Court hearing
Police officer accused of killing cyclist with cruiser is arraigned
Page 2
power
Checking in with South Burlington School district students Page 8
the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
City explores using AI to streamline work
What role does artificial intelligence have in Vermont’s local governments?
While not many towns or cities across Vermont are asking themselves that question yet, South Burlington, the state’s second largest city, is beginning to look at where this growing tool could expedite some of the tedious municipal minutiae.
It’s been a large part of what Nick Gingrow, the city’s IT director, and Anna Dabrowski, the city’s data manager, have been working on the last couple of months. The duo, along with the help of the city’s legal team, are putting the finishing touches on a new artificial intelligence policy that will guide how the city uses and implements AI going forward.
“We’re working on an AI policy so that we have good best practices set in place before people start using it to make sure that all of the city’s data — and (that of) everyone who lives in South Burlington — is used appropriately and safely before we start getting into utilizing it,” Gingrow said.
While a slew of AI tools — even those that wouldn’t be easily recognizable as such — are already readily available for the standard consumer, using the new technology in government is not as cut and dried. Since sensitive data and
information is largely a part of the work a local municipality does, ensuring each tool is up to government security standards is on the forefront of city employees’ minds.
Gingrow has been collaborating with a San Jose, California-based initiative known as GovAI Coalition, a coalition of municipal governments around the country that are looking into how to responsibly, appropriately and efficiently use AI for government. South Burlington is the only Vermont city or town in the coalition.
One of the first projects the city has been looking into is an artificial intelligence tool from Microsoft known as Copilot, which integrates with apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
South Burlington’s city staff, across all departments, gathered last week for their first training session on the topic. Gingrow said the topics ranged from using artificial intelligence to take meeting minutes or drafting request for bid proposals for certain projects throughout the city.
“That’s one of the first things that we’re looking at,” he said. “Creating (a request for proposals) from scratch can take a lot of work. So, if you could use AI to create a draft version based on three or four or five other RFPs you’ve done in the past, you could maybe get a
See AI on page 12
Saint Michael’s professor becomes a real purple knight, courtesy of France
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Saint Michael’s College got a new purple knight last week.
Peter Vantine, a South Burlington resident and professor at Saint Michael’s college, who is also chair of the Classical and
Modern Languages and Literatures Department at the college, was recognized as a Knight in the Order of Academic Palms — or Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques. The honor is an order of knighthood in France and is one of the oldest civil honors bestowed by the French Republic.
“I am deeply touched by this recognition granted to me in the name of the French government, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education,” Vantine said. “Everywhere in this world, here
See VANTINE on page 12
COURTESY PHOTO
Professor Peter Vantine receiving an award signifying that he is a Knight in the Order of Academic Palms.
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Chittenden County Senators participate in virtual Town Hall
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
With the legislative session in full swing, Chittenden Southeast senators Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Thomas Chittenden and Virginia “Ginny” Lyons talked with dozens of constituents this weekend to discuss all things education reform, property taxes and healthcare.
The Legislature has some mighty tasks still at hand with a little over two months left of the session, including a massive plan proposed by Republican Gov. Phil Scott to reform the way that Vermont funds and ultimately plans for education. And last week the Senate voted 22-8 to confirm Zoie Saunders as the state’s secretary of education in the throes of the education reform talk. Saunders was appointed by Gov. Scott on an interim basis after the Senate rejected her approval 19-9 last April.
“There are not many commissioners or secretaries who have faced this much scrutiny and have been considered so much of a litmus test on the future of policy in that area,” Ram Hinsdale, D-Shelburne, said. “Some senators got up and said they’ve never heard from constituents about an appointment of the governor until now.”
Ram Hinsdale, Senate Majority Leader and a member of the Senate Committee on Education, was the only one of the three to
vote against Saunders’ appointment last week.
“I think it’s really critical for us to all remember that her first job is to run the agency of education and to bring up our literacy test results and help our school districts share resources,” she said. “We are hearing that that’s simply not happening.”
Lyons, D-Williston, is the longest serving member of the Legislature among the three and currently chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. She said she voted in support of Saunders mostly after listening on the floor to presentations about her credentials and the work she has done in public schools in Florida before coming to Vermont.
“I think I listened to my colleagues on the Senate floor, one of whom is the chair of Finance, and she was very positive about her working relationship with Secretary Saunders,” Lyons said. “She needs to do the work, and she needs to demonstrate to us that we can move forward in a way that doesn’t harm our school systems, doesn’t harm our teachers and, most importantly, promotes our children.”
Chittenden, D-South Burlington and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, also voted to confirm Saunders.
“After reviewing her confir-
See TOWN HALL on page 13
Correction
A voter interviewed at South Burlington’s Town Meeting Day polls has a daughter in the school system, not a son, as was reported in a March 6 story.
Shelburne officer who killed cyclist pleads not guilty
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
An on-duty Shelburne police sergeant who was allegedly playing a YouTube video in his police cruiser when he struck and killed a cyclist in South Burlington in November pleaded not guilty last week to a felony charge of grossly negligent driving with death resulting.
At an arraignment held last week in Chittenden County Superior criminal court, Sgt. Kyle Kapitanski’s lawyer, David Sleigh, argued against the felony charge, saying there was no proof Kapitanski was actually watching the video when he struck and killed the cyclist, nor does looking at a video “momentarily” constitute gross negligence.
“Glancing at a video — there’s
no evidence for that — but glancing at it, simple negligence,” Sleigh said at the hearing.
But Deputy State’s Attorney Matthew Dolezal argued that violating the speed limit, coupled with the violation of state law that forbids having a video playing where the driver of a vehicle can view it, provided enough evidence to move the case forward.
According to a Vermont State Police affidavit, around 2:40 a.m., Kapitanski was driving a Shelburne Police SUV cruiser at 40 mph in a 35-mph stretch of Shelburne Road near Farrell Street when he struck and killed Sean Hayes, who had been riding a bicycle with a trailer attached to the back.
According to the affidavit, video footage obtained from the Mascoma Bank located near the
scene of the crime showed Hayes had gotten off his bicycle near the curb and was adjusting the attached trailer. He then began walking with his bike headed southbound when Kapitanski struck him.
The crash report states Kapitanski didn’t come to an immediate stop after hitting Hayes and traveled 85 feet before applying the brakes — about a 1.5 seconds, according to Dolezal. He also told a member of the South Burlington Fire Department who responded to the crash that Hayes “came out of nowhere.”
Hayes, according to the affidavit, had been wearing “inconspicuous clothing” with no reflective lights attached to the bike or trailer.
PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
Kyle Kapitanski, right, at his criminal arraignment last week, along with lawyer David Sleigh.
See KAPITANSKI on page 4
Senate bill aims to control health care, insurance costs
BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare moved a bill on Friday that aims to regulate hospital spending and, through that, bring down insurance premiums.
The bill aligns broadly with recommendations made in a report from the Green Mountain Care Board in December that outline the implementation of reference-based pricing, a model that would use Medicare rates as a baseline for the cost of hospital services.
While the bill is focused on the hospital infrastructure in Vermont, the stated goal of bringing down premiums speaks to the budgeting crunch that local municipalities and school districts have been under due to rising healthcare costs.
At Champlain Valley School District’s annual legislative breakfast last week, Chittenden Southeast Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Williston, brought up the bill as a part of the solution for rising budget costs — the bulk of municipal and school budgets pay for staff compensation. Lyons is the chair of the Senate health committee.
According to Gary Marckres, the chief operating officer for the Champlain Valley School District, the district’s cost for a family plan has more than doubled from $17,000 to $40,000 over the last few years. Although the district achieved an overall budget increase of less than one percent for next fiscal year, it will be eliminating nearly 40 staff positions.
Similarly, about 75 percent of the increase in South Burlington School District’s FY26 budget expenditures were due to an 11 percent increase in their health care costs. And in Shelburne, the selectboard considered asking employees to pay into their health care benefits for the first time to balance the almost 12 percent raise in costs they were experiencing.
According to the Green Mountain Care Board report from December, reference-based pricing could ease these financial burdens by “lowering prices paid on services, thereby reducing the need to increase taxes or reduce benefits to ensure the future solvency of the funds.”
As written in the bill, this would involve the state regulating some of what has been a private process: negotiations between hospi-
tals and insurance companies.
“The contracts between hospitals and insurers and payers are in a black box. They’re not transparent. We don’t see them. So first of all, reference-based pricing is a way of saying, ‘This is how much you get paid at this level with respect to Medicare,’” Lyons said in an interview Friday.
The proposed bill sets up a system in which the Green Mountain Care Board would review the budgets and circumstances of each hospital, including what services they offer, staff compensation and the population they serve. Based on the needs of each hospital, the board would then regulate what they’re allowed to charge for services, with Medicare rates as a benchmark.
According to Lyons, this might mean 200 percent of the Medicare rates, or even 250 or 300 percent, depending on the hospital.
“We know that hospitals and providers can make out fairly well with Medicare payment, but it’s still not enough to support the services that they offer or the people who work for them, and particular hospitals need a little bit more money,” Lyons said.
By capping rates, Lyons said, commercial insurers would end up paying less for services, which would bring down premium costs. The text of the bill states, “The Board, in collaboration with the Department of Financial Regulation, shall monitor the implementation of reference-based pricing to ensure that any decreased prices paid to hospitals result in commensurate decreases in health insurance premiums.”
According to Lyons, the bill continues to work toward overall healthcare system reform in Vermont. In addition to reference-based pricing, it would also institute a state-wide medical information sharing system and a state-wide healthcare delivery plan as well as creating a healthcare delivery advisory committee.
“Reference-based pricing is just one step in the direction that we’re going to get to global budgets,” Lyons said.
Global hospital budgets would eliminate a fee-for-service system with insurers in favor of payments from Medicare, Medicaid, and participating commercial payers in line with their budget. The proposed bill would see global budgets introduced by 2030.
Whether, if adopted and implemented, the bill will affect next year’s municipal and school budgets, remains to be seen.
South Burlington Police Blotter: March 10-16
Total reported incidents: 255
Arrests: 16
Welfare checks: 9
Unlawful mischief: 2
Trespass: 7
Traffic stop: 17
Traffic hazard: 4
Threats: 4
Suspicious events: 15
Suicidal person: 2
Stolen vehicle: 2
Retail theft: 4
Overdose: 3
Needle pickups: 2
Motor vehicle complaints: 5
Mental health issues: 4
Larceny: 13
Juvenile incidents: 3
Found/lost property: 4
Foot patrols: 16
Disturbances: 6
Directed patrols: 23
Public assists: 9
Agency assists: 7
Arrests on warrants: 5
Alarms: 16
Accidents: 17
911 hang-ups: 4
Arrests/citations:
Sarah J. Ellwood, 30, of Burlington, for leaving the scene of a crash, following a Feb. 15 incident on Shelburne Road.
March 9 at noon, Yesi T. Garelnabi, 34, of Burlington, for unlawful trespass and petit larceny from a vehicle, on Dorset Street.
March 10 at 7:37 a.m., Frances E. Hamburger, 34, of Charleston,
S.C., for domestic assault and disorderly conduct, on Dorset Street.
March 10 at 9:55 a.m., Nicole J. Mann, no address listed, for retail theft on Dorset Street.
March 11 at 8:33 p.m., Marc A. Leblanc, 53, of South Burlington, for driving under the influence, on Hinesburg Road.
March 12 at 1:42 a.m., Amber R. Jackson, 36, of South Burlington, on an in-state warrant on Farrell Street.
March 12 at 4:52 a.m., Anna Maria Caldwell, 27, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
March 12 at 2:36 p.m., Sarah J. Ellwood, 30, of Burlington, on an in-state arrest warrant on Dorset Street.
March 12 at 8:50 p.m., Francesco Santana, 23, of Plainview, N.Y., for negligent driving and leaving the scene of a crash, on Shelburne Road.
March 14 at 11:14 a.m., Dale L. Ploof, 41, no address listed, on an in-state arrest warrant on Dorset Street.
March 14 at 9:36 p.m., Bruce L. Fuller, 50, of Burlington, for methamphetamine possession, violating conditions of release and driving with a criminally suspended license, on Williston
See BLOTTER on page 12
South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977 A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC otherpapersbvt.com
Advertising Director
Judy Kearns judy@otherpapersbvt.com (802) 734-2928
Advertising Wendy Ewing wendy@shelburnenews.com (802) 238-4980
Editor Tommy Gardner tommy@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101 x25
Staff Writers
Aaron Calvin Liberty Darr
Patrick Bilow Briana Brady
Production/Design
Stephanie Manning stephanie@shelburnenews.com
Kristen Braley kristen@stowereporter.com
KAPITANSKI
continued from page 2
Additionally, Kapitanski’s body camera showed that he had been playing a YouTube video on a computer tablet mounted in the cruiser at the time of the crash. Review of the device showed that several YouTube URLs had been accessed between 2:29 a.m. and 2:40 a.m., but there is “no evidence of user interaction” with the device during those 11 minutes.
General Manager Katerina Werth katerina@stowereporter.com
Billing inquiries Leslie Lafountain leslie@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101
Advertising submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. advertising@otherpapersbvt.com classifieds@otherpapersbvt.com
Editorial submission deadline: Friday at 12 p.m. news@otherpapersbvt.com
Calendar submission deadline: Friday at 12 p.m. news@otherpapersbvt.com
Contact: PO Box 489 Stowe, VT 05672 (802) 253-2101
Superior Court Judge David Fenster was not convinced by Sleigh’s argument, affirming that the state had provided sufficient evidence to support the existence of probable cause for the charge.
Kapitanski was released without bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Hayes’ family members, who have sued the Town of Shelburne in a separate civil lawsuit, packed the court room last week. The
After the collision, Kapitanski can be seen in body-cam footage changing the tablet’s display screen from YouTube to Valcour, the computer-aided dispatch screen.
family’s lawyer, Brooks McArthur, spoke outside the courtroom after the arraignment, calling Sleigh’s argument a “red herring.”
“I think that video was playing. I think he was watching it,” McArthur told reporters. “I think a reasonable person would conclude that if he was paying attention to the roadway, he would have seen Sean. I don’t think there is any doubt he was watching that video.” Kapitanski has been on paid leave from the Shelburne police department since the crash.
PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
The family of Sean Hayes gathers outside the Chittenden Superior criminal courtroom last week.
OPINION
Access to government is more important than ever
Guest Perspective
Tanya Marshall
As the days are getting longer and snow is melting, it is fitting that this is Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of government records and information as the cornerstone of government accountability and transparency.
A government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” as President Abraham Lincoln famously stated in his Gettysburg address, means people must have access to authentic and reliable records and information. Without this, we’re in the dark.
As we face an increasingly complex landscape of disinformation and misinformation, access to authentic, reliable and trustworthy government records and information is more important than ever.
Sunshine Week coincides with a poignant time in our history. It is alarming that our fundamental rights as Americans are currently under threat from an unprecedented dismantling of the federal agencies and unauthorized destruction of federal records and information. Both are critical for ensuring government accountability and transparency, fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers, and the public’s right to know.
The effectiveness of all government programs and services relies on authentic and reliable information. Further, the public’s trust in these programs and services relies on transparency, accountability and civic engagement.
Yet, authentic and reliable records and information are being removed from federal websites, despite being an efficient and cost-effective way to provide publicly available information and actively engage Americans in the federal programs and services they rely on.
Federal civil servants responsible for the management, technologies and use of federal records and information are being fired or have “voluntarily” resigned or retired. Those recently affected include employees at the National Archives and Records Administration, United
States Digital Service, 18F (a digital services team within the General Services Administration) and key federal agencies dedicated to data collection and research. All told, the recent and ongoing loss of institutional and expert knowledge is staggering.
For Sunshine Week 2025, it is crucial to shed light on Vermont’s laws for a transparent and open government. The State of Vermont’s commitment to manage and safeguard its local and state government records and information, especially from unauthorized destruction, was established by state law in 1937.
Following the Watergate scandal of 1972 and subsequent Congressional action to further ensure government accountability and transparency, while also balancing individual rights to personal privacy, state legislatures —including the Vermont General Assembly — shored up state laws to require the same.
without fanfare.
The baseline it sets for Vermont public agencies is compliance with all six parts of the Vermont Public Records Act — policy, access, exemptions, management, procedure, and enforcement — and with the specific laws and rules that govern each individual agency’s records and information.
This work is done in collaboration with managers, technologists, legal counsel and other agency stakeholders. The outcomes are effective policies and procedures for managing and safeguarding Vermont records and information and publicly available documentation of what types of records and information are created or received by each public agency.
The effectiveness of all government programs and services relies on authentic and reliable information.
Today, government accountability and transparency are governed by what is called the Vermont Public Records Act (1 V.S.A. §§ 315 – 320) and its importance cannot be overstated: access to authentic and reliable government records and information is a fundamental right.
The secretary of state’s office, through the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, fulfills a relatively simple, yet essential, role in the Vermont Public Records Act. The Vermont State Archives and Records Administration is charged with supporting Vermont government in systematically managing its records and information “to provide ready access to vital information, to promote the efficient and economical operation of government, and to preserve their legal, administrative, and informational value.” (1 V.S.A. § 317a). The archives, records and information professionals at the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration rise to this challenge
AVAILABLE HOMESHARES
FERRISBURGH
Spacious rural home to share with vibrant woman in her 70s who enjoys yoga, book groups, and hiking. Seeking a housemate who might enjoy walks or occasional meals together! $650 plus utilities. Private bath. Must be catfriendly! 6 miles to Vergennes.
CHARLOTTE
Join a fun family of four! Help with meals twice a week and occasional childcare in exchange for a modest rent and large bedroom space. Beautiful views, space to garden. Located 15 minutes from Shelburne.
RICHMOND
Professional woman who enjoys outdoor activities, seeks housemate to share a home convenient to I-89 and heart of Richmond. Rent-only homeshare. No services needed. $625/month plus utilities.
HomeShare Vermont brings Vermonters of all ages and incomes together to share their homes
(802) 863-5625
HomeShareVermont.org
Application, interview, references and background checks required. EHO.
You’ve got Bottles & Cans, We’ve got a Fundraiser!
can only collect from Rick Marcotte Central School neighborhoods.)
Fifth graders from Rick Marcotte Central School will be collecting empty, clean, redeemable bottles and cans in this neighborhood on Saturday, March 22, to raise funds for their end-of-year class trip to Smugglers’ Notch. Extra kudos for collecting bottles and cans at work and from nearby friends and family to add to your donation.
Why is this important? Full transparency and accountability of what records and information are created or received and the requirements relating to their management are critically important, especially for legal certainty of their authenticity, reliability and trustworthiness. Government programs and services depend on them and the public does too.
We, as a nation, stand to suffer profoundly if our nation’s “freedom of information,” “public records,” and “right to know” laws falter for any American. The secretary of state’s office is doing, and will continue to do, everything in its power to ensure that the public’s access to authentic, reliable and trustworthy government records and information is neither disrupted nor prevented. This includes preserving Vermont’s rights to a transparent and open federal government as well.
Tanya Marshall is the Vermont State Archivist and chief records officer and director of the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, a division of the Vermont Secretary of State.
and Can Collection Saturday, March 22, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
have your bottles and cans READY by the curb in a bag/box by 9:30 a.m.
Miles of city paths in pipeline for this year
Guest Perspective
Bob Britt & Donna Leban
Although we are finally seeing the first signs of spring, the shareduse paths have been bustling all winter long with runners, walkers and even some intrepid bikers.
With over 25 miles already completed in our planned 45-mile citywide network, here’s what’s new and what’s coming this year.
Construction of the bicycle and pedestrian bridge over I-89 —connecting the University of Vermont and the UVM Medical Center staff, students, and the many residents living in and around the Quarry Hill neighborhood to the University Mall and City Center — is slated to begin this summer. The city expects this vital link will bring additional vitality and revenue to many South Burlington businesses and add to the local option sales tax revenues used to offset property taxes.
Construction of the City Center Park shared-use boardwalk is expected to start this coming summer. This boardwalk fills a gap allowing easier pedestrian and non-vehicular access to City Center from nearby neighborhoods
via City Center Park without needing to travel along Hinesburg Road. It will also create a lovely connection for residents near Goose Park on Market Street to Garden Street near Healthy Living and Trader Joe’s.
This project and the I-89 bridge project are funded by federal grants and tax increment financing district proceeds.
Construction is also planned this summer and fall for a sidewalk on the west side of Mary Street. This will help safely connect pedestrians and cyclists between Williston Road and Market Street.
This year, Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport is expected to construct a shared-use path parallel to Airport Drive and beyond, improving the safety of everyone who bikes or walks to or near the airport. This path will end one block short of Williston Road, leaving a gap for the city to fill later between the bike lanes on Williston Road and the shared-use path on Kennedy Drive.
A continuation of the Spear Street bikeway is in the works connecting northward to UVM.
See BRITT on page 8
Letters to the Editor
School board thanks voters for passage of budget
To the Editor:
As members of the South Burlington School Board, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all community members who participated in the vote on our school budget. We recognize that this was a significant decision for our community, and we deeply appreciate the support that allowed it to pass. At the same time, we acknowledge the concerns and perspectives shared throughout this process.
This budget represents an investment in our schools, our students, and the future of our community. We know that challenges lie ahead, and we do not take lightly the responsibility that comes with this support, including our fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers.
The board is committed to strengthening community connections, fostering open and productive dialogue, and working collaboratively to find thoughtful and sustainable solutions.
Our goal remains clear: to ensure that South Burlington’s
schools remain strong, vibrant, and positioned to serve our students and community for generations to come. Thank you for your engagement, your trust, and your commitment to the success of our schools.
The South Burlington School Board
Crash report ‘bends over backwards’ for officer
To the Editor:
I read with interest your recent article about the state police’s crash report about the fatal nighttime collision near our home when a Shelburne police sergeant’s cruiser hit a stopped cyclist on Shelburne Road (“Police: Unsafe passing led to fatal Shelburne cruiser/bike crash,” March 6).
The crash report determined that the officer was speeding, had a YouTube playing in the car, and did not stop right away after the crash. But then the report “only mentions a possible civil violation” and contains “no evidence that (the officer) did not have his
eyes on Shelburne Road.”
If I ran into someone with my car at night while speeding and playing a YouTube and did not stop right away, I hope no crash report bends over backwards to imply there was no evidence that I did not have my eyes on the road.
Long ago, our high school math teacher used to nudge our class when we did not see an obvious answer to a calculation on the board: “C’mon people, what color is the red mitten?”
Robert Spottswood
South Burlington
Students call for saving Honors American Studies
To the Editor:
There will be a meeting this Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in
the South Burlington High School auditorium regarding the decision by the high school administration to revise Honors American Studies, an important and cherished course that prepares students for the rest of educational careers.
Neither Violet Nichols nor Jody Vaillancourt, executive director of learning for the district, were consulted or were aware the decision before it was made.
Two hundred and fifty students signed a petition asking for the class to be reinstated as part of the South Burlington High School curriculum. Parents, students and alumni have sent dozens of e-mails and spoken at school board meetings requesting the decision be reconsidered. Violet Nichols appears to be the school community’s last hope of revising the decision.
Contrary to comments offered by the superintendent at the most recent school board meeting, most questions have gone unanswered or addressed with half-truths including that the meeting has been widely publicized on various sites and newsletters.
If you are a student or a parent who has seen firsthand the benefits of this class, if you want transparency in the administration’s decision-making process, if you are concerned a need for open and honest communication within our schools and if you are concerned about how South Burlington High School is currently reducing academic rigor in our schools, please consider attending this meeting.
Mark Gabel
South Burlington
Efforts afoot to shield vulnerable from federal action
From the House
Rep. Brian Minier
Saturday, State Treasurer Mike Pieciak held a federal task force town hall at South Burlington City Center. He was joined by Sen. Peter Welch and several members of the South Burlington legislative delegation. I was unable to attend in person but have just finished watching the recording. If you’d like to see it yourself, it can be found at tinyurl. com/mr2xu6kz.
Unsurprisingly, the questions and comments from attendees were almost uniform in their expressions of fear and anger about national politics. Perhaps the greatest cause of concern was the uncertainty surrounding federal funding, and the programs that it supports.
For instance, as Sen. Ginny Lyons
explained, current federal plans suggest that federal funding of Medicaid in Vermont could be cut somewhere between 16 and 25 percent. Secretary Pieciak elaborated that slightly less than one-quarter of Vermonters are on Medicaid, and this figure is fairly typical nationwide.
Sen. Welch described how blue state senators had paired up with red state senators to show how these proposed cuts would affect vulnerable populations in their own states.
A member of the Richmond selectboard in attendance described his town’s concerns about Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, explaining that this money will be necessary to provide essential government services.
Concerns about the availability of federal funds are compounded by economic indicators: as Secretary Pieciak explained, the stock market is down approximately $5 trillion over the last six or seven weeks. In Vermont, state revenues had been growing; now projections are less rosy.
The two questions hanging over everything were “What can we do?” and “What are you (elected officials) doing?” Sen.
25 years later, open space fund still a wise creation
Guest Perspective
In 2000, South Burlington residents voted to establish an open space/conservation fund, levying one cent on the tax rate for the conservation and acquisition of open spaces. In subsequent years, voters approved widening the scope of the fund to include the acquisition of lands for recreation and for the maintenance and enhancement of our nature parks.
Each year, the funds are kept in a separate account and can only be accessed by city council action to approve a request.
In the years since it was established, the city has acquired, conserved or participated in a partnership to purchase seven separate parcels of land, totaling over 635 acres available for conservation. These will make a difference in protecting wildlife corridors, mitigating the climate crisis and providing green areas for us to explore and feel the benefits of being outdoors in a natural environment.
driver to secure the land. Over the course of 20 years, the amounts of disbursements have ranged from $9,915 to $1.66 million to purchase parcels of land ranging from 22 to 106 acres.
The establishment and use of the funds has saved natural spaces to support our wildlife, and, at the same time, help mitigate the growing impacts of the climate crisis. Conserved lands give us clean air and water, reduce heat domes, and provide everyone with open spaces for peaceful, healthy enjoyment, and spiritual gratification.
The value of our homes and the quality of our lives improve with open green areas nearby.
Some of these properties have trail systems and have easement restrictions for agricultural services, conservation, or passive recreation. The city and other partners like the Nature Conservancy and the Vermont Land Trust hold the easements. Each purchase has been done differently depending on the owner of the property and the type of land involved.
With all these land acquisitions, the Open Space Fund has been the economic
Welch, while acknowledging that there is no way to prepare for every eventuality, suggested “We’ve got to do what we can where we’re at.”
Efforts in the Statehouse include recent and current legislation that would attempt to shield vulnerable populations from federal action. This includes a bill stating that only the governor can instruct local law enforcement to collaborate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
It also encompasses several pieces of legislation designed to protect our LGBTQ population both at home in Vermont, and when traveling in other states.
Broadly speaking, I would say there were two main messages from the forum. The first is that Montpelier is not Washington, D.C., and Vermont is not a microcosm of the United States. As Rep. Martin Lalonde described during the meeting, the House Committee on Judiciary, which he chairs, is almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, yet members
work well together and committee votes are often unanimous.
I can say the same about the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions, on which I serve. All of us state legislators will work together to dampen the effects of federal mismanagement on Vermonters.
The second is that each of us can do small things, here and now, to help our neighbors, and to unite us with a common sense of purpose. As Rep. Emilie Krasnow suggested, volunteer at the South Burlington food shelf or give a neighbor a lift to a medical appointment.
Last, if big protests are your thing, a rally is planned for Saturday April 5 at noon on the Statehouse steps as part of a national day of action.
Stay connected. I can always be reached at bminier@leg.state.vt.us.
Brian Minier, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-11 House district.
For the second year in a row, our city has won a spot on Fortune’s list of the 50 best places for families. According to Fortune, South Burlington made the list yet again for its outdoor access, green spaces, parks, sustainability initiatives and low crime rates. Our continued use of the Open Space/Conservation funds will demonstrate that we are still wise enough to understand the many economic, environmental, and health benefits of conserved natural lands. The value of our homes and the quality of our lives improve with open green areas nearby. Residents realized that 25 years ago when they voted to establish the fund. Now, it’s our job to make sure that wise legacy decision continues when new opportunities to conserve land are presented to our city council.
Borrow as little or as much of your equity as you
Available for primary residences, summer homes, and land
Three repayment terms available: 5, 10, or 15 years
Two years to access your funds
One fixed rate over the life of the loan Easy application process
Karen Ryder and the South Burlington Land Trust board of directors.
Karen Ryder
Rep. Brian Minier
South Burlington High School held a school-wide National History Day competition with students presenting papers, documentaries, websites, and exhibitions on topics ranging from The Stonewall Riots, Marie Curie, the evolution of Women’s Basketball, to protest fashion, and so much more. Students were judged on their presentations by teachers and staff. Winners include: James Boucher and Grady Fields for their documentary on “Forgotten Heroes,” stories of American women during America’s wars; Peter Lyon for his exhibit “From Refugee to Resident;” Vivien Liversedge for her performance “Oracle of Delphi;: Olivia Cardinal, Eleanor Wallace-Brodeur, Ella MacCormack, Baylie Paul and Josie Stude for their website “Understanding the Power of Fashion: Rights and Responsibilities in Activism Wear;” and Mackenzie Donoghue for her paper on “The American Folksong Movement.
School
Alumni awarded at Hamilton College
Carter Higgins, South Burlington High School Class of 2023, is currently a sophomore at Hamilton College and was recently awarded two scholarships. The Charles A. Dana Prize Scholarship is awarded in recognition of academic achievement, character, and leadership; and the Grant and Silas Keehn Prize Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated notably strong characteristics and are in good academic standing. These awards should come as no surprise to anyone that knows Carter. He was the Student School Board Representative for two years as well as a student athlete and Student Leadership Council member.
continued from page 6
This is an off-road paved path along Spear Street from Swift Street to the existing path at the UVM forestry building connecting Farrell Street, Proctor Avenue and other neighborhoods to Veterans Memorial Park, the high and middle schools and City Center. Construction of this segment is planned to start as early as this coming fall, assuming right-of-way, final design and bid processes can be completed this spring and summer.
Combined with the new, developer-built off-road paths within the Spear Meadows neighborhood near the corner of Swift and Spear streets, the city will be very close to connecting the Pinnacle, Vale and Four Sisters neighborhoods to the original shareduse path system at Swift Street.
A paved shared-use path across the crest of the Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area between Nowland Farm Road and the South Pointe neighborhood will open South Burlington’s off-road network to more
families. Helping the city meet its climate action goals, the Hubbard path will also allow more residents to safely walk or bike to work, school, shopping and recreation by connecting neighbors to the rest of the city’s wide-ranging path network west through Szymanski Park, north along Dorset and Spear Streets and allow a future southern connection to South Village.
A small parking area will additionally allow access to the expansive western view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to include those who cannot walk or bike.
The overriding intent of the Penny for Paths program is filling gaps, which remains challenging as properly built infrastructure sometimes requires access to new rights-ofway. This has slowed work on one of South Burlington’s highest priority paths: closing the gap on Dorset Street between Old Cross Road and Sadie Lane.
While there is room for the path itself inside the city’s right-of-way, a drainage
swale needs to be relocated to a small strip of private land involving several landowners. If this right-of-way process concludes in the next few months, construction is expected to be completed in 2026 on this much-needed link that has been in the works for 10 years.
In addition to Penny for Paths and other much appreciated sources of funding, all these projects would not be possible without the diligent hard work of city staff, as well as the local design, engineering and construction firms involved in projects of larger scope, and the construction of several crosswalk safety projects completed in-house by public works staff.
Future bicycle and pedestrian projects in South Burlington’s capital plan include:
• Replacement of the 5-foot sidewalk on Hinesburg Road with a 10-foot shared-use path between Williston Road and Kennedy Drive, with design beginning this spring
• A crosswalk at Songbird Road across
Dorset Street,
• A short, shared-use path connection from the Spear Meadow neighborhood to the paths at Swift and Spear, and
• Williston Road sidewalk segments filling the gaps so employees can safely walk or bike to Beta Technologies’ new plant. For a full list of bicycle and pedestrian projects in the pipeline, see the City Center and Bicycle/Pedestrian Capital Improvement Project plans on the city’s website. Step by step, the city is completing this exciting, shared-use path network that will link neighborhoods to each other, City Center, parks and open spaces, schools and neighboring municipalities’ shared path networks. The city is more than halfway there and is on track to complete it over the next ten years.
Bob Britt and Donna
are members of the South Burlington Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee.
Leban
BRITT
COURTESY PHOTOS
At Orchard, students raised money for the Humane Society. As part of that fundraiser, Principal Olivia Kane and Lee Freeman were good sports and agreed to be pie-d in front of the whole school.
Community Notes
Dolphins Football offers local student internships
The South Burlington Dolphins, the longtime local youth football program, is opening the door for students to gain hands-on experience in sports and nonprofit management. Students will have the chance to go under the hood and follow along with the team throughout the season, becoming part of the Dolphins family. They’ll collaborate with coaches, staff, and players gaining practical experience and valuable knowledge.
There are internships available in marketing; content creation and media; video editing; and videography, where students have the opportunity to craft stories, edit footage, and capture the team’s ongoing journey.
Fundraising interns will organize events, run campaigns, and engage donors to support the Dolphins’ mission of helping young people gain the values and skills of becoming successful.
Communications interns will write game recaps, player profiles, and editorials highlighting the Dolphins’ accomplishments throughout the season.
Internships are available in the summer (June 2–Aug. 1) and fall (Aug. 11–Nov. 8). Students must be in high school or college to be eligible.
To apply, visit the Dolphins website at sbdolphins.com/intern to learn more and submit an application. Contact sbdolphins@ gmail.com with any questions
COMMUNITY
Healthy Living donates
$13,000 to food shelf
Healthy Living Market has donated more than $13,000 to the South Burlington Food Shelf, through its Round Up for Food Insecurity program, which provides the opportunity for shoppers to round up grocery tabs at the register to the next dollar amount.
The Food Shelf welcomes city residents to choose food items up to twice monthly.
“Healthy Living guests are truly the best, and we are grateful for their dedication to the communities we serve. Through their continued kindness and generosity, we are helping address food insecurity in the communities we serve,” CEO Eli Lesser-Goldsmith said. “Knowing that we’re able to give back in this way is what Healthy Living is all about.”
As part of the partnership, Healthy Living and other supporters have made possible the service of 600 unique households within the community, providing food for more than 1,500 people at an average rate of 72 people each week.
“Thanks to the continued support of our friends and neighbors at Healthy Living, we are able to serve people when they need us, as they need us. Food is a human right, and choosing your grocery items allows people to feed their families with dignity and to their own tastes,” Patrick Leduc, president of the Faith Influenced Leaders Non-profit, which oversees the Food Shelf, said.
To learn more about rounding
up, visit healthylivingmarket.com/ community
Concert to bring Ukrainian music, history to Vermont
A special Ukrainian concert fundraiser is set to take place at the All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne on March 22. It will feature a family of Ukrainian musicians and singers, led by Jurji Fedynskyj, a leading Kobzar performer. The group will share Ukrainian cultural heritage while raising funds to bring the Kobzar
Armada to the Ukrainian frontlines.
The family will play traditional, sacred Ukrainian instruments, which Fedynskyj handcrafts in his workshop in Ukraine. These include several plucked-string Ukrainian folk instruments, the torban, kobzar and bandura.
The traveling troupe includes Fedynskyj, his wife, Mariya Fedynska, and their five children. Together, they will sing and perform historic Kozak polyphonic village songs, spiritual hymns of the Kozak Baroque and village dance songs, as well as European
and American historical songs of freedom and spiritual upliftment.
“The goal of this tour is to unite Ukraine and America as defenders of the free world. The war in Ukraine has recently entered a new phase, full of uncertainties for both Ukraine and the United States alike. Enemies of the free world are working hard to divide us. The truth of Ukraine must be told. The soul of Ukraine must be felt,” Fedynskyj said.
Fedynskyj will also narrate
See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 10
COURTESY PHOTO
The Fedynskyj family from Ukraine will play a concert this weekend at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne.
continued from page 9
Ukrainian history and share updates on what is happening in Ukraine during Russia’s ongoing, full-scale invasion.
For the past 15 years, the family has lived in the village of Kryachkivka in Ukraine’s Eastern Poltava region. There, Fedynskyj leads the Poltava Kobzar Guild and hosts the Drevo Rodu Kobzarskoho summer music festival. Over the past three years, he has conducted more than 600 free concerts in Ukraine and on the frontlines.
The free performance begins at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30. No tickets or reservations needed. Donations are very welcome. All proceeds from donations will go to the Fedynskyj Family Tour, the Poltava Kobzar Guild in Ukraine, and bringing the Kobzar Armada directly to the Ukrainian frontlines.
Globe-trotting doc film focuses on climate change
The “Cresta Alta Film Tour” is March 21, at 7 p.m. at the Ferrisburgh Town Hall, 3279 US-7, Ferrisburgh.
The tour features Risan Media’s expedition-based climate change documentary film, “Cresta Alta,” which chronicles a journey to Alaska, Iceland, Chile and Peru to document glaciological research expeditions and sustainability.
The Risan Project commences the show with a screening of Risan Media’s short documentary film titled, “Northward,” which shares the origin story of Todd Anders Johnson’s socially conscious Colorado band, Salem, while touring and backcountry snowboarding throughout Alaska.
The screenings are followed by a discussion with producer and
director Todd Anders Johnson on Friday, Tickets are $15 in advance. For tickets or more information, unionmeetinghall.org/programming-and-events.
Education Enrichment for Everyone talks
The Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington, offers Education Enrichment for Everyone talks on Fridays from 2-3 p.m. Free for EEE members, $8 donation from walk-ins.
• March 21: “Greenland, the Cold War and Climate Change — Seen through the Lens of Environmental and Military History.”
Speaker, Paul Bierman, PhD, Geoscientist and Professor in the Rubenstein School at the University of Vermont.
• March 28: “The Jagged Edges of Progress: Black Farmers in Vermont, 1790-1890.” Speaker, Elise Guyette, Vermont historian, author, educator and founding partner of the Burlington History and Culture Center
• April 4:m“Vermont Legislative Update.” Speaker, Calvin Cutler, political reporter, WCAX.
Concert brings music of Joel and John together
On Saturday, March 28, Town Hall Theater, 76 Merchants Row, Middlebury, presents the live music hits of Elton John and Billy Joel, played by Massachusetts-based band Billy + The Jets. This concert, which celebrates the songwriting and piano-playing-genius of two music legends, is sponsored and presented in partnership with WVTK-92.1FM Radio.
“There are concerts that showcase the brilliance of Town Hall Theater’s baby grand Steinway piano. The work of John and Joel, exceptional piano men, will be on mind-blowing display by Billy + The Jets’ talented pianist. Sharing the experience of these beloved tunes with fellow audience members is sure to send spirits soaring,” said Town Hall Theater executive and artistic director Lisa Mitchell.
Dance floor and seating available. Cash bar available throughout the event. Tickets range from $15-$20 and may be purchased via townhalltheater.org. Patrons may also buy tickets in person at the box office from Monday-Friday from 12-5 p.m., or via phone at 802.382.9222.
Band information at billyandthejetstribute.com/.
See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 11
Pasco Frank Iafrate
Obituary
Pasco Frank Iafrate of South Burlington died peacefully at the McClure Miller Respite House on Nov. 17, 2024, at the age of 94. Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 29 from 9:3011 a.m. at Ready Funeral Home South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington. A funeral service and military honors will take place at 11 a.m. Interment of ashes will immediately follow in Resurrection Park Columbarium, 200 Hinesburg Road, South Burlington.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Pat’s memory to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation at macular.org.
Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral & Cremation
Services. To view a complete obituary or share online condolences, please visit readyfuneral. com.
Pasco Frank Iafrate
COURTESY PHOTO
Todd Anders, seen here in one of his globe-trotting adventures, will talk about his experiences at Ferrisburgh’s town hall.
Wolves fall in final minutes of hockey championship game
LAUREN READ
CORRESPONDENT
For 73 of the 75 minutes of the Division I boys’ hockey state championship, underdog South Burlington skated with top-seeded Rice.
It was the last two minutes that saw the Wolves fall just short.
Rice’s Oliver Quong broke a 2-2 tie with just 2 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Green Knights to a win over South Burlington on Thursday at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
“We knew that it was a steep hill coming in. This Rice team is super talented, top to bottom,” South Burlington coach Sean Jones said. “We knew we were going to have to be on our game, and I think we did that. I think we put ourselves where we wanted to be and got in a good position to win. The better team won today.”
Rice clinched its second straight D-I title and an undefeated 23-0 season. It was the second year in a row the Green Knights beat South Burlington in the title game.
After falling 6-3 and 5-1 to Rice in the regular season, the Wolves knew a better game plan was needed if they wanted to pull
COMMUNITY NOTES
Echo Center offers adult-only night
The Junior League of Champlain Valley presents “Discovery After Dark!” a night for adults 21 and over on April 18 at 6 p.m. at Echo, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College Street, Burlington.
The evening will feature interactive exhibits, including a handson experience inspired by the whimsical creations of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Rube Goldberg. Discovery After Dark will include a cash bar, live music, axe throwing, light appetizers, raffle prizes and a volunteer fair highlighting some of community partners.
Former mayor to lead Lund Family Center
Liz Gamache will be the next president and CEO of the Lund Family Center, starting May 1.
“As CEO, Liz will bring significant experience as a non-profit and government leader, as well as a clear dedication to Lund’s mission,” Darren Springer, chair of the board of trustees, said. “The board looks forward to working
off the win. They played the plan to perfection, stifling the potent Rice offense.
But they could not contain Quong, who broke out for two goals, including the game-winner.
South Burlington’s Lucas Van Mullen, the reigning Vermont Mr. Hockey, matched him beat for beat, scoring two goals of his own.
“It was a good duel between him and Quong,” Jones said. “What can you say? The good players stepped up at the right time. Oliver did. Lucas did, it was a great game.”
Van Mullen opened the scoring for the Wolves, converting a pass from Drew Dougherty just 2:35 into the game.
Rice responded just 31 second later, with Tyler Russo cleaning up a loose puck in front of the net for a 1-1 score.
Quong broke free in the second period, taking a stretch pass from Brendan Patterson that hit him in stride and firing a shot high over South Burlington goalie Alex Chagnon’s shoulder for the 2-1 lead.
Van Mullen answered in the third period, tying the game with a shot from the left circle that hit the post and went in to beat Rice goalie
with Liz to further Lund’s critical work at a time it is needed more than ever.
Springer said the board “also extends deep gratitude to Ken Schatz who has served exceptionally as interim CEO.”
Gamache joins Lund with over 20 years of experience in community and economic development. Currently serving as the chief development officer at United Way of Northwest Vermont, she leads fundraising and strategic business development efforts. Gamache has also held significant roles at the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Vermont Energy Investment
Henry Monaghan (20 saves).
The final seemed destined for extra time, but Quong found a loose puck in front of Chagnon and buried it for a 3-2 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
“We wanted to keep them to the outside as much as possible. That worked well for a while,” Jones said. “They got the dirty garbage goal; those are the ones that win championships.”
Russo added his second of the game to make it 4-2 with just three seconds left off a pass from Quong.
Chagnon, one of five first year players on the South Burlington roster, finished with 24 saves in goal.
With only four seniors on the roster, players like Chagnon bode well for the future as the program looks to next season.
“We had the benefit of being here last year and I think the younger guys got to see that our older guys who had experienced it were relaxed and had a good mindset before the game,” Jones said. “Hopefully, moving forward, they embrace that same philosophy.”
The Wolves wrap up the season with a 16-7 record.
Corporation, and Vermont Electric Cooperative where she drove impactful initiatives and fostered strong stakeholder relationships.
As the former mayor of Saint Albans, Liz led a multi-million-dollar downtown revitalization initiative.
“I am honored to join Lund’s dedicated team because when our children and families thrive, our communities thrive,” Gamache said. “Building on Lund’s 130-year legacy, I am committed to addressing current challenges and opportunities. Together, we will continue to foster hope and drive positive change in the lives of Vermont’s children and families.”
Lund serves over 6,000 individuals across Vermont with adoption, clinical treatment, and parent child center services.
Get thee to Memorial Theatre for a funny play
The “Virtuous Fall of the Girls from Our Lady of Sorrows,” by Gina Femia, will be performed April 3-5 in the Wright Memo-
Liz Gamache
BLOTTER
continued from page 4
Road.
March 15 at 10:34 p.m., a juvenile or juveniles, 18, no address listed, for grossly negligent driving and leaving the scene of a crash with injury resulting, on Dorset Street.
March 16 at 12:07 p.m., Lacey L. Partlow, 32, of Swanton, on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
March 16 at 3:44 p.m., Sean M. Marra, 40, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
AI continued from page 1
draft version in minutes that might have taken you all day before.”
For Dabrowski, artificial intelligence could open even greater doors for analyzing data in ways that may not have been doable before. But part of the draft policy, Gingrow said, asks staff to still go through everything generated by AI to ensure its accuracy. The tools, after all, are exactly that: tools meant to enhance staff skillsets, not replace them.
“We want to be careful with how we’re using these tools as well and making sure that they’re working correctly for the kinds of things people want to be doing with their data,” she said.
Dabrowski noted that, as a part of the work, the city is rolling out an internal pilot program that could allow troubleshooting for each proposed ideas in a given department.
“So, we’ll take those kinds of proposals, and then we’ll take a look and review those internally and say, ‘Okay, does this make sense for a pilot project?’” she said. “When we say pilot, we mean a project with a pretty tight time balance and a short turnaround so we can get feedback directly from those users to understand is this tool actually helping or not.”
March 16 at 10:13 p.m., Kareem G. Louard, 34, of Burlington, for driving with a criminally suspended license on Dorset Street near the Interstate 89 onor off-ramp.
March 16 at 11:13 p.m., Hassan I. Jafar, 22, of South Burlington, for violating conditions of release on Williston Road.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney office and can be amended or dropped.
Not bots?
Not all towns share the same thoughts about the growing tool. For the neighboring town of Shelburne, town manager Matt Lawless said the town does not have any major AI projects in motion and overall, he remains relatively skeptical about the topic.
Like South Burlington, Shelburne is also a Microsoft shop, and while some Copilot tasks might help staff with research and drafting, there are no plans in the works to move towards looking at AI on the same scale as its neighboring city. Lawless noted that some of the town’s contract engineers and attorneys are beginning to use automated research assistants and as the city upgrades its financial software, the new system will be able to autofill invoices, which does save staff time.
“It just gives you two hours to work on another project.”
— Nick Gingrow
“I think the greater governance challenge is one of human relationships,” he said. “From Town Meeting Day to my open-door policy, building trust among neighbors is key to our success. I hate the idea of bots making complaints and bots answering them.”
VANTINE continued from page 1
as elsewhere, education is essential. It is a need and a good. It is a gift that we deserve by the mere fact of our humanity. It is a sacred responsibility that every generation owes to itself to transmit to the following generation.”
But Gingrow said, the advanced technology is not just going to benefit city staff, it also is geared toward helping city residents. He noted a feature on the city website already in use that is technically an artificial intelligence tool thatallows the entire website to be translated into any language that Google Translate supports.
He noted the city might add a chatbot to the website, which would make navigating to certain tabs easier for people.
“It’s just making our information more accessible,” he said.
That’s a relatively common concern shared across all spectrums, Gingrow said, and one the city of South Burlington has thought long about. On a macro scale, Gingrow noted that as AI continues to grow it is likely to threaten some jobs, just as other advancements in technology has done in the past.
South Burlington remains focused on looking to better streamline processes while creating more capacity for its employees as they navigate their endless to-do lists.
“If you can save two hours here or there by using this tool, it just gives you two hours to work on another project,” he said. “There’s a lot of ideas and projects that people have to work on.”
Vantine received the honor for his commitment to promoting French language, culture, and education in the U.S. at Saint Michael’s, and in Vermont. He has taught classes on the French language, literature, and culture at Saint Michael’s since 2011, and he currently serves as faculty advisor to the College’s French Club.
But really, the French language has been with him since his earliest years. He began courses in the language in fifth grade, carrying it with him into adulthood. At the college, he teaches everything from elementary level classes to advanced classes, helping students on senior research projects and independent studies.
Additionally, Vantine serves as the regional representative
for New England to the American Association of Teachers of French, the national professional association for French teachers at all levels in the U.S. Vantine is also a member of the Burlington-Honfleur Sister City organization, which has continued to foster cultural exchange between the College and the French town of Honfleur for almost two decades.
The event, which was hosted in both French and English, saw more than a dozen people in attendance and was packed full of French-inspired goodies and offerings.
“It is your unwavering dedication, passion, and commitment to the French language and culture that we celebrate today,” Soykurt said of Vantine. “You are the kind of professor that students admire.”
Soykurt was also the person who officially knighted Vantine, pinning a silver medal with a purple ribbon to Vantine’s suite coat as a round of applause filled the room. The color mirroring the
purple color that dominates the campus’ banners and logos.
The event, in part, was also a celebration of the college’s continued ties to France through its founders, The Society of Saint Edmund. The Edmundites originally organized in France during the French Revolution during the 18th century. In the early 20th century, they arrived in Vermont from Canada and established Saint Michael’s College.
Vantine in an interview after the event noted that he is thrilled to have a spotlight on both French studies and the college. World languages and culture studies is an integral part of education, and something the general American culture doesn’t always value, he said.
“It opens up so many opportunities for students in their personal lives as well as in their professional lives,” he said. “I’m glad whenever there is an opportunity to bring some attention to that work.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Peter Vantine, right, shakes hands with Ernie Pomerleau. Both serve as members of the Burlington-Honfleur Sister City Committee.
TOWN HALL
continued from page 2
mation hearing yesterday in our newly constituted Senate education committee, I do now have the impression that Secretary Saunders has done her homework,” he wrote earlier this month. “And the last year of her service in this role (as contentious as that path has been) is now experience relevant to the task at hand.”
But their votes to confirm Saunders might not translate to votes in support of the current education reform proposal. The plan, unveiled by Saunders earlier this year, looks to dissolve the 119 school districts spread across the state down to just five regional districts: Southwest Vermont, Southeast Vermont, Winooski Valley, Northeast Kingdom and Champlain Valley. Each district would have roughly 10,00015,000 students, except for Champlain Valley, which would have closer to 34,000.
The proposal would also shift the way education is funded in Vermont to a foundation formula, currently used in several states across the country, by fiscal year 2028. The funding formula, which assumes a base per-pupil spending number for each district, would
ultimately seismically shift more power to the state when it comes to how much schools spend each year.
While Chittenden agrees that reducing the number of districts within the state would create better economies of scale, having just five districts within the state is a non-starter for him.
He said he sees value in a foundation formula, but he is pushing back on the Governor’s time frame for implementation. He said he sees it taking between three and 10 years, with savings achieved through a gradual implementation plan.
“Their foundation formula had a lot of holes in it, not a lot of money for support staff, for food service staff, for extracurriculars, for a lot of the things that students rely on,” she said.
Healthcare costs play a major component in the state’s growing. For the South Burlington school district alone, the district’s 7 percent spending increase next
“Their foundation formula had a lot of holes in it.”
one together and have Medicare for all, that would be the end of conversation,” she said. “We would be where we need to be. But it isn’t, especially given what the federal government is doing. That’s not an easy answer right now, but I continue to work with my committee to align as much as we can so we have something that mirrors what I know folks would think is best, and that’s Medicare for all.”
— Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale
“We can’t do this too fast, because if you do this, the harder and faster you push things, the more friction you create,” he said. “And Vermont cares about its kids and its schools, and we have to do this right.”
Ram Hinsdale said the education committee is working on an alternative proposal that also utilizes a foundation formula, although one set higher than the base outlined in Scott’s proposal.
INVITATION TO BID MARY STREET SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION - SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT
The City of South Burlington is accepting sealed bids for the Mary Street Sidewalk Construction project. Bids will be received at the City of South Burlington Department of Public Works at 104 Landfill Road (104 Landfill Road, South Burlington, VT) until 2:00 P.M., April 18, 2025, local time.
Project Description: Construction of 400 linear feet of uncurbed sidewalk with new ADA compliant pedestrian ramps and a pedestrian crosswalk on the west side of Mary Street.
Bid Documents: Complete digital Bidding Documents may be obtained after March 17, 2025, from Green International Affiliates, Inc. To bid on this project and be considered a plan holder, the Bidder MUST request the digital project bidding documents from Green International Affiliates, Inc. Please contact ssacco@greenintl.com.
Contract Completion Date: The Contract shall be substantially completed on or before October 31, 2025.
Questions: During the advertisement phase of this project, all questions shall be addressed to Silken Kershner at skershner@southburlingtonvt.gov and (CC) Dennis Vertiyev at dvertiyev@greenintl.com.
year is largely indicative of a roughly 11 percent increase in state-mandated district contributions to employee health benefit programs. The district is spending $900,000 more in healthcare than it was last year.
Lyons said there is no doubt the state is in the middle of a health care crisis, and her committee introduced a bill last week aimed at remedying some of those cost constraints (see related story pg. 3).
“If we could align every-
When thinking about property taxes, Lyons said the governor has indicated that he would like to invest close to $80 million in reserve funds to reduce property taxes this year, something the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which she is also a member of, will be looking at in the coming months.
Senators also voiced support for raising some revenues in the state through other means like taxing second homes. Ram Hinsdale noted that nearly 20 percent of the state’s entire housing stock consists of second homes, and
Vermont is one of two states — Maine is the other — with the highest per capita number of second homes in the country.
“We have a lot of second home parcels which are underutilized roofs that we need in this state,” Chittenden said. “I think taxation policy that makes that more expensive to have a roof that’s not being used all year long for people wanting to contribute to Vermont’s economy is rational to me.”
While Senators focused on issues directly pertaining to Vermonters, the entire Legislature is also up against a brand-new federal administration that has wreaked some amount of havoc for state leaders in recent weeks with talks of federal funding cuts.
“I hate to end on this note, but I think next year is going to be a year of austerity,” Chittenden said. “We have a Republican governor that’s hesitant to approve new revenues, and it’s going to make the budgeting process next year, I think, very, very painful. We’re going to sharpen our pencils, and every dollar has a constituency.”
continued from page 11
rial Theatre on the campus of Middlebury College.
Taking place at a Catholic girls’ school in Brooklyn, six students work on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” while evaluating the moral complexities of their own lives. As the Catholic Nuns who run the school attempt to straitjacket them into denying their own identities, the girls must decide what they stand for and who they stand with in a complicated, post-9/11 landscape.
Funny, poignant and at times downright bawdy, “The “Virtuous Fall of the Girls from our Lady of Sorrows” is a contemporary play with a timeless and timely message.
The production features choreography by Middlebury alumnus Miguel Alejandro Castillo, recently named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to watch” and is supported by the design team of guest artists Todd Canedy (sets), Sophia Lidz (costumes) and Dan Ribaudo (sound).
A post-show talkback and discussion follows the Friday evening performance.
Ticket sales open two weeks before show opening and are $15 for the public. For tickets or information, call 802-443-6433 or go to middlebury.edu/college/box-office.
Local thespians sought for Chandler shows
The Chandler Music Hall in Randolph announces auditions for the thirteenth annual Next Generation performance on Sunday, April 27, beginning mid-morning. Auditions are open to area middle and high school
age students who are seriously studying classical music of all genres — instrumental, ensemble, or vocal, as soloists or in groups.
The concert will be presented on Saturday evening, May 24 at 7:30 at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph.
Since 2009, dozens of talented teenagers from the Champlain Valley, Central Vermont, and the Upper Valley have made this event — with a brief Covid hiatus — an annual smash hit in Randolph, performing classical music.
Students should come prepared to audition the piece they would perform on May 24. In the interest of providing a performance opportunity for as many qualified students as possible, works should not exceed five or six minutes in duration. Instrumentalists and vocal soloists need to provide their own accompanist and page turner.
The Steinway concert grand is available, and the auditions and performance will take place on Chandler’s main stage. A modest production fee will be charged for those students chosen to perform.
If interested, contact Janet Watton for the required audition application form at musburd@gmail.com or 802-728-9402 or 802-505-0472 cell. The deadline for audition application is April 18.
Mozart, Beethoven subjects of string quartet concert
The Middlebury College Performing Arts Series presents the Isidore String Quartet on Friday, March 28 at the Mahaney Arts Center. The Quartet will make its Middle-
Summer Camps
FINAL 2025 ISSUE
Promote your program in our Summer Camps issue for focused reach to a local audience of kids and parents as they make plans for the upcoming summer season. This advertising section captures the attention of summer camp and recreation seekers, making it the ideal place to outline your offerings and secure more early enrollments.
Publication Date: April 3
Deadline: Thursday, March 27
Contact: Shelburne News/The Citizen at 802-238-4980, The Other Paper at 802-734-2928 or Stowe Reporter/News & Citizen at 802-253-2101 for information or to advertise your camp (ask about multi-paper and color deals).
bury debut in this free concert, an annual gift to the community, made possible by the Sunderman Family Concert Endowment Fund.
The concert, entitled “Unrequited,” explores the intersection of treasured classics and contemporary perspectives, providing a path into the complicated labyrinth that is human compassion and love. The program includes Mozart’s “String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465, (Dissonance),” Beethoven’s “String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op.127,” and Billy Childs’ “String Quartet No. 3, (Unrequited).” This concert is free and open to all; no tickets are required.
Winners of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career
It’s Summer Camp Sign-Up Time!
Grant and the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022, the New York City-based Isidore String Quartet was formed in 2019 with a vision to revisit, rediscover, and reinvigorate the chamber music repertory.
Outside the concert hall, the quartet has worked with Project: Music Heals Us, providing encouragement, education, and healing to marginalized communities— including elderly, disabled, rehabilitating incarcerated and homeless populations— who otherwise have limited access to high-quality live music performance. For information, call -802-443-6433 or go to middlebury.edu/arts.
To learn more or reserve your space, contact us today!
COURTESY PHOTO
The Isidore String Quartet will play next weekend at Mahaney Arts Center in Middlebury.