Evermore Americans worry about the future of our nation and economy
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Employees push back on benefits changes
At the Shelburne selectboard meeting last week, the board considered changes to employee health insurance benefits as part of the proposed budget for the coming year, prompting a backlash from concerned employees.
Currently, the town covers the entirety of the premium for employees on the MVP Health Care gold plan. According to an email sent by the town manager to employees in advance of the meeting, the changes would ask for a 5 percent employee contribution for that plan, reduce or remove employer support for deductibles, and end the current payment offered to employees who have outside coverage.
Employees are still set to receive their union-negotiated raises. However, according to town manager Matt Lawless, for employees on the lower end of the pay scale, the amount they would start paying on their insurance would outweigh their increase in salary, negatively impacting their take-home pay.
“You’re making a decision to
Wooly winterers
Markos Lissarrague took this photograph during a recent snowstorm on the hill above the Shelburne Farms barn.
BY
Extra credit: Shelburne students serve on local boards
BRIANA
BRADY
STAFF WRITER
Another high school student will now sit on the Shelburne Parks and Recreation Committee.
Ava Nnochiri, a sophomore at Champlain Valley Union High School, was appointed by the town selectboard to the seat last week and is now an official voting
committee member. She will serve along with CVU junior Ellie Johnson, who’s been on the committee for a little over a year.
“The reason I want to be on the parks and recreation committee is because I love to volunteer and help with my community,” Nnochiri said at the meeting. “I feel that Shelburne as a whole community is very strong. Like,
I’ve moved a lot in my life, and I don’t think I’ve ever been such an active part.”
Shelburne has allowed students to officially sit on town commissions, boards, and committees since 2018. Like other members, students are expected to regularly attend meetings and make contributions to discussions, but it wasn’t until more recently
that they gained status as voting members.
“We changed our by-laws,”
Lisa Merrill, chair of the Pierson Library board of trustees said.
“The students used to participate, but we didn’t record what their vote was on different topics. And
PHOTO
MARKOS LISSARRAGUE
BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
City leaders sound alarm on restorative justice bill
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
A new bill passed last year meant to expand pre-charge and restorative justice practices throughout the entire state has some municipal leaders in Chittenden County sounding the alarm to the Legislature over ramifications the plan could pose.
The bill, Act 180, which is set to take effect in June, aims to expand pre-charge diversion and restorative justice practices throughout the state while also stabilizing funding and streamline oversight to ensure the program’s success.
Vermont has a long history with restorative justice practices. In South Burlington, those practices date back as far as 2010. For Josef Lavanway, executive director of the South Burlington Community Justice Center, restorative justice is much more a philosophy than a program.
“It’s a philosophy rooted in community, in repairing harm, in building that community, and supporting folks to not have similar situations happen in the future,” Lavanway said.
South Burlington’s Community Justice Center is conveniently located within the same compound as the police station, which, in ways, mirrors how closely officers are continually working with the two employees at the center to efficiently resolve any criminal cases before they hit the court system.
The idea, which heightened during the pandemic as the court dealt – and continues to deal — with a massive backlog in court
cases, was to move cases for low-level crime cases out of the court system and offer a different course of restoration and action for offenders and victims.
“When you think about the current backlog at district court and the inefficiencies that we’re seeing in the criminal legal system, these cases aren’t touching that,” Chief of South Burlington Police Shawn Burke said.
The new law essentially shifted funding for these services and pre-charge diversion, which has historically been paid through grants with the Department of Corrections, to the Attorney General’s office, in an effort to provide better structure for the program.
Additionally, the new legislation mandates the attorney general’s office to examine how to better streamline the administration of the pre-charge diversion program through one main entity in the county. Burke said this has been a stumbling block for leaders and law enforcement as the county has four community justice centers — in Essex, South Burlington, Williston and Burlington.
While the funding source has shifted, there have been no secured appropriations yet to fund the program from the Legislature. This year, South Burlington was forced to fund the Community Justice Center with just over $40,000 out of its general fund budget to make up for the loss in funding.
“And that’s where we’ve hit a little bit of a stumbling block here in Chittenden County in terms of trying to establish a strategy in
order to keep all of our centers functioning in a way that best serves our communities,” Burke said.
The South Burlington Community Justice Center also serves agencies like the Shelburne Police Department, the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department and the Vermont State Police, and annually handles roughly 100
cases with some referrals from these departments. According to a letter signed by municipal leaders, police chiefs, and community justice directors in Colchester, Essex, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington and Williston and sent to the state’s Attorney General’s office and local legislators, the community justice centers that service those
Roofing Solutions
towns have, since the fall of 2019, successfully closed 1,234 cases between them.
“When you talk about those numbers in aggregate, the relief that we’re providing the criminal legal system, frankly, we’re leveraging a better process to resolve this disorder in the community as well as reduce recidivism,” Burke said.
The letter, in part, emphasizes that years ago, communities were asked to lead the way on providing restorative practices at the local level, and in more ways than one, South Burlington and its neighbors have optimized this regional efficiency in recent years.
“This was the right decision. We have met that challenge and, as a result, our cultures and practices have changed,” the letter states.
To shift the program away from direct local control “feels like we are being punished for our success,” they wrote. “How can we continue to modernize and advance how we provide public safety services if critical tools are taken away from us?”
As South Burlington city manager Jessie Baker puts it,
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN A female Northern Cardinal grabs a quick bite
Vermont to return $1.3 million of unclaimed property to its residents
KLARA BAUTERS
VTDIGGER
This holiday season, thousands of Vermonters could find a surprise gift in their mailbox — money they didn’t even know was theirs.
Through the newly launched MoneyBack program, the state plans to return nearly $1.3 million in unclaimed property to more than 5,000 residents, using tax department data to verify their identities and addresses.
Unclaimed property refers to financial assets — such as forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, unused gift cards and other financial property — that have been turned over to the state for safekeeping until claimed by their rightful owner.
Vermonters eligible for the MoneyBack program can expect payouts ranging from $100 to $500. The state plans to notify recipients with a letter providing the exact amount they’re set to receive. Just a few days after receiving the letter, a check for the unclaimed property will arrive in the mail.
“As Vermonters face an affordability crisis, the MoneyBack Program is putting hardearned money back into Vermonters’ pockets this holiday season,” state Treasurer Mike Pieciak said in a Wednesday press release.
“Any letters with an incorrect address will be returned, and the money will remain in unclaimed property for the owner to claim.”
— David Kunin
“While the MoneyBack program focuses on reuniting Vermonters with financial assets, the broader unclaimed property database includes a variety of items,” David Kunin, a spokesperson for the treasurer’s office, said in an email. “Occasionally, the treasurer’s office comes across more unique cases, such as family heirlooms or items from safe deposit boxes.”
Residents who want to check if they have unclaimed property can visit missingmoney.com.
BILL
continued from page 2
keeping the work that community justice centers do as close to police departments as possible is integral to this program’s success.
“The officers believe in this process,” Burke said. “They don’t see it as a slap on the wrist. They know when their cases come up here, people that successfully complete their contracts have really put in the work, and it’s far easier to go downtown and pay a nominal fine for some of these crimes.”
But the synergy between the police department and the community justice center has been a work in progress, since there were initially some firm nonbelievers in the process, he said.
Leaders of the manager-organized communities have directly asked that the state recommend retaining the current organizational structure and fund each of the centers to continue to provide restorative practices to Chittenden County. But, if that is not possible, they are asking to enable two sites to be funded.
“We, as the leaders of the manager-led communities, commit to working together over the next year to build one ‘streamlined’ administrative site as the lead and contracted agency in a manager-led community.”
The new program builds on a 2023 pilot program by Vermont’s tax department and the treasurer’s office that returned $75,000 to more than 300 Vermonters with mailed checks ranging from $200 to $225.
“During the pilot program, we used certified mail so we could closely track the accuracy of the addresses verified by the Tax Department and had a 99 percent delivery rate,” Kunin wrote. Any letters with an incorrect address will be returned, and the money will remain in unclaimed property for the owner to claim, he said.
Pieciak plans to continue to launch other proactive ways to return unclaimed property to state residents, according to the press release.
tee on Judiciary — sponsored Act 180 as his focus on the backlogged court system began to grow.
The need to find equity and a more structured framework for pre-charge diversion across the state is ultimately the basis for the entire bill, he said. And, while no funding for the new framework has been secured, historical funding for the program also had its own set of uncertainties.
“I’ve heard from the folks (who) are very concerned about not getting funding currently, but they never had assured funding under the way it was being run, which was really kind of ad hoc,” LaLonde said.
He noted that while he is not on the appropriations committee, he is confident the Legislature will be able to fund the program and he plans to advocate for it this legislative session.
“The key is that we’re very focused on making sure that those community justice centers will continue to do their work locally, and we want to have this ability in the funding for that work,” he said.
“There’s a transition right now, and there’s uncertainty, and that definitely makes people nervous, and I can understand that, but the intent is to strengthen this program statewide, to give it more structure and to have some accountability for how those funds are being used through the collecting of data.”
South Burlington House Rep. Martin LaLonde — chair of the House Commit-
CRIME & COURTS
Shelburne Police Blotter: Jan. 13-19
Total reported incidents: 71
Traffic stops: 7
Warnings: 5
Tickets: 2
Arrests: 2
Medical emergencies: 23
Mental health incidents: 2
Suspicious incidents: 12
Directed patrols: 46
Citizen assists: 7
Motor vehicle complaints: 1
Car crash: 4
Theft: 2
Harassment: 1
Property damage: 1
Fraud: 1
Alarms: 9
Pending investigations: 4
911 Hang-up calls: 2
Jan. 13 at 3:43 p.m., a caller reported a drone flying over his property on Dorset Street. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate any drones in the area.
Jan. 15 at 11:44 a.m., a caller reported a disruptive guest to be escorted out of Harbor
Place. When the officers arrived, the guest could not be located at Harbor Place.
Jan. 15 at 6:41 p.m., Kyle Notte, 36, of Rutland, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and was transported to the police station for processing and then lodged at corrections.
Jan. 16 at 6:58 p.m., a caller reported a retail theft from Tractor Supply. Officers checked the area but was unable to locate the individual. The case is pending further investigation.
Jan. 17 at 9:16 a.m., a caller reported a retail theft from Kinney Drugs. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the individual. The case is pending further investigation.
Jan. 17 at 1:01 p.m., Randy McEntee, 28, of Colchester, was arrested on a warrant after police responded to the report of a domestic disturbance at the T-Bird Motel.
Jan. 17 at 1:40 p.m., a caller on Shelburne Road report-
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ed receiving threatening and harassing text messages. The case is pending further investigation.
Jan. 17 at 8:32 p.m., officers assisted in mediating a dispute on Grey Rock Road.
Jan. 17 at 10:23 p.m., a caller reported a strange red light in her yard on Webster Road. The officer checked the area but was unable to locate any light.
Jan. 18 at 2:52 p.m., a 911 caller reported an unresponsive female at Harbor Place. Police and Emergency Medical Services determined the person, Rosemarie Benoit, 52, of Colchester, was dead.
Jan. 16 at 5:41 p.m., an internet fraud was reported on Martindale Road. The case is pending further investigation.
Jan. 19 at 5:31 p.m., Shelburne Fire and Rescue assisted Vermont Air National Guard Fire with an aircraft emergency at Burlington International Airport. The units were canceled from the call, and no injuries were reported.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney office and can be amended or dropped.
Family of man run over by Shelburne officer sues town
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The family of a man who was killed in South Burlington in November after being struck by an on-duty Shelburne police officer driving a cruiser filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Town of Shelburne last week.
Sean Hayes, 38, of Burlington, was hit and killed near Fayette Drive by police sergeant Kyle Kapitanski, who was traveling southbound on Route 7 toward Shelburne in the early morning hours of Nov. 11.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Chittenden County Superior Court last Wednesday by attorney Brooks G. McArthur on behalf of Brenna Lassiter — Hayes’s sister and the administrator of his estate — alleges that Kapitanski violated his duty to Hayes by operating the cruiser in an “unsafe, unreasonable, careless, and negligent fashion” by failing to properly
observe any bicyclists or pedestrians on the side of the road.
Hayes’ death, the lawsuit alleges, is a “direct and proximate result of the negligence and wrongful acts and omissions,” of Kapitanski.
The lawsuit claims Hayes had been riding his bike with a trailer attached to the back of it near the intersection of Fayette Drive, but was off his bike, standing immediately next to the curb near a glass-enclosed bus stop, when he was struck and killed.
Kapitanski was driving in the farthest right lane of the four-lane highway and, according to the lawsuit, was the only driver in the area at the time of the incident.
The lawsuit alleges that Kapitanski did not come to an immediate stop after striking and killing Hayes.
He continued driving south-
bound a “significant distance,” reads the lawsuit, and “eventually applied his brakes before turning around and driving to the intersection of Fayette Drive where he activated his emergency lights and parked the police cruiser.”
Although South Burlington Police Department initially responded to the scene of the crash, it has since handed the investigation over to the Vermont State Police.
Adam Silverman, public information officer for the state police, said the department is in the final stages of its investigation and will be turning over the case shortly to the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s office for review and a determination on whether charges should be filed.
conducting an independent investigation — might have access to materials that are not yet a matter of public record.
Defense lawyer McArthur did not return a request for comment. Shelburne town manager Matt Lawless and police chief Mike Thomas declined to comment regarding the lawsuit.
“How long the review from the state’s attorney’s office takes will be up to them.”
— Adam Silverman
“I don’t have an exact timeline for when VSP will finalize the case, but I am expecting it to be within the next few days or weeks,” Silverman wrote. “How long the review from the state’s attorney’s office takes will be up to them.”
While all aspects of the investigation, such as initial police reports or dashcam footage, are exempt from the state’s public records laws while charges remain pending, Silverman did say that relatives, represented by an attorney and through the legal process — such as subpoenas or
Thomas did say, however, that while Kapitanksi has been on paid administrative leave from the Shelburne Police Department as of Nov. 12, he has earned $20,853. Kapitanski, who has been with the department since 2022, has no prior disciplinary actions on file with the town, according to Thomas.
The lawsuit states that Hayes’ minor children have suffered and are entitled to damages related to the incident including “the loss of love, society, companionship and all related economic losses stemming therefrom.”
A GoFundMe created on Nov. 12, organized by family members, has raised just over $24,000 for funeral expenses, with the extra to be split between his two daughters for future needs.
“Sean was full of life, laughter, and kindness,” organizers wrote. “He would do anything for anybody that needed help.”
8th Grade Parent Night (or Morning!)
MORNING: Thursday, 2/6 from 8:15-9:15am EVENING: Tuesday, 2/11 from 5-6pm
Explore the Rice academic curriculum and see what sets Rice apart. You’ll have the chance to meet current students, take a tour, and ask questions in a no-pressure setting. RSVP using the QR code below. We look forward to meeting you!
Did you know?
About 40% of families qualify for
bessette@rmhsvt.org
802-862-6521x2246
rmhsvt.org
CARE AVAILABLE for adults 18 and older Open Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
OPINION
We need to open easier avenues to building housing of all kinds
From the House Rep. Shawn Sweeney
After seven days as a legislator, I am still finding my way around the Statehouse. It has been a phenomenal experience so far and I am grateful to be representing all of my neighbors in the Chittenden-7 House district. Back in late November, I participated in legislator orientation. The Snelling Institute hosted us in Montpelier and we had three days of training in ethics, policy, protocol and everything else you can imagine. The new class of legislators all shared our hopes and goals and, not surprisingly, there is a common through-line in all that we need to accomplish.
mandate we were all sent to Montpelier to face and affordability is a resounding theme. The governor will be presenting the administration’s new education policy in the coming week. This is going to be challenging and we will collectively have to wrap our heads around this and work together to find common ground and work toward education reform that is fair for all.
One issue that is constantly being brought up among my colleagues is how Vermont’s lack of housing is affecting the state in so many negative ways. Building more housing will help us address many of the challenges Vermont is facing.
We acutely understand the
I love how Vermont respects its environment and how we take care of our forests, rivers and lakes. We
will continue to do that. But we need to open up less complicated avenues for all kinds of housing to be built. After my first few weeks in Montpelier, I feel hopeful that we are going to work together, all 150 legislators and all 30 senators, to find common sense solutions that Vermonters can agree on. It is the honor of a lifetime to be working together with fellow Vermonters on ways to creatively fix what is ailing our state. It will not happen immediately but in my first seven days, I have been moved by the people who represent all of us and how much they all love and care about Vermont. I look forward to updating you soon on the progress we have made. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at shawnforhouserep@ gmail.com.
Shawn Sweeney, a Democrat, represents Shelburne and St. George in the Chittenden-7 House district.
We all belong to the high anxiety society
In Musing Carole Vasta Folley
I’d like to have less anxiety. Well, that and a trip to the moon. Wait a minute. Who am I kidding? There is no way I’d go to the moon. Do you know how anxious that would make me? It takes an inordinate amount of time to worry. Doesn’t matter whether it’s feeling anxious about small things like the longevity of front teeth or catastrophic things like a six-miles-in-diameter asteroid hitting the earth again. Granted that happened 65 million years ago, but still, it’s on my mind.
every night and still felt anxious the next day. It did not lower my stress level. It just gave me another job to do.
That’s the thing about self-help; it’s just another way to feel bad about the things we’re not doing that we should be doing because we’re so busy doing all the other things we also should be doing. My apologies if my logic is difficult to follow.
Even if I had oodles of time for anxiety, don’t forget the secondary job that comes with it — all the tasks one should practice to lower their stress levels, like diaphragmatic breathing, calming imagery and muscle relaxation. Doesn’t anxiety know that I’m already busy spinning multiple plates of responsibility? Now I’m supposed to add self-help to the list? What happened to just regular help?
I’m not against DIY betterment. Believe me, I’m a self-help worrier…I mean, warrior. I’ve tried it all. At first, meditating went really well. I was best buds with Deepak Chopra until I learned he spends four hours meditating — each day. Plus, he does yoga morning and night, takes 10,000 steps daily and, wait for it, has written more than 95 books. I know selfhelp isn’t a competitive sport, but really Deepak, can you dial it back a notch?
Keeping a gratitude journal is often recommended to people with anxiety. Unfortunately, turns out you don’t just keep the journal, you have to write in it.
Truth is, I have much to be grateful for, from the air I breathe to the food on my plate. And that’s not even including the abundance of love from family and friends. My gratitude lists are fantastic. I got so good at being grateful, I appreciated the hair growing out of my husband’s ear.
I know, it’s not a competition, but take that Deepak!
But here’s the thing: I’d write in that blasted gratitude journal
If perhaps your body doesn’t know the feeling of anxiety, check your pulse. After all, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports 83 percent of employees have work-related stress. The American Psychological Association says more than three quarters of adults report symptoms of stress.
And that was in 2022. Last year, the APA reported 77 percent of adults worry about the future of our nation and 73 percent worry about the economy.
Listen, no one I know is stressfree — hang on, do I need new friends?
I will not list reasons for feeling anxious; just watch the news. But be careful about the commercials. They use anxiety to get us to buy stuff like security blankets, meditation apps, a blanket that puts out fires, wi-fi security cameras, weighted blankets. I notice blankets are a big deal, which makes me worry I do not have enough of them.
For me, an evening glass of wine soothes my brow and lowers my shoulders. Somehow, it makes room for clearer thinking along with taking the time to just “be” outside of all the “to-dos,” But then the Surgeon General comes in with an advisory saying alcohol raises the risk of cancer.
As if I didn’t have enough to worry about. Previously, moderate drinking was okay. We were even told it could be good for you. At my age, that’s like moving the finish line while I’m pouring my Cabernet.
To help us, author and sociologist Martha Beck wrote a book titled “Beyond Anxiety,” noting, “We live in an epidemic of anxi-
Carole Vasta Folley
Rep. Shawn Sweeney
Frost Quakes: The groans of Old Man Winter
The Outside Story
Colby Galliher
As the winter sun set on Feb. 3, 2023, the Caribou, Maine branch of the National Weather Service was flooded with reports of seismic activity.
James Sinko, the office’s hydrology program manager, recounted Mainers calling in from across the state’s Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Washington counties to describe homes and buildings trembling and deep rumbles emanating from beneath their feet. The previous two months had been warm and rainy, and a fast-moving cold front that day led to temperatures “15-30 degrees below zero, falling at rates of 2-3 degrees every 30 minutes in some locations,” Sinko recalled.
These conditions set the stage for a series of frost quakes, a rare phenomenon some meteorologists and hydrologists also refer to as “cryoseisms.” Unlike earthquakes, which are caused by shifting tectonic plates, frost quakes arise when specific meteorological and hydrological factors coincide.
These unusual seismic events occur when a rapid drop in air temperatures dramatically decreases the temperature of waterlogged soil, typically after rain or a thaw.
“Water in the soil freezes and expands more rapidly than the soil particles can adjust. This causes a sudden rupture of the ice in the soil, generally in the coldest part of the night,” Henry Berry, senior geologist at the Maine Geological Society, said. “The release of pressure can cause effects similar to those of true earthquakes, especially explosive noises and high-frequency shaking.”
Frost quakes tend to affect small areas and are more common in certain landscapes than others. They are “generally very localized events,” explained Berry. “In one study where (detection) instruments were set up near each other, cryoseisms were felt and heard in several houses, but not in nearby houses only a few hundred feet away.”
Frost quakes are more likely in open areas, rather than wooded ones, as nighttime temperatures in fields and meadows, which lack the vegetative cover that can trap heat, tend to dip lower than in forests.
While powerful earthquakes can generate catastrophe, frost quakes generally leave behind little evidence of their occurrence.
Louise Fode, warning coordination meteorologist at National
Weather Service in Caribou, said that although her office receives reports of frost quakes once or twice a winter, the reports have never included accounts of frost quake-related damage.
Berry noted that most frost quakes are so subtle that they fail to register on conventional detection instruments. However, he said that when frost quakes are more powerful, “long cracks in the ground or in pavement have been found, where the frozen ground snapped.” Sinko added that frost quakes “can sometimes alter underground drainage passages.”
Still, even when conditions seem ripe for frost quakes, they remain rare.
“Cryoseisms require a particular set of conditions, which don’t happen every year,” Berry said. But, he added, “when the conditions are right, they can come in a bunch,” as Sinko witnessed in northern Maine in February 2023.
Climate change is making New England winters milder, but rising temperatures may not mean fewer frost quakes. Snowpack insulates soil, keeping it warmer than the air. With “little to no snow on the ground,” as happens more often in a warmer world, soil temperatures crash, according to Sinko.
Without a snow barrier, water in the soil is more likely to freeze quickly when air temperatures drop. Inconsistent snowpack over the winter months could thus lead to more frost quakes. And even amid a pattern of higher temperatures, winter in the Northeast will still feature spells of frigid weather.
“Frost quakes occur during sudden cold events, which can still happen in a warming climate,” Sinko said.
Fode concurred: “Even with warming winters, it will be quite a while before we have winters with no rapid freezing events, so I would anticipate we’ll continue to get reports of frost quakes.”
If a spate of warm and wet days gives way to a harsh cold spell this season, pay close attention to the ground beneath your feet — you may bear witness to a rare seismic phenomenon.
Colby Galliher is a writer who calls the woods, meadows, and rivers of New England home. To learn more about his work, visit colbygalliher.com. 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.
ILLUSTRATION BY ADELAIDE MURPHY TYROL
Connecting Youth Mentoring matches CVSD kids with adults
January marks National Mentoring Month, and Champlain Valley School District is celebrating 25 years of Connecting Youth’s mentoring program. The program, founded in 2000, has paired thousands of mentors with local students, providing support during pivotal moments in their lives.
“Mentoring is a cornerstone of prevention. Beyond the enjoyment it brings, the weekly connection between adult volunteers and students offers a vital opportunity for support,” Tony Moulton, director of wellness and prevention, said. “These interactions help students regulate emotions, feel safe and seen, practice effective communication, make good choices and benefit from the guidance of well-trained, compassionate mentors.”
This year, CY Mentoring serves 184 students in grades 5-12 across the Champlain Valley School District. According to Mentor National, one in three young people will grow up without a trusted mentor to turn to for support outside of their immediate family; CY Mentoring exists to foster mean
COMMUNITY
Community Notes
develop a shared sense of purpose and respect,” Rebecca Martell, CY Mentor Coordinator at Williston Central School, said.
Connecting Youth was founded by a group of volunteer parents from Charlotte and has evolved to be CVSD’s district-wide prevention coalition dedicated to promoting safe and healthy environments for youth while supporting families and caregivers.
Studies consistently show that youth with mentors are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, and become active, engaged citizens in their communities. These relationships have proven to be invaluable, offering stability, confidence, and opportunities to young people who often face barriers to success.
“Becoming a mentor is not only rewarding but also a lot of fun, “Ivy Enoch, Hinesburg Community School mentor and CY Mentoring alumni, said. “It’s a chance to inspire and connect with young people in our community. It’s an honor to be a positive, supportive adult in a 7th grader’s life, and I appreciate the hour it affords me to step away from (work) to see the world through her eyes.”
For more information about mentoring
Bulger, lbulger@cvsdvt.org / 802-482-6248
• Charlotte Central School, Kate Rooney, krooney@cvsdvt.org / 802-425-6682
• Shelburne Community School, Alice Brown, abrown@cvsdvt.org / 802-734-9845
• Williston Central School, Becky Martell, rmartell@cvsdvt.org / 802-871-6046
• Champlain Valley Union, Alison Duback, aduback@cvsdvt.org / 802-4828921
Shelburne Museum summer camp registration starts next week
Shelburne Museum’s summer camp registration begins next week. The camps offer children ages 4-15 carefully crafted camp programs that are a playground for budding artists, offering a mix of inspiration and self-discovery.
Advance registration for museum members opens at noon Tuesday, Jan. 28 and closes 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31.
General Registration opens at noon on Jan. 31.
For more information, contact Sara Wolfson, School and Youth Programs Educator, at education@shelburnemuseum.
p.m. To register and for more information, go.uvm.edu/2025.
The event kicks off with an engineering scavenger hunt involving interactive exhibits that showcase various types of engineering and career pathways. Afternoon workshops will focus on a range of topics including Python programming, robotics, bridge design, cartilage construction, lift and force and renewable energy, among others.
The annual Discover Engineering Day is sponsored by the Lola and George Aiken Fund as part of National Engineering Week, Feb. 16-22.
Winter salt week addresses road salt, a ‘forever pollutant’
Salt prematurely ages roads and bridges and degrades freshwater lakes, streams and drinking water. Just a teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five gallons of water.
Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension are partnering with organizations across the country to elevate the conversations around winter salt pollution and reduction solutions during Winter Salt Week, Jan. 27-31. More information, wintersaltweek. org.
A free day-long event hosted by Vermont 4-H and the University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences will expose young people to different engi-
Discover Engineering Day is Feb. 22 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on the UVM
Students in grades 5-12 are invited to participate to learn about engineering, build skills through hands-on workshops and network with college students, professors
The deadline to register is Feb. 17 at 5
Student Milestones
Shelburne students make college deans’ lists
Several Shelburne students received academic honors for the fall semester. Their colleges sent the news along to the newspaper.
John Robert Bingel of Shelburne, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, was named to Clarkson University’s dean’s list.
Shelburne students Kate Boget and Colin Ravlin were named to the fall 2024 Dean’s List at the University of Connecticut
And the following Shelburne students were named to the Dean’s List at Saint Michael’s College for the Fall 2024 semester: Emma L. Anderson, Ryan J. Canty, Alexander J. Preis
There will be a free interactive webinar for business owners and managers in the Lake Champlain basin on Jan. 27 from noon-1 p.m., with information on the impacts of salting on the environment and practical tips to reduce salt use on business properties while maintaining public safety.
To register, go.uvm.edu/businesssaltwebinar2025.
Also, for those interested in learning how salt impacts waterways and trying their hand at being a scientist, Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension will host two learning tables on Jan. 28.
The first will be held at the Aiken Center Solarium, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, from 12 to 1 p.m. The second will be at the Burlington Beer Company, 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington, from 4-6 p.m.
“We know that salting roads, parking lots, sidewalks and other surfaces during winter is impacting our waterways and the environment,” Kristine Stepenuck, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, said. “To protect our freshwater for future generations, we need to act now to reduce our use of salt.”
Annual conference promotes cover crop and no-till practices
Field crop growers looking to enhance their operations using cover crops and no-till practices will benefit from attending the No-Till and Cover Crop Conference on Feb. 13, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with registration open at 8 am.
The annual conference features speakers from several states and Canada who will present information on a range of topics to help farmers build resiliency into their cropping systems.
All about saffron: world’s most expensive spice
DEBORAH J. BENOIT
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION
Did you know that the world’s most expensive spice comes from a type of crocus? It’s true. Saffron is derived from Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus.
While blooming crocuses are as common in spring as boldly colored leaves are in autumn, the saffron crocus blooms in the fall.
Saffron corms (bulbs) are planted in late summer. Grasslike foliage emerges September to October, followed by lavender-colored buds that open to reveal a trio of bright red stigmas in late October and early November. It’s the stigmas that, once harvested, become the saffron found on our kitchen spice racks.
What makes saffron such an expensive product in comparison to other spices? It’s the labor involved in harvesting those three little, red stigmas. Each saffron flower must be individually handpicked, and the three stigmas carefully removed by hand. Once harvested, the stigmas are dried, becoming the saffron used in dishes such as yellow rice and bouillabaisse.
Saffron appeals to three of our five senses
Clarice Romano
by offering a strong fragrance, its signature yellow color and a distinctive flavor to numerous cuisines around the world. In addition to its culinary uses, saffron has been used historically as a dye and for medicinal purposes.
It takes approximately 150 to 170 saffron flowers to produce one gram of spice. That’s about 4,000 saffron flowers to produce a single ounce.
Iran is by far the world’s largest grower of saffron. It is also grown in Afghanistan, Spain and other countries with hot, dry climates. Saffron has been grown in parts of Pennsylvania for over 200 years, mostly for personal use. Research is underway into expanding commercial opportunities for growing saffron in the United States.
The saffron crocus is hardy to United States Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone 6 but readily survives in Zone 5 and even Zone 4, according to research conducted at the University of Vermont. No insulation is required. In fact, researchers discour-
See SAFFRON on page 11
Obituary
Clarice “Topi” Antonietta (Galli) Romano, age 90, died peacefully with her daughter by her side on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Clarice — affectionately known as Topi by her friends and family — was born June 13, 1934, to Lucia (Ubaldi) and Umberto Galli in White Plains, NY. The youngest of three sisters and a half-brother, Clarice grew up in her family’s bakery, which her parents started after moving to the United States from Torre Alfina, Italy.
Clarice met Ronald Romano, and they married in 1956. For many years Clarice and Ron worked in the family restaurant, Delmonico’s, owned and run by Ron’s parents in White Plains, NY. In 1965 they moved to Shelburne, Vt., with their two children, Sondra and Michael, and lived there until 1983. At that time, they moved to Gilbert, S.C., and spent many years enjoying their home on Lake Murray, where they remained through Ron’s passing in 2015. In 2016, Clarice moved back to Vermont to be closer to family.
Scout and Boy Scout leader for her kids and was the Secretary for the Shelburne/Charlotte Association of Snow Travelers.
In South Carolina she was an active animal rehabilitator through the Audubon Society and the Riverbanks Zoo, to which she was a lifetime member. Her home was often filled with injured and healing songbirds, squirrels, ducks or other small creatures. An avid animal lover, there were always happy animals around and dogs in her lap.
Clarice is predeceased by her loving and loved husband of 59 years, Ronald Romano, as well as her parents, Umberto and Lucia Galli; her half-brother Corrado (Mary) Stochetti; and her sisters, Elda (Jimmy) San Marco and Beneria (Louis) Picinelli.
She is survived by her daughter, Sondra (Randy) Brooker and her son, Michael Romano, as well as her grandchildren Christina Brooker, Dillon (Ashleigh McCrory) Brooker, Shawna Sheriff, Andrea Romano, Ronnie Romano; her great-grandchildren Aiden, Noah, and Ethan Sheriff; and many nieces and nephews.
Throughout her life, Clarice had many adventures, including travels to Japan and China, multiple trips to Italy to visit family, and two trips across the U.S. — both on motorcycle.
She was known for her meatballs and sauce, which were always a requested meal for snowmobile weekends with friends.
When in Vermont she worked at the Burlington Savings Bank, was both a Girl
The family would like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful nursing team and staff at Green Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation, who provided dedicated care in her final years. Private memorial services were held Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Entombment will be at Bush River Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Columbia, SC. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Chittenden County.
Clarice Romano
FILE PHOTO
Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice as each Crocus sativus blossom must be individually picked and its three stigmas carefully removed by hand and laid out to dry.
Museum exhibit remembers ‘lost’ northern ski hills
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
Before gondolas, parabolic skis and slope-side condos, skiers in Vermont found their fix on farmland hills with rope tows powered by old truck engines.
After World War II – when the 10th Mountain Division returned home as celebrities, casting a spell of ski mania throughout the nation and particularly New England, where many of them were from – everybody wanted to ski, and hundreds of rope tow operations emerged in Vermont.
Nearly all of them are gone now, their traces hidden beneath new forests and buildings, but a new exhibit at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum is seeking to bring memories of them back to life.
“Searching for Vermont’s Lost Ski Areas” opened at the museum last month. The main attraction is an eight-foot-tall map of Vermont that identifies nearly 200 lost ski areas throughout the state.
The rest of the exhibit spans the entire first floor of the museum and features era-specific ski gear, historic photos and vast information about the lost ski areas, sectioned off by region.
Nestled in the Green Mountains, these towns became hubs for skiing in Vermont, but the exhibit also reveals a smaller ski scene in Chittenden County, where towns like Charlotte, Hinesburg, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski all had ski areas that are gone today.
Research for the exhibit began over 20 years ago when Meredith Scott, a curator and former director for the museum, began traveling the state seeking information on lost ski areas she’d heard about. This led her to county fairs, town archives and countless interviews with locals who remember skiing at the early resorts of Vermont.
Poppy Gall, curator of “Searching for Vermont’s Lost Ski Areas” and co-chair of the museum’s board, picked up the research two years ago and began shaping information the museum already had for display.
The museum has since discovered nine additional resorts. The current exhibit includes the top half of Vermont, culminating two decades of research conducted by the museum.
“I think when people visit the exhibit, they are mostly amazed by the sheer number of resorts there used to be,” Gall said. “I tell them that Vermonters have always been skiing crazy. It’s just the industry that changed around them.”
Many Vermonters, equipped with wooden planks for skis and strong forearms, learned to ski at these hills. Someone would fire up the tow in the morning and families could ski all day.
“They were community centers, really,” said Gall. “It’s like the community swimming pool in the summer, you know, they had the rope tow in the winter. Parents dropped their kids off in the morning or after school. There were some adults around to kind of supervise, and the kids just skied all day.”
Seven resorts popped up in Chittenden County after World War II, including three in Charlotte, one in Hinesburg, one in
COURTESY PHOTO / GORDON MILLER
Above: A historic photo depicts North Country ski hill in Hyde Park, operating recently enough to make it to the color photo era.
Below: Part two, the current exhibit, includes the top half of Vermont, culminating two decades of research conducted by the museum.
Redhawks beat Wolves after clinch three-pointer
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Boys’ basketball
Champlain Valley 42, South Burlington 38: Champlain Valley broke through for a big win over South Burlington on Friday.
Owen Scott hit a three-pointer with under two minutes remaining in the game to put the Redhawks up 38-35 and CVU did not look back to get the win.
Scott finished with 11 points, while Luke Allen had seven points and nine rebounds. Tyler Simons added 8 points and Adrian Paliling chipped in with seven points.
CVU moved to 6-4 with the win.
Girls’ basketball
St. Johnsbury 54, Champlain Valley 45: Champlain Valley lost at home to St. Johnsbury on Wednesday, its second loss in three games.
Zoey McNabb had 16 points
Shelburne Parks & Rec News REPAIRS
• Winter Carnival, this Saturday, Jan. 25, from 1-3 p.m. at Shelburne Community School, no matter the weather. 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, although donations will be accepted at the door.
• Valentine dance tickets on sale now! This popular annual event will be held Friday, Feb. 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Shel-
continued from page 9
age the practice of covering plants with mulch because it may attract rodents.
If you’re thinking about trying to grow saffron at home, corms are generally available to order in late summer and are shipped at the proper time for planting.
Saffron corms should be plump and firm. Discard any that are shriveled or soft or that display signs of disease.
Select a location in full sun with well-draining soil. Standing water or excessive moisture can rot the corms. In the fall, plant corms about three inches deep, cover with soil and water in. The plants will
to pace the Redhawks, who fall to 6-2. Rose Bunting added five rebounds.
Gymnastics
Team scores: Champlain Valley 132.1, Burr and Burton 124.8, Harwood 75.2
Champlain Valley came out on top in a meet with Burr and Burton and Harwood on Saturday in high school gymnastics.
It was a team effort for the Redhawks, who earned the win despite not placing a gymnast in the top three in the all-around competition.
McKena Lesage led the way for CVU, coming in first in the floor exercise and third in the beam.
Warner Babic was second in the vault, Leah Fortin came in third in the vault and Dasha Gaina was third in the floor.
Girls’ ice hockey
Kingdom Blades 4, Champlain Valley/Mount Mansfield 1: The Champlain Valley-Mount
Mansfield coop girls’ hockey team lost its fourth in a row, falling to the Kingdom Blades on Saturday, 4-1.
Boys’ hockey
Champlain Valley 6, Colchester 2: The Champlain Valley boys’ ice hockey team won its second game in a row, beating Colchester on Saturday.
Six different players found the back of the net for the Redhawks, who moved to 3-6 with the win. Brady Jones, Hays Arnoldy, Eric Weinburg, Sawyer Wellman, Jameson Yandow and Kian Ruid each had a goal for CVU.
Ethan Whitcomb added two assists and Jess McCray made 12 saves in goal for CVU.
Champlain Valley also got a win on Wednesday, beating Milton 5-4 in overtime.
Zavier Barnes scored the game winner in overtime, his second of the game. Whitcomb also tallied twice, and Wellman had a goal and three assists.
burne town gym. It is open to kids enrolled in grades K-5, accompanied by an adult. The fun includes disco lights and music by Top Hat entertainment, photos in the photo booth, and treats, snacks and drinks. Each child gets a take home memento. Prices: $10 per child, $15 per adult. Purchase Tickets in the Recreation Office.
• Free Senior Walking Program. Stay active and healthy during the icy and cold winter months by walking in a safe and warm environment. Please bring a pair of clean, dry soft-soled
shoes with you and change before entering the gym. No registration is required. Shelburne Residents only. Call 985-9551 for updated schedule info. or check calendar on gym door as there are blackout dates due to other scheduled events.
Days/Dates: Monday-Friday through April 2 at 9 a.m.
Find information for all youth and adult classes, programs and special events at www.shelburnevt.org/160/Parks-Recreation or at 802-985-9551.
continue to grow all winter, going dormant in June.
Lining the planting area with hardware cloth and placing it over the corms can help deter squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles or rabbits that will dig up saffron corms. When in bloom, harvest saffron on a dry, sunny day, early to midmorning. Remove each flower by hand, then carefully remove each stigma. Place the stigmas separately on a paper-lined tray to dry.
Like other herbs and spices, saffron should be stored in an airtight container out of direct sunlight and away from heat to
preserve its flavor. Over time, the corms in your saffron bed will multiply. After several years, dig them up and separate the daughter corms from the mother and replant to prevent overcrowding.
Growing your own saffron can be a satisfying and money saving endeavor.
To learn more about saffron, check out the UVM North American Center for Saffron Research and Development at uvm.edu/~saffron.
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Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension master gardener.
SAFFRON
Town of Shelburne Notice of Selectboard Public Hearings
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
Shelburne Town Office Meeting Room 1, 5420 Shelburne Road
This Selectboard meeting will include multiple public hearings. A complete copy of all new ordinances and documents can be viewed on the Town of Shelburne’s website at shelburnevt.org or at the Town Manager’s office during business hours. Call the Town Office at 802-985-5111 with any questions, or email Matt Lawless at mlawless@shelburnevt.org.
Please share your thoughts about our community’s future. All are welcome. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request to ensure that public meetings are accessible to all individuals regardless of disability.
General Fund Operating and Capital Budgets
The General Fund supports the basic operations of the Town. It is distinct from the enterprise funds of Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater. The Selectboard approves a budget in January, subject to Town Meeting Vote in March, for a fiscal year beginning July 1. For Fiscal Year 2025-2026, the Town staff propose the following budgets for public review and Selectboard adoption. The operating budget is balanced at $12,413,727. The Town raises $9,028,346 from property taxes, and the rest from other sources like lease rent and user fees. The expected tax increase would be 3.25% on each individual bill. The largest departments are Police ($2,304,325) and Highway ($1,507,622).
State law calls for a capital plan connected to the Town’s long-range goals. The capital budget is balanced at $2,750,459. Revenues come primarily from the new local option tax, along with best efforts to secure outside grants, and appropriate loans and debt issue. There are no property tax increases directly connected to this capital budget. The largest projects are replacement of the aging roof and HVAC systems at the Town Office, replacing two aged trucks in the Highway Department, repair of roads and sidewalks, and making preservation repairs to the historic Pierson Building. A bond issue of $1,146,661 to support these projects would be a separate question on the Town Meeting ballot, as required by law related to bonded debt.
Proposed Amendment to the Sewer Ordinance
As a routine matter, the Selectboard updates the Town’s Sewer Ordinance every three years, adjusting the allocation to ensure that development aligns with the capacity of the wastewater system. One appendix to the Sewer Ordinance is a map showing the service area. Last April, during the routine update, the home builder O’Brien Brothers petitioned for an amendment to the service area map to include part of a parcel they own. There followed many public meetings, two community town halls, and multiple closed meetings to study legal details. The Selectboard warned a first reading of the change to the Sewer Ordinance and approved it on January 14th. The amendment is:
The Selectboard of the Town of Shelburne hereby ordains that the service area map appendix of the Sewer Ordinance be amended to include the portion of Parcel 582-183-10912 north of Thomas Road, approximately 110 acres.
-Ordered
continued from page 1
punish town employees to try to save other residents from (cost of living issues), which is a very bitter pill for town employees to swallow,” Aaron DeNamur, Shelburne planning and zoning director, said. “My staff are furious.”
The proposed changes are in service to the selectboard’s goal to keep tax increases to only 3.25 percent — only slightly higher than the rate of inflation. The cost of healthcare for the town is expected to rise 12 percent in the coming year, and after reviewing the budget, the board requested that the town manager find a way to cut $100,000 from costs associated with employee healthcare.
“As everybody knows, the high cost of benefits, particularly healthcare, are really wreaking havoc on many people. So, it’s what’s happening to us too,” Michael Ashooh, selectboard chair, said.
Employees said this breaks with what they consider an implicit agreement in public service jobs: although the pay may be modest, the benefits and pension make working in the public sector worthwhile.
“Most of us aren’t paid enough to even afford to live in this town, so we have to commute from several towns over to serve a community that now wants to cut our benefits,” Shayne Geiger, stormwater coordinator, said over a video call at the meeting.
As far as employee contributions to premiums, the board and town manager proposed some ideas to ease the burden on employees.
If the changes remain, Lawless hopes to add a silver plan as an additional option. The entire premium on this plan would be covered by the town, giving employees a choice to avoid any impact to their take-home pay.
Board members also suggested a sliding scale — paying a higher percentage of the benefits for lower-wage employees and less for those whose take-home pay would not be impacted.
However, any changes to the cost-share model would have to involve union negotiation and agreement.
Jeff Pillsbury, union steward and wastewater employee, said that he’s interested in finding common ground with the selectboard and town administrators. But, he said, employees are concerned about more than just the change in the employer contribution.
Those who opt out of employer-sponsored healthcare are worried about losing the stipend they receive for doing so. Although it is not technically income, losing that payment, which according to Pillsbury is currently $8,000 a year, is going to change how some employees approach their financial decision making.
Chad Racine, another wastewater employee, gets insurance through his wife’s employer and has been receiving the stipend for more than ten years. However, in the face of losing that $8,000, the couple is considering going back on the town’s insurance. His wife’s employer also offers an opt-out payment, although it is less than what he is currently getting from Shelburne.
“We’ll go back on my insurance, and we’ll get her stipend, if that’s the case,” Racine said.
Although this kind of decision might help peoples make up some of the difference in their personal budgets, Pillsbury said town employees who choose to go back on employer insurance will ultimately cost Shelburne more than they did when they were receiving the stipend. Pillsbury added that the $100,000 the town is seeking to save is a small portion of the overall budget.
“That drop in the bucket is something that takes away from the morale of the employees, and I don’t believe they’re going to see the benefits that they want from it,” he said.
Employees and managers also cited morale in their concerns over recruitment and retention. Right now, Shelburne stands out in its ability to retain employees, with almost a quarter of its year-round workforce staying with the town for more than 20 years.
“So, we don’t have pay that’s necessarily drawing people in. Now we don’t have benefits drawing people in. How do we draw people in?” Josh Flore, a 30-year veteran of the police force, asked at the selectboard meeting. “And furthermore, how do we keep our people once we get them here, when we keep reducing these costs and reducing these things?”
In response to employee input, some selectboard members said they would be open to finding a different way to save on costs, although chair Ashooh re-emphasized that the rises in healthcare costs are going to keep coming.
“The dilemma you’re now giving us is there’s apparently no limit to the increase in benefits that we shouldn’t be willing to tolerate. If it goes up 30% a year, are you going to say the same thing year after year? At what point do our fiduciary obligations to the town of Shelburne require that we spread some of the difficulty?” Ashooh said.
Shelburne’s budget has yet to be adopted. At the meeting, Lawless indicated that he would seek employee input about where else Shelburne might be able to find savings without impacting healthcare benefits.
The selectboard will hold a public budget hearing Jan. 28.
printed by Matt Lawless, town manager
from page 1
so, they are now voting members.”
Other committees changed their by-laws as well, or just adopted the town decision to let students vote. While most boards and commissions make recommendations rather than hold decision-making power themselves, for teens shy of voting age, joining a committee or board as a full voting member can be a meaningful form of civic participation.
Last year, the parks and recreation committee worked on planning Hullcrest Park, near where Ellie Johnson happens to live. As a student member, she became an active part of the planning process. After they took community input, committee members discussed what they thought was needed and looked to Johnson for input.
“I have a little brother. He’s 11, and a lot of the people in our neighborhood are around that age or younger. So, I feel like it was nice to have a perspective from my point of view,” Johnson said.
She said the other members of the committee took that perspective seriously. It was a sentiment echoed by committee chair Peggy Coutu.
“We’re kind of a seasoned
IN MUSING
continued from page 6
ety.” So why then did she subtitle her book, “Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose.” Gee, Martha, thanks for raising the stakes. Now I have to find my purpose AND get rid of my fear, dread and uneasiness.
What I really need is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for anxiety. Something that would lift away built-up worries, remove fretfulness from nooks and crannies — you know, just clean stubborn stress away. It doesn’t even have to do a perfect job. I’m okay with a stain of worry. I can tolerate that. I’m just looking for a little less anxiety.
Carole Vasta Folley is an award-winning columnist and playwright. Visit carolevf.com.
committee,” Coutu said, “It’s good to have someone young with a different perspective, where they know exactly what kids are doing.”
Additionally, membership on boards and commissions is a learning opportunity for students. According to Lisa Merrill, on the library board of trustees, students have been involved on the back end of the hiring process, bringing on new trustees and making changes to the policy manual — everything that goes in to running a library. Part of the hope is that students will take that knowledge into adulthood and continue to serve on boards and committees, wherever they end up.
Ellie Johnson said she doesn’t see herself entering a career in public service, but she imagines she’ll never stop volunteering and joining different committees.
The library, like Parks and Recreation, is also seeking to expand the number of students on its board. This past week, trustees voted to increase the number of student positions from two to three, allowing their two current members, both CVU juniors, to stay on while making room for a
younger student, as well.
Shelburne sets a limit on the number of adult members a committee or board can have, but there is no limit to the number of students, and there are no commissions from which they are barred from sitting.
As he introduced Nnochi-
ri at the selectboard meeting, Matt Lawless, the town manager, expressed his hope that even more students would follow in her footsteps.
“It’s a great moment of outreach for all of our committees,” he said. “If there’s a topic area, as a student, that you’d like
to learn more about, it’s a great way to get involved.”
Coutu, for one, is thrilled that Nnochiri will be joining Johnson on the Parks and Recreation board.
“Ava has volunteered for us for a couple events already, and she is excellent with people,” she said. “She’s a go-getter.”
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COURTESY PHOTO
Parks and recreation commitee student member Ellie Johnson helped plan the playground at Hullcrest Park.
continued from page 10
South Burlington and the rest near Williston.
While researching resorts in Charlotte, Gall stumbled upon a group of locals who drink coffee together once a week at the Old Brick Store.
“They’d all been living in Charlotte since the ‘70s and were such a wealth of information,” said Gall.
The conversations even led to a new lost resort in Charlotte, Barber Hill, the only remnant of which is a concrete block where an old car was set up to power the resort’s rope tow.
Most of the rope tows in Chittenden County were similarly cobbled together using old car parts — engines as a power source, wheels to guide the rope and a pile of old metal nearby in case anything broke.
down. The car doubled as a warming hut.
Ropes were also essential. Mickey Cochran, founder of the nearby Cochran’s Ski Area, which began as a rope tow, became renowned for this ability to fix ropes by splicing threads. He repaired countless ropes throughout the state and helped keep smaller tows running.
“What I love most about this project is all the different stories people have about the lost resorts.”
— Poppy Gall
“They didn’t think too hard about these machines,” said Gall. “The thinking was, ‘just get them up the hill.’”
Eventually, the hills started closing as insurance rates increased and the state began policing the safety of rope tows. The persistent development of I-89 also closed a few operations, including one in South Burlington.
The Hinesburg Ski Association, a rope tow that ran from the mid-60s to the early ‘70s, was powered by a brute of an engine. It ran so hot that the hood of the car was always open and there were cans of oil on standby to cool it
Still, the memories remain.
“What I love most about this project is all the different stories people have about the lost resorts,” said Gall. “They’re treasures and I’m glad to see those stories live on.”
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COURTESY PHOTO
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum curator Poppy Gall and longtime skier Larry Heath.