real possibility they won’t, that they’ll overwhelm the traditions and culture that make up what we think of as Vermont.” According to the Vermont Futures Project, Shelburne’s share of that added statewide population would amount to a 25 percent increase in our town’s population. What will be the costs, financial and other, attached to that level of change? Vermont Futures doesn’t analyze that any more than it considers the implications of transforming Vermont culture, what some call New Jersifying Vermont. Maybe it will all become clear when Shelburne News does a year in review article at the end of 2024. Jim White Shelburne
Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 9
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News from Pierson Library Here are some upcoming events at Pierson Library, 5376 Shelburne Road, in Shelburne during January. To register, call 802-985-5124, or visit piersonlibrary.org.
Second Thursday lecture series “Murder in the Vermont Woods A Story About Race, Class, and Gender in the 19th Century,” Thursday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Historian Jill Mudgett tells the story of an Indigenous man from southern New England who came to central Vermont during the late 19th century and was the victim of a murder. Recreating community connections in a rural Vermont hill town, this story is about poverty, racism, disability, and gendered violence against women, but is also an account of Indigenous movement and choice despite great obstacles. Appropriate for adults. No advance registration required.
Multicultural movie night:“Moana” Friday, Jan. 12: 5:30-7:15 p.m. Disney’s “Moana” is an animated adventure following the journey of a brave Polynesian teenager. Determined to save her people, Moana sets sail with the demigod Maui, facing mythical challenges and discovering her true identity. Filled with stunning visuals and a memorable soundtrack, the film is a heartwarming tale
of courage, self-discovery and the bond between nature and humanity. Rated PG. 103 minutes.
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Shelburne stories: a pictorial history Tuesday, Jan. 16: 6-7 p.m. Join historian David Boucher as he shares a historical detective story, discovering a lost farm. He will also introduce you to the newly launched pictorial website, The Shelburne Historical Society HUB, where the library will present the first of many stories about how Shelburne developed. Appropriate for adults. Encore presentation. No advance registration required.
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Tuesday night book club Tuesday, Jan. 16: 7-8 p.m. Attendees recommend a favorite book or two. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this special event and connect with fellow readers. See LIBRARY on page 13
LIBRARY BUDGET
continued from page 1
tors can be linked to a growing supply of “For example, we just had some backup online resources and book circulation, the batteries for our fire system that needed to biggest impact is the increase in additional be replaced,” Hibben said at a selectboard programs and activities. meeting in November. “I got an $800 bill “We’ve added some new program- and that’s a pretty big chunk of our mainteming that’s been very popular,” said nance line. We have bills that other departMerrill, who has held the chair position ments don’t have to pay.” for four years. “We’ve got Pierson playThe board hopes to also add some partdates for toddlers. We have knitting clubs, time positions to help cover day-to-day book clubs. There’s just a huge increase operations, allowing full-time employees in people coming into that building.” the ability to focus on running programs. She added that the building has always While volunteers frequently help at the been a hang-out spot for library, Merrill said that middle schoolers after the jobs given to volun“We’ve added some school, but with the teers are slightly limited. increase of students in the “We have to be carenew programming building in recent months, ful about what jobs you they’ve recently started give to a volunteer,” she that’s been very two different after-school said. “You’ve got some programs specifically for at the checkout desk, but popular.” middle school-aged chilyou need someone who’s dren. trained because you’re — Lisa Merrill looking at personal data.” She noted that a main point raised during the After a recent survey, community building meetings known as Merrill currently said the best way to strike Shelburne Forward Together was the idea a balance with the needs of staff and the for a community center in town. Although community is to shift the times the library the library wasn’t selected as one of the top is open. The library will now be closed on ideas, the board is responding to that call, Sundays but open a full day on Monday she said. and two evenings a week. Although the increase in spending is set “We need to be able to pay our staff and to go mostly toward employee pay, since keep offering more programs,” she said. the library is responsible for paying its “It’s one of the few places where people own electricity, custodial and other utility can gather inside and not be feel obligated bills, it will also cover costs to maintain to purchase anything. It’s a huge resource the building. for people with limited means.”
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Page 10 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
‘Sixty Four Project’ celebrates realistic body imagery
Community Notes Scout Troop 602 holds open house From 6:30 - 8:00 pm On Monday, Jan. 22, Scout Troop 602 of Shelburne will hold an open house for recruitment from 6:30-8 p. m. at the blue Scout Barn in Davis Park by the tennis courts. There will be information about what the troop does, Scout experiences and desserts! For information, contact Aedan Curley, senior patrol leader, Troop 602, at aedan.j.curley@gmail.com or 802-881-4313.
CVU hosts Empty Bowls dinner for food insecurity
PHOTO BY ALAIN DAHAN
“The Sixty Four Project,” an art installation and exhibit celebrating women’s beauty, diversity and strength while promoting realistic body imagery, is on display Thursday to Saturday, Jan. 18- The exhibit is being held in conjunction with the Vermont Burlesque Festival. Conceived and engineered by Fairfax resident Mark Hitchcox, “The Sixty Four Project” features photographs and testimonials of 64 women, including breast cancer survivors. The group represents a diverse range of ages, ethnicities and body types. The exhibit’s centerpiece is an installation of rotating cubes, each featuring a photograph of a volunteer model’s breast. As the cubes randomly turn, different right and left breasts are displayed, highlighting the beautiful diversity of women’s bodies. “Scars don’t define me, my age doesn’t define me, how my body looks doesn’t define me, I’m still an attractive person worthy of love and affection,” Moxie Blue, a breast cancer thriver, burlesque performer, and producer from Seattle, said. A free opening reception with light snacks and cash bar will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18, with a short presentation at 6 p.m. Proceeds from donations and a basket raffle will go to the University of Vermont Cancer Center. For more information or exhibit hours, go to thesixtyfourproject.com.
The community is invited to the inaugural Champlain Valley Union Empty Bowls Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 18. 6 p.m., at the high school, 369 CVU Road, Hinesburg. This grassroots event, inspired by the Empty Bowls movement, aims to raise funds for the Hinesburg Food Shelf at the Hinesburg Community Resource Center, a volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to helping neighbors in need. The project was started by student Teryn Hytten with the support of CVU ACCESS and the school’s ceramics studio. Hytten attended the University of Vermont Empty Bowls dinner for most of her life and felt a sense of loss a few years ago when the dinners ended. After becoming a potter, she
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combined her passion for Empty Bowls, community action and ceramics to initiate the inaugural dinner at CVU. Each ticket includes a handmade ceramic bowl crafted by local volunteer potters, a bountiful dinner featuring bread from local bakeries, homemade soups by CVU Café, ice-cream from Sisters of Anarchy, live music by a CVU Student Quartet and guest speakers from the Vermont Foodbank and Hinesburg Food Shelf addressing food insecurity in Vermont. A silent auction will feature products from local businesses, pottery bowls and wooden cutting boards crafted by CVU woodworking students. Canned food items are welcome for donation in the bin at the entrance. Tickets are by donation: $20 donation per adult and $10 for children under 12. Get tickets at bit.ly/3RGVVAw. For more information, email terynhytten@cvsdvt.org
Shelburne host blood drive, sign up now St. Catherine of Siena Parish is hosting another Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Jan. 23, noon-5 p.m., in its parish hall, 72 Church St., Shelburne. To give, call 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter Shelburne to schedule an appointment. Appointments are strongly recommended as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated. If you are an eligible type O, B - or A - donor, consider making a power red donation. Red blood cells are the most transfused blood component. Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting the website to complete your rapid pass, pre-donation health history.
Bell choir celebrates 60th anniversary First Church in Burlington hosts the Austin Chimers Bell Choir’s 60th anniversary concert on Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-4:30 p.m. The Congregational church, 38 South Winooski Avenue, offers parking on site and free street parking and a garage nearby. For more information, email info@firstchurchburlington.org or go to firstchurchburlington.org.
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Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 11
SPORTS Shelburne Parks & Rec News Winter carnival Winter carnival is Saturday, Jan. 20, 1-3 p.m. at Shelburne Community School. Shelburne Parks and Recreation presents a fun afternoon for kids and families no matter the weather with free crafts and activities offered by many local organizations including Pierson Library, Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary, Shelburne Nursery School, Shelburne Farms and Champlain Valley Little League. Be dazzled with tricks by magician Tom Joyce. Kids will love the bounce house Castle and fun games with the Big Blue Trunk. There will be touch a truck opportunities with a Shelburne highway loader and a fire truck and a chance to visit with sheep from Shelburne Farms. Entrance to the event and all crafts and activities are free. Purchase a treat from the Shelburne PTO bake sale (cash, Venmo and Paypal) or some homemade tomato soup ($5 plus tax, credit or debit). Donations will be accepted at the door. For questions, contact Shelburne Parks and Recreation at 802-985-9551.
Valentine dance Tickets are now on sale so mark your calendars for this popular annual event to be held on Friday, Feb. 9, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Shelburne town gym. Open to kids enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grades, accompanied by an adult. Guests will dance the night away with disco lights and music by Top Hat entertainment, take photos in the photo booth and enjoy treats, snacks and drinks. Each child gets a take home memento. Advanced purchase of tickets is highly
encouraged. Tickets are $10 per child, $15 per adult. Purchase with check or cash in the recreation office.
Crossfit kids Kids can join us right after school to improve general conditioning including a focus on core, strength, agility, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness. Based on the principle of movement mechanics, consistency, form and then intensity, this program pushes for quality movement throughout childhood. Consistent mechanics translates to higher sports performance and fewer sports injuries for kids. Research also indicates that exercise is beneficial to cognitive function, which means a consistent training program will have a positive impact on a child’s academic achievement. Participants of any fitness ability are welcome to join as workouts are adjusted to the individual fitness level in a non-competitive environment. Sign up for one or both sessions. Session dates: Feb. 1-22; registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 26. Sessions are held on Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Fee is $80 per session, for grades five to eight, led by Nick Mead and Shelburne Field House staff.
Tai chi Preregistration for both introductory and Sun 73 tai chi classes is required by Wednesday, Jan. 17. The free sessions for the intructory class will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-noon, from Jan. 22 to May 22. Sun 73 classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m., also from Jan. 22 to May 22. The instructor is Chris Curtis.
PHOTO BY AL FREY
Nic Menard battles with the Spaulding goalie in Saturday’s tie. Menard had two goals for the Redhawks.
CVU boys’ 23-game winning streak ends LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Boys’ basketball Rice 51, Champlain Valley 46: In a rematch of last year’s Division I state championship game, Rice earned a narrow win over Champlain Valley on Friday, Dec. 5. The Redhawks were led by Kyle Eaton, who scored 14 points, and Tucker Tharpe, who had 12. It was the first loss of the season for Champlain Valley (6-1), bringing an end to its 23-game winning streak.
Boys’ ice hockey Spaulding 3, Champlain Valley 3: The boys’ ice hockey team settled for a 3-3 tie with
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Spaulding on Saturday. Nic Menard paced the offense with two goals for the Redhawks, who moved to 1-3-2. Connor Malaney added a goal and Jesse McCray made 13 saves for CVU.
Girls’ basketball Champlain Valley 58, Burr and Burton 30: Champlain Valley jumped out to an early lead over Burr and Burton en route to a win on Saturday, Jan. 6. Elise Berger led all scorers with 18 points, while Merrill Jacobs added 15 points, five rebounds and seven steals. Lauren Vaughan nabbed 10 rebounds for CVU. With the win, the Redhawks moved to 6-0. CVU also beat St. Johnsbury
during the week, beating the Hilltoppers 58-47 on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Jacobs had 14 points, while Zoey McNabb chipped in 11 and seven rebounds.
Girls’ ice hockey Spaulding 3, Champlain Valley/Mount Mansfield 2 (OT): Spaulding scored in extra time to beat Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield on Saturday. Eva Mazur and Megan Rivard each had a goal for the CougarHawks. Ella Gilbert stopped 23 shots in goal in the losing effort. With the loss, CVU-MMU moved to 1-4-1. CVU-MMU also lost Wednesday to South Burlington 5-2. KerriBeth Aldrich and Sophie O’Brien each scored.
Page 12 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
Obituaries Carolyn Blough Duffy Carolyn Blough Duffy, loving wife, mother, grandmother and teacher, died peacefully with family nearby on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, at her home in Hinesburg, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Born in 1943, Carolyn grew up on a family farm in Somerset County, Pa., with a few years in Texas when her father returned from World War II. In her youth she played the piano at her family’s church and was valedictorian of her high school class. At Penn State University she was the only major in Latin American area studies. There, in the fall of 1962 she met her future husband, Leonard. It was love at first sight. After graduating, she worked in Washington, D.C., until their marriage in 1966, whereupon they set off for Guadalajara, Mexico, and then Florence, Italy, the following spring. She taught high school Spanish for a year in Pennsylvania before the couple moved back to Washington, where she started her
Carolyn Blough Duffy
David Frederick Leland Sr.
own language school for embassy personnel while finishing her master’s in applied linguistics at American University. After the birth of their son, Brennan, they moved to Hinesburg, where their daughter, Cara, was born. Briefly, Carolyn took up weaving and poetry until she was recruited to teach in the English as a second language program at St. Michael’s College. She was director of the English Language
Program and taught and mentored students in the MATESL program (Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) until retiring in 2015. She was proud to have received an award for excellence in teaching in 1994. In 1991, a former student asked her to help start a bilingual school in Bogota. Gimnasio Vermont is now considered one of the highest-ranked pre-K-12 schools in Colombia. At about the same time she also started a teacher-training
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program at the Hellenic American Union in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, where she also taught for a portion of the year for many years while she completed her doctorate at Georgetown University. One of her proudest accomplishments was a frequently cited paper she wrote for the U.S. Peace Institute. She also co-authored a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) textbook for English-language learners that became a worldwide resource. She will be fondly remembered by hundreds of former students throughout the world. Carolyn loved her home and farm, her gardens, skiing, her horses and many dogs and cats, but most of all “Gummy” loved to spend time with her four grandchildren, with each of whom she had a special, memorable relationship. She became a passionate golfer later in life and loved spending time on Lake Champlain and cooking delicious meals and entertaining. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Leonard; son, Brennan (Brooke) of Rutland; daughter, Cara (David Carreon) of Catonsville, Md.; grandchildren, Teegan and Ronan Duffy and Jacob and
Emma Carreon; sisters, Marilyn Blough of Huntington, and Kay Blough (Ben Weller) of Huntington, N.Y.; brother, Robert Blough (Mary) of Boswell, Pa.; sister-in-law, Meg Guilfoy (Ed) of Huntington; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, Robert and Amy (Shaffer) Blough, of Boswell, Pa. The family is especially thankful for the excellent care provided by her oncologist and friend, Dr. Elise Everett, and the caring nurses and staff of the University of Vermont Medical Center; UVM Home Health and Hospice program; the caring helpers of Home Instead; and for the diligence of Dr. Michael Kosta in Boulder, Colo., who gave her additional years. We are also thankful for the love and support of her devoted friends and family. A memorial celebration will be held on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m., at the United Church of Hinesburg, with a reception to follow in the church’s parish house. There will be visiting hours at the church parish house on Friday, Jan. 12, from 3 to 6 p.m. A private interment will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UVM Home Health and Hospice, UVM Cancer Center or a charity of your choice.
David Frederick Leland Sr. David Frederick Leland Sr., 98, died on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. He was born in Burlington on Aug. 18, 1925, and raised in Amherst, Mass. Following a long and successful career, David returned to Vermont where he lived See OBITUARIES on page 13
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Shelburne News • January 11, 2024 • Page 13
OBITUARIES
continued from page 12 for more than 30 years before his death. Dave was a man of incredible inner strength, self-knowing, dependability, sound judgement and common sense who fully embraced life with his unfailing optimism, sense of humor and ability to bring out the best in others. He was a natural leader who believed in himself even when others had doubts. He was the son of Harley Leland of West Glover, a University of Vermont graduate and early leader in Vermont 4-H and director of 4-H and extension services for western Massachusetts. Dave’s mother, Hazel Gates Leland, a native of Newport, was a teacher in Burlington at the Adams School before the family’s move to Massachusetts, and before keeping David and his younger brother, Dick, in line became a full-time job. Between his many antics, Dave achieved Eagle Scout with three Palms, and could have wall- papered a room with the number of ribbons won from national, state and county 4-H competitions, including the Eastern States Exposition. Poultry raising and judging were his specialties. He earned spending money by selling eggs from his hens, to include sales to neighbor Robert Frost. Twice he traveled to national competitions as a selected representative of Massachusetts and in 1940 at the Atlantic City Convention achieved the highest judging score of all participants. He said, “I’m pretty sure I can do that.” As an average student, he was told by his high school principal to not bother taking an offcer candidate qualification exam. Dave insisted he had every right to take the exam and did. He was one of only two students to pass, which led to three years of education split between Middlebury and Dartmouth colleges, followed by a commission as a naval offcer and degree from the University of Massachusetts. He said, “I believe I can do that.” After holding the door for an attractive Irish lass leaving the University of Massachusetts library, she turned and said, “Thanks Dave,” He didn’t know who she was, but he found out. She became his bedrock, keystone and most precious gem from that day forward and for more than 72 years of marriage. Alice McNally Leland died on Nov. 16, 2020. Dave spent almost 35 years working his way through the ranks of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, which later became CIGNA. Early in his career he was tasked with turning around a failing
office in Pittsburgh. In 18 months, he transformed the worst performing office in the country to the best and was quickly promoted back to corporate headquarters. “I can do that,” Dave said. After announcing his retirement, he was given his multi-decade personnel record to review for the first time. It contained a letter from someone who conducted one of Dave’s initial hiring interviews in the mid-1950s. It read, “He (Dave) may be able to sell dairy equipment to Vermont farmers, but he’ll never do much more.” Dave Leland retired as senior vice president of sales for one the country’s largest health care companies. “I can do that too,” he said. Returning to Vermont with Alice in 1990, Dave settled into his lifelong therapy of gardening, puttering around on his John Deere, traveling and golfing. To remain connected to past associates, he co-founded a corporate reunion group known as GREAT Circle, which continues gathering every 18 months in different resort settings, as it has for over 30 years. One of his longest and most valued associations was with the Shelburne United Methodist Church where he volunteered his time, talent, resources and fellowship, and which included several leadership positions. Dave Leland was a friend, mentor, confidant and counselor to many, always elevating their best, and often changing life trajectories for the better. He was a common man with uncommon insight, compassion and wisdom. When asked, “What was the biggest mistake you made in your life?” he responded, without hint of conceit or arrogance, “I haven’t made any, though if I could have done a few things over, I might have done them differently.” He lived by the words, “Do your best, then move on.” Dave Leland was predeceased by his wife Alice; brother, Dick; and daughter-inlaw, Rose, who died in 2023. He is survived by his three sons, David Jr. (Ann) of Sonoma, Calif., Douglas (Sally) of Freeport, Maine, and James (Rose) of Richmond; four grandchildren; and one great grandson. He will be buried in Shelburne next to Alice. He requested no donations. A memorial service will be conducted on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, on Alice’s birthday, 11 a.m. at the Shelburne United Methodist Church in Shelburne. A reception will follow. Dave Leland was not just a “good” man, he was a great man, and the world is a lesser place today for his absence.
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FILE PHOTO
Read to a dog at the Pierson Library on Jan. 20
LIBRARY
continued from page 9
Pierson playdate
Meet the sled dogs
Wednesday, Jan. 17: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Looking for a place for your little one to play on these cold winter days? Come to town hall for fun, frolic and friendship for both littles and their parents and caretakers. Appropriate for ages 2 to 5. No registration required.
Saturday, Jan. 20: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Embark on a journey into the world of dog sledding and meet four friendly Siberian huskies up close. Discover dog sledding as the owner shares insights into raising and training these incredible dogs. Children will have the unique opportunity to meet, pet and interact with the dogs. No registration required.
Thursday morning musical storytime with Liz
Read to a dog
Thursday, Jan. 18: 10:30-11 a.m. Experience the magic of music and storytelling with Liz a a weekly musical storytime. Take a unique adventure where captivating stories come to life with the enchanting power of music. Liz transports young minds into the world of rhythm, melody and imagination. No registration is necessary.
Shelburne acoustic jam Thursday, Jan. 18: 6-8 p.m. What could be better than a free evening of singing and music? Join like-minded musicians and music listeners for an evening of bluegrass, country and folk music played by local musicians. Appropriate for all ages. No registration required.
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Page 14 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
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Horoscope January 11, 2024
ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE
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Page 16 • January 11, 2024 • Shelburne News
Let it Snow SHELBURNE PARKS & RECREATION presents a fun afternoon at SCS, no matter the weather! Free crafts and activities will be offered by many local organizations including Pierson Library, CSH Rotary, Shelburne Nursery School, Shelburne Farms, and Champlain Valley Little League. Be dazzled by Magician, Tom Joyce Bounce House Castle Fun Games with the Big Blue Trunk Touch a Truck Visit with sheep from Shelburne Farms
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