Act 250 five
New state board to review major changes to land use law
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Pierson
Municipal employees honored for long tenures
BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
If you’ve called 911 in the state of Vermont in the last 35 years, there’s a decent chance that you’ve spoken to Jimmy Mack, the emergency communications supervisor at the Shelburne Emergency Dispatch Center.
During any given shift, you’ll find Mack monitoring the multitude of screens in front of him, picking up emergency calls from across the region and connecting to their local services. He knows every nook and cranny of the system. It makes sense — he’s been doing it since 1989.
Mack is one of several employees who celebrated a work anniversary of more than a decade at the Town of Shelburne before
See SHELBURNE on page 13
CVU gives students more say in what flags fly at schools
BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
According to Superintendent Adam Bunting, this change was prompted by the students themselves.
“There’s a regular cycle that the board does to review policies to make sure that everything remains up to date,” he said. “The
The Champlain Valley School District board has amended its flag display policy in an effort to give students more say. Previously, hopeful flag fliers would petition the school board, which maintained control over which flags could be raised at the schools. Now, students will be able to apply for approval directly with the superintendent or other designated building administrators.
flag policy update is a little bit outside of that process, in that we had a student group approach the board.”
That student group was Shelburne Community School’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA). While the board voted in favor of raising pride flags in the district in April of 2022, Shelburne Community School remained without a flag displayed
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for months. Protocol required that only three flags could fly on their singular flagpole and another pole had to be installed in order to raise additional flags.
The school eventually ended up taking down the Vermont state flag in order to raise
See FLAG on page 13
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Sheep graze at Meach Cove Farm in Shelburne in the last week of last year, basking in a brief bit of sunlight before the clouds returned.
New Act 250 board forms amid major land law changes
CARLY BERLIN VTDIGGER
Gov. Phil Scott has appointed the members of a new board that will administer Act 250, Vermont’s statewide development review law.
The new Land Use Review Board replaces the old Natural Resources Board, a shift mandated under Act 181, a major land-use reform law passed last year. That law takes steps to relax Act 250’s reach in existing downtowns and village centers across the state, and also lays the groundwork for extending Act 250’s protections in areas deemed ecologically sensitive.
But the new law also changes how Act 250 is administered. The Land Use Review Board is made up of five full-time members with relevant professional experience — a significant change from the former citizen-board structure. The new members have backgrounds in municipal and regional planning, environmental law and civil engineering. The review board will also play a key role in overseeing a years-long mapping process that will cement Act 250’s jurisdiction in the future. (Regional district offices still make permitting decisions on individual projects, however).
“Vermont faces a significant housing crisis and the work of this board will play a very important role in helping us address it, while
protecting our beautiful landscape and environment,” Scott said in a statement announcing the appointments earlier this week. “I’m confident this board has the diverse expertise, work ethic, and passion to tackle the work that’s required in Act 181 while also forwarding common sense improvements to the law to further our shared goals.”
The new board chair, Janet Hurley, currently serves as the assistant director and planning program manager for the Bennington County Regional Commission. Before that, she worked as a local planner throughout the state, in Manchester, South Burlington, Milton, and Westford, according to a press release from Scott’s office. Since Act 250 was enacted in 1970, “it can certainly be credited with saving Vermont from rampant development,” Hurley said in an interview. “But it can also certainly be responsible for the depth of our housing crisis, because the burden of Act 250 permitting — often duplicative, especially in our town and village centers — just made housing development that’s affordable much more difficult to achieve for so many years.”
In the past, new housing projects would trigger Act 250 review based on how large they were, and how many homes a developer had already built in a given area during
Vermont ranks 4th in nation for its rate of homelessness
CARLY BERLIN VTDIGGER
As the number of people experiencing homelessness in Vermont continues to rise to record levels, the Green Mountain State’s per-capita rate of homelessness
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remains among the highest in the nation.
dramatic increases.
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That’s according to a new analysis of the 2024 point-intime count, a coordinated, federally-mandated tally of unhoused people taken each January. The annual report on the count, which took place nearly a year ago, was released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development late last week.
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The department found that about 53 out of every 10,000 Vermonters were unhoused when the count took place, putting Vermont fourth on the state-bystate list. In 2022 and 2023, it had the second-highest rate in the nation, a distinction that turned heads as Vermont’s homelessness crisis has grown more visible.
But Vermont’s shift in this oft-cited nationwide comparison shouldn’t necessarily be read as an indication of improvement locally, said Anne Sosin, a public health researcher at Dartmouth College who studies homelessness.
“I wouldn’t take it as a hopeful sign that it’s fourth instead of second,” Sosin said.
While Vermont’s homeless population rose 5% last year, to a record 3,458 people in January 2024, other states saw much more
Catastrophic wildfires in Maui displaced thousands of people from their homes, the HUD report notes, with many sleeping in disaster emergency shelters when the count took place in January. Hawaii saw an 87% rise in homelessness year-over-year, with 81 people per 10,000 residents recorded as unhoused — the highest rate in the nation. New York shared the same rate, which increased this year, in part, due to an influx of asylum seekers to New York City’s shelter system, according to the report.
Across the country, the annual tally registered the highest number of people experiencing homelessness ever recorded since the point-in-time count began in 2007. Over 771,000 people nationwide were unhoused at the time of the count: a 18% rise from the 2023 count.
The “worsening national affordable housing crisis,” inflation, stagnating wages, and “the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits,” the report notes. And the end of pandemic-era supports,
CHART BY ERIN PETENKO, VTDIGGER
Town will hold two hearings on O’Brien Bros agreement
BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
The Shelburne Selectboard will hold two public hearings this month on the tentative pre-development agreement with O’Brien Brothers over the company’s proposed 175-acre project.
The hearings will be held at the town offices on Jan. 14 and 28, at 7 p.m. both nights. Proponents of the agreement hope that the selectboard will vote to accept the updated version of the agreement at the second meeting.
In preparation for the public hearings, here’s what you need to know about the agreement as it stands now.
Expanding the sewer service area
After long debate over the issue, a legal review by Shelburne’s lawyer and the law firm McNeil, Leddy and Sheahan concluded that it is within the selectboard’s power to extend the town’s sewer service area. The town has assessed it has the capacity to do so in this case.
An 8-inch sewer line already exists on the property, which lies between Irish Hill and Thomas roads, and there is a water main connection within 50 feet of the parcel. O’Brien Brothers would be responsible for building the actual infrastructure necessary to connect the development to town services.
Among the other stipulations attached to the extension of municipal water and sewer — unless Shelburne officially considers it within the service area by the end of next year — O’Brien and the state will have the power to void the agreement. The selectboard has signaled its desire to extend the area in the text of the agreement.
Environmental considerations and recreation
The estimated 65-88 acres of land south of Thomas Road owned by O’Brien will be dedicated as a publicly accessibly conservation area. O’Brien is also obligated to offer this land to Shelburne. However, the town is not required to accept, and until it does, O’Brien will retain responsibility for maintaining it.
In terms of energy, the development plans to rely on renewable energy with no infrastructure for fossil fuels, provided that Green Mountain Power can support it. This includes installing solar panels and electric batteries as well as a feasibility analysis for geothermal energy to be used for heating and cooling.
O’Brien has also agreed to design the development to reduce car traffic and promote alternative transportation. This encompasses services like bus shelters, public bicycle parking and, most notably, pedestrian and bike paths.
The developers have also agreed to create an 8-foot-wide, publicly accessible recreation path that extends from Irish Hill Road to either Spear Street (near Thomas Road) or Thomas Road itself. There will be an additional connection to the new conservation area south of Thomas Road, and any playgrounds built that the development review board designates to the town will also be available for public use.
Dwelling units and affordable housing
The number of dwelling units allowed
See O’BRIEN on page 11
Elder care group launches online resource for families
CareForTom has launched the first comprehensive online resource dedicated to providing families with unbiased, expert-verified elder care information at carefortom.org.
According to a 2023 Family Caregiver Alliance study, 76 percent of family caregivers report needing more information about care options for their aging loved ones. CareForTom is a national initiative that addresses a critical gap in accessible resources for families navigating care decisions for aging loved ones.
According to a 2023 National Alliance for Caregiving survey, 74 percent of family caregivers spend
Five to 10 hours per week searching across multiple websites for information about their loved one’s care needs.
“Despite having resources and workplace flexibility that many families lack, I still struggled to find reliable information when caring for my aging parents,” Shelburne’s Nicole Junas Ravlin, founder and board chair of CareForTom, said.
Unlike existing resources that may be influenced by advertising or profit motives, carefortom.org is committed to remaining completely free and unbiased. All content is meticulously researched and verified by subject matter experts, including health care professionals, elder law attorneys and experienced care providers.
“More than half of family caregivers in the U.S. report feeling they don’t have enough information to make confident decisions about care options,” executive director and CEO Monica Arnold said.
The organization collaborates with leading institutions and professionals nationwide to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness of resources. Following a successful soft-launch phase focused on content development and rigorous fact-checking, CareForTom will continue to release new resources monthly. The organization relies on donations and grants to maintain its commitment to free, unbiased, easy to access information.
Learn more at carefortom.org.
CRIME & COURTS
Woman gets 18 years for part in husband’s shooting death
MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT
Angela M. Auclair has been sentenced in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington to 18 years in prison for her part in a conspiracy to kill her estranged husband in Hinesburg more than five years ago.
Auclair, 52, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit first degree murder and was sentenced to 35-years-to-life with all but 18 years suspended, including credit for about five years in custody.
Formerly of Williston, Auclair had moved to Bristol shortly before her December 2019 arrest.
The state agreed to dismiss other charges, including aiding in the commission of first-degree murder, obstruction of justice and two counts of violating her conditions of release.
Her son, Kory Lee George, 36, of Monkton, has been sentenced to 18-years-to-life for his part in the conspiracy to commit first-degree murder during the ambush shooting in July 2019.
When George entered his guilty plea in September 2023, the court was told he was prepared to
testify that his mother fired all the fatal shots. Initial reports had theorized Auclair was home when her husband was gunned down.
The victim, David Auclair, had tried to crawl under his pickup truck to get away from the shooting by his wife, according to prosecutors. He was shot 11 times, police say.
His bullet-riddled body was found July 11, 2019, at the LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest trailhead parking lot off Gilman Road in Hinesburg. He was lured to the scene for his execution through a pre-paid burner cellphone that was traced to a Milton store where George bought it, state police said.
David Auclair was the son of a well-known South Burlington family that operated a large farm on Vermont 116 (Hinesburg Road) near the Shelburne line.
As part of Angela Auclair’s probation terms, Judge John Pacht directed her to have no contact with her son and his wife or members of the victim’s family, one of whom spoke at the sentencing on behalf of the family and said she doubted Auclair was sorry for the killing.
Pacht also ordered Angela
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Auclair to have no contact with her former boyfriend, John Turner, who is still facing two federal gun charges from the homicide case.
Those charges stem from a residential break-in that Turner and George allegedly helped execute while Angela and David Auclair were having dinner at a Colchester restaurant with the victim of the burglary.
The homicide investigation initially pointed to George as the apparent shooter, after he stole several firearms from a Colchester home the night before the fatal shooting.
Turner, 54, of Milton, reportedly dropped off George near the residence and returned a few minutes later to pick him up after he stole at least four firearms, Vermont State Police said.
The Auclairs were in a rocky marriage, and police said Angela Auclair had a romantic interest in Turner, who would visit their family home on Vermont 116 in Williston even when David Auclair was there.
Auclair and her son were headed for a rare joint trial in October 2023, but George entered a last-minute plea agreement a month earlier that required him to enter a guilty plea and promise to testify against his mother.
Auclair pleaded guilty last January to accessory to first
degree murder and was scheduled to get the same sentence as her son, but last April she petitioned a judge to allow her to withdraw her guilty plea. She also wanted to fire her lawyer.
George, a five-time felon, also was convicted separately in federal court for illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the homicide.
During the investigation, Vermont State Police detectives said they determined George was in illegal possession of two firearms — the stolen 9-mm Beretta used in the homicide and a stolen 12-gauge shotgun, records show. George was sentenced to 89 months in federal prison on the gun count in November 2021. As part of the plea agreement, his federal sentence would run concurrently with his state time. He is currently serving his sentences at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans.
Total reported incidents: 128
Traffic stops: 13
Warnings: 13
Medical emergencies: 51
Mental health incidents: 1
Suspicious incidents: 12
Directed patrols: 88
Citizen assists: 8
Motor vehicle complaints: 4
Car crash: 4
Animal problem: 1
Theft: 2
Vandalism: 1
Alarms: 22
Pending investigations: 4 911 Hang-up calls: 3
Dec. 23 at 9:44 a.m., the caller reported hunters were trespassing while accessing the lake on Harbor Road, but turns out they did have permission from the property owner. The complainant was upset with the findings and were warned against harassing the hunters.
Dec. 23 at 2:05 p.m., a caller reported a two-car crash with no injuries at the intersection of Shelburne and Marsett roads. When officers arrived, all operators and passengers fled the scene. It was determined that both vehicles were stolen, one from Hinesburg and the other from South Burlington. The case is under investigation.
Dec. 24 at 12:16 a.m., police
issued warnings for vehicles violating the winter parking band on Hawley Road, Hedgerow Drive, Littlefield Drive, Maplewood Drive and Oak Hill Road.
Dec. 28 at 11:26 a.m., a caller reported that a male entered Dunkin Donuts on Shelburne Road and stated he was assaulted at the bus stop. Officers located the male and determined he wasn’t assaulted. The individual wanted to speak to an officer about illegal activity in Burlington.
Dec. 29 at 10:48 a.m., a car was reported stolen on Nashville Road.
Dec. 30 at 3:45 p.m., Village Wine and Coffee requested a trespass order be issued against an unwanted guest. The officer located and issued the trespass notice to the individual.
Dec. 30 at 4:52 p.m., a caller said their residence or vehicle was vandalized on Webster Road. The case is pending additional leads.
Dec. 31 at 10:16 p.m., a caller reported a loud party at a neighbor’s residence on Acorn Lane. Officers located the party and spoke with the homeowner about the noise.
Jan. 1 at 1:18 p.m., officers located a stolen vehicle from Colchester parked at the Smart Suites on Shelburne Road. Colchester Police Department was notified, and the vehicle was returned to the owner.
Jan. 2 at 11:07 a.m., a caller reported another guest at the Countryside Motel was banging on his door and threatening him. The officer checked the area but was unable to locate anyone.
Jan. 2 at 11:16 a.m., the caller reported a dog running loose on South Brownell Road. The officer checked the area but was unable to locate the animal.
Jan. 3 at 9:32 a.m., a caller on Shelburne Road reported receiving threatening, harassing, calls and text messages. The case is pending further investigation.
Jan. 5 at 12:34 a.m., Officers issued warnings for vehicles violating the winter parking ban on John Street and Woodbine Road.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.
Jan. 1 at 12:20 p.m., Tractor Supply requested, and was granted, a no-trespass order be issued against an unwanted customer.
Shelburne Police Blotter: Dec. 23 - Jan. 5
Angela M. Auclair
OPINION
Working together to address Vermont’s affordability crisis
Guest Perspective
Amy Spear & Megan Sullivan
Each year, we at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce outline our legislative priorities with one focus in mind: creating the conditions to advance the Vermont economy. This year, our goals align closely with those voiced by Vermonters at the polls: addressing affordability, fostering economic growth and doing the hard work to solve Vermont’s toughest challenges.
Affordability is at the forefront of these challenges. Vermonters are grappling with rising costs, driven by demographic pressures and systemic issues in areas such as education finance spending, housing, and healthcare. Based on data compiled by the Vermont Futures Project, our state must add an average of 13,500 people to its workforce annually through 2035 to keep the economy thriving in the face of demographic shifts. Meanwhile, meeting current housing demand will require tripling Vermont’s housing output to produce 36,000 new units by 2029.
Addressing this level of need is even more pressing given Vermont’s ranking as the third-highest state in the nation for tax collections per capita, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Property and individual income taxes remain Vermont’s largest sources of revenue, placing additional stress on families and businesses already struggling
with limited housing options and rising costs. While band-aid solutions might feel appealing, real progress requires honest conversations, a shared commitment and a willingness to embrace compromise. We need solutions that tackle the root causes, not just the symptoms.
Last year’s success in modernizing Act 250 demonstrated how stakeholders with historically opposing sides commit to working together, and in doing so, real progress can be made, even when the process is challenging and compromises are required.
By remaining fully engaged and working through disagreements, participants honored diverse perspectives and paved the way for continued collaboration, providing a blueprint for how to accomplish meaningful change. This model of purposeful engagement — where people listen to different viewpoints, set aside rhetoric, and remain focused on shared goals — must be a cornerstone of how we move forward in Montpelier and beyond.
As we look ahead, whether in the Statehouse, the boardroom, or around the kitchen table, we must prioritize this spirit of cooperation to address our affordability crisis and build a stronger future for businesses and communities across the state.
The Vermont Chamber is committed to playing an active role in this process. We will advocate for thoughtful, data-driven policies that reduce costs, grow
REPAIRS
our economy, and create opportunities for all Vermonters.
Vermont’s challenges, from housing shortages to healthcare costs, do not rest on the shoul-
ders of any one party, organization or community. Making meaningful reforms will require all stakeholders — legislators, administration officials, advo-
cates, businesses and individuals — to engage in difficult conver-
From chattel to child to red-cloaked mother
Throughout the ages it’s been true. Now, here we go again. Sexism and misogyny 3.0. With the second reign of Donald Trump women will continue to be ignored, excluded, trivialized, objectified, assaulted, shamed and afraid.
In the truly old days women became chattel when nomadic societies ceased to be mobile and agrarian. Before yielding to
land ownership, life meant that everyone in the family and community had respectable tasks. Men hunted, women planted and no one was treated as a lesser being. When land was claimed and “owned,” everything changed. Men became warriors who fought each other for everything that was on the property, including livestock, tools, furnishings, and women, along with children, were regarded as a husband’s personal property.
Fast forward to modern times and notice how women are still treated as chattel.
Here’s a true example, shared by Catherine
Allgor at the National Museum of Women’s Art in 2012. A woman applies for a mortgage to buy a house. She is older than her husband, is senior to him in their careers and earns more money. She has bought houses before, her spouse has not. Still, in the transaction, she is listed as wife, and as such she is subjected to the legal practice of coverture, a term that still exists since colonial times.
Based on English law, coverture meant that no female had a legal identity. A child was covered by her father’s identity, and a wife’s identity relied on her husband’s, which is why, until relatively recently, wives assumed their husbands’ surnames. Before that, wives were considered to be “feme covert,” a covered woman who did not exist legally. (Sound familiar?) Originally that meant that females couldn’t own anything, had no rights to their inheritances or their children. They couldn’t work, enter a contract, or have bodily autonomy because husbands had the legal right to rape.
ways to describe women versus men. Their research found that even young females are often described as “bossy” while that term is not applied to boys. In adulthood, being called “ambitious” is an insult for women but not for men. “The problem is that the words used to evaluate women differ from those used to evaluate men, which reinforces gender stereotyping,” say the authors. “Similarly, people are more likely to use words like ‘superb,’ ‘outstanding, ‘remarkable’ and ‘exceptional’ to describe male job applicants. In recommending female applicants, people used fewer superlatives but less specificity.” Then fact is: Words matter.
Coverture, Allgor explains, is why white women weren’t allowed to vote until 1920. They couldn’t serve on juries until the 1960s, and marital rape wasn’t a crime until the 1980s. In my personal experience during that decade, I was denied in-state tuition when I earned my master’s degree, because although I met every requirement for it, including being co-owner of a house, the college argued that I wasn’t legally a resident of Maryland because I didn’t earn half of our family income. It took me seven years to win the case against them.
Women are still infantilized and treated as children. It occurs in the workplace, the marketplace, the academy, religious institutions and in homes when others, often men in domestic settings, treat women as errant children. Infantilizing women is linked to objectification because it sets up an unequal power and control situation.
Women in various settings threaten the androcentric paradigm that has us locked into various, unrelenting forms of patriarchy. Examples include using demeaning nicknames, suggesting that women don’t understand a topic, using physical gestures like a hug that they wouldn’t use to greet men. All of these gestures and words are meant to convey to women that men have superiority over the person who is subjected to these differentiations.
In 2018, the Harvard Business Review published an article written by four female researchers revealing that words in the business sector use significantly different
AFFORDABILITY
continued from page 5
sations and embrace compromise. Only through a shared sense of responsibility and shared accountability for the outcomes can we create the conditions for inclusive and forward-thinking problem-solving. Blame and partisanship must give way to open-minded discussion and creative ideas that improve Vermonters’ lives.
As we begin the new legislative session, the Vermont Chamber calls on our leaders to remain engaged in discussions, continue the dialogue, and keep conversations
The incoming president and his pals play all these cards in spades. Name calling, put downs, sexual transgressions and more will not suddenly quiet down or disappear. The likelihood is they will be exacerbated by an overblown sense of superiority and adoration by Trump’s second win. Every bit of misogyny and sexism women have had to endure in the past will be more pronounced and dangerous by this administration and its rightwing collaborators.
Consider the fact that women have been robbed of bodily autonomy, lifesaving reproductive health care and policies that are geared to breeding rather than being. Already women are dying from preventable crises during pregnancy and miscarriage. That is nothing short of state-sponsored femicide.
Women, like words, matter, but not in the incoming administration.
An article in The Brooklyn Rail published in 2017, shortly after the last election Trump won, captures the shocking reality that links the political situation ahead of us to the chillingly relevant book “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which suggests “parallels between a fictional totalitarianism, and the policies and ideological proclivities of Donald Trump’s administration. In many ways, these comparisons make sense: the world of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ contains the brutal objectification of women, widespread loss of civil rights, the manipulation of facts to control the political narrative, and an authoritarian state that fetishizes a return to religious or traditional values.”
Is it any wonder that the red cape symbolizes what women have feared since Roe v. Wade was overturned? Will history prove to be prologue?
Elayne Clift is a Vermont-based witer. Read more at elayne-clift.com.
focused on results. It’s time to move beyond rhetoric and engage in the real work of making Vermont more affordable and sustainable for all. By doing so, we can ensure our state’s economy remains vibrant, our communities remain livable and our future remains bright.
Amy Spear is president of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Megan Sullivan is the Chamber’s Vice President of Government Affairs.
OUTDOORS
Bark helps the trees weather the winter
The Outside Story
Catherine Wessel
When I think about winter survival, my mind first goes to wildlife: field mice curling up in nests, chickadees flocking to bird feeders, and amphibians burrowing into the mud.
Rarely do I think about the adaptations of our northern species that can’t grow thicker fur, fluff up their feathers, or go underground. Trees, for instance, face the same freezing temperatures, wet weather, and harsh winds, all with the added challenge of not being able to move.
One way trees endure winter is through adaptations in their bark. With the deciduous leaves long gone, the winter forest has been laid bare, giving us the perfect conditions to attune ourselves to the strategies of tree bark.
Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is one of the most familiar characters on a walk in the winter woods. Its distinctive bright white, straight trunk stands out against the blue sky on clear days and is easily distinguished by its bark that peels off in horizontal curls.
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) also have light-colored bark and can thrive at this northern edge. Some species with light bark have the added advantage of bark that can photosynthesize in winter; aspen and paper birch are notable for this ability. Multiple adaptations ensure that trees are well prepared to survive the northern winters.
American beech (Fagus grandifolia) can also photosynthesize through its bark, although it doesn’t grow as far north as these other species. Its range extends from Florida to Quebec and into the Midwest.
Though it may be counterintuitive, the bark reflects heat and prevents the tree from warming up too much, protecting it against damage from changes in temperature.
When healthy, it has smooth, unbroken gray bark, and can live to 400 years old. Beechnuts provide important mast for a variety of wildlife species and were once the primary food source for the now extinct passenger pigeon. The thin bark on American beech can photosynthesize, even in temperatures below freezing, giving the beech a bump in energy to help sustain it through this season.
It is also one of our northernmost hardwoods. Ranging across Canada and the northern United States, and occasionally found as far south as North Carolina, the paper birch is notable for surviving nearly to the tree line in the arctic, a place where few hardwoods can reach. Part of its success lies in its white bark: though it may be counterintuitive, the bark reflects heat and prevents the tree from warming up too much, protecting it against damage from changes in temperature.
This adaptation is especially important in winter, when fluctuations are extreme between dark, cold nights and sunny days with no cover. Regulating temperature is essential for avoiding injury, such as sunscald and frost cracks, and this adaptation is so effective that arborists sometimes wrap light-colored material around planted trees that have dark bark to protect them.
Although this adaptation helps the tree throughout winter, photosynthesis through bark becomes most active in the “vernal window,” the shoulder season between winter and spring, after snowmelt and before leaf-out, when trees need energy for new growth.
While thicker bark on many tree species prevents sunlight from reaching the photosynthesizing cork skin, this bark offers a different benefit by protecting and insulating the tree from temperature changes. Michael Wojtech, author of Bark, refers to the thick platelike bark of the eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) as “radiator fins.” These blocky sections of bark increase surface area for air to move around, distributing heat and maintaining even temperatures. Because hemlocks retain their needles all winter, little sunlight reaches bark anyway, so this adaptation serves this tree well. Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) has similarly thick and furrowed bark.
ILLUSTRATION BY ADELAIDE MURPHY TYROL
With the distraction of other growing things gone for the season, winter is an ideal time to turn our attention to tree bark and admire not only the great variety of subtle colors and textures, but also to ponder how these qualities facilitate different strategies for surviving the winter.
On your next walk through the winter woods, you may notice the shreddy bark of hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), the great diamond ridges of white ash (Fraxinus americana), and the burnt potato chip bark of black cherry (Prunus serotina). How do each of these types of bark help the trees?
Catherine Wessel is the assistant editor at Northern Woodlands. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: nhcf.org.
News from Pierson Library
Winter Pen Pal Program with the Bexley Library
Stay connected this winter with an out-of-state pen pal. The Pierson Library is partnering with Ohio’s Bexley Public Library. Registration is open now and limited to 15 participants. This program is open to all ages but pen pals will be paired in like age brackets.
On Jan. 22, the libraries will distribute pen pal packets revealing info about your new writing buddy. The Pierson library will handle distribution but the libraries are not responsible for the content of the letters. Respectful and appropriate language are the expectations.
To register go to piersonlibrary. org/events and follow the links to the pen pal program.
Dr. Mark Levine to visit town hall
As part of the ongoing series on climate chaos by the Pierson Library and the Shelburne Climate and Energy Committee, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine will be in town to field inquiries and share insights about the latest health risks and best practices related to climate change.
Thursday, Jan. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Fun pop events planned for Swifties and Murakami fans
Fans of new pop and literary fabulism respectively rejoice in the
company of other afficionados at two events this week.
The first is for Murakamiites. Haruki Murakami turns 76 this week and the library is throwing a birthday party with a reading of one of his stories and gluten-free cake. Saturday, Jan. 11, 1-3 p.m.
The second is for Swifties lamenting the end of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour: a T. Swift-onvinyl listening party and friendship bracelet making shindig. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
New writing groups for all ages
Have a resolution to write more this year? The Pierson Library has two different creative writing groups. For teens, there’s Writer’s Unite, Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. For adults, it’s a creative writing support group starting this Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m.-noon.
Winter art exhibit opening this Sunday
Bring the whole family this Sunday for the launch of the library’s Art Exchange Program, bringing creative works from outside Shelburne to our community.
The first, in collaboration with Keen arts in New York, features painter Mike Kaz and sculptor Matt Horner — as well as a custom soundtrack if you download Spotify and pop in your ear buds — a raffle, refreshments and a kid’s search-and-find. Jan. 12, 2-4 p.m.
COURTESY PHOTOS
The Pierson Library’s new winter art exhibit features paintings by Mike Kaz, above left and bottom right, and sculptures by Matt Horner, above right.
Community Notes
Winter art exhibit opening at the Pierson Library
The Pierson Library launches its new Art Exchange Program on Sunday, Jan. 12 from 2-4 p.m., bringing creative works from outside Shelburne to the community. This first exhibition, in collaboration with Keen Arts from New York, features painter Mike Kaz and sculptor Matt Horner in Twists and Turns. The show is inspired by alpinist Mark Newcomb’s reflection: “It’s the little decisions in your life that connect one by one, as points in time. The sum total of these points becomes a line and that line is your life.”
Download Spotify and bring your earbuds, because the exhibition will feature a custom soundtrack. Meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and enter raffles for a chance to win artwork donated by the Shelburne Craft School.
Kids can search the library for famous Playmobil artists and earn a prize. Twenty percent of all proceeds are being donated to the Pierson Library.
Champlain School District reboots Celebrate the Arts
The Champlain Valley School District announces the return of Celebrate the Arts, a showcase of performing and visual arts from the district’s six schools, after a six-year break.
The 13th annual event is Thursday, Jan. 9, and will transform the hallways and theater into a vibrant gallery of student learning, innovation and inspiration.
“This event represents the collaborative efforts of so many facets of the CVSD community,” Sarah Crum, the district’s director of learning and innovation, said. “This year builds on the tradition by bringing in new components and activities, showcasing incredible arts experiences of students alongside the abundant resources that enrich our community.”
From 5-8 p.m., visual and performing arts will be on display from students enrolled in art classes from across the district — Allen Brook School, Williston Central School, Shelburne Community School, Hinesburg Community School, Charlotte Central School and Champlain Valley Union High School.
Beyond traditional visual and performing art, the CVU design and engineering technology students will be running demonstrations all evening, where the community can see welding, laser cutting and 3D printing demonstrations. CVU’s robotics team, the RoboHawks, will be showing off their competition robot and sharing their design process.
Transportation will be available, with buses from Charlotte Central School, Williston Central School and Shelburne Community School.
Local restaurants will be providing food and organizations that offer community and family resources will be in attendance to share more information.
Find a full schedule at cvsdvt. org/celebrate-the-arts.
Cathedral hosts pancake breakfast
The Cathedral’s Bishop DeGoesbriand Council will serve a pancake breakfast in the parish hall, 29 Allen St., Burlington, on Sunday, Jan. 12, from 9-11:30 a.m.
Feast on all your favorites: blueberry pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast and more. Coffee, juice and real maple syrup are included.
The cost is $ 10 per person, $5 for kids and $ 25 per family of four. Take-out containers available.
Choral Chameleon presents a pair of Middlebury shows
The New York-based ensemble Choral Chameleon brings its rich harmonies and adventurous programming back to Middlebury’s Mahaney Arts Center this month for two very different choral experiences: a traditional choral concert on Saturday, Jan. 18, and a free “choral installation” on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The Mahaney Arts Center is located on the Middlebury College campus, at 72 Porter Field Road.
The Jan. 18 concert will kick off a weeklong campus residency with a program titled “Control” in the Mahaney Arts Center’s Robison Hall. The music will explore the timeless and complex relationship between parents and children, and the eternal push and pull between generations — bound by love, yet
Beginning at 5:30, musical performances will ring throughout the theater and “four corners” area, including from the CVU High School band, madrigal singers and jazz band, as well as a special presentation by cast members of the CVU fall musical, “Footloose.”
COURTESY PHOTO
New York-based ensemble Choral Chameleon is bringing two very different programs this month to Middlebury College.
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like the expanded child tax credit, have also likely contributed to the national rise in homelessness, it says.
The point-in-time count figure is generally considered to be an undercount. HUD does not tally people who are doubling up with relatives or couch-surfing, and people who are unsheltered are often more difficult to find.
Even as the number of people experiencing homelessness has ticked up, the HUD analysis reflects that Vermont has done a better job than most other states at keeping unhoused people indoors. Over 95% of Vermont’s homeless population was in some form of shelter as of January — either a traditional shelter, or a hotel or motel covered by an emergency housing voucher. Only neighboring New York had a higher rate of people in shelter, according to the report.
Still, the January tally recorded a jump in the number of people living unsheltered in Vermont from a year earlier. And observers expect the 2025 count, which will take place in a few weeks, will capture an even larger number of people sleeping outdoors or in their vehicles.
That’s because over 1,500 people were pushed out of the state’s motel voucher program this fall, after a series of cost-cutting measures went into effect. The program’s rules have since loosened for the winter, allowing some people to re-enter, though cold-weather access is more limited now than in previous years and both shelter space and motel rooms are scarce.
Already this winter, Burlington officials have observed more people living outside than this time last year, said Sarah Russell, the city’s special assistant to end homelessness. When the city opened an extreme cold-weather shelter for the weekend before Christmas — in part because the opening of its regular seasonal shelter has been delayed until the new year — “the number of folks that we saw there was huge,” Russell said. About 50 people showed up the first night, and 80 the next.
“It’s just too cold for people to be living outside,” Russell said.
The HUD report does show signs of progress. Nationally, homelessness among veterans dropped 8% last year — to the lowest number on record, according to a HUD press release. That success can be chalked up to specific housing programs targeted at veterans, the report says, and is often lauded by homelessness advocates as a model for how to tackle homelessness among other groups.
“When there are more resourc-
es that are poured into, you know, housing supports for specific sub-populations of folks — the result of that is that it actually drives the numbers down,” Russell said.
The press release also notes several places that saw decreases in homelessness over the past year. Dallas saw its homelessness numbers drop after launching a new program to connect unsheltered people to long-term housing while closing encampments. Chester County, Penn., has seen a nearly 60% drop in homelessness since 2019, after putting in place eviction prevention programs, expanding “housing first” training initiatives, increasing affordable housing groups, and providing fair housing education for migrant workers, according to the release.
When Vermont lawmakers kick off the 2025 legislative session next week, they will get their next chance to tackle the state’s homelessness problem. Their return comes after several deaths of people living outside that have captured the public’s attention in recent weeks.
“My question to Vermont legislators is: how are we going to keep the population experiencing homelessness alive while we make progress on solving homelessness as a state?” Sosin, the Dartmouth researcher, said.
This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.
COMMUNITY NOTES
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separated by perspective. Featuring original choral works and arrangements by composers including Bela Bartók, Michael McGlynn, John Corigliano, Manuel de Falla, Duncan Sheik, and Janet Jackson, this evening of choral music examines the deeply nuanced bond between those who raise us and those we raise. This concert will also be streamed.
Then on Jan. 22, Choral Chameleon will transform the Mahaney Arts Center into a creative choral installation, with singers throughout the building. This world premiere of the new work “I Am” was written for Middlebury by Choral Chameleon’s founder and artistic director Vince Peterson, with a libretto by Ryan BauerWalsh.
Choral Chameleon’s Director of Education and Touring, Ronnie Romano (Middlebury class of 2020, and a prolific choral director locally) has gathered together a group of students and community singers who will perform alongside the guest artists. Audiences will move through the MAC at their own pace, discovering music as they go, and creating their own unique musical experience. This event is free and open to all.
The Jan. 18 concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25 for the general public, $20 for Middlebury faculty/staff and alumni, $10 for youth, and $5 for Middlebury College students. This concert will
also be streamed ($15 regular, $5 Middlebury College students).
Visit Bernie Mitten creator at the Teddy Bear Factory
Come buy a copy of the book “Bernie’s Mitten Maker” book, or have your book signed by author Jen Ellis, at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory and Retail Store, at 6655 Shelburne Road, Jan. 25, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
More information, vermontteddybear.com/pages/vermont-teddybear-events.
Shelburne
Age Well hosts two luncheons
St. Catherine of Siena and Age Well are teaming up to offer luncheons on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Tuesday, Jan. 21, for anyone 60 or older in the St. Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St., in Shelburne.
The check-in time is 11:30 and the meal will be served at noon. There is a $5 suggested donation.
The menu for Jan. 14 is a pork chop with pineapple sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, green and black beans, wheat bread and pears. The deadline to register is Jan. 8
The menu for Jan. 21 is macaroni and cheese, green beans, stewed tomatoes, wheat roll and an apple. The deadline to register is Jan. 15.
Contact Molly BonGiorno,
nutrition coordinator at 802-6625283 or mbongiorno@agewellvt. org
Tickets are also available at the Age Well Office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester. Restaurant tickets will be available for distribution for a suggested $5 donation.
St. Catherine’s church to host blood drive
Give the life-saving gift of blood at the Shelburne community blood drive at St. Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church Street, Shelburne, Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 12-5 p.m.
Enjoy the comfortable waiting area, eat some homemade treats and receive a $15 e-gift card to the
PHOTO BY GREG WARRINGTON
New Year’s Eve fireworks over Burlington as seen from Oakledge Park.
ACT 250 BOARD
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a given timeframe. That system could in fact lead to the sprawl it was trying to prevent, prompting developers to avoid bumping up against Act 250 permitting by building “smaller scale, single family home development dispersed around our towns and villages,” Hurley said.
Act 181 shifts the permitting program toward “location-based jurisdiction,” meaning some areas of the state that already have robust local zoning review and water and wastewater infrastructure could be exempt from Act 250 altogether. That new system will take years to implement, though, and the transition will be one of the board’s primary tasks.
As that longer process plays out, lawmakers made temporary exemptions to Act 250 last year. They were designed to encourage dense housing in already-developed areas, and so far, the carveouts appear to be working as intended. Hurley thinks loosening Act 250’s rules around housing will make a big difference.
“The market just can’t bear the cost of construction at this point, and so any relief to the financing of new housing development is going to be meaningful,” Hurley said.
Still, members of the board think Act 250 will continue to play an important role in years to come.
O’BRIEN
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in the development is capped at 375. More than 12 percent of these units are required to be affordable to occupants who make between 80 and 150 percent of the median income. Additionally, 80 percent of the affordable units put up for sale must have two or more bedrooms and maintain a cohesive design with market-rate units in the neighborhood — the affordable housing units aren’t supposed to stick out. O’Brien will be required to build the affordable housing concurrently with the marketrate units.
COMMUNITY NOTES
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merchant of your choice. For many patients receiving urgent medical care, the need for blood doesn’t stop for winter activities or inclement weather.
Walks-ins cannot always be accommodated, so appointments are strongly recommended, buy calling 1-800-733-2767 or visiting RedCrossBlood.org.
“The housing crisis requires us to act swiftly, and that means a lot more housing, period,” said Alex Weinhagen, current director of planning and zoning in Hinesburg and another new board member. “But larger projects have impacts, and the whole point of having a development review process is to make sure that we acknowledge those and that the projects, you know, do what they can to minimize them.”
To Weinhagen, Act 181’s goals were to reform statewide development review so that “it’s smarter, it works better, it’s applied consistently across the state and it’s only used when it’s needed — and not used in places where there’s adequate local level development review happening,” he said.
The board will study whether appeals of Act 250 permits should be heard by the board itself – or continue to be heard in state environmental court. Legislators and administration officials hotly debated the issue last session, arguing over which option would in fact speed up lengthy appeal timelines, and ultimately directed the new board to assess it further.
The other members of the new board include L. Brooke Dingledine, an environmental attorney in Randolph; Kirsten Sultan, an Act 250 district coordinator in the Northeast Kingdom with a back-
ground in engineering; and Sarah Hadd, a former local planner and current town manager for Fairfax, according to the press release.
The new board appointments took effect on Jan.1, and the board will begin its work on Jan. 27.
This story, by Report for Amer-
After the legal reviews regarding the sewer expansion, O’Brien has agreed to reimburse up to $35,000 to Shelburne for the legal fees racked up in developing the agreement. Later in the development process, it will also have to get permits from the Development Review Board and will be responsible for the cost of any legal review involved. In addition to legal fee reimbursement, O’Brien will be obligated to reimburse up to $50,000 for a part-time consultant to help the Department of Planning and Zoning manage the project.
If you are an eligible type O, B - or A - donor, consider making a Power Red donation which allows donors who meet certain criteria to safely donate two units of red cells during one appointment as an automated donation process. It is as safe as whole blood donation. Contact Laureen with any questions at Lmathon104@gmail.com.
ica corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.
COURTESY PHOTOS
The new Land Use Review Board, clockwise from top: Kirsten Sultan, Alex Weinhagen, Brooke Dingledine, Janet Hurley, Sarah Hadd.
SPORTS
Redhawks stay undefeated as calendar changes over
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Girls’
basketball
Champlain Valley 63, Plattsburgh, N.Y. 23: The Champlain Valley girls’ basketball team won its fifth game of the season on Saturday, beating Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Zoey McNabb had 23 points to lead the Redhawks (5-0), while Rose Bunting added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Kaitlyn Jovell dished out five assists.
Gymnastics
The Champlain Valley gymnastics team hosted a dual meet on Saturday and swept the top spot in every event to get the win.
Dasha Gaina came in first on the floor and earned first place in the all-around. Leah Fortin came in first on vault and Warner Babic finished in the top spot on bars and beam.
Babic came in second on vault, Gaina was third in vault and Fortin finished in third on floor.
Boys’ basketball
Burlington 71, Champlain Valley 35: Champlain Valley dropped its second game in a row on Friday, falling to Burlington 71-35.
Luke Allen led the way for the Redhawks with 14 points, while Owen Scott added 12 points.
CVU falls to 3-3 with the loss.
CVU also fell to Mount Mansfield on Monday Dec. 30, losing by one point, 49-48.
Connor Dubois had 13 points in the loss for the Redhawks.
Girls’ hockey
Missisquoi 3, Champlain
Valley/Mount Mansfield 1: The Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield girls’ hockey team fell to 2-4 with a loss to Missisquoi on Saturday.
Boys’ hockey
Hartford 4, Champlain Valley 1: The Champlain Valley boys’ hockey team fell to Hartford on Saturday.
The Redhawks, who got a goal from Brady Jones, moved to 0-5 with the loss. Jessie McCary stopped 29 shots in the net.
The Redhawks also fell to Spaulding, 4-2, on Monday, Dec. 30.
Shelburne Parks & Rec News
• Winter Carnival, Saturday, Jan. 25 from 1-3 p.m. at Shelburne Community School. Free crafts and activities will be offered by many local organizations and include a bounce house castle and fun games with the Big Blue Trunk. Entrance to the event and all crafts and activities are free, but donations will be accepted at the door.
• Valentine dance tickets on sale now. This popular annual event is Friday, Feb. 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Shelburne Town Gym. This event is open to kids enrolled in grades K-5. All kids must be accompanied by an adult. Advanced purchase of tickets is highly recommended: $10 per child, $15 per adult. Purchase Tickets in the Recreation Office.
• Yoga Flow for Strength and
Flexibility. The six-week session runs Jan. 14-Feb. 18 on Tuesdays from 9-10 a.m. at the Shelburne Town Gym. Fee: $90/session. Participants should be comfortable sitting on and getting up from the floor. Bring your own yoga mat and whatever props you need.
• Free senior walking program, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through April 2, from 9-10:30 a.m. Stay active and healthy during the icy and cold winter months by walking in a safe and warm environment. Bring a pair of clean, dry soft-soled shoes with you and change before entering the gym. No registration is required. Shelburne Residents only More information, shelburnevt.org/160/Parks-Recreation or 802-985-9551.
PHOTOS BY AL FREY
Above: CVU’s Luke Allen drives to the hoop during the Redhawks’ 44-27 win over the Colchester Lakers on Friday in Hinesburg
Right: Zoey McNabb brings the ball up the court for CVU during a 40-point victory over Plattsburgh on Saturday.
FLAG
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the pride flag alongside their U.S. and Black Lives Matter flags while waiting for the additional pole to be installed, but the confusion around the process led the SAGA students to go before the board to express their frustration with how long they had been trying to get the flag displayed and ask for clarity.
In addition to this frustration from the students, last winter, the board discussed whether to continue flying the Black Lives Matter flag, which they had voted to raise at all the schools after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. The issue was initially raised by community members, and the conversations it prompted brought the board to consider a direction that forefronts student input.
The policy they put in place last month is intended to do just that.
“What I’m excited about in this policy change is that it puts the administration in a listening and learning position,” Bunting said, “for our students and with our students, and I think it increases student agency and voice.”
The superintendent’s office will only accept applications from recognized student groups and each will have to include a proposed timeline for flying the flag, a statement about how it aligns with the school district’s vision and mission, and a planned educational element.
That might include something like an informational assembly or a formal flag raising ceremony. The idea, said Bunting, is to make sure the symbols being raised aren’t done so as tokens, but rather carry meaning and context. There is a Jan. 17 deadline for student groups to apply to keep current flags raised.
Although the school board discussed the possibility of taking down the BLM flags last year, with the new policy, CVU’s Racial Alliance Committee plans to apply to keep it flying
at their school. Jacklyn Whittier, a junior from Williston and a student representative to the school board, said she is hopeful about the new policy and that in addition to the BLM flag, CVU might start flying a pride flag as well.
Whittier is hoping to connect with students in the GSA to talk about getting the pride flag up within the next year, she said, “because especially with this new policy, I’m hoping that it’ll be a lot easier to get it raised.”
The superintendent and school administrators have been working to communicate with student groups about the new process and encourage them to take action on flags they want to see at their schools. Bunting set up a meeting with students this past week to talk through their recommendations on enacting the policy.
The new policy may open the door to flags coming down if there are no student groups interested in supporting them, and Bunting said that he is keeping that in mind, but he hasn’t heard from any students about it yet.
“As we adopt the new policy, we want to be clear that while it’s important that our student groups define the values that are important to them, I want to make sure that, because there’s a new policy coming in place, people don’t feel like they’re being marginalized as we move forward,” he said.
According to Whittier, students generally feel positive about the changes, especially because the push for change initially came from the students themselves.
“(Students) are excited and about it being more of a student voice, which is really nice to have, especially (the board) having to review the policy and taking in student voice,” she said.
The new flag policy will go into effect at Champlain Valley Schools on March 5.
SHELBURNE
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the new year. At its annual holiday party in December, the town recognized seven employees who had hit a five- or 10-year mark.
However, those employees are not the only town workers who have been there long-term.
Out of the 65 employees for the Town of Shelburne, 16 have been there for more than 20 years. This puts Shelburne in contrast to some labor trends. According to a Department of Labor Statistics report from last year, public service employees stayed with an employer for a median of 3.9 years, the lowest it’s been since 2002.
Town manager Matt Lawless said coming into a workplace with this many long-serving employees has been a boon since he started the job in 2023.
“[I] can focus on being a manager who’s new to Vermont and doing the policy making, big picture stuff, because our day-in and day-out work is rock solid, taken care of,” Lawless said.
For those who have been there for multiple decades, they’ve also overseen changes to systems and policies.
“I started on a typewriter, and there was an IBM AT computer,” Mack said of when he first started in 1989. There was also a networked computer where he could run plates through the DMV system — advanced technology for the time, but nothing like what the town is working with today.
Mack is a standout for longevity, not only because he’s been there for 35 years, but because of his specific position. Dispatch can be a tough job. Around a quarter of dispatchers leave their positions within a year.
Mack has stayed through all the changes, often working through the night and talking to people in some of their worst moments. He has no plans to leave his post any time soon.
Josh Flore, a police sergeant who celebrated 30 years with the department, said that a part of what had kept him around has been the relationships he’s built within the community.
“I really enjoy the town that I work for. I’ve got some good roots here. I know a lot of people in the community, and I really enjoy
ANTIQUES WANTED
working for those people,” Flore said.
At the holiday party, some of the words were a little more sentimental. Before giving the employees celebrating anniversaries their awards, each manager shared a few words about the person.
According to Matt Lawless, of particular note was a speech given by Chris Robinson, the wastewater superintendent about Steve Williams, who is celebrating 20 years with Shelburne. Robinson is retiring this year, and the pair have worked together for a long time.
“They’ve worked together that whole time at these plants, and they’ve gone through facility upgrades, but also their kids have grown up together, and there are grandkids now. So it was a really heartfelt moment for Chris to share the recognition.”
The other employees celebrating long-term work anniversaries with the town were wastewater worker Jeff Pilsbury and Brian Fox, a patrol officer, both with 10 years. Assistant town clerk Sue Moraska and police chief Mike Thomas have been there 15 years.
COURTESY PHOTO
Jimmy Mack
For founder, rescue was her way of life
JACQUELINE SPINNELL COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
Ten months after Brigitte Thompson’s death, the dog rescue organization she founded has continued to thrive.
Still, it takes four people to fill the role that Thompson once held single-handedly, said Kristen Orlando, part of the group’s leadership team.
“Brigitte just worked so hard,” Orlando said. “She was truly a remarkable person, and she is dearly missed.”
Thompson unexpectedly died on Feb. 18. She was 55 years old.
A dog isn’t just a pet, it is family, and no one understood this more deeply than Thompson. She was a family-oriented person, with a love for all living beings around her, Orlando said.
Thompson spent her life in greater Burlington, attending St. Joseph’s Elementary School, Burlington High School, Rice High School and Champlain College. She married Keith Thompson in 1989, and together they raised three children — Sarah, Jacob and Katherine.
Thompson had an entrepreneurial spirit. She launched a bookkeeping business in 1991 and worked as a website designer, freelance writer, medical transcriptionist and wrote several published books. (Thompson also worked for the Burlington Area Newspaper Group, of which this newspaper is a member.)
In 2015, Thompson founded VT Dog Rescue out of love for animals and a passion for making a difference. At the time, she and her family owned eight dogs, and despite juggling a full-time job, her role as a wife, and being a mother of three, Thompson cared deeply about each one of them.
VT Dog Rescue is a canine adoption organization dedicated to rescuing dogs from across the country and providing them with loving homes. The organization is run entirely by volunteers.
In the past nine years, VT Dog Rescue has saved hundreds of dogs and fostered a community of people who care deeply for this cause.
Orlando said Thompson was devoted to each dog’s life, as well as cultivating a family bond among people in the organization.
“She created this rescue on the basis of truly personal compassionate care, and that was for not only the dogs, but also the people,” Orlando said. “That is something that made her truly special and makes the rescue truly special.”
Thompson made every decision in each dog’s best interest, Orlando said.
“Our dogs already had a rough start to their life and a rough transition being transported up north, so Brigitte prioritized their
best adoption match possible so that they could have the best rest of their life as they can,” Orlando said.
“She created the VT Dog Rescue process to be very thorough, and she created the dog matching process to be very personal to each dog, each foster parent and each adopter,” she said.
Thompson had a soft spot for dogs with special needs because those are the ones typically left behind in traditional animal shelters. Her philosophy was that every dog matters, so even transporting one dog was worth it if that dog got to live.
Thompson was an incredibly hard working and caring person, Orlando said, responding to emails through the night and sending each coworker an e-card on their birthday.
For the past several years, Thompson was primarily homebound due to medical issues. Still, she continued to organize transportation, set up foster and adoption matches and provide support to people and dogs that needed it.
On her obituary page, people shared stories of her influence on their lives, thanking her for pairing them with their dogs.
“Brigitte found the perfect dog for me, who has brought so much joy into my life,” wrote Monica Raymond. “Her tireless work running VT Dog Rescue has saved the lives of countless dogs and made so many human lives happier and more fulfilled.”
Learn more at vtdogrescue.com.
Via Community News Service, a University of
on
PHOTO COURTESY KRISTEN ORLANDO Brigitte Thompson with Holly, who found a home through VT Dog Rescue.