Sergeant cited Police officer headed to court to answer for fatal Shelburne Road crash
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Former Rice High hoops star named to Vermont sports hall of fame
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the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
After years, city renames park for Underwood family
The South Burlington City Council has honored Richard Underwood, the city’s former tax assessor for nearly three decades who died in 1998, and his family by renaming the 1.7-acre green space at Overlook Park to The Overlook at Underwood Park.
The renaming effort, first reported by The Other Paper in 2023, spans decades of city history and revealed how city officials, after purchasing property now known as Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area from the Underwood family in 2013, reneged on promises extended to the family to name the park after Underwood.
At the time, the purchase represented the city’s single largest land buy since it acquired Wheeler Nature Park in the early 1990s.
Hut spot
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The South Burlington city council signed off on a settlement agreement that could see three dilapidat-
ed buildings on a Shelburne Road lot torn down by May 1.
Two of the buildings were once home to a Pizza Hut and Shell Gas station.
Two iterations of the property
renovation plan have been circulating in the city for years, but the original plan before the city’s
See PIZZA HUT on page 13
Before the land was sold to the city, it was part of a large 270-acre dairy farm owned by John and Aurora Nowland and later cared for by Richard Underwood. The land included both Overlook Park and the Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area, as well as several housing neighborhoods, including those on Four Sisters and Nowland Farm roads.
The family asked for the parcel to be named after their father, The Other Paper reported, but years later, the city named the park after longtime deputy city manager Tom Hubbard, who retired in 2021.
“We were disappointed and felt disrespected when it happened,” Patricia Hubbard Weaver said at the time.
Adam Matth, the city’s director of recreation and parks who drafted the resolution approved by the council Monday night, said discussions with city staff and the Underwood family in 2023 regarding the renaming mostly focused on the area that encompasses Overlook Park.
“I think we are happy to get what we can,” Weaver told the council. “We’re worried that if we postpone it any longer, we might lose what we have. And Overlook was where my grandfather’s barn was, so that was a very big part of the farm. But I think at this point we would be happy with The Overlook at Underwood Park.”
The topic, which has come before the city council three times in the past year, has brought up even larger discussions.
See PARK on page 12
Shelburne Road & Open Soon! Market Street, S. Burlington Maple Tree Place, Williston GetBlissBee.com
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COURTESY PHOTO
South Burlington High School Nordic skier James Langan, a freshman, recently qualified to compete at the 2025 Junior National Championships next month in Utah.
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Education quality at risk with budget, say students, staff
Editor’s note: South Burlington High School’s journalism club recently asked students and staff about the impacts of this year’s school budget season and how much is at stake for education with next week’s Town Meeting Day vote. This is their report.
JULIA TODD AND THE HOWLING HERALD CONTRIBUTORS
In presenting the proposed school budget at the Jan. 8 school board meeting, superin-
tendent Violet Nichols emphasized that, due to statewide factors and the need to keep tax rates sustainable, “painful reductions” would be inevitable.
Some staff and students said the impacts of these cuts have been challenging to hear. They’ve spoken at board meetings on everything from the reduction of two pre-K teachers, which early childhood educators fear will limit their ability to fully support students, to the valuable role of the elementary instructional coaches eliminated in the budget, to
South Burlington Town Meeting Day primer
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Town Meeting Day is officially upon us, and if you haven’t been tapped into the South Burlington municipal world, here is a quick primer on what to expect on the ballot.
Polls in South Burlington will be open Tuesday, March 4 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at each respective polling place depending on district.
Chittenden-8 district: City Hall Senior Center
Chittenden-9: F.H. Tuttle Middle School
Chittenden-10: Chamberlin School
Chittenden-11: F.H. Tuttle Middle School
Chittenden-12: Orchard Elementary School
Voters will be asked to approve a $55,870,000 city budget with $22,189,942 raised by property taxes.
Voters will also be asked to approve a $71,508,000 school budget. If approved, this budget will result in a per pupil spending of $14,486, 15.76 percent higher than current spending.
Here’s who is on the ballot for city and school elections:
City council, three years: Tim Barritt, incumbent
City council, two years: Lydia Diamond, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, incumbent School board, pair of three-year seats: Laura Williams, Timothy Warren, both incumbents.
School board, pair of two-year seats: Seamus Abshere, Jennifer Lawrence School board, one year remaining on a two-year term: Daniel Boyer
Another school board vacancy, for one year term remaining on a three-year term, received no petitioners.
the opportunities the Big Picture program provides for students who haven’t been supported by the traditional school system.
Effects from other reductions are less absolute, but nonetheless difficult for some students.
“Students who may not be directly impacted by program cuts will feel the effects of larger class sizes and less one-on-one teacher attention,” South Burlington High School senior Gracie Morris, a student representative on the school board, said.
There’s more to any reduction than the surface-level line item. The budget’s reduction of a high school guidance counselor is one example. As multiple staff mentioned, the high school’s most recently hired counselor has a unique ability to connect with students of all backgrounds that extends well beyond his own caseload, due to his personal qualities and experience as a Black, multilingual new American who grew up in this area.
For some, it’s not only about the reductions. SBHS special educator Beth Adreon and academic engagement specialist Noah Everitt, co-presidents of the South Burlington Educators Association, said that, while the SBEA supports the passing of this budget, members are concerned about how the budget was created and presented.
“(What) I’ve heard from people inside our buildings is frustration about this process, and I think I’ve seen it at board meetings too,” Everitt said.
can cut that’s not important,” as evidenced by the outpouring of testimony from staff and students on nearly every proposed reduction.
Still, according to Jody Vaillancourt, executive director of learning, district leaders have worked to preserve and improve many services, from added interventionists required to support students’ Individualized Education Plans, to the high school’s instructional coaching and leadership model, to multilingual supports.
“It is clear to Gracie and I that the board passed a budget with the needs of students in mind,” said junior Ally Leduc, the board’s other student representative alongside Morris.
What’s more worrying is that, if the proposed budget doesn’t pass on March 4, “future budgets will almost certainly endorse a lower tax rate, which means that more cuts will need to be made,” Morris said. “While we’re unsure of what those cuts may be, reductions will inevitably reduce opportunity for students.”
The struggle to fund quality public schools is not just a local problem, and superintendent Nichols noted the district’s spending abilities are limited by an array of factors beyond the district’s control.
“Vermont’s current (education funding) formula does not have the ability to continue funding the amazing education programs SBSD and other school districts have to offer while simultaneously being sustainable for taxpayers,” Leduc said.
That’s why she and Morris, as well as the South Burlington Educators Association co-presidents and others, are advocating for statewide legislative solutions.
In particular, they say they wish there had been more communication about how the budget was developed, and a clearer connection established between the district’s visions and the decisions ultimately made.
For instance, Adreon said that, while “the board and the district administrators have said that they were prioritizing student-facing positions,” 90 percent of the budget’s staff reductions target those positions, even though they constitute 75 percent of all district employees.
They say this is especially challenging to see when many departments across the district, including special education, already feel a need for more student-facing staff.
The SBEA co-presidents said they are disappointed there wasn’t thorough explanation for how administrators arrived at their plan, and generally want to see more examples about how budget-related “choices would affect people,” Everitt said.
School board chair Chelsea Tillinghast said on Jan. 8, “There isn’t anything that we
The student representatives have been in touch with the Commission on the Future of Public Education, discussing possible student input in this process through testimony and focus groups.
But Leduc said that doesn’t mean one should overlook the upcoming budget vote, saying the budget “has a direct impact on the level of quality education we receive as students.”
She added, “If the proposed FY26 budget does not pass on the first vote, there will be many more reductions to programming in the South Burlington School District than are already included in the current proposal. This will decrease the level of educational excellence SBSD has to offer and directly affect
Fitzgerald runs for re-election to city council
Political Notebook
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
Elizabeth Fitzgerald, an incumbent on the South Burlington City Council, is running for re-election. Here is her announcement.
My name is Elizabeth Fitzgerald. I am a 21-year resident of South Burlington and have served on the school board and most recently on city council. I am seeking another two-year term as one of your five city councilors. Among the many initiatives outlined in the annual Policy Priorities and Strategies, I would characterize the following as important to me as your representative:
First and foremost, supporting city staff in executing the 2025 funded priorities is one of my top three priorities. “Continuing the current level of service delivery,” as the proposed budget intends, may not be glamorous, but when it comes to staffing our police and fire departments, providing safe drinking water, paving our roads, sidewalks and bike paths, and investing in maintaining and improving infrastructure with environmentally-sustainable solutions, those are the things that people value most and notice first.
The funding for ongoing capital improvement projects can be from increased access to the local option
BUDGET
continued from page 2
students’ learning.”
Everitt said turnout for the last school budget vote was 24 percent, disappointing considering how much is on the table — the
taxes generated within South Burlington along with a reassessment of utility and service fees as benchmarked against neighboring communities, and enhancement of tax revenues associated with new development in areas zoned for commercial use. Growing the grand list will also contribute to the tax base. It would be remiss not to mention more recent concerns with federal grants, which may heighten the need for the city to develop more sustainable funding strategies going forward. The bike/pedestrian bridge over I-89 and some support positions within the police department rely largely on federal grants.
As council liaison to the housing committee, I want to support its work to promote affordable and workforce housing while fostering safe, economically diverse, and climate-equitable community. This work is also in support of the HOME act, Act 181 and the proposed 2025 Omnibus Housing Bill, which are intended to reduce barriers and stimulate housing.
The Housing Trust has built up a balance which could be used, based on recommendations from the Committee, to support these efforts.
Another priority which I believe I share with my fellow councilors is in hearing from
different voices within our community. We are fortunate that our statutory and advisory committee structure includes over 130 volunteer community members. Prioritizing filling of open positions with residents who can represent different points of view based on life and work experience, educational background, ethnicity, age, home ownership or rental and more is important to understanding the impact of policies on all our community and to preparing and encouraging civic participation in the future. I initiated the less formal “Conversations with a Councilor,” held monthly on Saturdays at either City Center or one of the elementary schools, in an effort to make it easier for the community to provide feedback and share concerns outside of warned Council meetings.
The polls are open. Please make your voice heard.
“I want to represent my underrepresented community by becoming the rst BIPOC South Burlington City Council member.” VOTE MARCH 4
programs, supports and opportunities that impact students’ and staff members’ daily experience.
“Either way, more voting is better,” he said.
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Wednesday, March 12, 9 a.m. to Noon 722 S. Main St., Stowe
Christine Burych Founder/Workplace Mental Health Expert
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
CRIME & COURTS
Police sergeant cited after fatal November crash on Shelburne Road
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
An on-duty Shelburne police sergeant who hit and killed a pedestrian while driving his police cruiser in South Burlington in November was cited last Thursday on felony allegations.
Kyle Kapitanski, 41, of Randolph, has been with the Shelburne police department since 2022. He has been on paid administrative leave since the Nov. 11 incident, and still was as of press deadline.
According to Vermont State Police Department, Kapitanski was driving southbound on Route 7 near Fayette Drive in the early morning hours of Nov. 11 when he struck and killed Sean Hayes, 38, of Burlington.
After a months-long review of the preliminary police investigation by Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, police cited Kapitanski with “grossly negligent operation of a vehicle resulting in death.”
He is set to make his first court appearance at Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on March 13.
While initial information provided by state police soon after
the incident indicated Hayes was operating a bike with an attached trailer at the time of the incident, a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Hayes’ family against the town of Shelburne last month offered more details.
According to the family’s lawyer, Brooks McArthur, Hayes was off his bike, standing immediately next to the curb near a glass-enclosed bus stop, when he was killed.
According to the family’s civil lawsuit, Kapitanski was driving in the farthest right lane of the fourlane highway and was the only driver in the area at the time of the incident.
The lawsuit alleges Kapitanski did not come to an immediate stop after striking and killing Hayes but continued driving southbound a “significant distance” 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.”
The South Burlington Police Department initially responded to the crash but soon turned the investigation over to the Vermont State Police. Information regard-
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ing the crash, including the affidavit of probable cause, will be filed with the court and made public following Kapitanski’s arraignment, according to a state police
press release.
Kapitanski’s lawyer, David Sleigh, could not be reached for comment by press deadline.
Shelburne town manager Matt Lawless said Kapitanski’s employment status has not changed and now, the Shelburne Police Department will conduct its own internal investigation and “continues to cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities on this matter.”
“Per town policy, Sergeant Kapitanski remains on administrative leave during the investigation,” Lawless said.
As of Jan. 16, Kapitanski had accrued roughly $21,000 in paid leave. He has no prior disciplinary actions on file with the town,
according to Shelburne police chief Mike Thomas.
In the weeks that followed the crash, bike and pedestrian advocates have been sounding the alarm to state and local leaders to improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure along the Route 7 corridor. Local Motion — Vermont’s statewide advocate for active transportation and safe streets — launched a petition in November calling on the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and community leaders in South Burlington, Shelburne and Burlington to find a solution.
A memorial for Hayes has been erected near Fayette Drive.
South Burlington Police Blotter: Feb. 17-23
Total reported incidents: 224
Arrests: 4
Crashes: 30
Alarms: 13
Agency assists: 8
Public assists: 14
Directed patrols: 9
Disturbances: 6
Foot patrols: 21
Domestic incidents: 3
Larceny: 14
Motor vehicle complaints: 18
Retail theft: 7
Stolen vehicles: 2
Suspicious events: 8
Traffic hazards: 6
Traffic stops: 8
Trespass: 7
Welfare check: 13
Arrests:
Tanya L. Francis, 42, no address listed, for retail theft, after a Jan. 17 incident on Dorset Street.
Feb. 20 at 3:37 a.m., Stephen N. Synnott, 56, South Burlington, for driving without an ignition interlock device.
Feb. 21 at 3:06 p.m., Jarrod D. Howell, 33, of Colchester, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
Feb. 22 at 12:15 a.m., a 19-yearold juvenile, no address listed, for domestic assault on Dorset Street.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney office and can be amended or dropped.
Kyle Kapitanski
OPINION
Company ownership stakes make capitalism work for all
Guest Perspective
Brady Fox
I recently heard about a report from Gallup that found overall job satisfaction across America has matched a record low and employees are seeking new jobs at the highest rate since 2015. Workers have grown so frustrated by their jobs that Gallup has even given this moment a name: The Great Detachment.
I have a lot of sympathy for my peers who are unmotivated at work, but feel incredibly fortunate that I can’t relate.
That’s because after graduating with an engineering degree from the University of Vermont, I landed a job at an employee-owned company based in South Burlington. I’ve been there for two and a half years, and outside of a year in high school making sandwiches at a fast-food joint, it’s the only job I’ve known.
The company offers an employee stock ownership program, a retirement plan that provides a tax incentive for companies to share potential rewards with all their employees. I honestly had no idea what that meant. As a 21-year-old fresh out of college, retirement was far off, not something I was thinking about. And it’s difficult to get excited about something that’s 40 to 50 years away.
But there was something I did understand right away, especially in contrast to many of my friends who constantly complained about their jobs: being an owner of the company where you work is just different. Immediately, I sensed a spirit of collaboration, equality and encouragement of growth that stemmed from our shared ownership in the company.
Not buying Long View was the right decision
To the Editor:
FY26 CITY BUDGET
Town Meeting Day—March 4, 2025
Polling places open 7 am to 7 pm
The FY26 City Budget...
Over time, I became more and more curious about employee ownership. In 2023, I attended a conference organized by the Vermont Employee Ownership Center. It was eye opening to meet people from other companies that are employee owned and recognize we have similar cultures built on collaboration and transparency.
I attended sessions about how an employee stock ownership programs work, the math and science behind it, and soaked in all the information that seemed so far off when I first got hired.
Employee stock ownership programs make capitalism work for everybody. And in this time of increasing divisiveness, they are wildly popular across party lines. Imagine finding something that both Bernie Sanders and Ronald Reagan would have agreed on. That’s this program.
But there just aren’t enough of them, only 29 in Vermont, according to the most recent data from the National Center on Employee Ownership. This is despite extensive research that shows employees stay longer, get laid off less and have more in retirement savings than their non-ESOP counterparts.
A new national coalition, Expanding ESOPs, seeks to give workers everywhere a shot at employee ownership. I hope there’s a day soon when there’s 10 times that many employee stock ownership programs in Vermont. Or, better yet, imagine if every worker in the state could own a piece of the company where they work.
I’d love to see what the Gallup survey would say when that happens.
Brady Fox is an engineer in the leadership development program at South Burlington-based PC Construction.
Letters to the Editor
There was an opinion piece in last week’s The Other Paper (“Long View project vote an erosion of public confidence”) that I would like to address. It was submitted by Rosanne Greco for the South Burlington Land Trust and was about the recent withdrawal of our City Council from supporting the purchase with Open Space funds of the Long Property on Spear Street.
I whole heartedly support Councilors Mike Scanlan and Elizabeth Fitzgerald in their decision to not support the purchase of this land. The portion of the land that is valuable to conserve is already protected by our city’s regulations. The front portion of the land is on city water and sewer and is perfectly situated as infill between two
completed developments.
Ms. Greco lamented to loss of the 16 affordable homes that were a part of the proposal. There is nothing to prevent the North East Agricultural Trust, the current owners, from going ahead with that laudable project. If anyone is worried that NEAT would now be in trouble without the city’s funds, Mr. Bellavance, owner of NEAT, assured us that that was not an issue at a city meeting last fall.
If you are worried that the residents in the area will have no open space to enjoy, remember that the 58 acres of Hubbard Park are only a couple of minutes’ walk away.
The environmental cost of putting homes, if NEAT chooses to, on the front of the property is surely offset with the
Continues our commitment to service delivery with a focus on community affordability
• Provides for the current level of service delivery
• Maximizes non-property-tax revenue by aggressively budgeting for Local Option Tax and interest earned income and reviewing fee structures
• Is sensitive to the property tax impacts from the State Education Fund and limits municipal property tax impact
Continues investments in Public Safety
• Addresses State funding changes and strengthens public safety tools
• Invests in our Community Outreach Team and Community Justice Center
• Increases funding for road line striping, sidewalk improvements, and paving
Supports City Center vibrancy
• Opens the Library on Sundays
• Funds the South Burlington City Center Collaborative
Continues commitment to addressing climate change
• Increases commitment to Green Mountain Transit to meet climate and transit goals
• Provides $345K in funding for capital work related to addressing climate change
FY26 General Fund Budget
LETTERS continued from page 5
reduced pollution of the reduced driving miles of commuting to the largest concentration of jobs in the state, compared with many people’s lengthy travel time from homes outside of the area.
Concerned about what the city will do with the $586,931 currently in the Open Space fund? Our new City Center could use a nice open area. Do you know of any other areas that could use space or improvement of the current space? Attend a city council meeting.
Linda Bailey
South Burlington
School Japanese program unique, shouldn’t be cut
To the Editor:
My name is Noah Bianchi, a 2012 graduate of South Burlington High School. During my studies there, I had the unique opportunity to study Japanese. I continuously feel thankful for my teacher, Sinyoung Evans Sensei, for sharing the beauty of the language and culture of Japan.
Most notably, her assistance with organizing a student exchange program with a Japanese sister school encouraged me to continue my studies as an undergraduate student at UVM, graduating in 2016 with a double major in Mathematics and Japanese. This month-long excursion continues to influence and inspire me. I can say with certainty that I have a more promising life and career because of that experience.
There are numerous reasons studying Japanese language and culture can benefit a young adult today, including the pervading discipline and the unique fusion of respecting generational tradition without impeding progress. Even in the macrocosm of economic importance, Japan, the third largest economic power, has relevance as an invaluable ally. Additionally, one of my fellow 2012 classmates and fellow UVM alumna, Zoe Nugent, has secured an enviable position at the office of the Consulate General of Japan with her hard work and dedication to Japanese studies.
My uncle, a retired electrical engineer for aerospace programs at Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut, urged me to continue my studies based on his experiences. With European languages stemming from shared roots being easier to learn, there was never a lack of translators to assist when speaking of the technical mechanics of jet engines with partners in those languages.
Not only was it more difficult to find an interpreter that could understand and express the
complex ideas given in his meet ings with Japanese colleagues, the difference between social dynamics in Eastern and Western business settings at times caused misunderstandings on a purely direct translation basis. Addition al questioning and engagement sometimes proved ineffective after the customary bows and handshakes without a competent translator.
As a current employee of the State of Vermont, I understand school budgets are tight. The public is deserving of the best results for their dollar. Main taining strong bonds with the Japanese and collegiate commu nities of Vermont provides a distinct advantage for these students. I believe that presenting a budget which supports a Japa nese language program at South Burlington High School, unique in its design within Vermont, is a strategic investment in personal and community growth, competi tiveness in the workplace, and an understanding of cultural signif icance.
Noah Bianchi SBHS Class of 2012
What ‘untouchables’ are we overpaying for?
To the Editor:
Approximately ten months ago, I proposed two recommen dations that I believed could potentially lead to savings for South Burlington School District. One of these recommendations pertained to the district’s procure ment of its insurance program.
South Burlington School District purchases its insurance/ risk program from the Vermont School Board Insurance Trust.
While the Trust provides quality service, the program has not been market tested through competi tive bidding to ensure it offers the best value.
According to figures provided by the school district, in FY24, the district’s insurance program costs were $584,896. This year, the cost has increased to $707,886. I’m not saying the rate increase is unwarranted. Insurance rates can vary due to various factors such as claims experience, expenses, carrier pricing, and inflation.
The insurance program will be renewed again with no competition and that decision rests with the superintendent. Why not let the market do your competitive fact finding?
During budget discussions, we’ve heard “we are looking at everything and making hard decisions.” Hard decisions, yes. But looking at everything, no. This
of the FY26 budget yet remains unchallenged. How did the Vermont School Board Insurance Trust become untouchable, with its pricing never being challenged? Conducting competitive fact-finding delays the process, protects VSBIT, and passes costs to taxpayers. It raises the question: are there other untouchable expenses for which we are overpaying?
In conclusion, the decision not to market test VSBITs insurance program is concerning. As a risk manager with 30 years of experience, I believe savings could be realized that preserve education resources reducing the need to cut services to students.
Regularly testing services
maximizes taxpayer dollars and exhibits fiscal responsibility. Transparency in this process will benefit South Burlington by fostering trust and confidence, which are currently seriously lacking.
Bryan Companion South Burlington
Cut
superintendent salary, not kids’
education
To the Editor: I am writing to express how deeply concerned I am in the state of our district and the quality of education that our children are getting. I despair that what we have is a complete mess.
school board is really doing. Who are they prioritizing and why? They do not seem to prioritize our children, and I am incredibly disappointed that they are in place. It is up to us to sort that out and we will, we have to, for our children’s sake. I recently read in The Other Paper how much our superintendent is making and will continue to make. I also read that the South Burlington School District is going to cut yet more staff at the district. We seem to be prioritizing the superintendent’s salary over quality staff and education for our children. We cannot let this continue to
See LETTERS on page 7
The Other Paper welcomes “50’s Child” to its feature pages this week. Drawn by Shelburne’s Paul Laud, the strip depicts the trials and travails of an aging boomer (like Paul) in a techno-centric, live-streaming world.
happen.
With all due respect, our superintendent is not worth that salary as the job that she is doing fails this community and our children. My taxes continue to go up and I refuse to add more money into our superintendent’s pocket rather than fight for our children’s education. Cut her salary, not staff — we need our staff.
Our children need their education, their sports, all of their activities that make them happy and healthy in their academic journey. We should be cutting our superintendent’s salary and not defunding our children’s education. We can do better than this South Burlington. We need to do better than this for our children.
If the school board continues to put our superintendent’s salary over our children, we need to step up and as a collective and elect a new board that will actually listen to us the taxpayers. Show us why you have to choose our Superintendent’s salary over our children’s education. Enough is enough.
Maria Davies South Burlington
Pressure state, but don’t gut school programs
To the Editor:
I’m writing as a concerned parent and citizen and am making the plea for a yes vote on the school and city budgets. I’m writing this letter particularly about the school budget. I am very worried about what will happen to our district’s course offerings and support services, such as learning coaches, special educators, school counselors, if our school budget is voted down.
Perhaps you were educated in public schools, perhaps not. I was, and they gave me every opportunity I’ve had. And I don’t come from money. In general, students who are well-adapted to the school structure and succeed academically will do well. But this is not the case of all students, and we must keep these students foremost in our mind. This budget vote is about them — students who do not fit into the mold and who would thrive in a setting where they have the supports they need and different outlets for their talents.
This budget vote is not a protest vote against state legislation and Act 127. Lawmakers have gotten the message. That said, we need to keep the pressure on them, but not by gutting our school faculty and staff and course offerings.
To say that I’m very worried about the mismanagement of our public education system on the part of our state government is to put it mildly. Public education is in danger nationwide, including here in Vermont, which as a state has had an outstanding track record for public education. In other rural states, children do not do as well as our children do. Check it out, it’s a fact.
Our funding system is difficult to understand, and the governor and state Legislature have not made it any easier. Sadly, we’ve been the recipients of state policy that, while well-intended, has had harmful consequences on the public trust,
leading to a tax revolt last year. We may disagree on the role that the governor has played in that, but maybe not. With regard to this budget vote, that disagreement is beside the point.
We have likewise seen the public trust whittled away here in South Burlington each time a school director has resigned and that there’s been a breach of trust between the public and the board and administration and the school faculty and staff.
I do not point to any particular party as I write that, but I do wish to call your attention to what is at stake in this election. Not the superintendent’s or teachers’ salaries or the number of administrators or things having to do with personnel. What is at stake in this election is the education of our young people, the people we most cherish and want to succeed.
Let us make sure that our young people have what they need to receive a solid education, feed their hungry minds, and fulfill their potential and then take up again personnel concerns after the March 4 election.
Public education isn’t perfect, but it’s the best that we’ve got to ensure that our democracy stands a fighting chance.
Meaghan Emery
South Burlington
Respectful agreement to disagree is important
To the Editor:
Several aspects of the South Burlington Land Trust’s guest perspective, (“Long View project vote an erosion of public confidence”) trouble me. I shall focus on only two.
A few months ago, I began a letter to the editor with the following sentence: “Reasonable people can, and often do, examine the same facts and reach different conclusions on what they view as the best next step.” This is how I view the disagreement between city councilors with respect to using Open Space funds to purchase part of the Long property. Respectful, hopefully amicable, agreement to disagree on public issues is the heart of constructive civility and instills public confidence in our elected officials
Respectful agreement to disagree on public issues also provides a positive role model for every city resident, especially our children. Sadly, the South Burlington Land Trust board of directors does not adhere to this approach to dealing with disagreement. Theirs is the “my way or the highway” model of discourse. Their repeated castigation of councilors Fitzgerald and Scanlan for their votes on the Long View project constitutes unacceptable conduct, especially in light of the fact that the South Burlington Land Trust is, legally, a “charitable” organization. How does demonization of your opponent when you lose promote fruitful debate and cooperation?
I strongly encourage readers to disregard the characterizations of City Coun-
Chris Bohjalian
continued from page 7
cilors Fitzgerald and Scanlan articulated in “The Long View project vote an erosion of public confidence” guest perspective. They are diligent, thoughtful, and open-minded public servants.
The same guest perspective purports to give the impression that the Long View project represented how the Long family wanted their property to be developed, or not. They reference disparagingly “a previous housing development proposal” that would have resulted in 49 new housing units.
What they omit is that this “previous housing development proposal” was the Long family’s proposal that they, in a totally open process, had worked for years with city staff and the planning commission to design. This proposal, not the Long View project, was what the Long family wanted to be their legacy to the city.
The Longs were stopped in May 2021 when, by a 3 to 2 vote, the current City Council chair and former chair and vice chair denied the family’s request to take their proposal to the development review board. South Burlington Land Trust board members and a current city councilor who is an abutting property owner had lobbied doggedly to convince these councilors to prevent this proposal from going forward.
It is disheartening to see board members of an organization to which I belong so misrepre-
sent what has been a lengthy, complicated, and intense process, which took place largely behind closed doors. From this point on, let’s appreciate everyone’s often passionate advocacy of their position on this matter and move forward with good will and mutual respect.
Sandy Dooley South Burlington
Long View project lacked transparency To the Editor:
Some people are wondering what happened to the Long View Project.” Many who will read this letter have no idea what the Long View Project is. It would take a while to tell the story.
When you hear someone telling a story, you have to understand the context of the story and who the storyteller is. Stories are often intended to teach lessons, others to humor, and some to distort.
The Long View was a “deal,” according to some. They point to everything the deal could do for South Burlington. I guess that depends on where you live and whose money you’re spending. If you live in the Southeast Quadrant, this was a great deal — more open space for the neighbors paid for by taxpayers. This has been done many times already. Millions of dollars of taxpayer money has been spent
to create a great environment for Southeast Quadrant residents in the name of saving the environment.
Do any of you live someplace else in South Burlington? Could you use a little more open space? What about better sidewalks and streets? What about less taxes? What about a better quality of life?
When was the last time your city directed hundreds of thousands of dollars in your direction to provide better park and open space amenities? Call the city or a city councilor and ask them when, in case you have forgotten. The answer is they haven’t given you any open space funds. Those have been used exclusively to protect the environment in the Southeast Quadrant.
Our city council has been mostly populated for several years by people who live in the SEQ. Many have belonged to the South Burlington Land Trust. When it comes to land use policy in our city for the last several years, protecting the environment in the SEQ has been at the top of the list.
The Long View project was a “done deal” from the beginning, until a couple of city councilors started to listen to a few other people in the city who felt the deal could be improved with more housing. Pre-COVID, a plan for 49 units had been supported and approved by the development review board, but the deal could now only support
16 houses. No room for more than that on these 36 acres that sits between two other already developed housing projects with similar density.
Want to know what happened to the Long Project? Look at the lack of transparency from the beginning. Look at the lack of collaboration to come up with a plan that could satisfy some of our housing concerns while protecting much of the parcel which is valued wetlands and habitat. Deals are in the eye of the beholder and those who stand to benefit. Councilors Scanlan and Fitzgerald took the time to listen to people throughout the community, and not just the SEQ neighbors or the South Burlington Land Trust.
Thank you councilors Scanlan and Fitzgerald for representing everyone in South Burlington, and not just a few who want their environment protected. We need more collaboration to address our housing and environmental and climate change challenges. More collaboration equals more problem solving.
Michael Simoneau South Burlington
No evidence that money equals better education
To the Editor:
Having read the guest perspective by Michelle Boyer in the Feb. 13 edition The Other Paper (“South Burlington school budget: all the traffic will bear), all I can say is wow. We have been talking for a long, long time that the way we were going was unsustainable but no one does anything about it.
The issue, I feel, is not
financing but it is spending, and until we get under control, the problem will persist. Some other things we could is increase class sizes, increase our student to staff ratio from 5 to 1 to something like 8 or 10 to 1 and eliminate courses that are in the curriculum to attract tuition students.
Last May at a school board meeting, I pointed out that we had the third highest cost per student in the country, between $23,000-$24,000 per student. I believe today that we have graduated to first.
To quote a former teacher-legislator, “There is no evidence that more money has connection to a better education.”
Paul Couture South Burlington
Don’t let conservation benefit small city segment
To the editor: I wanted to support the city council’s decision to not move forward with the Long View Project. It sounds like a no-brainer, to preserve land but, as deliberations revealed, this wasn’t the best deal for the city. We need to be careful that land preservation does not become a way to benefit a small subset of our community.
In this case, it sounded like the primary beneficiaries were the property owners abutting the land, with vague promises about affordable housing. I am glad the city council proceeded with careful deliberation, and I hope they approach future such debates in a similar manner.
Peter Henne South Burlington
COMMUNITY
Community Notes
KidSafe raises funds to continue mission
The KidSafe Collaborative’s Sally Borden Fund has raised over $106,000 for the Burlington based non-profit, whose mission is working collaboratively to keep children safe from abuse and neglect.
Borden, who stepped down after 26 years at the helm of KidSafe Collaborative, launched the fund in partnership with founding donors Jay and Susan Fayette. Together they recognized that, to keep KidSafe Collaborative strong, they needed to make sure the organization could support “the heart” of KidSafe — the staff who carry out the organization’s mission every day.
“When Sally approached me about her retirement and kicking off the Sally Fund, Susan and I thought it was an awesome idea and powerful legacy,” Jay Fayette said.
Current executive director Meghan Masterson added, “Thanks to the KidSafe Sally Borden Fund, we’ve been able
Sandra A. Lawliss
Obituaries
Sandra Lawliss, of South Burlington, died peacefully at home on Feb. 14, 2025.
She was born Jan. 11, 1942, in Newport, Vermont, the second of Donald and Jeannine (Goulet) Moffett’s six daughters. She was raised in Island Pond, the heart of the Northeast Kingdom, and graduated from Brighton High School.
After graduation, destiny led her to Newport where she soon met her forever love, Donald Lawliss. They married in Island Pond on Nov. 12, 1960, and soon thereafter moved to South Burlington, where they enjoyed a full life raising their three children: Mark, Lisa and Todd.
to provide meaningful wage adjustments for staff members whose vital work promotes the safety, health and wellbeing of children and youth.”
Sandy was a woman of many talents. She cross stitched works of art, her expansive flower gardens were breathtaking, and she was a great cook and baker. She made the holidays special every year in so many ways, making sure every detail was just right. She had a natural flair for style and was always ready for an outing, be it
local or a fun road trip. Family was the center of Sandy’s universe, and she was a deeply devoted daughter, sister, wife, mom and grandmother. She loved her family fiercely and had an extra gear for her grandchildren. She adored them, and proudly attended their games, concerts, performances and celebrations of achievements and milestones.
See OBITUARIES on page 11
Sandra A. Lawliss
COURTESY PHOTO
Left to right: Sally Borden, retired executive director receives first donation to the Sally Fund from SB residents Jay and Susan Fayette.
SPORTS
Wolves extend winning streak in overtime hockey game thriller
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Boys’ hockey
South Burlington 3, BFA-St. Albans 2 (OT): South Burlington grabbed its sixth win in seven games on Saturday, beating BFA-St. Albans on Saturday in high school boys’ hockey.
Christian Butler scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift the Wolves to a win. Butler’s first tally tied the game in the third period to send it to OT. Lucas Van Mullen also had a goal for South Burlington, who move to 13-6.
Alex Chagnon stopped 15 shots to earn the win in goal.
Girls’ basketball
Burlington 71, South Burlington 40: The South Burlington girls’ basketball team fell to Burlington, the top team in the Metro Division, on Saturday.
Tori Griffin had 14 points to pace the Wolves, who fall to 4-14. Lexi Paquette added 12 points for South Burlington.
The Wolves earned a win on Thursday, beating Rice 47-40.
Griffin had 16 points for South Burlington and Paquette chipped in with 11 points.
Boys’ basketball
South Burlington 49, Colchester 40: South Burlington wrapped up the regular season
with its fifth win in a row, beating Colchester on Friday night.
Oli Avdibegovic and Evan O’Keefe each had 11 points for the Wolves, while Will Goyette and Deng Aguek each chipped in with eight points.
South Burlington finished the regular season with a 14-6 record.
Nordic skiing
After the first day of the Vermont Nordic skiing state championships, the South Burlington girls team sits in eighth place.
The second part of the race, the classic portion, was Tuesday at the Prospect Mountain Ski Center, after press deadline.
Wolves wait in wings for first hoops opponent
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
No. 4 South Burlington vs. TBD
Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
The South Burlington boys’ basketball team wrapped up the regular season with a 14-6 record and earned the No. 4 seed in the
Division I tournament.
The Wolves earned a bye in the playdown round of the postseason and will await the winner of No. 5 Rutland vs. No. 12 Colchester. South Burlington will face off against the winner on Friday in the quarterfinals at home.
Rutland handed South Burl-
ington one of its six losses after the two teams faced off in the second game of the season. The Raiders finished with a 13-7 record and just behind the Wolves in the standings.
The Wolves beat Colchester (4-16) twice in the regular season, including a win to wrap up the regular season on Friday.
COURTESY PHOTO
South Burlington High School 9th grader James Langan, a member of the South Burlington High School Nordic Ski Team, qualified to compete at the 2025 Junior National Championships being held at Soldier Hollow, Utah from March 10-15. At the 7 qualifying races held this winter, James earned a spot to be named one of the 6 Under-16 year old boys to represent defending champion New England at Nationals.
Rice hoops star Ben Shungu named to VPA sports hall of fame
A former Rice Memorial High School basketball player currently playing professional ball is among this year’s selection into the Vermont Principals’ Association Hall of Fame.
Ben Shungu attended Rice from 2012-2016. A three-time Division I state champion, he earned consecutive Gatorade Vermont Player of the Year and Burlington Free Press “Mr. Basketball” honors in his junior and senior years.
As a senior captain, he averaged 21.9 points per game while leading Rice to its fourth straight championship appearance.
“His exceptional court vision, leadership, and scoring ability made him a transformative player in Vermont high school basketball,” the principals association said in a press release. “After high school, Shungu played basketball at the University of Vermont, where he continued to demonstrate his athletic prowess, becoming one of the most accomplished players in program history. He has since
continued his basketball career professionally overseas, representing Vermont athletes with distinction and proving that talent from small states can compete at high levels.”
Other inductees into this year’s hall of fame class, who will be honored in May, include athletes, coaches, officials and media.
• Don Allard, former multi-sport athlete at Bellows Free Academy.
• Elizabeth Burnham, former multi-sport athlete at Oxbow Union High School.
• Lou DiMasi III, former Burlington High School hockey player.
• Dalyn Drown, former multisport athlete at Northfield High School.
• Karin Dwyer, former basketball and track athlete from Oxbow Union High School.
• Ben Gilbert, a three-sport star at Brattleboro Union High School.
• Byron “BJ” Robertson, former Burlington High School basketball player.
• Richard “Bert” Berthiaume,
Bellows Free Academy softball coach.
• Arlan “Chip” Langmaid, cross-country and track and field coach at St. Johnsbury Academy who died in an accident on June 11, 2024, just days after leading the boys’ track team to their fourth consecutive Division I state championship.
• Michael Clark of Walden, a soccer and softball official in Vermont for over 40 years.
• George Cook of North Chittenden, an official who has refereed more than 50 state championship games.
• Brent Curtis of Montpelier, sports broadcaster and a voice of Vermont high school basketball since 2001.
• Dave Cobb of Essex Junction, a school administrator for more than 30 years.
The VPA Hall of Fame class of 2025 will be formally inducted on Friday, May 16 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Montpelier.
PHOTO
Ben Shungu at a South Burlington High School reunion in 2021.
She cherished her time and adventures with her sisters, who were truly her best friends and brought her so much joy. Sandy shared a lifetime of love with her husband, Don. She loved traveling with him everywhere, from their dream trip to Hawaii, to going to Montreal for Canadian Open Tennis, to escaping the Vermont winters in Myrtle Beach and fun trips to the casino. She was strong, resilient, fun-loving, funny and a constant caring presence in our lives, and we will miss her immensely.
Sandy was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Donald Lawliss; sisters Donna Gould and Diane Moffett; and brothers-in-law George Gould, William Lawliss, James LeBlanc, and Alan Wilcox. She is survived by her sons Mark (Jacqueline) and Todd (Dawn) and daughter Lisa Kenny (Christopher), and grandchildren Matthew, Kevin, Michael and Amy Lawliss and Jillian and Molly Kenny. She is also survived by her sisters Faye Hopcroft, Deborah LeBlanc and Cynthia Koehler, sisters-in-law Margaret Lawliss and Claire Wilcox, and several nieces and nephews.
Sandy battled through several health challenges over the last years of her life, and her family would like to take this opportunity to extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Roberts, Dr. Ferris, Dr. Terrien, Dr. Strong and Dr. Raut. In keeping with her wishes, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that donations be made in her memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).
Paul Edwin Roche
It is with great sadness that the family announce that Paul Edwin
Roche died on Sunday, Feb. 9 at the age of 88, in South Burlington, surrounded by his loving family.
Paul was born on June 29, 1936, in Arlington, Mass., the youngest son of John and Marian Roche. He graduated from high school then went on to spend two years at Boston College before being drafted into the U.S. Army. After spending two years in post-war Germany, he returned to Boston College to complete his degree, graduating magna cum laude. He crowned this achievement by passing the CPA exam, winning an award for the second highest score ever in the state of Massachusetts.
Paul married Ann Casazza in 1959 in Arlington. They went on to spend nearly 70 loving years together, raising six children and doting on their 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Paul brought his growing family from Massachusetts to Burlington to establish the lauded accounting firm, Paul E. Roche & Company. Paul was deeply admired by his peers and his clients and was well known in his industry.
Paul especially loved spending time in York Beach, Maine, enjoying coffee on the deck while watching a beautiful sunrise. He
also loved rooting for any and all Boston sports teams. Remaining to cherish Paul’s memory are his wife, Ann; daughters Paula, Donna, Karen/Tallulah
(Jeff), Nancy, and Diane (Matt); his twelve grandchildren; his one great-grandchild; sister-in-law Mimi Casazza, many nieces and nephews, and dear friends.
Preceding Paul in death are his parents, John and Marian; his brothers, Donald, (Ellen), Warren, (Helen), and John, (Barbara); and his beloved son, Robert.
Paul Edwin Roche
New committee aims to add more housing while protecting the environment
NEWS SERVICE
Vermont’s housing crisis is often cast as a dilemma between the need for affordable housing and the desire to protect the environment.
But we can have both, say members of the newly formed South Burlington Housing Committee.
New chair Nora Senecal hopes the conversation moves beyond the dichotomy of open space versus additional housing.
“I would really like to see it not have an equation of it being either/ or,” Senecal said.
The new committee combines two former housing groups: the Affordable Housing Committee and the Housing Trust Fund. They were combined in November with a new name and the goal of including a wider variety of voices in these decisions.
“It’s important to have all the stakeholders actually at the table when we’re making policy and having discussions,” Senecal said. “If you have more people in the conversation, then it’s just more fruitful.”
The change comes as Vermont struggles to address the ongoing housing crisis and a growing homeless population. Recently, the state ranked fourth highest in homelessness rates, alongside more urban states such as New York.
By removing the word “affordable” from its title, the Housing Committee aims to address a wider range of issues, including work-
force housing and residences for middle-income and low-income people.
As in many Vermont communities, the balance between the environment and development is often at the center of the housing discussion in South Burlington. Housing committee member Vince Bolduc spoke about a broader definition of environment that encompasses both the physical and the social.
“Some of the greater challenges are balancing our need to protect the environment writ large, the world environment with the need that people have for housing,” Bolduc said.
Larry Kupferman agreed. Kupferman is another member and former chair of the Housing Trust Fund. He has a history with environmental efforts in Vermont, having moved here in the early 1970s as part of the back-to-theland Movement.
“This struggle, this tension between housing and conservation, it is a real tension. It exists. It is throughout the state,” Kupferman said. “There are places that people think should be developed, and there are places that should be kept open for a number of reasons.”
South Burlington lies within four miles of the two largest employers in the state, the University of Vermont and UVM Medical Center, putting it in a unique position.
“Most towns have the same problem, but because South Burlington is so close to the city center — Burlington and major employers — it’s harder for us,” Kupfer-
man said.
Burlington International Airport also brings an array of challenges to housing in South Burlington. Kupferman pointed to the removal of many single-family, middle-income houses in the Chamberlin neighborhood because of the airport.
In recent years, South Burling-
ton has significantly increased its housing stock. In 2022, the most recent year data is available, South Burlington added over 400 housing units — up from 240 the year previous.
Members of the newly formed committee are working to address the immediate housing crisis, while preparing for the future as well.
“How can we be the most flexible, so that if people 20 years from now need to rethink what we do with something, they can?” Senecal asked. “Because they’re going to know best what their community needs.”
Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for The Other Paper.
PARK
continued from page 1
“This brings up an interesting question about naming policies,” council chair Tim Barritt said, noting that there is a street naming policy but nothing in city regulations outlining how parks should be named. “My personal desire is that when there’s a significant park change, I think city council needs to be involved. Disagree with me if you’d like, but I think we need to have some sort of a policy that states that, if there’s a major parcel that’s going to be named, that it has to go through the city council.” Matth told the council that the new signs sporting The Overlook at Underwood Park name will likely be available within the next two months.
MEGAN DILLON AND JACKSON WYATT COMMUNITY
PHOTO BY JACKSON WYATT New residential development continues apace during the winter in South Burlington.
continued from page 1
development review board was stonewalled over a disagreement about the number of market rate and affordable housing units in the development, as well as a proposed drive-through ATM.
Developer and property owner Gary Bourne appealed that review board denial to the state environmental court in 2023, which ruled last September in favor of the city, saying Bourne failed to include the requisite number of affordable rental units and that an ATM was prohibited by the city’s regulations.
The original plan proposed 30 units — 10 more than the city’s base zoning density unit maximum — seven of which would be affordable units. However, the city’s review board argued that the developer needed 10 affordable units to meet the city’s requirements at the time.
Per South Burlington’s former inclusionary zoning law, new housing developments are required to include affordable units totaling 15 percent of the overall number of units, to keep a mix of both affordable and market-rate apartments.
Although Bourne later appealed the environment court decision to the Vermont Supreme Court, he also submitted a new application for the property to the city’s development review board in March 2024 that, like the original, would have seen the construction of a Chase Bank, a two-story mixed commercial and residential building and a three-story, 27-unit multifamily building. The two buildings would have included 10 total affordable units — one in the mixed-use building and nine in the three-story building.
The new plan also did away
with the drive-through ATM.
But with this new settlement agreement, Director of Planning and Zoning Paul Conner told the city council this week that the applicant would be required to have only six of the 30 homes permanently affordable, lower than the ten included in the application approved by the development review board last year.
“That number matches the regulations in place now in the city,” Conner said, referencing the land use regulations the city passed last year. “This matches that number.”
He also noted that the project is also subject to the updated electric vehicle-ready standards adopted by the city.
Development review board member John Moscatelli cautioned the city council about setting any precedent that would short circuit his board’s process, saying any new stipulations negotiated in the settlement should come back before the review board.
“The council, in their discussion, acknowledged that this is a change to what the DRB had reviewed, in looking at the total-
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 9
The fund continues to gratefully accept contributions. For more information, visit kidsafevt.org.
Constitution expert to answer questions over coffee
Dr. Lisa Holmes, associate professor of political science at
ity of the interests of expediency, of looking at the new regulations that are currently in place,” Connor said, adding that, in “the interest in the community in seeing the building come down, the council’s discussion was that this was the best way to move forward.”
The site has been shuttered since at least 2011, and the building has become known around the city as a graffiti-masked eyesore overgrown with weeds and shrubbery.
Council chair Tim Barritt said the property has been a blight on the city for years. The vote to sign the settlement passed unanimously.
“I support this and I’m going to vote yes. It also will stop the litigation, and it will allow that corner to move forward with these new developments,” Barritt said.
Conner noted that the settlement is still awaiting a signature from Bourne, which at that point will need to be considered by the environmental court.
The city’s attorney, Colin McNeil, told the council that this new agreement will take the place of the application approved by the development review board.
PUBLIC HEARING SOUTH BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
The South Burlington Development Review Board will hold a public hearing in the South Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street, South Burlington, Vermont, or online or by phone, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 7:00 P.M. to consider the following:
1. Final plat application #SD-25-03 of WGM Associates for phase one of a master plan consisting of eleven single family home lots, a civic space lot, and an existing non-conforming commercial or private parking facility. The phase consists of the creation of seven lots, three containing existing single family homes, two to contain new homes, one to contain an existing non-conforming commercial or private parking facility and new home, and one civic space lot, 850 Hinesburg Road.
Board members will be participating in person. Applicants and members of the public may participate in person or remotely either by interactive online meeting or by telephone:
Interactive Online Meeting (audio/video): https://zoom.us/join By Telephone (audio only): (646) 931-3860
Meeting ID: 847 8024 8366
A copy of the application is available for public inspection by emailing Marla Keene, Development Review Planner, mkeene@southburlingtonvt.gov.
February 27, 2025
the University of Vermont, will moderate a discussion about the U.S. Constitution on Sunday, March 2, at 11:30 a.m., at Barnes & Noble, 102 Dorset St., South Burlington.
The general public is encouraged to pick up a pocket copy of the Constitution, grab a coffee, and ask questions, or call 802-8648001 with questions.
2024 AND 2029 NOISE EXPOSURE MAPS (NEMS) PREPARED FOR PATRICK LEAHY BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BTV) ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
The City of Burlington is announcing that the FAA has determined that the year 2024 and 2029 Noise Exposure Maps (NEMs) prepared for Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV) were developed in accordance with the procedures outlined in Appendix A of Title 14, Part 150 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
The NEMs may be downloaded using the links on the website below. For further information, please contact Larry Lackey, Director of Planning, Engineering and Sustainability at 802-338-8106. Visit www.btvsound.com for the 2024 and 2029 Noise Exposure Map.
COURTESY PHOTO
The South Burlington High School Japanese program created 2025 New Year’s cards using Japanese characters and kanji designed for the Year of the Snake. The creative works of students Leela Sides, Dorje Tangtsang, Rita Jiang and Phoebe Fogarty were selected for participation among 497 applicants in the national American Association of Teachers of Japanese New Year’s Card contest.
Above: Rita Jiang and Phoebe Fogarty.
PIZZA HUT
brighthorizonstaxsolutions.com
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
• Stroll through the Grand Garden Display filled with flowering bulbs, shrubs, trees, and water features!
• Shop the Flower Show Marketplace with over 100 vendors related to horticultural/gardening/home/ accessories.
• Choose from over 40 educational Seminars and Workshops on a variety of topics.
• Experts on-hand all 3 days to answer your gardening and landscaping questions.
• Family Activity Room: Come dig for worms, plant a flower, and make a craft and enjoy Magicians Without Borders & No Strings Marionette performances.
• Local bookstore with a great selection of books to choose from.
• The Federated Garden Clubs of VT, North District will present a National Garden Club Small Standard Flower Show: “The Story of the Garden.”
• Plant Sale at the end of the show on Sunday.
• Hours: Fri & Sat – 10am – 6pm; Sun – 10am – 4pm
March 7, 9
March 7, 8, 9
