One year after the South Burlington rental registry officially went live, the city now has substantive data on how many properties have joined the list and what some of the most common compliance violations are — although the city still has a long way to go before all those properties get inspected.
Beginning April 1, 2024, all property owners with rental units in South Burlington were required to register with the city, pay an annual fee and make those units available to city staff for inspection to ensure compliance with the city’s numerous fire and building codes.
Additionally, the ordinance mandated that short-term rentals, operated through companies like Airbnb and VRBO, would only be permitted in owner-occupied units and accessory dwelling units. But a sunset clause in the ordinance gave existing short-term rentals that don’t meet those requirements four years to operate before the regulations take full effect in April 2028.
According to data compiled by city staff, nearly 417 properties have registered within the first year, including 2,643 units with 762 permanently affordable and 1,808 long-term market-rate units. Short-term rentals accounted for 46 registrations, with an additional 27
Food shelf seeks
JACKSON WYATT COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
The South Burlington Food Shelf is looking for a new home. Its current location at 356 Dorset Street is set to be demolished by the end of this year.
“They’ve been extending us and extending us,” director Peter Carmolli said of the current landlords. “Now it’s a pretty hard out.”
The search for a new location is a balancing act of affordability and accessibility, he said.
“We’re looking at places and it’s got to be convenient,” Carmolli said.
Since 2019, the food shelf has provided for South Burlington residents who would struggle to travel to more distant food banks.
Before serving as director of the Food Shelf, Carmolli ran Burlington’s Meals on Wheels program for twenty years. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the Food Shelf as the sole paid member of their team.
The food shelf is overseen by a volun-
See FOOD SHELF on page 16
PHOTO BY MIKE DEAN
South Burlington resident Mike Dean spied two bald eagles tussling for territory, flying above Shelburne Bay.
All Saints Episcopal Church
1250 Spear Street (Corner of Swift & Spear)
South Burlington, Vermont
802.862.9750 • allsaintsvt05403.org
Welcome to Holy Week
Good Friday - April 18th
6 p.m. Good Friday Eucharist
Easter Sunday - April 20th
10 a.m. Easter Eucharist
Egg Hunt for Children and Special Easter Potluck Coffee Hour
is April 20
‘We deserve a seat at the table,’ students tell elected lawmakers
As the Legislature makes headway on massive education reform plans, some students took to the Statehouse to remind legislators who these decisions impact
Gracie Morris, a senior at South Burlington High School and a school board student representative, joined two other Vermont students earlier this month to testify in front of the House Committee on Education about student representation in education reform
“When education funding is often talked about in terms of dollar amounts, I see it as crucial to amplify student voice at powerful tables,” Morris told legislators.
After a budget year in 2024 that saw a third of school budgets across the state fail — and then fail again in South Burlington — residents everywhere decried the associated double-digit tax
In the House Correction
A Feb. 13 story about the Long View Project incorrectly reported how many properties in South Burlington’s southeast quadrant have been bought using open space funds. All eight properties are in the southeast quadrant.
increases. Voters ultimately overturned the Democratic supermajority in the statehouse in November, and the newly formed legislature set out this year with affordability and education reform at the forefront.
Gov. Phil Scott initially outlined an education reform plan that he believed would save some big bucks for the state in the long run. The plan, in short, looked 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.
The proposal would also shift the way education is funded in Vermont to a foundation formula, currently used in several states across the country. The funding formula, which assumes a baseper-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.
The House last week signed off on H.454, with some major deviations from Scott’s original proposal. While it maintains some of the governor’s initial priorities, including consolidating the number of school districts, implementing class-size minimums and transitioning to a foundation funding formula, the plan is seen as a much more balanced and slowed approach, including a higher baseper-pupil spending number and a
committee tasked with proposing new consolidated district lines by December.
All the talk about education reform has had students like Morris urging lawmakers to remember that students every day are also feeling the impact of the changing landscape.
All students shared a similar concern that in reading proposals of the new bill, there was a severe lack of student input throughout the process.
Morris noted the difficulty her own district has had in the past two budget years. Reeling from a year in which the budget was voted down twice, this year, a budget associated with a tax increase and the reduction of nearly 15 fulltime equivalent positions was just as difficult.
She and her fellow classmates rallied behind the spending plan by hosting informational sessions, setting up voter registration tables at school, and hosting school walkouts to signal support for these difficult budgetary decisions.
“One of the main differences in the third proposed budget, besides a lower tax rate, was the student support behind it, which I believe to be one of the one of the primary factors that allowed our budget to pass,” she said about last budget cycle.
COURTESY PHOTO
South Burlington Rep. Emilie Krasnow spoke recently on the House floor in support of H.91, which sets out a program to move the state toward ending homelessness. “I’m proud of her work on this bill and H.479, the omnibus housing bill,” wrote fellow South Burlington Rep. Bridget Burkhardt, who snapped this photo from her nearby seat.
Free health clinic opens its doors in South Burlington
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
A new free health clinic opened its doors at 400 Swift Street in South Burlington last Saturday, providing care for Vermont’s uninsured and underinsured residents.
The Free Access Health Clinic, which operates on a non-profit model, describes itself as a community-driven solution to the state’s affordable healthcare crisis and is designed to offer primary care, specialty consultations and basic diagnostic services. The clinic will open every Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Swift Street location.
“We have a pulmonary lung doctor, cardiologist, infectious disease doctor and we also have dermatology care,” Dr. Waqar Waheed, a professor of neurology at the University of Vermont Medical Center and one of the founding members of the free clinic, said.
The team operating the program includes 31 volunteers, consisting of physicians, medical assistants, nurses, phlebotomists, schedulers, front desk staff, a practice supervisor and board members.
The clinic is seen as one solution to a common problem seen by many health care providers. When people delay or forgo basic primary care due to affordability constraints, many will likely end up in the emergency room, exacerbating costs and sometimes causing irreversible bodily damage.
“What could be prevented by seeing a good primary care physician and initiating all that primary care, all the preventative care never happened,” Waheed said. “So, the delay till crisis happened, then you have to restart from
scratch and again.”
The clinic is not an emergency room or urgent care and operates on an appointment-only basis. While it’s free to visit, it’s common that patients require significant aftercare, like prescriptions or other diagnostic testing.
Waheed explained that to further aid in those costs, the team has partnered with the University of Vermont Medical Center and, if the patient fulfills the criteria determined by the center, then those aftercare steps, like receiving medication and additional testing, are covered by the center.
“We cannot cover each and everything and we need to practice within our scope because we also know our limitation,” he said.
“This is not a major hospital; this is a small scope. But the level of care you get in any physician’s office, we want to maintain that.”
While the clinic officially went live last Saturday, it has been softly and quietly operating for roughly the past two months. Last Saturday, the team saw two new patients, but since then, it has already received roughly a dozen new appointments.
While the clinic currently only offers care to adults, it plans to expand specialties as it grows, based on patient needs and volunteer availability. It has already announced that mental health and psychiatry services are coming soon.
The team is also accepting community donations at freeaccessclinic.org/donate/
“We’re offering more than free health care. We’re offering the opportunity for our patients to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives,” Waheed said.
South
Burlington Police Blotter: March 31 - April 14
Total reported incidents: 496
911 hang-ups: 10
Crashes: 37
Alarms: 34
Agency assists: 22
Public assists: 17
Directed patrols: 31
Disturbances: 22
Foot patrols: 30
Found/lost property: 4
Fraud: 3
Intoxication: 5
Juvenile problems: 5
Larceny: 16
Mental health issues: 6
Motor vehicle complaints: 11
Retail theft: 22
Sex crimes: 3
Stolen vehicles: 6
Suicidal person: 6
Suspicious events: 39
Threats: 7
Traffic stops: 28
Trespass: 27
Unlawful mischief: 7
Welfare checks: 28
Arrests/citations:
Jeffrey M. Brandt, 48, of Burlington, for false pretenses and receiving stolen property, after a Jan. 10 incident on Kennedy Drive.
Ryan S. Orvis, 46, no address listed, for a March 10 incident on Williston Road.
Chelsea J. Hammond, 33, of Burlington, for retail theft and unlawful trespass, after a March 21 incident on Hinesburg Road.
March 31 at 5:09 p.m., Brent Lee LaBombard, 52, of South Burlington, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 2 at 8:55 a.m., Amber Sue Kullgen, 35, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 2 at 12:34 p.m., Zane Dustin Davison, 30, no address listed, for violating conditions of release on Dorset Street.
April 3 at 11:22 a.m., Olivia P. Pelletier, 27, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 3 at 1:18 p.m., Shawn M. Burnett, 33, no address listed, for false pretenses, false personation and identity theft, of Shelburne Road.
April 3 at 2:29 p.m., Yasmine A. Shiffert, 27, of Williston, for unlawful trespass and on an in-state warrant, on Dorset Street.
April 3 at 6:23 p.m., Glen Edwards, 48, of Burlington, on an in-state warrant, on Brookwood Drive.
April 3 at 7:17 p.m., Lance A. Bessette, 57, of Winooski, on an in-state warrant on Shelburne Road.
April 4 at 11:02 a.m., Tiffany J. Bedard, 36, of Essex, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 4 at 5:39 p.m., Mercedes Sweetser, 33, of Richford, on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
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April 7 at 6:29 p.m., Shelby L. Simpson, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 7 at 7:24 p.m., Michael R. Dougherty, 31, no address listed, for aggravated assault and receiving stolen property on Dorset Street.
April 7 at 11:37 p.m., Edith I. Elekes, 33, of South Burlington, for unlawful trespass and on an in-state warrant, on Williston Road.
April 9 at 4:12 p.m., Kevin D. Baart, 33, of Burlington, for petit larceny from a vehicle and unlawful mischief, on Market Street.
April 11 at 1:57 a.m., Benjamin P. Conklin, 26, of Burlington, for driving under the influence at the intersection of Spear and Swift streets.
April 11 at 9:20 a.m., Autumn P. Welch, 34, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 11 at 10:35 a.m., Thomas R. Berard, 45, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
April 11 at 1:19 p.m., Matthew R. Charbonneau, 28, of Williston, for retail theft on Dorset Street.
April 12 at 2:22 a.m., Lyndsay R. Herman, 44, no address listed, on an in-state warrant on Baldwin Avenue.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney office and can be amended or dropped.
Letters to the Editor
Benefits for some, costs for many
To the Editor:
Have you heard the claim that adding lots of housing — i.e., “growing the grand list” — in a city is financially good? The question is, “Financially good for whom?”
The inference is that more housing is supposed to financially benefit the residents. We’re told that more housing increases the grand list, and that brings in more money to the city. It does. It also comes with more demands for city and school services, which cost money that we, the taxpayers, pay.
There are also huge environmental and social costs to housing. But since this is tax time, I’m thinking about money more than usual.
According to the U.S. Census, in 2010 the city of South Burlington had 8,429 housing units. Now we have 9,587 housing units. And more than 1,300 are in the process of being permitted and built.
So, if the “story” of housing growth benefitting folks is correct, our property taxes should have decreased. Have your property taxes dropped?
We’ve lived in South Burlington for almost 18 years. As the number of housing units increased, so have our taxes. Every year more houses are built, and every year our taxes have gone up. If the taxes collected from the households in the thousand new houses built in South Burlington paid for the
added services they demand, our taxes should have stayed the same or decreased.
I know who’s paying. So, who is benefitting?
Rosanne Greco
South Burlington
Do your part, stop at the crosswalks
To the Editor:
As spring begins and re-begins this month, many in our community will be more outgoing. This includes bikers, walkers and runners. As an avid walker, I am sometimes amazed at some drivers who refuse to honor a crosswalk or a crosswalk with a blinking light. I would enjoy talking to them about their choice.
Many bikers, walkers and runners are our children and grandchildren, along with their parents and grandparents. Some of these pedestrians can make mistakes, and even the drivers can make mistakes. However, consider the consequences.
A driver refuses to stop and injures or even kills the pedestrian. Sure, they have insurance and the company pays. However, it’s never enough to cover the change in that person’s life, not to mention their loved ones’ lives.
Consider your choice the next time you approach a crosswalk. You could stop and allow the
General Manager Katerina Werth katerina@stowereporter.com
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OPINION
50 years later, zoning laws still foster some segregation
Guest Perspective
Vince Bolduc
Before moving to South Burlington in 1973 for what became our final careers, my wife and I lived in a rare racially integrated neighborhood in Hartford, Conn.
About 60 percent of the neighborhood was white and 40 percent Black. It was a solid working-class community of 10,000 people, with mostly single-family homes and a few multistory houses that had been converted to apartments.
But changes were quietly afoot. Just beneath the surface, “white flight” was underway as our neighborhood was transitioning from an integrated one to a segregated one. Almost every white family that moved out was replaced a black family from the overcrowded neighboring North End.
There were stories of realtors knocking on the doors of white families encouraging homeowners to sell “before it was too late.” We also suspected that some realtors were “steering” prospective Black buyers into our neighborhood “because there are no suitable houses in the suburbs,” they said.
Such racial steering was prohibited by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, then-recently signed into law by President Johnson. Frustrated by this unfairness, my wife and I joined a neighborhood civic association to work with other neighbors who were trying to stop the re-segregation of our community. We put up signs on lawns that read: “Integrated and proudly so!” and “This house NOT for sale.”
Our neighborhood association wrote to area realtors about the positive value of racially integrated communities and asked for their help in supporting urban integration and fostering equal opportunity in housing.
But we also took another step. We initiated what is now known as a real estate audit to measure how much racial steering was occurring and what forms it took. We then recruited about 15 white and 15 Black couples as volunteer testers to document how frequently prospective white homebuyers were steered into the suburbs and how often Black buyers were steered into black neighborhoods.
We assumed that most realtors probably did not explicitly intend to create a more segregated city but were simply following the
existing patterns of the real estate market, which unfortunately had that effect.
We randomly assigned each of the 30 volunteer couples to a different real estate office with the instructions to stop in unannounced and then roughly follow a prepared script. They were to explain that they were soon being transferred into the area and wondered where houses in the Hartford area were available in a mid-market price range. We each explained that we could afford up to a predetermined cost and had the expected savings for a down payment.
Of the 60 such visits that we conducted in this way, two Black testers were pleased to be shown homes everywhere in the metropolitan area, but in the remaining 58 tests, Black couples were shown homes only in the North End or our own neighborhood in transition.
White couples had the opposite experience. My wife and I, for example, were explicitly discouraged from looking at properties in our neighborhood or the North End. My wife and I were told that if we wished
See BOLDUC on page 9
Detention of Tufts student a brazen attack on First Amendment
Guest Perspective
Josh Moore & Justin Silverman
On March 25, masked federal immigration authorities detained Tufts University Ph.D. student Rümeysa Öztürk for engaging in what Trump administration officials said were “activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.”
Öztürk’s attorney, however, has said she is not aware of any criminal charges against the student and when asked to detail the specific activities warranting the student’s visa being revoked, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would not do so. Meanwhile, a Tufts spokesperson has said Öztürk is a student “in good standing.”
The only publicly known activity one might tie to Öztürk’s detention is an op-ed she penned for The Tufts Daily more than a year ago — a column critical of the Israel-Gaza war but one that university officials said did not violate campus policies on protests and expression.
If this is the basis for her detention, Öztürk’s current incarceration is a blatant disregard for the principles of free speech and a free press. It’s also a warning to student newsrooms that mere criticism of government can be punished despite protections for such speech entrenched in our country’s history and enshrined in
our constitution.
The Student Press Law Center and the New England First Amendment Coalition — joined by other journalism advocates such as Freedom of the Press Foundation and PEN America — are asking the Tufts administration to publicly demand that ICE release Öztürk; clarify that her detention undermines the university’s values; and reaffirm protections for international students’ free speech rights.
While Öztürk’s op-ed is critical of the Israel-Gaza war, many Americans across the political spectrum, regardless of where they were born, share similar concerns. Öztürk and her co-authors say nothing in the op-ed remotely supportive of Hamas or terrorism. Instead, they focus on their university’s actions and call upon the administration to engage with and listen to its students. This is precisely the type of speech that should be welcomed and protected at universities.
The opinion pages of student newspapers have a long tradition of open dialogue and debate on the important issues of our time. Students must have the room to lawfully express themselves free from government interference. Rounding up a student for an article that she published is a clear attempt to silence speech and interfere with Öztürk’s First Amendment rights.
This alarming incident is the latest example of the Trump administration unlawfully targeting student speech. Mahmoud Khalil was arrested on March 8 for his peaceful protest and social media posts while attending Columbia University. Khalil’s case marked the beginning of a dangerous pattern of using immigration enforcement to punish dissent, a tactic straight out of the playbook of authoritarian regimes.
Our country must not follow the lead of authoritarian governments it has worked for decades to counteract by weaponizing visa status against criticism. When students face detention or deportation for lawful expression, it sends a message to all that the price of dissent is exile.
In response to Öztürk’s arrest and other detentions, international students are now removing social media posts and refraining from
LETTERS
continued from page 4
pedestrian to cross or take that chance and cause a catastrophic event.
If you do cause that catastrophic event, you could have injured and destroyed a life who could have had a dramatic positive impact on your life. The person you injured could have one day saved your life in the operating room, invented something that could make your life better or taught a valuable lesson in a school, if they had the chance. Think about it.
If you stop, maybe you will think about it later in the day knowing you did your part, and smile. You might even smile as you watch the pedestrian cross. You may even make a new friend.
Driving is a privilege, not a right. Life is precious, and hopefully your day will be filled with smiles — along with the pedestrian.
Howard Mansfield South Burlington
Trump is not above
the law
To the Editor:
Speaking as a Vermont Democrat who did not vote for the convicted felon for president but voted for Vice President Harris and the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, we cannot stop Trump now.
But we can tie his executive orders up in court — and we must continue to do so. Our attorney general is working hard also to stop his abuse of power, as well as the rest of
Democrat-run states.
But we Democrats in all 50 states need to work hard to flip the U.S. House and Senate so we can impeach him for his abuse of power. He must be held accountable for his actions. Trump is not above the law.
Scott Miller South Burlington
When can we have input into our children’s education?
To the Editor:
Below is an edited excerpt of the public comment I shared on Wednesday, April 2, at the South Burlington School Board meeting.
As I am sure this school board is aware, the information session regarding the 10th grade humanities course, held on March 20, consisted of canned slideshow presentations — during which no questions were taken — followed by isolated group discussions to gather questions from those who attended.
This format was antithetical to the transparency and rigor I, my husband and the larger community expect in matters of our children’s education.
It has been immensely frustrating to observe how those charged with crafting curriculum have shut down dialogue, preferring instead to ram through their agenda despite its unpopularity and unanswered questions.
After this information session’s format
was revealed, an attendee expressed an interest in getting questions answered and hearing the questions from other attendees. The presenter noted the information session was not a school board meeting.
Now, I know this board does not determine curriculum policy, and I am not asking for an opportunity to discuss the merits of embedded honors programs in this forum.
This matter has moved beyond the particulars of the curriculum. We are frustrated. We are angry. This is just the latest in a series of curriculum and other important decisions by the district that has excluded the public and parents.
We have seen parents vehemently disagree with fifth grade specialization — only for it to be rolled out on the sly a year or two later without allowing parents to engage in the decision-making process.
We have seen accelerated math classes completely removed from the middle school — supposedly to maintain student pods
during COVID — only for the advanced math curriculum to never return.
This year, there was no curriculum night despite a major ELA curriculum change at the elementary school level, of which I am aware only because I happened to be at Orchard the day the boxes arrived.
If the district does not allow parents to be involved in curriculum and other educational decisions through the individual schools — and, according to the school board minutes from March, the school board meetings are not the time to discuss curriculum issues — I am left to ponder exactly when we are supposed to have any input into our children’s education.
I look forward to hearing from the school board and district administration on how they will increase transparency and involve parents.
Aimee Hutton
South Burlington
UVM student athletes visit middle schoolers
University of Vermont student athletes visited Chamberlin School during the middle school’s Buzz Assembly. Athletes from the swimming and diving, cross country and track, soccer, hockey and lacrosse teams spoke to the kids about teamwork and sportsmanship.
High schoolers create websites, films for contest
Seventy South Burlington High School students competed in this year’s Vermont History Day, the state competition to qualify for National History Day in Washington, D.C. The competition was held at Saint Michael’s College on Saturday, April 5.
They then visited classrooms to answer more questions and get to know the students better. They also brought UVM mascot Rally the Cat.
Results:
• 1st place group website: Teo Charlebois, Tiger Jia, Ayush Kyasa, and Ricky Ni for their website “The Keating-Owen Act of 1916: A Responsible Government’s Attempt to Protect Children’s Rights in the Workplace”
• 2nd place group website: Ella MacCormack, Baylie Paul, Josie Stude, and Eleanor Wallace-Brodeur for their website “Understanding the Power of Fashion”
• 2nd place individual performance: Vivien Liversedge for her performance of “The Oracle and The Pontiff: Religious Responsibilities”
• 1st place group performance: Abigail Lynch, Cedric Minier, and Juniper Jarvis for their performance of “Black Swan: How One Brave Dancer Changed Ballet Forever”
• 1st Place group documentary: Laura Marcu, Jackie Van Gilder-Nellis, and Delilah Wade for their documentary “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Stories under Dictatorship”
• 2nd place group documentary: Ace McCarthy-Beam and Jumana Nsour for their documentary “Equal Rights Amendment: Where Are We Now?”
• 1st place individual exhibit: Peter Lyons for his exhibit “From Refugee to Resident”
• 1st place group exhibit: Chloe Duell and Emijoi Kukatla for their exhibit “Radium Girls”
As a result of these strong finishes, the 21 students listed above have
all qualified to attend the National Competition in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the awards listed above, two groups from South Burlington were selected for a special prize.
The Military History Prize went to Gretchen Edwards, Mia Konefal,
and Leela Sides for their website, “Navajo Code Talkers: Fighting for America.”
The Lost Mural & Little Jerusalem Prize went to Laura Marcu, Jackie Van Gilder-Nellis, and Delilah Wade (also the first prize group documentary winner).
Community Notes
Upcoming SB Recreation and Parks events
Here are some things the South Burlington Recreation and Parks Department has planned in the next couple of weeks. For more information or to register for programs, visit southburlingtonvt.gov/160/ Recreation-Parks.
• World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, April 26 at 10 a.m., at Wheeler Homestead. This is held each year in more than 80 nations on the last Saturday of April. It begins with mass Tai Chi, Chi Kung and mindbody events in the earliest time zones of New Zealand, and then spreads as the world turns, 10 a.m. local time worldwide, ending with final events in Hawaii. No registration required.
• Jewelry Making with Jane Frank, April 27, 9 a.m.-noon., Werkstatt Studio, Burlington. Cost: $35. Space is limited. A classically trained goldsmith from Germany,
COURTESY PHOTO
Chloe Duell and Emijoi Kukatla with their Vermont History Day exhibit, “Radium Girls.”
BOLDUC
continued from page 5
to move into the neighborhood where we actually lived, we would be “the only white couple” and “would have to drive a tank because it was so dangerous.”
Each couple was debriefed immediately after the office visits, and verbatim summaries of the meetings were written, notarized and safely stored in a vault.
We were surprised by the extent of the racially based steering that was taking place. We also found that, when white families claimed that they had the equity for the down payment, it was accepted as fact. On the other hand, Black testers were not taken at their word. Instead, they were asked to return with bank documents verifying their ability to pay.
This research took place more than 50 years ago and much has changed since then. Realtors have become much more
DETENTION
continued from page 6
political speech altogether. This is a violation of our First Amendment right to hear from and associate with noncitizen students, according to a lawsuit recently filed by several academic associations against federal officials.
The Trump administration’s ideological-deportation policy, they argue, makes it more difficult for them to learn from these students. Student speech is now chilled due to the “all-too-real possibility” that noncitizens “will be arrested, imprisoned, and deported for exercising rights that the Constitution guarantees.”
The First Amendment is an asset, not an inconvenience.
sensitive to minority issues and most, it seems, follow both the letter and the spirit of the law.
The more I have studied such social problems, the more I have become confident that Martin Luther King Jr. was right when he famously said that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
I have come to believe that racial segregation in housing at the mid-century was not the product of realtors any more than it was caused by regular people going about their lives doing what most of us do every day.
Racial steering may now be rare, but land use regulations and zoning practices still foster economic segregation and create insurmountable barriers to many home buyers. There is enough blame to go around, and we now have the greatest housing shortage that we have seen in many decades.
Today in the United States, roughly 74 percent of whites own their own homes compared to 46 percent of Blacks. Since buying a home remains a major form of wealth creation, the white to Black wealth gap is now about 9:1. This is the legacy of centuries of failing to extend universal civil rights in America, and why it is so important to address the housing problem — and not just during Fair Housing Month.
The South Burlington Housing Committee is sponsoring a book discussion in the library April 16 from 6:30-8 p.m. We will be discussing “On the Housing Crisis” by Jerusalem Demsas. Copies are available from the library.
Vince Bolduc is a retired professor of sociology from Saint Michael’s College and serves on the South Burlington Housing Committee.
Citizens and noncitizens alike are entitled to free speech. Institutions that value free speech rights don’t seek out opportunities to disregard them. Student visas may be the lowest hanging fruit for now, but those who revoke visas of op-ed writers are sure to seize upon any legal theory that might permit them to punish others with whom they disagree. Academic freedom cannot thrive if students face deportation for participating in campus discourse and there is nothing more central to the American tradition of free speech on campus than student commentary on U.S. foreign policy.
Journalism is not a crime. Criticism is not a crime. They are instead essential parts of a healthy democracy, one that we are seeing quickly erode. This effort to chill dissent may start with students, but it likely will not end there. If the federal government can punish a student for an op-ed in a campus newspaper, what will prevent it from doing so with professional journalists and others with whom it disagrees?
Josh Moore is the assistant director at the Student Press Law Center. Justin Silverman is executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition.
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owner-occupied short-term rentals.
According to fire chief and deputy city manager Steve Locke, staff had estimated — using census data — that nearly 3,000 rental units existed throughout the city at this time last year. The list does not account for new building units — like those that just opened on Market Street — which the ordinance gives owners three years to register, given the extensive permitting and other fees needed to begin building.
Owners of long-term rentals and short-term rentals are required to pay a $150 annual registration fee, but existing short-term rentals in the
four-year exemption period, which are not owner-occupied, pay $1,500 annually.
The revenue collected in the first year totaled $335,210, however, some outstanding invoices remain, a total balance of $14,100. The revenues fund the employees the city hired when the registry was implemented — a full-time program manager and inspector and another part-time inspector.
City officials also hope to bring forward a proposal in the coming months seeking additional office space for the rental registry team. This would also be paid for by revenues and, potentially, a new
5-percent capital assessment fee that would be charged to all fire and electrical permits. That fee would need to be approved by council.
Inspections continue
While the registration program has been in place for over a year, the city’s inspection team has only been in place for approximately six months and has worked to inspect all short-term rentals and is still currently working through the list of long-term rentals. To date, over 220 registered properties — or 753 units — have been inspected, and Locke anticipates it will take the city roughly three years to inspect
all rentals for the first time, due to frequent last-minute cancellations or rescheduling by property owners. The most prevalent violations identified during inspections of rental housing units include things like absence of ground fault circuit interrupter outlets; uninspected fuel-burning heat systems; missing or noncompliant fire extinguishers; carbon monoxide and smoke alarms that do not meet city ordinances or codes; missing or non- compliant handrails; and non-inhabitable spaces being used as living spaces.
Typically, Locke said, when a violation is noted, the city gives a property owner roughly 30 days to
rectify the situation.
While much of the city’s priority in crafting this ordinance in 2023 was to ensure proper safety compliance in the city’s growing rental sector, another main concern was the threat that short-term rentals could pose to the tight housing market. Former city council chair Helen Riehle, before the ordinance passed, said city officials hope the regulations put “the kibosh on more and more houses being bought as Airbnbs,” The Other Paper reported last year.
And, like many towns and cities across the state that have considered regulating long-term and short-term rentals, the topic was heated for the city and its residents.
“It was one of the most contentious, emotional, heated conversations we’ve had with just dozens of community members coming to testify,” councilor Andrew Chalnick — who was on the council at the time the registry was passed — said last week.
Chalnick also questioned whether the city had any data on how many of the short-term rentals that are not owner-occupied are owned by out-of-state folks and how many of those are owned by local community members.
The city’s rental registry manager, Patricia Wehman, said staff has not compiled actual quantitative data about that, but anecdotally, most of the people she has talked to who own short-term rentals started in South Burlington before moving out of state.
“And they’re holding on to it (the property) because they’re on the waterfront, typically, and they come back and they vacation in the summer, or it’s a family home,” she told the council.
But Locke said there is not a major safety problem with the short-term rentals in the city.
“The vast majority of those, if they’re not up kept and safe, they’re not rented, so the market almost takes care of that,” he said.
Eye to affordability
Councilor Elizabeth Fitzgerald encouraged staff to keep affordability in mind as rentals remain a growing market in the city. According to data compiled by Vermont Housing Finance Agency, the median rent for a two-bedroom unit in Chittenden County in 2023 was nearly $1,700.
“We’re talking about renters here,” she said. “So those annual fees and potential improvements may get passed on too. And we talk about affordable rents, affordable significantly in quotes.”
Locke said the city’s ordinance includes a significant cost exemption for perpetually affordable units
LEGISLATORS
continued from page 2
But besides just lobbying legislators to increase student voice in this process, Morris brought some action ideas to lawmakers. She noted that, in many proposed education bills, the idea of making education standards more equi-
RENTAL REGISTRY
continued from page 10
in the city, most of which are owned by the Champlain Housing Trust and Cathedral Square. Those units are only required to pay $25 for registration.
“Yes, there’s no question that the fees get passed on to the tenants at all levels,” Wehman said. “I’ve had property owners, again, I didn’t put a little hash mark every time that it was said, but it’s been said numerous times.”
In looking ahead, city officials plan to bring the council some recommendations
table and consistent between districts has come up time and time again.
“Students have the potential to play a vital role in expanding access and promoting opportunities to their neighboring districts and therefore increasing the qual-
for adjusting the ordinance. Things like re-evaluating the sunset provision on shortterm rental units, considering a fee for late payment, and a re-inspection fee are all under consideration.
“We would say there’s been a lot of success stories as well for life safety violations and education to people ensuring that heating appliances are safe, smoke alarms are present,” Locke said. “I think that the team is feeling like they’re really making a difference.”
SOUTH BURLINGTON LAND TRUST
ity and equitability of our public schools,” she said.
She used, for example, the implementation of a student-centered teaching approach called Harkness, where students engage in collaborative discussions with the teacher acting as a facilitator, rather than a lecturer. Harwood Union High School and Champlain Valley Union High School have each initiated Harkness teaching methods in their classrooms. And after learning from other students about this, Morris has begun engaging her own district leaders about the positive effects this could bring.
“When we talk about setting consistent
education standards, we have the opportunity to share these initiatives with other districts, which would directly uplift all students, both by providing new opportunities for some or empowering others with leadership roles,” she said.
Whether any of her recommendations create any substantive change or not, being able to use her voice to champion the thousands of other students across Vermont during a paramount time in the state’s history was enough of a win.
“Legislators just don’t really have that first-hand glimpse into what being a high schooler in a Vermont public school right now looks like,” Morris said.
GUIDED BIRD WATcHING TOUR
Sunday, May 4, 9AM (Rain date: Monday, May 5)
Meet at 8:45AM at the Hubbard Natural Area parking lot off of Nowland Farm Road
FREE • ALL ARE INvITED • 10 BINOcULARS TO BORROW
Allan Strong, professor of aian eology at UvM, will lead the two-hour tour. He’ll help you look for aian gems as you walk through the aried bird habitats on the Long and Hubbard open lands.
SAvE THE DATES!
Join an SBLT guide for a walking tour of the Long and Hubbard open lands on Friday, June 13 (6PM) or Saturday, June 14 (9AM).
If you enjoy the birds flying oer beautiful and tranquil meadows, then onsider helping us presere them by beoming a member of the SBLT at sblt.org.
Bikram Method | Inferno Hot Pilates
PHOTO BY JAY LYON
Spencer Higgins, a junior at South Burlington High School, defeated Omar Khan of Essex High School
6-3, 10-8 on Friday in his first-ever varsity singles match.
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
Jane Frank moved to Burlington in spring 2007 and works from her home-based studio in the Old North End. This program is open to South Burlington and surrounding community residents. In this hands-on class, you will make your own ring. The techniques will include sawing, bending, soldering, filing and finishing.
Vermont Stage presents original ‘[title of show]’
Jeff and Hunter, two self-confessed nobodies, make a pact: They will write an original musical and submit it to a festival. The catch? The deadline is in three weeks. They gather their two actress friends, Susan and Heidi, and their accompanist and music director, Larry, on the keys. With the full team assembled, Jeff and Hunter hit another roadblock — what should they write about? They decide to follow the adage, “write what you know,” and set off on a unique musical adventure: writing a musical about writing a musical.
“[title of show]” — taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the [title of show] — is a clever and lovable story about the harrowing and heartening work of making an idea come to life. The performance runs from April 30-May 18 at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, 60 Lake St., Burlington.
“This musical is such a funny and fun celebration of theatre and creation and friendship. It is exactly the kind of show that makes you laugh from its offbeat and silly dialogue and songs, and helps you take a break from the stresses of life … and boy do we need that
right now,” artistic director Cristina Alicea said.
Showtimes are Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $34-$59.
For more information about Vermont Stage’s season, visit vermontstage.org or call 802-862-1497.
Social Band presents series of spring concerts
It’s the time of year when change comes apace, and Social Band will honor this springtime with songs that express the nuances of transformation and the cycles of life — whether it be lessons learned from growing plants or molting insects. Social Band will present its signature mix of choral music, from Josquin de Prez to new compositions, along with a refreshing dose of poetry, robust harmony and singing camaraderie.
For Richmond, South Burlington and Charlotte concerts, suggested donation is $20.
Dates:
• Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m., Richmond Free Library, 201 Bridge St., Richmond Sunday, April 27at 3 p.m., Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington
• Saturday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m., Shelburne Town Hall, 5420 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne. This performance is free and open to the public.
• Sunday, May 4, at 3 p.m., Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Rd., Charlotte
Salary Range: $85,000-$100,000 DOQ
The Town of Stowe offers a robust benefit package, including health and dental with low premium share, generous paid leave, VMERS pension, and more!
Assistant Public Works Director – Capital Projects
The Town of Stowe Public Works Department is seeking an experienced and motivated Assistant Public Works Director to become a member of our Public Works team, with a primary focus on planning, permitting, development, management and delivery of General Fund capital improvement projects Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or construction management preferred with a minimum of 5 years of progressive responsibilities, including at least 3 years as a Project Manager associated with Public Works projects, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Working knowledge of Vermont regulatory/permitting requirements and stormwater rules would be a plus. The ideal candidate will be personable, have excellent verbal and written communication skills with attention to detail and follow-through. Must possess a valid Vermont driver’s license.
More information: stowevt.gov/jobs
Submit cover letter and resume to: recruit@stowevt.gov
Open until filled.
THE TOWN OF STOWE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
center yard sale
RABIES BAIT
continued from page 2
bait drop is
tive effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its
saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.
So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.
According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.
SHELBURNE DAY continued from page 4 face
Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food vendors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and
burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land.
Rotary’s
continued from page 1
teer non-profit board, Faith Influenced Leaders, LLC. Board president Patrick Leduc says the move does not come as a surprise.
“When we first reached out to the ownership of the building in 2018, we knew it was not going to be our long-term home,” Leduc said. “This area and the building were eventually going to be in a redevelopment phase.”
Leduc sees transportation as a major factor in the search.
“An ideal location will be about the size we are now, maybe a bit larger, with parking available and accessible from the bus line,” he said. “Obviously a location relatively central in South Burlington, in contrast to the edge of town, would be ideal as well.”
The South Burlington Food Shelf’s reach has more than doubled since its inaugural year, serving over 3,700 customers in 2024. This growth has been matched by the growth of volunteers, with almost 2,000 people lending a hand last year.
“A slightly larger space would be great, as the number of people and households we serve continues to grow,” Leduc said. “That said, a building the same size as we have now is very workable.”
Compared to Burlington,
which has three food shelves, South Burlington only has one, making the organization’s work even more essential to the city. Carmolli and his volunteers aim to create a welcoming environment, where everyone is greeted by name.
One such helper is Rep. Emilie Krasnow, D-South Burlington. She began volunteering during the pandemic. Currently a ranking member of the Housing Committee in Montpelier, Krasnow views volunteering at the food shelf as a way to connect with the community.
“I’m able to volunteer there when we’re not in session, really meeting with folks in our community who are vulnerable and a lot of folks who are unhoused and helping them navigate challenges. Those are my constituents, too,” she said.
The move could create an opportunity to expand the food shelf’s services, Leduc said, such as a youth center or drop-in center.
“While we need to address the food shelf’s need for a permanent home first, if there were a space where we might be able to co-locate both, we’d explore that possibility as well,” he said. “Another
thing we always keep in mind is the possibility of having enough space in our building to allow other social services organizations to co-locate their services to the community members who use
the food shelf.”
It’s an exciting possibility, he said, but the most urgent need is finding a new space that works for the food shelf’s current mission. He’s asking that anyone who
wants to help reach out to the food shelf directly. Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for The Other Paper.
PHOTOS BY JACKSON WYATT
South Burlington Food Shelf director Carmolli and volunteers unload donations.
